Labelle Leapfrogs Lane With Back-To-Back 21-Plus Limits
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Natchitoches High Tandem Takes Lead At Bassmaster High School National Championship
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FORREST WOOD CUP SET FOR RETURN TO LAKE OUACHITA IN HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
World’s Best Anglers Eye $300,000 Title in Historic 23rd-Annual Championship
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (July 26, 2018) – The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing, will return to Lake Ouachita, Aug. 10-12, to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2018. Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, the tournament will feature 56 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.
The Forrest Wood Cup has been held at Lake Ouachita three times in the 23-year history of the FLW Tour – 2007, 2011 and 2014. In the three Forrest Wood Cups that have been held on Lake Ouachita, both shallow and deep patterns were applied by top-10 competitors. Tennessee pro Brad Knight, who won the 2015 Cup, surprised many people by camping in one area in the back of a creek for four days and catching the winning fish shallow. The prior two Cups at Lake Ouachita – won by Scott Martin in 2011 and Scott Suggs in 2007 – were won out deep around standing timber, brush piles and other areas where balls of shad had congregated.
Lake Ouachita will still offer up its usual mix of deep and shallow patterns, but no matter what patterns emerge, the weights are always close at Lake Ouachita in August. Expect several anglers to average 12 to 14 pounds a day and to be in the hunt for the win on Championship Sunday.
“Ouachita is a really good fishery and is a perfect venue to host the Forrest Wood Cup,” said Justin Atkins, the reigning Forrest Wood Cup champion who won last year on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. “I’ve been there twice and caught quite a few big fish. This event should be a little tougher, but it’s during the dog-days of summer. Fishing is tough right now all over the country. I love a good slugfest, but I really enjoy the tough tournaments for our championship event.”
Atkins won the FLW Cup in his rookie season on Tour and is now looking to become the first angler in history to ever win the Cup twice.
“The most exciting thing for me about the 2018 Cup is the unknown – I know what happens when you win and it truly is a life-changing tournament. The possibility that it could happen to me again is just so exciting,” Atkins said. “I’m still learning my way through this sport, but winning the Cup last year gave me the financial support, the sponsor support, and the self-confidence that I do belong here and I can make my way in this sport.”
Atkins went on to predict that the winner this year would need to average about 14 pounds a day to be in contention for the win, and the winner would have right around 42 pounds after the three-day competition.
“The key is going to be your ability to think on the fly and ability to change patterns each day as the fish and conditions change.”
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, each day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. 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 Saturday and 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 Saturday and 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 NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel 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.
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.
Bobby Lane Grabs Lead At Bassmaster Eastern Open On Lake Champlain
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Bluegrass Junior Anglers Take Bassmaster Junior National Championship
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B.A.S.S. Will Not Reschedule 2018 Bassmaster Elite At Upper Chesapeake Bay
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Florida Team Leads Bassmaster Junior Bass Fishing Championship
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Cal Coast Fishing Adds Ish Monroe and Caleb Sumrall National Team Elite Series Pros Join Growing Cal Coast Fishing Family
Courtesy of Cal Coast Fishing
Carpentaria, Calif. – July 27, 2018 – Cal Coast Fishing, a fishing accessories manufacturer from Carpentaria, Calif., has signed Elite Series pros Ish Monroe and Caleb Sumrall to their national pro staff. The addition adds to a staff that includes FLW pros James Watson, Jimmy Reese, Jeff Dobson and Kyle Cortiana, as well as kayak fishing stalwarts Ron Champion and Jay Wallen.
Cal Coast Fishing specializes in producing products designed to make it easier and more efficient for anglers to pursue their passions. Founder Dave Romanus said that having more perspectives helps in a variety of ways. “We are constantly looking for ways to expand our product line in a way that allows anglers to enjoy their days on the water,” said Romanus. “Adding Ish (Monroe) and Caleb (Sumrall) bring more experience to the table, and they help expand our visibility in the marketplace; adding them is a great addition to our company.”
Romanus said it was his personal interaction with them that made them the choice to add from the Elite Series field. “Ish is obviously a great angler, but what has always impressed me most about him is his genuine nature and work ethic,” said Romanus. “Caleb is younger in his career, but he has seen some success, and he invested the time to get to know us, so it was an easy choice to bring him aboard as well; I couldn’t be happier to have these two flying our flag and helping us move ahead.”
Monroe, who claimed his fifth Bassmaster victory earlier this year at the Mississippi River Elite Series event in LaCrosse, Wisc., said that he loves the way Cal Coast Fishing does things. “Dave is an innovator who still listens to others and takes ideas from those around him,” he said. “Cal Coast Fishing makes products that help me stay organized, be more efficient on the water, and that helps me catch more fish, which is the name of this game. I am excited to join the team, and to being a part of helping develop more products to help myself and other anglers in the future.”
Sumrall also is proud to partner with Cal Coast Fishing. “I had enjoyed talking to Dave for quite some time, and met him face to face at the Classic this year, and really hit it off with him,” said Sumrall. “The product line has helped me on the water this year, and being able to be a part of this team is really something I’m proud of.”
About Cal Coast Fishing – Established in 2015 and based out of Carpentaria, Calif., Cal Coast Fishing began by offering their original Bait Sack Premium Lure protectors and has since grown to include rod storage and transportation, Conservation minded fish culling system, and other problem solving and fishing efficiency products. The company prides itself on producing products that help anglers be more efficient and enjoy their time on the water more thoroughly. View their products online at https://calcoastfishing.com/, on social media or one of their hundreds of dealers nationwide.
AC Insider Podcast Featuring Sportsmans Warehouse Pro Bryan Thrift & College Champs Garrett Enders & Cody Huff
Jason returns from his 8-day Caribbean cruise as the boys talk tournaments, tournaments canceled,
FLW CUP with Bryan Thrift and Carhartt College Championship with Bethel University's Garrett Enders & Cody Huff.
All of this and more on this weeks AC Insider Podcast!
Anatomy of a Win(ner) - Hobie Kayak PRO-File
Vance McCullough / Photos Courtesy of Jay Wallen Facebook Page
With 3 big wins under his belt in recent years, Jay Wallen is no stranger to success in major kayak bass tournaments but with a runner-up finish at the KBF Open on South Carolina’s Santee Cooper Reservoir in May and an outright victory at the KBF Open on the Upper Mississippi River July 22nd, Wallen is on a heck of a roll, even by his standards.
And it could have been better.
“I fished two Opens this year,” says the veteran kayak tournament angler. “The first was at Santee. I got 2ndthere. Just missed – had a bite at the end there that I think would have done it, but I just didn’t make it happen.”
Wallen won the Hobie Bass Open last year. “The payout wasn’t quite that high, but that was a very big tournament, like 120 anglers, I think. I won the first Open 3 years ago on Kentucky Lake. So I’ve won some but as far as payday goes, this is by far the biggest.”
For his performance in Wisconsin Wallen won $10,000. Did he imagine, just a few short years ago, after his first big win, that he would ever cash a check for ten-grand at a kayaktournament? “No way, man. No way.
“I started fishing with a local club here in Lexington. Thirty-five-dollar entry fees and somebody would win a few hundred bucks. We thought that was great. And it was! But then KBF comes along and offers us an opportunity to win, not just ten-thousand dollars but $100,000 at the National Championship.
“But I never would have imagined fishing out of a plastic boat for this kind of money, at this kind of level. It’s a crazy deal.”
Among Wallen’s favorite aspects of kayak fishing are the low barriers to entry which allow for massive participation in the game of kayak fishing, as well as the sport of fishing in general. “It’s the easiest way to get into it. You don’t need anybody to take you. It’s cheap when compared to the cost of owning a bass boat. There are so many great things about it that make it very accessible for a beginner. It’s a great venue to get people started.”
What’s the process that has worked so well for Wallen? Frankly, it boils down to common sense, sustained effort, and a good decision or two at the right time.
The drive from Kentucky to Wisconsin took over 10 hours. Wallen was left with one day to practice on water he had never seen. Pre-scouting was critical. “I had been doing my homework, been looking at maps and, of course I always go through all the old Bassmaster and FLW results, read all the articles through the years and look at all the historical data I possibly can. The Internet has been such a big help. There’s no replacement for pre-fishing but I can’t get up there and pre-fish ahead of time so I do a lot of pre-fishing at home, so to speak, watching the U.S. flood gauge, watching the river come up and down, just trying to keep up with it.
“I scouted out a handful of spots that I would want to fish,” said Wallen who runs a Hobie Pro Angler 14 and used the Mirage Drive to pedal over 15 miles throughout the course of practice and two tournament days. “I knew I only had a day to do it so I went up there and kind of made my run. I went spot-to-spot and just started systematically checking them. I happened to find a weed bed that was about 75 yards long and they were just laid up thick in it. They weren’t everywhere. Within that weed bed there were two or three little sweet spots. On my practice day I wasn’t trying to hook them. I was using a frog and they were blowing up on it so I could tell they were bass because they were coming all the way out of the water.”
Wallen drilled down on his loaded weed bed on day 1 of the tournament to catch a quick limit on a Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog in the 65 size and Rainforest Black color. 65-lb Power Pro was his braided line of choice.
He then rested his best area for Day 2. “I had a couple other areas that were similar. They weren’t producing as well. I pretty much had one primary spot.”
An overnight weather change and a drop in the river level dictated a corresponding change in tactics during the 2ndcompetition round. “A little cold front moved through toward the end of Day 1 and we had bluebird skies for Day 2. I thought that might actually help the frog bite; might push them further up under the mat and once I got them going, they’d eat once the sun came out. That just didn’t happen. I had a couple of blow ups on the frog but they were not committed to it. It just wasn’t happening.
“I backed out of the thick matted stuff. Right out in front of it was some scattered clumps of lily pads and hydrilla and duck weed. It was all just kind of scattered. It wasn’t clumped up so I started throwing a Chatterbait. Typically, I throw the Picasso Shock Blade but I didn’t have the right color. That water was pretty dark and they wanted that black and blue color. I couldn’t get them on anything else so I threw the black and blue Jack Hammer in there and, man, they loaded up on it. That happened pretty quick once I figured that out.
“The river came down about 6 inches overnight and I think that pulled some of those bass out of that cover I had been fishing the first day.
“It was a reaction bite. Rip that thing by a little isolated clump of pads and see them shake. I was just calling the bass right out of the weeds.”
Wallen used a 3/8 oz Jack Hammer on 16-lb Sun Line Shooter fluorocarbon to put him in striking distance of another win.
Still, he felt he needed another cull. He found one.
“It’s probably the coolest fish catch I’ve ever had in my life.
“I went to my other area. I gave myself an hour – that’s about all I had left. I go in there and there’s a little commotion on top of the water around some grass. I start looking and there’s a bass tailing, his fins sticking up out of the water. He looks like a redfish. Craziest thing I’ve ever seen. So I flipped a (Strike King) Caffeine Shad right in front of that bass and he rolled and just choked it. Dude, that one was 16-and-a-half inches and it culled out a 14-incher. That pretty much did it for me.”
“Frog, Chatterbait and a Caffeine Shad. That was the one, two, three,” said Wallen who keeps his Hobie organized, in part, by using a Bait Sack, made by Cal Coast Fishing. “It’s just a little sleeve that keeps your hooks protected and keeps you from hooking and tangling things up. In a kayak, I’ve got so many rods with me, that Bait Sack makes a huge difference, saves time and keeps me organized.”
Wallen tossed the trio on Shimano reels and G. Loomis rods. “Those things saved my butt several times, getting good hooksets on those frogs. For my frogs I’m using the IMX Pro Frog Rod, 7’3”. It’s a pretty stout rod.”
An eternal student of the game, Wallen is still refining his techniques, evaluating his performance even in the afterglow of victory. “Just a mistake that I noticed on my part that I kind of got away with – and I put some time in with a frog, but I don’t throw it a whole lot – so the reel I was throwing my frog on is a bulldog. It’s an old Chronarch. It’s like a 12-year-old reel, one of my favorite reels, but it’s a really slow reel. There were a couple of instances where I set the hook on a fish and I couldn’t get it out of that grass because my reel was too slow and the fish would burry down in that grass and before you know it, it was just heavy weight and all I got back was a big wad of grass and no bass. Something I learned was that, with my frog setup I need to be throwing a high-speed reel. At least a 7.1-1 ratio, maybe an 8.
“Just something I learned that I can pass along. A learning experience that, luckily, didn’t cost me but definitely something I learned from.”
Wallen is a proven winner. He knows how to close the deal. You can learn a lot from him and engage with him personally at:
Youtube.com/jaywallenfishing
Facebook.com/jaywallenfishing
Instagram.com/jaywallenfishing
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING CENTRAL CONFERENCE EVENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT WABASHA PRESENTED BY COSTA
WABASHA, Minn. (July 30, 2018) – The Southeast Missouri State University duo of Jacob Harris of Bonne Terre, Missouri, and Nick Moore of De Soto, Missouri, won the YETI FLW College Fishing event on the Mississippi River presented by Costa Saturday with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned the Redhawks’ bass club $2,400 and a slot in the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
Moore said that he and Harris, a junior majoring in business, spent their day fishing a 100-yard stretch on the lower end of Pool No. 4 between the main-river channel and Peterson Lake.
“We found the spot within the last hour of practice,” said Moore, a junior majoring in agribusiness and plant and soil science. “I had made a cast on the stretch and missed a fish, but when Jake fired out there, he hooked one. As he brought it to the boat, there were nine or 10 bass with it and they were all quality-sized largemouth.
“Saturday morning started off slow. We probably caught around a half-dozen short fish and a few pike before getting our first keeper bass around 8 (a.m.),” Moore continued. “From there, we figured out our cadence and everything kind of came together. Our first five fish had us up to 16 or 17 pounds, and we culled twice. We had everything we weighed by 10 (a.m.) – it was a crazy two hours.”
Moore said that a couple of 4-pound bites were likely what sealed the deal for the team.
“The area had duckweed mixed with some hydrilla and there were lilypads spread throughout it,” said Moore. “It wasn’t a lilypad field, but there were little groups here and there. The matted duckweed rerouted the current, which was definitely the reason there was more bait there. We could see bait around the edges of the duckweed and the groups of pads seemed to hold the better quality fish.”
The duo used Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye 65 frogs in green-pumpkin and Rainforest Black colors on PowerPro 65-pound-test braided line. Moore used a high-speed Abu Garcia REVO ALX reel and a 7-foot, 4-inch heavy Duckett Triad Series rod, while Harris used a Lew’s Tournament Speed Spool LFS Series reel and a 7-foot heavy Denali Lithium Series rod. Moore noted that their Minn Kota Fortrex was also crucial in helping them handle the vegetation.
“It was our first win as a college club in a major event. We were quick to be congratulated by our teammates, alumni and even anglers from other schools. It was an awesome experience,” Moore went on to say.
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2019 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Southeast Missouri State University – Jacob Harris, Bonne Terre, Mo., and Nick Moore, De Soto, Mo., five bass, 18-2, $2,400
2nd: McKendree University – Shane Campbell, Highland, Ill., and Ethan Jones, Worden, Ill., five bass, 16-10, $1,000
3rd: Missouri State University – Reece Crabtree, Holden, Mo., and Crosley Welch, Branson, Mo., five bass, 15-2, $500
4th: Iowa State University – Pat Morrison, Omaha, Neb., and Matt Blair, Ames, Iowa, five bass, 15-1, $500
5th: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater – Mitch Van Ert and Steven Sellnow, both of Watertown, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $500
6th: Bemidji State University – Lincoln Horsman, Wabasha, Minn., and Travis Rotzien, Bemidji, Minn., five bass, 14-15
7th: Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne – Reiley Pugh, Auburn, Ind., and Blake Spurgeon, Fort Wayne, Ind., five bass, 14-15
8th: Bemidji State University – Benjamin Saba, Ramsey, Minn., and Robert Troje, Hastings, Minn., five bass, 14-14
9th: University of Minnesota-Duluth – Dylan Sande, Long Lake, Minn., and Justin Sande, Orono, Minn., five bass, 14-11
10th: University of Wisconsin – Andrew Wolfe, Wausau, Wis., and Colin Steck, Waunakee, Wis., five bass, 14-7, $200
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The YETI FLW College Fishing event on the Mississippi River at Wabasha was presented by Costa and was hosted by the Wabasha-Kellogg Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Central Conference anglers in 2018. The next YETI FLW College Fishing event takes place Sept. 8, when Northern Conference anglers compete at the YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Erie presented by Berkley, in Sandusky, Ohio.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
YETI FLW College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
TRIM WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL GREAT LAKES DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT LA CROSSE
Whitehall’s Pollard Grabs Co-angler Title
LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 30, 2018) – Boater Nick Trim of Galesville, Wisconsin, brought a three-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 12 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division tournament on the Mississippi River at La Crosse. For his efforts, Trim pocketed $6,105.
Trim worked through backwaters in Pool No. 7 to catch his fish Saturday. He said he weighed his three largemouth off of one bait – a Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye 65 frog, in Barney and Red Ear colors.
“My areas had really thick weed mats with sandy bottoms, which provided some nice cover for the fish,” said Trim, who tallied his first career win in FLW competition. “I didn’t get a bite at my first spot, but I have some history with those fish, so I decided to move 500 yards away and caught a 3-14 as well as a couple of smaller ones.”
At a third area, Trim wasn’t able to get one in the boat. Around 9:30 a.m., he decided to return to where he caught the 3-14 and reeled in another 4-pounder with his frog – his biggest of the day.
“I also lost a big one that rolled on my frog twice,” said Trim. “I switched to a (Missile Baits) D Bomb with a 1½-ounce tungsten weight with a Trokar flipping hook and got it halfway back to the boat, but it came unbuttoned. It was close to 5 pounds, which is a giant for the Mississippi River.”
From there, Trim returned to his first area and caught a 2-15, also on the D Bomb.
“I figured I needed one more big one, so I kept working that weed mat,” said Trim. “I got 60 yards north of where I caught the 2-15 and set the hook on a 4-pounder with the frog. I had just finished telling my co-angler that I could really use a 4-pound bite, and then it happened.”
Trim noted that his 7-foot, 3-inch Fitzgerald Stunner HD heavy rod was crucial to his success.
“The power that rod has to get bass out of heavy cover is phenomenal – it really helped me out.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Nick Trim, Galesville, Wis., three bass, 12-3, $6,105
2nd: Kevin Ruh, Onalaska, Wis., three bass, 10-10, $2,144
2nd: Jeff Krisher, Madison, Wis., three bass, 10-10, $2,044
4th: Nathan Huss, Elkhart Lake, Wis., three bass, 10-6, $1,515
5th: Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 10-3, $981
6th: Josh Ystenes, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-15, $899
7th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., three bass, 9-14, $818
8th: Nick O’Keefe, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-13, $736
9th: Rick Bosshard, Hartland, Wis., three bass, 9-12, $654
10th: Brandon Gann, Sparta, Wis., three bass, 9-11, $572
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Jerry Robackouski of Joliet, Illinois, brought a 4-pound, 4-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $370.
Jessie Pollard of Whitehall, Wisconsin, won the Co-angler Division and $2,419 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Jessie Pollard, Whitehall, Wis., three bass, 9-5, $2,419
2nd: Kristian Dus, Chicago, Ill., three bass, 9-4, $1,210
3rd: Chad Schultz, Rockton, Ill., three bass, 9-0, $686
3rd: Kevin Waeyaert, Coal Valley, Ill., three bass, 9-0, $686
5th: Jordan Hirt, Glenwood, Iowa, three bass, 8-15, $484
6th: Kevin Andera, Calmar, Iowa, three bass, 8-12, $444
7th: Ronald Syverson, Holmen, Wis., three bass, 8-9, $403
8th: Greg Oppegard, W. St. Paul, Minn., three bass, 8-7, $363
9th: Ed Remian, Schiller Park, Ill., three bass, 8-1, $323
10th: Spencer Clark, Maryland Heights, Mo., three bass, 8-0, $282
Tom Lindsay of Glenview, Illinois, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 4 pounds even. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $365.
The T-H Marine BFL event on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 25-27 BFL Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.
Spellicy Wins ABA OPEN on 1,000 Islands with over 23 pound limit!
Jesse Spellicy of Gouverneur, NY won the American Bass Anglers Open Series NE NY division tournament, held July 21, 2018. Running out of French Creek Marina, in the town of Clayton, NY Jesse caught five-bass weighing 23.33-pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.66-pound kicker For the Boater Division victory, Spellicy took home a check for $5000.
“I was drop shotting with a GaJo spirit shad, any of the natural colors were working, in the river in 25-35 feet of water. “ Spellicy said.
In second for the boaters, Christophe Ullrich of Picture Rocks, PA landed a five-bass tournament limit going 22.78-pounds with a 5.29-pound kicker. He collected $1250. for the effort.
“I fished the river in the Canadian narrows between two islands. I was fishing current in 10-25 ft of water, I used a green pumpkin ned bait all day,” Ullrich said.
Brian Bylotas of Scott Township, PA took third for the boaters with five bass going 21.43-pounds. He anchored his catch with a 5.27-pound kicker to earn $900.
“I went to the lake in the morning and ended up coming up the river. I was drop shotting in 20-30 ft of water using a Berkley Power fry in green pumpkin,” Bylotas said.
Finishing fourth, Jonathan Robla of Norwood, NY landed a five-bass limit for 21.67-pounds including a 4.44-pound kicker. Henry Fristik of Chester, MA rounded out the top five boaters with five bass at 19.92-pounds topped by a 4.07-pound kicker.
The biggest bass for the boaters was caught by Dennis Carnahan of Cazenovia, NY that weighed 6.86-pounds and Dennis pocketed $660.
In the Co-Angler Division, John Brzozowski of Dallas, PA won with three-bass going 13.49 pounds. He sealed his victory with a 5.73-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1200..
Brzozowski was not available for comment.
Taking second for the co-anglers, Michael Orris of Harrisburg, PA brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 12.93-pounds including a 4.73-pound kicker. He collected $500 for the effort.
“I was drop shotting in 10-30 ft of water in the river using a blackish brown 4 inch worm,” Orris said.
Chris Sullivan Voorheesville, NY placed third among the co-anglers with three-bass going 12.59-pounds. He anchored his catch with a 4.99-pound kicker to earn $350.
“I was drop shotting out on the lake in 10-30 ft of water using an Area 51 bait,” Sullivan said.
In fourth place among the co-anglers, James Perez Jr of Rensselear, NY brought in three-bass for 12.25-pounds including a 4.51-pound kicker. John M. Ciavaglia of Pittsford, NY finished in fifth place with three-bass at 10.87-pounds topped by a 4.08-pound kicker.
The biggest bass for the co-anglers was caught by John J. Brzozowski of Dallas, PA that weighed 5.73 and John pocketed $200.
Slated for August 17, 2018 the next divisional tournament will be held on Lake Champlain out of Dock Street Landing, in Plattsburgh, NY.
At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2018 Ray Scott Championship, slated for the first week of April 2019 on Lake Eufaula, AL.
For more information on this tournament, call Jeff Randall, tournament manager, at 256-777-6152 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.abaopenseries.com .
CANADA’S FARLOW DECLARED WINNER AT WEATHER-SHORTENED COSTA FLW SERIES NORTHERN DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON LAKE ERIE PRESENTED BY POLARIS
Neil Farlow Wins $87k including New Ranger Boat
BUFFALO, N.Y. (July 28, 2018) – Pro Neil Farlow of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, won the Costa FLW Series Northern Division event on Lake Erie presented by Polaris with a single-day catch of five bass weighing 24 pounds, 4 ounces, after high winds forced tournament officials to shorten the three-day event to one day of competition. Farlow’s weight was caught on Thursday and was enough to earn him the top prize of $87,500 including a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower outboard engine.
“It feels awesome to win one of these tournaments,” said Farlow, who earned his first career win in FLW competition. “I’ve been thinking about this tournament since the schedule was released and I put in a lot of time preparing for it. I was ready for three days out there but the wind had a different plan.”
Farlow said he fished his way from Point Abino on the Canadian side of Lake Erie, to Myers Reef on the U.S. side, and then back in toward Buffalo. He said of the six areas he worked through, four of them produced his biggest fish.
“I fished old spots and anywhere I could get to where there weren’t any boats around,” said Farlow. “I was boat No.156, so I had to keep running until I found something that didn’t have anyone around. I think that’s what made the difference.”
Farlow said bottoms that were a mix of rock and gravel or gravel and sand produced best for him.
“I fished in 20 to 40 feet of water, but most of the fish were 20 to 30 feet down,” said Farlow. “I fished basically anywhere there was something different – a depth change, hump or a boulder.”
Farlow said he caught around eight bass throughout the day, including the largest of the event – a 6-pound, 6-ouncer – around 9 a.m. He weighed his fish all from one lure – a green-pumpkin-colored Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm on a drop-shot rig.
“I did what pretty much everyone else was doing, which was using drop shots and tubes,” said Farlow. “I didn’t catch many fish because some of the crowded spots were the ones that had more fish in them, so I ended up going after more individual fish that were bigger. I had less bites and it was stressful, but I knew that if I did get a bite it would be the right size.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Erie finished:
1st: Neil Farlow, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 24-4, $87,500
2nd: Ben Wright, Peru, N.Y., five bass, 24-3, $16,600
3rd: Charles Sim, Nepean, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 23-3, $12,500
4th: J.T. Kenney, Palm Bay, Fla., five bass, 23-2, $10,500
5th: J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga., five bass, 22-15, $9,500
6th: Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., five bass, 22-12, $8,250
7th: Moo Bae, West Friendship, Md., five bass, 22-8, $7,200
8th: Travis Manson, Conshohocken, Pa., five bass, 22-6, $6,200
9th: Philip Jarabeck, Spout Spring, Va., five bass, 22-5, $5,200
10th: T.J. Lacey, Selwyn, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 22-3, $4,100
A complete list of results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Farlow’s 6-pound, 6-ounce bass – the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division – also earned him Thursday’s Boater Big Bass award of $300.
Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, New York, won the Co-angler Division and a Ranger Z175 with a 90-horsepower outboard motor. Ushio earned his win with a one-day catch of five bass weighing 23 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers on Lake Erie finished:
1st: Sakae Ushio, Tonawanda, N.Y., five bass, 23-7, $27,250
2nd: Chris Benninger, Grand Island, N.Y., five bass, 23-6, $5,350
3rd: Colton Sowers, Venetia, Pa., five bass, 23-4, $4,400
4th: Will Rogers, Grand Island, N.Y., five bass, 22-2, $3,650
5th: John Stoughtenger, Waterloo, N.Y., five bass, 21-7, $3,100
6th: Joseph Stois Sr., Fairview Park, Ohio, five bass, 21-3, $2,600
7th: Will Litchfield, London, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 20-6, $2,100
8th: Justin Lonchar, Industry, Pa., five bass, 20-5, $1,800
9th: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 20-3, $1,520
10th: Wataru Iwahori, Palestine, Texas, five bass, 19-15, $1,270
Sowers caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Thursday, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $200.
The Costa FLW Series on Lake Erie presented by Polaris was hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission. It was the second of three Costa FLW Series Northern Division tournaments of the 2018 regular season. The next Costa FLW Series tournament will be the final Northern Division event of the year, held Sept. 6-8 on 1000 Islands in Clayton, New York, and is presented by Navionics. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Nov. 1-3 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Multifaceted Fishery Awaits Anglers For Bassmaster Eastern Open On Lake Champlain
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One and Done - Lake Erie Costa Day 3 Canceled - Day 1 Leader Farrow Winner
July 28, 2018
Courtesy of Colin Moore/FLW Fishing
A stubborn weather front packing westerly winds lingered overnight in the eastern basin of Lake Erie near Buffalo and forced the cancellation of the final day of the Costa FLW Series Northern Division tournament presented by Polaris. Ron Lappin, Costa FLW Series tournament director, made the call at about 4 a.m. after boating out to the mouth of the protected harbor where the tournament was headquartered.
In effect, it was a one-day tournament, as Lappin called off the second day of the event Friday because of dangerous boating conditions on Erie’s open waters.
“As soon as I got out to the opening, I saw 5-footers washing up,” said Lappin. “The front that was supposed to go through yesterday evening [Friday] apparently didn’t. The weather report showed gusts to about 22 mph coming in until about 10 a.m., then letting up some, then picking up again in the afternoon. So even if we had waited an hour or two, it wouldn’t have made much difference.
“There’s no sense in taking chances. This is the type of waterway that can get really dangerous in a hurry,” Lappin said. “Going out in even marginal conditions is asking for trouble, so for the best interests of everyone involved we ended the tournament with the standings as they are.”
Ontario pro Neil Farrow was declared the winner on the strength of his 24-pound, 4-ounce limit of smallmouths in the event’s opening round Thursday. Ben Wright of Peru, N.Y., was runner-up with 24-3, Charles Sim of Nepean, Ont., was third with 23-3, JT Kenney of Palm Bay, Fla., was fourth with 23-2 and J. Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., was fifth with 22-15.
In Thursday’s opening round, 44 pros had limits that each weighed 20 pounds or more, while nine co-anglers accounted for 20-pounds-plus sacks. Sakae Ushio of nearby Tonawanda, N.Y., won the co-angler division with 23-7.
Lappin said that the top 43 places each on the boater and co-angler sides would receive checks. The payout begins at 9 at the weigh-in trailer at Safe Harbor. The next Costa FLW Series Northern Division matchup is set for Sept. 6-8 out of Clayton, N.Y. That event will decide the final divisional standings.
Johnson & Johnson Lead Fishers of Men Legacy Championship after Day 1!
2018 Legacy Series Championship - Courtesy of Fishers Of Men
The 2018 Shakespeare Legacy Series Championship hosted by Decatur Morgan County
Tourism is under way.
The event started with our Thursday night meeting held at First Baptist Church of Decatur who again
shared their facility with us for the evening. We were served a great meal catered by Alfonso’s Italian
restaurant in Decatur which was topped off with ice cream and all the toppings.
After the meal the current FLW Angler of the Year, Mark Rose spent time with us talking about
fishing and life. Mark spoke about his rise in the fishing world and the importance of preparing and
being open to the things around you. Even though a lot of things can impact our fishing and our life
Mark said the most important thing is to follow Jesus and his will for us. Thanks Mark for your great
testimony.
After the message we held a short meeting to talk about the first day’s tournament rules and
launch procedure. We then handed out prizes including baits, fishing tackle, boating accessories,
and fishing rods. We then released the fisherman and women for the evening so they could get a
good night rest for the next day to rise early and head for the ramp on Friday.
