This Weekend - Sportsmans Warehouse Sportsmans Dream Tournament on Lake Chickamauga!
AC's John Byrne & Sportmans Warehouse Manager Craig Baird Talk about this Weekends Sportsmans Warehouse Sportsmans Dream tournament on Lake Chickamauga!
Complete Info Here!
https://anglerschannel.com/tournaments/sportsmans-warehouse-fishermans-dream-bass-tournament-lake-chickamauga-may-5-2018/
BoatUS Renews Title Sponsorship of 2018 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship
May 2, 2018
The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) announces that Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has renewed its title sponsorship of the 2018 Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Championship. Now in its thirteenth anniversary year, the event will be held May 23-25 on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama. The Championship is the third major ACA event of four tournaments in the rapidly expanding Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Series slated for this year. BoatUS has been the title sponsor of the Championship since its inception.
Starting with the first Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship held on Lake Lewisville in 2006, student anglers have benefitted, both on the water and off, from the relationship with BoatUS. A decade later, collegiate anglers continue to be able to tap into BoatUS’ 24/7 on water towing and roadside assistance services, information, and more at each Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Series event.
Wade Middleton, President of CarecoTV and Director of the Association of Collegiate Anglers, said, “Since first becoming involved in college fishing, BoatUS has provided so much over the past decade from education on safety issues and boating issues, offering important services like insurance, towing and more as well a wide range of services both on and off the water to help ensure this next generation of anglers are prepared to safely and properly enjoy the waters across the nation.”
To find out how you can get signed up for your BoatUS membership and participants’ incentive plans, visit the www.boatus.com.
St. Croix Rods - A New Legend for Anglers Who Want it All
Courtesy of St. Croix Rods / Traditions Media
Legend X packs every technology at St. Croix’s disposal to deliver unrivaled performance
Park Falls, WI (May 3, 2018) – The Senko spiraled toward the bottom of a gin-clear lake, turning the reel on the opposite end ever closer towards the end of its spool. Twenty feet down and dozens of yards from the boat, a thin strand of four-pound fluorocarbon traced a line from fish to man. On a sunny day at this depth and distance, the line was impossible for the angler’s eye to see — then, a thump.
“I could feel it in my hands,” said angling guru Dan Johnston. “It blew my mind.”
Johnston, National Accounts Manager for St. Croix Rod, was in the midst of a three-day video shoot with Jarrett Edwards of Jarrett Edwards Outdoors. The gin-clear water belonged to the mystic desert fishery of Lake Powell, where a maze of clear water channels crisscrosses the Arizona/Utah border in a dance with time and nature. At Lake Powell, the ruins of an Anasazi empire and exposed fossils of plesiosaurs line the same canyon walls where bass loiter for food, feasting on shad in the shadows of legends.
It was here on Powell that Johnston and Edwards had come to document a legend of their own — a battle test for the St. Croix Rod Legend X.
“I was basing bite detection off of that thump in my hands,” Johnston said. “Usually, all of the conditions have to line up to feel that hit. Here, Jarrett and I were throwing a light soft plastic almost as far as we could throw, getting a bite at the very end of the cast, and in 20 feet of water you could still feel it.”
Adds Johnston, “You can write that, but people reading it will roll their eyes. They won’t believe you until they do it for themselves.”
Legend X rumors began to swirl last summer, just before the rod made its official debut at ICAST 2017. There, retailers got their first look at the production models which would eventually find their way out to the desert with Johnston and Edwards. Featuring Relentless Olive blanks with cork, split-grip handles and a familiar name, it didn’t take long for consumers who hadn’t seen the rods up close to dub Legend X a ‘Legend Elite with split grips.’ But Johnston says only part of that moniker is true.
“It does have the same SCV blank as the Legend Elite, and it does have split grips, but this is a rod built with every single technology St. Croix Rod has at its disposal. It’s a rod for the ultimate, discerning angler who understands that 32 pairs of hands have touched this rod during the manufacturing process. It’s for the angler who wants the ultimate in sensitivity and light weight. It’s for the angler who wants all of St. Croix’s rod building technologies. Every one of them.”
An 18-year veteran of St. Croix Rod, Johnston is no spring chicken when it comes to rod design. He’s fished nearly every rod the Wisconsin-based company has produced in almost two decades with the company; and in a field with many favorites, he says Legend X stands above them all.
“It’s a dream rod for me,” he elaborates. “A lot of people have been waiting on a SCV blank with split grips. Legend X is unbelievably impressive.”
The rod’s list of technical features reads like a laundry list of high-performance rod specifications: Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel tooling technology; Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ (ART™); a Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank; super high-modulus SCVI graphite with Fortified Resin System (FRS) in its lower section for maximum power and reduced weight; high-modulus/high-strain SCV graphite with FRS and carbon-matte scrim for unparalleled strength, durability and sensitivity; Fuji® Torzite® tangle-free guides with titanium frames; a Fuji® TVS blank-touch reel seat with a built-in hood on spinning rods; a Fuji® PTS blank-touch reel seat with a built-in hood on casting rods; anodized, machined-aluminum wind check and trim pieces; a Kigan titanium hook-keeper; two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish, and its signature split-grip super-grade cork handles.
Asked about the relentless, madman’s list of features, Johnston had a simple explanation.
“St Croix exists to provide every angler with the upper hand. That explains Legend X. That explains the engine behind the brilliance, the fuel behind the idea, the execution, and the final product. We wanted to give people the ultimate advantage on the water. Everything about Legend X is distilled to that. St. Croix Rod wanted to go all-in.”
Just a few short months after its ICAST 2017 unveiling, Legend X is starting to fill the dealer pipelines. Soon, Dan Johnston and Jarrett Edwards will have to share their legend with the rest of the angling world. Johnston swears Legend X is the ultimate fishing rod come to life.
It’s a tale that may seem hard to believe — but like the mysterious landscape of Lake Powell—is 100 percent true.
#stcroixrods
Jordan Lee says Kentucky Lake feels a lot like Grand
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Bassmaster Classic Champion Jordan Lee played a lot of baseball in his younger years growing up around Cullman, Alabama. And right now, the easy-going 26 year old feels a lot like one of former Yankees icon Yogi Berra’s famous quotes, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.”
Go to Conroe – win a Classic. Go to Hartwell the following year – win a Classic.
Go to Grand Lake, Oklahoma last week knowing there’s bass on spawning beds poor water clarity won’t permit you to see.
Work hard. Fish hard. Notch another Top 12 finish.
Fire up the Tundra and head straight to the next event at Kentucky Lake, realize once again there’s bass on spawning beds poor water clarity won’t permit you to see.
“There’s a lot of bass on beds here, but it won’t be much of a sight fishing tournament because the water’s been high and off-colored, and beds are hard to see here, just like at Grand Lake last week,” says the Quantum pro.
And much like Northeast Oklahoma last week, the weather forecast is one to make the Chamber of Commerce proud here in Henry County, TN. Lots of sunshine and temps perfectly suited for nothing more than the Carhartt Force long sleeve shirt you seeing Lee wearing here.
After two very long but comfortable days on Kentucky Lake, Lee predicts weights very similar to Grand Lake.
“I averaged 17 pounds a day at Grand and finished 10th, and I’m guessing that’s just about exactly what it’ll take here for a Top 12,” he says.
Unlike Grand, the water is in the bushes on Kentucky Lake, but it’s falling fast. And while there’s tons of shallow habitat to cast or pitch to right now, the TVA will likely suck as much as 2-feet of water out of this massive reservoir by competition … which again, could bring flashbacks of Grand’s mostly dry shoreline habitat.
Still, just like Grand, Lee feels this will be a shallow water tournament. “The water temps are in the 60s and warming daily, fish want to be shallow. I’m not saying somebody won’t slip off the bank and win off a gravel bar or shell bar, but for the most part there’s going to be a lot of guys fishing shallow,” says Lee.
Finally, there’s the intangibles that seem so similar with Jordan Lee at Kentucky Lake, just like Hartwell, Conroe, and Grand – he’ll be one of the very last anglers to leave the boat ramp.
“It’s 6:00 p.m., and I’ll probably be out here until pretty much dark at 8:00 p.m. – I’ve got a lot of work to do,” he grinned as the sun began to fall in western sky on Day 2 of practice near Buchanan, TN.
AnglersChannel Insider Podcast Episode #12 Featuring FLW Tour Winner David Williams & Nascar Gasman turned Ranger Boats Dealer Ed Watkins!
On this weeks episode Chris gets stuck in traffic in the ATL and records the pod from the front seat of the AC Tundra. The Boys talk to David Williams, FLW Tour Winner on how he led wire-to-wire on Smith Lake as well as talk to Ranger Boat Dealer owner Ed Watkins of Ed Watkins Marine in Denver, NC. We also have the Progressive Bass Wrap up, The Costa Countdown to Blastoff and a ton more, only on the AC Insider Podcast!
Bassmaster Team Championship To Be Held On Florida’s Harris Chain For The First Time
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3rd Annual Carhartt College Fishing Video Contest
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
Calling all college anglers. Want the chance to go fishing with back-to-back Bassmaster Classic champ Jordan Lee and Elite Series standout Matt Lee, as well as win a boatload of Carhartt apparel? Your opportunity waits via the Carhartt College Fishing Video Contest. For the 3rd year, the title sponsor of the College Bassmaster Series extends this contest to collegiate anglers.
The rules remain simple, anglers are asked to put together a short video showcasing what college fishing means to them and how Carhartt has their back on the water, while they are hard at work, in the classroom, or at home. Video submissions should be kept around 3:00 minutes long and can be filmed on any video capturing device. As long as you are currently enrolled in college courses you are eligible to participate.
The rules are left loose to allow for creativity. So college anglers, have fun with it! Include videos from fun fishing trips, fishing club meetings, Carhartt College B.A.S.S. events, campus life, or whatever else you feel fits the bill. All is fair game. On top of the Grand Prize winner, there will be (4) other videos chosen to win a prize package with the latest and greatest Carhartt fishing gear.
Jacob Smith of Wallace State University was the 2017 Grand Prize winner, check out his winning video submission here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP-_K6nxxow
“The whole trip up to Lake St Clair was a dream come true honestly,” Smith said. “Getting a behind-the-scenes look at a Bassmaster Elite Series event, meeting all the great folks from B.A.S.S, and catching giant smallmouth with Jordan, Matt, and my buddy Miller are all experiences I wouldn’t trade for the world.”
The Carhartt fishing team of Mark Zona, Terry Scroggins, Matt Lee, and Jordan Lee once again make up the esteemed panel of judges who will pick the Grand Prize and Carhartt apparel prize package winners.
The Grand Prize up for grabs is an all-inclusive trip to Chatuge Lake for the Toyota Angler of the Year Championship, and then a two-day fishing trip with Lee brothers following the tournament. Previous Grand Prize trips were held on infamous fisheries like Lake Guntersville (2016) and Lake St. Clair (2017). College anglers were treated to an exciting and educational couple of days on the water with the Lee brothers.
This year’s Grand Prize trip promises more of the same, so get your creative juices flowing and submit a video before the cutoff date of July 15th, 2018.
Videos can be submitted through this link: https://www.facebook.com/dynamicsponsorships/app/403834839671843/. For more information, questions, or concerns email [email protected].
CUBA’S BECHTEL WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS
Springfield’s Lloyd Wins Co-angler Title
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (April 30, 2018) – Boater Zach Bechtel of Cuba, Missouri, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 21 pounds, 7 ounces to win the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division event on Lake of the Ozarks. For his win, Bechtel earned the first place prize of $5,020 plus a $2,000 Ranger Cup contingency bonus.
“I had been fishing in a few local tournaments over the past few weeks and had been catching a lot of fish,” said Bechtel. “But, when I went out on Friday to practice for this event, the fish were gone. I looked and looked and I couldn’t find them anywhere. I knew I was in trouble.
“Saturday, I woke up without a real plan and just decided to go fishing,” Bechtel said. “Everyone else kept saying that the fish had moved shallow to spawn, but I decided that I was going to fish in areas where I believed the fish were still staging. On my first spot I caught a 4½- and a 5-pounder and I just dialed it in from there.”
Bechtel said that he fished around 20 different points through the day with a ¾-ounce silver and red-colored War Eagle spinnerbait with a smoke shad-colored Keitech Fat Impact swimbait on it. He estimated that he caught 10 or 11 keepers throughout the day.
“I think the wind was pretty important to my pattern,” Bechtel said. “The points had to be wind-blown in order to get bit.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Zach Bechtel, Cuba, Mo., five bass, 21-7, $5,020 + $2,000 Ranger Cup
2nd: Mark Tucker, Kirkwood, Mo., five bass, 19-8, $2,560
3rd: Keith Nickell, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 19-1, $1,574
4th: Rob Bueltmann, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 18-2, $1,201
5th: David Ryan, Levasy, Mo., five bass, 17-12, $944
6th: Ronnie Kane, Gardner, Kan., five bass, 17-8, $865
7th: Tom Alsop, Overland Park, Kan., five bass, 15-5, $787
8th: Tom Silber, Labadie, Mo., five bass, 15-2, $708
9th: Jason Rhyne, Foristell, Mo., five bass, 15-1, $629
10th: Shawn Kowal, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 14-6, $551
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Doug Henzlik of Leawood, Kansas, caught a bass weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $695.
Tom Lloyd of Springfield, Missouri, won the Co-angler Division and $2,560 Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds even.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Tom Lloyd, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 16-0, $2,560
2nd: Spencer Clark, Maryland Heights, Mo., five bass, 12-15, $1,180
3rd: Taylor Day, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., two bass, 9-0, $787
4th: Lang Yang, Miami, Okla., three bass, 8-10, $551
5th: Jordan Williams, Oak Grove, Mo., three bass, 8-4, $522
6th: Dennis Spell, Bonne Terre, Mo., three bass, 7-10, $433
7th: Bryan Barnard, Harrison, Ark., two bass, 7-8, $393
8th: Walter Hammond, Lees Summit, Mo., three bass, 7-3, $354
9th: Terry Misenhelter, Four Seasons, Mo., two bass, 6-13, $315
10th: Kory Ries, Union, Mo., two bass, 6-12, $275
Jeffrey Miller of Fredericktown, Missouri caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass that earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $347.
The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division event at Lake of the Ozarks was hosted by the Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association and Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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. 18-20 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
Seeing What Your Not Looking For
As April grows small in the rearview mirror and we head into May, many people stop sight-fishing. They figure the spawn has wound down and, in many cases, they’re right but ‘sight-fishing’ need not be confused with ‘bed-fishing’. There’s still a lot to see . . . and catch.
My son and I stood on the dock at our lake and talked over the bass that came and went, including a true giant that busted Hunter’s fluorocarbon line. He had seen the fish eat his bait as it swam in 8 feet of water and that proved too much for the 15-year-old and his 15-pound line. He set the hook like a gorilla.
He then collapsed on the dock like somebody had kicked his gonads through his rib cage.
His girlfriend, Romi, giggled and asked what was wrong with him. It was one of many questions she asked. Among them was, ‘how can y’all see all those fish? I don’t see anything.’
My wife explained about polarized glasses. Even with our Costas though, I explained that there are tricks to seeing fish. And there’s an art to catching them.
Somebody had to teach me so I’m passing along some of the best tips I ever got on the subject of sight-fishing for bass year-round, not just when they’re on the beds.
My teachers include Shaw Grigsby, Bernie Schultz and no less a sight-casting pioneer than Guido Hibdon himself.
The best thing I ever picked up from Hibdon - and passed along to Romi the other day – was to look for ‘game trails’ under the water. “When bass swim, they brush away bottom debris and leave a light-colored trail along the bottom,” shared Hibdon who learned the craft on the deep highland lakes of the Ozarks region. He further expounded that knowing where to look in the first place is half the battle when visually searching for fish.
Hibdon said, “They will swim back and forth along that same trail and if you wait, just like deer hunting, one will come back through the area and you can cast out ahead of him far enough to let the lure settle to bottom before he gets there.”
Letting the lure settle before the fish gets there can be key.
Letting the line sink is critical.
“You never want your line to go over the fish’s back,” emphasized Grigsby after a mid-summer day of sight-casting on Tennessee’s Lake Cherokee. “And you don’t want to cast right at the fish either. If you see one sitting there looking at you, that’s not good. You want to bring the lure at an angle and make it act as if it’s trying to escape. Make the fish think it’s his idea.”
For these reasons, you need to lead the fish by a wide margin when casting to them. This is also a strong reason to use fluorocarbon line as it will sink much faster than mono or braid which means you’ll be less likely to ‘line’ the fish (cast or pull the line over its back).
Bernie Schultz once told me about a tournament on Georgia’s West Point Lake where he saw bass swimming around a shallow point, back and forth at a consistent depth, following game trails as Hibdon had told me they would. “I just tossed a Senko way out in front, made sure it got down, pulled the line beneath the surface and let the fish find the lure.”
It can be just that simple. Not all fish will bite. But Grigsby and Hibdon both estimated their odds of catching any given bass at better than 50%. Their tournament records back that up.
Odds go way up when you see the fish before the fish see you. Keep a low profile, move silently – which means move slowly in most cases. And wear the best quality polarized sunglasses you afford.
Costa del Mar has set the standard for decades. The clearest lenses on the planet not only show you fish, but also protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful effects as well as the occasional flying tungsten sinker. My favorite model, the Blackfin has wide sides to block distracting peripheral glare.
Keep the sun over your shoulder to further minimize glare and then, as Grigsby says, “Put the trolling motor down and go learn what to look for.”
One clue I look for is shadows. Fish are notorious for camouflaging themselves into their environment. But they can’t change the density of their body. They cast consistent shadows when in shallow water. The dark oval on the lake floor is often the first cue I get that there is something swimming, suspended slightly higher in the water column.
When looking for the fish itself, try to first find the vertical black stripe on their tail. This stripe contrasts sharply with the rest of the tail fin and it is nearly always moving – and movement always gives an animal away when it is trying to hide.
Wakes can give fish away. On cloudy days, bulging v’s that ripple the surface may be your most obvious sign. Remember, the deeper a fish swims, the further behind its wake will trail. Also, the deeper the fish swims, the further ahead of it you need to cast. Again, you must get your line down so as not to spook the fish.
Take these tips and go see some fish!
MILTON’S LEIDHOLDT WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE GREAT LAKES DIVISION OPENER ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Illinois’ Howard Wins Co-angler Title
LA CROSSE, Wis. (April 30, 2018) – Boater Rob Leidholdt of Milton, Wisconsin, caught five bass weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division opener on the Mississippi River presented by Navionics. Leidholdt earned $5,046 for his victory.
“I stayed in Pool No. 8 all day, throwing a spinnerbait all day long on a shallow flat near Stoddard,” said Leidholdt, who earned his first career win in FLW competition. “There were around 15 boats fishing the same flat, but I was fishing slower than most of them. I caught around 10 fish all day long.”
Leidholdt’s spinnerbait of choice was a Spot Remover-colored War Eagle Finesse Spinnerbait with a white Zoom Swimmer Paddle Tail swimbait.
“I think only having one day to practice actually really helped me,” Leidholdt said. “The river has had so much water fluctuation in the past few weeks, so even if I would have had time to practice it likely would have been very different come tournament time.
“It’s the first time in a long time that I can remember that I put the jig down and picked up the spinnerbait,” Leidholdt joked. “I’ve been fishing BFL tournaments for 15 years, so I definitely put my time in to earn the win.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Rob Leidholdt, Milton, Wis., five bass, 17-11, $5,046
2nd: Michael Hanrahan, Pleasant Hill, Iowa, five bass, 16-15, $2,523
2nd: Ryan Lewis, Glasford, Ill., five bass, 16-14, $1,682
4th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 16-0, $1,177
5th: Ben Potaracke, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-15, $1,209
6th: Dan Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, five bass, 15-12, $925
7th: Bob Downey, Hudson, Wis., five bass, 15-8, $841
8th: Nick Trim, Galesville, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $857
9th: Frank Cipra, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 14-10, $673
10th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 14-1, $589
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tony Seiler of River Falls, Wisconsin, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $770.
