Lambert leads Costa FLW Series after wet, windy Day 2 on Okeechobee
Windy and wet was the order of the day on Okeechobee as anglers fought the weather, the fish and each other during the first Costa FLW Series tournament of 2016.
Jason Lambert of Pickwick Dam, Tenn. captured the lead with one day of competition left to go. Consistency has been the formula for success. Lambert brought-in another mid-teens bag today to run his total weight to 32 pounds-even.
In many past FLW events 32 pounds would be considered just a good single-day weight on the ‘Big O’. This year it’s enough to put Lambert more than a pound ahead of Florida standout and Tour veteran Glenn Browne.
It took 26-11to make the cut, a position held by local stick Justin Morgan. Morgan needed his local knowledge as he did not get to practice (he was on the waiting list until Tuesday). Add to that the fact that his trolling motor batteries died at 10:30 AM on Day 1 and he should be stoked just to have a crack at this thing going into the last day.
Heck, even Morgan - in 10th place - is only an Okeechobee kicker fish away from the top of the leaderboard.
The top 10 pros will compete in tomorrow’s finale. The rest of the field has been eliminated. Here is the Top 10:
1 JASON LAMBERT PICKWICK DAM, TN 16 - 9 (5) 15 - 7 (5) 32 - 0 (10) 32 - 0 (10)
2 GLENN BROWNE OCALA, FL 16 - 4 (5) 14 - 11 (5) 30 - 15 (10) 30 - 15 (10)
3 BRYAN HONNERLAW MOORE HAVEN, FL 16 - 2 (5) 13 - 12 (5) 29 - 14 (10) 29 - 14 (10)
4 STEVE BOOGIE BROWN ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL 13 - 12 (5) 15 - 11 (5) 29 - 7 (10) 29 - 7 (10)
5 JOSEPH KREMER OSTEEN, FL 17 - 3 (5) 10 - 14 (5) 28 - 1 (10) 28 - 1 (10)
6 PAT FISHER COLBERT, GA 11 - 6 (5) 16 - 2 (5) 27 - 8 (10) 27 - 8 (10)
7 PETER CHERKAS DES MOINES, IA 20 - 0 (5) 7 - 2 (5) 27 - 2 (10) 27 - 2 (10)
8 JIMMY BREWER MARSHALL, TX 9 - 4 (5) 17 - 9 (5) 26 - 13 (10) 26 - 13 (10)
9 COLE BAILEY THAMESFORD, ON 5 - 11 (3) 21 - 0 (5) 26 - 11 (8) 26 - 11 (8)
10 JUSTIN MORGAN OKEECHOBEE, FL 18 - 4 (5) 8 - 7 (2) 26 - 11 (7) 26 - 11 (7)
Here are the top co-anglers who will also fish tomorrow:
1 ADAM TRIESCHMANN WELLINGTON, FL 5 - 11 (3) 18 - 9 (5) 24 - 4 (8) 24 - 4 (8)
2 MARK HOWARD MESQUITE, TX 12 - 14 (5) 10 - 7 (5) 23 - 5 (10) 23 - 5 (10)
3 NIK KAYLER APOPKA, FL 7 - 6 (5) 11 - 10 (5) 19 - 0 (10) 19 - 0 (10)
4 MICHAEL BLACK TOLEDO, IL 14 - 3 (5) 4 - 5 (3) 18 - 8 (8) 18 - 8 (8)
5 DEAN HARCOURT SEBASTIAN, FL 14 - 0 (5) 4 - 2 (4) 18 - 2 (9) 18 - 2 (9)
6 SCOTT DOBSON CLARKSTON, MI 2 - 4 (1) 15 - 11 (5) 17 - 15 (6) 17 - 15 (6)
7 STEVEN CHRISTIE GRAY COURT, SC 8 - 2 (5) 9 - 11 (5) 17 - 13 (10) 17 - 13 (10)
8 JOSEPH SOLENSKI WEST PALM BEACH, FL 9 - 6 (5) 8 - 0 (5) 17 - 6 (10) 17 - 6 (10)
9 TY SOLIS ALBANY, GA 10 - 2 (5) 6 - 12 (3) 16 - 14 (8) 16 - 14 (8)
10 BILLY CHARLAND CHULUOTA, FL 6 - 8 (5) 10 - 2 (5) 16 - 10 (10) 16 - 10 (10)
Weather will change yet again for Saturday’s final fishing round. Conditions should include clam winds and a bit cloud cover but almost no chance of rain.
Of course, there will be a variety of lures in play as some guys cast and wind over shallow grass with everything from speed worms to Gambler Big EZ swimbaits, but flipping is always a top tactic on the big lake as well.
Regardless of technique, this tournament may well be won by the angler who executes the best. Most guys have spoken of lost opportunities. When the weather is off, these Florida bass bite very lightly. Mental focus will be a huge factor.
Brandon Johnson, Costa Series Rookie explains his day 1 on Lake Okeechobee and his game plan for day 2
Any Rookie who steps into the professional fishing game has this goal in mind when opening day of the tournament season comes across the calendar. “I’m just trying to survive,†was the statement left on my voicemail as Costa Series Rookie Brandon Johnson of Kentucky was finishing up rigging his tackle after day 1 of the Lake Okeechobee season Opener.
“Anytime you are in Florida in January, it’s a wild card. One big bite means the world here and it only takes that big bite to change your luck and outcome.†According to Johnson, he caught a large number of fish, around 20 to be exact on day 1 of his pro career, the problem? The 5 he weighed accumulated just over 7 pounds. Leaving him mid-pack and a few pounds shy of check range after day 1.
“I’m fishing matted hydrilla around some of the boat lanes, the hydrilla has been chopped up some and there are long stretches of it. I’ve got two rods on the deck and that’s all I will have on the deck when I set out for day two.†said Johnson.
Flipping a Gambler BB Cricket on a 1-1/2 ounce Tungsten weight, Johnson is punching what he calls “chopped†hydrilla as he feels it holds a little more heat than other, thicker, hydrilla. “The fish seem to be using this hydrilla more and more and its evident by the number of fish I caught. I know I am in the right area and bigger fish live here. Hopefully I can get them to play and make them famous on Day 2.†Johnson is also using a Speedworm to follow up on missed bites or when a moving bait comes into play. Both setups are on Team 13 Fishing rod and reel outfits.
Johnson will have a longer day 2 as he leaves the dock boat 215. The forecasted weather is not looking favorable for the competitors today, Johnson included. 30mph winds, thunderstorms and hail are forecasted. According to Johnson, “Its going to be an interesting day, my goal is to catch a limit early, stay safe and just try and survive out there, the rest of the schedule is very favorable to me and if I can get out of Florida without digging myself into too deep of a hole I should be okay.â€
For more information, daily updates and the live weigh-in today at 3:00pm CST check www.FLWoutdoors.com and follow along on the AnglersChannel Social media pages for daily updates and more from our Costa Rookie Insider Brandon Johnson.
Photo Credit: Mikey Balzz
Cherkas leads tough Day 1 at Costa FLW Series on Okeechobee
Here are the Top 10 pros and their weights after the first day of fishing in the Costa FLW Series on Lake Okeechobee:
1 PETER CHERKAS 20-0 (5)
2 ZACH CRIDER 19-4 (5)
3 JUSTIN MORGAN 18-4 (5)
4 LAVOYD LEMMOND 17-14 (5)
5 JUAN RUIZ 17-11 (5)
6 WAYNE CHRISTOPHER 17-8 (5)
7 JOSEPH KREMER 17-3 (5)
8 CHRIS JOHNSTON 16-14 (5)
9 JASON LAMBERT 16-9 (5)
10 BRADFORD BEAVERS 16-4 (5)
Weights are off a bit compared to what most folks expected from such a famous fishery. Weather is to blame for much of that. A recent cold front slowed the bite. Water temps are in the low 60’s.
Peter Cherkas clings to a fragile lead of less than a pound as tomorrow promises to bring change in the form of rain and a strong southerly wind.
Today there were 152 limits and 14 zeroes.
Bryan Newberry caught the biggest bass of the day at 8 pounds, 11 ounces.
The average success rate for pros was 4 fish worth 9 pounds, 3 ounces.
Many pros fished moving baits. Those who chose to flip seemed to be catching the bigger bass, if smaller numbers of them.
Cherkas, however, used a moving lure to sein one area. He caught most of his weight before 11 AM.
On the co-angler side Michael Black holds the lead with 14-3. Dean Harcourt follows closely with 14-even.
Richie Riddle had the big bass at 7-11.
The Top 10 co-anglers:
1 MICHAEL BLACK 14-3 (5)
2 DEAN HARCOURT 14-0 (5)
3 MARK HOWARD 12-14 (5)
4 AUSTIN BASKETTE 12-7 (5)
5 RICHIE RIDDLE 12-6 (4)
6 LINDA ROBINSON 11-15 (5)
7 MIKE MUELLER 11-12 (5)
8 CAPTAIN DON LEWIS 11-9 (5)
9 STEPHEN KOCELL 11-1 (5)
10 GREG MIELE 11-1 (4)
Digh Looking For Bigger Bass In Costa Flw Series Southeastern Division Tournament
The Lake Okeechobee bass are biting, which is good news for anglers in the Costa FLW Series Southeastern Division tournament Thursday through Saturday. The bad news, however, said veteran pro Rob Digh of Denver, N.C., the bass he is catching are not the right size.
“I've been catching a lot of fish in practice, just not big fish,” said Digh. “Some of my buddies are catching big fish, but I've just not found them yet.”
The big fish are there and, as of last weekend, they were eager, but a cold front this week has things out of whack for some anglers.
This past weekend George Kapiton of Inverness, Fla., won the first FLW Bass Fishing League event of the season on Okeechobee with a massive 31-pound limit, while Okeechobee veteran Mike Surman came in second with just shy of 29 pounds. Five other limits topped 20 pounds.
“There are a lot of beds – and a lot of buck bass,” Digh said. “I think the first wave of females has come up and what is left on the beds is mostly bucks. The other females are out on the outside edge of the grass and kind of wandering around.”
Before the cold front, Digh said the fish were biting “pretty much everything – a lot of plastic and swim baits. We were catching some on a frog and a Bang-O-Lure, but the cold front killed the topwater bite today. They have not hit a lot of moving baits since the front came in.”
All of the fish he is catching are pretty shallow, he said, and they are buried in the heavy vegetation.
“Most of the fish I've caught have been by flipping and you've got to have a really stiff rod to get them out, even the 2- to 3-pounders that I have been catching. You need 55-pound braid line and a stiff 7 ½-foot rod. They just take you to lunch when you hook one.”
A full roster of 250 pros and as many co-anglers is ready to get the season rolling. The field of 250 boats will tie the record set last season for the largest FLW Series field of all-time. All anglers in the field will fish the first two days on Thursday and Friday, with the top 10 pros and co-anglers advancing to Saturday’s final round. Heaviest cumulative three-day weight wins.
The Costa FLW Series – formerly the Rayovac Series – consists of five divisions: Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2016 Costa FLW Series Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo.
Costa FLW Series – Southeastern Division
Jan 14-16, 2016
Lake Okeechobee
C Scott Driver Park
Lsu-Shreveport Team Finding Bass Shallow In Somerville Lake For Flw College Tournament
The Louisiana State University-Shreveport fishing team of Jared Roscoe and Christian Brown spent their first day of practice Wednesday on Somerville Lake near Brenham, Texas, for the FLW College Fishing Southern Division 2016 opener on the lake Saturday.
After one day of practice on the lake they were still looking for a pattern that could consistently put fish in the boat.
“We spent half the day trying to find something out deep, but we could never put anything together out there,” said Rascoe of Stonewall, La., a junior majoring in secondary education. “We did catch a couple of keepers up shallow, so we are moving around to see if we can find a pattern shallow.”
Rascoe said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impoundment on Yegua Creek in the Brazos River basin is “a pretty open lake. There is really no timber or anything like that. Just reeds along the shore. We have not found any grass.”
He said he and Brown, a junior petroleum engineering major from Pelican, La., plan to spend Thursday and Friday fishing both deep and shallow in hopes of developing a productive pattern.
“We'll probably spend a little bit of time on the west end of the lake to see what is going on there and then we'll spend some more time out deep to see if we can find something worth fishing out there. But right now it looks like the majority of our fishing will be up shallow,” he said.
Rascoe and Brown are teamed up for only their second tournament together. Last year Rascoe teamed with J.P Kimbrough for a pretty successful collegiate fishing year.
“We placed 7th at the Bassmaster Wild Card and we were 11th at the Carhartt Bassmaster National Championship on Lake DuBay out of Stevens Point, Wis. Our lowest finish for the year was 19th so we had a really good year.”
The tournament Saturday on Somerville Lake is the first of three regular season stops in the Southern Conference. A full field of college teams will be competing for a top award of $2,000 and a berth into the 2017 College Fishing National Championship.
FLW College Fishing – Southern Division
Sat, Jan 16, 2016
Somerville Lake
Lake Somerville Marina
Costa Flw Series Rookie Pro Brandon Johnson Previews The Lake Okeechobee Season Opener
Costa FLW Series Rookie Pro Brandon Johnson from Kentucky gives us an Exclusive Preview of the season opener for the Costa Series on Lake Okeechobee that starts today in Florida.
Toyota Texas Bass Classic Announces New Dates And Locations For 10Th Anniversary Event
“Toyota has been a proud supporter of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department since 2002, and Toyota is excited to spotlight another great fishery in the state of Texas through the TTBC,” said Katie Scallan, executive director of the Texas Bass Classic Foundation. “Toyota’s roots have been firmly planted in the great state of Texas since 1969 with the founding of independent distributor Gulf States Toyota, and for more than a decade with Toyota’s manufacturing facility in San Antonio where Tundras and Tacomas are now built. Toyota’s roots have deepened since announcing the relocation of its North American headquarters to Plano, and Toyota looks forward to continuing to promote and support the great resources Texas has to offer for many years to come.”
As host venue, Toyota Stadium will feature a wide array of family-friendly activities held in conjunction with the event. Fans can expect the return of the annual three-day, star-studded lineup of country music concerts, a large outdoor consumer expo and numerous outdoor family activities—all held in addition to the fishing action taking place at Lake Ray Roberts.
“We are looking forward to celebrating TTBC’s 10th Anniversary in the city of Frisco at Toyota Stadium,” said Lenny Francoeur, TTBC’s tournament director. “This world-class facility was built to host large scale events and will provide an amazing venue for TTBC fans and partners.”
Over the past nine years of the event’s history, the partnership between TTBC and TPWD has showcased some of the best fisheries that Texas has to offer while raising awareness of conservation efforts, and funding the department’s youth and urban outreach programs. To date, TTBC has donated $2.25 million to the TPWD and will continue its support in 2016.
“TTBC has been key to TPWD’s efforts to increase fishing opportunities in urban areas through our Neighborhood Fishin’ Program,” said Dave Terre, chief of research and management for TPWD’s Inland Fisheries Division. “About 100,000 people a year benefit from this program and about 50,000 of those are new to fishing. TTBC also supports a number of other conservation and outreach efforts aimed at involving more people in the outdoors.”
2015 TTBC Champion Brent Ehrler will join the 2016 TTBC field, alongside the top 15 in 2015 Angler of the Year points from each of the FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series, and five chosen exemptions. The 36 anglers will compete on Lake Ray Roberts over three days, with the field being reduced to the top-10 for the final round on Sunday, May 22.
“I love competing in Texas because their lakes are some of the healthiest and most productive in the country, thanks in large part to the efforts of TPWD,” said 2015 TTBC Champion Brent Ehrler. “I am excited to return to Lone Star State and defend my TTBC title on Lake Ray Roberts in 2016.”
Ticket and concert information will be available in early 2016. For more information and event news, visit www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com.
RESOURCES:
Facebook.com/ToyotaTexasBassClassic
CONTACTS:
Shannon McLain, Tournament Coordinator
(713) 580-3610 or [email protected]
Lenny Francoeur, Tournament Director
(704) 746-4754 or [email protected]
About the Tournament: The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is a world-class bass fishing tournament, featuring the top 36 bass anglers in the world along with a festival to include exceptional entertainment and a variety of family and industry activities. This three-day event will take place May 20-22, 2016 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX and Lake Ray Roberts in Denton, TX.
Events/Entertainment: Extraordinary live music and events that will appeal to the whole family. This will include a variety of games and activities at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Adventures Area, incredible food and a fishing and outdoor industry expo, featuring seminars and the latest in equipment, gear and accessories.
Charity: Proceeds benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. For more information click here to visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s website: www.tpwd.state.tx.us
Current sponsors: Toyota, GEICO.
For additional information, visit ToyotaTexasBassClassic.com or call 1-866-907-0143. Make sure to “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for tournament news, updates, and more!
Garmin Renews Partnership Of Texas Team Trail
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (January 13, 2016) - The Texas Team Trail presented by Cabela's (TXTT) will once again partner with Garmin for the 2016 season. The marine electronics company will showcase its popular line of sonar and GPS devices designed specifically for freshwater anglers. In addition, Garmin will offer a $1,000 "Grand Giveaway" bonus to any team that wins a TXTT event in 2016 fishing from a boat equipped with fix-mounted Garmin electronics.
"We're lucky to work with a brand like Garmin," said Texas Team Trail tournament director Mike Hastings. "They've been a tremendous partner for us and the addition of the Grand Giveaway program has been huge bonus for TXTT anglers. We're excited to have them back on board for 2016 and look forward to a big year ahead."
