Gil Summerlin Wins Bfl Choo Choo Division Two-Day Derby On Guntersville With Over 38 Pounds
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 26, 2016) – Local angler Gil Summerlin of Guntersville, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 4 ounces, Sunday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Choo Choo Division Super Tournament on Lake Guntersville, with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 38 pounds, 14 ounces. For his victory, Summerlin earned $8,234.
“I was on the lower end of the lake targeting two different shell beds that had a little depression in them,” said Summerlin, who earned his first win in FLW competition. “The areas were about five miles apart, but identical in terms of structure. The fish were set up on the bottom between 12 to 14 feet down.
“In the morning on Day One I used a Sexy Shad-colored Strike King 6XD crankbait and boated the largest bass of the event before 7 a.m.,” Summerlin continued. “After a while, I switched to a Mean Mouth Football-Head Jig rigged with a green-pumpkin Reaction Innovations soft-plastic. I dragged it slow, and then let it sit a minute. I caught seven keepers by 8 a.m. and was done.”
On Sunday, Summerlin said the lack of wind made for a tougher bite. He said he used the same lures as the day before to cap off the event.
“I rotated between the two beds and had a limit by 10 a.m.,” said Summerlin. “I caught nine keepers, but spent most of the day going for a bigger bite.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Gil Summerlin, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 38-14, $8,234
2nd: Cody Harrison, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 35-11, $3,375
3rd: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 32-2, $2,217
4th: Curtis Merriman, Cullman, Ala., nine bass, 31-13, $1,481
5th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., 10 bass, 31-0, $1,270
6th: Tracy Robinson, Gadsden, Ala., 10 bass, 30-8, $1,164
7th: Matt Lee, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 29-4, $1,058
8th: Casey Martin, New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 29-4, $1,252
9th: Freddy Palmer, Estill Springs, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-3, $847
10th: Clayton Joyce, Chapel Hill, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-14, $741
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Summerlin’s 6-pound, 10-ounce catch on Saturday earned him the Boater Big Bass award of $885.
Randy Hill of Athens, Alabama, won the co-angler division and earned $3,260 with a two-day cumulative catch of eight bass weighing 23 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st” Randy Hill, Athens, Ala., eight bass, 23-13, $3,260
2nd: Danny Moss, Glencoe, Ala., nine bass, 22-12, $1,530
3rd: Scott Bussey, Hayden, Ala., seven bass, 21-1, $1,020
4th: Collin Bruce, Florence, Ala., eight bass, 18-2, $764
5th: Josh Perrymon, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 16-6, $612
6th: Derek Holly, Johnson City, Tenn., six bass, 15-7, $561
7th: Brandon Skinner, DeArmanville, Ala., six bass, 15-5, $510
8th: Jody Moore, Hixson, Tenn., five bass, 12-2, $459
9th: Trent Hoover, Huntsville, Ala., three bass, 11-6, $828
10th: Jared Murphree, Athens, Ala., five bass, 11-2, $357
Hoover caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounces, and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $420.
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/FLWFishingand on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
Bryan Schmitt Wins Bass Northern Open On Champlain
|
|
|
BASS Communications
|
|
From The Front Deck - My Take On Gerald Swindle And His Angler Of The Year Win
2016 BASS Angler of the Year - Gerald Swindle - One of the best in the business.
From the Front Deck - Opinon Blog - Chris Brown
While sitting in my home office last August, A few miles from Lake Guntersville. I received a text from a good friend asking what I was up to.
"Working" I replied back.
The little "bubble thingies" rose on my phone indicating he was responding.
"Let's go Fishing. Meet me at Waterfront at Noon."
In my experience, when an FLW or Elite Series Pro says, "lets go fishing" you take them up on the offer, especially when its Alabama Pro Gerald Swindle.
I have spent alot of time around Gerald, but never on the water. Boat yards, media events, early morning take-offs, and the occasional after tournament dinner and from that I can generally get a feel for how his day is going and if and when its appropriate to ask for an interview or a picture. Most days its cool, some mornings you just leave them all alone and let them go to work. When its a day on the water with them however, you just want to go have a good time.
When I pulled up to the ramp at Waterfront that day there was one trailer in the parking lot, and it was Geralds.
Rumor had it, that day would be the hottest day of the year in Alabama.
It was.
With 100% humidity, temps pushing 110 degrees and little to no wind, Gerald and I set out to try and coax a few ledge fish from the depths of Lake Guntersville. We fished and talked about his career, his future, sponsors, people, other fisherman, you name it, we talked about it. We both took a swim in the river as the wind died and the sun was absolutely brutal.
The silver lining to the heat though..... we caught them. Caught the absolute crap out of them and my sides hurt not from the hooksets, but from laughing so hard all day at Gerald.
Gerald and his wife Leanne, often referred to as "Lulu," are some of the best people in this industry. Sure, Gerald is one of the funniest guys on tour and one you cannot wait to cross the weigh-in stage because of his comedic interviews with emcee Dave Mercer, but there is a serious side to Gerald as well and it centers around his family and friends.
That "give you the shirt off his back" mentality is not just a persona, its a reality. Both Gerald and Lulu care not only for each other, other anglers and thier families, but also the industry as well.
On our little fishing trip that day we talked about a number of things and the health of the Bass Fishing Industry was one of them. If you dont think a guy like Gerald keeps his finger on the pulse of that stuff, you are mistaken. He's a saavy dude both on and off the water.
So whats my take on our newly crowned BASS Angler of the Year?
I could'nt be more excited!
Not only because Gerlad is a friend, but because I know he will represent the BASS, the industry and his peers well over the next year.
When he won Sunday night, my wife and I both were trying to figure out how to get a ticket to next years Classic Banquet just so we could hear Gerald's speech, simply because we know it will be epic.
Congratulations G, from myself, my family and from all of us at AnglersChannel.com, Congrats.
We are Proud of you for perservering and never giving up throughout the year and for bringing that trophy home!
Lets go fishing! but on a cooler day next time........
Thanks and God Bless,
CB
Bryan Schmitt Takes A 7 Ounce Lead Into The Final Day Of The Bass Northern Open On Lake Champlain
|
|
The Classic Bass Fishing Hook Redefined Thanks To Trapper Tackle
|
Tidewater Bassin' - To Run The Tides, Or To Camp?
For instance, when the water rises many, though not all, fish go with it to take advantage of fresh feeding opportunities. Likewise, as the tide goes out and the water falls, fish concentrate along the deepest edges of whatever cover they are using, whether that is a laydown log, a big grass bed or one of those hundred-yard-long docks we find on the shallower banks of the St Johns.
Hank Parker figured it out decades ago and that simple understanding of how fish move during tidal fluctuations allowed him to follow them with a spinnerbait and win a big Bassmaster tourney on the big river.
Some guys consult tide charts and run miles to get on an area during a particular stage. Generally, the last 2 hours of outgoing through the first hour of incoming is considered best because bait and bass are concentrated in the last available deep water, thus creating a fairly predictable scenario.
As the Bassmaster tournament trails visit various tidewater fisheries this summer, an age-old question comes to mind: “Do I have to run miles of river and keep pace with a particular tide stage, or can I win by camping in an area, maybe on one great spot, and riding out the tidal fluctuations?”.
At the Bassmaster Open on the James River last week most successful anglers followed the low end of the tide as they cast to any hard cover that might break the current, which needed to be moving in order to produce bites.
The main constant for winner, Charley Hartley was a lure, not a location. Hartley used a ribbon-tailed worm on a 3/16 oz. sinker and hit as many as 500 pilings, logs, barges, etc. each day.
Runner-up Cody Pike relied on a single deep spot (“deep” meaning 5-to-10 feet) to catch his limit before looking for difference-making kicker fish, but even in the honey hole tide stage was a factor. It had to be low and moving.
David Dudley placed 3rd by “tidal junk fishing” – running the low end of the tide phase and fishing any available hard cover.
Jason Christie rode up shallow and back out as tides moved across the grass flat where he caught his fish on the Potomac. photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
But when the Elite Series fished the Potomac recently, the top finishers, including winner, Justin Lucas, all camped. Lucas stayed on the same area for 4 days and used different tactics to keep with the changing tides.
Jason Christie stayed with a big grass bed. He rode the water up as it rose into the shallows. He had better action when it dropped and he focused his efforts on the outside edges where the bass congregated at low tide.
Brent Ehrler fished a big ditch that ran through a big flat. He rotated through three different lures to get the job done.
So there are 2 approaches to tidewater success. Which camp are you in – the camping camp, or the tide-running camp?
Brent Erhler scored well on the Potomac by cycling through a variety of lures rather than trying to keep pace with the tides by running to numerous spots. photo by Garrick Dixon/B.A.S.S.
Elite Series Pro Randall Tharp Talks Zoom Z-Craw And Z-Craw Jr
Elite Series Pro Randall Tharp spent s few minutes with us this spring talking about the Zoom Z-Craw which he uses in a number of different ways as well as he introduces us to the Zoom Z-Craw Junior for finesse or low profile situations. Check them both out here at Sportsmans Warehouse!
Andy Lake Wins The Aba Aft Div. 96 Event On Lake Greenwood
Andy Lake of Batesburg, South Carolina won the AFT South Carolina D96 1-day qualifier event for the 2017 season held August 21, 2016 on Lake Greenwood running out of Greenwood State Park near Ninety Six, South Carolina. Andy caught four fish weighing 7.90 pounds. He fished the upper part of the lake and caught his fish on soft plastic worms by flipping docks in 3 to 5 feet of water. Andy took home $825 for first place and first place option.
Gene Parker of Asheville, North Carolina was second with four fish weighing 6.14 pounds. fishing the upper part. Gene was fishing his Gene Parker Spinnerbait on laydowns in shallow water. For second place and second place option Gene won $424.
Third place was Ben Little of Laurens, South Carolina with two fish weighing 4.79 pounds. Ben took home $157.
Big Fish was caught by Don Kneece of Saluda, South Carolina. His 3.46-pound largemouth was caught on a Texas Rigged worm on the upper part of the lake.
We all had heard how tough Lake Greenwood was this week. A lot of small fish were caught but the 14 inch minimum length fish were at a premium. Twelve anglers caught and weighed in 24 fish.
Our day started out cloudy and 79 degrees. There was a 10 to 20 mph wind all day with partly cloudy skies after 10 am and 90 degrees at the 3 pm weigh-in. Water temps were in the high 80’s. The lake was clear but stained in the creeks and up the rivers and about a half foot from full pool.
Top Five Finishers:
1. Andy Lake 7.90 lbs
2. Gene Parker 6.14 lbs
3. Ben Little 4.79 lbs
4. Darrell Shull 4.72 lbs
5. Richard Presnell 4.09 lbs
These anglers are qualifying to compete in the 2017 Ram AFT National Championship on a lake to be announced in October 2017.
The next Division 96 tournament qualifier for the 2017 season for D96 will be held September 18, 2016 on Lake Murray out of the Dreher Island State Park near Prosperity, South Carolina.
For more information, contact D-96 Director Phil Morris at (864)993-0346; email plmorris109@embarqmail.com, or call ABA at (256) 232-0406. On-line, see www.americanbassanglers.com or www.aba-sc.com for complete results. Also check out our facebook page at D-96 American Fishing Tour.
These anglers are earning valuable points toward the divisional angler of the year title. The points champion from each division will compete in the annual Ram American Bass Anglers AFT Angler of the Year Final Round at the Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship.
The Ram American Fishing Tour offers low cost, close to home bass tournaments that are designed for the weekend angler. All ABA anglers fish for money and points. The points advance the angler to their divisional championship and the top 500 anglers in the US are invited to the Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship. For more information on American Bass Anglers please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256)232-0406.
Scott James Wins Aba Aft Div. 39 Divisional Championship On Mississippi River Pool 13
Scott James of Wilmington, Illinois won the AFT D39 two day Divisional Championship held on Mississippi Pool 13 on August 20th and 21st. High water, fast current, and muddy water slowed a normally great bass catching river, but the conditions didn't slow Scott who caught three fish each day with a total weight of 13.25 pounds.
Eric Heck of Joliet, Illinois also bagged a total of six fish for a second place finish and a weight of 12.14 pounds.
Dave Schultz of Wilmington IL, had big bass for the two day event weighing 3.26 pounds.
Top Five Finishers:
1. Scott James 13.25 lbs
2. Eric Heck 12.14 lbs
3. Matt Marques 10.66 lbs
4. Mike Koenig 10.15 lbs
5. Rich Buss 7.48 lbs
Local Sponsor BIG R contributed a $25 gift card for the Big Bass and a bucket o' bait valued at over $200 for 1st place!
Thank you for the great participation this year and I look forward to seeing you all next year! For more information on this event or any future events please contact local director, Mike Koenig, at (708)514-7258 or visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
These anglers are earning valuable points toward the divisional angler of the year title. The points champion from each division will compete in the annual Ram American Bass Anglers AFT Angler of the Year Final Round at the Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship.
The Ram American Fishing Tour offers low cost, close to home bass tournaments that are designed for the weekend angler. All ABA anglers fish for money and points. The points advance the angler to their divisional championship and the top 500 anglers in the US are invited to the Ram American Fishing Tour National Championship. For more information on American Bass Anglers please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256)232-0406.
Dale Palfrey Wins The Aba Ram Truck Open Event On Chickamauga With A 21.63-Pound Limit
Dale Pelfrey of Rockwood, Tennessee won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series TN East tournament, held August 20, 2016 on Chickamauga. Running out of Dayton Boat Dock in Dayton, Tennessee, Pelfrey caught five bass weighing 21.63 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.73-pound kicker. He took home $5,000 for his victory, $500 from Mercury contingency, $500 from Triton Gold, and a new Simms Challenger rain suit valued at $400.
“I caught a few fish today deep on a worm. I was able to catch a 4-pound with about 19 minutes punching grass which helped get me to my winning weight,” stated Pelfrey.
In second for the Boaters, Jeff Knight of Cleveland, Tennessee landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 19.61 pounds with an 8.50-pound kicker. He collected $1,377 for his effort as well as $380 for the Big Fish of the event and a new Abu Garcia Revo.
“I used green pumpkin jigs and shackyheads all day to catch my fish. It was a good day, I caught fish all day long. I caught my big fish early today using an Abu Garcia reel."
Jason Yelverton of Rogersville, Alabama took third for the Boaters with five bass weighing 17.73 pounds earning $620. “I was fishing crash in 8-10 feet of water. I caught some using topwater and some using a jig. I caught most of my fish this morning, they were scattered out,” said Yelverton.
Finishing fourth, Steve Barnes of Harrison, Tennessee landed a five-bass limit weighing 17.38 pounds.
Thomas Helton rounded out the top five Boaters with five bass weighing 15.16 pounds, topped by a 4.02-pound kicker.
In the Co-Angler Division, David Perron of Dayton, Tennessee won with three bass weighing 13.85 pounds. He sealed his victory with a 7.25-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1,350 as well as $185 and is also taking home a Simms Challenger rainsuit.
“I probably caught ten keepers all day. I threw a little bit of everything from a chatterbait to a swimbait. I caught the big fish today on a 1.5 squarebill right at the boat,” said Perron.