Friday morning came early as we started to launch boats around 5:00 a.m. The weather for this
time of year was cooler than in the past with temperatures in the 60’s along with slightly overcast
skies. At 6:00 a.m. we began our launch. Seventy seven boats left the Ingalls Harbor boat ramp on
Lake Wheeler. Check in time for the first flight was 1:00 p.m. and after a quick breakfast the
Fishers of Men staff returned to the Tournament site to set up for the weigh-in.
For fish preservation and to help protect the resource we set a three fish limit for this event.
At 1:00 the first flight returned and the teams started bringing the fish to the scales.
There were a total of thirty eight, three fish limits brought in with most of the teams catching fish.
Our day one leaders were the team of Lake and Allen Johnson with three fish weighing 11.23 lbs.
Lake was very tight lipped about how the fish were caught. In second place, were Greg and
Wyatt Tomlin who also caught the first day’s one big bass caught by the junior angler.
Wyatt’s big bass weighed 3.85 lbs and their total weight was 8.51 lbs. In third, were
Donny and Colby Beck wit three fish with a weight of 8.29 lbs. Not trailing far behind in third,
were Nathan and James Lively with a limit weighing 8.24 lbs followed by Greg and Ethan
Franklin with 8.10 lbs.
Stay tuned tomorrow is a new day.
Fishers of Men would like to thank all of our fine sponsors; BassCat Boats, Mercury, Berkley, Abu Garcia,
Spiderwire, Shakespeare, Strike King Lure Company, Kings Home, Power-Pole, Raymarine, Duckett Fishing,
BassBoat Technologies, ORCA Coolers, Buckeye Lures, T&H Maine, Gator Guards, ,Kistler Rods, HydroWave,
Costa, Jacobs Glass, Rayjus Sportswear,
Shakespeare Legacy Series Championship-Day 1 - 07/27/18
| Place | Team | Members | # Fish | Big Fish | Gross | Penalty | Net Wt | Points | |
| 1 | 22770 | Allen Johnson Lake Johnson |
3 | 0 | 11.23 | 0 | 11.23 | 0 | |
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| 2 | 15503 | Greg Tomlin Wyatt Tomlin |
3 | 3.85 | 8.51 | 0 | 8.51 | 0 | |
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| 3 | 15319 | Donny Beck Colby Beck |
3 | 0 | 8.29 | 0 | 8.29 | 0 | |
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| 4 | 23327 | Nathan Lively James Lively |
3 | 0 | 8.24 | 0 | 8.24 | 0 | |
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| 5 | 21543 | Greg Franklin Ethan Franklin |
3 | 3.15 | 8.1 | 0 | 8.1 | 0 | |
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| 6 | 21638 | Mitch Willoughby James Willoughby |
3 | 0 | 7.84 | 0 | 7.84 | 0 | |
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| 7 | 21326 | Jimmy Mitchell Brody Mitchell |
3 | 0 | 7.44 | 0 | 7.44 | 0 | |
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| 8 | 23221 | William Davis Sawyer Davis |
3 | 0 | 7.13 | 0 | 7.13 | 0 | |
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| 9 | 19639 | Brad Gambrell Sawyer Redmond |
3 | 3.2 | 7.11 | 0 | 7.11 | 0 | |
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| 10 | 21902 | Jake Roberson Miller Hunt |
3 | 0 | 6.59 | 0 | 6.59 | 0 | |
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| 11 | 15470 | Fred Lynn Gabrial Lynn |
3 | 0 | 6.17 | 0 | 6.17 | 0 | |
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| 12 | 18093 | Eric Weeks Tyler Weeks |
2 | 0 | 6.16 | 0 | 6.16 | 0 | |
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| 13 | 23236 | Roger Motes Joe Hardy |
3 | 2.23 | 6.13 | 0 | 6.13 | 0 | |
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| 14 | 22047 | Joe Garrie Chesney Garrie |
3 | 0 | 5.92 | 0 | 5.92 | 0 | |
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| 15 | 22045 | Jim Barnette Peyton Steele |
3 | 0 | 5.9 | 0 | 5.9 | 0 | |
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| 16 | 21651 | Randy Thrash Tucker Thrash |
3 | 2.99 | 5.84 | 0 | 5.84 | 0 | |
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| 17 | 22041 | Anthony McBay Carson Heard |
3 | 0 | 5.93 | 0.25 | 5.68 | 0 | |
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| 18 | 22743 | Cameron McEarchern Richard McEarchern |
3 | 0 | 5.68 | 0 | 5.68 | 0 | |
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| 19 | 19536 | Russell Nixon Wyatt Bigham |
3 | 0 | 5.46 | 0 | 5.46 | 0 | |
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| 20 | 23085 | Kevin Beasley Jacob Neff |
3 | 0 | 5.44 | 0 | 5.44 | 0 | |
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| 21 | 23195 | Hayden Smith Jason Smith |
3 | 3.52 | 5.36 | 0 | 5.36 | 0 | |
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| 22 | 19601 | James Williams Andrew Williams |
3 | 2.22 | 5.35 | 0 | 5.35 | 0 | |
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| 23 | 22769 | Bill Benford Rhett Benford |
3 | 0 | 5.31 | 0 | 5.31 | 0 | |
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| 24 | 23363 | Darin Witherup Michael Witherup |
2 | 0 | 5.22 | 0 | 5.22 | 0 | |
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| 25 | 16804 | Tim Van Polen Jaron Brooks |
3 | 0 | 5.04 | 0.25 | 4.79 | 0 | |
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| 26 | 23455 | Billy Brooks NOAH BROOKS |
3 | 0 | 4.79 | 0 | 4.79 | 0 | |
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| 27 | 21324 | Chris Cooper Logan Cooper |
3 | 0 | 4.7 | 0 | 4.7 | 0 | |
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| 28 | 21539 | Shane Bryson Britlyn Bryson |
3 | 0 | 4.69 | 0 | 4.69 | 0 | |
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| 29 | 23470 | Victor Holt Sara Holt |
3 | 0 | 4.48 | 0 | 4.48 | 0 | |
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| 30 | 15341 | Hunter Haymond Todd Haymond |
2 | 0 | 4.47 | 0 | 4.47 | 0 | |
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| 31 | 17998 | Kent Ware Emily Ware |
3 | 0 | 4.47 | 0 | 4.47 | 0 | |
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| 32 | 23425 | Frank Morton Zac Williams |
2 | 0 | 4.3 | 0 | 4.3 | 0 | |
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| 33 | 22771 | Jimmy Garrie Kate McMillian |
3 | 0 | 4.22 | 0 | 4.22 | 0 | |
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| 34 | 23396 | Tim Rivest Brayden Rivest |
3 | 0 | 4.2 | 0 | 4.2 | 0 | |
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| 35 | 23454 | JAMES CALLAHAN CHRISTIAN CALLAHAN |
2 | 0 | 4.15 | 0 | 4.15 | 0 | |
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| 36 | 21234 | Brad Osborn Kaden Osborn |
3 | 0 | 4.13 | 0 | 4.13 | 0 | |
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| 37 | 23481 | David Godwin Jacob Godwin |
3 | 0 | 4.02 | 0 | 4.02 | 0 | |
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| 38 | 23508 | Julious Lively Natalie Lively |
2 | 2.49 | 3.95 | 0 | 3.95 | 0 | |
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| 39 | 23472 | Brandt Sjuts Ty Coon |
3 | 0 | 3.92 | 0 | 3.92 | 0 | |
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| 40 | 23463 | Tony Tidwell Konner Tidwell |
3 | 0 | 3.91 | 0 | 3.91 | 0 | |
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| 41 | 23510 | Dennis Defoor Tanner Hayes |
3 | 0 | 3.91 | 0 | 3.91 | 0 | |
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| 42 | 9721 | Jack Jr. Napier Ross Napier |
3 | 0 | 3.81 | 0 | 3.81 | 0 | |
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| 43 | 23216 | Luke Linley Andrew Hamilton |
3 | 0 | 3.8 | 0 | 3.8 | 0 | |
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| 44 | 18693 | Tripp Fryar Reagan Fryar |
2 | 2.35 | 3.59 | 0 | 3.59 | 0 | |
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| 45 | 21897 | Walter Gurgacz Jonathan Gurgacz |
2 | 0 | 3.55 | 0 | 3.55 | 0 | |
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| 46 | 16132 | Chris Hunt Mason Hunt |
2 | 0 | 3.52 | 0 | 3.52 | 0 | |
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| 47 | 23495 | Robbie Austin Noah Austin |
2 | 0 | 3.44 | 0 | 3.44 | 0 | |
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| 48 | 22391 | Brian Nelson Alison Nelson |
2 | 0 | 3.32 | 0 | 3.32 | 0 | |
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| 49 | 18120 | Steve Wilson Jessie Franklin |
2 | 0 | 3.29 | 0 | 3.29 | 0 | |
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| 50 | 21901 | Stan Riley Harrison Riley |
1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
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| 51 | 23309 | Wayne Dorman Joey Dorman |
3 | 0 | 2.95 | 0 | 2.95 | 0 | |
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| 52 | 23509 | Bradley Cross Alexandra Tate |
2 | 1.84 | 2.9 | 0 | 2.9 | 0 | |
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| 53 | 23437 | Larry Melvin Leslie Terrell |
3 | 0 | 2.85 | 0 | 2.85 | 0 | |
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| 54 | 22839 | Steve Pierce Lain McCollough |
1 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 0 | 2.75 | 0 | |
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| 55 | 18036 | David Hanson Samuel Hanson |
1 | 2.61 | 2.61 | 0 | 2.61 | 0 | |
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| 56 | 23418 | Jerry Sandretto RYAN OLSEN |
1 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 0 | 2.52 | 0 | |
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| 57 | 23295 | Travis Clemen Kevick Clemen |
2 | 0 | 2.37 | 0 | 2.37 | 0 | |
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| 58 | 22775 | Walt Denny Jimbo Deaton |
2 | 0 | 2.19 | 0 | 2.19 | 0 | |
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| 59 | 22947 | Richard Nearhoof James Walters |
1 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0 | 1.8 | 0 | |
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| 60 | 23217 | Chris Newell Seth Hall |
2 | 0 | 1.76 | 0 | 1.76 | 0 | |
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| 61 | 19308 | David Martin Conner Martin |
1 | 1.67 | 1.67 | 0 | 1.67 | 0 | |
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| 62 | 23465 | Tim DeFoor Kannen DeFoor |
1 | 1.57 | 1.57 | 0 | 1.57 | 0 | |
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| 63 | 23317 | Maurice Parent Tyler Seaman |
2 | 0 | 1.62 | 0.25 | 1.37 | 0 | |
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| 64 | 23023 | Darren Keith Joshua Keith |
1 | 1.35 | 1.35 | 0 | 1.35 | 0 | |
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| 65 | 21649 | Bryan Ryals Braden Ryals |
1 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 0 | 1.25 | 0 | |
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| 66 | 22952 | Chris Tinsley Ryan Tinsley |
1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0 | 1.2 | 0 | |
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| 67 | 23462 | Joel Franks Jonathan Franks |
1 | 1.18 | 1.18 | 0 | 1.18 | 0 | |
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| 68 | 18496 | Bob Austin Jonathan Connor |
1 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 0 | 1.15 | 0 | |
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| 69 | 16578 | Ken Harris Hunter Harris |
1 | 1.08 | 1.08 | 0 | 1.08 | 0 | |
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| 70 | 23333 | Lucas Trotter Colton Trotter |
1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
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| 71 | 22969 | Bryan Stewart Sam Meeks |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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| 72 | 21554 | Edward Looper Jr Lauren Kate Looper |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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| 73 | 18003 | Edmond Brown Garrett Brown |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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| 74 | 11488 | Steve Neal Dawson Busenbark |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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| 75 | 17817 | Mike Sutherland Zachary Sutherland |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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| 76 | 22517 | Keith Walley austin gunn |
3 | 0 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 0 | 0 | |
Costa Northern - Day 2 on Lake Erie Cancelled
July 27, 2018 by Colin Moore
Dangerous winds force tournament officials to call off second round for safety’s sake.
High winds that churned up the eastern basin of Lake Erie overnight and prompted a small craft advisory also forced cancellation of day two of the Costa FLW Series Northern Division tournament presented by Polaris. Sustained southwesterly winds of 14 mph and gusts up to 26 mph were forecast for Friday, making boating conditions untenable.
Tournament director Ron Lappin said current plans call for the tournament to continue Saturday morning with all of the 169 boatloads of pros and co-anglers fishing. That presumes the weather forecast will be better, and the heavy waters now topping five feet will subside.
“The forecast for Saturday isn’t much better,” says Lappin, “so we’ll have to wait and see. We can’t take chances. If we can fish – and we’re planning to fish now – the pairings will remain the same.”
On day one, Canadian angler Neil Farlow topped the field with five smallmouths that totaled 24 pounds, 4 ounces. Ben Wright of Peru, N.Y., was close behind with 24-3 and Charles Sim of Nepean, Ont., was third with 23-3. JT Kenney, 23-2 and J. Todd Tucker, 22-15, rounded out the top five. Forty-four limits weighing 20 pounds or more were caught in the opening round.
As it now stands, Saturday’s round will determine the final standings. Lappin said competitors would be notified later Friday regarding Saturday’s plans.
Farlow Leads Costa Northern Day 1 on Erie with over 24 pounds!
Courtesy of FLW Fishing
July 26, 2018
Lake Erie’s exceptional fishing was on full display in the opening round of the Costa FLW Series Northern Division tournament presented by Polaris and hosted by Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission. Forty-four limits weighing at least 20 pounds each were caught. Even co-anglers got in on the smallmouth bonanza, as nine of them brought back limits that totaled 20 pounds or better.
Though Neil Farlow of St. Catherines, Ontario, leads the 169 pros fishing the event with 24-4, there’s not much daylight between him and the rest of the top 50. Farlow is an ounce ahead of Ben Wright of Peru, N.Y., and a difference of 4 pounds, 4 ounces separates the Canadian from Bill Chapman of Salt Rock, W.Va., who’s in 44th place with 20 pounds.
Farlow didn’t provide many details about his day, except to say that he fished spots in Canada and the U.S. and culled a couple of times.
“I used drop-shot rigs and tubes, and tubes seemed to work better when the wind got up in the afternoon,” says Farlow, whose 6-6 smallmouth was the big fish of the day. “I’m running a Ranger 522D deep-V, so the wind wasn’t that big a problem for me. Tomorrow [Friday] I’m going to do what the wind let’s me do. Either I’m going to run my spots or stay longer on some and really fish them out.”
Farlow says mixed bottoms of rock and gravel or gravel and sand produced best for him. Perhaps even more critical is the timing of the bite. Many of the anglers with the 20-pound-plus sacks were in the first few flights and reported that the smallmouths started eating as soon as the anglers reached their first destinations. As the day progressed, however, the bite got slower.
Though the wind was manageable Thursday morning, it built during the day, and by late afternoon 6-foot waves could be seen crashing over the seawall that shelters the harbor from the wind’s main force. Stronger winds ranging to about 15 mph are predicted for Friday morning, which means some contestants with lengthy milk runs might have to shorten their daily itineraries.
Friday’s weigh-in at Safe Harbor Marina starts at 2 p.m. and involves all competitors. Saturday, the top 10 pros and co-anglers advance to the championship weigh-in at Cabela’s in Cheektowaga beginning at 3 p.m.
TOP 10 PROS
1. Neil Farlow – St. Catherines, Ontario – 24-4 (5)
2. Ben Wright – Peru, N.Y. – 24-3 (5)
3. Charles Sim – Nepean, Ontario – 23-3 (5)
4. JT Kenney – Palm Bay, Fla. – 23-2 (5)
5. J Todd Tucker – Moultrie, Ga. – 22-15 (5)
6. Austin Felix – Eden Prairie, Minn. – 22-12 (5)
7. Moo Bae – West Friendship, Md. – 22-8 (5)
8. Travis Manson – Conshohocken, Pa. – 22-6 (5)
9. Philip Jarabeck – Spout Spring, Va. – 22-5 (5)
10. Jason Kervin – Auburn, Maine – 22-3 (5)
10. TJ Lacey – Selwyn, Ontario – 22-3 (5)
Sportsman’s Warehouse Returns to Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Giveaways, Kid’s Fish Pond, Expert Demos, Doorbusters, and More Await at 3420 124th Ave. NW
Midvale, Utah – July 27, 2018 – To the delight of local outdoor enthusiasts, Sportsman’s Warehouse (NASDAQ:SPWH), www.sportsmanswarehouse.com, returns to Coon Rapids, Minnesota with a grand opening celebration August 2-4, 2018 at its new location in the Riverdale Commons Shopping Center located at 3420 124th Ave. NW in Coon Rapids. With product giveaways, prizes, demonstrations, samples, big discounts, kids’ activities, and more, it’s a fun event for the entire family.
“It has been nine years since we were in Coon Rapids,” states Joe Barbiero, Sportsman’s Warehouse (SW) Coon Rapids, Minnesota Store Manager. “We look forward to being part of this community again and are ready to provide our exceptional, down-home service, expertise and top-quality hunting, fishing, and camping merchandise to the local region and Minnesota.”
Opening in the Riverdale Commons Shopping Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, 8/2/18, customers can:
- Save big with doorbuster sales while supplies last, starting on Thursday August 2, 2018;
- Receive a free $20 SW gift card and hat if they are one of the first 200 families on Thursday August 2, 2018;
- Enjoy a free $20 gift card and hat if they are one of the first 50 families on Friday August 3, 2018 and Saturday August 4, 2018;
- Enter to win a Remington 870 pump shotgun ($349.99 value);
- Be part of the giveaway to win one of four, $500 SW gift cards;
- Have fun at the catch-and-release fish pond;
- Watch the Traeger Grills’ demo with samples from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. August 2, 2018; and
- Learn from the experts at Federal Ammo, Rapala, Leupold, St. Croix, JB’s Fish Sauce, Vortex Optics, and more!
Conveniently located on the way to all the major local lakes, store visitors will find an extensive selection of gear and over 60,000 items in enough room to fill over 933 school buses (42,000 square feet)! And with experienced, passionate and knowledgeable associates, customers will receive the best service possible to create a memorable outdoor experience.
“Our Coon Rapids store will introduce our brand to over two million hunters and anglers in Minnesota, offer new job opportunities and provide various instructional classes, expert presentations, special events, and more to the local community,” states Jon Barker, Sportsman’s Warehouse President and CEO.
For more details, call the Coon Rapids, Minnesota store directly at 651-502-7700.
About Sportsman’s Warehouse
Founded in 1986, Sportsman’s Warehouse now operates 91 stores in 23 states as the largest, outdoor specialty store based in the Western United States and Alaska. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, we ensure you will always find quality, brand-name hunting, fishing, camping, shooting, apparel, and footwear merchandise within a local and convenient shopping environment. And with everyday low prices, passionate, friendly and knowledgeable associates, and educational in-store seminars and events, you’ll enjoy a memorable outdoor experience. For more information, visit www.sportsmanswarehouse.com.
New Tackle Storage from ICAST - Perfect for the Boat or Kayak
Vance McCullough
Having the latest lures and hardware to make your day on the water a success is one thing. Keeping them close at hand and, yet, protected from harsh environmental effects is quite another.
Nowhere is the struggle more real than on a kayak where “dry” is a fantasy and space is at a premium. Sometimes it’s hard to even reach the things you need, which brings about a crisis when you really “need” them. Like, NOW.
Let’s look at some gear from the recent ICAST show that will travel well on the most spacious bass boat but is especially useful on small craft.
One thing that will keep those much-needed items within reach is well-placed TackleWebs mesh bag. Tackle Webs aren’t spanking new. In fact, they are time tested and proven on the most competitive tournament trails. But many paddle anglers are discovering the utility of these brilliantly simple add-ons.
You can wear your heart on your sleeve – or your TackleWebs. They can be printed with any full color logo of choice. Heroes on the Water, Bote and Kaku all proudly display their brand on the mesh tool and tackle holders that can be mounted practically anywhere your imagination wants to put one.
One of the best places to mount one is on your cooler – hence, CoolerWebs. These are perfect for paddle boards where the cooler often pulls duty as a seat, a poling platform, and a storage unit for food, drinks and gear.
TackleWebs help a small boat fish much bigger.
You’ll want to stuff those TackleWebs with TuffTainer boxes from Flambeau featuring Zerust technology. The secret is in the blue tabs that serve as dividers between compartments. They stop rust by emitting, “a harmless, invisible vapor in a contained area,” according to the folks at Flambeau.
If you believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you’ll want to check out the waterproof boxes available from Flambeau. They’ll keep your tackle dry in the first place. Secure them in your TackleWebs so they can’t get away and you can rest assured your stuff is coming home with you, safe and dry, no matter how rough or wet it gets out there.
What about your bigger personal items? Change of clothes, dry towel, cameras, basic camping and first aid stuff – you’ll need a quality dry bag for that. Look at the EGO Kryptek Tactical 55L TPU Dry Duffle Bag. No, really, LOOK at it. Kryptek makes the coolest camo pattern on the planet. It’s the popular look that has been licensed to a lot of the big name clothing manufacturers we’ve become familiar with in recent years, but it was developed by Kryptek in the first place.
Founded by veterans who served our country in the Middle East, Kryptek not only keeps you looking good, but as with all of their hunting and fish clothes and bags, the EGO Dry Duffel is made of the most advanced materials and thoughtfully designed to perform beyond expectations.
According to the guys at Kryptek, “Bag seams are RF welded ensuring that no water can penetrate the body of the bag, so all of your gear will stay dry in the harshest elements. The TPU fabric is 5X more durable than previous dry bag fabric technology.”
On a side note, this writer’s favorite pair of pants – not just tactical pants but any long pants – are made by Kryptek. They offer room in all the right places and are reinforced at typical stress points. They’re super comfortable during cold days afield or on the water. In addition to the great fit, they just look cool.
IMPROVE YOUR FLIPPING AND PITCHING GAME
By David A. Brown
It’s as grassroots, heartland, traditional as bass fishing gets; flipping and pitching baits into cover with hopes of feeling something heavy clamped to the end of our line. No doubt, these techniques annually account for high percentage of the bass caught in non-offshore scenarios, but are you making the most of your opportunities?
For an insightful analysis, let’s look at these pointers from top-tier pros who make their living with a rod and reel.
Ambidextrous Approach: Toledo Bend guide Darold Gleason suggest learning to flip/pitch with right handed reels. Many anglers will present a bait with their right hand and then quickly pass the reel to their left hand to begin working/retrieving the bait. The problem here is that the potential for immediate bites can create awkward moments and lost opportunities.
Gleason foregoes the crossover movement by flipping/pitching with a righthand reel held in his left hand. It’s a cheaper option than buying righthand and lefthand reels, but more than that he points out that the ability to hit targets from any angle and quickly respond to his bites made this a skill worth developing.
“I know some people do that because it takes pressure off their arm and that’s fine; but for me, it helps me be more efficient,” Gleason said. “When I flip in, I’m immediately ready.”
Skirting the Issue:FLW Tour pro Joe Holland uses punch skirts for more than escorting baits through cover. He’ll often stack two or three skirts over a creature bait, trim the lower skirt(s) shorter for more bristly action. When the bait’s falling, the fish see the outer skirt color, which is typically a natural color like green pumpkin or brown. But when the bait hits bottom and that top skirt falls forward, the sudden flash of a brighter (orange, red, etc.) skirt flaring outward often triggers aggressive bites.
That Sinking Feeling:Two-time Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee has a couple of rules for Texas rig weights: First peg the sinker with a bobber stop for a clean, accurate cast. Second, you won’t always need a big punch weight, but Lee warns against leaning too far in the opposite direction.
“I like a 5/16- to 3/8-ounce weight for most of my flipping,” he said. “That helps me be really efficient. If you go too light on your weight, it’s too hard to make an accurate cast.”
A Little to the Left:Bassmaster Elite Series pro Mike Iaconelli helped VMC design the Ike Approved hook series, which features a 3-degree offset for the flipping models. The benefit, he says, is a better hook-up percentage and better penetration, particularly with heavy-duty techniques 
like punching mats or flipping wood.
“You’re talking about heavy weights and heavy line, so when you set the hook, if that point is directly in-line with the eye, a lot of times, that big tungsten weight will blow your bait straight out of the fish’s mouth and you’ll never have a connection point,” Iaconelli said.
Prior to his VMC line, Iaconelli would grip the entire top edge of his hook and apply brief intervals of pressure to ease the hook into an offset form. You don’t want to bend the point or the barb, so use the entire surface of the hook when creating the offset.
Total Coverage:Do bass have their chase-it-down aggressive moments? Sure they do, but a lot more of their life follows the bring-it-to-me mode. Apply that to shallow bushes and flipping legend Denny Brauer’s keen on hitting all sides of the cover whenever possible. Basically, if he can get his boat around it, or at least angled for a backside presentation, he’ll paint the base of that cover until he either catches a fish or determines no one’s home.
Mind the balance between covering water to find fish and the amount of time you invest in each laydown or bush. However, when you encounter a really sweet spot — something with lots of structure, good depth, maybe some additional cover like vines or blow-in grass — give it more than a few flips before moving onward.
Consider how light and shadows create little hidey holes for fish. That bass may literally be two feet from where your bait falls, but if it’s outside the safe zone, no dice. Take time to hit all the angles and watch your catch rates increase.
TACKLE TALK
Let’s conclude with a few tips on tackle considerations.
Rod:Stout flipping sticks that feel more like broom handles have their place, but Elite pro Kevin VanDam says that’s not always the case.
“A lot of people like to flip with braided line and when you do, you need to use a rod that has more parabolic bend and has a softer tip,” he said. “Once you set the hook on a fish, because there’s no tension, you won’t tear a big hole in the fish’s mouth when it’s coming in.”
Reel:Noting the importance of proper wrist rotation for effective pitching presentations, Elite pro Gerald Swindle favors the smaller, lighter profile of Quantum’s Smoke baitcaster. The diminutive form, he says, fits better in his hand; a truth that means less fatigue and better control.
Line:Brauer helped Seaguar develop its Flippin Fluorocarbon and Flippin Braid because he knows there’s a time and place for both. Cover is Brauer’s main consideration, so he’ll in muddy water or matted vegetation, he knows he can get away with braid. In clear water and lighter cover, fluoro’s the way to go.
Also, when fish are pressured, the stealth element of fluorocarbon line can earn you a few more bites. Furthermore, VanDam believes the fish can feel the braid because it displaces water differently than fluorocarbon.
Consider also that fluorocarbon is less likely to pinch down into a tight spot in woody cover than the thin-diameter braid. You might have to sacrifice a little of the strength and sensitivity your braid provides, but most are okay with as tradeoff that yields more bites.
If braid’s your comfort zone, lessen the intrusion by darkening the last 6 feet or so with a black permanent marker. Gary Klein splits the tip of his marker with a razor blade and run his line between the sections for even marking.
Clearly, there’s more to this game than slinging baits back and forth. But when everyone’s using the same general techniques, the ones who excel are the ones who master the specifics.
B.A.S.S. Postpones Chesapeake Bay Elite Due To Unsafe Boating Conditions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2018
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Due to recent heavy rainfall and increasingly dangerous water conditions, B.A.S.S. officials decided to postpone the Huk Bassmaster Elite at Upper Chesapeake Bay presented by Mossy Oak Fishing that was originally scheduled for July 26-29 out of Harford County, Md.
“Our number one priority is the safety of our anglers and anyone else who might be on the waters of the Upper Chesapeake Bay,” said B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon. “After consulting with authorities regarding increased water releases, debris and current hazardous conditions on tournament waters, B.A.S.S. is postponing this week's event.”
The tournament will likely be scheduled for later in the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series season, which concludes with the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship in September.
Officials from B.A.S.S., event sponsors and local host organizations will be meeting in coming days to discuss options pertaining to rescheduled dates.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.
Matt Lee and Swindle talk bass, blue crabs, and shopping carts - Preview Upper Chesapeake Elite Event
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Alabama anglers Matt Lee and Gerald Swindle are facing the same flooded and muddy Upper Chesapeake Bay as 106 other Bassmaster Elite Series pros, but on the eve of competition, both offered an admirable attitude of perseverance, and a bit of humor too.
Q: What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen floating in the floodwaters this week?
Matt Lee:I made a few pitches at a PetSmart shopping cart.
Swindle:I saw a matching set of tires and rims, and you can bet I checked to see if they’d fit on my Toyota Tundra.
Q: What is one tip you can give fans at home for fishing high, muddy water?
Matt Lee:Look for places where strong current forms an eddy in shallow water to cast your lure.
Swindle:Make your mind like an Etch A Sketch, start with a clear screen in your head every day. Don’t get mentally rattled about how bad the conditions are. Just keep moving.
Q: Name three lures we can expect to see the Elite Series pros use a bunch this week?
Matt Lee:Spinnerbait, ChatterBait, and a Strike King Rage Cut-R worm.
Swindle:Green pumpkin Chatterbait, spinnerbait, and a black/blue Chatterbait.
Q: How much weight will an angler have to average each day to make the Top 12 cut on the final day here on the Upper Chesapeake?
Matt Lee:12.8 pounds per day
Swindle:11 pounds per day
Q: Have you eaten any of the Chesapeake Bay’s famous blue crabs this week?
Matt Lee:I have not, because my wife Abby is highly allergic to shellfish. But I love seafood, so maybe I can talk her into leaving a day earlier than me, and I’ll stay here and hammer down on some blue crabs.
Swindle:I have not, but Lulu made us some shrimp tacos the other night that were awesome!
T-H MARINE SECURES GLOBAL RIGHTS TO GRASS GOAT™
| Huntsville, AL – July 25, 2018 – T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., of Huntsville, Alabama, and R2 Marine Innovations, of Chester, Virginia, announce that they have entered into an agreement that grants T-H Marine exclusive global rights to manufacture and distribute the Grass Goat™ trolling motor weed guard. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We're excited to add the Grass Goat™ as yet another way we can help anglers get better performance from their trolling motor," T-H Marine’s president, Jeff Huntley, stated. "Weekend anglers and tournament anglers alike will love how the Grass Goat™ allows for easy and stealthy fishing through grass mats and other heavily-vegetated areas." The Grass Goat™ is equipped with a marine-grade starboard mounting plate and a 316 stainless steel cutting blade, which runs perpendicular to the trolling motor prop, allowing it to instantly shred away vegetation. The Grass Goat™ not only keeps a trolling motor clear of debris, it eats through vegetation like no other aftermarket trolling motor product and it is built for years of use under the toughest conditions. With the Grass Goat™ installed, anglers can quietly enter and navigate fishing spots with thick cover. "The Grass Goat™ is the perfect addition to our G-Force® product line," Huntley added. "We love how it complements the Troll Perfect™ Tension Adjustment System, the Eliminator™ Prop Nut, the Silencer™ Vibration Control Pad, the G-Force™ Trolling Motor Lift Cable, the Equalizer™ Lift Assist, the Troll-Tamer™ Stabilizer Lock, and the Bounce Buster Coaster™.” Like other G-Force® products, the Grass Goat™ installs in minutes with simple hand tools and it requires no modification to the trolling motor. Models will be available for both Minn Kota and MotorGuide trolling motors. To prepare for orders, T-H Marine has brought tooling and manufacturing of the Grass Goat™ to its facility in Huntsville, Alabama. With fabrication and assembly of the product already underway, Huntley added that T-H Marine is ready to take orders and products will be available at thmarine.com/GrassGoat. “We are thrilled to be adding even more great products to our catalog and continuing more organic product development, too," Huntley said. "Be sure to look for more product news and updates on availability in the coming weeks."
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ICAST - A Look Back with Vance McCullough
Vance McCullough
As usual, the big ICAST fishing industry trade show was interesting. From the ridiculous to the ‘why didn’t I think of that’ practical idea or improvement, there was a lot to take in.
Much of it is on its way to retailers now. Some of it so new you can’t get it yet.
If there were two main themes this year they would be: small. And BIG.
Small boats – kayaks bring a personal scale to fishing, getting many anglers off the bank at an accessible price point and putting them right down on the water, perhaps even more in touch with the environment that the fish live in.
As for lures, big fish enthusiasts have plenty to be enthused about this year. Read on.
For the most part, big fiberglass boat and outboard motor companies skip ICAST, preferring to show up at boat shows or the Forrest Wood Cup or Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo. So small craft ruled the ICAST show floor again this year - so much so that we will bring you an article dedicated to just the kayak and SUP buzz soon.
What we can say for now is that Jackson Kayak won Best Boat and/or Watercraft of the Show with their new 360 Angler, a catamaran style craft that gives “the convenience and stability of a big boat and the exploration possibilities of a kayak or canoe,” according to the folks at Jackson who further note that, “The hull system was designed specifically for tackle storage, including 4 hatches with access to the hulls for storage.”
The 360 Angler is big enough to walk around on, but everything is designed to be within easy reach of the ergonomic chair, perched rather high above a pedal drive system.
Frog lures were also a big story at ICAST. With so many mutations each year, what used to be an easily definable category now includes great variety. The current lineup of frog-like offerings resembles the bar scene in Star Wars with alien creatures alongside nearly correct facsimiles of Mother Nature’s own designs.
Again, with such a wide variety, we’ll have to bring you a separate report dedicated just to the frogs of ICAST in order to do justice to this lure segment.
One thing is clear – Teckle’s Sprinker Frog casts a big wake and many lure makers are swimming in it, trying latch on to the insanity that surrounded a lure that wasn’t ready to meet production demands when its popularity skyrocketed. Remember people buying them for $50 on eBay last year?
For this reason, more than any other, there are a lot of new frogs and similar weedless topwaters designed to be reeled straight in, relying on tail action to trigger strikes.
Teckle is staying a step ahead. They just introduced the Maracker, which they describe as a “super loud weedless wake bait”. It sports what looks like a polished nickel teardrop for a tail. No word on when or where you can buy it but there are a few cool videos of it on-line.
The quirkiest trend to show up at ICAST was the emergence of mechanized lures.
The eMinnow is a “unique motorized robotic fishing lure. The harmonics generated within the core attract the curiosity of predator fish. The tail moves in a pre-programmed irregular manner in order to reproduce swimming behavior of a real baitfish,” according to the eMinnow company literature.
The Animated Lure has a segmented body and is described by its creators as “a 5.25” robotic swimbait that is electronically programmed to mimic the life-like swim patterns of a real fish.” The company, also called Animated Lure, further explains, “Once fully submerged under water, 12 seconds will go by before it starts to swim on its own.”
Compared to robotic baits Jenko Fishing’s latest lure hack sounds tame, but the OffSpring Buzzbait is sure to drive bass wild. It features a spring protruding forward from the head so that the blade strikes it and produces “a sound unlike any other buzzbait on the market!”
Magnum walking plugs are coming into vogue.
Strike King leads the way with their new KVD Mega Dawg, a 6.5-inch version of the popular 4.5-inch KVD Sexy Dawg. I can’t be sure, but I think I saw a fisherman actually drooling over the big topwater.
Another big new walking stick is the 6thSense MagDog 150. The graphics are gorgeous, as we’ve come to expect from 6thSense. They break it down for us: “The MagDog 150 was designed for one simple thing – catching larger fish.”
6thSense must seriously want you to catch bigger bass. They have upgraded one of the best big fish baits of all time – the jig. Their Scrape Grass Jig proudly sports a stout 5/0 siwash braid-compatible hook and a screwlock trailer keeper. Leave the light tackle at home. These jigs come in 1 oz. and 1-3/8 oz. sizes because, as noted by the folks at 6thSense, they’re “Built for flipping the heaviest of grass cover or structure.”
For more open water duties, 6thSense offers the braid appropriate Divine Braid Swim Jig in 5/16 and 7/16 oz. weights with that siwash hook and screwlock keeper for keeping trailers pegged in the nasty stuff. You can start boat flipping bass with this swim jig when it hits the market in October.
Continuing with the theme of big bass-busting jigs, Fitzgerald Fishing brings us their Tungsten Swim Jig, which is smaller in size than lead jigs of the same weight, which, in turn, helps you catch bigger bass because, not only will it slip into tighter cover, but the smaller head won’t blow a fish’s mouth open on the hookset the way a larger lead head may. Other reasons Fitzgerald says you should fish this jig: “high quality hook, quality skirt, great colors, eco-friendly tungsten.”
If you’re truly committed to chasing the biggest bass wherever they live, then you need some ledge-busting gear. Big cranks, big worms and big spoons have been all the rage in recent years. Ready to meet the next big thing in offshore, school-exciting lures? SteelShad now offers the XXL Series. Weighing in at 2 ounces, the XXL’s look like large gizzard shad that swim in TVA impoundments or live wild shiners that produce trophy bass in Florida’s natural lakes.
Building on a decade of solid results with their 3/8 oz. model, SteelShad rolled out, not only the XXL Series but also a ¾ oz. option – the XL Series as well as the tiny new ¼ oz. Mini Series.
An improved version of the long-trusted blade bait style of lures, SteelShad thumps out some serious vibes without the rattle of lipless vibrating plugs. This makes for a great change up in areas where fish have seen all the conventional stuff. That’s often what it takes to fool bigger fish.
VanDam Catches a 15-pounder.............
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Kevin VanDam was the very last angler back to the boat ramp at the end of a brutally tough, rainy, high water, practice day on Tuesday at the Huk Bassmaster Elite at Upper Chesapeake Bay presented by Mossy Oak Fishing.
Fact is, with hints of a beard and wind blown hair, he even looked a bit like an old man of the sea here where the famed smallmouth waters of the Susquehanna River meet the Chesapeake Bay in America’s Mid Atlantic region.
But in typical VanDam fashion, his passion for fishing was still high, and the news he brought back to the dock was positive. Even on one of the more challenging days of his highly decorated career – VanDam still caught ‘em.
By his estimation, he set the hook 60 or 80 times, a bunch of them weighed 6 to 12 pounds. They bit swimbaits, Sexy Dawgs, and even topwater frogs.
His biggest fish of the day was a 15 pounder.
There’s only one problem … VanDam was talking about striped bass, not largemouth or smallmouth.
“When I saw them (striped bass) schooling, as tough as the bass fishing had been all day, I couldn’t stand not to take advantage of an opportunity to set the hook,” says the career long Quantum pro.
“Shaw Grigsby and I sat on that massive school of stripers and absolutely wore ‘em out, to the point they pretty much wrecked all three hooks on my Sexy Dawg (topwater lure),” he grinned.
Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) serve as the State Fish of Maryland, and travel between coastal saltwater to spawn in freshwater rivers like those that decorate the shorelines of this week’s Elite Series event at Havre de Grace, MD, barely northeast of Baltimore.
As for the bass fishing, it’s tougher than Cal “The Iron Man” Ripken Jr.’s record of 2,632 consecutive major league games played, despite nagging injuries that are an apparent part of 21 seasons as a major leaguer.
Nearly 12-inches of rain have fallen since the Elite Series pros started practice in the region where Oriole and Raven fans call home. South winds off the Atlantic are pushing against the muddy waters flowing hard from the north to debacle most all major creeks where largemouth bass reside.
“Bites are far and few between here. It’s super tough,” says VanDam, who waded through floodwaters to back his Tundra down the ramp Tuesday.
Bites are ‘far and few between’ unless you’re talking about striped bass, or as local anglers call them “rocks” or “rockfish” – both nicknames that seem highly fitting for a fishery as tough as the high and muddy Upper Chesapeake this week.
RICHMOND’S JACOBI WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL SHENANDOAH DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON JAMES RIVER
Maryland’s Reid Takes Co-angler Title
HENRICO, Va. (July 23, 2018) – Boater Ben Jacobi of Richmond, Virginia, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 19 pounds even to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division tournament on the James River. For his win, Jacobi earned $4,009.
“It was basically the same thing I did last year,” said Jacobi, who also won the Shenandoah Division BFL tournament on the James River in 2017. “I stayed on the main river flipping hard cover and fishing creek mouths.I didn’t count out anything. Every spot I hit the fish were scattered around the cover, which was odd. They weren’t as shallow as I was anticipating. I had to fish my stuff from top to bottom to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
“I used an Arkie-head-style Hog Snatcher jig and creature baits,” continued Jacobi. “I always have some different stuff rigged up because the river seems to be in junk-fishing mode almost all year round. If they do bite a bait, it seems like I can go to other spots and they’ll bite it. They just have to tell you what they want that day.”
Jacobi, who also fished last weekend’s Piedmont Division tournament on the James River, went on to say that the fish were a bit lazier this time around.
“Last weekend I had several fish grab the bait at the boat,” said Jacobi. “I guess, with the lower pressure and the little bit of a cold front we had, they held tight to cover. I was kind of shocked at how much things changed from last week to this week.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Ben Jacobi, Richmond, Va., five bass, 19-0, $4,009
2nd: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 18-14, $2,205
3rd: Nick Disabatino, Oakton, Va., five bass, 17-5, $1,986
4th: John Duarte, Middle River, Md., five bass, 16-11, $935
5th: Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsvlle, Va., five bass, 15-5, $1,102
6th: Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., five bass, 14-12, $735
7th: Rick McFaul, Phoenix, Md., five bass, 14-9, $668
8th: Moo Bae, West Friendship, Md., five bass, 14-3, $601
9th: Robert Hinds Jr., South Prince George, Va., five bass, 13-13, $535
10th: Jason Holder, Powhatan, Va., five bass, 13-0, $468
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Disabatino brought an 8-pound, 1-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $550.
Damon Reid of Bowie, Maryland, won the Co-angler Division and $2,280 Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Damon Reid, Bowie, Md., five bass, 14-1, $2,280
2nd: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., five bass, 12-9, $1,002
3rd: Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., five bass, 12-3, $868
4th: Christopher Atkins II, Goode, Va., five bass, 11-8, $468
5th: Cort Gardner, Jessup, Md., five bass, 11-7, $401
6th: Tevinn Rollins, Newport News, Va., five bass, 10-1, $418
7th: Micheal Sharp, Rixeyville, Va., five bass, 9-7, $334
8th: Lawrence Whitt, Newport News, Va., five bass, 8-11, $284
8th: Jamie Newton, Falls Church, Va., five bass, 8-11, $284
10th: Tony Toombs, Drakes Branch, Va., five bass, 8-7, $222
10th: Bill Naron, Beaverdam, Va., four bass, 8-7, $222
Reid also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $275.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.
ADRIAN COLLEGE WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING NORTHERN CONFERENCE EVENT ON LAKE CAYUGA PRESENTED BY BASS PRO SHOPS
SENECA FALLS, N.Y. (July 23, 2018) – The Adrian College team of Myles Jackman of White Lake, Michigan, and Zachary Graham of Gallipolis, Ohio, won the YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Cayuga presented by Bass Pro Shops Saturday with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned the Bulldogs’ bass club $2,400 and a slot in the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
The two anglers focused on a 75-yard stretch of docks on the eastern shoreline above the Interstate 90 bridge, specifically between the bridge and the lock system. Graham said there were bluegill beds in the area, near both the front and backs of the docks and between the docks along the seawalls.
“We started on the north end of the stretch and worked our way down,” said Graham, a junior majoring in Environmental Studies and Geology. “Myles primarily threw a frog on the grass mats and we ended up weighing two on it.
“I used the jig under the docks and the Zell Pop on the seawalls,” Graham continued. “I caught fish with the jig, but the topwaters got the big keeper bites. They were definitely the key to our success.”
Jackman’s frog was a white Strike King KVD Sexy Frog. Graham used a Booyah Boo jig with a green-pumpkin-colored Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw and a hitch-colored XCalibur Zell Pop.
Jackman, a junior majoring in Environmental Science and Geology, said the duo had a limit by 7:15 a.m. before Graham culled out three fish in a row with the Zell Pop to put the Bulldogs up around 17 pounds by 8:30 a.m.
“After the culls we ran down the lake to a point on the east side that had big chunk rock going out into the lake,” said Graham. “There was a 20- to 30-yard trough between the rock and the grassline that we thought the fish would be holding in. I threw the jig in there and on my third cast I caught a 4½ -pounder. I culled out a small fish and that put us at 20 pounds.”
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2019 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Adrian College – Myles Jackman, White Lake, Mich., and Zachary Graham, Gallipolis, Ohio, five bass, 20-2, $2,400
2nd: Virginia Tech University – Perry Marvin, Peru, N.Y., and Jeffery Cullop, Marion, Va., five bass, 18-0, $1,000
3rd: State University of New York-Cobleskill – Tristen Bauer, Port Leyden, N.Y., and Drew Tiano, Hudson, N.Y. five bass, 16-5, $500
4th: Adrian College – Ryan Sharnas, Davison, Mich., and Brandon Herzberg, Clark Lake, Mich., five bass, 16-4, $700
5th: University of Massachusetts-Amherst – Julian Burgoff, Amherst, N.Y., and Jon Hastings, Leominster, Mass., five bass, 15-10, $500
6th: Western Michigan University – Jared Havenaar, Kalamazoo, Mich., and Bo Thomas, Edwardsburg, Mich., five bass, 14-8
7th: Penn State University – Jason Zubris, Plains, Pa., and Josh Bowser, Slippery Rock, Pa., five bass, 14-2
8th: Penn State University – Derek Horner and Matthew Huggler, both of State College, Pa., five bass, 13-11
9th: Slippery Rock University – Nathan Quince, Imperial, Pa., and Samuel Jenesky, Pittsburgh, Pa., five bass, 13-8
10th: State University of New York-Buffalo – Anthony DeGregorio, Queensbury, N.Y., and Noah Weinstein, Jamestown, N.Y., five bass, 13-4
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The YETI FLW College Fishing event at Lake Cayuga presented by Bass Pro Shops was hosted by the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce, and was the second of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Northern Conference anglers in 2018. The next YETI FLW College Fishing event takes place July 28, when Central Conference anglers compete at the YETI FLW College Fishing event at the Mississippi River presented by Costa Sunglasses in Wabasha, Minnesota.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
YETI FLW College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Ranger Boats at White House for Made in America Product Showcase
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Iconic boat brand representing state of Arkansas as part of weeklong "Made in America Week"
FLIPPIN, Ark. (July 23, 2018) - Flippin, Arkansas-based Ranger Boats had the honor of representing the state of Arkansas at The White House this week. The event was part of President Trump's "Made in America Product Showcase" on Monday, July 23, highlighting each state's effort and commitment to American-made goods and products. The showcase featured a limited-edition Ranger Z521L ICON prominently displayed on the White House South Lawn.
"For the past 50 years, Ranger Boats has called Arkansas home," said Ranger Marketing Director Matt Raynor. "The people of Arkansas are a vital part of our company DNA. Ranger is committed to producing the highest quality American-made products and we do it right here in Flippin with dedicated, hardworking employees. We are honored to represent our great state and the people we call family, friends and neighbors."
 Along with the Z521L ICON, Ranger Boats ambassador and pro-angler Jimmy Houston was on site to help represent the iconic boat brand. Houston was joined by White River Marine Group officials and longtime Ranger dealer Brian and Chris Lancaster, of MARE Inc. - the Mid-Atlantic's Bass Boat Headquarters.
The event caps a weeklong "Made in America Week" to pay special tribute to those who work to produce American-made products such as Ranger Boats. President Trump will meet with each company's representatives to show his administration's "commitment to ensuring more products are made in America."
"It's a tremendous honor to have our 50th Anniversary Z521L ICON on display at the White House," added Raynor. "The boat reflects both our past 50-plus years of innovation in boat design and performance as well as the promising future of continued success and growth as the country's premier fiberglass and aluminum boat manufacturer."
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About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, with acclaimed models and series in the bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, saltwater, waterfowl utility and pontoon boat segments. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
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Hard work and ice keep summer bass alive
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Not only did fishing teams from 78 universities take their “A game” to Lake Tenkiller for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship last week – the brutal mid-summer Oklahoma heat showcased its most intense game face too.
Air temps sweltered around 104, water temps were well over 90, oak trees were dropping leaves in heat distress, and the Carhartt t-shirts worn by B.A.S.S. Director of Conservation, Gene Gilliland and the tournament staff were working overtime to wick away sweat behind the weigh-in stage.
Hot lake water is Gilliland’s worst nightmare. Because as we all learned in junior high school, hot water holds less oxygen than cold, and without hard work and a lot of ice, that can lead to dead tournament bass – a gut wrenching thought to not only all of us who love the sport, but likewise for Gilliland, who is an avid angler, and takes the successful preservation of tournament caught bass very seriously.
“Our goal is to keep the water in each 150 gallon dip tank backstage five to seven degrees cooler than the lake water. So at Tenkiller, that meant we had to keep adding ice until the water was about 80 degrees, and we constantly monitored water temperature and add ice to maintain that range,” says Gilliland.
Gilliland started each tournament day in Tahlequah with 1,000 pounds of ice stored backstage in a towable commercial icehouse. At a summer high school tournament on Kentucky Lake two years ago, he used 7,000 pounds of ice throughout the event.
Not only do water temps need to be cooled in the dip tanks teams hold their bagged fish in as they make their way to the stage, but water must also be cooled in the B.A.S.S. Live Release pontoon boat tanks used to transport tournament caught bass back to the lake for release after they’ve been weighed in. And each pontoon boat can haul 600 pounds of bass at a time.
Certainly Gilliland’s success rate in the preservation of bass during and after weigh-in increases if anglers work hard to take care of their catch throughout the tournament day, and that begins with proper livewell maintenance. He offers these six steps all of us can follow to be better caretakers of our summertime catch.
- Spend five or ten bucks for a swimming pool thermometer you can keep in your livewell in order to know if you’re maintaining a temp of five to seven degrees less than the lake temp. (Note: Keeping your water too cold is nearly as dangerous as letting it get too hot.)
- Fill up your livewells really early in the morning on “fill” or “fresh” mode.
- Switch quickly to “recirculate” mode, and begin adding ice until the temp is five to seven degrees less than the lake temp. Expect to add ice throughout the day to maintain the cooler temp.
- Be sure to run aerators on "manual" or full time rather than on a timer to help maximize oxygen replacement.
- Then, twice a day, flush out half the water in your livewells that’s sure to be contaminated by ammonia excreted from the bass swimming in your livewell water – and refill with fresh lake water.
- Finally, have plenty of extra ice onboard. Frozen plastic bottles full of ice floating inside your livewells can be a much more efficient than adding cubed ice.
Follow these steps, and you can proudly count on more than 95% of your bass being released alive after weigh-in, just like Gilliland and all the hard working folks on the B.A.S.S. tournament staff.
“We always donate the very few bass that don’t survive to local charity,” says Gilliland. “But lots of ice, the constant monitoring of holding tank temps, and hard work are the biggest keys to our success rate.”
INDIANA’S QUINLIN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL ILLINI DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON OHIO RIVER AT GOLCONDA
Arning and Brown Tie for Co-angler Title
GOLCONDA, Ill. (July 23, 2018) – Boater Mike Quinlin of Mooresville, Indiana, caught a five-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Illini Division tournament on the Ohio River at Golconda. Quinlin pocketed $6,255 for his win.
Quinlin said he fished close to takeoff in Lusk Creek, catching eight keepers throughout the day. He said he weighed his fish off of one lure – a Texas-rigged green-pumpkin-magic-colored Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw with a ¼-ounce tungsten weight.
“I fished a half-mile stretch of shallow wood cover with laydowns and stumps,” said Quinlin, who notched his fourth win in BFL competition. “I pitched into 2 to 3 feet of water. The bite picked up in the late afternoon when the sun was high.”
Quinlin’s bait was rigged on 20-pound-test K9 fluorocarbon line and a 7-foot, 5-inch G. Loomis IMX heavy rod.
“I thought the winning limit would come from up near the Barkley Dam,” said Quinlin. “I had some good bites up there in practice, but I had some in Lusk as well. I decided to maximize my fishing time instead of spending three hours heading up through the lock and back. My decision to stay definitely paid off.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mike Quinlin, Mooresville, Ind., five bass, 11-13, $4,255 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Ryan Dunn, Harrisburg, Ill., five bass, 11-5, $2,028
3rd: William Walker, Mulkeytown, Ill., four bass, 11-3, $1,384
4th: Chad Diedrich, Nashville, Ill., four bass, 10-13, $760
5th: Cliff Pass, Lenzburg, Ill., five bass, 10-0, $651
6th: Darren Frazier, Anna, Ill., four bass, 9-5, $597
7th: Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 9-4, $743
8th: Greg Hirsch, Saint Jacob, Ill., five bass, 9-1, $488
9th: John Wright, Windsor, Ill., five bass, 8-12, $534
10th: Melvin Jeffords, Grantsburg, Ill., three bass, 8-8, $380
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Dunn brought a 6-pound, 8-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $400.
Aaron Arning of Walnut Hill, Illinois, and Jim Brown of Coulterville, Illinois, each caught 7 pounds, 11 ounces, of bass Saturday to tie for the win in the Co-angler Division. Brown earned $1,221 for his efforts, while Arning took home $1,321 after contingency bonuses.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., three bass, 7-11, $1,321
1st: Jim Brown, Coulterville, Ill., four bass, 7-11, $1,221
3rd: Michael McKinley, Woodlawn, Ill., two bass, 7-9, $542
4th: Mario Rossi Jr., Granite City, Ill., three bass, 7-4, $430
5th: Amanda Black, Greenup, Ill., five bass, 6-11, $326
6th: William Richno, Raymond, Ill., two bass, 6-9, $298
7th: George Osha, Steger, Ill., two bass, 6-3, $271
8th: Doug Miller, Peoria, Ill., three bass, 5-8, $244
9th: Ross Genaro, Saint Louis, Mo., one bass, 5-5, $417
10th: Todd Blakeman, Chatham, Ill., three bass, 4-12, $190
Genaro caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $200.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 25-27 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. 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.
OHIO’S WHITE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL BUCKEYE DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON OHIO RIVER AT MAYSVILLE
Aldridge Takes Co-angler Title
MAYSVILLE, Ky. (July 23, 2018) – Boater Pat White of Batavia, Ohio, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 9 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Buckeye Division tournament on the Ohio River at Maysville. For his efforts, White brought home $3,337.
White said he spent the tournament fishing the main river and in creeks near the Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam.
“I started out on the main river just trying to figure out the fish, and then headed into Big Locust Creek where I caught three keepers, including my biggest,” said White, who logged his first win in FLW competition. “I returned to the main river and caught two more keepers to finish out my limit.”
White said he caught his fish by focusing on transition areas where deep water met the flats.
“I think the fish wanted to move up on the flats, but with the boat pressure and the water fluctuation I think they were held back,” said White. “By 9 a.m. I had my limit, but the main-river bite died and the current stopped. I knew then that the fishing was going to slow down.
“I kept working my way down the river until I found a creek that I had confidence in. I found one, Big Threemile Creek, which had some boats in it. I pulled up and ran the pattern that had been working. I culled once, around 1 (p.m.), and that ended up being my second-largest fish of the day.”
White said he caught his six keepers with six different baits – a homemade jig with a Flippin’ Blue-colored Zoom Super Chunk Jr. (which caught his biggest), a homemade spinnerbait, an American Shad-colored Lucky Craft Series 1.0 crankbait, a homemade black and silver-colored crankbait, a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Brush Hog and a green-pumpkin Berkley Chigger Craw.
“We’ve had a bit of rain recently. Some of the creeks were a little stained and some were clearer, and I had baits laid out for both,” said White. “The river changes every day. The water fluctuates and the current comes and goes. You’ve just got to trust your gut out there.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Pat White, Batavia, Ohio, five bass, 9-1, $3,337
2nd: John Viox, Hebron, Ky., five bass, 8-5, $1,968
3rd: Bob Robinson, Lebanon, Ohio, five bass, 7-2, $1,112
4th: Mark Dove, North Vernon, Ind., five bass, 6-15, $779
5th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 6-14, $667
6th: Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., five bass, 6-11, $612
7th: Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 6-8, $756
8th: Josh Smith, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 6-4, $501
9th: Dennis Magoto, Waynesville, Ohio, five bass, 6-3, $545
10th: Dan Fry, Marysville, Ohio, four bass, 6-1, $389
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Steve Hengehold of Cincinnati, Ohio, brought a 2-pound, 13-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $410.
Frank Aldridge of Wheelersburg, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and $1,668 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 6 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Frank Aldridge, Wheelersburg, Ohio, five bass, 6-9, $1,668
2nd: Aaron Stahley, Batavia, Ohio, four bass, 5-14, $1,034
3rd: Jeff Gauspohl, Dayton, Ky., three bass, 5-4, $626
4th: Raymond Olberding, Batavia, Ohio, three bass, 5-0, $389
5th: Austin Thome, Oxford, Ohio, three bass, 4-15, $334
6th: Brent Wilkens, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 4-7, $342
6th: Mark Henderson, Martinsville, Ohio, two bass, 4-7, $292
8th: Mike Jones, Okeana, Ohio, three bass, 4-4, $250
9th: Clint Brodsky, Burlington, Ky., three bass, 4-2, $222
10th: Howard Smith, Hamilton, Ohio, two bass, 3-13, $263
Smith caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 2 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $68.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.
Wallen grabs $10,000 Purse in Kayak Bass Fishing's KBF Midwest Open out of LaCrosse, Wisconsin!
Congrats to Jay Wallen on winning the KBF Midwest OPEN Presented by Explore La Crosse and taking home $10,000.
Jay topped a filled stacked with some of the best anglers in the country and won the event after coming close with a second place win in the KBF Southeast OPEN on Santee Cooper.
Jay Carter Wins Stockton ABA Tournament
Only two 5-fish limits came to the scales in American Bass Anglers Stockton Lake D126 tournament Saturday, July 21. But the winner weighed only three fish for 11.46 lbs, which included Big Bass that topped the scales at 6.03 lbs. Before he took them out of the bag, he was asked if he had any big ones. His reply was, “One big, one medium and one small.” And that was a good description of his catch. Second place went to Byron Maze with a 5-fish limit that weighed 9.67; 3rd place winner was Justin Delk with the other limit weighing 9.53 lbs.
The next tournament for this circuit is the D126 2-day Championship scheduled for August 11-12, 2018 using Old State Park as launch site. Anglers must qualify for this Championship by fishing four (4) 1-day ABA tournaments in any of the ABA Divisions. D126 Angler of the Year will be decided at the end of the 2-day. A short awards presentation will take place at the end of Day 2 weigh-in. Cash and several prizes as well as plaques will be presented to the anglers. Watch FB posts for specific weigh-in times. Area sponsors including Pete’s, the Outboard Doctor, Albers Marine, Legacy Farm & Lawn, Ken’s Kafe and our newest sponsor, “That’s A Good Fish” provide the cash and prizes.
Next stop for these anglers is a National Championship scheduled for October 21-26 on Hartwell Lake in South Carolina. The winner of that 3-day tournament will bring home a fully rigged Triton TR21. A host of other cash and prizes will be given away at the event.
WABASHA SET TO HOST YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING EVENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER PRESENTED BY COSTA
Courtesy of FLW
WABASHA, Minn. (July 17, 2018) – YETI FLW College Fishing will continue the 2018 fishing season with an event July 28 on the Mississippi River in Wabasha presented by Costa. The tournament, hosted by the Wabasha-Kellogg Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the second of three regular-season events for anglers in the Central Conference, and will feature a top prize of a $2,000 club scholarship and an invitation to compete in the 2019 College Fishing National Championship.
“This is going to be a really fun event for the college anglers,” said FLW Tour pro Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a two-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier. “Pool No. 4 is loaded with fish – just as much as La Crosse and Prairie du Chien – and they aren’t nearly as pressured. I expect that the majority of the fish weighed in this event will be largemouth.”
Although the anglers will be launching in Pool No. 4, the teams are allowed to lock up or down one pool. Felix said that he expects that most teams will be heading south.
“The majority of the field will be fishing below Lake Pepin on Pools 4 and 5,” Felix said. “The fish will be pulling out near the main river, but still in the grass. Carolina rigs, frogs and swimjigs will all be good bets. About 90-percent of what I throw in the river is black- or white-colored, but if the water clarity is very clear then green pumpkin with chartreuse tails will be productive, too.
“The bass on the river are extremely aggressive, so if you’re not getting bites than you need to keep moving,” he continued. “Cover a lot of water, and don’t spend too much time in one area looking for them if they’re not biting.”
Felix went on to predict that the tournament winners would bring a limit weighing 17 to 19 pounds to the scale.
Competitors will take off from the Wabasha City Ramp at Izaak Walton Park, located at 707 4th St. W., in Wabasha, at 7:30 a.m. CDT Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the Park beginning at 2:30 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at CollegeFishing.com.
Schools currently registered to compete in the Mississippi River tournament include:
Bemidji State University – Austin Mau and Isaac Johnson, both of Bemidji, Minn.
Bemidji State University – Ben Donnelly, Woodbury, Minn., and Benjamin Johnson, Bemidji, Minn.
Bemidji State University – Lincoln Horsman, Wabasha, Minn., and Travis Rotzien, Bemidji, Minn.
Bemidji State University – Mitchell Swanson and Thor Swanson, both of Blaine, Minn.
Campbellsville University – Adam Carman, Berea, Ky., and Hunter Adams, Campbellsville, Ky.
Campbellsville University – Gavin Barnes and Ezra Oliver, both of Campbellsville, Ky.
Central College – Cameron Timok, Glen Allen, Va., and Dillon Peters, Urbandale, Iowa
Greenville University – Christopher Brooks, Greenville, Ill., and Cordell Beckmann, Breese, Ill.