Garmin's marine business segment is a leading provider of navigation and communication equipment to retail and OEM customers. Garmin's portfolio includes the industry's most sophisticated array of chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar, high-definition radar, autopilot, high-resolution mapping, sailing instrumentation and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and ease-of-use.
Garmin's marine lineup features its exclusive DownVü™ and SideVü™ scanning sonar, which provide a near picture quality representation of objects, structure and fish that are found both underneath the boat and also to the sides. These true-to-life images give an angler a better idea of the most ideal spots and underwater structure for fishing, and provide the clearest sonar picture of fish returns available on the market today.
"When it comes to freshwater fishing, Garmin has long been a leader in technology and equipment designed specifically for anglers," said Ted Gartner, Garmin's director of corporate communications. "Our partnership with the Texas Team Trail is a great opportunity to build on that legacy. We're excited to work with them again this year and showcase our most advanced product lineup to date."
The tournament circuit, designed exclusively for team competition, will begin the 2016 season Jan. 30 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The schedule includes four qualifying events, plus a year-end championship on Ray Roberts Lake, May 14-15.
Registration for the 2016 season is already under way. Anglers can sign up by visiting www.texasteamtrail.com or by calling 210-788-4143.
2016 TXTT scheduled events:
January 30 - Sam Rayburn Reservoir
February 20 - Toledo Bend
March 19 - Richland Chambers Reservoir
April 16 - Lake Texoma
About Texas Team Trail
Texas Team Trail events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of these well-respected brands: Cabela's, Ranger Boats, Lucas Oil, Evinrude, RAM, Mercury, Minn Kota, Triton Boats, Power-Pole, Amphibia, Arctic Ice, Stratos Boats, Lowrance, Navionics, Protect the Harvest, BoatU.S., General Tire, SuperClean, Mustang Survival, Garmin, Valley Fashions, T-H Marine, Atlas, G-Juice, Powertex Group.
Costa Flw Series To Kick Off On Okeechobee!
AnglersChannel.com Insider Vance McCullough previews the Costa FLW Series event which will usher-in the 2016 Series on Lake Okeechobee starting Thursday. He also has a hunch as to what might be the winning technique.
FLW gives details on Kapiton's MASSIVE 31-pound Okeechobee bag!
Kapiton is all smiles. Photo courtesy of FLW Outdoors
OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2016) – Professional angler George Kapiton of Inverness, Florida, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 31 pounds even Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Gator Division tournament of 2016 on Lake Okeechobee, presented by Navionics. For his victory, Kapiton earned $9,000.
“I couldn’t establish a stable pattern in practice so I went out there and just fished the conditions,” said Kapiton, a veteran of the Walmart FLW Tour who has earned more than $190,000 in FLW competition. “It was really an interesting day of fishing.
“I caught a small limit of staging fish early in the morning using a perch-colored Rapala X-Rap prop bait,” continued Kapiton. “After the sun came out, I went looking for more males in Harney Pond. I was able to dial in on staging fish that were coming in from the lake to spawn and basically intercepted them before they reached the bedding area.”
Kapiton said he used a Texas-rigged penetration-colored Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and a black and blue-colored Medlock Double Weedguard Flipping Jig rigged with the Sweet Beaver to flip mats and reeds.
The Florida pro said he caught a 6½- and an 8-pounder on the Sweet Beaver, as well as a 6½-pound fish on the Medlock Jig in one area of the pond between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Kapiton stopped at an area near the boat ramp with 30 minutes left to fish and used the Medlock Jig to catch an 8-pound, 2-ounce behemoth to cap off his winning stringer.
“I credit my Halo Daylite Series rod with helping me get the win,” said Kapiton. “The rod is lightweight, but durable enough to catch the big ones on Lake Okeechobee. It performed very well.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: George Kapiton, Inverness, Fla., five bass, 31-0, $6,000 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus + $1,000 Mercury Bonus
2nd: Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 28-15, $3,000 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
3rd: Jim Hurlock Jr., Lake Worth, Fla., five bass, 24-8, $2,000
4th: Robert Crosnoe, Inverness, Fla., five bass, 22-14, $1,400
5th: Jai Hunter Sr., Deland, Fla., five bass, 22-6, $1,200
6th: Juan Ruiz, West Palm Beach, Fla., five bass, 21-9, $1,100
7th: John O' Farrell, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 21-0, $1,000
8th: David Oliveira, Homestead, Fla., five bass, 19-15, $900
9th: Kyle Giella, Ruskin, Fla., five bass, 19-13, $800
10th: Sandy Melvin, Boca Grande, Fla., five bass, 19-12, $700
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Crosnoe caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a monster weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $1,000.
Alex Mut of Miami, Florida, weighed in five bass totaling 17 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to earn the $3,000 win in the co-angler division.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Alex Mut, Miami, Fla., five bass, 17-12, $3,000
2nd: Charles Cenko, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., five bass, 17-9, $1,500
3rd: John Davis, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., five bass, 16-15, $1,000
4th: Raymond Guerra, Port Saint Lucie, Fla., five bass, 15-10, $700
5th: Kirk Kastner, Margate, Fla., five bass, 15-9, $600
6th: Michael Gilliard, Tallahassee, Fla., five bass, 15-8, $550
7th: Junior Iriban, Lantana, Fla., five bass, 15-5, $475
7th: Israel Panozzo, Palm Springs, Fla., five bass, 15-5, $475
9th: Thomas Helton, Charleston, Tenn., five bass, 15-1, $400
10th: Kyle Stafford, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 14-15, $350
Shannon Pitts of Vero Beach, Florida, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $500.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and 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 winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
B.a.s.s. Reschedules First Central Open Because Of Heavy Rains, Flooding
Because of heavy rains, major flooding and unsafe navigational waters in the Atchafalaya Basin, B.A.S.S. — working with local officials — has elected to reschedule the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open to fall 2016.
The recent rains in Southern Louisiana have been unseasonable and excessive, especially for this time of year. The city will not be able to host the Open tournament in February because conditions have been deemed unsafe and there will be no-wake zones throughout the Atchafalaya Basin.
“After discussion with local authorities on the magnitude of this weather event, anglers’ safety and empathy for those affected by these flood waters were the primary factors in B.A.S.S.’s decision to move the event,” said Chris Bowes, B.A.S.S. Senior Tournament Manager.
The event has been rescheduled for Oct. 27-29, 2016, and will become the final Central Open for 2016. Official practice will run Oct. 24-26, 2016.
“Due to the high water and the safety concerns, it is in the best interest to reschedule the event to October,” said Carrie Stansbury, executive director of the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau. “Everyone involved is very disappointed, but we look forward to rolling out the red carpet in October. The weather should be beautiful that time of year.”
“We are grateful for our partnership with the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau,” said Michael Mulone, B.A.S.S. director of event and tourism partnerships. “They notified us of the conditions and worked with us on a solution.”
Understanding that this may affect the ability for some anglers to compete, B.A.S.S. will offer a full refund of this event or the entire Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Division.
The Atchafalaya Basin is also the host of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional, Feb. 25-27. At the moment, this event is still on schedule. Officials in Houma, La., are monitoring the situation daily.
Team Of Willie And Dave Church Win The Inaugural Event Of The Wild West Bass Trail On Lake Oroville!!
Saturday Morning, 98 teams took to Lake Oroville in California for the Inaugural event of the Wild West Bass Trails 2016 Season. Bringing home the win and quite a bit of cash and awards were the Team of Willie Church and Dave Church. Their winning weight of 15.44 included the Big Fish of the day with 3.04lb Big Bass. For their win they took home over $7500 in cash and contingency money which included:
- Yamamoto Baits “Toad of the Tournament” $500 for their 3.04lb Big Bass.
- Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits Contingency $250
- Lowrance ”Look of the Day” $250
- Ranger Boats Cup Award $500
Congratulations to Willie and Dave and also to the Staff at the WWT for waht sounded like an awesome inaugural event!
Full Results are below!
| PLACE | BOATER | NON-BOATER | #FISH | BIG | WEIGHT |
| 1 | Willie Church | Dave Church | 7 | 3.04 | 15.44 |
| 2 | Danny Cross | Dugan Wilson | 7 | 2.98 | 14.40 |
| 3 | Gary Souza | Mikey Klemm | 7 | 2.45 | 13.57 |
| 4 | Ron Bruggerman | John Pearl | 7 | 2.73 | 13.14 |
| 5 | Billy Hines | Greg Guiterrez | 7 | 1.91 | 13.02 |
| 6 | Mike Gordon | Joe Bitker | 7 | 2.53 | 13.00 |
| 7 | James Avalos | Daryn Avalos | 7 | 2.88 | 12.82 |
| 8 | Mike Nichelini | Carl Keller | 7 | 0.00 | 12.77 |
| 9 | Mike Friend | Shelly Carr | 7 | 2.08 | 12.72 |
| 10 | Preston Henson | Bob Tyler | 7 | 2.19 | 12.66 |
| 11 | Randy Pierson | Glenn Pierson | 7 | 2.21 | 12.66 |
| 12 | Jeff Michels | Tony Zanotelli | 7 | 0.00 | 12.53 |
| 13 | Obedie Williams | Clint Groenewold | 7 | 0.00 | 12.48 |
| 14 | Joel Leiser | Phillip Dutra | 7 | 0.00 | 12.44 |
| 15 | Cody Meyer | JR Wright | 7 | 0.00 | 12.42 |
| 16 | Glen Lockhart | Joe Hinkle | 7 | 0.00 | 12.41 |
| 17 | Mike Saso | Larry Vignolo | 7 | 0.00 | 12.41 |
| 18 | Danial Wells | John Bradford | 7 | 0.00 | 12.38 |
| 19 | Richard Dobyns | Phil Strader | 7 | 0.00 | 12.32 |
| 20 | Stacy Gee | Cesar Laguna | 7 | 2.83 | 12.27 |
| 21 | Wayne Breazeale | Gary Barrett | 7 | 2.81 | 12.05 |
| 22 | Oscar Sarnecki | Eric Parra | 7 | 2.41 | 12.00 |
| 23 | Chris Gosselaar | Beau Burrough | 7 | 3.01 | 11.97 |
| 24 | Cliff King | Aaron Britt | 7 | 2.92 | 11.68 |
| 25 | John Maes | Gary Jones | 7 | 0.00 | 11.68 |
| 26 | Howard Swartz | Rich Mendoza | 7 | 2.36 | 11.66 |
| 27 | Bryant Smith | Dustin Tacker | 7 | 0.00 | 11.51 |
| 28 | Isaac Budesilich | Chris Wadsworth | 7 | 0.00 | 11.46 |
| 29 | Michael Henry | Chris Sisto | 7 | 2.27 | 11.44 |
| 30 | Mike Rigney | Dante Ray | 7 | 1.80 | 11.42 |
| 31 | Justin Arellano | Ben Willis | 7 | 2.11 | 11.41 |
| 32 | Vijay Malhotra | John McGrath | 7 | 2.44 | 11.40 |
| 33 | Mike Bugliarello | Alan Anderson | 7 | 2.16 | 11.39 |
| 34 | John McClellan | Ryan Friends | 7 | 0.00 | 11.29 |
| 35 | Mark Gomez | Juan Acosta | 7 | 1.97 | 11.19 |
| 36 | Mark Borgess | Nate Lemmons | 7 | 0.00 | 11.18 |
| 37 | Dean McDaniels | Justin Nelson | 7 | 0.00 | 11.04 |
| 38 | Jesse Martin | Jared Walker | 7 | 0.00 | 10.92 |
| 39 | Jake McClellan | Russell Flores | 7 | 0.00 | 10.89 |
| 40 | Michael O'Neill | Steven Alvarado | 7 | 0.00 | 10.85 |
| 41 | Josh Kaneko | Miles Kaneko | 7 | 1.99 | 10.77 |
| 42 | Mark Gone Fishing Marine | Peter Culazzo | 7 | 2.18 | 10.71 |
| 43 | Jason Jones | Wade Durling Sr. | 7 | 0.00 | 10.67 |
| 44 | Mark Crutcher | Greg McCosker | 7 | 0.00 | 10.65 |
| 45 | Alvin Borba | Jamie Caratachea | 7 | 0.00 | 10.60 |
| 46 | Long Nguyen | Chris Vanclef | 7 | 1.94 | 10.58 |
| 47 | Joe Bolen | Justin Bolen | 7 | 0.00 | 10.58 |
| 48 | Kevin Marcheschi | Jay Bryant | 7 | 0.00 | 10.56 |
| 49 | Zach Richard | Chad Bross | 7 | 0.00 | 10.26 |
| 50 | Kevin Lincomfelt | Wade Majewski | 7 | 0.00 | 10.22 |
| 51 | Jay Guterding | Mike Thomas | 7 | 0.00 | 10.20 |
| 52 | Steve Geffs | Michael Caddick | 7 | 2.43 | 10.19 |
| 53 | Paul Fontaine | Nick Welton | 7 | 2.42 | 10.09 |
| 54 | Matt Fraiser | Anthony Susa | 7 | 2.12 | 10.07 |
| 55 | Earl Datlon III | John Morla | 7 | 0.00 | 9.99 |
| 56 | Brett Lebre | Bob Spencer | 7 | 0.00 | 9.97 |
| 57 | Isaac Lawrence | Owen Thatcher | 7 | 0.00 | 9.93 |
| 58 | Mark Lasagne | Michael Coleman | 7 | 0.00 | 9.90 |
| 59 | Tracy Patton | Ray Patton | 7 | 2.39 | 9.88 |
| 60 | Matthew Saavedra | Charley Almassey | 7 | 0.00 | 9.84 |
| 61 | Dan Wilder | Vince Herring | 7 | 0.00 | 9.77 |
| 62 | Scott Headington | Chris Brizendine | 7 | 0.00 | 9.74 |
| 63 | Wade Durling II | Joseph Durling | 7 | 0.00 | 9.71 |
| 64 | Tim Rodgers | Mike Birch | 7 | 0.00 | 9.69 |
| 65 | Ron Howe | Bob Miller | 7 | 0.00 | 9.67 |
| 66 | Mike Gray | Brad Lewis | 7 | 0.00 | 9.65 |
| 67 | David Hernandez | John Gibbons | 7 | 2.08 | 9.64 |
| 68 | Don Gage | Steve Palenko | 7 | 0.00 | 9.60 |
| 69 | Anthony Bazzocco | Brandon Youngblood | 7 | 0.00 | 9.58 |
| 70 | Bruce Harris | Steve Sepulveda | 7 | 0.00 | 9.54 |
| 71 | Robert Tibbets | Grant Harnist | 7 | 0.00 | 9.54 |
| 72 | Will Duncan | Cole Daniel | 7 | 0.00 | 9.54 |
| 73 | Armando Luzuriaga | Edgar Luzuriaga | 6 | 0.00 | 9.26 |
| 74 | Matt Ruggiero | Peter Blake | 7 | 0.00 | 9.21 |
| 75 | Richard Tuma | Chris Hughes | 7 | 0.00 | 9.12 |
| 76 | Jimmy Reese | Sheldon Reese | 7 | 0.00 | 9.10 |
| 77 | Chua Yang | Zay Yang | 7 | 0.00 | 9.07 |
| 78 | Dave Mercado | Ryan Peterson | 7 | 0.00 | 8.88 |
| 79 | Paul Polhemus | Chris Raza | 7 | 0.00 | 8.87 |
| 80 | James David Cole | Corey Fenske | 6 | 0.00 | 8.67 |
| 81 | Scott Hamman | Jim Vretzos | 6 | 0.00 | 8.67 |
| 82 | Lance Lopez | Fred Lopez | 7 | 0.00 | 8.66 |
| 83 | Craig Gottwals | Ryan White | 6 | 0.00 | 8.36 |
| 84 | Dave Romuar | Zeng Yang | 6 | 0.00 | 8.32 |
| 85 | Jason Bradshaw | Phil Johnson | 7 | 0.00 | 8.30 |
| 86 | Rob Adams | Lance Cowley | 4 | 0.00 | 7.62 |
| 87 | Ken Mah | Jason Austin | 5 | 0.00 | 5.91 |
| 88 | Tony Mello | Chuck Kavros | 4 | 0.00 | 5.70 |
| 89 | Jerred Jennings | Alan DaSilva | 5 | 0.00 | 5.67 |
| 90 | Glenn Wolfgang | Ken Helms | 4 | 0.00 | 5.27 |
| 91 | Keith Tripp | Ginger | 2 | 0.00 | 2.85 |
| 92 | Tuan Nguyen | Quincy Washington | 2 | 0.00 | 2.33 |
| 93 | Brian Silva | Jared Lane | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 94 | Jon Hagan | John Fernandez | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 95 | Mike Sperbeck | Pat Minear | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 96 | Pete Jenson | Jack Goodby | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 97 | Tony Rainey | Mike Hanson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 98 | Kelly Eagleton | John Gilbert | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Kapiton captures first Gator BFL of year on Okeechobee
George Kapiton of Inverness, FL won the first Walmart Bass Fishing League tournament of 2016 in grand style today! He put an even 31 pounds of Okeechobee bass on the scale for 2-pound, 1-ounce edge over runner-up Mike Surman of Boca Raton.
His top prize payout, coupled with contigency bonuses from Ranger and Mercury, totaled $6,000.
It took 13 pounds, 5 ounces to get a check in the 230-boat field. Kyle Monti claimed that last paying spot - 69th.
Matt Surman placed 178th with a limit that weighed just 7-15 but it earned him the Evinrude bonus of $300.
Alex Mut of Miami, FL won the co-angler division and its $3,000 top prize with a 5-fish limit that weighed 17-12.
