Registration Site Changed For Bws Alabama South Division Opener On Lake Martin
The big news coming out of the Bassmaster Weekend Series national headquarters this week regarding the Alabama South Division opener on Alabama's Lake Martin is the change in venue for registration and the pre-tournament meeting Friday.
“In the past few years we've used the local sports complex for the registration and meeting, but this year they have baseball and softball registration going on so we have moved registration to Central Alabama Community College,” said Billy Benedetti, tournament director.
Registration will be held at the college, 1675 Cherokee Road in Alexander City, Ala., from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, with the tournament meeting to follow at 7 p.m., Benedetti said.
“We are expecting a really strong entry for this tournament and for the next two tournaments on Lay Lake and Lake Jordan because of the dates and tournament locations,” he said. “In addition the BASS Southern Open is this week and this weekend on Lake Toho and we've got a couple of anglers fishing the Open. If they don't make the cut, they will try to get back and fish the BWS tournament on Saturday.”
Benedetti noted that the payback is based on the number of boats entered.
“If we get 100 boats, first place will pay $5,000 on the boater side and $2,500 on the co-angler side. We are close to 100 boats now. We just need a few more boaters and co-anglers to reach that 100-boat mark.”
And, he noted, if a BWS tournament reaches 200 boats, the winner could take home $6,000 plus contingencies and the co-angler could win $3,000 and contingencies.
“The goal for these anglers is to make it all the way to the National Championship and on to the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. A win in the BWS National Championship would bring the pro angler $100,000 and a win for a co-angler would mean $50,000, Benedetti. Said.
Fishing is expected to be good this Saturday, with the spotted bass biting very well, he said.
“From the anglers I've spoken to, lots of fish including a few decent sized fish are are being caught,” he said.
Bassmaster Weekend Series - Alabama South Division
Sat, Feb 2, 2013
Lake Martin
Wind Creek State Park
Call Billy Benedetti 256-230-5632
Bassmaster Southern Open Kissimmee Chain Practice Report
The mix of opportunities and the changeable weather have hundreds of tournament anglers scratching their heads.
Nobody is sure what to expect from the moderate cold front that will move through tonight and, perhaps, transform the fishing on the Kissimmee Chain as we kick off the 2013 Bassmater Southern Open season tomorrow.
Bass can be caught any number of ways.
I drew Danny White of Milledgeville, GA as my day 1 partner. "I don't have a spot where we can catch 5 fish," he said. "We will have to keep moving and catch one here, one there."
Even Ish monroe, who loves to flip, could do 3 different things. "I am going to throw everything else out of my boat except for two rods," he chuckled at day's end. "That way I won't have options. There are too many options right now."
Wind, clouds and possible storm showers will bring challenging conditions for sight fishermen. Tomorrow could belong to the guys and gals who like to keep a bait moving. Fish were active today under pre-frontal conditions and tomorrow morning the fish may fire off, but once the clouds are blown out and the barometer starts to climb this could turn into a flippin' fest by day 2.
If you've been following the AnglersChannel South Florida Big Bass Tour, you noticed which lure I had fun with yesterday. The frog has the potential to produce under a variety of circumstances. Excessive wind isn't one of them, but sometimes you never know. Most of my bites yesterday came from open water, including the big girl that bit my old Snag Proof frog. I'll have that tied on anyway.
Water temperature is perfect for spawning and quite a bit of that has happened. Some fish are busting fry around old beds, some are moving up to stage while others, not as many as we'd like, are locked on and catchable from the beds.
Watch the live weigh in Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com. Saturday's show starts at 4 o'clock.
Eufaula Setting Up To Have A Good Spring-Full Report Here
January 17, 2013
Water Temperature today 60 degrees
Water clarity - extremely muddy
Capt. Sam
FLW Tour Pro Micah Frazier signs with Buckeye
Newnan, Georgia - FLW Tour Pro Micah Frazier has signed with Buckeye Lures for 2013. The two year pro, Frazier who has won over $180,000 with FLW. Frazier is coming off of a solid 2012 campaign where he cashed checks in six of the seven Tour Events, including a second place finish at Lake Hartwell
"I've been using Buckeye Lures products for many years. The J-Will swimbait head is the ultimate head for soft plastic swimbaits. They are great fished solo or on an umbrella rig. For spotted bass there is no better jig than one of their spot removers, but they also have a full line of jigs like mop jigs, flipping jigs and swim jigs. I'm super excited to promote these great products for a great company," stated Frazier.
FLW Tour and Buckeye Lures Pro Micah Frazier
Buckeye Lures is based in Georgia and specializes in highly custom made baits. All Buckeye Lures' baits are hand made by fisherman for fisherman.
Jeremy Altman of Buckeye Lures said, "Micah is a talented angler and a great individual. We look forward to sharing his success as he continues his career. We expect great things from Frazier on the water, and he can expect great products from Buckeye. Micah is a great addition to our pro staff."
For more information on Buckeye Lures or to find a dealer near you please visit BuckeyeLures.com.
For more information on Micah Frazier please visit MicahFrazier.com.
2013 Airport Marine Fall Lay Lake Championship
The 2013 Airport Marine Fall Lay Lake Champions Chris Payne and Jim White bring in a MONSTER bag of 24.08 with a 6.89 BF to take home the Fall Buddy Trail Championship!! Check out the weigh-in footage and interview with them and AC Pro Staffer Reed Montgomery right here!
Ride Along On The Anglerschannel.com South Florida Bass Fishing Tour!
The Bassmaster Southern Open is set to begin this coming week on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Practice will start on Monday; competition on Thursday, concluding with a big weigh in at Bass Pro Shops Orlando on Saturday at 4p.m.
I am thrilled to be fishing this one as a co-angler (they used to call us 'no-boaters' before everybody got so politically correct).
A friend of mine is fishing the pro division. Jeff Holland, of Orlando, FL, fished the Opens last year and he is excited to start 2013 in his back yard. I am grateful to him for the excellent insight he has shared at his web site - JeffHollandFishing.com - and the links he has provided to maps that show the location and density of grass in the 4 lakes that are in play for Open anglers this week.
You won't find this info just anywhere. Jeff is a great guy and a wonderful resource for anybody who is heading to Central Florida to do a little bass fishing this week.
He summed up his practice this way: The Kissimmee lakes are acting very typical, with bass in all three phases of spawning. Professional anglers like Chris Lane are predicting good weights. Weed control efforts against the overgrowth of nuisance Hydrilla have taken effect. Some lakes are fishing easy, giving up ten pounds limits within minutes, others were difficult at best. The new lake maps that Florida's fish & wildlife agency has been placing on the Internet were very helpful to my practice.
I will have my own practice reports to share with AnglersChannel.com viewers soon. I plan to get out with Ish Monroe before the tourney begins. That will be fun and informative for me and, by extension, all of my fellow fisherfolk who stay tuned to AnglersChannel.com.
From Kissimmee I will head down to Okeechobee and fish the FLW Tour, again, as a co-angler. I should roll into Clewiston in time to watch the Super Bowl from the outdoor Tiki Bar at the Roland Martin Marina. Then we begin practice on Monday, competition on Thursday, and the final weigh in Sunday at the Walmart in Clewiston.
I will take you out on massive Okeechobee with an FLW Tour pro to see how they shrink the inland ocean and find that 10% of the water that holds 90% of the bass.
It will be a two-week tour of South Florida bass tournament action as the Bassmaster Southern Opens and the FLW Tour kick off their seasons in the Sunshine State. And you will tag along with me and Anglerschannel.com!
North Carolina Bass Trail Results - Lake Norman - Jan 19, 2013
Hank Cherry stole the show in the first tournament of 2013, bringing in 12 lbs-15ozs that included a hog that weighed 7lbs-11ozs!! Needless to say, he took 1st Place and Big Fish.
Kevin Toller and Michael Fox finished in 2nd Place with 11lbs-10ozs. Shane Lineberger and Kyle Whisnant brought in 10 lbs even to take 3rd Place.
Anyone that did not fish Norman, can still become a member if they join at or before the next tournament, which will be Belews Creek- Pine Hall access, on February 16th. Registration at 5:30 am. We will blast off as soon after 7am as we can.
You must be a paid member and fish 4 out of 5 to be eligible to fish in the Championship.
Thanks to everyone that fished Norman.
Mark Weaver
NCBT Tounament Director
Jason Williamson Is Excited About The 2013 Season, Starting With The Bassmaster Southern Open On Toho
After coming oh, so close, to the Bassmaster Southern Open points championship in 2012, Jason Williamson of Aiken, S.C., hopes the stars are lining up for him to have a breakout tournament in the inaugural Bassmaster Southern Open for 2013 on Lake Tohopekaliga starting Jan. 31.
“We've had a mild winter and it's the time of year for the fish to be shallow and some spawning to be going on – and that is right in my wheelhouse,” said Williamson who finished second in the points in the 2012 Southern Open schedule.
“Sight fishing will play a big part and flipping will also be a factor. As warm as the winter we've had one thing is going to be different from last time we were here in that the open water hydrilla bite out in the middle may not be as good,” he said. But if the fish have moved shallow, especially on the January full moon, that open water bite might not matter much anyway.
“Florida is always a place where there are going to be some big bass, some big sacks caught. If you go to Toho, the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, just about any place in Florida this time of year somebody is going to bust a big bag of bass.”
And Williamson believes he is due to do just that.
“My goal is to get back in the winners circle. It's been a couple of years since I won. I won in back to back years and got a little spoiled. But then I've had back to back years when I have not won, so it is time for me.”
Winning would accomplish his other main goal, he said – to get back to the Bassmaster Classic.
“I definitely want to be a part of the Classic again. That is what every angler is hoping going into the season.”
And making the 2014 Classic would be especially sweet, said Williamson whose previous Classic appearance was in 2011 on the Louisiana Delta.
“It's going to be on Lake Guntersville. It could be a cold Classic, but it also could be a record-breaking Classic weight-wise. I think the fishing will be absolutely phenomenal on Guntersville and it's nice that it is not so far from home, only five or six hours.”
Williamson noted that he has a full tournament schedule this year, fishing the Southern Opens and all the BASS Elite tournaments.
“I'd also like to fish a couple of the PAA events, if not the whole schedule, depending on schedule conflicts, and maybe an EverStart here and there.
Finishing a close second in the points last year was a disappointment, he said, but not one he is dwelling on.
“With BASS changing some of the rules, a second place finish in the Opens did not do me any good, except mentally. Anytime you finish in the top three in the Opens is a pretty good accomplishment,” he said.
“A lot of the Elite guys and a lot of FLW guys fish the Opens now. Competition in the Opens in 2012 was as stiff as it has ever been. So, finishing second was a good accomplishment, one that would have got me to the Classic a couple of years ago. But that is the way the world turns. Now it's all about if you win you are in.”
Williamson said he feels really good about the Open schedule and he is expecting 2013 to be a breakout year.
“I don't know if I have ever been as excited as I am this year. Finishing that high in the points gives me a lot of confidence mentally. I think this is going to be a really good year.”
Bassmaster Southern Open
Jan 31-Feb 2, 2013
Lake Tohopekaliga
Carolina Anglers Team Trail Moves To Sc Upstate For First Time With Keowee Tournament
The Carolina Anglers Team Trail tournament on Lake Keowee Sunday marks a milestone in the successful history of the CATT fishing competition in the Carolinas. It is the first time CATT has ventured into the South Carolina Upstate for a tournament series.
“We are calling the trail the CATT S.C. Upstate, which consist of Lakes Keowee and Hartwell,” said Brett Collins, CATT owner/director. “This is the first CATT event on Lake Keowee. The guys up there have been asking for a CATT Trail, but finding a director was a problem.”