Taking second for the Co-Anglers, Triston Crowder of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee brought in a three-bass limit weighing 8.54 pounds topped off by a 3.36-pound kicker collecting $465 for the effort. “I caught my fish today using a 3/8 flipping jig targeting wood. It was a grind, I caught a one fish here and one fish there to get my limit,” stated Crowder.
Daniel Crockett placed third among the Co-Anglers with three bass weighing 6.95 pounds to earn $310. “It was a tough day, I didn’t have a keeper in the boat until 2 o’clock. I started flipping an Okeechobee Crawl color beaver into the grass and was able to catch my three keepers,” Crockett said.
In fourth place among the Co-Anglers, Roy Yother of Red Bank, Tennessee brought in three bass weighing 6.47 pounds.
Jared Sullivan of Hixson, Tennessee finished in fifth place with two bass weighing 6.43 pounds.
Slated for October 1-2, the next divisional tournament will be held on Lake Guntersville out of Guntersville State Park in Guntersville, Alabama. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2017 Ray Scott Championship, slated for Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, TN in April of 2017.
For more information on this tournament, call Kristin Malott, tournament manager, at (256)771-3709 or ABA at (256)232-0406. On line, see www.ramopenseries.com .
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Truck Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Ohio's Elkins Wins Flw Bass Fishing League Michigan Division Event
TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 22, 2016) – Matt Elkins of Spencerville, Ohio, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the fourth FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament of 2016 on the Detroit River. Elkins took home $5,632 for his win.
“I caught my fish out of one area on Lake Erie and had a limit by 8:30 a.m.,” said Elkins, who earned his second BFL career win on the Detroit River. “I was way offshore, probably 30 miles, and fishing deep. My catches came from more than 30 feet down.”
Elkins said he rotated between two baits on a drop-shot rig – a purple-passion-colored LBA Baits Ding Ding and a smoke-purple Jackall Crosstail Shad.
“I fished very specific, isolated spots,” said Elkins. “I stood on the trolling motor and casted 30 feet forward and dragged it slow over rocks piles or a ridge.”
Elkins said a crucial part to his success was letting his fish replenish.
“In these spots, you’ll catch them fairly quick and then the bite dies off,” said Elkins. “I had to move around and let them reset. After catching my limit, I returned around 12:30 p.m. and boated two more. Those were the only fish I caught all day.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Matt Elkins, Spencerville, Ohio, five bass, 22-11, $3,632 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Seth Borton, Adrian, Mich., five bass, 22-0, $2,016
3rd: Todd Schmitz, Goshen, Ind., five bass, 21-14, $1,210
4th: Michael Sitko, Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 21-7, $1,147
5th: Zach Maisch, Lima, Ohio, five bass, 21-2, $826
6th: Steve Clapper, Lima, Ohio, five bass, 20-10, $666
7th: Jared Rhode, Port Clinton, Ohio, five bass, 20-9, $605
8th: Randy Ramsey, Ceresco, Mich., five bass, 20-8, $545
9th: Joshua Barr, Columbus, Ohio, five bass, 20-4, $484
10th: Jamie Jacobus, Johnstown, Ohio, five bass, 19-11, $424
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Brett Haake of Shorewood, Illinois, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds even – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $465.
Brian Ruetz of Toledo, Ohio, weighed in five bass totaling 18 pounds, 5 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $1,916.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Brian Ruetz, Toledo, Ohio, five bass, 18-5, $1,916
2nd: Rick McClintock, Interlochen, Mich., five bass, 17-8, $908
3rd: Daniel Holland, Beverly Hills, Mich., five bass, 17-2, $515
3rd: Mark Lyons, Marion, Ind., five bass, 17-2, $515
5th: Leo Reiter, Greenup, Ill., five bass, 16-14, $363
6th: Gary Polenz, Milan, Mich., four bass, 15-8, $318
6th: Kevin Fetzer, Wateford, Mich., five bass, 15-8, $368
8th: Jeffrey Thomson, Birmingham, Mich., five bass, 15-3, $272
9th: Bret Holling, Lansing, Mich., five bass, 14-10, $242
10th: Jorji Itoh, Beverly Hills, Mich., four bass, 14-5, $444
Itoh caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 6 ounces, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $232.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. 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.
Brueggen Wins Flw Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division Event On Mississippi River
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Aug. 22, 2016) – Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wisconsin, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the fourth FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division tournament of 2016 on the Mississippi River. For his efforts, Brueggen took home $5,963.
“I started off the day in the middle of Pool No. 9 targeting largemouth in weeds,” said Brueggen, who earned his third win in BFL competition. “I was in the backwaters and the water was running high.”
Brueggen said he used a black and purple-colored Kureiji swimjig to catch four keepers.
“As the day progressed, I switched patterns to target smallmouth,” said Brueggen. “I ran to a shell bed and used a green-pumpkin-orange Kureiji football-head jig and a Carolina-rigged Zoom Lizard. I dragged them until a fish came up to the surface for a minnow, and then I threw a Heddon Zara Spook to it.”
Brueggen said he ended up weighing a mixed limit of bass - three smallmouth and two largemouth.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-11, $3,963 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Travis Brueggen, Cashton, Wis., five bass, 15-9, $1,981
3rd: Curtis Samo, Rochelle, Ill., five bass, 14-14, $1,322
4th: Chris Aswegan, Tiffin, Iowa, five bass, 14-12, $925
5th: Kyle Schauf, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 14-11, $793
6th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 13-5, $893
6th: Kevin Wolfram, Wheaton, Ill., five bass, 13-5, $893
8th: Jimmy Johnson, Holmen, Wis., five bass, 13-2, $594
9th: Jim Caulum, Rockland, Wis., five bass, 13-0, $528
10th: Kevin Ruh, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 12-12, $562
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Don Gerz of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $535.
Bradley Juen of La Crosse, Wisconsin, weighed in five bass totaling 12 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $1,981.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Bradley Juen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 12-4, $1,981
2nd: Ben Fisher, Waterloo, Iowa, five bass, 11-9, $991
3rd: Michael Taylor, Tipton, Iowa, five bass, 11-0, $662
4th: Matt Knox, Metamora, Ill., five bass, 10-12, $462
5th: David Boelkins, Waukesha, Wis., five bass, 10-5, $396
6th: Jeffrey Phillip, Montfort, Wis., five bass, 10-4, $363
7th: Cody Hackett, Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 10-3, $266
7th: Bryan Bye, Beloit, Wis., four bass, 10-3, $266
7th: Craig Fanning, Elwood, Ill., five bass, 10-3, $266
7th: Art Sukowatey, Greendale, Wis., five bass, 10-3, $266
7th: Ovidiu Marginean, Des Plaines, Ill., five bass, 10-3, $266
Donald Roscovius of Tomah, Wisconsin, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $267.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. 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.
Steve Poland Wins Aba Ram Truck Open South Tournament On Okeechobee, Jeffrey Herndon Wins Co-Angler Side
Steve Poland of Port St. Lucie, Florida won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series Florida South tournament, held August 20th on the Lake Okeechobee.
Running out of Scott Driver Park in Okeechobee, Florida, Steve caught five bass weighing 29.68 pounds. For the Boater division victory, Poland took home a check for $5,000 and will be receiving a new SIMMS Challenger rainsuit from SIMMS for his win. “I was fishing around Harney Pond area and I was throwing swim jigs around hydrilla.” Poland said.
In second for the Boaters, Norris Newhouse of Okeechobee, Florida landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 25.68 pounds. He collected $1,329 for the effort. “I lost two fish today, one about 6 pounds. I should have had about 30 pounds but that’s just the way it goes. I was flipping the east side of the lake early.” Newhouse said.
Ron Yentz of Fort Lauderdale, Florida took third for the Boaters with five bass weighing 20.71 pounds. He earned $886. “I was fishing the south end of the lake flipping hyacinth mats. I caught about a dozen 4-pounders. I worked hard at it but just couldn’t get that big bite.” Yentz said.
Finishing fourth, John Conner of Okeechobee, Florida landed a five-bass limit weighing 20.38 pounds including a 6.68-pound kicker.
Justin Morgan of Okeechobee, Florida rounded out the top five Boaters with five bass weighing 20.02 pounds topped by a 7.08-pound kicker.
The biggest bass for the boaters was caught by Doug Green of Sarasota, Florida that weighed 8.38 pounds and pocketed $600
“I caught that fish flipping about 2:30pm this afternoon. I didn’t pre-fish for this event and haven’t been on the lake in 4 months. I just showed up and went fishing” Green said.
In the Co-Angler division, Jeffrey Herndon of Plant City, Florida won with three bass weighing 11.63 pounds. He sealed his victory with a 4.45-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1,600 and will also be receiving a new SIMMS Challenger rainsuit from SIMMS for his win.
“I was fishing the east side of the lake and I caught my fish flipping buggy whips. I lost one good fish today and the bite was sporadic.” Herndon said.
Taking second for the Co-Anglers, Rollin Willmon of Cape Coral, Florida brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 10.52 pounds with a 5.66-pound kicker. He collected $540 for the effort. “I only had one fish in the livewell until about 2:00 p.m. and when some schooling fish came up and we started catching them every cast for about an hour. I threw a spinnerbait in the school and caught my 5.66 pound fish and then caught about 60 three pound fish. My arm was tired after that.” Willmon said.
Giovanni Pena of Davenport, Florida placed third among the Co-Anglers with three bass weighing 9.28 pounds including a 3.88-pound kicker. Pena earned $360 and was the Best Western Travel Card drawing winner for staying at the Best Western this weekend. “This was the second time I’ve been on Lake Okeechobee and I have no idea of where I was at.” Pena said.
In fourth place among the Co-Anglers, Jeff Peterson of Lake Worth, Florida brought in three bass weighing 9.28 pounds. Peterson finished fourth because of the tie-breaker guidelines.
Coleman Roberts of Ft Myers, Florida finished in fifth place with three bass weighing 9.05 pounds.
The biggest bass for the Co-Anglers was caught by Jeff Peterson of Lake Worth, Florida that weighed 6.91 pounds which earned him $215.
Slated for September 24th & 25th, the next tournament will be the two-day Area Championship held on Lake Toho out of Lakefront Park near Kissimmee, FL. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2017 Ray Scott Championship, slated for Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, TN in April of 2017.
For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti, tournament manager, at (256)230-5632 or ABA at (256)232-0406. On line, see www.ramopenseries.com .
Robert Scott Wins Aba Ram Truck Open Series Ne Event On Sacandaga, Jonathon Wentworth Wins Co-Angler Side
Robert D. Scott of Rutland, Vermont won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series NE tournament, held August 20th on Sacandaga Lake.
Running out of the Dec ramp, Robert caught five bass weighing 13.71 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.32-pound kicker. For the Boater division victory, Scott took home a check for $5,000 and $340 for the Kicker as Big Bass for the anglers. It was also the big bass for the tournament and was caught on an Abu Garcia Revo reel.
“We fished two main areas all day,” Scott said. “We ran to the north end of the lake to the Sacandaga River. I threw a top water called a whopper flopper in 3 to 5 feet of water. It was clear and yellow color. Then it got rough so I switched to a Booya buzzbait. Then we ran to the south end of the lake for a kicker large mouth and I GOT ONE! A five pounder! We ran back and forth several times to build our limits.”
In second for the Boaters, William M. Barrett of Bridgewater, Massachusetts landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 13.27 pounds with a 3.90-pound kicker. He collected $1,078 for the effort.
Barrett said, “I used a megabass pop R in yellow and clear in the early morning and the I went to a Daddy Mac lures viper series 5” swim bait, that’s what I caught my two nice smallies on.”
Brian Squires of Schenectady, New York took third for the Boaters with five bass weighing 10.52 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 2.14-pound kicker to earn $719.
Squires said, “It was tough out there, but with my own brand of jigs, money maker jigs in green pumpkin, I fished rock sholes in 3 to 5 feet of water. I had other anglers all around me.”
Finishing fourth, Robert LaMoy of Chazy, New York landed a five-bass limit for 10.03 pounds.
Robert Bez of Amsterdam, New York rounded out the top five Boaters with five bass weighing 10.02 pounds.
In the Co-Angler division, Johnathan Wentworth of Clifton Park, New York won with three bass weighing 7.06 pounds. He sealed his victory with a 3.16-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1,110. He also received $125 for his kicker as it was the Big Bass for the Co-Anglers.
Wentworth said, “I fish with Robert Scott. We found the green fish schooling, I caught my 3-pounder on a brown and black jig. We stayed in 6 to 7 feet of water.”
Taking second for the Co-Anglers, Nathan R. Christian of Moriah, New York brought in a three-bass limit weighing 6.50 pounds including a 2.70-pound kicker. He collected $398.50 for the effort.
Christian said, “we fished the mouth of Hans creek in 5 to 10 feet of water. We dropshot all day with a KVD dream shot peach color and a cross tailed shad in green pumpkin color. I got my largemouth on a Missel Bait, D bomb in the grass.”
Ray Conley of Albany, New York placed third among the Co-Anglers with three bass weighing 6.07 pounds.to earn $265.50.
Conley said, “we were fishing the main lake, in 20 to 30 feet. We targeted schooling bass when we saw them. I dropshot with a ½ oz weight all day with a peach colored shad shaped worm.”
In fourth place among the Co-Anglers, Danny Bush of Peekskill, New York brought in three bass weighing 6.05 pounds including a 3.08-pound kicker.
David E Blankenship of Plattsburgh, New York finished in fifth place with three bass weighing 5.81 pounds topped by a 2.04-pound kicker.
Slated for September 10th and 11th the next divisional tournament will be held on Raystown Lake out of Seven Points marina near Huntingdon, Pennsylvannia. This will be the two day Area Championship where the top 20 Boaters and Co-Anglers, by place of finish, will advance to the 2017 Ray Scott Championship, slated for Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, TN in April of 2017.
For more information on this tournament, go online to www.ramopenseries.com call ABA at (256)232-0406, or call Jeff Randall, tournament manager, at (256)777-6152
American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Truck Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Pro Chris Huselton Wins Mr. Bass Of Arkansas Tournament #6 At Lake Ouachita!
Pro Money Winners:
1st – Chris Huselton – 9 – 16.45 lbs
2nd – Brent Toon – 6 – 16.06 lbs
3rd – Jason Lieblong – 5 – 15.87 lbs
1st place Big Bass, Day 1 = Jason Lieblong 3.93 lbs
1st place Big Bass, Day 2 = Brent Toon 4.84 lbs
For complete Pro results, click here.
Ontario's Johnston Wins Costa Flw Series Northern Division Finale
ONTARIO’S JOHNSTON WINS COSTA FLW SERIES NORTHERN DIVISION FINALE ON ONEIDA LAKE PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS
Link to photo of winner Cory Johnston
BREWERTON, N.Y. (Aug. 20, 2016) – Cory Johnston of Cavan, Ontario, Canada, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 14 pounds, 1 ounce, Saturday to win the Costa FLW Series Northern Division finale on Oneida Lake presented by Ranger Boats with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 50 pounds, 4 ounces. For his win, Johnston took home $77,778, including a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
“I spent the first two days of the tournament running shallow rock piles,†said Johnston, who was also crowned the 2016 Strike King Angler of the Year in the Costa FLW Series Northern Division. “I started on the east end of the lake and worked my way west, hitting about 20 isolated piles along the way.â€
Johnston said he used a bluegill-colored Jackall topwater bait to dissect his piles, but fan-casted a green-pumpkin Strike King Coffee Tube and a 4-inch green-pumpkin Yamamoto Baits Senko when the fish were spooked.