Garmin Electronics Introduces Their 2016 Pro Team - Adds 21 New Anglers To Staff!!
OLATHE, Kan./January 8, 2016/Business Wire – Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), today announced the addition of 21 professional fishermen to its 2016 marine pro team.
The team of more than 60 anglers includes professional bass, walleye, and crappie fishermen who will be representing Garmin in tournament trails across North America, including the B.A.S.S. Elite Series and FLW Tour.
The 2016 Garmin marine pro team is being announced in conjunction with a 360-degree national campaign called “Sons of Fishes,” which includes television, print, digital and social media executions that show why so many professional anglers are making the switch to Garmin. The primary reason members of this “fishing club” are switching to Garmin is because of its new revolutionary PanoptixTM all-seeing sonar technology that provides a real-time video-like image of the bottom, structure and fish swimming around or in front of the boat. Check out the extended commercial here.
“Our team has more than doubled in size in just two years,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “It’s an impressive group of anglers, all of whom have joined the Garmin team because they believe it will give them the competitive edge. Garmin is more committed than ever to being a top player in the freshwater fishing industry, and we’re so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of their success on the water.”
The new Garmin pro anglers include : Todd Auten (B.A.S.S.), Josh Bertrand (B.A.S.S.),
Zack Birge (FLW), Ramie Colson (FLW), Chad Grigsby (FLW), Chris Johnston (FLW),
Cory Johnston (FLW), Brad Knight (FLW), Russ Lane (B.A.S.S.), Matt Lee (B.A.S.S.),
Jared Lintner (B.A.S.S), Richard Lowitzki (FLW), Mike McClelland (B.A.S.S.), Cody Meyer (FLW), Cliff Prince (B.A.S.S.), Tom Redington (FLW), Mark Rose (FLW), Jim Tutt (FLW),
Greg Vinson (B.A.S.S.), John Voyles (FLW), and Jay Yelas (FLW).
They join dozens of world-class professional fishermen already running Garmin electronics, including Scott Martin (2015 FLW Angler of the Year), Brent Chapman (2012 Bassmaster Angler of the Year), Jason Christie (two-time Elite Series champion), Clent Davis (2012 FLW Rookie of the Year), Greg Hackney (2014 Bassmaster Angler of the Year), Jason Lambert (2014 FLW Rookie of the Year), Andy Morgan (2013/14 FLW Angler of the Year), bass fishing’s elder statesman and ambassador, Bill Dance, and many more. Click here to meet the entire 2016 Garmin Marine Team.
The 2016 pro team will use Garmin electronics on their boats and during tournaments, television shows, and in public appearances. They’ll be equipped with detailed lake maps and best-in-class electronics and technology, including the National Marine Electronics (NMEA®) award-winning GPSMAP 7600 series chartplotters, and the new Garmin Panoptix all-seeing sonar.
Recently, Garmin was named Manufacturer of the Year and received the honor of being the most recognized company in the marine electronics field by the NMEA. Garmin’s portfolio includes some of the industry’s most sophisticated chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar technology, high-definition radar, autopilots, high-resolution mapping, sailing instrumentation and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and ease-of-use.
For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/Garmin
About Garmin International Inc.
 Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark and Panoptix is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2014, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Registration For The 2016 Anglers Choice Tournament Trail Is Now Open!!!
Registration Form are available on the website. If you have any questions,
please contact Anglers Choice at 272-632-5600 or 800-632-4665
www.anglerschoicemarine.com/tournament-forms
2016 TOURNAMENT INFO
A Few Announcements for 2016:
- Entry fee will be $120 plus $20 for lunker
- Payback 1 place for every 7 boats registered in tournament
- We will not invert the field for the Classic
- Over $150,000 in cash and prizes
- Chance to qualify for BASS Masters Classic
The Angler's Choice Team Tournament Trail 2016 Schedule
| March 5, 2016 April 16, 2016 April 17, 2016 May 21, 2016 May 22, 2016 June 11, 2016 |
Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park |
8am until 4pm 7am until 3pm 7am until 3pm 6am until 3pm 6am until 3pm 6am until 3pm |
|||||||||||||||
| October 1 & 2, 2016 | Classic 2 Day Tournament Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina |
7am until 3pm (Day 1) 7am until 2pm (Day 2) |
FLW lands Lew's
FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Lew’s, an industry-leading designer of fishing rods, reels, apparel and accessories, have renewed their sponsorship for 2016. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. 2016 will mark the third consecutive season that the two organizations have partnered.
“FLW anglers are our foundation and I am honored to support them,” said Lew’s CEO Lynn Reeves. “We are excited about the continued partnership with FLW and look forward to a great year.”
As part of the sponsorship agreement, Lew’s will receive exposure across multiple FLW platforms, including FLWFishing.com, all tournaments and expos, social media channels and FLW Bass Fishing magazine. Lew’s will also be featured at a 100-yard casting lane at select FLW Expos – a new addition for fans in 2016. Lew’s products will also be available to FLW members for monthly giveaways.
“FLW is proud of our relationship with Lew’s and the commitment that we share to the sport of professional bass fishing,” said Trish Blake, president of marketing at FLW. “Lew’s products are a favorite amongst tournament anglers in all of FLW’s circuits, making our partnership a natural fit.”
Lew’s will also continue to offer the successful Lew’s Speed Fishing Awards Program, a contingency program for FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) anglers. Per the rules, Lew’s will award $250 cash or a $500 gift certificate for Lew’s products to the winning boater and co-angler in each BFL qualifier and super tournament if he or she meets contingency requirements. If a Lew’s Speed Fishing Awards angler does not win, the highest finisher placing in the top 20 has the choice of $125 cash or a $250 gift certificate. At the end of the season, a Lew’s Speed Fishing Awards Angler of the Year winner will be chosen based on points earned throughout the season and awarded a $1,000 gift certificate. BFL Ozark division angler Dennis Berhorst of Holts Summit, Missouri, was the 2015 Lew’s Speed Fishing Angler of the Year.
To be eligible, anglers must own Lew’s rods and/or reels manufactured after 2013 and have them registered with Lew’s. To learn more, or to register for the program, please visit lews.com.
Business Stable, New Boat, Townend Ready To Get Fishing In Gator Division
In the opening tournament of the Walmart Bass Fishing league Gator Division last January, Benny Townend hauled in a 10-pound,ounce behemoth largemouth to ice his first win in BFL competition with a limit that totaled 27 pounds, 9 ounces.
It seemed that he was off to the races with time finally available to practice for Gator Division tournaments. The previous year was cut short when his ice business in Boynton Beach, Fla., had to deal with a huge order and he was forced to work seven days a week to keep up with his business. That left little time to fish.
Townend thought he had finally stabilized his business last year, but he was swamped again, able to fish only though the third Gator Division tournament. Then he sold his boat, so he was unable to get on the water. Now he has a new – and bigger and faster – boat and he said he thinks he can deal with his business issues and still have time to fish this year.
But, he noted, fishing on Okeechobee is turning out to be a lot different than it was last January when he boated that monster bass.
“We've had sunny conditions and southeastern winds and the last few weeks the outside grass line bite has been pretty solid. But Saturday things started shifting and a lot of the stuff we've been fishing is getting a little dirty,” he said.
“The fish are not setting up like they did last year. We have not had any winter down here so the fish are in a true fall pattern. We usually have a summer pattern and then a winter pattern, but this year we've pretty much had a fall pattern with the fish schooling on the outside grass lines.”
That said, some nice stringers of fish have been caught recently which bodes well for the Gator Division opener Saturday. It took right at 25 pounds to win a local tournament on the upper end of Okeechobee Saturday and Townend said a bunch of anglers have been posting pictures of big fish recently.
“I don't know if the fish up there are spawning a little quicker or if they've just found a big group of fish,” he said. “It's been taking around 23 to 25 ponds to win a tournament so it will probably take about 25 pounds to win Saturday.”
Townend said the water temperature has been hovering around the high 70s to the low 80s, but a cold front is coming through which should lower the water temperature down into the lower 70s.
“That should make the fish more active and maybe bring in that wave of big females we've been looking for,” he said.
Townend is itching for the season to get started. He had been fishing out of an 18 ½-foot bass boat, but the boat he bought is a 20-footer.
“I ended up getting twice the boat for not much more money. I am not limited on what I want to do now,” he said.
And, hopefully, not by his business either.
“Last year was super busy. Hopefully, this year will be super busy, too, but now I've got some help,” he said.
Walmart Bass Fishing League – Gator Division
Sat, Jan 9, 2016
Lake Okeechobee
C. Scott Driver Park
Cold Front Could Push Harris Chain Bass Up Shallow In Time For Aft Division 20 Tournament
A cold front is moving across Florida this week which should drop the water temperature in the Harris Chain of Lakes and bring the bass up shallow in a pre-spawn stage just in time for the Ram American Fishing Tour Harris Chain Division 20's 4th tournament of the 2016 season.
“Fishing should be good, better than 80- to 90-degree weather, but it's supposed to warm back up this week, too. Hopefully, they will stay moved up and won't go back out,” said Sean Wilt, Division 20 tournament director.
Wilt said it's been taking limits in the high teens to win on the Harris Chain, but if the fish have moved up shallow it probably will take more than 20 pounds to win Saturday.
“They will be in the canal fronts on grass lines, lily pads, eel grass, stuff like that,” Wilt said. I do a lot of flipping and throw some lipless crankbaits most of the year and most of the guys probably will be doing that Saturday.”
The Harris Chain is comprised of a series of lakes – notably Lake Apopka, Lake Carlton, Lake Dora, Lake Eustis, Little Lake Harris, Big Lake Harris, Griffin Lake and some others, many unreachable by boat because of roadways, Wilt said.
“It's a big fishery and it's a popular destination. The Elite Series has been here a couple of times and they just filmed the elimination round of Major League Fishing here on the Harris Chain.”
After Saturday, the rest of the Division 20 season runs Feb. 13, March 12, April 9, May 14 and June 11-12. Anglers pay a one-time membership fee of $25 and the entry fee is $70 per tournament.
“You can register at the ramp and if it's your first tournament we will waive the late fee,” Wilt said.
Wilt said he averaged five or six core anglers per tournament last year – his first as tournament director – but this year entries have doubled.
“I am drawing more guys from out of the area than in the area,” he noted. “Guys are driving a couple of hours from Jacksonville, Tampa and Deltona to fish with us.”
The group of regulars is almost like a fishing club, Wilt said.
“We all know each other. We do it for fun and you win all the money. There seems to be a group of guys who commit to a whole year and we've all become friends. We help each other out and we are not overly competitive – but we are competitive,” he said.
“Come see us.”
Ram American Fishing Tour – Harris Chain
Sat, Jan 9, 2016
Harris Chain
Buzzard Beach
Call Sean Wilt at (352) 653-0299
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2016.php?Division=20
Flir Expands The Raymarine Dragonfly Family With The New Dragonfly 7 Pro
WILSONVILLE, OR – January 6, 2016 – The new Dragonfly 7 PRO is Raymarine’s most feature-rich sonar/GPS combination yet for fresh and coastal saltwater fishing. Offering the same advanced features as the award-winning Dragonfly 5 PRO, Dragonfly 7 PRO is equipped with an extra-large 7” display for maximum visibility. The super bright display is also optically-bonded for all-weather performance, and is guaranteed to never fog up.
Unlike conventional imaging sonars that transmit each pulse at a single frequency, Dragonfly 7 PRO’s DownVision™ sonar uses wide spectrum CHIRP technology to transmit across multiple sonar frequencies simultaneously. As a result, Dragonfly 7 PRO produces higher resolution, photo-like sonar images.
Dragonfly 7 PRO surpasses ordinary imaging sonars with superior deep water performance to 600 ft. (180m) and reliable high speed bottom tracking. It also is equipped with a conventional high frequency CHIRP sonar channel for targeting fish and bottom tracking down to 900 ft. (277m).
Dragonfly 7 PRO’s fast acquisition 10Hz GPS sensor and mapping helps users stay on course, while Raymarine’s Wi-Fish™ mobile app lets them stream CHIRP DownVision directly to their smartphone or tablet. Dragonfly 7 PRO’s built-in Wi-Fi also syncs with the Navionics Boating app to give anglers the power to create their own personal HD bathymetry maps in real time using Dragonfly’s CHIRP sonar.
Dragonfly 7 PRO supports Navionics charts, C-MAP by Jeppesen, and Raymarine LightHouse charts, and is comes bundled with C-MAP Essentials or Navionics+ maps on microSD.
For more information, please visit www.raymarine.com/dragonfly
Andy Lake Wins Aft On Lake Greenwood With 19.35 Pounds - Full Results Here
Our winner, Andy Lake, was fishing the middle part of the lake. He caught his fish jigs and spinnerbaits in shallow water. Andy also took the tournament big fish with a 6.23 pound largemouth. The big fish was caught on the jig. Andy’s 5 fish weighing 19.35 pounds won first place, big fish pot and first place option for a total of $900.
Phillip Anderson of Saluda, SC finished in second place was fishing the lower part of the lake and caught his fish on spinnerbaits and bladed jigs in shallow water. Phillip’s 5 fish weighing 16.84 pounds won $479 for second place and the second place option pot.
John Stevenson of Orangeburg, SC finished in third place with 5 fish weighing 15.38 pounds. He fished the lower part of the lake and caught his fish on crankbaits. John won $137 for third place. Roger Farr of Lexington, SC finished in fourth place with 5 fish weighing 14.32 pounds and took home $108.
The day was a cloudy morning and a mostly sunny afternoon with a W wind at 5 to 10mph for most of the day. We started at 32 degrees and were at 50 degrees for the 3pm weigh-in. Water temps were in the mid to mid 50’s. The lake was completely muddy and almost at full pool.
A tough day for most with only 4 five fish limits and 10 anglers did not bring fish to the scales. The anglers who managed a limit all finished in the money. Fish were active if you could find them. Other productive lures were square bill crankbaits and soft plastics.
Here’s how we finished:
1 – Andy Lake, Batesburg, SC – 5 fish 19.35 lbs. BF 6.23 lbs. 200 pts.
2 – Phillip Anderson, Saluda, SC - 5 fish 16.84 lbs. 199 pts.
3 – John Stevenson, Orangeburg, SC – 5 fish 15.38 lbs. 198 pts.
4 – Roger Farr, Lexington, SC – 5 fish 14.32 lbs. 197 pts.
5 – Gene Parker, Asheville, NC – 4 fish 11.63 lbs. 196 pts.
6 – Steve Wicker, Pomaria, SC – 4 fish 11.10 lbs. 195 pts.
7 – Curtis Temples, Saluda, SC – 4 fish 8.44 lbs. 194 pts.
8 – Phil Morris, Saluda, SC – 4 fish 7.78 lbs. 193 pts.
9 – Jay Treon, Greenwood, SC – 3 fish 7.57 lbs. 192 pts.
10 – Chuck Padgett, Greenwood, SC – 4 fish 7.08 lbs. 191 pts.
11 – Jason Moyer, Hodges, SC – 2 fish 4.98 lbs. 190 pts.
12 – Wayman Coleman, Abbeville, SC - 2 fish 3.41 lbs. 189 pts.
13 – Mark Richardson, Irmo, SC – 2 fish 3.23 lbs. 188 pts.
14 - Eric Edmondson, Gray Court, SC – 1 fish 1.61 lbs. 187 pts.
15 – Rodney Cromer, Pomaria, SC – 1 fish 1.55 lbs. 186 pts.
16 – Stanley Harkins, Fletcher, NC – 1 fish 1.11 lbs. 185 pts.
10 anglers did not weigh in fish - 50 pts.
Money
Andy Lake – 1st place plaque $640 / BF plaque $130 /1st place option $130 Total - $900
Phillip Anderson – 2nd place plaque $389 / 2nd place option $90 Total - $479
John Stevenson – 3rd place plaque $137
Roger Farr – 4th place $108
Gene Parker – 5th place ALX Rods Hat
Steve Wicker – 6th place Parker Spinnerbait
ALX Rod Big Fish Leader for 2016 (New Leader)
Andy Lake – 6.23 lbs. Lake Greenwood, January 3, 2015
ALX Rods Big Fish Award for the 2015 Season (New ALX IKOS Series Rod for Season Big Fish Winner www.alxrods.com )
Local Sponsors:
Our local sponsors will be providing products or money for products for the anglers fishing Division 96 tournaments. Please give them your support by looking to them first when considering your purchases. They are supporting you!