With that issue settled, Collins said he will now look at one of the Upstate lakes as a future CATT Classic venue.
“The CATT Classic pays back between $10.000 and $12,000 for first -place,” he noted.
“Membership is $30 per person. The entry fee for a qualifier is $80 and the entry fee for the final is $120, plus an optional side pot of $25. The Spring Final, which will be on Lake Hartwell, will pay a minimum of $3,000 for first place.”
The key word, Collins said, is “minimum.”
“Since CATT pays back 100 percent, first place usually increases.”
The CATT SC Upstate schedule includes Jan. 27, Lake Keowee, South Cove Landing, Feb. 23, Lake Hartwell, Portman Marina; March 23, Lake Hartwell, Portman Marina; April 20, Lake Keowee, Gap Hill Landing; and May 11, Final, Lake Hartwell, Portman Marina.
“To qualify for the 2013 CATT Classic a team only has to enter one CATT event,” Collins said. “This includes the the 2012 Summer and Fall CATT Trails plus all the 2013 CATT events up until the date of the start of the 2013 CATT Classic. Also the 2012 Yadkin and Old North Teams are included.”
Entry fee in the CATT Classic is $225, with an optional side pot of $50 which is paid back 70%-30% to the two top finishers in the side pot, he said.
“For 2013 we've added a SE NC CATT Trail, Spring and Fall, which consists of Lake Waccamaw and Lake Sutton in North Carolina, plus we added a CATT Trail on Lake Gaston in North Carolina,” Collins said. “Last year we started up on the Yadkin River Chain which for the most part consisted of High Rock and Badin and paid back over $27,000.”
Collins said he expects the 2013 Yadkin CATT will grow this coming year, based on the success of the trail in 2012
“The Old North CATT Trail started in 2011 and we averaged seven boats. Then in 2012 the average jumped to 40 boats. We think the participation will move up even more with the 2012 CATT Classic on Kerr Lake May 18-19.”
Carolina Anglers Team Trail
Sun, Jan 27, 2013
Lake Keowee
South Cove County Park
Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521
Anglers Are Looking For That Big Bite On Toho For Bassmaster Weekend Series Florida Division Opener Sat
With the Bassmaster Weekend Series Florida Division 2013 opener looming this Saturday on Lake Tohopekaliga, anglers have been catching lots of bass in practice – but not many big ones. But the full moon this weekend could change that overnight, drawing big females to shallow shorelines in search of places to bed.
“The anglers I've talked to the last couple of weeks say they have been catching large numbers of fish, but they are trying to find that big bite,” said tournament director Billy Benedetti.
Benedetti said anglers can fish both Toho and the Kissimmee Chain as far south as the Highway 60 Bridge on the southern end of Lake Kissimmee.
That is a vast region of water famed for producing numbers of big bass into the 10- to 14-pound range. A co-angler last year landed a double-digit bass during a BWS event on the lakes.
Not only is the Toho tournament the opener for the Florida Division, it is also the opener for the 2013 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series schedule, Benedetti. said.
“The goal for these anglers is to make it all the way to the National Championship and on to the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. A win in the BWS National Championship would bring the pro angler $100,000 and a win for a co-angler would mean $50,000, Benedetti. said.
“If we have a 200-boat field for the Florida Division tournament, the winner could win $6,000 plus contingencies and the co-angler could win $3,000 and contingencies. We are expecting a good turnout with registration scheduled for 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday at Lakefront Park.”
The Florida Division schedule includes Jan. 26, Toho, Lakefront Park; Feb. 23, Kissimmee Chain, Camp Mack; April 6, Toho, Lakefront Park; May 18, Okeechobee, C. Scott Driver Park; and Sept. 14-15, Kissimmee Chain, Camp Mack.
“If anyone has any questions about the Florida Division or the Bassmaster Weekend Series, they can call me at 256-230-5632 or national headquarters at 256-232-0406,” he said.
Bassmaster Weekend Series - Florida Division
Sat, Jan 26, 2013
Lake Tohopekaliga
Kissimmee Lakefront Park Landing
Call Billy Benedetti. 256-230-5632
Lew's signs FLW Tour pros Yelas and Rose
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Auburn Tops Cabella's School Of The Year Standings
Thanks to Pete Robbins for keeping us up to date on the collegiate angling scene:
School of the Year
Top 10
- Auburn University
- Bethel University
- Alabama
- Louisiana - Monroe
- Young Harris
- Florida State
- Mississippi State
- Tennessee
- Seminole State
- Auburn - Montgomery
By Pete Robbins
Calendar year 2013 has just barely gotten started, but the Association of Collegiate Anglers Cabela's School of the Yearrace is heating up in a hurry. With only a fraction of the season in the record books, some story lines are beginning to develop, but there are enough fishing days left ahead of us such that nothing is yet assured.
"We've developed what we think is the fairest and most exciting way to determine which team should wear the crown," said ACA Program Director Danny Blandford. "Our system places substantial weight on quality finishes, while also rewarding participation and consistency. The ACA Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series events count, as do major tournaments in both the Carhartt College B.A.S.S. series and the FLW collegiate trail."
That's good news for the anglers from Bethel College. Team members Zach Parker and Matthew Roberts recently dominated a B.A.S.S. tournament on Florida's Harris Chain of Lakes, vaulting their team into second place overall in the School of the Year standings.
"We're trying to do everything we can to make our team successful, and they set the bar pretty high with the win," said Bethel's Cody Ross.
Fourth place team University of Louisiana Monroe has also developed a game plan based on heavy participation to maximize their chances of claiming the crown. "We're fishing every tournament we can," said the Warhawks' Nick Ladart. "We came in second last year, so we sat down at the beginning of this year and tried to set it up so we can get a few teams at every tournament with significant points. Considering that we only started our team three years ago, we're proud that we went from rock bottom to second to close to first."
In order to take the trophy, Bethel and ULM will have to leapfrog Auburn University, the current leaders, while also holding other schools at bay. The first part of that equation will not be simple. Auburn has been on a tear lately, most notably due to the efforts of 2013 Bassmaster Classic qualifier Matt Lee and brother Jordan Lee, but the whole team has played a role in their rise to the top of the overall standings.
"The great thing about Auburn is that we have plenty of good fishermen who want to fish for us so we never have a down year," said team member Will Bates. "Most importantly, we have a lot of unselfish anglers, so we're out there as a team trying to help each other out."
Despite their best efforts, last year Auburn was 10th in the final School of the Year standings, so they're intent on doing everything they can to stay at the pinnacle of the team standings. "We'll just try to keep on doing what we've been doing," Bates said.
Behind Auburn and Bethel sits the University of Alabama, another powerhouse program. They too have developed a team approach that they hope bears fruit when the scales stop spinning.
"We really work hard on each individual tournament," said Alabama's Logan Johnson. "Our club is so big that we have individual qualifiers (for the bigger tournaments), which gives those fishermen plenty of time to go up to the lake and practice. It would really mean a lot to our whole program if we could win the 2013 Cabela's School of the Year title. We've been around since 2006 and all along our priority has been winning. Last year was good, but this year we want to finish it out."
The Alabama bass team wants to mirror their school's recent football national championship and give the SEC supremacy in both sports. To do it, they won't have to knock off Notre Dame, though - it'll be perennial in-state SEC rival Auburn they'll have to topple. While members of both teams would give just about anything to take home the title, their one-upsmanship is not marked by bitterness, but rather by camaraderie.
"There's a lot of passion on both sides," said Alabama's Johnson, "But they're all real good guys. It's more of a brotherhood. If we're all at the same lake and the same hotel, we'll probably eat dinner together at least three or four nights out of the week."
Auburn's Bates agreed. "It's always good to beat Alabama," he said. "It's a de facto rivalry, but we're all good friends with the Alabama anglers."
The Auburn team, looking to hold on to their grip on first place, looks forward to getting their revenge in the Boat US Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship on Pickwick. Last year multiple team members missed the cut by the slimmest of margins, an atypical shortcoming that left their team on the outside looking in. Several other teams, including Alabama and Bethel, also have substantial experience on the TVA impoundment, so that event, like most others, promises to be an out-and-out slugfest.
No one should count out last year's School of the Year, Arkansas Tech, either. They've had a full year to bask in the glory of their title, but currently saddled in a tie for 17th place, they have a lot of ground to make up if they are to repeat. Again, though, there are a lot of fish left to weigh and a shakeup could be imminent.
"We're pleased that this race is so tight and that the award is so highly coveted," Blandford concluded. "The support from Cabela's has enabled us to take the next step toward making the ACA the true unified voice of collegiate anglers throughout the country."
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The ACA Cabela's School of the Year Program awards points to each competing school, based on their finish in sanctioned events in relation to field size. In addition to competition points, teams can also earn points for participating in conservation projects submitted to the Berkley Conservation Institute Program through the ACA, as well as hosting their own events. With the race and points primarily based on the number of teams beat in competition, the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series events are critical in shaping the final outcome.
The Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series will consist of the following stops in 2013:
- Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash
- March 21-23 - Table Rock Lake - Branson, Mo.
- Collegiate Bass Fishing Open
- April 18-20 - Kentucky Lake - Paris, Tenn.
- BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship
- May 23-25-- Pickwick Lake - Florence, Ala.
Current sanctioned events and program details are located onwww.CollegiateBassChampionship.com, along with the 2013 Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Schedule andTournament Rules. Students and fans may also get up to date Cabela's School of the Year rankings here.
2013 Tournament Preview With Ac Pro Staffer Rob Digh
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh joins us to preview the many, many upcoming Tournament Trails and Championship trails that are getting ready to kick off. He gives some great tips on what lakes he thinks will be the big producers in 2013 as well as where to go to when it comes to paybacks!!
Okeechobee EverStart Patterns, Lures Revealed! How to Catch Bass on the 'Big O' Right Now!
You heard Ben Todd tell his story right here at AnglersChannel.com earlier this week. Now for the best of the rest as top pros and co-anglers discuss tactics and lures that worked for them in the recent EverStart on Okeechobee. How is the lake's water level affecting the spawn? Where are the bass bedding? What are the BIG fish eating? Find out here!
Like Ike? Want to Fish with Him?
Though it might seem impossible to have a shot at fishing with an angler with that sort of cache, Bassmaster.com makes it possible with its “Fish With Ike!” sweepstakes. It’s the first B.A.S.S. sweepstakes of 2013 and runs now through March 15.
“By entering now, you’ll have an opportunity to fish with one of the best pros in the word,” said Mitch Frank, B.A.S.S. membership director. “The sweepstakes winner not only will fish with Iaconelli but will also win some great prizes, including the gear Ike uses so successfully. This is a rare opportunity to spend the day with one of the top Bassmaster Elite Series pros and learn trade secrets from an angler who has won more than $1.9 million in his fishing career.”
The winner’s prize package is worth $4,995 and includes a ticket to join Ike on the water June 24, following the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament in La Crosse, Wis. The prize-pack includes round-trip airfare from the continental U.S., a two-night hotel stay, rental car and $500 spending money. The package includes $900 in Berkley and Abu Garcia fishing reels and $500 in Rapala fishing gear. Also awarded is a free seminar at The Bass University with Iaconelli and other Bassmaster pros in Fall 2013 or Winter 2014. Go to the websitewww.thebassuniversity.com for information and seminar location.
Another perk of the prize pack is an opportunity to be featured in Bassmaster magazine and on Bassmaster.com after the fishing trip. The winner of the “Fish With Ike” sweepstakes will be selected March 30.
“Last year, we held six sweepstakes, and they were extremely popular with our members and bass fishing enthusiasts,” Frank said. “Our goal is to hold six more this year, including this trip with Ike. It’s a fun thing to do and a great opportunity to enjoy the fishing trip of a lifetime with one of the greatest anglers in the world.”
The “Fish With Ike” contest is sponsored by Bassmaster, Rapala, Abu Garcia, Berkley and The Bass University. For details or to enter, go to Bassmaster.com. Participants may enter once each day until the contest ends.
Top Angler Ready For His Second Full Year Of Fishing The Texas Everstart Division
Kris Wilson of Montgomery, TX. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors
Kris Wilson of Montgomery, Texas, is looking forward to his second full year of fishing the Texas EverStart Series which kicks off Jan. 24 on Lake Amistad. He did pretty well in his first year on the circuit in 2012, claiming Angler of the Year honors with a top 20 finish, a top 10 finish and two top fives.
He started off 2012 by placing 18th in the Amistad tournament in February, then followed that with a second place at Lake Sam Rayburn in April, 9th at Toledo Bend in May and 4th at Lake of the Pines last October.
That second place on Rayburn was his second best finish on the lake. He only fished one EverStart tournament in 2011, the Rayburn tournament, and he won it, earning a nice check for $29,639. In fact, Wilson has earned a check in every Texas Division EverStart tournament he has fished, including single tournaments in 2009 and 2010, both on Sam Rayburn.
By being the top angler for 2012 in the Texas Division, Wilson qualified to move up to the FLW Majors, but has opted to stay with the Texas EverStarts for now.
“I've got a 3-year-old son and a mortgage so it's really not feasible for me to go to FLW,” he said. “I work shift work and a lot of weekends so it's hard for me even to get off to fish the EverStarts. Last year was the first year I was able to fish the whole series.”
Wilson plans to head to Lake Amistad on Saturday to practice for the tournament next week. The first order of business in practice, he said, will be to eliminate some areas.
“That place is so big I will probably just ride around the first day to see where all the grass is and how the lake sets up,” he said. “There is a lot more grass in the lake than in the past so I think the grass will be a factor, depending on the weather. If it's warm there will be some pre-spawn staging fish, but if it is cold the deep bite might be a factor.”
However, he said, he looks for the bite to be concentrated in or around the grass.
“I think around the grass it will be more of a moving bait bite – a square-bill crankbait, a spinnerbait, possibly some kind of swim bait and maybe a jerkbait bite. Out on the ledges a football jig should be a good way to catch them and maybe a Carolina rig.”
Another factor is the water level, Wilson said.
“The lake is 30-something feet lower than when we were there last year, so it will be a completely different place from then. For the first day and a half I will try to figure out what section of the lake I will concentrate on.”
Wilson may have only limited time to put into his fishing, but his record on the Texas EverStart Division shows he is pretty handy at figuring the fish out with whatever time he has to survey a lake.
FLW EverStart Series – Texas Division
Jan 24-26, 2013
Lake Amistad
Diablo East Access
Oconee Marine Team Trail Going Strong With Tournament Saturday On Lake Sinclair
The doors closed (temporarily) on Oconee Marine in December, but the Oconee Marine Team Trail lives on and the business will be back, at least part of it, by early March.
“We closed the sales part for the time being,” said Mark Hannah with Oconee Marine. “We plan to reopen the service department around March 1 and we may even get back into boat sales this year. But our boat service will continue.”
The closure of the dealership had anglers abuzz about the future of the tournament trail which Oconee marine launched in 2007. But the phone number for the dealership (706-485-4750) remained active and plans forged ahead for the 2013 team trail schedule, with the first tournament already in the books.
The second tournament will be held Saturday out of Little River Marina on Lake Sinclair, followed by Feb. 9, Lake Oconee out of Sugar Creek Marina; March 2, Lake Oconee out of Sugar Creek Marina; March 23, Lake Oconee out of Sugar Creek; April 6, Lake Oconee out of Sugar Creek; April 20, Lake Sinclair, out of Little River Marina; and May 4, Lake Oconee, out of Sugar Creek. The Classic will be held May 11 on Lake Oconee, out of Sugar Creek Marina.
“Teams have to fish five of the eight tournaments to qualify for the Classic,” Hannah said. “The entry fee for the tournaments is $160 and we average a 90-91 percent payback to one in six teams. Teams can sign up the morning of the tournament at the ramp.”
Hannah explained that $5 of the entry fee goes to the Angler Team of the Year, which is awarded at the Classic; $15 goes to the Classic fund, and $10 goes to the Big Fish award. The classic entry fee is $240 per team, which is added to the percentage of entry fees accumulated during the tournament season.
Hannah said he expects a strong bite for the tournament Saturday on Lake Sinclair.
“I think it will probably take 18 or 19 pounds to win and 10 or 11 pounds to place. I know some anglers are catching fish by jigging spoons as deep as 50 feet and a lot are being caught, as always, under the docks in the backs of the creeks.
Oconee Marine Team Trail
Sat, Jan 19, 2013
Lake Sinclair
Little River Marina
Call 706-485-4750
Cold Snap Should Heat Up The Fishing For North Carolina Bass Trail On Lake Norman
After several days early in the week with record warm temperatures a cold front is moving across the Southeast by this weekend, which should bode well for anglers fishing the North Carolina Bass Trail Spring Series which kicks off Saturday on Lake Norman.
“Norman is a little bit odd,” said tournament director Mark Weaver. “When the weather cools down that is when the 18-pound bags come in, so hopefully we will see something along those lines Saturday. It's going to be a little bit chilly at takeoff that morning.”
Actually, Lake Norman will be right in the middle of a major cool-down by Saturday, with nighttime temperatures in the mid-20s Thursday and Friday and up only slightly to freezing Saturday morning. If a cold snap turns the Norman bass on, then a 20- to 25-degree drop from mid-week ought to do the trick.
The catch will be mostly spotted bass, Weaver said, with the Alabama Rig playing a major role.
“If you can scratch out a largemouth or two it will really help, but the majority of the catch will be spots.”
This is the second year of the trail, that Weaver founded to try to get local clubs to fish together.
“We did fairly well last year,” he said. “We drew in the 20s most tournaments, with several a little lower in number when gas prices got high. We are trying to keep it a little more local this year.”
Saturday's tournament on Lake Norman is the first of a 5-tournament trail leading to the North Carolina Bass Trail Championship to be held June 1 on a lake to be determined. After Saturday, tournaments will be held Feb. 16 on Belews Lake, March 16 on W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, April 13 on Lookout Shoals Lake, and May 4 on Lake Hickory.
Competitors pay a one-time membership fee of $10, with a 100 percent payback-plus at the tournaments. They can join and pay their entry fee at the ramp the morning of the tournament. Anglers have to fish four of the five tournaments to qualify for the championship, Weaver said.
“We've had some sponsors give us a little money,” he explained. “We've already got $1,000 in for the championship. I think it is going to be a pretty good schedule I think we are going to hit all the lakes at the right time.”
He also plans to give away tackle and other items at the tournaments, he said, as part of his effort to build the series which has proven to be popular with the anglers who are fishing it. All the members from 2012 have rejoined for this year's series, Weaver said.
“We held a big banquet at the championship last year and we plan to do something along those lines again this year, maybe do a cookout.”
North Carolina Bass Trail - Spring
Sat, Jan 19, 2013
Lake Norman
Pinnacle Access
Call Mark Weaver 336-984-8600
Okeechobee Everstart Champion Ben Todd Tells Us How He Did It!
FLW EverStart pro Ben Todd topped a stacked field on Okeechobee. He did most of his damage, espcially the last day, with one lure. Hear him talk about the decisions he made that netted him $40,000 and the trophy!
Okeechobee EverStart Big Bass Parade
To a look at the beautiful bass the EverStart anglers caught from Lake Okeechobee!
Ben Todd Wins Okeechobee EverStart with Big Bass and Help from Above
Trevor Fitzgerald weighs a big sack and hopes he can hang on to the lead. Ben Todd tells us how he caught exactly enough weight to win the first EverStart Series tournament of 2013 on Lake Okeechobee!
Todd Over Fitzgerald by Virtue of Tie-breaker in Okeechobee EverStart
Just got back from Okeechobee. I was there watching the FLW EverStart. The big lake fished a little tough for many anglers but in predictable fashion it blessed a fortunate few with heavy stringers this week.
Ben Todd of Pierson, FL tallied 59 pounds, 3 ounces over three competition days. So did Trevor Fitzgerald with his 25-pound, 10-ounce effort today. But since Todd was the leader heading into today's final round he won the tie-breaker, so the trophy and $40,000 are his.
Fitzgerald ignited the crowd when he pulled out a pair of big bass to punctuate his limit and his tournament week.
With the FLW Tout set to kcik off on Okeechobee in less than a month the anglers aren't talking as much as they normally would but Todd shared that he caught his fish by pitching a Tightlines UV UVenko and a Gambler Ace (both are Senko-style lures) pegged behind a 3/8 oz. tungsten weight. A 5/0 Gamakatsu flippin' hook and 50-pound braid rounded out Todd's tackle selection.
Today Todd caught all of his 16-03 with the UVenko.
Some guys flipped fish from beneath thick mats but the hottest pattern on the lake right now revolves around patches of reeds, including bullrush and cattails.
That's what Todd fished. His fish were scattered along a line of reeds in about 3 feet of water on the northeast side of the lake near the J&S Lock.
Especially interesting is that Todd's first bass of the tournament was a 9-pounder that anchored his 31-7 limit on Thursday. Then, with minutes left to fish today, he closed the event out with a bookend 9-pounder that weighed exactly what he needed it to.
Fitzgerald caught his bigger fish by pitching a jig to reeds down south.
Even Brandon McMillan, a noted mat puncher, split his time betweeen punching mats and pitching to reeds. That gameplan netted McMillan a 3rd place finish with a total of 56-3.
Howard Poitevint won the co-angler division with a total weight of 40-13 (13-11 today).
While most pros used 3/4 oz. jigs, nearly all succesful co-anglers relied on the senko this week. Some wacky-rigged it. Others daedsticked it. But the soft stickbait was a money maker as usual.
Limits were common, even for the guys on the back deck. Sightfishing was not a factor in this tournament, due mostly to the high water level (right at 15 feet) and windy conditions.
Patrick Sebile Lands A World Record Bass From Lake Okeechobee!
Read Patrick Sebile's story here: http://www.finsntales.com/all/landing-my-all-tackle-length-world-record-largemouth/#.UO2t_G_Afzk
Patrick Sebile with his record catch from Lake Okeechobee
Thanks to Jeff Brooks for sharing this great story about the big one that didn't get away. Lure innovator Patrick Sebile came to Florida to fish with Jeff and former Bassmaster emcee Keith Alan as well as Christophe Garcia, Pure Fishing Sales Director in Europe.
Sebile used a wild-looking lure, his Sebile Proppler Buzz, to land a bass that measured 63 cm, besting the old IGFA length record of 59 cm, in May of 2012 on Lake Okeechobee. As usual, the IGFA took months to verify the new record and Sebile wanted to wait to break the news once he had certification that his was indeed the new world length record bass.
"It was a surreal moment. Patrick and I always have a great time on the water. I feel privileged to be associated with this record," said Brooks, Florida Bass Nation Youth Director.
Click the link above to read Sebile's account of the action.
Ware Hunting Quality Fish For Southeast Division Everstart Tournament On The Big O
Kent Ware of Wadmalaw Island, SC is coming off of a good year in the Southeast Everstart Series! Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
It took 32 pounds to win the Gator Division BFL tournament on Lake Okeechobee last weekend, but so far Kent Ware has not found that same mother lode of bass with just one more day of practice before the first Southeast Division EverStart tournament of 2013 opens on the Big O.
