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HOBIE B.O.S. SPONSORED BY POWER-POLE TO TEST WISCONSIN’S WOLF AND FOX RIVERS

Elite fleet of kayak anglers hope to cash-in while highlighting super largemouth and bronzeback potential of state’s longest rivers.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (August 12, 2022) - The 2022 Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole heads for the Wolf and Fox Rivers in Appleton, Wisconsin, August 20 – 21, and the eighth event of the season promises yet another action-packed kayak fishing slugfest. Offering just about every feature a bass fan could want, from dams and hard structure to extensive weedlines, grass beds and blowdowns, this inviting pair of rivers flow in and out of the state’s most notable lakes and bays. A brand-new stop on the Hobie tour, competitors will be able to spread out across a huge swath of water and fish to their strengths for both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

“When you have a schedule featuring as many big-name venues as the Hobie B.O.S. trail, it’s easy to overlook one that isn’t known as a bucket-list destination – but don’t let this one fool you,” says tournament director A.J. McWhorter. “These are two of the longest rivers in the state and they feed Wisconsin’s largest bodies of water! That means there’s going to be some great opportunities for our competitors to enjoy unlocking the mysteries of these storied fisheries while showcasing their bassing potential. I expect to see a lot of solid limits and quality largemouths and bronzebacks submitted to TourneyX during our two-day, catch, photograph and release (C.P.R.) event.”

Jeremiah Burish from La Crosse, Wisconsin, fully agrees. The 33-year-old serious kayak tournament angler has fished these waters before with solid results, including a recent second-place finish. “There’s a ton of bass in these rivers with plenty of quantity for largemouth and smallmouth up to 16 inches,” notes Burish. “Catching a solid limit shouldn’t be much of a problem, but it’s going to take more than that to win this event. You’re going to have to find a few of those big 18-inch fish to set yourself apart. With both species of bass abundant, you can mix it up or target whichever you prefer based on your own personal fishing strengths. Still, any way you slice it, I think you’ll need at least 85 inches a day to come away the winner.”

Burish notes that his most recent forays on these rivers found them running a little low, but still featuring a gentle flow. He points out, however, that there are significant differences between the two. For starters, he explains, the Fox River flows northward, which can take some getting used to if you haven’t fished here before, he cautions. “The upper (northern) section of the river flows in and around the city of Appleton and features several dams plus other manmade structure. The southern end of this river has more weeds and seems a little less manicured with a lot of grass and softer edges. The Wolf River, by comparison,” continues Burish, “snakes along with a lot of twists and turns, sand and rock, overhanging trees and deadfalls.” The lakes on this flow are shallow and smaller than on the Fox but still hold some high-quality fish, he adds.

Photo courtesy of Jeremiah Burish

With three Tournament of Champions (T.O.C.) qualifications going to the highest non-qualified finishers plus extremely valuable AFTCO Angler of the Year (AOY) points on the line, this event is also going to play a major role in deciding who will be fishing for the series’ ultimate championship on Caddo Lake, November 11-13, in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana. The TOC is a three-day 50-angler championship with a $100,000 payout guarantee and $45,000 first-place prize.

Additionally, the Wolf and Fox River event will see Bassin’ Big Bass honors, and a $500 check, bestowed on the angler catching the largest bass over the course of the tourney. As always, cash payouts will go to the top 10% of the field and all competitors will have a chance to win a 2022 Hobie Outback in custom Orange and Black ‘BOS Camo’ color way, plus many prizes that will be randomly given away by event sponsors.

Anglers traveling to the Wolf and Fox River event can expect to be greeted with open arms by the local community, says Matt Ten Haken, Director of Sports Marketing for the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We are excited to welcome the anglers of the Hobie Bass Open Series,” he states. “Competitors will find our waterways to be among the best fisheries in the Midwest and they’ll surely provide a fun challenge. When not on the water, be sure to take advantage of the unique dining, shopping, and nightlife options for a complete Fox Cities weekend experience."

With only Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Arkansas, (September 17 and 18) remaining on the Hobie BOS schedule after the Fox and Wolf River event, the pressure is really mounting to see who will rise to the challenge and punch their ticket to the big show. Who will make their move now and who will have to sweat it out for one last chance in Arkansas? Like you, we can’t wait to find out.

Photo courtesy of Jeremiah Burish

by AnglersChannel

Sevier County Takes Lead In Bassmaster High School National Championship On Lake Hartwell

Ty Trentham and Chase McCarter of Tennessee's Sevier County High School are leading after Day 1 of the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors at Lake Hartwell with 17 pounds, 15 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

August 11, 2022

ANDERSON, S.C. — Ty Trentham and Chase McCarter recovered from a slow start to catch 17 pounds, 15 ounces to take the lead on Day 1 of the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors on Lake Hartwell.

The Sevier County High School juniors hold a 2-ounce lead on Livingston Parish High School anglers Destin Morales and Samuel Cobb Jr.

“It was consistent all day,” Trentham said. “They bit a little better in the morning, but it was a grind really. We didn’t fish the cleanest. We missed a few and lost a few. We were kind of down at first, but after we caught a few good ones it got us up.”

While this is their first tournament at Lake Hartwell, the east Tennessee natives said the diverse fisheries in their home region prepared them well.

“Tennessee has a lot of different types of lakes,” McCarter said. “You have the Tennessee River, you have highland reservoirs, smallmouth, spotted bass — all of it.”

While Lake Hartwell has become known as a great spotted bass fishery, the Tennessee anglers filled their limit with all largemouth. The morning got off to a frustrating start, but Trentham and McCarter completed their limit around lunchtime before making several key culls.

During practice, the duo got bites but weren’t exactly sure what they had in their areas before the tournament started. They landed the majority of their bag in one main stretch while a different section produced a key big bite.

They rotated through several baits, and McCarter acknowledged the bite they have going is a “home run” type of pattern.

“You've got to hope for the best,” he said. “We just tried to get another bite. We would go back through our area and we might leave if we think it (isn’t working). We were just experimenting in one of the areas where we caught a big one, and we may have to experiment more tomorrow. You can’t make a mistake when we are getting as many bites as we are getting.”

As Louisiana River rats, Morales and Cobb Jr. weren’t sure what to expect. That didn’t stop them from catching 17-13 on Day 1 and landing a 7-8 behemoth largemouth to take the lead for Big Bass of the Tournament.

“We didn’t expect there to be any fish that big in here,” Cobb Jr. said. “Much less me catching it. I was really excited, and I was shaking for a while afterward.”

“I was like a kid in the candy shop,” Morales added. “It jumped and it looked like a whole dolphin coming out of the water.”

Morales and Cobb Jr. brought in all largemouth, but they reported catching several spotted bass as well. Morales described their strategy as “junk fishing,” and they have a milk run of about 12 to 15 areas.

Several different types of cover have produced for them.

“First thing this morning it was slow, and then toward the middle of the day it got better. It’s been like that all week,” Morales said. “I didn’t think we were going to do this well today. But then Samuel hooked that kicker and that helped us out a lot.”

Illinois anglers Hunter and Blake Beckmann from Breese Central High School landed in third with 16-3, all largemouth. After losing a big fish in the morning, they filled their limit around midmorning and anchored their bag with a 5-10 largemouth.

They used a rotation of baits, but they are using one specific technique they use on their home fishery of Lake Carlyle to get familiar with Lake Hartwell.

“Today went better than we expected,” Blake said. “Tuesday, we had roughly 12 pounds, and Wednesday we had about 9 pounds. Today we were blown (away). We didn’t think we had this much weight.”

The full field will launch from Green Pond Landing and Event Center at 6:20 a.m. ET on Day 2 and return for weigh-in beginning at 2:20 p.m. The Top 12 teams after Friday’s weigh-in will advance to Championship Saturday.

The tournament is being hosted by Visit Anderson.

by AnglersChannel

Dustin Connell Claims Third Career Victory at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake

Googan Baits Pro Catches 25 Scorable Bass Weighing 96-12 to Win Third Career Title – Second in 2023 – and Earn Top Payout of $100,000

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 11, 2022) – In a week where largemouth bass made up more than 80-percent of all of the fish caught on and weighed by the 80 anglers that competed in the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour on Cayuga Lake, Googan Baits pro Dustin Connell, stuck with smallmouth and bested them all. The Clanton, Alabama pro caught 25 scorable smallmouth bass weighing 96 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits in Union Springs, New York on Thursday. The victory was the third Bass Pro Tour win of Connell’s career – second of the season – and earned him the top payout of $100,000.

“I am shook up. This is unbelievable,” an emotional Connell said in his post-game interview. “I worked so hard for this tournament man. I sat out here and battled these waves, every day, and I practiced so hard, from daylight to dark. It’s so special to win two in one year. This is just nuts.

“I’d only been here once before – I came here a couple of years ago for an MLF Cup event on Cayuga,” Connell continued. “I only caught two bass, all day long. And now we’re holding the trophy up. And to win it with smallmouth – this is unreal.”

Connell spent the tournament drop-shotting a variety of baits, using his Lowrance ActiveTargetforward-facing sonar to follow the roaming schools of smallmouth.

“I caught all of my fish this week on a spinning rod. I had seven or eight of them tied up every day,” Connell said. “I was using 12-pound Gold Label Seaguar (fluorocarbon), and a variety of different baits. I was using a (Googan) Drag N Drop in green-pumpkin. I caught a bunch of key fish on it around all of the structure. For the suspended fish, I caught them on a shad bait. Just following them around. They love to roam during the summer and that’s the best way to catch them.”

The victory tied Connell with Tennessee pro Ott DeFoe for second-most career wins on the Bass Pro Tour all-time list with three. Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler, who finished runner-up to Connell this week, has the most Bass Pro Tour wins with five.

“I look at guys like Jacob and Ott, and to even be mentioned in the same conversation with them, as that type of fisherman… my gosh,” Connell said. “I’m just a kid out here, living his dream. I am so blessed to get this win.”

The top 10 pros from the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits are:

1^st:          Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 25 bass, 96-12, $100,000
2^nd:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 27 bass, 80-9, $45,000
3^rd:         Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 17 bass, 49-7, $38,000
4^th:         Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 17 bass, 48-13, $32,000
5^th:         Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 14 bass, 46-10, $30,000
6^th:         Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 11 bass, 46-10, $26,000
7^th:         Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 14 bass, 43-12, $23,000
8^th:         Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 14 bass, 41-8, $21,000
9^th:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 11 bass, 32-14, $19,000
10^th:       Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., eight bass, 32-14, $16,000

Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 158 scorable bass weighing 519 pounds, 13 ounces caught by the final 10 pros on Thursday.

Brookeland, Texas pro Dakota Ebare earned Thursday’s Championship Round $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award, and the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the overall largest bass of the event, with a massive 7-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth that bit a Strike King Baby Z-Too during Period 1. Ebare’s giant smallmouth was just 10 ounces shy of the New York state record that was set on Cayuga Lake in late June.

After six regular-season events in the 2022 Bass Pro Tour season, reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) Jacob Wheeler leads with 459 points with just one event left in the regular season, while Jordan Lee is in second place with 394 points. Dayton, Tennessee’s Andy Morgan sits in third with 373 points. Texas pro Alton Jones currently sits in fourth place with 356.5 points, while Randall Tharp rounds out the top five with 352 points.

The Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits featured anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

This six-day event was hosted by the Village of Union Springs and showcased 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000, with a top payout of $100,000. The tournament was livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

Television coverage of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits will premiere as a two-hour episode at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 12 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of tournament competition.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST IV, the Bass Pro Tour championship, which will be held next March on Lake Norman in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Smallmouth Bonanza On Tap For Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Massive Lake Oahe

For the first time since 2018, the Bassmaster Elite Series will be back in South Dakota for the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe August 18-21.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

August 11, 2022

MOBRIDGE, S.D. — Just over a year ago, Troy Diede landed the new South Dakota state-record smallmouth bass on Lake Oahe, a 7-pound, 4.7-ounce monster.

Now, as 91 professional anglers prepare for the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe on Aug. 18-21, Diede said he wouldn’t be surprised if his record is given a run for its money.

“It is definitely possible. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit,” said Diede, a B.A.S.S. Nation regular who qualified for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic. “I’m honestly surprised no one has caught one bigger yet. Oahe has giant fish in it and both Lake Sharpe and Lake Francis Case (two other premier South Dakota fisheries) have giant smallies in them too.

“It is only a matter of time before someone catches an 8-pound-plus fish. It is going to happen. The fisheries are all pretty healthy right now.”

Anglers will take off from Indian Creek Recreation Area at 7 a.m. CT each day while weigh-ins will be held on Park Blvd., near the Walleye Up Statue in Mobridge starting at 3 p.m. The field will be cut to the Top 47 anglers after the Day 2 weigh-in, and the Top 10 will compete on Championship Sunday for a first-place prize of $100,000.

This will be the second trip to the massive 231-mile-long impoundment for the Elite Series. During the first visit to Lake Oahe in June 2018, Mark Daniels Jr. won with 69 pounds, 9 ounces.

This time around, the Elites will face off against smallmouth bass that are in a full summer pattern on a venue that is lower than normal. Even still, Diede expects quality smallmouth to be caught throughout and bags to exceed the 20-pound mark. Largemouth may also be caught, but they are hard to pattern and he doesn’t expect them to factor into a winning bag.

“We are down about 10 to 12 feet right now,” Diede said. “The river is coming back up. This is the first drawdown we’ve had in a while. It is mainly due to the Montana snowmelt. There hasn’t been a lot of snowmelt and water coming into the basin. So, there are a lot of spots that are high and dry right now.

“It has challenged everyone to dig for some new stuff this year. Where you would normally be fishing, you might be another 50 yards farther (toward the main river).”

Lake Oahe has a slow-moving current and largely features rocks, boulders and hard structures, but the most productive areas for smallmouth tend to be long, tapering points. While much of it is out of the water, there are also willow bushes, and standing timber is featured in isolated sections of the river.

“They will hunker down on the ends of points and they will bunch up and sit there in 18 to 30 feet of water. That is kind of the sweet spot,” Diede said. “That’s where a lot of the fish summer. They will hold to those areas and they will wander from there. Guys are going to have to find four or five of those spots and try to milk them.”

While structure will be an important aspect, the presence of bait will also play an important role. The lake features large cisco (or lake herring), shad and rainbow smelt. Diede said the bass will eat all three types of bait — and with an abundance of bait, topwater lures like Spooks and poppers will come into play.

“Right now, we have a lot of roamers,” Diede said. “It is kind of like chasing ghosts out there. A lot of those fish that are chasing can be quality fish. You might only get six bites, but five of those bites might be the right ones.”

While this year's tournament is taking off farther north than in the 2018 season, Diede predicts many of the same areas that produced big bags in 2018 will again play. Expect some anglers to stay near the bridges around Mobridge and the Moreau River while others will run south to places like the Whitlock Bay area, the Highway 212 bridge, Sutton Bay and even the Cheyenne River.

Typical smallmouth catchers like drop shots and Ned rigs will produce, and Diede added things like magnum tubes, crankbaits, spybaits, tail spinners and some larger baits will come into play.

The X factor will be the wind. If relatively calm conditions are present, Diede estimates the VMC Monster Bag of the tournament could exceed 22 pounds. If the wind blows hard from the south, and with no trees to block the onslaught, the lake can get rough in a hurry and fishing could become extremely difficult.

Even areas that seem protected could end up being affected.

“The wind just has so much room to build,” he said. “It’s not like another lake where you have a shoreline within a couple miles of you. The way the terrain is around the river, it directs and guides the wind in different directions.”

Entering these final two tournaments of the 2022 Elite Series season, Rathdrum, Idaho, native Brandon Palaniuk leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 612 points. Tennessee’s David Mullins is in second place with 571 points and Floridian John Cox is third with 561 points.

Wisconsin pro Jay Przekurat sits atop the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 455 points. He is followed closely by Tennessee pro Jacob Foutz who sits in second with 444 points, while Missouri pro Cody Huff is third with 388 points.

Full coverage from all four days at Lake Oahe will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Saturday and Sunday, August 20-21 beginning at 7 a.m. CT.

Omnia Fishing and B.A.S.S. have also partnered to simulcast Bassmaster LIVE as a shoppable stream on Omnia’s website and mobile app for Days 1 and 2 of the event.

by AnglersChannel

Connell Cruises in Knockout Round, Final 10 Set at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake

Alabama Pro Catches 22 Scorable Bass Totaling 82-2 to Front Knockout Round Field, Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Thursday and Final-Day Shootout for $100,000

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 10, 2022) – Googan Baits pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, caught 22 scorable bass weighing 82 pounds, 2 ounces, to best the 38 anglers competing Wednesday and win the Knockout Round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits in Union Springs, New York. The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition will resume Thursday with the final-day Championship Round. Weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the heaviest one-day total will earn the top payout of $100,000.

This six-day tournament, hosted by the Village of Union Springs, showcases 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

The top eight pros from Wednesday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Thursday’s Championship Round on Cayuga Lake are:

1^st:          Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 22 bass, 82-2
2^nd:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 23 bass, 73-3
3^rd:         Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 24 bass, 72-5
4^th:         Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 22 bass, 68-11
5^th:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 23 bass, 68-5
6^th:         Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 23 bass, 68-1
7^th:         Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 18 bass, 67-4
8^th:         Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 17 bass, 62-2

They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:

Group A: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Group B: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.

Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

“I can’t complain about anything , that was an awesome day,” said Connell, who won a Bass Pro Tour event earlier this year at Alabama’s Lewis Smith Lake. “There wasn’t much wind, it was a beautiful day in New York, and the smallmouth were biting. So, it feels good. This will be my fourth Championship Round this year, and it feels good to be in it and I feel like we’ve got a great chance.

“I set the hook today on a few that I didn’t want to, but I’m glad that I did, just knowing where they were at,” Connell continued. “It gives me confidence in those areas. There are a ton of fish in this lake, and I backed off a bunch of areas. There were several places I went to that had 10 to 12 fish on them, and I’d catch one then leave. But these guys are catching them too, and it all zeroes out tomorrow, so we shall see.”

Like his Qualifying Round, Connell targeted smallmouth with a couple of different drop-shot baits and credited his Lowrance electronics as being crucial to his success.

“I was using a 7-(foot)2-(inch) medium(action) Hex, by Favorite Rods,” Connell said. “It is an awesome drop-shot rod, with enough backbone to get those big smallmouth up. I was using 12-pound Seaguar Gold Label, with a straight-shank Googan Baits drop-shot hook and a ¾-ounce weight with a (Googan) Drag N Drop. I was switching between goby baits and shad baits. Just using my electronics, panning around, finding these smallmouth and catching them.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Connell went on to say. “I’ve got a good shot. I’m in it. You can’t win it unless you in it. And we’re in it.”

Rounding out the top 40 finishers on Cayuga Lake were:

11^th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 19 bass, 57-10, $10,000
12^th:       Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 18 bass, 57-3, $10,000
13^th:       Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 18 bass, 56-13, $10,000
14^th:       Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 17 bass, 54-3, $10,000
15^th:       Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 18 bass, 54-0, $10,000
16^th:       Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 16 bass, 53-0, $10,000
17^th:       Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 16 bass, 52-8, $10,000
18^th:       Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 14 bass, 51-8, $10,000
19^th:       Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 17 bass, 49-14, $10,000
20^th:       Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 15 bass, 47-12, $10,000
21^st:       Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 11 bass, 46-12, $10,000
22^nd:      Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 15 bass, 44-9, $10,000
23^rd:      Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 13 bass, 44-4, $10,000
24^th:       Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 43-13, $10,000
25^th:       Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 12 bass, 42-6, $10,000
26^th:       Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 13 bass, 41-7, $10,000
27^th:       James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 12 bass, 37-10, $10,000
28^th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 13 bass, 37-3, $10,000
29^th:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 11 bass, 37-1, $10,000
30^th:       Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 10 bass, 36-1, $10,000
31^st:       Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 11 bass, 35-10, $10,000
32^nd:      Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., 10 bass, 31-10, $10,000
33^rd:      James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 31-9, $10,000
34^th:       Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., nine bass, 28-12, $10,000
35^th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., eight bass, 28-7, $10,000
36^th:       Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss., 10 bass, 28-3, $10,000
37^th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., eight bass, 28-1, $10,000
38^th:       Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., six bass, 23-2, $10,000
39^th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., five bass, 18-11, $10,000
40^th:       David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 13-7, $10,000

Overall, there were 544 scorable bass weighing 1,775 pounds, 2 ounces caught by the 38 pros Wednesday.

Oklahoma pro Zack Birge earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award Wednesday, catching a 6-pound, 15-ounce largemouth on a medium-diving crankbait in Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After the two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advanced to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advanced directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round weights were zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The final 10 anglers will launch Thursday at 7:30 a.m. ET from Frontenac Park, located at 15 Creamery Road in Union Springs.

Also on Thursday, MLF will host a Celebration Event from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. for fans of all ages, inviting fans to come out and celebrate with the professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour as they crown the champion of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. Before the celebration, an MLF watch party starts at 1:30 p.m., and the first 50 middle school or high school anglers in attendance will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel combo valued at $100. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.

The Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on Championship Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

by AnglersChannel

First Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships Awarded To Eastman And Morris

Elizabeth Eastman - solo (2).jpg BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Shimano have partnered to award the inaugural Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships to Elizabeth Eastman of Fairhope, Ala., and Dixie Morris of Valley, Ala. These scholarships not only honor Sevier’s leadership and long-term vision for the growth of sportfishing, but also recognize the efforts of young female anglers as they pursue fishing at the collegiate level.

“Shimano is thrilled to support Elizabeth and Dixie in their future ambition as anglers,” said Sarah Harper Burke, senior marketing manager, Shimano North America Fishing. “They are exemplary young women who are claiming their space within the fishing industry. We applaud their drive and encourage their pursuit of taking their fishing to the next level.”

Eastman, who is entering her senior year at Fairhope High School, grew up fishing the biodiverse Mobile-Tensaw Delta with her dad and sister. She plans to attend Louisiana State University, where she will compete on the fishing team while pursuing a degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture. In addition to a Top 15 finish at the 2022 Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship and serving as treasurer for her fishing team, Eastman is also active in dance, archery team, art club, marine life club, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America and was named a National Archery in the Schools Program Academic Archer.

“Winning this scholarship connects me to some amazing women,” said Eastman. “It gives me a sense of support that will help me push through any barrier I may encounter. It also creates a sense of obligation to carry on the legacy that Helen Sevier started.”

Dixie Morris.jpg Morris is a freshman on the Southern Union Community College Bison Fishing Team with plans to complete a pre-veterinary bachelor’s degree at Auburn University before veterinary school and a master’s degree. Morris had the initial idea to start her high school’s fishing team, the Valley Bass Team, and earned Top Angler (along with her teammate) three times while also helping to grow the team. Morris lives on the Chattahoochee River, with West Point Lake and Lake Harding providing other rich “home waters” for family fishing excursions. In addition to fishing, Morris is active in 4-H, Future Farmers of America and National Honor Society, an award winner in the SkillsUSA program and earned a Bronze Award from Girl Scouts.

“Winning the Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarship has meant so much to me,” said Morris. “I was already looking forward to fishing on the Southern Union fishing team, but now I am even more excited because this helps to show women and young girls that they can achieve great things in a male-dominated sport. This has really encouraged me to step out and try for more scholarships and things that seemed unachievable.

“I want to thank B.A.S.S. and Shimano for choosing me for this award. I also want to thank Helen Sevier for making the pathway for the entire sportfishing industry.”

Sevier, the second full-time member of B.A.S.S. hired by founder Ray Scott in 1970, was a pioneer at all levels of the organization. During her 31-year career at B.A.S.S., Sevier oversaw a boom in membership as well as the expansion of Bassmaster’s media operation to include seven magazines and two television shows. Sevier was also instrumental in recruiting young people to the sport through the innovative CastingKids program. In 2004, Sevier was inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, and her induction into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame came in 2018.

Both Eastman and Morris earned a $2,500 scholarship.

by AnglersChannel

College Anglers - Register Now for the 2022 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley

No entry fee, double points event set to take place in Paris, TN at Kentucky Lake on September 17-18

SAN ANTONIO, TX (August 9, 2022) – The calendar recently turned over to August and in just a few weeks many students will be returning to the classroom for the start of the 2022-23 school year. With the start of a new school year also comes a new season of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. The Association of Collegiate Anglers will kick off the year at Kentucky Lake for the 2022 Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley on September 17-18.

Registration

Registration for the first ACA event of the 2022-23 season is set to close Sunday September 11 at 6:00 PM (CT).

Anglers that originally registered to compete in the event back in March are required to register again for the fall installment of the tournament.

Full details for those who are looking to register, or have already registered, can be found here, to include a complete breakdown of the rules. Each angler is expected to register individually prior to the cutoff deadline listed above. If you have any changes to your registration, please notify ACA staff. All anglers, upon registering for the event, should review the Angler Packet and Official Tournament Rules.

Prizes, Contingencies, and Valuable Points

The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley is always one of the most anticipated events of the season thanks to it featuring a robust prize payout several times a day and double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

80 total places will be paid out over the course of two days of competition on Kentucky Lake. Day 1 will feature four weigh-in sessions, and Day 2 will be comprised of three weigh-in sessions. All sessions will pay out the Top 10 largest fish, except for Day 2 Session 3 which will award prizes to the Top 20 fish in the final session.

Here is a look at the presenting sponsors for weigh-in sessions throughout the event:

Day 1

Session 1 – Engel Coolers

Session 2 – HydroWave

Session 3 – Bass Pro Shops

Session 4 – Garmin

Day 2

Session 1 – Abu Garcia

Session 2 – Bob’s Machine Shop

Session 3 – Bass Pro Shops & Abu Garcia

Along with the valuable prizes & contingencies available to anglers competing in the event, schools will also be able to earn points for each of their highest two placing fish in the event down to 150^th place.

The Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley is a defining event in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia each season. Teams travel from all across the country to earn their share of the points awarded at this ACA major event. The winner of the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will earn 1,750 points.