Kneece Investigations, LLC Saluda, SC www.kneeceinvestigations.com (864-445-3713) (one stop for both your Investigative and Surveillance Equipment needs)
ALX Rods Aiken, SC www.alxrods.com (803-645-5392) Email: [email protected] (ALX Rods are available locally at The Tackle Shop (Martinez, GA), Palmetto State Armory (Fernandina Road in Columbia, SC & also store in Mt. Pleasant, SC), Wacky Riggers (Salisbury, NC), Calyx Outdoors (Piedmont, SC) Grady’s Great Outdoors (Anderson, SC), Lake Hartwell Outdoor Center (Anderson, SC) and direct at www.alxrods.com )
Gene Parker’s Spinnerbaits Asheville, NC - the baits that Gene Parker used to win the 2011 ABA National Championship on Lake Murray, SC www.parkerbaittechnology.com (828-691-2277)
Results and news on www.aba-sc.com and see your photos on ‘facebook’ at D-96 American Fishing Tour
Upcoming ABA Tournaments:
D-94 Jan. 23, 2016 Savannah River Millstone Landing
D-26 Jan. 31, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-94 Feb. 6, 2016 Savannah River Millstone Landing
D-25 Feb. 21, 2016 Hartwell Green Pond
D-26 Feb. 21, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-96 Feb. 28, 2016 Murray Dreher Island State Park
D-94 Mar. 5, 2016 Savannah River Stokes Bluff
D-25 Mar. 13, 2016 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility
D-26 Mar. 13, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-96 Mar. 20, 2016 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility
D-94 Apr. 2, 2016 Savannah River Stokes Bluff
D-25 Apr. 3, 2016 Russell Hwy 72 Ramp
D-96 Apr. 10, 2016 Murray Dreher Island State Park
D-26 Apr. 17, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-25 Apr. 24, 2016 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility
Weekend Bass Series - 2016 Ray Scott Championship – April 6-10, 2016 – Lake Hartwell, Green Pond Landing, Anderson, SC
Costa Del Mar Signs On As Title Sponsor Of Flw Series
FLW, the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that they have reached a sponsorship agreement with Costa Del Mar, a leading manufacturer of the world’s clearest polarized performance sunglasses. Effective immediately, Costa will assume title sponsorship of the FLW Series, which recently published increased paybacks at the no-entry fee championship and an impressive schedule of lakes for 2016. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
In addition to their title sponsorship, Costa will also receive exposure across all FLW platforms, including more than 235 tournaments and Expos, website, social media outlets, FLW Bass Fishing magazine and the Emmy-nominated “FLW†television show which is broadcast in high-definition (HD) to more than 564 million households worldwide.
“FLW is proud to be directly associated with one of the most recognized and sought after brands in the outdoors,†said FLW President of Marketing Trish Blake. “FLW and Costa Del Mar are positioned to be one of the most powerful sponsorship alliances in the industry with Costa’s long-term commitment as title sponsor of the FLW Series.â€
The 2016 Costa FLW Series will consist of five divisions - Central, Northern, Southeast, Southwestern and Western. Each division will consist of three qualifying tournaments with the season culminating with a no-entry-fee championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, in November. Based on their finish at the 2016 FLW Series Championship, a total of 11 FLW Series pros will advance to the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup for the chance to win the biggest payday in bass fishing.
"These anglers are some of the best up-and-coming bass fisherman out there, and it's going to be exciting to watch how they all perform in each event," said Al Perkinson, vice president of marketing for Costa. "We look forward to growing this relationship with FLW and with the entire bass fishing community."
The 2016 Costa FLW Series kicks off next week, Jan. 14-16 at Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Florida.
Wares Needed Just One Ounce More Of “mo” In Toyota Team Tournament On Guntersville
Every angler who has fished a lot of tournaments has been there. One ounce. Just one ounce from a possible big payday.
That's what happened to Kent Ware and his wife Shannon, fishing in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville in early December. Momentum, or “Mo,” determines the outcome of ballgames and many other events in life. The Wares needed just one more ounce of “Mo” in the Toyota Team Championship earlier this month.
Kent and Shannon, who moved to Lake Guntersville from South Carolina a year ago, brought 26 pounds, 9 ounces, of bass to the scales to grab second place and position themselves just 13 ounces out of the lead in the first day of the championship.
All they had to do was stay in the top three for the first round in order to make the fish-off that would determine the individual champion who would earn a berth in the 2016 Bassmaster Classic. But then Mother Nature intervened. The second day of the team competition was wiped out by heavy fog in the Guntersville area.
“So, we fished on Friday rather than Thursday,” said Ware, who qualified with his wife through the Fishers of Men Tournament Trail. “We had momentum and then the delay kind of shot our momentum. We caught plenty of fish on Friday, but we just could not get the big ones.”
On Friday the Wares weighed in more than 18 pounds of Guntersville bass for a two-day total of 45 pounds, 3 ounces. They were one ounce behind the third place team of Nickolas LeBrun and Randy Deaver – one ounce away from the championship round.
“That's all a part of it,” Ware said philosophically.
The march to the Toyota Team Championship started in earnest in October when Ware and his fishing partner from Sumter, S.C., Sean Skey won the SPRO Frog Tournament on Guntersville, but it actually began more than a year ago when Ware retired as manager of the Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, S.C.
At the hatchery Ware worked with redfish, sturgeon, cobia, American shad and even oysters. But his passion is bass fishing, especially bass tournament fishing, so he and his wife made the decision to move to Lake Guntersville so he could follow his dream.
“Winning the SPRO tournament kind of got things going,” Ware said. “Then my wife and I started practicing for the Bassmaster tournament. Amazingly, the fish stayed super shallow for the most part so we were able to keep up with them. We had a big time and we both caught a lot of fish.”
Ware and Skey caught their fish on a frog, of course, in the SPRO tournament in October, but he and his wife were working homemade jigs on the same fish in the Toyota Team Tournament because the water had got colder, he said.
While Ware was considered an angler to beat in order to win a tournament on the Santee Cooper Lakes when he lived in South Carolina, he is definitely happy with his move to Guntersville.
“”I am learning the lake. It takes a long time. It took a long time for me to figure out Santee,” Ware said. “The fishing here has been incredible this winter. It's hard not to like it here.”
Wares Needed Just One Ounce More Of “mo” In Toyota Team Tournament On Guntersville
Every angler who has fished a lot of tournaments has been there. One ounce. Just one ounce from a possible big payday.
That's what happened to Kent Ware and his wife Shannon, fishing in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville in early December. Momentum, or “Mo,” determines the outcome of ballgames and many other events in life. The Wares needed just one more ounce of “Mo” in the Toyota Team Championship earlier this month.
Kent and Shannon, who moved to Lake Guntersville from South Carolina a year ago, brought 26 pounds, 9 ounces, of bass to the scales to grab second place and position themselves just 13 ounces out of the lead in the first day of the championship.
All they had to do was stay in the top three for the first round in order to make the fish-off that would determine the individual champion who would earn a berth in the 2016 Bassmaster Classic. But then Mother Nature intervened. The second day of the team competition was wiped out by heavy fog in the Guntersville area.
“So, we fished on Friday rather than Thursday,” said Ware, who qualified with his wife through the Fishers of Men Tournament Trail. “We had momentum and then the delay kind of shot our momentum. We caught plenty of fish on Friday, but we just could not get the big ones.”
On Friday the Wares weighed in more than 18 pounds of Guntersville bass for a two-day total of 45 pounds, 3 ounces. They were one ounce behind the third place team of Nickolas LeBrun and Randy Deaver – one ounce away from the championship round.
“That's all a part of it,” Ware said philosophically.
The march to the Toyota Team Championship started in earnest in October when Ware and his fishing partner from Sumter, S.C., Sean Skey won the SPRO Frog Tournament on Guntersville, but it actually began more than a year ago when Ware retired as manager of the Bears Bluff National Fish Hatchery on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston, S.C.
At the hatchery Ware worked with redfish, sturgeon, cobia, American shad and even oysters. But his passion is bass fishing, especially bass tournament fishing, so he and his wife made the decision to move to Lake Guntersville so he could follow his dream.
“Winning the SPRO tournament kind of got things going,” Ware said. “Then my wife and I started practicing for the Bassmaster tournament. Amazingly, the fish stayed super shallow for the most part so we were able to keep up with them. We had a big time and we both caught a lot of fish.”
Ware and Skey caught their fish on a frog, of course, in the SPRO tournament in October, but he and his wife were working homemade jigs on the same fish in the Toyota Team Tournament because the water had got colder, he said.
While Ware was considered an angler to beat in order to win a tournament on the Santee Cooper Lakes when he lived in South Carolina, he is definitely happy with his move to Guntersville.
“”I am learning the lake. It takes a long time. It took a long time for me to figure out Santee,” Ware said. “The fishing here has been incredible this winter. It's hard not to like it here.”
Anglers Will Be Fishing The Mud In Aft Division 96 Tournament On Lake Greenwood
That's the refrain being sung by those who live in the Southeast U.S. for months, none with more urgency than those who live in South Carolina where devastating floods in early October left many homeless and continuing rains since have hampered renovation and rebuilding.
And 2015 is expected to go out with a huge splash as steady rains this week have brought rivers and streams to flood stage while dams along the way have floodgates open as lakes have filled to capacity. That's the situation facing anglers in the Ram American fishing Tour Greenwood division tournament on Lake Greenwood Sunday, said tournament director Phil Morris.
“The water in the lake is really high and muddy. It looks like it's going to be a challenge to catch a fish,” Morris said. On Monday, he said, the mud was down to Greenwood State Park and by Tuesday the entire lake was rolling red.
The National Weather Service reported another 1 ½ inches of rain was expected to fall through early New Year's Eve, bringing the total for the week to around 5 inches. Adding to the challenge for anglers is the prediction that with the skies clearing temperatures will drop. After a week of record high temperatures for late December, highs will be in the mid-50s through next week with nighttime temperatures approaching freezing.
Despite the unusual rainy season this fall, Morris said the tournament series has gone well since it kicked off at Lake Murray in July. Following tournaments at Lake Greenwood in August and Clarks Hill in September, the Oct. 4 tournament at Lake Murray was canceled due to the torrential rains that fell that weekend, flooding homes and washing out roads and bridges.
The schedule picked back up with a tournament on Clarks Hill in November and another on Lake Russell in December. The season continues Sunday, Jan. 3, with the tournament on Lake Greenwood, followed by tournaments Feb. 28 on Lake Murray, March 20 on Clarks Hill, April 10 on Lake Murray, May 1 on Lake Greenwood, with the two-day final May 21-22 on Clarks Hill.
Anglers can register on-line or at the ramp. American Bass Anglers charges a $5 late fee to sign up at the ramp, but a lot of anglers take that route anyway for convenience, Morris said. There is no late fee for an angler who is active military, a lifetime ABA member, or if an angler fishes 15 ABA tournametns a year.
“There is no off-limits for the qualifying tournaments,” he said. “They can pre-fish the day before the tournament and then fish the tournament.”
All of the information on the AFT in the western part of South Carolina can be found at www.aba-sc.com, Morris said.
“It has information on Division 25, Division 26 and Division 96 on it, along with the results of our tournaments and pictures and descriptions of who won and what happened in the tournaments,” he said. “You can also 'like us' on Facebook at D-96 American Fishing Tour.”
Ram American Fishing Tour – SC Greenwood Division
Sun, Jan 3, 2016
Lake Greenwood
Greenwood State Park
Call Phil Morris at (864) 993-0346
http://www.drawtrail.com/2016DivPage.php?Division=96
Davy Hite Finds Time For Hunting, Fun Fishing And Family, Plus Sponsors During Off-Season
The Bassmaster Elite season ends in September and does not crank back up until early March, which means pro angler Davy Hite gets to enjoy pursuits other than bass fishing. Like deer hunting, duck hunting, fishing for fun – say for crappie to enjoy a nice fish fry – and spending quality time with his family and close friends.
But, for pros like Hite the off-season is not all about play. Although the competition season is on hiatus there is still plenty of work to be done.
“Recently, I was in Texas for a week with one of my sponsors, then I went to Minneapolis to the Rapala Headquarters. I will go back to Rapala in January, too. Then there are the outdoors shows starting in January just about every weekend. I occasionally have to work for my sponsors,” Hite said with a chuckle,” adding, “but that's a good thing.”
When he is not working for sponsors, Hite said he sneaks in some hunting, mostly for deer and some for ducks.
“One of the cool things about traveling all over the country fishing I get to meet a lot of people who don't necessarily like to fish, but they like to hunt. And I enjoy hunting.”
Earlier this fall Hite hunted with a fellow who was his marshal in a tournament last year. Later, he drove to Louisiana – where he won the Bassmaster Classic in 1999 – to do some deer hunting and duck hunting with one of those people he has made friends with.
“It seems like there are a lot of good people in the hunting and fishing community who invite you to go on their land, stay in their hunt cabin – or even in their home – and enjoy the outdoors with them,” Hite said.
Hite himself is one of those friendly outdoors people who invites friends to his hunt cabin and hunts with them on his land along the Salud River near his home in South Carolina.
“I had Casey Ashley over to my river cabin a while back and I got him to get out his guitar and play it. I like doing fun stuff like that – hunting and fishing in the off-season, sitting around the campfire, enjoying good food. That's all part of it and the guitar playing made it even more enjoyable.”
This has been an especially enjoyable off-season for Hite because he got to have some quality time with both of his boys.
“I did not leave for Louisiana until I was able to spend some time with both boys at home,” Hite said. “Peyton is at Newberry College and Parker was home after finishing Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga. I was not going to leave until Parker was ready to leave.”
Parker, the oldest son, played football at Newberry College until he got an appointment to West Point. On Nov. 6, Hite was a proud Ranger Dad, pinning the tab on Parker at Fort Benning.
“I am proud of both boys, proud of how good both of them have done in school and Parker is now in the military. I am really proud of him,” Hite said.
Hite is a two-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year, won the 1999 Classic and was the first winner of the FLW Championship. He has won nine national tournaments and qualified for the Classic an impressive 14 seasons.
In a Bassmaster Elite season a pro angler may travel from Florida to the Great Lakes to California to Texas and back to the East Coast in a period of seven months, logging hours, days and weeks on the road and 12-hour-plus days on the water practicing for tournaments. There is no time for hunting or recreational fishing – and little time for family.
So, when that opportunity arises during the off-season Hite tries to make the most of it.
Fishing Should Be Excellent For Aft Alabama North Division Tournament On Guntersville
It's Christmas week and the way Michael Garlen has it figured by Saturday a lot of anglers should be ready to get out of the house and away from the hullabaloo and go fishing. And, if they do, he suggests they come to Lake Guntersville and fish the Ram American Fishing Tour Alabama North Division tournament.
“With Christmas on Friday by Saturday everybody will be going back to the stores to return gifts and swap things, so it will be a good time for the men to get away and relax on the water,” said Garlen, who has been an AFT tournament director for 15 years.
If they enter the tournament, he said, they will probably experience some outstanding fishing Saturday.
“We have a chance of rain every day this week and every day is going to get a little warmer. By the weekend it's supposed to me in the mi-70s,” Garlen said. “With the water warming up the fish should be really active. At least, that's what I am hoping for – I'm fishing it myself.”
Garlen said the fish are hitting spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits and swimbaits.
“It's unreal what they are feeding on right now. It will probably take 25 to 28 pounds to win Saturday.”
Garlen said that despite competition with numerous other tournament trails that have sprung up, participation in the Alabama North Division is actually up slightly this year. And he noted, he and all the other AFT tournament directors are volunteers.
“Most of us have real jobs and we do this on weekends. We are just there for the fishermen.”
The remaining Alabama North Division schedule includes: Dec. 26, Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 19, April 23, May 21, June 25, July 23, and August 6-7, all on Lake Guntersville out of Goose pond except for the April 23 tournament which will be held on Wheeler Lake out of Ingalls Harbor.
Entry fee for the tournaments is $70, with $5 for Big Fish. Anglers can register at DrawTrail.com or at the ramp the morning of the tournament.
American Bass Anglers charges a $5 late fee to sign up at the ramp, but there is no late fee for an angler who is active military, a lifetime ABA member, or if an angler fishes 15 ABA tournaments a year.
The top 500 Ram American Fishing Tour anglers in national points standings for the 2016 season will be invited to fish the 2016 Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, AL on October 16-21.
Ram American Fishing Tour - Alabama North Division
Sat, Dec 26, 2015
Lake Guntersville
Goosepond
Call Michael Garlen at (256) 998-0171
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2016.php?Division=29
Pro Field Announced For 2016 Walmart Flw Tour Season
FLW announced today the complete professional angler roster of 171 for the upcoming 2016 Walmart FLW Tour season, the 21st season of the FLW Tour. The 2016 FLW Tour will feature six regular-season tournaments, along with the addition of two fall Invitational tournaments, with competition kicking off Feb. 4-7 at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida.
The top 100 pros and top 10 co-anglers from the 2015 FLW Tour, the top 10 pros from each of the five 2015 FLW Series divisions, the 2015 TBF National Champion, and the 2015 All-American boater champion all received priority invitations to join the Tour.
“We couldn’t be more excited to kick off our FLW Tour season in just six short weeks at Lake Okeechobee,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. “We have a fantastic mix of anglers and the race for the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup is going to be more exciting than ever.”
In addition to the $125,000 pro paycheck that is awarded to FLW Tour winners, FLW will pay out at least $10,000 to pros down to 50th place and $4,000 to pros and $700 to co-anglers based on one additional payout per boat over a 160-boat field. The season opener on Lake Okeechobee, scheduled to fish 171 boats, will pay out 61 places.
The 2016 FLW Tour roster is headlined by 2015’s Angler of the Year (AOY) Scott Martin of Clewiston, Florida, and Forrest Wood Cup champion Brad Knight of Lancing, Tennessee. Martin and Knight will be joined by fellow FLW Tour AOY winners Andy Morgan, (2013, 2014), David Dudley (2008, 2011, 2012), Bryan Thrift (2010), Clark Wendlandt (1997, 2000, 2009), Jay Yelas (2002, 2007), Anthony Gagliardi (2006), Shinichi Fukae (2004), Dan Morehead (2003) and Peter Thliveros (1996).
Eight former Forrest Wood Cup champions will also be competing on Tour this season, including David Fritts (1997), Darrel Robertson (1999), Dudley (2003), Scott Suggs (2007), Martin (2011), Jacob Wheeler (2012), Gagliardi (2014), and Knight. (2015).