“It's been a little slow for me in practice. I don't know a whole lot about this lake,” said the Wadmalaw Island, S.C. Angler who was the Southeast Division EverStart Angler of the Year in 2012. “I've kind of pieced some things together, but just can't find any big fish so far. I am catching plenty of small fish, but I sure am not on the quality fish.”
Ware did very well on Okeechobee last year when he finished 6th in his first ever tournament on the famed Florida lake. He followed that top 10 with 19th place on Lake Seminole, 2nd on his closest home lake, Santee Cooper, and finished at Lake Guntersville in 46th place, earning a check in all four tournaments for a total prize of $20,878, plus the points championship. Not a bad year, considering he was buried in the standings the two previous years he fished the Southeast EverStart Division, finishing 206th in 2008 and 178th in 2009.
“I was really blessed last season. I really enjoyed it. Every tournament last year was tough, but I tend to do a little better when it is tough on everybody. When it's a slugfest I don't do as well.”
Ware said everybody he has seen and talked to have been doing pretty much the same things he has been doing – with the same results.
“I've been throwing a variety of reaction baits, flipping, fishing a worm, a Senko, topwater, slowing things down. Nothing seem sot do better than anything else. It is just a matter of covering water,” he said.
“The water temperature is right, we've got a new moon coming Friday so there have got to be some females moving up. The males certainly are already there, waiting on them.”
The problem, he said, may be the high water – two feet higher than last year in the same tournament – which may allow the fish to move miles further back in the vegetation.
“I don't know how these fish react with high water. They have a lot more habitat they can get into to get away from us.”
His strategy Wednesday for the final day of practice will be to tie on some fast-moving baits and cover as much different-looking water as possible.
“I'm going to go a little shallower than what I have been doing. The big ones are either further in or further out than where I have been. They are either staged up or laying back in the vegetation and there is no question some of the guys who are familiar with the lake know where they are.”
Pros will fish for a top award of $40,000 plus a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will vie for a Ranger Z117 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.
The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of four tournaments and competitors will be fishing for valuable points in each division that could earn them the Strike King Angler of the Year title, which allows them to fish the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup.
After Lake Okeechobee this weekend, the Southeast EverStart Series moves to Lake Guntersville Feb. 28-March3, Lake Seminole April 4-6, and finishes up on Wheeler Lake May 9-11.
FLW EverStart Series Southeast Division
Jan 10-12, 2013
Lake Okeechobee
Scott Driver Recreation Area
Flw, Mars Chocolate North America Continue Sponsorship For 2013 Season
BFL Anglers Blow It Out on Okeechobee!
Word on the street was Okeechobee might fish tough for competitors in the first Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tourney of 2013.
Instead, the lake greeted 200 pros and as many co-anglers with bunches of bass, including Van Soles' 7-pound, 14-ounce big bass on the pro side. The co-angler big bass also topped 7 pounds as Scott Crisafulli weighed-in a 7-03.
Steve Stinson of Pickering, Ontario won the whole shooting match with a one-day total of 32 pounds, 10 ounces.
Jim Hurlock, Jr. of Lake Worth, FL placed runner-up with 26-05.
Andrew Lee and Michael Meisenheimer shared 3rd with 19-7 apiece.
Jim Folks rounded out the top 5 with 19-02.
Stinson was the only top 20 finisher from outside Florida.
Meisenheimer was the only angler among the top 65 to have less than his five-fish limit, and one of only 2 in the top 100 to weigh 4 fish.
Limits were also common on the co-angler side where all of the top 20 anglers weighed 5 fish.
James Trudel of Boca Raton, FL won the co-angler division with 17 pounds, 14 ounces.
Okeechobee is in great shape and boasts a huge bass population including its share of 10-pounders. That's good because the big lake is fixin' to get a workout when the EverStart Series visits next week and the FLW Tour kicks off out of Clewiston next month.
Bethel Dominates In Carhartt Bassmaster College Series
TAVARES, Fla. — Bethel University’s team of Zach Parker and Matthew Roberts brought in another huge limit of bass on the second and final day of competition to win the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional bass tournament on the Harris Chain.
The teammates weighed five bass totaling 25 pounds, 1 ounce, giving them a 9-pound, 9-ounce margin of victory. It was a record-setting performance. Bringing in the two heaviest bags of the event, Bethel set the all-time one-day and two-day heavyweight records at 29-2 and 54-3 for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. Their Day 1 big bass, weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces, briefly held the All-Time Big Bass record until it was broken by a 10-7 largemouth caught by Cody Spears of Florida State University on Day 2. Spears claimed the event’s Carhartt Big Bass honors for his trophy bass.
The Southern Regional on Harris Chain was earmarked as the tournament where records would be broken. The Harris Chain and the 79-boat field did not disappoint. Parker’s and Roberts’ 29-2 catch on Day 1 was the heaviest of the event. It earned them the award of the Bass Pro Nitro Big Bag for the tournament.
The duo started the final round precisely where they left off on Day 1 — fishing the same grassline where they had caught their entire first-day catch. Almost immediately, they started extracting big fish after big fish from the grass.
“The fish were still in the exact same spot,” said Roberts.
The “spot” consisted of a ridge bordering a shallow flat with vegetation all over it. The team members worked their way up and down the ridge, casting lipless crankbaits onto the flat and ripping them through the grass.
“Fish were moving on and off of that flat all day,” said Parker.
A sharp cold front that moved through central Florida on Friday set Bethel up for the victory. With falling water temperatures, bass that had been in the shallows fled to the nearest deep water they could find. The ridge the Bethel team had found proved to be a textbook staging ground.
“The cold front brought the fish out of shallow water and pushed them out on that drop,” said Parker. “I think the cold weather actually helped us out.”
Taking advantage of the cold front secured most of the Top 13 teams their spots in the 2013 National Championship. Teams had to finish in the Top 13 to advance. A handful of them managed to do so by sight fishing for spawning bass, but the majority of the qualifiers targeted prespawn bass with lipless crankbaits.
With nearly a 10-pound margin of victory, you wouldn’t expect the winning team to have a “one-that-got away” story, but Roberts stubbed his toe on the fish of a lifetime on Day 2.
“It happened on his second to last cast,” Parker said. “The one that got away was bigger than that 9-11 he had on the first day.”
Parker estimated the fish was in the 12-plus-pound range.
“I’ve never seen a fish that big in person in my life,” Roberts said. “It was sickening, but at the same time we had a great week.”
The two college anglers admitted they never reached a point in the day where they thought they had the win secured.
“I never thought it was over,” Parker said. “We fished that spot hard until we had about an hour and 10 minutes left. We knew that somebody could bust a 30-pound bag out here.”
Daytona State College’s Thomas Oltorik III and Scott Heaberlin finished second with an impressive two-day total of 44-10, and another Bethel University team, Myles Palmer and Dalton Wilson, caught 36-14 for third.
For a full list of the tournament results, including the Top 13 National Championship qualifiers, go to Bassmaster.com.
Spinnerbait Bassin' with Kevin VanDam!
Take a look inside the mind of Kevin VanDam as he talks about where and how to fish a spinnerbait. Kevin's pointers on lure depth and retrieve speed are especially helpful. A couple of Kentucky Lake largemouth help Kevin illustrate his point as AnglersChannel.com takes you out on the water with KVD!
Bethel Leads After Day 1 With Monster Catch In Carhartt Bassmaster College Series
TAVARES, Fla. — Zach Parker and Matthew Roberts of Bethel University lapped the majority of the field on Day 1 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional on the Harris Chain. They brought in a monster catch of 29-2 anchored by the Carhartt Big Bass of 9-11.
Though many anglers complained of tough fishing and foul weather, the duo from Bethel silenced the competition while simultaneously setting the all-time single day heavyweight record and the all-time big bass record for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series.
However, the Bethel team’s day didn’t start with a bang.
“We had one spot on Eustis that we found in practice where we caught some 2 pounders,” Roberts said. “We stopped there first and never got a bite. That kind of got us down because we thought we could catch a limit there pretty easy.”
They didn’t stay down long. Making a run to Big Harris, the team headed straight for a date with destiny. Their next stop was the best of the day for any boat in the field.
“We found this staging spot on Harris out in front of some vegetation in practice,” Parker said. “It’s got a little drop on it where the fish are staging. It’s about a 100-yard stretch, and the big ones are on a spot within the spot.”
“On his first cast Zach caught one of the big ones,” Roberts said.
The next two hours they brought in 30 to 35 fish, including three bass weighing more than 4 pounds.
“We said if we caught one more big one, we’d leave,” Parker said. “We came back down and got right on our waypoint, and the big one smoked it. She jumped twice, and after we got her in the boat, we were pretty much done.”
Capping off an astonishing two hours of fishing with their 9-11 kicker, the Bethel team opted to leave the honey hole around noon.
“Today, if we were anywhere near the trail we were supposed to be on, we’d get a bite every 10 to 15 minutes,” Parker said.
Roberts added, “If we sat there all day, who knows what we could have caught.”
Tomorrow, both team members adamantly say they aren’t leaving that spot until time for check-in.
Thomas Oltorik III and Scott Heaberlin of Daytona State College sit in second after Day 1 with 21-7.
“We started off this morning throwing a spinnerbait and caught a smaller limit,” Oltorik said. “Then we started flipping and basically just put our heads down and started fishing hard.”
“Fishing hard” is synonymous with grinding it out, which is a must when the weather turns sour in Florida. Florida strain bass are particularly moody, and a rainy day with a high of 61 is not what’s needed to get these bass to jump on the hook.
“Basically, if you want to catch fish out here right now you have to fish hard, and flipping is a great way to do that,” Oltorik said.
Flipping is a high-risk, high-reward tactic because you typically get only get a handful of bites in a day’s time. Efficiency is everything.
“We were a hundred percent today,” Heaberlin said. “We had eight bites, and that was a good day.”
Heaberlin and Oltorik are bouncing from Big Harris to Eustis and not staying on any specific spot for long. They’re hoping their run-and-gun method will outlast the teams relying on one or two areas.
The Auburn University team of Chris Seals and Matt Lee sits in third after Day 1 with 21-2. Lee, who will represent the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic, is excited about moving one step closer to a repeat.
“If we could qualify here, I’m only one tournament away from making it to the Classic again (in 2014) on Lake Guntersville,” Lee said.
Today, Lee and Seals were surprised when they found big ones in an area that they thought only had a potential of 12 pounds.
“We’re fishing in a big backwater on Griffin that was loaded with males and a few females during practice,” Lee said. “When we showed up today, there were a lot more than a few females.
“They’re on bed and trying to bed. They’ll follow a spinnerbait up, and then you can throw a worm or something back to the same spot and catch them.”
“I threw a spinnerbait out into a bunch of lily pads and saw a wake come out through the pads,” Seals said. “We threw back in there, fan casting around where we thought she was bedding. Nothing. We came back an hour later and on about the fourth cast our big fish bit.”
Two other boats are in the same area as Lee and Seals. The whole backwater is about the size of three football fields, but all of the Auburn team’s fish came from two 30-yard-by-30-yard areas.
“Jake Gipson respected us a lot in there today,” Lee said. “He’s in there with us in the same general area, but never got on top of us.”
In addition to the feeling of camaraderie, the layout of the backwater helped Auburn catch their weight.
“That’s the only backwater that we’ve found with stumps in it,” Seals said. “A lot of the backwater we fished didn’t have a hard bottom, but this one does. If everything goes perfect, it has the potential for 30 pounds. We left a little early today so that we wouldn’t beat it up too bad.”
Kevin Lucas and Neal Combs of the University of Central Florida sit in the all-important 13th spot with 12-4 after Day 1. This is the cutline for anglers looking to advance to the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship, which will be held later this summer.
Day 2 will begin with teams launching from Wooten Park at 7:20 a.m. ET. The day-two weigh-in will also be held at Wooton Park starting at 3:20 p.m. ET. For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.
Flw, Z-Man Renew Sponsorship For 2013
FLW announced today that Z-Man® Fishing Products, the nation’s fastest-growing fishing lure brand, will return as an associate sponsor of the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization for the 2013 season. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Opens On Harris Chain
With rod guides freezing up around the country, college anglers welcomed the chance to head south to Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes to try their hand at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional set for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 4-5.
Teams from throughout the Southeast have made their way to the Harris Chain with one common goal — winning the Carhartt College Series opener and moving one step closer to a coveted Bassmaster Classic berth. Two-angler teams representing their respective universities will compete for two days on lakes Griffin, Eustis, Harris, Little Harris, Denham, Dora, Beauclaire, Carlton, Trout and Horseshoe.
The universities represented include : the University of Florida, Florida State, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, the University of Alabama, Jacksonville State, Troy University, the University of Tennessee and more than 20 other schools from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Mississippi.
Expecting an 80-boat field, anglers such as University of Alabama law student and Florida native Jake Gipson are preparing accordingly.
“As for which lakes to fish, it will be an interesting decision for the teams to make,” Gipson said. “Teams that stay in Dora will get a substantial amount of extra fishing time, but with a field this big, finding some water to yourself will be really helpful.
“Harris and Griffin are both good options, but with idle zones and locking, it will take 45 minutes to an hour to get to them.”
Anglers could burn as much as 4 hours running, locking and idling to and from the boundaries of this week’s tournament waters. With a cold front rolling through a few days prior to competition and water temps dropping from the 60s to mid-50s, curveballs have already been flung at the contenders.
“Fishing was pretty tough during practice, but it should improve the rest of the week based on the weather forecast,” Gipson said. “In fact, some fish will probably be moving up onto beds by the end of the week.”
Florida bass can be especially finicky in changing weather. Though bass may bust topwater baits one day, a water temperature drop of as little as 5 degrees might force anglers to switch to soft plastics or resort to “punching” thick weed mats for a handful of bites.
A warming trend, however, could have bass suddenly moving shallow to spawn. An area with only small male bass could be loaded with big females in a matter of hours.
“Overall, the lakes have similar vegetation, but there is some variation in the types of canals and spawning areas, as well as water color,” Gipson said.
The trick this week will be choosing the right lake and keeping abreast of the migration of the bigger bass. Anglers need to make sure they’re not one step ahead, fishing the spawning flats too early, nor one step behind, fishing deeper water where fish are no longer staging.
The entire field will compete Friday and Saturday, and the Top 10 finishers after two days will advance to the Carhartt College Bassmaster National Championship. The Top 10 qualifying list is based on a minimum field of 50 teams. With each additional 10 boats, an additional qualifying spot opens up, so the projected 80-boat field may qualify 13 teams for the championship.
The National Championship will be held during the summer of 2013 on a fishery that has not yet been revealed.
Daily coverage of this week’s event will feature a live video stream from the weigh-in, photo galleries, BASSCam videos and stories on Bassmaster.com.
Teams will launch at Wooton Park daily at 7:20 a.m. EST, with weigh-ins also at Wooton Park starting at 3:20 p.m. EST.
Fisher Hoping Bass Still Shallow For Berry's Tournament Trail On Sinclair Saturday
Bobby Jones and David Ellison won the 1st tournament Dec 8 on Sinclair
Pat Fisher and Mark Holloway weighed in a limit of bass at 15.40 pounds to take 5th place in the Dec. 8 Berry's Team Trail tournament on Lake Sinclair by fishing very shallow and they hope to do the same in the second tournament of the series this Saturday, also on Lake Sinclair.
“We caught all our fish in 2 to 3 feet of water around grass beds near docks in December,” Fisher said. “The key for us was that we found an area of the lake that was warmer, the mid-lake area. The water temperature there was about 60 degrees that day and everywhere else we would go it would drop into the low 50s. I think that is going to be a big key again this weekend.”
Fisher said he would use his practice time Friday to determine if the cold snap this week has changed the patterns of the fish.
“We really have not had any cold this year until this week,” he noted. “In practice I plan to go shallow and stay shallow, fishing grass and shallow docks. Then, if that does not work, we will have to back up and punt Saturday.”
Fisher said that if the shallow bite is not on he and Galloway probably will go with a ShadRap and a square-billed crankbait.
“They do pretty good this time of year,” he noted.
The Berry’s Tournament Trail, founded in 2003 by Bobby Berry and his two sons, is somewhat unique in that all eight of the tournaments, plus the season-ending classic, are held on Lakes Oconee and Sinclair. Four regular season tournaments are held on Oconee and four are held on Sinclair, with anglers having to fish at least five tournaments to qualify for the classic, which means they have to fish both lakes at least once.
“It equalizes things,” noted Berry who started the series on Oconee and Sinclair when local anglers tired of driving all over Georgia to compete in bass tournaments. Most of the participants in his series are all local anglers.
After the Dec. 8 tournament on Lake Sinclair, the 2012-2013 schedule includes tournaments Saturday on Lake Sinclair, Feb. 16 on Lake Oconee, March 9 on Lake Oconee, March 30 on Lake Sinclair, April 13 on Lake Oconee, April 27 on Lake Sinclair, and May 18 on Lake Oconee, with the two-day classic June 1 on Lake Oconee and June 2 on Lake Sinclair. The Oconee tournaments are held out of Sugar Creek Marina and the Sinclair tournaments are held out of Little River Marina.
Anglers pay a $160 entry fee per boat with 75 percent paid back in cash the day of the tournament, while 12.5 percent is held for the Angler of the Year team award and the Classic.
Berry's Team Tournament Trail
Sat, Jan 5, 2013
Lake Sinclair
Little River Park
Call 770-787-6179
Fishing 'phenomenal' For Gator Division Bfl On Lake Okeechobee
Dan Blanchard won the Boater Division last Jan on Okeechobee. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
The 2013 Walmart Bass Fishing League 2013 season kicks off Saturday with a full field in the Gator Division BFL opening on Lake Okeechobee out of Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina.
“This is the first BFL of the year and I have a full field of 200 boats already,” said tournament director Leroy Hensley, who noted that he kicked off the Gator Division schedule last year with a full field also. “That is a great start for the year.”
Hensley said the entry is helped by Southeast EverStart season opener the following Saturday on Okeechobee.
“I usually get a few of those guys who come and fish the BFL to get in a little more practice – and maybe win a little money,” he said.
Those 200 boats are going to find great fishing, Hensley said. The water level is at just over 15 feet, and that means there is water everywhere, giving both the fisherman and the bass access to almost anywhere on the lake. Warmer weather, light winds and healthy vegetation have recently created ideal conditions for catching large numbers of bass.
Anglers are expected to throw everything from jigs and creature-style baits to reaction-type baits, swimbaits and topwater baits during the tournament.
“Okeechobee is absolutely on fire. In the last week or so they have been pulling out some 9- and 10-pounders. It's absolutely phenomenal what's gong on down there,” he said. I think it will take 30-plus pounds to win Saturday – and that is strong.”
Hensley said his personal prediction is that 32 pounds will win – “but that is just a guess. We'll see how it shakes out.”
The 200 boaters will be competing for up to $8,000 and the 200 co-anglers will be fishing for a $3,000 first prize.
The Gator Division schedule includes Lake Okeechobee this Saturday out of Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina at Clewiston, Fla.; Feb. 16, Lake Okeechobee out of C. Scott Driver Park at Okeechobee, Fla.; March 9 and April 20, Lake Toho out of Big Toho Marina in Kissimmee, Fla; and back to Lake Okeechobee out of the Roland Martin Marina for the two-day finial Sept. 21-22.
BFL - Walmart Bass Fishing League - Gator Division
Sat, Jan 5, 2013
Lake Okeechobee
Roland Martin Marina & Resort
Points Race Tightens Up At Halfway Point In Denver Marine Monster Bass Trail On Lake Wylie
The Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Winter Trial should just get better and better in the new year, according to Anthony Williams with the Ranger dealership in Denver, N.C., which is hosting the Winter Trail on Lake Wylie.
“We had 16 teams competing in the last tournament (Dec. 22). Our crowd is starting to pick up and we are getting a lot of new members starting to fish with us. We are looking for good things in the future,” Williams said.
This is the first year of the Winter Trail, but Williams said it will be around in the future.
“We think we have to invest at least three years in it to get our name out there and let the fishermen know that we are going to do what we say we will do.”
Williams said the points race has tightened up halfway through the schedule. Todd Auten and Chris Baumgardner were leading the points for the first three tournaments, but Bill Grier and Robby Byrum won the Dec. 22 tournament to forge a tie.
Auten and Baumgardner finished 3rd Nov. 10, 2nd Nov. 24, 6th Dec. 6 and 5th Dec. 22. Grier and Byrum finished 7th Nov. 10, 6th Nov. 24, 5th Dec. 6 and won the Dec. 22 tournament
There are now four tournaments left before the fish-off Feb. 2 – all four on subsequent Saturdays in January, starting with this Saturday. Grier and Byrum picked up a check for $2,000 for their Dec. 22 win, but the payout schedule goes back to the normal prize money this Saturday, Williams said.
“That first place Dec. 22 was just a Christmas present for the anglers. The regular payout depends on how many show up for a tournament, with part of the money held back for the fish-off and big fish,” said Williams. Entry fee is $100 per team, which includes big fish, and each angler must pay $30 to join the Monster Bass Club.
Williams said he expects fishing to be good for Saturday's tournament.
“If it's anything like fishing at Lake Hickory they will be catching them on a jig. I was out on Hickory New Year's Eve and caught more than 20 pounds on a jig in 25 feet of water,” Williams said.
“I'd like to invite everybody to come out and fish with us. We have a great group of guys fishing. Everybody enjoys good fellowship and we feed the fishermen at the weigh-in.”
Williams also announced Denver Marine is preparing the Spring Trail which starts March 16.
“That first tournament will be on Lake Norman. Then on March 23 the tournament will be on Lake Wylie, April 26 we move to Lake Hickory, April 27 on Lake Norman, May 25 back on Lake Hickory,and June 29 on Lake Wylie. Then we will have a two-day championship Oct. 12-13 and the winners there will get brand new Ranger boat.”
Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Winter Trail
Sat, Jan 5, 2013
Lake Wylie
Buster Boyd Access Area
Call Anthony at 704-483-2628
www.denverrecreationalmarine.com
Plano Re-Ups with FLW, Including College Fishing Circuit
Andy Montgomery hopes to leave mediocrity behind in 2013
This past year on the tournament circuit was, in his own words, “a mediocre year” for BASS Elite pro Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C.
“I made a little money, but I only had one big tournament I finished 6th on Douglas Lake in Tennessee in May. Other than that I just got a check here and there and that was about it,” said Montgomery who finished 49th in the Elite Series point standings for the year.
The problem all year long, he said, was a lack of big bites.
“I was doing the right things and I caught a lot of fish, but I never did get the big bites. And I had a couple here and there that I lost, two in particular that would have really helped.”
Looking to the Elite Series in 2013, however, Montgomery said he plans to keep on doing what has worked for him in the past.