Greenville University – Ricky Huge, Carlyle, Ill., and Evan Seggerman, Minonk, Ill.
Illinois State University – Tyler Rocke, Peoria, Ill., and Justin Schick, Morton, Ill.
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne – Kyle Mast, Millersburg, Ind., and Austin Lutz, Syracuse, Ind.
Iowa State University – Pat Morrison, Omaha, Neb., and Matt Blair, Ames, Iowa
Lewis University – Joe Skvarla, Tinley Park, Ill., and Zachary Spesia, Coal City, Ill.
McKendree University – Trevor McKinney, Benton, Ill., and Curtis Lilly, Sterling, Ill.
McKendree University – Shane Campbell, Highland, Ill., and Ethan Jones, Worden, Ill.
McKendree University – Jacob Louis, Pinckneyville, Ill., and Nathan Doty, Decatur, Ill.
Missouri State University – Robert Moody, Purdy, Mo., and Matt Fielder, High Ridge, Mo.
Northwest Missouri State University – Blake Charboneau, Desloge, Mo., and Nathan Itao, Platte City, Mo.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville – Bryce Peters, Camp Point, Ill., and Matt Fors, Batavia, Ill.
St. Ambrose University – Tanner Atkinson, Camanche, Iowa, and Anna Kvidera, Dysart, Iowa
St. Cloud State University – Aidan Hansen, St. Cloud, Minn., and Mitchell Evans, Albert Lea, Minn.
St. Cloud State University – Taylor Mazur, Maplewood, Minn., and Dallas Pearson, Milaca, Minn.
University of Nebraska – Charlie Deshazer, Fremont, Neb., and Jonah Blackburn, Lincoln, Neb.
University of North Dakota – Zachery Oldre, Lakeville, Minn., and Noah Levesseur, Prior Lake, Minn.
University of Wisconsin – Alexander Lemke, Green Bay, Wis., and Dylan Peckham, Lodi, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay – Connor Kupsh, De Pere, Wis., and Matthew Murphy, Hastings, Minn.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse – Brady Fernette, Prairie du Chien, Wis., and Kilian Boland, Gays Mills, WIs.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Alec Garrison, Winthrop Harbor, Ill., and Zach Clisch, Reedsburg, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Blake Lawston and Jonathan Koenen, both of Rushford, Minn.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Jayden Schmitz and Dakota Koepp, both of Pewaukee, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Brad Hamilton and Gavin Clayton, both of Palatine, Ill.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Reed Fredrick, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., and Nick Dagel, Round Lake Beach, Ill.
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater – Ross Phelps, Edgerton, Wis., and Collin Cropp, Janesville, Wis.
Winona State University – Mason Garin, Spring Valley, Wis., and Aric Avestruz, River Falls, Wis.
Winona State University – Tyler Berg, Rushford, Minn., and Patrick Andrade, Winona, Minn.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats. The location of the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship will be revealed in early fall.
YETI FLW College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Bethel’s Enders And Huff Hang On To Win College Bass National Championship
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Bethel University Holds Onto Lead In Bassmaster College Series National Championship
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Tidal River Bass Will Play At Upper Chesapeake Bay Bassmaster Elite
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Bethel Pair Takes Lead At Bassmaster College Series National Championship
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One bass, two bags of Ice, and a great attitude
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin
Ben Seaman and Tyler Robinson left what are arguably the two greatest summer bass fisheries in America, The St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain, to drive 26 hours to hot, humid, and gorgeous Lake Tenkiller for a chance to compete against student anglers from 77 other universities at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship.
And so far, after three brutally tough days of practice, they’ve only caught one keeper-sized bass from this Eastern Oklahoma fishery.
But don’t feel bad for them. This highly likeable team from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY floated in the pre-dawn darkness before the start of the first day of competition with two bags of ice to keep their livewell water nice and cool, and a boatload of laughs and great attitude.
“Be honest with us, are we the best looking guys out here?” laughed Seaman an engineering major.
“No really, we’re thrilled to be here. We love talking to all the other college anglers. They’re such great guys, and Carhartt has been so awesome,” he smiled. “They gave us free shirts and shorts at the banquet last night, and they do so much to organize a great event. We can’t wait to go home and tell people how well Carhartt, B.A.S.S., and all of the sponsors treated us.”
But before they make the 26 hour drive back home with Seaman’s dad, Murray, a recently retired engineer who gladly helps with everything from the long drive to packing their lunch, Ben and Tyler have to figure out Tenkiller’s super stingy summertime bass from water temperatures higher than they’ve ever seen.
“There’s no doubt the 90-degree water here has us mentally spun-out just a bit,” says Seaman. “This water is literally 22 degrees warmer than what we left behind at Champlain and the St. Lawrence. We’ve never seen water this warm in our lives. Plus, we’re used to fishing around big underwater boulders surrounded by milfoil, but there’s not any vegetation at all here on Tenkiller.”
The two are fishing fanatics who spend countless hours dropping Gajo soft plastics on the heads of super-sized St. Lawrence smallmouth with tremendous success, but here at Tenkiller, a ¾ ounce Strike King structure jig generated their only bite in practice.
“We’re going to start the day with the only thing we’ve had any success with so far – dragging that heavy jig in 25 feet of water,” says Seaman.
They’ll also start the day by keeping plenty of ice handy to keep their livewell water cool with optimistic hopes of catching more than they have so far in practice.
But, no matter what today or the rest of this National Championship brings forth for Seaman and Robinson at the weigh-in, they’ve already caught proper perspective and a winning attitude that will happily carry them 26 hours back home, and even further in life.
John Garrett and Jacob Foutz preview College Championship
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin
John Garrett and Jacob Foutz both know the thrill of qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic through the college ranks, and they’re both at Lake Tenkiller in Eastern Oklahoma’s sweltering heat this week working hard for the chance to go back to the Classic by performing well at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.
They graciously took time to answer a few questions on the eve of Day 1 of competition that begins early Thursday morning.
Q:Water surface temps are 90 degrees; will this tournament be won in more or less than 20 feet of water?
Garrett:I’ll say less than 20 feet.
Foutz:Less than 20 feet.
Q: Name three lures that will be popular among the 136 teams competing on Lake Tenkiller this week.
Garrett:Topwater walking lure, Carolina Rig, and a football jig.
Foutz:Shaky Head, football jig, and a deep crankbait like a Strike King 6XD
Q: How much weight will a team need to average each day to make the Top 12 cut on the final day?
Garrett:9 pounds per day
Foutz: 10 pounds per day
Q: What do you like best about Lake Tenkiller?
Garrett:I know there a lot of quality fish that live here, even though I’ve only caught five keepers in 3 days of practice.
Foutz:Diversity of habitat and water color, you can fish anything from dingy water up the river, to really clear water by the dam, and there’s everything from rocky shorelines to tons of brushpiles to cast to.
Q: What’s the best thing about participating in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series?
Garrett:Friends, fellowship, and all the good times we share.
Foutz:All the cool people, and all the friends you make with other college anglers.
AC Insider Podcast with FLW Pro Jordan Osborne & PR Director Joe Opager
This week the boys are still recovering from ICAST and catch up with FLW Tour Pro Jordan Osborne as he prepares to fish his first FLW Cup. We also dial up FLW PR Director Joe Opager and Talk 2019 Schedule, no more Co's and the upcoming Cup. Jason preps for his family vacation and CB just needs to get a few things off his chest. All of this and more on the AnglersChannel Insider Podcast!
Triple Digit Heat and Stingy Fishing at College Championship
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Heavy clouds and air temps in the low 80s at Lake Tenkiller were a welcomed reprieve from a sweaty week thus far on the clear water mountainous reservoir that’s been very stingy to give up 5-bass limits for most teams during practice for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Two of the talented young anglers that are feeling the approaching 100-degree heat and a lack of bites are Josh Bean and Caden Watson, who piloted their Toyota Tundra 12 hours from Tennessee Tech, where Bean is studying wildlife and fisheries, and Watson is a civil engineering major.
“We’ve talked to 20 or 30 other teams, and they all say it’s a grind. Not one of those teams told us they were able to catch a limit of bass during any of the practice days so far,” says Bean.
Bean and Watson’s struggles certainly aren’t a result of not working hard, or exploring just about every depth and logical mid-summer lure in the boat.
“We’ve fished from 5 to 60’ feet deep, and thrown everything from football jigs, to Whopper Ploppers, flutter spoons, swimbaits, and a big worm, and still haven’t caught a limit of bass,” says Watson.
No strangers to deep, rocky, relatively clear water reservoirs, the two qualified for this week’s Carhartt Bassmaster National Championship by catching their fish on a drop shot at Cherokee Lake near the Smokey Mountains in East Tennessee.
“Surprisingly, we actually caught more fish yesterday when it was sunny, than we did today under the clouds. Typically, you’d expect just the opposite on a clear water reservoir, but I think the fish roam more to chase bait here under these clouds,” says Watson.
If sunshine will help the bite, Watson and Bean can count on their catch rates to improve. Forecasts are calling for temps of 100, 104, and 100 the next three days on Lake Tenkiller, with hardly any clouds and light winds.
That’s a recipe that typically means you better catch ‘em really early in the morning, have plenty of ice in your livewells and boat cooler, lots of water to drink, and a mental focus as rock solid as Tenkiller’s shoreline to do well in this particular college derby.
Certainly, if practice is any indication, this one’s gonna be a smokin’ hot grind for the 136 talented teams from 78 different colleges and universities that are in Eastern Oklahoma working hard and pursuing their passion in triple digit heat.
LAKE ERIE SET FOR COSTA FLW SERIES NORTHERN DIVISION EVENT PRESENTED BY POLARIS
BUFFALO, N.Y. (July 18, 2018) – Lake Erie and the city of Buffalo is set to host as many as 350 boaters and co-anglers July 26-28 for the Costa FLW Series Northern Division event at Lake Erie presented by Polaris. Hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission, the three-day bass-fishing tournament will feature a top prize of up to $85,000, including a brand new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard engine.
“The fishing, from what I hear, is very good right now. There are fish everywhere on the eastern part of Lake Erie,” said FLW Tour pro Chris Johnston, of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, the 2017 FLW Series Northern Division Angler of the Year. “It’s one of the best fisheries in the world in terms of the number of 3- to 4-pound smallmouth.
“I think we’re going to see a fifty-fifty split of people fishing the Canadian and the U.S. side of the lake,” Johnston continued. “The highest concentration of boats should be from Buffalo out to the Myers Reef area [on the U.S. side] and across. There’s so many fish in that area that if someone gets on the right ones, the tournament could definitely be won there. Some boaters may run farther, but it’s a little more of a gamble.”
Johnston said that the majority of bigger fish will be found anywhere from 20 to 45 feet of water, and that standard deep-water tactics will be in play.
“The number one bait out there is still a tube,” said Johnston. “People are going to be drifting with the wind and dragging tubes. Soft-plastics on drop-shot rigs are going to be good as well.”
Johnston predicted it would take around 23 pounds a day – a three-day cumulative of 68 to 69 pounds of bass to win.
“I think we’ll see a lot of weights from 21 to 23 pounds, but staying consistent each day will be the challenge,” said Johnston. “You can catch them one day and they’ll leave the next, or they just won’t bite like they did on day one.”
Anglers will take off from Safe Harbor Marina, located at 1111 Fuhrmann Blvd., in Buffalo, at 6 a.m. EDT each day. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also take place at Safe Harbor Marina, and will begin at 2 p.m. each day. Saturday’s final weigh-in will take place at Cabela's, located at 2003 Walden Ave., in Cheektowaga, New York, and will begin at 3 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 Lake Erie, pros will fish for a top prize of up to $85,000, 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 Me rcury 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.
NORTH CAROLINA’S WALTERS WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL PIEDMONT DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON JAMES RIVER
Co-angler Title Goes to Danville’s Howerton
HENRICO, Va. (July 16, 2018) – Boater Todd Walters of Kernersville, North Carolina, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Piedmont Division tournament on the James River. For his efforts, Walters pocketed $3,592.
“I don’t have much experience on tidal fisheries, but I have a couple of travel partners that live there, so they helped me out a lot,” said Walters, who earned his fifth win in FLW competition. “I also got some practice in two weeks ago when the tide was at the same level.”
Following a 1-hour morning fog delay, Walters said he headed 20 miles east of takeoff to target bass in the backwaters of Herrin and Cowell creeks. He said he caught fish anywhere from 3- to 10-feet deep on a 7-inch black and blue flake-colored Culprit Fat Max Worm, a shad-colored Rapala DT6 crankbait and a 6-inch Morning Dawn-colored Roboworm Straight Tail Worm on a drop-shot rig.
“I targeted any type of wood cover – mainly laydowns – and a few different brush piles. I fished very slowly. It was hot and there wasn’t any wind,” said Walters. “The tide wasn’t moving much when I caught most of my fish. I had to be quiet and make long casts – that’s why I picked up the drop-shot so I could cast farther and keep the bait in front of the fish longer. I think that was key for me.”
Walters said he ended up putting a dozen keepers in the boat by the end of the event.
“I needed this win. I’m hoping I can carry this momentum into the (Costa FLW Series) event on Lake Erie next week. Buffalo, New York, is my hometown and it’d be great to do well.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Todd Walters, Kernersville, N.C., five bass, 16-5, $3,592
2nd: Frank Poirier, North Prince George, Va., five bass, 14-8, $1,796
3rd: Doug Dulin, Apex, N.C., three bass, 14-2, $1,479
3rd: Todd Harris, Clemmons, N.C., four bass, 14-2, $1,219
5th: Ben Jacobi, Richmond, Va., five bass, 13-9, $718
6th: Tommy Little, Chester, Va., five bass, 13-5, $629
6th: Chris Daves, Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 13-5, $629
8th: K.C. Choosakul, Sandford, N.C., five bass, 13-4, $539
9th: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., five bass, 13-2, $579
10th: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 12-11, $419
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Dulin brought a 7-pound, 8-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $460.
James Howerton of Danville, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $2,026 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: James Howerton, Danville, Va., five bass, 13-11, $2,026
2nd: Wayne Smelser, Rural Retreat, Va., five bass, 12-2, $1,098
3rd: Greg Fox, Hudson, N.C., five bass, 11-13, $648
4th: Jesse Jodon, Windber, Pa., five bass, 10-15, $419
5th: Todd Greenwood, Chesterfield, Va., five bass, 10-6, $359
6th: Chris Whittaker, Waverly, Va., five bass, 9-13, $329
7th: Steven Jacobs, Sandford, N.C., five bass, 9-12, $299
8th: Ben Dacey, Chesterfield, Va., three bass, 9-9, $269
9th: Scott Spencer, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 9-6, $224
9th: Dave Robinson, Ford City, Pa., four bass, 9-6, $224
Howerton also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $230.
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 Lakes Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. 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.
MANDES WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL NORTHEAST DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON ONEIDA LAKE
Co-angler Title Goes to Pennsylvania’s Bahnweg
BREWERTON, N.Y. (July 16, 2018) – Boater Jeff Mandes of Smyrna, Delaware, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Northeast Division tournament on Oneida Lake Saturday with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 2 ounces. Mandes pocketed $6,996 for his win.
Mandes caught his fish from a large section of grass in Maple Bay, a location he ended up committing to due to motor trim issues.
“I couldn’t trim my motor up when I got to the ramp. I’m not sure how it happened, but it started working by the time we launched and I made it through boat check,” said Mandes, who notched his first win in FLW competition. “Normally I’d move around more, but I was afraid the trim would quit working."
Mandes made the most of his predicament, figuring out that the fish were in a certain, smaller area about half the size of the general location he fished. He said he kept going around and through it to pick them off.
“When I went beyond it, I couldn’t get a bite. It all looked the same, but they were in a certain section,” said Mandes.
Mandes said he started out with a topwater bait, but didn’t have any luck. After 20 minutes or so, he picked up a green-pumpkin-colored Big Mouth Lures swimjig with a custom-colored skirt and an Okeechobee Craw-colored Netbait Paca Craw trailer and went to work.
“I caught a good one on my third cast with the swimjig, so that’s what I stuck with. I also caught some on a black Texas-rigged (Yamamoto) Senko with a belly-weighted hook,” said Mandes. “When the wind died down and it got slick-calm, the Senko worked well, but when there was a ripple in the water, the swimjig did better.”
By noon, Mandes said he had approximately 18 pounds of bass.
“I culled one more time and around 12:30 (p.m.) I ran closer to the ramp to fish and finish out my day,” said Mandes. “Overall, I caught between 15 and 18 keepers throughout the day.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jeff Mandes, Smyrna, Del., five bass, 19-2, $4,996 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Mike Shumanis, Bethlehem, Pa., five bass, 18-0, $3,113
3rd: Grae Buck, Harleysville, Pa., five bass, 17-7, $1,695
4th: Joe Wolter, Rochester, N.Y., five bass, 16-15, $1,119
5th: Shawn Flynn, Dexter, N.Y., five bass, 16-7, $959
6th: Chris Caravan, Pottsville, Pa., five bass, 16-5, $879
7th: Ed Casey, Whiteford, Md., five bass, 16-0, $799
8th: Robert Polishan, Wilkes Barre, Pa., five bass, 15-14, $719
9th: Cody Cutter, Harveys Lake, Pa., five bass, 15-11, $639
10th: Rick Anderson, Dover, Pa., five bass, 15-10, $560
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Shumanis brought a 5-pound, 8-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $715.
Michael Bahnweg of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, won the Co-angler Division and $2,398 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., five bass, 15-13, $2,398
2nd: Christian Snyder, Oswego, N.Y., five bass, 15-5, $1,199
3rd: Thomas Bartholomew, Palmerton, Pa., five bass, 14-12, $995
4th: Jonathan Ruch, Jersey City, N.J., five bass, 14-10, $560
5th: Steve Houseknecht, Freeville, N.Y., five bass, 14-8, $480
6th: Terry Beck, Lock Haven, Pa., five bass, 14-6, $440
7th: Brian Wisniewski, Sayerville, N.J., five bass, 14-1, $400
8th: David Compton Jr., Mount Bethel, Pa., four bass, 13-12, $360
9th: Mike Stahl, Mifflinburg, Pa., five bass, 13-11, $300
9th: Ron Dopko, Plymouth, Pa., five bass, 13-11, $300
Michael Saganich Sr. of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 4 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $357.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.
WAGNER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL MICHIGAN DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON LAKE ST. CLAIR PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Plainwell’s Mitchell Takes Co-angler Title
HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (July 16, 2018) – Boater Heath Wagner of Angola, Indiana, caught a five-bass limit Saturday weighing 28 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament on Lake St. Clair. For his efforts, Wagner earned $5,731.
“I fished the Belle River hump area of Lake St. Clair. It’s close to the same area where some of the FLW Tour event leaders fished,” said Wagner, who earned his fifth career win in BFL competition. “The area was about one square mile in size, and had a mega school of fish.
“A couple of the spots in the area attracted around 50 other competitors, but I didn’t start near any of them,” Wagner continued. “When I started, the closest person to me was about a half-mile away. I was between fish that were on the outskirts of the school and the school itself. I roamed the flat looking for a certain type of bottom – a big sandy spot with shells. I could see down there, even in 18 feet of water. As soon as I found where I needed to be, I hit the Spot Lock [on my Minnkota Ultrex trolling motor].”
Wagner said every fish he weighed came from some type of Z-Man ElaZtech lures on a drop-shot rig. He noted that green-pumpkin-goby colors did well.
“I had four areas that were similar and I basically just circled them. I’d catch three to 20 fish in a location and kind of wear it out before moving on to the next one. There was a stretch where I caught 20 fish in a row between 4½ and 5 pounds, but didn’t even weigh any of them – it was pretty ridiculous.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Heath Wagner, Angola, Ind., five bass, 28-15, $5,731
2nd: Dan Mittlestat, Woodhaven, Mich., five bass, 24-9, $2,403
3rd: Kyle Greene, Ortonville, Mich., five bass, 24-6, $1,705
4th: David Reault, Livonia, Mich., five bass, 23-4, $1,121
5th: John Devries, Fishers, Ind., five bass, 23-2, $961
6th: Joshua Barr, Stow, Ohio, five bass, 22-13, $881
7th: Codea McCathran, Mansfield, Ohio, five bass, 22-9, $801
8th: Clayton Reitz, Morton, Ill., five bass, 22-8, $721
9th: Alex Newman, Wapakoneta, Ohio, five bass, 21-12, $641
10th: Ronald Nutter, Saint Louisville, Ohio, five bass, 21-10, $561
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Wagner also brought a 6-pound, 3-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $725.
Tony Mitchell of Plainwell, Michigan, won the Co-angler Division and $2,816 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 22 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Tony Mitchell, Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 22-15, $2,816
2nd: Ken Ramsey, Cassopolis, Mich., five bass, 22-5, $1,182
3rd: Andrew Vadnais, Saint Clair Shores, Mich., five bass, 21-11, $788
4th: Matthew Esparza, Green Springs, Ohio, five bass, 21-9, $552
5th: Arthur Teper, Lake Orion, Mich., five bass, 21-7, $473
6th: Steven Rowswell, Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada, five bass, 20-9, $433
7th: Randy Westerfield, Constantine, Mich., five bass, 20-2, $394
8th: Harbor Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, five bass, 20-1, $405
9th: Jorji Itoh, Beverly Hills, Mich., five bass, 19-11, $315
10th: Robert Hernandez, Canton, Mich., five bass, 19-10, $276
Mitchell also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $352.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 18-20 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.
SUGGS WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL LBL DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON KENTUCKY AND BARKLEY LAKES
Murray’s Bucy Earns Co-angler Title
CADIZ, Ky. (July 16, 2018) – Boater Andrew Suggs of Cunningham, Tennessee, caught five bass weighing 24 pounds, 6 ounces, to win Saturday’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) LBL Division tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. For his win, Suggs took home $3,945.
Suggs said he fished the mid-section of Lake Barkley, catching every fish he weighed on a ½-ounce black and blue-colored Strike King Denny Brauer Structure Jig with a Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer of the same color.
“I found some areas a few weeks ago with my Lowrance unit using the Structure Scan feature and found isolated brush piles on the tops of ledges,” said Suggs, who earned his first career win in FLW competition. “I fished ledges all day and the brush piles produced my biggest fish. I didn’t really catch many fish from one single area. I had to move around from ledge to ledge.
“It started out slow. I didn’t have a limit until almost 1 p.m.,” Suggs continued. “I think when the sun got up it concentrated them closer to the brush piles and that’s why they produced.”
Suggs caught the largest fish of the event – a 6-pound, 3-ouncer – around 11:30 a.m.
“I ended up catching seven keepers total, culling twice in the last hour,” said Suggs.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Andrew Suggs, Cunningham, Tenn., five bass, 24-6, $3,945
2nd: Thomas Sandefur , Kuttawa, Ky., five bass, 20-3, $1,753
3rd: Joe White, Princeton, Ky., five bass, 18-1, $1,169
4th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 16-7, $1,018
5th: Tommy Williams, Shepherdsville, Ky., five bass, 14-3, $701
6th: Cody Santel, Benton, Ky., five bass, 14-0, $643
7th: Daniel Langton, Haubstadt, Ind., four bass, 12-15, $584
8th: Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 10-15, $896
8th: John Hopkins, Hendersonville, Tenn., three bass, 10-15, $596
10th: Phillip Brinegar, Lexington, Ky., three bass, 10-10, $409
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Suggs’ 6-pound, 3-ounce bass also earned him the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $440.
Kenneth Bucy of Murray, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $1,773 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 14 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Kenneth Bucy, Murray, Ky., four bass, 14-9, $1,773
2nd: Ryan Kirkpatrick, Benton, Ky., three bass, 10-14, $986
3rd: Douglas Salzman, Newburgh, Ind., three bass, 9-15, $591
4th: Nathan Steele, Benton, Ky., three bass, 8-12, $414
5th: Dick Brown, Smithland, Ky., three bass, 8-8, $355
6th: Daniel Pope Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, four bass, 7-13, $325
7th: Paul McBride, Vienna, Ill., three bass, 7-8, $295
8th: Greg Adams, Mayfield, Ky., two bass, 7-5, $266
9th: Kristin Knuteson, Mount Washington, Ky., three bass, 7-2, $236
10th: Dean Dearwester, Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 7-0, $207
Nathan Eubank of Mountain Vernon, Indiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $222.
The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) LBL Division tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes was hosted by the Cadiz-Trigg County Tourism Commission.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 25-27 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. 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.
RAINBOW CITY’S BROWN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL BAMA DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON LAKE NEELY HENRY
Florida’s Garrett Takes Co-angler Title
GADSDEN, Ala. (July 16, 2018) – Boater Adam Brown of Rainbow City, Alabama, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 17 pounds even to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bama Division tournament on Lake Neely Henry. For his efforts, Brown pocketed $3,917.
Brown said he spent his day fishing the backs of three creeks in the mid-river area, including Big Wills Creek.
“I didn’t do well until the sun got up around 10 a.m. and the fish started holding tight to cover, then I was able to target them better,” said Brown, who logged his first win in FLW competition. “I fished stumps, bushes – basically any type of cover that was back there. Almost every fish I caught came from 2 feet or less of water.”
Brown’s primary bait was a white Stan Sloan’s The Aggravator long-arm spinnerbait with No. 5 willow leaf blades and a trailer hook. He said he followed it up with a 3/8-ounce black and blue-colored Bo’s jig with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. trailer of the same color. By the end of the day, Brown said he caught around 15 keepers.
“I ran the spinnerbait across the stumps and then pitched the jig,” said Brown. “I had to fish slow and steady. I hit each creek at least twice, and as far as the big fish go, I caught about two from each creek.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Adam Brown, Rainbow City, Ala., five bass, 17-0, $3,917
2nd: Kyle Dorsett, Odenville, Ala., five bass, 16-11, $2,478
3rd: Johnathan Stuckey, Tallassee, Ala., five bass, 16-1, $1,507
4th: Bradley Jones, Aragon, Ga., five bass, 15-10, $1,014
5th: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., five bass, 14-13, $783
6th: Andy Kilgore, Kingston, Ga., five bass, 14-10, $718
7th: Allen Yarborough, Birmingham, Ala., five bass, 13-9, $620
7th: Terry Tucker, Gadsden, Ala., five bass, 13-9, $620
9th: Josh Bragg, Jacksonville, Ala., five bass, 13-5, $522
10th: Hunter Hayes, Rainbow City, Ala., five bass, 12-14, $457
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Dorsett brought a 5-pound, 14-ounce, bass to the scale – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $520.
Mike Garrett of Pensacola, Florida, won the Co-angler Division and $1,958 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Mike Garrett, Pensacola, Fla., five bass, 12-1, $1,958
2nd: Matthew O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., five bass, 10-5, $1,179
3rd: Jacob Robinson, Temple, Ga., five bass, 9-14, $703
4th: Chris Hawkins, Adger, Ala., five bass, 9-7, $684
4th: Chris Harcrow, Dawson, Al a., three bass, 9-7, $424
6th: Wayne Kilgore, Attalla, Ala., four bass, 9-1, $359
7th: Sam McLean, LaGrange, Ga., five bass, 8-15, $326
8th: Tanner Ellison, Jemison, Ala., four bass, 8-12, $294
9th: Radney Atchison, Prattville, Ala., five bass, 8-11, $261
10th: Larry McNeil, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 8-8, $228
Hawkins caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $260.
The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bama Division tournament on Lake Neely Henry was hosted by the City of Gadsden.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 11-13 BFL Regional Championship on the St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.
CLINTON’S LANKFORD WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL OZARK DIVISION TOURNAMENT ON LAKE TRUMAN
Ballwin’s Meyer Takes Co-angler Title
WARSAW, Mo. (July 16, 2018) – Boater Darin Lankford of Clinton, Missouri, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 19 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division tournament on Lake Truman. For his efforts, Lankford netted $4,553.
“I casted a square-billed crankbait up into shallower water in the Grand River arm of the lake,” said Lankford, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “I caught fish in four different locations, but they looked similar. I really keyed in on main-lake flats that had any kind of underwater point and looked for bigger stumps with more roots.”
Lankford said he used a large Dave’s Custom Baits Black Market Balsa crankbait with a chartreuse-pattern color scheme on 20-pound-test monofilament line to catch his fish.
“I threw the same bait all day. I had to burn it and hit the stumps and cause the reaction bite,” said Lankford. “I barely had them hooked – every one of them was on the back hook.
“I actually fished the same locations earlier in the week with jigs, but I think the front and a little cloud cover moved them shallower, so I switched to a crankbait,” continued Lankford. “I used the heavier line to get the fish out of the stumps. It was also a little more buoyant so the bait didn’t dive so deep.”
Lankford said he ended up catching six keepers during the tournament.
“It was a typical day of fishing on Lake Truman,” said Lankford. “When it gets hot they get a little shallower, I’m not sure why, but that’s what they do.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Darin Lankford, Clinton, Mo., five bass, 19-5, $4,553
2nd: Tom Alsop, Overland Park, Kan., five bass, 15-11, $1,977
3rd: Brock Reinkemeyer, Lone Jack, Mo., five bass, 14-10, $1,185
4th: Matt King, Olathe, Kan., five bass, 13-12, $929
5th: Mike Barnes, Mackinaw, Ill., five bass, 12-11, $1,011
6th: Eric Poindexter, Eufaula, Okla., five bass, 11-7, $651
7th: David McCormick, Lees Summit, Mo., five bass, 11-5, $592
8th: Stan Tucker, Festus, Mo., three bass, 11-3, $533
9th: Marcus Sykora, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 11-2, $444
9th: Mark Tucker, Kirkwood, Mo., three bass, 11-2, $444
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Thomas Rallo of Springfield, Missouri, 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 $455.
Dennis Meyer of Ballwin, Missouri, won the Co-angler Division and $2,204 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Dennis Meyer, Ballwin, Mo., four bass, 12-10, $2,204
2nd: Kelly Nunn, Urbana, Mo., five bass, 12-9, $888
3rd: Larry Rothweil, Saint Charles, Mo., five bass, 12-7, $592
4th: Gary Martin, Gladstone, Mo., four bass, 10-15, $415
5th: Kyle Anderson, Foley, Mo., four bass, 8-5, $355
6th: Cullen Baxter, Columbia, Mo., three bass, 6-12, $376
7th: Joseph Lay, Gardner, Kan., two bass, 6-8, $296
8th: Spencer Clark, Maryland Heights, Mo., two bass, 6-3, $267
9th: Trey Schroeder, Crestwood, Mo., three bass, 5-12, $237
10th: Carl Breeden, Valley Park, Mo., two bass, 5-5, $207
Meyer also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division weighing in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $227.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 18-20 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.
The 2018 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. 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.