Gamakatsu’s G-Finesse Drop Shot Now Available in Popular Size 4 Hook
Tacoma, Washington - Gamakatsu's G-Finesse Drop Shot hooks are a favorite among anglers who enjoy fishing plastic baits. Now, Gamakatsu® is adding the popular size 4 hook to the lineup for drop-shot anglers.
Gamakatsu developed the G-Finesse Drop Shot Hook with help from the late, great Aaron Martens. G-Finesse results from endless hours of product testing from some of the world's leading pro anglers. Martens' product testing showed using the Drop Shot hook improved his hook-ups by 30 to 40%, and he was rarely missing a fish.
The G-Finesse Drop Shot Hook features a slightly angled point for optimum effectiveness. Gamakatsu's exclusive TGW (Tournament Grade Wire) is thinner, stronger, and sharper than the standard wire, resulting in easier hook penetration without losing hook strength.
The G-Finesse Drop Shot Hook also features Gamakatsu's proprietary Nano Smooth Coating. This hook provides a stealthy color and a smoother surface for unsurpassed hook penetration, making this the best Drop Shot hook available.
Available in sizes 4, 2, 1, 1/0 and 2/0 in packs of 6. Stock up now and be ready when the bite is on.
G-Finesse Drop Shot Features:
- Color: Nano Smooth Coat
- Sizes: 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0
- Qty/Pkg: 6
Gamakatsu’s New Extra Wide-Mouth G-Bags Come in the Perfect Size for Your Needs
Tacoma, Washington (XXXX) – Gamakatsu’s new series of extra wide-mouth tackle bags come in various sizes so anglers can take everything they need and nothing they don’t. The G-Bag EWM storage solutions open wide, giving anglers fast, easy access to tackle so anglers can rig up in a hurry and take advantage of a changing bite.
The smallest bag in the new series, the G-Bag EWM 100, is the perfect size for holding a variety of soft plastic packs. The Extra Wide Mouth (EWM) provides easy access to the interior, and the internal wire frame keeps the top open while finding the right bait. The 8 x 4 x 6-inch size stows easily in other bags, and anglers can take as many as needed while remaining organized. Pick up a few and keep all smaller items organized and ready.
The larger 9.5 x 5 x 7-inch size of the G-Bag EWM 200 Tackle Bag stows more gear using the same innovative easy-access stay-open top. The 200 easily accommodates magnum packs of soft plastics and oversized bulk bags, so that anglers can stash their largest swimbaits or enough tubes for the season in one convenient location. In addition, there’s enough space to store a wide variety of tackle and gear, so anglers can keep rigging tools and other essentials handy as well.
Stuff up to four Gamakatsu G-Box 3600 or eight 3200 utility cases into the G-Bag EWM 300 using the innovative Extra Wide Mouth opening. The biggest size in the lineup is designed to carry a variety of tackle comfortably, thanks to the adjustable, padded removable shoulder strap. The generous 13 x 8.5 x 11-inch bag lets anglers stockpile all of their finesse baits and power fishing lures in the same place so they can be prepared for anything.
All of the bags in the G-Bag EWM series feature water-resistant TPU construction that sheds water from rainstorms or the occasional rogue wave, so contents stay protected. Plus, a see-through I.D. tag window on the 100 and 200 size, allows anglers to slide in their customized labels for easy identification, so they grab the right bags for each trip. Anglers will always find the contents easily, courtesy of the Extra Wide Mouth and stay-open design.
G-Bag EWM 100 Tackle Bag Features:
- Extra Wide Mouth (EWM) opening for easy access
- Water-resistant TPU material
- Internal wire frame keeps main compartment in open position
- Perfect size for holding a variety of soft plastics packs
- Size: 8 x 4 x 6 inches
G-Bag EWM 200 Tackle Bag Features:
- Extra Wide Mouth (EWM) opening for easy access
- Water-resistant TPU material
- Internal wire frame keeps main compartment in open position
- Great size bait bag for larger magnum size packs of soft plastics and bulk packs
- Holds a wide variety of tackle and gear
- Size: 9.5 x 5 x 7 inches
G-Bag EWM 300 Tackle Bag Features:
- Extra Wide Mouth (EWM) opening for easy access
- Water-resistant TPU material
- Internal wire frame keeps main compartment in open position
- Adjustable, padded removable shoulder strap
- Holds up to 4 Gamakatsu G-Box 3600 utility cases (not included)
- Holds up to 8 Gamakatsu G-Box 3200 utility cases (not included)
- Size: 13 x 8.5 x 11 inches
Gamakatsu® USA Offers A New Angle On Pliers
Tacoma, Washington (XXXX) - New for 2022, Gamakatsu® introduces 9-inch pliers to its lineup. Similar to the popular 6- and 7-inch pliers, the 9-inch pliers have an added 45-degree angle to provide a comfortable position for various tasks. Say goodbye to awkward angles and hello to an ergonomic, reliable tool.
Like all the pliers Gamakatsu offers, these pliers are stainless steel with a PTFE coating to aid against corrosion and rust. This protective plastic is sprayed on and baked to create a nonstick, waterproof, non-corrosive and non-reactive surface. The handles also feature a non-slip grip that helps anglers hold on during wet conditions.
The Gamakatsu pliers have precise crimping jaws to fit various sizes of sleeves. When big-game fishing, anglers will appreciate the crimps for hard-to-work-with heavy mono. Anglers will also enjoy the precision split ring feature on the needle nose tool. This feature will cut down the time anglers spend changing or replacing split rings. These pliers also feature a multi-tasking jaw that utilizes an outside cutter to cut braid, mono, or fluorocarbon.
Included with the pliers are a lanyard and a black nylon sheath, so the pliers are right where they are needed. Gamakatsu’s heavy-duty pliers will become the favorite tool for avid salt or freshwater anglers!
Gamakatsu 9-inch Pliers Features:
- Precise crimping jaws
- Split Ring feature
- Outside cutter cuts Braid, Mono, Fluorocarbon
- Includes lanyard & sheath
- 45° angle provides a comfortable position for a variety of tasks
- Stainless Steel construction to withstand the elements
- Non Slip grip for wet conditions
- Length: 9"
New Gamakatsu® Fillet Knives
Tacoma, WA - Custom-designed Gamakatsu® fillet knives are the newest edition to the stellar Gamakatsu line of fishing and outdoor products. Four different-sized fillet knives are designed in the USA with attention to detail. Gamakatsu hits all the points on what goes into a practical, purpose-driven set of fillet knives for the novice or professional.
The new Gamakatsu fillet knives are loaded with features that anglers will love. The flexible blade is supposed to "give" a little, allowing it to cut through fish easily. This flexibility allows for the more precise cuts required for delicate meats. This style of blade makes it easy to quickly transform a whole fish into a set of precisely cut fillets.
Since they're designed for preparing fish, fillet knives often have to work in wet environments. Corrosion-resistant steel that is easy to clean is a must-have. Gamakatsu's line of Fillet Knives also features 420J2 Stainless Steel blades with a DLC coating (Diamond-Like Carbon).
Anglers have the option to choose from four-different knives based on their needs. The GMKT6F has a 6-inch long blade and is ideal for small to medium sized fish. The 7-inch GMKT7FS features a spoon at the end of the handle for a quick and easy way to open and clean entrails or remove bloodlines. The two larger knives are the GMKT7.5F with a 7.5-inch long blade and the GMKT9F featuring the longest blade at 9-inches long.
These custom-designed Gamakatsu fillet knives feature a blue and gray G-Grip handle: glass-filled nylon and rubber overmold for a secure grip. A simple blade protector style sheath keeps the knives safe to handle, clean, and ready for service. Regardless of which you choose, rest assured that the custom-designed Gamakatsu fillet knives will serve you well for years to come!
GMKT6F Fillet Knife Features:
- Blade Style: Trailing Point/Fillet
- Blade Edge: Plain
- Sheath: Blade Protector
- Blade Length: 6 inches
- Blade Material: 420J2 Stainless Steel
- Blade Finish: DLC Coating (Diamond-Like Carbon)
- Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon, rubber over-mold.
GMKT7FS with spoon Fillet Knife Features:
- Blade Style: Trailing Point/Fillet
- Blade Edge: Plain
- Sheath: Blade Protector
- Blade Length: 7 inches
- Blade Material: 420J2 Stainless Steel
- Blade Finish: DLC Coating (Diamond-Like Carbon)
- Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon, rubber overmold.
GMKT7.5F Fillet Knife Features:
- Blade Style: Trailing Point/Fillet
- Blade Edge: Plain
- Sheath: Blade Protector
- Blade Length: 7.5 inches
- Blade Material: 420J2 Stainless Steel
- Blade Finish: DLC Coating (Diamond-Like Carbon)
- Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon, rubber overmold.
GMKT9F Fillet Knife Features:
- Blade Style: Trailing Point/Fillet
- Blade Edge: Plain
- Sheath: Blade Protector
- Blade Length: 9 inches
- Blade Material: 420J2 Stainless Steel
- Blade Finish: DLC Coating (Diamond-Like Carbon)
- Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon, rubber overmold.
Gamakatsu® Steps Into the Knife Market with their New Every Day Carry Knives
Tacoma, Washington - Gamakatsu®, the world’s leading manufacturer and innovator of fishing hooks and terminal tackle, introduces its new series of Everyday Carry (EDC) Knives. Carrying a pocket knife comes in handy in multiple situations, emergencies, and general cutting chores from day to day for the carrier.
Gamakatsu has developed four different-sized folding knives to suit EDC needs for work and play. All four knives are ready to tackle any task.
When designing these knives, Gamakatsu went with the best. The Gamakatsu EDC blades offer durable high-end D2 steel. These knives have a frame lock style handle, a locking mechanism used in one-handed knives. The frame lock closure system makes it possible to open and close the knife with one hand. These knives also feature an assisted opening action/flipper mechanism to make opening easier.
The significant differences between the knives are the sizes, handle materials and blade style. The GMKT1 features a 3.25-inch Drop Point blade with a plain edge, Stonewash finish, and a Blackwash stainless steel handle. The most carry-friendly Gamakatsu knife is the GMKT2 EDC knife featuring a 2.75-inch Drop Point blade, with a two-toned satin finish and a plain edge. The handle material is stainless steel with an attractive Bluewash finish.
The two larger bladed EDC knives have an upgraded handle. GMKT3, the largest EDC knife, has a 3.625-inch Stonewash finish blade that is partially serrated. It features a G10 front handle scale and Stonewash steel back handle. The GMKT4 is a 3.5-inch Tanto style, with Black Oxide and a plain edge. It features a G10/Carbon Fiber Overlay and Black Oxide steel handle.
There are several reasons why you could, and should, EDC a knife. Carry with reassurance knowing that Gamakatsu has you covered!
GMKT1 EDC Knife Features:
● Custom-designed Gamakatsu EDC knife featuring an assisted opening action with a flipper mechanism.
● Blade Style: Drop Point
● Blade Edge: Plain
● Lock Type: Frame Lock
● Pocket clip: Fixed/Tip-Up
● Overall Length: 7.75 inches
● Blade Length: 3.25 inches
● Blade Material: D2
● Blade Finish: Stonewash
● Handle Material: Stainless Steel
● Handle Finish: Black-wash
GMKT2 EDC Knife Features:
● Custom-designed Gamakatsu EDC knife featuring an assisted opening action with a flipper mechanism.
● Blade Style: Drop Point
● Blade Edge: Plain
● Lock Type: Frame Lock
● Pocket clip: Fixed/Tip-Up
● Overall Length: 6.45 inches
● Blade Length: 2.75”
● Blade Material: D2
● Blade Finish: 2 Tone Satin
● Handle Material: Stainless Steel
● Handle Finish: Bluewash
GMKT3 EDC Knife Features:
● Custom-designed Gamakatsu EDC knife featuring an assisted opening action with a flipper mechanism.
● Blade Style: Drop Point
● Blade Edge: Partially Serrated
● Lock Type: Frame Lock
● Pocket clip: Fixed/Tip-Up
● Overall Length: 8.25 inches
● Blade Length: 3.625 inches
● Blade Material: D2
● Blade Finish: Stonewash
● Handle Material: G10 Front Handle Scale/Steel Back Handle
● Handle Finish: Black G10/Stonewash Steel
GMKT4 EDC Knife Features:
● Custom-designed Gamakatsu EDC knife featuring an assisted opening action with a flipper mechanism.
● Blade Style: Tanto
● Blade Edge: Plain
● Lock Type: Frame Lock
● Pocket clip: Fixed/Tip-Up
● Overall Length: 8.25 inches
● Blade Length: 3.5 inches
● Blade Material: D2
● Blade Finish: Black Oxide
● Handle Material: G10/Carbon Fiber Overlay
● Handle Finish: Black CF/Black Oxide Steel
The Chick Magnet Has a Little Brother.
Columbia, S.C. – July 20, 2022 – Fresh off an ICAST 2021 “Best of Category” win for the launch of the Chick Magnet, Strike King is pleased to announce a new crankbait on the scene, the Chick Magnet Jr. This little brother to the 2021 fan favorite weighs in at 1/4-ounce and offers the same proven features of the original. Strike King once again teamed with MLF pro and back-to-back FLW Angler of the Year Andy Morgan to design the new size of the award-winning lure.
Like the original, the Lil’ Chick is a tribute to the legendary craftsmen of East Tennessee who carved flat-sided crankbaits by hand out of cedar and balsa. “Those early lures I remember so fondly growing up on Lake Chickamauga had action like no other, with a tight wiggle,” offered the Dayton, TN pro. For decades, the balsa flat-sided plug was a closely guarded secret of the region, where these homemade plugs were built to produce an erratic action and an unmistakable thump that excels in tough conditions. Morgan and lure-designer Marion Tipton poured heart and soul into perfecting the art of the flat-sided plug design. With the help of Strike King in 2021, the two smalltown innovators shared it with the world.
As lethal as the old hand-carved balsa plugs were along the Tennessee River, Morgan was never quite satisfied with their durability and casting distance. With Strike King’s superior engineering, the team has introduced a lure that retains all the fish-catching qualities of the legendary plug with supreme castability and long-lasting build.
The Chick Magnet Jr is ideal for targeting fish in tougher conditions and excels in cool water, as well as when fishing pressure is high. Morgan also uses it after a weather front has made for a challenging bite.
Pro Angler Kevin VanDam is no stranger to the mystique of the flat-sided plug. “This pared-down Chick Magnet is a go-to for me when I need a smaller bait while cranking in stained water,” offered VanDam. “When I am looking for maximum water displacement to get their attention, I turn to the Chick Magnet Jr.”
Strike King offers the Chick Magnet Jr in 13 colors with a MSRP of $9.99. For clear water, Morgan prefers the Green Gizzard Shad, Natural Shad, Natural Bream and Sexy Shad 2.0. When fishing stained water, Morgan often switches to a Chartreuse with Blue/Black Splatterback or a Chartreuse Copper. His personal favorite color in the line is “Tip’s Special,” which pays homage to the legendary lure craftsman and his personal friend, Marion Tipton.
Gamakatsu Provides Innovative Storage For Anglers on the Go
Tacoma, Washington – Anglers have trusted Gamakatsu® to provide the most critical link between them and their quarry for years. They can also rely on the innovative manufacturer to provide secure storage for all of their gear. A complete line of bags provides plenty of organization for a variety of outings.
Gamakatsu’s new water-resistant Hybrid Duffel Backpack offers 110 liters of space to take gear wherever anglers may roam. The innovative pack can be carried in three different ways, thanks to the removable backpack straps, shoulder strap, or side-carrying handle. All straps are padded to keep anglers comfortable even when the bag is fully loaded. The large main opening provides easy access to the pack’s contents. The large, zippered internal pocket and zippered mesh pocket inside the main compartment opening keeps everything organized. A separate, external zippered-access compartment keeps dirty clothes or gear separated. The large exterior zippered storage pocket and MOLLE-type webbing for attaching and securing gear further add to the organizing potential. The pack folds into itself for compact storage when not in use.
For those that prefer to roll along, Gamakatsu offers the Rolling Gear Duffel. The pair of sturdy wheels allow for easy transport of 90 liters of belongings. When anglers decide to pick it up, use the adjustable, removable padded shoulder strap or padded handles to carry in comfort. An external zippered pocket and a large inner zippered pocket keep things tidy. Water-resistant construction keeps the elements at bay, so anglers won’t have to worry about rain clouds or rough boat rides. A convenient carrying case allows compact storage when anglers are not on the road or at the lake.
When anglers don’t have a ton of stuff to tote around, the new water-resistant 30-liter Gear Duffel would be the best to pack up. The large main opening is secured with heavy-duty zippers for easy access, with an external zippered pocket that keeps oft-needed items at the ready. A separate, outer zippered access compartment for dirty clothes or gear keeps anglers clean stuff clean. An adjustable, padded removable shoulder strap lets anglers carry stuff hands-free, though the hook and loop fastener on the main carrying handles works as well.
Gamakatsu has a gear bag designed for all anglers, whether hitting the fishing hole for a couple of hours or a week. And they’re all built with Gamakatsu’s dedication to quality, so anglers know they’ll perform as well as their legendary hooks.
Hybrid Duffel Backpack 110L Features:
- Can be carried 3 different ways: Backpack, shoulder or side carrying handle
- Padded removable shoulder straps
- Padded carry handles for comfort
- Separate external zippered access compartment for dirty clothes or gear
- Folds into itself for compact storage
- Heavy-duty zippers on main compartment
- Water-resistant TPU construction
- Size: 30 x 15.5 x 13 inches
Rolling Gear Duffel 90L Features:
- Two sturdy wheels allow for easy transport of belongings
- Convenient carrying case allows for compact storage
- Adjustable, padded removable shoulder strap
- Padded carry handles for comfort
- Heavy-duty zippers on main compartment
- Water-resistant TPU construction
- Size: 27 x 15.5 x 13 inches
Gear Duffel 30L Features:
- Large main opening for easy access
- Heavy-duty zippers on main compartment
- Separate external zippered access compartment for dirty clothes or gear
- Adjustable, padded removable shoulder strap
- Water-resistant TPU construction
- Size: 19 x 10 x 10 inches
Strike King and KVD collaborate on the Perfect Jerkbait.
Columbia, S.C. – July 20, 2022 – Back with additions to a fan favorite, Strike King is pleased to introduce the KVD Elite Jerkbait 300. Tournament-ready straight out of the package, the Strike King J300 Elite comes equipped with three KVD Elite Triple Grip Treble Hooks and a premier paint finish that is second to none.
Michigan native and arguably the best angler ever Kevin VanDam worked tirelessly with the Strike King design crew to build the new and improved KVD J300 Elite Jerkbait. Jerkbait fishing is close to the heart of the seven-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year; with one cast of the KVD J300 Elite Jerkbait and you can feel his influence with every twitch of the rod tip. "The hooks we used on this bait are specifically built to excel on lures like the jerkbait that require exceptional balance," explained VanDam. "They are weighted perfectly for the J300 Elite and are designed with the best angle for maximum hold. They are 20% sharper and stay sharp longer." In fact, VanDam credits the KVD Elite Triple Grip hooks with two of his Bassmaster Classic Championship trophies. "The holding power of this hook is unbelievable," KVD offered.
The other key feature of this bait is the almost hand painted look of the new colors the Kevin personally picked out. These colors are unique and match the hatch in areas where the forage can be very specific. These are colors that work across the country. KVD uses water clarity and sky conditions to determine the color pattern, preferring natural patterns in clear conditions and fishing brighter colors in stained water, with this in mind KVD made sure these colors are the best bait imitation possible and finishes that make these lures a work of art.
VanDam, to whom the jerkbait is his go to bait, has relied on the KVD J300 from one end of the country to the other. "This is an all-season bait for me," VanDam said. The 2018 Bass Hall of Famer typically fishes the J300 Elite with line as light as 8-pound test and as heavy as 14. "I may go as light as 8-pound test if I am looking to get maximum depth out of the lure, but out of the box it will run four to seven feet deep." KVD uses water clarity and sky conditions to determine the color pattern, preferring natural patterns in clear conditions and fishing brighter colors in stained water, with this in mind KVD handpicked the premier 12 colors and finishes that make this lures a work of art.
Another feature that sets the KVD Elite Jerkbait 300 apart is the weight transfer system, critical for consistently long casts. VanDam explains: "We spent a lot of time on the weight transfer system. You must engineer the balance just right. And Strike King nailed it. This thing casts like a rocket, even right into the wind."
The KVD Elite Jerkbait J300 is engineered to produce the same standout action of the original. "This lure sets the standard for jerkbaits," VanDam said. "It fishes perfectly when snapped quickly in warmer water, as well as slowly with a lot of pauses in colder water. Strike King has perfected that erratic movement pattern that fish cannot ignore." The J300 Elite comes in at MSRP $14.99
Gamakatsu® Double Down Spring Lock Keeps Soft Plastics Secure
Tacoma, Washington – Gamakatsu®, the longtime leader in hooks for everything from bluegills to blue marlin, has expanded its ever-increasing reach in the terminal tackle market with the new Double Down Spring Lock.
The Double Down Spring Lock features not one but two retaining wires wound in parallel, so soft plastics stay rigged as intended. That means fewer wasted casts and far fewer lost or damaged lures. It’s a win-win for everyone but the fish.
Add the simple-to-rig double wire rig to a favorite Gamakatsu hook and holding power is maximized, and anglers can be sure that it won’t give up in the heat of battle.
The Double Down Spring Lock is also available as part of Gamakatsu’s Spring Lock Spinner, made for adding flash and vibration to a favorite swimbait or soft plastic. It calls fish from a distance, in all water clarities and a wide variety of depths. Due to its premium construction, it excels in the bass world but will also stand up to pike, muskies and various saltwater species.
Double Down Spring Lock Features:
- Features two retaining wires wound in parallel
- Makes rigging simple and provides even more holding power
- Securely locks plastics in place so baits don’t slip
- Color: Stainless Steel
- Size: M, L, XL
- Qty per pack: 8
MLF’s Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 Set to Visit Lake Champlain
Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X to Showcase 155 Professional Anglers Competing for Top Prize up to $135,000
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (July 19, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, is set to return to Plattsburgh, New York, next week, July 29 – Aug. 1, for the sixth and final event of the 2022 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me regular-season – the Covercraft Stop 6 on Lake Champlain Presented by Wiley X. The four-day event – hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau – will mark the 13th time the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit has competed on Lake Champlain and will showcase 155 professional anglers competing for a total purse of more than $850,000.
"We are so excited to have Major League Fishing tournaments back on the Adirondack Coast and Lake Champlain year after year,” said Alyssa Senecal, Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau Assistant Director of Tourism & Marketing. “These tournaments not only have an incredible economic impact on our area but bring long-lasting exposure to our backyard and anglers who just keep coming back for more. Thank you to everyone at MLF for recognizing, showcasing and caring for the destination that we call home."
When the Pro Circuit last visited the lake in 2019, pro Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Missouri, put together a four-day total of 76 pounds, 2 ounces to take home the top award of $100,000. Legendary pro Gary Yamamoto of Palestine, Texas, holds the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit record for the heaviest one-day weight on the fishery, bringing a limit to the scale weighing 24 pounds, 4 ounces back in 2011.
In its 27th season, the Pro Circuit features a roster of 155 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals competing across six regular-season events, each with a top award of up to $135,000. The field is also competing for valuable points to qualify for the 2022 Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship – held this year on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York – and the coveted Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) title.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 155 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight will 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 a lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers.
Scanlon said the 2019 tournament – where he focused solely on largemouth on Ticonderoga – was his first and only time to ever fish on Lake Champlain, so he’s looking forward to getting back out on the fishery.
“I believe I’m just inside the cut for the TITLE championship, so I need a good showing at this event to make it to the TITLE,” Scanlon said. “It’s a little later than the last time we were there and there haven’t been a lot of major tournaments won in recent years in the area where I won, so that has me a little nervous. But Lake Champlain is a tremendous fishery and I’ve been doing my homework. I spent some time on the northern end of the lake last time as well, during practice, and I think the smallmouth are going to be a bigger factor this time around.”
Scanlon said he expects to still see some fish spawning, based on local tournaments currently taking place on the fishery, but he expects the fish to be transitioning to more of their summer patterns by the time the event begins.
“Champlain is full of fish, so catching fish isn’t a problem, but catching 4-pound-plus, quality fish is going to be key,” Scanlon said. “I imagine it’s going to be different than the last time I was there, so I just plan to stay on my toes, keep an open mind and try to focus on what’s going on this time around.
“It’s a big body of water, and with only two days of practice, you aren’t going to be able to see the whole lake,” Scanlon continued. “I plan to spend one day on the north end, focusing solely on smallmouth, then spend another day down south searching for largemouth.
“Champlain is a fishery where you can win on either species – and a combination of the two could be a winning pattern as well – so I just plan to get out there and try to get a good feel for which species is currently weighing heavier and is easier to catch.”
Scanlon said he predicts it will take anywhere from 74 to 80 pounds to win the four-day event.
“The fish should be finishing up the spawn and getting healthy, so we should see some good weights this time of year. You’re typically going to need 18 pounds per day or better to make the cuts and to have a shot at the championship round.”
Scanlon said it would be awesome to pull in another win on Lake Champlain.
“The tournament is shaping up a lot like it did last time for me, with the points scenario – and wins are always great – but it would be really special to go back and win it again on the same fishery,” Scanlon finished.
After four events in the 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit regular season, Alabama pro Josh Butler leads the Bally Bet AOY race with 896 points. The reigning AOY, Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, sits in second place with 882 points, while Guntersville, Alabama’s Justin Lucas sits in third with 863 points. Florence, Italy’s Jacopo Gallelli sits in fourth place with 863 points, while Mitch Crane of Columbus, Mississippi, rounds out the top five with 857 points.
Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET, Friday through Monday, from the Plattsburgh Waterfront, located at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh. Weigh-ins will also be held at the waterfront 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.
As part of the event, on Thursday, July 28 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET, the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) will lead a clean-up event at the Plattsburgh Waterfront – the Costa Clean Water Matters Program supported by SeaArk Boats. Volunteers will clean up trash and debris from the shores of Lake Champlain, and SeaArk Boats will support the efforts by providing their revolutionary trash clean-up boat for use on the water during the clean-up. Numerous Pro Circuit anglers, including Dakota Ebare, Robby Lefere, Terry Luedtke, Jeff McClain, Jimmy Reese, Skeet Reese and John Voyles will be present at the event.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Covercraft Stop 6 on 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.
The 2022 season culminates next month with the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where the top 48 pros in the points standings, along with 2021 TITLE Champion Jimmy Washam and 2021 AOY Michael Neal, will compete for a top prize of $235,000. The 2022 TITLE will be on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, Aug. 16-21, and is hosted by the Town of Massena.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit 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 information no 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.
Jenko Fishing Wins Eighth-Annual ICAST Cup Presented by Major League Fishing on Lake Toho
A Total of $12,000 Raised for Keep America Fishing™ Foundation
The field totaled 58 boats, including a handful of MLF Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and Toyota Series anglers, as well as outdoor media and industry representatives from popular tackle brand and non-profits. In its seven-year history, the charity tournament has raised more than $72,000 for Keep America Fishing.
Anchored by a 9-pound, 12-ounce kicker, the Jenko Fishing team won by a wide margin of 6 pounds, 11 ounces over the Skinny Water Marine/Lithium Battery Company team – comprised of Eric Conant, Michael Kirkland and Glen Cabezas – who brought a limit to the scale weighing 15 pounds even.
The Jenko Fishing team said they felt blessed to claim the 2022 ICAST Cup win, something that has been on their bucket list for the past couple years.
“It honestly didn’t come easy, today,” Jennings said. “The first place we stopped didn’t have much, so we left there with 7 or 8 pounds and made a run down the lake. I picked up a new prototype topwater bait that we’ve been working on for three years – it’s my pride and joy and my favorite bait that I’ve ever worked on – and you can see the results first-hand.”
The outcome of that decision and the super-secretive bait were three giant largemouth – including the 9-pound, 12-ounce kicker – that gave the trio their 21-11 limit and the opportunity to take home the ICAST Cup hardware.
“This isn’t even real life – this place is like Jurassic park,” Jennings laughed, maneuvering the three giant largemouth back into the bag.
“This bait is something we have worked so hard on,” he continued. “There hasn’t been anything super unique that has come out in a topwater bait in several years, but this bait is absolutely deadly and I’m so excited to get it out to the public.
“I mean, 21-11 in July, on only three fish – that’s incredible and it’s one of those days that you’ll never forget in your whole life,” Jennings finished.
The top 10 teams finished the tournament in:
2nd: Skinny Water Marine/Lithium Battery Company – Eric Conant, Michael Kirkland and Glen Cabezas, three bass, 15-0
3rd: Floatzilla – Douglas and Hayden Reed, three bass, 14-4
4th: Bull Bay Tackle Company – Jake Stines and Kelly Phillips, three bass, 14-1
5th: The Florida Angler – Nick Morrison and Jeff Powell, three bass, 13-15
6th: 13 Fishing – Christian Grecio and Garrett Rocamora, three bass, 13-12
7th: Hawg Tech, LLC – Robert Perez, Erik Tilson and Jerrod Brown, three bass, 13-2
8th: Thunder Rocket Lures – Jered Fontenot, Jimmy Frye and David Sartwell, three bass, 11-4
9th: Native Angler – Ben Paquin and Kwang Park, three bass, 10-15
10th: Nikko Baits – Rohan Ramsinh and Chuck Smith, three bass, 10-7
USA Bass partnered with MLF and Keep America Fishing to award the top-finishing women’s pair at the ICAST Cup a spot on the 2023 USA Pan American Bass fishing team. The highest-finishing team of female anglers was Michelle Jalaba and Hannah Wesley who brought three bass to the stage totaling 10 pounds even to earn their spot on Team USA Bass at the 2023 Pan American Bass Fishing Championship, alongside Jacob Wheeler, David Dudley, James Watson, Mark Rose, Fred Roumbanis and other top pros.
Keep America Fishing™ is leading the fight to preserve our right to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways. As the voice of the American angler, Keep America Fishing works to keep our public resources – our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams – open, clean and abundant with fish. For more information, please visit KeepAmericaFishing.org.
For more ICAST 2022 coverage, details and tournament information visit visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Hobie Releases the all-new Mirage® Passport® R Series
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Rotomolded R Models upgrade popular fishing and recreational pedal kayaks |
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OCEANSIDE, Calif. (July 19, 2022) – Hobie, the leading manufacturer of premium kayaks and watersport products, launched the newest additions to their 2022 product line today with the unveiling of the Mirage Passport 12.0 R and the Mirage Passport 10.5 R. The first look of these rotomolded kayaks were made at the on the water demo day at ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show. |
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Powered by MirageDrive® with Glide Technology and Kick-Up Fins, the new R Series models will be able to avoid obstacles with ease and navigate rocky or shallow waters thanks to the automatic retraction of Kick-Up Fins on impact and subsequent re-deployment once clear of the obstacle. With the rotomolded hull construction, available in Seagrass Green and Slate Blue, the new R models fuse a new sleek aesthetic with excellent performance and stability without sacrificing speed. |
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“Since 1950, Hobie has always strived to create fun, accessible experiences on the water,” said Kelley Woolsey, Hobie Vice President of Global Sales, Service, and Marketing. “Today’s launch of the new Mirage Passport R Series kayaks echo Hobie’s values and mission of always striving to improve and update our product offering to deliver the best experience available. Hobie will always ensure that the highest quality products are available for kayakers of all experience to enjoy.” The 2022 Mirage Passport 10.5 R and the Mirage Passport 12.0 R will be available at authorized Hobie dealers starting later this month at an introductory MSRP of $1,649 and $1,869 respectively. To find a Hobie dealer, please visit: hobie.com/dealers. |
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Iconic Bassmaster Classic Trophy To Be Named In Honor Of Ray Scott
Beginning at the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, the famed winner's trophy will be named in honor of Ray Scott.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 19, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — When a world champion of fishing is crowned at the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, the angler will hoist a familiar trophy emblazoned with a legendary name. B.A.S.S. officials announced today that the famed Bassmaster Classic trophywill be named in honor of the organization’s founder Ray Scott.
Scott, who passed away in May at the age of 88, founded the first national professional bass fishing circuit, the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, in 1967 and the following year founded B.A.S.S., which grew to become the world’s largest fishing organization.
“Ray Scott’s passion and vision for bass fishing more than 50 years ago created not only the B.A.S.S. organization but our entire industry,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “We could think of no better way to celebrate his lasting legacy than by officially naming the most iconic trophy in sportfishing — the Bassmaster Classic trophy — in his honor. It is often said that winning the Classic etches an angler’s name on the pages of bass fishing history, but it is a book that would never have been written without Ray.”
Scott’s brainchild, the Bassmaster Classic, grew from two dozen competitors and a smattering of spectators at Lake Mead, Nev., in 1971, to become the biggest event in sportfishing over the next half-century. Today, the Classic and related events such as the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo record more than 100,000 fishing fans each year and boast an economic impact of more than $30 million for host communities.
Aspirations of fishing in the Bassmaster Classic have drawn generations of anglers to tournament fishing.
“I can remember being a kid, getting up to watch The Bassmasters with Ray and Bob Cobb,” said 2022 Bassmaster Classic champion Jason Christie. “Ray Scott not only started modern-day bass fishing, but he was responsible for setting the bar on fish care and how tournament fishing should be done. I just hope whenever I’m done in this sport that I’ve lived up to the bar that Ray Scott set.”
One talented angler will be awarded the Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic trophy March 26 in Knoxville, Tenn., after three days of competition on the Tennessee River.
SPRO’s Rk Crawler 50DD – A New Smaller Crankbait for Deep Water
| Kennesaw, GA (July 19, 2022) The new SPRO® Rk Crawler 50DD is a deep-diving crankbait that features the famous ‘hunting action’ of the original Rk Crawler but in a smaller size – perfect for targeting wary fish in deep water!
MLF Angler Mike McClelland designed the Rk Crawler 50DD in a smaller size that’s neither too big nor too small for most freshwater game fish. The Rk Crawler 50 DD weighs ½ ounce and is 50 mm long. It dives fast, covering more fish-holding structures with every cast. When targeting game fish in 9 to 12 feet of water, the versatile Rk Crawler 50 DD will quickly become a go-to crankbait. SPRO crankbaits also include industry-leading #5 Gamakatsu treble hooks. The extremely sharp trebles allow for faster hook sets and deeper penetration. Each Rk Crawler 50DD is ready to fish right out of the package, and its quality components ensure a long fish-catching life! Like other Rk Crawler baits, the 50DD is available in a wide range of colors for just about any fishing situation. SPRO’s Rk Crawler 50DD is the anglers-choice for catching deep water fish. Its smaller size, wide-wobble action, and choice of colors are what’s needed to trigger a bite!
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SPRO Rk Crawler 50DD Features:
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Gamakatsu’s New Power Drop Series
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Rise of the Topwater ChatterBait®
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XZone New 4.25" Neko Ned Zone Worm!
- Neko Rig
- Ned Rig
- Shakey Head
- Texas Rig
- Ballhead Rig
- Damiki Rig
Strike King Revolutionizes Jig Line-Up with the Compact Tungsten Casting Jig
Columbia, S.C. – July 20, 2022 – The creators of some of the most legendary and innovative jigs on the water are back with a revolutionary new design for 2022. Introducing the Strike King Compact Tungsten Casting Jig.
“We built this tungsten casting jig to cast well in all situations and maintain a great rate of fall, yet with a finesse profile,” explains Strike King Pro Team member Mark Zona, who was instrumental in the development of this groundbreaking jig in the Strike King line-up. “These tungsten jig heads are 40% more dense than lead, so we get a heavier lure with a much smaller presentation. It’s the ideal jig to downsize for a slow, cold bite or when targeting pressured fish. This is what our tournament anglers have needed from Strike King.”
With the Compact Tungsten Casting Jig, Strike King solves a key problem for many tournament anglers. “It’s often just so hard to get a finesse jig to where it needs to go,” offered Zona. “And it is hard to maintain contact with the bottom. In a tournament, you just don’t have time to deal with that. Strike King’s tungsten jig is the answer competitors are looking for.”
There is another key feature that cannot be overstated with tungsten. Strike King Pro and jig designer Jeff Sprague explains: “What is exceptional about the Strike King Tungsten Jig is just how sensitive it is, and how well anglers connect with the bottom and feel fish. This tungsten head helps me fish with the confidence that I am going to detect even those subtle, sluggish bites and pick up on any small change in the structure.”
The Compact Tungsten Casting Jig boasts a smaller diameter - yet stronger - hook that is designed to hold its integrity during powerful hooksets or when fighting fish in heavier cover, and the tournament-grade, hand-tied skirt emits a vibrant swimming movement that serious anglers have come to expect from Strike King. For a faster rate-of-fall, tournament pros trail the Strike King Compact Tungsten Casting Jig with the slender-profile Rage Craw or Baby Rage Craw, while a slower presentation and a more subtle approach calls for the wide-bodied Rage Bug as the trailer of choice. Regardless of the trailer, Strike King’s trailer keeper on the Compact Tungsten Casting Jig ensures soft plastics are kept firmly in place throughout bruising fights with fish in deep cover and hours upon hours of casting.
The Compact Tungsten Casting Jig is offered in 1/2, 3/8, and 1/4 oz models and is available in seven vibrant colors. MSRP for the Tungsten Casting Jig is $6.99
Strike King Announces Two New Twists to the Thunder Cricket Family
Columbia, S.C. – July 20, 2022 – Strike King is pleased to offer two new bladed jigs in the Thunder Cricket legendary line-up. First, introducing the long-awaited Tungsten Thunder Cricket. Now with the finest quality tour grade tungsten head, anglers finally have a small profile Strike King bladed jig without compromising the bait’s most important features. “In the past, we gave up that tight vibration and long-distance casts to have a junior-sized bladed jig,” offered Strike King Pro Andy Montgomery. “But with the heavy and compact Tungsten head, the Thunder Cricket has all the features we need in a small package.”
Along with Strike King Pro Team members Greg Hackney and Kevin VanDam, Montgomery was one of the designers of the original Thunder Cricket. “There is no doubt that big fish love the Thunder Cricket, but there are times that you need to offer them a smaller presentation,” said Montgomery. “I also love that you can really slow this Tungsten Thunder Cricket down and get the same iconic vibration at a slower retrieval. This Tungsten Thunder Cricket wobbles with the slowest movement.”
Like its larger Strike King cousin, the standout feature of the Tungsten Thunder Cricket remains the long shank super tough jungle style hook. “Gone are the days of anglers settling for less hookups on a bladed jig,” said Elite Pro Greg Hackney. “Strike King paired these hooks perfectly with the Tungsten Thunder Cricket, and the hook penetrations are second to none.” The Tungsten Thunder Cricket has a MSRP of $17.99.
Along with the Tungsten model, the team at Strike King are pleased to offer the Gold-Bladed Thunder Cricket. The standout feature of the gold-bladed cricket is its performance in stained water or in low-visibility conditions. The gold-bladed version is offered with the same vibrant skirts that first put the legendary Thunder Cricket on the map.
Fans of the original will also be pleased to recognize the exceptional trailer keeper on both the tungsten and gold-bladed models. “We designed these Thunder Cricket trailer keepers to withstand the most brutal strikes and deal with the heaviest cover,” offered Kevin VanDam, an original design team member. Like Montgomery and Hackney, VanDam frequently uses the Strike King Rage Swimmer as a trailer for added vibration. “When I need a more subtle presentation, I will often use the Strike King Rage Menace,” said VanDam. “That Rage Menace will also help that cricket achieve more depth, while the Rage Swimmer’s buoyancy keeps it higher in the water column.” The Gold-Bladed Thunder Cricket has a MSRP of $13.99
Like the original, the gold-bladed Thunder Cricket is offered in 3/8, 1/2 and 5/8 ounce sizes in 10 colors. The smaller profile Tungsten Thunder Cricket will be offered in 3/8, and 1/2-ounce and all of the original 14 colors.
Strike King Launches Two New Lures to the Hybrid Hunter Line-up
Columbia, S.C. – July 20, 2022 –Following the groundbreaking 2021 release of the Hybrid Hunter, Strike King is back with two new twists to the innovative hard plastic lure. Introducing the Shallow Hybrid Hunter and Shallow Hybrid Hunter Jr.
“With so many companies out there, it’s rare that a truly remarkable lure comes along and catches anglers by surprise, but that is exactly what the Hybrid Hunter did,” said Strike King Product Development Director Todd Castledine. “The design and action are simply like no other.”
Like the original, the Shallow Hybrid Hunter and Shallow Hybrid Hunter Jr. are designed to excel around vegetation. The Hybrid Hunter is built with an unmistakable L-shaped bill, allowing the bait to achieve depth and run horizontally unlike traditional crankbaits. Additionally, its body is designed with a high level of buoyancy, allowing it to rise out of vegetation quicker than other lures, greatly reducing grass snags and hang-ups.
The Shallow Hybrid Hunter and Shallow Hybrid Hunter Jr are crafted with the best attributes of a traditional crankbait but can be fished well with a jerkbait and square bill technique. “That’s why we call this little guy the hybrid,” explained Castledine. “It’s not really a crankbait, and it’s not really another lure. It performs like a hybrid of several exceptional lures in one.”
Though the original was built for fishing vegetation, the Shallow Hybrid Hunter has a growing reputation of performing well around timber and rock, as its bill design allows it to deflect off cover, veer off course, and smoothly correct. “We call this hunting,” explains Castledine. “And as the name implies, the Shallow Hybrid Hunter and the Shallow Hybrid Hunter Jr. can hunt like no other.”
Another stand out feature of new shallow series is the amazing sound chamber that emits a rattle like few baits can. Castledine explains: “Fishing around dense cover, like the Hybrid Hunter is built to do, requires you to call fish out of the grass. We designed this bait to really get their attention.”
The 3.5” Shallow Hybrid Hunter weighs 1oz. The 3” Shallow Hybrid Hunter Jr. weighs 7/16oz. Both will dive 1-3 feet, ideal for prowling shallow cover or fishing over submerged grass. They come in 13 colors and a MSRP of 8.99 for the junior and $9.99 for the bigger one.
Texas Team Trail announces 2023 season schedule and new qualifying rules
Big Bass Tour Announces 2023 Schedule
Woodlands, Texas – Tour officials announced the 2023 Big Bass Tour schedule today, ahead of ICAST in Orlando, Florida.
“We are thrilled to announce our 2023 schedule today,” said Tournament Director Scott Gordon. “We are looking forward to visiting our host communities and can't wait for next year!” added Gordon.
- Feb 10-12 | Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida
- March 2-5 | Lake Conroe, Texas (4 Day Event for 25th Anniversary)
- March 10-12 | Clarks Hill, Georgia
- March 24-26 | Lake Norman, North Carolina
- March 31-April 2 | Lake Eufaula, Alabama
- April 14-16 | Table Rock Lake, Missouri
- April 28-30 | Lake Murray, South Carolina
- May 5-7 | Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia (Spring)
- May 19-21 | Lake Chickamauga, Tennessee
- Sept 29-Oct 1 | Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia (Fall)
- Oct 6-8 | Douglas Lake, Tennessee
- Oct 13-15 | Guntersville Lake, Alabama
*We are also currently in discussions to add California (Delta) in the fall of 2023 and Michigan (St Clair) in the summer of 2023 and hope to have these finalized in the coming weeks. If we are able to get them signed, we will add them to the schedule here.
Registration for the 2023 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Big Bass Tour will open on Thursday December 1st. Visit www.bigbasstour.com for all details.
Mullins Tops Field at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Monroe
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (July 18, 2022) – Boater Levi Mullins of Nineveh, Indiana, caught three bass Saturday weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Monroe . The tournament was the third event for the Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division. Mullins earned $5,635 for his victory.
“I knew my starting spot had some potential, but I got there and started with a topwater bait and couldn’t get anything going,” Mullins said. “I switched to a shaky head and picked off a few fish in stumps in eight feet of water.”
Mullins said he caught 10 bass during the course of the tournament – six of which were keepers – in the main lake area of Monroe.
“I didn’t know how close I was to winning until I got to weigh-in,” Mullins said. “I just felt like I needed one more quality bite. This is just awesome.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Levi Mullins, Nineveh, Ind., three bass, 12-12, $5,635
2nd: Jerry Koller, Paragon, Ind., three bass, 12-1, $2,118
3rd: Tyler Mosier, Bloomington, Ind., three bass, 11-15, $1,413
4th: Mike Quinlin, Mooresville, Ind., three bass, 11-7, $988
5th: Doug Ruster, New Palestine, Ind., three bass, 10-13, $847
6th: Rob Flowers, West Harrison, Ind., three bass, 10-4, $776
7th: Robert Gilliland Sr., Bloomington, Ind., three bass, 10-3, $670
7th: Nick Uebelhor, Jasper, Ind., three bass, 10-3, $1,170 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
9th: Dave Tinsman, Losantville, Ind., three bass, 10-0, $565
10th: Colby Reed, Bloomington, Ind., three bass, 9-12, $494
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Phillip Ralston of Terre Haute, Indiana, had a largemouth that weighed 6 pounds even that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $590.
Colsyn Head of Poland, Indiana, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,082 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 10 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Colsyn Head, Poland, Ind., three bass, 10-7, $2,082
2nd: John Bradley Atkins, Mooresville, Ind., three bass, 9-5, $1,041
3rd: Guy Linville, Camby, Ind., two bass, 9-4, $692
4th: Jay Backer, Henderson, Ky., three bass, 7-2, $486
5th: Steven Sanders, Orleans, Ind., three bass, 6-13, $416
6th: Douglas Salzman, Newburgh, Ind., two bass, 6-9, $382
7th: Kevin Freese, Danville, Ind., three bass, 5-15, $447
8th: Andy Lundy, Camby, Ind., one bass, 5-13, $602
9th: Gary Owens, Columbus, Ind., three bass, 5-12, $278
10th: Austin Tinsman, Losantville, Ind., two bass, 5-11, $243
Lundy caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $290.
After three events, Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, leads the Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 728 points, while Austin Tinsman of Losantville, Indiana, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 718 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. 13-15 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 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.
Copley Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake St. Clair
HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (July 18, 2022) – Boater Jeff Copley of Marengo, Ohio, caught five bass Saturday weighing 26 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake St. Clair . The tournament was the second event for the Bass Fishing League Michigan Division. Copley earned $8,407, including a $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“We pulled up on some areas where I thought I had them pretty planned out, but I struggled for a while,” Copley said. “I ended up locating a school I had found Friday and spent the rest of the day making drifts and alternating between a swimbait and a drop-shot.”
Copley said he was fishing 13 to 16 feet deep and targeting isolated grass clumps in the Anchor Bay area. Copley said he caught an estimated 20 fish during the course of the day, all of which were keepers.
“I don’t typically weigh fish,” Copley said. “If they’re over four pounds, they go in the livewell, and if they’re under four pounds they get a cull tag. At one point I had culled everything that had a cull tag, and then I caught a 6-pounder. At that point I knew I had significantly more than 21 pounds.
“I’ve learned from some of the best out there by fishing as a co-angler,” Copley said. “To be able to go out there and put it together myself was pretty amazing.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jeff Copley, Marengo, Ohio, five bass, 26-4, $8,407 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Kyle Greene, Ortonville, Mich., five bass, 23-8, $2,436
3rd: Brayden Federer, Deerfield, Mich., five bass, 22-9, $1,623
4th: Todd Schmitz, Coldwater, Mich., five bass, 22-4, $1,137
5th: Kevin Langlands, Macomb, Mich., five bass, 21-13, $974
6th: Jeremy Reese, Powell, Ohio, five bass, 21-11, $893
7th: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 21-6, $1,012
8th: Aaron Jagdfeld, Rochester, Mich., five bass, 21-3, $731
9th: Austin Freed, LaGrange, Ind., five bass, 21-0, $650
10th: John Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, five bass, 20-15, $568
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Copley also caught the heaviest bass of the tournament - 6 pounds, 3 ounces, to earn the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $735.