“I don't believe in saying, 'I'm gong to win.' Everybody does that. You just have to find what you think is the best pattern in practice and go with it in the tournament – and hope it is good enough.”
In his tournament career it has been a strategy that has worked fine and, Montgomery believes, 2012 was just a fluke year for him.
In fact, in the past decade he has won more than $655,000 on the various BASS and FLW circuits. During that time he notched 19 top 10 finishes in FLW Outdoors tournaments. He was Co-angler of the Year in the FLW Tour Majors Division in 2006 and he finished second in the Co-Angler Division of the Forrest Wood Cup that year. He also did well in the Forrest Wood Cup in the Pro Division, finishing 25th, 13th twice and 8th in the last one he fished in 2011.
Since moving to BASS three years ago, Montgomery has nine top 20 finishes, including six in the top 10. One of those was a first place in the Southern Open on Alabama's Smith Lake in 2010.
In 2012 Montgomery earned a check in four Elite tournaments, with his best finish 6th place in the Douglas Lake tournament in May. His best finish in the Southern Opens was 8th place on Smith Lake in October.
Montgomery's best year in BASS tournaments was 2011 when he won more than $67,000. He won $10,000 less than that in 2012, but he figures if he had got some of the big bites he expected and had not lost a couple of big fish at critical times he could have had an even better year than in 2011.
But 2013 is a new year and he has a new Ranger bass boat coming, so he anticipates getting back on the right track.
Between now and the first Elite of 2013 in March he plans to get in some rabbit hunting, organize his tackle, outfit his boat and do some winter fishing on nearby Lake Wylie.
“Fishing from now until mid-February is going to be basic winter fishing,” Montgomery said. “It's all about the bait. You have to find where the bait is and usually that is where the fish are going to be. They like to get in the mouths of the creeks – Crowders Creek, Seven Oaks, Allison and Mill Creek. You can catch them there on a suspending jerkbaits and a grub.”
Last year, he said, the Alabama Rig was a hot item on Wylie, but not so much so far this year.
“It used to be hard to catch bass on Wylie in the wintertime, but people started figuring out how to fish a chartreuse grub and a suspending jerkbait and found they can catch fish all over the lake this time of year.”
Montgomery operates the Rack & Reel Outfitters with fellow tournament angler Matt Arey of Shelby, N.C. Sponsored by Ranger Boats, Strike King Lure Company, and Evinrude Outboards, he guides on both Lakes Wylie and Norman. To book a fishing trip, call him at (704) 692-6642 or call (704) 484-7715. Check out the guide service website at: www.rackandreeloutfitters.com.
Dearal Rodgers Taking Next Step In His Tournament Career
“This is one of the best times of the year to catch a really big bass at Lake Wateree,” said local tournament angler and guide Dearal Rodgers of Camden, who is moving into a new phase in his tournament career in 2013.
Rodgers, who won the FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year Award in 2009 and the FLW Tour's Forrest Wood Cup as a Co-Angler in 2010, plans to introduce his 9-year-old son, Fisher to tournament angling this year.
“We are going to fish three Fishers of Men Legacy Tournaments this year. He's excited about that, but I think I am more excited than he is,” said Rodgers who also plans to revive his guide business and expand it beyond Lake Wateree.
Rodgers deactivated his guide business while he was fishing the FLW Tour Majors and also starting up his own environmental assessment business, but he plans now to start guiding again.
“I've got my business going now and I've got some people helping me with it. The problem before was I could not be away from the job, but now I am looking forward to taking people out on Lake Wateree, Santee Cooper or Lake Murray, or wherever else they want to fish,” he said. “I also plan to fish the Carolina Bass Challenge tournaments this year and the PAAs (Professional Anglers Association) on a national level.”
Rodgers grew up fishing Lake Wateree and the skills her learned there propelled him to the top of the major tournament world. But he is still fascinated by the opportunities offered by his home lake.
“There are three things you need to be looking for in the month of January on Lake Wateree,” he said, “ rocks, access to deep water, and the cleanest water you can find. If you can find the big three, you'll find bass and often times a bunch of them.”
Rodgers said the bass at Wateree this time of year will suspend around the first break to deep water in these areas, then move shallow once or twice a day to feed.
“I like to target these fish with slow moving Shad Raps and suspending jerkbaits like the Lucky Craft Pointer. Shad patterns do the trick and don't underestimate the Buckeye Lures DR Edition 3/4-ounce spinnerbait slow rolled around the 10-foot zone.”
Rodgers said if you find a productive point, or bank it will typically produce through the winter into the early spring.
“This is also the only time of year that I fish sitting down. It helps me slow down and this time of year, that helps put more fish in the boat,” he said.
“Warming trends in between cold fronts can be very productive on Wateree, he noted
“The bass will move shallow to take advantage of the sun and the warmer temperatures in the upper water column. Crawdad colors work really well when we have warmer weather in the winter. Although crawfish hibernate during cold weather, when we have warmer weather a bass will eat a crawfish if he sees it.”
During those warmer days, he said a No. 7 or No. 8 ShadRap in crawdad color is an excellent choice.
“One reason the ShadRap is so good is that it is so subtle moving through the water. That bait coming through the water is good-sized and it will catch a big bass this time of year.”
Another option, he noted, is a Buckeye Mop Jig in green pumpkin color with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer.
“I will be fishing that jig around rocks , looking for water that gets a lot of sunlight. The sun may be out only 8 hours during the day, but you want to find the place that gets the most sun. You need deep water access and rock is key at Wateree this time of year.”
Rodgers is sponsored by Sportsman's Warehouse, AnglersChannel.com, Ranger Boats, Evinrude E-TEC, Buckeye Lures and Cutmaker Lures (www.Cutmakerlures.com). Check out his website at www.dearalrodgers.com. To book a bass fishing trip, call him at (803) 223-1117 or email: [email protected].
Guide Wendell Wilson Offers Basic Winter Patterns For Bass On Savannah River Lakes
The basic rule for winter bass fishing on two of the Savannah River Lakes – Hartwell and Russell – is to fish deep, but on Clarks Hill you need to fish much shallower, according to Wendell Wilson of Elberton, Ga., a veteran guide on all three lakes.
Wilson outlined his bass fishing strategy for all three lakes during the winter, noting that both largemouths and spotted bass are the targets in Hartwell and Russell while Clarks Hill harbors mainly largemouths:
Lake Hartwell: Here the basic pattern is to jig spoons around schools of baitfish in 30 to 40 feet of water. You can also cast jerkbaits into the centers of little pockets, although you will still be fishing over 30 to 40 feet of water. Sometimes the jerkbait will work better as the bass begin to move up a little bit out of the creek channels.
Another thing that works sometimes is to crawl a jig and pig on the bottom around brush in 30 to 40 feet of water. That is the way BASS pro Alton Jones won the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell in February about four years ago. He crawled a jig on the bottom most of the time and he also used a jigging spoon.
Those are the three basic ways to fish the clear water in the majority of the lake. But, if you run way up the rivers where the water has a little more color you will want to fish a little shallower with a small crankbait, like a No. 5 ShadRap or any other small crankbait that represents a threadfin shad.
Lake Russell: Start out with the same jigging school pattern around schools of shad in 30 to 40 feet of water. This will be the tactic that works day in and day out in the winter. Then where the water is stained, especially if the wind is blowing in, fish in 10 to 20 feet of water.
The jerkbait pattern will work in 20 to 30 feet of clear water in the pockets, but it will not be quite as good as it is on Lake Hartwell
You can also use a drop-shot worm in those same places, a 4- or 5-inch worm on a 2-foot leader with the weight 2 feet below the worm. Use that in places where the bait is in 30 to 40 feet of water.
That is about it on Lake Russell. The bass won't do much in stained water until spring.
Clarks Hill: Down on Clarks Hill, it's a totally different story. The water is stained compared to Russell and Hartwell and the fish are much shallower. Another reason is that the bass are mostly largemouths.
The best pattern is to fish 5 to 15 feet of water around the banks. Crawl a jig and pig around any wood cover you can see in the water along the sandy banks especially. That is a good pattern for some quality fish. At the same time, if you want to go for numbers, cast a lipless crankbait along the banks.
It helps if you get where there are a lot of baitfish. You can locate them by watching the seagulls. If you find a lot of bait activity in the creeks you will probably catch a mixed bag with bass, crappie, stripers and white perch.
The weather plays a role on all three lakes. They usually bite better on windy days than on flat, calm days. If you get three or four days of a warming trend, the jerkbait pattern and the Clarks Hill patterns will work better. If you have a cold front move through the jigging spoons and drop-shot work better.
Wilson guides for bass, crappie and stripers on all three lakes and for hybrids on Thurmond and Hartwell. You can check out his guide service at www.wilsonsguideservice.com. To book a fishing trip call him at (706) 283-3336.
Collegians Take to Okeechobee for FLW Southeastern Conference Opener
FLW College Fishing is headed to Lake Okeechobee Jan. 12 for the first of four stops in the Southeastern Conference. Fifty college teams will be competing for a top award of $2,000 and a berth in the Southeastern Conference Invitational tournament.
Potomac Guide, Capt. Steve Chaconas Uses World-Wide Web To Guide All Of Us
Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you all take time to enjoy your family before sneaking-in a fishing trip or two over the Christmas break.
I have to give credit where credit is due: Capt. Steve Chaconas, Potomac bass fishing guide and Boat US "Ask the Expert" contributor has shared the BEST fishing reports all year long. It makes me wish I lived close enough to D.C. to take advantage of the information.
On that note, Chaconas usually adds tidbits that any angler can use no matter where he fishes. Consider this from his latest on-line report -
"For plastics fishing, downsize to 8 or even 6-pound test to feel more bites when water gets colder and fish aren’t aggressive. They’ll feel the drag of “bigger lines” and let go, before you feel them . . . Thinner lines get to the bottom and stay in wind and current. You’ll feel bites better and have less drag in the water for hooksets."
Right there, in one paragraph, Chaconas gives 3 good reasons to use lighter lines in winter.
His mention of less drag against a hookset with lighter line really got me thinking about all the various things that are affected by the more efficient hook set. Sure, I'm giving up a little strength, but what good is extra strength if it is cancelled by a big bow in my line?
One thing I have noticed while fishing with regular Joes and Elite Series pros from Minnesota to Mexico is that little things are what separate the best anglers from the rest.
Thanks, Capt. Chaconas for sharing a bunch of 'little things" with us throughout the year.
Read his entire fishing report below or link to it at http://www.nationalbass.com/reports/fishreport.htm
http://www.csnwashington.com/fishing-potomac/news
DECEMBER 2012
Open the tacklebox and go fishing! You’ll be able to use spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits and even possibly some topwater (primarily during the warmest part and lower tide of the day!). Bridges in DC are good for smallmouth, largemouth and stripers use pilings as current breaks and will be in the dead zone waiting for prey. Depth and how bass are using cover are more important now as water drops to 45 degrees and below. Slow down and keep baits into these zones. The Spoils, Smoot Bay (National Harbor), Fox Ferry, Hogg Island, Belle Haven, Oxen Cove, Blue Plains are the typical hangouts in the northern end of the Potomac River. Colder water, fish slower and generally deeper. Some fish are shallow and easier to catch just about every day especially in stable weather. Several techniques produce under most conditions. Most are slow presentations!
Start with main river points and work your way north ambushing them at the creek points of the shallow creeks like Piscataway and Broad. Into the deeper creeks, follow them in the ditches and channels. In the Wilson Bridge area, follow the excavation ditches rimming the Spoils and Smoots (National Harbor). Fish closer to drops near water 10 feet deep when temperatures get down to 45, and near 4-6 foot drops when water is 50 or above. Look for deep water close by and sharp drops in those areas to find wintering bass. In Blue Plains, expect more active fish. When water gets below 45, cast and work 1/2-ounce Silver Buddy’s down drops on the bottom with short “burps” on 12-pound test Gamma Fluorocarbon on a medium action Quantum casting rod. I prefer casting gear, as they are easier to cast while wearing Seal Skinz gloves.
For plastics fishing, downsize to 8 or even 6-pound test to feel more bites when water gets colder and fish aren’t aggressive. They’ll feel the drag of “bigger lines” and let go, before you feel them. Also, you’re fishing deeper and further from the boat than in summer. Thinner lines get to the bottom and stay in wind and current. You’ll feel bites better and have less drag in the water for hooksets. Downsized baits like Mann’s 3-inch avocado Stingray grub on a 1/4 ounce round jig head made with Mustad hooks worked slowly down drops will produce. A dab of PRO’s Soft Bait Glue keeps the Stingray on. A good soaking in garlic Jack’s Juice spray attractant keeps fish holding on longer with all soft plastics!
Drag 4-inch tubes with weedless R&R Custom Baits tube heads, gliding down drops. Green pumpkin Mizmo tubes are the best place to start. Other colors: Blue Craw, Green Pumpkin Copper. Try MIZMO 4 inch grubs with the tail rigged UP on a 1/4-ounce round jig head.
Use drop shot once fish are found. A 1/4-ounce Water Gremlin Bullshot weight is perfect in current on 8-pound test GAMMA Copoly line. A 2/0 Mustad wide gap Mega Lite worm hook works with Mann’s 4-inch Super Finesse worms. Feel pressure, set the hook. Remember, you’re using lighter line; you don’t need a giant hookset. This is a great way to catch them at Blue Plains. Probe flats near drops and points in Spoils and Smoots with split shot rigs with 3/16 ounce Water Gremlin Bullshot weights and Carolina rigs. Use a 2/0 Mustad Ultra Point Mega Lite hook with Mann’s 4-inch Super Finesse worms.
This month use Punisher Jigs in black/blue, green/orange and green-pumpkin/orange with plastic matching chunks. Insert a Punisher metal rattle, the loudest attachable rattle you can find and it will not come off! Pitch to cover, drops and flats near drops and let it sit, occasionally shaking. Really good at Blue Plains, just let current move the bait. Most bites are light pickups, watch line!
When water is a bit warmer to around 50, target shallower fish with a tight wiggle crankbait. Mann’s Loudmouth III dives about 4 feet deep with 10-pound test line. The Loudmouth has rattles, better in slightly stained water. You can also go deeper with Mann’s 15+ on 12-pound test.
Also Lucky Craft Pointer 78s are very effective in clear water around 50. Fish around hard cover that is warmer with the sun on it. Pointers are easy to cast in the wind. Baby Bass, Mat Pumpkin, Black Gold are my favorites. Use 12-pound Gamma fluorocarbon and a jerk, jerk, jerk, pause retrieve. Let it sit a while; vary cadence and length of pause. Works at Blue Plains around Spoils and Fox Ferry. Not a lot of guys throw jerkbaits, so you’ll have an edge.
When water warms above 45 degrees don’t put away spinnerbaits especially on windy days! Go to the bank the wind is blowing on and toss a 3/8-ounce Mann’s Classic with a white skirt, and a gold willow/Colorado tandem. Slowly retrieve, bumping bottom. You’ll catch the biggest fish of the season this way. To slow down, use a slower ratio reel with 12-pound test Gamma Fluorocarbon. A medium 7’ graphite rod has give for the subtle winter bite and enough backbone to set the hook! Dress in layers; protect your eyes with Maui Jim Polarized gray lenses.
Capt. Steve Chaconas, Potomac bass fishing guide, BoatUS “Ask the Expert” (http://my.boatus.com/askexperts/bassfishing/) Potomac River reports: nationalbass.com. Book trips/purchase gift certificates: [email protected].
"Take me fishing!" .·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸> >
Koppers Brings Hard Baits To Bassmaster College Series
Koppers Fishing and Tackle Corp. of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, is the newest sponsor of the seven-event Carhartt Bassmaster College Series.
“Koppers Fishing is very proud and excited to expand our relationship with B.A.S.S. by supporting the college fishing segment this year. We feel this is a natural progression for our growing company to support youth and grass-roots anglers who are vital to the future of our industry,” said Koppers Product Placement Specialist Tom Chopin.
As an official College Series sponsor, the maker of LIVETARGET lures will have a strong presence at the circuit’s events scheduled for 2013. The season kickoff will be Jan. 4-5 in Tavares, Fla., on the Harris Chain of Lakes. The competition not only will mark the collegiate season’s start, but also will be the first of 30-plus events scheduled for the entire 2013 Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
Koppers also will be on board for the other College Series stops of 2013: Texas’ Lake Amistad in Del Rio; California’s Clear Lake out of the city of Clear Lake; Santee Cooper out of Manning, S.C.; the Mississippi River out of Fort Madison, Iowa; a wild-card championship qualifier on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala.; and the season closer, the national championship, at a site to be announced. A schedule is available at www.Bassmaster.com/college.
“Koppers can expect a big welcome at College Series events,” said Hank Weldon, College Series manager. “Hard baits with cutting-edge design are always going to get the attention of any angler, but collegiate anglers are especially tuned in to how technology can help their fishing. Koppers makes that kind of lure.”
Among the hottest of those hard baits for the bass market are the new LIVETARGET Popper Frog and LIVETARGET Crappie.
Voted “best hard lure” at ICAST 2012, Popper Frog is part of the family that also garnered back-to-back ICAST product awards in 2010 and 2011. Those were a hollow body frog and field mouse, while the new lure is a hard topwater bait that features a lifelike leopard frog profile with an action that marks it as a serious popper.
Also new, LIVETARGET Crappie has the finish and shape of a real slabside. It is offered in two versions: a flat-side crankbait in 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inches and a slightly larger lipless rattlebait of 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 inches.
Grant Koppers, an avid angler and lure maker since the age of 8, produced his first LIVETARGET model in 2005. A former professional fishing guide, he bases his creations on realistic finishes, lifelike colors and 3-D textures. Today the lures are available at major retail chains and at independent retail shops across the country. More information can be found at www.livetargetlures.com.
Owned by B.A.S.S. LLC and based in Birmingham, Ala., the College Series offers structured, quality competitions for college teams. In the few years since it was first operated by B.A.S.S., the collegiate division has grown to reach anglers from about 100 colleges and universities spread throughout the country.
In 2013, a new conference-style structure lends a coast-to-coast reach with the goal of making tournament participation easier for more anglers. The circuit offers a Bassmaster Classic berth to the successful angler in the postseason bracket competition between the top finishers of the annual College Series championship.
Evinrude Pro Denny Brauer to Fish Texas EverStarts
Brauer and wife, Shirley recently moved to the Lake Amistad area so he can spend time fishing and deer hunting in a frost-free environment.
While he shared with AnglersChannel.com in October that he is done with the grind of Bassmaster Elite Series competition and associated travel, Brauer also said he would be busy working with sponsors, particularly in the area of product development and testing, and that he will fish a few tournaments here and there.
If he fishes well enough in the EverStarts, Brauer could earn a spot in the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup.
ABA Announces Major Change for 2013 American Fishing Tour National Championship
ATHENS, Ala. – Friday, December 22, 2012, American Bass Anglers is announcing a major change to the registration of the American Fishing Tour National Championship. The top 250 national point holders will be invited to compete in the National Championship as a boater and be guaranteed boater status. The championship will be held October 23-25, 2013 on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia.
American Fishing Tour anglers qualify for the National Championship by competing in divisional events all over the US. Anglers earn points within both their local division and nationally. Divisional points are just as important as national points. The top point holder from each division is invited to the Angler of the Year Final Round event to compete for a fully rigged TR21XS Triton/Mercury package. National standings determine who will qualify for a slot in the National Championship, and, starting this year, will also determine who will be eligible for guaranteed boater status.
A full field of 500 will be invited to the championship, and anglers will be linked together based on point standings as boaters and non-boaters. Boaters will be requested to register with a divisional non-boater to insure both anglers have a slot. To learn more read the 2013 rules posted at www.americanbassangles.com/rules.php
ABA anglers from across the country will be competing for cash, Triton and Mercury Boat Packages, and special Competition Team awards. The National Champion will be awarded a Triton Boats 21XS with a Mercury Marine 200 Pro XS rigged with Carlisle Tires with Black Rock Wheels, ODDESSEY batteries, MotorGuide Trolling Motor, Royal Purple Oil and BioBorEB. Cash will be paid to 75 places based on a full field of 500 contestants.
Special recognition will be given to the top five point leaders of each Competition Team and service branches. Members will fight it out to be in the top five of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Non-Military Members (Eagle), Lady Anglers and the Homeland Security Teams at the championship.
All National Championship contestants will also qualify for a drawing for a new Triton Boats 19XS with a Mercury Marine 150 Pro XS rigged with Carlisle Tires with Black Rock Wheels, ODDESSEY batteries, MotorGuide Trolling Motor, Royal Purple Oil and BioBorEB. All the anglers have to do is be a registered contestant and be present at the championship drawing.
Registration for the 2013 National Championship will begin on July 1, 2013 at 8:00 am CST. To learn more about the American Fishing Tour and both the National Championship and the Angler of the Year Final Round, visitwww.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
It is easy to get started on your path to the American Fishing Tour National Championship and Angler of the Year Final Round. Find a local division, go over the schedule and just show up, register and go fishing! Whether you own a boat or not it’s a great way to meet and compete against other weekend anglers just like yourself.
About American Bass Anglers - The American Fishing Tour provides weekend anglers close to home, low cost weekend bass tournaments with a path to a National Championship. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com
Murphy & McCall Win CATT Hartwell Fall Final
We wrapped up the 1st ever edition of the CATT Trail held on Lake Hartwell and it turned out very good! We averaged 20 teams and paid back almost $10,000.00. Check out the Spring CATT schedules and we hope to see you in 2013. Check under CATT Upstate and you can view the 2013 Spring schedule.Charles Murphy and John McCall certainly are glad the CATT trail visited Lake Hartwell this Fall as they brought in 5 bass that tipped the scales at 20 lbs 3 ozs. They took 1st place and the BONUS $ for a grand total of $2,260.00!
Jim Sanders and Amy Tupper also had a very good day of fishing with 5 bass weighing 19 lbs 11 ozs. They collected $1,000.00.
Derrick Bridges and Bo Hill claimed 3rd with a limit weighing 16 lbs 5 ozs and also weighed in the 1st BF at 6 lbs 10 ozs. They took home $533.00.
David Whyte and Bobby Gaston received $57.00 for their 2nd Place BF that weighed 5 lbs 5 ozs.
We will kickoff the 2013 Spring SC Upstate trail on Lake Keowee January 29 and follow up with the rest of the SC Upstate qualifiers on Hartwell. Hope to see you and I will be at the Greenville Boat Show so drop by!
Brett Collins
Carolina Anglers Team Trail LLC
Sportsman's Warehouse Bass Report with Roanoke Store Mgr Justin Kijak!
Sportsman's Warehouse Roanoke Store Mgr Justin Kijak pulls out some great winter Bass baits you need to have handy for those colder water temps and changing conditions. Don't forget you can order all of the products you see here online at www.sportsmanswarehouse.com !
Sportsman's Warehouse Report with Roanoke Store Mgr Justin Kijak!
Sportsman's Warehouse Roanoke store mgr Justin Kijak joins us with some late fall/winter tips for you striper guys out there. Smith Mtn, Lake Murray, Lake Norman, ect provide some excellent opportunities to catch large, large quanities of Stripers right now.........take a look!
Colder Weather Could Light A Fire Under Wylie Bass For Denver Marine Tournament
The weather this weekend may be just what the fishermen on Lake Wylie have been waiting for – cold!
All fall, bass anglers have complained that it has not been cold enough to turn the fish on yet. But that could be about to change. It won't be a drastic change, but the forecast is for a nighttime temperature of 27 degrees with clear skies and a high of 56 degrees on Saturday.
“It looks like we are going to have a chilly morning and that could be what these fishermen are looking for,” said Anthony Williams with the Ranger dealership in Denver, N.C., which is hosting the Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Winter Trail. “They have been telling me they were looking for cold weather to turn on the fish in Lake Wylie.”
Although participation has been a little lower than anticipated, Williams said the Winter Trail has been going well so far.
“I know guys are loyal to certain lakes, but we want to offer anglers on Lake Wylie a good, honest trial and give them something to look forward to,” Williams said. The tournament Saturday, he noted, has a $2,000 guarantee for first place, regardless of how many boats show up.
“We're hoping that will help draw in a crowd. Paying a $100 entry fee for a shot at winning $2,000 is good odds for any fisherman.”
Williams said veteran pro anglers Todd Auten and Chris Baumgardner are leading the points race after three tournaments. Auten and Baumgardner finished 3rd Nov. 10, 2nd Nov. 24 and 6th Dec. 6. At this point a prize for winning the points title has not been determined, he said.
“After Saturday we'll take a break for the Christmas holidays and then have tournaments all four Saturdays in January and the fish-off, a one-day tournament, Feb. 2,” Williams said, noting that $20 of every entry fee is designated for the fish-off purse.
The Winter Trail will definitely return next winter, he said.
“This being our first year with the Winter Trail, we think we have to invest at least three years in it to get our name out there and let the fishermen know that we are going to do what we say we will do.”
Denver Marine is already gearing up for the Spring Trail which will start March 16.
“That first tournament will be on Lake Norman. Then on March 23 the tournament will be on Lake Wylie, April 26 we move to Lake Hickory, April 27 on Lake Norman, May 25 back on Lake Hickory,and June 29 on Lake Wylie. Then we will have a two-day championship Oct. 12-13 and the winners there will get brand new Ranger boat.”
Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Winter Trail
Sat, Dec 22, 2012
Lake Wylie
Buster Boyd Access Area
Call Anthony at 704-483-2628
www.denverrecreationalmarine.com
Bass Should Be On Ledges For Georgia Eufaula Division 12 Tournament Saturday
Deacon Collins, tournament director for the American Bass Anglers Georgia Eufaula Division 12, is expecting somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 boats for the qualifying tournament Saturday on Eufaula.
“Normally we run about 30 boats this time of year and it can go up or down from that, depending on the anglers who show up,” Collins said. “You don't have to have a boat to fish the tournament, but the ones who bring their boat are guaranteed to use their boat.”
If they do enter Saturday’s tournament, he noted, they can expect a good day on the water with nice weather in the forecast.
“It's going to be warm Saturday. The temperature is supposed to get down into the 30s Friday night and then it should be clear and in the 60s during the day. As for the fish, we'll have to see what they are doing. They were starting to get out on the ledges in our November 24 tournament, so they should be out there now.”
Wayne Gibson won that November tournament, he noted, with 19 1/2 pounds of bass, so the weights could be strong this Saturday.
“We've got some pretty good fishermen who fish the Eufaula Division,” Collins said. He said last year's points champion, Kenny Carroll, won the AOY title for both Eufaula Division 12 and for the ABA division on West Point Lake.
“He fished a lot of tournaments and he fished hard,” Collins said. Dee Paschal of Hawkinsville, Ga., is leading the points so far this year, with a 4th place Sept. 22, 12th place Oct. 27 and 11th place Nov. 24.
The division’s angler of the year will represent the division at the ABA national championship where he will be fishing for a new, fully-rigged Triton bass boat.
“We will run one-day qualifying tournaments each month all the way to June and then we will have our two-day tournament in June,” Collins said. “You don't have to be pre-registered to fish our tournaments. You have to be a member of the American Bass Anglers or a member of the Bassmaster Weekend Series. The entry fee is $70, plus there is a $5 late fee. And we pay back in cash.”
The format is a draw tournament, he said, with registration beginning about 3:30 the morning of the tournament and the drawing held about half an hour before safe light.
“Fishing our tournaments is like being in a bass club and not having to go to meetings,” he said. You just show up at the ramp and go fish. We have a great bunch of guys and we have a great time.”
After Saturday the schedule includes: Jan. 26, Feb. 23, March 9, April 27, May 11 and June 29-30, all out of Lake Point Marina on Lake Eufaula.
American Bass Anglers – Georgia Eufaula Division #12
Sat, Dec 22, 2012
Lake Eufaula
Lake Point State Park
Call Deacon Collins at (404) 862-4233
http://www.americanbassanglers.com/districts2013.php?Division=12
2012 Yadkin CATT Tops $27,000 Payout Total
We’ve added Buckeye Lures to the 2013 CATT sponsorship team! They join a great group of sponsors so check em out! www.buckeyelures.com April 27th is a date to save as CATT will be on hand to run the 2013 Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open at Dreher Island State Park! More info coming!
Boy what a year! A first year at that! This was CATTs 1st year on the Yadkin chain lakes and it was a good one! The total cash amount paid back on the Yadkin was $27,060.00! Thanks guys for fishing and I’m sure we can break the $30,000.00 mark next year. A HUGE Thank You goes out to Marty Williams who directed the Yadkin CATT Trails!
David Wright and Chris Brown put a smackin on the High Rock bass Saturday out of Tamarac Marina with 5 bass weighing 22.35 lbs taking 1st Place and a check in the amount of $2,200.00!
Gerald Beck and Jerry Davis claimed 2nd place and $1,140.00 with 5 bass weighing 19.31 lbs and they weighed the BF of the day at 5.65 lbs.
Howard Bean and Bobby Lovens finished in 3d with 5 bass weighing 19.11 lbs. They received $360.00.
The 2013 Yadkin CATT season is set so take a look at the Yadkin Schedule and we hope to see you there!
Brett Collins
Carolina Anglers Team Trail LLC
Bassmasters TV show Back for 30th Season
Since its debut in November 1984, The Bassmasters has taken viewers out on the water and up on the stage for all the drama from bass fishing’s most prestigious tournament trail. In 2013, the award-winning program is back for its 30th season with six hours of Bassmaster Classic coverage, plus hour-long episodes covering each Bassmaster Elite Series event, the Toyota Trucks Bassmaster All-Star Week programming and two special “Winning Ways” shows detailing the methods used by Elite tournament champions.
All of the programming will air on ESPN2, and all times listed are Eastern Time. Bassmaster Classic coverage begins on Saturday, March 2, at 10 a.m. and continues on Sunday, March 3, at 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Elite Series programming kicks off on Sunday, March 24, at 8 a.m. with coverage of the Sabine River Challenge presented by STARK Cultural Venues and continues through Toyota Trucks All-Star Week.
Winning Ways, two special editions of The Bassmasters, will divide the Elite season. The first edition will air on Sunday, May 19, at 8 a.m. and will cover the first four Elite tournaments. The second edition will air on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 7 a.m. and will cover the final four Elite contests.
Viewers should be aware that the programming schedule is subject to change. Please check your local listings for the date and time of each program, or visit www.Bassmaster.com.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa Signs On As Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor
A premier entertainment destination in northeastern Oklahoma has become the newest sponsor of the 2013 Bassmaster Classic.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa has signed on to be the Presenting Sponsor for the Feb. 22-24 world championship of bass fishing in Tulsa. The resort’s brand will be prominent throughout the event and in the subsequent television broadcast of Classic competition scheduled to begin March 2 on ESPN2.
“We are proud to continue the Cherokee Nation’s legacy of being a good community partner by helping bring large events like the 2013 Bassmaster Classic to northeast Oklahoma,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “This event will be an economic boost for the entire region, especially our Cherokee communities. We are pleased to partner with B.A.S.S. and the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s Tulsa Sports Commission to make this wonderful event possible.”
The deal was announced today in Tulsa by officials of B.A.S.S., LLC, the Cherokee Nation’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, and Classic hosts the Tulsa Sports Commission, VisitTulsa and the Tulsa Regional Chamber. The Tulsa Sports Commission initiated the deal, coordinating its partner organizations to offer the most enhanced attendee experience for the world championship of bass fishing.
“The Tulsa Sports Commission worked with many people, local organizations and businesses to bring the Bassmaster Classic to northeast Oklahoma,” said Ray Hoyt, senior vice president of VisitTulsa and the Tulsa Sports Commission. “We’re excited to announce today that Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, owned by the Cherokee Nation, has elected to join that group and will act as local Presenting Sponsor for the prestigious event. Their support is sure to amplify the Classic, and we’re excited to have them on board.”
The sponsorship will support both the B.A.S.S. organization and the Tulsa Sports Commission in execution of the three-day competition predicted to bring roughly 100,000 attendees and an economic impact of $26 million to the region.
Added Jeff Stava, chair of the Tulsa Sports Commission’s local organizing committee for the Bassmaster Classic and chief operating officer of Tulsa Community Foundation: “As the Presenting Sponsor of the Bassmaster Classic, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa will bring a new dimension to the world championship of bass fishing with exciting entertainment and world class gaming. We appreciate their support and are excited for Feb. 22-24 in Tulsa.”
The 2013 Bassmaster Classic Presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa will pit 53 of the world’s best bass anglers against each other for a piece of a $1.2 million purse. Competition will be on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, which is new competition water for the Classic. The anglers will weigh their daily catches at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, another new Classic venue, as is the Tulsa Convention Center, where the concurrent Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods will take place.
“This newest Classic partnership is very fitting because we’re planning to rock Tulsa with the Classic,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “We couldn’t do that without the help of the many partners we have from the Tulsa area. The instantly recognizable Hard Rock name is a great addition to what is quickly coming together to be one of our best Classic events ever.”
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is a gaming resort with a musical flair. Its largest music venue is The Joint, a 45,000-square-foot theater with 2,700 amphitheater seats and a state-of-the-art sound and light system. Concert offerings run from jazz to hard rock, Vegas shows to country stars. In early December, for example, superstar and Oklahoma native Reba McEntire performed at The Joint.
Visitors have several other choices of clubs with top music acts, as well as nine restaurants. One can’t-miss dining experience — McGill’s on 19 — is on the 19th floor of the hotel tower. Diners enjoy a panoramic view and an enticing menu of steaks and seafood.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa also offers meeting and event hosting, a golf course, and accommodations complete with amenities such as a fitness center, pool and shopping — including, of course, a shop stocked with Hard Rock-branded goods.
B.A.S.S., headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., operates four tournament circuits, including the professional Bassmaster Elite Series from which most of the 53 qualifiers for the 2013 Classic emerged. Berths also were awarded through other Bassmaster circuits: the 2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series, the B.A.S.S. Nation circuit, and the growing collegiate level of competition, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. In addition, the 2012 champ of the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series operated by American Bass Anglers was awarded a Classic berth.
The full field will compete the first two days. On the final day, the Top 25 anglers will return to Grand Lake to vie for a $500,000 first prize and the most coveted trophy in the sport. For more information about the Classic, go to www.Bassmaster.com.
For more on Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, go to www.HardRockCasinoTulsa.com. For information about attending the Classic in Tulsa, go to www.TulsaSports.org/Bassmaster.