The Tour will also feature such bass fishing legends such as Larry Nixon, Jimmy Houston and Gary Yamamoto competing for the sport’s top prizes against established stars and promising rookies, like 2014 FLW Tour Co-angler of the Year Braxton Setzer and 2014 FLW College Fishing National Champion Austin Felix.
The entire 2016 Walmart FLW Tour roster can be found at FLWFishing.com.
In FLW Tour competition anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2016 Forrest Wood Cup will be in Huntsville, Alabama, Aug. 4-7 on Wheeler Lake and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Anglers could win as much as $300,000 – professional bass fishing’s richest prize.
For 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.
Berhorst is Lew's Speed Fishing AOY; The incentive program returns for 2016
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Dec. 21, 2015) - Lew's announces that Missouri's Dennis Berhorst is the first to win the company's new Speed Fishing Angler of the Year title, and also that it will be offering the awards incentive program again for 2016.
Pro Brandon Cobb Chasing Birds, Bass On Lake Greenwood In December
For pro angler Brandon Cobb of Greenwood December is as much about the birds as it is about fishing.
First, there are the ducks. Duck hunting provides a welcome break from the rigors of tournament fishing as the pro circuits pretty much go idle until well after Christmas.
“I like to duck hunt on the lakes around here, on public lands and a few swamps I know about,” said Cobb, who finished 2015 ranked 17th in points in his sophomore season on the FLW Tour. He also fished his way to third place in the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas in August.
“I mostly fish the lakes, though. I hunt wood ducks until the mallards and teal migrate down later in the fall,” Cobb said. “Actually, there are a lot more duck hunters than there area ducks, but it's fun and it's something to do for a couple of months.”
And then there are the seagulls. Time to lay down the shotgun and pick up a fishing rod again, Cobb said.
In December as the temperatures begin to go down the gulls migrate in from the coast to look for easy pickings when the water temperatures in South Carolina's lakes get low enough to cause threadfin shad and other baitfish to start dying off.
“Once the water temperature gets down into the 50s in Lake Greenwood the bass will gang up on brushpiles and channel drops. If you see sea gulls feeding I like to throw a jigging spoon. You will catch perch, catfish, crappie and largemouths mixed in with them,” said Cobb who honed his fishing skills while a student as a member of the Clemson University fishing team.
“The seagulls make it easy to find the fish in Lake Greenwood. When the birds are actively diving and feeding, the fish are more than likely pushing bait to the top. A small ½-ounce or .6-ounce Berry's Spoon is my favorite for this. Drop the spoon to the bottom and use short hops, bumping the bottom each time.”
Fish can be caught this way on points with sharp drop-offs and around channel swings in 20 to 30 feet of water, he said.
“With the jigging spoon for the most part you are catching perch, white bass, crappie, everything,” Cobb said. “That is what makes it so much fun. You are occupied all day catching fish and you can catch some big bass, too.”
When the bird activity gets really concentrated, Cobb said he likes to throw the Alabama Rig into the pods.
“When the birds are diving like that the fish have pushed the bait up to the top and the gulls see it. Throw the Alabama Rig into where the birds are diving and you can usually catch a big largemouth – or a striper.”
While most of the activity is out over open water in depths of 20 to 30 feet, Cobb said there should still be some shallow bass to be caught this time of year.
“Some bass will still remain shallow and can be targeted with small crankbaits along rocky banks. These fish are easiest to catch on warm sunny days when they move up to feed,” he said.
Cobb said he will enjoy bass fishing for fun on Lake Greenwood until the middle of January when the pro season cranks up.
“The first tournament I have is the third or fourth week of January, the B.A.S.S. Southern Open on Toho, and then I drive south to Okeechobee for the first FLW Tour tournament.”
Meantime, he will spend his time around Christmas and New Years working that jigging spoon magic on the Greenwood bass and playing Santa Claus angler to people who don't get to fish very much.
“I like taking those people fishing and I especially like taking kids out. You can take that Berry's Spoon and catch all the fish you want – all species,” he said. “It's a simple thing. Anybody can do it.”
Crankbaits on shallow rocks the key on Weiss for AFT Alabama East Central tournament
It took 23 pounds to win a buddy tournament on Weiss Lake weekend before last and Doug Orazine expects it will take close to that weight to win the Ram American Fishing Tour Alabama East Central tournament on the lake this Saturday.
“That 23 pounds was first and 21 pounds was second. Fishing is really good right now and with the weather the way it is it should still be good Saturday,” said Orazine, tournament director for the East Central Division, noting that temperatures are in the 70s in the Birmingham area. “It's supposed to cool off, but stay dry all week. It will be a little cooler but we don't look for any bad weather for the weekend.”
Orazine said the bass are being caught off shallow rock on square-billed and flat-type crankbaits.
“That's pretty much how you catch them there in the winter. They are also biting a jig, but that's on the rocks, too. In our last tournament I caught a 4.6-pound spot on the rocks on a crankbait.”
The series is held on Lakes Weiss and Neely Henry, he noted, and there are 12 to 15 regulars who show up for every tournament.
“We have a good group of guys who fish about every tournament with us and then we have some other guys who show up occasionally,” he said.
After two tournaments on Neely Henry and one on Weiss, which was held out of the Highway 9 Ramp, the series moves back to Weiss Saturday out of Little River Marina for the rest of the season, then will return to Neely Henry Jan. 23. The rest of the schedule includes: Feb. 13, Weiss; March 12, Neely Henry, out of Coosa Landing for all tournaments this season; and then a three-tournament stretch, all on Weiss – April 16, May 28 and June 4; followed by the two-day fish-off July 16-17 on Neely Henry/Weiss, out of Coosa Landing/Little River Marina.
Entry fee for the tournaments is $70, with $5 for Big Fish. Anglers can register at DrawTrail.com or at the ramp the morning of the tournament.
The top 500 Ram American Fishing Tour anglers in national points standings for the 2016 season will be invited to fish the 2016 Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, AL on October 16-21.
Ram American Fishing Tour - Alabama East Central
Sat, Dec 19, 2015
Weiss Lake
Little River Marina
Call Doug Orazine at (205) 910-6694
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2016.php?Division=88
Good Weights Expected For Aft Alabama Central Tournament On Lake Martin Saturday
Fishing is always good in December and January on Lake Martin, said Tom Storm, tournament director for the Ram American Fishing Tour Alabama Central Division which will hold it 3rd tournament of the season on the lake Saturday.
“A lot of big fish are caught on Lake Martin this time of year. One time I was fishing from the back of the boat and took first place while my partner finished second,” Storm said. “We were coming around a corner towards a point and I turned the reel handle one time and 'Boom!' I had a 3 ½-pound largemouth. I threw back and 'Boom!', another 3 ½-pounder.”
Storm said they fished that bank until noon and the fishing began to lay off, so they went to another spot. They came back later and started fishing deeper, catching largemouths. His biggest for the day was 4 pounds.
“Later in January I was fishing out of my boat and caught a 5-pound largemouth close to that same spot,” he said.
“You can catch fish on crankbaits and Shakey Heads this time of year. I like small crankbaits during cold weather and reel them really slow. My favorite is a Deep Baby N and the color I use most is a kind of a green back with white sides and a flash of red on the throat.”
Storm said he had 13 entries in the Nov. 21 tournament on Lake Mitchell, up some from previous tournaments.
“I expect that many, maybe more, Saturday. People want to get out of the house this time of year and fish.”
Entry fee for the tournaments is $70, with $5 for Big Fish. Anglers can register at DrawTrail.com or at the ramp the morning of the tournament.
The top 500 Ram American Fishing Tour anglers in national points standings for the 2016 season will be invited to fish the 2016 Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, AL on October 16-21.
The remaining Alabama Central Division schedule includes: Dec. 19, Lake Martin; Jan. 23, Lake Martin; Feb. 20, Lake Jordan; March 26, Alabama River; April 23, Lake Mitchell; May 21, Lake Jordan; and June 18-19, Alabama River.
Ram American Fishing Tour - Alabama Central Division
Sat, Dec 19, 2015
Lake Martin
Wind Creek State Park
Call Tom Storm at (334) 567-0351
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2016.php?Division=24
Flw Re-Signs Brp To Multi-Year Sponsorship Agreement
MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 15, 2015) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that BRP’s Evinrude brand has re-signed a multi-year agreement to remain an official outboard engine sponsor, marking their 15th consecutive year as a sponsor of FLW. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The Evinrude brand will receive exposure and have prominent presence across all of FLW’s platforms, including on-site activation at all FLW tournaments and Expos, the “FLW” television program which airs on the NBC Sports Network, World Fishing Network and the Pursuit Channel, FLW Bass Fishing magazine, promotion on FLW’s social media outlets and FLW’s fully-responsive website.
“FLW is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with Evinrude,” said Trish Blake, FLW President of Marketing. “Evinrude’s dedication and support to tournament bass fishing is unparalleled.”
As part of the sponsorship agreement, Evinrude will launch a contingency award programs for boaters competing in the Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL). BRP will award $300 to the highest Evinrude finisher in each qualifying tournament, $1,000 at regional events, and $5,000 at the BFL All-American if he or she is the registered owner of a 2012 or newer 90- to 250-horsepower Evinrude E-TEC outboard engine. All contingency payouts will be administered by FLW, allowing for immediate payouts at each tournament. For additional details on the Evinrude contingency program and a complete list of official rules and eligibility requirements, visit FLWFishing.com.
“BRP and the Evinrude brand are proud to announce this multi-year sponsorship renewal with FLW, the premier professional sports organization that has set the standard for competitive fishing,” said Christopher Berg, global director – marketing and strategic planning, Evinrude. “We share a passion for the sport, the anglers and the entire industry that FLW helps promote. FLW affords us the unique opportunity to showcase the unrivaled power, bold, breakthrough design and unmatched lifetime value of our new Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboards to passionate anglers, from amateur to pro, across the country.”
BRP's Evinrude engine line-up from 3.5 to 300 horsepower offers customers superior value across a full range of applications. Engines are available at authorized Evinrude dealerships worldwide. Become part of the online Evinrude community at www.evinrudenation.com and customize your Evinrude E-TEC G2 engine at www.ChooseYourETEC.com. Follow Evinrude on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brpevinrude.
Eaton, Risner Win Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship On Guntersville
The Michigan anglers, who qualified for the event through their home state’s D&R Sports Center Tournament Trail, caught five bass that weighed 24 pounds, 13 ounces and claimed the national team championship with a two-day weight of 48-7. Two of their best fish came around mid-morning on one magical cast.
“Chris had just finished telling me that he needed me to catch an 8-pounder,” Eaton said. “Then on the very next cast, I got a bite and set the hook. I couldn’t believe it. It was 8 pounds of fish, but it was two of them on the same bait — a 5-pounder and a 3-pounder.
“That’s when we started to feel like maybe it was just meant to be. This is our biggest dream come true.”
Risner and Eaton finished just ahead of the Texas team of Dean Alexander and Thomas Martens (46-10) and the Louisiana pairing of Nickolas LeBrun and Randy Deaver (45-4).
Now the six anglers from the Top 3 teams will compete individually against one another on Saturday in a fish-off. The winner will earn a bid to the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, March 4-6.
Risner and Eaton said they might have been aided by the heavy fog that forced the postponement of the second round Thursday. During the fog delay, they sat at the dock worrying they might not be able to put together a good limit if the anglers were sent out to fish a shortened day.
“I truly think that it helped us, because I don’t think the conditions were right for how we wanted to fish,” Risner said. “We sat there and talked about it, and we felt like if we only had four hours to fish, we didn’t know if we could get it done.
“It was taking us the full day to get a big bag. That’s what it took us today, and we were fortunate to have it.”
Excitement and nervousness was obvious for both anglers during Friday’s award ceremony. Risner even complained of his hands cramping because he had gripped his winner’s trophy so tight.
During Saturday’s Classic fish-off, they said they’ll share the spots they’ve fished as a team all week and fish without pressure.
“This is what we came here for,” said Eaton, gesturing to the trophy he was awarded for the team title. “Anything else that happens from this point on is just extra. If one of us is going to win, I’d honestly rather it be Chris.”
The format will change radically now as the tournament shifts to an individual competition. Three anglers will fish in their own boats, while their team members move to Nitro Boats provided by B.A.S.S.
The Classic fish-off was originally slated for Friday and Saturday. But since Thursday’s round of team competition was wiped out by fog, the fish-off has been shortened to one day with two separate sessions.
The six anglers will leave Lake Guntersville State Park at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and return to the park for the day’s first weigh-in at 10:30 a.m. Then as soon as the morning weigh-in is completed, they will go back onto the lake for a second four-hour session.
They’ll be allowed five fish for each session, and the angler with the highest total weight at the end of the day will earn a Classic berth.
“Several things played into the decision to do it this way, including the threat of severe weather Sunday,” said Jon Stewart, tournament director of the Team Championship. “Instead of stretching it to Sunday and fishing two more days, we’re basically going to have two tournaments on one day.”
Unlike the Team Championship where landing nets were allowed, anglers will be forced to hand-land their bass in the fish-off — just as anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series do all season.
Team members will be forced to decide among themselves Friday night who will start where and how all of their best spots from the week will be divided.
“We’ll discuss it tonight, and however it works out is however it works out,” said LeBrun on the subject of fishing against Deaver, his Louisiana teammate and friend. “At the end of the day, we’re still going to be best friends — and that’s all that matters.”
| Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12/9/2015 - 12/10/2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lake Guntersville - Lake Guntersville State Park - Guntersville, AL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| STANDINGS BOATER DAY 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accumulative | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name | # Fish | # Live | Lbs - Oz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Christopher Risner - Timothy Eaton | D&R Sports Center Tournament Trail | 10 | 10 | 48- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Dean Alexander - Thomas Martens | Texas Bass Nation | 10 | 9 | 46-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Nickolas LeBrun - Randy Deaver | H&W Marine TNT | 10 | 10 | 45- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Kent Ware - Shannon Ware | Fishers of Men Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 45- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Jay Hulsey - Kyle Hulsey | Ozark Mountain Team Trail | 8 | 7 | 43-11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Josh Busby - Timothy Taylor | Joe Bass Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 43- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Billy Sharp - Kevin Stubblefield | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 42- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Blake Hall - Dustin Connell | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 41-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Brent Algeo - Jim Copeland | Ozark Mtn Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 40- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Chris Rutland - Coby Carden | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 39- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Keith Baird - Michael Thompson | IN BN Team Trail | 8 | 8 | 39- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Jon Canada - Bo Hunter | Airport Marine Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 38-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Rickey Knight - Randall Carter | Airport Marine Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 38- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Dan Mohn - Josh Mohn | IA BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 38- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Randy Despino - Kevin Lasyone | H&W Marine Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 38- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Joshua Price - Eric Silverstrim | TN BN Team Trail | 10 | 9 | 38- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Andrew Lambert - Lacey Lambert | Fishers of Men Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 38- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | Don Warren Jr - Jeff Salmon | AC Tournament | 10 | 10 | 37-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Jason Wilson - Kelly Logan | Carolina Bass Challenge | 10 | 10 | 37- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Ben Reynolds - Brandon Reynolds | Anglers Choice | 10 | 10 | 37- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | Justin McClelland - Michael Hubbard | Anglers in Action | 10 | 10 | 37- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | Donald Amsden - Edwin Oilar | AC Tournament Trail | 10 | 10 | 36- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Nicholas Turner - Joe Lay | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 35-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Jonathan Pelfrey - Jonathan Bowling | TN Valley Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 35-12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Brent Crow - James Morgan | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 35- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | Tim Hurst - Mark McCaig | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 35- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | Todd Dixon - Larry Sisk | NTBA | 10 | 10 | 35- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | Brandon Gray - Robert Perkins | Anglers Choice | 10 | 10 | 35- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29 | Jody Hughes - Jim Smith | PBC Tournament Trail | 10 | 10 | 34- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | Hunter Grounds - Tyson Shoot | AC Tournament Trail | 10 | 10 | 34- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31 | Joseph Lamar - Mac Lamar | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 34- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | James Wall III - Jimmy Wall Jr | Carolina Bass Challenge | 10 | 10 | 34- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 33 | Rob Messenger Jr - John Levesque | New Hampshire BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 33-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 34 | Justin Spraske - Joseph Parrott | NH Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 33-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 35 | Gregory Weber - Stewart Weber | NTBA | 10 | 10 | 33- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36 | Jimmy Mason - Lance Walker | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 33- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 37 | Wayne Vaughan Jr - Mitch Blankenship | James River Priority | 10 | 10 | 33- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 38 | Shawn Skobel - Logan Crayton | Fishers of Men | 10 | 10 | 32-14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 39 | John Hodges - Chris Colley | Big Bucks Team Trail | 8 | 8 | 32-11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 | Kurt Mitchell - Alan Draper | DE BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 32- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 41 | Keith Dees - Tommy Walley Jr | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 32- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 42 | Rick Imler - Scott Newlon | Great Lakes Largemouth Series | 10 | 10 | 32- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 43 | Robert Lutes - Daylon Smith | Top Stick Tour | 10 | 10 | 32- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 44 | Carter Day - Scotty Gilley | Chattanooga Bass Association | 10 | 10 | 31-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 45 | Damien Willis - Mark Steward | Alabama Bass Trail | 10 | 10 | 31-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 46 | Flannagan Fife - Royce Davis | 2014 Champs - Fishers of Men | 10 | 10 | 31- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 47 | Kevin Williams - Cliff Williams | McNider Marine | 9 | 9 | 30-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 48 | Stephen Humphrey - Tony Campanell | NTBA | 10 | 10 | 30-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 49 | Kelly Power - Mark Wiese Jr | Ozark Mountain Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 30-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | Robert Crask - Richard Dossey | Ultimate Bass Team Tour | 8 | 8 | 30- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 51 | Galen James - Anthony Townsend | Chattanooga Bass Association | 10 | 10 | 30- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 52 | Kevin Miller - Timothy Dube | NH BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 30- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 53 | Justen Fain - James Brown | Fishers of Men | 10 | 10 | 29-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 54 | Johney Weaver Jr - Adam Ross | Media Bass Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 29-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 55 | Doug Brownridge - David Chong | Renegade Bass Team Trail | 8 | 8 | 29- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 56 | Brian McCarter - Jason Fowler | NTBA | 9 | 9 | 29- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 57 | Tom Goins Sr - TJ Goins Jr | Fishers of Men | 10 | 10 | 29- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 58 | Marc Deschenes - Ray Walsh | Carolina Anglers Team Trail | 9 | 9 | 29- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 59 | Mike Sisco - Josh Kritch | Joe Bass Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 28- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60 | Tracy Phillips - Mark Vest | NTBA | 9 | 9 | 28- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 61 | Allen Williford - Austin Moore | IL BN Team Trail | 8 | 8 | 28- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 62 | Chuck James - Brad James | Chattanooga Bass Association | 10 | 10 | 28- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 63 | Ashley Medley - Scott Clift | Ozark Mountain Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 28- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 64 | Jacob Roundtree - Robert Yniguez | Ultimate Bass Team Tour | 10 | 10 | 28- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 65 | Michael Sentore - Henry Mckee IV | NJ BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 27-12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 66 | Al Gagliarducci - Sean Lloyd | MA BN - Classic Rumble | 8 | 8 | 27-11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 67 | Rob Genter - Darren Potts | Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit | 9 | 9 | 27-11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 68 | Tom Rufenacht - Jimmy Rufenacht | Fishers Of Men | 10 | 10 | 27- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 69 | Jay Kendrick - Danny Bishop | Fishers of Men | 7 | 7 | 27- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 70 | Shawn Grover - Mark Lodge | Maine BN - Man vs Bass | 8 | 8 | 26-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 71 | Ronald Cancilla - Leo Cancilla | Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit | 10 | 10 | 26-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 72 | Chris Johnston - Lynn Johnston | Renegade Bass Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 26- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 73 | Tom Campagna - Chris Lucas | Anglers Choice | 10 | 10 | 26- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74 | Eddie Levin - Cory Hartfield | Ohio BASS Nation Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 26- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 75 | David Barnes - William Centra | Maine BN - Man vs Bass | 9 | 9 | 26- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 76 | Daniel Gray - Scott Sirakos | Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit | 10 | 10 | 25-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 77 | Raymond Trudeau - Frederick George | FL BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 25-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 78 | Curtis Lewis - Steve Fairtrace | FL BN Team Trail | 6 | 6 | 25- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 79 | Shaun Ford - Jeff Elliott | D&R Sports Center Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 25- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 80 | Ray Hogge - Kevin Whitehurst | James River Priority Team Trail | 9 | 9 | 25- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 81 | Mark Warner - Jeffrey Nolte | KS BN Team Trail | 8 | 8 | 25- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 82 | Michael Kopelic - Mark Towne | Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit | 10 | 10 | 25- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 83 | Andrew Larson - Matt Becker | Fishers of Men Team Trail | 9 | 9 | 24- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 84 | Shannon Denson - Webb Collums | Fishers of Men Team Trail | 9 | 9 | 24- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 85 | Byron Albrecht - Jason Windham | TX BN Team Trail | 10 | 10 | 24- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 86 | Kyle Kempkers - Brett Haveman | BBT Bass R Us Tournament Trail | 8 | 8 | 24- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 87 | Mark Mounts - Matthew Farrabee | Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit | 10 | 9 | 24- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 88 | Dan Miguel - Michael Slocki | Bassmania Team Trail | 7 | 7 | 23-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 89 | Joshua Moore - Ty Humphries | H&W Marine TNT | 9 | 9 | 23-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 90 | Charlie Signorino - Bill Kellman | Upstate Anglers | 9 | 9 | 23- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 91 | Hunter Hamilton - Joshua Goan | Morristown Marine Team Trail | 8 | 8 | 23- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 92 | Mack Cook - Patrick Cook | Carolina Bass Challenge | 8 | 8 | 23- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 93 | Mike Bird - Ted Roper | Ultimate Bass Team Tour | 8 | 8 | 22- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 94 | Michael Gibson - Dwayne Hughes | Anglers Choice Team Trail | 7 | 7 | 21- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 95 | Reggie Pickett - Larry Kirk | Carolina Bass Challenge | 9 | 9 | 21- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 96 | Douglas Eubank - Daniel Eubank Jr | Anglers Choice | 6 | 5 | 21- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 97 | Dennis Chavez - Donnie Coleman Jr | NV BN Team Trail | 9 | 9 | 21- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 98 | Craig Hodges - Blake Newton | NTBA | 8 | 8 | 21- 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 99 | Glenn Harrison - Rusty Darnell | Joe Bass Team Trail | 7 | 7 | 20-11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 100 | Justin Romines - Cory Stuart | Fishers of Men | 9 | 9 | 20-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 101 | Eric Deering - Adam Kaufmann | WABTA | 9 | 9 | 20- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 102 | Tom Statler - Dillon Statler | Joe Bass Team Trail | 7 | 7 | 19-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 103 | William Padgett Jr - Meredith Havird | Carolina Bass Challenge | 8 | 8 | 19- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 104 | Kyle Smith - Bill Jenkins Jr | Morristown Marine Team Trail | 6 | 6 | 18-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 105 | Timothy Chaffin - Curtis Poggenpohl | Priority James River | 6 | 6 | 18-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 106 | Wayne Cox - Jimmy Harrison | Alabama Bass Trail | 8 | 8 | 17-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 107 | Paul Vandentoorn - Nate Westrate | BBT Bass R Us Tournament Trail | 6 | 6 | 17-12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 108 | Rogne Brown - Cary Dotson | Chattanooga Bass Association | 5 | 5 | 17- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 109 | Thomas Gavin - Bobby Winn | Carolina Bass Challenge | 7 | 7 | 17- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 110 | Eric Bozeman - Thomas Proudfoot | Carolina Bass Challenge | 5 | 5 | 17- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 111 | Trace Myers - Mandy Myers | Ultimate Bass Team Tour | 6 | 6 | 17- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 112 | Mike Rains Jr - Taylor Gorton | AC Tournament Trail | 5 | 5 | 16-13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 113 | Charlie Machek - Scott Wiley | Anglers Choice | 6 | 6 | 16-10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 114 | Jeremiah Beatty - Clint Benbow | Carolina Bass Challenge | 5 | 5 | 16- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 115 | Matt McCoy - Dennis Davis | IN BN Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 16- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 116 | Benny Roberts - Todd Nidiffer | Morristown Marine Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 16- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 117 | Shane Gray - Pete Henry | Media Bass Teams | 5 | 5 | 15- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 118 | Nick Runo - Dave Tierney | Northeast Bassmaster Team Trail | 6 | 6 | 15- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 119 | Ronnie Siress - Daniel York | AC Tournament Trail | 5 | 5 | 15- 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 120 | Jack Belt - JD Kyle | IN BN Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 15- 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 121 | Mel Hedrick Jr - Eduardo Trevino | IL BN Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 15- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 122 | Rusty Strickland - Chuck Hemm | Alabama Bass Trail | 5 | 5 | 14-12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 123 | John Knowles - Michael Rezendes | Connecticut Bass Nation | 5 | 5 | 14- 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 124 | Frank Poirier - Warren Poirier | James River Priority Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 14- 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 125 | Eric Nelson - Robert Grike | Priority James River | 5 | 5 | 13-15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 126 | Shane Lineberger - Jerry Lineberger | Carolina Bass Challenge | 5 | 5 | 13-14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 127 | Mike Goff - Kevin Goff | WV Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 13-12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 128 | Bryan Baker - Darren Baker | Joe Bass Team Trail | 6 | 6 | 13-12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 129 | Chad Allison - Derrick Wright | Joe Bass Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 13- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 129 | Justin Atkins - Drew Long | Alabama Bass Trail | 5 | 5 | 13- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 129 | Chris Atwell - Gary Atwell | James River Priority Team Trail | 5 | 5 | 13- 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 132 | Jason Buchanan - Terry Kircus | Texas Bass Nation | 5 | 5 | 13- 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 133 | Jeff Hampton - Ed Roberts | AC Tournament Trail | 5 | 5 | 13- 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 134 | Greg Loveday - Timothy Hatcher | Big Bucks Buddy Trail | 5 | 5 | 13- 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 135 | Todd Walters - Jason Threadgill | Carolina Bass Challenge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No, The Other Martens Wins Bassmaster Classic Berth On Guntersville
The current he had relied on all week disappeared, and that may have caused him to lose a couple of good fish Saturday morning. He also had to share his best spot with the crowd of recreational fishermen who always flock to Guntersville on the weekends.
But none of it was enough to keep Martens from his biggest accomplishment as a tournament angler.
Martens caught just two fish that weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces during the morning session of the fish-off. But he rebounded with four giants that weighed 22-12 during the afternoon session and claimed the individual title with a combined weight of 28-14.
The victory earned Martens a berth in the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, which is scheduled for March 4-6 on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
“We found a bridge in practice that was really good, along with about 20 other boats,” said Martens, who qualified for the fish-off by teaming with fellow Texan Dean Alexander to finish second in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship earlier this week. “We had to wait in line to get to it during the week, but it was worth it. Then today, there were a lot of crappie anglers there, and I had to go inside of them. But they were great about it.”
Martens used a 7-inch Basstrixx Swimbait in the ayu color pattern to catch the fish he needed to slip past Nickolas LeBrun who finished second with 23-13. That swimbait was the same one used by California pro Skeet Reese to win the Bassmaster Elite Series event held on Guntersville back in April.
“There was no current today, and I had a couple of pull-offs that could have helped,” Martens said. “You could see the fish down there (on an electronic fish finder), and it was just a matter of dropping the bait down to them and waiting for a bite. I was literally getting about one bite an hour.
“I lost another fish this afternoon, and I was afraid that fish was going to be the one that really hurt me.”
The original plan for this week’s Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship was for 197 teams to compete Wednesday and Thursday for the national team title, with anglers from the Top 3 teams advancing to fish solo in the Bassmaster Classic fish-off Friday and Saturday.
But after a solid day of fishing in Wednesday’s opening round, the weather threw a kink into everyone’s plans.
Thursday’s second round of the team portion was wiped out by heavy fog in the Guntersville area. That forced the anglers to complete the team competition on Friday. Michigan anglers Chris Risner and Timothy Eaton claimed that team title with a two-day weight of 48-7, ahead of Alexander and Martens (46-10) and LeBrun and Randy Deaver (45-4).
Then instead of fishing the originally scheduled two days for the Classic fish-off, the six remaining anglers fished one day with two four-hour sessions. All anglers were attempting to catch five bass during the morning session and five more during the afternoon.
Saturday’s morning session saw LeBrun jump into the lead with four bass that weighed 12 pounds, 14 ounces. His closest competition was from Risner, who brought three bass to the scales that weighed 10-4.
After a short break, the anglers went back onto the lake at 11 a.m. for the afternoon session. While Martens was working his magic at the bridge, LeBrun was flipping and pitching grass for a modest five-bass limit that weighed 10-15.
“With a lack of current on our main spot, I kind of just went into survival mode,” LeBrun said. “I figured my best chance was to get five fish of some sort and just let the cards fall. So I went and did something that I had confidence in, something I know how to do. That’s how I caught what I caught.
“When it’s your day, it’s your day, and it was (Martens’) day today.”
Risner finished third with six fish in the two sessions that weighed 18-2. He was followed by Alexander with 5-7, Deaver with 4-9 and Eaton with 0-0.
Martens said he’s never seen Grand Lake, but he’s looking forward to doing some research on the fishery before he takes on the challenge of fishing the Classic.
“I’ve never even fished in Oklahoma before,” Martens said. “But how much different from Texas can it be? It’ll be a great experienced for sure.”
Europe proposes bass ban, anglers upset; confused
The European Union Commission has proposed a complete ban on bass fishing for the first half of 2016 with stringent restrictions thereafter.
This was, of course, met with strong opposition at first. Now recreational anglers think they may be off the hook (sorry, couldn't help making the obvious pun).
According Angling International:
The European Anglers Alliance (EAA) has identified that the technical detail in the Commission’s proposal does not make it clear whether the January to June ban covers recreational fishing or just commercial interests.
EAA Secretary General and EFTTA lobbyist Jan Kappel said that both organizations were working on input for the European Council of Ministers meeting on December 14th and 15th, where the proposal will be adopted, amended or dismissed.
The Trust, an EAA member, published a response to the EU proposal saying that while it welcomed further restrictions on the commercial harvesting of bass, “it is monstrously unfair to lump all forms of bass fishing together” and that the Commission “is picking the wrong target.”
The Commission introduced new bass fishing management measures less than a year ago and followed this by enforcing catch limits as recently as June 2015. It says that it is now building on those measures to further slow the dramatic decline in bass stocks.
- See more at: http://www.angling-international.com/confusion-reigns-over-european-bass-ban/#sthash.4vlj4ePT.dpuf
Pure Fishing parent company said to be in merger talks
Jarden Corporation, owner of Pure Fishing since 2007, is reportedly in merger talks with fellow corporate giant Newell Rubbermaid, maker of iconic Rubbermaid food storage products, among other things.
Jarden, current market capitalization of 10.65 billion dollars, also added Sebile to its portfolio in 2011.
Newell is said to be valued at nearly $12 billon.
How will this affect the Pure Fishing brands and anglers who like to fish their products? How will it affect sponsored pros and others in the industry? If talk turns to action, we'll all find out soon.
Ram American Fishing Tour Division 96 Results - Lake Russell - Dec 6, 2015
Our winner, Gene Parker, was fishing the middle part of the lake. He caught all his fish on a spoon in about 50 feet of water.
Phillip Anderson finished in second place a caught his fish on a shakey head. He was fishing brush piles on the upper part of the lake.
Cason Nickles finished in third place with 10.93 pounds. He fished the middle part of the lake and caught his fish on a spoon and a blade runner in as deep as 35 feet.
The day was mostly sunny with a NE wind at 10 to 15 for most of the day. Water temps were in the mid to lower 50’s. The main lake was clear and a little stained in the backs of creeks.
Here’s how we finished:
1 – Gene Parker Asheville, NC – 5 fish 12.64 lbs. BF 5.61 lbs. 200 pts.
2 – Phillip Anderson, Saluda, SC - 5 fish 11.91 lbs. 199 pts.
3 – Cason Nickles, Due West, SC – 5 fish 10.93 lbs. 198 pts.
4 – Bill Pinion, Fair Play, SC – 5 fish 10.53 lbs. 197 pts.
5 – Jay Treon, Greenwood, SC – 5 fish 10.19 lbs. 196 pts.
6 – Kevin Fulmer, Prosperity, SC – 5 fish 9.90 lbs. 195 pts.
7 – Curtis Temples, Saluda, SC – 5 fish 9.57 lbs. 194 pts.
8 – Phil Morris, Saluda, SC – 5 fish 8.72 lbs. 193 pts.
9 – Allen Murray, Reidsville, Ga. – 5 fish 8.68 lbs. 192 pts.
10 – Steve Christie, Gray Court, SC – 5 fish 8.42 lbs. 191 pts.
11 – Paul Tickerhoof, Appling, Ga. – 5 fish 8.26 lbs. 190 pts.
12 – Don Kneece, Saluda, SC - 5 fish 8.19 lbs. 189 pts.
13 – Bill Cain, Greenwood, SC – 5 fish 7.10 lbs. 188 pts.
14 - Mike Strickland, Watkinsville, Ga. – 4 fish 6.80 lbs. 187 pts.
15 – Stanley Harkins, Fletcher, NC – 5 fish 6.12 lbs. 186 pts.
16 – James Salter, Athens, Ga. – 4 fish 6.03 lbs. 185 pts.
17 – Richard Presnell, Westminster, SC - 5 fish 5.49 lbs. 184 pts.
18 – Rodney ‘Krowbar’ Cromer, Pomaria, SC - 4 fish 4.65 lbs. 183 pts.
19 – Jason Moyer, Hodges, SC - 5 fish 4.23 lbs. 182 pts.
20 – Mike Dimatteo, Spartanburg, SC - 3 fish 3.46 lbs. 181 pts.
21 – Arthur McBride, Toccoa, Ga. - 3 fish 3.35 lbs. 180 pts.
2 anglers did not weigh in fish - 50 pts.
From left to right; 1st and Big fish winner Gene Parker / 2nd place Philip Anderson / 3rd place Cason Nickles / 4th place Bill Pinion / 5th place Jay Treon / 6th place Kevin Fulmer
Money
Gene Parker – 1st place plaque $579 / BF plaque $115 /1st place option $110 Total - $804
Phillip Anderson – 2nd place plaque $346 / 2nd place option $70 Total - $416
Cason Nickles – 3rd place plaque $115
Bill Pinion – 4th place $86
Jay Treon – 5th place Gene Parker Spinnerbait
Kevin Fulmer – 6th place ALX Rods Hat
ALX Rod Big Fish Leader for 2016
Will Anderson – 5.91 lbs. Lake Greenwood, August 23, 2015
ALX Rods Big Fish Award for the 2015 Season (New ALX IKOS Series Rod for Season Big Fish Winner www.alxrods.com )
Local Sponsors:
Our local sponsors will be providing products or money for products for the anglers fishing Division 96 tournaments. Please give them your support by looking to them first when considering your purchases. They are supporting you!