Be on the lookout for updated standings in the race for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia leading up to the event.

Berkley Baits Only on Day 2

On the second day of tournament competition, anglers will be permitted to use only Berkley baits. Here is how this is addressed in the official tournament rules:

Berkley Special Lure Rules for Day 2 Only:

During Day two of the Big Bass Bash only artificial Berkley Baits, including hard baits, may be used. Please refer to “Special Lure Rules” below.

Special Lure Rules

All contestants must use Berkley baits EXCLUSIVELY during this event on Day 2. The complete line up may be viewed at https://www.berkley-fishing.com/

Spinner bait frames, jig heads, buzz bait frames, etc. may be used when paired with Berkley products as trailers. To clarify you may use other brands jigs and spinner-baits, but those baits must have a Berkley trailer on them.

All terminal tackle (Alabama Rig Style) must include a “functional” Berkley soft plastic.

Non-Berkley soft plastic trailers are NOT permitted at any time.

by AnglersChannel

BTL - New Head Man in Charge!

This week Chris & the boys welcome in Bass Talk Live Host Matt Pangrac to the show to talk about Bass Talk Live, his quest for the Elites through the Bassmaster Opens and much more! Matt is a huge wealth of knowledge in the bass fishing industry and a really good dude. Listen as we talk about all of this and more!

by AnglersChannel

Neal Outlasts Field to Top Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake

Tennessee Angler Boats Two-Day Haul of 139 Pounds, 11 Ounces to Punch Ticket to Championship Round, Field of 38 Set for Wednesday’s Knockout Round

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 9, 2022) – Pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, who led Group B after the first day of competition, added another 14 scorable bass weighing 56 pounds, 8 ounces to finish the charge and earn the Group B Qualifying Round win Tuesday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits in Union Springs, New York. Neal’s two-day total of 35 bass weighing 139 pounds, 11 ounces, earned him the win by an 11-pound, 12-ounce margin and advanced the Tennessee pro directly to Thursday’s final-day Championship Round.

B&W Trailer Hitches pro Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Arkansas, caught a two-day total of 37 bass weighing 127-15 to end the round in second place. Lorena, Texas, angler Alton Jones caught 39 scorable bass weighing 116-15 to finish the round in third. Both Davis and Jones held the lead for periods of time Tuesday, but both were eventually overtaken by a Neal flurry.

The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from each group – now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to the Championship Round on Thursday. The Championship Round will feature Group A winner Justin Lucas, Group B winner Michael Neal, and the top eight finishers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

“I really didn’t want to catch as many as I had to today, especially at the end of the day. But I kept feeling like everyone else was catching too many for me to totally let up and go practice,” Neal said in his post-game interview. “I wish I could have. Sometimes it works out where you can, and sometimes you can’t. The good news is that I don’t think there is much else in this section of the lake for me to find, so it might have been a good thing that I didn’t have any time to go look and spread myself out even further.”

On Day 1 of competition Sunday, Neal caught both species – 10 largemouth and 11 smallmouth – to jump out to the early lead. On Tuesday, Neal caught only smallmouth.

“Coming out of practice, I thought the majority of the fish that I caught during this event would be smallmouth, but after the first day of the tournament it was basically half and half,” Neal said. “I definitely didn’t expect it to be all smallmouth today. It’s always fun to catch them, though, and the last time I did that and won a round with big smallmouth was when I won last year at Lake St. Clair. So hopefully we can keep that momentum rolling, now that we’ve won the round maybe we can move on and win the Championship Round, too.

The biggest key for me today was downsizing my line,” Neal continued. “On Sunday I was using 8-pound (test) Sunline Shooter (line), but today I used 7-pound. I just feel like with as much pressure as these fish are getting, any advantage is important and I feel like the smaller diameter of that line makes a big difference.

“I think the Championship Round is going to be pretty difficult – these fish are getting a ton of pressure on the places where they’re really schooled up, and where they’re not there is hardly any singles or anything. I’m going to regroup, get a good gameplan together tomorrow, hopefully, and we’ll see what happens in the Championship Round.”

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group B that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Cayuga Lake are:

1^st:          Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 35 bass, 139-11
2^nd:         Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 37 bass, 127-15
3^rd:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 39 bass, 116-15
4^th:         Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 29 bass, 100-0
5^th:         James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 31 bass, 96-0
6^th:         Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 25 bass, 93-15
7^th:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 25 bass, 93-13
8^th:         Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 31 bass, 92-14
9^th:         Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 25 bass, 92-14
10^th:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 29 bass, 92-1
11^th:       Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 26 bass, 86-14
12^th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 28 bass, 84-15
13^th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 26 bass, 84-9
14^th:       James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 25 bass, 80-3
15^th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 27 bass, 78-10
16^th:       Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 25 bass, 78-6
17^th:       Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 24 bass, 76-9
18^th:       Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss., 24 bass, 72-5
19^th:       Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., 22 bass, 70-7
20^th:       Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 20 bass, 69-11

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 363 scorable bass weighing 1,224 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the 40 pros Tuesday.

Pros Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho, and Spring City, Tennessee’s John Murray each earned a share of Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award, as both caught fish weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces. Meyer’s largemouth came on a drop-shot rig during Period 2, while Murray’s largemouth came on a deep-diving crankbait during Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. Now that each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In tomorrow’s Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round on Thursday, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. ET from Frontenac Park, located at 15 Creamery Road in Union Springs. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

On Championship Thursday, Aug. 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will host a Celebration Event for fans of all ages, inviting fans to come out and celebrate with the professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour as they crown the champion of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. Before the celebration, an MLF watch party starts at 1:30 p.m., and the first 50 middle school or high school anglers in attendance will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel combo valued at $100. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

by AnglersChannel

Whatley Returns To Bassmaster Elite Series After Medical Hardship

August 9, 2022

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Bassmaster Elite Series angler Brad Whatley of Bivins, Texas, is returning to fish the final two Elite Series tournaments of 2022 after missing three tournaments due to a medical hardship.

Whatley, who has been battling the effects of Crohn’s disease for nearly two decades, had been in and out of the hospital since January. By the end of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake, he had to take the medical hardship that B.A.S.S. offers anglers on the Elite Series once during their career.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to the emergency room several times,” said Whatley. “But I’ve never been admitted to the hospital for several days. I wound up spending five days in the hospital.”

Whatley’s body was doing all it could to fight off infection after infection, but it was time for medical intervention.

“They thought my small intestine was completely closed off. That’s why I was getting the infections. I got really, really sick at Harris Chain.”

Whatley, who was rooming with fellow Elite Series pros Brock Mosley, Hank Cherry and Tyler Rivet, was so sick during practice that he couldn’t get out of bed.

“They’d come in there and check on me, and I’d be in the bed with three jackets on and covered up. It wasn’t that it was cold. I’d get an infection, and then I’d get a fever and freeze to death. Then the fever would break and I’d sweat like a hog. It was a vicious cycle. And then while all that was going on I’d feel like I’m getting my guts ripped out.”

After starting a new medication and having a small procedure done, Whatley’s Crohn’s disease is finally in remission again.

“I started infusions at the end of April and wound up getting sick again. I thought the medicine wasn’t working. But that wasn’t the case. It takes eight to 10 weeks for it to get into your system. I have not been sick since the last day of that Fork event and feel better than I’ve felt in 10 years.”

The medication Whatley started taking in April, Stelara, helped to fight off the infection, and once that was under control, it was then time to talk about surgery.

“I had two options: They could cut out part of my small intestine and reattach it, or, if we got the inflammation down, they could put me under and basically put a balloon in me and blow it up and stretch out where I have a lot of scar tissue and I’m really constricted.”

Whatley was able to undergo the second and less aggressive surgery a few weeks ago, and it has made an enormous difference in his quality of life. This is a procedure that is not expected to have to be done again. Though there are certainly still some negative effects of having Crohn’s, Whatley is feeling optimistic.

“From what I understand, if you can get to your golden years, it finally lessens up and you don’t have the problems.”

Focusing on the near future, Whatley is excited to get back onto the Elite Series trail. He’s certainly missed the competition and camaraderie.

“I’m no different than anybody else out there. I eat, breathe and sleep competition. If we’re going to sit down and play dominoes, I’m here to beat you.”

It was tough for Whatley to sit out for three events, especially with those fisheries traditionally being good to him. Whatley has finished fifth, ninth and 26th at Lake Fork, the St. Lawrence River and Pickwick Lake respectively.

“Feeling like I feel now, I could go ahead and not fish the remaining couple of tournaments on the schedule. At the same time, I’m a competitor and I want to fish. It’s killing me to not fish.”

Whatley will be rejoining the remainder of the Elite field for the final two events, and he’s happy B.A.S.S. has set it up to where he is unable to negatively affect the outcome of the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race.

“I’m going to fish to win, but I’m going to stay out of everybody’s way. I wouldn’t come back if I was going to affect somebody’s points. And I haven’t had any negative feedback. I’ve had lots of guys that have texted me, ‘Man I miss you out here.’ Everybody’s been cool about it and checked up on me pretty often, which I appreciate.”

Whatley will not receive AOY points for the remainder of the year, and the cut to fish Day 3 will remain at 47 boats. The last check will still go to the angler who finishes in 61st place.

The Elite Series field takes to the water again August 18-21 at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe in South Dakota.

by AnglersChannel

BROTHERS MINOR TOP THE CHART AT HOBIE B.O.S. SUSQUEHANNA RIVER EVENT

Nolan Minor captures first tourney victory, brother Ewing snags second on one of country’s premiere smallmouth rivers.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (August 8, 2022) - Nolan Minor panned the shallows of the Susquehanna River and sifted up a bounty full of bronzebacks to seal his first professional tournament victory at the 2022 Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole® Susquehanna River event held July 30-31. Throwing an Evergreen Gizmo to tempt shy but surface feeding smallies in mostly shin-deep water, the 24-year-old from Charlottesville, VA, tallied 187.75 total inches of bass to top the field – and his brother, Ewing Minor, who finished second – buy a full two inches. Jake Harshman grabbed third as all three finished in the top four slots on both days of the catch, photograph and release (CPR) event.

“It really was a great weekend if your last name was ‘Minor’” said tournament director, Cody Prather. Not only did Nolan grab the gold while Ewing captured silver but their dad, Todd Minor, finished in the top 20 on Day 1 before falling off the pace. What a great weekend he must have had tracking his boys as they battled it out for the top two spots.”

Which is exactly what the Minors squared had set out to do, explained Nolan. “Ewing and I don’t really share waters because we’d be splitting the potential catch, but we do exchange information during tournaments. So, when I found myself on a solid pattern, I clued him in. He managed to find a comparable spot that offered a similar bite, but his fish were just slightly smaller on Day 1. He’s had some serious success in these competitions, so I was glad I managed to hold him off down the stretch.”

Nolan Minor spent most of his time working the famed smallmouth river on foot since, due to the shallow nature of the Susquehanna, the rules allowed safe portaging and wading as long as the boat remained tethered to the angler.

“I had a few bass on a Berkley Choppo, but most of the fish I saw were giving it a look and then shying off,” said Nolan. “Fortunately, I brought along a couple of Ever Green Gizmos after talking to a friend who had said he was experiencing a solid topwater bite on the James River back home in Virginia. At 1.5 inches and 3/64-ounces, that lure is a lot more subtle, and it proved just the ticket for those cautious smallies. I was simply floating black and green pumpkin patterns on the surface for those ‘bug fish,’ adding a twitch for any that seemed interested but wouldn’t commit. The bass just crushed ‘em.”

Nolan, who is no stranger to shallow water river smallmouths, having grown up targeting them at home, planned out his entire approach to the Susky event more than two weeks prior. “I know from experience that big shallow water smallmouths will smack topwater offerings in the heat of summer, but I still can’t believe how perfectly things worked out,” he said with a laugh. “Usually, you need to make some adjustments at any event - but this game plan proved spot-on right from the start.”

While Nolan walked the flats, Ewing, 20, chose to stay in his vessel but used a novel approach to round up his fish. “I was floating down past my spots and then looping back upriver to approach them from below,” he revealed. “I didn’t find quite the concentrations of fish that Nolan was able to locate, but I had plenty of action. I was mostly sight-fishing, letting that Gizmo float and giving it just a slight twitch or two if a bass nosed-up and didn’t eat it.”

While this was Nolan’s first win on the tournament trail, it didn’t come as a surprise to his brother. “He can fish,” said Ewing. “He’s as good an angler as you’ll ever meet. He’s taught me more about fishing than anyone else. Having him and my father as mentors has really helped me grow into the successful angler I’ve become.”

“It was nice to have the whole family out there this weekend,” continued Ewing, “and I’m thrilled my brother got it done against such stiff competition. You had anglers like back-to-back champion Jody Queen and Drew Gregory at this event, plus a packed field of river smallmouth sharpies. When you win a Hobie B.O.S. event, there’s no doubt you’ve beaten the best.”

Both Minor brothers were using Hobie Kayaks for the event with Nolan in a PA12 360 and Ewing in an Outback loaned to him by Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, TN, where he is currently a sophomore member of the fishing team. Nolan totaled 95.5inches of bass on Day 1 to lead the field while Ewing took the third spot with 92.5 inches. On Day 2, Ewing charged hard to lead the pack with a 95.5-inch total while Nolan drilled 92.23 inches for fourth place.

Harshman, 37, of Pennsylvania, chose to focus his efforts on stretches of fast-moving, highly oxygenated water, buzzing a spinnerbait so the blades mostly fluttered on the surface. “I found about four spots in a 200-yard stretch of the river that were holding a lot of bait and just kept rotating through them,” he revealed after finishing fourth on Day 1 with 91.75 inches, and second on Day 2 with 93.25 inches. “Congratulations to Nolan and Ewing, they are both class acts and solid fishermen. For his youth, Nolan has a wealth of knowledge about bass and his victory was well deserved.”

For their efforts, Nolan Minor banked $10,500, Ewing Minor earned $5,500, and Harshman pocketed $3,200. Bassin’ Big Bass honors and a $500 check for the tourney’s largest fish went to Collin Lamkin, of Chicago, IL, for a 21.50-inch lunker smallmouth caught on Day 2 using a Whopper Plopper 75.

Additionally, AFTCO Angler of the Year (AOY) points were awarded to the top 100 finishers in the 192-angler field. Nolan Minor, Jake Harshman and fourth-place finisher Chris Blair also punched tickets to the 2022 Hobie Tournament of Champions (TOC) on Caddo Lake, November 11-13, in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana. Ewing Minor had previously qualified by winning the Broken Bow event. The TOC is a three-day 50-angler championship with a $100,000 payout guarantee and $45,000 first-place prize.

“The Susquehanna River welcomed us with open arms once again,” summed up Prather following the award ceremony. “When it comes to river fishing, this place is a smallmouth heaven and a kayaker’s dream. There are very few boats to pressure the fish here, and our competitors basically have the waters to themselves when the Hobie B.O.S. comes to town. Big thanks to the Hershey Harrisburg Sports & Event Authority for inviting us out. We had a slugfest from the first cast to the last cast which is just the way we like it. All of our participants seemed to catch well with a lot of limits, plenty of smiles and even some personal bests. Everyone went home happy.”

Especially Nolan Minor, who expressed his admiration for the tournament’s competitors in general and the Hobie B.O.S. Anchored By Power Pole in particular. “It’s really neat to be able to fish for river smallmouths from a kayak while cutting in some wade fishing,” he remarked. “And to have a chance to win $10,500 doing it is a unique opportunity that’s so new to the kayak fishing scene. Payouts like this simply didn’t exist on the kayak trail a few years ago. The Hobie B.O.S. is undisputedly the most competitive kayak series right now, and that’s drawing even more great anglers to these contests. I love the opportunity to fish with the best, and I get that chance every time I launch in a Hobie competition.”

Up next on the Hobie® B.O.S. Series Anchored By Power-Pole® schedule is the Wolf and Fox Rivers event in Appleton, August 20-21. Registration is now underway.

by AnglersChannel

Omnia Fishing Will Simulcast Bassmaster LIVE From Lake Oahe As Shoppable Feed

August 9, 2022

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For the second time this season, fishing fans will be able to watch, learn and shop in one seamless experience during Days 1 and 2 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe. Omnia Fishing and B.A.S.S. have partnered to simulcast Bassmaster LIVE as a shoppable stream on Omnia’s website and mobile app.

Omnia's simulcast will identify the baits and gear used by the pros during the event, making them available for purchase in real time. Plus, new for Oahe, the shoppable simulcast will feature special guests, behind-the-scenes content and discounts.

“The response that we got from our first shoppable livestream of a Bassmaster Elite event was great,” said Matt Johnson, CEO of Omnia Fishing. “We're excited to see what the Lake Oahe event brings and will be ready with info on the gear, as well as a bunch of new goodies for viewers.”

Anglers often use their time on camera during Bassmaster LIVE to help educate anglers of all levels on how to break down a fishery and what techniques and gear will help them be most successful. The Omnia Fishing Bassmaster LIVE simulcast will provide an opportunity for enthusiastic fans to follow along as their favorite Elite anglers adjust to current conditions while Omnia’s live shopping platform guides detail-hungry anglers through the pros’ bait, rod and reel selections.

Omnia Fishing currently sponsors three Elite Series anglers — Wisconsin’s Bob Downey, who is coming off a Top 10 on the St. Lawrence River, 2021 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Seth Feider of Minnesota and South Carolina’s Patrick Walters, who has earned Century Belts in two consecutive seasons.

Fans will be able to shop along with the pros August 18-19 during the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe at OmniaFishing.com and on the Omnia Fishing app, which is available free in the Apple and Google Play stores.

by AnglersChannel

Lester’s Ice Cream Treats for Back to School Bass

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Team Toyota’s Brandon Lester loves ice cream. Chocolate chip cookie dough, as well as butter pecan top his list. But if you want to go next level, he’s picking a Dairy Queen Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard® with extra peanut butter cups blended in.

Lester’s passion for fishing is on par with extra peanut butter cups too. Between Bassmaster events, you’ll often find him on Lake Guntersville or Tims Ford Lake near home, and when on vacation at the beach, you guessed it, he chases saltwater species in the Gulf.

“I try to fish at least two days a week between tournaments. And this morning, as I was launching at Alred’s Marina on Guntersville, I spotted them busting shad, and I’ve been catching 3-pounders on a Super Spook Jr. ever since,” grinned Lester amid our phone interview.

The Super Spook Jr. is actually one of Lester’s top three choices for catching largemouth as kids prepare to head back to class while daytime highs are still well into the 90s.

He graciously shared his wisdom about how he fishes the iconic topwater, along with insightful thoughts on two of his other favorite lures for back-to-school largemouth.

3.5” Super Spook Jr.

“Anytime you get into late summer there’s gonna be bass schooling on bait near the surface. And while ten pros might tell you the names of ten different topwater lures they love most, I’ll tell you with zero sponsor affiliation a Super Spook Jr. has always been the one I can count on to catch August and September schooling fish,” he shares.

Lester adds a #4 Mustad feathered treble to the rear of this time-proven topwater, and stresses the importance of improving your hook-to-landing ratios by using 30-pound Vicious No-Fade braided line.

Deep Crankbait

“If I was going to try to win a tournament on a Tennessee River impoundment like Pickwick or Guntersville in August, there’s a strong chance I’m going to be throwing a deep diving crankbait first,” says Lester.

He strongly believes the heat of summer keeps plenty of winning schools positioned in the 12 to 20-foot deep zone during August, and a crankbait tends to catch bigger bass than most lures.

Neko Rig

Lester’s not the only one who pounds on summer schools with a crankbait. In fact, thousands of other anglers have joined him since the post-spawn days of May to show largemouth a menu full of diving plugs. As a result, largemouth often grow leery of smashing diving baits by this time of year.

“A Neko Rig on a spinning rod is a ‘bite-getter’ in August when they’ve seen every crankbait in the book all summer long and start getting really finicky,” says Lester.

“And the best part is, a Neko Rig also catches big ones like the 6-pound 13-ounce beast that helped me win the Elite Series on Pickwick,” he smiles.

He picks apart finicky August schools from 5 to 25-feet deep with a Neko-rigged finesse worm with a 1/8-ounce Mustad Tungsten nail weight inserted in one end.

As we began to hang up from our interview around 9:30 a.m., Lester promised to send me a photo from the water when he caught a big one later in the day. And I won’t be shocked if his Tundra pulls into a Dairy Queen near Huntsville on the drive back home for a Blizzard with extra Reese’s.

by AnglersChannel

Lucas Catches 181 Pounds Over Two Days at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake

Abu Garcia Pro Earns Two-Day Qualifying Round Win With 51 Scorable Bass Weighing 181 Pounds, 1 Ounce, Group B to Wrap Up Qualifying Round Tuesday

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 8, 2022) – Abu Garcia pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, caught 16 scorable bass weighing 54 pounds even to earn the Group A Qualifying Round win Monday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits in Union Springs, New York.

Lucas’ two-day Qualifying Round catch of 51 bass totaling 181 pounds, 1 ounce – the fourth-largest two-day total ever weighed in Bass Pro Tour history – earned him the win by a 16-pound, 7-ounce margin over Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, who caught a two-day total of 56 bass weighing 164-10 to end the round in second place. Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, caught a two-day total of 33 bass weighing 124-3 to finish the round in third, while Waco, Texas, pro Alton Jones, Jr., ended the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 37 bass, good for 123-2. Rounding out the top five was Googan Baits pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who caught 30 bass for 118-11 to advance in fifth place.

The six-day tournament, hosted by the Village of Union Springs, showcases 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

Lucas, who started the day atop the leaderboard, lost the lead in Period 1 to a red-hot Wheeler, but regained the lead with a strong Period 2 and held it throughout the third and final period.

“Man, that was a tough day. That was not nearly as easy as Saturday, for sure,” Lucas said in his post-game interview. “Somehow, I ended up with 54 pounds today, but it felt a lot tougher. It felt like I was taking on King Kong today in Wheeler. He is so dominant, lately, and when he caught 41 pounds in the first period I was just like ‘here we go’. This is going to be the day he’s going to smack them and knock me out of first.

“But, we were able to go into the second period and catch some nice fish, and thankfully Jacob seemed to struggle. That dude is so dangerous, so I’m very thankful to get him this time in the Qualifying Round. I definitely expect to see him again in the Championship Round.”

Like Saturday, Lucas caught all largemouth on Monday, relying on a drop-shot and a Neko rig.

“I’ve got to give all the credit to my Fantasista X rods from Abu Garcia, with a (Abu Garcia) Zenonspinning reel. I’ve been drop-shotting and Neko-rigging with that combo all week, and it is just unbelievably sensitive. Crazy sensitive – I can feel the lightest bites in the windiest of conditions out here.

“I don’t really know what I’m going to do in the Championship Round yet, but you’ve got to make it there first and I am very, very thankful to have made it,” Lucas went on to say. “That was, hands down, the goal coming into this tournament. This qualifies me into REDCREST next spring, which is amazing, and now I’ve got a chance to win this tournament, too.”

The top 20 anglers from Group A will now have an off day from competition Tuesday, while the 40 anglers competing in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place Wednesday. Thursday’s Championship Round will feature Lucas, Tuesday’s Group B winner, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group A that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Cayuga Lake are:

1^st:          Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 51 bass, 181-1 (ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND)
2^nd:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 56 bass, 164-10
3^th:         Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 33 bass, 124-3
4^th:         Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 37 bass, 123-2
5^rd:         Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 30 bass, 118-11
6^th:         Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 35 bass, 107-0
7^th:         Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 36 bass, 105-5
8^th:         Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 35 bass, 105-3
9^th:         Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 36 bass, 105-0
10^th:       Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 33 bass, 102-5
11^th:       Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 35 bass, 98-2
12^th:       Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 26 bass, 84-7
13^th:       Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 25 bass, 82-13
14^th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 24 bass, 82-6
15^th:       David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 22 bass, 81-12
16^th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 22 bass, 81-7
17^th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 23 bass, 78-13
18^th:       Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 25 bass, 78-6
19^th:       Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 26 bass, 75-1
20^th:       Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 24 bass, 73-3

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 391 scorable bass weighing 1,221 pounds, 12 ounces caught by the 40 pros Monday, which included 57 four-pounders and seven five-pounders.

Hot Springs, Arkansas’ Dylan Hays caught a 5-pound, 14-ounce largemouth bass on a drop-shot rig in Period 2 to earn the day’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

by AnglersChannel

Inaugural Anglers’ Choice Award Set to Launch

New industry award lets fishing fans weigh-in on the best of the new products

Alexandria, VA – August 8, 2022 - With the advent of social media, anglers around the globe now know about the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades – better known as ICAST – the world’s largest recreational fishing industry trade show. Even though it’s still an industry only trade show, this August, anglers everywhere are invited to join in the excitement that defines ICAST and pick their favorite new product for the ICAST 2022 Anglers’ Choice Best of Show Award.

Produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), ICAST draws thousands of tackle buyers and media members each July to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It’s where hundreds of manufacturers debut tackle, gear, accessories and apparel, many of which are now found in the tackle boxes of professional and everyday anglers alike.

One of the most anticipated events each year is the New Product Showcase. The dedicated display area on the show floor showcases hundreds of the best of the best in new fishing product innovations: all competing against each other to take home one of 30 “Best of Category” trophies and the overall “Best of Show” award.

Over two days buyers and media vote for the 30 best new products to debut at ICAST from tackle to outerwear to accessories, as well as rods, reels, lures and more culminating with choosing the overall “Best of Show” award winner.

“This year, we decided to invite all anglers, everywhere to choose their “best of the best” by introducing the Anglers’ Choice Best of Show Award,” said ASA Trade Show and Membership VP Blake Swango. “Voting is open to everyone to choose their personal favorite from the 30 ICAST 2022 “Best of Category” award winners to crown a new, people’s champion.”

Trade Show Committee Chairman Travis Owens, VP, Pure Fishing & Fin Nor GM, emphasized, “ICAST and ASA will use all their social media channels to get the word out about this exciting new award. My company will do the same. I ask all ASA’s members to promote this exciting new ICAST event.”

