AnglersChannel

Travel Tuesday - For Epic Vacations, Avoid the "Fish and Ski"

By Pete Robbins, Half Past First Cast

Do you remember “Fish and Ski” bass boats? They were popular in the 1980s and 1990s, and depending on your perspective, they were either the best or the worst combination of features you could buy.

They were typically marked by a basic bass boat or deep-v shape, a big walk-through windshield, and a smaller front deck than a typical “tournament-ready” bass boat. That’s not to say that you couldn’t be competitive out of one, but rather that they gave up some efficiency in the name of creating a boat built for more than just fishing. The sales pitch was that after you were done chasing bass, the whole family could join you for skiing, tubing and general chilling.

These purchases almost always reeked of desperate compromise. The angler in the family (usually, but not always, dad) would head to the dealership looking for a rocket-like Hydroblaster. The non-angler (usually, but not always, mom) would come along, and seeing this other option, would push for it. It’ll be better for family unity, better for time with the kids, and it will make us all want to go to the lake with you, the latter partner would say.

Ten minutes later, they were signing on the dotted line.

A year later, the angler was still fishing out of the boat, but was deeply disappointed to have been bullied into this purchase, because after one or two trips the family had decided they had other things to do. They’d stopped coming along. Meanwhile, he/she would still strongly prefer the other boat (but with only 162 payments left, that’s not on the table).

If you are planning the fishing trip of a lifetime, and you have a family of committed non-anglers, don’t be pressured into going on the compromise trip.

Yes, there are certainly options – like Costa Rica or Alaska or Cabo or Traverse City – where one family member can have a world-class fishing experience for a few days and those who don’t care to fish can still have a killer vacation. No one needs to sacrifice their preferences and you can still enjoy plenty of togetherness. I’m not talking about those trips. I’m talking about your once-in-a-lifetime, ultra-bucket-list, hard-core fishing deal. Maybe it’s Panama or the Seychelles or Arctic Char in the Northwest Territories, but if it’s something technical and a little off the grid, leave the non-anglers at home.

You cannot make someone enjoy something they don’t like, and if you’ve been waiting 10 or 20 or more years to make a dream happen, anyone who wants to go in early or doesn’t get excited by your big fish is going to be a drag. There will be plenty of time for togetherness in other venues, but when it comes to living out your dreams, choose “social distancing” over compromise.

At Half Past First Cast, we understand that sometimes compromise isn’t a dirty word, but we always try to help you have the best fishing trip possible at the best price. Email us at fishmore@halfpastfirstcast.com if you’d like to explore options in Mexico, Panama, Guatemala or Alaska.

by AnglersChannel

Ranger Under the Lid - What's in the Back?

This week we're catching up with Bryan Thrift to check out how he sets up the back of his Ranger Z520.  It's packed with Relion Lithium Batteries, a spare prop, a charger, and still has room to spare!  Check it out in this "Under the Lid".

by AnglersChannel

Yavorksy wins Bassmaster Team Championship Fish-Off, becomes youngest to qualify for Classic

Aaron Yavorsky of the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail has won the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off with a total of 48 pounds, 4 ounces. 

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

December 9, 2023

LEESBURG, Fla. — Aaron Yavorsky could have idled inside the Venetian Gardens Marina all day Saturday and still won the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off.

But instead of taking his foot off the gas after virtually securing the tournament title on Friday, the 17-year-old Yavorsky put the proverbial pedal to the metal. And in doing so, he scrawled his name into the B.A.S.S. history books — with authority.

Following the 30-pound, 7-ounce limit of five bass he weighed on Day 1, Yavorsky caught another limit Saturday, this one weighing 17-13. And though his final bag was the lightest he caught this week, it absolutely was more than enough to secure the Fish-Off title with a two-day weight of 48-4.

It was as commanding a win as one could imagine in a tournament of this magnitude. Second place went to Connor Nimrod of the Media Bass Trail in north Louisiana, who caught 25-14 over two days, more than 22 pounds behind Yavorsky.

The decisive victory earned Yavorsky the final berth into the 2024 Bassmaster Classic, which will be held March 22-24 on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. He is the youngest person to ever qualify for the Classic, a distinction previously owned by David Brind of New York, who was 18 when he worked his way through the former B.A.S.S. Federation (now the B.A.S.S. Nation) to land a spot in the 1979 Classic on Lake Texoma.

Yavorsky will turn 18 on March 15, a week before his sport’s biggest event begins.

“I’ve never been to Oklahoma,” he said. “I’ve never even been to a Classic either, though I’ve watched them on live TV for a long time. I don’t know what to say about making it. I’m kind of speechless right now.”

Yavorsky let his fishing do the talking on the Harris Chain of Lakes instead. He stormed to a nearly 16-pound advantage on Day 1 of the Fish-Off with a 30-7 limit. That whopping bag certainly took some of the pressure off the young Palm Harbor, Fla., resident, but he knew his fellow competitors wouldn’t just hand him the title. He proved twice earlier in the tournament that 30-pound sacks are possible here in central Florida, so resting on his Day 1 success was not an option.

The young Yavorsky was relentless again on Saturday, rocketing out of Venetian Gardens at 7 a.m. and making the 30-minute run to Lake Carlton, where he boated his best bass this week. He worked a shellbar there in about 10 feet of water, throwing a Strike King 5XD crankbait over an area that is about 200 to 300 yards long. He said bait color was not important as long as it closely matched the water clarity in Carlton, not to mention the shad that hefty bass were chomping there.

Saturday wasn’t without challenges. The wind, crucial to his earlier bags, was nowhere to be found early on Day 2. Several spectator boats also were near his top spot when he arrived for what he hoped would be the finishing touches on a championship.

Instead, fate made the teenager wait for his chances. And Yavorsky didn’t blink, putting his first bass in the livewell about noon. When quick catches didn’t follow, though, he left Carlton for Lake Dora to fish grassbeds he and his dad, Rodney, worked on Day 1 of the Team Championship portion of the event, which they eventually won. That move proved unsuccessful, so he headed back to Carlton and hunkered down for his limit.

“Nerves played a part,” Aaron said. “We weren’t even launched yet and I couldn’t tie on a lure. A bunch of things ran through my head, especially when I didn’t have a fish until noon. It was really slow ... but the wind picked back up in the afternoon and that was big. It got the bait moving.”

Then the bigger bites he enjoyed earlier in the week started again.

“I was burning that 5XD as fast as I could,” he said. “I really had to hit the fish down there. It would knock off of them and they’d get aggravated when it hit them. It was more a reaction bite.”

The Yavorskys, representing the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail, qualified for the Fish-Off portion of this tournament after totaling 51-9 on Wednesday and Thursday to win $25,000 and the Team Championship. That was almost 14 pounds more than the second-place team of Blain Bartley and Rj Graham of Pennsylvania’s Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit, who split $17,000. The tandem of Nimrod and Thomas Soileau from Media Bass finished third overall in the team event and won $12,000.

The Top 3 teams (six anglers in all) advanced to the Fish-Off on Friday and Saturday. Their team weights were zeroed, and each competed individually for a shot at the Classic

From the jump, the Fish-Off belonged to a 17-year-old fishing with skills that defy his age and experience.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, that I’m going to the Bassmaster Classic,” he said.

The Yavorskys left Venetian Gardens not long after Aaron hoisted the Fish-Off championship trophy. They were headed to Lake Okeechobee where Aaron was due to compete in a Florida B.A.S.S. Nation High School event this weekend. There may be some pre-fishing at Grand Lake in his future, too, but the next stop before the Classic is more typical of a young man of 17.

"Economics class is my first thing Monday morning,” he said. “At 7 a.m.”

Rounding out the field of six in the Fish-Off — behind Yavorsky and Nimrod — are third, Graham, 14-15; fourth, Soileau, 10-14; fifth, Bartley, 6-10; and sixth, Rodney Yavorsky, 6-0.

The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, held Wednesday and Thursday, featured 248 duos representing 77 different bass trails. In all, anglers came to the Harris Chain from 30 different states and three foreign countries to compete for part of the $125,000 cash purse that was split among the Top 50 teams.

2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic FishOff 12/8-12/9
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Aaron Yavorsky -                             Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   30-07     Day 2: 5   17-13   Total:  10  48-04
2.  Connor Nimrod -                              Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   11-04   Total:  10  25-14
3.  RJ Graham -                                  Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 3   04-10     Day 2: 5   10-05   Total:   8  14-15
4.  Thomas Soileau -                             Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 3   04-13     Day 2: 4   06-01   Total:   7  10-14
5.  Blain Bartley -                              Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  06-10
6.  Rodney Yavorsky -                            Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 1   04-12   Total:   2  06-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1         3        22        62-06
2         3        20        50-03
----------------------------------
6        42       112-09

by AnglersChannel

Florida teen Yavorsky takes Team Championship Fish-Off lead at Harris Chain of Lakes

Aaron Yavorsky of the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail has taken the lead on Day 1 of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off with a total of 30 pounds, 7 ounces. 

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

December 8, 2023

 

LEESBURG, Fla. — Aaron Yavorsky only needs one more day of solid fishing to write his name in the B.A.S.S. record books.

Yavorksy, a 17-year-old high school senior from Palm Harbor, Fla, caught five bass weighing a whopping 30 pounds, 7 ounces Friday on Day 1 of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off. It was a phenomenal haul that gave him nearly a 16-pound lead on the closest of the five other anglers in the field.

The huge catch also gave Yavorsky a decided edge on the dream of a lifetime — a berth in the 2024 Bassmaster Classic. The winner here on Saturday will clinch the final entry into the sport’s biggest derby, which will be held March 22-24 on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees.

If Yavorsky’s tremendous lead does hold, he would be the youngest person ever to compete in a Bassmaster Classic. David Brind, of New York, currently has that distinction, after fishing the 1979 Classic on Lake Texoma when he was only 18.

Yavorsky is aware history could be in the making.

“There were a lot of nerves today,” he said. “Obviously just making it to today, there are a lot of things running through your head ... I might be restless tonight, but I’ll try to get some sleep. I just need to get back out there tomorrow. I’m confident because I’ve got a decent lead.”

Friday’s bag was not an outlier, though, as Yavorsky has been whacking the largemouth bass all week on the Harris Chain of Lakes, only 90 minutes from his family home on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

He and his dad, Rodney Yavorsky, won the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship on Thursday when they caught a whopping 31-6 limit and eased to a victory of nearly 14 pounds. Aaron carried the load when he teamed with dad, too, catching a 9-3 lunker midday on Thursday to push the Yavorskys past the hallowed 30-pound mark.

Aaron, who’s a member of the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail, was no less impressive fishing by himself on Friday. He said he’s fishing in Lake Carlton, about a 30-minute run from Venetian Gardens, where this week’s takeoffs and weigh-ins are taking place.

The special spot of the week, he said, is a shellbar in about 10 feet of water. He’s exclusively throwing crankbaits over an area that is about 200 to 300 yards long.

“I’m just going up and down that spot,” he said. “There’s a lot of bait out there right now. The colder weather moved them out on it. I think they’re getting ready to spawn. They’re just feeding up on shad right now. They’re really scattered. It’s just a matter of getting the big ones to bite.”

Friday’s big bass weighed 8-15. He caught the lunker early in the day and had a limit within an hour.

From that point, it was a matter of patience, with upgrades coming throughout the day.

The Top 3 duos in the Team Championship had their weights zeroed Thursday and the six anglers started competing individually Friday.

That allowed Rodney Yavorsky the chance to see his son put on another display Friday, choosing to watch from a distance rather than fishing himself. He did catch one bass for 1-4, enough to earn a walk across the B.A.S.S. stage.

He was reserving the spotlight, he said, for his son.

“I’m here for him,” Rodney said. “He deserves this. He works hard, spends a lot of time on the water. It pays off.”

Connor Nimrod, a West Monroe, La., resident who fishes the Media Bass trail, is in second place in the Fish-Off with a limit that weighed 14-10. He said he’s making the long run to Lake Apopka, throwing bladed jigs to patches of scattered eelgrass.

Nimrod, 24, knows overcoming a deficit of nearly 16 pounds won’t be easy. But, he said, Florida might be the perfect spot to do it.

“The big ones live here,” he said. “We’ve been around them all week. It would be an impressive thing if I can come back, and I’m gonna try. But Aaron has been putting on a show this week ... Whatever happens, I’ve already had a great week here, too.”

Other remaining anglers are Blain Bartley of Pennsylvania’s Media Bass Buddy Circuit, who caught a limit Friday and is in third place with 6-10. Thomas Soileau, also of West Monroe and Media Bass, caught three bass weighing 4-13. Rj Graham, who teamed with Bartley to finish second in the Team Championship, is fifth with three bass totaling 4-10. The elder Yavorsky is sixth with his 1-4 catch.

The second and final day of the Fish-Off will begin at 7 a.m. ET at Venetian Gardens. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Follow the weigh-in online at Bassmaster.com.

2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic FishOff 12/8-12/9
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Aaron Yavorsky -                             Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   30-07   Total:   5  30-07
2.  Connor Nimrod -                              Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 5   14-10   Total:   5  14-10
3.  Blain Bartley -                              Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 5   06-10   Total:   5  06-10
4.  Thomas Soileau -                             Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 3   04-13   Total:   3  04-13
5.  Rj Graham -                                  Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 3   04-10   Total:   3  04-10
6.  Rodney Yavorsky -                            Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 1   01-04   Total:   1  01-04
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1         3        22        62-06
----------------------------------
3        22        62-06

by AnglersChannel

Fishin' Tip Friday - Winter Battery Care

This week, instead of talking about a tip or tactic, we're going to give you some timely battery care advice.  With winter dropping down into most of the country, some of us "northerners" experience harsh temps and hard water.  Some of us even have to put the boat "Up" for a few months.  With cold storage, there are some things that need to be done to make sure your gear weathers the storm.  One important area that needs attention is your battery system!

We reached out to our friends at Pro Charging Systems/Dual Pro.  They've been the leaders in domestic charging solutions for over 25 years, doing testing and research on a continuous basis, so they certainly know what's up.  Here are the recommended BEST practices to maintain lead-acid batteries all winter long.

• Check the battery connections - Ensure that all terminal lugs are clean and tight.
If battery posts/terminals are dirty or show signs of corrosion:
o Use a quality battery terminal cleaner
o Or make your own with a baking soda and water mixture
• Check the electrolyte level - The plates must be kept covered so they do not dry out.
If the solution doesn’t cover the battery plates:
o Distilled water can be added to a level approximately ½ in above the plates
o Do not overfill
• If possible, keep your batteries suitably protected from extreme temperatures
• Batteries should be kept/stored in a well ventilated area
• Never leave batteries in a deep depth of discharge
• Use a PCS/Dual PRO Professional Series and Sportsmans Series chargers optimally maintain your batteries over the winter.  The charger will systematically check the voltage of the batteries and top off when needed.
• After 30 days, the charger will go into an equalization phase. You will still want to check on your batteries every 30 days to ensure that the charger hasn’t seen an issue with the batteries and turned off or that the power hasn’t gone out.

Seems pretty straight-forward...clean 'em up, fill 'em up, and keep 'em charged up and you'll be good to go come spring.  Now keep in mind, this is for lead-acid batteries.  Dual Pro specifically recommends getting your lithium battery storage details from the manufacturer themselves.  They see a lot of variation currently within lithium technology on the market, so there really isn't a set of recommended BEST practices that cover all the possibilities.

We'll get our lithium tips from the lithium experts at Relion and bring them to you soon!

by AnglersChannel

Huge bag lifts Yavorsky duo to victory at Bassmaster Team Championship; Fish-Off begins Friday

Rodney Yavorsky and Aaron Yavorsky of the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail won the Team Championship portion of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship with a two-day total of 51 pounds, 9 ounces. 

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

December 6, 2023

 

LEESBURG, Fla. — The father-son duo of Rodney and Aaron Yavorsky were among the final teams to weigh in Thursday on the final day of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship.

In this case, the best was saved almost for last.

The Yavorskys, Tampa-area residents representing the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail, caught a mammoth limit of five bass weighing 31 pounds, 6 ounces and stormed to the title here on the Harris Chain of Lakes in central Florida. Their two-day total of 10 bass weighing 51-9 was nearly 14 pounds heavier than the second-place tandem of Blain Bartley and Rj Graham, who caught 10 bass for 37-11 over two days.

The Yavorskys’ 31-6 bag was by far the heaviest of the tournament, easily besting the 24-11 limit caught by Day 1 leaders Chris Whitson and Kevin King of Tennessee’s Morristown Marine Team Trail. The catch was so hefty they would have placed eighth overall even if their Day 1 weight of 20-3 was eliminated.

“We’ve fished a lot of tournaments together and never had a 30-pound bag,” said Rodney Yavorsky, Aaron’s dad. “It was a special day.”

So was Day 1, for that matter, when father and son put themselves in fourth place overall. They started that day slowly, however, before moving from shallow water to offshore. They started offshore on Day 2, and the extra few hours of catching was just what they needed, pushing their total over the hallowed 30-pound mark.

“Today, we did from the start what we should have done on Day 1,” Rodney said.

“The little cold front that moved in overnight helped us, too,” Aaron said. “There was more bait in the area for us to focus on. We caught them deep, mainly on hard spots, with moving baits — crankbaits, some shaky heads. Color doesn’t seem to matter in this area. We just had to match the water clarity.”

Aaron, a 17-year-old high school senior, did the heavy lifting on Thursday, catching a whopper largemouth that weighed 9-3. He hooked the lunker around noon and it immediately brought new energy to the boat.

“We knew at that point that we had a chance to win,” Rodney said. “We had been sitting at 27 (pounds) and felt like if we got to 30, we could do it.”

That 9-3 bite clinched the Big Bass Award of $500, which pairs nicely with the $25,000 the Yavorskys earned with the title. Their winnings are part of a $125,000 cash purse that was distributed to the Top 50 teams in the derby. A total of 248 teams representing 77 different trails came from 30 states and three foreign countries to compete in the Team Championship.

Now that group has been trimmed to the Top 3 teams (six anglers in all), their weights have been zeroed, and they’ll compete individually on Friday and Saturday in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off. The angler with the heaviest two-day total in that portion of the tournament will earn the final berth in the 2024 Bassmaster Classic which will be held March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla., on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

The opportunity isn’t lost on the teenaged Yavorsky, who said he and his dad will decide Thursday night who will fish which spots in the Fish-Off. They already located good spots in lakes Harris, Eustis and Beauclair, so they’ll have options.

“This is unimaginable, really,” Aaron said. “You catch fish like we did today, and you have a crazy train of thoughts running through your head.”

Rodney, who owns a painting business in nearby Pinellas County, was thrilled with the Team Championship win, but said his goal is to see Aaron fishing in Oklahoma come March.

“I’m here for him,” Rodney said. “He’s 17. I want him to fish in the Classic. I don’t know how we’ll do this, who will fish where. But we’ll figure it out.”

Bartley and Graham, of Pennsylvania’s Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit, caught 21-3 on Day 1 and followed with 16-8 on Day 2, giving them 37-11. They split $17,000 for the second-place finish and will now focus on making the Classic.

“We’ll both start on our best spot and see what happens,” Bartley said. “It’s a dream come true just to have the opportunity.”

Connor Nimrod and Thomas Soileau, who fish for Media Bass in north Louisiana, finished third with a two-day total of 34-14. Their 21-14 bag was the second heaviest caught Thursday, and it helped them to a $12,000 prize.

“The difference today was strictly weather,” Nimrod said. “We rolled up on our stuff yesterday and it was super blown out, with 2- to 3-foot waves rolling in. Today we were able to throw bladed jigs in grass, anything out off the bank.”

Two more productive days by any of the six remaining anglers could lead to more glory.

“Everybody comes here with the goal of qualifying for the Classic,” Soileau said. “We’ve given ourselves that chance.”

Day 1 of the Fish-Off will start Friday at 7 a.m. ET at Venetian Gardens. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. See the weigh-in online at Bassmaster.com.