Kneece Investigations, LLC Saluda, SC www.kneeceinvestigations.com (864-445-3713) (one stop for both your Investigative and Surveillance Equipment needs)
ALX Rods Aiken, SC www.alxrods.com (803-645-5392) Email: [email protected] (ALX Rods are available locally at The Tackle Shop (Martinez, GA), Palmetto State Armory (Columbia on Fernandina Road & also store in Mt. Pleasant, SC), Wacky Riggers (Salisbury, NC), Calyx Outdoors (Piedmont, SC) Grady’s Great Outdoors (Anderson, SC), Lake Hartwell Outdoor Center (Anderson, SC) and direct at www.alxrods.com )
Gene Parker’s Spinnerbaits Asheville, NC - the baits that Gene Parker used to win the 2011 ABA National Championship on Lake Murray, SC www.parkerbaittechnology.com (828-691-2277)
Results and news on www.aba-sc.com and see your photos on ‘facebook’ at D-96 American Fishing Tour
Upcoming ABA Tournaments:
D-25 Dec. 13, 2015 Hartwell Green Pond
D-96 Jan 3, 2016 Greenwood Greenwood State Park
D-26 Jan. 31, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-25 Feb. 21, 2016 Hartwell Green Pond
D-26 Feb. 21, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-96 Feb. 28, 2016 Murray Dreher Island State Park
D-25 Mar. 13, 2016 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility
D-26 Mar. 13, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-96 Mar. 20, 2016 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility
D-25 Apr. 3, 2016 Russell Hwy 72 Ramp
D-96 Apr. 10, 2016 Murray Dreher Island State Park
D-26 Apr. 17, 2016 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park
D-25 Apr. 24, 2016 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility
Weekend Bass Series - 2016 Ray Scott Championship – April 6-10, 2016 – Lake Hartwell, Green Pond Landing, Anderson, SC
Thanks to everyone for fishing,
Phil Morris
Martens Auctioning Off Winning Rods For Wounded Warriors
Now Martens is auctioning off the very Enigma rods he used to win the 2015 Angler of the Year award. All of the proceeds received from the auctions will go directly to the Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation (WWIAF) to fund world-class outdoor experiences for these Heroes.
“I can’t think of a better cause to contribute these rods to than an organization dedicated to getting Wounded Warriors in the outdoors,” Martens said. “Those injured soldiers put our freedoms above their own personal safety to protect our way of life. No price can be put on that.”
In all, some 30 rods will be auctioned off on eBay. Some of the rods are casting, some are spinning and they vary in actions and sizes.
“All of these are the Enigma rods I used all season on the Elite Series,” Martens said. “Some of them are one-of-a-kind prototypes that I was experimenting with when designing the rods. Some of them are the ones I used to win on Havasu and on the Chesapeake. They are special rods to me, but I want people across the country to bid on them to raise money so we can get these amazing Warriors into the great outdoors where they can experience miracles.”
All of the money raised in the auctions will be donated to WWIAF, a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to provide world-class outdoor sporting activities to wounded combat veterans who have received the Purple Heart Award.
WWIAF was founded in 2007 by retired Lieutenant Colonel John McDaniel who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years. McDaniel’s vision was to harness the healing powers of the great outdoors by arranging exceptional fishing and hunting experiences for combat wounded veterans at no cost to them.
Today WWIAF serves more than 200 Wounded Warriors a year across 36 states and three foreign countries. The sporting adventures are vast and varied; some of the more popular destinations include muskie fishing in Wisconsin, bass fishing in Texas, offshore fishing in Mexico, bear hunting in British Columbia, pheasant hunting in South Dakota and even gator hunting in Florida.
“We are extremely humbled and honored that Aaron would think of the Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation as a place to donate the contributions from his Enigma rod auctions,” McDaniel said. “When great champions like Aaron and quality companies like Enigma team up and work together to do good things, everybody wins – and this partnership is tremendous example of that.”
“Our foundation works very hard to get wounded combat veterans back in action in the outdoors,” McDaniel added. “The activities of fishing and hunting serve as tremendous catalysts for the healing process for these great Heroes. And because of partnerships like this, these outdoor pursuits do not cost them a single penny. So to all who bid on these proven tournament-winning rods, I wish you the best of luck.”
In all there will be four sets of auctions for Martens’ Enigma rods. The auctions will be held each quarter on eBay. Every rod will include a rod sock, Enigma hat, and a certificate of authenticity as a rod used by Martens during his 2015 Angler of the Year campaign.
The first set of auctions will be held Dec. 4, 5, 6 and 7. Two rods per day will be auctioned off. Each of the auctions will last for a period of 7 days. Rods in this December auction will ship before Christmas.
Some of the highlights of the first auctions will include Martens’ famous dropshot rod (6’10” medium-light), his favorite shakey head rod (6’11” medium-light), a cranking rod (7’2” medium), a flipping stick (7’8” heavy), a jig and toad rod (7’3” heavy) and several more.
For more information on the auctions visit www.enigmafishing.com
For more information on the Wounded Warriors In Action Foundation visit www.woundedwarriorsinaction.org
Huk Performance Apparel Increases Support As Premier B.a.s.s. Sponsor
Huk, a performance apparel company offering quality, technical fishing clothing to anglers, has upgraded its sponsorship and signed a three-year agreement with B.A.S.S. to become a Premier Sponsor of all Bassmaster tournament circuits.
Huk signed on as a supporting sponsor shortly after it was launched in 2014. Headquartered in Charleston, S.C., Huk aims to serve all anglers, especially bass anglers, with clothing designed for their sport. As part of their Premier Sponsorship, Huk has entered into an apparel licensing agreement with B.A.S.S. and will also become the official merchandise vendor at B.A.S.S. events.
“We’re very pleased to continue our partnership with a brand as strong as B.A.S.S. and to support the growing sport of bass fishing,” said Ben Verner, president of Huk. “We are a company that shares their passion for fishing and the sport.”
Under the deal announced today, Huk will be a premier-level sponsor of the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series and Costa Bassmaster High School Series.
“By becoming a Premier Sponsor, we are honored to support some of the very best anglers in the world by providing them with the most technically advanced and innovative performance apparel on the water today,” Verner said.
Bassmaster Elite Series pros including Kevin VanDam, Skeet Reese, Gerald Swindle and Brandon Palaniuk are members of the Huk pro team. Testimonials and tips from the pros can be found on its website, www.hukgear.com.
Huk will also share its performance apparel lines with the fishing public at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. The apparel company will also be activating at the Bassmaster Classic takeoff at Wolf Creek Park and the Classic weigh-in at the BOK Center. The 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic will be held in Tulsa, Okla., March 4-6.
“B.A.S.S. is proud to have Huk as a member of our sponsor family,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “Bass anglers and fans are Huk customers, and the company’s commitment brings a strong presence to the ever-expanding sport of bass fishing. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts in growing our sport.”
After Long Absence From Tournaments, Fired-Up Scott Martin Headed To Toyota Team Championship
After fishing Bassmaster tournaments from the mid-90s to early 2001, Scott Martin stepped away from tournament fishing for nearly a decade and a half so he could spend more time with his family.
But now he's back and has served notice he is still just as good an angler as he was before.
Martin and teammate Cole Winn are heading to the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship next week on Lake Guntersville after winning the Carolinas Bass Challenge 2015 Classic Oct. 23-24 on Clarks Hill Lake. Winn and Martin, both from Salulda, S.C., completed the 2 Day CBC Classic with a whopping 44.69 pounds, earning them a brand new Skeeter ZX200 Package with a 200 SHO Yamaha.
Although they did not join up until after the Lake Murray tournament, the first of the South Carolina Division for 2015, they are one of 22 teams from the Carolinas Bass Challenge to qualify for the Toyota Team Championship, the second year in a row CBC has sent that many teams, according to Brett Collins who directs the series.
Martin grew up on Lake Murray, fishing team tournaments with his eventual brother-in-law, 1999 Bassmaster Classic Champion Davy Hite of Ninety-Six, and with his dad, the late Russell Martin who was a local bass tournament icon in South Carolina.
“The Clarks Hill tournament brought back memories of one of the last years Davy and I fished the South Carolina Team Trail,” Martin said. “We won the Clarks Hill tournament back in the early '90s before Davy started fishing what is now the Bassmaster Elite Series. Winning that tournament was one of my first big licks as far as winning that kind of money.”
Martin ventured into the Bassmaster series himself, fishing 44 tournaments over a decade or so, earning almost $84,000, with four top 10 finishes, including a win in the 1998 South Carolina Invitational at Santee Cooper, and qualifying for the 1998 Bassmaster Classic on Hick Rock Lake in North Carolina.
“Cole and I did not fish the same areas at Clarks Hill that Davy and I did back then, but we fished the same way,” Martin said. The water was dirty just like it was when Davy and I caught them oh so many years ago. I just knew we had a chance to win.”
Martin said he will depend on the knowledge of Lake Guntersville he developed in two previous tournaments there to help him and Winn prepare a strategy for next week.
“I made a check in a Bassmaster tournament there years ago and back in '99 my dad and I fished there in a Jerry Rhyne tournament. It was a different time of year, but we won that tournament and we won a boat,” he said.
“There are basically going to be two scenarios. It all depends on how cold the lake is and how much cold weather they have had. If the grass is still in good shape I imagine it will be a grass scenario. But if the grass is dying, then the fish will have left it to go out to deeper water and suspend,” Martin said.
“When we get there for the official practice on Monday and Tuesday we are going to look for good grass in some of the areas I am familiar with. We'll see if we can get bit in the grass. You have to either punch through the grass with a jig or fish the edges and breaks with a spinnerbait or a shallow-running crankbait.”
If the fish are not in the grass, he said, the suspended bite will be a total gamble.
“We'll have to find the bait and the fish will be with the bait. It will be just like finding stripers on Lake Murray when the fish are hung up with those bait balls. We'll fish jerkbaits, swimbaits, that kind of deal.”
Martin was away from competitive fishing for a long time, except for some local tournaments with his dad, including crappie fishing.
“He always said from the bottom of his heart I had the potential,” Martin said. “I enjoy fishing with Cole. He is young, energetic and he is a good fisherman. I give him a lot of credit for getting me back into it.”
And now that he's back – and winning – Martin said he is in it for the long haul.
“I am pumped up to be back in it. I'm looking forward to next year. We feel like we can make a good showing in the tournaments and make some money next year,” Martin said. “Even though we missed the Lake Murray tournament this year, they are going to Lake Murray in May – and that is going to be a lot of fun.”
Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship
Dec 9-12, 2015
Lake Guntersville
Lake Guntersville State Park
Spotted Bass Will Be Winning Catch In Sc Greenwood Division Tournament On Lake Greenwood
With a cold front coming this week the American Fishing Tour South Carolina Greenwood Division tournament on Lake Russell is expected to primarily be a spotted bass tournament, Phil Morris, tournament director, said.
“The spotted bass are prevalent in December anyway, so most of the anglers will be trying to target them because they are the most aggressive,” said Morris, who added that spotted bass don't have a lot of weight.
“We always have a lot of anglers who come in with less than 10 pounds for a sack, but then there are always one or two that come in with the right fish to win it,” he said. “It usually takes 15 to 16 pounds to win this time of year on Russell.”
Morris said the key tactic will likely be a drop-shot in 30 to 40 feet of water.
“That is how it is usually won this time of year,” he said. “I don't know how cold it will get this week, but if it comes on strong and the temperature drops, that deep water bite will win it.”
Morris said the season has gone well since it kicked off with a tournament on Lake Murray in July. That was followed by a tournament on Lake Greenwood in August and then on to Clarks Hill in September. The Oct. 4 tournament on Lake Murray was canceled due to the torrential rains that swept across South Carolina that weekend, flooding homes and washing out roads and bridges, with the last tournament back on Clarks Hill in November. The schedule continues Sunday with the tournament on Lake Russell, followed by tournaments Jan. 3 on Lake Greenwood, Feb. 28 on Lake Murray, March 20 on Clarks Hill, April 10 on Lake Murray, May 1 on Lake Greenwood, with the two-day final May 21-22 on Clarks Hill.
“I've had 40 anglers fishing so far and we usually end up with at least 75 by the end of the season,”Morris said. “We are always looking for new anglers. We have several that come from North Carolina up around the Asheville area, some from down in Georgia and some from both the upstate and lower state in South Carolina.”
Anglers can register on-line or at the ramp. American Bass Anglers charges a $5 late fee to sign up at the ramp, but a lot of anglers take that route anyway for convenience, Morris said. There is no late fee for an angler who is active military, a lifetime ABA member, or if an angler fishes 15 ABA tournametns a year.
“There is no off-limits for the qualifying tournaments,” he said. “They can pre-fish the day before the tournament and then fish the tournament.”
American Fishing Tour - SC Greenwood Division
Sun, Dec 6, 2015
Lake Russell
Hwy 72 Ramp
Call Phil Morris at (864) 993-0346
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2016.php?Division=96
Cold Front Could Help Fishing For Florida West Division Tournament On Toho
Fishing on Lake Toho has been tough recently, but a cold front expected at the end of the week could change things just in time for the American Fishing Tour's Florida West Division's fourth tournament of the season.
“We are looking for a front to come through Thursday and Friday that is going to drop the air temperature down into the mid-70s,” said tournament director Frank Marylander. “It's not going to be a big cold front, but it may affect the fish.”
Toho is not fishing as well as it should be this time of year, Derylak said.
“We're catching a few of the bigger bass, but for some odd reason they are just not biting like they should be. I don't know if it's because Florida Wildlife is killing too much of the grass which is moving the fish out or if we are just not finding them,” he said.
Or, perhaps the fish have moved into staging areas to get ready for spawning, he said.
“They should be getting to the pockets, getting ready to spawn. That's what normally happens in December and January. I do expect that with this cooler weather that will probably happen pretty soon and fishing will pick up.”
Right now the bass are still not responding to reaction baits, he said, because the water is still too warm.
“Usually this time of year they start hitting crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps and jerkbaits more, but that has not happened yet. We are primarily catching them on worms and jigs, slow-moving baits.”
Derylak, who won the November tournament, is currently leading the points, but that will change as the season goes on, he said, because certain anglers fish better during different seasons of the year. So far the division has held three tournaments; Craig Maxwell won the other two.
“We have to fish four of the one-day tournaments and the two-day tournament to qualify for the top 500 in the nation in order to fish the national championship, which will be held on Lake Eufaula in Alabama next October,” Derylak said.
The Florida West Division opened with a tournament Sept. 12, followed by tournaments Oct. 3 and Nov. 7. The schedule includes: Dec. 5, Jan. 9, Feb. 6, March 5, April 2, May 14, June 4, July 9, Aug. 6-7, all out of Southport on Toho.
American Fishing Tour - Florida West Division
Sat, Dec 5, 2015
Lake Toho
Southport Park
Call Frank Derylak at (407) 709-1632
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2016.php?Division=21
Michigan Autoworker Wins $5,000 Shopping Spree Contest
After living on Lake St. Clair, Michigan, his whole life, Kelly Ray knows what lures he likes to use on the Northern fishery: tube jigs and spinners.
Now Ray can buy all the tube jigs and spinners he will need for quite a while, thanks to winning the Bassmaster Shopping Spree Sweepstakes for a $5,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card.
“I enter Bassmaster sweepstakes all the time,” Ray said. “When I learned that I won, that was unreal. I couldn’t believe it.”
Ray lives in Sterling Heights, Mich., about 8 miles from Detroit and works as a tool setter in the auto industry.
He said he is thinking about using his prize to put a down payment on a bass boat. It would be his first time owning a boat.
“I live really close to Lake St. Clair, so I fish it all the time in the summer,” Ray said.
However, he’s not too eager to head out on the lake right now and put some new Bass Pro Shops gear to the test. That will have to wait for warmer weather. “The fish have wintered down already,” he said. “They’re already down deep.”
Ray said his strategy in playing the Bassmaster Shopping Spree Sweepstakes was to log on every day and enter. He said he was trying to win the sweepstakes to fish with another Michigan angler — Kevin VanDam — when the shopping spree caught his eye.
“I grew up fishing with my father,” said Ray, whose personal best fish is a 5 1/2-pound smallmouth.
From now through Dec. 7, visit Bassmaster.com to enter the latest sweepstakes, the Bassmaster Winter Boat Giveaway. The first-place winner will receive a Triton 179 TrX, Yamaha F11LB, Triton single-axle trailer, MotorGuide trolling motor and Lowrance Mark 5. The total value of this prize is $25,095.
A second prizewinner will receive a Triton 17 TX, Mercury 60 ELPT, Triton single-axle trailer, MotorGuide trolling motor and Lowrance 3X depthfinder. This prize is valued at $17,395.
All entries must be received by midnight on Dec. 7 to be eligible, and the two winners will be selected on Dec. 9.
Happy Thanksgiving From Sportsman's Warehouse! All Zoom Products Marked Down 20% All Week Long!
Great deals galore this week at Sportsman's Warehouse! 20% off on all ZOOM products!! Spend your thanksgving shopping for some fantastic deals online or at any one of our 65 Nationwide locations! Here is SW Fishing Manager Craig Baird with some more amazing deals...
Neil And Tim Huffstefler Win The 6Th Annual Toys For Tots On Lake Murray-Full Results And Pics Here!
6th Annual Lake Murray Toys for Tots Champs
Tim and Neil hold up their winning check!