Voting Opens August 21
“When voting opens, it will be online through the ICAST website,” said Swango. “There is one vote per email address. Voting opens on Sunday, August 21, and closes on Saturday, August 27 giving anglers ample time to both cast their votes and invite everyone they know to participate.”

For fishing’s biggest fans and tackle dealers alike, there is no better place to find new tackle and gear than ICAST.

The ICAST 2022 Best of Category and Best of Show award winners are available on the ICAST New Product Showcase page.

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Pro Pipkens Part Of Annual Charity Golf Event Benefiting JDRF

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chad Pipkens (left) joined Douglas J President Scott Weaver and his wife, Mel, at the 20th annual Douglas J Golf Outing benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Chad Pipkens

August 8, 2022

WILLIAMSTON, Mich. — Bassmaster Elite Series angler Chad Pipkens was on the golf course Monday raising money for a great cause. The Douglas J Golf Outing benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has raised over $1 million to help combat type 1 diabetes through their charity tournament, silent auction and fundraising dinner over the past 20 years. JDRF is the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization.

Up for auction this year is a fishing trip for two on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair with Pipkens. Along with the day’s outing, Pipkens will be supplying all of the tackle, rods and reels needed to take on these world-class smallmouth fisheries.

“It’s great when you can surround yourself with good people and be able to be part of an awesome company that gives back in so many ways,” said Pipkens, who has been part of the fundraising event for 10 years.

Douglas J President Scott Weaver has been a champion of JDRF for more than two decades after his daughter Sami became the youngest person in Michigan to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 18 months old. Weaver’s nephew was also diagnosed just a few years later.

According to JDRF, about 200,000 youth (less than 20 years old) and 1.4 million adults in America are living with T1D, with 64,000 people being diagnosed each year in the U.S. Since 1970, the foundation has contributed more than $2 billion to T1D research and is currently funding more than 70 human clinical trials of potential T1D therapies.

To make a donation to the Douglas J Golf Outing benefiting JDRF, visit douglasj.com/jdrf.

by AnglersChannel

Estes Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Champlain

Chilluffo Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Aug. 8, 2022) – Boater Stephen Estes of Auburn, New Hampshire, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Champlain . The tournament, hosted by the City of Plattsburgh, was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division. Estes earned $13,057, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

Estes said he focused on the northern end of the lake using a drop-shot rig to catch around 20 smallmouth keepers during the course of the day.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Stephen Estes, Auburn, N.H., five bass, 21-10, $13,057 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Tristan McCormick, Burns, Tenn., five bass, 20-10, $2,528
3rd:       Rob Messenger, Sunapee, N.H., five bass, 20-6, $1,432
3rd:       Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 20-6, $1,432
5th:        Josh Bragg, Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 20-4, $1,011
6th:        Brent Heyn, South Hero, Vt., five bass, 20-1, $927
7th:        Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 19-15, $843
8th:        Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 19-11, $758
9th:        Colby Miller, Elmer, La., five bass, 19-1, $632
9th:        Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., five bass, 19-1, $632

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

T.J. Daniels of Plattsburgh, New York, had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $780.

Frederick Chilluffo of Camden, New York, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,628 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        Frederick Chilluffo, Camden, N.Y., five bass, 19-14, $2,628
2nd:       Justin Bronson, Glenn Dale, Md., five bass, 17-11, $1,264
3rd:       Nate Coy, Pennsburg, Pa., five bass, 17-9, $845
4th:        David Paszkiewicz, Kearny, N.J., five bass, 17-0, $590
5th:        Shawn Gokey, Georgia, Vt., five bass, 16-14, $506
6th:        David Archibald, Somerset, Mass., five bass, 16-11, $464
7th:        Corey Germano, Staatsburg, N.Y., five bass, 16-8, $771
8th:        Andrew Hostler, Tyrone, Pa., five bass, 16-6, $579
9th:        Benjamin Kapp, Benton, Pa., five bass, 16-3, $337
10th:     Al Norman, Lake Mary, Fla., five bass, 16-2, $295

Erik Gaffron of Robbinsdale, Minnesota caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $390.

After four events, Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, leads the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 912 points, while David Paszkiewicz of Kearny, New Jersey, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 918 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Omega Custom Tackle Announces Change in Ownership

Professional Angler Taylor Watkins acquires Omega Custom Tackle

Knoxville, TN (August 5, 2022) — Omega Custom Tackle has changed ownership with professional angler Taylor Watkins, and wife Noel, acquiring the tackle company from current owners Brad and Michele Fuller. The change comes after six years of management by the Fuller’s which saw Omega grow substantially and laid a great foundation for the company to continue to build on.

“We are proud of what we accomplished and added many new, innovative products while working to make Omega Custom Tackle what it is today,” said Michele Fuller. “We are proud of the business and are excited to continue on our new journey with the National Professional Fishing League. We know Taylor and Noel will continue to grow the brand.”

Watkins is in his second year of fishing the NPFL trail and after winning the season one finale at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees last fall, he recently earned his second victory at Lake Cumberland in February. Taylor and Noel plan to take their experience in the fishing industry to elevate the brand and take pride in offering a diverse selection of high-quality baits and colors.

“We are excited to take over Omega and do our part to continue the growth of the company and expand its reach,” Taylor Wakinssaid. “We are excited for this next chapter and want to thank all of the Omega customers, retailers and the team for their continued support.”

by AnglersChannel

Michael Neal Leads Early for Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake

Tennessee Pro Boats 21 Scorable Bass Weighing 83 Pounds, 3 Ounces to Lead Group B by Nearly 8 Pounds – Group A to Wrap Up Qualifying Round Monday

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 7, 2022) – The fishing wasn’t quite as fast and furious as it was for Group A competitors on Saturday, but it was still a fantastic day on the water for Group B anglers as they opened their two-day Qualifying Round Sunday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. Pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee , who just last week clinched his second straight Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler of the Year (AOY) title, kept his momentum train rolling, catching 21 scorable bass weighing 83 pounds, 3 ounces, to take the lead in Group B after their first day of competition.

Favorite Fishing pro Mark Daniels, Jr., of Tuskegee, Alabama, sits in second place, 7 pounds, 13 ounces back of Neal with 22 scorable bass totaling 75-6. Pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, finished the day in third place with 25 bass for 72-8, while B&W Trailer Hitches pro Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Arkansas , caught 20 bass totaling 71-13 to end the day in fourth place. Lorena, Texas pro Alton Jones rounds out the top five, as he caught 25 bass weighing 71-4.

The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day on Monday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will conclude their Qualifying Round on Tuesday.

The six-day tournament, hosted by the Village of Union Springs, showcases 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 to the winner. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

“I’m super happy with how the day went,” Neal said in his post-game interview. “I caught a ton of fish roaming on the very outside break of the lake. The fish don’t have anything else to relate to out past there, besides bait, and I think that is the big key to where I’ve been fishing at –a ton of baitfish in the area. I’m looking for the bass that are chasing those balls of bait around on the edge of that drop.”

Neal credited his Lowrance ActiveTarget Live Sonar as being critical to his success. He caught his fish drop-shotting a pearl-colored Big Bite Baits Scentsation Swim Minnow, using a No. 1 Gamakatsu hook with a 3/8-ounce Denali Kovert tungsten weight. He threw the drop-shot rig on a 7-foot, 6-inch Denali Kovert rod with 8-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line.

“I feel like I’m definitely on the right pattern, catching both species of largemouth and smallmouth,” Neal said. “I expected to catch mostly smallmouth but was surprised at how many largemouth there were out here.

“It seems like everybody has found the same fish and it’s only going to get tougher and tougher because of the fishing pressure,” Neal went on to say. “Winning the Qualifying Round and getting that automatic berth into the Championship Round is a big deal this week, more so than normal. I’m trying to focus on getting to that point, but it is not going to be an easy task. I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”

The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 of their Qualifying Round on Cayuga Lake are:

1^st:          Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 21 bass, 83-3
2^nd:         Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 22 bass, 75-6
3^rd:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 25 bass, 72-8
4^th:         Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 20 bass, 71-13
5^th:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 25 bass, 71-4
6^th:         Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 19 bass, 63-3
7^th:         Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 16 bass, 58-5
8^th:         Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 19 bass, 57-11
9^th:         James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 17. bass, 55-14
10^th:       Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 16 bass, 52-10
11^th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 15 bass, 47-1
12^th:       Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 13 bass, 45-9
13^th:       Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 14 bass, 43-15
14^th:       Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., 13 bass, 43-6
15^th:       James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 14 bass, 43-2
16^th:       Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 15 bass, 41-4
17^th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 14 bass, 41-1
18^th:       Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 11 bass, 40-12
19^th:       Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 12 bass, 38-10
20^th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 13 bass, 36-13

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 493 scorable bass weighing 1,585 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the 40 pros Sunday.

Pro Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, earned Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award after catching a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth in Period 1 that was the largest of the day. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

As a part of the event on Monday, Aug. 8 from 8 to 10 a.m., the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) will be participating in a clean-up event at Frontenac Park – the FMD Costa Clean Water Matters Program. MLF Pro Anglers and Volunteers will walk the park and shorelines to clean up trash and debris from the shores of Cayuga Lake.

by AnglersChannel

Justin Lucas Leads Catch Fest at Day 1 of MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake

Lucas and Wheeler Both Target Largemouth, Catch 100+ Pounds Saturday to Pace Group A – Group B to Compete Sunday

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 6, 2022) – It was a blazing fast start Saturday, on Day 1 of the the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. And Cayuga Lake was the day’s brightest star.

Two anglers broke the century mark, both tallying more than 100 pounds in just the first day of competition. As time expired on SCORETRACKER®, Abu Garcia pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, ended the day atop the leaderboard, catching 35 scorable bass, 34 of which were largemouth, totaling 127 pounds, 1 ounce. Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, also broke the 100-pound barrier, catching 37 scorable bass weighing 107-15 to finish the day in second place.

The six-day event, hosted by the Village of Union Springs, will showcase 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 to the winner. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

Although Lucas and Wheeler seem to have a substantial lead on the rest of the field, numerous anglers held the lead throughout the day, including Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who finished the day in third place with 23 bass totaling 88-5. Waco, Texas’ Alton Jones, Jr., caught 26 bass weighing 82-8 to end the day in fourth. Spokane, Washington’s Luke Clausenrounds out the top five with 25 bass weighing 78-9.

The 40 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition Sunday. Group A will resume competition on Monday.

Lucas caught his 35 scorable bass from just three spots Saturday, drop-shotting a trio of Berkley baits. He caught plenty of fish on a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm and a Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper, but most of his damage was done with a Berkley PowerBait The General . If competing in a five-fish limit format event, Lucas’ best five largemouth would have went for 27-14.

“Today was just an insane day,” Lucas said in his post-game interview. “I’m really, really stoked right now. I felt like I had two really good spots coming into the event, and I feel like I kind of found a third area today. Other than that, I caught some just junk-fishing around. But I feel really good with how my day went.

“As good as it was today, I do think it is only going to get tougher as the week goes on,” Lucas continued. “Catching all of these bass and not laying off of them – there is no way that this a fishery can pump out the heavy weight like it did today for every day of the tournament. It will still be really good, but I think its going to slow down a little bit.”

Lucas credited his gear as being crucial to his success, Saturday.

“The key today was my Fantasista X rod from Abu Garcia,” Lucas said. “The fish are biting really light. I’m shaking my drop-shot bait just a little bit, and I can feel the slightest tick in the line – it almost feels like a bluegill bite. But this rod is so sensitive, I’m catching them and that really was the reason why I think I caught so many, today.”

Like Lucas, Wheeler also caught and weighed all largemouth bass on Saturday. Unlike Lucas, however, Wheeler opted for a bluegill-colored Rapala DT 16 crankbait to catch his keepers.

“Man, how much fun to come up here to Cayuga Lake and smash them on a dang crankbait,” said Wheeler, the reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year. “We never really got on them in the last period, and that was our downfall at the end. I was able to check out a few things, but it just wasn’t going down.

“I’m looking forward to the day off and getting a chance to regroup and put the full gameplan together,” Wheeler went on to say. “I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to go about this one, yet, but I’ll have it figured out by Monday.”

The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Cayuga Lake are:

1^st:          Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 35 bass, 127-1
2^nd:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 37 bass, 107-15
3^rd:         Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 23 bass, 88-5
4^th:         Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 26 bass, 82-8
5^th:         Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 25 bass, 78-9
6^th:         Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 20 bass, 76-12
7^th:         Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 23 bass, 65-5
8^th:         Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 22 bass, 63-14
9^th:         Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 18 bass, 63-1
10^th:       Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 20 bass, 58-7
11^th:       Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 18 bass, 58-0
12^th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 16 bass, 57-0
13^th:       Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 15 bass, 52-14
14^th:       Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 16 bass, 52-2
15^th:       Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 16 bass, 49-7
16^th:       Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 15 bass, 46-1
17^th:       Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 15 bass, 44-7
18^th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 12 bass, 44-4
19^th:       David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 11 bass, 43-0
20^th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 42-12

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 580 scorable bass weighing 1,877 pounds, 6 ounces caught by the 40 pros Saturday.

Power-Pole pro Chris Lane of Guntersville, Alabama, boated a 6-pound, 13-ounce largemouth to earn the first $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

Pro Mark Rose of Wynne, Arkansas, who will be among the 40 anglers competing in Group B, Sunday, has been penalized one hour of fishing time and will begin his tournament at 9 a.m. ET tomorrow. Rose inadvertently fished one hour longer than allowed during the final day of the angler’s official practice period. When he returned to the launch ramp and realized his error, Rose immediately self-reported his violation to Tournament Director Aaron Beshears, who assessed the penalty.

As part of the event, on Sunday, Aug. 7, from Noon to 5 p.m., fans are invited out to the Major League Fishing Festival at the Frontenac Park. Hosted by the Village of Union Springs, the event will feature fans meeting and getting autographs from their favorite pro anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour. Children are welcome to visit the Kids Zone to meet Skye & Marshall from PAW Patrol, fish for live fish in the Kids Fishing Pond, show off their artistic skills at the coloring stations, and more. Vendor booths from MLF sponsors, food, prizes and giveaways, including a FREE Abu Garcia rod and reel combo for the first 50 youth in attendance both days. One lucky attendee will play for a brand-new Toro 42-inch TimeCutter Zero Turn Mower in the Toro Pick ‘Til You Win game, with runner up prizes of a new 70-inch LED 4K Smart TV or a $500 VISA gift card. For more information on the Major League Fishing Festival, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/Attend.

On Monday, Aug. 8 from 8 to 10 a.m., the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) will be participating in a clean-up event at Frontenac Park – the FMD Costa Clean Water Matters Program. MLF Pro Anglers and Volunteers will walk the park and shorelines to clean up trash and debris from the shores of Cayuga Lake.

by AnglersChannel

Options Abound on Cayuga Lake

Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

Just like the slogan on the coffee mugs, postcards and t-shirts at the tourist trap reads, Terry Scroggins loves New York. While the Empire State is anything but close to his native Florida, “Big Show” looks forward to hopping in his Tundra and making the 20+ hour drive north each year.

Deep, clear, pristine fisheries full of willing bass, scenic views, and mild temperatures compared to the rest of the country aside; there are plenty of reasons to be fond of the Finger Lakes. But the response that seems to come up consistently is Cayuga’s versatility in terms of techniques, species, structure, and depth ranges. Bass Pro Tour anglers are afforded the ability to fish however they want on Cayuga.

Cayuga Lake and it’s 40,000 plus acres have not served as a playing field for the BPT until this week’s competition for the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six, though these waters have been home to Major League Fishing Cup events in the past. It seems theentire Bass Pro Tour field is excited to compete on Cayuga this week, regardless of where they call home.

“I’ve always loved fishing in New York in the summer and Cayuga is a really cool lake,” Scroggins said. “You can have a flipping stick with 65-lb. braid or 6-lb. fluorocarbon spooled on a spinning rod for the same area and you have no idea what you’ll end up using until the day starts to unfold. You can fish shallow or deep, focus on smallmouth or largemouth, and target plenty of different types of cover. Cayuga offers all kinds of options.”

You can count on the Bass Pro Tour field fully exploiting these options through Stage Six, with anglers being able to fish their strengths and show fans just how many scoreable bass swim in Cayuga.

Scroggins thought back to past tournaments and trips to Cayuga as he made the drive on Tuesday and Wednesday. The longtime Team Toyota pro fished a Cup Event in August on Cayuga two years ago and had a strong event, finishing in fourth.

An accomplished flipper and grass fisherman throughout his career, it’s no surprise that Big Show’s success here came focusing on aquatic vegetation.

“Last time I was here I got on a really good flipping bite that was starting to heat up as the tournament winded down,” Scroggins recalled. “I flipped grass on the north end of the lake with a craw I pour at home and, man, they couldn’t get enough of it. It was one of those tournaments where I wanted to go back out and keep fishing after they called ‘lines-out’. So, you could say I’ve been looking forward to getting back up here.”

Cayuga Currently – first glance

While taking cover from a mid-day storm during the first official practice day on Thursday, Scroggins gave me a call to check in. Big Show spent his morning sampling some areas where he’s done with in the past, and it only took him a couple of hours to realize the grass on Cayuga’s north end wasn’t the same as he remembered from previous trips.

He reported there was still plenty of grass, but it wasn’t quite set up like he was hoping.

“The grass definitely ain’t the same as what I remember from the last time we were here,” Scroggins confessed. “It’s so easy to get stubborn with history and preconceived notions, but you gotta steer clear from that trap. Luckily this place is full of fish and this time of year when you find one, there is usually a school with it. I’m going to cover a bunch of water the rest of practice and see what we turn up.”

by AnglersChannel

HOBIE EYEWEAR SHINES AT ICAST

With twice the features at half the price of competing sunglasses, Hobie’s new Floating Collection models really turned some heads.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (August 5, 2022) - They may be back in the office now, but you can bet the Hobie Eyewear crew will be working overtime to follow-up on all the orders and contacts they generated at the 2022 ICAST fishing show held last month in Orlando, Florida.

“What an incredibly successful show we had in terms of overall traffic and new eyeballs on our brand,” said Dylan Coates, senior marketing coordinator for Hobie Eyewear. “We’ve never had that much attention before, and it was exciting to see several new product stories and branding initiatives we’ve been working on come to life and gain the recognition they deserve from leaders in the fishing industry.”

Indeed, Hobie Eyewear’s Floating Series sunglasses captured the most buzz with its new Hank Cherry Champion Collectionand just released Monarch Float models generating the most customer remarks. The former is especially designed to meet the demands of bass fishing with input from its namesake two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion. The latter cuts through glare to provide a versatile angling edge under any condition, boasts easily removable side-shields, and sports a comfortable casual look that can’t be denied. Both are also lightweight, float, and cost half the price of competitive sunglasses.

“We were really proud to have our Monarch Float model compete in the ICAST New Product Showcase and pleased that brought even more attention to their unique design,” added Stephen Vaughan, senior director for product development on the Hobie Eyewear team. “These are simply the most versatile sunglasses available today and it was nice to see them recognized as such.”

Huntington

Customers stopping by the Hobie Booth were also intrigued and interested in the two interchange lens systems in the Hobie Eyewear line-up. The Huntington features a quick-release lens interchange system while the Hobie Dou Series is Rx ready and has magnetic interchange lens clips that instantly align and hold lenses in perfect position every time you swap them out.

“It really was quite an experience to see our products garner so much positive attention at ICAST,” summed up Coates. “Interest was strong, the buzz was energizing, and the opportunity to sell our products while making so many important new high-level connections will really help us build our brand. We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome and confirmation of our new tag line: “Twice The Features. Half The Price.”

New Monarch Float

Hobie Eyewear offers anglers cutting edge, versatile, polarized protective sunglasses with a variety of exceptional lens choices. There sunglasses are available at retail locations across the country, and online at www.hobieeyewear.com.

by AnglersChannel

The Increased Cost of Chasing Your Dreams

How NPAA pros are tackling higher expenses on the tournament trail

Forestville, WI (August 4, 2022) – There’s no doubt professional anglers and weekend warriors are both feeling the sting of inflation these days. With gas prices still hovering around $4 per gallon, and food and lodging significantly more costly than last year, you can bet just about every tournament angler is reeling from the bites taken out of their bottom line.

At the same time, many are rising to the challenge by increasing efficiency, cutting expenses, and plugging the leaks. That, says Patrick Neu, president of the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA), is exactly what it takes to not only survive in the recreational fishing industry, but to thrive.

“In short,” he says, “you need to increase your professionalism to stay afloat. A great way to do just that is follow the lead of NPAA members who are making the grade.”

Walleye pro and NPAA member Isaac Lakich.

Consider 27-year-old Isaac Lakich from Richfield, Wisconsin. The full-time angler fishes traveling walleye tournaments–including the National Walleye Tour (NWT)–and is also a full-time guide.

“I got my start through the tourney world, but decided to diversify as the economy began to slip at the start of the pandemic,” Lakich says. “That’s an important part of being a tournament pro – keeping an eye on the horizon and reacting swiftly to changes in the game.”

As a relatively young professional angler, Lakich may not have the most experience among circuit regulars, but his age provides an advantage when understanding the latest electronic technology.

“In addition to guiding clients for walleye, I’ve started offering on-the-water electronics lessons,” says Lakich. “It has been a great move so far and I’m on pace to book 75 electronics trips for the year.”

In staying ahead of the curve, Lakich advises other aspiring angling pros to recognize that if your sponsor contracts don’t increase from year-to-year, you’re losing ground.

“Each year, I renegotiate my contracts and request a cost-of-living increase–plus a little extra–because I’m more experienced and better able to represent my sponsors. It’s early August now and I’m already cutting next year’s deals. That extra 5- to 8-percent you might get helps cover increasing costs,” Isaac says. “For me to stay in business, I need to maintain my standard of living. I’m a professional and I need to charge professional prices–so do you.”

While Lakich seems to be hitting full stride in his professional endeavors, NPAA member John Crews, 44, of Salem, Virginia, has been fishing at the highest levels for 20 years now. The full-time bass tournament angler has qualified for 14 Bassmaster Classics, won two Bassmaster Elite series events, and ran his own lure company, Missile Baits, for over a decade.

“I’m sure this economy is putting the most hurt on anglers who are new to the trail, but it stings for all of us to some degree,” reveals Crews. “No matter what level you fish in the tournament world, your expenses are always increasing. For a professional bass angler, entry fees are usually your biggest expense, with fuel costs generally number two – more than lodging expenses or truck costs on a yearly basis.”

To keep your head above water, Crews suggests cutting expenses wherever possible. “Rather than eating out every night on the road,” he advises, “Hit the grocery store and stock-up for a few days. Also, look for lower-cost lodging. You don’t have to stay in a flea-bag hotel, but there’s nothing wrong with midrange options.”

At the same time, it’s important to not skimp on tackle, lures or electronics. Those, Crews points out, are the professional tools you need to succeed – so bite the bullet elsewhere. You can also help keep things in check by being a little more selective as to which tournaments to fish, cutting down on travel, and by staying with friends or splitting a room with other anglers.

“We all go through some rough times when climbing the ladder,” says Crews with a chuckle. “When it comes to saving money, you name it and I have done it.”

Bass pro and NPAA member Griffin Fernandes

Which is exactly what NPAA member Griffin Fernandes is trying to do. At 22, you might think of him as a newcomer to the tourney trail, but he started fishing the junior circuit at 13, excelled on his high school team, and helped lead Michigan’s Adrian College to the 2021 Bassmaster College Series National Championship. Chat with him personally and you’ll discover a surprisingly seasoned professional angler.

“I was fortunate to get off to a strong start in tournament fishing at the college level because Adrian College paid for a lot of our expenses. They covered our gas, lodging and food, and we had school trucks and school boats to use,” Fernandes says. “It was a great experience.”

Now that he’s graduated, Griffin is doing all he can to keep expenses low, while fishing regional Buckeye Fishing League (BFL) events.

“I’m saving money by living with my parents,” he says, “and I’m trying to keep my expenses under $500 per tourney. That breaks down to two boat and truck gas fills, plus entry fees. I usually lodge with a group of friends that travel the circuit together. We’ll buy two small pizzas for dinner and split up any leftovers for lunch on our boats.”

Fernandes says that fishing events that are close to home and on smaller waters equates to big savings on lodging, gas and entry fees.

“The larger tourneys can put you in the hole $500 to $700 dollars before you’ve even made a cast,” he notes. “They’re great if you can afford them, and I aspire to compete at the highest levels, but I’m just not there yet. I plan to take my time, building up an emergency fund, and monitoring my tournament performances before jumping in head-first.”

One tip Fernandes offers for anyone thinking about launching a professional career in the recreational fishing industry – whether joining the professional trail or some other fishing related occupation – is joining NPAA.

“I attended the 2019 conference at the suggestion of my college coach,” he recalls. “It turned out to be a great opportunity to meet and introduce myself to significant movers and manufacturers in the industry. Now I have those connections, so I’m not a blank page when I’m looking to jump to the next level. Talking to more senior members of the organization also helped me realize that I don’t need to rush. It opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about professional fishing and staying on track. That help has been invaluable, both in learning to be patient and in looking ahead to my fishing future.”

Lakich agrees with Fernandes’ NPAA assessment. “The NPAA has given me quite a few professional contacts over the years, and these have proved invaluable. I’ve met several people that have already gone to bat for me when I needed someone with more tenure in the industry to vouch for my abilities, strengths and character. Having that core NPAA group support is a really great membership perk.”

As for Crews, he’s enjoyed the benefits of being an NPAA member and is happy to be in a position to return the favor. “It’s amazing how much even veteran anglers can learn when comparing notes with other members. It’s also important to give back to the sport and fishing community by sharing your knowledge and experience with others who are chasing their dreams,” he states. “I try to support the NPAA as much as possible. It’s a terrific organization with the potential to help a lot of people succeed in this industry.”

For information on joining the NPAA and exploring the many benefits of membership, visit www.npaa.net.

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About the National Professional Anglers Association

The National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) is a non-profit, member-based association dedicated to sportfishing. The NPAA’s membership is composed of professional guides, tournament anglers, angler educators and sportfishing/marine industry professionals who are passionate about the sport. For more NPAA partner, member and industry news, go to www.npaa.net .

by AnglersChannel

Massena Set for MLF Tackle Warehouse 2022 TITLE Championship Presented by Mercury

$235,000 and TITLE Championship Up for Grabs as Top 50 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Anglers Head to New York to Compete in Season Finale

MASSENA, N.Y. (Aug. 4, 2022) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, is set to visit the St. Lawrence River and Massena, New York next week, Aug. 16-21. The six-day tournament will showcase the top 48 pros in the 2022 Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year (AOY) – all competing for a guaranteed check and a grand prize of up to $235,000.

MLF has held 44 tournaments on the St. Lawrence River over the past 28 years, however this event marks the first Championship Event held on the fishery, and only the second Pro Circuit event.

“The Town of Massena is excited to welcome the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship to the St. Lawrence River,” said Don Meissner, Tournament Coordinator for the Town of Massena. “Having the opportunity to host this once-in-a-lifetime event in Massena and the North Country is a dream that I have been working on for the last several years. I am glad that our incredible resource will be featured as the backdrop for this week of fishing with anglers who are among the elite in their field. We can’t wait to see everyone on the shores of the St. Lawrence.”

The Pro Circuit last visited the smallmouth mecca in July 2021, where pro Cody Pike of Powhatan, Virginia, took home the win with a total weight of 82 pounds, 12 ounces. Pike finished 54^th in the standings this season and did not qualify to compete in this event.

The 2022 TITLE, hosted by the Town of Massena, will feature a hybrid tournament format. All 50 anglers are seeded into two groups of 25 – Group A & Group B, based on points earned in 2022 qualifying events – where they will compete in Qualifying Rounds over the first four days of the tournament. Group A will fish Day 1 and Day 3, and Group B will fish Day 2 and Day 4, with total weight determined by the cumulative weight of their biggest five-bass limit from both days.

The winner of each group will then advance directly to the Championship Round, while pros who finish in second to 10th place in each group will battle it out with zeroed weights in the Knockout Round. On the sixth day of the event, the Championship Round, weights will again be zeroed and the top eight pros from the Knockout Round, plus the two Qualifying Round winners will compete. The winner will be determined by the heaviest five-bass limit of the final round.

Local Toyota Series pro Jesse Spellicy of Gouverneur, New York said fans and anglers alike can expect a fun tournament and to see a lot of fish catches throughout the event.

“The St. Lawrence River has been fishing really good this summer,” Spellicy said. “It seems like the weights get bigger and bigger every year and this year is no exception.

“The fish aren’t fully in their summertime pattern out deep, so there are still some fish that can be caught up shallow, but for the most part I think you’ll see guys targeting shoals in 25 to 35 feet of water.”

While the event will primarily be a smallmouth tournament, Spellicy said that largemouth could come into play as well.

“It wouldn’t shock me if an angler finds a largemouth pattern that they have all to themselves, and while I don’t believe they can win on that, it’s certainly a player every year and could result in a strong finish.”

Spellicy said drop-shots, tubes and Ned rigs will be key baits on the fishery, as well as jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and spybaits for anglers targeting fish up shallow.

“I expect it to take 21 pounds per day to make it into the Top 10 and over 24 pounds to win the one-day shootout in the Championship Round,” said the Virginia pro.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET each day of competition from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Hwy 131 in Massena. Weigh-ins will also be held at the boat launch daily at 3 p.m. The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Along with the launch and weigh-in, fans and community members are invited to the MLF Fishing and Outdoor Expo on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 20-21 from noon to 8 p.m. ET at the Massena Intake Boat Launch, where fans can meet the pros and check out the latest in fishing and outdoor gear. The expo includes live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, giveaways, fireworks and more.

The first 100 kids (10 and under) will receive a free rod and reel at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday and fans can register for a Polaris Sportsman 570 ATV giveaway onsite at the Expo. The winner will be drawn after the final weigh-in on August 21. PAW Patrol’s Skye and Marshall will also be at the event with MLF pro Charlie Evans and will be available for photos. Appearance times may vary. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com for updates and more details.

In addition to the launch, weigh-ins and Expo, youth 14 and under are also invited to attend a free Kid’s Fishing Derby on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wilson Hill Causeway. Participants can bring their own fishing gear or use provided gear on a first come, first serve basis and will compete for tagged fish and cash prizes.

The 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit featured a field of 154 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified to compete in the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship.

Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, Oct. 8 on the CBS Sports Network. Episodes premiere Sunday mornings on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition. Episodes will run through Nov. 13.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Fuel Me, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Mixed Bags Will Likely Be Prominent During Bassmaster High School National Championship On Hartwell

High school teams from 39 states and Canada will compete on Lake Hartwell August 11-13 at the 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.

August 4, 2022

ANDERSON, S.C. — Temperatures in South Carolina have heated up and so has the fishing on Lake Hartwell as young anglers from across the country prepare for the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Featuring eight members of the Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and 23 All-State anglers, a field of 315 boats will compete on the historic fishery for a chance at earning the prestigious trophy. Tournament days are scheduled for Aug. 11-13 with the full field competing the first two days and the Top 10 competing on Championship Saturday.

Last year at Chickamauga Lake, hometown anglers Gage King and Banks Shaw of Sale Creek High School weighed in a three-bass limit of 20 pounds, 11 ounces on the final day to win with a three-day total of 45-6. Shaw will be competing again this year alongside a new partner, BJ Collins.

Unlike the previous championships held on Tennessee River reservoirs like Kentucky Lake and Chickamauga Lake, Hartwell features a large population of spotted bass that like to chase blueback herring.

While spotted bass will play a significant role, Bassmaster Elite Series champion Bryan New said largemouth will ultimately decide the winner. The South Carolina pro added that the overwhelming majority of bass caught by the winning team will be relating to the herring.

“More spots will be caught for sure. There are always more spots caught,” New said. “Now, winning-wise, you better have some largemouth. Period. I don’t care if you are there in July, March or December. You better have some largemouth or you aren’t going to win. It is rare that you have only largemouth, though.”

Hartwell is a vast fishery, with access to the Tugaloo and the Seneca River arms as well as Six and Twenty Creek, so teams should be able to spread out. New predicts canepiles will be the predominant focus while brushpiles may also factor.

“It’s a very well-known thing,” he said. “Running the canepiles with a Zoom Super Fluke or chrome topwater bait are two killers on that deal and, of course, a drop shot. Those canepiles are typically on the long, tapering points and there are about 1,000 of those on Hartwell. Of course, some are better than others.”

The last few weeks have seen several waves of afternoon thunderstorms, which have the shallows slightly stained. There have been plenty of active bass in those areas.

“The back ends of the creeks and up the river have a fair amount of stain to them,” New said. “There is a decent shallow-cranking bite, a ChatterBait bite and a good topwater deal going.”

While 20-pound bags can be caught this time of year, New notes it can also take closer to 14 pounds to win one-day summertime events. It all depends on the timing, but he added if a team can catch 15 or 16 pounds a day, they will have a good shot.

Teams will launch from Green Pond Landing and Event Center at 6:20 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in starting at 2:20 p.m.

by AnglersChannel

Neal Wraps Up Back-to-Back Angler of the Year Titles

Courtesy of Major League Fishing.com

JULY 31, 2022 • JODY WHITE

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – In the history of the FLW Tour and Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me, only Andy Morgan (2013, 2014) and David Dudley (2011, 2012) had won back-to-back Angler of the Year titles prior to the emergence of Michael Neal. Now, after finishing 15^th at Covercraft Stop 6 Presented by Wiley X at Lake Champlain, Neal has locked up his second title in back-to-back fashion, becoming the third pro to win AOY in consecutive years and the sixth pro to win multiple AOY titles.

Neal’s win is also notable because of how extreme it was. Winning at Sam Rayburn to start the year off, he made the Top 10 four times, but also caught just one bass on Day 2 at Pickwick Lake to finish 105^th. It’s the first time since Denny Brauer won AOY in 1998 that a pro has earned the points title with a finish below 100^th on their ledger.

Trophy in hand, after sweating some and pretending to sweat some during weigh-in, Neal was more than appreciative of his newly secured place in history.

“Just to be mentioned in the same category as two of the guys I grew up fishing against and always looked up to … it’s surreal,” said Neal, who competes on the Bass Pro Tour against Morgan and Dudley. “To be fishing against the same guys and have an accolade like that, that a bunch of guys at the age of 30 never had the opportunity to do, I’ve been very fortunate to be where I’m at.”

Raised around pro fishing in East Tennessee, Neal has seemingly been destined for stardom for a long time. Now, he feels he’s living up to his potential.

“It feels like I finally got to the point in my career where I feel I should be,” Neal said. “For the first part of my career there were a lot of close calls. It feels like now I’ve got the confidence in myself and my abilities to get the job done.”

Neal has been on a tear for the last two years, and he credits confidence and time on the water for his success.

“Early in my career, I questioned it some, I think everybody is going to question it some,” he said. “But, you’ve got to have the confidence without the arrogance to believe you can do it. That’s a very fine line; but if you’re not confident and pull up to the best hole in the lake you’re not going to catch them.

“I’ve just made it a point now to go out and fish my strengths, and fishing both tours, spending a lot of time on the water – there’s no replacement for that.”

The Year That Was

Neal put together a sterling season overall, finishing first at Sam Rayburn, 10^th at the Harris Chain, 105^th at Pickwick, third at Guntersville, fourth at the James River and 15^th at Champlain. Outside of Pickwick, it was a truly spectacular season, but it almost went too easily. In 2021, Neal had a moment or two every tournament where something lucky or special happened, when a pattern clicked into place or he made a perfect decision. This year, he struggled to come up with a standout moment other than his win at Rayburn.

“I didn’t have much, but I caught two big ones the first day,” Neal said. “I was lucky enough the second day to catch enough where I was going to be okay, and I could go practice. Then, I caught a couple big ones (later in the day on a jerkbait) and it set me up to win the tournament. Last year, every tournament I could look back and tell you one of those moments, this year, there’s not any.”

Of course, on the bad side was his second day at Pickwick, when he brought just one fish to the scale in an event that largely featured excellent fishing.

“One of my favorite lakes was the one that let me down so bad,” he said. “That was the one time in the last two years I can remember doing something that I knew I shouldn’t do, or that I don’t do. I ran up the river on Pickwick and fished the bank. On the Tennessee River, they live offshore, they spawn offshore, everything. For some reason, I gave up on it and it bit me. I didn’t give it enough time, I could have put the trolling motor down at the ramp and caught more than I did that day. In Angler of the Year stuff, typically you’re not going to have a chance if you don’t weigh a limit one of the days, let alone catch one fish.”

Neal’s Pickwick letdown didn’t end up costing him the title, though he didn’t lead AOY again until after Day 1 at Champlain – but it may prove instructive for others. One of the best offshore anglers in the game, Neal abandoned the ledges and bars that he’s made so much money on over the years.

“You’ve got guys like Andy Morgan and (Randall) Tharp that strictly power fish up shallow, and only so many fish live up there, and that’s in a 40-boat-a-day Bass Pro Tour event,” Neal said. “That’s what I’m going to do if I have to, but I’m going to fish my way as often as I can. If you don’t fish your way, just like what happened at Pickwick, you’re not going to do well, because you’re not fishing in your element.”

Neal’s Next Challenge

Going into the 2023 season, winning another Angler of the Year title will be at the top of the list for Neal. And with regular season wins under his belt, he’s good on that front. But, a major championship still eludes him, despite some close calls in the Forrest Wood Cup and REDCREST.

“I want to win a TITLE,” Neal said. “Angler of the Year is great, and a tournament win is great; I’ve done those and would love to do them 10 times over. But, now, the one thing that’s missing is a TITLE championship.”

At just 30 years old, recently married and fishing incredibly well, that goal seems pretty attainable for the Dayton, Tennessee, angler.

“I feel like I’ve got at least another 10 to 15 good years, prime years,” Neal said. “Whatever happens after that, happens.”

by AnglersChannel

Z-Man Wins Two ICAST Awards

Kicker CrabZ™ and DieZel Eye™ Jighead earn New Products Showcase trophies

Ladson, SC (August 3, 2022) – Where guides fish on their days off creates a pretty tempting trail of breadcrumbs. A similar perception often applies to fishing tackle makers and their after-hours aquatic venues of choice. Want to know where the fish are biting? Tailpipe the trucks and boats of a true fish head straight to the ramp. Want to find out where the heart of a lure maker lies? Come to ICAST.

“Even though we build over a hundred lures for freshwater fishing, most of us are saltwater junkies at heart,” admits Shane Clevenger, Creative Director for the coastal Charleston, South Carolina company.

“We’re surrounded by freshwater bass meccas like Santee-Cooper, Hartwell and Murray—and we spend plenty of time on those lakes,” adds Clevenger. “But given the freedom to cast anywhere, many of us launch along the Intracoastal Waterway and sling ElaZtech baits for redfish or seatrout. Even if we’re just testing or fine tuning a new Z-Man lure, having so many saltwater opportunities near the office provides a constant temptation. It’s all strictly in the name of research, of course.”

Not that Z-Man expected to win two New Product Showcase awards at the 2022 ICAST show. “But admittedly, we put a lot of heart and soul into our saltwater creations,” said Clevenger. “I guess you could say the ICAST wins validate all the passion and fishing time we put into our baits. Most days, we’re just out to catch fish with stuff that works, like every other angler on the water.”

Proving Clevenger’s point that Z-Man’s tackle architects carry street cred with the fishing media and tackle buyers—as well as everyday anglers— the company recently won ICAST awards for Best Saltwater Lure and Best Terminal Tackle. For the first time in company history, Z-Man earned Best of Show trophies for new products in two separate categories—both geared toward, though not necessarily exclusive to, saltwater.

Z-Man Kicker CrabZ™ (Best of Show – Saltwater Soft Lure) – The creation of Z-Man president and avid saltwater angler, Daniel Nussbaum, the Kicker CrabZ is perhaps the first soft crab bait that accurately mirrors the sideways-swimming antics of a live, snackable crustacean. Amid an abundance of crab lures with super-realistic physical features, the 3.5” Kicker CrabZ goes beyond the shell, giving anglers an active crab swimbait. Unlike most crab lures made to soak stationary on the bottom, the new Kicker CrabZ can be cast and actively retrieved or jigged and dragged along the bottom— single paddletail claw waving behind the crab’s body in that familiar, true-to-life motion.

“We’ve been playing with the idea of a side-swimming crab lure for the past five years,” noted Nussbaum. “To finally bring this product to life and witness its efficiency and appeal in inshore applications has been tremendously satisfying.”

During extensive test-fishing, Nussbaum said the Kicker CrabZ accounted for seven different species, including largemouth bass. “Suffice to say, we’re especially excited to hear from our customers and learn all about its other applications as the lure comes to market,” he added. “Honestly, winning the Best Saltwater Soft Lure award is just icing on the cake.”

The Z-Man DieZel Eye Jighead won ICAST's Best of Show in new Terminal Tackle.

Z-Man DieZel Eye™ Jighead (Best of Show – Terminal Tackle) – Another elite collaborative effort between good friends at Z-Man and Eye Strike Fishing™, the DieZel Eye Jighead brings out the best in bigger 5+ inch ElaZtech® soft plastics, a glove-like match for the popular DieZel MinnowZ™ swimbait. Leading with colorful, predator-taunting eyeballs, the DieZel Eye jighead features a sticky-sharp 6/0 or 8/0 black nickel hook in 3/8- to 3-ounce sizes.

Exceptional among big-bait jigheads, each DieZel Eye arms itself with a cutting-edge Tri-Forge Power Hook. Forged on three sides, the specialized hook is significantly stronger than traditional two-sided hooks. The refined forging process also allows for use of a thinner gauge wire than the hooks on standard big bait jigheads, yielding superior hookpoint penetration.

“We’re honored to win this award for another cooperative project between Eye Strike and our friends at Z-Man,” said Dave Fladd, co-owner of Eye Strike Fishing. “Beginning with our proven concept that predators strike the eye, the DieZel Eye Jigheads give anglers a bulletproof tool for rigging and presenting bigger ElaZtech baits, including 5- and 7-inch DieZel MinnowZ.

The DieZel Eye Jighead is built to tame big ElaZtech plastics and the predators that attack 'em.

“Receiving recognition from the fishing industry really validates the power of combining the brainpower and fishing expertise of two great companies,” adds Fladd. “ElaZtech baits and Eye Strike Jigs together are definitely greater than the sum of their parts.”

In response to strong angler demand, Z-Man plans to ship the Kicker CrabZ, DieZel Eye Jighead and all other New-for-2023 Products to outdoor retailers by August/September—ample time to tap fall bites nationwide.

by AnglersChannel

Fresh Off Hosting MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Lake Champlain Now Readies for Toyota Series Event

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Aug. 3, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, can’t get enough of Upstate New York. After just wrapping up an extremely successful Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event on Monday, the league is making its final preparations for another big tournament on Lake Champlain next week – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake Champlain Presented by BoatLogix , Aug. 9-11, in Plattsburgh. The three-day bass fishing tournament is the second of three regular-season events for the Toyota Series Northern Division.

The tournament will showcase a field of the best regional bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize package of up to $75,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor, in the co-angler division, and valuable points to qualify for November’s 2022 Toyota Series Championship.

“I think things are changing, and we’re going to see the lake quite a bit different for this Toyota Series event than we saw during the Pro Circuit event,” said Favorite Fishing pro Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, who has two top-10 finishes on Lake Champlain in MLF competition – including a 4th place finish in the Pro Circuit event earlier this week. “It’ll be a lot of the same type of techniques – drop-shotting and Livescoping for smallmouth, but I also think that a lot more largemouth will be in play.”

Becker said that he believes the largemouth will play a bigger role in this event due to two factors – more time to practice, and some strong local anglers that will be among the competitors.

“On the Pro Circuit, you’ve only got two days to practice, so you can’t explore a lot of options. It’s kind of pick an area, pick out a couple of things, and your two days is over,” Becker explained. “On the Toyota Series, with 3, 4, 5 days of practice, guys can explore a little more. And there are also some very strong local sticks in this event – I know (Hinesburg, Vermont’s) Bryan Labelle has been absolutely crushing largemouth this year.”

Becker said that he expects the weights to be pretty similar to the Pro Circuit event.

“I think you’re going to need to average around 18 pounds a day to make the final day of competition,” Becker said. “To win, it’s going to take more than 60 pounds over the three days. I predict the winner will have 63 or 64 pounds in this one. Someone could win with straight largemouth or straight smallmouth, but I think the winner is most likely going to be weighing in mixed bags.”

Anglers will launch each morning at 6 a.m. ET from the Plattsburgh City Marina, located at 5 Dock St. in Plattsburgh. Weigh-ins will also be held at marina, beginning at 2 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.

The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Southern, Southwestern Presented by Outlaw Ordnance and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordnance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Sixth Annual Females In Fisheries Conservation Scholarships Awarded

August 2, 2022

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The sixth annual Noreen Clough Memorial Scholarships for Females in Fisheries have been awarded to Iowa State University student Madeline Lewis of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Noel Schmitz, of Sparta, Wis., who is studying at The Ohio State University.

Noreen Clough blazed many trails in the field of fisheries. As the first female regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and later as the B.A.S.S. Conservation Director, her distinguished career was dedicated to the conservation and management of fish and wildlife. Clough passed away in January 2015. As a tribute, friends and colleagues established an endowment to provide a scholarship for female students working toward a career in fisheries conservation.

Madeline Lewis.png

Lewis earned her master’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Management at Montana State University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Fisheries Biology at Iowa State University.

“My family didn’t fish growing up but moved to a house on a lake before I left for college,” Lewis explained. “I bought a cheap rod-and-reel package and taught myself how to bass fish through trial and error. The satisfaction of finally figuring out those fish was what first got me interested in fishing. A few years later, I was working on a guest ranch in Montana for the summer and learned how to fly fish, which got me even more into fishing. After that, I changed my major to fisheries, transferred to the University of Montana for undergrad, and my life has revolved around fish and fisheries ever since.”

Her current research involves evaluating population and movement dynamics of walleye and muskellunge in two Iowa reservoirs to better understand how escapement, natural mortality and harvest mortality regulate sportfish populations. Lewis plans on graduating in spring 2025 and hopes to pursue a career as a state or federal research biologist.

Noel Schmitz.jpg Prior to starting her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Schmitz was part of the American Fisheries Society's prestigious Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program. As a Hutton Scholar, Schmitz completed an internship at La Crosse Fish Health Center, part of the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Schmitz's thesis research is focused on climate-change-induced stressors, such as increased water temperature and hypoxia, impacting predator-prey interactions between smallmouth bass and invasive round gobies in the western basin of Lake Erie. She will be working on this project next summer as well to complete her master’s degree at The Ohio State University in December 2023. After finishing school, Schmitz plans to move home to Wisconsin to begin a career as a fisheries biologist with a natural resource agency.

Gene Gilliland, B.A.S.S. conservation director, noted, “Both of these young women have a bright future in fisheries, but in addition to their academic strengths, they stood out from many of the other applicants because they were avid anglers.”

Gordon Robertson, retired vice president of government affairs for the American Sportfishing Association and a long-time colleague of Noreen’s added, “Noreen put a high value on lessons learned from recreational fishing from both a resource understanding and appreciation perspective, but also from a perspective of understanding anglers and how they think and react to resource and social issues.”

Lewis and Schmitz will each be awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Southern Division American Fisheries Society Black Bass Conservation Committee to be used for college expenses.

by AnglersChannel

McKendree University Wins MLF Wiley X College Faceoff at Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 2, 2022) – The McKendree University team of Kyle Hopping, Evan Sutton, Jaxson Freeman and Harmon Marien, won the Major League Fishing (MLF) Wiley X College Faceoff at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Saturday. The Bearcats bass club boated 19 bass weighing 39 pounds, 9 ounces to win the second Wiley X College Faceoff Event of the 2022 season and earn the win by a 12-pound, 12-ounce margin over Purdue University.

The five teams that competed in the Wiley X College Faceoff at the Mississippi River finished:

1^st: McKendree University – Kyle Hopping, Evan Sutton, Jaxson Freeman and Harmon Marien, 19 bass, 39-9
2^nd: Purdue University – William Bruin, Ross Carter, Mason Bohland and Brady Metzger, 14 bass, 30-13
3^rd: University of Iowa – Gannon Courtright, Pierce Knarr, Eli Johnson and Ryan Lowe, eight bass, 18-1
4^th: University of Missouri – Brett Hurst, Hayden Moore, Luke Noel and Brian Walkup, five bass, 16-10
5^th: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Clay Dailey, Adam Rogge, Isaac Thompson and Ryan Van Cuick, five bass, 9-1

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Wiley X College Faceoffs are single-day tournaments where competitors fish in an MLF-style catch, weigh, immediate-release team format at each event. The College Faceoff tournaments occur the Saturday following an Abu Garcia College Fishing competition, on the same body of water. The results from the College Fishing tournament the previous day determine the 20 competitors for the Wiley X College Faceoff, with the top two teams (four anglers) from the top five schools in the regular season tournament qualifying to fish in the ten-boat faceoff the following day.

The Wiley X College Faceoff tournament on the Mississippi River was the second of four Faceoff events for MLF collegiate anglers in 2022. The next Faceoff event for college anglers will take place on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio.

MLF College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open will advance to the following season’s National Championship. The location for the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship will be announced soon.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Crankbait Supremecy

The new Ever Green ZR-4 is destined to become your go-to bass bait

Cypress, CA (August 2, 2022) – Mindful crankbait anglers know all lures are not created equal. Inevitably, in-boat where anglers are throwing different baits, one rises to the top. Sometimes it’s the color. More often, however, it’s the standout lure’s more refined and compelling action that earns preferred and indisputable results. Ever Green’s new ZR-4 is that exceptional crankbait… right out of the box.

Engineered by Japan’s most advanced lure makers, every millimeter of the ZR-4 was carefully conceived to serve a purpose. Outwardly, you’ll first notice the bait’s idyllic profile, emulating the shape of baitfish and edible juvenile fish worldwide. To that, Ever Green sculpted the body with great accuracy to include detailed eyeballs, scale patterns, and gills. Now detail at that level might not matter when burning a crankbait, but it certainly comes into play on slower retrieves and pauses, especially in clear conditions and on pressured fish.

Ever Green ZR-4 (PRE SPAWN DYNAMITE)

And that’s just the beginning. Details abound to empower the lure’s locomotion. For one, the ZR-4 features a hybrid square and concave bill. The squaring elicits a tight action that also deflects off structure like timber and rocks. The curvature displaces more water than a traditional bill, causing more disruption in the water and a faster dive to its prescribed 4-to-5-foot range.

The ZR-4’s unique bumped head and tapered tail were also orchestrated for an exclusive and precise action. Rare to find another crankbait body that’s better designed to produce a common goal: immaculate action.

ZR-4’s color patterns are equally sophisticated. On the bluegill the pattern Green Pumpkin Gill, for example, airbrushed colors layer into one another, precisely as they’d appear on the real thing. Ever Green’s ten-color palette includes classic bass-catching hues as well as novel combinations. Patterns include Olive Crawdad, Glow Shad Dazzler, Flash Wakasagi, Magic Gill, Green Pumpkin Gill, Citrus Chart, Cold Shad and Olive Copper Shad.

Ever Green also includes fixed weights inside the ZR-4’s body to lower the center of gravity. The result is a longer-and-straighter-casting crankbait that tracks in perfect position on the retrieve. Finally, the ZR-4 includes an offset hook on the front treble to prevent snags.

Say hello to the crankbait that’ll soon become the standout in your boat.

COLD SHAD

GLOW SHAD DAZZLER

OLIVE COPPER SHAD

CITRUS CHART

FLASH WAKASAGI

FIRE CRAW

OLIVE CRAWDAD

MAGIC GILL

GREEN PUMPKIN GILL

FEATURES:

Length: 2.8” (7.2cm)
Weight: 11/16 oz (19.5g)
Dives 4-5 feet
Tight and precise action
Fixed weights for lower gravity to improve casting and tracking
Offset front treble hook to reduce snagging
Bump head and tapered tail for premium action
Exquisite details include accurate eyeballs, gills, and scale patterns
10 unique fish-catching patterns
MSRP: $18.99

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us.

by AnglersChannel

Darold Gleason’s picks for summer’s dog days

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

These are the days when temps soar so high even small dogs like Rowdy Gleason look for a cool slab of concrete to lay their bellies on.

His ‘dad’ Darold Gleason wouldn’t mind doing the same, but he gets paid to catch fish, not lay on the porch. So, what two lures does the Elite Series pro and famed Toledo Bend guide lean on to catch fish when the thermometer hits a hundred?

“Obviously, in the extreme heat of summer, you could go with a deep diving crankbait, big worm, or a football jig, but I chose two lures to help people catch fish in this heat, based on two factors – simplicity and versatility,” says Gleason.

“So Rowdy and I are choosing a V & M Baby Swamp Hog and a 4.5” Straight Shooter dropshot worm,” says the always comical Gleason, who was one of the very first anglers to register for Toyota’s Bonus Bucks program 14 years ago.

Baby Swamp Hog

“I can hook a Baby Swamp Hog on a Carolina Rig behind a 1-ounce egg weight and reach fish that are 20-25’ feet deep. But I can also pitch it around the shade of dock, as well as submerged vegetation,” he explains.

“Again, it’s versatile. A Gleason’s Candy colored 4” Baby Swamp Hog imitates everything from a crawfish to a bluegill, and it gets bites from big fish, even when it’s 100-degrees outside,” says Gleason, who has a wall full of 10-pound fiberglass replicas representing the many giant largemouth he’s caught from Toledo Bend.

4.5” V & M Straight Shooter finesse worm

“This choice might surprise some people, but the goal is to get bites during smokin hot conditions, and very few rigs in bass fishing generate more bites than a drop shot. If you don’t believe me, look at the front deck of nearly any pro’s boat, and you’ll see at least one drop shot rigged up everywhere we go on tour,” says the Yamaha pro.

“The Straight Shooter worm is super soft, so it’s loaded with action, but it also has a ton of salt, so fish hold on to it longer,” he adds.

Much like the Baby Swamp Hog, Gleason says he’ll cast a hot summer drop shot from docks to deep water. He adjusts the leader length between the hook and weight below depending on what habitat he’s fishing. He prefers 10” of line between hook and weight around docks, and more like 20” when fishing the deeper zones.

So while several options abound for dredging up summer bass by anglers brave enough to bear the heat, remember these two suggestions from Gleason as straight-up “bite getters” no matter how high the temp.

And remember, you can’t catch ‘em if you’re laying on the porch.

by AnglersChannel

Scholastic Anglers Head Back to School

Two top sticks – Trey McKinney and Jaxton Orr – talk about what it takes to win on the water and in the classroom

PARK FALLS, Wisc. (August 2, 2022) - Many passionate anglers over a certain age lament a particular foregone opportunity. Today, scholastic angling is hot; high schools, colleges and universities across the country have well-organized bass-fishing teams that provide incredible opportunities for young anglers to compete on the water while advancing their knowledge and skills. It’s a great thing for both the fishing industry and for those young people who participate, but it’s a fairly recent development. A lot of anglers over the age of 35 or so didn’t have the opportunities that 17-year-old Trey McKinney and 19-year-old Jaxton Orr enjoy today. That said, they probably don’t have these incredible anglers’ skills either.

As scholastic anglers prepare to head back to the classroom this month, we sat down with McKinney, a home-schooled matriculating high school senior, and Orr, who’ll be a sophomore at fishing-powerhouse Carson-Newman University, for some Q&A.

TREY MCKINNEY

Young-gun Trey McKinney has flat-out earned his success and accolades in competitive bass fishing. The 17-year-old angler from Goreville, Illinois has already been fishing competitively for eight years and has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments including three junior division national championships and the Next Generation Championship. McKinney garnered national acclaim by becoming the first-ever angler to win both the B.A.S.S. and FLW Junior Championships in the same year. While the popularity of competitive high-school fishing has exploded in recent years, the talented McKinney has never had access to a high-school team, so his primary support has come from other sources.

Q – How have you been able to compete and win so often without the support of a high school team?

A – It comes from my family and my faith. My mom, dad and other family members have always supported me and my fishing. We decided together that home schooling would be the best option for me to pursue my studies and my competitive angling, and that obviously took a big commitment on the part of my folks. Our family friend and my coach, Rick Cheatham, has also played a huge role in helping take my fishing to the next level. My family and Rick have always been there for me. They’ve given and taught me so much. That said, I know I’m where I’m at because I put my faith in God above everything else.

Q – You’ll be a senior this year, right? What does high school look like for you?

A – Yes, I’m finishing up my last year. Well, it’s like anything else. You have to put in the time to earn the results you want. It’s a great fit for my fishing because being home schooled provides some flexibility that other high-school anglers don’t have. I have ten books in each subject that I need to complete before the end of the school year. It’s something I’ve learned to manage pretty easily. I study and cross things off the list whenever I’m not fishing.

Q – Do you have a favorite subject?

A – I’d say science, in general. As an angler and bass fisherman, I’m often trying to unlock answers to questions that are real-life examples of biology, geography, geology, and chemistry. It works in my mind pretty well and all of it interests me.

Q – So far this season you’ve won back-to-back Phoenix Bass Fishing League Illini division events, right? Where are you at in that series and what are your goals moving forward?

A - There have been three events in that series so far, two at Lake Shelbyville and one at Rend Lake. I got sixth at the first event at Shelbyville and then won the last two. There are two more… one more regular qualifier on the Ohio River, then the two-day super tournament at Rend Lake, which earns double points. I won the Ilini super tournament on Shelbyville last year but didn’t make the cut at last year’s Phoenix BFL championship, so one of my primary short-term goals is to fish to my potential and hopefully win the Phoenix BFL Regional Championship on the Mississippi River, October 13-15 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this season.

Q - What else have you been fishing this season?

A – I put my foot in the door with the Toyota Series. I had boat trouble at Guntersville and ended up finishing 35^th there but made the cut at Dale Hollow and finished 18^th. It was awesome making it to the last day with all those other great anglers.

Q – What are your plans for this coming season?

A – This year will be super exciting. I’m going to try and fish either all nine MLF Toyota Series events or all the Bassmaster Opens. I haven’t decided yet.

Q - What are your plans beyond that? I’m sure a lot of collegiate programs would love to know if college in your future.

A – Ultimately, I want to earn a spot in the Bassmaster Elite Series, so it’s really hard for me to think past the Opens right now. There’s so many guys who can catch them on the Opens Series. You need help to do well and I’d be fishing a lot of lakes I’ve never been to. Versatility will be key. I really want to test myself in this arena now – during my last year of high school – to see where I stand. The Lord will decide. If I don’t meet my goal this year I may fish in college. In addition to the education, it’s a great way to get to compete with your travel and expenses covered. It’s a good opportunity for a lot of people… maybe for me… we’ll see. College is still on the table.

Q – What do you think you might study in college?

A – Likely marketing or business. Either degree would help me as a professional angler

Q – Give me three fishing rods you couldn’t live without.

A – Okay, the fun part of the interview. Dock talk is everywhere, but anglers really need to pick their own tools to catch their own fish on their own confidence baits. For me, there’s actually four rods I seem to be using all the time. For sensing/bottom contact presentations it’d be the St. Croix Legend Xtreme 7’4” heavy fast (XFC74HF) for heavier applications like Carolina and Texas rigging, jigs, etc. and the Legend X 7’ medium power, fast-action spinning rod (XLS70MF) for finesse tactics like shakey heads, dropshots and wacky rigs. For moving baits, I’m usually fishing either the BassX 7’2” medium-heavy power, moderate action (BAC72MHM) rod for most cranking and topwater baits, or the Mojo Bass Glass 7’2” heavy moderate (LGC74HM) for chatterbaits, bigger crankbaits or lipless cranks.

Q – What advice do you have for young anglers who want to fish competitively?

A - Everyone is different, so that’s a tough one. But I’d first point out that fishing is a mental sport. It requires setting high goals and then executing on those goals to succeed. Execute to your potential and you still may not win or reach your goal. That’s why it’s mental. Never stop and don’t let your losses or falling short bother you. You put in the time and maybe you were one fish short? Who cares. You take whatever you can from every experience and move forward. The Lord will always give you more options if you stay positive and keep working. Keep your head high and don’t let something or somebody bring you down. Critics come with success and you will always have them. Keep your own path straight and nothing else matters.

JAXTON ORR

Like McKinney, 19-year-old Jaxton Orr from Fort Wayne, Indiana didn’t have access to a high school fishing team. Now staring down the start of his sophomore year at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Orr earned his right to fish on one of the most dominant and talent-stacked collegiate fishing teams in the nation by virtue of his remarkable kayak-fishing tournament resume, which includes over 20 first-place finishes and dozens of top-tens in both national and local tournaments. And all of this in just a few short years of competitive fishing. Specifically, Orr won the 2017 Hobie Bass Open (youth division) on Kentucky Lake at 14 years of age and placed second in the prestigious 2020 Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) National Championship at Lake Guntersville, which included a field of many of the best kayak-bass anglers in the world. Despite his age, like McKinney, Orr is known as a feared competitor and a true hammer throughout the world of bass fishing.

Q – How did you get into fishing, Jaxton?

A – Fishing has always been in my family. My grandpa had the bug and gave it to my dad. From the time I was three or four, we’d go to ponds in the neighborhood and catch whatever we could. For as long as I can remember, it’s been my dream to pursue fishing as a career. I always wanted a bass boat, but my dad found a Hobie kayak for sale on Facebook and bought it for me. The guy we bought it from was on the Hobie fishing team and he told my dad and me about a local Indiana kayak tournament trail. We started fishing them together and everything just kind of took off from there. Once I got into the kayak-fishing community, which is so extremely supportive, I knew this is what I wanted to do.

Q - You’ve talked publicly in online forums about a recent health challenge. How are you feeling these days?

A - I truly believe there is a reason for everything and that I am always right where I am supposed to be. It's taken me a couple of weeks to wrap my mind around this, but I am having some medical issues that are preventing me from travel, long car rides and just sitting for long periods of time in general. We’re getting it figured out though and I continue to have faith. I’ve been advised not to travel or sit down for more than four or five hours, but I’m told I’ll be back in the saddle within the next month or so. I believe God has seen me undergo much struggle this year – both mentally and physically – and is using this time for me to focus on my health, to take inventory of my many blessings, to get closer to Him.. and also to work and to fish out of a boat – not the kayak I’m most comfortable in – several times a week to get better and hone my skills in those areas that I am weakest in.

Q - You’re going to be a sophomore at Carson-Newman University, right? How’s that going?

A - Coming out of Indiana, high school fishing wasn’t as accessible as it is in some other states. I’m really enjoying being a part of this talented team. It’s nice to share the same passion with my teammates and learn from them. They’ve helped make me better mentally and physically. Coach Hunter Sales is super organized and our kayak coach Jacob Frazier is great, too. It’s nice to be able to just focus on fishing while they figure out all the monetary stuff. I’ve never had that opportunity before.

Q - How are you balancing school and fishing?

A – Pretty good. Besides the caliber of my teammates and coaches, I chose Carson-Newman University because of its location and facilities. We’ve got these boat barns right on campus, so it’s easy to grab the boat and head to the lake and go fishing even when you don’t have much time. Cherokee is only five minutes away and Douglas is only about 20. So overall, the environment makes it pretty easy to balance fishing with the academic side. I’m a business marketing major and have enjoyed most of my classes. My favorite last year was history. In addition to being able to fish competitively and gain all that great angling experience, the whole idea behind me going to college was to gain knowledge and an education that will help support me in the fishing industry moving forward.

Q - You’ve proven you can catch bass consistently. What do you believe your strengths are as an angler?

A - Probably finding fish… and having that mindset that you fish hard until the very end. Competitive angling quickly teaches… over and over again… that no matter how far ahead or behind you are it’s never over until it’s over. Your last 30 minutes on the water can deliver a win as long as you believe you can win and keep your mind in the game. Preparation and finding fish always helps, and that’s something I feel like I’m pretty good at. I enjoy the process of researching fisheries on Google Earth; it's like solving a puzzle, or at least preparing to solve a puzzle where the pieces are weather, water temperature, structure, cover, forage and various other forms of biology and geography. I also enjoy using today’s modern fishing electronics. As far as my actual fishing goes, my confidence lures tend to be stickbaits and anything Texas rigged.

Q – St. Croix Rod is one of your sponsors. Tell me what’s so special about that company and give me a couple of their rods that you always have with you.

A – St. Croix was one of the first major companies that noticed me. From the start, they treated me like family, which is something you hear a lot about with respect to the St. Croix brand and people, but it’s true. Beyond that, I love that it’s an American company and their rods are amazing fishing tools. I still fish a lot of their Mojo Bass rods, but I’d say my favorite two St. Croix rods are the Victory 7’1” medium-heavy power, fast action casting rod and the Legend X 6’10” medium-light power, extra-fast action spinning rod. St. Croix calls that Victory model “The Grunt” because there’s almost nothing that rod won’t do. And that Legend X medium light… for me it’s just the ultimate dropshot and finesse rod… incredibly light and sensitive with awesome backbone when you need it.

Q - What are your short and long-term fishing goals?

A – Besides contributing to my team’s success and continued work on my charity fishing tournaments, I’d say mainly kayak fishing on the Hobie BOS. That series is very well run and consistently attracts the best kayak anglers in the world, so I’d like to fish as many of their events next season as I can.

Q – Did I hear correctly that you bought a bass boat?

A – I did. I’ve been working on it this summer and am trying to get it ready to fish some BFLs next year… maybe a Bass Open, too.

Q – You are such a busy young man, yet you still make a deliberate choice to help others. Tell me about your annual charity tournament.

A – It’s called KATCH, which stands for Kayak Anglers Together Can Help. It’s an annual catch, photo and release tournament I started in 2018 with my dad’s help. We had 47 anglers that first year and raised almost $1000 for charity. We got a bunch more sponsors in 2019 and had 137 anglers and raised $3000 for charity and it has continued to grow in the two years since. My name is on the tournament, but this is something the entire kayak-angling community has come together to support and make possible. I’m working on some of the details of this year’s tournament, which will be sometime in September or October.

Q – Anything else you’d like the fishing industry or other anglers to know about Jaxton Orr?

A – Just that I couldn’t feel more blessed or proud to be a part of the kayak-fishing community. I consider all of you a part of my family. I am also so incredibly thankful for all of my amazing sponsors, including St. Croix Rod, for all that they have done to help support me and to get me to where I am. I wouldn’t be here today without the support of all of them. As a 19 year old, I really couldn’t be more blessed. You may not see may name on the leaderboards right now, but I promise I’m getting this health issue figured out and I'll be back very soon and stronger than ever.

If you are an aspiring high school or collegiate angler and want to learn more about the St. Croix Rod Scholastic Program, please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Scholastic”.

by AnglersChannel

Kyle Hall Wins Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain

Granbury Pro Weighs in 21-6 on Final Day to Earn First Major Career Win and Top Prize of $135,000

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Aug. 1, 2022) – The anticipation was palpable at the weigh-in on Championship Monday, with anglers, their families and fishing fans on the edge of their seats after the final day of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X in Plattsburgh, New York. When the MLF NOW! livestream concluded, the unofficial results showed three pros tied at the top of the leaderboard with 21 pounds even – Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, Jon Canada of Helena, Alabama and Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas – all in the race and in solid contention for the top payout of up to $135,000.

In typical fashion, Chris Jones – the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit emcee – called for the pros’ bass one at a time, among murmurs and exclamation from the crowd in attendance, as brown, foot-ball sized Champlain smallmouths were placed on the scales. As the scales settled, a multitude of expressions crossed the anglers’ faces, but it was Hall who came out on top, narrowly edging out Canada by 1-ounce to take home his first MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit win and earn the top payout of $135,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus.

Hall, who led three of the four days of competition, weighed in 21 pounds, 6 ounces on the final day, giving him a 1-ounce margin over Canada, who brought a limit to the scales weighing 21-5, good for second place. Ebare, long-time friend and traveling companion of Hall, finished the day in third place with a limit weighing 21-1.

“Out on the water, my scales said I had a pound less than I actually had, so I didn’t think I had enough to beat those guys,” said Hall. “I had seen some of their fish and knew Jon had a 5-pounder. Dakota said he had 21 pounds, so I figured I was out of it for sure.”

Hall and Ebare began traveling to tournaments together in 2016 and said they have become more like brothers over the years. Hall said the two friends spent 59 days together on northern fisheries, including Lake Champlain, in 2018, just to be on the water and learn to fish for smallmouths.

“Dakota and I spent every day on the water that we could during those two months, and it’s that time on the water that I credit to this win and the other successful tournaments I’ve had up here,” Hall said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have a win on the Toyota Series before, and I know how close Dakota has come, so many times, so it was a little gut-wrenching to be in that tight of contention with him. I would have been just as happy for him to win one, but I was kicking myself in the weigh-in line for some of the decisions I’d made through the day.”

Hall said he spent the day haunting one of the same spots he’d been on all week, drop-shotting and throwing a Strike King 3X ElazTech Baby Z Too Soft Jerkbait, but said what varied in the Championship Round was his approach.

“I’d been hitting another area early and getting a quick limit, but I started today on a deep spot that has been playing well in the afternoons and caught a 4-pounder pretty quick. After that I drifted down the ledge a couple miles, but all I really did was waste time,” Hall laughed. “I fired up my engine about 12:30 and ran back to where I caught the 4-pounder and I was catching fish on every drop, as fast as I could. All I could think when I was sitting in that weigh-in line was how much time I wasted drifting away from the winning spot, and how that had cost me the win.”

But it didn’t cost Hall the win, or the coveted trophy, or the $135,000 paycheck and his hard work, positive mindset and perseverance paid off.

“I’ve been disappointed all year because I was having a terrible season, but I came here with the specific goal of winning this event and knowing I have what it takes to do well on this fishery, so to get it done feels great.”

The top 10 pros at the Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain finished:

1^st:           Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, five bass, 21-6, $135,000
2^nd:          Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., five bass, 21-5, $30,000
3^rd:          Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 21-1, $25,000
4^th:           Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 18-13, $20,000
5^th:           Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo., five bass, 18-7, $19,000
6^th:           Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., five bass, 18-7, $18,000
7^th:           Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., five bass, 16-6, $17,000
8^th:           Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 12-0, $16,000
9^th:           Alex Davis of Albertville, Ala., five bass, 11-12, $15,000
10^th:        Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., zero bass, 0-0, $14,000

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 45 bass weighing 159 pounds, 9 ounces caught by 9 pros Monday. The catch included nine five-bass limits.

Reese experienced mechanical issues on the way back to the weigh-in, resulting in a late check-in and the disqualification of his weight on Championship Monday. The General Tire pro finished the event in 10^th place and earned a payout of $14,000.

The four-day Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X was hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau. The event will premiere September 3 on the CBS Sports Network.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 154 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to Sunday, then only the top 10 pros, based on cumulative weight from the first three days, continued competition on Championship Monday, where weights were zeroed, and the winner was determined by the heaviest weight from the final day of competition.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X marked the sixth and final regular-season event of the year for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me.

Pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, clinched the 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler of the Year title Sunday, after finishing the event in 15^th place. Neal will receive his entry fees paid for the entire 2023 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit season for his win.

Pro Nick Hatfield of Greeneville, Tennessee, clinched the Polaris 2022 Rookie of the Year (ROY) award on Saturday, which is awarded to the rookie pro angler who finishes the season with the highest point total. For his efforts, Hatfield won a Polaris Ranger 1000.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2022 TITLE will be on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York on Aug. 16-21, and is hosted by the Town of Massena.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Fuel Me, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Minnesota’s Dover-Eyota High School Wins MLF High School Fishing Open on the Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 1, 2022) – The Dover-Eyota High School team of Brady Grupa of La Crescent, Minnesota, and Treyton Thesing of Eyota, Minnesota, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 14 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at the Mississippi River.

A field of 44 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from Stoddard Park in Stoddard, Wisconsin. In MLF and The Bass Federation (TBF) High School Fishing competition, the top 10% of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top four teams that advanced to the 2022 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1st: Dover-Eyota High School, Eyota, Minn. – Brady Grupa, La Crescent, Minn., and Treyton Thesing, Eyota, Minn., five bass, 14-5
2nd: Kaneland High School, Maple Park, Ill. – J.D. McBroom, Saint Charles, Ill., and Carter Pjesky, Sugar Grove, Ill., five bass, 12-3
3rd: Northeast Wisconsin Bass Club – Charlie Klug, Stevens Point, Wis., and John Kriz, Neenah, Wis., five bass, 11-9
4th: Oregon High School, Oregon, Wis. – Cameron Gates and Nick Schaefer, both of Oregon, Wis., five bass, 11-0

Rounding out the top 10 teams are:

5th: Century High School, Bismarck, N.D. – Ryan Bullinger and Logan Bullinger, both of Bismarck, N.D., four bass, 10-13
6th: Anacoco High School, Anacoco, La. – Caleb Taylor and Chase Taylor, both of Anacoco, La., five bass, 9-12
7th: McCracken County High School, Paducah, Ky. – Camden Baker and Harley Valerius, both of Paducah, Ky., four bass, 9-9
8th: Caledonia High School, Caledonia, Minn. – Kody Schroeder and Eric Welscher, both of Caledonia, Minn., five bass, 9-2
9th: Bangor High School, Bangor, Wis. – Mason Buehler, Bangor, Wis,. and Bradyn Glasspoole, Rockland, Wis., four bass, 7-12
10th: Broken Bow High School, Broken Bow, Okla. – Jace Anderson, Broken Bow, Okla., and Ty Downs, Newkirk, Okla., four bass, 7-3

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at the Mississippi River was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The next event for High School Fishing anglers will be the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open on Lake Erie, Sept. 10 in Sandusky, Ohio.

MLF High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10% of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, will advance to the 2023 High School Fishing National Championship. The 2023 MLF High School Fishing National Championship will be held in La Crosse on the Mississippi River, June 20-24, 2023, and is also hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

University of Nebraska Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on the Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 1, 2022) – The University of Nebraska-Lincoln duo of Logan Russell of Clarks, Nebraska, and Trevor Schleich of Lincoln, Nebraska, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the Mississippi River Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces. The victory earned the Cornhuskers’ bass club $2,000 and a slot in the 2023 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“We hit our first hole and didn’t have any bites, so we moved to an area that was in some backwater that had current,” Schleich said. “We caught two pretty good ones there and left that spot to go to another backwater area, and fished some hydrilla that had some current as well. And that turned out to be the pattern we found – we needed to be in current, or at least have it nearby.”

Schleich said the team caught 10 fish during the course of the day, six of which were keepers. He said the pair used a variety of baits, but the largest bass came on flipping jigs and football-head jigs fished in seven to eight feet of water. The pair threw what Schleich described as “Junk Fishing 101” - a mixture of square-bill crankbaits, frogs, Fluke-style baits, Texas-rigs and drop-shot rigs to fill their limit.

“Later in the day, we had our limit and only had about an hour and a half left, so we went back to the main river and our first spot, and we caught our last fish – a 5-pounder,” Schleich said. “That culled our smallest fish and punched our ticket to finish as strong as we did.

“We just went out and had a good time, and really, this win feels pretty dang good,” Schleich added.

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2023 College Fishing National Championship are:

1st: University of Nebraska-Lincoln – Logan Russell, Clarks, Neb., and Trevor Schleich, Lincoln, Neb., five bass, 16-9, $2,000
2nd: Adrian College – Griffin Fernandes, McCordsville, Ind., and Hayden Scott, Ann Arbor, Mich., five bass, 16-0, $1,000
3rd: Northeastern State University-Tahlequah – Levi Juby and Cooper Park both of Sperry, Okla., five bass, 15-9, $500
4th: University of Montevallo – Logan Plueger, Augusta, Ga., and Charlie Wright, Becker, Minn., five bass, 15-7, $500
5th: University of Missouri – Brett Hurst, Helena, Mont., and Hayden Moore, Sapulpa, Okla., five bass, 14-4, $500
6th: University of Iowa – Gannon Courtright, Fairfield, Iowa, and Pierce Knarr, Markesan, Wis., five bass, 13-15
7th: University of Iowa – Eli Johnson, McGregor, Iowa, and Ryan Lowe, Grinnell, Iowa, five bass, 13-14
8th: Illinois Central College – Brady Barth, Bartonville, Ill., and Nicholas Howell, Peoria, Ill., five bass, 13-14
9th: Emmanuel College – Easton Lindus, Woodville, Wis., and Matthew Zdrazil, Crawfordville, Fla., five bass, 13-12
10th: University of Wisconsin-Stout – Bryce Dallas, Fall Creek, Wis., and Camden Trautlein, Eau Claire, Wis., five bass, 13-5

MLF also advances one additional team to the National Championship for every 10 teams over 100 that compete. A total of 124 teams participated in this event, so also advancing to the 2023 College Fishing National Championship are:

11th: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Nate Boenning, Waukesha, Wis., and Nathan Krause, Phelps, Wis., five bass, 13-5
12th: McKendree University – Kyle Hopping, Lake St. Louis, Mo., and Evan Sutton, Highland, Ill., five bass, 13-3

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the Mississippi River was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments for Central Conference anglers. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake Erie, Sept. 9 in Sandusky, Ohio.

by AnglersChannel

Shimano Ingenuity Captures Two Honors at ICAST 2022

Stella FK and Spheros SW Combo Enhance Angling Excellence Across Wide-Ranging Global Fisheries

Shimano is no stranger to the winner’s circle. In the New Product Showcase at ICAST 2022, Stella FK and Spheros SW Combo rose to the top of the Freshwater Reel and Rod & Reel Combo categories, capturing coveted hardware and industry accolades.

ICAST Best of Category: Freshwater Reel

Whenever Shimano introduces a new Stella, the industry takes notice. Outshining a field of baitcasting and spinning reels from top manufacturers in the most revered New Product Showcase category, the Stella FK spinning reel leverages premium technologies to enhance power and durability, drag performance and line management.

Shimano’s legacy of high-precision gear development continues to evolve within the all-new InfinityXross system. Distributing contact points over a larger surface area, InfinityXross delivers unrivaled gear durability to enhance reel performance and longevity. Passed down from Stella’s larger saltwater models, Infinity Drive features a unique low-friction bushing that decreases frictional resistance, delivering smoother and more powerful winding.

The Stella FK features a litany of advanced technologies and refined aesthetics, highlighted by Shimano’s new InfinityLoop line management system. Extending spool oscillation during the retrieve, InfinityLoop ensures the line lays as evenly as possible on the spool. InfinityLoop benefits anglers on every cast, as smooth and even line lay results in reduced friction as line leaves the spool, yielding dramatically enhanced casting distance.

A foundation of premium technologies supports all the best-in-class innovations that permeate the Stella FK family. A lightweight and robust magnesium HAGANE Body and a cold-forged HAGANE Gear fortify Stella FK for enhanced durability. No other spinning reel can claim a stronger legacy or a brighter future than the award-winning Stella FK.

ICAST Best of Catagory Stella.jpeg

Stella FK Features:

· InfinityXross

· InfinityLoop

· Infinity Drive

· Anti-Twist Fin

· DuraCross Drag

· MicroModule Gear II

· HAGANE Gear

· HAGANE Body

· Long Stroke Spool

· CI4+

· X-Protect

· X-Ship

· Titanium One-Piece Bail

Best of Category: Rod & Reel Combo

Further demonstrating Shimano’s enduring passion and legacy of design and engineering excellence, the all-new Spheros SW Combo sets the new standard for best-in-class rod and reel combos with four models delivering a remarkable balance of performance and durability to a broad range of anglers and fishing styles.

High-quality graphite rods with tapered EVA handles and comfortable reel seats feature Fuji Aluminum Oxide guides allowing anglers to spool with monofilament or PowerPro braided line. Every Spheros SW Combo features a Spheros SW A reel, fortified with Shimano’s exclusive cold-forged HAGANE Gear for the smoothness and durability that saltwater anglers demand.

Drawing many of its design attributes from the flagship spinning reels, Spheros SW A integrates HAGANE Body technology to enhance rigidity and eliminate flexing, transforming angler inputs into more direct and effortless cranking power. Further improving winding torque under load, Infinity Drive and X-Ship technologies optimize the overall drive gear design for exceptionally smooth handle rotation and efficient power transmission.

Immune to harsh saltwater environments, Spheros SW A spinning reels feature X-Protect and X-Shield technologies to keep water and fine contaminants from disrupting the internal components of the reel. Shimano also incorporates sealed S A-RB bearings to eliminate the possibility of salt or sand inhibiting the bearing’s rotation. The Spheros SW Combo offers an amazing collection of benefits that are key for so many saltwater anglers, offering unparalleled versatility and a virtually endless range of applications.

ICAST Best of Category Combo

Spheros SW Combo Features:

· HAGANE Gear

· HAGANE Body

· X-Ship

· Infinity Drive

· CoreProtect

· S A-RB Bearings

· Cross Carbon Drag

· X-Protect

· X-Shield

Synonymous with excellence, Shimano’s legacy of design and manufacturing supremacy continues with the ICAST New Product Showcase award-winning Stella FK and Spheros SW Combo.

by AnglersChannel

Registration For 2022 Bassmaster High School Fishing Combine Ends Friday

The 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine presented by Skeeter will be held in Decatur, Ala., Sept. 16-18, giving high school anglers an opportunity to showcase their skills to college fishing coaches.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

August 1, 2022

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — High school students interested in pursuing fishing at the college level have until Friday, August 5 to register for the 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine presented by Skeeter.

The Combine returns to Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Sept. 16-18 for a weekend combining skills challenges and recruiting visits in hopes of reeling in college fishing scholarship money. The first Combine generated more than $2.6 million in scholarship offers.

“These high school anglers represent some of the finest athletes in the country, and it took the same drive and commitment to get here as it does to excel in any sport,” said Abu Garcia Vice President of Marketing Communications Marc Kemper. “They truly represent the ethos of Abu Garcia — Fish to Win.”

Only schools offering bass fishing scholarships were invited to the inaugural High School Combine, and coaches from 19 colleges attended. The experience offered young anglers and college coaches a chance to leverage rare face time to find the best fit for students ready to further both their education and their fishing at the next level.

“The Combine has given me the opportunity to meet and recruit anglers that I would've never been able to evaluate otherwise,” said Campbellsville University coach Tony Miracle. “It also gives kids the opportunity to meet and talk to universities and coaches that they never would've had the chance to meet. It's an unbelievable opportunity for both sides.

“I signed two anglers from last year’s Bassmaster High School Combine and am excited to get them on campus and start their journey. I'm also recruiting several high school juniors for next year. I absolutely will be back this year. I wouldn't miss it!”

The Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine presented by Skeeter will be a three-day event where anglers will perform multiple tasks to showcase their skills not only on the water but also display their knowledge of the sport as a whole. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. Each angler will accumulate points to determine an overall winner.

After the first day, colleges will have the opportunity to select anglers for a “second look” where they can further explore everything that angler has to offer and see if they would be the perfect fit for their fishing program.

Fifty-seven scholarship offers came out of the first-ever High School Combine, with many students signing with a university on-site. Overall winner Levi Thibodaux of Thibodaux, La., inked an offer to fish for the Louisiana State University-Shreveport Pilots and Coach Charles Thompson, while Justin Frey of Landisburg, Pa., took home the victory in Casting Accuracy as well as an offer to fish for Bethel University.

“I connected with two universities during the combine that both have fantastic programs at an elite level,” said Frey. “What separated them the most in my mind was that both coaches were awesome, caring individuals. I was ecstatic and very blessed to sign with an athletic scholarship from Bethel University thanks to Coach Garry Mason ... it’s been a dream come true.”

Prior to the combine, Frey was not being recruited by Bethel University, which was the first college in America to offer bass fishing scholarships and has claimed 11 national titles.

“B.A.S.S. is constantly looking for ways to grow the High School and College platforms and give young anglers opportunities to excel not only in the sport, but also in the industry,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager — College, High School and Junior. “The inaugural Bassmaster High School Combine was a great success, and we’re looking forward to growing this experience for both these high school anglers and the coaches who attend.”

Registration for the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine presented by Skeeter closes Friday, August 5. The $500 registration fee includes accommodations for two nights and all meals for the weekend.

by AnglersChannel

Scent and Smallmouth – Must have scent to get more bites

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS – July 27, 2022. Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Scott Dobson is a smallmouth catching machine. As a Michigan resident, Dobson has spent a great deal of time on big water lakes chasing smallmouth while he’s not on tour.

Dobson started fishing at the early age of five in a big sandpit pond at his aunt and uncle’s house. At the time he didn’t even know how to cast. Dobson recalls the event like it was yesterday… “My brother cast out a KNE Bass Stopper, a pre-rigged plastic worm, and that thing was so kinky I just kind of watched it floating there in the water. Out of nowhere, a largemouth came up, bit it, and I hooked it. I was so excited I ran back to the house with the fish still on the line.”

From that moment, Dobson was hooked on bass fishing. As a kid growing up in Trenton, Michigan his parents had a boat that they docked at the mouth of the Detroit River so he and his brother were able to fish off the pier and catch whatever would bite their line. In fact, that was the first time he caught smallmouth bass, and the fight is what kept him coming back.

In college at Michigan State University, Dobson and his best friend had a little aluminum boat they fished small local tournaments in and learned key smallmouth habits and patterns and also learned to sight fish and target shallow smallies. Since smallmouths are site feeders, Dobson shares that most anglers utilize soft plastics to catch them. Late winter and early spring are when you can catch the true trophy smallmouth.

BaitFuel Fish Attractant is the next generation of scent with the science to back it up. BaitFuel Fish Attractant gives other scents a run for their money, especially on the smallmouth scene. There is no better proving ground than in and around the Great Lakes.

“Adding BaitFuel to your smallmouth lineup is a no-brainer! Scent to smallmouth is like green pumpkin to a tube.”

Anglers have been using scent for years to lure in more bites from coffee to garlic and everything in between. However, BaitFuel Fish Attractant is the real deal. It is water activated, so to humans, there is no color or no smell, but to fish, it’s their flavor. If you want to watch your bites take off add a dab of BaitFuel Fish Attractant.

Dobson adds that as an angler he understands wanting to add one more element of appeal when fishing for smallmouth. He believes that element is scent. Give yourself that extra edge by adding BaitFuel Fish Attractant to your smallmouth arsenal.

“Use it as much as you can and don’t ever doubt yourself if it works or not. Be a user and love it”, Dobson proclaims.

BaitFuel Fish Attractant will also be infused into NetBait and Set the Hook plastics like the Drifter and the Tube. Dobson is especially excited to use them and highlights the LON Goby shade as it is a natural color that will appeal to the fish.

ABOUT BAITFUEL FISH ATTRACTANT

BaitFuel is a part of American Baitworks Co. and is propelling our sport forward with an increasing trajectory of growth.

American Baitworks Co. is an innovative American-based fishing tackle company that provides custom manufacturing of fishing lures and products for our customer’s specifications. Our family of brands includes BaitFuel, NetBait, Halo Fishing, Snag Proof, Scum Frog, Freedom Tackle, and STH Bait Co.

Our passion for fishing runs deep at American Baitworks Co. where our focus on innovation and advancing the sport of fishing never ends.

From our manufacturing and distribution center on the coast of Mississippi, USA, we want anglers of every level to have the best experience every time they’re on the water.

See the future of fishing scent technology of BaitFuel Fish Attractant updates at baitfuel.com

by AnglersChannel

Zenon Low-Profile Baitcast Reels – Abu Garcia’s Newest Casting Reels

New level premium low-profile reels created with avid anglers in mind

COLUMBIA, S.C. (August 1, 2022) – Designed for anglers who appreciate compact and lightweight reel design, the Zenon Low-Profile Casting Reels meet the mark in both responsiveness and decreased weight with the three models weighing in at a featherlight weight between 4.6-5.5oz. This family of reels continues to build on the quality of the Zenon Spinning reels and have been optimized for top-tournament winning performance right out of the box.

The Zenon lineup offers three different models: Zenon MG-LTX, which is the most finesse-focused, the Zenon MG-X, which is the ultimate lightweight performance reel, and the Zenon X, which delivers power in a light, aluminum design.

Zenon MG-LTX
The Zenon MG-LTX is the most finesse focused of the Zenon casting family featuring a spool that is 10% lighter and a smaller diameter than MG-X and X models. The Ceramalite spool bearings facilitate a more free and lower start up inertia making it the ideal choice for accurately casting lighter baits.

Key Features
• New A-SYM body design
• EXD concept design to maximize casting performance
• Finesse-focused Model
• 30mm spool
• Spool 10% lighter than other Zenon models
• Ceramalite bearings
• Weight: 4.6 oz
• Unique One Piece Aluminum Cross Brace
• 8 SS HPCR Bearings + 1 Roller Bearing
• Chip resistant paint finish
• Gear ratio available: 8.3:1 - 31IPT
• Max Drag: 12lbs

MSRP: $549.95
Available: July 2022

Zenon MG-X
The mid-tier reel in the Zenon lineup, the MG-X offers anglers an ultimate lightweight performance reel in a compact package. Weighing in at 5.1 ounces, the reel combines the EXD body design for improved castability and the new A-SYM body design with a smaller palm side plate for a more comfortable feel while fishing.

Key Features
• New A-SYM body design
• EXD concept to maximize casting performance
• One piece X-Mag Alloy frame
• 9 SS HPCR Bearings + 1 Roller Bearing
• Compact bent carbon handle
• 90 mm Carbon handle with oversized handle knobs
• Weight 5.1 oz
• SHS-Gear Ratio 8.3:1 - 32IPT
• Regular - Gear Ratio 6.8:1 - 27IPT
• Max Drag 15lbs

MSRP: $449.95
Available: July 2022

Zenon X
The Zenon X delivers power in a small, lightweight aluminum frame featuring the same A-SYM body design and EXD concept for unmatched castability. This workhorse model provides the ability to throw anything from finesse baits to small jigs and is equipped with 90mm aluminum handles and oversized knobs to provide comfort in a compact reel.

Key Features
• New A-SYM body design
• EXD concept to maximize casting performance
• X2 Craftic Alloy frame
• 8 SS HPCR Bearings + 1 Roller Bearing
• Carbon Matrix drag system
• 90mm Aluminum handle with oversized knobs
• Gear Ratios: Zenon X – 6.8:1 (27” per turn) • Zenon X-SHS – 8.3:1 (32” per turn)
• Max Drag: 15lbs
• Weight: 5.5 oz

MSRP: $349.95
Available: July 2022

by AnglersChannel

AnglersChannel.com Announces the August Awesomeness New Product Awards! - FINAL DAY TO VOTE ON ROUND 1

Now is the time for YOU to vote on what you think should be the hottest new product of the year!

Each year at the ICAST Fishing Trade Show, New Products are showcased for Media Members to vote on and decide what they think is the hottest New Product of the show.

We have turned the tables and now its YOUR turn to VOTE on what you think should be the New Product Showcase Winner!

Rules are simple. This is a bracket style voting format, divided into categories similar to what is used each year at ICAST.

We have narrowed this down to better fit our demographic, mainly freshwater.

For Round 1, simply vote for the product you like or are excited about in EACH bracket. THERE ARE MULTIPLE BRACKETS PER SECTION.

Voting will end Monday night August 1st for round 1, Winners will move on, the losers will go home.

Tuesday August 2nd, we will begin Round 2 and the voting will continue until we have a winner for each category.

Once we have come to a category winner then Overall Awesomeness Head to Head battle will begin until YOU, the fan, the viewer, the listener, the fisherman (or woman) decide who YOU Think is worthy enough to be named

THE ANGLERSCHANNEL AUGUST AWESOMENESS AWARD WINNER!

What’s in this for you, you ask? Each week and round we will randomly pick voters from each category for gift cards, swag, new products giveaways, etc… When the contest is over we will pile all the names into a Hat and the Big Bass Ninja himself will choose a Grandprize winner! (prize yet to be determined, but we can promise it will be AWESOME!

Vote here today!

by AnglersChannel

Kyle Hall Paces Final 10, Neal Clinches Second Consecutive AOY Title at MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (June 31, 2022) – Chasing the first major title of his career, pro Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, regained his lead on Day 3 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X on Sunday. Hall weighed in 19 pounds, 14 ounces to move his three-day total to 61 pounds, 9 ounces, giving him a 10-ounce lead over B&W Trailer Hitches pro Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who ended the day in second place with a three-day total of 60 pounds, 15 ounces.

Lake Champlain continues to show out for anglers across the board, including pro Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri, who maintained his third-place position with a limit weighing 19-4, good for a three-day total of 60-15. Favorite Fishing pro Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania,finished the day in fourth place with a limit weighing 20-3 to bring his three-day total to 60-13, while pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, brought a limit to the stage weighing 20-4 for a three-day total of 60-4 to round out the top five.

The top prize of up to $135,000 is ripe for the picking as the final 10 anglers resume competition tomorrow on Championship Monday, where weights are zeroed and the angler that catches the heaviest five-fish weight will be crowned the champion of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X.

Hall, who was the 2020 Pro Circuit Polaris Rookie of the Year, said he knew from the moment he saw the 2022 schedule that he would be hunting smallmouths on Lake Champlain, but the Texan never expected he would be leading the Top 10 into the Championship Round.

“I’ve had a terrible year, so it feels great to be sitting in first place going into the final day,” said Hall, who is going into his first Championship Round this season on the Pro Circuit. “If you had told me I’d be in first place after the third day of competition, I wouldn’t have believed you. I knew I had what it took, and I knew what to do and where to do it, but sometimes I’m a little stubborn.”

Hall said the difference this event is that he is forcing himself to sit and cover a lot of water on the trolling motor, instead of firing up his outboard and running to various areas across the lake.

“I’ve really only hit two spots this entire tournament, which is unusual for me,” Hall said. “I’m normally running and gunning but knew I couldn’t do that successfully at this event.

“I was going for 20 pounds today and caught 18 pounds pretty quick this morning, But, by 9 a.m., I couldn’t get another bite. I stayed on that spot until 12:30 – over three hours without a single bite – before running to my other area where I had success the first day. I fished there for 15 minutes and caught a 4½-pounder and three more that didn’t help, but that kicker fish made all the difference.”

While Hall said he plans to start the final day in the same location, he has several other places to fall back on if his primary spot dries up.

“My game plan tomorrow is to go stick it out on that spot because there are obviously big fish there and with the number of fish I saw today, compared to how many were there Friday, they are definitely loading up. I’ve just got to hunker down and sit on it like I’ve done on the other spot the last three days.”

The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition Monday on Lake Champlain are:

1^st:           Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 15 bass, 61-9
2^nd:          Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Okla., 15 bass, 60-15
3^rd:          Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo., 15 bass, 60-15
4^th:           Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa., 15 bass, 60-13
5^th:           Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 60-4
6^th:           Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., 15 bass, 59-13
7^th:           Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 15 bass, 58-9
8^th:           Alex Davis of Albertville, Ala., 15 bass, 57-12
9^th:           Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., 15 bass, 57-9
10^th:        Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 15 bass, 57-8

Anglers finishing 11^th through 50^th are:

11^th:        Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 57-7, $11,000
12^th:        Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va., 15 bass, 56-7, $11,000
13^th:        Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, 15 bass, 56-4, $11,000
14^th:        Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 55-13, $11,000
15^th:        Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 55-6, $11,000
16^th:        Evan Barnes of Dardanelle, Ark., 15 bass, 55-2, $11,000
17^th:        Nick Hatfield of Greeneville, Tenn., 15 bass, 54-14, $11,000
18^th:        Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Mich., 15 bass, 54-10, $11,000
19^th:        Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 54-9, $11,000
20^th:        Nick Lebrun of Bossier City, La., 15 bass, 54-5, $11,000
21^st:        Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 54-4, $10,500
22^nd:       Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., 15 bass, 54-4, $10,500
23^rd:       Lane Olson of Forest Grove, Ore., 15 bass, 53-12, $10,500
24^th:        Troy Stokes of Trenton, Mich., 15 bass, 53-12, $10,500
25^th:        Jim Moynagh of Shakopee, Minn., 15 bass, 53-8, $10,500
26^th:        David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., 15 bass, 53-7, $10,500
27^th:        Billy Hines of Vacaville, Calif., 15 bass, 53-1, $10,500
28^th:        Mark Rose of Wynne, Ark., 15 bass, 52-14, $10,500
29^th:        Jared McMillan of Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 52-13, $10,500
30^th:        Chris Lane of Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 52-9, $10,500
31^st:        Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., 15 bass, 52-6, $10,000
32^nd:       Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., 15 bass, 52-6, $10,000
33^rd:       Larry Nixon of Quitman, Ark., 15 bass, 52-4, $10,000
34^th:        Steve Lopez of Oconomowoc, Wis., 15 bass, 52-3, $10,000
35^th:        Tyler Stewart of Dubach, La., 15 bass, 52-0, $10,000
36^th:        Randy Howell of Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 51-15, $10,000
37^th:        Justin Cooper of Zwolle, La., 15 bass, 51-8, $10,000
38^th:        John Hunter of Shelbyville, Ky., 15 bass, 51-8, $10,000
39^th:        Corey Neece of Bristol, Tenn., 15 bass, 51-6, $10,000
40^th:        Jacob Wall of New Hope, Ala., 15 bass, 51-6, $10,000
41^st:        Chase Serafin of White Lake, Mich., 15 bass, 51-0, $10,000
42^nd:       Keith Carson of DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 50-15, $10,000
43^rd:       Kyle Gelles of Pingree, Idaho, 15 bass, 50-15, $10,000
44^th:        Matt Greenblatt of Port St. Lucie, Fla., 15 bass, 50-13, $10,000
45^th:        Miles Burghoff of Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 50-12, $10,000
46^th:        Jason Reyes of Huffman, Texas, 15 bass, 50-12, $10,000
47^th:        John Voyles of Petersburg, Ind., 15 bass, 50-10, $10,000
48^th:        Shonn Goodwin of Moore, Okla., 15 bass, 50-6, $10,000
49^th:        Braxton Setzer of Wetumpka, Ala., 15 bass, 47-5, $10,000
50^th:        Tim Frederick of Leesburg, Fla., 15 bass, 46-14, $10,000

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Anglers were also vying for the prestigious 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler of the Year (AOY) title that is determined by the most points accumulated over the six Pro Circuit events in 2022.

Reigning AOY Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, once again clinched the 2022 Pro Circuit AOY title Sunday, after ending the event in 15^th place. Neal overtook Josh Butler of Hayden, Alabama, who had a 14-point lead coming into the event, and now becomes the third pro in Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit history to win the AOY in consecutive years, joining Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee (2013, 2014) and David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia (2011, 2012). Neal will receive his entry fees paid for the entire 2023 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit season for his win.

“I came into the year with the goal of winning AOY again, and while the reality of that didn’t seem very possible, you’ve always got to have those types of goals in mind,” Neal said. “However, to actually win it and to be in the company of the other anglers that have achieved that goal – that’s pretty special.”

The Tennessee pro said he is ecstatic for the win but has no intention of letting up on the gas, and plans to finish out the season strong at the Pro Circuit TITLE on the St. Lawrence River next month in Massena, New York.

“A championship win is what my career is lacking at this point,” Neal continued. “I had a good finish on the St. Lawrence River at the TITLE last year and I’m starting to figure out smallmouth a little better, so I’m looking forward to that as well.”

Overall, there were 250 bass weighing 857 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 50 pros Saturday. All 50 competitors brought a five-bass limit to the scale.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X is hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau and features a total purse of more than $850,000.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 154 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to Sunday. Now, only the top 10 pros, based on cumulative weight from the first three days, will continue competition on Championship Monday, where weights will be zeroed and anglers will compete in a one-day shootout for the grand prize of up to $135,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers.

The final 10 anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. ET Monday from the Plattsburgh Waterfront, located at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh. Monday’s Championship weigh-in will also be held at the waterfront at 2:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to attend the event or follow the live on-the-water action all four days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 7 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere September 3 on the CBS Sports Network.

by AnglersChannel

Cerja And Richardson Win Bassmaster Junior National Championship

Mark Cerja Jr. and Gus Richardson of the Lone Star Junior Bassmasters have won the 2022 Bassmaster Junior National Championship on Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreational Lake with a two-day total of 18 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Laura Agee/B.A.S.S.

July 30, 2022

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — Victories are not always dramatic and glamorous, but Mark Cerja Jr. and Gus Richardson of the Lone Star Junior Bassmasters were proud of their gritty, gutsy effort.

Grinding through a stingy final round, they tallied a two-day total of 18 pounds, 5 ounces and won the Bassmaster Junior National Championship at the Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreational Lake.

A Day 1 limit of 10-7 put Cerja and Richardson in second place. Catching another limit of 7-14 in the final round, they claimed the top award — a $2,000 scholarship they’ll split.

“I’ve been fishing since I was 2, and I was taught to fish hard and grind and never give up,” Cerja said. “Today was a tough, tough bite; we didn’t get our limit until about noon, whereas yesterday, we were culling at 10 a.m.

“It’s just an exciting feeling to go home national champions. I’ll sleep well tonight.”

After capitalizing on the barometric fluctuation of Friday’s passing storm system, which triggered aggressive feeding, Cerja and Richardson found the bass less active on the final day.

“I think it was pretty hard on the fish because they had just been fished,” Richardson said. “This is a pretty small lake and 65 teams were hitting the same spots (multiple times).”

As Cerja explained, their winning strategy was pure persistence, with a good dose of mobility.

“We started fishing War Eagle Creek but only had two in the box, so we went over to Jaguar Creek and caught one that was about 12 1/2 (inches),” Cerja said. “We said ‘We need a couple of big ones if we really want to win this.’

“So, we went to Rocket Creek — that’s where I caught a 4 and (Richardson) caught a 2 1/2.”

Cerja said he and his partner caught their fish in 8 to 10 feet of water. Docks with grass and brushpiles were best, but they also fished the backs of shallow creek channels.

On Day 1, Richardson caught a 4-7 on a white fluke. The winners caught their other fish on 4-inch plum finesse worms, 7-inch Berkley Power Worms in blue fleck and Zoom U-Tale Worms in tequila green flake. The latter produced their largest Day 2 catch — the 4-pounder.

“We thought it was better just twitching it pretty slowly and making sure we paid attention to the action — just making it look like something a bass would want to eat,” Richardson said.

Owen Ray and Camdyn Cranfill of the Rhea County Eagle Anglers finished second with 17-3. After placing third on Day 1 with a limit of 10-3, they added a three-fish bag of 7 pounds.

Repeating their Day 1 game plan, Ray and Cranfill again targeted deeper docks. Unfortunately, the bass were less cooperative the second time around.

“It was a lot slower bite today; our offshore stuff where we could get a limit (on Friday) did not work today,” Cranfill said. “We threw a glide bait around docks and ended up with two decent ones. We caught one small one on a drop shot.”

Ray said the day’s cloudy conditions limited their opportunities. As he explained, they needed more sunshine to position bass on the docks.

Ander Cowan and Alex Fitzpatrick of the PA Bassin Juniors finished third with 17-2. Day 1 saw them place seventh with four bass that weighed 7 pounds, but they gained four spots by adding 10-2 during the final round.

Cowan and Fitzpatrick also missed their final-round limit by one fish, but anchoring their bag with Cowan’s 7-1 made their day. The fish bit a 1/4-ounce shaky head with a trick worm in the bruised banana color.

The bite, Cowan said, was pretty subtle — he simply lifted his rod and felt pressure. The most memorable part of the story was the utter fiasco that occurred during the netting process.

“The net got tangled with one of our poles and we actually netted that fish with the pole still in the net,” Cowan said. “That was a very good comeback; I was definitely not expecting that.”

Fitzpatrick said the key to his team’s success was fishing deep.

“A lot of the lake’s docks had been overfished,” he said. “We were sitting in about 18 feet of water and fishing in 20.”

Landon Gabby and Carson Bruner of Marion, Ill., won the Big Bass award with their 8-3.

2022 Bassmaster Junior National Championship - Carroll County Lake 7/29-7/30
Carroll County One Thousand Acre Recreational Lake, Huntingdon TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Mark Cerja Jr - Gus Richardson Lone Star Jr Bassmasters TX 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 07-14 Total: 10 18-05
2. Owen Ray - Camdyn Cranfill Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 3 07-00 Total: 8 17-03
3. Ander Cowan - Alex Fitzpatrick PA Bassin Juniors 0
Day 1: 4 07-00 Day 2: 4 10-02 Total: 8 17-02
4. Rooksby Gordon - Fisher Deason American Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 05-04 Total: 10 16-11
5. Caden Strawn - Drew Turner Sand Springs Clyde Boyd OK 0
Day 1: 3 02-06 Day 2: 3 13-15 Total: 6 16-05
6. Caleb Logue - Hayden Reynolds Three Rivers Bassmasters GA 0
Day 1: 5 04-14 Day 2: 4 09-13 Total: 9 14-11
7. Nic Sitton - Dawson Cooper Melbourne AR 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Day 2: 5 09-08 Total: 10 14-10
8. Hayden Mallory - Archer Dill Ohio 0
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 05-00 Total: 10 14-09
9. Vegas Iaconelli - Maxsim Hughen Youth Division - NJ 0
Day 1: 5 06-10 Day 2: 5 07-15 Total: 10 14-09
10. Kieran Stephenson - Grady Stanley Fuquay Varina Middle School NC 0
Day 1: 5 05-00 Day 2: 5 09-05 Total: 10 14-05
11. Hunter Harrison - Austin Moreland Magnet Cove AR 0
Day 1: 2 01-05 Day 2: 5 12-13 Total: 7 14-02
12. River Huffman - Rob Barter Chatuge Anglers GA 0
Day 1: 5 03-15 Day 2: 5 09-12 Total: 10 13-11
13. Karson Dick - Kipton Dick Wayne Middle WV 0
Day 1: 5 04-03 Day 2: 5 09-02 Total: 10 13-05
14. Jaylin White - Colden Baker Lugoff-Elgin Middle SC 0
Day 1: 5 04-11 Day 2: 5 07-13 Total: 10 12-08
15. Sullivan Kraft - Beckett Kraft Horseheads NY 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 4 03-10 Total: 9 12-03
16. Judd Byrd - Samuel Nicholas Oak Grove MS 0
Day 1: 5 04-05 Day 2: 4 07-13 Total: 9 12-02
17. Brody Kellum - Carson Thompson Franklin County Middle School - 0
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 4 03-06 Total: 9 11-11
18. Camden Randall - Peyton Davidson Mount Pleasant TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 2 03-06 Total: 7 11-10
19. Landon Gabby - Carson Bruner Southern Illinois Future Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 02-07 Day 2: 1 08-03 Total: 4 10-10
20. Mitchell Henderson - Joseph Frierson Laurence Manning Academy SC 0
Day 1: 5 05-04 Day 2: 3 05-01 Total: 8 10-05
21. Bryce Rhody - Gavin Brubaker Susquehanna Valley Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 00-14 Day 2: 5 09-05 Total: 6 10-03
22. Luke Stewart - Austin Craze Southern WV Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-08 Day 2: 5 04-10 Total: 10 10-02
23. Zac Arnold - Ross Clark Good Hope Fishing Team AL 0
Day 1: 5 04-11 Day 2: 5 05-04 Total: 10 09-15
24. Christopher Volpe - Brayden Rivest Off the Hook Bassmasters IL 0
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 4 03-03 Total: 9 09-10
25. Camdon Fauver - Thomas Newman Frederick County BASS VA 0
Day 1: 5 04-07 Day 2: 5 05-02 Total: 10 09-09
26. Turner Tharpe - Blake James Rhea County Eagle Anglers TN 0
Day 1: 3 03-02 Day 2: 5 06-06 Total: 8 09-08
27. Tristan Stewart - DJ Johnson III Mount Pleasant TN 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 4 03-02 Total: 9 09-02
28. Cameron Prokop - Tommy Shumowsky New Age Bass Fishing Club IL 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Day 2: 5 04-08 Total: 10 09-02
29. Nolan Savage - Jake Paradis LA Jr Bassmasters ME 0
Day 1: 5 04-06 Day 2: 5 04-11 Total: 10 09-01
30. Landon Pierce - Korbin Neat Casey County - KY 0
Day 1: 5 03-14 Day 2: 5 04-15 Total: 10 08-13
31. Anderson Mesplay - Kelby Conrady Mid-Kansas Kastmasters 0
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 2 02-06 Total: 5 08-12
32. Clayton Barry - Tanner Sikes Columbia High School FL 0
Day 1: 5 04-00 Day 2: 5 04-10 Total: 10 08-10
33. Caden Stevens - Hunter Crittenden Franklin County Jr. Bass Team TN 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Day 2: 5 04-00 Total: 10 08-10
34. Oliver Neumann - Grayden Neumann Zimmerman MN 0
Day 1: 5 04-02 Day 2: 5 04-04 Total: 10 08-06
35. Tugger McCuistion - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-03 Total: 3 08-03
36. Jesse Lancaster - Fisher Lancaster Lancaster Academy NC 0
Day 1: 4 03-12 Day 2: 5 04-06 Total: 9 08-02
36. Conner McClellan - Drew Mcclellan Indiana Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 04-06 Day 2: 4 03-12 Total: 9 08-02
38. Mason Samson - NH Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 4 04-03 Day 2: 5 03-15 Total: 9 08-02
39. Caleb Jackson - Evrett Hunter Nassau Christian Bass Club FL 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Day 2: 4 03-00 Total: 9 07-10
40. Maverick Hardebeck - Carson Tithof Grand Haven Lakeshore Middle Sch 0
Day 1: 4 03-08 Day 2: 4 03-09 Total: 8 07-01
41. Wyatt Reynolds - Peyton Roland Foothills Youth Anglers VA 0
Day 1: 5 05-14 Day 2: 1 00-14 Total: 6 06-12
42. Sawyer Knickerbocker - Grant Williams SWLA Jr Anglers LA 0
Day 1: 5 03-11 Day 2: 4 03-01 Total: 9 06-12
43. Beau McQuade - Kahl Cordell Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters PA 0
Day 1: 5 03-09 Day 2: 3 03-03 Total: 8 06-12
44. Jack Varnado - Dylan Johnson Jr. Southwest Bassmasters of Den 0
Day 1: 5 04-13 Day 2: 2 01-12 Total: 7 06-09
45. Parker Terrell - Port City Jr. Bassmasters NY 0
Day 1: 3 03-01 Day 2: 4 03-07 Total: 7 06-08
46. Ty Cooper - Landen Mclauchlin Central Florida Youth Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 01-08 Day 2: 5 04-15 Total: 7 06-07
47. Boone Baxter - Hunter Stewart Fort Jennings Crestview OH 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 5 00-06 Total: 10 06-06
48. Elijah Ambrose - Landon Hinkle Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters PA 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Day 2: 2 01-11 Total: 7 06-05
49. Foster Hall - Caden Hall Hall Academy KY 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Day 2: 1 01-01 Total: 6 06-03
50. Tucker Randolph - Kaleb Smarr Warrensburg Middle School MO 0
Day 1: 4 04-01 Day 2: 2 01-11 Total: 6 05-12
51. Andy Stewart - Trenton Wells Pisgah MS 0
Day 1: 4 03-14 Day 2: 2 01-13 Total: 6 05-11
52. James Barkley - Nikolas Foster New Hampshire Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 03-03 Day 2: 2 02-08 Total: 7 05-11
53. Bo Hollen - Ari Clark Mon Valley Bassmaster's WV 0
Day 1: 5 04-01 Day 2: 1 01-01 Total: 6 05-02
54. Will Oberhoffer - Max Droessler Roosevelt Middle School IA 0
Day 1: 3 02-08 Day 2: 3 02-09 Total: 6 05-01
55. Lawson Gamble - Gray Hardy Headland Bass Team AL 0
Day 1: 2 01-13 Day 2: 4 03-03 Total: 6 05-00
56. Jonas Lawler-White - Cale Denney Lansing Middle School - Bobcat B 0
Day 1: 3 02-03 Day 2: 3 02-04 Total: 6 04-07
57. Bryce Cast - Ayden Cast St. Louis Area Bassmasters IL 0
Day 1: 4 03-05 Day 2: 1 01-01 Total: 5 04-06
58. Jaxton Collier - Reece Roberts South Side Anglers IN 0
Day 1: 3 02-05 Day 2: 3 02-01 Total: 6 04-06
59. Charlie Brekke - Michael Putman Fighting Fishsticks Jr Club CO 0
Day 1: 2 01-09 Day 2: 3 02-09 Total: 5 04-02
60. Peter Mcdonald - Preston Hartzell Rocky Mountain High School - CO 0
Day 1: 4 03-03 Day 2: 1 00-12 Total: 5 03-15
61. Dylan Frickey - Reid Scott Ontario Juniors 0
Day 1: 4 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 4 03-12
62. Brady Harrison - Bryce Blackmon Cayuga - TX 0
Day 1: 1 00-06 Day 2: 2 01-14 Total: 3 02-04
63. Dillyn Dill - Andrew Knight Shelby County Jr Anglers AL 0
Day 1: 2 00-00 Day 2: 3 02-02 Total: 5 02-02
64. Bradie Talaski - Carter Osantowski Bad Axe Junior - MI 0
Day 1: 2 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 01-09
65. Liam Northway - Eastern Iowa Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 38 264 283-06
2 25 229 295-12
----------------------------------
63 493 579-02

by AnglersChannel

Oklahoma’s Cortiana Overtakes Lead on Day 2 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain

Hatfield Clinches Polaris Rookie of the Year Title – Top 50 Anglers Advance to Sunday

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (July 30, 2022) – The top of the leaderboard was stacked with 20-pound bags once again Saturday after Day 2 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X in Plattsburgh, New York, where 154 professional anglers are competing for a top prize of up to $135,000.

While 12 pros busted 20 pounds on the second day of competition, pro Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, brought a limit weighing 22 pounds, 2 ounces to the scales Saturday to vault to the lead. Cortiana’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42-10 gives him a 15-ounce advantage over Phoenix pro Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, who led after Day 1 of the event. Hall brought a limit weighing 19-14 to the scales Saturday for a two-day total of 41-11, good for second place.

Pro Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri, finished the day in third place with 10 bass weighing 41-11, while Favorite Fishing pro Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, moved into fourth with a two-day total of 40-10. Milford, Delaware’s Kurt Mitchell finished the day with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 40-1 to round out the top five.

Despite coming in an hour early due to livewell issues, Cortiana managed to catch enough to sit atop the leaderboard after two days of competition.

“Today was awesome and the Lord blessed me,” Cortiana said. “He puts it on my heart to throw a bait or to move from one place to another, so it’s truly Him that did it and not me.

“My dad got to fly up here and experience all of this with me for the first time, so that’s been amazing,” he continued. “He’s got such a big heart, so it’s been awesome to see his response to all of this and his excitement for me. It’s made me even more excited during this event because I know he’s able to watch and experience it all first-hand.”

Saturday marked the first time in his career that Cortiana has led a Pro Circuit event, making the experience all the more exhilarating for the Oklahoma pro, who has yet to make a championship round this year.

“I started on a spot where I caught them on Day 1, dragging a Carolina rig with a Yum Christie Craw on it and caught 18 pounds pretty quick before running new water,” Cortiana said. “I hit a few of the same areas because I knew there were multiple fish there, but for the most part my game plan is to get the weight I need to maintain my position and keep running new water to prep for the weights zeroing on Monday in the Championship Round.”

With several career-altering opportunities up for grabs this week – including the Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) title, Polaris Rookie of the Year (ROY) title, qualification for the TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, and the opportunity to advance to the MLF Bass Pro Tour – the pursuit for valuable points is on and the event is shaping up to be one of the tightest races in the history of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit.

After ending Day 2 in 24^th place, rookie pro Nick Hatfield of Greeneville, Tennessee solidified his position Saturday to win the Polaris ROY and take home the coveted hardware.

“This has been a great year,” Hatfield said. “I was already thrilled to have qualified for the Pro Circuit through the Toyota Series last year, but when the schedule came out, I got even more excited because it really fit my strengths. I think that has played a big part in being able to achieve this goal and I feel super blessed.”

Hatfield began fishing with MLF in 2013, coming up through the Abu Garcia College Fishing program, before making his way through the Phoenix Bass Fishing League and the Toyota Series to advance to the Pro Circuit.

“It’s all a process and I’ve dreamed of doing this since before I was in high school, so to be out here doing it and to see some success in my very first year as a pro, is pretty cool,” Hatfield said.

Although he is happy with the win, Hatfield said he wasn’t satisfied to stay where he is now.

“This isn’t it for me,” he continued. “I want to keep learning and keep moving up – I want to be one of the top dogs around here, so I’ve still got some work to do to make that happen.”

The top 50 pros that made the cut after Day 2 and will fish Sunday on Lake Champlain are:

1^st:           Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Okla., 10 bass, 42-10
2^nd:          Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 10 bass, 41-11
3^rd:          Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo., 10 bass, 41-11
4^th:           Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa., 10 bass, 40-10
5^th:           Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 10 bass, 40-1
6^th:           Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 40-0
7^th:           Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., 10 bass, 39-7
8^th:           Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 39-3
9^th:           Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 39-1
10^th:        Tyler Stewart of Dubach, La., 10 bass, 38-7
11^th:        Lane Olson of Forest Grove, Ore., 10 bass, 38-2
12^th:        Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 38-1
13^th:        Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 38-1
14^th:        Alex Davis of Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 38-1
15^th:        Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 37-12
16^th:        Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 10 bass, 37-11
17^th:        Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 37-8
18^th:        Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., 10 bass, 37-8
19^th:        Jim Moynagh of Shakopee, Minn., 10 bass, 37-5
20^th:        Mark Rose of Wynne, Ark., 10 bass, 37-4
21^st:        Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., 10 bass, 37-4
22^nd:       Shonn Goodwin of Moore, Okla., 10 bass, 36-15
23^rd:       Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va., 10 bass, 36-15
24^th:        Nick Hatfield of Greeneville, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-13
25^th:        Evan Barnes of Dardanelle, Ark., 10 bass, 36-12
26^th:        Steve Lopez of Oconomowoc, Wis., 10 bass, 36-9
27^th:        Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Mich., 10 bass, 36-5
28^th:        Billy Hines of Vacaville, Calif., 10 bass, 36-5
29^th:        Jared McMillan of Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 36-4
30^th:        Matt Greenblatt of Port St. Lucie, Fla., 10 bass, 36-4
31^st:        Chase Serafin of White Lake, Mich., 10 bass, 36-3
32^nd:       Nick Lebrun of Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 35-13
33^rd:       David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-12
34^th:        Corey Neece of Bristol, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-11
35^th:        John Voyles of Petersburg, Ind., 10 bass, 35-9
36^th:        Chris Lane of Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 35-7
37^th:        Troy Stokes of Trenton, Mich., 10 bass, 35-6
38^th:        Justin Cooper of Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 35-1
39^th:        Keith Carson of DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 35-0
40^th:        John Hunter of Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 35-0
41^st:        Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 35-0
42^nd:       Randy Howell of Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 34-15
43^rd:       Braxton Setzer of Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 34-12
44^th:        Miles Burghoff of Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-11
45^th:        Jason Reyes of Huffman, Texas, 10 bass, 34-9
46^th:        Larry Nixon of Quitman, Ark., 10 bass, 34-7
47^th:        Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., 10 bass, 34-7
48^th:        Tim Frederick of Leesburg, Fla., 10 bass, 34-4
49^th:        Jacob Wall of New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 34-4
50^th:        Kyle Gelles of Pingree, Idaho, 10 bass, 34-4

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Buck brought a bass weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces to the scale on Saturday to win the day's $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award.

Overall, there were 761 bass weighing 2,421 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 153 pros Saturday. The catch included 152 five-bass limits.

The event, hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, marks the sixth and final regular-season event of the year for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. Now, the top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Sunday. Only the top 10 pros, based on cumulative weight from the first three days, will continue competition on Championship Monday, where weights will be zeroed, and anglers will compete in a one-day shootout for the grand prize of up to $135,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers.

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from the Plattsburgh Waterfront, located at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park daily at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the live on-the-water action all four days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 7 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Kyle Hall Takes Early Lead on Day 1 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (July 29, 2022) – Mild temperatures and a light westerly breeze led to an absolute slugfest on Lake Champlain Friday, with nearly 2,500 pounds of bass crossing the stage after Day 1 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X. Pro Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, racked up a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces to grab the early lead, ending the day with a slim 5-ounce advantage over Eldon, Missouri’s Casey Scanlon , the 2019 Pro Circuit Champion on Lake Champlain, who finished the day with a limit weighing 21-8, good for second place.

While a combination of largemouth and smallmouth bass rolled across the weigh-in stage Friday, it seems brown fish may take the trophy this week at the sixth and final regular-season Pro Circuit event, where 154 of the world’s best bass fishing professionals are competing for a top prize of up to $135,000.

“Things kicked off on my very first cast and I had a blast this morning,” Hall said. “I ran to my first spot and had a limit within 10 to 15 minutes, with a total of 17 to 18 pounds right off the bat, including three fish that were close to 4-pounders.

“I hit two or three more spots before I landed on a school that I’d found in practice and it lit up,” Hall continued. “I culled several times on that spot and there were actually more fish today than I’d found in practice, so I think they are coming into the area.”

Hall said he spent most of Day 1 dissecting the fishery with his Garmin Livescope, targeting bass with a drop-shot and a swimbait, in 15 to 30 feet of water.

“My goal today was 20 pounds, and we got that, then caught two more that put me over, so I’m feeling really good going into Day 2,” Hall said. “There were a lot of fish in the first area that I hit. I think if I stay there, I can definitely get 20 pounds, but I didn’t want to waste a bunch of fish on the first day.”

However, with a solid group of anglers nipping at his heels, Hall said he didn’t plan on slowing down any time soon.

“I’m not in the points race, so I’m in it to win it this week,” he continued. “With weights zeroing on Championship Monday, I’m not too concerned with building a big lead. I’m just concentrating on staying in contention for the final day and I’m ready to get back out there on Day 2.”

The top 20 pros after Day 1 on Lake Champlain are:

1^st:           Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, five bass, 21-13
2^nd:          Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., five bass, 21-8
3^rd:          Evan Barnes of Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 21-2
4^th:           Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo., five bass, 20-14
5^th:           Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 20-9
5^th:           Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 20-9
7^th:           Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 20-8
8^th:           Shonn Goodwin of Moore, Okla., five bass, 20-1
9^th:           Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., five bass, 20-0
10^th:        Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 19-13
11^th:        Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., five bass, 19-8
12^th:        Mark Rose of Wynne, Ark., five bass, 19-7
13^th:        Alex Davis of Albertville, Ala., five bass, 19-6
14^th:        Braxton Setzer of Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 19-5
14^th:        Scott Wiley of Bay Minette, Ala., five bass, 19-5
16^th:        Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 19-2
16^th:        Lane Olson of Forest Grove, Ore., five bass, 19-2
18^th:        Larry Nixon of Quitman, Ark., five bass, 19-0
19^th:        Jason Reyes of Huffman, Texas, five bass, 18-12
19^th:        Brandon Mosley of Choctaw, Okla., five bass, 18-12

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Goodwin brought a largemouth weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces to the scale to win the day's $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award.

Overall, there were 752 bass weighing 2,417 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 154 pros Friday. The catch included 143 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 at Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X is hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Sunday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Monday, where weights are zeroed, and the winner is determined by the heaviest weight from the final day of competition.

by AnglersChannel

Gordon, Deason Capitalize On Early Opportunity For Junior National Championship Lead

Rooksby Gordon and Fisher Deason_.jpg
Rooksby Gordon and Fisher Deason of Alabama's American Christian Academy are leading after Day 1 of the 2022 Bassmaster Junior National Championship on
Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreational Lake with 11 pounds, 7 ounces.

Photo by Laura Agee/B.A.S.S.

July 29, 2022

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — An early opportunity and a stellar save allowed Rooksby Gordon and Fisher Deason of American Christian Academy to turn in a limit of 11 pounds, 7 ounces and lead Day 1 of the Bassmaster Junior National Championship at the Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreational Lake.

Starting on the lake’s upper end, the anglers began their day by flipping cover in about 7 to 8 feet. After the anglers boated a couple of smaller fish, Gordon hooked what turned out to be one of the day’s biggest bass — a 4-13.

“When I hooked the fish, it swam right into a log,” Gordon said. “I thought it was going to come off, but I put the trolling motor on high and went over to it.

“The fish came off before we got to it, but (Deason) netted it before it got away.”

With a thunderstorm passing through central Tennessee this morning, the scheduled 5:45 a.m. takeoff was postponed 35 minutes due to lightning. Once the hazardous weather passed, anglers fished in rain for most of the morning.

Deason said this proved beneficial, as it complemented their overall game plan.

“We tried to find some deeper wood because the water temperature would be cooler,” Deason said. “We think the rain was an advantage for us because it cooled the water down.”

Gordon said he and Deason caught their bass on a mix of reaction baits and slower presentations.

“We were using the slower bait offshore on the deep wood and we were using the reaction baits shallow in the early morning,” Gordon said.

As Deason explained, dialing in spots with large bluegill populations was essential to their game plan. In their view, the fish feeding on the larger forage would likely be the size they wanted.

“We tried to present our baits with a lot of action,” Deason said. “We tried to (entice) the fish better.”

After securing their limit by mid-morning, the leaders upgraded a couple times throughout the day. With significantly less chance of rain in Saturday’s forecast, Gordon said he believes he and Deason will need to work at a faster pace.

“I feel like we’ll need to catch our fish faster tomorrow, because once the sun comes out, it will slow down,” he said.

Deason agreed and added this: “I feel like today, with the rain, they were on a feeding frenzy.”

Mark Cerja Jr. and Gus Richardson of the Lone Star Jr. Bassmasters are in second place with 10-7. As Cerja noted, he and his partner tried to put themselves in high-percentage areas.

“We were looking at big clumps of grass,” he said. “There’s a lot of wood cover on this lake, but there’s a lot of dead water too. Docks were a big factor, brushpiles were a big factor.”

Cerja said he and his partner came into the event planning to leverage slower presentations to entice summer-weary fish. A 4-inch finesse worm, a 7-inch Berkley Power Worm and a white fluke produced all of their bass. The latter yielded their biggest fish — Richardson’s 4-7.

“I caught that fish about 5 minutes before we came in,” Richardson said. “I just saw something that looked good and cast to it. I dead-sticked the bait near a weed clump and the fish ate it.”

Owen Ray and Camdyn Cranfill of the Rhea County Eagle Anglers are in third place with 10-3. Cranfill said he and his teammate did not have much practice success, so they started with a tried-and-true summertime pattern and found success.

“We targeted docks with reaction baits because of the shade,” he said. “Most of them were in 10 feet.

“We were mostly throwing topwaters because that seemed to be the most consistent with catching bigger fish.”

Ray said the bass preferred a slower presentation in the morning, but as the day progressed, increasing retrieve speeds seemed to help.

Brothers Sullivan and Beckett Kraft of Horseheads, N.Y., lead the big bass standings with a 5-4.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 5:45 a.m. CT at the Carroll County Lake Launch. The weigh-in will be held at 19463 West Main Street at 2:15 p.m.

2022 Bassmaster Junior National Championship - Carroll County Lake 7/29-7/30
Carroll County One Thousand Acre Recreational Lake, Huntingdon TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Rooksby Gordon - Fisher Deason American Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Total: 5 11-07
2. Mark Cerja Jr - Gus Richardson Lone Star Jr Bassmasters TX 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
3. Owen Ray - Camdyn Cranfill Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Total: 5 10-03
4. Hayden Mallory - Archer Dill Ohio 0
Day 1: 5 09-09 Total: 5 09-09
5. Sullivan Kraft - Beckett Kraft Horseheads NY 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Total: 5 08-09
6. Brody Kellum - Carson Thompson Franklin County Middle School - 0
Day 1: 5 08-05 Total: 5 08-05
7. Camden Randall - Peyton Davidson Mount Pleasant TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Total: 5 08-04
8. Ander Cowan - Alex Fitzpatrick PA Bassin Juniors 0
Day 1: 4 07-00 Total: 4 07-00
9. Vegas Iaconelli - Maxsim Hughen Youth Division - NJ 0
Day 1: 5 06-10 Total: 5 06-10
10. Christopher Volpe - Brayden Rivest Off the Hook Bassmasters IL 0
Day 1: 5 06-07 Total: 5 06-07
11. Anderson Mesplay - Kelby Conrady Mid-Kansas Kastmasters 0
Day 1: 3 06-06 Total: 3 06-06
12. Boone Baxter - Hunter Stewart Fort Jennings Crestview OH 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Total: 5 06-00
13. Tristan Stewart - DJ Johnson III Mount Pleasant TN 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Total: 5 06-00
14. Wyatt Reynolds - Peyton Roland Foothills Youth Anglers VA 0
Day 1: 5 05-14 Total: 5 05-14
15. Luke Stewart - Austin Craze Southern WV Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-08 Total: 5 05-08
16. Mitchell Henderson - Joseph Frierson Laurence Manning Academy SC 0
Day 1: 5 05-04 Total: 5 05-04
17. Nic Sitton - Dawson Cooper Melbourne AR 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Total: 5 05-02
18. Foster Hall - Caden Hall Hall Academy KY 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Total: 5 05-02
19. Kieran Stephenson - Grady Stanley Fuquay Varina Middle School NC 0
Day 1: 5 05-00 Total: 5 05-00
20. Caleb Logue - Hayden Reynolds Three Rivers Bassmasters GA 0
Day 1: 5 04-14 Total: 5 04-14
21. Jack Varnado - Dylan Johnson Jr. Southwest Bassmasters of Den 0
Day 1: 5 04-13 Total: 5 04-13
22. Zac Arnold - Ross Clark Good Hope Fishing Team AL 0
Day 1: 5 04-11 Total: 5 04-11
22. Jaylin White - Colden Baker Lugoff-Elgin Middle SC 0
Day 1: 5 04-11 Total: 5 04-11
24. Elijah Ambrose - Landon Hinkle Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters PA 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Total: 5 04-10
24. Caleb Jackson - Evrett Hunter Nassau Christian Bass Club FL 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Total: 5 04-10
24. Cameron Prokop - Tommy Shumowsky New Age Bass Fishing Club IL 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Total: 5 04-10
24. Caden Stevens - Hunter Crittenden Franklin County Jr. Bass Team TN 0
Day 1: 5 04-10 Total: 5 04-10
28. Camdon Fauver - Thomas Newman Frederick County BASS VA 0
Day 1: 5 04-07 Total: 5 04-07
29. Conner McClellan - Drew Mcclellan Indiana Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 04-06 Total: 5 04-06
29. Nolan Savage - Jake Paradis LA Jr Bassmasters ME 0
Day 1: 5 04-06 Total: 5 04-06
31. Judd Byrd - Samuel Nicholas Oak Grove MS 0
Day 1: 5 04-05 Total: 5 04-05
32. Karson Dick - Kipton Dick Wayne Middle WV 0
Day 1: 5 04-03 Total: 5 04-03
33. Mason Samson - NH Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 4 04-03 Total: 4 04-03
34. Oliver Neumann - Grayden Neumann Zimmerman MN 0
Day 1: 5 04-02 Total: 5 04-02
35. Bo Hollen - Ari Clark Mon Valley Bassmaster's WV 0
Day 1: 5 04-01 Total: 5 04-01
36. Tucker Randolph - Kaleb Smarr Warrensburg Middle School MO 0
Day 1: 4 04-01 Total: 4 04-01
37. Clayton Barry - Tanner Sikes Columbia High School FL 0
Day 1: 5 04-00 Total: 5 04-00
38. River Huffman - Rob Barter Chatuge Anglers GA 0
Day 1: 5 03-15 Total: 5 03-15
39. Landon Pierce - Korbin Neat Casey County - KY 0
Day 1: 5 03-14 Total: 5 03-14
40. Andy Stewart - Trenton Wells Pisgah MS 0
Day 1: 4 03-14 Total: 4 03-14
41. Dylan Frickey - Reid Scott Ontario Juniors 0
Day 1: 4 03-12 Total: 4 03-12
41. Jesse Lancaster - Fisher Lancaster Lancaster Academy NC 0
Day 1: 4 03-12 Total: 4 03-12
43. Sawyer Knickerbocker - Grant Williams SWLA Jr Anglers LA 0
Day 1: 5 03-11 Total: 5 03-11
44. Beau McQuade - Kahl Cordell Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters PA 0
Day 1: 5 03-09 Total: 5 03-09
45. Maverick Hardebeck - Carson Tithof Grand Haven Lakeshore Middle Sch 0
Day 1: 4 03-08 Total: 4 03-08
46. Bryce Cast - Ayden Cast St. Louis Area Bassmasters IL 0
Day 1: 4 03-05 Total: 4 03-05
47. James Barkley - Nikolas Foster New Hampshire Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 03-03 Total: 5 03-03
48. Peter Mcdonald - Preston Hartzell Rocky Mountain High School - CO 0
Day 1: 4 03-03 Total: 4 03-03
49. Turner Tharpe - Blake James Rhea County Eagle Anglers TN 0
Day 1: 3 03-02 Total: 3 03-02
50. Parker Terrell - Port City Jr. Bassmasters NY 0
Day 1: 3 03-01 Total: 3 03-01
51. Will Oberhoffer - Max Droessler Roosevelt Middle School IA 0
Day 1: 3 02-08 Total: 3 02-08
52. Landon Gabby - Carson Bruner Southern Illinois Future Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 02-07 Total: 3 02-07
53. Caden Strawn - Drew Turner Sand Springs Clyde Boyd OK 0
Day 1: 3 02-06 Total: 3 02-06
54. Jaxton Collier - Reece Roberts South Side Anglers IN 0
Day 1: 3 02-05 Total: 3 02-05
55. Jonas Lawler-White - Cale Denney Lansing Middle School - Bobcat B 0
Day 1: 3 02-03 Total: 3 02-03
56. Lawson Gamble - Gray Hardy Headland Bass Team AL 0
Day 1: 2 01-13 Total: 2 01-13
57. Charlie Brekke - Michael Putman Fighting Fishsticks Jr Club CO 0
Day 1: 2 01-09 Total: 2 01-09
57. Bradie Talaski - Carter Osantowski Bad Axe Junior - MI 0
Day 1: 2 01-09 Total: 2 01-09
59. Ty Cooper - Landen Mclauchlin Central Florida Youth Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 01-08 Total: 2 01-08
60. Hunter Harrison - Austin Moreland Magnet Cove AR 0
Day 1: 2 01-05 Total: 2 01-05
61. Bryce Rhody - Gavin Brubaker Susquehanna Valley Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 00-14 Total: 1 00-14
62. Brady Harrison - Bryce Blackmon Cayuga - TX 0
Day 1: 1 00-06 Total: 1 00-06
63. Dillyn Dill - Andrew Knight Shelby County Jr Anglers AL 0
Day 1: 2 00-00 Total: 2 00-00
64. Tugger McCuistion - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
64. Liam Northway - Eastern Iowa Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 38 264 283-06
----------------------------------
38 264 283-06

by AnglersChannel

It's Confirmed...Anglers Win

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass GRASP Swimbait rod recognized by the industry as Best New Freshwater Rod at ICAST 2022

PARK FALLS, Wisc. (July 29, 2022) - Advancing and showcasing its mission to handcraft the Best Rods on Earth® that give anglers the upper hand in any angling situation, St. Croix Rod of Park Falls, Wisconsin unveiled an unprecedented 12 new or completely reengineered rod series at ICAST 2022 in Orlando last week.

The 74-year-old family-owned American company was awarded Best of Category honors in the Freshwater Rod category of the ICAST 2022 New Product Showcase Awards for its three all-new Legend Tournament Bass GRASP swimbait models.

The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades’ (ICAST) New Product Showcase Awards recognize the best new fishing products in multiple categories each year. Voted on by attending product buyers and members of the sportfishing media, these “Best of Category” awards represent the pinnacle of achievement in the fishing tackle industry and are fiercely competitive. Winning one of these prestigious awards isn’t easy; it takes good ideas and even better execution to develop a tangible product that helps anglers find more success on the water.

“We’re humbled and honored that those industry professionals who report on or sell fishing tackle for a living selected Legend Tournament Bass GRASP as the best new freshwater rod amidst a packed category, which included 34 other significant new rods from other manufacturers,” says St. Croix CEO, Scott Forristall. “St. Croix is built – top to bottom – to seek out, understand, and serve the needs of anglers; it’s what drives each one of our St. Croix team members every day, so everyone in the St. Croix family feels great pride and a real sense of gratitude for this recognition. Ultimately though, this award is for every angler around the globe who takes as much pride in using a St. Croix fishing rod as we feel in making them. It’s also for our retail partners who are on the front lines of helping anglers choose the Best Rods on Earth®to meet their specific angling needs and objectives.”

The trio of all-new Legend Tournament Bass swimbait models featuring St. Croix’s proprietary GRASP reel seat firmly establishes a new standard in heavy-bass-lure rod design and performance. Designed to excel in the presentation of swimbaits and Alabama rigs from ¾ to 8 ounces, these three all-new swimbait rods bring the newly reimagined Legend Tournament Bass Series to an expansive total of 27 distinct technique-specific high-performance models for the benefit of bass anglers worldwide.

New Legend Tournament Bass swimbait models (LBTC710HF LIGHT SWIMBAIT, LBTC710XHF MID SWIMBAIT and LBTC86XXHFT HEAVY SWIMBAIT) have the distinction of being the first-ever contemporary St. Croix rods released with proprietary St. Croix-designed componentry – in this case, the all-new St. Croix GRASP real seat.

“The angler-requested St. Croix GRASP reel seat helps give anglers the upper hand by delivering superior ergonomic control of Legend Tournament Bass swimbait rods during the cast, retrieve, and throughout fight,” says St. Croix Brand Manager, Ryan Teach. GRASP effectively combats the hand and wrist fatigue that commonly sets in when casting and retrieving heavy lures and doing battle with large, powerful fish. GRASP accomplishes this by always keeping the wrist properly aligned while affording the most comfortable and efficient grip on the rod and casting reel – straight and in line with the rod in the ultimate palming position, not canted back or forward which commonly happens with traditional casting-rod grips. The result is total control over rod and fish, with less fatigue so anglers can fish longer, harder, and earn more success.

In addition to GRASP’s ergonomic design, its angler interface is sweetened with an extremely durable and tactile SoftTouch coating. “The selection of the proper coating took years of discovery and trial and error, and it’s a big part of what makes GRASP distinct in the marketplace,” Teach says. “The SoftTouch coating we landed on is just as important as the refined geometries that make GRASP a complete and unique design. It is incredibly resilient yet remains slightly tacky when wet.”

New Legend Tournament GRASP swimbait models will be available to anglers at St. Croix dealers worldwide and at stcroixrodfactorystore.com in October. All 24 other new Legend Tournament Bass models which were announced earlier this year at the 2022 Bassmaster Classic are available right now.

New Legend Tournament Bass rods feature markedly lighter and stronger next-generation hybrid SCIV+ carbon fiber blanks. Select reaction bait models feature all-new iACT Glass hybrid blanks. In addition to their unique combinations of proprietary materials, all-new Legend Tournament Bass rods also incorporate all of St. Croix’s top technologies and premium components.

While every new Legend Tournament Bass rod is special and distinct, St. Croix Engineering Supervisor, Gavin Falk, says the three iACT Glass models – specifically engineered for hardbait applications like crankbaits and chatterbaits – represent an even greater technological achievement for anglers. “These rods introduce a third material – our linear S-Glass – to the hybrid SCIV+ blank to produce rods with the softer actions reaction presentations demand. We call the combination iACT Glass. It stands for Internally Active, and it allows us to deliver those slower, parabolic actions while maintaining peak sensitivity in a blank that’s significantly smaller in diameter and lighter than a pure glass cranking rod,” Falk says. “Our anglers have asked for this and we’re always listening, not being reactive but addressing ideas and opportunities as they come forward.”

Falk wants to remind anglers that these are not “composite” rods. “All three materials in Legend Tournament Bass iACT Glass models – SCIV carbon, SCVI carbon, and Linear S-Glass – are individually patterned and laid up to spec, then all rolled together,” he says, emphasizing that each of the materials are distinct, and adding that Legend Tournament Bass iACT Glass models are the first carbon/glass hybrid rods ever to be rolled on St. Croix IPC mandrels.

Teach says these three iACT Glass models deliver everything anglers have asked for in a reaction-bait rod and more. “You can even walk a topwater with complete control using one of these Legend Tournament Bass iACT rods,” he says. “That’s not something typically thought to be possible with a rod that has any type of glass in it. You can walk these baits with precision and never even think you have a glass rod in yours hands until you’ve hooked up on a fish and the benefits of that moderate, parabolic action kick in. St. Croix is the only company I’m aware of that’s been able to do this.”

The ‘deepest’ cranking rod in the series with iACT Glass is the POWER GLASS CRANKER LBTC74MHM. “This is a 4/5/6XD cranking rod,” Teach says. “We’ve got an 8XD/10XD/DD22 rod in the lineup, too – the LBTC710XHM – but it’s all carbon. This is a rod Dennis Berhorst and Stephen Browning have become quite fond of. The other iACT Glass models are the LBTC72MM FINESSE GLASS CRANKER designed for smaller squarebills and the LTBC72HM RIP-N-CHATTER, which is optimized for fishing bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits.”

Bassmaster Elite angler, Bob Downey says, “I was very impressed with the lighter weights and significantly reduced blank diameters of these new Legend Tournament Bass iACT rods when compared to a pure glass cranking rod. I’m not aware of anything else remotely like these rods on the market and I found their overall performance with chatterbaits and crankbaits to be in a class all their own.”

MLF angler and crankster, Jesse Wiggins agrees. “I’ve always been a huge fan of St. Croix’s Legend Glass rods – and I still am – but these new blue iACT rods have really impressed me, especially in any cranking situation where you need that extra bit of sensitivity.”

Despite the improvements, some things will stay the same: new Legend Tournament Bass rods remain handcrafted in Park Falls, Wisconsin, USA with a 15-year transferrable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. They also retain their iconic Tournament Blue Pearl color.

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Features

Next-generation hybrid CARBON FIBER SCIV+ blanks
Technique-specific iACT SCIV+ and linear S-Glass hybrid blanks on specific models
Fortified Resin System (FRS) technology
Advanced Reinforcing Technology^TM (ART^TM)
Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology
Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank design
Fuji® K-Series tangle-free guides with Alconite® rings
Fuji® SK2 reel seat on casting models with ergonomic complimenting componentry
Fuji® VSS real seat on spinning models with extended foregrip
Precision machined aluminum reel seat nuts and wind checks on spinning and casting models
Split-grip, super-grade cork handles customized per model
Swimbait models (3) feature GRASP reel seat technology
Full-grip super grade cork handles on select models
Model specific hook keepers selectively placed per technique
Single coat sealer on blank with slow cure finish
Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish on guides
15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A. for bass anglers worldwide
Retail price $290 to $395

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Casting Models

JERKBAITS / LBTC68MXF – 6’8”, medium power, extra-fast action / Retail $295
ALL-IN / LBTC71MHF – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $300
FINESSE CARBON CRANKER / LBTC72MHMF – 7’2”, medium-heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $315
CARBON CRANKER / LBTC72MHM - 7’2”, medium-heavy power, moderate action / Retail $315
FINESSE GLASS CRANKER (iACT) / LBTC72MM - 7’2”, medium power, moderate action / Retail $315
RIP-N-CHATTER / LBTC72HM (iACT) - 7’2”, heavy power, moderate action / Retail $315
POWER FINESSE / LBTC73HXF - 7’3”, heavy power, extra-fast action / Retail $320
WORKHORSE / LBTC73MHF – 7’3”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $320
FLIP-CHAT-CRANK / LBTC73HMF – 7’3”, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $320
SLOP-N-FROG / LBTC74HF – 7’4”, heavy power, fast action / Retail $325
POWER GLASS CRANKER / LBTC74MHM (iACT) – 7’4”, medium-heavy power, moderate action / Retail $325
WARHORSE / LBTC75MHF – 7’5”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $330
FLIP’N / LBTC76HMF – 7’6”, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $335
BIG CRANKER / LBTC710HM – 7’10”, heavy power, moderate action / Retail $345
*LIGHT SWIMBAIT / LBTC710HF – 7’10”, heavy power, fast action / Retail $350
MAG CRANKER / LBTC710XHM – 7’10”, extra-heavy power, moderate action / Retail $345
*MID SWIMBAIT / LBTC710XHF – 7’10”, extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $360
POWER FLIP’N / LBTC711HMF – 7’11”, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $340
*HEAVY SWIMBAIT / LBTC86XXHFT – 8’6”, extra-extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $395

*New at ICAST 2022, available October, 2022

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Spinning Models

PINPOINT / LBTS68MXF – 6’8”, medium power, extra-fast action / Retail $290
DROPSHOT FINESSE / LBTS610MLXF – 6’10”, medium-light power, extra-fast action / Retail $290
VERSATILE / LBTS71MF – 7’1”, medium power, fast action / Retail $300
POWER VERSATILE / LBTS73MHF - 7’3”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $300
DROPSHOT FINESSE XL / LBTS73MLXF- 7’3”, medium-light power, extra-fast action / Retail $300
POWER FINESSE / LBTS73MXF - 7’3”, medium power, extra-fast action / Retail $300
HAIR JIG / LBTS710MLXF - 7’10”, medium-light power, extra-fast action / Retail $335
SWIMMING BAITS / LBTS710MMF – 7’10”, medium power, moderate-fast action / Retail $335

by AnglersChannel

Berkley PowerBait Saltwater Gilly

A realistic and versatile swimbait that ensures you have the best chance to set the hook on every bite

COLUMBIA S.C. (July 27, 2022) – Berkley Fishing, the legendary fishing tackle company, offers ocean anglers their own version of the award-winning Berkley PowerBait Gilly now featuring four-HD saltwater colors.

Fishing enthusiasts were captivated by last year’s 2021 ICAST “Best in Show” win for the freshwater Berkley Powerbait Gilly, which was inspired by Japanese bass fishing techniques and translated into a masterful product, thoughtfully engineering into a pro-inspired design. The applications in the saltwater space soon became apparent to the Berkley team for this award-winning bait.

“We were thrilled when our bait beat out hundreds of new products in last year’s ICAST New Product Showcase and ever since the launch of the Gilly, the consumer demand for this unique bait has been off the charts.” said Jake Dawson, Director, Consumables for Berkley “We’ve since received a lot of feedback from the saltwater community asking for something that fits the bill for their fisheries, and now we are answering that call.”

Fishing in Japan continues to influence American anglers, especially when it comes to new finesse presentations and swimbaits - and the PowerBait Gilly finding its way to the US was no happenstance. Berkley Pro Mike Iaconelli regularly looks abroad to find the next big technique, which led to the inspiration for the PowerBait Gilly. Berkley’s bait scientists took Ike’s notes and put their own unique stamp on it, including the infusion of the bait with the famed PowerBait flavor and dispersion that both entices the fish to the bite and makes them hold on longer for more hooksets.

Often sold out in retail stores, consumers are finding that the PowerBait Gilly delivers on its technology and promises. Beyond flavor, Berkley designed the bait so the hollow head section is soft enough to collapse during strikes and keep the bait swimming upright regardless of how it’s rigged. The tabs built into the tail section give the bait a remarkably lifelike motion in the water, that looks like an easy meal for fish. Texas rigged sideways, on a jig head or even a dropshot, the new Gilly is as realistic as it is versatile and ensures you have the best chance to set the hook on every bite.

The award-winning Berkley-designed PowerBait Saltwater Gilly provides an unbelievably natural presentation in shape, color, and action. It is now available in four saltwater HD colors to match the hatch wherever it’s used and is available in three sizes: 90mm (3.5 inch), 110mm (4.3 inch) and 130mm (5.1 inch). It will be available in retail stores beginning in July and has an MSRP of $8.99

KEY FEATURES
• Pro-inspired design with heavy influence from Japanese designs and techniques
• Remarkably lifelike shape, color and action
• Hollow head section collapses easier with strikes
• Packed with Berkley’s famed PowerBait flavor
• Rigging versatility
• Available in Four-HD Tru Colors

Berkley PowerBait Saltwater Gilly
Sizes: 90mm HD • 110mm HD • 130mm HD
Package Count: 90mm – 4 • 110mm – 3 • 130mm – 2
Colors: HD Pinfish • HD Menhaden • HD Pilchard • HD Croaker
MSRP: $8.99 HD Tru Colors
Available: July 2022

by AnglersChannel

The Mimicry Continues

New Mimic Minnow Swim Jig combines Northland Fishing Tackle’s iconic sculpted head and performance with a precision Gamakatsu hook.

BEMIDJI, Minn. (July 28, 2022) – Swimbait fishing has its origins on the southern reservoirs of California. Back in the 80’s, anglers learned to mimic the looks and locomotion of trout. Why? Like stripers on mid-state reservoirs, gigantic black bass realize the full-meal-deal these stocked fish provide.

Over time, bassers around the country applied the presentation to their local quarry, regardless if trout were on the menu, because swimbaits can emulate everything from bluegills to shiners and shad.

Now, improving on what the market has to offer, Northland introduces the Mimic Minnow Swim Jig. This best-of-class swimbait jig is established on the cosmetics and effectiveness of the original Mimic Minnow Jig, which has been a multispecies darling for years. The Mimic Minnow Swim Jig commences on an authentic looking, sculpted jighead. The bait-shaped and detailed jighead features realistic eyeballs and flared gills, and its 60-degree line-tie promotes an even-keel action and ability to find its way through cover like cabbage and coontail.

Mimic Minnow Swim Jig (Bluegill)

Separating it from the pack, the extraordinary heavy-duty jighead is outfitted with a premium Gamakatsu hook, which is noticeably sharp and extremely strong for hearty hooksets. You’ll also appreciate the Mimic Minnow Swim Jig’s unique double bait keeper. The base keeper is forged into the jighead. Next, Northland added a stout wire keeper to amplify the Mimic Minnow Swim Jig’s ability to hold plastics in place.

Northland pro Craig Peterson offers his take on swimbait fishing with the new Mimic Minnow Swim Jig: “Swimbaits are great for long casts and covering a lot of water, like big weed flats. You can also run them along the outside weed edge just as effectively.”

“I fish heavier size Mimic Minnow Swim Jigs – like a ½- or ¾-ouncer – when I want to fish it fast or deep,” added Peterson. “The lighter and smaller ¼- and 3/8-ounce sizes are better for fishing slower and with more finesse. The lighter versions also work well for pounding shallow banks.”

Peterson has color preferences in specific situations, too. He likes darker patterns such as Black and Green Pumpkin in darker water, as they produce the natural shadowed silhouette bass experience in real life. In clearer conditions, he selects the brownish gold Walleye pattern. He says Smelt, a whitish pattern, produces just about anywhere. And to match-the-hatch, he picks Bluegill when bass are feeding on young-of-the-year and juvenile sunfish.

In Peterson’s experience, it’s wise to look for what’s finning and creeping around the boat landing – like baitfish, bluegills, and crayfish – and emulate the size and coloration. As well, he suggests paying attention to what a landed bass might upchuck and match it.

Paddletails and soft jerkbaits are proven pairings with the Mimic Minnow Swim Jig. As a rule, you want to match up jig size with the appropriate bait length to give it an authentic baitfish profile and promote smooth swimming. Coordinating colors is the most popular process, too. For example, employing dark-patterned plastics with a Black Mimic Minnow Swim Jig, or white to silvers with a Smelt jighead. That said, don’t be afraid to contrast colors for extra pop.

Swimbaits were concocted for bass fishing, but savvy walleye anglers have also tapped the tactic. Patterns like Perch, Sexy Shad, and Purple Shad sport combinations of favored walleye colors. Consider pairing them with aggressive plastic colors like chartreuse, blue and something purplish.

Green Pumpkin

Shad

Black

Walleye

Perch

Purple Shad

Sexy Shad

Northland’s new Mimic Minnow Swim Jig is available in 4 sizes and 8 tested colors. Sizes include ¼-, 3/8-, ½-, and ¾-ounce. Colors include Black, Smelt, Walleye, Perch, Bluegill, Sexy Shad, Green Pumpkin, and Purple Shad. Sold 2 per pack. MSRP is $6.49.

Available now, the Mimic Minnow Swim Jig will be a surefire addition to your tackle arsenal.

by AnglersChannel

Przekurat Rockets Back Into Bassmaster Rookie Of The Year Lead

With two events remaining in the 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series season, Jay Prezkurat of Stevens Point, Wis., is leading the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

July 28, 2022

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., is back in first place in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race. It’s where he’s been for five of the seven Elite Series tournaments this season. But Prezekurat entered the recent Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River in third place after posting finishes of 74th at Lake Fork and 66th at Pickwick Lake.

Przekurat, who turned 23 in June, was expected to thrive when the Elite Series made its annual end-of-season Northern Swing to fisheries dominated by smallmouth bass. However, no one expected him to win at the St. Lawrence River, where he’d never before competed, even if smallmouth bass were the dominant species.

And what did Przekurat do? He became the youngest angler to ever win an Elite Series tournament and became the first to win with over 100 pounds in an Elite Series tournament. Przekurat’s winning weight of 102 pounds, 9 ounces, over four days was thus remarkable in many ways.

With only two tournaments left, including a finale at the Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wis., Przekurat is back in the favorite’s position for the ROY title.

However, it would be unwise to overlook Jacob Foutz, the Charleston, Tenn., resident who grew up fishing for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie. He showed his strength on smallmouth waters by taking the lead on Day 1 at the St. Lawrence River before ultimately finishing 27th. Foutz had a rough start to his rookie year, finishing 84th, 62nd and 55th in the first three Elite events. He has since posted finishes of third at Chickamauga Lake, 28th at Lake Fork, fourth at Pickwick Lake and 27th at St. Lawrence. Foutz trails Przekurat by only 11 points after seven events.

The ROY standings were shaken up at the St. Lawrence when previous leader, Joseph Webster of Hamilton, Ala., finished 88th and fell to fourth place. Cody Huff of Ava, Mo., moved up to third place, his highest spot in the standings this season.

The strength of the 10-angler 2022 rookie class stood out, especially on Day 1 at the St. Lawrence when Foutz was in first place with 27-15 with Przekurat right behind in second with 26-13.

The Elite Series field takes to the water again August 18-21 at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe in South Dakota.

by AnglersChannel

ICAST Round-up & Cheaters Never Win.....

Chris and David are back from ICAST with some insight into this years show and Kenneth brings the heat with his take from the outside looking in during last weeks festivities. The trio also jump on the cheating bandwagon and look into some recent news as well. All this and more!

by AnglersChannel

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