“My day started off kind of slow on Thursday,†said Johnston. “I caught a 3-pounder right off the bat, but had to run around to catch more. Before long, I caught a 4-pound largemouth and then filled out the rest of my limit with some good-sized smallmouth.
“I didn’t have a good fish in the boat until 8 a.m. on Day Two,†continued Johnston. “I caught a key largemouth off of a dock on a Punisher Lures jig, which really helped, and I ended up weighing four smallmouth alongside it.â€
On Day Three, Johnston said he switched tactics, opting to fish deeper using an umbrella rig with Electric Shad-colored Keitech Swimbaits.
“The wind picked up and the water was stained so I couldn’t see the rock piles,†said Johnston. “I concentrated on a weed flat, but returned to some piles when I went shallow. I probably hit 15 to 20 different areas throughout the day.â€
The Ontario pro went on to say that it was his largemouth catches that were crucial to his success.
“You don’t get a ton of largemouth here on Oneida, but when you do, they’re big ones,†said Johnston.
The top 10 pros on Oneida Lake were:
1st: Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 50-4, $77,778
2nd: Casey Smith, Macedon, N.Y., 15 bass, 46-1, $12,724
3rd: Ian Renfrew, Phoenix, N.Y., 14 bass, 44-14, $9,774
4th: Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 44-12, $8,145
5th: Lawrence Mazur, East Aurora, N.Y., 14 bass, 44-3, $7,330
6th: Kyle Weisenburger, Ottawa, Ohio, 13 bass, 41-7, $6,516
7th: Ed Casey, Whiteford, Md., 13 bass, 41-5, $5,701
8th: Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, 13 bass, 38-13, $4,887
9th: Jason Shipton, Muncy, Pa., 11 bass, 35-12, $4,288
10th: Lucas McDaniel, Fishers, Ind., 11 bass, 34-3, $3,258
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Shipton caught a bass weighing 5 pounds even Thursday – the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division – that earned him the day’s Big Bass award of $216.
Christopher Hall of South Abington Township, Pennsylvania, won the co-angler division and a Ranger Z117 with a 90-horsepower Mercury or Evinrude outboard motor. Hall earned his win with a three-day total catch of 15 bass weighing 46 pounds even.
The top 10 co-anglers on Oneida Lake were:
1st: Christopher Hall, South Abington Township, Pa., 15 bass, 46-0, $27,000
2nd: Tyler Sheppard, Hermitage, Pa., 14 bass, 45-7, $4,212
3rd: Paul Kimball Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., 13 bass, 36-5, $3,289
4th: Tom Stark, Angola, Ind., 13 bass, 31-14, $2,878
5th: Christy Tiano, Hudson, N.Y., 11 bass, 29-1, $2,517
6th: Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., nine bass, 28-10, $2,200
7th: Frank Miller, Berwick, Pa., nine bass, 26-13, $1,789
8th: Somang Kim, Lansdale, Pa., eight bass, 24-9, $1,439
9th: Alex Antipenko, Brooklyn, N.Y., eight bass, 21-15, $1,234
10th: Bill Valberg, London, Ontario, Canada, seven bass, 21-13, $1,028
Miller caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division Friday, a bass weighing 4 pounds, 2 ounces that earned him the day’s Big Bass award of $144.
The Costa FLW 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 is being held Nov. 3-5 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri.
The Costa FLW Series on Oneida Lake presented by Ranger Boats was the third and final stop of 2016 in the Northern Division. The next Costa FLW Series tournament will be a Southwestern Division event, held Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2016 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat: @FLWFishing.
Hartley Wins First Bass Victory Of His Career In The Northern Open On The James River!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2016
Hartley Hoists The Northern Open Trophy At James River
RICHMOND, Va. — Charlie Hartley, a former competitor on the Bassmaster Elite Series, earned his first B.A.S.S. victory by enduring hot weather all week in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open at the James River.
The Grove, City, Ohio, angler clinched the pro division title by catching a 13-pound, 11-ounce limit during Saturday’s final round to finish with a three-day total of 41-13. Hartley received the top prize of a $45,000 Skeeter ZX200/Yamaha VF200LA rig and $6,699 in cash and qualified for the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro contingent upon him fishing the Northern Open finale at Lake Champlain in September.
Hartley said his final day went “very slow and tedious.” He recalled going an hour and a half without caching a fish, and his first keeper was only about 12 1/8 inches. The day got better — slowly. “There never was a flurry, or I was never thinking the day was going good,” he said. “I was actually frustrated.” With upgrades throughout the day, he eventually looked in his livewell and realized he had a good bag for as slow as the fishing had been.
His key lure for the week was a 7-inch ribbontail worm in a June bug color that he Texas-rigged with a 3/16-ounce weight pegged to a 4/0 Owner hook. Hartley targeted pilings, barges, concrete cover and cypress trees. “I fished 100 percent hard cover the whole tournament,” he said. Hartley caught all of his fish from 1 to 5 feet deep despite fishing in 90-degree weather every day.
Lure presentation was also crucial in the current. Hartley would pitch his worm behind the cover and let the current drift the worm back toward the front of the cover. Strikes would usually occur as the worm drifted to the front of his target. “It was really important to have that light weight so that the bait came by the fish the way they are used to seeing it flowing in the current,” he said.
Twenty-three-year-old Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., finished as the pro division runner-up with 39-6. “I just started out running the low water, and I had one deep hole in a creek that had a bunch of wood, and the fish would just go to the shade there,” he said. He caught his limit each day in the hole using aringworm and a medium-depth diving crankbait.
The other Top 5 finishers in the pro division were David Dudley of Lynchburg, Va., with 39-5, Matthew Sphar of North Java, N.Y with 39-4 and Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho in fifth with 39-1.
High school senior Cody Bertrand of Dyer, Ind., and Francis Martin of North Chesterfield, Va., both finished with 24-8 in the co-angler division, but Bertrand won the division on a tie-breaker by having the heaviest single-day limit of 10-10. He earned the grand prize of a $30,000 Triton 179TrX/Mercury 115ELPT rig.
The Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $750 on the pro side went to Schoolcraft, Mich., angler Kendall Ulsh, who weighed in a 9-12 largemouth the first day. Earning the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award on the co-angler side was Bertrand with a 7-15 largemouth.
George Yund of Glenmont, N.Y., received the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $250 for finishing as the top pro on Day 2. Francis Martin of North Chesterfield, Va., won the Livingston Lures gift pack worth $250 for finishing as the top co-angler on Day 2.
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Berkley, GoPro, Huk, Humminbird
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: Power-Pole, Rapala, Shell Rotella, Shimano, A.R.E. Truck Caps, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, Livingston Lures, Lowrance
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
-30-
Media Contact: Helen White, 205-313-0944, hwhite@bassmaster.com or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht@bassmaster.com.
Johnston Takes The Lead In Flw Costa Series Event
August 19, 2016 by Jody White
The second day of competition in the Costa FLW Series presented by Ranger Boats on Oneida Lake was a statement day from Cory Johnston. Johnston, looking to wrap up the Northern Division Angler of the Year title and a win, smashed 18-13 and moved from an ounce behind the leader to a full 2 pounds, 8 ounces ahead of the field.
“It started off slow, I never got a good fish until probably 8 o’clock,” says the Peterborough, Ontario, pro. “They weren’t biting well today, I need the sun and the calm. Most people want the wind to blow so they turn on out here, but I want it to be really tough on everybody because I think I figured out a method to catch them when it's really slick.”
Johnston says that he’s hitting upwards of 40 different spots per day, and isn’t afraid to stop on new water that looks good to test it out.
“I’m just running a bunch of isolated spots where there’s one or two fish,” says Johnston. “I’m fishing regular rock/weed transition stuff, anywhere from 12-feet deep right up to about a foot of water.”
Johnston and his brother Chris both made the top 10 to continue their recent streak of success, and even though they’ve never been on Oneida before things seem to be working out well.
“I’ve never been here before, but it sets up good for us. It fishes similar to a lot of stuff back home.”
Top 10 pros
1. Cory Johnston – Cavan, Ontario – 36-3 (10)
2. Kyle Weisenburger – Ottawa, Ohio – 33-11 (10)
3. Ian Renfrew – Phoenix, N.Y. – 33-10 (10)
4. Lawrence Mazur – East Aurora, N.Y. – 33-8 (10)
5. Jason Shipton – Muncy, Pa. – 33-3 (10)
6. Casey Smith – Macedon, N.Y. – 32-9 (10)
7. Lucas McDaniel – Fishers, Ind. – 32-5 (10)
8. Chris Johnston – Peterborough, Ontario – 31-7 (10)
9. Jim Vitaro – Wooster, Ohio – 31-5 (10)
10. Ed Casey – Whiteford, Md. – 30-11 (10)
Sheppard retains co-angler lead
After nearly lapping the field on day one, Tyler Sheppard had a tougher time on day two, but still managed to hold the lead despite weighing only four bass for 12-5 to bring his two-day total to 30-10.
“It was tough, I only had six or seven bites all day and I didn’t have a fish until about 11 o’clock,” says Shepard, who fishes at Slippery Rock University. “I think I established yesterday how to get some bigger bites, and I just ground it out. I’m not gonna change much tomorrow, it’s what I have confidence in at this point.”
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Tyler Sheppard – Hermitage, Pa. – 30-10 (9)
2. Christopher Hall – South Abington Township, Pa. – 29-15 (10)
3. Frank Miller – Berwick, Pa. – 26-13 (9)
4. Paul Kimball Jr. – Philadelphia, Pa. – 26-9 (10)
5. Somang Kim – Lansdale, Pa. – 24-9 (8)
6. Christy Tiano – Hudson, N.Y. – 24-7 (9)
7. Michael Bahnweg – Union Dale, Pa. – 22-5 (7)
8. Tom Stark – Angola, Ind. – 20-9 (8)
9. Alex Antipenko – Brooklyn, N.Y. – 19-9 (7)
10. Bill Valberg – London, Ont. – 19-8 (10)
Tournament Details
Format: All boaters and co-anglers will compete for two days. The top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on cumulative weight after two days of competition will advance to the third and final round, with the winner determined by the heaviest cumulative three-day weight.
Takeoff Time: 6:30 a.m. ET
Takeoff Location: Oneida Shores County Park, 9400 Bartell Road, Brewerton, N.Y. 13029
Weigh-In Time: 2:30 p.m. ET days one and two, 3:30 p.m. ET on day three
Weigh-In Location: Oneida Shores County Park on days one and two, day three at Walmart, 3018 East Ave, Central Square, N.Y. 13036
New Yorker Yund Takes Over Lead At Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open On James River
|
|
Truckvault Adds Collegiate Angler Noah Pescitelli To It's Pro Staff
Follow TruckVault on social media, including Facebook at www.facebook.com/truckvault, Instagram at @truckvault_usa, Twitter at @TruckVault, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/TruckVault.
Michael Hall Of Virginia Leads The Costa Flw Series Northern - 17.7 Pounds On Oneida
August 18, 2016 by Jody White
Day one of the Costa FLW Series presented by Ranger Boats showed off Oneida in every way possible. From perfect upstate New York weather to an abundance of feisty smallmouths, nearly everything came up roses. Early in weigh-in, Michael Hall of Annandale, Va., dropped 17 pounds, 7 ounces on the scale and he rode it all the way to the day one lead despite numerous challengers that fell just slightly short.
“I believe I’ve got a unique spot.”
Amid the dozen of shallow reefs and bars scattered over Oneida, veteran tournament angler and Potomac River guide Michael Hall says he’s got something special found.
On day one, Hall struck early in the day, and milked his area for a solid limit of smallmouths and one big largemouth for the lead.
“Before Monday (in practice), I was really struggling, and to be honest with you, I thought this was one of the toughest lakes I’ve ever fished,” says Hall. “But on Monday, I found something that was unique. It’s something I do on the Potomac River a lot, and I’m able to capitalize on it and it’s something a lot of people don’t do.”
Though Hall is understandably tight-lipped about his tactics, he’s focused on one primary spot or area, and says that keying in on subtle drops and variations is key.
Top 10 pros
1. Michael Hall – Annandale, Va. – 17-7 (5)
2. Zachary Cappon – Williamson, N.Y. – 17-6 (5)
2. Cory Johnston – Cavan, Ont. – 17-6 (5)
4. Kyle Weisenburger – Ottawa, Ohio – 17-5 (5)
5. Jeff Coble – Manson, N.C. – 17-2 (5)
6. Jason Shipton – Muncy – Pa. – 17-1 (5)
7. Jim Tutt – Longview, Texas – 16-15 (5)
8. Ed Casey – Whiteford, Md. – 16-13 (5)
8. Robert Grabow – Morgantown, W. Va. – 16-13 (5)
10. Bradley Staley – Pleasant Garden, N.C. – 16-12 (5)
Sheppard smashes 18-5 for co-angler lead
Tyler Sheppard of Hermitage, Pa., would be leading on the pro side if he was allowed to weigh there. After dropping 18 pounds, 5 ounces worth of smallmouths on the scale, Sheppard, who fished for Slippery Rock University in college, has a gigantic 2-pound lead over second place.
“We got a couple bites in the morning and then it kind of shut off for a bit,” says Sheppard, who fished behind Casey Smith. “It was kind of a grind for a while, but I caught them on pretty much everything from a drop-shot to a jig or a swimbait. I was just fortunate to be around some good fish.
“I live about an hour from Lake Erie, so smallmouth I’m used to, but I haven’t been here in a few years. Getting a bite early really helped out, so I was sure I was doing the right thing.”
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Tyler Sheppard – Hermitage, Pa. – 18-5 (5)
2. Michael Bahnweg – Union Dale, Pa. – 16-5 (5)
3. Christopher Hall – South Abington Township, Pa. – 15-12 (5)
4. Ryan Bowman – Seneca, S.C. – 15-11 (5)
5. Frank Miller – Berwick, Pa. – 15-6 (5)
6. Somang Kim – Lansdale, Pa. – 14-11 (5)
7. Christy Tiano – Hudson, N.Y. – 14-9 (5)
8. Bill Langille – Kent, Ohio – 14-5 (5)
9. Dean Meckes – Clayton, N.Y. – 13-10 (5)
10. Tom Stark – Angola, Ind. 13-8 (5)
Tournament Details
Format: All boaters and co-anglers will compete for two days. The top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on cumulative weight after two days of competition will advance to the third and final round, with the winner determined by the heaviest cumulative three-day weight.
Takeoff Time: 6:30 a.m. ET
Takeoff Location: Oneida Shores County Park, 9400 Bartell Road, Brewerton, N.Y. 13029
Weigh-In Time: 2:30 p.m. ET days one and two, 3:30 p.m. ET on day three
Weigh-In Location: Oneida Shores County Park on days one and two, day three at Walmart, 3018 East Ave, Central Square, N.Y. 13036
Chris Dillow Leads The Field After Day 1 Of The Bass Northern Open On The James River
|
|
|
|
Mark Menendez Talks Lews Magnesium Pro Speed Spool
This week Elite Series Pro Mark Menendez talks about how the new Lews Magnesium Speed Spool Pro Reels and Speed Stick Rods have helped keep him in the game. Check these rods and reels out at your local Sportsmans Warehouse or here at SportsmansWarehouse.com
Hartley Wins Aba Ram Open Event On Neely Henry
Joe Hartley of Alexandria, Alabama won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series AL North tournament, held August 13, 2016 on Neely Henry. Running out of Coosa Landing in Gadsden, Hartley caught five bass weighing 16.01 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.26-pound kicker. “I caught all of my fish today flipping a ½ ounce black and blue jig around docks. I was able to cull a little today but had all of my weight caught by 11 o’clock,” stated Hartley. He took home $5,000 for his victory, $1,000 from Mercury contingency, and a new Simms Challenger rain suit values at $400.
In second for the Boaters, Tim Hurst of Oxford, Alabama landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 14.73 pounds with a 4.12-pound kicker. “I ran all over the river today. I started out shallow in the grass this morning and ended up in deeper water throwing a crankbait by the end of the day. It was a grind all day, I was able to cull a few times,” Hurst said. He collected $1,377 for the effort.
Adam Bain Pell City, Alabama took third for the Boaters with five bass weighing 13.75 pounds earning $918. “I just fished around shallow all day kind of junk fishing. I was lost a few fish that might have gave me the edge. I was at least able to cull a few times to get to my final weight,” stated Bain.
Finishing fourth, Cliff Williams of Jacksonville, Alabama landed a five-bass limit weighing 12.31 pounds including a 3.28-pound kicker.
Josh Bragg of Jacksonville, Alabama rounded out the top five Boaters with five bass weighing 12.16 pounds topped by a 3.77-pound kicker.
Big bass for the Boaters was caught by Tracy Robinson of Gadsden, Alabama that weighed 4.60 pounds.
He pocketed $620 for his efforts as well as a new Abu Garcia Revo XS for catching the biggest bass of the event on an Abu Garcia reel.
In the Co-Angler Division, Derek Lester of Hiram, Georgia won with three bass weighing 8.10 pounds. He sealed his victory with a 3-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1,730 and is also taking home a Simms Challenger rainsuit.
“I caught all of my fish early in the day using a black and blue jig. I was only able to cull twice throughout the day after that I only caught small fish,” Lester stated.
Taking second for the Co-Anglers, Randy Hobbs of Dawson, Alabama brought in a three-bass limit weighing 8.04 pounds collecting $575 for the effort. “I used a green pumpkin shaky head to catch my fish today. I was able to catch fish all day long and even got to cull a few times,” stated Hobbs.
Mike Bowers of Harriman, Tennessee placed third among the Co-Anglers with three bass weighing 6.89 pounds anchoring his catch with a 2.52-pound kicker to earn $383. “I caught all of my fish on a black and blue jig in about 3-4 feet of water. I had a rough day. I only had five bites all day and was not able to cull up,” said Bowers.
In fourth place among the Co-Anglers, Wayne Kilgore of Attalla, Alabama brought in three bass for 6.57 pounds.
Danny Moss of Glencoe, Alabama finished in fifth place with three bass at 6.47 pounds topped by a 3.59-pound kicker.
The biggest bass for the Co-Anglers was caught by Vernon Miller of Manchester, Georgia that weighed 3.92 pounds and pocketed $240.
Slated for October 1st and 2nd, the next divisional tournament will be held on Lake Guntersville out of Guntersville State Park in Guntersville, Alabama. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2017 Ray Scott Championship, slated for Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, TN in April of 2017.
For more information on this tournament, call Kristin Malott, tournament manager, at (256)771-3709 or ABA at (256)232-0406. On line, see www.ramopenseries.com .
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Truck Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Berkley Launches Team Red Program For High School And College Anglers
 |
|
Berkley® Launches Team Red Program |
|
High School and College Anglers Encouraged to Sign Up
COLUMBIA, S.C. (August 17, 2016) - Recent years have seen high school and collegiate anglers boost their activity in tournament bass angling. To provide another opportunity for anglers at both levels to engage and win prizes, Berkley is launching Team Red. For more information anglers can visit www.teamred.berkley-fishing.com.
The program is open to high school and collegiate anglers to participate and win prizes as individuals and as a team.
 Student anglers are encouraged to join Berkley Team Red in order to earn prizes that further their fishing exploits. Coaches can participate as well, signing up their team to compete and participate in challenges will gain points for their team. It doesn't matter how anglers are affiliated with fishing. Whether a member on a team at school or part of a junior fishing league there's a place on Berkley Team Red foryou.
As a grand prize, fishing teams can win $4000 in fishing product from Berkley and/or Abu Garcia. All it takes is participating in challenges at www.teamred.berkley-fishing.com.
Individuals can also compete and earn points for themselves. Berkley has made it easy for teams and individuals alike to compete in a fun atmosphere.
Anglers simply sign up and start competing to beginning earning points and winning prizes. Challenges may be as easy as watching a video or answering a few basic questions. Anglers are able to upload their daily catch and connect with anglers across the country, making it a completely interactive program.
"This program worked so well in the High School ranks we've opened it up to the collegiate anglers," said Sarah Dawkins, Marketing Manager: Digital, Berkley Fishing. "It is a great opportunity for young anglers to engage in a community of like-minded folks while having a great time. They have a chance to win big for their school and program by capturing the top prize."
Enjoy fishing and improve angling skills by signing on with the brand that Catches More Fish - Berkley. Register today at www.teamred.berkley-fishing.com. |
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing, Inc. is a leading global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels with a portfolio of brands that includes Abu Garcia®, All Star®, Berkley®, Chub™, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Hardy & Greys™, Hodgman®, Johnson™, Mitchell®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Sébile®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Trilene® and Ugly Stik®. Pure Fishing, Inc. operates in 22 countries with a dedicated workforce conversant in 28 languages. Pure Fishing, Inc., a part of Newell Brands' strong portfolio of well-known brands, is a leader in developing outdoor and active lifestyle products. Additional information can be found atwww.purefishing.com.
|
South Africa Becomes Latest Country To Sanction Flw Tournaments
SOUTH AFRICA BECOMES LATEST COUNTRY TO SANCTION FLW TOURNAMENTS
WJ LINDEQUE CC SIGNS EXCLUSIVE LICENSING AGREEMENT TO RUN FLW BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 17, 2016) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced an exclusive licensing agreement with WJ Lindeque CC, of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, to begin sanctioning FLW bass-fishing tournaments in South Africa. The agreement was signed by FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel and Hannes Lindeque, a managing member of WJ Lindeque CC.
South Africa will run a series of FLW tournaments that advance anglers, who are citizens of the host country, to the International Division at the Costa FLW Series Championship beginning in 2017. Two anglers will compete as pros, with FLW providing Ranger boats, and two will compete as co-anglers.
“I’m very excited to be part of such an internationally-focused tournament organization,†said Lindeque, who has competed in FLW tournaments in the United States. “I know that South Africa has some of the world’s best anglers and it is a dream come true to give them an opportunity to compete at a high level. I look forward to seeing how they fare at the Costa FLW Series Championship in 2017.â€
The top pro award at the Costa FLW Series Championship is $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C boat if the pro is Ranger Cup qualified, and the top co-angler award is a Ranger Z117 boat. The highest finishing pro from the International Division at the Costa FLW Series Championship will advance to the following year’s Forrest Wood Cup for the chance to compete on the sport’s biggest stage. FLW will also provide a Ranger boat for use in the Forrest Wood Cup.
South Africa is the fifth country to sign on for the international sanctioning program, joining Canada, South Korea, China, and Mexico.
"We are thrilled to add South Africa to our growing list of countries offering FLW events," said Kathy Fennel, FLW president of operations. "The global bass fishing community has embraced FLW as a unifying force as we strive to provide unsurpassed opportunities for anglers, fans and sponsors worldwide. South Africa has incredibly dedicated anglers that we are pleased to welcome into the FLW family."
Additional FLW qualifying tournaments in other countries are forthcoming. Watch FLWFishing.com for details.
Named after the founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW introduced its Fishing League Worldwide tagline in 2014 to better reflect its status as the world’s largest tournament fishing organization. In early 2015, FLW expanded its presence on the world stage with the introduction of a sanctioning program allowing international partners to license the iconic brand and run FLW tournaments abroad.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2016 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat: @FLWFishing.
Casey Wins Flw Bass Fishing League Northeast Division Event On Oneida Lake
MARYLAND’S CASEY WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTHEAST DIVISION EVENT ON ONEIDA LAKE PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE
Hann wins co-angler title
BREWERTON, N.Y. (Aug. 15, 2016) – Ed Casey of Whiteford, Maryland, weighed a five bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the fourth FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Northeast Division tournament of 2016 on Oneida Lake presented by Power-Pole. For his efforts, Casey took home $6,009.
Casey said he spent his day fishing mid-lake shoals that had a lot of mussels and scattered grass on them.
“The shoals were good in practice so I went back there figuring they’d still be holding fish,†said Casey, who earned his second win in BFL competition. “I threw a drop-shot rig with a Baby Bass-colored Jackall Crosstail Shad and Dark Melon Goby-colored Strike King Coffee Tubes, and had a limit in the boat by 9 a.m.â€
Casey said that using baits with purple-fleck coloring was a crucial part of his success.
“I stayed out deep in 7 to 8 of water and worked my way toward shallow-water markers I call ‘cans’,†said Casey. “There was a lot of goby activity. If they were eating, I knew there were a lot of smallmouth bass in the area. I actually ended up weighing in four smallmouth.â€
With 25 minutes left to fish, Casey said he caught a 4-pound largemouth bass to seal the deal.
“I threw a swimjig to a grass bed and within two casts I had a 4-pounder,†said Casey. “I was fortunate to catch some nice fish.â€
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Ed Casey, Whiteford, Md., five bass, 18-4, $4,009 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Grae Buck, Harleysville, Pa., five bass, 17-13, $2,205
3rd: Kraig Kettelkamp, Clifton Springs, N.Y., five bass, 17-11, $1,336
4th: Robert Parmer, Linden, Pa., five bass, 17-1, $935
5th: Jamie Hartman, Bridgeport, N.Y., five bass, 17-0, $868
5th: George Hutchinson, Mullica Hill, N.J., five bass, 17-0, $768
7th: Ian Renfrew, Phoenix, N.Y., five bass, 16-7, $668
8th: Mark Schafer, Williamstown, N.J., five bass, 16-4, $601
9th: Joseph Amberg Jr., Hawley, Pa., five bass, 16-0, $535
10th: Roy Goodwin, Macedon, N.Y., five bass, 15-10, $468
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
John Lorenzo of Kane, Pennsylvania, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 12 ounces – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $550.
Daniel Hann of Williamson, New York, weighed in five bass totaling 16 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,005.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Daniel Hann, Williamson, N.Y., five bass, 16-11, $2,005
2nd: John Henning, Lansdale, Pa., five bass, 14-0, $1,002
3rd: Steve Cram, Williamstown, N.J., five bass, 13-6, $668
4th: Griffen Hurt, Bound Brook, N.J., five bass, 13-5, $468
5th: Joshua Hertzog, Lititz, Pa., five bass, 12-12, $401
6th: Bill Klaips, Shavertown, Pa., five bass, 12-10, $368
7th: Robert Hockley, Annville, Pa., four bass, 12-0, $317
7th: Travis Craig, Fairview, Pa., five bass, 12-0, $317
9th: Dylan Hartman, Lebanon, N.J., five bass, 11-12, $267
10th: Rebecca Diluzio, North East, Pa., four bass, 11-4, $234
Taurean Relyea of Fairport, New York, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $275.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 6-8 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. 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.
Mccord Wins Flw Bass Fishing League Illini Division Event On Rend Lake
KENTUCKY’S MCCORD WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE ILLINI DIVISION EVENT ON REND LAKE PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Hill wins co-angler title
WHITTINGTON, Ill. (Aug. 15, 2016) – Neil McCord of West Frankfort, Kentucky, brought a five bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 10 ounces, to the scale Saturday to win the fourth FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Illini Division tournament of 2016 on Rend Lake presented by Navionics. McCord earned $5,917 for his win.
“I caught my fish on the upper end of the lake using a chartreuse-colored Lucky Craft BDS Crankbait,†said McCord, who earned his first win in FLW competition. “I probably hit three or four areas, and just kept going through them until I caught fish.â€
McCord said he primarily focused on rocks and ridges, but also targeted laydowns.
“It was slow in the morning, I didn’t catch my first keeper until noon,†said McCord. “I made multiple casts to the same areas and ended up with seven keepers by the end of the day.â€
McCord said his two heaviest fish came late in the day, just in time for weigh-in.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Neil McCord, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 17-10, $3,917 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Matt Jackson, Moweaqua, Ill., five bass, 15-8, $2,158
3rd: Larry Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 14-7, $1,307
4th: Brad Porter, Bluford, Ill., five bass, 14-1, $914
5th: Jeremy Mull, Chatham, Ill., five bass, 13-10, $883
6th: Larry Page, Mount Vernon, Ill., four bass, 13-1, $718
7th: Brian Gass, O’ Fallon, Ill., five bass, 12-6, $620
7th: Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 12-6, $920
9th: Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 12-2, $522
10th: Jerry Walker, Zeigler, Ill., five bass, 11-4, $457
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Patrick Odell of Windsor, Illinois, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 7 ounces – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $520.
Chad Hill of Marion, Illinois, weighed in four bass totaling 10 pounds, 3 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $1,921.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Chad Hill, Marion, Ill., four bass, 10-3, $1,921
2nd: Anthony Macon, Greenville, Ill., three bass, 6-7, $960
3rd: Kirk Jansen, Teutopolis, Ill., three bass, 6-5, $641
4th: Brian Lingle, Anna, Ill., three bass, 5-15, $448
5th: Tim Renth, Hoyleton, Ill., two bass, 5-8, $384
6th: Jordan Borgmann, Ashley, Ill., two bass, 5-5, $352
7th: Eugene Kim, Lindenhurst, Ill., three bass, 5-3, $520
8th: Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., two bass, 5-2, $288
9th: Jim Budde, Waterloo, Ill., three bass, 5-1, $306
10th: Kenny Hemmen, St. Louis, Mo., one bass, 4-7, $479
Hemmen caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $255.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. 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.
Ranger Introduces New 1880Ms For Serious Anglers And Family Outings!
New for 2017: Ranger 1880MS Angler
Ranger Boats continues its rich tradition of innovative design and function with the introduction of the new 1880MS Angler. The unique versatility gives anglers a platform for hardcore fishing along with a wide-open layout for family outings.
Measuring 18 feet, 8 inches, with a 100-inch beam, the 1880MS is rated for 200 horsepower and available with a wide range of precision-matched, factory-rigged outboards. Designed for a variety of applications, the 1880MS is home to both southern bass fisheries and the big waters of the Great Lakes and upper Midwest.
“We have taken the proven 1880LS platform and improved it to give anglers a boat that continues to shine as a serious fishing rig, but includes more family friendly features for greater flexibility,” said Ranger Boats Director of Engineering Gary Howard. “The updated interior and addition of the rear jump seats in particular help this boat appeal to an even broader group of people.”
The new 1880MS includes many key features of Ranger’s popular Fisherman Series, renowned for big water capability and tournament inspired design. Features like a huge center rod locker, enormous front casting deck and an oversized, recirculating livewell. In addition, the bow of the boat features a new panel with tool holders, chrome cup holder and space to flush mount electronics up to 12 inches. A Minn Kota 70 Power Drive trolling motor also comes standard.
Storage is impressive throughout the boat, with areas tooled into the gunnels for even more room, plus a tackle storage system beneath the passenger's console. A gel-coat lined, insulated cooler has also been added to the front deck.
The custom driver’s console comes with a Lowrance Hook 5 CHIRP and features a full compliment of gauges and switches. Two foldable, rear jump seats provide additional seating with storage beneath. A full rear casting deck is created with the jump seats in the stowed position. The rear deck also offers additional storage complete with built-in rod holders located at the stern for hands-off fishing.
The new 1880MS also features Ranger’s exclusive Rite-Track KeelÃ’ for easier trolling and tracking. Anglers and families alike will appreciate the stainless steel boarding ladder and premium all-weather upholstery for comfort in a variety of conditions. The upholstery is further complemented by color-matched side panels flanking each side of the wide open cockpit, which also includes a removable snap-in carpet option for easy clean up and more versatility.
The new 1880MS is factory equipped with a custom Ranger Trial® trailer designed and built specifically to fit the boat’s hull for solid and easy towing. The Road Armor Equipped trailer offers LED lights, aluminum wheels, COOL Hub® lubrication system, torsion axle suspension and a locking, swing-away tongue with matching fiberglass fenders and a full-size spare. The durable Road Armor finish, designed to shield against rock chips, road debris and other hazards, helps retain higher resale value and peace of mind.
2017 RANGER 1880MS
Overall Hull Length: 18 feet, 8 inches
Beam: 100 inches
Maximum HP: 200
Inside Depth: 25 inches
Fuel Capacity: 34 gallons
Total Persons/Motor/Gear: 1,700 lbs.
Approx. Boat Weight: 1,960 lbs.
Trailer GVWR: CF4500
About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, waterfowl utility and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
Choosakul & Penhollow Win Cashion Rods Tournament On Falls Lake!
The Cashion Fishing Rods 'End of Year' Team Tournament Bass Fishing Trail Qualifier #3 at Falls Lake produced another good crowd with 37 teams showing up at the ramp. The weather for summer fishing was great.
The winds were light & variable, the air temps ranged from 74 to 89 and the water level was about normal pool
at 251.5'. Surface water temps averaged 85 warm degrees! Looks like the Summer fishing has set in for good
and the fishing has gotten a little tough! We did manage a few good bags in the heat, however!!
KC Choosakul & Tim Penhollow managed to catch 5 bass weighing 21.67 lbs to take 1st Place, 1st Place TWT
and 2nd Place Big Fish (5.81 lbs.) for a total of $1,817 in prize money!
Choosakul on left, Penhollow on right.
Coming in very close to 1st Place was the 2nd Place team of Robyn Cook and Owen Penhollow with 5 bass
weighing 21.33 lbs. They also won 2nd place TWT and 1st Place Big Fish (6.23 lbs.) to take home a total of
$1,321. The 3rd Place Team of Terry & Hunter Collins landed 5 bass weighing 18.93 lbs. and and won a total of
$444.
Kevin Farley & John Darr weighed in the smallest weight with 1 fish weighing 1.76 lbs. and won $100 in cash
compliments of Minn Kota sales & repair specialist Mark Nelson with
Triangle Trolling Motor in Raleigh.
Only 71 bass were brought to the scales for a total of 201 pounds averaging 2.3 lbs. each. Most were caught on
Carolina worm rigs, slow rolling spinnerbaits, crankbaits & jig combos in 9 to 20 feet of water.
I want to thank Cashion Fishing Rods and all the anglers that participated. Our next tournament will be the
2016 Cashion Fishing Rods 'End of Year' Team Tournament Bass Fishing Trail Qualifier #4 , Saturday August
20th at Kerr Lake out of Flemingtown Landing Wildlife Ramp. All the information on our tournaments can be
found http://piedmontbassclassics.com/
Now here are the full results:
1st Place: KC Choosakul & Tim Penhollow of Sanford & Mebane...5 bass...21.67 lbs...$1,006
2nd Place: Robyn Cook & Owen Penhollow of Raleigh & Durham...5 bass...21.33 lbs...$562
3rd Place: Terry & Hunter Collins of Sanford...5 bass...18.93 lbs...$444
4th Place: Tim Emory & Clay Livingston of Durham & Hurdle Mills...5 bass...14.46 lbs...$325
5th Place: Corey Linton & Marc Peck of Goldsboro...5 bass...13.87 lbs...$236
6th Place: Jeremy Martin & Charly Vaughn of Rougemont...5 bass...11.87 lbs...$207
7th Place: Allen White & Michael Vaughan of Clayton & Raleigh...2 bass...9.63 lbs...$180
1st Place Big Fish: 2nd Place Team above...6.23 lbs...$504
2nd Place Big Fish: 1st Place Team above...4.78 lbs...$216
1st Place TWT: 1st Place Team above: 21.67 lbs...$595
2nd Place TWT: 2nd Place Team above: 21.33 lbs...$255
Lucas Goes Wire-To-Wire For Potomac River Win!!!!
Lucas Beats The Heat For Wire-To-Wire Bassmaster Victory On The Potomac River
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — If professional bass fishing fans didn’t know it before, they know it now.
Justin Lucas is a force to be reckoned with — and it doesn’t matter which coast he’s fishing on.
The California native, who now lives in Alabama, caught five bass Sunday that weighed 19-13 to win the Bassmaster Elite at Potomac River presented by Econo Lodge. His four-day total of 72-14 was more than 4 pounds better than second-place angler Jason Christie (68-7), who finished strong himself with 23-1 Sunday.
It was Lucas’s second career victory on the Bassmaster Elite Series and the first away from his native West Coast waters. The 30-year-old pro picked up his first win last season on the Sacramento River.
“I think I proved to other people — and to myself — what I can do outside my home state,” Lucas said. “I’ve never won out of state before. That makes this one different for me, and it means a lot.”
Lucas won the event by finding and exploiting the kind of spot all tournament anglers dream of.
It was a long parking dock adjacent to a water treatment plant on the upper end of the river. The water was 5 to 8 feet deep, and the dock had aquatic grass growing all around its edges.
Instead of flipping a jig or skipping a soft-plastic bait under the dock like many anglers would in that situation, Lucas went with a drop shot rig — and he said that made all the difference.
“I don’t think the fish under that dock had ever seen a drop shot before,” Lucas said. “They’re used to seeing a bait hit the water and then fall all the way to the bottom. But that drop shot stays right in their face, and it worked all week.”
Lucas spent a little time fishing a stickbait and a swim jig. But his main technique was the drop shot rig with a 6-inch hand-poured worm in a purple and brown combo.
He fished the rig on a 7-foot-6 medium-heavy Veracity Abu Garcia spinning rod and an Abu Garcia Revo MGX size 30 reel. There were times when he also used the Revo Premiere size 30 reel.
His line choice was particularly important.
“I used 10-pound braid with a 10-pound Berkley Trilene leader,” Lucas said. “I wanted to use the largest line I could get away with on a spinning reel.”
He said the water was too deep under the dock for a standard baitcaster.
“You would have spent too much time pulling line out with a baitcaster just trying to get the rig to the bottom,” Lucas said. “It was so much easier to pitch in there with a spinning reel.”
Lucas insisted he found the spot by accident on the first day of competition after failing to get a bite there during practice.
He knew there was a discharge at the water treatment plant, and he was hoping it would produce a few fish early. After catching a couple of smaller fish from that area, he decided to pitch the drop shot under the dock.
“I caught two 3-pounders, and that told me the fish were there,” Lucas said. “So many things worked in my favor.”
Lucas said he was amazed the dock never received any pressure from anyone else, and he thanked the anglers from Maryland and Virginia for giving him plenty of space.
“This is not like a secret spot,” he said. “It’s the community hole of all community holes. So it still just amazes me that no one else fished it.
“The people here are awesome.”
The biggest key to his week, Lucas said, might have been that he had nowhere else to go.
“I didn’t have a plan B,” he said. “If I had been forced to go to plan B, I would have been running all over the place.”
The dock produced 20-4 on Day 1, 19-14 on Day 2, 12-15 on Day 3 and 19-13 on Day 4.
“I went there originally looking for two or three keeper bites,” Lucas said. “But it ended up being the best spot I’ve ever found in my tournament career.”
Brent Ehrler (62-12), Bill Lowen (61-0) and Andy Montgomery (59-12) rounded out the Top 5. Alabama pro Gerald Swindle (53-6) finished 10th and maintained a 37-point lead over Keith Combs in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.
Swindle was awarded $1,000 for leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race at the end of the event.
Lowen earned the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash award of $1,000 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.
Lucas earned the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for leading on the second day.
Lucas also won the Toyota Bonus Bucks Award of $3,000 for being the highest-placing eligible entrant in the program. The second-highest-placing eligible entrant, Jason Christie, received $2,000.
The Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $1,500 was presented to Cliff Pirch for weighing in the overall biggest bass of the event — a 6-11 bass caught on Saturday.
Lucas earned the A.R.E. Top Angler Award of $1,000 for being the highest placing angler using A.R.E. products.
Dick Cepek Rolling Forward Award of $1,000 will be presented to the angler who makes the largest gain in Toyota Angler of the Year points from tournament to tournament.
Lucas Maintains Lead Heading Into Championship Sunday
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — The heat is rising and his magical dock seems to be cooling off a little.
But despite catching only 12 pounds, 15 ounces during Saturday’s semifinal round, Alabama pro Justin Lucas is in position for a wire-to-wire win at the Bassmaster Elite at Potomac River presented by Econo Lodge.
Lucas’ Saturday catch — easily his smallest of the week — pushed his three-day total to 53-1. He will enter Championship Sunday with a lead of almost 6 pounds over Indiana pro Bill Lowen (47-3).
Both anglers were covered with sweat backstage after Saturday’s weigh-in, with the heat index rising above 112 degrees.
“I had 10 pounds for a long time today,” Lucas said. “I don’t know why things slowed down the way they did. But I’m very fortunate to be where I am with this kind of lead.
“This all started from Day 1 of the tournament. I had no idea what lived under that dock — never even had a bite there in practice.”
A California native, Lucas has been using the kind of finesse tactics that West Coast anglers are known for. He’s caught a couple of fish on a stickbait and a couple on a swim jig, but the majority have been caught on spinning tackle with a drop shot rig.
He’s fishing one back-channel dock on the upper end of the river. He said it’s 5 to 8 feet deep on the end, and aquatic grass grows right up to the edge of the dock. But because the dock is so low to the water, it creates enough shade to keep grass from growing under the dock.
“There’s a grassline right against the dock,” Lucas said. “There are old pilings all around there. Then there’s shade and current.”
The idea of pulling big bass from under docks on light spinning tackle would make some anglers nervous. But Lucas said he’s really only had one tense moment all week.
“The first morning, the second one I hooked was a 3 1/2-pounder, and I had it wrapped around one of the pilings for five minutes,” Lucas said. “I could still feel it pulling, and it finally just wedged its way out.”
Then Lucas learned the key to landing fish around the dock.
“Once I could see that there were these crossbars under the water, I never had another problem,” he said. “That second fish, I didn’t even know what I was throwing to. I was just throwing under the dock, and I just happened to throw over one of the crossbars.”
The dock surrendered 20-4 on Thursday and 19-14 on Friday. Despite the drop-off to 12-15 on today, Lucas said he still considers the spot the best he’s ever found during a tournament.
“It’s really the only time in my life that I’ve ever stumbled onto a hole like this where there were so many fish in one stretch — and I’ve had it to myself,” Lucas said. “These are the best locals I’ve ever seen. They’re keeping their distance — just really, really good guys.”
With nearly a 6-pound lead over Lowen, Lucas believes he needs to catch at least 12 pounds Sunday to secure the win.
Despite fishing what he described as the “hottest conditions he’s ever fished,” Lowen brought 16-0 to the scales Saturday to push his three-day total to 47-3. As usual, he’s fishing super shallow in a small canal that he said is “narrow enough to flip both sides.”
“It’s fun — I mean it is, but isn’t,” Lowen said of the heat. “I’m in a little tiny creek. I had about five bites in there in practice, and that was the best spot I had.
“I don’t know how many fish are left in there. I really don’t understand how there have been this many in there all week.”
The other anglers who qualified for Sunday’s Top 12 include : Brent Ehrler (45-9), Jason Christie (45-6), Keith Combs (45-1), Clifford Pirch (44-10), Andy Montgomery (44-7), Gerald Swindle (42-6), Brett Hite (41-13), Jordan Lee (41-11), Fred Roumbanis (41-8) and Randall Tharp (41-6).
Pirch took over the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass with a largemouth that weighed 6-11. Swindle maintained a comfortable lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
Sunday’s take-off will be at 6:15 a.m. ET from Smallwood State Park, and weigh-in will be at 3 p.m. at Indian Head Pavilion on the Village Green.
Lucas Maintains Lead After Day 2 On The Potomac
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Throughout his young professional fishing career, Alabama angler Justin Lucas says he’s never found a spot quite like the one he’s fished the first two days of the Bassmaster Elite at Potomac River presented by Econo Lodge.
The stats back up his claims.
Lucas caught the biggest limit of the tournament for the second day in a row Friday, landing five bass that weighed 19 pounds, 14 ounces. That catch pushed his two-day mark to 40-2 and gave him a comfortable lead of nearly 6 pounds over second-place angler Brent Ehrler (34-4) as the event heads into the semifinal round Saturday.
“I’ve fished tournaments for seven years, and I’ve never had a spot like this — especially to myself,” Lucas said. “The crazy thing is that I just stumbled into it. Yesterday morning, I had no clue. Then I got a couple of 3-pound bites early that clued me in on what was happening.”
Lucas estimates the stretch is no bigger than 300 to 400 yards long. But once he hits it just right, the bites come quickly.
“I didn’t get a bite on the first half of the pass I made on it today,” he said. “So I went around and went shallower for a little bit while the tide was pushed in. The wind had the tide pushed up.
“I wasted 45 minutes doing that. But then I went back to the sweet stretch — and within an hour, it seemed like I had 15 or 16 pounds.”
As he did on Thursday when the magic spot produced 20-4, Lucas spent more time guarding the area Friday than he did fishing it. But traffic hasn’t been much of an issue.
“One other competitor came to fish something just on the other end of where I was fishing,” Lucas said. “But there were no problems at all.”
Lucas said he only spent about three hours fishing because he wanted to save some of the 3-pounders that seem to be so numerous there.
With no pressure from other boats, he believes he should easily be able to land 15 or 16 pounds from the spot the next two days.
“I hope the local guys will be respectful, but obviously they can fish where they want,” Lucas said. “I think what I’m doing is different enough and off the beaten path enough that I should be OK.”
Lucas’ limit was anchored by a 5-8 largemouth Friday. It’s an ounce shy of the tournament big-bass mark of 5-9, set on Thursday, when Lucas and Luke Clausen each weighed in bass of that size. If no one catches a bigger bass by the end of the tournament, they will share in the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award.
Lucas’s closest competitor is Ehrler, a fellow California native who grew up fishing tidal waters just like Lucas. Ehrler caught 17-13 on Day 1 and added 16-7 Friday to push his two-day total to 34-4.
Ehrler came into this week’s event with loads of experience on the Potomac River from his time on the FLW Tour.
“It helps having the experience here,” Ehrler said. “I’ve fished this place about as many times as I have the California Delta at home.”
Like many anglers in the field, Ehrler is targeting the Potomac’s massive grassbeds.
“I’m fishing grass for the most part — some wood, but mostly grass,” he said. “That’s what everyone’s doing here. I’m throwing moving baits in some spots and flipping in some spots.”
Instead of looking for a certain tide, Ehrler is making his decisions based on what looks right at the time.
“In certain areas, even if it’s a certain tide, it’ll be a moving bait,” Ehrler said. “In other areas, on the same tide, I’ll be flipping. I’m just changing it up a little bit.
“I really have to base it on what I see in a particular spot.”
Behind Lucas and Ehrler are Jacob Powroznik (32-12), Jason Christie (31-7), Bill Lowen (31-3) and Gerald Swindle (30-5). Swindle maintained his spot in the Top 6 with today’s catch of 14-0 and kept a comfortable lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
The tournament will resume Saturday with only the Top 50 remaining anglers taking part in the semifinal round. The take-off will be at 6:15 a.m. ET from Smallwood State Park. But unlike the past two days when the weigh-in was also held back at the park, Saturday’s weigh-in will be at 3 p.m. at Indian Head Pavilion on the Village Green.
Vandam Zero's, Lucas Takes The Early Lead In Potomac River Elite Event
|
|
|
|
John Cox Winning Interview From The 2016 FLW Cup
John Cox of Florida is your 2016 FLW Forrest Wood Cup Winner. Vance McCullough talks to John after his win about his shallow water strategy and how he pulled off the win!
And Bass For All!
John Cox has made a successful professional fishing career out of a simple concept: lighten-up and go where others can’t so you can find cooperative, and often bigger, fish.
His choice is an aluminum boat made by Crestliner. At 20 feet in length the craft provides ample storage along with the length to span rough waves. It fishes a lot like a huge fiberglass boat only . . . different.
While Cox was winning the recent Forrest Wood Cup miles up a creek off the main body of Wheeler Lake, he crossed paths with a kayak angler. There was a big ‘yak tourney that reportedly offered a top prize of $4,000. Not the same as winning the Cup and the $300,000 paycheck that comes with it, but considering the lack of gas money burned, it’s not too shabby.
Cox has shown us that a guy can compete on tournament fishing’s grandest stage without all of the high dollar bells and whistles. To take the concept a step further, he’d need to convert from metal to plastic – the material from which most kayaks are constructed.
Kayak tournaments are on the rise. Money, real money, is up for grabs. Cottage industries are springing up around the ever-growing plastic navy. It looks a lot like the Bassmaster trail when Ray Scott first got it rolling back in the 60’s.
How many of you reading this are thinking about fishing some tourneys out of your paddlecraft? How many already have?
One great aspect of paddle tourneys is that the tourneys, and by extension, the participants, are not limited to a species. “The kayak that I use to fish a bass tournament in Texas is the same one I ferry to the Bahamas and fish offshore tournaments in,” says Christina Weber, noted kayak angler and Hobie team pro. “I love it!”
Modern kayas are stable enough to stand on, as we do in bass boats. photo by Christina Weber
On the floor of ICAST in Orlando, Weber showed some features available on modern fishing kayaks. All the electronics you’ve grown used to on big boats – graphs, GPS displays and trolling motors – are being mounted on ‘yaks. You can even mount a small Power-Pole on one.
Or you can keep things as simple, and affordable, as you wish. Any number of items can be used as a shallow water anchor and push pole.
If you want to fish hands-free all the time, Hobie offers a system to allow you to pedal your craft. And new for this year, you can even pedal it in reverse. It's called the Mirage Drive 180 and the removable unit is just another example of the type of innovation being integrated into modern kayaks.
Just as Cox and his Crestliner can hang in deep water or press the advantage beyond the shallow bushes, so much more so can anglers in kayaks or paddle boards access unbothered, uneducated, uncaught fish.
And to scratch the competitive itch there are plenty of tournaments – take a look at KayakBassFishing.com, FishKBS.com (home of the Kayak Bass Series), or just search the subject on the ‘Net.
Go paddle some fish!
Trapper Tackles New Dropshot Hook - New Product 2016
A Very Versatile Hook
Avant-garde hook designer – Trapper Tackle – lets loose the Dropshot Hook
Fresh off a whirlwind introduction at ICAST 2016, including a Best-in-Show performance in the New Product Showcase, Trapper Tackle reveals details about its ultra-versatile Dropshot/Live Bait/Finesse Trapper Hook. With applications that are as broad and far-reaching as the sport of fishing itself, this is truly a game changing tool that belongs in every angler’s tacklebox.
Trapper Hooks are uniquely designed to address two persistent problems anglers face when using antiquated J-shaped hooks: First and foremost, J-hooks rock and rotate in a fish’s mouth as the fish fights for freedom. The thrashing expands the initial point of entry and creates a path to escape. Second, the round bend of J-hooks allows soft plastics and live baits to slide freely along the hook shank as the bait is cast and retrieved, or fished through cover. That unwanted mobility leads to frequent adjustments between casts, consuming valuable time on the water. The patent-protected design of the Trapper Hook addresses both of these problems with two right-angle bends at the base of the hook shank, creating the Trapper Box, which locks fish – and baits – in place.
With Trapper Hooks, anglers spend less time re-rigging, while landing more striking fish. This is truly the ultimate “win-win” proposition for anglers, originating from a seemingly simple, “why didn't I think of that” change in hook geometry.
The Dropshot/Live Bait/Finesse hook from Trapper Tackle is poised to take the bass fishing scene by storm. Vince Hurtado, former B.A.S.S. Elite Series angler and Trapper Tackle pro, relies on Trapper Hooks for all of his finesse and dropshot presentations. “I fish with total confidence when I tie on a Trapper. The Trapper Box at the bottom of the hook keeps my baits rigged perfectly and keeps fish pinned so I know they are coming to the boat.,” says Hurtato, who has logged thousands of hours and hundreds of California Delta bass testing Trapper Hooks over the past several seasons.
Far from a bass-only proposition, the Trapper Drophshot/Live Bait/Finesse hook also excels at securing and presenting a wide variety of live and natural offerings. Walleye anglers rejoice at how well Trapper dropshot hooks hold jumbo leeches, crawlers and live minnows, delectables that frequently tempt trophy whitetips from the depths. Carp and catfish chasers will find that corn and dough balls are accommodated equally well in the Trapper Box. Likewise, wader-clad anglers in pursuit of migratory trout and salmon will quickly learn that the Trapper dropshot hook excels when dressed with spawn bags and single egg presentations.
The award winning ultra-versatile Dropshot/Live Bait/Finesse hook from Trapper Tackle can truly find a home in any angler’s tacklebox.
Anglers will find the Trapper dropshot/live bait/finesse hook in five sizes, ranging from #4 to 2/0, in packs of 6 (MSRP $3.79) or 25 (MSRP $14.99), with retail and on-line availability in December 2016. Until then, visit us at http://TrapperTackle.com to sign up for free samples and to learn more about the game-changing family of Trapper Hooks from Trapper Tackle.
New Ranger Boats Aluminum Rt198P
|
New for 2017: Ranger RT198p
|
|
New flagship aluminum model rated for 150 horsepower outboard
FLIPPIN, Ark. (Aug. 9, 2016) - As America's fastest growing aluminum brand, Ranger® Boats continues to raise the bar with their line of RT, MPV and Deep V Series designs. More than a legendary reputation, the success of Ranger's aluminum line is in the product itself, which has quickly become the standard for an entire industry.
For 2017, Ranger welcomes a new flagship for the incredibly popular RT Series in the all-new RT198p. The innovative design combines high performance and versatility in a value-priced package designed for families and anglers alike.Capitalizing on performance, the new RT198p features a pad bottom hull, which gives Ranger its first aluminum boat rated for a 150 horsepower outboard. The foam-filled, wood-free construction delivers a smoother ride and unmatched performance while dampening the noise associated with conventional aluminum hulls.
The all-welded RT198p measures 19 feet, 4 inches, with a 92-inch beam, and is available with an array of factory-rigged outboard options. Full front and rear decks provide wide, stable and open fishing platforms. The center rod storage fits rods up to eight feet with additional port side rod storage available. The front deck offers a recessed foot pedal for the Minn Kota trolling motor and includes integrated tool storage as well. More tackle storage and a dedicated fiberglass cooler round out the well-equipped front deck.
"The RT198p brings so much functionality, fishability and performance at an incredible price point," said Ranger Aluminum Sales Manager Ryan Patterson. "Along with so many exclusive features of the RT198p, being able to mount a 150 horsepower outboard and the performance characteristics we've engineered put this boat in a class by itself."
The feature-laden boat sets itself apart as an ultra-fishable and affordable aluminum boat. Whether configured with a single or dual console, both are constructed from Ranger's proven fiberglass manufacturing techniques for long-lasting durability and beautiful finish. The cockpit features a full complement of gauges and switches with an offset console designed to accommodate longer rods on the front deck.
Inspired by the RT178 and RT188, the updates and features of the RT198p create a complete package not found with other aluminum fishing boats. Durable marine-grade carpet covers the floor and both decks for a clean look. A painted hull, new custom-fitted marine upholstery and new competition steering wheel match the fit and finish characteristic of Ranger designs.
With the 31-gallon fuel tank located farther forward for better performance and capacity, the spacious rear deck offers even easier access to batteries and pumps, complete with spare prop storage and room for an on-board battery charger. The all-new RT198p also boasts a Fishing Package option that includes a fiberglass center console, custom boat cover, boat buckle tie downs and a full sized spare.
The new RT198p also comes standard with a four-inch channel frame Ranger Trail® trailer. Designed and built specifically to fit the boat's hull for solid and easy towing, the trailer offers a swing-away tongue, waterproof lights, swing jack and durable Road Armor finish, designed to shield against rock chips, road debris and other hazards. Performance built, the RT198p provides serious anglers with an affordable and capable tournament rig packed with must-have fishing features.
2017 RANGER RT198p
Overall Hull Length: 19 feet, 4 inches
Beam: 92 inches
Maximum HP: 150
Hull Thickness: .100 inches
Fuel Capacity: 31 gallons
Total Persons/Motor/Gear: 1,475 lbs.
Approx. Boat Weight: 1,300 lbs. (single console)
Trailer GVWR: SM3725
|
|
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, waterfowl utility and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com. |
John Garrett Of Bethel University Earns Classic Berth!
PARIS, Tenn. -- Some of John Garrett's earliest bass fishing memories come from days spent on Kentucky Lake. He remembers frequent weekend trips with his grandad -- driving up from Union City, Tenn. to the fabled fishery about an hour away.
"It started when I was 7 or 8 years old," Garrett said. "For about four or five years, we'd come out here just about every weekend...He's taught me everything he knows, and he knows his stuff pretty well."
Those memories will always be with John Garrett, but now he has a few more for the mental scrapbook – he's earned a spot in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, and he did it on the same body of water where he learned to fish.
Garrett, a 20-year-old incoming junior at nearby Bethel University, won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket presented by Bass Pro Shops on Saturday when he weighed a 14-pound, 13-ounce limit before a crowd filled with familiar faces in downtown Paris. That was more than enough weight to defeat Texas State University's Evan Coleman, who had an unfortunate day on Saturday, and didn't catch a weighable fish.
After Coleman took the stage empty-handed, the fishing fans in attendance knew Garrett had won the single-elimination tournament. Garrett was the only angler to catch a limit through two days of fishing (he did it both days,) and he did so again on Saturday. Though total weight didn't count in this event (only how you compared head-to-head against your daily opponent mattered), Garrett's three-day haul of 46-9 was impressive. Coleman had the second-highest total, and that was exactly 30 pounds and 4 ounces behind the winner.
Van Garrett, John's dad, was one of the first to greet the angler when he wheeled his truck into Paris Town Square where the final weigh-in was held. The two embraced and fought back tears, as Garrett's Bethel University teammates swarmed him; offering high fives and fist bumps.
"There's a lot of emotion going through me right now," Garrett said. "I'm just happy I got blessed today and how things turned out. I'm an hour away from my hometown, and I'm pretty sure the whole city is up there by the stage right now. If I had to do this, it's great to do it right here."
Garrett, the No. 4 seed in this eight-man tournament, established a pattern early in the week and stuck with it throughout. On the first day, when he defeated No. 5 seed Sam Stone of Texas State, he boated five bass in the 2 ½ pound range -- going first to a shallow hump about a mile away from the launch site at Paris Landing State Park, and then moving another 15 miles south on Kentucky Lake where he fished a ledge in approximately 15 feet of water.
On Friday, he lit into his biggest limit of the tournament -- a 19-7 bag that was by far the heaviest of the event, and handily dispatched No. 2 seed Taylor Bivins of Kansas State. Saturday, Garrett caught 35 keepers and had a few of his biggest bites break off, preventing his 14-13 from going even heavier.
On the hump, he threw a small crankbait for keepers, and his bigger bites later in the day came on a ¾-ounce wobble head with a Magnum Green Pumpkin Trick Worm.
"That worm seemed to be the deal," Garrett said.
Garrett and Coleman had duked it out since 5:45 a.m. on Saturday until they checked in at Paris Landing State Park in nearby Buchanan, Tenn. at 1:30 p.m. The anglers were trailered the 25 minutes to Paris, where the final weigh-in was held.
Exhausted from some intense shoreline work the first two days, sixth-seeded Coleman broke form on Saturday when bluebird skies replaced the expected cloud cover which he hoped would help his shallow-water bite. In an effort to find bigger fish, he ran 40 minutes north to where Kentucky and Barkley lakes meet, but he couldn't find a bass to bite.
He was disappointed, but said he gave everything he had.
"It was extremely frustrating," Coleman said. "I knew I had to catch them today, and John's schools; he hadn't been burning them. He did today and he caught them. I could have done the same thing I had been doing the other days and maybe caught three fish for 8 ½ pounds. But I had to gamble. I went to an area I hadn't seen. It looked good on the contour maps, and it matched my pattern. So I ran there, and all I did was catch a few shorts."
He wouldn't do anything differently, however, he said.
"I got to the finals of the bracket, and I have no regrets," the 20-year old Coleman said. "My goal was if I'm not exhausted at the end, did I really fish? I gave it my all."
The top four teams at last week's college national championship traveled here to northwest Tennessee for the bracket event. The eight anglers were seeded individually and fished in a head-to-head format, with only one angler being able to advance all the way through the finals and into the 2017 Geico Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
Garrett, who is a business management major at Bethel, said it's his aspiration to use his education to be around the fishing business as a professional. But at least for a year, it's his fishing education and expertise that will have him matching wits against the world's best bass anglers in the sport's marquee event. The 2017 Classic will be held on Lake Conroe near Houston, Texas, next March.
"I'm trying not to think about that too much and stress on it," Garrett said. "I'm going to let this sink in. But I can guarantee when I get to the Classic, I'm going to have a good time and enjoy it."
Bethel University bass fishing coach Garry Mason said he's not surprised Garrett fished his way into the Classic.
"John is such a great angler, a great young man, and a leader of our program," Mason said. "But anytime you win at this level, there's some amount of surprise...We were very much in anticipation of seeing him win, and he's very confident right now. He was on a lot of fish."
In addition to the Classic berth, Garrett won $7,500 to cover fishing expenses, and he earned free entry to all nine of the B.A.S.S. Opens in 2017. He will have use of a Nitro boat and a fully-rigged Toyota truck for the year, as well.
The Flw Cup €“ A Grinders Game - Opinions On The Top 6
If you go back and look at the guys who qualified for Sundays final round of ten, you will see something interesting.
Of those 10, You have a Canadian who was the FLW Rookie of the Year, You have a Dude from Indiana who’s won this whole deal before. A recent All-American from Missourri who was there representing ALL of us weekend warriors along with his buddy from Mississippi and the remaining guys are all from the South.
Grinders.
The Top 6.
Mark Rose – One of the best deep water fisherman I know. Trust me. I have spent hours in the boat with this man and have fished off-shore. If he can find them out there and make them bite….. well the outcome may have been different. He didn’t, he scrambled, went shallow and he went to grinding and he worked his way up to a respectable 6th place finish.
Jeremy Lawyer – I don’t know much about this dude other than he is nice, personable and flat out on a roll. He won the recent BFL All-American and rode in here on a wave of confidence and didn’t let these other “Pro’s” slow him down one bit. He went fishing and on the last day made a BIG jump into the top 5 and pretty nice little payday to boot.
Bryan Thrift – The fastest grinder on the water. This dude goes and goes and goes and flat out catches them. When Byran is on a roll and burning gas you can bet he will be a factor and flying by the seat of his pants at times. At that pace there is a good chance he will run into a school of them but this week while his weights were up and down he continued to move his way to the top, he just came up a little short.
Todd Auten – Quiet, Laid back, reserved. Outside of the occasional smile, I never saw his facial expressions change. At take-off on day 4 I had that feeling If the weather and the fish set-up right he would be a factor. He ground out 3 fish on the final day and would he have had a limit, well John Cox would have been sweating it a little more.
Michael Neal – Michael is one of those guys who will be around this game for a long time to come and one of those that I firmly feel will hoist that FLW Cup one day down the road. He adapted to the conditions each day and continued to not give-up on his areas or the fish that he knew lived there. A grinder, heck it was a grind for our camera guy to sit and watch him. No wasted casts, no worries, He just went fishing and grinding.
John Cox – FLW Cup Champ. – What can you say about a dude in a 20’ aluminum boat with a 200 hp Mercury behind him and NO DEPTH FINDER on the bow. I’m pretty sure the one on the console is just for GPS purposes. Dudes a hammer. Build his one rods, minimal sponsors, he just goes fishing, makes runs at the AOY each year and does the shallow water game better than just about anyone else out there.
Remember my previous story on day 1 about that “Hair raising feeling?” Well, when I walked out to the docks on the morning of Day 1 of the Cup I noticed off to my right a stretch of boat slips that was empty except for one boat, John Cox’s MHX and Mud Hole Tackle wrapped Crestliner.
I tend to notice these little things and thought to myself that’s interssting, but I don’t know John very well other than they call him the “Tin Man” and for good reason, plus he’s a damn good stick. So I kept that in the back of my mind and watched as he was just ready to go fishing while the hustle and bustle and dock talk on the other end of the docks was taking place.
My sneaking suspicion that morning was he had a plan and I was right. John went to grinding where he likes to go, straight up a creek as far as he wanted to go and he led with 16.11 after day 1. Another 15.10 on day 2 gave him a 7 pound lead and he just fought and fought and grinded his way to the win. Wire-to-wire mind you in extremely skinny water.
“I don’t know if my spot is “The Spot”, Cox told us on the morning of day 3 or if “I’m just fishing really well, Either way that area is where I will start until something tells me otherwise.”
Congratulations John, You’ll make one hell of a Champ.
The 2016 Forrest Wood Cup Recap - How John Cox Went Wire-To-Wire
The 2016 Forrest Wood Cup came down to a contest not only between anglers, but between contrasting styles of fishing.
Many pros decided to push far back into creeks in search of cooler incoming water and the bass that are attracted to it.
More than a few decided to also fish shallow, but to do so on the main lake where schooling fish were the target. These pros would lean against the butt seat on their front deck and keep their head on a swivel. When they saw a bass bust the surface the angler had to put a lure in the boil pronto. It had to happen right now and right on the money or it may as well not happen at all.
The most successful whack-a-mole bass caster this week was Michael Neal. “I’ve caught at least 50 bass on a Carolina Rig with a 6-inch worm this week,” said Neal, “None of them were the ones I weighed-in, but that would get the school fired up and I could catch the big ones on top.”
Neal wasn’t completely thrilled about every aspect of the offbeat technique. “I feel like I’m wasting time just sitting there waiting for one to blowup. I feel like I need to be casting. But that’s what it takes to catch them.”
And catch them he did. Neal was dialed-in on details that set him apart from other competitors. “I figured out that that lure had to have a feathered rear treble. It didn’t matter which lure I used, it had to have feathers on the back hook.”
Neal also admitted he’d lost about 20 good fish over the course of the tournament – a common ailment when playing this style of fast and furious fishing.
Once fishing had ceased, it was time to weigh ‘em up and crown a new champ. 2015 Cup Champion Brad knight shared, “It felt kind of weird, knowing someone else is fixing to have the title; that my year with it is about to be over. But I also felt . . . relieved, in a way.”
Jeremy Lawyer had the biggest bag of the day at 16-6. His total weight was 49-5, good enough to finish 5th.
With only two anglers left to weigh-in, Neal took the lead from Bryan Thrift. His 12-pound, 12-ounce sack pushed his total weight to 50-10. Todd Auten challenged, but settled in with 50-5 when he only produced 3 fish that weighed 7-9.
Then Cox strode to the scale needing 7 pounds, 6 ounces to retake a lead he had held from Day 1. His limit weighed 11-8, running his total to 54-13 and giving him a margin of over 4 pounds on Neal and Auten, more on the rest of the field.
Auten had all but closed the distance on Cox as the two entered Sunday’s final round separated by only ounces. He ran out of fish on the final day. He was on the right average size; just needed two more of them.
I followed Cox on the final day. He went so far back into the woods that I felt the need to check myself for ticks once we re-emerged. We pulled back at one point in the first creek he fished because we didn’t want to spook the bass in the shallow, clear water. The water’s clarity, lack of depth, and (most of all) lack of cover made it less than ideal for enticing the reaction bites Cox had counted on in his ‘A’ spot from the previous 3 days.
When he came out he said he was going back to his best water. And that he had caught 3 fish in this not-quite-right creek. The guy can catch fish out of wet tire tracks.
His primary area was deeper and the water was darker. And there was lots of cover. Laydowns. Shade. And duckweed. Cox picked it all apart with a Jackall Iobee Frog, a white buzzbait (1/4 oz.) and a creature bait that he pitched on his MHX rods.
Of course, he was able to access the creek when others couldn’t earlier in the week – due to lower water levels – because of his now famous 20-foot Crestliner aluminum bass boat. “The only knock against the boat in the past was a lack of storage room. Now, with the new layout, it hass all the storage of a standard fiberglass boat. And I can get on plane in shallower water, bump over logs easier and all of those things that make an aluminum boat a great choice for the way I like to fish.”
Cox definitely has a defined style. “The place I’m fishing doesn’t even show up as water on the chart,” chuckled the affable Tour veteran as he talked with media members after Thursday’s opening round.
Rick Clunn has said repeatedly that fishing pressure, not weather, is the single most important variable to successful tournament angling these days. Cox goes where few others cant. As a result, he now possesses a trophy few ever will.
Flw Cup - Championship Sunday Morning Report
Autens to win or Cox's to lose.......
I've walked the docks of many morning take-off's. Past Cups, Classics and more Tour and Elite events than you can imagine. I feel I can normally get a read for what might happen just by the looks on the guys faces. Today, not so much.
Normally the leader is a little nervous. I mean come on, its the last day of the FLW CUP, These guys version of the Superbowl. With the weights as close as they are right now and patterns starting to show themselves, its like Turn 4 at Talladega on the final lap. Cox knows the freight train is coming and he's pushing that pedal through the floor trying to hold them off.
The question is can he.
Auten had an incredible day yesterday and closed a 7 pound gap to less than a pound. Michael Neal is hanging in and making things interesting and Bryan Thrift ain't going nowhere either.
Here are your top 10 Weights:
1. John Cox - 43.5
2. Todd Auten - 42.12
3. Michael Neal - 37.14
4. Bryan Thrift - 37.13
5. Jacob Wheeler - 37.3
6. Mark Rose - 36.9
7. Brandon Cobb - 35.9
8. Joseph Webster - 35.9
9. Chris Johnston - 34.3
10. Jeremy Lawyer - 32.15
To me, I'd say its anyone in the Top 6's ball game. If Rose gets on a deep bite, it could be interesting, if Cox's backup area does'nt produce it will be tight. The forecast is for some overcast skies and rain likely this afternoon. Remembers Auten's big bag yesterday? Yeah, it was overcast then too.
I'm not a betting man and I'm not going to start, but evryone one of these guys were as cool as a cucumber this morning and trying to gauge who's nervous and whos excited, its anybodys guess. So I'm just going to turn on my FLW Twitter feed and sit back watch this unfold. Its called Fishing not Catching for a reason and today, absolutely anything can happen.
Stay Tuned!!
Auten Closes The Gap On Cox, Cup Is Anybody's Ballgame Heading Into Championship Sunday
The big question as the top 20 pros launched this morning was ‘can anybody close the gap on leader John Cox?’.
Cox left Ditto Landing with a lead of several pounds. But today was a day of changes at the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup.
For starters, the abundant sunshine that greeted anglers the first 2 days turned into abundant cloud cover. It seemed to make a difference to the fish. While some pros found the big bass harder to locate today, Todd Auten hammered a 17-pound, 10-ounce limit.
Cox, on the other hand, weighed his lightest bag of the week at 11 pounds. His primary spot has mostly played out and a backup area disappointed him. He has one place left that he hasn’t fished yet. If it is good to him he may stay all day tomorrow. If not, he will have to return and wring every last bass from the creek that has gotten him this far.
Auten will continue with his game plan tomorrow. He is fishing shallow way back in a creek. That’s what most of the top pros have done this week. Jacob Wheeler had his motor trimmed up to plow into his fishing spots. Even ledge fishing master Mark Rose has gone shallow all week.
Can Auten snatch the Cup on the final day from Cox who has led the entire event so far? He’s not thinking about it that way. “I’m fishing to catch fish; not fishing to catch Cox. He has to go catch his fish. I have to go catch my fish. Then we’ll just see what happens.”
Rising water has been a big concern for Cox who says the lake has come up about 8 inches since practice. That may grant access for the entire tournament field to long stretches of water that were only barely accessible to Cox in his aluminum Crestliner before. “I switched to lithium batteries and because they are so light, I can float this boat as shallow as the trolling motor prop has enough water to pull it,” shared Cox before Day 1 blastoff. We agreed the trolling motor prop was about 8 inches tall, so that’s all he needs in the way of depth.
Cox has made a career of trading space age electronics and a big fiberglass boat for his lightweight rig and the expanded waters it gives him. Not a transducer on the boat, yet he is among the most successful anglers anywhere – due strictly to the fact that he is extremely talented.
But this the Forrest Wood Cup and everybody here is very talented with rod and reel, especially the 10 pros who made the final cut. There is a pack of them jammed tightly on the leaderboard, all a few pounds behind Cox and Auten.
And that’s how the race appears to be set up for tomorrow’s championship round – Auten, who nearly knocked Cox from the top spot today, vs the Cox who clings to a lead of only ounces now. Of course, both could stumble as they are fishing similar styles, going way up creeks and fishing shallow. Then again, even the main lake guys are fishing shallow, Michael Neal and Bryan Thrift, in 3rd and 4th place, respectively. It may simply become a war of attrition where whoever has the most fish saved for tomorrow takes home the hardware and the big pay check.
With names like Neal, Thrift, Wheeler and Rose all tightly grouped a few pounds back, anything could happen (Neal has 37-14 and Rose, in 6th place, has 36-9). If any one of those guys blows up big tomorrow, another 11-pound limit may not seal the victory for Cox. For now, though, it looks like a two-man race. Cox leads 43-5 to 42-12.
However it all shakes out, AnglersChannel.com will be on the water and at the weigh in to bring you all the excitement of the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup! Also, be sure to catch it on The Progressive Bass Wrap Up TV Show on Pursuit Channel!
Cox Maintains And Opens Up His Lead, Wheeler & Neal Make A Push, Field Is Pretty Tight Moving Into Weekend
John Cox fulfilled his expectations of himself and his fishing hole today and, in the process, maintained his lead at the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup on Wheeler Lake. In fact, he extended his lead to nearly six-and-a-half pounds when he brought 15 pounds, 10 ounces to the scale. His total weight now stands at 32-5.
Photo Courtesy FLW
Jacob Wheeler made a big move with 17-9 which, added to his pedestrian start of 8 pounds and change yesterday, gives him a total weight of 25-14 and the official 2nd place standing, even though Michael Neal also has 25-14 (Wheeler has the bigger single-day bag between the two anglers).
Photo Courtesy FLW
Michael Neal (25.10): Photo Courtesy of FLW
Neither angler has much breathing room over Darrel Robertson who ran his total to 25-3 today.
Robertson has only a thin lead of an ounce over his closest pursuer, Todd Auten. Auten rallied for 14-6 today and holds down 5th place with 25-2.
Some dangerous guys are just outside the Top 5 and could threaten tomorrow – Bryan Thrift, Mark Rose, Bill Chapman, Jimmy Reese and David P Dudley are 6th-through-10th, respectively.
The biggest mover of the day was JT Kenney who whacked the biggest sack of the tourney today. His 19-pound, 2-ounce effort will be hard for anyone to top over the next two competition days. He needed it. His first day was 1-pound, 11-ounce disaster.
So poor was his first day weight that Kenney had no trouble scrapping his game plan and picking up the flippin’ stick today. He caught a couple that way, a couple on a spinnerbait and one on a crankbait. While his lure choices varied, his choice of location did not. He caught all of his fish way up a small creek.
“The first day, I was trying to fish the way I thought this tournament would be won,” said Kenney. “Today I just did what I like to do and went shallow.”
Kenney plans to catch some more fish, but he realizes how unusual his weight was today and doesn’t expect another 19 pounds tomorrow. “This is Wheeler, and it’s summer time. The stars and moon just aligned right for me today.”
Cox is also running way up a creek. Waaayyy up a creek. “I’m jumping a couple of big logs to get back there,” said Cox. After today’s action he feels like the area still holds enough fish for another strong showing tomorrow. That’s bad news for the guys trying to catch the leader. He only has one other confidence area saved.
Cox caught them on topwaters and a worm today.
He is followed closely by 4 pros that are within a pound of each other. If Cox runs out of fish this will be a tight race.
Wheeler, the angler, not the lake, is fishing way up a creek and using the shallow tactics for which he is known.
Michael Neal is fishing shallow too, though his spot is right on the main lake. “I’m Power-Poled down in about 2 feet of water. The fish will just come up in wolf packs and feed. They were busting when I got there this morning and they were busting when I left. I’ll catch a bunch of 12-inchers and then all of a sudden I’ll catch a bunch of 2-to-3-pounders.”
As for his technique, Neal can sometimes get fish fired up by catching one on a Carolina Rig, but mostly he’s just standing on the deck of his boat, rod in hand, waiting for minutes at a time - if that’s how long he has to – until he sees a bass bust a shad. Then he immediately casts directly to the boil. “I feel like I’m wasting time by not casting constantly, but if you don’t wait until you see the boil, then you’re wasting a cast. You have to be quick and put it right on them when they break the surface.”
Luke Mason of the University of North Alabama fishing team took me out on the water again today. We saw 4 pros scanning for surface-breakers and then firing right at them. Between 9 and 11 this morning it seemed like every bass on the lake came to the surface. Of the school-chasers we watched, only Rookie of the Year Chris Johnston made the cut.
But it’s working for Neal.
Darrel Robertson found his comfort zone about 4 miles up a creek. The Oklahoma pro is flipping, so you know he’s happy. He has other fish about 40 miles away, but that spot is not as dependable. What to do?
Todd Auten: Photo Courtesy Chris Brown
Todd Auten is also in the creek-fishing camp. He said he tried a few different ones today before settling into the right creek and catching a 6-pounder to anchor his limit. His lure selection includes a junk pile of different baits, but the real key to his success lies in the ‘how’ more so than in the ‘what’. More on that as the tournament progresses. You’ve just got to stick with us here at AnglersChannel.com.
We filmed Charlie Weyer catching a 4 ½ pound smallmouth today, along lots of topwater action from several pros. Luke Mason gave excellent insight and commentary. You’ll see all of that on a soon-to-come episode of The Progressive Bass Wrap Up TV Show on Pursuit Channel!
Mud Hole Tackle Pro John Cox Leads Day 1 Of The Forrest Wood Cup With 16.11 Pound Limit. Mcmillan Second
A pair of Florida boys top the leaderboard and even Mark Rose, a noted ledge-fishing expert is beating the banks.
That’s how Wheeler Lake is fishing as we begin the 4-day 2016 Forrest Wood Cup. The deep bite is off, although Joseph Webster caught 14 pounds, 2 ounces offshore. He would be in 3rd place but a dead fish cost him half a pound on the scale and a whole spot in the standings.
Another popular trend this week is to burn a bunch of gas.
Luke Mason, who fishes for the University of North Alabama, took me out in his boat this morning. We followed the guys. Only 2 of them went up river and they stopped about a quarter mile up. Nobody else even turned left out of Ditto Landing. In fact, we saw 6 boats, total, and one of those guys wanted to run way down lake but had motor trouble. We went south past Decatur, so 44 of the 50 boats went farther down lake than that.
Then there’s Cox, who leads with 16-11. He said his water is 20 miles off the main lake. “There’s not even any blue there on the Navionics Chart,” chuckled Cox. The only reason he can access the area is because he runs an aluminum rig, a 20-foot Crestliner. “I just slide over logs that stop everybody else and I keep on going.” Cox is investing 40 minutes, each way, after he leaves the main lake to reach his honey hole. The results justify the effort.
Cox said he is flipping and casting. He believes the area may give him one more good day, but he believes he will have to run new water as the week goes on. “The (specific stretch) where I meant to start today past where I caught my fish today so I haven’t touched my main area yet,” said Cox, adding “Now, I don’t know if those are the same fish I found in practice and they just moved, or if there are more in there. I believe they have moved in there from somewhere because they are healthy looking fish. Usually, fish confined to a pond or such as that this time of year are really skinny.”
Asked why he thinks the fish would have moved from the main lake to a very remote backwater this time of year, Cox guessed, “To get away from Wheeler Lake.”
It’s tough fishing, but that’s no knock on Wheeler. A lack of grass does mean less oxygen in the system, a prime reason Rose believes the bass are hanging in the top of the water column instead of locking onto offshore structure. People generally think of grass as being a magnet to draw fish shallow, but Rose recognized an important piece of the puzzle with the grass/oxygen/deep bite cycle. His observations have landed him in 5th place with 13-15 to begin the tourney.
Photo: Chris Brown
Brandon McMillan is also fishing shallow, as expected. It’s working better than expected. He hopes to continue in that direction tomorrow. He believes this lake is setting up well for him. “I like to flip. I like it when it’s a grind. I would like to see it stay this way,” grinned McMillan.
Bryan Thrift is in 3rd with 14-7. He is doing what he does – run and gun and burn the banks.
A dangerous Bill Chapman lurks in 6th. A couple of pros told me to watch him. The angler from Salt Rock WV put 13-8 on the scale today. Word is he’s on some good fish and can likely repeat his performance tomorrow.
Luke and I watched Shin Fukae for a little while today. The Yamamoto pro missed 3 strikes in short order before finally boating a tiny fish. I said to Luke, ‘If he’s having to work that hard to catch a fish that small, let’s go find somebody else to watch.’ I’m happy to say it was a bad call on my part as Fukae brought in 13-7 and occupies 7th place.
Shane Lehew is 8th with 13-3. Matt Arey has 12-8, good for 9th. Cody Meyer is 10th with 12-1.
We’ll be out there on Wheeler Lake again tomorrow and at the weigh in show tomorrow evening to bring the action from the Forrest Wood Cup at AnglersChannel.com!
And be sure to tune into the Progressive Bass Wrap Up TV Show which will feature the Cup in couple of weeks on Pursuit Channel.
A "hair Raising Feeling"
Chris Brown – President AnglersChannel.com
A year ago I stood on the banks of Lake Ouachita in Arkansas and watched as the top 50 FLW Pros made their way out on to the lake in search of FLW Cup glory.
Thanks to crappy cell phone service, I was unable to get updates via Twitter until I made the 45 minute trek back to Hot Springs where my hotel and the weigh-in would take place. It was in that time I learned my good friend Brad Knight was having a spectacular day and sending the FLW Twitter feed into a frenzy as he proceeded to catch a bunch of fish shallow, landing him in the top 5 after that first day weigh-in. I had a feeling when I read the tweets, You know the one, a “hair standing up on the back of your neck” feeling.
Many of you know how this story ends, Brad goes on to move up the leaderboard each day and on the final day, catches enough off his magic tree and surrounding area to secure his place in Fishing history by winning the Forrest Wood Cup in only his second attempt.
2015 Cup Champ Brad Knight: Photo By Rogue Outdoor Media
I watched Brad this morning (above) as he waited his turn in front of the camera as the FLW Media crew replayed the final moments of that 2015 Weigh-in. I watched the look in his eyes as the last fish was weighed and as he watched himself lift the trophy over his head and as the video faded off the screen, I saw a smile. The old Brad remained in Arkansas, The Champ was here to stay.
Watching Brad and his career flourish over the past year has been pretty incredible. I’ve known Brad for a while and know a lot of the hard times, sacrifices and the hard work he put in just to be there at that event last year and knowing how much that win and the $500,000 check meant to him and his family.
Walking the docks this morning, seeing and talking to veterans, young guns, and fans, I caught myself wondering which one of these fisherman would go on to become the next Forrest Wood Cup Champ. Which one would have his life changed, his families life changed by the crowning achievement of the win and the financial relief a win would mean. Watching a few of them, I kind of got that same “Hair standing up on the back of your neck feeling” thinking this could be their year.
Being a “media” person now, I’m not supposed to have my favorites, but I do. We all do. I won’t tell you who they are but looking over and talking to a few of them this morning just makes this week a little more interesting. Can my buddy BK pull off the Back-to-back win? Will another young gun take the crown or would one of the seasoned veterans who’s been here before but never pulled it off be the guy?
No Matter how you slice it, it’s going to be a grind. There will be a lot of gas burned and some broken dreams and heartbreaks along the way, but in the end, a Champ will be crowned. Looking forward to seeing who survives to hoist the trophy. Stay Tuned…..
Flw Adds Seventh Tour Event To 2017 Flw Tour Schedule
FLW ADDS SEVENTH TOUR EVENT TO 2017 FLW TOUR SCHEDULE
Lake Guntersville to Host Season Opener, Feb. 2-5
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Aug. 3, 2016) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) announced today the addition of a seventh Walmart FLW Tour event to the 2017 schedule. The 2017 season will now open at Lake Guntersville, Feb. 2-5, in Guntersville, Alabama.
“A seventh FLW Tour event is something that many pros have asked for in recent years,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. “We announced our traditional six Tour events at ICAST last month, but we wanted to surprise the pros with this announcement to kick off the Forrest Wood Cup in Huntsville. On Saturday we will also unveil the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup date and location as part of the week’s festivities.”
The 2017 season will feature seven tournaments, broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network, which will showcase the best bass anglers in the world competing in the most competitive circuit in the sport.
2017 Walmart FLW Tour Regular-Season Schedule:
- February 2-5 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
Hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau
- February 16-19 Lake Travis Jonestown, Texas
Hosted by the City of Jonestown & Austin Sports Commission
- March 9-12 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
Hosted by Lake County, Florida
- April 6-9 Lake Cumberland Burnside, Ky.
Hosted by Somerset Tourist and Convention Commission
- April 27-30 Beaver Lake Rogers, Ark.
Hosted by Visit Rogers
- May 18-21 Mississippi River La Crosse, Wis.
Hosted by Explore La Crosse
- June 15-18 Potomac River Marbury, Md.
Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners
The full schedule and expected patterns/details for each fishery can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The date and location for the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart will be unveiled on-stage at the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup on Saturday at the Propst Arena in Huntsville.
For details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2016 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat: @FLWFishing.
Sportsman's Warehouse And Buckeye Lures Pro Anthony Gagliardi Previews The One And Only Su-Spin Blade From Buckeye
SW and Buckeye Lures Pro Anthony Gagliardi tells us why the Su-Spin Blade from Buckeye is so powerful when you need it the most----Tournament Day!!
Early August Report From Sportsman's Warehouse And Fishing Manager Craig Baird!
Sportsman's Warehouse fishing manager Craig Baird shares some solid topwater baits for the hottest stretch we've seen anytime in the last few years.........good insight tho and all products always available at Sportsmans Warehouse.com!!
Sportsman's Warehouse And Buckeye Pro Anthony Gagliardi On The J Will Swimbait Head!
SW and Buckeye Lures Pro Anthony Gagliardi previews some great baits from Buckeye that may help him this week at the 2016 FLW CUP!
Ehrentraut Wins On Oneida, Uppstrom Wins Co-Angler Side!
David Ehrentraut of Locke, New York won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series NE tournament, held July 30th on Oneida Lake.
Running out of Oneida Shores near Brewerton, New York, David caught five bass weighing 17.37 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 3.97-pound kicker. “I fished outside weed lines in 12 to 15 feet of water. I threw a white swim bait and crank bait all day. I caught all of my fish by 9:30 am. It was real slow after that." Ehrentraut said. For the Boater division victory, Ehrentraut took home a check for $5,000.
In second for the Boaters, Jeffrey Kirkland of Dryden, New York landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 14.71 pounds with a 3.97-pound kicker. “I threw a stickbait all day. I caught my big bass on my third cast. I used a mega bass and a lucky craft and just kept changing back and forth. About 11:30 am I noticed a fuel leak and that made me come in 3 hours early." Kirkland said. He collected $1,445 for the effort. He also won an Abu Garcia Revo SX reel Valued at $169 for catching the tournament Big Bass on his own Abu Garcia reel.
Mathew Martin of Chittenango, New York took third for the Boaters with five bass weighing 13.79 pounds. "I had 3 places with outside weed lines and caught 3 or 4 fish on each spot. For me it was steady all day. I used a dropshot with a cross tail shad, a Keitech swimbait, and a Zara spook top water," Martin said. He took home $963 for his effort.
Finishing fourth, Adam Janerella of Jersey Shore Pennsylvania landed a five-bass limit weighing 13.55 pounds including a 3.08-pound kicker.
Mike Sullivan of Voorheesville, New York rounded out the top five Boaters with five bass weighing 13.51 pounds.
The biggest bass for the boaters was a tie David Ehrentraut and Jeff Kirkland both caught bass that weighed 3.97 pounds and pocketed $310 each.
In the Co-Angler Division, Steve Uppstrom of Madrid, New York won with three bass weighing 9.88 pounds. He sealed his victory with a 3.95-pound kicker.
“We fished shallow in about 4 foot of water. I used a Yumm warning shot and an itsy bitsy. I only got 3 bite and caught 3 fish.” Uppstrom said. He pocketed a check for $1,600. Steve also caught the Big Bass for the Co-Anglers weighing 3.95 pounds. He took home and additional $210.
Taking second for the Co-Anglers, Brian Grant of Wind Gap Pennsylvania brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 9.71 pounds including a 3.83-pound kicker. "We stayed in 4 to 6 feet of water fishing weed lines and rock. I threw some Missile Baits and a mini ice with a ¼ ounce weight, black and blue with a Netbait craw trailer. We caught most of our fish in the morning and my last one late in the day,” Grant said. He collected $540 for the effort.
Darren Carpenter of Westmoreland, New York placed third among the Co-Anglers with three bass weighing 8.78 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 3.18-pound kicker. “I caught my first fish on my third cast on a white fluke. Later I used a Carolina rig with a ¾ oz. weight and a rage craw. At about 1:30 on my last cast I finally caught my third fish I only had 3 bites all day,” Carpenter said. He earned $360.
In fourth place among the Co-Anglers, Bill Griffett Jr. of Oxford, New Jersey brought in three bass weighing 8.75 pounds.
Roland Beaulieu of Swanton, Vermont finished in fifth place with three bass weighing 8.32 pounds topped by a 3.20-pound kicker.
Slated for August 20th, the next divisional tournament will be held on Sacandaga Lake out of the NY DEC ramp near Broadalbin, New York. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2017 Ray Scott Championship, slated for Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee in April of 2017.
For more information on this tournament call Jeff Randall, tournament manager, at (256)777-6152 or ABA at (256)232-0406. On line, see www.ramopenseries.com.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Truck Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.