6th Annual “Mr. Lake Murray” & Toys for Tots
A cool morning and blue skies were the order of the day for the Mr. Lake Murray Open Bass tournament run by The Bass Federation of South Carolina (TBF)
The partnership this year with the Marines “Toys for Tots” program was a big success with abundant toys and cash donations from the anglers. It’s always good to give something back to those less fortunate and the Marines program is a great way of doing just that.
In all it was a pretty good day of fishing with 23 limits of 5 bass each being weighed in. The winning team for the second time in this event was Neil and Tim Huffstefler of Pomaria at 22.75 lbs. They anchored there catch with the Big Bass of the day that weighed 6.34 lbs. Rounding out the top five places were Paul Selle & Gabe Fogle 20.16 lbs. Rhett Manus & Doug Lown 20.06 lbs. Chris Epting & Johnny Mayer 17.94 lbs. Dean Chapman 17.86 lbs.
TBF of SC would like to thank all that participated in making this event a success and also Dreher Island State Park for the use of their facilities.
For more information on fishing please visit www.tbfofsc.com
Cody Kelley To Represent Flw Foundation In 2016
Arkansas Pro Adds Second Non-profit Organization to Sponsorship Portfolio
MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 19, 2015) – FLW announced today that second-year professional angler Cody Kelley of Conway, Arkansas, will represent the FLW Foundation on the Walmart FLW Tour in 2016. As part of the agreement, Kelley will organize and host a youth fishing-derby at each FLW Tour event held in 2016.
Entering his sophomore season on the FLW Tour, the 24-year-old Kelley received industry distinction and acclaim by naming the non-profit Special Olympics Arkansas (SOAR) his primary sponsor in his rookie season. In addition to his SOAR partnership, Kelley now becomes the first angler selected to represent the FLW Foundation as he travels the country competing against the sport’s best anglers on the FLW Tour.
“I look forward to representing the FLW Foundation and bringing awareness to the non-profit organizations that I serve in the 2016 season,” said Kelley. “I have been lucky enough to pursue my dream of becoming a professional angler while also remaining true to my passion of helping other people. The FLW Foundation’s commitment to connect youth to the outdoors lifestyle is a cause that I wholeheartedly support.”
Formed in 2010, the FLW Foundation was created to help connect youth to their natural resources and promote education, conservation and an active lifestyle. The FLW Foundation functions nationwide with thousands of volunteers at hundreds of fishing tournaments and outdoor expos to achieve measureable on-the-ground success in youth angler recruitment and retention. The FLW Foundation maximizes the impact of existing partnerships and expertise through experiential learning opportunities that meet the shared goals of partner schools, natural resource agencies and corporations. This hands-on approach allows the FLW Foundation and its partners to connect outdoor leisure activities with sound educational principles.
“We followed Cody’s work with the Special Olympics Arkansas closely while he was on Tour in 2015,” said Dave Washburn, FLW Vice President of Operations. “Cody’s values align well with the mission of the FLW Foundation and we are confident that he is going to do a great job increasing awareness of the Foundation and helping us to achieve our goal of connecting youth to their natural resources in meaningful ways.”
For complete details and updated information about the 2016 Walmart FLW Tour visit FLWFishing.com. For the latest updates, photos and tournament news about Cody Kelley, follow Cody on Facebook at Facebook.com/CodyKelleyFishing, on Twitter at Twitter.com/CKelleyFishing or his website CodyKelleyFishing.com.
Brad Novak Wins Gopro Best Catch Contest Powered By Bassmaster!
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Brad Novak gets up most mornings of the week at 4 a.m. and walks to the Chicago River from his home in a downtown skyscraper to fish for bass. The video he shot of his catch one morning this summer made him the grand-prize winner in the GoPro Best Catch Contest Powered by Bassmaster.
“I’m very shocked and very excited,” said Novak, 25, who works as an operations analyst at an investment firm.
For his win, Novak will receive a boat-and-motor package worth $57,989. He gets a 2015 Nitro Z 21 boat, a Mercury 250-horsepower ProXS motor, two Humminbird 1199 electronics, a Minn Kota Fortrex trolling motor and two 12-foot Talon Shallow Water Anchors.
“Right now, I only have a two-seater Sun Dolphin with a 30-pound trolling motor on it,” Novak said, “so this is a huge, huge upgrade.”
Novak just got his first GoPro four months ago so he could capture video of the things he likes to do in summer, such as fishing, boating and Jet Skiing. When he saw the GoPro Best Catch Contest, he set out to make the best video he could. That’s when he started walking to the river in the mornings.
“I saw a lot of the videos in the contest and thought they were really good, especially some of the underwater ones,” Novak said. “But none of them had skyscrapers. The lighting, the setting and the surroundings here were really good for capturing something different.
“Plus, most people don’t believe that anybody catches fish out of there,” Novak said. Now, there’s evidence to prove that they do.
Novak has been one of the beneficiaries of a recent city project to make the Chicago River more accessible to anglers. Before, the platforms rose too high over the water to be able to fish, but now three blocks have opened up to make it much easier for anglers.
He made the trip to the river with his GoPro attached to his rod with a Sportsman Mount multiple mornings, but he kept coming home fishless.
“I was trying to catch a fish for this competition, and I couldn’t get a bite,” he said. “So when I got this one, it was almost more exciting than normal because I finally had it.” He went home around 6 a.m. that day elated that he’d caught the 3-pounder.
One of the reasons he goes so early is to avoid the crowds — and the questions.
“Once it gets 6 o’clock or so, there’s tons of people out walking and asking all kinds of questions,” Novak said. “I’ll get asked at least a dozen times, ‘There’s actually fish in there?’ and ‘Do you eat them?’ So I like to get there before the rush.”
Novak currently has the dog harness mount and the Sportsman mount for his GoPro, but he’s about to get a lot more as part of his prize package. “I have no idea what I’m going to do with all of it,” Novak said, “but I think between me and friends, we can find some good uses for it all.”
In the contest, entrants uploaded raw, unedited video of their bass fishing catches. One winner was chosen each month of the five-month contest, and the winners received a prize package of GoPro products valued at $2,469.43. The package included a GoPro HERO4 Camera Black Edition—Adventure, 21 mounts/clamps/straps for holding a GoPro at the perfect angle, filters, batteries, replacement kits and more.
Each monthly winner was chosen based on cinematography/composition, perspective/degree of difficulty, character and catch, and overall beauty and lighting. Then, the five monthly winners were judged against each other for the grand prize.
Novak was one of the monthly winners in contention for the grand prize. Other monthly winners were Tyler Anderson of Lakeway, Texas; Jim Moretti of Howell, N.J.; Wilfredo Lugo-Sanchez of Pottstown, Pa.; and Hiroaki Tada of Irvine, Calif.
You can see all of the winning videos here.
“This contest was a great opportunity for us to see the amazing footage bass anglers were capturing with their GoPros,” said Todd Ballard, senior director of lifestyle marketing for GoPro. “With entries from all over the United States and tons of creativity and epic catches, getting to one winner wasn’t easy.”
The contest administrators had already awarded a winner for the grand prize, but the winning entry was later ruled ineligible.
The GoPro Best Catch Contest Powered by Bassmaster ran from March 15 to Aug. 15. The judges included seven-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam, B.A.S.S. co-owner Jerry McKinnis, and Bassmaster emcees Dave Mercer and Tommy Sanders.
Clarks Hill Toys For Tots Anglers Noted For Having Big Hearts, Open Pocketbooks
Fishermen are notorious for having huge hearts when it comes to children, especially disadvantaged or seriously ill children, so it's no wonder that the Toys for Tots Tournament on Clarks Hill Lake will be celebrating 34 years of giving in the tournament on Nov. 28.
The Clarks Hill Fish for Life Foundation, which supports programs that positively influence the lives of children in the Central Savannah River Area through fishing tournaments and other events, will mark its fourth year of administering the Toys for Tots tournament. The foundation took over the tournament when Bill Harley, who ran Southern Anglers Challenge and held the Toys for Tots Tournament for years, began having health problems since it fit right in with the foundation's mission.
“One of the things that always impresses me is how a lot of the local anglers who have fished the tournament for years and years – even though the entry fee includes two $10 toys – will bring five or six bicycles and donate them,” said Jay Jennings with the Fish for Life Foundation. “And we have a number of anglers who, instead of giving toys, will drop $100, some even $200, into the pot for the kids. Hosting the Toys for Tots Tournament is a really heartwarming thing for us to do.”
And, Jennings said, it's not just the anglers who open their pocketbooks for the kids.
“A lot of companies in the CSRA donate to the tournament and a lot of other businesses have their own Toys for Tots effort. There are a number of organizations that do Toys for Tots this time of year – we just happen to do the fishing side.”
Jennings said Bobby Jones Ford, which is a Fish for Life sponsor, has also come on board as a supporter of the Toys for Tots Tournament.
“We are holding our pre-registration at Bobby Jones Ford on Wrightsboro Road, Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m.,” he said. Entry fee for the tournament is $100 plus $5 for the Big Fish Pot and two new toys valued at $10 or more each. First place is guaranteed $5,000 with a 100-boat field, plus one place will be paid for every 10 boats.
Not only is the tournament a heartwarming experience for the organizers and for the fishermen, Jennings said the fishing is expected to be very good for the tournament also.
“Paula Alexander, who supports most of our Fish for Life events, won the Saturday Morning Open Team Tournament last weekend with over 20 pounds and her big fish was about 6 ½ pounds,” Jennings said. “It's going to take some weight to win the Toys for Tots Tournament. My guess is it will take at least 20 to 21 pounds.”
34th Annual Toys for Tots Tournament
Sat, Nov 28, 2015
Clarks Hill Lake
Wildwood Park
Call Jay Jennings at 706-373-7677
Bass Should Be Feeding Up For Virginia Western Divisional On Smith Mountain Lake
Fishing should be good on Smith Mountain Lake Saturday for the second of eight regular season tournaments on the schedule for the Ram American Fishing Tour Virginia Western Division, said division director Elvin Jennings.
“The smallmouth bite should be pretty good and the largemouth bite is probably going to be decent,” Jennings said. “The fish should be on their fall feed and some may be starting their winter patterns.”
Most of the fish will probably come 12 to 20 feet deep over rock piles and other structure, he said.
“Fishing jigs is normally good this time of year up there, along with Shakey Heads and drop-shots. And if you can get on some schooling fish, topwater will come into play, although you might have to weed through the stripers. Depending on the weather, there could be a good crankbait bite, too.”
Jennings said the forecast calls for a chance of rain on Friday and a slight chance of rain on Saturday, with temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s.
“If it does do that I hope there will also be a slight breeze to get the surface churned up just a little bit,” he said.
Jennings said he anticipates anywhere from 15 to 25 anglers for the tournament, possibly even 30. In a five-fish limit two bass can be at least 12 inches long and the other three have to be 14 inches or better, according to Virginia fishing regulations, he said.
Entry fee for the tournaments is $70, with $5 for Big Fish. Anglers can register at DrawTrail.com or at the ramp the morning of the tournament.
The top 500 Ram American Fishing Tour anglers in national points standings for the 2016 season will be invited to fish the 2016 Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, AL on October 16-21. Jennings said anglers must also fish four one-day tournaments and the two-day championship to qualify.
The remaining schedule for the Virginia Western Division includes: Nov. 21, Smith Mountain Lake; Dec. 5, Kerr Lake; March 26, Smith Mountain Lake; April 23, Philpott Lake; May 28, Kerr Lake; and June 25-26, Kerr Lake.
Ram American Fishing Tour – Virginia Western Division
Sat, Nov 21, 2015
Smith Mountain Lake
Parkway Marina
www.drawtrail.com/2016DivPage.php?Division=102
Lake Mitchell Has Big Bass Potential For Alabama Central Division Tournament
The first time Tom Storm fished Alabama's Lake Mitchell in a tournament, he went into a creek and tossed a jig and pig into a likely spot and something big hit it – hard!
“I set the hook and it bent my big, old stiff broom-handle rod and then he pulled off,” said Storm. “I threw back in there and another one hit it – and he did the same thing, pulled off in the grass. I was fishing Spiderwire at the time and he was so strong he just pulled off.”
Storm threw back and this time he landed a 4-pounder.
“That's the kind of stuff you get in Mitchell,” he said. “You can get in one spot and you are liable to catch a boatload.”
The entire Coosa River Chain of lakes is like that, Storm said.
“Mitchell is an excellent fishery. It's got a lot of rocky shoreline and that is where you find the spots in deep water with a Carolina rig. And it's got a lot of grass, especially back in the creeks. You can fish the grass with a spinnerbait, pig and jig and you can even throw a worm in some of the holes in the grass like a pig and jig.”
Lake Mitchell will be the site Saturday for the second tournament of the 8-tournament regular season schedule for the Ram American Fishing Tour Alabama Central Division.
Storm, who is director for the division, said entries these days are not like they were a few years ago before the economy went downhill.
“When we started several years ago we were having 45 to 50 anglers come out to the tournaments. Since the economy went down we are lucky to have seven,” he said. “The anglers who are not fishing just don't have the money. Some are like me, retired.”
Entry fee for the tournaments is $70, with $5 for Big Fish. Anglers can register at DrawTrail.com or at the ramp the morning of the tournament.
The top 500 Ram American Fishing Tour anglers in national points standings for the 2016 season will be invited to fish the 2016 Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, AL on October 16-21.
The remaining Alabama Central Division schedule includes: Nov. 21, Lake Mitchell; Dec. 19, Lake Martin; Jan. 23, Lake Martin; Feb. 20, Lake Jordan; March 26, Alabama River; April 23, Lake Mitchell; May 21, Lake Jordan; and June 18-19, Alabama River.
Ram American Fishing Tour – Alabama Central Division
Sat, Nov 21, 2015
Lake Mitchell
Higgins Ferry
www.drawtrail.com/2016DivPage.php?Division=24
Alden Patterson And Logan Jennings Win The Collins Bass For Cash Youth Series On Buckhorn
Forty-one youth anglers from Clayton, North Johnston, Corinth Holders, Hunt, and Orange High, along with other various schools around the area made their way to Buckhorn Lake near Wilson, NC for the second annual High School Bass Classic open tournament, hosted by Clayton High. Met with a cool morning, the anglers seemed to struggle somewhat in the early hours of the event, but as the temperature began to rise and the wind began to increase the anglers started to find some active fish.
First Place
Targeting bass that were feeding on baitfish forage, Logan Jennings and Alden Patterson used multiple lipless crank bait lures to entice their bites throughout the event and secure the top spot in the tournament with a total weight of 17.39 lbs. The duo were awarded matching first place trophies and product awards from the event sponsors.
Patterson helped to secure the win with a late day kicker fish that ultimately ended up being the lunker for the event at 6.30 lbs and added a $75 Cabelas gift card to their earnings.
Second Place
Finding themselves in the early lead during the afternoon weigh-in, the tandem of Mason Medlin and Ethan Howard settled into the second position overall with their catch of 15.88 lbs. Medlin and Howard made a mid-day charge with most of their fish coming from deep diving crank baits. The pair were rewarded with matching second place trophies and product awards from the event sponsors for their efforts.
Third Place
The defending champs of this event, Tyler Little and Chase Crocker, ended the day in the third position with their catch of 12.78 lbs. Little and Crocker may have had a shot at earning the top spot once again, but the loss of what appeared to be a couple key large fish kept the two from repeating. Both Little and Crocker were rewarded with product awards from the event sponsors for their catch.
Coming home in the fourth position was the team of Josh Tutt and Joseph Whittington with their catch of 9.82 lbs. In the fifth positon was the duo of Conner Coats and Luke Farley with their catch of 5.84 lbs. Christian Prescott and Sam Hall filled the sixth position with their catch of 5.04 lbs. Rounding out the top seven positions was the pairing of Trey Deutsch and Ben Reichard with 4.34 lbs.
- 8th – Zachary Chamblee / Dylan Tisch – 3.73 lbs.
- 9th – Kaleb Wood – 3.57 lbs.
- 10th – Alex Tisch / Haden Myrick – 3.16 lbs.
- 11th – Austin Himmel / Tyler Parker – 2.36 lbs.
- 12th – Wyatt Long / Travis Beck – 2.09 lbs.
- 13th – Braxton Chase / Austin Morgan – 1.93 lbs.
- 14th – Brandon McCuroy / Garrett Joyner – 1.74 lbs.
- 15th – Zach Mills / Garrett Watkins – 1.49 lbs.
- 16th – Harrison Jancuska / Bennett Ragland – 1.36 lbs.
- 17th – Jesus Baldovinos / Trey Black – 0.93 lbs.
- 18th – Walter Karstens / Jacob Scott – 0.55 lbs.
- 19th – Ben May / Jordan Boland – 0.46 lbs.
- 20th – Austin Tate / Cameron Wall
- 20th – Brice Rambo / Sawyer Worrell
During the afternoon weigh-in session, a casting competition was held to allow the anglers to test their casting skills among their peers. Luke Farley nailed a perfect score of 100 points and took home the top honor and prizes associated with the win. Mason Medlin came home in the second position with a score of 90 points earning himself some great prizes for his efforts.
Event sponsor Outdoor Accessories Unlimited provided pizza for all the anglers and boat captains during the weigh-in period. Many door prizes were awarded from event sponsors such as Culprit, Vicious Fishing, Buckfin, Collins Inc. – Youth Educational Series, and Cabelas of Garner, NC provided a $50 gift card to one lucky boat captain.
A special thanks goes out to the members of the Five County Bassmasters and the Collins Inc. – Youth Educational Series staff for their help in making this event a success.
Video Recap:
Random Event Photos:
