AFT D-96 Tournament Results, Clarks Hill Lake – August 19th, 2018
D-96 2018 Season Qualifier Tournament
Courtesy James Satterwhite
There were 21 anglers fishing this Division 96 1-day qualifier tournament at Clark Hill out of the Dorn Facility near McCormick, SC. There were 54 fish brought to the scales that weighed a total for 98.22 lbs.
Group photo from left to right: 1st place Chase Stewart of Ware Shoal, SC / 2nd place Don Branham of Hodges, SC / 3rd place Don Kneece of Saluda, SC / 4th place Andy Lake of Batesburg, SC / 5th place Kevin Bragg of Laurens, SC. The day started out at with overcast skies, 71 degrees with a slight breeze, reaching a high temperature of 91. At the 3pm weigh-in we had nice rain shower, that seemed to be meant just for us, since it wasn’t raining anywhere else. The rain cooled off the setting until the sun came back out creating a nice steamy outdoor sauna.
- First place, Chase Stewart had a 5.98lbs kicker that anchored his (5) fish limit of 12.21lbs for the win. Congrats! Chase fished the middle portion of the lake through-out the day, catching his best fish on a frog or buzzbait later in the day. The payback for first place, first place option, and Big Fish option earned Chase $770, along with the first place trophy.
- Second place, Don Branham had a (5) fish limit weighing 9.35lbs. The payback for second place and second place option earned Don $400 to go along with the second place trophy.
- Third place, Don Kneece had (4) fish weighing 9.11lbs. The pay back for third place was $105 and the third place trophy.
- Fourth Place, Andy Lake had a (5) fish limit weighing 9.04lbs. The pay back for fourth place was $70 plus a discount coupon from Level Performance Rods worth a $50 value towards the online purchase of any Level Performance Rod!
- Fifth place, Kevin Bragg had (4) fish weighing 7.53lbs. Fifth place didn’t receive a payback but Kevin did receive a nice Level Performance Rods hat.
The next D-96 tournament for the 2019 season is a Division 1-Day Qualifier on Lake Hartwell, September 16thout of the Greenpond ramp, in Anderson SC.
Our local sponsors will be providing products or money for products for the anglers fishing Division 96 tournaments. Please give them your support by looking to them first when considering your purchases. They are supporting you!
Level Performance Rods: Rods designed and fished by FLW Pro Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, SC. See the complete line of these affordable rods atwww.levelfishingrods.com (803-500-2354) Also Level Rods are at Palmetto State Armory Fishing Outpost Fernandina Road in Columbia, SC.
We have (10) $50 coupons, (1) to be given out at each event, and 1 Level Rod are to be awarded to D-96 anglers for the Big Sack of the Season.
Kneece Investigations, LLC Saluda, SC www.kneeceinvestigations.com (864-445-3713) (one stop for both your Investigative and Surveillance Equipment needs)
Angler's Headquarters: (previously SCFishingTackle.com) Committed to providing our customers with the best prices and customer service on all of our merchandise, including the complete line of Buckeye Lures products. In the coming months we will continue to add more brands, and we will continue to guarantee the lowest prices around as well as excellent service. If you find a lower regular price on an item, let us know and we will match or beat it. We are located in Columbia, SC, but can ship our products anywhere in the United States. You don't have to be in South Carolina to enjoy our fishing tackle! We have quietly been in business for more than five years, but we are now expanding our product line and marketing. Be sure to check out our sister website www.scfishingreport.com. Email: Sales@AnglersHeadquarters.com; Phone: (803) 253-4084;
Palmetto Electrical Systems serving Greenwood, SC. Residential & Commercial Services – 30 years’ experience – Quality Service – Reasonable Prices – Free Estimates – Locally owned and operated by Mark T. Abbott – 8117 Highway 246 S, Ninety Six, SC - 864-227-8500
Complete results and news on www.aba-sc.com and see your photos on ‘facebook’ at D-96 American Fishing Tour
Up Coming Tournaments:
D-96 Sept 16, 2018 Hartwell Greenpond Ramp
D-25 Sept 23, 2018 Hartwell Greenpond Ramp
D-18 Oct 20, 2018 Wylie Buster Boyd Ramp
“Anyone can be a fisherman in May......”
Vance McCullough
“Anyone can be a fisherman in May.” - Santiago, from Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea
September is a different story. If you can catch them during Florida’s most dismal fishing month, you are an angler through-and-through.
Matt Kasparek caught them.
105 inches of bass.
18 anglers participated in the Kayak Bass Series Qualifier – Kayak Fishing with Christ on Fellsmere Reservoir and the famous Stick Marsh. At stake were 7 invites to fish the KBS Classic (national championship) on Lake Fork, Texas in October. Only 6 guys caught fish. As in, a single fish.
Kasparek caught a handful of them, his best 5 stretched to the aforementioned length. In kayak tournaments, where fish are measured rather than weighed, then photographed and immediately released, 100 inches is a benchmark similar to the 20-pound mark in catch-and-weigh tournaments.
When two-thirds of the field blank, is the lake that bad? Or is fishing just that tough in September?
Fellsmere is widely regarded as Florida’s best up-and-coming lake. Open only to paddle fishing until a boat ramp gets built (scheduled to happen next spring) it has consistently produced quality fishing for those in the know. Anglers have come from at least as far away as Arkansas to fish it.
One of Florida’s top kayak anglers, Tim Beers nodded out across the hydrilla-choked lake and said, “I’ve had over 100 inches for 5 straight months. All out of that lake. And that’s just fishing from 6 A.M. until noon, two or three days a month.”
Beers was speaking of the grueling month-long online tournaments where an angler’s best 5 fish are aggregated.
On this day Beers never got the big bite but turned in a solid performance to qualify for the Classic by placing 4th.
Kaspsarek shared his winning tactic. “All topwater. I always throw topwaters around here.”
Brad Case placed 2ndwith 99.75 inches. He fished near the leader. “I followed him with a swimbait.”
Will Mansfield made a long run. Or actually, a ride. He used a bicycle to transport his kayak miles beyond vehicular access points and launch away from the crowd. It paid off to the tune of 90.75 inches, good for 3rdplace.
Beers held 4thwith 88.75.
Mark Passemato placed among the Top 5 with 85.50 inches.
Scott Seggermann was the only other angler to measure a fish. He too had a 5-fish limit. It totaled 78.25 inches.
While Stick Marsh/Farm 13 is open and fishable, Fellsmere is carpeted nearly wall-to-wall with topped-out hydrilla. Find open holes, throw a topwater lure, and hang on. As the days get shorter and the hydrilla thins, fishing options should expand on this healthy young lake.
Dustin Connell Takes the Lead heading into day 2 of Bassmaster Open on Logan Martin Lake
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Kyle Hall Leads FLW Northern Costa Event on 1,000 Islands with over 26 pounds of Smallmouth!
September 6, 2018 by Kyle Wood - Courtesy of FLWFishing.com
At the age of 21 and over 1,500 miles from home, Kyle Hall of Rio Vista, Texas, put his mark on what is shaping into a heck of a smallmouth shootout. Hall dropped 26 pounds, 4 ounces on day one of the Costa FLW Series Northern Division event at the 1000 Islands, which is presented by Navionics, and holds just an 8-ounce lead over Chris Johnston.
Almost immediately after weighing in, Hall’s phone was ringing from texts and phone calls all while he was smiling ear to ear. But then again, who wouldn’t be after weighing such a stout bag?
“Practice was phenomenal for me,” says Hall. “I caught good bags each day of practice, but I was doing it catching one here, one there. I really didn’t have much of a game plan to start the day, but I figured it out and it was awesome. I’m over 1,800 miles from home and this is my favorite lake ever.”
It’s hard to argue that when you can catch 4 -and 5-pound smallies with relative ease.
For Hall, things started off hot, but quickly fizzled when he realized one of his schools had moved.
“At my first stop of the day I caught a 4-pounder and then went about 30 minutes without another bite,” Hall says. “There was another guy fishing near me and I wanted to trolling motor out past him to get to the other side of the spot to see if the fished moved there.
“Well, as I was moving out around him I found them on a place I never looked at. The next four fish I caught were pushing 23 pounds. Then I culled up once more to hit 25.”
After upgrading to a stout bag of brown ones, Hall moved to another spot. He caught a few dinks before tagging another 5-pounder to push his bag over 26 pounds.
“Once I had 26 I knew I was done for the day and I wanted to save everything for the rest of the tournament. I didn’t even make it to half of my spots I wanted to fish.”
For the record, the limit he brought to the scale was caught in just about 2 hours.
With pre-tournament reports hinting at a tough bite – though the standings today show otherwise with 46 bags over 20 pounds – Hall was reluctant to disclose any fishing technique information, though did point out he kept one rod in his hand all day.
“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I’m excited to get back out there.”
Top 10 pros
1. Kyle Hall – Rio Vista, Texas – 26-4 (5)
2. Chris Johnston – Peterborough, Ontario – 25-12 (5)
3. Jesse Spellicy – Gouverneur, N.Y. – 25-3 (5)
4. Ken Golub – Pittsford, N.Y. – 24-9 (5)
5. John Hunter – Shelbyville, Ky. – 24-6 (5)
5. Joe Ford – Bowmanville, Ontario – 24-6 (5)
7. Kyle Ratliff – Commerce, Mich. – 23-12 (5)
8. Joseph Wood – Westport, Mass. – 23-11
9. Carl Jocumsen – Queensland, Australia – 23-9 (5)
10. Neil Farlow – St. Catherines, Ontario – 23-8 (5)
Tiano leads co-anglers
Nearly a year ago to the day, Drew Tiano won the co-angler title in the Northeast Division of the T-H Marine Bass Fishing League Super Tournament held on the 1000 Islands. After plopping down 23-9 on the scale today, it looks as though he’s eyeing up another top prize.
It’s a tight race from the back of the boat – Tiano will cling to a just a 13-ounce lead to start on Friday. At the 1000 Islands, that’s not even ¼ of a smallmouth.
While the co-anglers didn’t haul in as many bags over 20 pounds as the pros, they still toted 11 bags over 20 pounds to the stage, which is dang impressive from the back of the boat.
A.R.E. INTRODUCES FUSION, A PAINT-TO-MATCH TRI-FOLD TRUCK BED COVER
Fusion is the industry’s first paint-to-match tri-folding truck bed cover.
MASSILLON, Ohio – A.R.E. Accessories LLC, a Truck Hero company, offers truck owners style and accessibility with the all-new Fusion, the industry’s first paint-to-match tri-fold truck bed cover.
Fusion’s low-profile, weather resistant design features aircraft-grade aluminum panels painted-to-match your truck’s factory color code with carpeted under panels for a clean, finished look. Open and close the tailgate with the cover in the closed position with the integrated universal tailgate operation. Support arms hold the cover in the fully opened position and the bed is illuminated by the standard battery operated LED light. Fusion is a no-drill, clamp on cover, backed by a limited lifetime paint warranty. See warranty for full details.
“Our belief has always been that you shouldn't have to sacrifice style for function. Fusion, as its name describes, quite literally fuses tri-fold accessibility with paint-to-match finishing. The ability to have full bed access to transport larger items, or simply keep the panels closed for added security and styling makes it so truck owners don’t have to choose between style and function.”, said Bryan Mutchler, A.R.E.’s Marketing Manager. Visit www.4are.com/product/fusion for more details and available fitment.
AC Insider Podcast Episode 30 - A Day Late & A Dollar Short
This week on the AnglerChannel Insider Podcast, They boys talk about the recent FLW Cup changes and their Marshall Program. They look at the BASS Opens schedule for next year and Chris again finds more PETA and Stupid News. All of this along with the Progressive Bass Wrap Up, Simms Shoutout and the Costa Countdown. Check it out!
Coast Guard Foundation Announces 177 New Scholarships Awarded for 2018-2019 School Year
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Lew’s promotes Ken Eubanks to CEO
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.(September 3, 2018) – Lew’s Holdings Corporation, a leading supplier of branded fishing and hunting gear and accessories, announced today that Ken Eubanks has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer. Gary Remensnyder will remain involved in the business as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Eubanks, previously President of Lew’s and CEO of Hunters Specialties, has almost 20 years of professional experience in the outdoor industry. Prior to joining Lew’s and Hunters Specialties, Mr. Eubanks was Senior Vice President and General Manager, Americas for Pure Fishing.
Mr. Remensnyder stated, “The board and I have been working on a leadership transition plan that allows me to step back from the daily leadership of the Company once we had completed several key initiatives. I have been working with Ken Eubanks on the CEO transition over the last year and have complete confidence in him in assuming the role and continuing to lead the Company in rapid growth.”
Peter Leibman, a board member of Lew’s, commented on the transition, stating, “Under Gary Remensnyder’s leadership, Lew’s has flourished and continued to reach new heights as a Company. Among his many accomplishments, Gary has overseen tremendous growth of the Company both organically and through acquisitions. Ken Eubanks has supported Gary in that effort during the last year, and his experience in the industry and leadership ability make him the right candidate to continue to drive the Company’s growth.”
Mr. Eubanks stated, “It has been a tremendous pleasure to work with the team members in the Lew’s, Strike King, and Hunters Specialties organizations in driving rapid growth, and I am very excited to continue the journey as CEO of the organization. I want to thank Gary for his leadership and service to the organization and look forward to his continuing influence as a member of Lew’s board of directors.”
ABOUT LEW’S HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Lew’s Holdings Corporation is a Springfield, Missouri based outdoor consumer products company with a portfolio of brands, including Lew’s, Strike King, Mr. Crappie, Hunters Specialties, and Buck Bomb. The company supplies branded fishing and hunting equipment and accessories through the mass market, sporting goods, and specialty outdoor channels.
Prize rich Quantum High School-College Open returns to Grand Lake
On the heels of a highly successful inaugural event last fall that attracted 78 high school and college teams from nine states, the 2ndAnnual Quantum Next Generation High School & College Open returns to Grand Lake, Oklahoma the weekend of October 21stand 22nd.
There is no entry fee to participate, and more than $25,000 in prizes will be given-away. Plus, former Bassmaster Carhartt College Series Champ, turned Elite Series pro, Matt Lee will be there to greet anglers, and share both career advice and fishing tips with all young competitors.
Registration takes place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday October 21stat the Grove Civic Center. Free pizza, marine electronics seminars, and door prizes will be offered. Competition will take place on Sunday, October 22ndat Grove’s Wolf Creek Park boat ramp.
The high school team of Landon Edwards and Dalton Greene of Springdale and Siloam Springs, AR caught the biggest bag of the last year’s event. They weighed-in 16.44 impressive pounds on a squarebill crankbait from structure between boat docks.
The top finishing college team was Cameron Simmons and Dexter Flick of Oklahoma State with 12.97 pounds. All college anglers should note this event is eligible for Cabela’s School of the Year points.
Each winning team walked away with an impressive amount of product valued at $5,000 in the No Entry Fee tournament thanks to the very generous contributions of Carhartt, Costa Eyewear, Garmin, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Quantum, Strike King, and Yamaha. Beyond just prizes to the top finishing teams, Quantum gave away a total of $16,000 in product through random drawings.
“In five years of being around high school and college tournaments, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a rich product pay-out in a No Entry Fee event, not to mention, it was really well attended and run in a first class way,” says Matt Lee.
To register for the tournament please visit https://angler-nation.comor call tournament director Joe Davis at (918) 831-6970.
B.A.S.S., Alabama Power To Award Scholarships To Two Alabama Students
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Alabama Power are partnering to award two $5,000 scholarships this year for students currently attending, or planning to attend, a technical school or community college in the state of Alabama.
The applicant must reside in an Alabama Power service area and be a member of a B.A.S.S. High School Club or the B.A.S.S. Nation, a worldwide network of affiliated B.A.S.S. clubs whose members are active in conservation initiatives and youth programs.
“Alabama Power not only keeps the lights on in our home state of Alabama,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin, “but it also brightens the future of young people in the state through these innovative scholarships. All of us at B.A.S.S. are proud to take part in this effort to help young people achieve their dreams.”
The award can be used to cover tuition, textbooks or living expenses.
Applications can be found at Bassmaster.com/nation-application. An official academic transcript, a letter of introduction and two letters of recommendation are required to apply. The deadline to apply is Monday, Oct. 8.
“We are proud to partner with B.A.S.S. to teach our future leaders to be good stewards of the environment and reward them for their hard work. These scholarships will help students continue developing the high-demand skills necessary for a career in the future workforce of Alabama,” said Zeke Smith, Alabama Power Executive Vice President of External Affairs.
Recipients will be notified by Monday, Nov. 5 and will be featured on Bassmaster.com.
For more information, contact B.A.S.S. College and High School Manager Hank Weldon at hweldon@bassmaster.com.
About Alabama Power Company
Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), provides affordable, reliable electricity to more than 1.4 million customers across the state. Learn more at www.alabamapower.com.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 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.
Seaguar Spool Up and Save
Seaguar introduces value-packed InvizX fluorocarbon spool size
Louisville, KY (September 4, 2018) – The debate is over: stated simply, fluorocarbon main lines help anglers catch more fish. Fluorocarbon’s well-established benefits, including its strength, abrasion resistance, resilience against UV light, and of course, its near invisibility beneath the surface makes fluoro the perfect line for catching more fish, in both fresh- and saltwater.
Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon lines and leaders are the singular choice of dedicated professional and recreational anglers, pursuing victories and personal-bests. Not only did Seaguar invent and introduce the world’s first fluorocarbon fishing lines more than 45 years ago, but their innovations in chemistry and engineering have advanced the art and science of fluorocarbon fishing lines in ways never thought possible. Indeed, Seaguar is the only manufacturer of fluorocarbon fishing linflues that produces its own resins and controls the entire process from start to finished products. And now, Seaguar is poised to unveil a new, more convenient, and money-saving way for anglers to get their “fluoro fix.”
At ICAST 2018, Seaguar introduced a “quarter-pounder”, a new 600-yard spool size of the popular InvizX fluorocarbon line.
Seaguar InvizX is a unique, highly castable 100% fluorocarbon main line. An excellent all-purpose choice for both spinning and casting reels, InvizX delivers all of fluorocarbon’s well-established advantages in a soft, supple line that is easy to manage, ties knots beautifully, and behaves perfectly both on the reel and off.
The new quarter-pounder offers everything that anglers have come to expect from Seaguar InvizX, in a new, more convenient spool size. Indeed, the small, compact spool is easy to store in the boat or tackle box, keeping InvizX at your fingertips when and where you need it. Anglers spooling many reels at once will appreciate that this new InvizX spool offers a cost savings as well, compared to purchasing three 200-yard filler spools.
InvizX BASS Elite pro Chris Zaldain relies heavily on Seaguar InvizX
Two-time Bassmaster Elite Series champion and Seaguar pro angler Chris Zaldain is a big fan of InvizX, relying on it,” in a wide variety of classic bass presentations, like Texas and Carolina rigs, particularly in 15 lb test. That line isn’t too light for most applications and hook-sets; yet, it’s not so heavy that it hinders the action of your bait,” Zaldain states. “And Seaguar InvizX in 15-pound test is as strong as other manufacture’s 20-pound test, but with a smaller overall line diameter. It boils down to the fact that the thinner the line, the more naturally a bait moves in the water. It just moves more like the real thing…period.”
New 600-yard spools of Seaguar InvizX will be introduced in 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 & 20 lb. line tests, and will be available in late fall 2018. Fill your reels with InvizX, and you’ll quickly realize why Seaguar is Always The Best!
FLW ROLLS OUT DETAILS FOR 2019 FLW TOUR MARSHAL VIP EXPERIENCE
MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 4, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today FLW Tour Marshal VIP Experience details for the 2019 FLW Tour season. The FLW Tour Marshal Experience is the opportunity of a lifetime for serious anglers, and is only available to FLW members who are at least 16 years old. Fans can apply to be a Marshal beginning Wednesday, Sept. 5.
A limited number of Marshal opportunities are available at each 2019 FLW Tour stop, along with the season-ending Forrest Wood Cup. It’s a VIP experience like no other for only $100 per qualifying tournament and $200 for the FLW Cup. Marshals will be treated to a VIP cookout and seminar with FLW Tour pros on the Wednesday before each FLW Tour event, plus they’ll get behind-the-scenes access throughout the event. They will also receive exclusive FLW Tour Marshal clothing and play a vital role in live coverage of the tournament by verifying each pro’s catch and relaying information to FLW editors. Although the Marshals won’t be fishing, they’ll be right in the middle of the action.
“The feedback that we have gotten from our fans and anglers regarding the implementation of the new Marshal program has been very positive and we are thrilled to offer this exciting new opportunity to get in the boat with FLW Tour pros,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. “Our FLW Tour pros are the best in the world, and the Marshal experience will be a learning opportunity like no other for serious anglers looking to improve their skills and fans that want to be as close to the action as possible.”
Marshals will also be eligible to win as much as $2,500 at every tournament, based on the combined weight of the pros they are paired with. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 10 Marshals. As an added bonus each Marshal will also be entered to win a new Ranger Z518L powered by a 200-horsepower Evinrude E-TEC G2 that will be given away to one lucky Marshal at the end of the season. Marshals will receive one entry in the Ranger boat giveaway for each opening round completed and can also earn bonus entries into the giveaway by marshaling on days three and four.
Apply starting Sept. 5 for the chance to ride along with an FLW Tour pro and learn about locating and catching big bass while they are fishing for a $125,000 or $300,000 payday. Fans are allowed to register for as many Marshal Opportunities that they would like. Full rules and details for the Marshal program along with the link to apply can be found at FLWFishing.com/Marshals.
In addition to the sport’s top payouts, FLW Tour pros will also be competing for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be held Aug. 9-11, 2019, on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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
FLW ANNOUNCES FORREST WOOD CUP MOVE TO LAKE HAMILTON, 2019 FLW TOUR RULES AND ENTRY DATES
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today a new location for the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup along with the full rules and entry dates for the 2019 FLW Tour. Originally scheduled to return to Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup will remain in Hot Springs but will now take place on Lake Hamilton. The season will consist of seven-regular season events and culminate with the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing.
After consulting with tournament hosts at Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, FLW officials made the decision to move the event to Lake Hamilton due to the superior cellular coverage and expected improved fishing conditions on the Ouachita River impoundment. All other tournament details will remain the same. The FLW Expo, which features hundreds of exhibitors and activities, will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center and weigh-ins will again be held at Bank OZK Arena.
“We take great pride in providing the highest quality events for our anglers, sponsors and fans,” said Bill Taylor, FLW Senior Director of Tournament Operations. “In 2019 we will be visiting some of the nation’s top fisheries at peak times, so the catch at each stop should be extremely exciting. We are especially excited to announce that we are moving the Forrest Wood Cup to Lake Hamilton. The Hot Springs Convention Center, Bank OZK Arena and massive Hot Springs crowds provide the perfect setting to host the sport’s biggest event, and the improved cellular coverage on Lake Hamilton will ensure that fans around the world will have complete access to the show each day.”
Among the rule changes for the 2019 FLW Tour is the implementation of the new VIP Marshal program, which will replace the co-angler program, as well as the transition from a priority entry system to a qualifying system with a 150-boat field starting with the 2020 season. Pro anglers will still compete for up to $125,000 in each tournament including Ranger Cup contingency bonuses. Paybacks include $10,000 through 50th place and $5,500 through 60th place. Entry fees will increase to $35,000 total, and pros must commit to fish all seven regular-season events.
The top 40 pros from the 2019 FLW Tour qualify for the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup, which will consist of 52 professional anglers. In addition to the top 40 pros from the Tour, qualifiers will also include the highest finishing pro from each of five U.S. divisions and the International division at the 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship, the 2019 BFL All-American boater champion, the 2019 TBF boater champion, the 2019 FLW College Fishing champions, the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup champion and the 2018 FLW Tour Angler of the Year.
Entry will open on Wednesday, Sept. 5, for the top 100 pros and the top 15 co-anglers from the 2018 FLW Tour, the top 15 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2018 FLW Series, the FLW Series International Division representative from the 2018 FLW Cup, the 2018 TBF National Champion from the boater division, the boater champion from the 2018 BFL All-American and both members of the winning team from the 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship. These anglers must pay their deposit of $8,750 by October 15, 2018, in order to secure their priority entry position.
For pros who fished the full 2018 FLW Tour, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CDT, Oct. 16, 2018. For Ranger boat owners and sponsor entries, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CDT, Oct. 17, 2018. For pros who fished a full division of the 2018 FLW Series, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CDT Oct. 18, 2018. For TBF members, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CDT, Oct. 19, 2018. For all other entries, deposits will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CDT, Oct. 22, 2018. Entry priority will be assigned by the date and time of entry and will be final once full payment of the 2019 deposit is received. Qualified anglers can register by calling 270.252.1000 or online at FLWFishing.com.
Complete rules for the 2019 FLW Tour along with the rules for 2020 FLW Tour qualification can be found at FLWFishing.com.
2019 Payouts:
FLW Tour Qualifiers:
Place Pro Ranger Cup
1 $100,000 $25,000
2 30,000
3 25,000
4 20,000
5 19,000
6 18,000
7 17,000
8 16,000
9 15,000
10 14,000
11-20 11,000
21-30 10,500
31-50 10,000
51-60 5,500
Big Bass – Day 1 500
Big Bass – Day 2 500
Angler of the Year:
$100,000 + 2020 Forrest Wood Cup entry
Forrest Wood Cup:
Place Pro
1 $300,000 + 2020 Forrest Wood Cup entry
2 60,000
3 50,000
4 37,500
5 30,000
6 24,000
7 23,000
8 22,000
9 21,000
10 20,000
11-20 12,000
21-52 10,000
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.
Final Bassmaster Central Open Of The Season Set For Logan Martin Lake
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Sportsmans Warehouse Product Spotlight - 8.30.018
AC's Own John Bryn and Sportsmans Warehouse Fishing Manager Sam Johnson look ahead at a weekend full of fishing!
Bassmaster Opens Schedule For 2019 Is Filled With Big-Time Bass Fishing Venues
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AC Insider "PRO-Files" with the real James Watson!
On this weeks AC Insider "PRO-File" Powered by Mercury Marine. Jason and Chris sit down with Ranger Boats & FLW Pro James Watson to learn more about his career in the Army as a Sargeant as well hit Real Estate career and really find out who "WorldWide" is outside of fishing. You need to check it out, our best interview to date!
COSTA FLW SERIES SET TO VISIT 1000 ISLANDS FOR TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
CLAYTON, N.Y. (Aug. 28, 2018) – More than 340 pros and co-anglers are set to close the Costa FLW Series Northern Division regular season next week, Sept. 6-8, at the Costa FLW Series at 1000 Islands presented by Navionics. The tournament, hosted by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, is the third and final regular-season event scheduled in the FLW Series Northern Division. The event will feature anglers competing for a top award of up to $90,000, including a brand new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
“This is one of my favorite tournaments of the year,” said the 2018 FLW Tour Rookie of the Year Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, who won this event in 2017. “It’s an extremely beautiful and scenic fishery. The weather is great – the wind can get blowing, but temperature-wise there are not too many places in the country that you can go right now and not be sweating. And the fishing is so great. We’re going to see a lot of big smallmouth in this one.”
Becker said that he expects a drop-shot rig will likely dominate the top of the leaderboard, but also mentioned swimbaits, tubes and spybaits as baits that could play a role.
“A drop-shot is going to dominate like it always does – I throw a 3-inch Keitech Shad Impact soft jerkbait – but you can always catch them on a Keitech swimbait or a tube as well,” Becker said. “You can never rule out a spybait, though. It won here a couple of years ago.”
In the 2017 tournament, nine of the final 10 pros spent the majority of their time fishing offshore in Lake Ontario. Although he said that he expects the tournament to most likely be won there, Becker said that many more anglers would be spending their fishing time in the St. Lawrence River.
“The river is fishing a lot better right now than it was last year,” Becker said. “I think we’ll see a much bigger split this year – half of the competitors in the river, half in the lake. Especially if the wind is blowing.
“Barring any crazy weather, I think we’ll see bigger weights than last year,” Becker went on to say. “I think it’ll take a three-day total between 72 to 75 pounds to win this one.”
Anglers will take off and weigh-in at the Clayton Harbor Municipal Marina, located at 301 Web St., in Clayton. Takeoff will be held at 6:30 a.m. EDT each day of competition and weigh-ins will start at 2:30 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public.
In Costa FLW Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event. At the 1000 Islands event, pros will fish for a top prize of $90,000, including a brand new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup qualified. Co-anglers will cast for a brand new Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard, and $5,000 if Ranger Cup qualified.
The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 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.
FLW & WHITE RIVER MARINE GROUP ANNOUNCE EXPANSION OF GLOBAL BOAT PARTNERSHIP
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 29, 2018) – In a move unprecedented in Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) history, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization announced today that White River Marine Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing and recreational boats – including longtime FLW partner Ranger Boats plus Nitro and Triton Boats – has extended and expanded its exclusive boat sponsorship with the company. FLW will now showcase all three boat brands across their multiple media channels and premier tournament trails. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
FLW and Ranger Boats have enjoyed the longest-running boat sponsor relationship in the sport, with a history that dates back to FLW's formative years in the early 1980s as Operation Bass.
The acquisition of Ranger Boats by the White River Marine Group in 2014 has enabled the growth of the 30+ year partnership with FLW, as multiple internationally-recognized boat brands are housed under the White River Marine Group umbrella. Ranger Boats will remain the featured and official boat of FLW, with Nitro and Triton Boats now added to the tournament organization’s impressive sponsorship lineup
“Ranger Boats has collectively served as the boat choice of FLW and the overwhelming majority of our anglers and fans for more than 30 years,” said FLW President of Marketing Trish Blake. “FLW is thrilled to announce that we are now expanding upon that partnership, a reflection of the great value of and influence of FLW and our anglers on the boating market.
“The relationship with White River Marine Group has allowed us to seamlessly add the Nitro and Triton Boat brands to our sponsorship portfolio while still allowing Ranger Boats to remain an integral part of the fabric of FLW and the sport of professional bass fishing. We look forward to building on this partnership for many years to come.”
The Ranger, Nitro and Triton boat brands will all be prominently featured at FLW-sanctioned tournaments and outdoor expos, including interactive booth space and boating displays at designated events. The brands will be promoted through exclusive content and giveaways across FLW’s multiple media platforms including FLWFishing.com, FLW social media channels, FLW Bass Fishing magazine and the Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show. Ranger Boats will continue to offer its lucrative Ranger Cup contingency program, offering Ranger owners additional valuable awards in FLW tournaments, while Nitro and Triton Boats will also present contingency programs for FLW anglers. For the latest information regarding contingency payouts in FLW competition, visit FLWFishing.com.
“We are very excited to expand our partnership with FLW,” said noted conservationist and White River Marine Group founder Johnny Morris. “Beyond connecting our iconic boat brands with passionate anglers, FLW’s tournaments promote the sport of fishing on a global scale and align with our conservation vision to help introduce new audiences to the great outdoors.”
White River Marine Group is the exclusive boat sponsor across all of FLW's media platforms, including tournaments and Expos, websites, social media, FLW Bass Fishing magazine and the "FLW" television show. For more information about FLW, their tournaments and sponsors, visit FLWFishing.com. To learn more about White River Marine Group and their full line of fishing and recreational boats, visit WhiteRiverMG.com.
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 Ranger Boats and White River Marine Group
With boat design and manufacturing operations based in Flippin, Arkansas, Ranger has been recognized as the premium fishing boat in the industry for 50 years. Now part of White River Marine Group, Ranger joins the #1 family of fishing and recreational boats founded in 1978, when Johnny Morris created the world's first professionally rigged and nationally marketed boat, motor and trailer packages. This introduction revolutionized the marine industry and now, 40 years later, Tracker Boats remains the number one selling fishing boat brand in America. Today White River Marine Group is the largest manufacturer of boats in the world by volume, manufacturing quality boats offering performance, innovation and value with world-class service so everyone can experience the joy of fishing and boating. Today White River Marine Group offers an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading brands including Tracker Boats®, Sun Tracker®, Nitro®, Tahoe®, Regency®, Mako®, Ranger® and Triton®. For more information, visit http://www.whiterivermg.com/.
AC Insider Podcast Featuring Elite Series Winner Josh Bertrand!
This week the boys welcome in recent Elite Series Champ Josh Bertrand to the program to talk about how he crushed the smallmouth on the St. Lawrence River last week enroute to his first ever Elite Series trophy. Chris gets on a rant about PETA and Stupid News. They talk Costa schedules, Countdown to blastoff and much more right here on the AC Insider Podcast!
INDIANAPOLIS’ MOYER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL HOOSIER DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON LAKE MONROE
Co-angler Title Goes to Madison’s Bennett
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Aug. 27, 2018) – Boater Stu Moyer of Indianapolis, Indiana, caught four bass Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Hoosier Division tournament on Lake Monroe. For his win, Moyer earned $6,311.
Moyer said he began his day close to the dam in the Fairfax area, fishing docks in the back of a creek.
“I couldn’t catch anything from under the docks likely due to the overcast conditions,” said Moyer, who earned his second career win in BFL competition on Lake Monroe. “I pitched a worm out into the open near a grassline in 8 feet of water, worked the outside edge, and caught my first one where it came close to the docks. It was a 6½-pounder and I got it just after 8 (a.m.).”
Moyer said he used a Texas-rigged 10-inch Red Shad-colored Berkley Power Worm on a 5/0 Gamakatsu hook with a 5/16-ounce weight. The bait was attached to 20-pound-test P-Line, spooled on a Lew’s reel and rigged on a 7-foot, 3-inch Phoenix MBX rod.
“I think the cloudy weather pulled them out from the cover,” said Moyer. “The grassline was far enough away from the docks that I knew they weren’t relating to them.”
Moyer proceeded on to a “duplicate” area in Moore’s Creek where he was able to put a couple more good fish in the boat around 11 a.m.
“I knew there was a grassline about 50 yards off the docks – it’s a breakline and it’s full of grass. I pitched in there and missed the first one. I moved 10 yards down, threw in again and caught two 4-pounders in two casts.”
Moyer said he had a couple more bites running back through his route, but couldn’t get anything in the boat until the end of the day.
“I caught my last fish with 15 minutes to go from under a dock in the Paynetown area with the same worm. It was in 3 feet of water and turned out to be the fish I needed to win.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Stu Moyer, Indianapolis, Ind., four bass, 15-14, $4,311 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Eric Hardesty, Nineveh, Ind., five bass, 14-2, $1,693
3rd: Aaron Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 13-3, $1,229
4th: Jim Pickett, Franklin, Ind., five bass, 11-4, $790
5th: Christopher Lemon, Mooresville, Ind., four bass, 9-6, $677
6th: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., four bass, 9-5, $621
7th: Lee Mill, Columbus, Ind., four bass, 9-4, $564
8th: James White, Martinsville, Ind., three bass, 8-15, $508
9th: Bob Drake, Noblesville, Ind., three bass, 8-8, $451
10th: Steve Sendelweck, Ramsey, Ind., four bass, 8-7, $395
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Moyer’s 6-pound, 8-ounce bass was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned him the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $425.
Brent Bennett of Madison, Indiana, won the Co-angler Division and $1,905 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Brent Bennett, Madison, Ind., three bass, 12-6, $1,905
2nd: Kyle Lambeck, Santa Claus, Ind., three bass, 11-3, $846
3rd: Spencer Clark, Maryland Heights, Mo., five bass, 10-5, $564
4th: Greg Roberts, Columbus, Ind., three bass, 9-5, $395
5th: James Mullanix, Anderson, Ind., three bass, 6-11, $339
6th: Scottie Davis, Martinsville, Ind., three bass, 6-7, $310
7th: Jeff Turner, Plainfield, Ill., three bass, 6-0, $282
8th: Brian Short, Oxford, Ohio, two bass, 5-8, $454
9th: Rodney Johnson, Franklin, Ind., two bass, 5-4, $212
9th: James Rockhill, Anderson, Ind., two bass, 5-4, $212
Bennett also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 5 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $212.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 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. 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.
ILLINOIS’ HAAKE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL MICHIGAN DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON DETROIT RIVER
Ohio’s Stahley Earns Co-angler Title
TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 27, 2018) – Boater Brett Haake of Shorewood, Illinois, caught five bass Sunday weighing 23 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament on the Detroit River. Haake took home $3,956 for his win.
Haake said he fished rocky humps and ridges in 12 to 20 feet of water on the north shore of Lake Erie. He said he wasn’t able to practice for the event due to inclement weather, but was able to use prior knowledge of the fishery to help piece together his day.
“I ran to some areas in the morning that I knew had fish this time of year. At the first stop, I had some suspended fish marked but they wouldn’t bite,” said Haake, who earned his first win in BFL competition. “There were a lot of wind and waves, and the water was pretty stirred up.”
Haake said he made his way farther east, but ended up returning to his initial area between 11:30 a.m. and noon with only two small fish in the livewell. He said the wind and waves were much calmer by that time, and that the bite picked up considerably.
“It was pretty much cast after cast when I got back,” said Haake. “I caught a lot of the bigger ones at first and then they seemed to get smaller. I didn’t mark any more fish because they were tight to the bottom. There were probably around 10 spots in there that they held on. They move around hourly – it’s like I was chasing them.”
Haake said he caught his fish on a drop-shot rig using an Arkansas Shiner-colored Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too Soft Jerkbait. He also had some hit a medium-diving crankbait, but wasn’t able to keep them hooked. He said he caught around 15 fish throughout the day, with 90-percent of them being keepers.
“The Spot Lock feature on my Minnkota Ultrex trolling motor really helped me out there as well,” said Haake. “Being able to move over in 5-foot increments, especially with the waves, was important.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Brett Haake, Shorewood, Ill., five bass, 23-11, $3,956
2nd: Michael Sitko, Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 23-6, $2,278
3rd: Mike Trombly, Belleville, Mich., five bass, 22-12, $1,253
4th: John Devries, Fishers, Ind., five bass, 22-9, $876
5th: Heath Wagner, Angola, Ind., five bass, 22-2, $751
6th: Andrew Gaul, Port Huron, Mich., five bass, 22-0, $689
7th: Jason Root, Fostoria, Ohio, five bass, 21-12, $626
8th: David Reault, Livonia, Mich., five bass, 21-11, $563
9th: Mark Peiser, Pittsboro, Ind., five bass, 20-4, $501
10th: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 20-2, $438
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Bret Holling of Lansing, Michigan, brought a 5-pound, 15-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $490.
Aaron Stahley of Batavia, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and $1,978 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 22 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Aaron Stahley, Batavia, Ohio, five bass, 22-1, $1,978
2nd: Andy White, Canton, Mich., five bass, 20-8, $939
3rd: Michael Kokoska, Findlay, Ohio, five bass, 20-2, $627
4th: Robert Hernandez, Canton, Mich., five bass, 19-13, $457
4th: Beau Bickford, Findlay, Ohio, five bass, 19-13, $457
6th: Larry Thomas, Lambertville, Mich., five bass, 19-12, $344
7th: Eric Polenz, Maybee, Mich., five bass, 19-1, $313
8th: Derwin Thomas, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 19-0, $282
9th: Brian Kich, Berea, Ohio, five bass, 18-9, $250
10th: Rich Cialone, Dearborn, Mich., five bass, 18-3, $219
Darwin Griva of Hamilton, Indiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 5 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $122.
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. 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.
Bertrand Surges Ahead At St. Lawrence River To Claim First Bassmaster Elite Title
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Bassmaster Elite Series To Return To The St. Lawrence River For The Next Three Years
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Walker Takes Lead Heading Into Championship Sunday At St. Lawrence Bassmaster Elite
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It’s easy to love Matt Lee
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
I knew the first time I borrowed Matt Lee’s bathroom inside the college rental home he shared with a handful of other anglers on Auburn’s campus that I was dealing with a special dude.
Oh sure, there were empty pizza boxes on the kitchen counter, bass fishing posters stuck on the wall, and copies of Bassmaster Magazine tossed on the coffee table, but just beyond the upper level engineering text books in his bedroom, were Post-it notes stuck to his bathroom mirror. They contained Bible verses the 2013 Carhartt College Series Bassmaster Classic qualifier had written to remind himself how his young life should be best lived.
That was nearly six years ago, and I’ve had the good fortune of working with Matt Lee ever since. So seeing him vault to the top of the Bassmaster Elite Series leaderboard here on the St. Lawrence River with a nearly 28 pound limit of record-setting smallmouth became special on a personal level.
Frankly, the dude is easy to cheer for. He loves Jesus. Still makes notes of his Bible readings. Holds dual engineering degrees from Auburn. Wears Carhartt britches. Fishes with Quantum reels. Tows with a cool Toyota Tundra. And he love, loves, loves to pick on me. I mean straight-up makes fun of me, right to my face.
The guy is a class act and a joy to work with. He always returns texts and emails. He grants fantastic, articulate interviews. Heck, he knows more about the science of social media than 83% of the marketing folks I know. Maybe 84%.
Plus, he has a smoking hott new wife with an RN degree, who might be smarter than him. His in-laws think he invented the Internet, ranch dressing, and fantasy football. And amid his convictions, still lives a man willing to drink a 96-calorie beer and sing Kenny Chesney’s, “Flora-Bama” aloud in a really bad harmony.
All that while constantly wearing an insulin pump strapped to his hip. “It’s really not a big deal when you think of the way worse problems other people have,” he’ll tell you about the pump.
See why I love the guy? And I’m not the only one. Just ask bass fishing’s funniest man, 2-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Gerald Swindle about Matt Lee.
“Let me tell you something about Matt – he may be the shortest Elite Series pro on tour, but along with Terry Scroggins, he may have the biggest heart out here too,” says Swindle. “And as an angler, Matt is underrated, overshadowed, and deadly. He’s a freakin genius when it comes to using his electronics,” warned Swindle en route to a boat launch port-a-john with a pocket full of Dude Wipes just before Day 2 blast off.
Heck, even Matt Lee’s mother-in-law loves him. “If I’d have tried to find a better man to marry our daughter Abby, I’ll promise ya, I’d have messed the whole thing up,” grins Cindy Myrex, a real estate agent on gorgeous Smith Lake, Alabama. “Matt is very genuine. He puts God first in he and Abby’s new marriage. He’s fun no matter what we’re doing as a family. There’s no drama with Matt Lee. I tell Abby if she ever decides to leave him – I’m staying with Matt,” she laughs.
But this week, everybody is together in Waddington. Cindy actually flew into Syracuse from Northern Alabama just in time to see her son-in-law soar to the top of the Day 1 leaderboard.
Now all she can do is keep Abby from looking at BASSTrakk dozens of times each day, and take comfort knowing that a lot of people are cheering for Matt, who believes as much as all of us that his life is under the guidance of something way bigger than a smallmouth’s willingness to bite his drop shot rig.
Just check his Post-it notes.
Matt Lee Jumps Ahead After First Round At St. Lawrence Bassmaster Elite -52 Bags over 20 pounds!!!
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FLW ANNOUNCES 2019 COSTA FLW SERIES SCHEDULE, MCWHA NAMED NEW DIRECTOR
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 23, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the 2019 Costa FLW Series schedule, which will consist of three events in each of the five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the no-entry-fee Costa FLW Series Championship to be held on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky.
Also announced for 2019, longtime Director of Tournament Operations for the FLW Series Ron Lappin will step down in his current role following the conclusion of the 2018 season and will be succeeded by current T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Tournament Director Mark McWha. Lappin, along with his wife Joan, however, will still be onsite at 2019 FLW Series events in a new role as Assistant Director of Tournament Operations for the FLW Series, a position created to ensure a seamless transition for McWha and allow the Lappins more flexibility as they prepare for retirement.
“I probably know the anglers on a more personal basis than anyone at FLW, except [FLW emcee] Chris Jones,” said Lappin, who has headed the FLW Series since 2007. “I think when you’ve got someone with my experience helping with the transition to a new Director of Tournament Operations, the anglers know that the playing field will remain consistent.
“I’ve got the utmost confidence in Mark McWha and his ability to do the job well,” continued Lappin. “I’ve watched him over the years at tournaments and in the office – he manages tournaments and his staff very much like I do. He has the respect of the anglers, and he understands that they can fish any circuit they want, so it’s a privilege to us when they choose to fish with FLW.”
McWha has served FLW as a tournament director since 2006.
“I have some extremely big shoes to fill in trying to follow Ron Lappin, but I’m very confident in my abilities and look forward to traveling the country working with some of the top anglers from around the world,” McWha said. “Having Ron and Joan on-site throughout the season as a resource to myself and the anglers will make the transition smoother. I’m excited to get the 2019 season under way in January.”
The top 40 pros and co-anglers in the final point standings in each division after three qualifying tournaments will advance to the 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship, provided they fished all three qualifiers in a division.
Complete rules and entry dates will be announced in early October.
2019 Costa FLW Series Schedule:
Central Division Fishery City Local Host
- April 4-6 Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, Ky. Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau
- May 9-11 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo. Explore Branson
- Oct. 10-12 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo. Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association
Northern Division
- July 18-20 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, N.Y. City of Plattsburgh/Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau
- Aug. 22-24 Potomac River Marbury, Md. Charles County Board of Directors
- Sept. 19-21 St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y. Town of Massena
Southeastern Division
- Jan. 31 - Feb. 2 Lake Okeechobee Clewiston, Fla. Hendry County Tourist Development Council/Martin & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina
- March 21-23 Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn. Fish Dayton/Rhea County Economic and Community Development
- April 25-27 Santee Cooper Summerton, S.C. Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce
Southwestern Division
- Jan. 3-5 Lake Amistad Del Rio, Texas Del Rio Chamber of Commerce
- June 13-15 Grand Lake Grove, Okla. City of Grove
- Oct. 3-5 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce
Western Division
- Feb. 28 - March 2 Lake Mead Las Vegas, Nev. City of Henderson Department of Cultural Arts and Tourism
- May 16-18 Clear Lake Lakeport, Calif. Konocti Vista Casino Resort, Marina & RV Park
- Sept. 26-28 California Delta Bethel Island, Calif. Russo’s Marina & Sugar Barge Resort, Marina & RV Park
Costa FLW Series Championship
- Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 Lake Cumberland Burnside, Ky. Somerset Tourist and Convention Commission/Burnside Tourism Commission
The full schedule and details for each fishery will be posted at FLWFishing.com.
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.
Iaconelli previews St. Lawrence Bassmaster Elite Series
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Mike Iaconelli cut his early angling teeth on the St. Lawrence River, and more than 20 years later, the smallmouth infested river connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean still holds a special place in his heart.
Comically, “Ike” crawled out from the wheel well of his jacked-up Toyota Tundra to talk about the famed fishery on the New York-Ontario border prior to the start of Bassmaster Elite Series competition.
Q: What are your best early memories of fishing the St. Lawrence River?
Ike:Well, first of all, it wasn’t near as good of a fishery back then as it is now. The gobies have improved the smallmouth population in a huge way. Back in the day, you either stayed in the river and tried to win with largemouth, or you ran to Lake Ontario trying to win with smallmouth. And I did all that running around in an 18-foot boat with a 150 hp engine. But the one thing that’s never changed is the scenery. This place is incredible.
Q: Amid all the great memories, what’s the one thing you love most about this place?
Ike:I love the diversity of the smallmouth fishery here. You can catch smallies on a swimbait in a foot of water, or you can catch them 50-feet deep on a jigging spoon. And I love the fact that this river has current to contend with. The current adds another complexity that we don’t have to deal with very often. Trout anglers would probably do really well here because they’re so good at reading current.
Q: If the drop shot is king here, what lure deserves to be queen?
Ike:I’d say an old skool tube. The tube has caught smallmouth here for 40 years, and it still does.
Q: How many limits over 25-pounds can fans expect to see weighed-in here on Day 1?
Ike:Wow! A 25 pound limit is really, really tough to catch, because you’re talking about a 5-pound per fish average. So I’ll say only one 25-pound limit will be caught on Day 1, but you’ll see lots of 23 and 24-pound limits.
Q: It’s ‘back to school’ time and you’ve got four children you’re super proud of. Give us an update on the kiddos.
Ike:Yea, man, this is the first time ever that all four kids have been in school at the same time. Drew is a sophomore at Johnson & Wales in Miami, Florida. Riley is a freshman at Louisiana State. Vegas started second grade, and Stella started kindergarten.
3 Lures Elite Series Pros will use on the St. Lawrence
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Tyler Robinson just finished competing at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship in sweltering hot Oklahoma, but he was raised on the cool banks of the St. Lawrence River in Waddington, NY, home to this week’s Bassmaster Elite Series event.
While both largemouth and smallmouth will cross the scales in Waddington, it’s the “bronze bombers” that make this fishery so phenomenal, and Robinson says keeping your lure in contact with the bottom is nearly always the dominant pattern.
“We literally fish from 5 to 50 feet deep here for Smallmouth depending on the time of year, but most days it’s about keeping your lure bouncing across the natural boulders, humps, and white sandy patches on the bottom of the river,” explains Robinson, who first fished the St. Lawrence in his Grandpa McCann’s little aluminum boat.
The environmental science and policy major at nearby Clarkson University graciously offers fans a look at three types of lures likely to play a strong role in what promises to be a late summer slugfest near his hometown.
Drop Shot
If there were ever an “official lure” on the St. Lawrence River, it would likely be the drop shot. Pros will choose a wide variety of finesse plastics to decorate the rig of Japanese origin, but Robinson chooses a 3.25” Spirit Shad made locally by Gajo Baits.
“If I had to choose two drop shot weights for the rest of my life, it would be ¼ and ½ ounce,” says Robinson. “Most of the time, because the river has strong current, and we’re fishing fairly deep, the ½ ounce weight is best.”
His two favorite colors of Gajo Spirit Shad are green pumpkin with blue highlight, and watermelon grape.
Tube
Long before the drop shot took over as king of the St. Lawrence smallmouth world, the tube was the lure of choice, and Robinson says it’s still a huge player.
He stuffs a ½ or ¾ ounce lead jig head into the hollow body of the popular 3.5-inch offering, again emphasizing the need to maintain constant contact with the river bottom.
Craw on a pivoting football head
This lure is for sure the new kid on the block that originated largely with Tommy Biffle’s Gene Larew HardHead just a few years ago. Robinson uses a 5/8 ounce hinged football head and decorates it with a crawfish imitator. Interestingly, he ties it to 10-pound test, on a baitcasting reel.
So what pros is the college kid picking to do well?
“If I’m picking a fantasy fishing team, the first guys I’d choose would be Jonathon VanDam, Brandon Palaniuk, Seth Feider and Brock Mosley,” says Robinson, who is actually doing his summer internship at the Moses-Saunders Power Dam that helps supply electric to the region roughly 30 miles downstream from the B.A.S.S. venue.
Robinson says fans can expect to see several limits over 20 pounds, and a couple limits in the 25-pound range. He’s likely accurate. And many of those big limits will be caught on lures similar to the ones he’s showing you here.
Bassmaster Elite Series pros know St. Lawrence is full of footballs
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
As a tight end for the Dixie Hornets in rural South Carolina, 2015 Bassmaster Classic Champ Casey Ashley didn’t get to touch the ball much.
“We ran the wishbone all the time, so my job was to block,” says Ashley. “Every team in the county knew what play we were gonna run next, but the tough part was stopping us.”
After two full days of practice at the 2018 Huk Bassmaster Elite on the St. Lawrence River separating New York and Canada, Casey has already had his hand on several footballs -- big, fat, bronze colored footballs with fins, better known as smallmouth bass.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I’ve already touched a handful of smallies over 4-pounds, and I think a whole bunch of other pros probably have too,” grinned Ashley. “I actually think the fish have gotten bigger on the St. Lawrence since we competed here last summer.”
The Quantum pro had no problem putting his guitar picking paws around a Wilson football on the shores of the Chippewa Bay boat ramp, however, getting ahold of the St. Lawrence’s beefy smallmouth has been far more challenging.
“I’ll put it to you this way, there were a few fish I tried to grab here in practice that were way too strong, and way too thick to get a handle on. You may not catch tons of fish here, but I’ll promise you, when you get a bite, there’s a real good chance it’ll be a ‘football’.”
In much the same way the Dixie Hornets didn’t disguise their offensive tendencies, Ashley doesn’t hide his love of the St. Lawrence River.
“I love this place, because even though I consider here and Lake St. Clair to be the two greatest smallmouth fisheries we compete on, this place also offers some pretty strong largemouth fishing too,” says Ashley.
Last year, Ashley notched a Top 12 here with a mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth. Now, with four Quantum size 30 spinning reels and nine baitcasting reels on the front deck, it’s obvious he’s sampling a wide range of the diverse habit offerings on this primary shipping channel connecting the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.
And as for Ashley’s favorite high school football memory from back in 2002… well, that’s pretty clear too. “We beat a team nobody thought we could. They were our archrival, Calhoun Falls, and they had a running quarterback we nicknamed ‘White Shoes’ – man, that sucker was fast,” grinned Ashley, still shaking his head with admiration 16 years later.
Maybe even faster than a 5-pound St. Lawrence “football” screaming drag from a spinning reel on 7-pound test, perhaps.
AC Insider - August 21, 2018 Featuring the 2018 FLW CUP Champ Clent Davis!!
This week the boys are talking with your 2018 FLW Cup Champion Clent Davis from Montevallo, Alabama!
Clent gives us the details on his comeback to the Pro Tour this season and he breaks down how he jumped from 10th to first with authority on the final day to win the 2018 FLW Cup! The Boys also talk derbies, rumor mills and much more! Check it out!
Bonus Bucks Owners tourney returned “Izzy” to his Toyota roots
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Israel “Izzy” Mills grew up near Beckley, WV sensing there might be a better quality of life beyond the coal mines of his home state. So when a job opportunity with the Army Corps of Engineers developed 13 hours away at Lake Ouachita, Arkansas, he set the hook, and now works proudly as a hydroelectrician, helping supply power to many portions of the Southwest.
He also sensed there might be a better brand of truck than what he currently owned after attending his first Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event at Lake Norman in 2012 as a guest of his fishing buddy Joel, who was already a registered Bonus Bucks member.
“My dad has owned Toyotas since 1982, but I strayed for a number of years and drove other brands,” admits the 41-year-old.
“After a handful of failed transmissions and leaky rear seals, I got mad and started thinking Toyota might be a better option. And right about that same time, I went to that Bonus Bucks event at Lake Norman and saw how incredible Toyota treated all of us anglers, so I traded for a Tundra a few weeks later,” explains Mills, who served America for four years of active service in the U.S. Air Force, and three more years in the Army National Guard.
His satisfaction with his first Tundra was so immediate, he went out and bought a second Tundra for his wife Frankie Jo, and has since traded for a newer 2017 Tundra for himself, and a 2018 Camry for her.
“I love Toyota’s dependability, and I love their towing power. It’s as though a Tundra was born to tow a bass boat,” says Mills, who cashed a number of Toyota Bonus Bucks checks by doing well in the Arkie division of the BFL league, as well as the Arkansas Bass Team Trail.
Not only has the Mills family returned to Izzy’s dad’s longtime loyal roots to Toyota, but they’ve also become consistent competitors in the annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event, ever since “Izzy” first competed as a guest at Lake Norman six years ago.
“This year, I’m bringing my 13-year-old son Jacob to the Bonus Bucks Owners Event at Table Rock in October. He’s just getting into bass fishing, and it will provide him a chance to meet all the Toyota pros he watches on TV, as well as to see how the bigger tournaments I compete in work,” says Mills.
While “Izzy” says many of his favorite days of bass fishing take place in the winter, throwing a heavy jig to deep brushpiles on Lake Ouachita, his son Jacob is pretty fond of a Rat-L-Trap.
On October 28th, the father and son team hopes to do well on Table Rock at the 7thAnnual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event, but one thing’s for certain, their loyalty to Toyota is sure to continue running deeper than a West Virginia coal mine.
To register or learn more about Toyota Bonus Bucks and the 7th Annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament on Table Rock Lake in October, visit Toyotafishing.com; call Kendell at (918) 742-6424, or send her an email to kendell@dynamicsponsorships.com
ASHLAND’S HATFIELD WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL BUCKEYE DIVISION EVENT AT MOSQUITO LAKE
Bryan’s Vetter Wins Co-angler Title
CORTLAND, Ohio (Aug. 20, 2018) – Boater Steve Hatfield of Ashland, Ohio, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Buckeye Division event at Mosquito Lake. Hatfield earned $3,426 for his victory.
According to post-tournament reports, Hatfield caught his fish near the dam, targeting grass lines in 4 to 8 feet of water with a green-pumpkin-colored Rat-L-Trap.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Steve Hatfield, Ashland, Ohio, five bass, 16-15, $3,426
2nd: Sean Wieda, Florence, Ky., five bass, 15-10, $1,713
3rd: Mark Dove, North Vernon, Ind., five bass, 15-4, $1,141
4th: Craig Burwell, North Baltimore, Ohio, five bass, 14-13, $799
5th: Brock Spencer, Waynesfield, Ohio, five bass, 14-7, $685
6th: Mervin Miller, Sugarcreek, Ohio, five bass, 14-2, $1,258
7th: Butch Dobransky, Canton, Ohio, five bass, 13-8, $671
8th: Mike Lockhart, Belpre, Ohio, five bass, 12-13, $514
9th: Kyle Weisenburger, Ottawa, Ohio, five bass, 12-10, $428
9th: Art Bailey, Twinsburg, Ohio, five bass, 12-10, $428
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Miller caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 12 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the Boater’s Big Bass award of $430.
Hans Vetter of Bryan, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces. Vetter earned $1,713 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Hans Vetter, Bryan, Ohio, five bass, 14-10, $1,713
2nd: Brian Short, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 11-13, $1,056
3rd: Frank Aldridge, Wheelersburg, Ohio, five bass, 11-10, $621
4th: Brett Warrick, Westerville, Ohio, five bass, 11-9, $400
5th: Jordan Scales, Russells Point, Ohio, five bass, 10-13, $343
6th: Ryan Sykes, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 10-9, $314
7th: John Garrett, Orient, Ohio, five bass, 10-6, $271
7th: Darrell Carroll, Independence, Ky., five bass, 10-6, $271
9th: Hunter Fillmore, Waynesville, Ohio, five bass, 10-2, $228
10th: Bill Langille, Kent, Ohio, five bass, 9-14, $200
Billy French of Hamilton, Ohio, earned the Co-Angler Big Bass Award of $107 after bringing a bass weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces to the scale.
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 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. 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.
About FLW
IOWA’S MOHN EARNS WIN AT RESCHEDULED T-H MARINE FLW BFL GREAT LAKES DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN
Illinois’ Schultz Earns Co-angler Title in Second Event of BFL Double-Header
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Aug. 20, 2018) – Boater Dan Mohn of Lansing, Iowa, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces Sunday to win the rescheduled T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division event on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien. The event, originally scheduled for June 23 in Wabasha, Minnesota, was rescheduled to Prairie du Chien due to high water levels and flooding conditions. For the victory, Mohn earned the top prize of $4,235.
“We started off the morning with a 2-hour fog delay, and I really wasn’t sure if that was going to hurt me or not,” said Mohn, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “Once we got out on the water I ran to the north end of Pool 10 and caught a couple, then I locked to Pool 9 and ended up filling out my limit.
“I was burning a lot of gas and just covering a lot of water, targeting any sort of cover that created a current break – rocks, eel grass, shells. I’d start out throwing a topwater, walking-type bait, then follow it up with a homemade jig with a Big Bite Baits Yo-Mama Craw.”
Mohn said that he caught 8 to 10 smallmouth bass throughout the day with the topwater and the jig each producing about half of his catch. He said that the color pattern of his jig and craw was crucial to his win, but declined to divulge his secrets with a few tournaments left on the river this season. He credited his equipment setup as being the key to his win.
“I was power-fishing and having to make extremely long casts, so the Denali rods spooled with Sunline line that I was using was the absolute right set up for me,” Mohn said. “I also changed out the hooks on my topwater with Gamakatsu treble hooks and once they bit I was able to keep them buttoned up much better.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Dan Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, five bass, 16-4, $4,235
2nd: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 15-10, $2,318
3rd: Tom Howland, Riceville, Iowa, five bass, 15-6, $1,413
4th: Jim Caulum, Bangor, Wis., five bass, 15-4, $988
5th: Travis Ellefson, Luck, Wis., five bass, 14-10, $1,437
6th: Caleb Kuphall, Mukwonago, Wis., five bass, 14-4, $876
7th: Glenn Walker, Savage, Minn., five bass, 13-14, $670
7th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 13-14, $670
9th: Jerry Robackouski, Joliet, Ill., five bass, 13-5, $565
10th: Kyler Chelminiak, Franklin, Wis., five bass, 13-2, $794
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Ellefson caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the Boater’s Big Bass award of $590.
Chad Schultz of Rockton, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division Sunday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds even. Schultz earned $2,118 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Chad Schultz, Rockton, Ill., five bass, 12-0, $2,118
2nd: Ovidiu Marginean, Des Plaines, Ill., five bass, 11-8, $1,059
3rd: Cody Hackett, Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 11-3, $906
4th: Alexandru Spiac, Chicago, Ill., five bass, 10-7, $494
5th: Greg Tacheny, Harris, Minn., five bass, 10-0, $424
6th: Kevin Anderson, Ettrick, Wis., four bass, 8-14, $353
6th: Brad Juen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 8-14, $403
6th: Richard Conrad, Burnsville, Minn., five bass, 8-14, $353
9th: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., four bass, 8-13, $282
10th: Arne Young, Shorewood, Ill., four bass, 8-12, $247
Tom Lyskawka of Arlington Heights, Illinois, earned the Co-Angler Big Bass Award of $295 after bringing a bass weighing 4 pounds, 6 ounces to the scale.
The rescheduled T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division event on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien was hosted by the Prairie du Chien Tourism Council.
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 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. 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.
ONALASKA’S RUH WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL GREAT LAKES DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN
Illinois’ Duffy Earns Co-angler Title
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Aug. 20, 2018) – Boater Kevin Ruh of Onalaska, Wisconsin, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division event on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien. For the win, Ruh earned the top prize of $5,594.
“I was fishing sand bars, looking specifically for areas that had the right current,” said Ruh, who earned his first career win in FLW competition. “I started out fishing in Pool 9, but locked up to Pool 10. The majority of my weight came from one spot there.”
Ruh said his key bait Saturday was a swing head jig with a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Brush Hog, but he also caught some keepers dragging a Carolina rig. He estimated that he caught nine keepers throughout the day.
“The fish were grouped up and once I got the school fired up they started biting. Within 20 minutes I had done my damage,” Ruh said. “The fish had been moving throughout the week chasing baitfish, so I knew where they would end up.
“Another big key for me on Saturday was the wind setting up right,” Ruh continued. “The water level was dropping and the current wasn’t flowing as hard, so the wind helped to fire those fish up.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Kevin Ruh, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 16-2, $5,594
2nd: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-6, $2,197
3rd: Dan Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, five bass, 15-4, $1,244
3rd: Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-4, $1,344
5th: Tom Howland, Riceville, Iowa, five bass, 14-14, $879
6th: Jim Caulum, Bangor, Wis., five bass, 14-13, $805
7th: Jeremiah Shaver, Holmen, Wis., five bass, 14-12, $732
8th: Rick Miller, Eastman, Wis., five bass, 14-8, $659
9th: Mark Myers, Cedar Falls, Iowa, five bass, 14-5, $586
10th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 14-4, $513
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Jim Tomsovic of Sparta, Wisconsin, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 6 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the Boater’s Big Bass award of $315.
Dennis Duffy of Westmont, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces. Duffy earned $2,297 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Dennis Duffy, Westmont, Ill., five bass, 12-8, $2,297
2nd: Edward Elkins, Pacific, Mo., five bass, 12-6, $1,148
3rd: Michael Taylor, Tipton, Iowa, five bass, 12-1, $733
4th: Zuteus Sevenants, Holmen, Wis., five bass, 11-12, $513
5th: Kevin Reardon, Peoria, Ill., five bass, 11-9, $439
6th: Hector Garcia, Elgin, Ill., five bass, 11-6, $403
7th: Rick Beck, Roscoe, Ill., five bass, 11-3, $366
8th: Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, five bass, 11-2, $330
9th: K.C. Shaible, Machesney Park, Ill., five bass, 11-1, $274
9th: Ben Rockey, West Bend, Wis., five bass, 11-1, $274
Ron Check of Prairie du Chien earned the Co-Angler Big Bass Award of $315 after bringing a bass weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces to the scale.
The 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division event on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien was hosted by the Prairie du Chien Tourism Council.
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 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. 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.
Tom Dupuis wins ABA Division 6 Two Day, Rick Holmberg takes AOY
ATHENS, Ala. – Tom Dupuis won the American Fishing Tour presented by American Bass Anglers, Connecticut Division 6 final two-day tournament of the year, held on lakes Zoar and Lillinonah.
Tom caught his limit of bass on both days for a total weight of 22.82 pounds. He led the field on day one and caught the big fish on both days with smallmouth bass. Tom caught all his fish on topwater making the most of the early morning bite. For the victory, he took home $952.00 in cash.
Placing second was Rick Holmberg with a final two-day weight of 21.74-lbs sealing the Anger of Year title. Rick caught his fish on a number of different baits and presentations on both days. He pocketed cash for $400.00.
Taking third was previous Division 6 Director Leon Dykas with a combined two-day weight of 16.01 pounds. Leon caught all his fish by flipping plastics in the deep weed lines and left the ramp $158.00 richer.
This concluded Division 6 tournaments for 2018. For more information about this Division and future events visit www.americanbassanglers.com or contact the local Director for Connecticut, Tom Dupuis at 860-987-7371 or Assistant Director Gary McClarran at 203-578-5012.
These anglers are earning valuable points toward the divisional angler of the year title. The points champion from each division will compete in the annual American Bass Anglers AFT Angler of the Year Final Round at the American Fishing Tour National Championship.
The American Fishing Tour offers low cost, close to home bass tournaments that are designed for the weekend angler. All ABA anglers fish for money and points. The points advance the angler to their divisional championship and the top 500 anglers in the US are invited to the American Fishing Tour National Championship. For more information on American Bass Anglers please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256)232-0406.
Bassmaster Elite Series To Return To St. Lawrence River For Smallmouth Slugfest
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Campbellsville’s Ratliff Wins College Bass Shootout With Last-Minute Heroics
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Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Tournament To Be Held On Lake Fork
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AC Insider with "Gman" Gerald Swindle
In a new monthly segment brought to you by TH Marine, The boys sit down with "GMan" Gerald Swindle to discuss his 2018 Season, Vacations, Speedo's, Bikini's and Hunting Season.
Ratliff And Minor Will Face Off In College Bracket Battle For Bassmaster Classic Berth
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College Anglers Go Head-To-Head In Battle For Bassmaster Classic Berth
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AC Insider Podcast - August 14, 2018 - FLW Cup Recap
The boys are back and recovering from the weekends activities in Arkansas at the FLW Cup.
This week Cup Runner up James Niggemeyer joins the show and talks about his 2nd place finish.
They boys also talk about their Cup experience, a few gripes, a few praises and Jason gets a promotion! Check it out!
The Clent Davis Story - Your 2018 FLW Cup Champ!
Vance McCullough
In a tournament where many of the top performers buzzed the bank with topwaters, Clent Davis went straight to his strengths – deep brush; big worms.
The decision paid off to the tune of $300,000 and a huge, shiny Forrest Wood Cup trophy.
His total 3-day weight was 36 pounds, 13 ounces.
The 2018 Cup played out on a stingy Lake Ouachita during August’s dreaded dog days. Under such circumstances, patience and confidence come into play. As does decision-making.
“We all have our strengths. I have one strength. I’m a really good brush pile fisherman.
“I knew the only way I was going to beat these guys was to fish brush. That was the only thing I was going to do from Day 1.”
Davis had a great teacher early in his angling career. “My first-ever FLW Tour event as a co-angler was on Lake Ouachita. The first day, I drew the man himself, Scott Suggs”.
Suggs, off course won a Cup on Ouachita fishing deep timber during a slow summer bite.
“I got a pretty good lesson. I netted his fish all day and got a pretty good idea of how he did things. I have no clue where we fished. Never will because he ran me in a million circles around this lake, but I understood that Scott Suggs threw a big worm, a swimbait and a topwater and he caught the fire out of ‘em.”
Davis capitalized on his education this week, targeting brush in 22-to-30 feet of water. “Seemed like the deeper the better. I kind of figured that out today.”
“All my big fish were on Mister Twister Mag Worms, plum apple color.” Daivs fished the worm on a half-ounce Nichols Lures swing head weight and 16-lb Yo-Zuri Top Knot fluorocarbon line. He used a 7’7” heavy action rod and a Shimano Currado reel.
If the wind blew, which it seldom did this week, Davis caught fish on a swimbait.
“I had a terrible practice, terrible. First day of practice I caught 2 good ones. That area is where I won the tournament.”
The best decision Davis made occurred long before the first cast of the season. It was simply the decision to fish the 2018 Tour.
“I was done with bass fishing,” said Clent Davis. “I sold everything I had – my boat, all my fishing lures, all the rods I had – everything.”
Why?
“I had taken all the fun out of it. My whole life all I’d done was fish 24/7. That’s fine when you’re a kid but when you do it for a living you’re gone away from your wife year-round, non-stop. When I would get done with my season I would continue to fish in pot tournaments and everything else.
“You just lose the drive."
“You’ve got to have a certain fire to compete against these guys. It’s like anything, going through the motions is a bad deal. You’ve got to take a break every now and then and I never had, my whole life.
That happened in November. By the time he rang-in the new year, a fire had built inside of Davis. When FLW Tour tournament director Bill Taylor called to ask what his intentions were, Davis decided to go fishing.
“Honestly, all year I’ve been excited. No matter how tough, how bad, I’ve had fun.”
His new attitude carried him into a Cup tourney that, mentally, beat down many of his peers.
“I just went out and had fun. I think everybody did. This is the Cup.
“There’s no pressure unless you put the pressure on yourself.
“There is none. I fish to make a living to feed my family and I knew I was getting paid today. I was just going to have fun.”
ALABAMA’S CLENT DAVIS WINS PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S 2018 FORREST WOOD CUP
2012 FLW Rookie of the Year Weighs Largest Limit in Forrest Wood Cup to Clinch First FLW Tour Victory
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 12, 2018) – FLW Tour pro Clent Davis of Montevallo, Alabama, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Sunday weighing 17 pounds, 13 ounces – the heaviest limit weighed in the three-day event – to earn the win at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita. Over three days, Davis amassed 15 fish totaling 36 pounds, 13 ounces to edge out second-place angler Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, by 7 pounds, 4 ounces and win the $300,000 top cash prize. The tournament featured 56 of the top bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for professional bass-fishing’s world championship.