Benjamin Mott of North Royalton, Ohio, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,736 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 22 pounds even.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Benjamin Mott, North Royalton, Ohio, five bass, 22-0, $2,736
2nd: Tom Stark, Angola, Ind., five bass, 20-7, $1,218
3rd: Zach Wolfe, Mokena, Ill., five bass, 20-1, $814
4th: Greg Elswick, Goshen, Ind., five bass, 20-0, $568
5th: Todd Layne, Poca, W.V., five bass, 19-6, $837
6th: Gregory Jantovsky, Westland, Mich., five bass, 19-3, $447
7th: Ashten Lynch, Lebanon, Ohio, five bass, 18-14, $406
8th: Jason Hayward, Otsego, Mich., five bass, 18-7, $365
9th: Greg Surratt, Canal Winchester, Ohio, five bass, 18-4, $325
10th: Todd Taylor, Bargersville, Ind., five bass, 17-12, $284
Matt Knox of Metamora, Illinois, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $367.
After two events, Kyle Greene of Ortonville, Michigan, leads the Bass Fishing League Michigan Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 498 points, while Greg Elswick of Goshen, Indiana, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 490 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. 13-15 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 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.
17-Year-Old Trey McKinney Claims Second Straight Illini Division Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Rend Lake
SESSER, Ill. (July 18, 2022) – Boater Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Illinois, the reigning Illini Division Angler of the Year (AOY), caught five bass Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Rend Lake. The tournament was the third event for the Bass Fishing League Illini Division. McKinney earned $5,244 for his victory.
The 17-year-old McKinney said his approach to tournament fishing of sticking to techniques, locations and baits he has confidence in paid off, and it didn’t take him long to catch his tournament-winning bag Saturday morning, as he stuck to his plan he had developed during practice for the event.
“My main strategy was to run back and forth, hitting key stretches that were high-probability areas,” McKinney said. “
McKinney said he had success on shallow wood laydowns in pockets, the deepest of which was in six feet of water. His bait of choice was a natural-colored jig that imitated bluegill that were present in the lake.
“I had my five fish that I weighed in at 8:11 (Saturday) morning,” McKinney said. “It was unreal that it happened so fast. I knew I had a good bag, but I didn’t think I had 16 pounds. I was thinking I needed one more 4-pounder to have good odds at winning.
“If you think you have enough, you just don’t fish the same as if you think you need one more,” McKinney added. “I always want to underestimate my weight, so I always need that one more bite.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Trey McKinney, Carbondale, Ill., five bass, 16-1, $5,244
2nd: Brennan McCord, Thompsonville, Ill., five bass, 14-4, $2,622 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Larry Diveley, Saint Jacob, Ill., five bass, 13-2, $1,413
4th: Greg Hirsch, Saint Jacob, Ill., five bass, 13-1, $990
5th: Gabe Jelley, Mulkeytown, Ill., five bass, 12-5, $849
6th: Riley Walk, Neoga, Ill., four bass, 11-13, $778
7th: Scott Neighbors, Makanda, Ill., four bass, 11-7, $1,707
8th: Neil McCord, West Frankfort, Ill., four bass, 11-2, $637
9th: Mike Hudson, Creal Springs, Ill., five bass, 10-11, $566
10th: Patrick Odell, Windsor, Ill., five bass, 10-8, $495
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Neighbors had a largemouth that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $600.
Patrick Lesicko of Staunton, Illinois, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,122 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Patrick Lesicko, Staunton, Ill., four bass, 10-15, $2,122
2nd: Shannon Schloss, West Frankfort, Ill., four bass, 9-6, $1,061
3rd: Sheldon Ayers, Goreville, Ill., three bass, 9-1, $707
4th: G.W. Gass, West Frankfort, Ill., two bass, 6-14, $495
5th: Gary Denney, Livingston, Ill., one bass, 5-15, $724
6th: Jeff Anderson, St. Louis, Mo., three bass, 5-10, $389
7th: Drake Horn, Murphysboro, Ill., three bass, 5-8, $354
8th: Jason Gosnell, Paris, Ill., three bass, 5-6, $318
9th: Matthew Hackman, Creal Springs, Ill., two bass, 5-0, $283
10th: Matthew Tinsman, Peoria, Ill., two bass, 4-14, $248
Denney caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $300.
After three events, Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Illinois, leads the Bass Fishing League Illini Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 745 points, while Jojo Johnson of Benton, Illinois, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 721 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. 13-15 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. 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.
Uzzle Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on the James River
HENRICO, Va. (July 18, 2022) – Boater Rob Uzzle of Hampton, Virginia, caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the James River . The tournament was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division. Uzzle earned $7,152, including a $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I had a major change in plans during the tournament,” Uzzle said. “I had planned on staying up on the James River instead of running down to the Chickahominy River, but after checking the tides and seeing it would be low tide at 10:30, I felt like I needed to go on down to Gordon’s Creek and do my normal milk run. It ended up being the right decision.”
Uzzle said his approach varied greatly during the day, but it resulted in a quality five-fish limit that included four fish that weighed more than four pounds each and one that weighed more than 3 pounds. The fish fell for a buzzbait, a square-bill crankbait, a Profound Outdoors crankbait and a topwater popping bait.
“My four quality fish came on four different baits,” Uzzle said. “It was junk fishing at its finest. There was no topwater bite or crankbait bite. It was just me fishing the moment.
“To come out of the Chickahominy with more than 17 pounds at 11 o‘clock… not a bad place to be,” Uzzle added with a laugh.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Rob Uzzle, Hampton, Va., five bass, 17-15, $7,152 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Harrison McCall, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 17-6, $2,526
3rd: Cullen Hoover, Chesterfield, Va., five bass, 16-1, $1,551
4th: Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 15-4, $1,086
5th: Frank Poirier, North Prince George, Va., five bass, 15-3, $930
6th: Scott Rogers, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 15-1, $853
7th: Kevin Chandler, New London, N.C., five bass, 14-13, $1,460
8th: Jason Agpalza, Woodbridge, Va., five bass, 14-11, $698
9th: Tim Chaffin, Quinton, Va., five bass, 14-4, $620
10th: Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 14-0, $543
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Chandler had a largemouth that weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $685.
Dustin Riddle of Hiwassee, Virginia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,326 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Dustin Riddle, Hiwassee, Va., five bass, 12-7, $2,326
2nd: Justin Faison, South Prince George, Va., five bass, 11-9, $1,163
3rd: Micah Mitten, Powhatan, Va., five bass, 10-6, $777
4th: Nathan Pulley, Chester, Va., five bass, 10-4, $578
4th: Gerrit Vanvoorhees, Lenexa, Va., five bass, 10-4, $628
4th: Greg Ravitsky, Palmyra, Va., two bass, 10-4, $820
7th: Callahan Cochran, Chantilly, Va., three bass, 10-2, $388
8th: Shaquille Freeman, Meherrin, Va., five bass, 10-1, $349
9th: Brandon Miskell, Vienna, Va., five bass, 9-14, $310
10th: Maurice Curley, Prince George, Va., five bass, 9-13, $257
Ravitsky caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $342.
After four events, Todd Langford of Great Falls, Virginia, leads the Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 935 points, while David Deciucis of Chester, Virginia, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 952 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. 6-8 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Murray in Prosperity, South Carolina. 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.
Major League Fishing to Unveil General Tire Team Series Draft Results Thursday at ICAST 2022 Media Event
WHAT:
On Thursday, Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, will announce the results of the inaugural General Tire Team Series Draft in the MLF booth at ICAST 2022. Media, sponsors and anglers are invited to come and celebrate with MLF and professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour as they recreate the ceremonial first pick and reveal the anglers that comprise all 27 three-man teams.
WHEN:
Thursday, July 21, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. ET
WHERE:
Major League Fishing (MLF) Booth #1449
Happy Hour drinks and appetizers will be available.
NOTES:
The General Tire Team Series will showcase the 80 anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour, joined by the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE champion, competing as three-man teams across four events for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payouts. The General Tire Team Series will succeed the current MLF Cup events, which have aired for 13 seasons on the Outdoor Channel.
The Team Series Draft took place on Wednesday, June 1, in Spring City, Tennessee, where the top 27 Bass Pro Tour anglers – based on 2021 Angler of the Year (AOY) point standings – selected two additional Bass Pro Tour anglers to create 27 three-man teams that will compete over three qualifying events.
Each qualifying event will feature nine teams, divided into three groups. Each group competition will feature three teams competing over two days to accumulate the highest total two-day weight. The group winners – three teams from each qualifying event – will advance to the General Tire Team Series Championship, which will showcase the nine winning teams competing for a top prize of $300,000.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the MLF General Tire Team Series events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Przekurat Makes History With Bassmaster Elite Series Win At St. Lawrence
Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., has won the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a four-day total of 102 pounds, 9 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 17, 2022
CLAYTON, N.Y. — The question: could it happen?
Could an angler win a Bassmaster Elite Series event with a four-day limit of 20 smallmouth bass that weighed 100 pounds or more?
It was asked by many throughout the week, and rookie Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., gladly answered with a four-day total of 102 pounds, 9 ounces that won the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.
Prior to this event, no angler in recorded sportfishing history had ever reached 100 pounds solely with smallmouth. But with a rare stretch of calm, sunny weather and Wednesday’s super moon igniting the fish, Przekurat did just that.
His feat earned him a spot in the prestigious Bassmaster Century Club, which recognizes a four-day total of 100 pounds. It also earned him one of the most prestigious trophies in pro fishing and the $100,000 top prize.
“Trying to take in the moment during the day of the tournament is pretty hard because you’re just focused on catching 5-pounders out there,” Przekurat said. “You’re running back to the ramp and you start getting a little emotional. There’s no other feeling like it.”
Technically, second-place finisher Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, was the first to enter the Century Club with all smallmouth. Starting Championship Sunday in eighth place, Johnston took the stage before Przekurat and tallied 100-5.
Nevertheless, Przekurat said winning against a final field stacked with heavy hitters was particularly rewarding.
“One of my goals was to beat the Johnston brothers (Cory and sixth-place Chris),” Przekurat joked. “They’ve been coming to my home waters of Sturgeon Bay and taking our money for years, so I had to come over here and take theirs this time.”
Przekurat started the event with his biggest catch — a 26-13 limit that put him 1-2 behind Day 1 leader and fellow rookie Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tenn. Adding 25-8 on Day 2 sent Przekurat into Semifinal Saturday with a 1-13 lead over Cory Johnston.
Weighing 24-12 on Day 3 extended his advantage to a margin of 2-15 over Bob Downey of Detroit Lakes, Minn. Przekurat surged across the finish line with a final catch of 25-8 and edged Johnston by 2-4.
Przekurat caught his fish on a drop shot with a green pumpkin Strike King Half Shell. He used a No. 2 Gamakatsu G-Finesse drop-shot hook and a 1/4-ounce tungsten cylinder weight.
Przekurat spent all four days in Lake Ontario, south of Chaumont Bay. His starting spot was the north bank of Black River Bay — a postspawn staging area in 15 to 20 feet where smallmouth were gorging on abundant baitfish.
When fishing pressure and calm conditions took their toll on the bite, he would relocate to another postspawn spot, this one in 8 to 12 feet outside of Chaumont Bay. Windy and rainy weather limited practice efforts, but fortunately, Przekurat found enough potential to last four days.
“I settled on these areas because that’s all I had and I really didn’t feel like exploring during the tournament,” he said. “I know in smallmouth tournaments, you need to hunker down and focus on fishing because you need to be catching 5-pounders. Sometimes, it takes a while to catch those fish.”
In addition to making history in the Century Club, Przekurat also became the youngest Elite Series champion. At 23 years and 26 days old, he broke the record previously held by Casey Ashley, who won the 2007 Elite on Smith Mountain Lake at 23 years, four months and nine days old — also in his rookie season.
Johnston spent all of his time in Lake Ontario, mostly near the Wolfe Island area. Looking for postspawn fish roaming the shallows, he caught the majority of his bass on a drop shot with a green pumpkin SPRO CJ Smasher.
Over the first three days, Johnston turned in limits of 26-3, 24-5 and 21-5. Day 4 saw him catch 28-8 — the event’s heaviest bag, which included a 6-1.
“That was my goal going into today — to catch 28 and break 100 pounds,” Johnston said. “I knew (Przekurat) was going to catch 24 to 25 pounds, so I did all I could out there. I left it all out there.”
Stetson Blaylock of Little Rock, Ark., finished third with 98-15. Buoying his performance with a monster Day 2 limit of 27-11, Blaylock opened with 21-15, then added 23-3 and 26-2 the last two days.
Spending most of his time on Lake Ontario, Blaylock caught most of his bass drop shotting a YUM Warning Shot. He also caught bass on a Ned rig with a 1/6-ounce head and a YUM Ned Dinger and a small swimbait.
“Day 2, when I had that big bag, I had two big ones that I caught in the river right in front of takeoff,” Blaylock said. “I caught some other good ones throughout the day, but those two fish were huge in that big bag that allowed me to be here on the final day.”
Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., won the $2,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-12 from Day 1. Cory Johnston earned the daily $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 6-1 Sunday.
Cory Johnston also won the $2,000 VMC Monster Bag award with his catch of 28-8 on Championship Sunday.
Chris Zaldain of Fort Worth, Texas, took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Paul Mueller of Naugatuck, Conn., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Zaldain earned an additional $2,500 as the highest-placing entrant and North Carolina pro Shane LeHew claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
Ed Loughran III of Richmond, Va., won the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency award for the most accurate weight reporting.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, extended his lead in the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 612 points. David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., is in second with 571, followed by John Cox of DeBary, Fla., with 561, Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 546 and Drew Benton of Blakey, Ga. with 527.
Przekurat leads the Falcon Rods Rookie of the Year standings with 455 points, followed Foutz (444), Cody Huff of Ava, Mo., (388), Joseph Webster of Hamilton, Ala., (386) and Josh Douglas of Isle, Minn., with 348.
2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/14-7/17
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 20 102-09 100 $100,000.00
Day 1: 5 26-13 Day 2: 5 25-08 Day 3: 5 24-12 Day 4: 5 25-08
2. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 20 100-05 99 $38,000.00
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 24-05 Day 3: 5 21-05 Day 4: 5 28-08
3. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 20 98-15 98 $31,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 27-11 Day 3: 5 23-03 Day 4: 5 26-02
4. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 20 98-06 97 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 23-11 Day 3: 5 27-04 Day 4: 5 25-15
5. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 20 98-05 96 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-09 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 25-12 Day 4: 5 25-06
6. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 20 98-01 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-10 Day 2: 5 24-06 Day 3: 5 22-10 Day 4: 5 26-07
7. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 20 97-07 94 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 25-09 Day 3: 5 27-06 Day 4: 5 25-11
8. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 20 94-03 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-04 Day 2: 5 24-12 Day 3: 5 24-01 Day 4: 5 21-02
9. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 20 92-04 92 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-02 Day 2: 5 22-12 Day 3: 5 24-01 Day 4: 5 20-05
10. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 20 91-07 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-13 Day 2: 5 25-11 Day 3: 5 25-10 Day 4: 5 17-05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 06-12 $1,000.00
2 Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 06-11 $1,000.00
3 Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 06-11 $1,000.00
4 Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 06-01 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 06-12 $1,000.00
VMC MONSTER BAG
Cory Johnston Cavan, 28-08 $2,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 90 450 1881-07
2 90 450 1845-01
3 47 235 1001-15
4 10 50 242-05
----------------------------------
237 1185 4970-12
Przekurat Adjusts To Maintain Lead In Bassmaster Elite Event At St. Lawrence
Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., is leading after Day 3 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a three-day total of 77 pounds, 1 ounce.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 16, 2022
CLAYTON, N.Y. — Jay Przekurat had never fished the St. Lawrence River/Lake Ontario prior to this week, but drawing on similar experience from other fisheries, he caught a Day 3 limit of 24 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to maintain his lead in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.
After catching 26-13 on Day 1 and 25-8 on Day 2, Przekurat, who hails from Stevens Point, Wis., holds the lead going into Championship Sunday with a three-day total of 77-1.
With a margin of 2-15 over Bob Downey of Detroit Lakes, Minn., Przekurat said the scope of his current standing is starting to sink in.
“I’m kind of speechless, to be honest,” Przekurat said. “The last few days have been nothing but stellar. I can almost do nothing wrong. If I lose a fish or break off a fish, I can go somewhere else and catch another big one.
“We do a lot of this type of fishing back home. I fish Sturgeon Bay a lot and it fishes almost identically to this place. I love fishing the Great Lakes and I love catching big smallmouth. I guess I just have a knack for it this week.”
Essential to Przekurat’s success was knowing when to pull the plug on the area that had produced most of his action the past two days. Located in a bay south of the river mouth, Przekurat’s starting spot was a classic postspawn setup with lots of baitfish providing ample feeding opportunities.
“I caught two of my keepers there on a drop shot, but I think the pressure is getting to those fish,” Przekurat said. “Also, it would have helped if there was a little bit of a breeze there (like previous days). You have pressure and slick calm water — they get smart pretty fast.
“I left my main area around 10 and started to run back. I stopped on my secondary area and that’s where I caught my big fish (a 6-10) and filled my limit. They were there and they were biting.”
Przekurat noted that he figured out a specific bait and presentation that triggered the bass on his second spot. He kept those details confidential, but said he believes he can repeat his success on Championship Sunday after giving his first spot a fair look.
Even before anglers arrived for practice, many floated the notion of this event producing the first Century Club entry (100 pounds over four days) comprising all smallmouth. More than 3/4 of the way to that unprecedented achievement, Przekurat addressed this premise with a confident grin.
“I think I’m in a good position,” he said. “I only need about 23 pounds and out here, that’s nothing.”
Downey caught a Day 3 limit of 25-10 and placed second with 74-2. Building on his first two days’ weights of 22-13 and 25-11, he improved from his Day 2 position of eighth.
Committed to the St. Lawrence River, Downey said his third day was mostly a template of the previous two, except for an extra level of thoroughness that provided a key upgrade.
“I caught four off of one area that I’ve been starting on each day,” he said. “I’ve been getting a limit off that spot each day and I only got four today. But one was a 6 1/2-pounder, another was 5 1/2 and then there were a couple of other good ones.”
Downey left the spot for a while but returned during the afternoon hours to catch a smallmouth that helped his cause.
“I went back to that spot around 2 o’clock to try and catch a decent one because I still had a 4-pounder in my bag,” he said. “My first drift, I caught one (approximately 4 3/4 pounds).”
Elite veteran Greg Hackney of Gonzalez, La., is in third with 73-1 after being impressively consistent with daily catches of 24-4, 24-12 and 24-1.
“I sight fished a lot of them,” Hackney said of the shallow flat he’s working just outside the river mouth. “I caught some off the bed the first day, but the (bed fish) are all gone. These fish are just cruising in packs.
“It does seem like if I can find multiples, it’s easier to get one of them to bite just out of aggression. One will go at it and when it does, it will fire another one to eat. Regardless of how it turns out, this has literally been one of the most fun tournaments I’ve ever fished.”
Throwing mostly a tube, Hackney assembled a limit of approximately 21 pounds within the first 20 minutes Saturday.
“I hadn’t even got the trolling motor down or turned my depthfinders on, I looked over and saw a 4-pounder on a rock,” he said. “I caught that one, got everything set up and caught another 4-pounder. It was phenomenal.”
Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors for biggest bass of the week with a 6-12. Shane LeHew of Catawba, N.C., earned the daily $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award Saturday for his 6-11.
Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tenn., holds the lead for the VMC Monster Bag with his 27-15 limit from Day 1.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 612 points. David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., moved into second with 571, followed by John Cox of DeBary, Fla., with 561, Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 546 and Drew Benton of Blakey, Ga., with 527.
Przekurat leads the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 455 points. Foutz is second with 444, followed by Cody Huff of Ava, Mo., with 388, Joseph Webster of Hamilton, Ala., with 386, and Josh Douglas of Isle, Minn., with 348.
The Top 10 remaining anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET Sunday from the Antique Boat Museum. The weigh-in will be held at the museum at 3 p.m., with the winning angler taking home $100,000.
Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m.
2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/14-7/17
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 15 77-01 100
Day 1: 5 26-13 Day 2: 5 25-08 Day 3: 5 24-12
2. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 15 74-02 99
Day 1: 5 22-13 Day 2: 5 25-11 Day 3: 5 25-10
3. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 73-01 98
Day 1: 5 24-04 Day 2: 5 24-12 Day 3: 5 24-01
4. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 72-15 97
Day 1: 5 25-09 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 25-12
5. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 72-13 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 27-11 Day 3: 5 23-03
6. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 15 72-07 95
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 23-11 Day 3: 5 27-04
7. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 15 71-15 94
Day 1: 5 25-02 Day 2: 5 22-12 Day 3: 5 24-01
8. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 71-13 93
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 24-05 Day 3: 5 21-05
9. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 71-12 92 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 25-09 Day 3: 5 27-06
10. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 71-10 91
Day 1: 5 24-10 Day 2: 5 24-06 Day 3: 5 22-10
11. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 70-13 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-00 Day 2: 5 25-00 Day 3: 5 20-13
12. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 70-12 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-07 Day 2: 5 24-13 Day 3: 5 21-08
13. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 15 70-08 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 5 26-01 Day 3: 5 22-02
14. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 15 70-02 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 26-00 Day 3: 5 23-03
15. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 15 69-04 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 23-06 Day 3: 5 23-10
16. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 69-02 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 23-03 Day 3: 5 24-07
17. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 15 69-02 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-14 Day 2: 5 23-03 Day 3: 5 22-01
18. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 15 69-01 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 5 22-11 Day 3: 5 23-07
19. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 15 68-14 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-02 Day 2: 5 20-04 Day 3: 5 23-08
20. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 68-11 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 23-10 Day 3: 5 24-04
21. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 68-10 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 23-07 Day 3: 5 21-13
22. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 67-10 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 27-06 Day 3: 5 20-14
23. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 67-01 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 5 24-02 Day 3: 5 20-08
24. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 15 67-01 77 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 23-10 Day 3: 5 21-06
25. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 66-14 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-03 Day 2: 5 21-03 Day 3: 5 20-08
26. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 15 66-10 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 22-03 Day 3: 5 21-03
27. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 15 66-05 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-15 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 18-04
28. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 15 66-01 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 22-08 Day 3: 5 20-08
29. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 65-11 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 24-02 Day 3: 5 19-10
30. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 15 65-09 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-07 Day 2: 5 22-05 Day 3: 5 17-13
31. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 65-03 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 20-08 Day 3: 5 23-02
32. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 65-01 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 24-15 Day 3: 5 20-08
33. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 15 64-12 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 20-11 Day 3: 5 22-06
34. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 64-08 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-08 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 22-10
35. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 15 64-06 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 22-07 Day 3: 5 22-12
36. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 15 64-03 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-08 Day 2: 5 21-03 Day 3: 5 20-08
37. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 63-07 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 22-05 Day 3: 5 18-09
38. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 62-15 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 21-12 Day 3: 5 21-06
39. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 15 62-12 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-02 Day 2: 5 20-04 Day 3: 5 19-06
40. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 62-10 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 21-15 Day 3: 5 20-00
41. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 62-08 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 20-05 Day 3: 5 20-09
42. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 61-04 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 18-07
43. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 15 60-10 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-12 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 5 18-15
44. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 15 59-05 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-07 Day 2: 5 24-07 Day 3: 5 13-07
45. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 58-10 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 13-15
46. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 15 58-05 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 21-11 Day 3: 5 16-01
47. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 15 56-15 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-05 Day 2: 5 23-10 Day 3: 5 12-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 06-12 $1,000.00
2 Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 06-11 $1,000.00
3 Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 06-11 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 90 450 1881-07
2 90 450 1845-01
3 47 235 1001-15
----------------------------------
227 1135 4728-07
Przekurat Takes Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At St. Lawrence River
Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., is leading after Day 2 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a two-day total of 52 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 15, 2022
CLAYTON, N.Y. — Leveraging a Bass Fishing 101 concept, rookie Jay Przekurat caught a Day 2 limit of 25 pounds, 8 ounces and took over the lead of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a two-day total of 52-5.
Hailing from Stevens Point, Wis., Przekurat heads into Semifinal Saturday with a margin of 1-13 over Canadian Cory Johnston.
Returning to Lake Ontario where he caught 26-13 on Day 1, Przekurat fished a drop shot and a marabou jig to put together his second-round weight. Finding his bass in what he termed a mid-depth range, Przekurat said the postspawn zone held an obvious attraction.
“This is an area where postspawners are trickling out,” Przekurat said. “The only difference between that area and other areas I have is there’s bait there. You can see it on the graph; it’s all over the place.
“The fish come up and jump and eat bait. It’s crazy.”
Przekurat said his area is rich with big bass, but the abundance of food — a typical postspawn priority — is making them difficult to catch. Competing with nature’s seasonal buffet is always challenging, but Przekurat said lure selection is not his only consideration.
“Baits don’t matter; it’s all about time of day and when the wind picks up,” he said. “This morning, I couldn’t do anything wrong. I’d throw (a bait) in there and they’d bite it.”
An early wind blowing onto his spot also benefitted Przekurat’s effort.
“Once it slicked off, it got really hard to get a bite,” he said. “This morning, when we turned the corner (out of the river), all of a sudden the wind was blowing. When I got there, it was instantly bang, bang, bang.
“Once 10 o’clock came around, it got really tough. They’d follow a bait down, look at it, touch it, but they wouldn’t bite it. I probably had 50 fish that did that. You could try every bait in the house, but you’re not going to get a bite.”
Przekurat said he enjoyed a good morning bite, but the midday doldrums tested his patience. The afternoon saw a resurgence, but Przekurat made a strategic decision to relocate.
“I got out of there because I wanted to start making my way back at noon,” he said. “I actually have another area where I caught a 5 1/2 and a 4 1/2 by 12:30.
“That’s my secondary area that I was going to save, but I had to go to it today. I was only at, like, 23 pounds and I knew I needed to get up there again.”
After boosting his bag in that second spot, Przekurat started making his way back to the weigh-in site. He made a stop in the St. Lawrence River and missed a final upgrade opportunity when a 5-pounder bit but came unbuttoned.
Johnston, who makes his home in Cavan, Canada, added 24-5 to the 26-3 he weighed on Day 1 and gained a spot from third to second, with a two-day total of 50-8. Johnston, winner of last year’s Bassmaster Northern Open on the St. Lawrence River, started his day fishing familiar spots on Lake Ontario.
“I ran straight to the lake and then I finished off in the river today,” Johnston said. “I just had some specific spots in the lake I wanted to get to before other guys got to them.
“I have a lot of spots in the lake that I haven’t even gotten to. I don’t know what I (might be) saving, because I don’t know what’s on a lot of them.”
Johnston said the fishery currently has fish in spawning and prespawn mode, so he’s leveraging both options. He threw a wide array of finesse presentations and caught his limit on several different baits.
Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minn., has turned in a remarkably consistent performance by matching the 25-pound bag he weighed on Day 1 exactly on Day 2 for an even 50-pound total. Despite his success, Felix said he’s planning to adjust his game plan for Day 3.
“I’ve been starting shallower each day because I figured the shallow fish would be heartier and I wouldn’t have to worry as much about fish care,” Felix said. “But it seems like the shallower fish are not as far along in the spawn, so they’re actually weaker.
“I’ve been culling out most of my bag with deep fish, so tomorrow I think I’m just going to go straight to the deep fish.”
Noting that he’s fishing a group of islands south of the river mouth, Felix threw drop shots and Ned rigs in 25 to 40 feet. He mostly targeted rock spines, high spots and sandy spots he had marked in previous tournaments.
Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., is in the lead for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the week with a 6-12. Arkansas pro Stetson Blaylock took the $1,000 daily prize for catching Friday’s biggest bass with a 6-11.
Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tenn., led the event on Day 1 with five bass that weighed 27-15 — a total that is currently in the lead for the VMC Monster Bag. Foutz caught 20-2 on Friday and fell to 10th with 48-1.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 618 points. John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second with 561, followed by David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 555, Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 545 and Drew Benton of Blakey, Ga., with 526.
Foutz leads the Falcon Rods Rookie of the Year standings with 461 points, followed by Przekurat (455), Cody Huff of Ava, Mo., with 392, Joseph Webster of Hamilton, Ala., with 386 and Josh Douglas of Isle, Minn., with 348.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at the Antique Boat Museum. The weigh-in will be held at the museum at 3 p.m. Only the Top 10 anglers will advance to Championship Sunday with a chance to win the $100,000 first-place prize.
Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m.
2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/14-7/17
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 52-05 100
Day 1: 5 26-13 Day 2: 5 25-08
2. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 50-08 99
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 24-05
3. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 50-00 98
Day 1: 5 25-00 Day 2: 5 25-00
4. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 49-10 97 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 27-11
5. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 49-04 96
Day 1: 5 24-07 Day 2: 5 24-13
6. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 49-00 95
Day 1: 5 24-04 Day 2: 5 24-12
7. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 49-00 94
Day 1: 5 24-10 Day 2: 5 24-06
8. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 48-08 93
Day 1: 5 22-13 Day 2: 5 25-11
9. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 10 48-06 92
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 5 26-01
10. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 48-01 91
Day 1: 5 27-15 Day 2: 5 20-02
11. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 47-14 90
Day 1: 5 25-02 Day 2: 5 22-12
12. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 47-12 89
Day 1: 5 25-07 Day 2: 5 22-05
13. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 47-03 88
Day 1: 5 25-09 Day 2: 5 21-10
14. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 47-01 87
Day 1: 5 23-14 Day 2: 5 23-03
15. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 46-15 86
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 26-00
16. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 46-13 85
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 23-07
17. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 46-12 84
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 27-06
18. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 46-09 83
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 5 24-02
19. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 46-06 82
Day 1: 5 25-03 Day 2: 5 21-03
20. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 46-01 81
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 24-02
21. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 45-14 80
Day 1: 5 21-07 Day 2: 5 24-07
22. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 45-11 79 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 23-10
23. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 45-10 78
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 23-06
24. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 45-10 77
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 5 22-11
25. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 45-09 76
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 22-08
26. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 45-07 75
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 22-03
27. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 10 45-06 74
Day 1: 5 25-02 Day 2: 5 20-04
28. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 45-03 73
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 23-11
29. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 44-15 72
Day 1: 5 21-05 Day 2: 5 23-10
30. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 44-14 71
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 22-05
31. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 44-11 70
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 21-07
32. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 44-11 69
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 23-03
33. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 44-09 68
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 24-15
34. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 44-07 67
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 23-10
35. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 44-06 66
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 25-09
36. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 43-11 65
Day 1: 5 22-08 Day 2: 5 21-03
37. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 43-06 64
Day 1: 5 23-02 Day 2: 5 20-04
38. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 42-13 63
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 21-05
39. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 42-10 62
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 21-15
40. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 42-06 61
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 20-11
41. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 42-04 60
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 21-11
42. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 42-01 59
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 20-08
43. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 41-15 58
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 20-05
44. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 41-14 57
Day 1: 5 23-08 Day 2: 5 18-06
45. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 41-11 56
Day 1: 5 21-12 Day 2: 5 19-15
46. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 10 41-10 55
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 22-07
47. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 41-09 54
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 21-12
48. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 10 41-07 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-12 Day 2: 5 19-11
49. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 41-01 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 5 20-11
50. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 41-00 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 5 19-12
51. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 40-13 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 20-04
52. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 10 40-10 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 19-15
53. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 40-09 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 21-13
54. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 40-03 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 20-02
55. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 40-02 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 20-02
56. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 10 39-14 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 19-02
57. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 39-10 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 17-04
58. John Cox Debary, FL 10 39-09 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 18-01
59. Bryan New Saluda, SC 10 39-08 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 23-09
60. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 39-02 41
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 21-07
61. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 39-02 40
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 18-07
62. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 39-02 39
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 20-06
63. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 39-01 38
Day 1: 5 19-14 Day 2: 5 19-03
64. Mike Huff London, KY 10 39-00 37
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 18-08
65. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 38-11 36
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 16-07
66. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 38-11 35
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 21-03
67. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 38-06 34
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 18-06
68. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 10 38-03 33
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 17-02
69. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 38-03 32
Day 1: 5 20-10 Day 2: 5 17-09
70. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 38-02 31
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 17-10
71. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 37-14 30
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 19-06
72. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 37-06 29
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 19-13
73. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 37-05 28
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 18-09
74. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 36-07 27
Day 1: 5 22-00 Day 2: 5 14-07
75. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 36-00 26
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 15-12
76. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 35-12 25
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 16-04
77. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 35-09 24
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 18-10
78. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 35-02 23
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 16-12
79. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 35-02 22
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 17-15
80. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 34-06 21
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-04
81. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 33-00 20
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 18-02
82. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 32-15 19
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 14-09
83. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 10 32-09 18
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 16-02
84. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 31-14 17
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 14-12
85. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 31-05 16
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 13-12
86. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 30-06 15
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 16-05
87. David Williams Newton, NC 10 30-02 14
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-08
88. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 10 28-15 13
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 11-06
89. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 28-10 12
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 11-08
90. David Fritts Lexington, NC 10 26-15 11
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 11-07
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 06-12 $1,000.00
2 Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 06-11 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 90 450 1881-07
2 90 450 1845-01
----------------------------------
180 900 3726-08
The NPFL announces its six-event 2023 schedule with tournaments ranging from Texas to Michigan
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Festus, MO (July 15, 2022) — The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) announces its 2023 season schedulewith a stop in Texas at Lake Amistad to kick things off March 2nd through March 4th in Del Rio, Texas.
“The City of Del Rio, Texas is excited to host the quantity and quality of people coming in with the NPFL next spring. In addition to the financial impact to the local economy, we look forward to the NPFL showcasing all that Del Rio has to offer, on and off the water,” said Quote Blanca Larson Executive Director Explore Del Rio Amistad Oasis. “We want to ensure Anglers from all over see the value of coming to Del Rio, TX to fish historic Lake Amistad.”
Following stop one, the NPFL returns to Texarkana, Texas for its second trip to Wright Patman April 20th through the 22nd. In 2021, Florida pro Keith Carson went wire-to-wire to take the victory at Wright Patman in route to winning the Progressive Angler of the Year Title.
“The City of Texarkana and Wright Patman Lake will always be special to our organization,” said Brad Fuller of the NPFL. They are great partners and provide an extremely welcoming environment for ‘the League’ and our anglers. This year will prove different with a new location for the weigh-in for spectators to attend. We are looking forward to strong ‘Texas Start’ for 2023.”
From Texas, stop three brings the anglers and their families to big bass factory of Santee Cooper Lakes, May 25ththrough May 27th, hosted by Clarendon County. Santee Cooper continues to host several of the top bass fishing trails and the anglers never seem disappointed.
“Anyone who fishes for bass knows about the Santee Cooper Lakes,” says Justin Marlow, Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. “This place has a long history of being one of the best big bass factories in the world, and the NPFL is coming in at one of the prime times for great fishing. We expect the shallow bite will be in play on both Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie with plenty of big bags and even a few limits around the 30-pound mark – It will be a fun event for sure.”
One of the draws for the hosting an NPFL event is the approach ‘the league’ takes to highlight the uniqueness of the of City’s and show viewers what makes them great besides the bass fishing.
“Fishing is a top attraction for Santee Cooper and its lakes, but it’s all of the other things that work together to make it a true destination. With their help, we hope to give the anglers, staff and fans a taste of our outdoor lover’s paradise,” said Jesse Surette, Director of Tourism at Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. “This is great chance to partner with an evolving league to broadcast Clarendon County and the Santee Cooper Lakes to a new potential audience.”
For stop four, the league returns North to Bay City, Michigan and the big water of Lake Huron, July 20th through the 22nd. In 2021, Saginaw Bay showed out with over 80 anglers brining a tournament limit to the scales all three days. In the end, Gary Adkins took the victory with all smallmouth narrowly beating Trent Palmer with a mix of both smallmouth and largemouth.
“The City of Bay City could not be more excited to welcome back the NPFL in July of 2023. The fishing in the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay should be spectacular at that time and provide an awesome event for the pros and spectators,” said Ed Clements, Bay City Fishing Committee. “We also look forward to showcasing our beautiful Wenonah Park for the weigh-ins in our beautiful downtown; it will be a festival atmosphere enjoyable for all.”
After its Northern swing, stop 5 of NPFL season heads to Eufaula, Oklahoma to Eufaula Lake on September 28ththrough 30th. The giant reservoir is part of the Canadian River and sits just 27-miles North of the Arkansas River. Returning to Oklahoma after visiting Grand Lake in 2021, the NPFL anglers will have the choice to target both small and largemouth bass on Eufaula.
“The Eufaula Conservation & Fishing Association is extremely excited to bring the professional bass anglers of the NPFL to our great fishery next September. Our 106,000-acre lake fishes so strong in the fall months and these anglers are going to love the diversity “the Gentle Giant” provides,” says Zach Bandi – President Eufaula Conservation & Fishing Association. “Good luck to all the anglers for the upcoming 2023 season and be ready for a great event here on Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma.”
2023 National Professional Fishing League Schedule
Stop 1 – Lake Amistad: Del Rio, Texas, March 2 – March 4
Stop 2 – Wright Patman: Texarkana, Texas, April 20 – 22
Stop 3 – Santee Cooper: Clarendon County, South Carolina, May 25 – 27
Stop 4 – Saginaw Bay: Bay City, Michigan, July 20 – 22
Stop 5 – Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Oklahoma, September 28-30
Stop 6 – TBD
Stop number 6 will be announced when details are finalized.
Spinning Rods & Little Bitty Swim Jigs
Z-Man unveils 'Ned-friendly' Midwest Finesse Swim Jig
Ladson, SC (June 23, 2022) – Hop aboard the boats of legendary anglers Ned Kehde or Drew Reese and you’ll probably witness two different but equally effective bass tricks. You might discover, for instance, that Midwest finesse fishing often transcends TRDs™ and mushroom-shaped jigs. While Ned masterfully coaxes dozens of bites with one of his little red mushroom jigs, Reese might work heavier cover, plucking bass from brush and grass with his Midwest Finesse Swim Jig—another ace trick from the finesse architects at Z-Man Fishing.
“I’m a diehard finesse guy, but I also recognize plenty of situations in which standard exposed-hook Ned rig stuff isn’t quite so efficient,” believes Reese, among the greatest angling tacticians of his era (Reese finished 7th at the first ever Bassmaster Classic.) “A major motivation behind the design of the Midwest Finesse Swim Jig was to give anglers another tool in their finesse arsenal that fishes faster and shines in heavier cover where standard mushroom jigs aren’t so efficient.”
“I also wanted a head shape that slid cleanly through cover and allowed the lure and its ElaZtech® trailer to shimmy slightly on the retrieve, but without rolling over. I knew if we could fit all these elements into one finesse swim jig, we’d give anglers something pretty special.”
The other inspiration behind the Midwest Finesse Swim Jig, says Reese, originated from the need to cast with light line and spinning tackle. “Sometimes, you simply need a jig that can be fished a little faster, maybe across a grassy flat or around submerged wood. While slower-moving Finesse ShroomZ™ jigheads and small ElaZtech baits shine in loads of situations, bass often react even more favorably to a faster swimming presentation, especially in a downsized package.”
Two of the more prominent issues with most smaller swim jigs, Reese found, related to incongruent hooks and ill-suited weedguards. “Smaller baits, optimal light wire hooks and light line simply result in exponentially more bites and more importantly, boosted hookup ratios,” he believes. “During our initial testing, we found that the hookup ratio with most normal or even so-called ‘finesse’ swim jigs was very poor due to the heavy wire hooks and stiff weedguards. The challenge was to hit the sweet spot with both jig attributes, while still matching up with 4- to 6-pound line.”
Anyone who’s ever fished with Reese knows his on-water trials take things to other levels of meticulous. (He’s been known, for example, to cycle through five different rod-reel-lure combos in turn, making 20 casts with each, while logging the results in his Memorex-like mind.)
Following a season of splicing heads, hooks, skirts and weedguards—leaving a mountain of experiments in his wake—Reese discovered that a specific, compact, light-wire needlepoint 3/0 hook efficiently pegged fish with light line. Built to spec, Reese’s ultimate hook fit his favorite ElaZtech finesse baits, held snugly in place with a welded wire bait keeper.
Armed with the sharpest cutting point attainable, Reese—a habitual hook-sharpener—caught a staggering 50 bass on a final prototype jighook before he felt it required re-sharpening. “I went on to catch 86 bass on that first jig prototype before retiring it,” he concedes.
Crushin’ it with the Kicker CrabZ
Z-Man® cultivates first-ever, side-propelled inshore crab swimbait
Ladson, SC (July 11, 2022) – Call it a ruse. An evolutionary act of deception. An athletic, evasive action, not unlike the quick-footed sidestep of a running back. In water, a crab’s forward-facing eyes and claws trick predators into thinking slow, straightforward easy meal. But when a redfish or tarpon attacks, a crab launches into an unexpected sideways flush of bubbles and debris. Claws and appendages fold back and trail its shell in an oddball orientation that doesn’t make sense.
Unless you’re a crab.
In which case, the sideways sashay offers your best means of escape; and your worst chance to survive. All of which explains the excitement surrounding Z-Man’s new Kicker CrabZ™, the first-ever true-to-life imitation of a crab’s active, side-swimming, claw-kicking antics.
While anglers today can choose from a pile of different soft plastic crab imitations, few are angler friendly, and exactly none of them match the way a crab truly swims when fleeing predators,” suggests Daniel Nussbaum, Kicker CrabZ designer and president of Z-Man Fishing. “We’re especially eager to get this new ElaZtech® inshore bait in angler’s hands because it not only moves just like a side-swimming crab, but it also matches the active way most anglers prefer to cast and retrieve lures.
While anglers today can choose from a pile of different soft plastic crab imitations, few are angler friendly, and exactly none of them match the way a crab truly swims when fleeing predators,” suggests Daniel Nussbaum, Kicker CrabZ designer and president of Z-Man Fishing. “We’re especially eager to get this new ElaZtech® inshore bait in angler’s hands because it not only moves just like a side-swimming crab, but it also matches the active way most anglers prefer to cast and retrieve lures.
Sculpted with a realistic profile and streamlined, castable body contour, the Z-Man 3.5-inch Kicker CrabZ exhibits segmented legs, large beady eyes and protruding antennae. An accentuated, paddletail-like kicker claw adds to the illusion, thumping and waggling at all retrieve speeds, including on the fall. Visually, the claw precisely copycats the trailing pincer of a real crab as it flutters through the water. When you pause it, the Kicker CrabZ’ buoyant ElaZtech composition prompts the claw to elevate and strike a pose, copycatting a crab’s menacing defensive posture. Drop the bait into a swarm of fleeing crabs and it might become a Where’s Waldo? scenario.
“Crabs represent a significant forage species for redfish, trout, tarpon and other inshore predators,” notes Nussbaum. “But most of the available soft plastic imitations are pretty one-dimensional—they don’t act like real crabs— which rarely sit motionless on bottom for long. While deadsticking a crab might work for super technical sight fishing, it’s not so good for covering water or fishing the way most people are accustomed to actively casting and retrieving.
“Because it’s designed to swim sideways, we built the Kicker CrabZ with a streamlined shape that casts much better than other pre-rigged crabs that tend to helicopter through the air—mostly due to awkward hook placement and a wide profile.”
Easy to rig and fun to fish, the aerodynamic, angler-friendly Kicker CrabZ casts well in wind and can be crawled along the bottom or swum in classic paddletail swimbait fashion. In other words, the versatile, lively little crustacean moves and responds just like a crab under duress.
For straight-retrieve stability, Z-Man crafted the bait with a special keeled belly that keeps it upright yet shimmying ever so slightly. To ease weedless rigging, a dorsal hook pocket offers protection until a fish crunches down, compresses the soft material and exposes the hookpoint. Composed of ecologically safe, 10X Tough ElaZtech, the Kicker CrabZ is both deceptively soft and durable—for the highest fish-per-bait ratio available.
Z-Man’s easy-to-rig Kicker CrabZ body accepts a variety of weighted hooks and jigheads already in most anglers’ boxes. Rigged on a 3/0 or 4/0 Z-Man ChinlockZ™ SWS hook, the buoyant Kicker CrabZ sinks slowly and can be slow-rolled just beneath the surface or allowed to spiral toward bottom. Rigging the bait on an ¼-ounce or heavier articulated jighead like the SnakelockZ™ or Texas Eye™ yields active swimming through the water column or hopping and slowly crawling the Kicker CrabZ along the bottom. A Pro BulletZ™ jighead is another perfect match, especially where weedless rigging is required.
“In Florida, I’ve been having a blast slow-rolling the Kicker CrabZ on a 3/0 ChinlockZ hook across shallow, 2-foot flats,” notes Richardson. “You can use the bait to cover quite a bit of water, blind-casting. Rigged on a lighter-weight ChinlockZ hook, the Kicker CrabZ stays up close to the surface where predators frequently encounter and snack on crabs in nature. Lately, speckled trout have been hammering it.”
For redfish and black drum, Richardson has found great success while sight fishing, rigging the Kicker CrabZ on a heavier ¼-ounce Pro BulletZ jighead. Tarpon, too. “We’ve got these big hill tides that drain huge shallow flats, where hundreds of thousands of crabs flush right through narrow passes,” adds Richardson. “Tarpon watch for crabs flying by and clinging to vegetation in the tide, picking them off grass patties like potato chips. It’s been a perfect scenario for swimming the Kicker CrabZ on a jighead.”
Testament to the bait’s convincing illusion, redfish and other inshore predators nearly always inhale and attempt to kill the bait. Nussbaum, who frequently slow-rolls, hops and drags the bait in front of tailing reds, offers a thrilling glimpse of the Kicker CrabZ’ allure: “You can’t believe the ferocity with which redfish eat this bait—the polar opposite of a subtle bite. No matter how you fish the Kicker CrabZ, redfish flat out crush it; they’re so convinced it’s real that they immediately inhale the bait and try to pulverize its shell with the pharyngeal teeth in their throats, completely convinced they’ve just eaten a real saltwater snack.”
A first-of-its-kind crab imitation that precisely mimics a live, sideways swimming crab, the new Z-Man 3.5-inch Kicker CrabZ is set for retail release in July 2022. Featuring ten alluring inshore patterns, including Blue Claw, Slam Shady and Redfish Toad, the Kicker CrabZ comes in 3-packs, MSRP $4.99.
Legendary Fish Scientist John Prochnow Inducted in the 2022 Class of Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame
The Fresh Water Hall of Fame recognizes Berkley’s John Prochnow’s contribution to freshwater fishing by bestowing upon him highest honor
COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 15, 2022) – Berkley Chemist John Prochnow has used his knowledge to improve fishing for millions of anglers over the past 36 years through his work at Berkley Fishing. Serving as one of the world’s leading inventors, lure designers, and technical liaisons with the outdoor press and professionals in the fishing industry, Prochnow’s global impact on angling and anglers has led to products that have been used for decades worldwide in both freshwater and saltwater. His work as the Research and Development Team Lead for Berkley Fishing has not only revolutionized the fishing world, but it has also earned him a well-deserved induction into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.
Apart from being one of the original inventors of Berkley PowerBait, Berkley Gulp! and Berkley MaxScent, Prochnow holds multiple patents for fish attractant delivery systems for baits and lures. He is well-known internationally and travels around the globe teaching anglers about the use and importance of fish attractants with an emphasis on how fish react to various chemo-receptive stimuli and baits. Prochnow’s experience includes a lifetime study of all types of fishing and fishing techniques. He fished the PWT as a co-angler and worked with many of the legendary anglers of the past and present to develop new and innovative baits and lures. As an avid angler and innovator, Prochnow was named one of Outdoor Life’s Top 25 Most Influential in Hunting and Fishing in the December/January 2008 issue of Outdoor Life Magazine. In addition, he has aided in the development and scale-up of multi-million-dollar manufacturing processes and research facilities to produce and study fishing baits and lures, including the development of a full-scale carp bait research and manufacturing facility in Holland.
In addition to his work at Berkley Fishing, Prochnow’s contributions of time and product to various outdoor groups such as the Boy Scouts, Ducks Unlimited, Coastal Conservation Association and various other local youth fishing events are unprecedented. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with anglers of all ages by way of radio talk shows, magazine and video interviews, as well as social media. He is often seen walking around fishing areas handing out baits to young anglers and explaining how to use them to catch more fish. Prochnow is driven by seeing people have more fun in the outdoors with the products he has helped develop. Berkley Fishing is proud of the work that Prochnow has done and in his well-deserved induction into the 2022 Class of Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.
Prochnow’s induction ceremony will take place during the Pure Fishing press conference at the fishing industry’s largest trade show, ICAST, on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, at 3:30pm in the Orange County Convention Center South Concourse Room S310A-B in Orlando, FL. Media and industry professionals are invited to attend the event.
Ugly Stik Carbon Inshore Rod
COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 15, 2022) – The new Ugly Stik Carbon Inshore Rod expands its offerings, becoming a must-have inshore fishing rod for those who demand toughness from their equipment and want to master precision fishing techniques. Designed for the avid angler, every detail of this rod has been modified explicitly for ultimate success.
Ugly Stik’s Carbon Inshore Rod maintains the legendary toughness, evolving its Ugly Tech rod construction featuring a 24-ton, 100-percent graphite blank, with a solid graphite tip that offers anglers a lightweight well-balanced rod with crisp actions and increased sensitivity throughout all nine models. Available in both spinning and casting models, this rod features one-piece stainless steel Ugly Tuff guides that eliminate insert pop-outs and fishes phenomenally with all line types. The rod is finished with an Ugly Stik Solid Graphite Tip to provide increased sensitivity.
This rod offers a premium-cork fore grip for sensitive touch and feel and a shrink tube rear handle for extended durability. All rods come with Fuji reel seats with styles that vary by model. With nine best-selling, tried-and-true rod actions, the Carbon Inshore lineup comes in six spinning models and three casting models that fit most inshore applications.
The Carbon Inshore rods are Ugly Stik’s most technique-specific rod series and are excellent for various applications. They feature beautiful seafoam ocean-blue cosmetics and the traditional Ugly Stik diamond wrap, which gives anglers a fresh look making this a go-to rod for every avid fisherman.
Key Features
• Ugly Stik solid graphite tip
• Ugly Tech rod construction – 100-percent, 24-ton graphite
• Ugly Tuff one-piece stainless steel guides
• Premium cork fore grip (select models)
• Shrink tube rear handles
• 7-year rod warranty
• 9 Models: 3 Casting & 6 Spinning
MSRP: $99.95
Available: July 2022
Foutz Capitalizes On Shallow Bite To Lead Bassmaster Elite At St. Lawrence River
Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tenn., is leading after Day 1 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with 27 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 14, 2022
CLAYTON, N.Y. — Jacob Foutz said he’s a big fan of smallmouth, especially when they do the things that allow him to tally a big limit like the 27-pound, 15-ounce bag that leads Day 1 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.
With mild and mostly sunny conditions, Thursday yielded a Bassmaster Elite Series record 61 bags of 20 pounds or more. Foutz, a rookie from Charleston, Tenn., heads into Day 2 leading fellow rookie Jay Przekurat, of Stevens Point, Wis., by 1-2.
“That’s my biggest bag of smallmouth, and that’s the biggest bag I’ve weighed in a tournament, as well,” Foutz said. “It’s pretty cool to do it with smallmouth.
“That’s my favorite thing in the whole world. I grew up in East Central Ohio fishing Lake Erie, so I feel at home out here. This place is so much fun. I love catching smallmouth and this place is unreal.”
A productive morning saw Foutz target shallow shoals along a 200-yard stretch near the river mouth where he secured his weight within three hours of takeoff. Noting that he caught his fish from 6 inches to 5 feet, Foutz said his smallmouth were mostly postspawn, but he’s not discounting possible spawning activity.
“I think the full moon (on Wednesday) has a bunch of fish up shallow,” he said. “In practice, I managed to catch a few shallow and then go deep, but today I never had to go deep.
“I caught most of my weight by 9:30 and then went and messed around the rest of the day. I really went and practiced for three-quarters of the day. Hopefully, I found a few places that will help me (going forward).”
Foutz was understandably guarded with his bait details, but he said he caught all of his bass on one traditional smallmouth finesse bait. While he’s confident with his game plan and execution, Foutz also expressed appreciation for some astronomical alignment.
“I got lucky to catch 27-15,” he said. “My two biggest ones followed my bait all the way back to the boat and pretty much hit their noses on my trolling motor. They turned around and started swimming away, I flipped to both of them and caught both of them.
“Stuff like that doesn’t happen. It was just one of those days when everything goes your way.”
Foutz said he plans on repeating his general game plan on Day 2, but he might expand his area. He believes this week’s full moon phase might pull more fish shallow.
“I feel comfortable fishing for smallmouth; they’ve always been good to me,” Foutz said. “I feel like I’m at home this week; I feel like I’m on Erie. The good thing about this lake is that the fish are bigger and there are way more of them.”
Putting himself in position to capitalize on seasonal movements of smallmouth allowed Przekurat to leverage a steady stream of fish that were coming to him. This strategy yielded a second-place limit of 26-13.
“I’m just fishing normal smallmouth stuff for this time of the year,” Przekurat said. “The fish are (mostly) done spawning and they’re making their way out to that deeper stuff in Lake Ontario.
“I’m focusing on that mid-depth range. They’re not out in that 30- to 40-foot range yet.”
Using a mix of drop shots, tubes and Ned rigs, Przekurat fared better than he had anticipated. Getting his work done before noon, he leisurely made his way back to the weigh-in while exploring new areas.
“I actually stumbled on a different school today that I did not find in practice, so I’m looking forward to getting back out there (on Friday),” Przekurat said. “The first hour, I caught a couple of small fish, then about 9:30 or 10 o’clock, I realized that the big ones had moved to a smaller spot.
“I was done around 11:45 and then I made my way back. I didn’t want to risk anything because I had a pretty big bag.”
Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, is in third place with 26-3. Johnston, who won last year’s Bassmaster Northern Open on the St. Lawrence River, started his day at the river mouth, where he checked a flat known for random roamers.
When that spot yielded nothing impressive, Johnston devoted the rest of his day to Lake Ontario. Splitting his time between U.S. and Canadian waters, Johnston caught his bass on a trio of finesse baits in 10 to 25 feet.
“There were no surprises today,” Johnston said of his main area’s dependability. “I stayed away from it in practice for obvious reasons. I made one quick pass through there, saw a few and got out of there.”
Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., is in the lead for overall Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-12. He earned $1,000 for the daily Big Bass award.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 631 points. John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second with 581, followed by David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 549, Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 514 and Chris Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, with 498.
Just as they’re battling at the top of the tournament standings, Foutz and Przekurat are running neck and neck in the race for the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year title. Foutz moved into the lead with 470 points, while Przekurat jumped into second with 454. Joseph Webster is third with 397, followed by Cody Huff with 389 and Josh Douglas with 351.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at the Antique Boat Museum. The weigh-in will be held back at the museum at 3 p.m., with only the Top 47 anglers advancing to Semifinal Saturday. Complete coverage can be streamed on Bassmaster.com.
2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/14-7/17
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 27-15 100
Day 1: 5 27-15
2. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 26-13 99
Day 1: 5 26-13
3. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 26-03 98
Day 1: 5 26-03
4. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 25-09 97
Day 1: 5 25-09
5. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 25-07 96
Day 1: 5 25-07
6. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 25-03 95
Day 1: 5 25-03
7. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 5 25-02 94
Day 1: 5 25-02
7. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 25-02 94
Day 1: 5 25-02
9. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 25-00 92
Day 1: 5 25-00
10. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 24-10 91
Day 1: 5 24-10
11. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 24-07 90
Day 1: 5 24-07
12. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 24-04 89
Day 1: 5 24-04
13. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 23-14 88
Day 1: 5 23-14
14. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 23-08 87
Day 1: 5 23-08
15. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 23-06 86
Day 1: 5 23-06
16. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 23-04 85
Day 1: 5 23-04
16. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 23-04 85
Day 1: 5 23-04
18. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 23-02 83
Day 1: 5 23-02
19. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 23-01 82
Day 1: 5 23-01
20. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 22-15 81
Day 1: 5 22-15
21. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 22-13 80
Day 1: 5 22-13
22. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 22-09 79
Day 1: 5 22-09
23. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 22-08 78
Day 1: 5 22-08
24. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 22-07 77
Day 1: 5 22-07
25. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 22-06 76
Day 1: 5 22-06
26. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 22-05 75
Day 1: 5 22-05
27. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 22-04 74
Day 1: 5 22-04
28. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 22-04 73
Day 1: 5 22-04
29. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 22-01 72 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01
30. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 22-00 71
Day 1: 5 22-00
31. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 21-15 70
Day 1: 5 21-15
32. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 21-15 69
Day 1: 5 21-15
33. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 21-12 68
Day 1: 5 21-12
33. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 21-12 68
Day 1: 5 21-12
35. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 21-11 66
Day 1: 5 21-11
36. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 21-10 65
Day 1: 5 21-10
37. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 21-09 64
Day 1: 5 21-09
38. John Cox Debary, FL 5 21-08 63
Day 1: 5 21-08
38. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 21-08 63
Day 1: 5 21-08
38. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 21-08 63
Day 1: 5 21-08
41. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 21-08 60
Day 1: 5 21-08
42. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 21-07 59
Day 1: 5 21-07
43. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 21-05 58
Day 1: 5 21-05
44. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 21-04 57
Day 1: 5 21-04
45. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 5 21-01 56
Day 1: 5 21-01
46. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 20-15 55
Day 1: 5 20-15
47. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 20-13 54
Day 1: 5 20-13
48. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 20-12 53
Day 1: 5 20-12
49. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 20-11 52
Day 1: 5 20-11
50. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 20-11 51
Day 1: 5 20-11
51. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 20-11 50
Day 1: 5 20-11
52. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 20-10 49
Day 1: 5 20-10
53. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 20-09 48
Day 1: 5 20-09
53. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 20-09 48
Day 1: 5 20-09
55. Mike Huff London, KY 5 20-08 46
Day 1: 5 20-08
56. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 20-08 45
Day 1: 5 20-08
57. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 20-06 44
Day 1: 5 20-06
58. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 20-04 43
Day 1: 5 20-04
59. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 20-01 42
Day 1: 5 20-01
60. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 20-00 41
Day 1: 5 20-00
61. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 20-00 40
Day 1: 5 20-00
62. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 19-14 39
Day 1: 5 19-14
63. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 19-13 38
Day 1: 5 19-13
64. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 19-10 37
Day 1: 5 19-10
65. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 19-08 36
Day 1: 5 19-08
66. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 19-06 35
Day 1: 5 19-06
67. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 5 19-03 34
Day 1: 5 19-03
68. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 19-02 33
Day 1: 5 19-02
69. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 18-13 32
Day 1: 5 18-13
70. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 18-12 31
Day 1: 5 18-12
70. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 18-12 31
Day 1: 5 18-12
70. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 18-12 31
Day 1: 5 18-12
73. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 18-08 28
Day 1: 5 18-08
74. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 18-06 27
Day 1: 5 18-06
74. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 18-06 27
Day 1: 5 18-06
76. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 17-11 25
Day 1: 5 17-11
77. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 5 17-09 24
Day 1: 5 17-09
77. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 17-09 24
Day 1: 5 17-09
79. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 17-09 22
Day 1: 5 17-09
80. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 17-08 21
Day 1: 5 17-08
81. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 17-03 20
Day 1: 5 17-03
82. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 17-02 19
Day 1: 5 17-02
83. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 17-02 18
Day 1: 5 17-02
84. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 16-15 17
Day 1: 5 16-15
85. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 5 16-07 16
Day 1: 5 16-07
86. Bryan New Saluda, SC 5 15-15 15
Day 1: 5 15-15
87. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 15-08 14
Day 1: 5 15-08
88. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 14-14 13
Day 1: 5 14-14
89. David Williams Newton, NC 5 14-10 12
Day 1: 5 14-10
90. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-01 11
Day 1: 5 14-01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 06-12 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 90 450 1881-07
----------------------------------
90 450 1881-07
Major League Fishing’s REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa to Air Sunday on CBS
TULSA, Okla. (July 14, 2022) – Major League Fishing’s REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa – the Bass Pro Tour Championship filmed earlier this year on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees and in Tulsa, Oklahoma – will premiere nationwide Sunday, July 17, on the CBS Television Network from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. The program, which will also stream on Paramount+, showcases the 40 top professional bass anglers from the 2021 Bass Pro Tour, competing across five days at Grand Lake for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.
Sunday’s airing on CBS will showcase the highlights from all five days of the event with behind-the-scenes angler commentary and interviews, as well as a thrilling final-day shootout between some of the top anglers in the sport, including Bobby Lane, Luke Clausen and Jacob Wheeler. The event was hosted by Tulsa Regional Tourism.
The full, updated television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Swindle has learned to love marabou jigs
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
After 300 pro fishing derbies, Alabama’s Gerald Swindle is living proof that at age 52 you can still teach a dude with plenty of grey hair in his sideburns a few new tricks – specifically, that marabou, a featherymaterial from storks and turkeys makes a savory snack for fat smallmouth.
In fact, Swindle left the dock on Day 1 of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on the St. Lawrence River with a tiny marabou jig tied to more than half the rods on his front deck.
“I got my first marabou jigs 20 years ago from a pro named Carey Beaver when he and I were both on Team Lucky Craft. He sent them to me and told me they were the ‘secret juice’ to catching big smallies up north. I looked at them and thought there ain’t no way I’m throwing my grandpa’s crappie jig to catch big smallies. So, they sat in a box for about 18 years,” grins Swindle.
Well, enough trips to places like Mille Lacs and the St. Lawrence taught Swindle those tiny little jigs were truly part of the “smallmouth underground” and kept somewhat secret by hard core northern anglers for good reason.
“Last year (2021) was the first year I truly committed to fishing withmarabou, and the first time a 5-pounder came out of super shallow water and smoked it, I was like, okay dummy, maybe it’s time you learn to use these little suckers,” remembers Swindle
His open-mindedness to adopt a new technique netted Swindle 56-pounds of St. Lawrence smallmouth at the 2021 Elite Series on the St. Lawrence – good enough for 23rd place and a check for $10,000.
While nobody seems to know exactly what food source big bronzebacks think the tiny piece of black feather represents, Swindle says he’s certain the key is to not add much action to the lure.
“I try to fish it like a tiny little micro-spinnerbait. I throw it over 2 to 5-feet of water with my trolling motor moving slow and steady, and just slowly wind it in,” explains the Team Toyota pro.
“You ain’t trying to get jiggy with it. Just retrieve it slow and steady. And out of nowhere, here comes a big old ‘black shark’ to just absolutely smoke it!” says Swindle.
About 90% of the little black marabou jigs hard-core smallie chasers throw are black in color and weigh 1/8 or a super light 1/16. So, what’s with the purple one Swindle had tied on?
“Oh, the purple one is for guys like me with Attention Deficit Disorder. When I’ve had all I can stand of the black one, I switch to purple to keep my head in the game,” laughed bass fishing’s funniest angler.
Black, purple, whatever it takes, just know there’s at least one greybeard in this tenacious field of Elite Series anglers who’s planning to cast a little marabou jig about 90-percent of the time on Day 1, proving full well that even after 300 pro tournaments he’s still willing to learn a new trick.
Z-Man® Salty Ned ShrimpZ
Z-Man HellraiZer
Ladson, SC (July 6, 2022) - What sort of conjuring could have breathed so much life into such a singular lure? What happens when you converge heartrending vibration with the style and the soul of a ChatterBait®?
Uncover the answers when you slash Z-Man’s ingenious HellraiZer lure across the surface . . . and confront some of the craziest topwater action of your life.
Created by original ChatterBait architect Ron Davis, the new Z-Man HellraiZer carves the water with a familiar pulse and sound— and a mad, desperate action only a predator and its prey can appreciate.
But when you tie it on and crank it across the surface, something happens to your heartbeat. You can’t put your finger on the feeling, though your instincts tell you something electrifying and a little dangerous is about to happen. You keep winding, witnessing the lure’s strangely familiar fleeing action, listening to its hypnotic, water-churning invitations. Like you’re observing a wounded fish or some other critter sneaking its way across the surface—trying desperately not to be detected from beneath.
Iaconelli’s best memories at the 1,000 Islands
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Some say a fishing guide’s wife invented Thousand Island salad dressing on the St. Lawrence River, yet others say it was a chef at the iconic Boldt Castle. Team Toyota’s Mike Iaconelli isn’t sure who invented it, but he’s positive the famous salad dressing is awesome on a Reuben sandwich, and the smallmouth are biting as good as ever on the St. Lawrence River.
“Ike” has a long and treasured history on the ultra-clear river connecting Lake Ontario and the Atlantic, but three memories stand out a bit betterthan others.
Blood on the back deck
“I remember fishing a Bassmaster Invitational here back in 1995 when I was like 23 years old. I drew Tom Mann Jr., and I was fired-up because he was a dude I grew up reading about,” smiles Iaconelli.
“We targeted largemouth, because back then, believe it or not, smallmouth weren’t much of a factor here. Anyhow, we started catching pike and largemouth like crazy on a spinnerbait that rainy day, and at one point a pike cut me, and I bled all over the carpet of Tom’s rear deck. About 10 years later I ran into him at a gas station, and he still remembered all the blood.”
Catalyst to a Classic victory
The year was 2002, and “Ike” was fishing the Opens, and B.A.S.S. sent the top three anglers in the Opens points standings to the Bassmaster Classic.
“I was running down the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario, and some dude started waiving his hands telling me and my partner to turn around. I went anyway and encountered the biggest waves of my life here. They were legit 8-footers, with an occasional 12-footer. I tore off my trolling motor, and one wave knocked my helmet off,” he clearly remembers.
“I had a spare trolling motor. Caught 17-pounds in 45-minutes, made a Top 10, earned enough points to qualify for the 2003 Bassmaster Classic, won that, and my life changed forever,” Ike says humbly, still shaken by the sequence of events.
Becky’s the One
Iaconelli will be the first one to tell you his wife Becky is the best thing that’s ever happened to him. And the 1,000 Islands provided the stage to an epiphany that told him with heartfelt certainty “she was the one.”
“I think it was a tournament here in either 2007 or 2008. Becky was traveling with me, and I had rented a dumpy cabin. It was pretty bad. But she never complained. She stuck with me all week and cheered me alongto a Top 10. And to this day I can still remember realizing she was the girl I needed to marry. Best decision of my life – right here on the St. Lawrence,” says Ike with heartfelt sincerity.
At this point, the St. Lawrence could only provide one more memory to perfectly punctuate Iaconelli’s iconic career. A Bassmaster Elite Series victory. Don’t bet against him this week. He’s at home here. And he’s got27 years of great memories to prove it.
Z-Man DieZel Eye™ Jighead
Ladson, SC (June 30, 2022) – Sometimes, you need a bigger hammer . . . Great advice if you’re an amateur carpenter or some guy named Fred Flintstone. If you’re an angler, however, particularly someone seeking a jighead big and tough enough to tame jumbo soft plastics and apex predators, we suggest you step away from the piles of mismatched jigheads and tie on a DieZel Eye™ for size.
Orders of magnitude beyond wimpy jigs with flimsy hooks and incompatible heads, the new Z-Man DieZel Eye Jighead is an entirely different animal. Want to arm your 5- and 7-inch DieZel MinnowZ™ and other supersized soft plastics with a wicked-sharp, anvil-strong 6/0 or 8/0 hook? Grab a DieZel Eye and go to work.
“Anvil-strong” isn’t just lip service. Zoom in on the DieZel Eye’s impressive black nickel Tri-Forge™ Power Hook and you’ll note the precision-cut angles—a strength-enforcing, three-sided configuration yielding muscle mass and a definitive cutting-edge tapering toward the hookpoint.
“While standard jig hooks are forged on two-sides, we equipped the DieZel Eye Jighead with exclusive Tri-Forge™ hooks, which feature a triangular cross section at the bend for unmatched strength,” notes Z-Man President Daniel Nussbaum. “Our hook-strength tests showed that the Tri-Forge Power Hooks were significantly stronger than traditional hooks. Makes all the difference in the world when you’re wrenching on a heavyweight saltwater predator. The points on these hooks are also sticky sharp for penetrating the toughest, boniest jaws that bite.”
Crafted in concert with the jighead maestros at Eye Strike Fishing, Z-Man’s supersized DieZel Eye leads with its ocular assets. “From every angle, the jig’s oversized 3D eyes grab your attention—that goes for fish and humans alike,” says Dave Fladd, optical engineer and co-owner of Eye Strike Fishing. “Based on decades of fishing, we understood that preyfish eyes provide the most prominent and compelling strike target in every aquatic environment. Matching all Eye Strike designs, the DieZel Eye Jighead leads with its eyeballs.”
South Carolina inshore legend and Eye Strike Fishing co-owner, Ralph Phillips elaborates on the ever-important eye factor. “Over decades of successful fishing, the most productive lures, by far, proved to be those sporting bright, prominent eyes,” observes Phillips. “No other strike target can match the eyes in terms of provoking a predatory response. It’s why large, vibrant, lifelike eyeballs dominate the DieZel Eye Jighead.”
Overshadowing each DieZel Eye Jighead, 3D Red, Glow or Chartreuse eyes neutralized the need to add additional color. On the largest 3-ounce, 8/0 size, the eyes measure a full ½-inch across. For fish, the effect proves visually alluring, irresistible. “We want predators to key on the eyes at all times, without distraction. It’s why strikes on these jigheads rarely come up short,” adds Phillips.
Housing these authentic attractors, the DieZel Eye’s jighead features an all-new, purpose driven profile. “We built the head to fit seamlessly with and maximize the horizontal action of paddletail swimbaits like the DieZel MinnowZ. We also gave it a pronounced, natural-looking nose and rounded chin, so it’s less likely to hang up in rocks or other cover,” notes Fladd. The base of the head is flattened to rest upright and stable on bottom, allowing buoyant ElaZtech baits to tilt slightly tail-up. The 60-degree eyelet to hook-shank angle also accentuates side-to-side shimmy action on a straight retrieve.
More valuable assets encircle the jighead’s neckline. “We endowed the collar with sharp, dual bait barbs that keep soft plastics affixed tightly in place,” Fladd observes. “Then, for adding an EZ Skirt® ahead of an ElaZtech bait, we built in a second skirt keeper or retainer collar. Complementing an ElaZtech trailer with a colorful, lively jig skirt can be a huge enticement for big redfish, black sea bass and stripers. It’s another cool little asset many jighead makers neglect.”
Swimming with a smooth, shimmying action, the DieZel Eye Jighead matches elite paddletail baits like the 5- and 7-inch DieZel MinnowZ or 6-inch SwimmerZ™. Or, step up to a giant 8/0 DieZel Eye, which provides ample hook-shank length and bite to roll with an 8-inch Mag SwimZ™ or StreakZ XL™ all the way up to a 10-inch HeroZ™. Retrieved horizontally or vertically jigged, the DieZel Eye activates your chosen softbait with style and distinction— balanced and ever-alert for the next bite.
Forged in eight hook-weight combinations, from a 3/8-ounce-6/0 size to a depth-probing 3-ounce-8/0 beast—each in Red, Glow or Chartreuse— the DieZel Eye Jighead taunts predatory giants to take their best shot. MSRP $5.99 to $11.99 per 2-pack - available in August.
Charlotte, Lake Norman Selected to Host Major League Fishing’s REDCREST IV, the World Championship of Pro Bass Fishing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 13, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF)’s REDCREST, the world championship of professional bass fishing, is heading to the Queen City.
MLF, in conjunction with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Visit Lake Norman and the Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Department , announced today that Lake Norman and Charlotte, North Carolina, have been named the location and hosts of REDCREST IV, the Bass Pro Tour championship event, and the MLF Outdoor Sports Expo, March 10-12, 2023.
REDCREST IV will showcase the top 40 anglers from the 2022 Bass Pro Tour season competing for the REDCREST Championship trophy and the top prize of $300,000. Previous winners of the prestigious event include Bobby Lane (2022), Dustin Connell (2021) and Edwin Evers (2019).
In addition to the tournament and the international media coverage it receives, the MLF Outdoor Sports Expo featuring hundreds of exhibitors and activities will be held at The Park Expo & Conference Center in Charlotte. Fishing and outdoor enthusiasts will have the opportunity to visit booths and vendors showcasing the latest and greatest in fishing, boating, hunting, camping and more. The biggest names in the outdoor industry will be on hand, including all 80 Bass Pro Tour anglers. Visitors from around the globe will not only watch the world's best bass-fishing action, but they’ll also receive great deals on everything from crankbaits to rods and reels to bass boats at the outdoor show.
As Charlotte’s hospitality industry continues to see strong recovery, we are ecstatic to welcome Major League Fishing’s REDCREST IV championship next year,” said Tom Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “Charlotte offers a diverse mix of experiential activities for travelers and locals alike including thrilling outdoor adventures. We look forward to welcoming MLF fans and outdoor enthusiasts to the Queen City.”
“Following an exciting and successful REDCREST in Tulsa, we’re thrilled to announce that we’re bringing REDCREST IV to Charlotte. The city has a passionate outdoor community and offers numerous locations and facilities that will enable us to build the tournament and outdoor show in unique ways,” said Michael Mulone, MLF Vice President of Strategic Business Planning. “We are excited to work with the CRVA, Visit Lake Norman and the Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Department to deliver a memorable celebration of fishing and the outdoors to our fans and outdoor enthusiasts.”
Although Lake Norman has played host to dozens of MLF (and former FLW) tournaments over the years, this event will mark the first time that the MLF Bass Pro Tour will visit Lake Norman. The majority of MLF experience is limited to some Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournaments, a handful of Toyota Series events and five Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit events – the last in 2016. This tournament will feature the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard.
“REDCREST IV is the most prestigious fishing event Lake Norman has ever hosted, and we very much appreciate the partnership with MLF, and formerly FLW, in hosting their events over the last couple of decades. Also, we could never host this type of event without our continued partnerships with the CRVA and Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. We are thrilled to partner in making sure this is the best REDCREST yet,” said Sally Ashworth, Executive Director of Visit Lake Norman.
Each day of competition will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app. Television coverage of REDCREST IV will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering next summer on the Discovery Channel. A one-hour special episode, MLF REDCREST IV, is also scheduled to air next summer on CBS.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, 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, REDCREST IV 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.
2023 Bassmaster Opens Will Feature New Elite Qualification Format
Current Elite Series angler Jacob Powroznik fished all nine tournaments in the 2021 Bassmaster Opens Series en route to earning his invitation to join the Elites in 2022.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
July 13, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Beginning in 2023, anglers hoping to earn a coveted invitation to join the Bassmaster Elite Series can only qualify by competing in all nine tournaments comprising the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Mossy Oak Fishing, B.A.S.S. officials announced today. Anglers competing in every tournament will form the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers.
The Top 9 anglers in the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers standings will earn an invitation to join the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series in 2024. With the exception of a berth going to the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation champion, fishing all nine events and participating in the Opens EQ will be the exclusive route for earning entry into the Elite Series. This season, an unprecedented 83 anglers registered for all nine Bassmaster Opens tournaments.
“We are looking forward to launching the new Bassmaster Opens EQ,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “From the length of the season to the variety of waters and regions where these anglers will compete, this model is as close as you can get to competing at the Elite level and will bring even more attention to the skills and incredible commitment made by anglers striving to reach the Bassmaster Elite Series.”
Bassmaster Opens events will continue to be divided into three divisions with three tournaments each, and event winners will still earn a Classic berth if they compete in all three tournaments in that division.
“The new Elite Qualifiers format really allows the Opens to serve two groups of anglers moving forward,” said Hank Weldon, Bassmaster Opens tournament director. “Those who want to make fishing a full-time career and pursue the Elite Series have a clear direction preparing them for that path. But there are also nine opportunities for those who’ve always aspired to fish the Classic to chase that dream.”
The 2023 schedule for the Bassmaster Opens Series will be released this fall.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/Opens.
Revital Outdoors - Keeping you Competitive!
This week Chris welcomes in Kyle Smith and Theron Asbery with Revital Outdoors. Revital is a Premium CBD Company based in NE Florida that focuses on us Outdoorsman and keeping us on the water and in the woods longer! David and Kenneth join in later in the show to talk pre-Icast new stuff and more. Check it out!
Freedom Tackle FT Ultra Diver Shad
The Freedom Tackle Ultra Diver Shad from American Baitworks is changing the way anglers’ fish with a deep-diving crankbait. The forward-weighted design and clover leaf bill create a radical deflection action off structure and ensure that this bait stays at maximum depth for longer. Plus, with a seamless one-piece bill design and sonic-welded body, you can be sure this bait will last through even the most intense battles. Finished with premium black nickel hooks - available in two sizes…pick your color and tie on a Freedom Tackle Ultra Diver Shad!
Freedom Tackle FT Ultra Diver Minnow
The FT Ultra Diver Minnow is just the bait you need to up your fishing game. The design team at American Baitworks developed the FT Ultra Diver Minnow with a forward-weighted design which ensures the minnow is primed and ready to dive deep as soon as it hits the water. The cloverleaf bill design also creates a radical deflection action that is sure to attract fish. This bait is built to perform, with a 3-piece sonic-welded body, an integrated one-piece bill, and premium VMC black nickel hooks that come together to provide ultimate durability, action, and strength. You'll be cranking in big ones in no time with the Ultra Diver Minnow.
Freedom Tackle FT Tailspin
The Freedom Tackle FT Tailspin by American Baitworks is a versatile bait perfect for targeting bass or walleye. FT Tailspin features a hard body that wobbles and generates an erratic swimming action all the way to the boat. This bait was designed to be fished slow, with maximum action relying on our patent-pending Kilter Blade that’s built with a unique shape that creates increased flash and action, even on an ultra-slow retrieve.
The FT Tailspin is available in multiple sizes with premium black nickel treble hooks. Fish it year-round in almost any depth! When you hook into a fish on the Tailspin, it’s going to be an epic fight!
Speed Freak Spinnerbaits
Run it as fast as you want with this keel head spinnerbait designed to keep its head down and stay down on those Mach-speed retrieves! The new Speed Freak Spinnerbait can achieve high-speed retrieves because of its unique down-winged head design that slices through the water while also creating downforce with the bait.
The head design is finished with a 2-barb super sticky bait keeper that is fully integrated with our premium black nickel hook – sized matched for the spinnerbait weight which, is size-stamped directly on the head. The head design also relies on a proprietary collar to increase skirt flair.
The other key to the Speed Freak’s performance is the patent-pending Kilter blade which allows for an erratic action from the bait and the skirt that guaranteed fish haven’t felt before with an absolutely unique vibration & flash!
Compact and Full Frame versions are available in multiple sizes and colors.
Snag Proof SmashMouth Popping Frog
The SmashMouth Popping Frog is built around Snag Proof’s custom 5/0 double frog hook which rests perfectly on the back of the frog to make the frog virtually snag-proof and the point angle has been engineered for max hook-up ratio. The streamlined shape of the SmashMouth ensures impressive casting distance and the ability to SMASH through the thickest cover.
Each SmashMouth body is digitally painted based on hand-designed colors by the award-winning, American lure designing legend, Andrew Gardner. The front end of the SmashMouth is engineered to maximize both popping action and water displacement to generate more bites while allowing the frog to track well when being worked aggressively in open water or through sparse cover. The versatility of the SnagProof SmashMouth makes it a MUST ADD to your frogging arsenal. Available in 12 color designs, the SmashMouth Popping Frog is the deal!
NetBait Paca Slim
Double Down with Paca™ Technology in the solid-body design of the Paca™ Slim with NetBait's patented claw design. The Paca™ Slim was developed to maximize Flaps-Per-Second with a 180-degree pivot ratio in an alternating pattern when swimming or jigging. When flipped or pitched, the claws of the Paca™ Slim have a helicopter effect which slows the decent of this bait. The Paca™ Slim features a solid and sleek, round-ribbed body that can easily be applied to any Texas-rig, and a spectrum of jigs. Now infused with BaitFuel and salted to perfection, which supercharges all the go-to color patterns in the Paca™ Slim that anglers demand.