2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship 12/6-12/7
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Rodney Yavorsky - Aaron Yavorsky             Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   31-06   Total:  10  51-09
2.  Blain Bartley - Rj Graham                    Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 5   21-03     Day 2: 5   16-08   Total:  10  37-11
3.  Connor Nimrod - Thomas Soileau               Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   21-14   Total:  10  34-14
4.  Destin DeMarion - Tyler Woak                 Western PA Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 5   17-15     Day 2: 5   16-04   Total:  10  34-03
5.  Matt McCoy - Dennis Davis                    Indiana BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   18-01   Total:  10  33-03
6.  Chris Whitson - Kevin King                   Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   24-11     Day 2: 5   08-02   Total:  10  32-13
7.  Weston Brown - Nathan Byrd                   3F Tournaments                        0
Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   16-04   Total:  10  31-11
8.  Frank Bradfield - Tyler Morgan               Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   08-13   Total:  10  29-04
9.  Anthony Johnson - Brock Reinkemeyer          World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 5   13-03   Total:  10  28-09
10. Cody George - Josh Prince                    Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 5   13-08   Total:  10  28-06
11. Bud Smart - Dave Coffing                     US Anglers Choice / AC Tournamen      0
Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 5   07-04   Total:  10  27-06
12. Wesley Sams - Jordan Wiggins                 Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 5   19-05   Total:   8  27-04
13. Kris Colley - Adam Bain                      Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   11-04   Total:  10  27-04
14. Dustin Neat - Mark Wethington                Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 4   12-12   Total:   9  26-12
15. Shane Adams - Raymond Adams                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   13-05   Total:  10  26-05
16. Matt Adams - Richard Payne                   Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   09-06   Total:  10  26-04
17. Chris Babin - Gypsy Babin                    Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 5   15-12     Day 2: 5   09-12   Total:  10  25-08
18. Clint Gradeless - Jeff Geller                US Anglers Choice / AC Tournamen      0
Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 3   11-09   Total:   8  25-06
19. Chris Blair - Bryan Asay                     Georgia Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   07-15   Total:  10  25-04
20. Brian Adamson - Ryan Lloyd                   Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   08-13   Total:  10  25-02
21. Wes Woodard - Tim Eaton                      D & R Sports Center Tournament S      0
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   12-08   Total:  10  25-02
22. Steven Griffith - Tyler Rush                 Pennsylvania BASS Nation Team Tr      0
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   10-11   Total:  10  24-12
23. Brad Stalnaker - Chris Lumpkin               Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 5   14-04   Total:  10  24-09
24. Eddie Levin - Ryan Mallory                   Ohio BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   13-02   Total:  10  24-08
25. Cameron Yates - Chad Woodward                New Hampshire BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   17-12     Day 2: 4   06-05   Total:   9  24-01
26. Stephen Mcavoy - Josh Butts                  Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   09-04   Total:  10  23-15
27. Nick Canestra - Harry Nurk                   Chester County Bassmaster Team T      0
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   09-09   Total:  10  23-11
28. Levi Snow - Craig Ruddick                    Columbus Bass Club Team Trail         0
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   10-09   Total:  10  23-11
29. Jeff Brauneck - Fred Brauneck                West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   10-08   Total:  10  23-09
30. Jason Clemons - Marc Lorensen                Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   14-10   Total:  10  23-06
31. Travis Loyd - Brien Vaughn                   Texas Team Trail                      0
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   15-01   Total:  10  23-05
32. Joe Ellis - Ron Ellis                        Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   12-15     Day 2: 5   10-02   Total:  10  23-01
33. Casey Baker - Eddie Baker                    Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   12-03   Total:  10  23-00
34. Joe Anders - Guff Guffey                     Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   08-07   Total:  10  22-15
35. Will Thomas - Gregg Thomas                   Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   09-12     Day 2: 5   13-03   Total:  10  22-15
36. Brandon Hill - Adam Proctor                  Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   10-10   Total:  10  22-13
37. Billy Hall - Ronnie Smith                    Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   11-09   Total:  10  22-03
38. JT Denton - Stephen Denton                   Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   10-12   Total:  10  22-01
39. Rick Imler - Scott Newlon                    Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 4   14-07     Day 2: 4   07-09   Total:   8  22-00
40. Hunter Sales - Billy Sales                   Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 5   09-05   Total:  10  22-00
41. Josh Busby - Rick Johnston                   Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   12-03   Total:  10  22-00
42. Tanner Hadden - Ricky Basey                  Super 6 Shootout Tournament Trai      0
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   11-12   Total:  10  22-00
43. Chad Schmidt - Brandon Ackerson              World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 5   08-01   Total:  10  21-14
44. Connor O'Connor - Jim Severson               Minnesota BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 3   08-06   Total:   8  21-13
45. MIke Foster - Jacob Lynch                    USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 4   10-13   Total:   9  21-13
46. Mike Morris - Brian La Clair                 Delaware BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-10     Day 2: 5   14-02   Total:  10  21-12
47. Mark Thompson - Mark Thompson II             Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   11-00   Total:  10  21-11
48. Collin Bode - Mark Goetzman                  Texas BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   09-08   Total:  10  21-09
49. Carroll Ward Jr - Steve Brinkley             Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   10-15   Total:  10  21-09
50. Justin Mott - Randal Hamilton                Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 4   05-11     Day 2: 5   15-11   Total:   9  21-06
51. Trevor Romans - David Rush                   Texas BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   09-03   Total:  10  21-01
52. Jeff Cherry - Stephen Rosson                 Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   08-13   Total:  10  21-00
53. Travis Clay - Hunter Clay                    Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   07-07   Total:  10  20-13
54. Randall Christopher - Nick Coleman           Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   08-15   Total:  10  20-13
55. Mike Williams - Jeff Blanchard               Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-12   Total:  10  20-13
56. Walker Brown - Sloan Pennington              Tennessee River Team Trail            0
Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 3   06-14   Total:   8  20-12
57. Kenneth Hayes - Tommy Pettit-Hakes           Michigan BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   09-07   Total:  10  20-12
58. Greg Phillips - Alan Case                    Tennessee BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   07-15   Total:  10  20-11
59. Derick Livingston - Jonathan Spivey          Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   09-10   Total:  10  20-09
60. Keaton Owens - Bradley Childers              Palmetto Boat Center - College T      0
Day 1: 4   05-10     Day 2: 5   14-13   Total:   9  20-07
61. Mike Burchett - Wayne Burchett               Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   11-00   Total:  10  20-07
62. Kade Kitchens - Walter Orr                   Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 5   10-04   Total:  10  20-06
63. Daryl Devries - David Buday                  West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 5   13-03   Total:  10  20-04
64. Dave Ramey - Trevor Sexton                   White Pine Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   10-15   Total:  10  20-04
65. Brad Adkins - Ryan White                     Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   13-03   Total:  10  20-03
66. Samuel Fish - Kenneth Malone                 Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 5   16-02   Total:   7  20-02
67. Tom Patten - Jeff Yorks                      Michigan BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 5   12-13   Total:  10  19-14
68. Gary Thompson - Chris Dunn                   Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 4   07-11   Total:   9  19-13
69. Lee Corazzi - Mark Mounts                    PA Sunday Tournament Series           0
Day 1: 5   07-12     Day 2: 5   11-15   Total:  10  19-11
70. Justin Bussey - Ben Webb                     Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   10-11   Total:  10  19-06
71. Nick Ratliff - Bradley Dunagan               USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 4   08-15   Total:   9  19-06
72. Evan Cox - Carter Emsing                     Centennial Bass Club Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 5   08-13   Total:  10  19-03
73. Paul Johnson - Dale Solomon                  Chattanooga Bass Association Tea      0
Day 1: 4   09-14     Day 2: 5   09-05   Total:   9  19-03
74. Chris Nelson - Jeremy Strong                 Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 4   05-10   Total:   9  19-00
75. Andrus Kung - Evan Kung                      Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   09-00   Total:  10  19-00
76. Michael Kazmierczak - Charles Pustz          Illinois BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   08-05   Total:  10  18-15
77. Nate Caldwell - Shane Mccoy                  Centennial Bass Club Team Trail       0
Day 1: 4   09-11     Day 2: 5   09-03   Total:   9  18-14
78. Chad Morgenthaler - Dave Mansue              Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   08-09   Total:  10  18-13
79. Edward Gad - Parker Domschke                 Illinois BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 3   05-09   Total:   8  18-12
80. Johnny Callison  Jr - Danny Jones            Western PA Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   10-04   Total:  10  18-12
81. Derek Herring - Ray Villarreal               Bayou Bassin League                   0
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   09-06   Total:  10  18-11
82. Steve Vann - T.J. Martin                     World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   08-09   Total:  10  18-09
83. Justin Mayfield - Henry Antle                Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 5   09-07   Total:  10  18-07
84. Dan Faubert - Tim Thompson                   Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   12-15     Day 2: 3   05-06   Total:   8  18-05
85. Daniel Post - Daniel Pearl                   West Virginia BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 3   05-00   Total:   8  18-03
86. Don Southern - Neil Hunwick                  Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   08-00   Total:  10  18-03
87. Tanner Huckstep - Max Danese                 Chattanooga Bass Association Tea      0
Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   05-13   Total:  10  18-02
88. James Meers - Shane Meers                    Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   06-08   Total:  10  18-02
89. Brandon Gray - Garry Colwell                 Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 4   04-14     Day 2: 5   13-02   Total:   9  18-00
90. Terry Runtz - Eddie Nicholas                 Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   08-07   Total:  10  18-00
91. David Compton Jr - David Compton Sr          Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 4   11-09     Day 2: 4   06-06   Total:   8  17-15
92. Bill Perkins - Jacob Perkins                 Empire Team Trail                     0
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   06-10   Total:  10  17-15
93. Hall Hobbs - Colton Johnson                  Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   09-03   Total:  10  17-13
94. Dominic Vitale - Anthony Vitale              Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 5   09-02     Day 2: 5   08-11   Total:  10  17-13
95. Steve Gourlie - Jon Millar                   Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   06-04     Day 2: 5   11-08   Total:  10  17-12
96. Jason Tripp - James Williford III            Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 5   10-11   Total:  10  17-12
97. Steven Rowswell - Cole Vardy                 Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 5   12-13   Total:   8  17-08
98. Chris Miller - Brian Forcier                 Iowa BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 5   08-14   Total:  10  17-07
99. George Lambeth - Herby Young III             Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   05-02   Total:  10  17-05
100. Ralph Laster Jr - Michael Fiedler            Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   05-14   Total:  10  17-05
101. Jacob George - Ryan Sweeney                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 4   07-10   Total:   9  17-05
102. Brian Funkhouser - Kenneth Reed              Indiana BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 4   05-05   Total:   9  17-04
103. David Lowery - James Murphy                  Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 4   08-10   Total:   9  17-04
104. Ryan Lachniet - Evan Fields                  Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 5   08-12   Total:  10  17-02
105. Josh Friend - Jason Adams                    Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   07-12   Total:  10  17-01
106. Tony Mayfield - Lennie Becker                Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 4   08-00   Total:   9  17-01
107. Travis O'Quinn - Shannon O'Quinn             Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 4   04-12   Total:   9  16-14
108. Chaz Carrington - Jared Williams             Virginia Elite 70 Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   08-01   Total:  10  16-14
109. Terry Hutchison - Jason Coley                Polar Bear Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   09-12   Total:  10  16-12
110. Fern Campeau - Kevin McPhee                  Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   06-12     Day 2: 5   09-14   Total:   9  16-10
111. Keith Glasgow - Mccain Merchant              Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   07-11   Total:  10  16-09
112. Logan Parks - Curtis Gossett                 Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 4   08-10     Day 2: 5   07-14   Total:   9  16-08
113. Adam Rice - Emory Reiser IV                  Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 5   10-06   Total:  10  16-07
114. Casey Majni - Corey Brooks                   Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 4   05-07   Total:   9  16-05
115. Shane Tossava - Zack Hammond                 D & R Sports Center Tournament S      0
Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 5   05-15   Total:  10  16-04
116. Greg Secord - Randy Hilberg                  Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   08-14     Day 2: 3   07-06   Total:   7  16-04
117. Will  Grisham - Andrew Fikes                 Tennessee River Team Trail            0
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 2   03-09   Total:   7  16-01
118. Alan Fluharty - Chad Brinegar                West Virginia BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   06-08     Day 2: 5   09-07   Total:  10  15-15
119. Calvin Steinhobel - Jason Harrison           SABAA - South Africa BASS Nation      0
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 3   03-12   Total:   8  15-13
120. Klint VonFeldt - Chris Unruh                 Hays Bass Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   07-12     Day 2: 5   08-01   Total:  10  15-13
121. Chandler Ellis - Gil Senn Jr                 Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   06-03     Day 2: 5   09-09   Total:  10  15-12
122. Roy Hurst Jr - Matthew Hurst                 United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   05-11     Day 2: 3   09-12   Total:   8  15-07
123. Anthony Crumbliss - Mark Gray                West Virginia BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 5   06-15   Total:  10  15-06
124. Anthony Moore - Tommy Cowart                 United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   06-09   Total:  10  15-05
125. Dalton Laster - Curtis Laster                United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 5   09-03   Total:  10  15-04
126. Jayson Saliba - Murdock Graham               Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   06-06   Total:  10  15-04
127. Donovan Hensley - Josh Hensley               Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 5   07-12     Day 2: 5   07-07   Total:  10  15-03
128. Donnie Powell - Roger Gosnell                Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail       0
Day 1: 4   08-08     Day 2: 4   06-07   Total:   8  14-15
129. Tom Statler - Dillon Statler                 Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 4   06-14     Day 2: 5   08-01   Total:   9  14-15
130. Caleb Hudson - Jeremy Hudson                 Super 6 Shootout Tournament Trai      0
Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   07-04   Total:  10  14-15
131. Dan Morrow - Troy Morrow                     Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   07-08     Day 2: 5   07-06   Total:  10  14-14
132. Tommy Abel - Moose Wright                    World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   06-09     Day 2: 5   08-02   Total:  10  14-11
133. Billy Elbert - Jason Westrip                 Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 3   04-02     Day 2: 5   10-07   Total:   8  14-09
134. Austin Johnson - Morgan Hogue                Montana BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 4   05-13   Total:   9  14-08
135. Sean Clayton - Griffin Todd                  Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   07-04     Day 2: 5   07-04   Total:  10  14-08
136. Arthur Ballard - Mark Lunsford               Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   05-08     Day 2: 5   08-14   Total:  10  14-06
137. Tim Robinson - John Watson III               USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 5   11-09   Total:   7  14-05
138. Bill Ferris - Richard Simmons                West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   07-03   Total:  10  14-03
139. Gene Townsend - Doug Goodall                 Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   04-14     Day 2: 5   09-03   Total:  10  14-01
140. Kevin True - Simon Willett                   Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-04     Day 2: 5   06-13   Total:  10  14-01
141. Eddie Gibson - Jim Austin                    United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   05-10     Day 2: 4   08-01   Total:   9  13-11
142. Michael Knight - Jeff Knight                 Chattanooga Bass Association Tea      0
Day 1: 5   05-08     Day 2: 5   07-15   Total:  10  13-07
143. Kevin Steinruck - Jeff Marianetti            Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 3   03-10     Day 2: 5   09-10   Total:   8  13-04
144. Jared Turnbloom - Jacob Turnbloom            Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 4   09-09   Total:   7  13-04
145. Hunter Kennedy - Justin Leasure              Cheat Lake Bass Anglers Team Tra      0
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 2   02-09   Total:   7  13-02
146. Mark Ownby - Wandell Lusk                    Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 2   06-02     Day 2: 5   06-12   Total:   7  12-14
147. Skyler Schultz - Richard Schultz             Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 3   05-02     Day 2: 5   07-10   Total:   8  12-12
148. Stephen Hegarty - Phillip Hegarty            Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  12-10
149. Kirk Kelly - Aaron Morse                     Wilson Lake Team Series               0
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 1   01-11   Total:   6  12-09
150. Mark Tantum - Owen Mcdonald                  SABAA - South Africa BASS Nation      0
Day 1: 4   04-15     Day 2: 4   07-09   Total:   8  12-08
151. Victor Morris - Tim Harper                   Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   05-14     Day 2: 5   06-09   Total:   9  12-07
152. DJ Plotner - Tom Grobe                       Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 4   12-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  12-06
153. Mike Hyrtle Sr - Mike  Hyrtle Jr             Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   12-01   Total:   5  12-01
154. Charlie Craycraft - Chester Craycraft        USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 2   02-04     Day 2: 5   09-10   Total:   7  11-14
155. Joel Willert - Jarrad Nickolite              Minnesota BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 3   03-14   Total:   8  11-14
156. Jeff Benson - Raymond Osborn Jr              West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 3   03-04     Day 2: 4   08-09   Total:   7  11-13
157. Barry Hayward - Jeff Hayward                 Kentucky Bass Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   05-06     Day 2: 4   05-15   Total:   9  11-05
158. Trevor Sanderson - Adam Markiewicz           Illinois BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 3   03-13   Total:   8  11-04
159. Francis Beard - Christopher Curvin           Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   07-03     Day 2: 3   04-00   Total:   8  11-03
160. Keith Daffron - Ryan Patterson               Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 4   11-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  11-01
161. John Kellett - Zeke Gossett                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  10-13
162. Greg Sochocki - Noah Stauffer                Michigan BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 2   02-07   Total:   7  10-13
163. Gary Williams - Duane Jacobs                 Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 3   02-08   Total:   8  10-13
164. Thomas Bavaro III - Brian Dyson              Chester County Bassmaster Team T      0
Day 1: 2   03-01     Day 2: 4   07-12   Total:   6  10-13
165. Josh Wilson - Shawn Wilson                   Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   05-01     Day 2: 4   05-12   Total:   8  10-13
166. Josh Chapple - Paul Davis                    Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  10-12
167. Joey Teofilo - Joey Di Cienzo                Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 1   00-15   Total:   6  10-12
168. RJ Ricci - Brandon Regnault                  Mass BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 2   01-14   Total:   7  10-09
169. Mike Combs - Gary Wallace                    Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 4   04-08   Total:   9  10-09
170. William Hammond - Jeremy Dellinger           Palmetto Boat Center - College T      0
Day 1: 2   01-14     Day 2: 5   08-10   Total:   7  10-08
171. Brian Knebel - Greg Bent                     Empire Team Trail                     0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 2   03-05   Total:   5  10-06
172. Blake Tomlin - Justin Foster                 Georgia Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  10-02
173. Patrick Reardon - Martin Brisson             Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 5   08-10   Total:   6  10-01
174. Ty Ball - Hunter Hamilton                    Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  09-15
174. Craig Daniel - Jackie Flack                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  09-15
176. Jason Stevens - Terry Jones II               Caernarvon Bass Trail                 0
Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 5   07-12   Total:   7  09-14
177. Ryan Doel - Corey Doel                       Polar Bear Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 4   04-10     Day 2: 5   05-02   Total:   9  09-12
178. Ryan Kelly - Joshua Schumaker                West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 3   03-01   Total:   8  09-08
179. Michael Chlomoudis - Powell Kemp IV          Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  09-07
180. Daniel Mussen - Aidan Mussen                 Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 2   02-01     Day 2: 5   07-04   Total:   7  09-05
181. Tom Mason - Christopher Reese                Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 3   04-03     Day 2: 4   05-02   Total:   7  09-05
182. Joey Payne - Colton Cash                     Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  09-03
183. John Doran Jr - Scott Nadeau                 Maine BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   06-09     Day 2: 2   02-08   Total:   7  09-01
184. Sam Hopkins - Craig Matthews                 South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation T      0
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  08-15
185. Chad Walkoviak - Scott Landon                3F Tournaments                        0
Day 1: 1   01-08     Day 2: 2   07-07   Total:   3  08-15
186. Mike Brayford - Ryan Archibald               Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 1   07-03   Total:   2  08-15
187. Dale Teaney - Randy Alexander                Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  08-14
188. Kevin Sutton - Brock Rouse                   Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 4   08-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  08-13
189. Mark McCaig - Tim Hurst                      Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  08-12
190. Damien Willis - Tyler Kiker                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  08-10
191. Steve Garcia - Christopher Garcia            Blarney Bassmasters                   0
Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  08-09
192. Brian Johnston - Cameron Neville             Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 3   04-01     Day 2: 3   04-08   Total:   6  08-09
193. Brian Longan - Dawayne Heffelman             World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 4   08-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  08-06
194. Kevin Farris - Dylan Welton                  West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 1   01-03     Day 2: 4   07-01   Total:   5  08-04
195. Hayden Anderson - Damien Luchterhand         Minnesota BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 2   02-02   Total:   7  08-03
196. Thomas Brewer - Jason Smith                  Tennessee River Team Trail            0
Day 1: 5   08-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  08-02
196. Waylon Saunders - Mark Beck                  Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   08-02   Total:   5  08-02
198. Jeff Hagen - Scot Lang                       Iowa BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 2   03-01   Total:   5  07-12
199. Jesse Evans - Stewart Evans                  Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   07-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  07-10
199. James Ward - Sammy  Reynolds                 United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   07-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  07-10
201. Brock Bila - Josh Pladies                    Flint Hills Bass Assoc Inc            0
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-08
202. Luke Greenwell - Jackson Brown               Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-07
203. Terry Adams - James Chaffin                  Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   07-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  07-06
204. Jacob Novak - Daniel Jenkins                 Virginia Elite 70 Team Trail          0
Day 1: 4   07-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  07-05
205. Jeremy Fuller - Tom Wilkins                  Minnesota Bass Series                 0
Day 1: 4   07-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  07-03
206. David Drummond - BC Collins                  Super 6 Shootout Tournament Trai      0
Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  07-02
207. Kip Starling - Ron Scriver                   Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 4   05-00   Total:   5  06-14
208. Brad Dekraai - Jeff Moore                    New Hampshire BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  06-12
209. Greg Marshall - Jeff Delk                    Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 4   06-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  06-11
210. Christopher Rowell - Shannon Mccormick       Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  06-07
211. Thomas Stacy - Jacob Butts                   Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 4   04-02     Day 2: 2   02-03   Total:   6  06-05
212. Steven Michaels - Jonathan Dail              Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   06-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  06-03
213. Michael Bobst - Bret Dillow                  Kentucky Bass Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  06-01
213. Tim Penhollow - Timothy Sellers-Penhollow    Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  06-01
215. Dax Massey - Wyatt Burkhalter                Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 4   05-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  05-08
216. Russell Pasket - Jimmy Smith                 3F Tournaments                        0
Day 1: 3   05-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  05-07
217. Justin Kimmel - Matt Henry                   Berryís Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 3   05-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  05-05
218. Bryan Dowdy - Kyle Lewellen                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 2   05-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  05-04
219. Mark Osgood - Darrell Wentworth              Maine BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 4   05-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  05-03
220. Matt Garrett - Will Isaac                    Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 3   04-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  04-12
221. Jarrod Swift - Darrel Swift                  Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  04-11
222. Rolando Barrueta - Jorge Norzagaray          New Mexico Bass Team Trail            0
Day 1: 4   04-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   4  04-08
223. Brad Weiss - Vincent Machicao                Polar Bear Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 3   04-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  04-08
224. Jerry Smith - Michael Smith                  Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  03-13
225. Marc Renaud - Pat Giroux                     Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 2   02-11   Total:   3  03-12
226. Michael Wooley - Joe Wooley                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-11
227. Michael Cole - Kyle Blair                    Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 1   01-10   Total:   2  03-06
228. Rusty Darnell - John Campbell                Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 3   03-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  03-02
229. Drew Blackwood - Hunter Baird                Milford Lake Team Series              0
Day 1: 2   03-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-02
230. Mike Green - Sean Ervin                      Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 3   03-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  03-01
231. Hunter Bond - Lane Clark                     Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 1   02-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-15
232. Steve Clark - Dave Norgrove                  Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 2   02-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  02-14
233. Bryan Ray - Brian Wilson                     West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 2   02-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  02-09
234. Zach Wilson - Joesph Hernandez               Backlashers Kansas City Team Tra      0
Day 1: 2   02-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  02-06
235. Todd Buchanan - Sonny Edwards                Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 2   02-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  02-05
236. Doug Bergeron - Brandon Bergeron             Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-00
237. Keith Kirkley Jr - Jeff Kirkley              Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 2   01-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  01-14
238. Mark Pappas - Steve Vick Jr                  Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-11
239. Rocky Carden - David Rogers                  Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  00-15
240. Lanier Burton - Kelley Jaye                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Robert Cowan - Dallas Beasley                Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Ival Hannah - Danny Burns                    Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Tallis Morrison - Hayes Morrison             Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Michael Ray - Taylor Nestor                  Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Brian Smith - Jeffrey Walls                  Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Robert Stumpe - Dustin Hall                  Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. Ray Trudeau - Walter Thompson                Lakeland Bassmaster Team Trail        0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
240. David Underwood - Keith Honeycutt            Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Rodney Yavorsky          Palm Harbor, FL     09-03          $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       162      1024      2063-03
2       127       814      1619-09
----------------------------------
289      1838      3682-12

by AnglersChannel

Amazing Roster of Fishing Industry Speakers

NPAA Annual Conference in Fort Myers, FL (1/5 –1/7) will shine with sportfishing experts, including bass pro, Justin Lucas; veteran walleye pro, Keith Kavajecz; industry veteran, Eric Naig; artificial intelligence expert and sportfishing podcast host, Sid Dobrin, and a session by marketing expert, EJ Saunders

Forestville, WI (December 7, 2023) – Besides providing attendees with career-building, educational and networking opportunities in numerous sessions, the upcoming 2024 “Passion to Profession” NPAA Conference in Fort Myers, Florida, January 5 – 7, 2024, will feature sportfishing industry notables sharing their insights on what it takes to succeed as an angling professional in the sportfishing industry on Saturday January 6th.

Building on the amazing success of last year’s seminars that featured speakers including Gerald Swindle, Bobby Lane, Jason & Jay Przekurat and many others, this year’s conference will feature prominent tournament bass angler, Justin Lucas; former fishing pro turned sportfishing industry executive Eric Naig; “The Fishing Professor” Sid Dobrin; and Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame inductee/veteran walleye tournament pro and digital content creator, Keith Kavajecz, and digital marketing consultant and expert, EJ Saunders.

“Every year NPAA attendees look forward to the chance to hear the top professionals share their industry and life experiences. Once again, we are honored to have some incredible personalities and industry experts on our conference schedule this year, all touching on the 2024 conference theme of ‘Passion to Profession’,” comments NPAA President, Pat Neu.

9 am – 9:50 am:

JUSTIN LUCAS

Justin Lucas started his career with the FLW Tour between 2010-2013. In 2014, Lucas fished his rookie season on the Bassmaster Elite Series and went on to qualify for three consecutive Bassmaster Classics, win two Bassmaster Elite events and win BASS Elite Series Angler of the Year title in 2018. His dynamic presence, engaging personality, and fishing talent have positioned Lucas as a prominent figure in the sport with a rapidly growing and engaged fan base. In addition to his role as a professional angler, Lucas was also the host of the FLW College tournaments for several years. He was able to build a strong following through the younger generation of anglers and he still embraces his role as an inspirational personality and mentor to them today. When not fishing competitively, Justin loves to spend time with his wife, family, and go fun fishing with his buddies.

10:15 am – 11:05 am:

ERIC NAIG

Longtime fishing industry icon, Eric Naig, began his career as a manufacturer-sponsored tournament angler, progressing into grassroots pro staff management for many of the tackle industry’s biggest names and then on to a successful stint as a marketing manager for a major industry company. Naig will be presenting on ways NPAA member anglers can make themselves more valuable to fishing tackle sponsors, including how to work with tackle company marketing and product development teams. Over the course of his career, Naig has learned many of the “do’s”, “don’ts,” “whys” and “why nots” sponsor-seeking anglers should keep in mind to further their careers and will share those in his seminar.

11:05 am – 12:00 noon:

SID DOBRIN

Professor and Chair of the Department of English, University of Florida and is also one of this countries foremost experts on artificial intellegance, Sid is the author of numerous books, co-owner of inventivefishing.com, and is a an extremely knowledgeable saltwater and freshwater angler. “The Fishing Professor”, Sid Dobrin, will introduce some fundamental explanations about how AI and GenAI work and how they might be deployed in various workplace settings in the fishing industry. The session will offer pragmatic advice about how you might use no-code AI and GenAI platforms to enhance your business.

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm:

KEITH KAVAJECZ

Keith Kevajecz is a top-ranking professional walleye fisherman whose career spans back to 1986, specializing in tournament fishing, saltwater fishing and walleye fishing promotions. Keith is a “Legendary Angler” inductee into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and a past co-host of the popular The Next Bite TV show. Keith has been featured in countless fishing magazines, videos, and TV programs, and has been a product consultant for decades. If you’re wondering how to turn your angling “passion” into a “profession,” there is no better expert on the subject.

3-3:50 pm & 4-4:50 pm:

EJ SAUNDERS

“Maximizing Customer Acquisition & Retention: Mastering the 5-Level Framework in the Angling Industry”

Led by digital marketing expert EJ Saunders of Blaze Digital, session attendees will learn techniques to deeply understand and connect with their core angling audience, including how to craft offers that resonate, ensuring more bites both in the water and business. Saunders will also address how to navigate and optimize each level of customer interaction and strategies to ensure customers transition smoothly from one interaction stage to the next, solidifying loyalty. Attendees will leave with worksheets that can be utilized to strategize and organize their next career moves.

Registration Still Open

The NPAA has secured a special room rate of $169/night (double occupancy) at the 5 Star-rated Gulf Coast Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers, Florida, also home to the entire conference. The room rate is available December 8th or until sold out.

Register for 2024 “Passion to Profession” Conference now. Reserve a room by clicking here but be sure to book early to secure your room now as they are filling quickly!

Airfare rates have also dropped significantly in the past month and the hotel is only 5 minutes from the Southwest Florida Regional Airport (RSW). Book your airline tickets early to receive the lowest rates and don’t forget to try specialty airlines like Sun Country, Frontier, and Allegiant for airfares as low as $200 roundtrip from some hubs.

by AnglersChannel

Whitson and King surpass their expectations to take lead at Bassmaster Team Championship

Chris Whitson and Kevin King of the Morristown Marine Team Trail have taken the lead on Day 1 of the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship with a total of 24 pounds, 11 ounces. 

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

December 6, 2023

 

LEESBURG, Fla. — Chris Whitson and Kevin King said they’d have been happy to weigh 12 pounds on Wednesday to start the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship.

Instead, they more than doubled that and jumped to an early lead here on the Harris Chain of Lakes in central Florida.

Whitson and King, Tennessee residents who fish on the Morristown Marine Team Trail, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 24 pounds, 11 ounces on Day 1 of the two-day derby. That was enough to give them the lead in the final tournament of the 2023 Bassmaster season, which boasts 248 competing teams representing 77 different trails from 30 states and three foreign countries.

Whitson and King were tight-lipped about specifics of Wednesday’s haul, though they said they were surprised to see heavy bass in the area they fished.

“We caught a couple there in practice, but not nearly that size,” Whitson said. “We only had about three spots we planned to fish today, but we hit the right one. We’re not sure why they are where they are. There’s no bait keying us in on anything.”

“We really did kind of stumble on it,” King added.

What a fortunate find it was.

“We caught one within 15 minutes or so on the first spot and then we got three in a row real quick,” Whitson said. “The other two came a couple hours later, in the middle of the day. We left there about 1 o’clock and we’ll head back there tomorrow ... I don’t know if they’ll repeat themselves, but I figure we’ll beat around there and catch a few more.”

Blain Bartley and RJ Graham, of Pennsylvania’s Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit, are in second place with 21-3. They had to rally after a shaky start.

“We were spun out, big-time,” Graham said. “The first thing we tried didn’t work at all. We didn’t catch a fish until 11 o’clock. We were fishing shallow and they just weren’t biting at all. So, we moved to some grass offshore. We got a couple quick bites, so we just hunkered down and picked away at ’em.”

Bartley said Wednesday’s wind, blowing consistently at 12 mph and gusting higher, made for a bumpy day. But with the shallow bite a no-go, they had no choice but to try their luck in open water.

“We weren’t sure if it was going to muddy things up for us,” he said. “But we found some clean water and got a few of the right bites.”

Wednesday’s temperatures climbed into the mid-60s, but windy conditions made it feel colder. Thursday’s forecast calls for slightly colder temperatures, though the wind is expected to settle. Most anglers said they weren’t exactly sure what, if any, impact that would have on the Florida bass bite.

“It’ll be a coin toss what we do tomorrow,” Bartley said. “It’s hard to say what’s going to happen.”

Graham agreed.

“It’s unsure, for sure,” he said.

Teams are competing Wednesday and Thursday for part of a $125,000 cash purse. The winning duo will split $25,000 and each of the Top 50 teams will earn cash, as will the boat that produces the heaviest bass over the two-day tournament. Frank Bradfield and Tyler Morgan caught an 8-11 largemouth on Wednesday to take the early lead for the $500 Big Bass Award. The catch helped the Alabama Bass Trail duo into third place with 20-7.

Rodney and Aaron Yavorsky, of the Florida BASS Nation Team Trail, are in fourth place with 20-3. Indiana duo Bud Smart and Dave Coffing, of the US Anglers Choice/AC Tournament Trail, are fifth with 20-2.

After the team champion is crowned Thursday, the Top 3 teams (six anglers) will have their weights zeroed and compete individually in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off on Friday and Saturday. The winner of that event will earn the final berth in the Bassmaster Classic which will be held March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla., on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship will start Thursday at 7 a.m. ET at Venetian Gardens. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Follow the weigh-in online at Bassmaster.com.

