Episode 1 Podcast with Brandon Palaniuk, FLW Big O Winner - Tim Frederick & More!
Welcome to the First Ever Episode of the AnglersChannel Insider Podcast!
It is our vision to bring you interviews with winners of all different tournaments no matter the size or prize, as well as bring you insider interviews with top touring Pro's, Industry Leaders and more.
So join us for Episode 1 as we discuss Contingency Programs and whats your best bet to manage your opportunities in 2018 with Jason Baggett & Jason Duran of Contingense.com.
We also talk with Tim Frederick, the FLW Tour Winner on Lake Okeechobee and cap it off with an interview with our good friend and BASS Angler of the Year, Brandon Palaniuk!
We may have gotten a little excited with this episode and we admit we left some good stuff on the editing table but dont worry, we will learn time management and wrangle it in.
Join us today and Welcome to the Anglerschannel Insider Podcasts!
Costa Sunglasses Backpack and Beach Bag New Product Giveaway!
Costa Sunglasses Backpack and Beach Bag Giveaway! The Perfect way to finish off your summer in style!
We all know Costa Sunglasses make the best Polarized sunglasses on the market. Well, now your next trip to the beach, the pool or to the lake just got better!
Be one of (5) Five Lucky winners to win your choice of a Costa Beach Bag, a Small Backpack or a Large Backpack, AND a choice of the Original Patch Bass hat or the Neon Trucker Hat from our great fiends and partner at Costa Del Mar Sunglasses.
This contest will run until midnight Labor Day, Monday September 4th!
Check it out! Get signed up! Share it with your buddies and lets go fishing!!!!!
Terms & Conditions
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Presented by AnglersChannel.com, 2927 Devine Street Suite 100, Columbia, SC 29205. Presenter’s decisions concerning all matters related to this giveaway are final. This giveaway begins on July 10, 2017. To enter click the link provided. Limit of one entry per person, per day. No responsibility is assumed for late or misdirected entries or prize acceptance responses. Entries must be received by Midnight September 4, 2017. Odds of winning depend upon the number of entries received. One winner will be chosen to receive the prize. No cash substitution, transfer, or assignment of prizes allowed, except by AnglersChannel.com, which reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Winners must pay all costs and taxes other than those specifically identified in the prize description. Limit of one (1) prize per person. Five (5) winners will be randomly selected on or about September 5, 2017, and notified by e-mail. If attempted notification is returned as undeliverable, if a potential winner cannot be verified, or if a potential winner is otherwise unable or unwilling to accept the prize, then the prize will be forfeited and may be awarded to an alternate winner in AnglersChannel.com’s discretion. Open to all AnglersChannel.com Viewers and Readers. Void where prohibited by law. Winner must be at least sixteen (16) years old. AnglersChannel employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to win. Winner gives AnglersChannel.com the right to use their name, photograph, and likeness in advertising and promotion without compensation or permission except where prohibited by law. Winner releases AnglersChannel.com from any liability arising out of participation in this giveaway or the acceptance, use or misuse of a prize. Winner will be posted on AnglersChannel.com as well as AnglersChannel’s Social media sites including, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Pickwick Lake to Host Second Stop of Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series’ Northern Division Mar 22, 2014
Hosted by the Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board, the tournament has attracted 400 amateur anglers from across the southeastern United States and is expected to generate an approximate $500,000 economic impact for the Florence area and Lauderdale County.
Takeoff is set for approximately 7 a.m. and weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. at the boat ramp in McFarland Park in Florence, AL. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public. Registration and briefing will take place at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 21. According to Alabama Bass Trail’s Program Director Kay Donaldson, the tournament is expected to pump an estimated $500,000 into the local economy of the host city through revenue generated by anglers and their family members dining, shopping, and overnighting in local hotels and motels.
Sanctioned by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society), the tournament trail features two divisions: Northern and Southern. Each division is made up of five tournaments on five different lakes. Maximum number of boats is 200 and each tournament will have a $10,000 guaranteed first place prize and will pay 20 places.
Northern Division:
Lake Guntersville February 1, 2014 hosted by Marshall County CVB
Pickwick Lake March 22, 2014 hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism
Neely Henry Lake April 5, 2014 hosted by City of Gadsden Parks & Recreation
Wheeler Lake May 31, 2014 hosted by Decatur-Morgan County CVB
Logan Martin Lake June 21, 2014
Southern Division:
Mobile-Tensaw Delta March 1, 2014 hosted by North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce
Lake Eufaula March 15, 2014 hosted by Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce
Lake Jordan April 19, 2014 hosted by Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce
Alabama River (Millers Ferry) May 10, 2014 hosted by Wilcox County Chamber and the City of Monroeville
Lay Lake June 7 hosted by Shelby County Commission
The championship is a 125 boat, two-day event. The 125 boats are comprised of the top 50 teams in points from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective divisions, along with the top 25 student boats collectively from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective division. Hosted by Chamber of Commerce of Walker County, the championship tournament is set for October 10-11, 2014 on Lewis Smith Lake.
The championship is a no entry tournament and the first place prize is a fully-rigged 2015 Phoenix 619 Pro with a Mercury 150, trolling motor and electronics valued at $37,495 with an additional $40,000 in cash and prizes. The official bass boat of the Alabama Bass Trail, Phoenix Bass boats will also offer the tier one First Flight incentive plan to tournament winners in a qualifying Phoenix boat.
Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series’ sponsors include Bill Penney Toyota, the Alabama Tourism Department, Phoenix Bass Boats, Inc., Fishlife, Elite Outdoors Media, McDonalds of Alabama, and Pradco-FISHING representing BOOYAH and YUM, Dobyns Rods, Randy Jones Agency – Nationwide, T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Alabama Power Company, Buffalo Rock, Inc., Jet-Pep, Inc., Tennessee Valley Authority, Rigid Industries, Inc., and Frogg Toggs, Inc., Go Pro, Gander Mountain, HydroWaveTM, Garmin, and Yeti Coolers.
For more information on the Alabama Bass Trail and the tournament series, call Program Director Kay Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.
About Alabama Bass Trail
The Alabama Bass Trail is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. Its mission is to promote Alabama as a year round fishing destination, to preserve natural resources for generations to come, and to educate high school and college aged students to be good stewards of natural resources. The 11 bass fishing lakes consist of Lake Guntersville, Wheeler Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Jordan, Alabama River (Millers Ferry), Lake Eufaula, and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. For more information, visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.
TEXAS TEAM TRAIL PRESENTED BY CABELA’S KICKS OFF SEASON AT SAM RAYBURN LAKE
TEXAS TEAM TRAIL PRESENTED BY CABELA’S KICKS OFF SEASON AT SAM RAYBURN LAKE
Record payouts, exceptional fishing expected for first TXTT event of 2014
NORMAN, Okla. (February 4, 2014) – The Texas Team Trail presented by Cabela’s will host its first event of the 2014 tournament season on Feb. 15 at Sam Rayburn Lake. The iconic Texas fishery is situated between Beaumont and Longview and remains one of the most popular destinations in the world for competitive bass fishermen.
Registration for the event is already underway – anglers can secure an opportunity to pre-fish Friday, Feb. 14, by completing their registration online or via phone prior to midnight on Thursday, February 13. All anglers that pre-register will also be entered into a drawing for a Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchor. In addition, anglers that opt to register online at www.texasteamtrail.com will be entered into a drawing for a bonus $100 Cabela’s gift card.
The Sam Rayburn event is the first of four 2014 qualifying events that guarantee a fully rigged, 18-foot boat, motor, trailer package as first-place prize. The winning anglers at Rayburn will walk away with a brand-new Triton 18XS powered by an Evinrude 150 HO.
In addition to the payout, the event offers anglers an unprecedented opportunity in terms of sponsor bonuses and television coverage. The budget-friendly $250 entry fee, plus multiple contingency programs and a guaranteed, over-100% payback at every event provides tremendous value to the weekend angler.
On-site registration is set for Friday, Feb. 14, from 3:00-7:00 p.m. at Umphrey Pavilion (5438 RR 255 West, Sam Rayburn, TX 75951). At least one team member must attend, as boat numbers will be assigned during this time. The tournament will launch Saturday, Feb.15, at safe light from Umphrey Pavilion and weigh-in will begin at the same location at 3 p.m.
Anglers with questions or anyone interested in more details on the event are encouraged to visit www.texasteamtrail.com or call 210-281-1752 or 210-788-4143.
Along with title-sponsor Cabela’s, Texas Team Trail has also welcomed Lucas Oil®, Ranger Boats, Stratos Boats, Triton Boats, Evinrude®, Minn Kota®, Talon, RAM Trucks, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Amphibia, iON, Garmin, General Tire, Super Clean, Valley Fashion, Mustang Survival, Artic Ice and Protect the Harvest as official partners.
2014 TXTT scheduled events:
Feb. 15 – Sam Rayburn Lake
March 15 – Lake Ray Roberts
April 12 – Lake Texoma
May 3 – Lake Livingston
Championship – June 7-8 – Toledo Bend Lake
EVINRUDE E-TEC “EXPERIENCE EVEN MORE BOAT SHOW SALES EVENT” is on NOW!
During the promotion, which runs through March 31, 2014, U.S. consumers who purchase and take delivery of eligible loose or package Evinrude engines from a participating Evinrude dealer will be eligible for one of the following program options:
Package Offer: All new boat package buyers receive 6-year B.E.S.T. engine and rigging components warranty on Evinrude E-TEC engines 15 H.O. and above.
Loose Engine Repower Offer: Repower buyers choose between 6-year B.E.S.T. engine and rigging components warranty on Evinrude E-TEC engines 15 H.O. and above or 3.9 percent financing. Plus free rigging on Evinrude E-TEC engines 75 HP and above.
“We’re celebrating the start of another exciting boating season by providing consumers with incredible offers on our industry-leading outboard engines,” said Christopher Berg, director of marketing and strategic planning for Evinrude. “The Evinrude E-TEC ‘Experience Even More Boat Show Sales Event’ is the perfect time to for consumers to take advantage of these offers and choose Evinrude E-TEC engines to power their season and beyond.”
For full details and conditions about this promotion, consumers should visit an authorized, participating Evinrude dealer. For full promotional details and conditions, or to find a local Evinrude dealer, visit www.evinrude.com.
BRP's Evinrude engine line-up from 3.5- to 300 horsepower offers customers superior value across a full range of applications. Engines are available at authorized Evinrude dealerships worldwide. Become part of the online Evinrude community at www.evinrudenation.com and follow us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/brpevinrude.
Hank Cherry Wraps Up Bassmaster All-Star Win After ‘perfect Day’
|
BRP Announces Evinrude E-TEC ‘Experience More’ Boat Show Sales Event!
BRP US Inc. announced today the Evinrude E-TEC “Experience More” Boat Show Sales Event for customers in the United States. During the period from Dec. 17, 2012 through Mar. 31, 2013, qualified U.S. consumers who purchase and take delivery of an eligible Evinrude E-TEC engine or boat package from a participating Evinrude dealer can take advantage of the retail offer.
Package Offer:
· 15 H.O. to 300 HP engines: Six (6) Year B.E.S.T. extended warranty coverage
Repower Offer:
· Option 1 for 40 HP to 300 HP engines: Five (5) Year B.E.S.T. extended warranty coverage or as low as 3.9 percent financing PLUS free rigging on 40 HP to 300 HP models
--OR—
· Option 2 for 15 H.O. to 300 HP engines: Six (6) Year B.E.S.T. extended warranty coverage
“The Evinrude E-TEC ‘Experience More’ Boat Show Sales Event provides consumers with the strongest incentives of the entire year,” said Christopher Berg, Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning for Evinrude. “Now is the best time to take advantage of these benefits and get out on the water with Evinrude E-TEC.”
For full details and conditions about this promotion, consumers should visit an authorized, participating Evinrude dealer. For full promotional details and conditions, or to find a local Evinrude dealer, visit www.evinrude.com.
BRP's Evinrude engine line-up from 3.5- to 300 horsepower offers customers superior value across a full range of applications. Engines are available at authorized Evinrude dealerships worldwide. Become part of the online Evinrude community at www.evinrudenation.com and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brpevinrude.
Reel ‘Em In For Rotary Bass Tournament to benefit boys and girls camps
What started out as a benefit event to provide funding for a boys camp, the Reel ‘Em In For Rotary Bass Tournament has now expanded to include a girls camp, too, according to tournament director Nigel Hill.
“Each spring we do a camp for boys and the boys camp was established in 1985, but what is exciting is that this year they had the inaugural girls camp,” Hill said. “These kids would never get a chance to go to a camp if we did not do these camps.”
The boys camp is held at the Circle F Dude Ranch near Lake Wales and the girls camp is held at Lake Aurora Christian Camp. Funding for the camps is provided by the annual bass tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes and the Big Kahuna Canoe Race, Hill said.
The 9th annual Reel ‘Em In For Rotary Bass Tournament will be held Saturday out of Camp Mack's River Resort, sponsored by the Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary. Hill, who retired from the Royal Navy, settled in Lake Wales and was invited to join the Rotary.
“I got asked to help out with the tournament and I got caught up in it,” he said. “I've run with it these last eight years.”
Hill said he is hoping to have over 50 boats for the tournament Saturday.
“As of Saturday, we had 32 pre-registered, which was our best start ever, so we are really excited. We'd love to beat our record of 56 boats set in 2009.”
Entry fee is $95 per boat the day of event, or $80 to pre-register. There is a $5 ramp fee. First place is guaranteed $1,500, with $750 for second, $500 for third and $250 for fourth. The big-fish pot will be a 75-25 percent allotment.
There will be a drawing for $100 for those who pre-register. The grand raffle prize is a stainless steel grill from the Lake Wales Home Depot.
Hill said that based on recent events held out of Camp Mack fishing is expected to be very good for Saturday's tournament.
“It took in excess of 30 pounds to win a tournament out of Camp Mack's a week ago,” he said.
Reel ‘Em In For Rotary Bass Tournament
Sat, Nov 17, 2012
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes
Camp Mack's River Resort
Call Nigel Hill at 863-224-4081
Email: [email protected]
SPONSOR: Lake Wales Breakfast Rotary
College Bass Series To Visit America’s Best Bass Lakes, Including Santee Cooper, Harris Chain, And Pickwick!
When college football winds down at year’s end, a different sort of competition — one played far from the gridiron — will begin. Teams representing colleges and universities from throughout the country will battle it out on some of the best bass fishing waters in the nation as the 2013 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series gets underway in January.
New this year is a conference format, challenging students to battle rival colleges for the biggest tournament bags and bragging rights in five regional tournaments, as well as a shot at entry in the season-ending Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Championship next summer.
College Series tournament manager Hank Weldon says the new format is a testament to the boom in popularity of college bass fishing.
“During the past few years we’ve seen the season evolve from one tournament annually to seven tournaments this year,” Weldon said.
“We’re really proud of the fact that College Series tournaments are being held on some of the hottest bass lakes in America,” he added. Five of the six qualifying tournaments will be held on lakes ranked on Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list, and four are in the Top 25.
The season kicks off Jan. 4-5 on the Harris Chain of Lakes out of Tavares, Fla., for Southern B.A.S.S. Conference anglers. The Central B.A.S.S. Conference regional tournament will be March 8-9 on Amistad Reservoir at Del Rio, Texas. Colleges farther west will fish Clear Lake in California, site of the Western B.A.S.S. Conference qualifier April 6-7 in Clear Lake, Calif. The Eastern B.A.S.S. Conference Regional will be held April 12-13 on the Santee Cooper lakes at Manning, S.C. And teams in the Midwestern B.A.S.S. Conference will compete May 29-30 on the Mississippi River at Fort Madison, Iowa.
College anglers from anywhere in the United States can participate in the new College Series Wildcard tournament June 14-15 on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala.
“The addition of the wildcard is something we’re excited about,” Weldon said. “In the regular season, colleges can only fish within their respective conferences. This tournament, which will take place at prime time for one of the best lakes in the nation, gives the fishing teams one last chance to make it to the championship.”
The College Series Championship, at a site to be announced, is a hotly contested fishing tournament in which schools compete for bragging rights and prizes as well as for a chance to fish a postseason qualifier for the Bassmaster Classic.
The Oklahoma State University team of Zack Birge and Blake Flurry won the Carhartt College Championship title in July 2012, while Matt Lee of Auburn University outlasted the top individual fishermen — including his own brother — to earn a coveted berth in the 2013 Classic on Grand Lake, Okla., Feb. 22-24. Lee will compete against the world’s best bass anglers for fishing fame and the $500,000 first prize.
College anglers interested in participating in the 2013 Carhartt College Series can get more information at Bassmaster.com or by contacting Weldon at 205-313-0957.
Hope Floats At Oklahoma’s Fort Gibson Lake In Season Finale Of Bassmaster Central Open
Mike McClelland has been praying for fellow Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brent Chapman.
It’s not that pros aren’t always watching out for each other, but McClelland’s prayers are shaped by something less spiritual: a Bassmaster Classic qualification.
McClelland says he prayed for Chapman’s safe arrival in Wagoner, Okla., to compete in this week’s Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on Fort Gibson Lake.
Prayer answered.
“I heard he’s there already,” the angler from Bella Vista, Ark., said on Aug. 31 as he was traveling to the same destination.
Now, McClelland is praying that Chapman remains healthy and able to participate in the Sept 6-8 Open. All registered anglers compete Thursday and Friday. Only the Top 12 will move on to Saturday’s finale to vie for $50,000 in prizes and a ticket to the 2013 Bassmaster Classic.
If Chapman fishes on all days he’s eligible, then he can claim the Classic seat that came with his Open win back in February in the first Central Open of 2012. But he doesn’t need it, so he’ll pass it on to the next angler on the Elite points list, who happens to be McClelland.
Chapman would become a rare Classic triple-qualifier. One qualification was via an Elite win, another through the Elite points system, and third would be the berth gained on the Open trail.
“I’ve been on pins and needles,” McClelland said. “I never count my chickens before the eggs are hatched.”
Technically, McClelland doesn’t have to compete in the Open to get a Classic seat via Chapman, but the Arkansas angler is motivated to be there anyway.
“As long as Chapman is fishing, I’ll work hard to help Jeff Kriet through the course of week,” said McClelland.
McClelland would have to be in the Fort Gibson event to help Kriet because a competitor can receive assistance only from another competitor. This Open is important to Kriet: It’s the only door to Classic 2013 left for him, and McClelland is determined to help him open it.
Other Elite pros have a shot at Classic 2013 through the Open. Jared Lintner, one place below McClelland, could get in if the winner of the Open has already qualified for the Classic (and if the Chapman-McClelland scenario plays out).
Scott Rook, next after Lintner on the Elite points list, would then become the beneficiary of what is very likely to be a triple qualification by Chris Lane. Lane has one seat as defending Classic champ, and he has another via the Elite points system. Like Chapman, Lane would be a triple qualifier if he finishes out his Open division. For Lane, that’s the Central Open, which will wrap up in October.
McClelland — who last competed on Fort Gibson Lake in the 2010 Elite event, in which he finished ninth — said the lake has always favored a shallow-water fisherman. The bass are usually inshore, perhaps because the shad seem to hang in the shallows, he said.
“The lake is full of baitfish, which makes it a very fertile fishery. It has a good population of bass. But one thing we’re up against is the full moon phase, when fish feed at night, so conditions aren’t super-favorable.”
The Fort Gibson Open may not be won in a traditional shallow-pattern fashion, he speculated.
“This may be one of those events someone will win by finding something unique,” McClelland said.
That someone could well be Elite pro Tommy Biffle of Wagoner. Fort Gibson is his home lake, and he’s won there so many times, he’s lost count: “a bunch of times,” he said. One was the 2010 Elite event; his four-day weight was 73 pounds and 11 ounces.
Biffle doesn’t need the win to make the Classic. He accomplished that Aug. 26 at the Elite season finale, pulling himself up from 38th in the standings to finish at 27th place, inside the Top 28 cutline.
But before he secured his seat, he implemented Plan B. He spent weeks on Fort Gibson, fine-tuning a strategy that would net him a win if all else failed. He was doing everything in his power to ensure he would not sit out a Classic on Grand Lake, just upriver from Fort Gibson Lake.
“If something happened at Oneida, then I’d have to win the Open. I was covering my bases,” Biffle said.
The water is low, Biffle said. The level on Aug. 31, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website, was 552.15 feet, almost 2 feet below the normal conservation pool level of 554 feet. At 552.15, the lake size comes in at 331,200 surface acres.
“We didn’t get any rain from the storm (Hurricane Isaac),” he said. “So those who have been practicing there for weeks might have some advantage. They started coming even before I left for Oneida (in mid-August).
Biffle is one of the Elite pros who could help another pro into the Classic.
“I know there’s one or two wanting me to win,” he said. “There’s a real, real good chance I can.”
Fans can watch the outcome in person or online at Bassmaster.com, where free-access coverage will be available all three days.
The Thursday and Friday weigh-ins will begin at 2:45 p.m. CT at Taylor Ferry North, east on Hwy. 51 out of Wagoner. On Saturday, the Top 12 from the first two days will weigh their catches at 3:45 p.m. at the Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow, Okla., 101 Bass Pro Drive.
2012 Bassmaster Elite Series Recap – Bull Shoals Lake
I finished 18th with 45 lbs. 6 oz. and was pleased with my finish as I increased in weight every day.
Practice
Before practice ever started, I thought this event would be a clear water sight fishing and finesse bite. Boy was I wrong! The water had an algae bloom and was dingy, and most of the fish were either pre-spawn or post spawn. I found some clear water and looked for spawners for a long time and never found any, so I focused my efforts on post spawners. I covered as much water as possible and shallow cranked the majority of practice. I caught around 12 or 13lbs a day in practice.
Competition
Day 1: I found some good fish in the back of a large creek in the middle of the lake, and opted to start the day there. I targeted bluffs, points, and laydowns with square billed crankbaits and creature baits. I caught a quick limit and was culling by 8:30. I kept culling for hours and all the fish seemed to be the same size. At noon, I made a decision that hurt me greatly. I left fish to find fish, and it did not pay off! I left the mid lake area at noon and ran 30 miles up river to fish a couple of creeks that I had been thinking about all day. I went all the way up there and it just wasn’t happening. I never upgrading again. I finished the day with 12lbs 15 oz and in 54th.
Day 2: I learned from my mistake on day 1, and I told myself that I would not leave the area that was so good to me the first part of the first day. I caught fish all day long on the shallow crank, and culled up eary so often. I had around 13 lbs with 1 hour left, and I knew I needed to upgrade a few more times to make the top 50 cut. I pulled up to one bank and culled 2 or 3 times with minutes left and that is what I need to advance. I weighed in 14lbs 13 oz and moved up to 41st.
Day 3: After gaining confidence in my creek, I knew that my areas were holding good quality bass. I once again chose to grind it out with a square bill crankbait. I fished as may points and bluffs as I could, and I got three over 4lbs in the boat. Two of which came in the last hour of the day! I was actually heading out of my creek, and had a gut feeling to turn around. I turned around and ran back to a bank that I hadn’t fished yet. I caught two 4lbers back to back! I weighed in my biggest bag of the week, 17lbs 10 oz., and missed the top 12 cut by a little over a pound. I finished in 18th.
Key Tackle: 15 lb Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon was crucial all week. I was burning square bills down rocky banks, and never broke a fish off all week. Berkley 100% fluoro is the way to go. It is easy to cast and super strong!
Key Equipment: I have never fished as fast as I did in this tournament. My average speed on the trolling motor was 60. Optima batteries and 101 Minn Kota allowed me to keep the trolling motor on high all day without slowing down. I had use a Pinnacle Optimus XT 7.3:1 high speed reel to keep up with the speed of my trolling motor. It is one of the smoothest high speed reels I have used.
Stay Positive and Don't Get Stubborn.
God Bless,
Brandon Card
More Reason Than Bass For Volunteers Behind Wolfson Children’s Hospital Tournament
Preston and Katrina Clark won the 2011 tournament
Although he holds the record for the second biggest bass ever caught in the history of the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament, Brian Seay admittedly is not much of a bass fisherman. He has a more personal reason for serving as tournament director for the 23rd annual tournament Saturday on the St. John's River.
“My son was in that hospital and he passed away after a couple of years, so I have my own attachment. We spent a lot of time in that hospital in his short life and the care we received was astronomical,” said Seay.
Seay said a strange turn of events highlighted by that big bass led him to become involved as a volunteer with the tournament.
“I am no bass fishing expert, but I went out with a guy who was pretty good and we were fishing in Rodman. He said drop your line there and I did. That fish weighed 11-pounds-plus,” he recalled, adding that it also caused him to catch some grief from his co-workers.
“All of the guys at work live and breathe this stuff and when I told them about it, they said, 'You went out there and did what?' I got a little plaque and I put it in my office. Sometimes I will take it out and show it to those guys,” he said with a chuckle.
“But my drive and my motivation for this tournament is not so much for the bass fishing as it is raising money for those kids,” Seay said. “I consider it a big honor to be involved.”
The tournament began more than two decades ago when the director of the Plant Facilities Department of Baptist Medical Center Downtown in Jacksonville, along with several outside contractors, wanted to play a major role in funding capital improvements and technological advancements for the Children's Hospital. They created the tournament with the goal of making it the largest in the state raising money for kids.
In 2010 the tournament drew 422 boats and last year the count was over 460 boats. Bob McNally, outdoors writer for The Florida Times Union in Jacksonville, calls it the largest single-day bass tournament in Florida.
“Actually,” said Seay, “we don't know of a bigger tournament in the Southeast.”
The tournament is actually three events over three days, starting with 14th annual the Lads and Lassies Tournament Thursday. Entry fee for Thursday competition is $70 a boat with an optional $10 entry for the Big Bass Pot.
Prizes for Lads and Lassies range from $1,000 for first place down to $100 for 10th place, with first Big Bass earning $1,000 and second Big Bass worth $500.
The VIP Tournament on Friday is strictly for show to allow sponsors and other dignitaries a chance to get on the water and go fishing.
Entry fee for the 23nd annual Wolfson Children's Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament Saturday is $90 per boat with an additional $10 per boat for the big bass competition. The tournament has a guaranteed purse of $37,000 in cash and prizes, including $10,000 for first place, $4,000 for second and $3,000 for third, on down to $100 for anglers who finish 51st-55th..
There is also a $5,000 prize for the largest bass weighed in and $1,000 each for second and third big bass of the tournament. Bringing in the exact weight listed in a sealed envelope will earn a huge bonus.
The tournament buys an insurance policy and places a pre-determined weight in the envelope. If an angler weighs in the big bass at the exact weight in the envelope he receives an additional $15,000. If the second big bass matches the weight in another envelop that angler gets $10,000.
In addition to all the potential prize money, somebody will go home with a brand new bass boat. Tickets are being sold for a drawing following Saturday's weigh-in for a new fully rigged 2012 Bullet 21XD Bass Boat with a Mercury 225 Pro XS OptiMax Motor, courtesy of Bullet boats and Mercury Marine.
“We raised right at $150,000 last year,” said Seay. “After the tournament we hold a big dinner in Jacksonville for the hospital and present them with the money.”
The volunteers who put on the tournament all have full-time jobs, Seay noted, but they all feel it is worth it just to help the children in the hospital.
“It has been very rewarding to me,” he said. “It's just a huge way to give something back to the hospital.”
Wolfson Children’s Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament
Sat, May 19, 2011
St. Johns River
Palatka City Docks
www.wolfsonchildrens.org/ways-to-give/bass/Pages/tourney.aspx
Shallow or deep - take your pick – in North Carolina BFL on Lake Norman Saturday
The Walmart BFL North Carolina Division tournament Saturday on Lake Norman can be won shallow – or it can be won deep – according to a veteran angler who is always one to be reckoned with in BFL tournaments in the Carolinas.
“We're supposed to have a little foul weather on Monday and that will make things better for both the shallow water guys and the guys fishing for suspended fish,” said Maurice Freeze of Concord, N.C., who finished second in the points standings in the North Carolina BFL series in 2011.
In fact, although the temperature will range from the high 60s to the mid-70s over the next few days, a front is moving through the area with showers expected Wednesday, isolated thunderstorms Thursday, thundershowers on Friday and scattered thunderstorms on Saturday, the day of the tournament.
“With a chance of thunderstorms, I would associate that with being a stormy day with the wind blowing,” said Freeze. I am always hoping for the wind to be blowing some. That just helps the shallow water fishing, especially in a clear lake like Norman is – and especially right now because it is really, really clear.”
With the warm temperatures this week, Freeze said he thinks a lot of fish will be moving up on the banks.
“I’ve not looked to see what moon we are on, but there should be some fish bedding down in Ramsey Creek. I doubt if they will be anywhere else, but there are going to be fish looking in that direction and those pre-spawn fish will be feeding up and getting fat.”
Freeze, who placed 19th in the South Carolina Division BFL on Lake Murray last weekend, said anglers will catch fish in several different ways Saturday.
“If the wind blows good there will be some caught on a spinnerbait. The jerkbait will be good and the small crankbait will be good, something that runs 10 feet deep or less. And then you will have The Alabama Rig® guys out there catching them suspended,” he said.
“We might get our butts beat by the Alabama Riggers,” said Freeze who is a shallow-water angler.
“I feel like this tournament can be won either way, fairly deep or shallow. It will be just how the day goes, but there should be some good weights. I look for it to take anywhere form 16 to 18 pounds to win it.”
Freeze has finished in the top five six of the seven years he has fished the North Carolina BFL Division, with two first places, two seconds and one fifth place. He has also finished in the top 10 seven times in the South Carolina BFL Division, with three firsts, two fourths, a fifth place and a 10th place.
Contending for the points title is simply a matter of trying to catch a decent limit, he said.
“I just go to fish and catch limits. Usually the limits will keep you right up in the points. If you catch the limit in every tournament you will be in the top 10 in points,” he said. “I just go and try to put five fish in the live well in a tournament and it seems to work pretty well for me.”
Walmart BFL - North Carolina Division
Sat, Mar 3, 2012
Lake Norman
Midway Marina
Gearing Up For Erie’s Monster Smallies
(By Dave Wolak) Talk about exciting. I’d been pumped about fishing the Bassmaster BPS Northern Bass Open on Lake Erie for some time. Now, after a couple days of prefishing, I’m more excited than ever.
This is one big, crazy ocean. The boat traffic out of Sandusky is always heavy. It’s a populated area, so you’re constantly dodging charters and other boats of all sizes. I’ve never been more thankful for my Ranger Z521; it handles big water extremely well, and with the Yamaha VMAX SHO 250 behind, gets me out of the hole and on top of the waves quickly.
The best part: when you’re able to find a good spot to yourself, it’s game on! Erie is loaded with bruiser smallmouths, and they can be caught deep or shallow. I’ve got plans for both.
For deep, clear water like this, nothing beats a drop shot rig. This is finesse fishing all the way, but because of the rough water, it really puts the focus on your gear.
Light line and sensitivity are the two biggest factors, so I’m using spinning gear—but my setup is different than most anglers use. I’ve chosen a 7’2” medium action Pinnacle Perfecta DHC5 rod, which is primarily a shaky-head rod, but I’ve found it’s perfect for heavy-duty drop shot applications like this. I really like the extra-fast tip, and it has a good deal more backbone than most other drop shot rods. It takes a lot to get a good hookset down deep, and the last thing I need is to have a 5 or 6 pound fish come unglued with the tournament on the line.
I’ve paired this rod with a Pinnacle Performa XT PEF40 reel. Most anglers tend to use too small a reel for this kind of fishing. The 40 size balances well and has a larger spool diameter so you get excellent line flow, plus a super-sensitive drag. I also like the ridged soft handle pad; it ensures a firm grip even on a Lake Erie roller coaster ride.
Yes, little things matter in tough water, especially when using small-diameter line. I’m spooled with low-stretch, 7 lb. test Sunline Sniper FC fluorocarbon for maximum feel and to avoid spooking fish.
My shallow water approach can be an awesome way to score a big kicker or two. It’s an overlooked pattern on Erie, and I’m hoping it’ll pay off at the right time. Basically, I’m burning a big-bladed ¾ or 1 oz. spinnerbait just under the surface over shallow rocks.
This technique isn’t for the faint of heart; big smallies just crush that blade. You need a rod that’s powerful enough to heave large lures a long way, but limber enough to absorb arm-breaking strikes and handle multiple jumps and dives at distance. The 7’6” medium-heavy Pinnacle Perfecta DHC5 casting rod is ideal, as it falls somewhere between a spinnerbait rod and a flipping stick and has the best qualities of both. With a Pinnacle Optimus XLT high-speed reel strapped on, it’s one tough, versatile setup.
I’ll keep the actual baits I’m using to myself for now. But with a couple of days under my belt, I’m starting to get a feel for my tournament strategy. It’ll be tough, but at least I know my gear is up to the task!
Weather – And Bass Bite – Are Hot For Accent Marine Tournament Kissimmee Chain
It is extremely hot on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, both the blazing summer sun overhead and the super bass bite in the lakes.
“The temperature is in the 90s. It was up to 99 one day, but it's like the Dog Days of Summer because of the humidity,” said Ted Meyer with Accent Marine which will hold the sixth of nine qualifying tournaments in the dealership's tournament trail Sunday out of Capt. Mack's River Resort on the lakes.
“Adding to that, the water is low. Okeechobee is about dried up. There's some open water back in Kissimmee – a little bit – but they are letting that out also,” Meyer said. “What we need is a hurricane to bring the lakes back up – not the hurricane itself, but the rain that comes with it.”
But, the bass apparently are not letting the heat and the extremely low water bother them at all.
“They have been catching some good weights,” said Meyer who predicted it will take 26 to 28 pounds to win Sunday. “It took 31 pounds a couple of weeks ago, so we will see what happens this weekend.”
Meyer said anglers are catching the bass in the deeper water on brushpiles and other structure.
“They are also catching some off the grasslines, but not that much. They are mostly casting regular plastics worms and some are flipping jigs and crawfish.”
He expects 65 to 70 boats to enter Sunday's tournament, down slightly from the average of 75 to 80 boats that have participated in the series so far.
“When it starts getting hot that is when the true fisherman stays out there and the rest of them go home. The next three months are going to be tough. We go through September and the Classic will be in October. We have three left after Sunday and anglers have to fish seven of the nine tournament to qualify for the Classic.”
The series includes tournaments July 31, August 28 and September 25 with the Classic scheduled Oct. 30. Entry fee for the tournaments is $65 and teams that qualify do not pay an entry fee to fish in the classic.
Entry fees must be received by 5 p.m. On the Friday before a tournament; no entries are accepted after that deadline. The tournament payback is 75 percent, with 20 percent held for the classic purse.
Accent Marine, a Stratos dealership owned by Ted and Maxine Meyer, is located on Highway 92 East at Tampa, Fla. The dealership is also a full-service provider for Evinrude.
“If a team is fishing out of a 2009 or newer Stratos, Stratos will match the win pot up to $10,000 so they will double the purse for first place in out tournaments,” Meyer said.
For details on the Accent Marine tournaments, call (813) 620-1042 or (813) 620-1309, or email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Accent Marine Tournament Trail
Sun, Jun 26, 2011
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes
Camp Mack's River Resort
Call (813) 620-1042