David Howard of Farmington, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division and $2,523 Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: David Howard, Farmington, Ill., five bass, 16-9, $2,523
2nd: Kory Kreinke, Annandale, Minn., five bass, 14-9, $1,262
3rd: Mike Frazer, DeForest, Wis., five bass, 14-1, $841
4th: Jake Lambrecht, Davenport, Iowa, five bass, 13-14, $589
5th: Alexandru Spiac, Chicago, Ill., five bass, 12-6, $505
6th: Brad Juen, La Crosse, Wis., four bass, 11-6, $663
7th: Jason Wulf, Crown Point, Ind., three bass, 10-2, $471
8th: Chad Schultz, Rockton, Ill., four bass, 9-10, $378
9th: Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, three bass, 9-5, $336
10th: Chad Smith, Davenport, Iowa, three bass, 8-4, $294
Bill McBride of Rockford, Illinois, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a 5-pound, 12-ounce fish. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $385.
The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division opener on the Mississippi River presented by Navionics was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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. 25-27 BFL Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
WILLIAMS LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS FLW TOUR AT LEWIS SMITH LAKE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE
North Carolina Angler fends off 181 FLW Tour pros with more than 64 pounds, earns $100k
JASPER, Ala. (April 29, 2018) – Pro David Williams of Maiden, North Carolina, brought a 13-pound, 13-ounce, limit of bass to the weigh-in stage Sunday to win the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine with a four-day cumulative total of 20 bass weighing 64 pounds, 9 ounces. For his dominant showing on the water this week, Williams earned $102,700 and moved up to the No. 4 position in the Pennzoil Marine Angler of the Year race.
“It’s an incredibly tough field of anglers and each one dreams of winning one of these tournaments. To win one in my first year on Tour is pretty special,” said Williams, who earned his first career Tour-level win and is now extremely likely to qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup. “It’s been a long time coming and its extra special when you really have to work for it.”
During the tournament Williams targeted the morning shad spawn, skipping a jig around and under docks up the White Oak, Crooked and Rock creek arms. He was able to rack up the majority of his weight fairly quickly each morning, catching both largemouth and spotted bass.
“I had no idea I’d lead from start to finish – I didn’t really have that great of a practice,” said Williams. “I had one good area and didn’t really realize how many fish were in there. But, I was able to milk it for four days. It was pretty incredible.”
Williams said his main baits this week were a white Queen Tackle Tungsten Swim Jig and a TrueSouth Custom Lures Fathead Jig with a Bizz Baits Cutter Craw and Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw as trailers.He also worked a TrueSouth Shimmy Jig with a Zoom Z Craw and a TrueSouth V-Twin buzzbait near flooded cover, in between docks, to lure a few key bites as well.
“Lewis Smith Lake fishes a lot like our lakes back home in North Carolina and that’s the reason I think that I did well,” said Williams.
The final 10 Pros on Lewis Smith Lake finished:
1st: David Williams, Maiden, N.C., 20 bass, 64-9, $102,700
2nd: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 20 bass, 59-12, $30,000
3rd: Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., 20 bass, 59-2, $25,000
4th: Pennzoil Marine pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 20 bass, 57-6, $20,100
5th: Jordan Osborne, Longview, Texas, 20 bass, 54-10, $19,000
6th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 20 bass, 54-8, $18,000
7th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 20 bass, 52-2, $17,000
8th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 20 bass, 51-12, $16,000
9th: Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C., 20 bass, 50-9, $15,000
10th: Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., 20 bass, 50-5, $14,000
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 50 bass weighing 128 pounds, 1 ounce, caught by the final 10 pros Sunday. All 10 pros weighed a five-bass limit.
Joel Willert of Prior Lake, Minnesota, won the Co-angler Division and $20,100 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 4 ounces. After winning the Co-angler title at Lake Cumberland earlier this month, Willert became the fifth co-angler in FLW Tour history to win back-to-back events.
Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) June 6 from Noon-1 p.m. EST. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide.
The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine was more than $930,000. The event was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County. The next tournament for FLW Tour anglers will be the FLW Tour at Kentucky Lake presented by Costa, May 17-20, in Gilbertsville, Kentucky, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.
In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round. Co-angler competition concluded following Friday’s weigh-in, while the top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continued competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 10-12 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
VanDam Dominates Grand Lake To Win 25th Bassmaster Championship
Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., won his 25th B.A.S.S. title at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake out of Grove, Okla., with a four-day total weight of 83 pounds, 4 ounces.
Courtesy of BASS Communications
April 29, 2018
GROVE, Okla. — Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., relied upon large female prespawn bass to claim a record-breaking 25th title on the Bassmaster Elite Series, and a $100,000 payday at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake in Grove, Okla.
During Championship Sunday, VanDam put up 18 pounds, 7 ounces to push his four-day total to 83-4, which outscored Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., by more than 5 pounds.
The 50-year-old VanDam will place an unprecedented 25th Bassmaster trophy on his mantle — a feat many believe may never be broken.
This isn’t his first victory on the famous Oklahoma lake. He won an Elite Series event on Grand Lake back in 2007 with 78-2.
The bass VanDam was targeting this time were primarily in the prespawn phase and were positioned along transition zones where one type of bottom met another.
“The male bass were all in shallow along the bank and pretty easy to catch,” VanDam said. “I knew that to win, I needed to catch the larger females that were staging farther offshore — around 8 to 10 feet of water.”
After an unproductive practice, the four-time Bassmaster Classic champion said he was forced to adapt and experiment on Thursday’s opening round of competition.
“I really didn’t think I could win this thing after the tough practice I had,” he said. “But I knew I had to cover water to find active fish. The female bass that were moving in to spawn were not yet on beds, but they would still hit a reaction bait like a crankbait or a spinnerbait.”
VanDam said he fished at least 50 spots per day early in the tournament, but dialed in to the best locations during Saturday and Sunday, which meant less traveling from one to the next.
“Today was a tougher bite for me. I caught fewer fish, but I was focusing on the locations that were producing the largest bass. It proved to be the right decision,” he said.
He caught some bass this week on a 1/2-ounce green pumpkin Strike King Structure Jig paired with a green pumpkin Rage Menace Grub with the tail dipped in chartreuse dye.
For the rod-and-reel combo, he used a 7-foot, 4-inch Quantum Tour KVD rod matched with a Quantum Smoke S3 baitcaster in a 7.3:1 gear ratio. The reel was spooled with 20-pound Bass Pro Shops XPS fluorocarbon line.
“My most productive bait was a Strike King KVD 1.5 squarebill crankbait in a brown craw color,” he said. “I pulled that on a 7-foot Quantum Tour KVD medium-action crankbait rod paired with a Quantum Smoke 200 reel in a 5.3:1 gear ratio. I tied the crankbait on to 12-pound Bass Pros Shops XPS fluorocarbon.”
A huge factor for the seven-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year was the hooks he used on the squarebill crankbait.
“I swapped the factory hooks with No. 2 Mustad KVD treble hooks, and that increased my hook-up rate tremendously,” he said. “I heard multiple anglers comment on how the bass were swatting at their lures and not staying hooked up. My hook change was critical to getting all my fish into the boat.”
When asked if retirement was in his near future, VanDam laughed.
“Short answer: No. I’m having too much fun,” he said.
“These tournaments are very difficult to win, and I’ve been very blessed over my career, but I’ll never take any of it for granted. I still get very emotional, just like winning my first B.A.S.S. tournament in 1991.”
VanDam’s victory at Grand Lake will push his winnings to more than $6.3 million across 306 tournaments over an impressive 29-year career, and he has no ambitions of stopping.
Biffle weighed 78-2 for second place; Roy Hawk of Lake Havasu, Ariz., was third with 77-0; Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Ky., was fourth with 75-3; and Seth Feider of Bloomington, Minn., was fifth with 73-11.
Hawk, a rookie on the Elite Series this year, was awarded $1,000 for the leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race at the end of the event. He also claimed the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $1,000 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat. And he collected the Toyota Bonus Bucks Award of $3,000 for being the highest-placing eligible entrant in the program.
The second-highest-placing eligible entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., received $2,000.
Bill Weidler of Helena, Ala., received $1,500 dollars as the winner of the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award. He had the largest bass of the tournament with a 7-3 largemouth he caught in the first round of competition Thursday.
Next up on the Bassmaster Elite Series circuit is the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia. Competition begins there Friday.
2018 Bassmaster Elite At Grand Lake Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2018 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2018 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole
2018 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Livingston Lures, Lowrance Phoenix Boats, T-H Marine, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Carhartt
2018 Bassmaster Elite Series Elite Partner: Black Velvet Canadian Whisky
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Series presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
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Media Contact: JamieDay Matthews, 205-313-0945, [email protected] or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, [email protected]
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WILLIAMS EXTENDS LEAD TO NEAR SEVEN POUNDS AT FLW TOUR AT LEWIS SMITH LAKE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE
Courtesy of FLW Communications
JASPER, Ala. (April 28, 2018) – Pro David Williams of Maiden, North Carolina, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to continue his reign atop the leaderboard at the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine. Williams’ three-day cumulative total of 50-12 gives him a commanding 6-pound, 10-ounce lead heading into the fourth and final day of competition when he will lead the final 10 pros on the water to compete for the top prize of up to $125,000.
Williams started his day by returning to his primary stretch of water and was able to catch the bulk of his weight by 9 a.m. By 10 a.m., he said he left the area alone.
“I got to the point where I was throwing back 2½ to 2¾ pounders and I’m like ‘I’m wasting a lot of weight here and can’t be doing this. I’ll need these tomorrow’,” said Williams, a former Bassmaster Elite Series pro who is fishing his sixth career FLW Tour event this week. “I wanted to stick around, but decided to move on.”
Williams said he caught around 25 keepers today, noting that although he had less bites compared to the first two days of the event, the fish were heavier on average.
“I had a couple of big bites on a frog, but I lost them,” said Williams. “There was one by the boat that was a 3-pounder, and one that wrapped me up in the cover that was probably a 5. Hopefully they’ll still be there tomorrow and I can have another shot at them.”
The North Carolina pro said he plans on making the same milk run he’s made all week to finish out the tournament.
“It’s a blast out there right now,” said Williams. “I’m fishing exactly the way I love to fish.”
The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: David Williams, Maiden, N.C., 15 bass, 50-12
2nd: Jordan Osborne, Longview, Texas, 15 bass, 44-2
3rd: Pennzoil Marine pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 43-15
4th: Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., 15 bass, 43-12
5th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 43-12
6th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 15 bass, 41-10
7th: Yamamoto Baits pro Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., 15 bass, 40-1
8th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 15 bass, 39-12
9th: Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C., 15 bass, 39-12
10th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 15 bass, 39-2
Finishing in 11th through 30th are:
11th: Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark., 15 bass, 38-6, $12,000
12th: Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 15 bass, 38-6, $12,000
13th: Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., 15 bass, 38-3, $12,000
14th: Rex Huff, Corbin, Ky., 15 bass, 37-7, $12,000
15th: Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn., 15 bass, 37-4, $12,250
16th: Robert Behrle, Hoover, Ala., 15 bass, 37-2, $12,000
17th: J.T. Kenney, Palm Bay, Fla., 15 bass, 37-1, $12,000
18th: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 36-13, $12,000
19th: Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., 15 bass, 36-0, $12,000
20th: Sheldon Collings, Grove, Okla., 15 bass, 36-0, $12,000
21st: Cabela’s pro Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 15 bass, 35-12, $10,000
22nd: General Tire pro Mark Rose, West Memphis, Ark., 15 bass, 35-11, $10,000
23rd: Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla., 15 bass, 35-7, $10,500
24th: Cody Hahner, Wausau, Wis., 15 bass, 35-1, $10,000
25th: Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark., 15 bass, 35-0, $10,000
26th: Jeff Dobson, Bartlesville, Okla., 15 bass, 32-12, $10,250
27th: Costa pro Russell Cecil, Willis, Texas, 15 bass, 32-6, $10,000
28th: Cabela’s pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, 15 bass, 31-13, $10,000
29th: Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada, 12 bass, 29-1, $10,000
30th: Randy Haynes, Ripley, Miss., 10 bass, 24-14, $10,000
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 142 bass weighing 323 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 29 pros Saturday. The catch included 28 five-bass limits.
Joel Willert of Prior Lake, Minnesota, won the Co-angler Division and $20,100 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 4 ounces. After winning the Co-angler title at Lake Cumberland earlier this month, Willert became the fifth co-angler in FLW Tour history to win back-to-back events.
In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round. Co-angler competition concluded following Friday’s weigh-in, while the top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine is more than $930,000. The event is hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 10-12 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The final 10 anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. CDT Sunday from the Smith Lake Dam Access, located at 7482 Smith Lake Dam Road in Jasper. Sunday’s weigh-in will also be held at the Access, beginning at 4 p.m.
Prior to the weigh-in Sunday, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the Smith Lake Dam Access from noon to 4 p.m. The Expo is the perfect opportunity for fishing fans of all ages to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.
Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) June 6 from Noon-1 p.m. EST. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Kevin VanDam Takes Over Top Spot At Bassmaster Elite On Grand Lake
Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., takes the lead on the third day of the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake out of Grove, Okla., with a three-day total weight of 64 pounds, 13 ounces.
Courtesy of BASS Communications
April 28, 2018
GROVE, Okla. — After catching his heaviest limit of the tournament, bass fishing superstar Kevin VanDam produced five bass that weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces to take the lead at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
Not only was today’s limit of largemouth VanDam’s biggest of his week, it was his third limit exceeding the magical 20-pound mark — a benchmark in professional bass fishing.
His three-day total is 64-13.
With one more round remaining in the four-day Elite tournament, the bass fishing legend is looking to add to his already astounding record of 24 titles on the Bassmaster tournament trail, including four Bassmaster Classic wins and seven Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year awards.
With $100,000 on the line for first place, and win No. 25 for the Kalamazoo, Mich., resident, VanDam is confident his fishing areas are only getting better.
“It’s going to take another bag of 20 pounds or better to win this thing,” he said. “I think where I’ve spent my time this week has the right fish, but as the standings will show, the other Top 12 anglers are also catching them. I’m not comfortable yet.”
The field will be cut down to the Top 12 anglers with VanDam leading them out on Championship Sunday.
“Each of us are focusing on spawning bass,” VanDam said. “And with the weather and moon phase both factors, the spots are reloading by the hour. The bass are fat and very healthy looking — plus I feel like my pattern is only getting stronger.”
Most anglers aren’t usually willing to reveal their tactics until the tournament is over, but if the world’s greatest bass angler is confident, history indicates that big things will happen.
And that’s what makes him the most feared angler on the planet.
Bassmaster rookie Roy Hawk of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., finished in second place at the first tournament of the year on Lake Martin in Alexander City, Ala.
That was his first appearance on the Elite Series.
Today he weighed 24-12 to push is three-day total to 61-9. Hawk will be starting Sunday’s final round of competition in second place yet again.
“My pattern hasn’t changed much this week,” Hawk said. “Each day I’ve narrowed down the most productive water, and the fish have been getting bigger. Of course, everything will have to go perfectly tomorrow if I’m going to win.”
Hawk said he was implementing several different techniques, and one of those in particular was catching the larger fish.
“Today I dialed in on that pattern, and weighed my biggest limit of the week. I don’t think that’s an accident, and I plan to do the same thing again tomorrow.”
After leading Friday’s second round of competition, Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., weighed 17-6 today and fell back to third place with a three-day total of 60-15.
“I didn’t catch as many fish today, and they weren’t as big,” said Lester. “I spent too much time fishing water I caught fish from the past couple days. I learned something valuable today, and tomorrow I am going to focus on new water.”
A late-day cull helped keep Lester in contention, and it revealed a potentially new pattern. He plans to begin Championship Sunday in that spot.
Rounding out the Top 5 are Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla., with 59-13 and Seth Feider of Bloomington, Minn., with 58-0.
Alabama’s Bill Weidler is currently leading the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award, thanks to a heavy 7-3 largemouth bass he caught during Thursday’s opening round of competition.
Championship Sunday takeoff will begin at 6:15 a.m. CT out of Wolf Creek Park, and the final weigh-in is scheduled in the same location beginning at 3 p.m.
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Brandon Lester Takes Command At Grand Lake Bassmaster Elite
Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., takes the lead on the second day of the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake out of Grove, Okla., with a two-day total weight of 43 pounds, 9 ounces.
Courtesy of BASS Communications
April 27, 2018
GROVE, Okla. — Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is no stranger to pressure. Just over a month ago, he and his wife Kimberly welcomed a new baby girl to their family.
Today he weighed the largest limit of his fishing career — a staggering 26-pound, 3-ounce limit of five bass that pushed his two-day total to 43-9 and took the lead at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
With $100,000 on the line for first place, the 30-year-old pro was calm and collected after walking off of the official Bassmaster weigh-in stage — not a common look among anglers who just took the lead over the world’s top-bass anglers.
“There’s a lot of fishing to be had still, and I’m not getting ahead of myself,” Lester said. “However, I like what’s happening to my fishing area, and I’m feeling pretty good about things.”
Based on the calendar, Lester believes the spawn is behind schedule on the Oklahoma lake. That is, it’s happening right now.
“These bass are moving in to spawn in impressive numbers,” he said. “This time of year, the fish are very susceptible to being caught, but they can also be spooky. Some anglers are sight fishing, but I’m covering water slowly and methodically.
“I had my fish early enough in the day that I decided to go look for more productive water as a backup plan. I like what I’ve got going on, and I also like what I found this afternoon.”
The current weather trend is indicating more sun and increasing temperatures, which should only improve the fishing across the lake.
“The spawn is happening right now, and I feel like my areas are reloading with fresh fish by the day,” Lester said.
Another angler who is comfortable atop the Bassmaster leaderboard is four-time Bassmaster Classic champion Kevin VanDam from Kalamazoo, Mich.
VanDam began his day in fourth place, but dominated the field according to unofficial weights listed on BASSTrakk, available at Bassmaster.com.
After bringing 20-10 to the scales, VanDam’s two-day total weight is 42-9, placing the seven-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year in second place.
“I covered quite a bit of water today looking for the right bites,” he said. “I had a very productive morning, so that afforded me some time to scout new areas for upcoming days of the tournament.”
Having backup areas an angler can rely upon if his primary pattern falls apart is critical to fishing — and especially winning — a four-day tournament.
“The extra practice time I had today was productive. Most of what I found was a bust, but I did learn a few things that will help with my game plan going into tomorrow.”
VanDam believes some heavy limits of bass will be brought to weigh-in over the next two days.
The 108-angler field was cut to the Top 50 for Saturday’s semi-final round of competition.
“The reduced number of boats on the water will eliminate a lot of fishing pressure occurring on Grand Lake right now,” VanDam said. “I think the fans are in for a treat by the time this thing wraps up on Sunday. We are fishing this lake during one of the best weeks of the year.”
Rounding out the Top 5 are Jacob Wheeler with 39-3, Cliff Crochet with 38-15 and Cliff Pace with 38-13.
Alabama’s Bill Weidler is currently leading the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award, thanks to a heavy 7-3 largemouth bass he caught during Thursday’s opening round of competition.
Daily takeoffs will occur Saturday and Sunday at 6:15 a.m. CT out of Wolf Creek Park, and weigh-ins are scheduled in the same location beginning at 3 p.m.
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WILLIAMS EXTENDS LEAD ON DAY TWO OF FLW TOUR AT LEWIS SMITH LAKE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE
Minnesota’s Willert Wins Second Consecutive Co-angler Title, $20K
JASPER, Ala. (April 27, 2018) – Pro David Williams of Maiden, North Carolina, caught five bass Friday weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces, to extend his lead at the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine. Williams’ two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds even gives him a 3-pound, 12-ounce advantage heading into Saturday over second-place pro Cody Meyer of Auburn, California, who has 10 bass weighing 30-4. The field is now cut to the final 30 pros, with only 10 anglers advancing to championship Sunday where the winner will take home the top prize of up to $125,000.
“I probably caught 50 keepers today and ended up weighing in three largemouth and two spotted bass,” said Williams, who is currently ranked fifth in the 2018 Pennzoil Marine Angler of the Year standings. “I went through the same two creeks (from Thursday) as well as a third creek and caught them just as good. I actually lost a big one in the third creek. I had a chance to have as big of a bag as I did yesterday if I’d have gotten it in the boat.”
Williams fished flooded cover and docks Friday, and his biggest catch of the day was a spotted bass – a 4-pound, 9-ouncer.
“I left my main area where I caught most of my big ones by 10 (a.m.),” said Williams. “I should be able to hammer on them a little more this weekend, and I’ll probably need to.”
Williams emphasized that he needs to finish strong if he wants to seal the deal on championship Sunday.
“It’s a tough field. You’ve got guys behind you like Cody Meyer and Matt Arey – guys that are real veterans. If you slip up, even a little bit, they’ll take advantage of it. I think I’m around the winning fish. I just need to execute and put them in the boat.”
The top 30 pros that made the first cut and will fish Saturday on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: David Williams, Maiden, N.C., 10 bass, 34-0
2nd: Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., 15-13, 30-4
3rd: Pennzoil Marine pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 30-2
4th: Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark., 10 bass, 29-7
5th: Jordan Osborne, Longview, Texas, 10 bass, 29-0
6th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 10 bass, 28-15
7th: Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn., 10 bass, 28-13
8th: Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., 10 bass, 28-11
9th: Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 28-4
10th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 28-0
11th: Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla., 10 bass, 27-6
12th: Robert Behrle, Hoover, Ala., 10 bass, 27-2
13th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 10 bass, 26-5
14th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 10 bass, 26-4
15th: Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada, 10 bass, 26-4
16th: Cabela’s pro Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 10 bass, 26-2
17th: Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark., 10 bass, 25-10
18th: Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 25-6
19th: Cody Hahner, Wausau, Wis., 10 bass, 25-6
20th: Cabela’s pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, 10 bass, 25-4
21st: Jeff Dobson, Bartlesville, Okla., 10 bass, 24-14
22nd: Randy Haynes, Ripley, Miss., 10 bass, 24-14
23rd: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 24-14
24th: Yamamoto Baits pro Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., 10 bass, 24-13
25th: General Tire pro Mark Rose, West Memphis, Ark., 10 bass, 24-12
26th: Costa pro Russell Cecil, Willis, Texas, 10 bass, 24-11
27th: Rex Huff, Corbin, Ky., 10 bass, 24-11
28th: Gene Larew pro Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., 10 bass, 24-8
29th: Sheldon Collings, Grove, Okla., 10 bass, 24-6
30th: J.T. Kenney, Palm Bay, Fla., 10 bass, 24-4
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Smith earned the $500 Simms Big Bass award in the Pro Division Friday thanks to a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass.
Overall there were 855 bass weighing 1,715 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 178 pros Friday. The catch included 164 five-bass limits.
Joel Willert of Prior Lake, Minnesota, won the Co-angler Division and $20,100 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 4 ounces. After winning the Co-angler title at Lake Cumberland earlier this month, Willert became the fifth co-angler in FLW Tour history to win back-to-back events.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Joel Willert, Prior Lake, Minn., 10 bass, 24-4, $20,100
2nd: Kyle Owen, Bradenton, Fla., 10 bass, 22-0, $7,550
3rd: Mark Horton, Nicholasville, Ky., nine bass, 21-7, $5,000
4th: Jerry Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., 10 bass, 21-7, $4,250
5th: Kyle Glasgow, Guin, Ala., 10 bass, 20-8, $3,000
6th: Gary Haraguchi, San Jose, Calif., 10 bass, 20-4, $2,500
7th: Justin Mounce, Springdale, Ark., 10 bass, 20-1, $2,000
8th: Joshua Perrymon, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 19-6, $1,800
9th: James Littich, Davidson, N.C., 10 bass, 18-15, $1,700
10th: Wataru Iwahori, Palestine, Texas, 10 bass, 18-10, $1,600
Reagan earned $250 for the Simms Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division Friday with a bass weighing 5 pounds even.
Overall there were 649 bass weighing 1,023 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 172 co-anglers Friday. The catch included 77 five-bass limits.
In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round. Co-angler competition concluded following Friday’s weigh-in, while the top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine is more than $930,000. The event is hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. CDT each day from the Smith Lake Dam Access, located at 7482 Smith Lake Dam Road in Jasper. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins, April 28-29, will be held at the Access beginning at 4 p.m.
Prior to the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the Smith Lake Dam Access from noon to 4 p.m. The Expo is the perfect opportunity for fishing fans of all ages to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.
Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the Smith Lake Dam Access on Saturday, April 28, from 9-11 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to youth (18 and under) and Special Olympics athletes (all ages). Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the biggest fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.
Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) June 6 from Noon-1 p.m. EST. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Swindle catches 21 pounds and two proud coins
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Beneath Gerald Swindle’s world-class humor is a heart topped-off by two ears that listen closely to the stories of others -- including the life stories of his ride-along Marshalls in Basssmaster Elite Series tournaments.
At the end of many competition days, the 2-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year is just as likely to tell those he’s closest to about the lives of his Marshalls, as he is to talk about how he caught ‘em.
Day 1 of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake was no exception. And ironically, Swindle actually recognized his Marshall, Carl Chasteen, after meeting him several years ago through former Elite Series angler Marty Stone.
Swindle holds a special place in his heart for members of our military, and Chasteen’s seen a lot of time on the battlefield. The native of Bristow, Oklahoma joined the Oklahoma National Guard through an Army ROTC Scholarship 26 years ago, and has since served two combat tours in Afghanistan, and one combat tour in Iraq.
He’s a career military man who simply enjoys seeing the pros perform within the realms of their own battlefield. “I just like seeing these guys who are the best anglers in the world do what they do, away from the weigh-in stage -- and instead -- right there where it’s just you and them -- two guys in a bass boat,” says Chasteen.
Swindle performed exceptionally well on Day 1 at Grand Lake – hauling an awesome 21-pound limit to the scales for a spot near the very top of the leaderboard, and Chasteen got exactly the 1-on-1 front row seat to watch greatness play-out, just like he’d hoped for.
The performance earned Swindle a coin from Chasteen – actually -- two coins.
“We call them ‘unit coins’ – and they serve as tokens we present for excellent performances like Gerald had today. Army members see them as more than just a pat on the back,” explains Chasteen.
Swindle saw them as way more than a pat on the back too. In rare fashion, he lacked much to say amid the sincere and humbling gesture, and simply asked to have his photo taken with Chasteen to preserve the moment of goodness.
As they posed for the picture, other tokens given to Swindle by military fishing fans could be seen proudly and meaningfully displayed under the dry storage lid of his Triton.
If all goes as planned, Chasteen and his mega- supportive bride Marsha will enjoy achieving the prestigious rank of Colonel later this year – and Swindle will win his first ever Bassmaster Elite.
If he does, count on him to talk about military coins and Chasteen, equally as much or more than spinnerbaits and jigs.
Casey Ashley off to a ‘rocky’ start at Grand Lake Elite
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
The limestone, sandstone, and dolomite beds that cradle Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees yielded a disappointing 11-pound limit for Casey Ashley on Day 1 of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite.
But the diamond he presented to longtime girlfriend Kenzi Hartman, in front of her friends and family at her parent’s home just down Interstate-44 in Broken Arrow last weekend, provided the emotional equivalent of his 2015 Bassmaster Classic win.
Grand Lake holds special significance to Casey and Kenzi. The first time they met one another was when the South Carolina pro traveled to the 2013 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake to work for sponsors such as Triton, Costa, and Quantum at the Classic Outdoor Expo.
It was one of the few Classics he’s failed to qualify for in his illustrious young career, but he netted a first date during the visit when Bob Bagby, a longtime marketing leader at Quantum, arranged for Casey to meet Kenzi, who Bagby knew through her former part time job at a local golf course.
To say the first date went well, would be like saying Casey ain’t half bad at pitchin’ a jig. Six months after they met, Casey asked Kenzi to move from Northeast Oklahoma to be with him fulltime in South Carolina, and to travel the Bassmaster Elite Series tour with him.
The Oklahoma State grad resigned a great job she had in sales, said a gut-wrenching goodbye to her parents and many close friends, and has been with Casey in South Carolina, and wherever the professional angling lifestyle takes them, ever since.
For the last five years, romantic trips to the mountains, beaches and many other significant destinations passed without the marriage proposal every girl dreams of. “All those great times came and went, and he never proposed, so I really had no clue he would ask me to marry him at my parents last weekend, but it was absolutely perfect,” says Kenzi.
“Rule #1 before any serious bass angler gives a girl a diamond ring is that she has to be a good cook, and she has to be able to back a boat trailer down a ramp. Kenzi can do both, and not only can she cook, but she’s a dang good cook,” says the Quantum pro.
The other rule is no runny eggs. The 2015 Classic champ and country boy, who once recorded a demo CD in Nashville under the tutelage of highly accomplished songwriter and avid angler Rodney Clawson, refuses to eat eggs over easy. But Kenzi’s homemade chicken Alfredo … well, now … that’s the tall brunette’s very best dish according to Casey.
Kenzi’s chicken Alfredo, Popeye’s spinach, General Mills’ Wheaties – whatever it takes to get Casey back in the hunt on the leaderboard – should probably be on the menu to make up for Casey’s small limit on Day 1.
“Back home, you don’t even start to think about looking for bass on spawning beds until the water temp hits 60-degrees. So with the water being in the high 50s and dingy here, I went shallow crankin’ until late in the afternoon on Thursday when I saw two 3-pounders on a spawning bed, and I knew right then I had missed-out on how they were catchin ‘em here,” says Ashley.
He mighta missed Grand Lake’s largemouth, but he’ll head east to the next Elite Series event at Kentucky Lake with one heckuva catch named Kenzi, and a diamond on her finger.
WILLIAMS GRABS EARLY LEAD AT FLW TOUR AT LEWIS SMITH LAKE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE
Courtesy of FLW Communications:
JASPER, Ala. (April 26, 2018) – Pro David Williams of Maiden, North Carolina, weighed an 18-pound, 11-ounce limit of largemouth bass to take the lead on Day One of the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine. Williams will bring a 2-pound, 9-ounce lead into Day Two of the four-day event that features the world’s premier bass-fishing professionals and co-anglers casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the Pro Division and up to $25,000 cash in the Co-angler Division.
Williams worked along two 4- to 5-mile stretches of creek to catch his largemouth Thursday. He said he fished flooded cover, and that he had 40 to 50 bites throughout his day.
“I went to the area where I’d caught two big ones in practice and caught my weight pretty quickly,” said Williams, who is seeking his first career win as a professional on the FLW Tour. “I culled a few times and was basically done fishing by 10:30 (a.m.).
“They’re on a mixture of stuff – it’s not just one thing,” continued Williams. “I didn’t see anybody else in the area and I didn’t fish anything twice. I just kind of blew through it one time and left.”
Williams said he plans on returning to his two stretches Friday.
“There’s plenty of fish in there to catch a fairly decent limit. It’s just a matter of getting those big 4- and 5-pound bites,” said Williams. “I don’t know if I can catch another 18 pounds, but I can catch some fish. I’m just going to keep working them and hopefully it lasts a few days.”
The top 10 pros after day one on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: David Williams, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 18-11
2nd: Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 16-2
3rd: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., five bass, 15-13
3th: Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 15-13
5th: Pennzoil Marine pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 15-9
6th: Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., five bass, 15-8
7th: James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, five bass, 15-6
8th: Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn., five bass, 15-2
9th: Jeff Dobson, Bartlesville, Okla., five bass, 15-1
10th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, five bass, 15-0
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Moynagh and Dobson each angler weighed a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass to tie for and split the day's $500 Simms Big Bass award..
Overall there were 863 bass weighing 1,825 pounds, 15 ounces, caught by 178 pros Thursday. The catch included 161 five-bass limits.
Billy Messer of Spartanburg, South Carolina, leads the Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces, followed by Joel Willert of Prior Lake, Minnesota, who weighed five bass totaling 12-10, good for second place.
The top 10 co-anglers after day one on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: Billy Messer, Spartanburg, S.C., five bass, 13-15
2nd: Joel Willert, Prior Lake, Minn., five bass, 12-10
3rd: Hiroyuki Watanabe, Shizuoka, Honshu, Japan, five bass, 12-7
4th: Joshua Perrymon, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 11-11
5th: Brian Norman, Hagersville, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 11-2
5th: Greg Pugh, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 11-2
7th: Marcus Corbett, Anniston, Ala., five bass, 11-1
8th: Casey Martin, New Hope, Ala., five bass, 10-14
9th: Jerry Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 10-12
10th: Wataru Iwahori, Palestine, Texas, five bass, 10-10
10th: Randy Hill, Athens, Ala., five bass, 10-10
10th: Robby Frashier, Carrollton, Ga., five bass, 10-10
Mark Guhne of Hixson, Texas, earned $250 for the Simms Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass.
Overall there were 644 bass weighing 1,074 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 169 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included 81 five-bass limits.
In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The full field of anglers competes in the two-day opening round. Co-angler competition concludes following Friday’s weigh-in, while the top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine is more than $930,000. The event is hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. CDT each day from the Smith Lake Dam Access, located at 7482 Smith Lake Dam Road in Jasper. Friday’s weigh-in, April 27, will be held at the Access beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins, April 28-29, will also be held at the Access, but will begin at 4 p.m.
Prior to the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the Smith Lake Dam Access from noon to 4 p.m. The Expo is the perfect opportunity for fishing fans of all ages to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.
Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the Smith Lake Dam Access on Saturday, April 28, from 9-11 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to youth (18 and under) and Special Olympics athletes (all ages). Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the biggest fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 10-12 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) June 6 from Noon-1 p.m. EST. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Takahiro Omori Is On Top Again At Grand Lake Bassmaster Elite
Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas, takes the lead on the first day of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake, bringing 23 pounds, 12 ounces to the scales on Thursday.
April 26, 2018
GROVE, Okla. — Japanese angler Takahiro Omori, who now calls Emory, Texas, his home, recently earned his seventh Bassmaster title at the first event of the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series season on Alabama’s Lake Martin.
Today his dominating streak continues thanks to a pair of 6-pound bass that anchored a 23-pound, 12-ounce five-bass limit at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake in Grove, Okla.
“I didn’t have a very good practice earlier this week,” he said. “I knew the fish were about to spawn, but I was surprised with what I caught today. The rest of the field also caught quite a few big fish, and that’s going to keep things interesting for the next three days.”
The 47-year-old angler has been fishing with B.A.S.S. for over 27 years, and he said this was his best day ever on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
“The best finish I’ve had on this lake was 30th place, so I’m very happy with how I did today,” said the 2004 Bassmaster Classic champion. “I know more fish are moving to shallow water, but it will be tough to catch this much again tomorrow.”
The last angler to win back-to-back Elites was the 2016 Classic Champion Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., who won on Kentucky Lake then again at the next tournament on the St. Lawrence River in 2015.
Looking at a second $100,000 paycheck in a row, Omori is cautiously optimistic.
“I probably fished over 50 different spots today. It’s important to keep moving,” he said. “Grand Lake is fishing very well right now, and I expect the fishing to only get better with the forecasted weather over the next few days.”
The weather is also a factor for third-year pro Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss. After catching five fat bass that weighed 23-5, the 29-year-old angler will be starting the second day of competition in second place.
“I knew I had a good sack of fish, but they ended up being heavier than I figured. There was a 6-pounder and a 5-10 in the mix, and that helped tremendously,” he said. “I think the fish are moving in to spawn, so I’m confident my spots will reload again tomorrow, but that should make the fishing better for the bulk of the field, too.”
Typically sight fishing is a very productive technique at this time of the year. However, the darker waters of Grand Lake will make consistent sight fishing a challenge.
“I think there are some fish to be caught sight fishing this week, but I’m not committed to it at this point,” Mosley said. “If I see a good fish on a bed, I will slow down and try to catch it. But my plan of attack is a little different.”
While Omori showed winning form at Lake Martin, Bassmaster rookie Kyle Monti, of Okeechobee, Fla., finished dead last in that tournament — his first Bassmaster Elite event ever.
Monti showed up at Grand Lake with an axe to grind. The 26-year-old pro caught 22-6 during Thursday’s opening round, and he will be starting Friday’s second round of competition in third place.
“I am very happy with how today went, and I’m confident my pattern will stay productive,” he said.
At this point in a tournament, most anglers won’t provide many details about how they are catching their bass, but Monti did say that fishing slow was key.
“I feel like these fish are very spooky, and that means fishing very slow is important to being successful,” he said.
Rounding out the Top 5 are bass fishing superstar Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., with 21-15, and California pro Brent Ehrler with 21-8.
Daily takeoffs will occur at 6:15 a.m. CT out of Wolf Creek Park, and weigh-ins are scheduled in the same location beginning at 3 p.m. CT. each day.
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Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 5 23-12 110
Day 1: 5 23-12
2. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 23-05 109
Day 1: 5 23-05
3. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 22-06 108
Day 1: 5 22-06
4. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 21-15 107
Day 1: 5 21-15
5. Brent Ehrler Redlands, CA 5 21-08 106
Day 1: 5 21-08
5. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 21-08 106
Day 1: 5 21-08
7. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 5 21-04 104
Day 1: 5 21-04
8. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 21-00 103
Day 1: 5 21-00
9. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 20-08 102
Day 1: 5 20-08
10. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 20-04 101
Day 1: 5 20-04
10. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 5 20-04 101
Day 1: 5 20-04
12. Josh Bertrand San Tan Valley, AZ 5 19-15 99
Day 1: 5 19-15
13. James Elam Tulsa, OK 5 19-13 98
Day 1: 5 19-13
13. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 5 19-13 98
Day 1: 5 19-13
15. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 19-12 96
Day 1: 5 19-12
16. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 5 19-11 95
Day 1: 5 19-11
17. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 19-03 94
Day 1: 5 19-03
18. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 5 18-12 93
Day 1: 5 18-12
19. Fred Roumbanis Russellville, AR 5 18-09 92
Day 1: 5 18-09
20. Boyd Duckett Guntersville, AL 5 18-07 91
Day 1: 5 18-07
20. Seth Feider Bloomington, MN 5 18-07 91
Day 1: 5 18-07
22. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 5 18-05 89
Day 1: 5 18-05
22. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 5 18-05 89
Day 1: 5 18-05
24. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 18-02 87
Day 1: 5 18-02
25. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 5 17-12 86
Day 1: 5 17-12
26. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 5 17-09 85
Day 1: 5 17-09
26. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 5 17-09 85
Day 1: 5 17-09
28. Brandon Card Knoxville, TN 5 17-07 83
Day 1: 5 17-07
29. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 17-06 82
Day 1: 5 17-06
29. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 17-06 82
Day 1: 5 17-06
31. Adrian Avena Vineland, NJ 5 17-05 80
Day 1: 5 17-05
32. Gary Klein Mingus, TX 5 17-04 79
Day 1: 5 17-04
32. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 5 17-04 79
Day 1: 5 17-04
34. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 17-03 77
Day 1: 5 17-03
35. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 5 17-02 76
Day 1: 5 17-02
36. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 17-01 75
Day 1: 5 17-01
37. Roy Hawk Lk Havasu Cty, AZ 5 16-15 74
Day 1: 5 16-15
37. Brandon Palaniuk Hayden, ID 5 16-15 74
Day 1: 5 16-15
39. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 16-12 72
Day 1: 5 16-12
39. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 5 16-12 72
Day 1: 5 16-12
41. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 16-11 70
Day 1: 5 16-11
42. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 16-10 69
Day 1: 5 16-10
42. Jacob Wheeler Harrison, TN 5 16-10 69
Day 1: 5 16-10
44. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 5 16-09 67
Day 1: 5 16-09
45. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 5 16-03 66
Day 1: 5 16-03
46. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 15-14 65
Day 1: 5 15-14
47. Alton Jones Jr. Waco, TX 5 15-12 64
Day 1: 5 15-12
47. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 5 15-12 64
Day 1: 5 15-12
47. Fletcher Shryock Dennison, OH 5 15-12 64
Day 1: 5 15-12
50. Jonathon VanDam Gobles, MI 5 15-11 61
Day 1: 5 15-11
51. Gerald Spohrer Gonzales, LA 5 15-09 60
Day 1: 5 15-09
52. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 15-07 59
Day 1: 5 15-07
52. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 15-07 59
Day 1: 5 15-07
52. Chris Zaldain Laughlin, NV 5 15-07 59
Day 1: 5 15-07
55. Mark Daniels Jr. Tuskegee, AL 5 15-04 56
Day 1: 5 15-04
55. David Walker Sevierville, TN 5 15-04 56
Day 1: 5 15-04
57. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 5 15-01 54
Day 1: 5 15-01
58. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 15-00 53
Day 1: 5 15-00
58. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 15-00 53
Day 1: 5 15-00
60. Dustin Connell Clanton, AL 5 14-13 51
Day 1: 5 14-13
61. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 5 14-11 50
Day 1: 5 14-11
61. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 14-11 50
Day 1: 5 14-11
61. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-11 50
Day 1: 5 14-11
64. Mike McClelland Bentonville, AR 5 14-10 47
Day 1: 5 14-10
65. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 5 14-08 46
Day 1: 5 14-08
66. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 5 14-07 45
Day 1: 5 14-07
66. Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 5 14-07 45
Day 1: 5 14-07
68. Ott DeFoe Blaine, TN 5 14-04 43
Day 1: 5 14-04
68. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 14-04 43
Day 1: 5 14-04
70. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 5 14-03 41
Day 1: 5 14-03
71. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 5 14-02 40
Day 1: 5 14-02
71. Dave Lefebre Erie, PA 5 14-02 40
Day 1: 5 14-02
73. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 14-00 38
Day 1: 5 14-00
74. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 5 13-14 37
Day 1: 5 13-14
74. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 5 13-14 37
Day 1: 5 13-14
74. John Murray Spring City, TN 5 13-14 37
Day 1: 5 13-14
77. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 13-12 34
Day 1: 5 13-12
77. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 5 13-12 34
Day 1: 5 13-12
79. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 5 13-09 32
Day 1: 5 13-09
79. Morizo Shimizu Suita, Osaka JAPAN 5 13-09 32
Day 1: 5 13-09
81. Chad Pipkens Lansing, MI 5 13-08 30
Day 1: 5 13-08
82. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 13-03 29
Day 1: 5 13-03
83. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 5 13-01 28
Day 1: 5 13-01
84. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 12-15 27
Day 1: 5 12-15
85. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 12-14 26
Day 1: 5 12-14
86. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 12-13 25
Day 1: 5 12-13
87. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 12-12 24
Day 1: 5 12-12
88. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 5 12-10 23
Day 1: 5 12-10
89. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 12-08 22
Day 1: 5 12-08
90. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 12-07 21
Day 1: 5 12-07
91. Kelly Jordon Flint, TX 5 12-05 20
Day 1: 5 12-05
92. Brandon Coulter Knoxville, TN 5 12-00 19
Day 1: 5 12-00
93. Shin Fukae Palestine TX JAPAN 5 11-14 18
Day 1: 5 11-14
94. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 5 11-13 17
Day 1: 5 11-13
94. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 5 11-13 17
Day 1: 5 11-13
96. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 4 11-12 15
Day 1: 4 11-12
96. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 4 11-12 15
Day 1: 4 11-12
98. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 11-11 13
Day 1: 5 11-11
99. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 11-09 12
Day 1: 5 11-09
100. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 5 11-03 11
Day 1: 5 11-03
101. Matt Lee Guntersville, AL 5 11-02 10
Day 1: 5 11-02
101. Darrell Ocamica New Plymouth, ID 5 11-02 10
Day 1: 5 11-02
103. Shaw Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 5 09-14 8
Day 1: 5 09-14
104. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 5 09-04 7
Day 1: 5 09-04
105. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 4 09-04 6
Day 1: 4 09-04
106. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 4 08-14 5
Day 1: 4 08-14
107. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 3 05-08 4
Day 1: 3 05-08
108. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 2 05-08 3
Day 1: 2 05-08
Matt Lee: Misplaced wallet and a lot of caffeine
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Carhartt angler Matt Lee began the first day of the Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake with scrambled eggs, low carb wheat toast, and black coffee in his 5thwheel RV, but soon realized on the dark drive to the Wolf Creek launch that he had misplaced his wallet, and had no way to stop at a convenient store for a bag of ice and the day’s supply of caffeine drinks.
So at 5:37 a.m. he and fiancé Abby phoned a friend -- me.
“Matt can’t find his wallet, we think it fell out of the grocery bag as we left the camper, and now we’re stuck in the boat launch line. So can we beg you to stop and buy us a black coffee, two sugar free Red Bulls, a bag of ice, and a honey bun with icing?”
Of course, I obliged. First, because we take care of one another out here. And second, because I know Matt is a Type 1 diabetic who wears an insulin pump, and needs the proper blend of dietary fuel to make his body meet the demands of an energy-burning tournament day.
Turns out the Honey Bun with icing was for Abby, but the caffeine was definitely for Matt. And ironically, Matt’s ride-along Marshall for the day is Susan Forbes, a dietician from nearby Neosho, MO hoping to garner some pointers for the Grand Challenge tournament she’s competing in next week.
“He’s got a lot of quick energy and refined carbs, but not much fiber, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about him having to use the restroom,” grinned Forbes.
That’s good news. And so is the fact that Abby found Matt’s wallet upon returning to the RV after launch, as Matt made his way down lake to Duck Creek.
“I didn’t have a real good practice, so I’m going to the one area where I feel like I can slow down, fish thoroughly, and catch some keepers,” says Lee.
Hopefully, the Auburn grad with dual engineering degrees can continue his streak of Top 12 finishes this week. And one thing’s for certain, Abby will be waiting on the dock as he pulls into weigh-in, just as she does during every tournament day, with a sandwich he can eat immediately – and today, a once temporarily misplaced wallet too.
McClelland and Swindle Preview Grand Lake Elite Series Tournament
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin/Dynamic Sponsorships
Longtime Toyota Bonus Bucks participant and frequent Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees angler Mike McClelland, along with 2-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle, graciously took time to talk about everything from spawning bass to “Taco Tuesday” on the eve of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake, Oklahoma.
Q: What percentage of the bass weighed-in this week will be caught from a visible spawning bed?
Swindle: I’ll say 2%
McClelland: I’ll go as high as 5%
(Note: Both anglers agreed that while there are plenty of bass spawning this week, being able to actually see their beds in Grand Lake’s dingy water is very difficult.)
Q: What do you like most about Grand Lake, Oklahoma?
Swindle: I like the fact that Grand Lake spreads people out. It’s a lake that keeps you really busy because there’s so much to cast at. You’re constantly thinking about whether you should be fishing docks, rocky points, riprap, brush piles, laydowns, you name it, this place keeps you busy.
McClelland: Grand has so many different forms of fish holding habitat that you can usually fish the way you prefer to here.
Q: What’s challenging you most after three days of practice?
Swindle: Trying to understand how the water levels are affecting the exact position and movement of these fish.
McClelland: Believe it or not, as much as I’ve fished here, I’ve never fished here when most of the bass were just about to make a major push to spawn. So the conditions I’m facing this week are all pretty new to me.
Q: How much weight do you think an angler will have to average each day in order to make the Top 12 cut on the final day?
Swindle: 17 ¾ pounds per day
McClelland: Man, I’m the wrong guy to ask, but I’ll guess 16 pounds per day.
Q: Both of you live life on tour in a 5th wheel RV -- what’s the best meal you’ve shared with your wife in the RV this week?
Swindle: Chicken tacos
McClelland: Taco Tuesday. We have tacos every Tuesday out here on tour.
Jordan Lee struggling to see spawning bass at Grand Lake
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
If back-to-back Bassmaster Classic Champ Jordan Lee notches a Top 12 at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake, there’s about a 38-percent chance he’ll catch his fish from spawning beds.
Yep, after two long days of practice, when asked what percentage of the bass weighed-in this week on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees would be caught from spawning beds, the always laid-back Lee comically replied, “I’d guess 38-percent. No, change that. I’m gonna say 38.5%.”
Northeast Oklahoma has experienced a much colder than normal April like most of America. Snow flurries fell here two weeks ago. Water temps are ranging from 58 to 64, and a cold rain is falling on the final day of practice.
So while there are absolutely bass on beds at the famed fishery full of 4-pounders that hosted the 2013 and 2016 Bassmaster Classics, many of Grand’s bass are still in pre-spawn phase, and those that are on beds are difficult to see according to Lee.
“I’ve been from the Pensacola Dam to above the Elk River, and I’ve yet to find a spot that was clear enough to think I could see ‘em on beds well enough to do well on spawners,” says the Quantum pro.
“I think there’s a few spawning, but I don’t think the majority are. And even though I expected the lower end of the lake near Ketchum to be clear, it’s really not. Just like during the 2016 Classic, the whole lake is what I’d call off-colored or heavily stained,” says Lee.
“It’s kind of unfortunate, because I absolutely love to look for spawners, but I don’t think there’s gonna be much of a chance to do that here this week,” concludes the former Carhartt College Series champ.
At least not more than a 38.5% chance.
Scroggins Says Carolina Rig Could Make a Splash at Grand Lake
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Don’t be shocked if Florida pro Terry “Big Show” Scroggins makes a splash at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake. Actually … a “double splash” … the nickname Scroggins and other serious anglers often give the Carolina Rig based on its two-part componentry consisting of both a heavy lead egg sinker and a soft plastic lizard.
Two of the five B.A.S.S. wins Scroggins has logged in his illustrious $2 Million dollar career have come on the C-Rig, but the once popular fish-catching rig seems to have fallen out of trend like “pegging” the pant legs of your late 80s acid-washed jeans.
“I guess it gets a bad wrap because people think it’s a lazy man’s way of fishing. But it weighs enough that just about anybody can cast it, even on a windy day. Plus, you can cover a lot of water with it, and it gets a ton of bites,” says Scroggins.
“It’s definitely considered an old school technique that’s been put on the back burner and kind of forgotten. And part of the reason it’s been shelved is because we have lures now days like the 10XD crankbait that will get down to the bottom in 25-feet of water,” says the Carhartt pro who loves to cook.
“Back in the 1980s and 90s we didn’t have lures like the 10XD, so we had to depend on a Carolina Rig with a 1-ounce sinker to get a lure down to those deep zones,” explains Scroggins.
While some like a lighter weight for Carolina-rigging, Scroggins has always favored a 1-ounce egg sinker much like many anglers use for catfishing, and even saltwater fishing.
“I can throw that particular weight into 5 feet of water or 25 feet of water and it’ll come across the bottom without getting hung up because the egg-shape tends to roll really good. Especially if there’s any current at all,” says the longtime Toyota pro.
Grand Lake is ideally suited for a Carolina Rig due to its 45,000 acres of rocky shoreline where anglers like “Big Show” are forced to explore a lot of flat rocky points holding pre-spawn bass in a short three-day practice period.
“I can make three casts with a Carolina Rig for every one cast I’d make with a jig on a rocky point. And if you look at this egg sinker, you can tell by the way it’s scuffed up so bad that I’ve definitely been dragging it a ton in practice. It’s supposed to be a 1-ounce, but I think I’ve drug it around so much, it’s now ground-down to about a 3/4 ounce,” laughed the always comical Scroggins.
In addition to the heavy egg sinker, Scroggins typically spools up with 15-pound fluorocarbon, and uses a four to five foot long leader also made of fluorocarbon. His lure of choice is a green pumpkin lizard, but he’ll often bump-up to the 8” magnum size lizard in off-colored pre-spawn waters like he’s dealing with at Grand Lake.
While the legendary fishery situated in extreme Northeast Oklahoma on the Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas borders has recently hosted two Bassmaster Classics, its history of hosting regular season B.A.S.S. events is relatively minimal.
However, one of those B.A.S.S. events on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees was held in early April 1995, back when acid washed jeans were fashionable -- and so was the Carolina Rig -- which was exactly the lure legendary East Texas pro Tommy Martin used to catch an average of 17-pounds per day for the victory.
ZOMBEK WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTHEAST DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON POTOMAC RIVER
Hockley Tops Co-angler Division
MARBURY, Md. (April 23, 2018) – Boater Joe Zombek II of Scranton, Pennsylvania, caught a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 10 ounces, Sunday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Northeast Division tournament on the Potomac River. For his efforts, Zombek took home $5,229.
Zombek fished two areas in Mattawoman Creek – one a secondary channel with pilings and the other a 50-yard main-channel creek bend with rocks and wood. He said the areas were about 200 yards apart from one another.
“I targeted prespawn females waiting for the water temperature to rise so they could head up to spawn,” said Zombek, who logged his first career win FLW competition. “We had strong wind and rain Thursday and Friday and it stained the water. As of Sunday, it cleared up and the water temperature rose four degrees to the upper 50s. I know the fish had been there for a while, but with the warmer water they fed more.”
Zombek fished two baits – a homemade green-pumpkin-colored jig with a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer in the same color and a Texas-rigged green-pumpkin Zoom tube with a 3/8-ounce weight – and was able to put 11 keepers in his boat.
“I alternated between the baits depending on the conditions of the tide,” said Zombek. “When the tide moved I used the jig because the fish were more aggressive and when it slowed down I finessed them with the tube.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Joe Zombek II, Scranton, Pa., five bass, 24-10, $5,229
2nd: Andrew Heivly, Malvern, Pa., five bass, 19-5, $3,629
3rd: Zachary Page, Middletown, Del., five bass, 18-14, $1,745
4th: Ryan Ingalls, Fairfax, Va., five bass, 18-13, $1,320
5th: Aaron Dixon, Bel Alton, Md., five bass, 18-10, $1,046
6th: John Vanore, Mullica Hill, N.J., five bass, 18-9, $959
7th: Kyle Hoffman, Harpers Ferry, W. Va., five bass, 18-0, $871
8th: Cody Cutter, Harveys Lake, Pa., five bass, 17-15, $784
9th: Tony Dorman, Taylor, Pa., five bass, 17-8, $653
9th: Todd Neale, Warrenton, Va., five bass, 17-8, $653
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Heivly brought a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $815.
Robert Hockley of Annville, Pennsylvania, won the Co-angler Division and $2,614 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Robert Hockley, Annville, Pa., five bass, 18-6, $2,614
2nd: Matthew Gaeng, Greeley, Pa., five bass, 18-5, $1,307
3rd: Doug Cameron, Belchertown, Mass., five bass, 17-14, $872
4th: Jack Wolf, Chesapeake City, Md., four bass, 16-10, $1,017
5th: Derek Heyne, New Freedom, Pa., five bass, 15-11, $623
6th: Richard Harris III., Dallas, Pa., five bass, 15-9, $479
7th: Curtis Glover, Wynnewood, Pa., five bass, 15-8, $486
8th: Bill Easter, Clinton, Md., four bass, 14-13, $392
9th: Robert Reid Jr., Clinton, Md., four bass, 14-9, $349
10th: Alexander James, Evans, Ga., four bass, 14-8, $305
Wolf caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $407.
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. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
DELAWARE’S CALDEIRA WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL NORTHEAST DIVISION OPENER ON POTOMAC RIVER PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Pennsylvania’s Frymoyer Grabs Co-angler Title
MARBURY, Md. (April 23, 2018) – Boater Ronald Caldeira of Middletown, Delaware, caught a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday to win the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Northeast Division opener on the Potomac River presented by Navionics. For his efforts, Caldeira took home $6,796.
“I caught them all on main-river points in the mouths of Mattowoman and Quantico creeks,” said Caldeira, who notched his first win in FLW competition. “I had five points that I cycled through, and each had pebble rock and sand. I think the big females were transitioning to the points right outside those main creeks, getting ready to spawn. I only had seven bites, but they were the right ones. Some of the fish were tanks – they’d been eating for a while.”
Caldeira said he used a Rapala DT-6 crankbait for bass in 3 to 5 feet of water and a Chartreuse and Black Back-colored Strike King KVD 1.5 HC Shallow Squarebill for bass in 1 to 3 feet.
“I’d start far off the point with the Rapala and then switch to the Strike King as I got shallow so I wouldn’t get hung up as much,” said Caldeira. “As soon the lure would bounce off the rock and free itself, that’s when they loaded up on it."
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Ronald Caldeira, Middletown, Del., five bass, 21-6, $6,796
2nd: Anthony Ebel, Davidsonville, Md., five bass, 19-12, $3,843
3rd: Rick McFaul, Phoenix, Md., five bass, 19-11, $2,134
4th: Jeremy Mathias, Monrovia, Md., five bass, 19-7, $1,352
5th: Brian Barnes, Seaford, Del., five bass, 18-14, $1,159
6th: Andrew Heivly, Malvern, Pa., five bass, 18-8, $1,063
7th: Kenny Garippa, Tobyhanna, Pa., five bass, 18-7, $869
7th: Matt Stoupa, Colonial Heights, Va., five bass, 18-7, $969
7th: Daniel Gray, Butler, Pa., five bass, 18-7, $869
10th: Thomas Arens, Purcellville, Va., five bass, 18-2, $676
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Ebel brought a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $945.
Steven Frymoyer of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, won the Co-angler Division and $2,898 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Steven Frymoyer, Wyomissing, Pa., five bass, 15-15, $2,898
2nd: Jodi Werner, Tatamy, Pa., five bass, 15-2, $1,449
3rd: James Easley, Middletown, Del., five bass, 14-13, $967
4th: Ethan Luta, Bradford, N.Y., five bass, 14-10, $676
5th: Michael Nelms, Hartwood, Va., five bass, 14-8, $780
6th: Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., five bass, 14-7, $531
7th: Mark Fenstermaker, Allentown, Pa., five bass, 14-4, $483
8th: Richard Falcon, Arlington, Va., five bass, 14-1, $435
9th: Frank Hutchinson, Sewell, N.J., five bass, 13-10, $436
10th: Cherif Zaher, Orangeville, Pa., five bass, 13-7, $321
10th: Roland Gittings, Perryville, Md., five bass, 13-7, $321
Henry McKee of Haddon Heights, New Jersey, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $472.
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. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
HILLMAN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL BULLDOG DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE EUFAULA
Co-angler Title awarded to Georgia’s Walden
EUFAULA, Ala. (April 23, 2018) – Boater Curtis Hillman of Abbeville, Alabama, caught five bass weighing 23 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bulldog Division event on Lake Eufaula. For his finish, Hillman netted $4,199.
Hillman spent his day dissecting areas in Barbour Creek, Cheneyhatchee Creek and near the Highway 82 bridge. He said he targeted bass in 6 to 10 feet of water near humps and rocks and was able to catch his first limit by 8 a.m.
“I got on a shad spawn and caught them with a chartreuse-colored squarebill crankbait and a Citrus Shad-colored (Strike King Pro Model) 5XD crankbait,” said Hillman, who logged his first win in BFL competition. “The local authorities generated water until 11 a.m. and that’s what kept them in our areas.
“After my first limit I culled the rest of the day,” Hillman continued. “I caught them better on wind-blown banks. I didn’t get much in clear water – it needed to be stained.”
Hillman’s day was capped off by a kicker which he pulled from grass in Cowikee Creek using a Strikezone Swim-Tastic Swim Jig with an unnamed trailer.
“I only had an hour left to fish and that catch sealed the deal for me - it was the pound I needed to win.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Curtis Hillman, Abbeville, Ala., five bass, 23-11, $4,199
2nd: Michael Conley, Bainbridge, Ga., five bass, 22-10, $2,300
3rd: Mark Stillwell, Salem, Ala., five bass, 22-9, $1,398
4th: Bryan Meadows, Hogansville, Ga., five bass, 21-11, $1,080
5th: Austin Lang, Dothan, Ala., five bass, 21-7, $840
6th: Scott Montgomery, Eufaula, Ala., five bass, 20-10, $735
6th: Mark Holloway, Madison, Ga., five bass, 20-10, $735
8th: Shane Peck, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 19-4, $630
9th: Matt Henry, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 18-14, $560
10th: Mark Burns, Good Hope, Ga., five bass, 18-11, $490
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Michael Wilder of Macon, Georgia, brought a 6-pound, 13-ounce bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $585.
Emory Walden of Newnan, Georgia, won the Co-angler Division and $2,492 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 18 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Emory Walden, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 18-4, $2,492
2nd: C.J. Norton, Juliette, Ga., five bass, 16-5, $1,050
3rd: Jacob Robinson, Temple, Ga., five bass, 14-9, $751
4th: Shaun Mulhall, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 13-7, $490
5th: Blake Yarbrough, Fitzgerald, Ga., five bass, 13-3, $420
6th: Michael Wilcox, Haddock, Ga., three bass, 12-7, $385
7th: Christopher Wilder, Macon, Ga., four bass, 11-12, $350
8th: Bart Vigo, Upatoi, Ga., three bass, 11-0, $315
9th: Chance Hebert, Norcross, Ga., five bass, 10-15, $280
10th: Dylan Hudson, Phenix City, Ala., five bass, 10-13, $245
Walden also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $292.
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. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on the St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
AnglersChannel Insider Podcast Episode #11 Featuring ABT Winners Bill Mayo, Was Roberts & Our Favorite Texans, Clint Wade & Stacy Spriggs!
On This Weeks AnglersChannel Insider Podcast Chris and Jason discuss the past weekends events, BASS Open, FLW Costa & more. They get the low down on the the new truck and boat Clint Wade & Stacy Spriggs won in the Sealy's Big Bass Splash.
Chris talks to ABT Winners Bill Mayo & Walt Robertson and more, only on this weeks AnglerChannel Insider Podcast!
Are you ready for Lake Gaston during the Spring?
Collins Boating Pro Raymond Jones, III
Introduction:
In April, food tastes better, my Ranger 520L is prepped faster, and there’s a huge smile is on my face when I have upcoming trips to Lake Gaston. While, there is something for everyone on and around the lake – food, fun, boating, and fishing – it’s the ability to work bass fishing patterns that keeps me coming back all year. After winning the 2017 Walmart Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division Tournament on Lake Gaston last April and offering guide trips, I get allot of calls and texts around this time of year… “Dude, hook me up!” All fishermen throw curve balls when it comes to information. It’s all in good fun and I enjoy the playful ribbing as much as anyone but, I plan to share how I approach the lake during this time of the year in hopes of making your trips more enjoyable and successful.
Section the Lake Off:
Wither you are a local or a first timer, I recommend sectioning the lake off into multiple parts. This 35-mile long (covering 20,000 acres with 350 miles of shoreline) lake will fish smaller this time of year. Tournament angling pocket jumpers, recreational boaters kicking into gear, and fun fishing for multiple species are all underway. I partition the lake into three sections 1. Up the river end, 2. Mid-lake, and 3. Down-lake. Regardless of your fishing style, you can utilize classic lake or river tactics but if you are not aware of what the lake has to offer, it’s hard to be successful on a consistent basis. Review a good map or your Navionics Map Chip, get out on the lake, and ride. Section 3 does warm up faster normally but I would not rule out any section of the lake during the spawn.
Split Up your Spring Fishing Time (Spawning Fish You Can & Cannot See)
With consistent weather, most anglers know the spawn is starting or well underway with the fish making their magic happen in the shallows. I’ve seen allot of big bass on beds in practices and while they are a primary focus, you still need some areas that have varied water clarity (more stained water) to fall back on and compliment your primarily cleaner areas. Anglers will have no trouble finding docks, grass, stumps, or some rocks to target during their practice. Water Temperatures are also important to monitor, but I prioritize the water clarity over temperature during this time, even though most anglers are doing the opposite. My reasoning behind this is that bass get started enough spawning and a few degrees change in water temperature is not normally going to push them off the beds unless it’s a pretty drastic change. I can’t count the number of times that fishing unfamiliar but more stained water clarity during the spawn has saved my tournament days than sticking to some of my best areas. I’ve stumbled into what are now some of my favorite areas because I was willing to go hunting in clear & stained waters to find the consistently better-quality fish during the spawn. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket (just clear or just stained) water during your tournaments and produce consistent bags come weigh in time over multiple days.
Boat Setup Specifics
Before I even begin this topic, your priorities in fishing and in life normally revolve around where you spend your time and money. A lot of anglers don’t believe in or spend time and money on so-called gadgets, bling, or add-on accessories. I totally respect that, but I do focus on these things and use everything that I can that works to my advantage. I assist clients with boat upgrades and adding “bling”, as many guys call it. I have 24 upgrades on the front portion of my Ranger 520L. I admit, some are just bling, but some of these items allows me to control variables that other anglers overlook while on the water.
There are several key products I would like to highlight that avoids vibration & masks my presence in shallow water:
- Bowjax.com Shaft Dampener for Trolling Motor: Even if anglers are using a dampener on their trolling motor lower unit, most are not using a shaft dampener. It looks different and draws allot of interest. It’s not a beauty contest, I want whatever accessory that makes me quieter to land more fish.
- Bowjax.com Trolling Motor Vibration Dampeners: Laboratory sound test confirm these dampeners make your trolling motor have at least 25% less vibration. Have you ever seen a hunter have a bow that does not have a silencer? No! This is a silencer for your trolling motor and utilizes the same principle. It’s hard to argue with this logic, if you think about it.
- TM Marine G-Force Eliminator Trolling Motor Prop Nut: It is designed to lessen prop noise & vibration.
- Hydrowave H2:It produces multiple sounds to make baitfish & bass more active, but more importantly helps mask the sounds of my trolling motor.
- Transducer Shield & Saver Shaft Mount for Hydrowave H2 Speaker: Mounting this speaker on your shaft protects the speaker and allows it to be pointed in any direction with better sound quality when you turn your trolling motor. If you are talking through a Megaphone, you don’t point it straight up or away from the group you are addressing. You need to point the sounds where you want it to go. Again, it’s hard to argue with this logic.
These key items working together does make my trolling motor setup quieter and more efficient than other anglers. I can prove that my trolling motor setup is at least 30% quieter, but by adding the masking also, I truly believe it’s about 40%.
Tackle Specifics
This is what most initial conversations I encounter sound like, “So, what do I need to throw?” I want to stress I think water clarity and temperature basically dictate the answer to that question, but I am happy to share some of my thoughts (even my wife was shocked when I told her I was going to share some of this information). I am a tackle junkie and like a variety of lure brands but here are some of my Lake Gaston must haves during the spawn.
- The Lobina Lures Rico in Lightning Shad or Striper Colors: I love all kinds of top waters, especially some others I can fish around or over top of debris but, I prefer the Rico on Gaston spawners. Its small size is ideal as it emulates a small injured baitfish hovering over or working around beds. The spawning strikes can be breathtaking.
- A DSTYLE D-Spiker Spinnerbait: After you get over the price tag and attempt to read another language on the packaging, you will find it has a unique swinging arm for the blades that provides a different action especially when fishing around grass or debris. This prevents the blades from getting tangled too much, and the blades will stop turning as the free-flowing arm allows it to bounce away from obstructions. How many times have you ever wanted to get grass off your bait right away to continue fishing over a piece of cover? This spinnerbait has been a special one for me to be able to do exactly that and achieve a better presentation. I only fish an Ardent Apex Grand 6.5:1 ratio reel with all my spinnerbaits because I believe this ratio achieves an ideal speed that works best for my style of fishing spinnerbaits.
- Ah, The Senko!I carry nine Kraft cheese jars in my Ranger, each one containing three packs of Senkos. I have three of my favorite senko colors for each water clarity: clear, stained, and muddy. These jars make it super quick to get a bait change done without needing to carry senko bags. I place the colors three-digit number on top of the jar so I can look down at a glance and see the colors. For the record, I don’t think there is a bad colored Senko and its more about presentation that dictates success! But, if I must, here is one color from each water condition I prefer in April: Black Blue Flake (021), Green Pumpkin(297), Firetiger (327). Don’t tell anybody!
- A Creature Style Bait: If I only had one or two creature bait choices for specifically this time of year on my favorite lake, I would choose the ZOOM Baby Brush Hog or the Strike King Space Monkey.
- The ZOOM Trickworm: I’m sure that some of these baits recommendations are not surprising. However, if you drop five to ten drops of Gulp Alive Scent in the ZOOM Bag and add an actual Gulp Bait to the bag as well, you will find that in two or three days, the trickworms have become even more pliable with action, have swelled into larger worms, and smell much better.
I believe some avid Lake Gaston anglers will question why a jig is not on this list. I like jigs but again, during the spawn, I will have one tied on but it is not normally where I am going to start with lure selection unless water clarity and temperature are not to my liking.
In summary, Lake Gaston can be a temperamental place to fish, but with some planning, preparation, and the right gear, there’s no reason you can’t earn some disposable income or have a big fish story to tell after your next tournament or fun fishing trip.
FREEMAN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL COWBOY DIVISION EVENT ON TOLEDO BEND LAKE
Pineville’s Lewis Grabs Co-angler Title
ZWOLLE, La. (April 23, 2018) – Boater Glen Freeman of Zwolle, caught a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Cowboy Division event on Toledo Bend Lake. For his efforts, Freeman took home $6,895.
“I concentrated on points where the bass were moving up and feeding at certain times of the day. You just had to be there at the right time,” said Freeman, who is now tied for second on the All-Time BFL wins list with 10 career wins in BFL competition. “I was on the north end of the lake, sitting in 5 to 6 feet of water and throwing to 2 to 3 feet. I had 9 or 10 points and just rotated through them.”
Freeman said he used a green-pumpkin-colored ½-ounce Johnston jig with a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer of the same color to catch approximately 15 keepers throughout the day.
“They bit the best mid-morning,” said Freeman. “The wind was a big deal for me. I had to have some wind to help the points – that brought the bass up to feed.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Glen Freeman, Zwolle, La., five bass, 24-12, $4,895 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Matthew McArdle, Humble, Texas, five bass, 20-6, $2,448
3rd: Lance Duff, Lumberton, Texas, five bass, 19-13, $1,565
4th: Jeff Wooldridge, Chandler, Texas, five bass, 18-10, $1,096
5th: Darold Gleason, Many, La., five bass, 18-9, $939
6th: Stephen Reitzell, Colfax, La., five bass, 18-2, $861
7th: Josh Dunaway, Sulphur, La., five bass, 18-1, $783
8th: Nick Lebrun, Bossier City, La., five bass, 17-10, $704
9th: Cory Bono, Lake Charles, La., five bass, 17-9, $626
10th: T.J. Goodwyn, Center, Texas, five bass, 17-6, $548
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Bob Vote of Kingwood, Texas, brought a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $700.
Cason Lewis of Pineville, Louisiana, won the Co-angler Division and $2,548 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Cason Lewis, Pineville, La., five bass, 13-14, $2,548
2nd: James Waller, Cypress, Texas, five bass, 13-10, $1,174
3rd: Ronnie Ray Jr., McKinney, Texas, five bass, 13-7, $831
4th: James Callaghan, DeBerry, Texas, five bass, 13-4, $509
4th: Blake Landreneau, Youngsville, La., four bass, 13-4, $509
6th: Keith Kimbrough, Woden, Texas, five bass, 13-0, $430
7th: Bill Fussell, Thibodaux, La., five bass, 12-15, $391
8th: Fred Martin, North Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 12-12, $352
9th: Cedric Jackson, Sicily Island, La., five bass, 12-10, $293
9th: Bernard Fruge, Noble, La., five bass, 12-10, $293
Eddie Burns of Little Rock, Arkansas, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $350.
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. 25-27 BFL Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
TORRENCE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL MISSISSIPPI DIVISION EVENT ON PICKWICK LAKE
Mooreville’s Speaks Claims Co-angler Title
IUKA, Miss. (April 23, 2018) – Boater Marty Torrence of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, caught a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mississippi Division event on Pickwick Lake. Torrence pocketed $6,197 for his win.
Torrence started his day fishing rocks on the north end of the lake, not far from the dam. He said he used a Spro deep-diving crankbait to catch five fish, but only managed one good keeper. After the sun came out, he moved on to a new area that produced the bulk of his weight.
“In practice I could see that there were full trees lying flat in the area,” said Torrence, who secured his first career win in BFL competition. “It was overcast and the fish were suspended over them and hard to catch, but when the sun came out on Saturday, the fish were hanging in tighter. The big fish were near the roots in 28 to 30 feet of water, while the smaller ones were shallower near the tree tops.”
The bass in the trees ate two baits for Torrence – a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Trick Worm on a shaky-head rig and a ½-ounce Keitech Model III Swim Jig with a Keitech trailer.
“The Keitech is a confidence bait for me – it’s my go to,” said Torrence. “And when I went for the bigger fish down deep I had to rotate in something else that I like. The shaky-head always catches them on Pickwick. The fish may not always be the size you need, but you will catch them.”
Torrence’s limit ended up consisting of three largemouth and two smallmouth, one of which he caught with only 15 minutes left to fish.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Marty Torrence, Crystal Springs, Miss., five bass, 17-15, $6,197
2nd: Heath Gilmore, Meridian, Miss., five bass, 16-15, $2,798
3rd: Kevin Wright, Waterloo, Ala., five bass, 16-2, $1,733
4th: Christopher Whitehead, Tupelo, Miss., five bass, 15-6, $1,313
5th: Timmy Ming, Louisville, Miss., five bass, 14-10, $1,039
6th: Mark Willins, Collierville, Tenn., five bass, 14-8, $909
6th: Jason Hannah, Forest, Miss., five bass, 14-8, $909
8th: Hunter Utley, Cordova, Tenn., five bass, 14-4, $780
9th: Marshall Stevens, Marietta, Miss., five bass, 14-0, $693
10th: Andrew Schrock, Smithville, Miss., five bass, 13-13, $606
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Michael Nichols of Brandon, Mississippi, brought a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $810.
Thomas Speaks of Mooreville, Mississippi, won the Co-angler Division and $2,598 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds even.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Thomas Speaks, Mooreville, Miss., five bass, 19-0, $2,598
2nd: Tim Beale, Hernando, Miss., five bass, 17-6, $1,299
3rd: Jim Pierce, Medon, Tenn., five bass, 15-15, $1,065
4th: Larry McNeil, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 15-3, $606
5th: Clint Horton, Ripley, Miss., five bass, 14-5, $520
6th: Ryan LeCompte, Picayune, Miss., five bass, 12-0, $526
7th: Joe Cornelius, Corinth, Miss., five bass, 10-10, $433
8th: C.J. Holbrook, Smithville, Miss., three bass, 10-5, $390
9th: Austin Navarre, Carriere, Miss., four bass, 9-13, $346
10th: Mike Allen, Crystal Springs, Miss., three bass, 9-11, $303
Jake Steinkuhl of Evansville, Indiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $405.
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. 18-20 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 BFL All-American will be held May 31-June 2 at Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. 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.
Thomas Guthke Wins $5K in ABA SC Open on Lake Hartwell
Courtesy ABA Communications
ATHENS, Ala. – Thomas Guthke of Anderson, South Carolina won the American Bass Anglers Open Series event held 4/21/2018 on Lake Hartwell. Running out of Green Pond Landing in Anderson, South Carolina, Thomas weighed in a five bass limit weighing 15.72 pounds. His catch was anchored by a bass weighing 4.55 pounds. For the win Thomas took home a check for $5000.00.
“I fished the shad spawn up the river. I caught 12-15 fish throughout the day. I caught some early on a spinnerbait and later sight fishing,” said Guthke.
In second for the boaters Greg Glouse of Liberty, South Carolina landed a five bass limit weighing 15.17 pounds. His catch was anchored by a bass weighing 4.85 pounds. Greg collected $800.00 for the effort.
“I caught my fish today on a Carolina rigged lizard. I caught fish all day but they were sporadic,” said Glouse.
Justin DeBose of Anderson, South Carolina placed third with a five bass limit weighing 14.47 pounds. He took home a check for $600.00 for his catch.
“I caught all of my fish sight fishing. I probably had 12 pounds by 9:00 and was able to cull up through the day,” said Debose.
In fourth place for the boaters Daniel Atkins of Anderson, South Carolina weighed in a five bass limit weighing 14.44 pounds and rounding out the top five, Russell Ludwig of Auburn, Georgia weighed in a five bass limit weighing 14.36 pounds.
Daniel Atkins of Anderson South Carolina weighed in the biggest bass for the boaters.His big fish weighed in at 6.14 pounds. He wasn’t in the Big Bass Pot, but for having the biggest bass of the tournament and for catching it on and ABU Garcia reel Daniel took home an ABU Garcia RevoX reel Valued at $100.00.
Jerry Pelfrey of Laurens South Carolina, took home a check for $490.00 for a bass that weighed in at 5.38 pounds.
In the co-angler division Jonathan Carter of Greenville, South Carolina weighed in a three bass limit weighing 8.91 pounds, anchored by a bass that weighed 3.55 pounds. Jonathan took home a check for $1200.00 for the win.
“I had a really good boater today that had me around the fish. I caught most of my fish on a fluke and a few on topwater. I was able to cull several times throughout the day,” said Carter.
Taking second for the co-anglers, Eddy Morgan of Denver, North Carolina brought in a three bass co-angler limit weighing 7.79 pounds. His catch was anchored by a bass that Weighed 4.46 pounds. For his second place finish and for having the biggest bass caught by a co-angler, Eddy took home a total of $715.00.
“I caught four keepers today said Morgan. I had one on a spinnerbait and the others
I caught sight fishing, including my biggest bass,” said Morgan.
Gerald Glouse of Easley South Carolina placed third among the co-anglers with three bass weighing 7.71 pounds. He earned $350.00 for the effort.
“I Caught probably 12-14 fish today. I caught all of my fish throwing a fluke
And a shakeyhead,” said Glouse.
In fourth among the co-anglers Simeon O’Meara of North Augusta South Carolina weighed in a three bass limit weighing 7.58 pounds and rounding out the top five was Roger Coggins of Greenville South Carolina with three bass weighing 7.10 pounds.
Slated for June 09, 2018 the next South Carolina Division tournament will be held on Clark’s Hill Lake Launching from the Dorn Facility located at 124 US 378 West McCormick, South Carolina.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Slam dunk finish for Heiser & Huckaby as Bass Champs South Region zips up their season
| By: Patty Lenderman |
| It was quite a day for 162 teams fishing the South Region of Bass Champs on Lake Amistad on April 21st. Prime weather conditions laid the scene not only for a portion of over $52,000 in this 110% payback event, but it was the final push for points in the Anglers of the Year race. Byron Heiser and Trent Huckaby pulled out all the stops to win way ahead of the pack.“My wife told me the day before the tournament that she had a feeling we were going to win this tournament,” Brian began. “We started out in a spot Trent found during practice,” he continued. “Trent started us out catching a four pounder, and said we may be in the money today. I told him I didn’t just want to be in the money, I wanted to win! Then the bite just got really slow.” They were fishing with Strike King Rage Tail Cut-R worms and 8” Senko’s in depths ranging from 10’ to 30’ deep. They put their second fish in the livewell weighing around 7 pounds. They hit a lot of different spots and at one point we were at a ledge on a point. That’s when Byron got the bite. “It was a real light bite. I tried to set the hook, but missed her so I just stopped and dead-sticked the bait. She picked it back up and that time I set the hook, and the battle was on!” The big fish was not going to make it easy, jumping and diving – “It took a good five minutes to get her in!” That one came in at 8.65 pounds. “We caught a lot of fish, but had two little ones in the livewell. We were finally able to cull them before the end of the day.” Weighing in their best five, their total was 24.47 pounds, winning the tournament by a leap. Not only did they receive the guaranteed $20,000 check for 1st place, they also won $5,000 from Skeeter boats for being the highest finishing team in a qualified Skeeter. They won the Lowrance electronics bonus as well for a humongous payday. “First I would like to thank my wife for all of her encouragement and support. We would both like to thank Tim and Judy Reneau at Power Tackle Rods for building such a great product!”
2nd place was won by Bubba Haralson and Jerry Green with 19.83 pounds. “We got to our starting hole, and Jerry caught a four pounder,” Bubba recalled. “Then I caught one that went 5, and Jerry caught a six pounder.” They were fishing deep hydrilla, in 20’-25’ of water with Texas rigged Senko’s. “The fish weren’t real active, and we didn’t get a lot of bites. We had all the fish that we weighed in by 10am.” They were awarded $3,500 for their finish. “We’re just two guys that had a little luck and a whole lot of fun. They say even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then. We just hope that when we grow up we are going to learn how to fish – lol!” The 3rd place team of Tim Flowers and Brian Ankrum had a rough start to their day. “We started out fishing in shallow water,” Brian stated. “Right off the bat we missed a five pounder.” That’s not how you want to set the course of your day. “We re-grouped, and pulled up in a small drain.” They were using a variety of lures – top water, swim baits, Carolina rigs, etc. “We put four keepers in the boat pretty quick. When that slowed down we moved up river to a deep grass edge about 20’ deep.” Using drop shots, swim baits, top waters and crank baits, they wrapped up a limit and then made their first cull, putting a three pounder in exchanging for one just over a pound. “I started throwing a crank bait, and as I was cranking it in a fish latched onto it and just stopped it mid stream. I knew it was a giant, and told Tim to get the net!” The fish fought hard, and although Brian tried to keep it in the water, it jumped six times before getting it to the boat. “I think I held my breath the whole time until we got it in!” Coming in to weigh their fish, first they put the big one on the scales. It took over and won the Big Bass category weighing 9.41 pounds! Adding their other four, the team had 19.04 pounds to win 3rd place and $2,000 plus another $500 for their Big Bass win. Rick Scheen and Mike Harman have stayed on top of the points race in the South Region the entire season, and now that all of the regular season events are complete for the South they have officially been declared Anglers of the Year. Not only do they hold this prestigious title, several benefits including all entry fees for the 2019 South Region events are waived for this team. Congratulations to Rick and Mike, 2018 Anglers of the Year! There are just a few regular season events left, and they are open to anyone who would like to fish – so don’t miss out! |
THE APPRENTICE SCHOOL WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING EVENT AT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE
From FLW Communications
BEDFORD, Va. (April 23, 2018) – The Apprentice School duo of Hunter Atkins, of Carrsville, Virginia, and Kitt Moger, of Suffolk, Virginia, won the YETI FLW College Fishing event on Smith Mountain Lake on Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned the Builders bass club $2,400 and a spot in the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
“We knew we had a pretty good limit, but we figured some of the other teams likely would as well, so we were surprised to get the win so convincingly,” said Moger, a sophomore angler.
Moger said that the duo spent their day on the water sight-fishing for bass that they had marked on beds during their practice session Friday.
“It started Friday afternoon – we noticed a few fish were literally just moving up on the beds,” Moger said. “We spent the rest of our afternoon running around and marking fish on beds that looked catchable. We had probably 8 to 10 marks saved for the tournament, then around 6 o’clock that evening we came upon a 7-pounder. We knew that was where we were going to start our tournament day.
“On Saturday, we launched our boat, attended the takeoff ceremony, and immediately ran up to the Roanoke end of the lake, back to the 7-pounder. It took about an hour and a half of work to get her to bite, but we got her.”
“When we are sight-fishing, we both stand side-by-side on the front deck and take turns casting right after each other,” said Atkins, a junior majoring in business. “It’s a very fast-paced style and it seemed to get the fish aggravated more quickly.”
The duo said that they were able to put about a half-dozen of their marks they had in the boat, and managed to find a few new fish on beds as the day went on. All 10 of the keepers that the team caught throughout the day came sight-fishing with a Texas-rigged black and blue-colored plastic craw.
“The key was determining which fish to spend the time on to catch,” Moger went on to say. “Some of the bass were extremely skittish and you could quickly tell that they were a lost cause. I think the majority of the teams were fishing reaction-type baits, or around docks with Yamamoto Senkos. But, the key were finding those fish on beds and targeting the right ones.”
The top 10 teams on Smith Mountain Lake that advanced to the 2019 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: The Apprentice School – Hunter Atkins, Carrsville, Va., and Kitt Moger, Suffolk, Va., five bass, 21-2, $2,400
2nd: Wytheville Community College – Eric Hawks, Galax, Va., and Landon Siggers, Dry Fork, Va., five bass, 17-7, $1,000
3rd: Schoolcraft Community College – Clayton Hatton, South Lyon, Mich., and Anthony Gilmore, of Livonia, Mich., five bass, 16-5, $700
4th: Virginia Tech University – Ethan Morrison, Gordonsville, Va., and Garrett Jennings, Boones Mill, Va., five bass, 15-3, $500
5th: Slippery Rock University – Kyle Brown, Wexford, Pa., and Andrew Eaton, Hingham, Mass.., five bass, 14-11, $500
6th: Virginia Tech University – Junior Roberts, Ringgold, Va., and Ethan Stone, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 14-10
7th: Bluefield State College – Seth Comer and Donavan Carson, both of Peterstown, W. Va., five bass, 14-6
8th: University of Akron – Trent Richards, Doylestown, Ohio, and Jonathan Harter, Norton, Ohio, four bass, 14-4
9th: Radford University – Christian Williams, Wingina, Va., and Joshua Greenburg, Radford, Va., five bass, 14-2
10th: California University of Pennsylvania – Nick Fulks, Canonsburg, Pa., and David Blaker, Rices Landing, Pa., five bass, 13-12
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The YETI FLW College Fishing event on Smith Mountain Lake was hosted by Visit Bedford, and was the first of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Northern Conference anglers in 2018. The next YETI FLW College Fishing event takes place April 28, when Central Conference anglers compete at the YETI FLW College Fishing event at Kentucky and Barkley lakes presented by Berkley in Gilbertsville, Kentucky.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
The 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship will take place May 30-June 1 on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission & Red River Waterway Commission.
YETI FLW College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
KHSAA REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FISHING TOURNAMENTS ADVANCE 80 HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO KHSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ON KENTUCKY LAKE
From FLW Communications
BENTON, Ky. (April 23, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and The Bass Federation (TBF), partnered with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) to present the 2018 KHSAA state bass-fishing regional tournaments on Saturday. A total of 420 teams across Kentucky competed in four different regional tournaments with the goal of advancing to the KHSAA State competition.
The first regional tournament featured 80 bass clubs competing on Lake Barkley in Kuttawa, Kentucky.
The top 17 teams in Region 1 that advanced to the KHSAA State Championship from Lake Barkley were:
1st: Calloway County High School – Myles Mcmanus and Ethan Tidwell, five bass, 20-11
2nd: Hancock County High School – Chase Laslie and Jared Laslie, three bass, 11-9
3rd: Franklin-Simpson High School – Luke Bunch and Parker McMillin, four bass, 11-5
4th: Henderson County High School – Kelvin Audas and Gabe Turner, three bass, 10-15
5th: Marshall County High School – Davis Smith and Garrett Hicks, three bass, 10-11
6th: Muhlenberg County High School – Carson Recke and Jackson Kulijof, three bass, 10-8
7th: Calloway County High School – Clayton Bobo and Cody Paschall, three bass, 10-5
8th: Marshall County High School – Gage Lynch and Sam Mann, three bass, 9-13
9th: Calloway County High School – Jacob Hudgin and Dylan Bell, two bass, 9-11
10th: Marshall County High School – Tristan Barrett and Evan Bremmerkamp, two bass, 8-13
11th: McCracken County High School – Tyler Lillevig and Hunter Valerius, one bass, 8-6
12th: Franklin-Simpson High School – Dondrey Woods and Carter Smith, two bass, 8-4
13th: Logan County High School – Trever Mcintosh and Thomas Lockhart, two bass, 8-4
14th: Calloway County High School – Allen Mullins and Colton Noel, three bass, 8-3
15th: Ohio County High School – Brennan Peters and Dalton Wilson, three bass. 7-15
16th: Trigg County High School – Andrew Greene and Anthony Ethridge, three bass, 7-14
17th: Logan County High School – Matthew Mullins and Briar Webb, three bass, 7-12
Full results for Region 1 can be found at HighSchoolFishing.org.
The Big Bass Award at Lake Barkley was won by the McCracken County High School duo of Lillevig and Valerius, who brought an 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouth to the scale.
The second regional event held Saturday took place at Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky. This tournament was the largest regional of the weekend, featuring 164 clubs on the water competing.
The top 29 teams in Region 2 that advanced to the KHSAA State Championship from Lake Cumberland were:
1st: Madison Southern High School – Blake Harold and Cameron Cochran, five bass, 18-13
2nd: Madison Central High School – Ashton Glasscock and Jacob Aldridge, five bass, 14-6
3rd: Carroll County High School – Caleb Stephenson and John Glauber, five bass, 13-10
4th: Garrard County High School – Will Oberman and Clay Oberman, four bass, 12-11
5th: Holy Cross High School (Louisville) – Clayton Hyland and Casey Bronger, four bass, 11-9
6th: North Bullitt High School – Samantha Johnson and Cole Johnson, five bass, 11-4
7th: Gallatin County High School – Chase Keyes and Samual Ratliff, five bass, 11-2
8th: Tates Creek High School – Bryce McPherson and Josh Roberts, five bass, 10-14
9th: Bethlehem High School – Nash Davis and Sam Cecconi, five bass, 10-14
10th: Nelson County High School – Brett Phelps and Luke Phelps, four bass, 10-12
11th: Gallatin County High School – Jordan Covey and Dylan Epperson, four bass, 10-11
12th: Garrard County High School – Alex Simpson and Dylan Kidder, five bass, 10-10
13th: Madison Southern High School – Ben Ferguson and Preston Wall, five bass, 10-10
14th: Scott County High School – Tyler Sammons and Cainaan Halsey, five bass, 10-8
15th: North Bullitt High School – Ty Howard and Ricky Hill, five bass, 10-7
16th: St. Xavier High School – Jacob Gruneisen and Tyler Rodighiero, five bass, 10-6
17th: Madison Southern High School – Peyton Worley and Brendon Devasher, five bass, 10-5
18th: Madison Central High School – John Dause and Caleb Baker, five bass, 9-10
19th: Spencer County High School – Clayton Rountree and Dillon Stallings, five bass, 9-5
20th: Trinity High School (Louisville) – Hayden Bailey and Justin Risk, three bass, 9-4
21st: Madison Central High School – Trenton Combs and Ryan Hall, five bass, 9-4
22nd: Garrard County High School – Paige Eckler and Timmy Prather, five bass, 8-8
23rd: LaRue County High School – Wyatt Pearman and Evan Morris, four bass, 8-7
24th Burgin High School – Jace Hammons and Ethan Hopkins, five bass, 8-3
25th: Bethlehem High School – Buddy Ulrich and Sam Johnson, five bass, 8-1
26th: LaRue County High School – Austin Burgess and Jack Gustafson, five bass, 7-12
27th: Anderson County High School – Reed McClain and Reese Reynolds, five bass, 7-11
28th: Trinity High School (Louisville) – Dalton McCauley and Michael Livendale, five bass, 7-4
29th: Scott County High School – Colton Combs and Austin Taylor, four bass, 7-3
Full results for Region 2 can be found at HighSchoolFishing.org.
The Big Bass Award for Region 2 at Lake Cumberland was also won by the team from Madison Southern, Blake Harold and Madison Cochran, with a 5-pound, 3-ounce largemouth.
The third Regional event showcased 88 teams competing on Green River Lake in Morehead, Kentucky.
The top 17 teams in Region 3 that advanced to the KHSAA State Championship from Green River Lake were:
1st: South Laurel High School – Ethan Baker and Brian Longworth, five bass, 19-4
2nd: South Laurel High School – Shawn Coots and Landon White, 18-5
3rd: Casey County High School – Jordan Baldock and Seth Owens, five bass, 17-1
4th: Corbin High School – Nicholas Yeager and Cole Hicks, five bass, 16-8
5th: South Laurel High School – Eli Singleton and Zach Wilson, five bass, 14-14
6th: Marion County High School – Jacob Goodin and Austin P. Smith, five bass, 14-13
7th: Casey County High School – Jayden Soule and Wade Durham, five bass, 14-1
8th: South Laurel High School – Hunter Jones and Jackson Douglas, five bass, 13-14
9th: Lincoln County High School – Benton McKnight and Zach Spears, five bass, 13-8
10th: Knox Central High School – Izaiah Gray and Brady Hamilton, five bass, 12-14
11th: Rockcastle County High School – Cole Ballinger and Sean Cash, five bass, 12-3
12th: Boyle County High School – Jace Clements and Drake Thompson, four bass, 11-9
13th: Rockcastle County High School – Cameron Cornelious and Jordan Nicely, five bass, 11-5
14th: Southwestern High School – Keaton Smith and Jaydon Coggins, four bass, 10-13
15th: Lincoln County High School – Aaron Cook and Zane Rousey, three bass, 10-2
16th: Boyle County High School – Hannah Wesley and Sam Clark, five bass, 9-13
17th: Lincoln County High School – Mason Moore and Hunter Cornelius, five bass, 9-6
Full results for Region 3 can be found at HighSchoolFishing.org.
The Big Bass Award for Region 3 at Green River Lake was won by the Taylor County High School team of Peyton Cox and Shawn Mills, who weighed an 8-pound, 4-ounce largemouth to win the award.
The fourth regional event on Saturday was held on Herrington Lake in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and featured a field of 88 high school teams competing.
The top 17 teams in Region 4 that advanced to the KHSAA State Championship from Herrington Lake were:
1st: Johnson Central High School – Seth Jackson and Joseph Burchett, five bass, 15-0
2nd: Bourbon County High School – Conner Johnson and Cameron Brady, five bass, 14-11
3rd: Johnson Central High School – Kenneth Powers and Reece Collins, five bass, 13-1
4th: Wolfe County High School – Nathan Landsaw and Hunter Dickey, five bass, 12-11
5th: Sheldon Clark High School – Blake Butcher and Kendrick Cook, five bass, 12-9
6th: George Rogers Clark High School – Alex Dunaway and Noah Lake, five bass, 11-10
7th: Montgomery County High School – Harrison Gay and Alex Nesmith, four bass, 10-4
8th: Sheldon Clark High School – Cameron Dials and Keaton Meade, five bass, 10-3
9th: Bath County High School – Dylan Ferrell and Gabe Crabtree, four bass, 9-14
10th: Perry County Central High School – Derek Brewer and Brayden Howard, five bass, 9-11
11th: Floyd Central High School – Zachary Rose and Cameron Crider, three bass, 9-1
12th: Montgomery Central High School – Kyle Workman and Jacob Highley, five bass, 9-1
13th: George Rogers Clark High School – Allen Powe and Robert Powe, five bass, 9-0
14th: Johnson Central High School – Jacob Springgs and Dawson Burton, five bass, 8-11
15th: Sheldon Clark High School – Andrew Haney and Jon Fitch, five bass, 8-9
16th: Sheldon Clark High School – Nicholas Maynard and Jordan McGinnis, five bass, 8-7
17th: Estill County High School – Chris Wise and Lucas Puckett, four bass, 8-4
Full results for Region 4 can be found at HighSchoolFishing.org.
The Johnson Central High School duo of Jackson and Burchett and the Wolfe County High School duo of Landsaw and Dickey each brought a bass weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce to the scale to tie for the Region 4 Big Bass Award.
The 420 High school teams were competing Saturday with the goal of advancing to the KHSAA State competition. A total of 80 teams advanced to the 2018 state championship competition. The 2018 KHSAA State competition is scheduled for May 11-12 on Kentucky Lake at Kentucky Dam Marina, located at 466 Marina Drive in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. The full KHSAA bass fishing rules can be found here. For complete details and updated information visit KHSAA.org.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
About The Bass Federation
The Bass Federation Inc., (TBF) is a member of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. TBF is owned by those we serve and dedicated to the sport of fishing. The Federation is the largest and oldest, organized grassroots fishing, youth and conservation organization there is. TBF, our affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 events each year and have provided a foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for more than 45 years. TBF founded the Student Angler Federation and the National High School Fishing program in 2008 to promote clean family fun and education through fishing. Visit bassfederation.com or highschoolfishing.org and “LIKE US” on Facebook.
About The Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 279 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 44 state championships in 13 sports and 5 sport-activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.
COLLEGE ANGLERS SET TO COMPETE AT YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING AT KENTUCKY AND BARKLEY LAKES
Courtesy of FLW Communications
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (April 17, 2018) – The 2018 YETI FLW College Fishing season will continue next week when college teams from around the country gather to compete at the YETI FLW College Fishing tournament at Kentucky and Barkley lakes presented by Berkley on Saturday, April 28. The tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the first of three regular-season events for anglers in the Central Conference, and will feature a top prize of a $2,000 club scholarship and an invitation to compete in the 2019 College Fishing National Championship.
“Kentucky Lake has been fishing tough lately, but I really believe that is due to the water and temperature fluctuations that we have experienced,” said FLW Tour pro Charlie Evans of Berea, Kentucky, a seven-year FLW Tour veteran. “There are still plenty of bass there, it’s just a matter of the weather settling down a little bit. If we get some stable, warmer weather, this tournament could be an absolute slugfest.
“I think the winning team will weigh in 24 or 25 pounds,” Evans continued. “Somebody is going to find them, and when you do find them on Kentucky Lake this time of year you’re going to think ‘my day has come.’ There is absolutely potential for a team to weigh in a 30-pound limit.”
Evans said that normally the bass are already on their spawning beds this time of year, however the recent conditions have the bass a little disturbed and unstable. Still, he expects the vast majority of the bass caught in this event will be shallow.
“The key will be figuring out what kind of shallow cover they are around,” Evans said. “Bushes, yellow flowers, buck brush, creek ditches – that’s the kind of cover you should be keying on.
“I’d be throwing a 5/8-ounce Zorro Aggravator spinnerbait with a gold Colorado blade up front and a nickel willow blade on the back with a chartreuse-colored Zoom Fat Albert,” Evans went on to say. “You also can’t go wrong with a 3/8-ounce black and blue-colored Booza Bug with a green-pumpkin Zoom Big Salty Chunk. If you want something faster, a red Rat-L-Trap or a Rapala DT6 is about as good on the points as you can get.”
Competitors will take off from Moors Resort & Marina, located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville, at 6:30 a.m. CDT Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the marina beginning at 2:30 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at CollegeFishing.com.
Schools currently registered to compete in the Kentucky Lake tournament include:
Bellarmine University – Andrew Kuebler, Louisville, Ky., and Jacob Schmidt, Medina, Ohio
Bellarmine University – Trevor Hulsey, Louisville, Ky., and Patrick McPhillips, Floyds Knob, Ky.
Campbellsville University – Justin Mayfield and Colby Hays, both of Somerset, Ky.
Central College – Cameron Timok and Steven Candley, both of Pella, Iowa
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College – Ryan Dowell, Brandenburg, Ky., and Andrew Davis, Greensburg, Ky.
Greenville University – Christopher Brooks, Greenville, Ill., and Ricky Huge, Carlyle, Ill.
Greenville University – Cordell Beckmann, Breese, Ill., and Evan Seggerman, Minonk, Ill.
Greenville University – Joseph Casey, Trenton, Ga., and Quinten Brown, Staunton, Ill.
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis – Ethan Maag, Kendallville, Ind., and Jacob Sanders, Marion, Ill.
Iowa State University – Taggert Tesdal, Jefferson, Wis., and Josef Rogers, Ames, Iowa
Lewis University – Joe Skvarla, Tinley Park, Ill., and Zachary Spesia, Coal City, Ill.
Marquette University – Patrick Naumann, Elm Grove, Wis., and James McQuillen, Natick, Mass.
Marquette University – Michael Galeana, Livonia, Mich., and Maciek Chmielewski, Willowbrook, Ill.
McKendree University – Ethan Jones, Worden, Ill, and Blake Jackson, Carterville, Ill.
McKendree University – Chris Thompson, Sandwich, Ill., and Josh Kasalko, Manteno, Ill.
McKendree University – Jacob Louis, Pinckneyville, Ill., and Curtis Lilly, Sterling, Ill.
McKendree University – Shane Campbell, Highland, Ill., and Nathan Doty, Decatur, Ill.
McKendree University – Taylor Schmitt, Lebanon, Ill., and Trevor McKinney, Benton, Ill.
Morehead State University – Ethan Raleigh, Partridge, Ky., and Austin Polly, Ermine, Ky.
Northwest Missouri State University – Logan Newlin and Jacob Cacek, both of Maryville, Mo.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Brendan Magruder, Edwardsville, Ill., and Justin Lowry, Moro, Ill.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Sean Clarkson, Edwardsville, Ill., and Alex Nail, Springfield, Ill.
University of Southern Indiana – Connor Deweese and Wayne Ellison, both of Evansville, Ind.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse – Brady Fernette, Prairie du Chien, Wis., and Kilian Boland, Gays Mills, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Jayden Schmitz and Dakota Koepp, both of Pewaukee, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Brad Hamilton and Gavin Clayton, both of Palatine, Ill.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Reed Frederick, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., and Nick Dagel, Round Lake Beach, Ill.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Tyler Rush and Tommy Torkelson, both of Black River Falls, Wis.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats. The 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship will take place May 30-June 1 on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission & Red River Waterway Commission.
YETI FLW College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Kevin VanDam likes Coleslaw Spinnerbaits
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
As a Michigan native, Kevin VanDam grew up throwing a lot of spinnerbaits featuring painted blades for smallmouth. Some of the willowleaf blades were painted chartreuse, others were painted white, and when burned at a high retrieve speeds, smallies often crushed them in the typically clearer waters of the Great Lakes region.
But it was a trip south to Table Rock Lake, MO, for a media gathering in the late 1990s, where VanDam first discovered painted white blades paired with a unique skirt color named for a side dish he always thought was reserved only for fried fish.
“Stacey King is my buddy and a legendary pro, and he was the first one to show me this blade and skirt color they call “Coleslaw” that’s fairly popular with serious anglers around the Ozark reservoirs like Table Rock and Bull Shoals,” reflects the 7-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Champion.
Sure enough, while the skirt is primarily white like creamy mayonnaise covered cabbage, it has just a few strands of orange to look like the carrots that make the popular side dish complete. And while you’ll not find any chartreuse in a great dish of your momma’s slaw, there’s even a very slight hint of that too.
“It looks like skirt color you might use in dirty water. But to me it always performs best in really clear, or barely stained, water on a cloudy or rainy day with about a 15 mph wind blowing,” says VanDam.
“Those painted white blades and that peculiar skirt color, make an awesome silhouette, and while a plain white skirt under painted white blades might get the job done - “Coleslaw” sounds way better – and it dang sure taste better too - even to the bass,” he adds with a grin.
Kevin’s Coleslaw Equipment:VanDam uses at least a ½ ounce, and often times a heavy ¾ ounce, Strike King spinnerbait to create a larger profile like a big gizzard shad. He always ties it to a 20-pound fluorocarbon line on a large spooled Quantum Smoke HD reel for optimum casting distance. He favors at least a 6.6:1 gear ratio on the reel, and uses a Quantum 7’ 4” heavy action TourKVD rod to handle the heavier lure.
Kevin’s Favorite Meal Consisting of Coleslaw: “Oh hands down, it has to be deep fried yellow perch anywhere around the Great Lakes. That’s a staple dinner where I’m from, especially on Friday nights. And if you’re feeling just a little adventurous, you can even put your slaw on top of the fried perch on a fish sandwich and eat it that way – it doesn’t get any better than that,” smiles VanDam.
Stracner Wins $12,000 on Lake Martin in American Bass Anglers Open Win!
ATHENS, Ala. – Josh Stracner won the American Bass Anglers Open Series Alabama South tournament, held April 21, 2019 on Lake Martin.
Running out of Wind Creek State Park in Alexander City, AL the Vandiver, AL angler caught five bass weighing 16.91 pounds anchored by a 4.21-pound kicker. For the Boater Division victory, took home a check for $5000 for his win and an additional $7000* for Triton Gold.
“I started fishing the lower end of the lake for about an hour then I ran back about halfway up and caught three on a seawall, one on a dock, and one sight-fishing today. I caught my fish on top-water, on a spinnerbait and a few on a Senko. It was just one of those days. I caught my biggest fish with 30 minutes to go. I want to thank ABA for having these events and to Triton Boats.” Stracner said.
In second for the boaters, David Gaston of Sylacauga, AL landed a five-bass tournament limit going 15.55 pounds. He collected $1400 for his catch.
“I also started on the lower end of the lake for a few hours and then ran back toward the park. I caught my fish on a frog and a swim-jig over brush-piles and going down banks in the back of pockets.” Gaston said.
Shaye Baker of Tallassee, AL finished third for the boaters with five bass going 14.12-pounds anchored by a 4.99-pound big bass. He earned $950 for his catch and an additional $680 for the big bass.
“I caught that big bass on the last cast of the day on a special bait that I haven’t used in a few years. I need to buy about 20 more of these baits. “ Baker said.
Finishing fourth, Michael Smith of Andalusia, AL landed a five-bass limit for 13.33 pounds. Rounding out the top five was Cole Burdeshaw of Newville, AL with a five-bass limit for 11.40 pounds.
In the Co-Angler Division, Eldred Lewis of Tuscaloosa, AL won with three bass going 6.67 pounds with a 3.78-pound kicker. He earned $1200 for his win and $210 for the big bass.
“I caught my fish on a shakey-head around mid-lake fishing points and lay-downs. I lost one this morning about 3-pounds that would have helped me. I would like to thank my boater for a good day today.” Lewis said.
Taking second for the co-anglers, Sam Fish of Alexander City, AL brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 6.27 pounds. He collected $500 for the effort.
“I caught my fish on a Carolina-rig this morning and later in the day I caught my fish on a shakey-head with a Zoom Ultra-Vibe speed craw. I lost one at the boat that would have helped me win this event, but that’s fishing. “Fish said.
Gary Wientjes of Deatsville, AL placed third among the co-anglers with three bass going 6.24-pounds including a 2.53-pound kicker. He earned $350 for his catch.
“I caught all my fish on a Carolina-rig lizard.” Wientjes said.
In fourth place among the co-anglers, Tommy Henson of Perry, GA brought in three bass for 6.02 pounds. Edmond Brown of Trion, GA finished in fifth place with three bass at 5.76 pounds.
Slated for May 19th, the next tournament will be held on Lake Jordan out of Bonners Landing in Wetumpka, AL. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2019 Ray Scott Championship to be held on Lake Eufaula in April 2019.
For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti, tournament manager, at 256-230-5632 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.abaopenseries.com .
To learn more about Triton Gold visit Tritionboats.com
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the ABA Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Bill Mayo and Walt Roberts win 2018 Alabama Bass Trail Wheeler Lake with over 23 pounds of Smallmouth!
by Dan O’Sullivan
April 21, 2018 – Decatur, Ala. – The Alabama Bass Trail’s Northern Division made its second stop of the season at Wheeler Lake out of Ingalls Harbor in Decatur on Saturday April 21, 2018. While much of the state has seen delayed spring migrations of bass due to the inclement weather the State of Alabama has seen; Wheeler Lake still showed its strength as a fishery, and the ABT North field showed its skill.
For the first time this season, the conditions leading up to an event have been stable, and the fishing was expected to be strong. However, with another rainstorm predicted for the day after the event, the water level at Wheeler was drawn down to make room, and those on extremely shallow bites had to make adjustments. Easy shallow water bites became a little harder to come by, and the weights dipped slightly.
One team that did not build their program around a shallow water pattern was Bill Mayo and Walt Roberts. The pair planned to target current breaks upriver near the Guntersville Dam, and their plan payed of with 23.43 pounds of smallmouth bass, their first ABT victory and a check worth $10,000.
The accomplishment was not lost on the longtime ABT competitors. “This has been a long time coming for us, and it means a lot because we know the level of anglers in this field,” they said. “We worked hard to put together a program this week, and we’re really fortunate that it worked out the way it did; we couldn’t be happier.”
The pair reported running to Guntersville Dam and fishing current breaks to Ditto Landing with Green Pumpkin Blue Flake Texas Rigged NetBait Baby Paca Craws. “The wind and current were running together, so we had to increase our sinkers to 1/4-ounce and downsize our line to 8-pound-test to keep the bait down,” they reported. “We fished current break we saw, and caught several limits to get our final bag; it really was a great day, and we’re thrilled to be here after all is said and done.”
The team of Rusty Strickland and Charles Hemm finished the day in second place with five fish bag of largemouth that weighed 21.07 pounds. The former ABT North Neely Henry winners did what they do best – they turned to a Flippin’ bite. “We used black and blue creature baits and fished in midlake pockets and ended the day in a feeder creek upstream,” they said. “We targeted mainly buck brush and fished for females that had set up their beds in the middle of the brush; we caught a lot of fish and had a good day.” The pair earned $5,000 for their efforts.
Paul Davis and Josh Chapple brought a 20.14-pound limit to the scales to finish third and take home $4,000.
Danny Shell and Anthony Land weighed a 6.98-pound largemouth that anchored their seventh place 18-pound limit. The fish earned the $500 Mountain Dew Big Bass bonus for the event.
The Top 10 Standings are below, for complete standings visit: http://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/wl-results/
| Place | Anglers | Weight | Big Fish | Winnings |
| 1 | Bill Mayo / Walton Roberts | 23.43 | 5.25 | $10,000 |
| 2 | Rusty Strickland / Charles Hemm | 21.07 | $5,000 | |
| 3 | Paul Davis / Josh Chapple | 20.14 | 6.85 | $4,000 |
| 4 | Drew Mattox / Kenny Mattox | 19.42 | 5.09 | $3,000 |
| 5 | Johnathon Nixon / Kaisle Lawson | 19.21 | $2,000 | |
| 6 | Graig Grubbs / Matt Ferguson | 19.06 | $1,500 | |
| 7 | Danny Shell / Anthony Land | 18.00 | 6.98 | $1,100 |
| 8 | Don Hill / Jeff Langston | 17.91 | $1,100 | |
| 9 | Nolen Spencer / Jonathon Reese | 17.65 | $1,100 | |
| 10 | Adam Bain / Kris Colley | 17.09 | $1,100 |
TENNESSEE’S POWELL WINS COSTA FLW SERIES CENTRAL DIVISION OPENER ON TABLE ROCK LAKE
Courtesy of FLW Communications
BRANSON, Mo. (April 21, 2018) – Pro Hensley Powell of Whitwell, Tennessee, brought a five-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces, to the scale Saturday to win the Costa FLW Series Central Division opener on Table Rock Lake presented by Lowrance. Powell’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 40 pounds, 12 ounces, was enough top the 197-boat field and take the first place prize of $49,700.
Powell spent the majority of the event fishing the backs of pockets on the White River. He said he used an umbrella rig with White Ice-colored Zoom Swimmin’ Super Fluke Jr. soft jerkbaits to work through 30 to 35 pockets a day, catching smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass in the process.
“I threw an umbrella rig the entire tournament and a Strike King jerkbait maybe a dozen or so times when I was in clearer water,” said Powell, who notched his first career win in FLW competition. “For me, it was more about where the fish were this week. In practice I figured out that they were in the back third of the pockets, in 8 to 12 feet of water. Even the spotted bass and smallmouth were up there staging to spawn, and that’s where the majority of the largemouth were.”
Powell said he was able to catch plenty fish in each of his areas, but their weight gradually decreased throughout the event.
“I thought this front we had would make the big ones bite again, but it didn’t,” said Powell.
Powell credited his 7-foot, 6-inch heavy-action Cashion rod with being his most beneficial piece of equipment. He said it provided the sensitivity he needed to feel the bites.
“I could feel the largemouth as they were about to bite the bait and I was able to keep it with them. I could feel them come up behind it and push it. When they did that, I would speed it up a little bit, slow down and then they’d eat it.”
The top 10 pros on Table Rock Lake finished:
1st: Hensley Powell, Whitwell, Tenn., 15 bass, 40-12, $49,700
2nd: Mike McClelland, Bentonville, Ark., 14 bass, 39-4, $19,500
3rd: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 15 bass, 39-1, $14,000
4th: Stacey King, Reeds Spring, Mo., 15 bass, 38-15, $12,000
5th: Derek Jenkel, Pinckneyville, Ill., 14 bass, 35-2, $11,100
6th: Kevin Meeks, Smyrna, Tenn., 13 bass, 34-9, $9,000
7th: Keith Amerson, Bethel Springs, Tenn., 13 bass, 34-8, $7,800
8th: Graden Hansen, Lee’s Summit, Mo., 12 bass, 33-3, $7,100
9th: Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas, 12 bass, 30-13, $5,800
10th: Cody Hahner, Wausau, Wis., 10 bass, 28-0, $4,400
A complete list of results will be posted at FLWFishing.com.
Hansen weighed a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass Friday – the biggest of the tournament in the Pro Division. For his catch, Hansen earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $300.
Chad Allison of Carl Junction, Missouri, won the Co-angler Division and a Ranger Z175 with a 90-horsepower outboard motor. Allison earned his win with a three-day cumulative catch of 14 bass weighing 39 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers on Table Rock Lake finished:
1st: Chad Allison, Carl Junction, Mo., 14 bass, 39-10, $28,200
2nd: Cullen Baxter, Columbia, Mo., 15 bass, 35-1, $6,050
3rd: Robbie Bartoszek, Hampshire, Tenn., 13 bass, 32-0, $4,800
4th: Dewey Larson, Fayetteville, Ark., 14 bass, 31-8, $3,900
5th: Matthew Justice, Fair Play, S.C., 12 bass, 29-10, $3,400
6th: Bryan Tracy, St. Peters, Mo., 12 bass, 29-0, $2,900
7th: Jeffrey Smith, Concordia, Mo., 12 bass, 27-15, $2,400
8th: Jason Sandidge, Centerton, Ark., 12 bass, 27-1, $1,950
9th: Eric Nance, Washington, Mo., 12 bass, 25-14, $1,580
10th: Gerald Andrews, Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 23-4, $1,330
John Fuller of Salem, Arkansas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces that earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $200.
The Costa FLW Series on Table Rock Lake presented by Lowrance was hosted by ExploreBranson.com. It was the first of three Costa FLW Series Central Division tournaments of the 2018 regular season. The next Costa FLW Series tournament will be a Western Division event, held May 10-12 on Clear Lake in Lakeport, California, and is presented by Evinrude. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Nov. 1-3 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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.
Adrian College Uses Largemouth To Claim Bassmaster College Series Win
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Horne Puts Finishing Touches On Dominant Central Open Victory At Arkansas River
Harvey Horne of Bella Vista, Ark., won the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open No. 2 held on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, Okla., with a three-day total weight of 52 pounds, 7 ounces.
Photo by Thomas Allen/B.A.S.S.
April 21, 2018
MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Bass kept moving into his area every day, and Harvey Horne kept intercepting them to win the pro division of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River.
Keying on fish moving shallow to spawn each day, Horne tallied a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 52 pounds, 7 ounces, to claim his first Opens victory and take home a Skeeter ZX200 bass boat with a Yamaha VF200LA outboard motor package worth $58,000 plus $5,075 in cash. He also qualified for the 2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Championship, Oct. 18-20, at a location to be announced later.
The Bella Vista, Ark., angler said he caught his limit by about 9:30 a.m. Saturday and finished with 18-8 to seal the victory. “I caught three of the fish off beds today and caught two out of brushpiles in a little deeper water,” he said.
His main lure throughout the tournament was a Spro 5.5-inch Dean Rojas Fighting Frog (in the confusion, tilapia and hematoma color patterns) attached to an All-Terrain Swing Head Rock Jig with a 6/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid hook.
Horne said he usually never goes out the final practice day for the Opens, but this past Wednesday he wanted to check out one last spot. When it produced a 6-pounder, he decided it would be one of his primary areas for the tournament. The area was a small gravel pit off the main river that featured a hole about 10 feet deep.
“They had pulled into that little area to spawn,” he said. “The females were sitting out there in the middle in a little deeper water, and the males had pulled up on the beds. I didn’t catch any bedding fish until today.”
He believes spawning bass moved onto the beds Friday night.
Lake Fork guide Justin Margraves also targeted spawning bass to finish second with 48-9. “I had one area that had fish moving in to spawn, so I had more fish showing up every day,” he said.
The Diana, Texas, angler caught all of his bass each day on a black-and-blue 5/16-ounce Santone swim jig and a black-and-blue Strike King Rage Craw.” Margraves said he was fishing the swim jig “like a topwater bait” in muddy water 1 to 2 feet deep.
Derek Hudnall of Baton Rouge, La., finished third with 47-8, followed by Bassmaster Elite Series pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., with 45-13 and Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., with 44-14.
Joe Lee of Midlothian, Texas, recorded his second Central Opens co-angler victory by catching a three-bass limit of 11-10 to finish with 29-1. He received a Triton 179 TrX bass boat with a Mercury 115ELPT Four Stroke outboard motor package valued at $27,000.
The Texas angler also won the 2014 Central Open at Lake Amistad. The first two days of the event, Lee flipped a green pumpkin 6-inch Gene Larew plastic lizard with a rattle inserted into it. On Saturday, he caught his first keeper on the lizard, but then switched to a Zoom Speed Craw in emerald blue to complete his limit.
The Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $750 on the pro side went to Hudnall with a 6-3 largemouth. Colton Wood of Panhandle, Texas, weighed in a 5-9 largemouth to earn the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $250 on the co-angler side. Hudnall also won the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $500 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.
The eight winners from each tournament in the Eastern and Central Opens divisions will qualify for the Opens Championship. The Top 10 anglers in the point standings from each division will also compete in the championship.
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Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 15 52-07 200 $50,075.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 18-08
2. Justin Margraves Diana, TX 14 48-09 199 $12,688.00
Day 1: 4 13-03 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 17-04
3. Derek Hudnall Baton Rouge, LA 15 47-08 198 $10,675.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 17-13
4. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 15 45-13 197 $8,700.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 18-01
5. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 44-14 196 $7,613.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 14-01 Day 3: 5 17-11
6. Dustin Reneau Mckinney, TX 15 43-12 195 $6,525.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 14-01 Day 3: 5 13-15
7. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 15 41-05 194 $5,438.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 16-12 Day 3: 5 12-06
8. Benjamin Blaschke Muldrow, OK 15 41-02 193 $3,988.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 14-06 Day 3: 5 13-04
9. David Gillham Heath, TX 14 38-07 192 $3,263.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 4 07-14
10. Greg Vance Dubuque, IA 15 38-00 191 $2,900.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 10-00
11. Brandon Lee Ratcliff, AR 13 34-05 190 $2,538.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 3 07-07
12. Frank Talley Temple, TX 12 30-00 189 $2,393.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 2 03-06
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Derek Hudnall Baton Rouge, LA 06-03 $750.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 56 476 1172-15
2 48 428 1083-14
3 9 54 157-09
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113 958 2414-06
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Arkansas River 4/19-4/21
Arkansas River, Muskogee OK.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Joe Lee Midlothian, TX 9 29-01 200 $30,000.00
Day 1: 3 10-01 Day 2: 3 07-06 Day 3: 3 11-10
2. Caleb Black Mcalester, OK 9 24-01 199 $4,060.00
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 3 07-00 Day 3: 3 10-02
3. David Gibson Red Oak, TX 8 23-10 198 $3,081.00
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 3 09-11 Day 3: 3 08-07
4. Clayton Coppin Muskogee, OK 9 23-09 197 $2,030.00
Day 1: 3 09-07 Day 2: 3 06-07 Day 3: 3 07-11
5. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 7 21-05 196 $1,885.00
Day 1: 3 11-04 Day 2: 2 05-00 Day 3: 2 05-01
6. Troy Enmeier Enid, OK 9 20-10 195 $1,812.00
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 3 07-00 Day 3: 3 08-03
7. Steven Denmark Malcolm, AL 7 20-09 194 $1,740.00
Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 2 06-04 Day 3: 2 06-02
8. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 9 20-04 193 $1,668.00
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 3 06-15 Day 3: 3 05-09
9. Chandler Stewart Waco, TX 7 18-12 192 $1,595.00
Day 1: 3 08-10 Day 2: 3 07-03 Day 3: 1 02-15
10. Calvin Bogan Livingston, TX 8 18-05 191 $1,450.00
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 2 05-12 Day 3: 3 05-11
11. Justin Leet Bartlett, TN 6 17-12 190 $1,269.00
Day 1: 3 10-14 Day 2: 1 02-03 Day 3: 2 04-11
12. Steve Byrd Coalgate, OK 7 17-06 189 $1,160.00
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 3 08-03 Day 3: 1 01-14
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Colton Wood Panhandle, TX 05-09 $250.00
Bassmaster Elite Series To Visit Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees At Prime Fishing Time
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., will be competing on his home waters, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, for his seventh blue trophy April 26-29 in Grove, Okla.
Courtesy BASS Communications
April 19, 2018
GROVE, Okla. — The world’s top 109 bass anglers will go toe-to-toe for the second stop of the season at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, April 26-29.
The Grand Lake derby was originally scheduled to be the third regular-season event, but torrential rainfall and flooding postponed the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by Econo Lodge in Orange, Texas, previously scheduled to occur April 6-9. The event is now slated for June 7-10.
The last time B.A.S.S. visited the picturesque Grand Lake was at the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. At that event, native Oklahoman Edwin Evers weighed a three-day total of 60 pounds, 7 ounces to top the field and claim the world championship title.
Evers is looking forward to fishing Grand Lake again.
“I have a lot of fond memories from that lake, especially winning the Classic in 2016,” he said. “I’m comfortable with how it fishes throughout the year, and I expect this tournament to be very exciting with lots of big fish brought to the scales.”
Considering the time of year, and the quality of anglers competing in this event, Evers expects numbers of 20-plus-pound bags to be brought to the scales daily.
“The Midwest has endured the fifth coldest spring on record, and the late spring has the bass just itching to get up shallow and start spawning,” Evers said. “I think the bass will be in all phases of the spawning process, allowing for quite a few different techniques to be effective. But I believe the biggest fish will be shallow, and that makes for a very competitive tournament.”
Each angler can weigh his five largest bass each day for a shot at the $100,000 top prize, and Evers said a winning four-day total could exceed the 80-pound mark.
“My best fish at the Classic in 2016 was over 6 pounds, but it was earlier in the year,” he said. “This time I bet we see a big bass over 8 pounds. That’s an exciting fish to bring to the scales no matter where you are in the country.
“This is the absolute best week of the year to be fishing on Grand Lake, and I think the fans and spectators are in for a real treat each afternoon at weigh-in,” he said. “With the unpredictable spring weather this year, the lake conditions could change day to day, and the angler who figures out how to adapt with the changes as they occur will be the angler who could win the event.”
After two days of full-field competition, the Top 51 anglers will qualify to fish the semi-final round on Saturday. The field will then be cut again to the Top 12 on Sunday’s championship round.
Daily takeoffs will begin each morning at 6:15 a.m. CT out of Wolf Creek Park in Grove, Okla. Weigh-ins will happen in the same location beginning at 3 p.m. each afternoon.
The Bassmaster Elite Series Outdoors Expo will take place at the park on Saturday and Sunday beginning at noon. The event will feature demo rides, an aquarium, free prizes and the latest fishing products on the market. The fan-favorite kid’s area, Toyota Get Hooked on Fishing presented by Shakespeare, will also include catfish-casting ponds and a chance to meet the pros.
All activities are free and open to the public. For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.
John Garrett & Brian Pahl of Bethel University Take Lead In Bassmaster College Bass Tournament on Pickwick!
John Garrett (right) and Brian Pahl of Bethel University take the lead on the first day of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Tour presented by Bass Pro Shops on Pickwick Lake out of Florence, Ala., with 22 pounds, 12 ounces.
Courtesy of BASS Communications
April 19, 2018
FLORENCE, Ala. — A record-setting field of college anglers hit the Tennessee River at Pickwick Lake for the three-day Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Tour event presented by Bass Pro Shops today.
When the dust settled, John Garrett and Brian Pahl of Bethel University took the top spot after the first round of competition with 22 pounds, 12 ounces of smallmouth bass. They lead the field of 266 teams into Friday’s important cut-day.
Anglers had to contend with cold and windy, weather. Temperatures were in the low 40s at the launch site at McFarland Park, presenting slow fishing early in the day. Most teams had to decide between two predominant patterns that had excelled during the practice period on Pickwick.
Quickly it became a battle between the bass fishing teams that focused on smallmouth bass at the base of the Wilson Dam and those anglers who focused on largemouth around bushes and shallow cover elsewhere on the lake.
Bethel’s Garrett and Pahl concentrated their efforts on smallmouth, even with a hefty crowd of anglers in that region of the lake.
“Everything happened a lot faster than we expected today,” Garrett said. “We had a later boat number, but we were able to pull in exactly where we wanted to, and we caught all of our weight before 10:30 a.m.”
Their five-bass limit was anchored by a hefty smallmouth that tipped the scales at 6-plus pounds. They landed that fish with 10 boats nearby, but that wasn’t anything different than they expected because the tailrace area had seen heavy fishing pressure all week.
“We could go out and catch two fish tomorrow and someone beside us could catch them like we did today,” Pahl said. “It’s not necessarily luck, but there are so many quality fish in the area, and a slight change in current could reposition them completely differently.”
Garrett and Pahl have a storied history together as they finished second in the 2016 Bassmaster College Series National Championship. Garrett later won the Classic Bracket. Then in 2017, the duo finished fourth and fished in the Classic Bracket once again. The one thing they haven’t accomplished is a major Bassmaster win together. After narrowly missing out a few times, they’d like to accomplish that, since they already qualified via the Central Tour event at Toledo Bend in January.
Right behind Garrett and Pahl is the Murray State University duo of Harbor Lovin and Evan Bramhill, who boasted 22-8 after Thursday’s action.
“We stumbled on these fish on the final day of practice,” Bramhill said. “We had all our weight by 9:30 to 10 a.m. and then went looking for new places but never really found anything better.”
The freshmen duo is only 4 ounces off the pace set by Garrett and Pahl and are feeling confident as they brought a 6-11 largemouth to the scales. Their 22-8 also included a fish less than 2 pounds that they couldn’t cull the rest of the day. They know there is plenty of opportunity for a heavier catch Friday. Unlike the leaders, they targeted largemouth solely, but they, too, had a lot of company in their area.
“We fished behind other teams and caught fish behind them,” Lovin said. “It made us more confident, but we plan to start our day on our key stretch tomorrow and see if we can catch a few quality fish.”
The Big Bass of the event so far is an 8-2 largemouth caught by Middle Tennessee State University’s Mekiah Jack and Matthew Cross. Their giant catches helped them mightily and it anchored their 21-3 total, which has them tied for third with Adrian College’s Nick Marsh and Jarrod Layton. Rounding out the Top 5 is Ryan Nevil and Nathan Wood of Dallas Baptist University with 20-15.
Fishing is excellent despite the weather. Eight teams caught limits weighing more than 20 pounds in the opening frame of competition on Pickwick, and the 32nd place cut-weight for the National Championship qualification is 16-7, which is held by Polk State’s Justin Bun and Evan Wieber.
Friday’s takeoff begins at 7 a.m. CT at McFarland Park in Florence (110 W College St.) and weigh-in will take place at the same location starting at 3 p.m. CT.
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Harvey Horne Takes First-Round Lead In Bassmaster Open On The Arkansas River
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CODY HUFF HAS EARLY LEAD IN FLW COSTA ON TABLE ROCK WITH 19-10
Courtesy of FLW Fishing
April 19, 2018
by David A. Brown
You gotta love it when a plan comes together. For Cody Huff, that plan worked so well that he was able to start planning for day two en route to leading day one of the Costa FLW Series event presented by Lowrance on Table Rock with 19 pounds, 10 ounces.
Running far up the James River, the Ava, Mo., pro returned to a pattern he had established during practice for the Central Division opener. He left the morning takeoff expecting to run right to a good number of prespawn staging fish and upon his arrival, he found them exactly where he had left them.
“I got to my area this morning and got them pretty quickly,” says Huff, who was boat 155 on day one. “I have a couple of schools up there that are working pretty good.”
How good? Good enough to pull back on the throttle well before sandwich-thirty.
“I left my area today around 10 o’clock and laid off of them,” Huff says. “I’ll try to get back up there tomorrow and do it again.
“I had a couple of schools found in practice, so I rolled up to my first spot this morning and caught two big ones. I went to my second spot and caught two 5-pounders.”
Huff says the river fishing is more a necessity than a first choice, as the main lake fishing has not treated him kindly of late.
“I like catching them however they bite, but I can’t catch them in the clearer water this week,” he says. “I live an hour from here and I have not caught a fish on anything I’ve caught them off of before this week.
“It’s all the cold fronts we’ve had lately. The lake is so far behind this year.”
Essential to Huff’s success has been leveraging the river’s more protected environment. He’s catching his fish in less than four feet of water, in areas with a foot of visibility.
“I found one little area of the lake where the water’s a little warmer and they’re doing what they’re supposed to do,” he says. “Everything just sets up perfectly right now. It’s the warmest water around, it’s not getting pressured and nobody’s messing with them.”
Huff opted to keep his bait selection confidential, but he does tell us that he’s using a trio of different baits. Essential to his plan is moving through his areas quickly to cover water and find the fish.
“I’m just flying around and fishing real fast,” he says.
Top 10 pros
1. Cody Huff – Ava, Mo. – 19-10 (5)
2.Mike McClelland – Bentonville, Ark. – 16-12 (5)
2. Hensley Powell – Whitwell, Tenn. – 16-12 (5)
4. Cody Hahner – Wausau, Wis. – 16-8 (5)
5. Glenn Harrison – Arma, Kan. – 16-1 (5)
6. Keith Amerson – Bethel Springs, Tenn. – 16-0 (5)
7. Jimmy Mize – Ben Lomond, Ark. – 15-15 (5)
8. Josh Shirley – Cabot, Ark. – 15-10 (5)
9. Matt Wood – Jessieville, Ark. – 15-7 (5)
10. Kelly Readhimer – Beech Bluff, Tenn. – 15-2 (5)
Allison leads co-angler side
Success off the back of the boat generally requires presentations that vary from what the pro is doing. Chad Allison made sure he did that with a variety of baits that led him to the co-angler division lead with 15 pounds, 7 ounces.
“I threw a swimbait, drug a jig, fished a jerkbait and a spinnerbait and just tried to keep something fresh going,” says Allison, who fished behind Peter Wenners on day one. “It just depended on where my pro was fishing.
“I’ve been fishing a couple of team tournaments down here and had a little deal that was working behind my pro today. I think the fish were holding deeper, toward the bottom, so I fished baits I could keep down there.”
Allison says he caught his fish in 8-10 feet and sacked up his weight by 11:30 in the morning.
Complete Day 1 Boater Results
Complete Day 1 Co-Angler Results
FLW TOUR HEADS TO LEWIS SMITH LAKE FOR FOUR-DAY EVENT PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE
World’s top bass anglers eye $125,000 grand prize, crucial Pennzoil Marine Angler of the Year points at fifth stop of 2018 FLW Tour season
Courtesy of FLW Communications
JASPER, Ala. (April 12, 2018) – The FLW Tour, professional bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament circuit, is returning to Jasper, April 26-29, for the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine. Hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County, the four-day event will feature 368 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals and co-anglers casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the Pro Division and up to $25,000 cash in the Co-angler Division.
Lewis Smith Lake last played host to the FLW Tour in 2015, when pro Dave Lefebre weighed a 19½-pound limit on the final day to overcome an 8½-pound deficit to Rookie of the Year Zack Birge and win with a total weight of 65 pounds, 6 ounces. Lefebre’s strategy involved catching a decent limit in the morning targeting schooling fish before transitioning to pockets where the herring were spawning in the afternoon.
“There’s going to be a lot of different ways to catch fish in this tournament,” said Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury of Odenville, Alabama, a nine-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier. “I pre-fished at Lewis Smith Lake recently and there were largemouth spawning in every pocket I went in. I think we’re going to be competing at the tail-end of the spawn, but there’s still going to be quite a few fish on beds and somebody will catch them.”
In addition to the shallow bite, Canterbury said many spotted bass will be suspended in deeper water chasing blueback herring – a good option for anglers looking to mix up their day.
“We had a bit of a warming trend in Alabama about six weeks ago and water temperatures jumped, for a short time, from the low 50s to 70 degrees,” said Canterbury. “I’m pretty sure a lot of the spotted bass either spawned or tried to spawn. They’ll be chasing blueback herring – that’s the deal there now. Just find the bait and you’ll be able to find the fish.”
Canterbury said largemouth will be relating to buckbrush, logs and laydowns and spotted bass will primarily be hanging around points as they head back out to the lake.
“Swimbaits and jerkbaits will be good bets,” said Canterbury. “For largemouth, you’ll be able to catch them with a shallow crankbait. A (Zoom) Trick Worm or something similar will be productive for those still guarding fry. Anglers are really going to be able to fish their strengths.”
The Alabama veteran predicted that a four-day cumulative total in the 60- to 64-pound range should be enough to secure the win.
“Lewis Smith Lake is a really healthy fishery,” said Canterbury. “It’s going to be a great tournament.”
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. CDT each day from the Smith Lake Dam Access, located at 7482 Smith Lake Dam Road in Jasper. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins, April 26-27, will be held at the Access beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins, April 28-29, will also be held at the Access, but will begin at 4 p.m.
The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine is more than $930,000.
Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lewis Smith Lake presented by T-H Marine will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) June 6 from Noon-1 p.m. EST. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide.
Prior to the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the Smith Lake Dam Access from noon to 4 p.m. The Expo is the perfect opportunity for fishing fans of all ages to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.
Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the Smith Lake Dam Access on Saturday, April 28, from 9-11 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to youth (18 and under) and Special Olympics athletes (all ages). Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the biggest fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.
In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The full field of 368 anglers competes in the two-day opening round. Co-angler competition concludes following Friday’s weigh-in, while the top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 10-12 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Rhino Hitch - The Most Versatile Adjustable Hitch on the Market & Made in the USA!!
Rhino Hitch products are both beautiful and strong, like our namesake animal. If you have been searching for the best custom adjustable hitch for your truck, then look no further! The Rhino Hitch is the most versatile, custom adjustable hitch on the market today and we proudly manufacture our custom hitches here in the USA. Our tow hitch is rated to pull up to 14,000 pounds of cargo. So, it really doesn’t matter if you’re hauling a boat for a day on the lake, a motor home for a trip to the dunes, or a trailer full of equipment for your job, because the adjustable Rhino Hitch will pull anything within the weight limit. More than that, we assure you that the hitches are sturdily built using high-quality billet aluminum. With few moving parts and fastened by industrial-strength screws, your Rhino Hitch ensures a lifetime of heavy lifting.
Superior Custom Adjustable Steel and Aluminum Hitches
The Rhino Hitch is manufactured to last for years of grueling towing. We are confident that the 9″ of vertical travel will be exactly what you need for your towing convenience.
Rhino Hitch customers have the option to choose between our steel powder coated black finish and our aluminum made hitches in polished or brushed finishes. The aluminum hitches are great for that super aesthetic appeal and the steel hitch is great for that rough and tough look.
Best of all, our hitches are easy to use. Simply pull the side pin and move your hitch up or down to accommodate where your trailer needs to ride. Your Rhino Hitch will be the envy of your friends wherever you go! Whether you’re at the lake, the dunes, the race track, or in the mountains, you can relax knowing that whatever you are towing will be kept safely behind your truck.
Learn more HERE!
MADE IN THE USA
Temple Fork Outfitters Renews Ties with ACA, Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing
The Association of Collegiate Anglers has announced that Temple Fork Outfitters™, makers of affordable high-performance fishing rods, has renewed its ties and sponsorship of the 2018 Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. As part of their support to the ACA events this year TFO will be on-site during 2018 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship where college anglers will have a chance to visit with staff from TFO personally. Temple Fork rods are available in major retailers, and hundreds of independent stores throughout the country.
“TFO is very excited to partner with ACA and their anglers. The high level of competition is exciting. But, more than that the competitors are the future of fishing. Each tournament ACA anglers are refining tackle, sharpening skills and most importantly, protecting our resources. The participant and the ACA series exemplify TFO’s guiding philosophy, Power to the Angler.”
Temple Fork Outfitters™, a Dallas based company developed their rod-building skills in the fly-rod market in 1997, then brought their expertise into the freshwater market in 2008. Their first line, the Signature Series was designed by industry pioneer, Gary Loomis, with the goal of “Unparalleled performance at an unparalleled price.” The Signature Series are all fast action rods, but in varying lengths and powers, to match a variety of situations on the water. TFO followed up the successful Signature Series, with the Tactical Series, which is a lineup of technique-specific rods built to the same high standards, but in various actions, as well as lengths and powers. Both lines feature a unique Color ID System, which makes picking up the right tool for the job a snap.
“Temple Fork has been a great supporter of collegiate bass fishing for years now, and they continue to introduce anglers to great products at prices within their budget, which is a win for our collegiate anglers,” said Wade Middleton, Director of the Association of Collegiate Anglers and President of CarecoTV. “We’re looking forward to having TFO on-site at this year’s Championship to show off their rods to the anglers first-hand.”
Collegiate Anglers this year will have a unique opportunity to work with Temple Fork to purchase their custom rods as part of a discount purchase program created jointly between the Association of Collegiate Anglers and TFO. For more information on that program collegiate anglers are urged to contact [email protected] or go online at www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com and visit the Discount and Incentives page.
For more information about the Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, please visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com.
Costa Countdown to Blastoff - With John Byrne & CJ Freeman of Sportsman's Warehouse
AC's John Byrne and Fishing Manager CJ Freeman from the Sportsmans Warehouse in Columbia, SC talk SE Fishing and Whats hot where. Check it out!
AC Insider Podcast Featuring Costa Sunglasses Bass Community Leader Melinda Mize-Hays!
On this weeks Episode Chris & Jason talk with Costa Sunglasses BASS Community Leader Melinda Mize-Hays on her LBAA Win last fall,
Her return to the front of the boat and the new Costa High School Fantasy Camp Program that will be announced shortly for this summer.
The Boys Also have thier Simms Shoutout, The Progressive Bass Wrap Up, FLW Pro Cody Meyer in the Sportsmans Product Spotlight and More!
Check it out!