“I don’t believe that I just won this,” said Davis, a former FLW College Fishing standout for the University of Montevallo. “I almost walked away from professional bass fishing last year. I was burned out on fishing. I sold all of my gear – my boat, all of my rods, my reels, every piece of equipment that I had. It wasn’t from failure, it was because I was burned out.
“(FLW Tour Senior Tournament Director) Bill Taylor called me in November and asked me if I was interested in rejoining the Tour,” Davis continued. “I decided to pay my deposits, but I was still on the fence. I decided that if I wasn’t fired up to go fishing by the time the season started, I would forfeit my deposits and go to work at the power company. But, I started getting the itch back around Christmas time and I decided I was going to get back out and just have fun, again. That’s what fishing is all about, it’s supposed to be fun.”
Davis’ decision to rejoin the Tour was definitely the correct one, as the Montevallo-native went on to finish the season ranked No. 25 in the Angler of the Year race – his best finish on Tour since his rookie season. He cashed checks totaling more than $62,000 in seven events and qualified for his third Forrest Wood Cup appearance.
“I knew that the only way that I was going to win this week was fishing brush piles,” Davis said. “There are so many ways to catch fish on this lake, but if it was going to happen for me it was going to be offshore, fishing out of the brush.
“My key bait that I caught all of my big ones on was a 12-inch, plum-colored Mister Twister Mag Buzz Worm. I was fishing anywhere from 22 to 30 feet deep throughout the week. The best anglers in the world were in this tournament and I knew that my only shot was fishing my strengths.
“I fished awful all week, losing fish, but I caught enough to squeak into the top-10 by 1 ounce,” Davis said. “I’m not supposed to win coming out in 10th place, so I went out today and just had fun. I had an incredible day on the water today and finally got lucky, catching my 5-pound kicker. I guess it was just my time.”
The top 10 pros at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita finished:
1st: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 15 bass, 36-13, $300,000
2nd: Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, 14 bass, 29-9, $60,000
3rd: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 28-12, $50,000
4th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 12 bass, 28-6, $37,500
5th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 15 bass, 27-15, $30,000
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 26-13, $24,000
7th: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., 11 bass, 25-9, $23,000
8th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 13 bass, 24-7, $22,000
9th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 12 bass, 23-1, $21,000
10th: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., nine bass, 20-8, $20,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 36 bass weighing 67 pounds, 9 ounces caught by pros Sunday. Five of the final 10 anglers weighed in five-bass limits.
The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, was hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs. Total attendance for the three-day event was 66,293 fishing fans. The Bank OZK Arena was at 100-percent capacity, Sunday, and an overflow of fans watched the Justin Moore concert and final weigh-ins on a big screen at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
FLW, in conjunction with Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, announced Saturday that for the first time in the 24-year history of the FLW Tour, Lake Ouachita and Hot Springs, Arkansas, will also be hosting the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of bass fishing – Aug. 11-13, 2019 – for the second consecutive year. This event will mark the fifth time that the FLW Cup, the sport’s richest prize, has visited Lake Ouachita.
Television coverage of the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSN and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
FLW Cup Day 2 Report - "Always Listen to the Voices in your head"
Vance McCullough
Always listen to the voice in your head.
It’s there, just below the surface. And it is seldom wrong.
“Something just told me to get in the rod box, get my frog rod out, cut the frog off and tie on a Whopper Plopper,” said Nick LeBrun. “I’m like ‘why did I do that?’. I kept fishing for a minute or two and then that five-pounder came up chasing. I fired over there and she smoked it.
“That was just a sign from God.
“He wanted me to be ready when that fish came up and I was ready. It was one of the most amazing moments of my career.
“It’s all about decisions.”
That decision moved LeBrun into 2ndplace, a pound and two ounces behind the new leader, Wes Logan, heading into Championship Sunday. All this even though LeBrun only weighed 3 of a possible 5 fish today. He had only 4 bites.
That’s how tough the bite is on Lake Ouachita whose beauty is exceeded only by her stinginess this week.
With one life-changing day left to fish, Logan has figured out the bite better than anybody else. He has cobbled together a 2-day total weight of 23 pounds, 13 ounces.
“I had a pretty good day, caught about 10 or 12 fish and, like yesterday, the bite turned on about 1 o’clock,” noted Logan. “I just made my little milk run, got a few bites here and a few bites there. I’m fishing offshore, not necessarily brush – some of them are drops, some of them are hard spots, there’s a little brush involved, but it’s mainly just offshore.”
Spectator crowd management is always a concern at big tournaments. The young pro understand how to compensate. “I had a crowd follow me today and I realized I had to stop really short of where I wanted to go and idle in to fish.
“I’m going to go fishing tomorrow and see what happens.”
The first competition day brought fog and low clouds that hung in for hours. The shallow bite dominated. Day 2 gave way to clearing skies and bright sunshine early in the morning. Consequently, the guys who were dialed into the deep bite made up some valuable ground. The bank-beaters reported that their topwater fish were often less enthusiastic. And the topwater bite is a major component of most shallow game plans this week.
James Niggemeyer made the most of the shallow bite. With just 4 fish today he placed 3rdon the current leaderboard with a total weight of 20-14. “You make the championship, you’ve got to do something that you’re confident doing. There was a deep bite and a shallow bite. I went for the shallow bite because when you’re pushing through hours of not getting a bite you need to be doing something you can stay confident in, even though you’re not catching any fish, so shallow is where I needed to go. I’m power fishing real shallow.
“Tomorrow I will hit them as hard as I can with both barrels because there’s only tomorrow. I’ll hit them as hard as I can.”
Zack Birge caught half his first day weight. It was enough to secure a berth into Sunday’s championship round. He’s 4thwith 20-6. “It was a grind all day. My schooling fish didn’t school this morning.”
When his secondary pattern failed to produce, Birge made a move. “I ran all the way across the lake to another area where I knew there was a bunch of keepers. I stayed in there an hour-and-a-half and I never got a bite.
“As I was running back down the lake I thought ‘I need to go hit new water – new stuff that looks good to me’. I hit like, 15 new pockets and the first 4 I pulled into I caught a keeper.”
Birge says he will fish all new water again on Sunday.
Jason lambert is 5thwith back-to-back limits of bass that weigh a combined 20-3.
John Cox was another pro who made the cut without a pair of limits. His 4-fish, 8 pound, 11 ounce effort today pushed his total weight to 19-14, good for 6thplace.
Cox is a dangerous man because he is on bigger than average bass. He knows, because he sees them wolf-packing in the shallows. “The first day, a lot of the bigger fish would hit, even though they’d come off, but today the smaller fish would get it.
“I’m just taking the Crestliner down the bank at 100 miles per hour and I’m throwing all the new Berkley topwaters. I’ve been throwing the J-Walker and covering tons of water.
“You lose confidence in something because you go hours without a bite and then you run into some and then you catch them.”
Stay tuned because, as Cox summed up, “anybody in the Top 10 can win tomorrow!”
ROOKIE LOGAN TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP
Day One leader Nick LeBrun Just 1 Pound Back
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 11, 2018) – Fifty-six of the best professional bass anglers in the world continued their three-day competition for a top cash award of $300,000 at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas on Saturday.
After the last fish had been brought to the scale, FLW Tour rookie Wes Logan of Springville, Alabama, grabbed the lead by weighing in a five-bass limit totaling 12 pounds, 4 ounces – the heaviest limit of the day. Logan’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23-13 give him a 1-pound, 2-ounce lead heading into the third and final day, with the 2018 BFL All-American Champion Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana, right behind him in second place with eight bass weighing 22-11.
“I hit probably 50 spots today running around, and I burned a lot of gas,” said Logan, whose previous best finish on the FLW Tour was a 12th-place showing on Lake St. Clair this past June. “I’ve got two places that I caught multiple fish off of, but I’m just hitting a bunch of stuff and covering water. I got one good bite yesterday – a 4¼-pounder – that gave me most of my weight yesterday, but today I had one 3-pounder and the rest were just solid fish. I’ve caught around 10 keepers both days.”
Although he declined to divulge his baits of choice, Logan did mention that he was catching fish on four different baits. He joked that he is fishing very similarly to how he did at Lake St. Clair, saying that he is using the exact same rod and reel setup.
“I thought that the brush piles would be more in play due to the weather, but it’s not really playing out like I thought it would,” Logan said. “The fish are setting up more in like drops and hard ledges – the kind of off-the-wall places that get overlooked.
“I’m extremely excited to be leading this thing, but obviously you want to be leading after the third day and not Day Two. I’m going to just go fish tomorrow and pretend like I’m in 10th place and try really hard not to think about it. After takeoff tomorrow I’m going to run north and whatever I run by first that says stop, I’m going to fish it. Hopefully I’ll have a premonition or something. That’s how I’ve been fishing all week – listening to my gut.”
The top 10 pros that advanced to the final day of competition on Lake Ouachita are:
1st: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 23-13
2nd: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., eight bass, 22-11
3rd: Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops pro James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas, nine bass, 20-14
4th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 20-6
5th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-3
6th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., nine bass, 19-14
7th: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., eight bass, 19-5
8th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 10 bass, 19-2
9th: Berkley pro Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 19-0
10th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., 10 bass, 19-0
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Anglers will take off from Brady Mountain Resort & Marina, located at 4120 Brady Mountain Road in Royal, Arkansas, at 7 a.m. CDT each morning. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Bank OZK Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs, Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the final weigh-in. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston, and Larry Nixon. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Sunday the first 250 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod-and-reel combo after the evening’s weigh-in from Shakespeare rods. Also on Sunday, one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z521L bass boat with a 250-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.
Also on Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. FLW has partnered with local BBQ vendors to feature award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup Expo. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Arkansas charities.
Country music superstar Justin Moore will perform a free concert on the weigh-in stage at the Bank OZK Arena on Sunday, Aug. 12, starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. The concert is presented by Realtree and KSSN 96. Moore will be performing songs from his latest album, Kinda Don’t Care, to fishing fans in Arkansas as well as live-streamed to fans around the globe at FLWFishing.com.
The Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
Television coverage of the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Sept. 27 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs on NBCSNvand the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.