2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship 12/6-12/7
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Chris Whitson - Kevin King                   Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   24-11   Total:   5  24-11
2.  Blain Bartley - Rj Graham                    Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 5   21-03   Total:   5  21-03
3.  Frank Bradfield - Tyler Morgan               Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   20-07   Total:   5  20-07
4.  Rodney Yavorsky - Aaron Yavorsky             Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   20-03   Total:   5  20-03
5.  Bud Smart - Dave Coffing                     US Anglers Choice / AC Tournamen      0
Day 1: 5   20-02   Total:   5  20-02
6.  Destin DeMarion - Tyler Woak                 Western PA Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 5   17-15   Total:   5  17-15
7.  Cameron Yates - Chad Woodward                New Hampshire BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   17-12   Total:   5  17-12
8.  Chris Blair - Bryan Asay                     Georgia Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   17-05   Total:   5  17-05
9.  Matt Adams - Richard Payne                   Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   16-14   Total:   5  16-14
10. Brian Adamson - Ryan Lloyd                   Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   16-05   Total:   5  16-05
11. Kris Colley - Adam Bain                      Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   16-00   Total:   5  16-00
12. Chris Babin - Gypsy Babin                    Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 5   15-12   Total:   5  15-12
13. Weston Brown - Nathan Byrd                   3F Tournaments                        0
Day 1: 5   15-07   Total:   5  15-07
14. Anthony Johnson - Brock Reinkemeyer          World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   15-06   Total:   5  15-06
15. Matt McCoy - Dennis Davis                    Indiana BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   15-02   Total:   5  15-02
16. Cody George - Josh Prince                    Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   14-14   Total:   5  14-14
17. Stephen Mcavoy - Josh Butts                  Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   14-11   Total:   5  14-11
18. Joe Anders - Guff Guffey                     Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   14-08   Total:   5  14-08
19. Rick Imler - Scott Newlon                    Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 4   14-07   Total:   4  14-07
20. Nick Canestra - Harry Nurk                   Chester County Bassmaster Team T      0
Day 1: 5   14-02   Total:   5  14-02
21. Steven Griffith - Tyler Rush                 Pennsylvania BASS Nation Team Tr      0
Day 1: 5   14-01   Total:   5  14-01
22. Dustin Neat - Mark Wethington                Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   14-00   Total:   5  14-00
23. Walker Brown - Sloan Pennington              Tennessee River Team Trail            0
Day 1: 5   13-14   Total:   5  13-14
24. Clint Gradeless - Jeff Geller                US Anglers Choice / AC Tournamen      0
Day 1: 5   13-13   Total:   5  13-13
24. Chad Schmidt - Brandon Ackerson              316 Elite Bass                        0
Day 1: 5   13-13   Total:   5  13-13
26. Connor O'Connor - Jim Severson               Minnesota BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   13-07   Total:   5  13-07
27. Travis Clay - Hunter Clay                    Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   13-06   Total:   5  13-06
27. Chris Nelson - Jeremy Strong                 Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   13-06   Total:   5  13-06
29. Edward Gad - Parker Domschke                 Illinois BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   13-03   Total:   5  13-03
29. Daniel Post - Daniel Pearl                   West Virginia BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   13-03   Total:   5  13-03
31. Levi Snow - Craig Ruddick                    Columbus Bass Club Team Trail         0
Day 1: 5   13-02   Total:   5  13-02
32. Jeff Brauneck - Fred Brauneck                West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   13-01   Total:   5  13-01
33. Shane Adams - Raymond Adams                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   13-00   Total:   5  13-00
33. Connor Nimrod - Thomas Soileau               Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 5   13-00   Total:   5  13-00
35. Joe Ellis - Ron Ellis                        Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   12-15   Total:   5  12-15
35. Dan Faubert - Tim Thompson                   Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   12-15   Total:   5  12-15
37. Greg Phillips - Alan Case                    Tennessee BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   12-12   Total:   5  12-12
38. Hunter Sales - Billy Sales                   Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   12-11   Total:   5  12-11
39. Stephen Hegarty - Phillip Hegarty            Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   12-10   Total:   5  12-10
39. Wes Woodard - Tim Eaton                      D & R Sports Center Tournament S      0
Day 1: 5   12-10   Total:   5  12-10
41. Will  Grisham - Andrew Fikes                 Tennessee River Team Trail            0
Day 1: 5   12-08   Total:   5  12-08
42. DJ Plotner - Tom Grobe                       Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 4   12-06   Total:   4  12-06
43. Tanner Huckstep - Max                        Chattanooga Bass Association Tea      0
Day 1: 5   12-05   Total:   5  12-05
44. Jeff Cherry - Stephen Rosson                 Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   12-03   Total:   5  12-03
44. Brandon Hill - Adam Proctor                  Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   12-03   Total:   5  12-03
44. George Lambeth - Herby Young III             Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   12-03   Total:   5  12-03
47. Travis O'Quinn - Shannon O'Quinn             Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   12-02   Total:   5  12-02
47. Gary Thompson - Chris Dunn                   Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   12-02   Total:   5  12-02
49. Collin Bode - Mark Goetzman                  Texas BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   12-01   Total:   5  12-01
49. Calvin Steinhobel - Jason Harrison           SABAA - South Africa BASS Nation      0
Day 1: 5   12-01   Total:   5  12-01
51. Brian Funkhouser - Kenneth Reed              Indiana BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   11-15   Total:   5  11-15
52. Randall Christopher - Nick Coleman           Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   11-14   Total:   5  11-14
52. Trevor Romans - David Rush                   Texas BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   11-14   Total:   5  11-14
54. James Meers - Shane Meers                    Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   11-10   Total:   5  11-10
55. David Compton Jr - David Compton Sr          Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 4   11-09   Total:   4  11-09
56. Ralph Laster Jr - Michael Fiedler            Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   11-07   Total:   5  11-07
57. Eddie Levin - Ryan Mallory                   Ohio BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 5   11-06   Total:   5  11-06
58. JT Denton - Stephen Denton                   Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   11-05   Total:   5  11-05
58. Kenneth Hayes - Tommy Pettit-Hakes           Michigan BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   11-05   Total:   5  11-05
58. Bill Perkins - Jacob Perkins                 Empire Team Trail                     0
Day 1: 5   11-05   Total:   5  11-05
61. Mike Williams - Jeff Blanchard               Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   11-01   Total:   5  11-01
62. Keith Daffron - Ryan Patterson               Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 4   11-01   Total:   4  11-01
63. MIke Foster - Jacob Lynch                    USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 5   11-00   Total:   5  11-00
64. Derick Livingston - Jonathan Spivey          Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   10-15   Total:   5  10-15
65. Kirk Kelly - Aaron Morse                     Wilson Lake Team Series               0
Day 1: 5   10-14   Total:   5  10-14
65. Casey Majni - Corey Brooks                   Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   10-14   Total:   5  10-14
67. Casey Baker - Eddie Baker                    Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   10-13   Total:   5  10-13
67. John Kellett - Zeke Gossett                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-13   Total:   5  10-13
69. Josh Chapple - Paul Davis                    Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-12   Total:   5  10-12
70. Mark Thompson - Mark Thompson II             Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   10-11   Total:   5  10-11
71. Billy Hall - Ronnie Smith                    Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   10-10   Total:   5  10-10
71. Michael Kazmierczak - Charles Pustz          Illinois BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   10-10   Total:   5  10-10
71. Carroll Ward Jr - Steve Brinkley             Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   10-10   Total:   5  10-10
74. Hunter Kennedy - Justin Leasure              Cheat Lake Bass Anglers Team Tra      0
Day 1: 5   10-09   Total:   5  10-09
75. Nick Ratliff - Bradley Dunagan               USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 5   10-07   Total:   5  10-07
76. Evan Cox - Carter Emsing                     Centennial Bass Club Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   10-06   Total:   5  10-06
77. Brad Stalnaker - Chris Lumpkin               Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-05   Total:   5  10-05
77. Shane Tossava - Zack Hammond                 D & R Sports Center Tournament S      0
Day 1: 5   10-05   Total:   5  10-05
79. Tanner Hadden - Ricky Basey                  Super 6 Shootout Tournament Trai      0
Day 1: 5   10-04   Total:   5  10-04
79. Chad Morgenthaler - Dave Mansue              Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   10-04   Total:   5  10-04
81. Don Southern - Neil Hunwick                  Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   10-03   Total:   5  10-03
82. Kade Kitchens - Walter Orr                   Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   10-02   Total:   5  10-02
82. Blake Tomlin - Justin Foster                 Georgia Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   10-02   Total:   5  10-02
84. Andrus Kung - Evan Kung                      Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   10-00   Total:   5  10-00
84. Steve Vann - T.J. Martin                     World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   10-00   Total:   5  10-00
86. Ty Ball - Hunter Hamilton                    Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   09-15   Total:   5  09-15
86. Craig Daniel - Jackie Flack                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   09-15   Total:   5  09-15
88. Paul Johnson - Dale Solomon                  Chattanooga Bass Association Tea      0
Day 1: 4   09-14   Total:   4  09-14
89. Josh Busby - Rick Johnston                   Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   09-13   Total:   5  09-13
89. Joey Teofilo - Joey Di Cienzo                Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   09-13   Total:   5  09-13
91. Will Thomas - Gregg Thomas                   Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   09-12   Total:   5  09-12
92. Jacob George - Ryan Sweeney                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   09-11   Total:   5  09-11
93. Nate Caldwell - Shane Mccoy                  Centennial Bass Club Team Trail       0
Day 1: 4   09-11   Total:   4  09-11
94. Terry Runtz - Eddie Nicholas                 Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   09-09   Total:   5  09-09
95. Mike Burchett - Wayne Burchett               Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   09-07   Total:   5  09-07
95. Michael Chlomoudis - Powell Kemp IV          Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   09-07   Total:   5  09-07
97. Josh Friend - Jason Adams                    Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   09-05   Total:   5  09-05
97. Derek Herring - Ray Villarreal               Bayou Bassin League                   0
Day 1: 5   09-05   Total:   5  09-05
97. Dave Ramey - Trevor Sexton                   White Pine Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   09-05   Total:   5  09-05
100. Joey Payne - Colton Cash                     Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   09-03   Total:   5  09-03
101. Dominic Vitale - Anthony Vitale              Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 5   09-02   Total:   5  09-02
102. Tony Mayfield - Lennie Becker                Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 5   09-01   Total:   5  09-01
103. Justin Mayfield - Henry Antle                Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   09-00   Total:   5  09-00
104. Sam Hopkins - Craig Matthews                 South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation T      0
Day 1: 5   08-15   Total:   5  08-15
105. Keith Glasgow - Mccain Merchant              Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   08-14   Total:   5  08-14
105. Jayson Saliba - Murdock Graham               Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   08-14   Total:   5  08-14
105. Dale Teaney - Randy Alexander                Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   08-14   Total:   5  08-14
108. Greg Secord - Randy Hilberg                  Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   08-14   Total:   4  08-14
109. Chaz Carrington - Jared Williams             Virginia Elite 70 Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   08-13   Total:   5  08-13
110. Kevin Sutton - Brock Rouse                   Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 4   08-13   Total:   4  08-13
111. Jason Clemons - Marc Lorensen                Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 5   08-12   Total:   5  08-12
111. Mark McCaig - Tim Hurst                      Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-12   Total:   5  08-12
111. Anthony Moore - Tommy Cowart                 United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   08-12   Total:   5  08-12
114. Justin Bussey - Ben Webb                     Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-11   Total:   5  08-11
114. Austin Johnson - Morgan Hogue                Montana BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   08-11   Total:   5  08-11
114. RJ Ricci - Brandon Regnault                  Mass BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 5   08-11   Total:   5  08-11
117. Hall Hobbs - Colton Johnson                  Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 5   08-10   Total:   5  08-10
117. David Lowery - James Murphy                  Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-10   Total:   5  08-10
117. Damien Willis - Tyler Kiker                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   08-10   Total:   5  08-10
120. Logan Parks - Curtis Gossett                 Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 4   08-10   Total:   4  08-10
121. Steve Garcia - Christopher Garcia            Blarney Bassmasters                   0
Day 1: 5   08-09   Total:   5  08-09
121. Chris Miller - Brian Forcier                 Iowa BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 5   08-09   Total:   5  08-09
123. Johnny Callison  Jr - Danny Jones            Western PA Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 5   08-08   Total:   5  08-08
124. Donnie Powell - Roger Gosnell                Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail       0
Day 1: 4   08-08   Total:   4  08-08
125. Anthony Crumbliss - Mark Gray                West Virginia BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   08-07   Total:   5  08-07
126. Ryan Lachniet - Evan Fields                  Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   08-06   Total:   5  08-06
126. Greg Sochocki - Noah Stauffer                Michigan BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   08-06   Total:   5  08-06
128. Brian Longan - Dawayne Heffelman             World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 4   08-06   Total:   4  08-06
129. Gary Williams - Duane Jacobs                 Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   08-05   Total:   5  08-05
130. Travis Loyd - Brien Vaughn                   Texas Team Trail                      0
Day 1: 5   08-04   Total:   5  08-04
131. Thomas Brewer - Jason Smith                  Tennessee River Team Trail            0
Day 1: 5   08-02   Total:   5  08-02
132. Joel Willert - Jarrad Nickolite              Minnesota BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   08-00   Total:   5  08-00
133. Wesley Sams - Jordan Wiggins                 Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 3   07-15   Total:   3  07-15
134. Lee Corazzi - Mark Mounts                    PA Sunday Tournament Series           0
Day 1: 5   07-12   Total:   5  07-12
134. Donovan Hensley - Josh Hensley               Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 5   07-12   Total:   5  07-12
134. Klint VonFeldt - Chris Unruh                 Hays Bass Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 5   07-12   Total:   5  07-12
137. Caleb Hudson - Jeremy Hudson                 Super 6 Shootout Tournament Trai      0
Day 1: 5   07-11   Total:   5  07-11
138. Jesse Evans - Stewart Evans                  Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 5   07-10   Total:   5  07-10
138. Mike Morris - Brian La Clair                 Delaware BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-10   Total:   5  07-10
138. James Ward - Sammy  Reynolds                 United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   07-10   Total:   5  07-10
141. Dan Morrow - Troy Morrow                     Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   07-08   Total:   5  07-08
142. Brock Bila - Josh Pladies                    World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 3   07-08   Total:   3  07-08
143. Trevor Sanderson - Adam Markiewicz           Illinois BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-07   Total:   5  07-07
144. Luke Greenwell - Jackson Brown               Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 3   07-07   Total:   3  07-07
145. Terry Adams - James Chaffin                  Berry's Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 5   07-06   Total:   5  07-06
146. Jacob Novak - Daniel Jenkins                 Virginia Elite 70 Team Trail          0
Day 1: 4   07-05   Total:   4  07-05
147. Sean Clayton - Griffin Todd                  Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   07-04   Total:   5  07-04
147. Kevin True - Simon Willett                   Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-04   Total:   5  07-04
149. Francis Beard - Christopher Curvin           Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   07-03   Total:   5  07-03
150. Jeremy Fuller - Tom Wilkins                  Minnesota Bass Series                 0
Day 1: 4   07-03   Total:   4  07-03
151. David Drummond - BC Collins                  Super 6 Shootout Tournament Trai      0
Day 1: 5   07-02   Total:   5  07-02
152. Daryl Devries - David Buday                  West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-01
152. Tom Patten - Jeff Yorks                      Michigan BASS Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-01
152. Jason Tripp - James Williford III            Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   07-01   Total:   5  07-01
155. Brian Knebel - Greg Bent                     Empire Team Trail                     0
Day 1: 3   07-01   Total:   3  07-01
156. Brad Adkins - Ryan White                     Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-00
156. Bill Ferris - Richard Simmons                West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-00
156. Terry Hutchison - Jason Coley                Polar Bear Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 5   07-00   Total:   5  07-00
159. Tom Statler - Dillon Statler                 Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 4   06-14   Total:   4  06-14
160. Brad Dekraai - Jeff Moore                    New Hampshire BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   06-12   Total:   5  06-12
161. Fern Campeau - Kevin McPhee                  Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   06-12   Total:   4  06-12
162. Greg Marshall - Jeff Delk                    Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 4   06-11   Total:   4  06-11
163. Tommy Abel - Moose Wright                    World Fishing Tour                    0
Day 1: 5   06-09   Total:   5  06-09
163. John Doran Jr - Scott Nadeau                 Maine BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 5   06-09   Total:   5  06-09
165. Alan Fluharty - Chad Brinegar                West Virginia BASS Nation Team T      0
Day 1: 5   06-08   Total:   5  06-08
166. Ryan Kelly - Joshua Schumaker                West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 5   06-07   Total:   5  06-07
166. Christopher Rowell - Shannon Mccormick       Coosa River Team Trail                0
Day 1: 5   06-07   Total:   5  06-07
168. Steve Gourlie - Jon Millar                   Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 5   06-04   Total:   5  06-04
169. Chandler Ellis - Gil Senn Jr                 Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   06-03   Total:   5  06-03
169. Steven Michaels - Jonathan Dail              Collins Bass for Cash                 0
Day 1: 5   06-03   Total:   5  06-03
171. Mark Ownby - Wandell Lusk                    Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 2   06-02   Total:   2  06-02
172. Hayden Anderson - Damien Luchterhand         Minnesota BASS Nation Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-01
172. Michael Bobst - Bret Dillow                  Kentucky Bass Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-01
172. Mike Combs - Gary Wallace                    Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-01
172. Dalton Laster - Curtis Laster                United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-01
172. Tim Penhollow - Timothy Sellers-Penhollow    Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-01
172. Adam Rice - Emory Reiser IV                  Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 5   06-01   Total:   5  06-01
178. Victor Morris - Tim Harper                   Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   05-14   Total:   4  05-14
179. Roy Hurst Jr - Matthew Hurst                 United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   05-11   Total:   5  05-11
180. Justin Mott - Randal Hamilton                Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 4   05-11   Total:   4  05-11
181. Eddie Gibson - Jim Austin                    United Professional Weekend Angl      0
Day 1: 5   05-10   Total:   5  05-10
182. Keaton Owens - Bradley Childers              Palmetto Boat Center - College T      0
Day 1: 4   05-10   Total:   4  05-10
183. Arthur Ballard - Mark Lunsford               Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   05-08   Total:   5  05-08
183. Michael Knight - Jeff Knight                 Chattanooga Bass Association Tea      0
Day 1: 5   05-08   Total:   5  05-08
185. Dax Massey - Wyatt Burkhalter                Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 4   05-08   Total:   4  05-08
186. Russell Pasket - Jimmy Smith                 3F Tournaments                        0
Day 1: 3   05-07   Total:   3  05-07
187. Barry Hayward - Jeff Hayward                 Kentucky Bass Nation Team Trail       0
Day 1: 5   05-06   Total:   5  05-06
188. Justin Kimmel - Matt Henry                   Berryís Team Trail                    0
Day 1: 3   05-05   Total:   3  05-05
189. Bryan Dowdy - Kyle Lewellen                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 2   05-04   Total:   2  05-04
190. Mark Osgood - Darrell Wentworth              Maine BASS Nation Team Trail          0
Day 1: 4   05-03   Total:   4  05-03
191. Skyler Schultz - Richard Schultz             Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit           0
Day 1: 3   05-02   Total:   3  05-02
192. Josh Wilson - Shawn Wilson                   Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 4   05-01   Total:   4  05-01
193. Mark Tantum - Owen Mcdonald                  SABAA - South Africa BASS Nation      0
Day 1: 4   04-15   Total:   4  04-15
194. Gene Townsend - Doug Goodall                 Alabama BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 5   04-14   Total:   5  04-14
195. Brandon Gray - Garry Colwell                 Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 4   04-14   Total:   4  04-14
196. Matt Garrett - Will Isaac                    Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 3   04-12   Total:   3  04-12
197. Jeff Hagen - Scot Lang                       Iowa BASS Nation Team Trail           0
Day 1: 3   04-11   Total:   3  04-11
197. Steven Rowswell - Cole Vardy                 Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 3   04-11   Total:   3  04-11
197. Jarrod Swift - Darrel Swift                  Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 3   04-11   Total:   3  04-11
200. Ryan Doel - Corey Doel                       Polar Bear Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 4   04-10   Total:   4  04-10
201. Rolando Barrueta - Jorge Norzagaray          New Mexico Bass Team Trail            0
Day 1: 4   04-08   Total:   4  04-08
202. Brad Weiss - Vincent Machicao                Polar Bear Tournament Series          0
Day 1: 3   04-08   Total:   3  04-08
203. Tom Mason - Christopher Reese                Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 3   04-03   Total:   3  04-03
204. Thomas Stacy - Jacob Butts                   Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 4   04-02   Total:   4  04-02
205. Billy Elbert - Jason Westrip                 Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 3   04-02   Total:   3  04-02
206. Brian Johnston - Cameron Neville             Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 3   04-01   Total:   3  04-01
207. Samuel Fish - Kenneth Malone                 Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 2   04-00   Total:   2  04-00
208. Jerry Smith - Michael Smith                  Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 3   03-13   Total:   3  03-13
209. Jared Turnbloom - Jacob Turnbloom            Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 3   03-11   Total:   3  03-11
210. Michael Wooley - Joe Wooley                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 2   03-11   Total:   2  03-11
211. Kevin Steinruck - Jeff Marianetti            Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 3   03-10   Total:   3  03-10
212. Jeff Benson - Raymond Osborn Jr              West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 3   03-04   Total:   3  03-04
213. Rusty Darnell - John Campbell                Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 3   03-02   Total:   3  03-02
214. Drew Blackwood - Hunter Baird                Milford Lake Team Series              0
Day 1: 2   03-02   Total:   2  03-02
215. Mike Green - Sean Ervin                      Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 3   03-01   Total:   3  03-01
216. Thomas Bavaro III - Brian Dyson              Chester County Bassmaster Team T      0
Day 1: 2   03-01   Total:   2  03-01
217. Hunter Bond - Lane Clark                     Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 1   02-15   Total:   1  02-15
218. Steve Clark - Dave Norgrove                  Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 2   02-14   Total:   2  02-14
219. Tim Robinson - John Watson III               USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 2   02-12   Total:   2  02-12
220. Bryan Ray - Brian Wilson                     West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 2   02-09   Total:   2  02-09
221. Zach Wilson - Joesph Hernandez               Backlashers Kansas City Team Tra      0
Day 1: 2   02-06   Total:   2  02-06
222. Todd Buchanan - Sonny Edwards                Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 2   02-05   Total:   2  02-05
223. Charlie Craycraft - Chester Craycraft        USA Bassin                            0
Day 1: 2   02-04   Total:   2  02-04
224. Jason Stevens - Terry Jones II               Caernarvon Bass Trail                 0
Day 1: 2   02-02   Total:   2  02-02
225. Daniel Mussen - Aidan Mussen                 Douglas Rods Big Money Opens          0
Day 1: 2   02-01   Total:   2  02-01
226. Doug Bergeron - Brandon Bergeron             Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
227. William Hammond - Jeremy Dellinger           Palmetto Boat Center - College T      0
Day 1: 2   01-14   Total:   2  01-14
227. Keith Kirkley Jr - Jeff Kirkley              Airport Marine Classic Team Trai      0
Day 1: 2   01-14   Total:   2  01-14
229. Kip Starling - Ron Scriver                   Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
230. Mike Brayford - Ryan Archibald               Competitive Sport Fishing League      0
Day 1: 1   01-12   Total:   1  01-12
230. Michael Cole - Kyle Blair                    Tennessee Team Trail                  0
Day 1: 1   01-12   Total:   1  01-12
232. Mark Pappas - Steve Vick Jr                  Morristown Marine Team Trail          0
Day 1: 1   01-11   Total:   1  01-11
233. Chad Walkoviak - Scott Landon                3F Tournaments                        0
Day 1: 1   01-08   Total:   1  01-08
234. Patrick Reardon - Martin Brisson             Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 1   01-07   Total:   1  01-07
235. Kevin Farris - Dylan Welton                  West Michigan Bass Tournament Se      0
Day 1: 1   01-03   Total:   1  01-03
236. Marc Renaud - Pat Giroux                     Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 1   01-01   Total:   1  01-01
237. Rocky Carden - David Rogers                  Joe Bass Team Trail                   0
Day 1: 1   00-15   Total:   1  00-15
238. Lanier Burton - Kelley Jaye                  Alabama Bass Trail                    0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Robert Cowan - Dallas Beasley                Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Ival Hannah - Danny Burns                    Ozark Mountain Team Trail             0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Mike Hyrtle Sr - Mike  Hyrtle Jr             Shootout Fishing League               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Tallis Morrison - Hayes Morrison             Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Ser      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Michael Ray - Taylor Nestor                  Great Lakes Largemouth Series         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Waylon Saunders - Mark Beck                  Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Brian Smith - Jeffrey Walls                  Anglers Outpost NTBA Team Trail       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Robert Stumpe - Dustin Hall                  Florida BASS Nation Team Trail        0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. Ray Trudeau - Walter Thompson                Lakeland Bassmaster Team Trail        0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
238. David Underwood - Keith Honeycutt            Media Bass                            0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       162      1024      2063-03
----------------------------------
162      1024      2063-03

by AnglersChannel

AC Insider Podcast - 2024, Big Bass Tour, and More!

This week the guys chat it up about the year ahead, and then they hook up with Scott Gordon, Tournament Director, for the Big Bass Tour.  Scott talks about his years on what may be one of the most angler-friendly tours out there.  Tune in and hear a bit about what you may have been missing and make plans for 2024!

by AnglersChannel

Lowrance® Extends Major League Fishing Sponsorship

Long-Term Sponsor Renews to Continue as Exclusive Marine Electronics Provider and Co-Exclusive Trolling Motor Sponsor for the General Tire Team Series and General Tire Heavy Hitters, and an Official Sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour

BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 6, 2023) – Lowrance®, a world leader in fishing electronics since 1957 and 13-year partner of
Major League Fishing (MLF), today announced an extension of its marketing partnership with the tournament organization spanning the Bass Pro Tour, General Tire Team Series and General Tire Heavy Hitters.

Through the agreement, the Oklahoma-based company will continue to serve as the Exclusive Marine Electronics Provider and Co-Exclusive Trolling Motor Sponsor for the MLF General Tire Team Series and MLF General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event, and an official sponsor of the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

“We are thrilled to be renewing our long-term partnership with Major League Fishing and continue this incredible journey, which reaches a variety of anglers from novice and collegiate teams to the professionals,” said Simon Conder, Lowrance Brand Marketing Director. “Lowrance’s Ultimate Fishing System, which includes our award-winning HDS PRO® with Active Target™ 2 and Active Imaging ™ HD, aligns perfectly with the MLF events, and it is excellent to have some of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers using our products successfully. MLF plays a big role in increasing exposure to the sport we all love, and we are very proud to be a partner in that.”

"Lowrance and MLF have been working side by side since 2011, and we are proud to announce our continued partnership today and into the future," said Jim Wilburn, MLF President of Sales. "The relationship reinforces the commitment both companies have to advancing the sport of professional bass fishing. Our tournaments offer the perfect showcase to display the impressive technological advancements that Lowrance is known for – electronics and trolling motors that numerous Bass Pro Tour anglers depend on day after day."

The new Lowrance HDS PRO with Active Target 2 and Active Imaging HD, which was recently awarded a 2023 Top Product Award by Boating Industry Magazine, along with the Lowrance Ghost™ trolling motor will be prominently featured throughout the season. The products will have an extensive presence across numerous MLF media platforms, including tournaments and activations, website and social media channels, and MLF livestream and television programming on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).

Fans of MLF and Lowrance can anticipate exciting new collaborations from the two organizations. Lowrance will be a featured participant in an MLF fan sweepstakes promotion in 2024. Additionally, for a limited time, Lowrance is currently offering up to $1,200 off HDS-9 LIVE and $250 off ActiveTarget™ Live Sonar units. Visit Lowrance.com/offers for more details.

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

by AnglersChannel

Costa Sunglasses releases its Second Edition: Protect Report

Costa’s latest Protect Report captures its ongoing commitment to community and conservation

Jupiter, Fla. (Dec. 05, 2023) - Born on the water in 1983, Costa Sunglasses has spent the past four decades on a mission to protect the watery world it calls home. Today, capping off its 40th anniversary year, Costa releases its Second Edition: Protect Report, which captures the leading eyewear brand’s ongoing commitment to conservation and sustainability. From building responsibly made gear, to its Kick Plastic® and OneCoast initiatives and strong partnerships with mission-aligned conservation organizations, Costa continues to lead the charge in pursuit of its higher calling.

Through the lens of community and conservation, Costa’s Second Edition: Protect Report captures its efforts throughout 2021 and 2022 – alongside its community of anglers, adventure-seekers, partners, retailers and pros – to protect our waterways and to conserve the life within. The report takes a deeper dive into:Costa’s latest Protect Report captures its ongoing commitment to community and conservation

Jupiter, Fla. (Dec. 05, 2023) - Born on the water in 1983, Costa Sunglasses has spent the past four decades on a mission to protect the watery world it calls home. Today, capping off its 40th anniversary year, Costa releases its Second Edition: Protect Report, which captures the leading eyewear brand’s ongoing commitment to conservation and sustainability. From building responsibly made gear, to its Kick Plastic® and OneCoast initiatives and strong partnerships with mission-aligned conservation organizations, Costa continues to lead the charge in pursuit of its higher calling.

Through the lens of community and conservation, Costa’s Second Edition: Protect Report captures its efforts throughout 2021 and 2022 – alongside its community of anglers, adventure-seekers, partners, retailers and pros – to protect our waterways and to conserve the life within. The report takes a deeper dive into:

  • Purpose-built products, like the Untangled™ Collection made from recycled fishing nets

  • Continued initiatives, including Kick Plastic® and OneCoast

  • Integrated programs, such as Trout Unlimited Costa 5 Rivers program and Costa Compete + Conserve in the bass space

  • International projects, leading the way with the Marlin Fly Project

  • Mission-aligned conservation partners, supporting 40+ coastal and freshwater organizations

  • Global sustainability goals, meeting all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

“We recognize the important role businesses can play in protecting and preserving our natural resources for future generations, and we take that responsibility to heart,” said Jed Larkin, Costa Brand Director. “We pride ourselves on working just as hard to protect our watery world as we do to discover new ways to experience it, and much like the first edition, this report takes that work and puts it into writing.”

Community and conservation is woven throughout Costa Sunglasses. The ultimate culmination of this ethos, and the leading story of the Second Edition: Protect Report, is Costa’s Marlin Fly Project. The first multi-partner program of its kind, the Marlin Fly Project was established to better understand one of the most incredible Striped Marlin fisheries in the world. Satellite tagging 15 Striped Marlin in Magdalena Bay, Mexico in 2022, the project became the first recorded billfish satellite tagging mission to be completed on the fly.

Also featured in the report is more about Costa’s sustainable products. In 2021, after getting feedback from pros and community, Costa worked with its partner Bureo® to release a second wave of performance frames to its Untangled™ Collection, frames built from recycled fishing nets. The four new performance frames - Santiago, Pargo, Antille and Caleta - are built from an upgraded NetPlus™ material made of 97% recycled fishing nets.

Costa has spent the past 40 years developing meaningful partnerships with dozens of mission-aligned organizations devoted to critical issues affecting our watery world. More than just writing checks, Costa’s team serves as partners, voices and stewards to support those who work to protect our resources. In 2021 and 2022, Costa supported 1,000+ community activations and used its resources, like film, to help raise awareness for these causes. Costa Films™, produced 25+ films in the same timeframe to underscore the brand’s values.

To explore Costa Sunglasses' conservation and sustainability journey, the full Protect Report can be found here. For more information about Costa Sunglasses and its purpose-built products, visit www.costadelmar.com.

by AnglersChannel

‘I’m Here to Win’: Baughman Proves Disability is Just a Word

Arkansas pro who considers himself ‘limb challenged’ discusses the importance of
discovering opportunities within every obstacle

Courtesy of Charity Muehlenweg - Major League Fishing


Candace Baughman started the hot summer day in 1987 like any other, tidying up around the house before heading to get 9-month-old Hunter Baughman from his crib to begin their day.

But what she found that July morning would shake any mother to her core.

Her lively, vibrant 9-month-old baby boy was incoherent with a 113-degree fever and had developed spots on his arms and legs overnight. Candace quickly scooped Hunter up and rushed him to the ER as fast as possible. After a series of tests, Hunter was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a severe, life-threatening infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

What followed was a harrowing three-month experience that changed their lives forever.

Hunter was born on October 21, 1986, and was a cheerful, content baby. Like most parents, Irvin and Candace Baughman had a lifetime of hopes and dreams planned out for their first-born. Irvin was an avid outdoorsman, spending much of his time on the water or in the woods, and was looking forward to bringing Hunter along on new outdoor adventures.


Teenage Hunter and his dad, Irvin Baughman, show off fish from Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Photo courtesy Hunter Baughman


Until the diagnoses that no parent wants to hear flipped their world upside down.

The Baughmans were no longer concerned with teaching Hunter to eat solid food or to crawl or walk – their only focus in that moment was saving his life.

The doctors’ prognosis was bleak, giving Hunter’s parents a zero percent chance that he would survive the meningitis and the subsequent surgeries – and even if he did survive, he would be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. But Irvin and Candace refused to give up, and the doctors didn’t yet realize the strength and determination ingrained in Hunter, even at an early age.

Over the next three months, Hunter underwent nearly 20 surgeries, which involved amputating both of his legs below the knees, his left hand and digits on his right hand, drastic measures taken to stop the spread of the infection and to save his life.

And Hunter proved them wrong. Although he had multiple revisions of the initial surgeries up until he was 10 years old, Hunter had no lasting cognitive effects from the infection.

“Looking back, that’s why my faith is so strong,” Hunter said. “I was given a zero percent chance of surviving, so what other explanation is there besides divine intervention? I came from a strong Christian family, and we all believe that prayer and the good Lord is how we made it through to the other side of this ordeal.”

And that life-changing moment certainly wouldn’t be the last time Hunter would prove naysayers wrong.

On another hot, late-summer day in September of 2022, 36 years later, Hunter rolled across the stage at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series tournament at Truman Lake in Warsaw, Missouri, bringing the biggest five-bass limit of the event – 19 pounds, 1 ounce – to the scales. Hunter beat out hundreds of competitors to win the event and earn the top payout of $32,429, his first major career win.

Baughman won the 2022 Toyota Series Plains Division event on Truman Lake last September.

 

“Your champion, Hunter Baughman, getting’ it done on Championship Saturday with a huge three-day total of 48 pounds, 10 ounces,” MLF Tournament Director Mark McWha boomed from the stage as the crowd at the weigh-in erupted in applause. “This is a long overdue moment for this competitor.”

What followed was an interview that had everyone on the stage and in the audience in tears.

“God is good first and foremost and I’m happy to be here,” said an emotional Hunter. “This has been an incredible week. This is my biggest win by far and everybody’s watching back home – my parents, my wife’s parents, all my buddies. Everybody.”

Reminiscing on the win a year later, Hunter said it was a career-defining moment for him.

“It was just incredible,” he said. “I’ve wanted to win a professional level tournament for many years and it being my first big win was amazing. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and a lot of years competing, all compiled into one moment.”

While some of his struggles are unique within the sportfishing industry, many more are the same problems every tournament angler faces during an event – lost fish, boat and motor issues, snapped lines, inclement weather and stingy fisheries.

“I’ve fished my whole life and had fished tournaments for many years, so I knew I could win a major tournament, but it took actually winning one to really be confident that I had what it took to cross that threshold,” Hunter said.

Hunter began fishing MLF events in 2007 and over the last 16 years has competed many times in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Arkie Division, the Toyota Series Central and Plains Divisions and at a Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event as a Strike-King co-angler. He started fishing professionally with the National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) in 2021 and is planning to continue fishing MLF events around his touring schedule in 2024.

Hunter said while the high of the win in that moment was addicting, the aftermath of it was even better.

“It was crazy,” he admitted. “Before I got home that night from the weigh-in, I’d scheduled eight podcast interviews. Although I’d been fishing with the NPFL for two years at that point, I feel like that was when the fishing industry took notice of me and learned who I was. It boosted my career, enabled me to sign on more sponsors and boosted my confidence – just a little bit of everything and I’m so thankful for that opportunity.”

In a world where disability culture is constantly evolving and changing, Hunter is a beacon for normalizing disabled individuals in everyday life.

Hunter, who considers himself “limb-challenged”, said he credits his parents for his determination to succeed in everything he does, as they worked hard to ensure that his disability didn’t divert his focus or hinder him from achieving his goals in life.

Irvin Baughman is an avid outdoorsman who was eager to share that passion with his son. Photo courtesy of Hunter Baughman

 

“Growing up, I spent most of my time in the outdoors,” Hunter reminisced. “Mom and Dad encouraged me to live a normal life, despite my disability. I don’t remember the first time I caught a fish or the first time I went hunting. I started at such a young age, it’s just part of my family’s culture.”

A blue-collar, hard-working man by nature, Irvin Baughman worked in the grocery industry his entire life, working his way up through the ranks to ultimately own his own grocery stores and retire in the industry. He knew firsthand the importance of working hard to get what you want, and he and Candace began instilling those values in Hunter from an early age.

However, Hunter’s insatiable drive and competitive nature were solely his own. He actively pursued opportunities to compete despite his physical limitations, participating in soccer and basketball throughout junior high with the use of artificial legs.

“I’m very competitive and I tried to scratch that itch with those sports,” Hunter said. “I was able to do them, but not well. I realized that those sports just didn’t fuel my desire to compete. I grew up crappie-fishing with my grandparents and my dad, and although they weren’t into tournament-fishing, I started looking into fishing tournaments, thinking that might be an avenue for me to excel and a place where I could actually compete and do well.”

 

From soccer fields to bass boats, Hunter’s competitive drive has taken many forms throughout his life. Photo courtesy of Hunter Baughman

Hunter acquired his first bass boat long before owning his first truck, eagerly joining anyone willing to tow him to the water. The Arkansas native was only 12 years old when he fished his first bass tournament.

“My dad and I borrowed a little flat-bottom boat from a local boat manufacturer for a big weekend bass tournament and we did terrible,” Hunter said, laughing. “But I remember it was super exciting for me. From there I fished several tournaments with my dad and once I started driving, I fished tournaments with my cousin a lot.

“We fished together for several years before ever earning a check, so that first check was a huge relief. I was a teenager, and we won $4,500 the first time we cut a check and then another $1,000 about a month later. That’s a lot of money for a high school kid and it just whet my appetite for more.”

Hunter explained that he approached tournament fishing similarly to everything else in life: rather than focusing on what he couldn’t do, he concentrated on finding ways to make it happen.

“There isn’t really a lot that I do differently from any other angler,” he said. “My boat is set up about the same way as everybody else. I obviously don’t have a ‘hot foot’ or gas pedal, I use a hand throttle. I keep the seat on the front of the boat set up without the pedestal under it and use it almost like a little stool.

“I can launch and load my boat by myself, but it is a pain to do. Most of the time I have someone go with me, or I’ll just grab someone else at the ramp and have them dump my boat in and load it at the end of the day.”

Hunter fished his first MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament on Lake Hamilton as a boater in 2007 (finishing 105th) and began fishing the Toyota Series circuit in earnest in 2015.

“Everyone has always been so helpful at MLF events, especially Mark McWha, the Toyota Series Tournament Director,” said Hunter. “He has my wheelchair on the dock waiting for me when we come in at the end of each tournament day. Everyone at MLF absolutely goes out of their way to make sure I’m taken care of and after a long, hard day on the water, those little things are huge and help me be able to focus on what matters most – the competition.”

Off the water, Baughman is an avid hunter, father, husband and motivational speaker, who also happens to have a disability that would hinder most people from the physical rigors of fishing professionally, if at all.

Hunter admits that in day-to-day life, his wife Andrea is a Godsend.

“She helps with everything around the house and with our daughters, Kinley (2) and Kassidy (1),” Hunter said. “Thankfully my family can travel with me to fishing tournaments. We have our hands full with those two girls, but my wife doesn’t miss a beat. She helps pack for the trips, clean the boat, load the boat and whatever else I need done to get ready to head to these events. She’s a huge help and I certainly couldn’t do this without her.”

Hunter and his wife, Andrea, recently celebrated their 10th anniversary along with their daughters, Kinley and Kassidy.

 

Hunter believes the biggest misconception that people have around him and professional fishing is that people assume he’s just a casual angler – and nothing could be further from the truth.

“When I meet someone who doesn’t know me or hasn’t seen me compete, they think, ‘Oh he gets out and fishes. Good for him.’ But they don’t see me as actual competition on the water,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful to be able to get around on my own and to just get out on the water, but I’m not there to get out of the house or to just kill time – I’m there to beat you. I’m out there to compete and I’m ultimately there to win.”

It's that dogged determination and drive that Hunter hopes to share with the world.

“No matter your situation, don’t be afraid to chase your dreams and don’t let your disability define who you are and what you can accomplish,” Hunter said. “Get off the couch. Quit feeling sorry for yourself and figure out how to do whatever it is that you want to do. Anything can be done, sometimes it just takes a little more work to figure it out.”

Hunter said thanks to his parents, his low moments in life have been few and far between.

“Everybody has bad days, but when I had those moments as a child, my parents nipped it in the bud,” he said. “They didn’t allow me to wallow in the obstacles or how hard things were, they just pushed me to live a normal life. Their support in that way, at such an early age, is a large part of why I am where I am today.”

Hunter is thrilled with his first professional win and looking forward to his next big trophy, but most of all is proudly and unapologetically just…human.

“I hope I can continue to make a difference in the world today and in our industry,” he said. “The reality is, the fish don’t know what you look like – they don’t your gender, the color of your skin or whether or not you have legs. They don’t know and they don’t care. I hope to help people realize that if they want to go fishing, they just need to get out there and make it happen.”

Once hunting season ends, that’s exactly where you’ll find Hunter, and to quote one of his peers, ‘There are certain anglers you don’t want to have to compete against out on the water, and Hunter’s one of them.’

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

by AnglersChannel

Tackle Warehouse Renews and Expands Sponsorship Agreement with Major League Fishing Through 2026

Premier Online Shop Remains Exclusive Tackle Retailer of MLF5 and Title Sponsor of MLF Invitationals – Expands to Become Presenting Sponsor of MLF High School Fishing

BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 4, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and Tackle Warehouse, a leading online retailer of high-quality fishing tackle, announced today a multi-year extension of their partnership through the 2026 season. The three-year extension gives the retailer more prominent brand exposure on all MLF5 platforms and expands its reach into the extensive grassroots network of the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization.

Tackle Warehouse will continue as title sponsor of the MLF5 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals – featuring six events in 2024 with a total season purse of more than $3.9 million – and will assume presenting sponsorship of the MLF High School Fishing circuit beginning in 2024. Tackle Warehouse will also remain the exclusive tackle retailer and official sponsor of MLF5 and will receive exposure across all MLF5 platforms, including the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI and MLF High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse circuits.

“Tackle Warehouse and Major League Fishing have always made it their missions to support and serve tournament anglers,” said Joey Reggio of Tackle Warehouse. “From the MLF High School Fishing circuit to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, MLF offers unique opportunities for anglers of all ages and skill levels to compete and grow, and we are honored to support an organization that gives so many youth, grassroots and professional anglers a chance to chase their dreams.  As tournament bass-fishing fans and anglers ourselves, we are excited to follow all the action in 2024 and beyond.”

Tackle Warehouse began its partnership with MLF in 2020 and will continue to receive increased brand visibility across all MLF5 media platforms, including MLF5 network television airings on CBSS, along with MLFNOW! livestream coverage on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app. This diversity of media provides Tackle Warehouse a powerful platform to showcase the variety of high-quality fishing gear the retailer offers to anglers and fans across the nation.

“In today’s climate, long-running partnerships are more valuable than ever, and we’re thrilled to continue expanding our relationship with Tackle Warehouse over the next several years,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Collaborating with their exceptional team has been incredible, and we’re excited that they will now be a part of empowering the next generation of anglers on their journey to success.”

Tackle Warehouse will be featured throughout six regular-season Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournaments across the country in 2024, with competition kicking off Feb. 9-11 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, in Brookeland, Texas, and culminating July 26-28 on the Detroit River, in Trenton, Michigan. The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals will serve as the qualifying path into the MLF Bass Pro Tour – MLF’s most prestigious circuit – with a top award of up to $115,000 at each regular-season tournament and an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour Championship, for a shot at winning $300,000.

For more information about MLF, its tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Tackle Warehouse, and its large selection of angling gear and in-depth knowledge of products, visit TackleWarehouse.com

by AnglersChannel

Fishin' Tip Friday - Tungsten VS Lead - Thunder Cricket Edition!

In this edition of the Friday's Fishin' Tip, we're pulling double duty with Keith Combs because this is a good one!  In this Strike King Gear Review, Keith breaks down a key difference between the new Tungsten Thunder Cricket, and it's lead based predecessor.  We've heard guys talk about liking the sound of the tungsten, and here we learn about different applications.  Check it out!

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing’s General Tire Heavy Hitters Special Presented by Bass Pro Shops to Air Sunday on CBS

BENTON, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2023) –Sundays in December are showcases for some of the most finely tuned competitors in the world (and we’re not talking about the ones on the gridiron). This Sunday, Dec. 3, Major League Fishing’s General Tire Heavy Hitters Special Presented by Bass Pro Shops all-star event will premiere nationwide on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+ from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET OR 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET (depending on local NFL schedule). This star-studded event – featuring anglers from MLF’s Bass Pro Tour – showcases 30 MLF pros competing in a six-day tournament on Caney Creek Reservoir and Bussey Brake in Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana, for a purse of more than $500,000 ($100,000 to the winner). But here’s the “heavy” in “Heavy Hitters”: anglers are also competing for Big Bass Bonuses totaling $25,000 for each of the two Qualifying Rounds, $50,000 for the Knockout Round and an astounding $100,000 reward for the biggest bass in the Championship Round.

Sunday’s airing on CBS will showcase the highlights from all six days of competition, which was hosted in late April by Discover Monroe-West Monroe and the Louisiana Office of Tourism, with behind-the-scenes angler commentary and interviews as well as one of the most convincing victories in Major League Fishing history.

The full, updated television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF General Tire Heavy Hitters event include: Abu Garcia, B&W Hitches, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Builders First Source, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, NITRO Boats, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Plano, Power-Pole, Shore Lunch, StarBrite, Sqwincher, T-H Marine, Toyota, United States Airforce, Yellowstone Bourbon, and YETI.

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.

by AnglersChannel

The Z Team Expands

Z-Man® Fishing promotes Ryan Harder to brand manager,
hires Brandon McKellar as new sales manager

Ladson, SC (November 30, 2023) – Crafting consistently great, game-winning fishing tackle is as much a team sport as any collaborative contest played out on the grass. In athletics as in lure making, building an all-star starting lineup speaks to an edifying, enduring culture and ultimately, victory on the playing field. It starts with a singular vision and prevails with wise, impassioned people committed to a dream.

Recently, in response to continued growth and dynamic product development, Z-Man added two new positions to its talented roster of fishing tackle talent.

In July, six-year Z-Man veteran and previous Sales Manager Ryan Harder was promoted to the company’s newly created brand manager position. A lifelong angler with decades of experience in fishing retail and sales, Harder assumes a critical role, bridging the gap between product development, marketing and sales teams.

“Since Ryan first joined the Z-Man team, he's exhibited a keen understanding of our business, the fishing industry and our customers' wants and needs,” said Z-Man President Daniel Nussbaum. “Ryan’s new role as brand manager will absolutely leverage his skillset, highlighted by a smart, clear-minded approach and an easygoing touch while working with all the various people and personalities at Z-Man. No question, his abilities are already helping us accelerate our product line growth and retail footprint.”
New Z-Man Brand Manager Ryan Harder grips and grins an impressive tripletail.

Harder, who cut his teeth as a sales rep for West Marine and Grady’s Great Outdoors, remains a highly esteemed friend of the fishing industry—and a familiar face at events like ICAST, Bassmaster Classic and numerous national sales exhibitions.

“Fun to recall that I actually met the folks at Z-Man through friend, colleague and now Z-Man pro-staffer Brian “B.Lat” Latimer,” said Harder, a South Carolina native and versatile fresh- and saltwater angler with a penchant for sight-fishing bull redfish. “At the time, B.Lat and I both worked at Grady’s, a high-end independent retailer in Anderson, South Carolina. It’s been exciting to watch our careers grow, evolve and yet remain aligned, even after all these years (Today, Latimer is a respected tournament bass angler, YouTube star and Z-Man ambassador.)

Harder continues: “One of the cool things about Z-Man is our ability to behave as both a large- and small-scale fishing tackle manufacturer. It’s funny and sometimes flattering when folks refer to Z-Man as a ‘big company.’ I think they’d be surprised to see that behind the scenes, our sales, marketing and product development teams encompass a small, tight-knit group of smart, passionate people whose individual voices carry weight with every decision.

“Mostly, we’re a team of hardcore anglers who fish on our days off. That speaks volumes, and when you combine that with all our various talents and an ability to really listen, you’ve got a pretty special culture. Also makes it easy to come to work each day,” he laughs. “Seriously, I look forward to learning and growing in this new position, as Z-Man continues to play an increasingly positive role in anglers’ on-water success.”

Adds Nussbaum: “Having Ryan in a role where he can bridge the gap between our product development, marketing and sales teams will enable us to bring more new products to market faster and in a more impactful way. Ryan is a great guy and a true team player, so I'm thrilled to have him embrace a larger role here at Z-Man.”

Filling Harder’s vacant sales manager position, Brandon McKellar recently joined the Z-Man staff in Ladson, South Carolina. McKellar will work directly with national sales manager and tenured Z-Man luminary, Glenn Young.

“Ryan has been a huge help to me over the years,” said Young, who has guided Z-Man’s sales team since 2009. “So, we feel really fortunate to have found Brandon McKellar to step in and contribute immediately. Brandon’s professional, outgoing, easygoing nature is already proving to be a great fit for our team. Like everyone here at Z-Man, he’s a diehard angler. Beyond that, his diverse background will serve him well while running a sales territory.”
New Z-Man Sales Manager Brandon McKellar conducting on-water reconnaissance.

A native of rural Ninety Six, South Carolina, McKellar grew up bass and crappie fishing and eventually tournament fishing on nearby lakes like Hartwell, Murray and Clarks Hill. “All those years, I lived 10 minutes down the road from the lake where the ChatterBait® rose from a local legend to a worldwide fish-catching sensation,” noted McKellar. “Pretty cool how things have come full circle, placing me with the same great company who continues creating new, fish-catching ChatterBaits to this day.”

After earning an education at Winthrop University, McKellar taught high school science and social studies for seven years. Prior to his teaching career and while attending college, McKellar sold hunting, fishing and outdoor equipment at Academy Sports and Sportsman’s Warehouse, each providing invaluable retail and outdoor industry experience. Meanwhile, he competed in local and regional tournaments as a co-angler and enjoyed entering night tournaments on nearby Lake Wylie—all helping develop his angling skills, particularly with ChatterBaits and ElaZtech finesse baits.

When the pandemic shut schools down and instigated virtual learning, McKellar decided to leave the teaching profession and make a change. “I grabbed my laptop and dog and moved closer to my girlfriend (now wife), Hayley. Once settled in Charleston, I reconnected with my friend Ryan Harder, talking about Z-Man and making plans to hit the water together. When the opportunity to join the team came around, it felt like a natural fit.”
Harder (right) on a redfish run with Tim and Matt from Tactical Bassin.

While bass fishing and tournament circuits remain on his radar, McKellar has developed a passion for pursuing inshore saltwater fish. “These days, the visual and sensory appeal of wade fishing the shallows—watching for tailing redfish—is among my favorite ways to catch ‘em. Can’t think of a better way to do it than casting a 3-inch Z-Man MinnowZ™.

Among his manifold responsibilities as sales manager, McKellar will serve as first point of contact for Z-Man’s six sales rep groups in the U.S. and Canada as well as its major distributors. In addition, he’ll provide sales and promotional support at annual tradeshows and sportfishing conventions.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Brandon into the Z-Man clan,” added Young. “His diverse background, skillset and angling experience set him up for immediate success, no doubt. His love for fishing and the fishing industry will be a valuable addition to an already impressive Z-Man team.”

by AnglersChannel

Costa Compete & Conserve with Dakota Ebare

Winning CASH and protecting BASS!  Now that is something we support.  Check out this AnglersChannel.com Extra, featuring a Costa Pro, Dakota Ebare.  He helps explain how Costa’s program converts tournament prizes back into fish habitat, something we ALL benefit from.

Over $100,000 and counting has been awarded to conservation efforts across the country on behalf of Costa anglers.  Anglers choose from a list of projects, including: American Rivers, Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Friends of Reservoirs, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation.  It’s as simple as – Own Costa Sunglasses – Register at Compete & Conserve – Win – Donate.  Time to #seewhatsoutthere

by AnglersChannel

Weather will be determining factor at Bassmaster Team Championship

Florida's Harris Chain of Lakes will host the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship December 6-9. 

Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

November 29, 2023

Weather will be determining factor at Bassmaster Team Championship

LEESBURG, Fla. — Fishing in Florida is often determined by the weather conditions, and aglers competing in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship will have to decipher how the bass are reacting to the weather, according to St. Croix Bassmaster Opens pro Blake Smith.

“Anything can happen in December,” the Florida native said. “Our fish can already be pretty finicky. December and January are the two most unpredictable months down here. It could be absolutely gorgeous and have fish coming up to spawn. I saw some prespawn fish at the Open in October.

“You could be able to lock into one of those big schools of females. The only thing that would be holding them off would be cold weather and full moons.”

The field of teams from across the country will compete Dec. 6-7, with the winning duo earning a cash prize of $25,000. The Top 3 teams after Day 2 — six anglers in all — will have their weights zeroed and compete individually in the Classic Fish-Off Dec. 8-9. The individual champion will punch his or her ticket to the Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Okla., scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Over the past several years, the Harris Chain has been one of the top destinations for anglers in the Sunshine State, with several Bassmaster records being recorded there since 2020. Eight lakes make up the massive fishery, including Lake Harris, Little Lake Harris, Lake Eustis, Lake Griffin, Lake Dora, Lake Beauclair, Lake Carlton and Lake Apopka. Anglers can only access Lake Griffin and Lake Beauclair through a lock system.

Smith, who lives in nearby Lakeland, Fla., said the largemouth in the system could potentially have spawning on their minds given the right conditions. While some will head for the bank in search of a bed, others will begin staging and feeding ahead of the mating process.

“The first wave of spawners, no matter what lake it is, are usually huge,” Smith said. “That is when a lot of the giant bags get caught. Like when Cole Sands and Conner Dimauro caught their gigantic bags during the College Championship (in 2020), those were prespawn bass.”

Like many tournaments, submergent hydrilla and eelgrass will play a major role in this event. In his most recent event at Harris Chain, the 2023 season finale of the Opens, Smith found Lake Griffin and Apopka to have the most vegetation while Harris had very little.

“You are looking for your offshore vegetation,” he said. “Offshore hydrilla is going to keep the warmth, plus it is a great place to stage for prespawn, but I also believe they get in some of that stuff and spawn.”

Shellbeds could be more of a factor with chilly weather, and if the temperature drops significantly, Smith expects the fishing to be pretty tough.

“We might have a week’s worth of temperatures in the 40s and 50s, and you never want to fish during those weeks,” he said. “Let’s say that pops during the Team Championship, they will have to pick up a flipping stick and start punching.”

For now, the long-range forecast calls for highs in the 70s with nighttime lows in the 50s.

Three baits shine for Smith this time of year on the Harris Chain. With forward-facing sonar becoming an increasingly helpful tool, a jerkbait is one of his favorite presentations. A Rat-L-Trap-type bait is also a popular choice for locals, along with a Carolina rig.

Takeoff will be held each day at 7 a.m. ET from Venetian Gardens in Leesburg with weigh-in held back at the park starting at 3 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship is being hosted by Visit Lake, the City of Leesburg and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

by AnglersChannel

Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament celebrates 35 years of fishing, philanthropy and community support

Annual benefitting Wolfson Children’s C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Heart Institute returns to Palatka, Fla., May 16-18, 2024.

Jacksonville, Florida – Since the first boats launched in the St. Johns River nearly 35 years ago, the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament has grown to welcome more than 1,000 anglers each year. The 35th annual tournament will return to Palatka, Fla., May 16-18, 2024, and while the size of the tournament has changed, the mission behind it remains the same.

Founded by the Plant Facilities Department of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville in 1989 to fund capital improvements and purchase the latest medical technology, the tournament has raised more than $7 million for Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the patients treated there.

The only children’s hospital in Northeast Florida, Wolfson Children’s serves children across the region with routine and complex conditions, including congenital heart disease, cancer and blood disorders, neurological conditions, traumatic injuries and more.

In 2024, as they have for the last several years, the proceeds will benefit Wolfson Children’s C. Herman and Mary Virginia Heart Institute, the only program in Jacksonville that provides a full range of cardiac services for children.

“I continued to be inspired by the support we receive from anglers who come from across the Southeast, many of them for generations, to participate in the tournament. While they have a passion for fishing, they also have a passion for making a difference in the lives of Wolfson Children’s patients,” said Sam Dean, Baptist Health system director of Plant Facilities, who helped organize the first event in 1989 and currently serves as tournament co-chair. “These are anglers with a heart.”

Along with the thousands of anglers in attendance, more than 100 volunteers from Baptist Health, Wolfson Children’s, the City of Palatka and area businesses join together to make the tournament a success year after year.

“I’m so thankful to be a part of such an important event. As the tournament grows, so does the support for Wolfson Children’s. It’s been incredibly rewarding to know that together we’re making a difference in the lives of children from across the Southeast,” said Brian Seay, tournament co-chair and executive vice president of Miller Electric.

Registration is now open for the three-day event, which includes a Lads & Lasses Tournament on Thursday, May 16, followed by a VIP & Friends Tournament on Friday, May 17. The 35th Annual Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass Tournament kicks off at safe light on Saturday, May 18. More than $48,000 in cash prizes will be awarded during the three-day event.

Also returning in 2024 is the annual bass boat giveaway. For $20, anyone may enter a drawing to win a 21’ 2024 Bullet Boat model 21XRS with a trailer, courtesy of Bullet Boats, valued at $78,000, with a motor to be included. Like the tournament, all proceeds will benefit the Terry Heart Institute.

“Everyone looks forward to the bass boat giveaway. It’s a fun event that has also become an important part of our fundraising efforts. If you can’t make the tournament, $20 gives you a shot at a new boat while helping support Wolfson Children’s heart patients. It’s a win, win,” Dean said.

To register for the Wolfson Children’s Hospital Bass tournament, enter the bass boat drawing or donate to the hospital’s mission, visit wolfsonbasstournament.com.

by AnglersChannel

KastKing Hires Fish Boss' RJ Macalanda

Always on the cutting edge of innovation, KastKing announces the hiring of marketing and social media powerhouse RJ Macalanda as Social Media and Influencer Strategist for the company. The role suits him well, as Macalanda has seen explosive growth and viewership from his own start-up fishing brand, Fish Boss, which was the fastest-growing fishing account on TikTok in 2022, reaching 100,000 followers in 5 months and a total of 58 million views. He is the leading expert on short-form video strategies in the fishing industry and a TikTok creative partner. While he’ll continue to direct the Fish Boss brand, Macalanda brings his specialized skill sets to the KastKing marketing and social media efforts in a full-time capacity.

KastKing’s Director of Marketing, Joe Woodward, is excited about Macalanda’s addition to the KastKing team, stating, “RJ is truly passionate about traveling and fishing. He is involved with global e-commerce networks and has been on the cutting edge of digital trends. In the last seven years, he traveled to over 55 countries while working remotely and catching fish along the way. During his travels, he experienced different fishing cultures, products, and consumer behaviors. RJ will combine his marketing and fishing knowledge to grow KastKing's social media presence.”

Before his own social media growth, Macalanda worked with brands as the head of partnerships to find celebrities, influencers, and professional athletes for collaboration. Furthermore, he is a full-stack digital marketer who has developed marketing campaigns that have changed the trajectory of other brands like Walmart, Tyson, Dell, Anheuser Busch, and IRONMAN.

Macalanda is equally excited about joining KastKing, noting he’s been a long-time admirer of the KastKing brand. He adds, “It was a no-brainer when they asked me to join the team. Since traveling and looking at the fishing industry from a global perspective, I noticed KastKing was starting to make waves with product innovation and a unique go-to-market strategy. They’re on all the various shopping platforms across the globe, and I shared how impressed I was with their overall approach while visiting their booth at ICAST a couple of years ago. I could see they were about to explode with growth and told them I was excited to see where it goes next.”

Macalanda explains that the initial discussion at ICAST started a relationship with KastKing that led to further conversations over the next several months discussing strategies for integrating their impressive team of celebrities and pro-staffers into their marketing efforts, which eventually led to his assuming these responsibilities full-time for KastKing.

As Macalanda concludes, “I could tell we had a shared vision for introducing people to nature through fishing, as well as emphasizing sustainability. I look forward to seeing where we can take this company in serving anglers across the globe.”

by AnglersChannel

Rapala Named a Premier Sponsor of the 2024 Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series and 100 Series

Decatur, Ala. (November 29, 2023) – Rapala, the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing lures and other fishing-related products, will join the Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) as a premier sponsor of the ABT Tournament Series and 100 Series in 2024.

 

RapalaVMC was unofficially founded in 1936 when Lauri Rapala invented the Rapala fishing lure. RapalaVMC has grown from humble beginnings to become a market leader in the fishing tackle industry. The brand’s functionality and high quality are known by fishermen worldwide. Rapala maintains strict standards of craftsmanship while delivering its fishing products to anglers in more than 130 countries.

 

Rapala Director of Field Promotions and R&D Dan Quinn said, “After years of following the Alabama Bass Trail, watching it grow and learning more about it through Gerald Swindle and eventually Kay Donaldson, it’s about time this venture happened! Kay does an incredible job running things, surrounds herself with the right people to make it all happen and has built one of the very finest and best run tournament trails in the world. Partnering with the Alabama Bass Trail is as exciting as it gets for all of us at Rapala and we are fired up about it. It’s going to be a ton of fun and a huge win for everyone involved.”

 

As a premier sponsor, Rapala will enjoy extensive exposure during tournament coverage and the Alabama Bass Trail will feature the company on all tournament related advertising, website and collateral materials and will be seen across the various ABT social media channels.

 

“Rapala and VMC are brands that you consistently see the top level touring pro anglers use.  And with the addition of the Crush City brand, a collaboration with Jacob Wheeler, arguably the winningest angler in the industry in recent years, they continue to improve their products to meet the changing conditions in bass fishing. We are excited to work with the team at Rapala, VMC and Crush City to introduce their products and brands to the ABT anglers and fans,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson.

 

The Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series will enter its eleventh season next year as the state’s premier weekend tournament trail for amateur bass anglers with an 11-event schedule offering more than $750,000 in awards. The season gets underway February 10, 2024, on Lake Jordan and concludes Oct. 18-19, 2024, with the championship on Lay Lake.

 

North Division:

February 17, 2024 Pickwick Lake hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism
March 16, 2024 Smith Lake hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County
April 27, 2024 Wheeler Lake hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism
May 18, 2024 Neely Henry Lake hosted by City of Gadsden
June 22, 2024 Lake Guntersville hosted by Marshall County Sports and Tourism

 

South Division:

February 10, 2024 Lake Jordan hosted by the City of Wetumpka and the Elmore County Economic Development
March 9, 2024 Lake Martin hosted by Alexander City Chamber of Commerce
April 13, 2024 Logan Martin Lake hosted by City of Lincoln
May 11, 2024 Alabama River (Cooter's Pond) hosted by City of Prattville
June 15, 2024 Lake Eufaula hosted by Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce

 

Hosted by the Shelby County Commission, the championship tournament will be held October 18-19, 2024, on Lay Lake.

 

Returning for the fourth season, the ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 100. Entry fee for each event is $1,000 and teams must fish in all three tournaments. (No single entries allowed.)

 

Tournament dates and locations for the 2024 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:

January 20, 2024 Logan Martin Lake hosted by the City of Lincoln
June 1, 2024 Weiss Lake hosted by the City of Leesburg
November 2, 2024 Wheeler hosted by Decatur-Morgan County Tourism

 

For more information on the ABT or sponsorship opportunities, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.

by AnglersChannel

Alabama Bass Trail Finds New Roads With Chevrolet in 2024 and 2025

Decatur, Ala. (November 29, 2023) – As the Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) embarks on their eleventh season, the state’s premier weekend tournament trail looks to find new roads in 2024 and 2025. The ABT has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Chevrolet as the official truck sponsor of the ABT Tournament Series and the ABT 100 Series in 2024 and 2025.

 

“We are excited to partner with a brand that embraces outdoor lifestyle, the fishing industry and is equipped to serve our tournament anglers and fans. We look forward to collaborating with the team at Chevrolet and their Alabama dealerships to promote the Chevrolet brand while continuing to expand the sport of bass fishing throughout the state of Alabama and across the country. I appreciate the efforts of Mark Cook and Edgar McGraw to make this deal a reality,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson.

 

“Landers McLarty Chevrolet is elated to be partnering with the Alabama Bass Trail starting with the 2024 season,” said Landers McLarty Chevrolet GSM/Fixed Operations Director Mark A. Cook. “When it comes to fishing, we have been very active in many of the local tournaments, putting on our own derby and directly sponsoring several local high school teams over the last few years. We felt it was perfect timing for us to now enter a sponsorship of the Alabama Bass Trail, the state’s premier fishing trail.”

 

Edgar McGraw, general manager for McGraw-Webb Chevrolet, said, “The McGraw-Webb Chevrolet family understands the tremendous economic impact fishing brings to rural Alabama. Having seen firsthand the immediate impact and positive effects that the Alabama Bass Trail has had on the city of Camden and the entire Wilcox County area, our group jumped at the chance to be a part of the next chapter in Alabama Bass Trail history. We are proud to partner with the Alabama Bass Trail and look forward to working closely with Kay and her team to provide anglers and their families quality automobiles and great customer service they deserve.”

 

Under the terms of the agreement, Landers McClarty Chevrolet and McGraw-Webb Chevrolet will provide two Chevrolet Silverado trucks and will have a booth at all ABT and ABT 100 series events in 2024 and 2025. The Alabama Bass Trail will feature the companies on all tournament related advertising, website and collateral materials and the brand will be seen across numerous ABT social media platforms. Chevrolet’s logo will also be prominently displayed on the wrapped trucks driven by and jerseys worn by ABT staff members.

 

Cook adds, “The Chevrolet brand has always been synonymous with the outdoors and trucks, cars and SUVs that are built ‘Like a Rock’. As the branding changes with Chevrolet from ‘Like a Rock’ to ‘Find New Roads,’ we at Landers McLarty Chevrolet are taking our new roads to assist our new Alabama Bass Trail family. We will be doing this with sponsorship dollars, but also by making incredible discounts available to the Alabama Bass Trail anglers on both sales and service.”

 

The Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series will enter its eleventh season next year as the state’s premier weekend tournament trail for amateur bass anglers with an 11-event schedule offering more than $750,000 in awards. The season gets underway February 10, 2024, on Lake Jordan and concludes Oct. 18-19, 2024, with the championship on Lay Lake.

 

North Division:

February 17, 2024 Pickwick Lake hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism
March 16, 2024 Smith Lake hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County
April 27, 2024 Wheeler Lake hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism
May 18, 2024 Neely Henry Lake hosted by City of Gadsden
June 22, 2024 Lake Guntersville hosted by Marshall County Sports and Tourism

 

South Division:

February 10, 2024 Lake Jordan hosted by the City of Wetumpka and the Elmore County Economic Development
March 9, 2024 Lake Martin hosted by Alexander City Chamber of Commerce
April 13, 2024 Logan Martin Lake hosted by City of Lincoln
May 11, 2024 Alabama River (Cooter's Pond) hosted by City of Prattville
June 15, 2024 Lake Eufaula hosted by Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce

 

Hosted by the Shelby County Commission, the championship tournament will be held October 18-19, 2024, on Lay Lake.

 

Returning for the fourth season, the ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 100. Entry fee for each event is $1,000 and teams must fish in all three tournaments. (No single entries allowed.)

 

Tournament dates and locations for the 2024 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:

January 20, 2024 | Logan Martin Lake hosted by the City of Lincoln

June 1, 2024 | Weiss Lake hosted by the City of Leesburg

November 2, 2024 | Wheeler hosted by Decatur-Morgan County Tourism

 

For more information on the ABT or sponsorship opportunities, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.

by AnglersChannel

Workshops for Guides, Captains, Tournament Anglers and Student Anglers

Join us for the upcoming 2023 NPAA Conference-Fort Myers, Florida, January 5-7

Forestville, WI (November 29, 2023) – The upcoming 2024 “Passion to Profession” NPAA Conference in Fort Myers, Florida, January 5 – 7, 2024, promises to provide attendees with incredible “can’t miss” career-building, educational and networking opportunities, many of them in small breakout sessions and educational workshops throughout the course of each day. Conducted in classroom-style hotel meeting rooms, attendees will have the chance to get the answers to hard-to-answer questions during sessions given by top professionals. Attendees will leave with the knowledge (and personal connections) gained during this unique event.

The conference’s diverse workshops and educational sessions have been scheduled for Friday and Saturday, January 5th, and 6th. Conference attendees will have the chance to pick educational breakout topics best suited to their individual career paths.

In that light, an attendee of the 2023 Conference shared the following: “I just wanted to reach out and tell you how inspired and proud the conference sent me home feeling. I never really knew what my purpose was as a member, but I do now. This was my first conference, and I plan to attend them all from here on out. The board, partners, and volunteers did an amazing job, and I cannot even imagine the work, effort, and time that goes into something of this magnitude. I am feeling charged up and ready to put some real effort and focus into my guide business as well as tournaments this season. I also realized how important it is to give back to the sport in the way of youth events and get people excited and involved with the sport I love. Thanks again to the NPAA for hosting such a great event.”

NPAA President Pat Neu went on to say; “Our goal at NPAA is to provide Conference attendees with the information they need to run a successful business as an angling professional, whether full or part time and to offer them an opportunity to get involved in helping to “Grow and Protect” the sport they love. All the sessions offered at this one-of-a-kind event align with this mission.”

2024 NPAA Conference Agenda Highlights

Friday, January 5th: Educational Workshops, 12:00 – 2:30 p.m.

  • Women Anglers Taking Their Passion to a Profession: Join the Workshop Discussion – Led by Captain Angie Scott, Captain Debbie Hanson, Leiza Fitzgerald, Marianne Huskey, BeBe Harrison, and Gabriella McGrath
  • Crafting Impactful 1-Minute Videos: A Hands-on Workshop for Industry Professionals – Led by EJ Saunders (Blaze Media) and Austin Sherwood (Pro Fishing Media/NPAA)

Saturday, January 6th: Three Educational Breakout Sessions, 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.

  • Taxes Done Right – Led by Froehling Anderson CPA’s Specializing in Tax Prep for Anglers
  • Maximizing Customer Acquisition & Retention: Mastering the 5-Level Framework in the Angling Industry – Led by EJ Saunders (Blaze Media)
  • Passion Drives Professionalism as a Guide – Led by Captain Ray Van Horn
  • How To Gain and Retain Sponsorships – Led by Dan Dannenmueller
  • Batteries Wet, AGM, Lithium, and Why – Led by James Holst from NORSK Lithium
  • Boating Safety: A Life Saving Measure – Led by Hunter Bland from Yamaha
  • Boat Financing in Today’s Market – Led by Shirley Hetrick from Adventure Recreational Finance

Attend the Conference Affordably!

Register for 2024 “Passion to Profession” conference now and save! The NPAA is offering a 40% discount on Conference Registrations with a Cyber Monday promotion. Go to https://www.npaa.net/conference and enter code CYBER40 at checkout to register and save big. Hurry, this offer will end soon, and capacity is limited.

The NPAA has secured a special room rate of $169/night (double occupancy) at the 5 Star-rated Gulf Coast Crowne Plaza in Fort Myers, Florida, also home to the entire conference. The room rate is available for three days on either side of the event (pending availability), so come early and stay late to enjoy the beautiful Southwest Florida weather. Book your room today at: NPAA Conference at Crowne Plaza Ft. Myers Gulf Coast.

Airfare rates on airlines like Sun Country, Frontier, Spirit, Southwest, and Allegiant can run well under $300 round trip. The Conference hotel is only 5 minutes from the Southwest Florida Regional Airport (RSW). Book your airline tickets early to receive the lowest rates!

by AnglersChannel

WON Bass announces new partnership and incentives for 2024 open tournaments

Organization to Provide Highest Payouts and Prizes for Western Anglers

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - November 28, 2024 – WON Bass, a division of Western Outdoor News and the longest-running Western bass fishing tournament circuit, has announced new partnerships for the 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events and more incentives for its participants.

In 2024, the WON Bass Western Opens Series will include five pro-am style events that will be held in California, Nevada and Arizona. The events will also feature automatic berths for pro and AAA competitors to compete in the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

In a new partnership with B.A.S.S., the Top 5 anglers in each of the four regional pro and AAA events as well as the Top 5 anglers in the WON Bass Angler of the Year standings after the five events will receive berths into the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. At the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, three anglers will earn berths into the 2026 Bassmaster Classic.

In addition to the 25 B.A.S.S. Nation entries, the Top 5 pros in the 2024 WON Bass Angler of the Year standings will receive priority entry codes to the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, guaranteeing their spot in the Opens Elite Qualifiers Division. Only EQ anglers, who compete in all nine Bassmaster Opens, have a chance to qualify for the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series.

To be eligible, each angler will be required to be a current member of WON Bass and B.A.S.S Nation and not currently competing in the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series, MLF Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals or the National Professional Fishing League (NPFL).

WON Bass Tournament Director Bill Egan said that he is proud to announce a new partnership.
“Being able to offer our anglers new opportunities is something we take very seriously at WON Bass,” said Egan. “We are excited to introduce this new partnership with Bassmaster. Their faith in WON Bass and investment in the Western angler is something we are humbled and proud to announce.”

Egan also said that he is grateful for the support from both the industry and the anglers who helped make these announcements a possibility.

“We have and have had tremendous partnerships with companies that have helped WON Bass grow the Western Open Series to the level it is at today. The support of the industry and the anglers who make up our fields are the reason we continue to grow, and we are grateful for it all and looking forward to growing with these new partners into the future.”

“We’re excited to enter into a partnership with such a historic organization, and look forward to working together to create more opportunities for western anglers,” said GL Compton, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager.

The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events will consist of five events, culminating with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open.

Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta

April 17-19, Clear Lake

May 15-17, Lake Havasu

Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead

Oct. 14-16, U.S. Open at Lake Mohave

For complete details, look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com and tune in to WON Bass and Western Outdoor News’ social media platforms on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 6:00 p.m. PST to hear the latest news about the 2024 season and beyond at Facebook.com/WONBassTournaments.

by AnglersChannel

WON Bass to announce new partnerships, prizes and incentives for 2024 Open Tournaments on Video Call Tonight

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - November 28, 2023 –– WON Bass, a division of Western Outdoor News and the longest-running Western bass fishing tournament circuit, will announce new partnerships for the 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events, increased prizes and more incentives for its participants on a live web meeting with WON Bass tournament director Bill Egan tonight at 8:00 PM EST, 6:00 PM PST.

The live meeting will highlight the new partnerships and introduce new prizes for the 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events and new opportunities for anglers competing in the series. Anglers and fans are invited to attend by tuning in to WON Bass and Western Outdoor News’ social media platforms to hear the latest news about the 2024 season and beyond at Facebook.com/WONBassTournaments.

by AnglersChannel

2024 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Big Bass Tour will open this Friday, December 1st

Woodlands, Texas – Tour officials announced that registration for the 2024 Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Big Bass Tour will open this Friday, December 1st at 9AM EST/8AM CST on the website at www.bigbasstour.com “We are excited to launch our 2024 registration” said Tournament Director Scott Gordon. “We've got some incredible fisheries and dates lined up for next year and some great promotions for early entrants!” added Gordon.

Feb 9-11 | Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida
Feb 29 - March 3 | Lake Conroe, Texas (4 Day Event)
March 15-17 | Clarks Hill, Georgia
March 22-24 | Lake Eufaula, Alabama
April 5-7 | Table Rock Lake, Missouri
April 12-14 | Lake Norman, North Carolina
April 26-28 | Lake Murray, South Carolina
May 2-5 | Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia (4 Day Event)
May 16-19 | Lake Chickamauga, Tennessee (4 Day Event)
Aug 2-4 | Upper Mississippi, Wisconsin (La Crosse)
Oct 4-6 | Douglas Lake, Tennessee
Oct 10-13 | Guntersville Lake, Alabama (4 Day Event)

The 2024 season will feature over $2,200,000 in guaranteed prizes and payouts with events in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. For more information visit our individual event pages for payout and registration details. *Registration is open to amateur anglers only, see Official Rules.

by AnglersChannel

NEW Savage Gear Manic Shrimp V2 Delivers Lifelike Movement

Delivering the ultimate shrimp presentation for anglers pursuing big catches

COLUMBIA S.C. (November 28, 2023) – Savage Gear is delivering yet another ultra-realistic lure for saltwater anglers, this time delivering an exquisite imitation of a live shrimp with the introduction of its Manic Shrimp V2. Often called "the chicken of the sea," the shrimp is renowned as a favorite snack for all saltwater and brackish water predators. Through extensive studying of this popular crustacean, the Manic Shrimp V2 has mastered its journey toward excellence, becoming an exceptional go-to soft lure driven by intense testing and years of experience. Now, anglers can confidently pursue trophies in uncharted waters, knowing most inshore species' favorite snack-the Manic Shrimp V2 is fully equipped to land any fish.
The Savage Gear Manic Shrimp V2, an ultra-realistic soft lure, comes in two models, Ready to Fish (RTF) with three sinking and two slow sink sizes and Weedless (WL) with two slow sinking sizes. This legendary soft lure has undergone meticulous evolution to achieve realistic movement and a look that guarantees better action to entice even the most skeptical predators. The Manic Shrimp V2 features an exposed hook configuration, is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, and irresistibly imitates an actual shrimp, luring even the most elusive predators. With 3D scans of an actual shrimp, every aspect of this lure displays a lifelike appearance and movement. From ultra-realistic body contours, including legs and whiskers, to a specially designed tail delivering a true-to-life kicking action, the Manic Shrimp V2 provides the ultimate shrimp presentation, capable of deceiving even the most discerning fish. In addition to hyper-realistic design, and fantastic action, the Savage Gear team has perfected the sink rates for this lure.

"We learned that the buoyancy and thickness of the leader, as well as the salinity of the water, are all factors with a major impact on the sink rate of a lure,” says Adam Ott, Product Manager for Savage Gear. "It took meticulous testing and six iterations before we got the sink rate on the sinking and the slow sinking Manic Shrimp, respectively, right. We learned how important this factor is to trigger the bite from several species."

The lure’s custom Toughtec soft plastic body can withstand rigorous all-day fishing conditions, ensuring it remains in top form all season long. To enhance its allure, the Manic Shrimp V2 further entices fish to strike with its infused scent ensuring they won't let go once they bite. The Savage Gear Manic Shrimp V2 is also rigged with a weighted ultra-sharp jig hook for an optimal presentation and hook-setting capability.

Whether wading, kayaking, or bushwhacking through untraversed waters in search of bigger fish, the Manic Shrimp V2 will excel in the most challenging fishing environments and entice large predators lurking beneath the surface.

Savage Gear Manic Shrimp V2 are now available. For more information about Savage Gear products, click here.

KEY FEATURES
•Based on 3D scans from a real shrimp
•Specially designed tail for lifelike kicking action
•Toughtec 12x tough TPE for increased durability
•Rigged with a weighted ultra-sharp jig hook

RTF Sizes: Sinking: 3-inch, 3.5-inch | Slow Sinking: 3-inch, 3.5-inch, 4.25-inch
RTF Weights: Sinking: 1/4oz, 3/8oz | Slow Sinking: 1/3oz, 1/2oz, 3/4oz
Weedless Sizes: Slow Sinking: 3-inch, 3.5-inch
Weedless Weights: 1/4oz, 3/8oz
Colors: Purple Chartreuse • White • Gold • Avocado • New Penny • Glow
MSRP: $10.99

by AnglersChannel

Predator's Choice

Award-winning Z-Man® Mulletron™ LT line-through swimbait lands at fishing tackle stores

Ladson, SC (November 28, 2023) – When the mullet run is on, all bets are off. Work can wait. Zooms and meetings go bye-bye. Birthdays and weddings may need to proceed without your presence. Simply put, when waves of migrating mullet inundate inshore structure—jetties, bridges, inlets and all kinds of funnel areas and ambush points—you best be there. Time to sling the one lure that might just outswim, outlast and even “out-mullet” a live finger mullet.

Voted Best Saltwater Soft Lure at ICAST 2023, the new Z-Man® Mulletron™ LT line-through swimbait is now locked, loaded and armed for battle, available at your favorite tackle retailer.

The first true-to-life mullet-pattern swimbait crafted from 10X Tough ElaZtech®, the 4.5- and 6-inch Mulletron LT swimbait dances with a lazy, tail-kicking cadence that screams fresh mullet on the menu. Meanwhile, concealed within its extra-tough anatomy, several strategic tricks give the bait an extra boost of attraction, with hooking and holding power like you’ve never experienced before.

“In crafting a soft ElaZtech swimbait to match a living preyfish, we obviously emphasized visual realism and true-to-life swimming action,” notes Z-Man Director of Product Development Jose Chavez, a confirmed saltwater savant. “But what makes this bait different are some of its unseen internal mechanics.”
The Mulletron LT's line-through hook system pins fish, holds tight and aids safe, healthy releases.

Equipped with a reinforced line-through harness and smart rigging system, the Mulletron LT presents a fluid, natural swim motion with minimalist terminal connections. The outcome, says Chavez, equals superior hook penetration and retention, even among wild, headshaking, gill-rattling tarpon and other supercharged gamefish.

“This bait design has really been inspired by the hunt for alpha dog predators and their propensity to eject hooks in battle,” Chavez explains. Unlike most line-through swimbaits that employ a treble hook positioned on the belly—which decreases hook-up rates and increases snags—the Mulletron LT features a specialized hook pocket and harness that stations the hook topside. With hook implanted neatly in the jaw, the bait itself slides magically up the line and out of harm’s way, ensuring no gamefish can leverage lure weight or go airborne and come unbuttoned.

Z-Man Mulletron LT specs:

  • 4.5” and 6” ultrarealistic finger mullet profile and anatomy in 6 hand-painted and photo-printed patterns
  • Rounded wedge-shaped tail empowers a wide range of swimming speeds.
  • Reinforced dorsal line-through harness protects knot; in battle, bait slides up and away from jaws for superior hook retention
  • Heavy-duty, black nickel, sickle style 3/0 (4.5”) and 5/0 (6”) hook affords optimal strength, sharpness and penetration.
  • Perfect balance between weighted internal harness and buoyant superplastic material maintains natural upright posture during retrieves, on the fall and at rest on the bottom.
  • Moderate rate-of-fall (sinks 8 feet every 10 seconds)
  • Target species: bull redfish, snook, tarpon, striped bass, largemouth bass
  • BONUS Features - Internal harness sports a subtle rattle for sound stimulation / Injector hole in bait’s tail accepts scent, such as Pro-Cure Super Gel

How to Rig the Mulletron LT:

Ideal for redfish, seatrout and other mid-size predators, Chavez suggests pairing the 4.5” Mulletron LT with 20- or 30-pound test braid (mainline) and a 30- to 40-pound test fluorocarbon leader. When casting the larger 6-inch version for bruiser snook or tarpon, he spools with 30 to 50-pound braid and a 60- to 100-pound test fluorocarbon leader, depending on fish size and the presence of abrasive cover.

“To guide the line easily through the harness and cleanly out the dorsal hook slot, try pinching a little bend in the line so it points upward as it enters and exits the bait,” suggests Chavez. “Any reliable knot will work, though I tend to avoid loop knots for line-through presentations.”

How to Fish the Mulletron LT:

Up and down the coast, Mulletron LT swimbaits shine for covering large areas of open water within inshore saltwater environments. With rod tip up, Chavez typically executes a slow steady retrieve. “Around ambush points, I also like to give the bait little speed bumps to draw fish out of hiding,” he explains. “Give the bait a little pop, both to make it juke and go off the rails and to activate its internal knocker rattle.”

In super shallow water, try a slow-rolling retrieve, mimicking a mullet’s familiar V-waking, tail pulsing action. Go slow, then amp up the speed to bulge the tail on the surface.

 

The bait’s ElaZtech material is already the toughest soft plastic available. But to preserve and keep the Mulletron LT swimbait in tiptop shape between trips, Chavez designed the lure’s clam package to double as lure storage, attaching directly to the fishing rod.

For low-light excursions, Z-Man designed a special Glow Mullet pattern, accenting the bait in dirtier water. For a lively baitfish silhouette, Midnight Express and Goldrush offer proven nighttime patterns. In gin-clear water and for super selective predators, try natural Silver Mullet or Mossback configurations.

Beyond all available saltwater scenarios, Chavez says select anglers have also discovered the lure’s incredible appeal among trophy largemouth bass. “Mullet can live in brackish and freshwater too, and we’ve recently met anglers who’ve discovered that some of the biggest bass will selectively target finger mullet over any other prey species.”

For more information on the new Z-Man Mulletron LT, visit www.zmanfishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

AFTCO extends Bassmaster partnership for 2024 season

November 28, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — AFTCO will continue its long-standing partnership as a supporting sponsor of the six-series Bassmaster Tournament Trail, outfitter for B.A.S.S. staff and marshals and title sponsor for one of the Elite season’s most anticipated events — the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork, which will be held Feb. 29-March 3, 2024.

“As a supporting sponsor of B.A.S.S. we’re extremely proud to outfit the entire B.A.S.S. staff with AFTCO fishing apparel that can be seen in the B.A.S.S. studio and in the field with tournament staff, camera crews and B.A.S.S. conservation volunteers. For 2024, we enter our fifth consecutive year of Elite Series title sponsorship,” said AFTCO Marketing Director Matt Florentino. “We set our sights as the title sponsor for the Lake Fork Elite Series tournament taking place in Yantis, Texas. Like they say, ‘everything is bigger in Texas,’ and this fabled fishery will be one to watch for some big bass and giant bags coming to the scales.”

Lake Fork's big-bass potential has generated fireworks in previous years, producing a staggering nine Century Club performances the last four times B.A.S.S. has visited the 27,264-acre impoundment. This includes Lee Livesay’s single-day limit of 42 pounds, 3 ounces in 2021, the third-heaviest single-day catch in B.A.S.S. history.

Among the eight AFTCO-aligned pro anglers ready to tackle this big bass factory — and the entire Elite lineup — is Gerald Swindle, one of four anglers (including Livesay) who earned a Century belt on Fork when the Elites last visited in 2022.

“I’m super-stoked about returning to Lake Fork in February,” said Swindle. “We could see some extreme conditions and super-high weights of fish being caught ... But as long as AFTCO is the title sponsor, I know I will be dry and warm.”

Full coverage from all four days of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork will be available on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Saturday and Sunday, March 2-3.

Throughout the season, AFTCO will also be hooking Bassmaster marshals up with apparel, gear, gift cards and more.

by AnglersChannel

Travel Tuesday - Nine, my Prime Number

By Hanna Robbins, Half Past First Cast

Every bass angler wants to catch a 10-pounder.

As long as you fish where they live, it’s always a possibility. You don’t expect it to happen, but in the back of your mind you’re always hopeful. That’s why we go to bodies of water where big ones live and choose our lures with giants in mind.

If your name is Hanna Robbins you may come up a little short, pun intended. Seven times short.  I know what you're thinking: “Poor Hanna, I feel so bad for you!”

My journey for my trophy bass started in 2009 when I took Pete to Anglers Inn at Lake El Salto for the first time for his 40th birthday.  I came home with a personal best of 6 pounds, 12 ounces, which far exceeded my prior biggest largemouth, and I was thrilled (for a minute). After hearing about sevens and eights and nines, it suddenly wasn't good enough. I wanted to go back. I NEEDED to go back. I wanted a 10-pounder.

We returned to El Salto in May of 2013, with low water conditions and the fishing was off-the-charts incredible. I caught two 9-pounders. One was 9-01 and the other was 9-03, both on a Chatterbait with a Money Minnow trailer.

Our group caught so many sevens and eights on that trip it was unreal. We stopped taking pictures of anything under 7 pounds simply because it meant you had to stop fishing. My
partner for a day, Forrest Wood Cup champion Kevin Hawk, landed a bug-eyed legit 10. I was excited for him and I took a million pictures, but at the same time I was pissed and defeated deep down inside. We basically cast in the same place-- Why did she bite Kevin’s lure and not Hanna’s? I took no consolation in the fact that he was a world champion and I was a relative novice.

Yes, you want to be a good sport, but it's difficult to see someone else accomplish your goal right in front of your eyes.

We loved it so much in 2013 that we went back at the same time in 2014. Again, I caught two scale-verified 9-pounders but this time I did something that no more than a handful of people on earth have ever done: I caught two 9-pound bass on two different lakes on the same day.  Both bass were caught on a 6-inch, Texas rigged, green pumpkin Senko. The morning fish at El Salto went 9-05 and the afternoon fish at the yet-to-be-opened-to-the-public Picachos weighed 9-12.

In the morning I had no other partner, just my guide Armando. The 9-05 bit on a bluff and I immediately knew it was big, but had no idea how big. The panic didn’t subside when we got it into the boat because we didn’t have a scale. Pete had taken ours that day. I had a camera, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to know exactly what it weighed. Fortunately, Armando thought quickly. He told me to take my seat with the fish and he sped off for parts unknown. We found Chago, another guide, around the bend and luckily the guys in his boat had a scale.

When you catch a 9-pounder and your partner is not in your boat you quickly become friendly with anyone around you. These strangers seemed as excited as I was. They even took pictures of me for their own keepsakes. Perhaps today me and my big bass are in a frame in some random household in Oklahoma or Arizona.

What a great morning, I couldn't wait to get back and tell Pete and the gang. If that was the highlight of the day, I could’ve lived with that result. Fortunately, there was still more to come.  We enjoyed a quick lunch, and then Pete and I were asked to pack up our tackle and an overnight bag to go and test the still-Gringo-free waters at Lake Picachos. Anglers Inn owner Billy Chapman wanted our honest appraisal of the fishery and he wanted us to see the plot of land that eventually become his lodge. Why not? I had done my damage for the day, or so I thought.

Once we arrived at the new lake, our guide led us to several somewhat productive spots before making a beeline for one particular stick (out of thousands). He tied the boat to it, told us
where to throw, and for hours one cast after the other we caught fish after fish after fish.  If one fish dropped the bait while you were reeling in, another one ate it. It was crazy, it was
like they had never seen bait before. Most of them were 1- to 3-pounds, but they fought like they were much bigger. Those Mexican bass are so extremely strong that sometimes it’s tough to immediately tell the difference between a good one and a really good one.

I finally had a bigger tug, one that was pulled so much harder that initially I thought I hooked the tree we were tied up to. Gradually, though, the line started to move. As the fish came to
the surface -- I remember this so vividly -- the fish turned up on its side and it had the biggest bug eye I had ever seen.  Pete put down his rod and screamed, "It's a 12-pounder, it's a 12-pounder!!"

My heart was pounding. It couldn’t be. Was it? was it really 12 pounds? I couldn't believe what I saw. I had no frame of reference to tell the difference between a 9-, 10- or 12-pound
largemouth bass. If Pete (who’d caught a 12-pounder on his birthday in 2012) said it was a 12-pounder, I assumed it was someplace around a 12-pounder.

All I knew is that it was big. I think I blacked out for a minute.  Fish in the net, then fish in boat. We put her on the scale, and despite that giant cow-like eye she was short and stubby and “only” 9 pounds 12 ounces. WHAT!?!?!!? Yes, of course I was thrilled to catch my PB, but ugh, four ounces short of that magic 10 pound mark that differentiates a really big fish from a trophy fish. Short and stout like the girl that caught it.

We weighed it again and again. You know how you can’t believe what you see in the morning and you get back on the scale to see if you saw the number wrong the first time? That was us, except this time we wanted the scale to read heavier.  Nope, not a ten, maybe next time. Try, try again.

In the next few years, I was able to catch three more 9-pounders.

 One came on a Skinny Dipper swimbait, letting it sink to the bottom and slowly reeling it back.
 One on the hard-pulling Strike King 10XD crankbait.
 And although not with Armando (aka, “Señor Lizard”) I caught my seventh 9-pounder on a green pumpkin lizard with the tail dipped in chartreuse Spike-it.

I realize that this sounds a little bit greedy to complain about not hitting the 10-pound mark.  Most bass anglers haven't had the chance to catch an 8- or 9-pounder, let alone a trophy ten pounder. I understand this but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow and I won't quit, I'll keep going back until I land my trophy. Maybe I’ll even be like Pete, who initially skipped past 9, 10 and 11 and went straight to 12 before filling in some of those gaps.

I wonder which bait will I catch it on. I suppose it doesn’t really matter as long as the scale repeatedly reads double digits.

by AnglersChannel

A Donation that Changes Lives

Through the Future Angler Foundation, your generosity helps swell the ranks of the recreational fishing community.

Forestville, WI (November 28, 2022) – Tuesday, November 28th, is “Giving Tuesday” and the non-profit Future Angler Foundation (FAF) is counting on the generosity of the recreational fishing industry, as well as anglers of all backgrounds, to help increase, leverage and sustain its wide-reaching programs. Aimed at introducing the public to the joys and thrills of fishing and boating through its extensive educational, promotional and grass roots efforts, the organization is laser-focused on its mission to help recruit, retain, and reactivate anglers and boaters.

“The non-profit world looks at Giving Tuesday as their Super-Bowl,” says FAF president, Patrick Neu. “We recognize there are many great causes to choose from in this country, but few have the opportunity to change the lives of the masses that the Future Angler Foundation provides. Creating anglers and boaters is a mission the FAF believes can have a truly positive impact on those who participate in these activities. Becoming an outdoor enthusiast for many might not only improve their life, it might even add years to it.”

Fishing and boating are fun, healthy and family-friendly outdoors activities, but entry to these sports can be confusing and difficult for those who don’t have family ties or mentors to pass along the tradition. The FAF works to bridge that gap by supporting passionate, knowledgeable and generous individuals and organizations who volunteer their time and, in many cases, their own money, to teach anglers and families who want to learn more about the sport. With a focus on education and hands-on participation in sport-fishing, guided by skilled leaders and backed by incredible content and engaging curriculums, the organization offers School Program Grants, Tournament Program Grants, Outreach & Education Grants, and Partner Program Grants.

According to Neu, the FAF’s footprint in the U.S. has grown dramatically over the past 10 years and has increased at an accelerated rate since the organization teamed up with Discover Mediaworks (DMW) in 2018 to bring a digital component to the FAF tacklebox. In support of this statement CEO of Discover Mediaworks Mark Rose, producer of the “Into the Outdoors” television series stated: “Through the Getting Families Fishing and Boating television programs that air nationally on our Into the Outdoors Television Network, the Future Angler Foundation now helps expose tens of millions of non-anglers annually to a sport that can change the quality of their life. We’re extremely proud to play a role in this partnership that has been funded by the FAF over the past 5 years, and we look forward to expanding the breadth of our influence through the series in the years to come.”

Neu went on to add that exposing people to angling and boating, however, is just the first step. Making these life enhancing activities become a permanent part of their lifestyle is the ultimate goal. In short, the Future Angler Foundation is utilizing angler/boater education and outreach to help reverse the attrition that has taken place in the sportfishing and boating industries over the past few decades, and to support the efforts that strive to bring the next generation of participants to the outdoors.

“We do this through networking and a hands-on grassroots approach that has proven to be extremely effective, combined with digital content we have created that sees millions of impressions annually through our Getting Families Fishing television series which airs nationally on Into the Outdoors,” explains Neu. “We believe participation in outdoor activities like fishing are at the core of the American way of life and essential to the future of our nation as we know it.”

Specifically, the FAF works to:

  • Support volunteers and organizations hosting angling educational events that contribute to an increase in participation in angling and boating.
  • Develop digital angling and boating safety content that creates millions of impressions annually.
  • Create an infrastructure to support knowledgeable volunteers who educate anglers of all experience levels at National Parks, State Parks, fishing clubs, and other outdoors-related venues, organizations and events.
  • Develop programs to bring angling/boating safety into the schools as part of a school curriculum.
  • Collaborate with the fishing and boating industry, plus Federal and State Agencies, to educate anglers and boaters of all ages.

“Our passion for the sport and our desire to share angling as a life-changing activity with future anglers/boaters through education and outreach is the driving force behind this foundation,” concludes Neu. “By exposing non-anglers/boaters to sportfishing/boating, and at the same time reactivating anglers who have not participated in these sports recently, we strive to solidify a place for these great traditions in American culture for generations to come. We hope you’ll join in our mission to grow participation in these pastimes with a generous tax-deductible donation on Giving Tuesday – or on any other day of the year for that matter.”

by AnglersChannel

Ranger Boats Under the Lid - It's the Little Things on the Z520

This week we catch up with Ranger Pro Bryan Thrift to see a few of the "Little Things" that make a BIG difference out there on the water, in this edition of Ranger Under the Lid.  Check it out below!

by AnglersChannel

Lester’s early winter crappie learnings

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

The highly likeable Brandon Lester will be quick to admit his wife Kim is a far bigger football fan than he is. So, don’t expect the Team Toyota pro to turn into a Southeastern Conference couch potato as games become increasingly more meaningful down the homestretch.

Instead you’ll find him in the deer woods, or equally as likely, chasing down the cold-water crappie he’s developed an absolute passion for pursuing.

“I grew up crappie fishing, but my fascination with them has only increased because chasing crappie in the off-season has taught me so much about fish behavior that’s helped me become a better bass fisherman,” says Lester.

“Plus, I’ve noticed that any time I post an instructional crappie fishing video on my YouTube channel, Brandon Lester Fishing, it’s received really well. So, there’s obviously a lot of folks who want to learn more about catching crappie based on the popularity of my YouTube posts,” he adds.

While walking through the woods tracking a deer recently, Lester shared his basic approach to winning days on the water for those interested in jigging up the genus Pomoxis with the same satisfying success he often experiences.

Where to Look

November, December, and January are generally a time of low lake levels which concentrates this naturally schooling species in even larger tighter groups around brush. Lester says the best place to find crappie near brushpiles is on long tapering points in 12 to 18-feet of water, or in brush that boat dock owners have submerged.

“The boat docks near or over deeper water are typically best. So look for docks on creek channel swings, or close to the main river channel, and know that no dock is too deep because the crappie will be suspended in brush that’s hanging by a rope from the dock, or suspended in the shadows and shade the dock creates,” he explains.

 

Tackle Choices

Lester passes on panfish size reels in favor of the same 2500 size spinning reels he uses as a pro bass angler, because he feels they cast more accurately, and offer far faster line-pickup than tiny reels do.

He uses a 6’ 6” light action Mustad Detector Rod and spools up with 5-pound Vicious Peanfish Braid with a 6-foot long leader made of 4-pound fluorocarbon.

His #1 bait day-in-day-out is a 1.5” Crappie Magnet, on a 1/16-ounce Crappie Magnet jig head built with a razor-sharp Mustad hook, but on days when the bite is super finicky, he reaches for the even smaller Trout Magnet rigged on a 1/64 ounce jig head, to which he places a #5 split shot a few inches up the line.

 

Colors matter to crappie

“Not only does the color of your plastic lure matter to crappie, but so does the color of the jig head,” insist Lester. “I truly believe that red and pink jig heads outshine all the other colors in cold water.”

Of course, he opts for more naturalistic baitfish colors of soft plastic in clear water and says chartreuse is still tough to beat in dingy water.

Speaking of colors, when it comes to cooking up this super-popular species for the dinner table, his bride is a bit of a fitness nut, so she likes hers blackened, while he prefers that famous hue of delicious golden brown straight from the hot grease.  Of course, you’ll probably find Kim wearing Tennessee Vols orange, while savoring her hubby’s recent cold-water catches.

by AnglersChannel

Fishin' Tip Friday - The BEST Fluorocarbon Knot?

By Vance McCullough, AC Insider

Why not just tie a Palomar knot with fluorocarbon line? It works well with braid, if you pass it twice through the hook eye, therefore making a double Palomar.  It doesn’t matter how well you tie the Palomar, the material, the crystalline structure of fluorocarbon itself, is hard. When it lays across itself it can – and eventually will – cut into itself.  It will break.

This will happen when the line is under the greatest strain; when the biggest bass of the day, if not your life, is acting a fool on the other end of the line.  Again, the knot is not the problem. Fluorocarbon material is extruded from dense crystals, and you cannot remedy this by ‘tying a better Palomar knot’.

Note: if you use monofilament line, go ahead with a well-tied Palomar. I still do. And I have outclassed the line strength, as tested on fancy equipment provided by the line manufacturer, with my Palomar knot.  Don’t believe people who tell you that you can’t tie a 100% Palomar knot. It is a good knot, under the right circumstances.

Additionally, when flipping or punching with big weights, I use a straight shank hook and I snell it rather than tying a conventional knot anyway, even with fluorocarbon same as I do with braid.  Outside of those exceptions, or the occasional need to tie a loop knot, I tie a little something best described as “the 3-tag knot” because when you’re done trimming it you will have three tag ends, but the actual name is the Double Pitzen knot. Shaw Grigsby showed it to me years ago, though at the time neither of us knew what it was called.

After many years of testing, this knot has held up incredibly well for me.

by AnglersChannel

Epic Baits Underspin Offers Offshore Versatility

Professional angler Clark Reehm has spent countless hours idling behind the wheel of his Skeeter bass boat, staring at the dual Lowrance dash-mounted fish finders, searching for schools of offshore bass. Whether seeking the winning school in professional tournament venues across the country or guiding clients on his home waters of massive Lake Sam Rayburn, Reehm knows that the mega-schools of bass he seeks will keep him in the running on tournament day and keep happy clients coming back.

“My customers and I caught 130 bass today on Rayburn, all on offshore spots I’d located years ago and have been fishing ever since," a clearly tired but satisfied Reehm said. "The big groups of bass on Rayburn will stay out where the massive schools of shad are located, so there isn’t a big migration of bass to the backs of creeks in the fall as is common on other reservoirs. The bass stay in close proximity to their main food source, and this bite will continue all through the winter," he added.

Reehm, like most accomplished offshore anglers, knows presenting a rotation of lures with varying actions is often key to finding what the bass will best respond to on any given day.
Epic Baits

Among the rods within arms reach on the boat deck is the Epic Baits Underspin matched with a 5” Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm. It’s an unusual combination of flash and finesse. He describes the benefits of the setup, stating, “Most everywhere I fish offshore in the southern US involves some type of wood cover, whether it’s brush piles on Rayburn or cane piles out in the southeast. I need a bait that not only allows me to cover a lot of water but has some drawing power to bring the fish out of cover."

Reehm lists the dual wire weed guards as an important attribute of the Epic Underspin design when fishing near submerged wood. “Getting the lure as close to the brush as possible is often the key," Reehm notes, “and I can bump the cover with the Epic Underspin without fear of constantly snagging the lure. Epic added a beefier hook than many underspins on the market, so I can handle heavier fish and get them away from the brush when they eat the bait." Additionally, Reehm likes the rigid arm of the Epic design that extends the blade far enough to keep it from getting tangled in the soft plastic body.
Epic Baits Underspin

Explaining the choice in soft plastics, he adds, “The 5” Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm is a straight-tail design, so it’s very subtle - especially compared to the bigger paddletail soft plastics a lot of anglers are using. You still get the flash of the underspin but very little tail movement from the Shad Shape worm, which just looks more realistic to how a baitfish swims.”

Because the straight tail design offers little resistance in the water, Reehm mainly relies on the ¼ or ⅜ oz Epic Underspins. “I’m targeting suspended bass in the water column or those in the tops of the brush piles, so I don’t want the lure to fall too quickly past them. You also have to consider the soft plastic body you’re using, and the Yamamoto Shad Shape worm doesn’t offer much resistance as it falls, so I don’t need a heavy jig head to get it down to the right depth."

Though his primary application for fishing offshore with the underspin is slow-rolling the lure over brush piles, he’ll also let the rig sink and crawl it along the bottom when needed. When targeting bass offshore, depths can vary from 12-30’, and the underpin offers the ability to reach the fish at any depth rather quickly.

“Prior to the advent of forward sonar, we’d simply count the underspin down to the bass we’d found while graphing from the console, which is still a great technique for anyone without forward sonar. I’ll toss a buoy near the bass and move to the front deck to throw the underspin to them. Of course, forward sonar now lets me see the exact depth the underspin is located as it falls and also allows me to bring it precisely through or just above the school of bass I’m able to see."

Regardless of the application, Reehm fishes his underpin on heavier 15-20# fluorocarbon lines and baitcasting gear.

“The underspin is just a great shad imitator with the flash from the blade and the subtle movement on the soft plastic trailer," he concludes. "When they’re feeding on shad, it’s hard to beat."
Epic Baits Underspin

by AnglersChannel

Logan Parks Fishing Foundation Pays out $175,000 + College Scholarships to College and High School Tournament Anglers

With the help of Abu Garcia, the LPFF is giving college and high school anglers alike a chance at a future in fishing.


COLUMBIA, S.C. (Nov 21, 2023) – The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation, founded by Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Logan Parks, recently hosted their inaugural High School/College Chaos Tournament presented by Abu Garcia on Lake Martin, Alabama. With 168 anglers, 84 from college and 84 from high school, the Logan Parks Fishing Foundation paid out 150% of the entry fees, giving out over $175,000 in cash, scholarships, and prizes to the competing anglers.

The event took place Wednesday, November 8th to Sunday, November 12th in Auburn, Alabama, giving high school anglers the opportunity to showcase their talent and allowing a platform for college teams to scout the next generation of fishing stars. This tournament was run through the Fishing Chaos App and it allowed high school and college anglers a unique, competitive fishing experience on Lake Martin.
During the event, 1,618 fish were caught, photographed, submitted, and judged through the Fishing Chaos app. As the dust settled and each submission became final, the top three teams became clear. Coming in third place with a Championship round total of 16.4 pounds was Carson Maddux of Auburn University and Brayden Tisdale of Opp High School. Coming in second, 1.3 pounds heavier with a Championship round total of 17.7 pounds was Brody Robison of the University of Montevallo and Max Plemmons of Plainview High School. Leading the pack and winning the event with a dominating Championship round total of 29.78 pounds, Brooks Anderson of Emmanuel College and Rooksby Gordon of American Christian Academy.

“I couldn’t imagine any reason why a high school angler wouldn’t be all over an opportunity like this,” said Auburn University angler, Jake Peck. “To be able to meet college anglers that are a few years ahead of you in the process, and build connections with teams and coaches – it’s an incredible opportunity for any high school angler who wants to pursue bass fishing at the next level.”

The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation, whose mission is to empower the future of competitive anglers by nurturing the talents of high school and college anglers, was very pleased with the turnout from this event. Rooted from a deep commitment to giving back to the fishing community and encouraging growth within the sport, this event truly gave back to the anglers who will become the future of competitive bass fishing.

“We want to ensure that youth anglers do not stop fishing because of lack of opportunity,” said Logan Parks.“The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation provides a pathway for student anglers to further their education and fishing careers. The inaugural High School/College Chaos tournament is just one of many ways that our foundation plans on impacting these anglers' lives, and we are so excited to bring the event back to Auburn, Alabama in 2024. Year two is going to be bigger and better.”

The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation extends its gratitude to Abu Garcia and all sponsors for their support in making this event a reality. With their support, the foundation is casting a brighter future for the world of competitive bass fishing, one angler at a time.

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. unveils powerhouse 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series lineup

Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kyle Welcher headlines a field of 103 talented anglers competing on the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.   

Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

November 21, 2023

B.A.S.S. unveils powerhouse 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series lineup

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After an incredible 2023 season that set records for both attendance and fan engagement, saw six first-time Elite Series champions and a Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race that came down to the season’s final day of competition, B.A.S.S. has announced the 2024 Elite Series field. An accomplished field of young rookies courtesy of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, a surprise qualifier from the B.A.S.S. Nation — the first Elite from the state of New Hampshire — and two legends of the sport highlight the roster.

“I can’t wait for the 2024 season to start and think the schedule sets up really well for big catches, big drama and big excitement,” said the Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “The Elite Series field is absolutely stacked, and fans are going to love following their favorite anglers, including the legendary Rick Clunn, who is celebrating 50 years in our sport, as well as meeting this talented crop of rookies.”

Enthusiasm reached an all-time high for the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens in 2023 as B.A.S.S. unveiled a new “Elite Qualifiers” division that required anglers to fish all nine events across three divisions to qualify for one of nine spots on the Bassmaster Elite Series. The result was a hotly contested series culminating in a stacked rookie class of new Elites.

Highlighting the rookies is Opens Angler of the Year JT Thompkins, who amassed an incredible seven Top 25 finishes en route to claiming the AOY title. Along with Thompkins, John Garrett finished second followed by Trey McKinney in third. Robert Gee, Tyler Williams, Wesley Gore, Logan Parks, Ben Milliken and Kyle Patrick all earned Elite Series berths as well.

Eight of the nine anglers moving on to the Elite Series are under the age of 30, with Thompkins (21), Williams (21) and McKinney (18) being the three youngest of the group. The rookie class is packed with talent from the Bassmaster youth series ranks Garrett, Gee and Parks fished in college — Parks was a member of the Bassmaster High School All-American team and College Team of the Year — while McKinney and Thompkins both competed in the Junior and High School ranks.

Also joining the ranks of the most prominent circuit in sportfishing is Tim Dube, who finished second to Will Davis Jr. at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Davis, who took a win at the 2023 Bassmaster Elite at Lay Lake, is the first angler to win the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in back-to-back seasons, which guaranteed him a spot in the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. Since Davis had already qualified, his double qualification opened the door for Dube, the first New Hampshire native to qualify for the Elites.

Each year, B.A.S.S. also adds up to two Legends to the Elite field and the two anglers claiming those spots in 2024 have both already had historic careers. Four-time Bassmaster Classic champion, 1988 Angler of the Year and 16-time B.A.S.S. winner Rick Clunn celebrates his 50th year of professional fishing next year. Over that time, Clunn has earned 247 Top 30 finishes in B.A.S.S. events as well as won the U.S. Open twice and the Redman All-American. In just five seasons competing in major B.A.S.S. events, Jordan Lee has amassed more than $1.1 million in earnings through wins in the 2017 and 2018 Bassmaster Classic and dominant performances in both the Elites and the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, notching 21 Top 10s and 36 Top 30 finishes.

The 2024 Elite Series season kicks off at the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite on Toledo Bend Feb. 22. From there the tournament trail will wind through seven states as anglers battle each other — and big bass — for cash and prizes and attempt to qualify for the 2025 Bassmaster Classic.

Each tournament will begin with the full field of 103 anglers on Days 1 and 2 before the field is cut to 50 for the semifinal round on Day 3. Only the Top 10 remaining anglers will fish the final day of each event with a $100,000 first-place prize and valuable Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year points on the line.

2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Field

Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C.
Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala.
Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C.
Drew Benton, Blakely, Ga.
Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark.
Scott Canterbury, Odenville, Ala.
Brandon Card, Salisbury, N.C.
Hank Cherry, Lincolnton, N.C.
Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla.
Joey Cifuentes III, Clinton, Ark.
Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.
Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C.
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas
Drew Cook, Cairo, Ga.
John Cox, DeBary, Fla.
John Crews, Salem, Va.
Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala.
Will Davis Jr., Sylacauga, Ala.
Greg DiPalma, Millville, N.J.
Bob Downey, Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Tim Dube, Nashua, N.H.
Seth Feider, New Market, Minn.
Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Jacob Foutz, Charleston, Tenn.
Marc Frazier, Newnan, Ga.
Kyoya Fujita, Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan
Cooper Gallant, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
John Garrett, Union City, Tenn.
David Gaston, Sylacauga, Ala.
Robert Gee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Wesley Gore, Clanton, Ala.
Buddy Gross, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.
Justin Hamner, Northport, Ala.
Ray Hanselman, Del Rio, Texas
Jamie Hartman, Newport, N.Y.
Matt Herren, Ashville, Ala.
Derek Hudnall, Zachary, La.
Cody Huff, Ava, Mo.
Mike Huff, Corbin, Ky.
Mike Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
Taku Ito, Chiba, Japan
Carl Jocumsen, Toowoomba, Australia
Chris Johnston, Otonabee, Ontario, Canada
Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada
Jonathan Kelley, Old Forge, Pa.
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.
Kenta Kimura, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
Koby Kreiger, Alva, Fla.
Caleb Kuphall, Mukwonago, Wis.
Logan Latuso, Gonzales, La.
Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Shane LeHew, Catawba, N.C.
Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn.
Lee Livesay, Longview, Texas
Wes Logan, Springville, Ala.
Ed Loughran III, Richmond, Va.
Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla.
Trey McKinney, Carbondale, Ill.
Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.
Ben Milliken, New Caney, Texas
Brock Mosley, Collinsville, Miss.
Paul Mueller, Naugatuck, Conn.
David Mullins, Mt. Carmel, Tenn.
Bryan New, Saluda, S.C.
Kyle Norsetter, Cottage Grove, Wis.
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Luke Palmer, Coalgate, Okla.
Logan Parks, Auburn, Ala.
Kyle Patrick, Cooperstown, N.Y.
Chad Pipkens, DeWitt, Mich.
Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz.
Jacob Powroznik, North Prince George, Va.
Cliff Prince, Palatka, Fla.
Jay Przekurat, Stevens Point, Wis.
KJ Queen, Catawba, N.C.
Alex Redwine, Blue Ash, Ohio
Tyler Rivet, Raceland, La.
Matt Robertson, Kuttawa, Ky.
Cole Sands, Calhoun, Tenn.
Pat Schlapper, Eleva, Wis.
Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md.
Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.
Hunter Shryock, Ooltewah, Tenn.
Bryant Smith, Roseville, Calif.
John Soukup, Sapulpa, Okla.
Caleb Sumrall, New Iberia, La.
Gerald Swindle, Guntersville, Ala.
Frank Talley, Temple, Texas
JT Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C.
Joseph Webster, Hamilton, Ala.
Kyle Welcher, Opelika, Ala.
Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas
Alex Wetherell, Middletown, Conn.
Brad Whatley, Bivins, Texas
Jake Whitaker, Hendersonville, N.C.
Tyler Williams, Belgrade, Maine
Jason Williamson, Aiken, S.C.
Matty Wong, Honolulu, Hawaii
Chris Zaldain, Fort Worth, Texas

by AnglersChannel

Costa Compete & Conserve - The Habitat Connection

Winning CASH and protecting BASS!  Now that is something we support.  Check out this AnglersChannel.com Extra, featuring a Costa Compete and Conserve highlight with B.A.S.S. National Conservation Director, Gene Gilliland.  He helps explain how Costa's program converts tournament prizes back into fish habitat!

Over $72,000 and counting has been awarded to conservation efforts across the country on behalf of Costa anglers.  Anglers choose from a list of projects, including: American Rivers, Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Friends of Reservoirs, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation.  It’s as simple as – Own Costa Sunglasses – Register at Compete & Conserve – Win – Donate.  Time to #seewhatsoutthere

by AnglersChannel

Former Classic champion David Fritts announces retirement from B.A.S.S.

Former Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Bassmaster Classic champion David Fritts of Lexington, N.C., has announced his retirement. 

Photos by B.A.S.S.

November 17, 2023

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After a career that spanned parts of five decades, decorated professional angler David Fritts of Lexington, N.C., has announced his retirement from B.A.S.S. The 1993 Bassmaster Classic champion and 1994 Bassmaster Angler of the Year said his declining health and the rigors of the various B.A.S.S. schedules were the major factors in his decision.

 

“I had COVID-19 in 2021, and I still have what they call ‘long COVID,’” Fritts said. “I still can’t smell anything. I never got all of my energy back, and it sort of messed my heart up a little bit. My bones and my joints still work pretty well, but I just don’t quite have the stamina or energy I used to have.”

 

Though Fritts said he may still explore a less rigorous schedule, he doesn’t think he has it left in him to pursue the Bassmaster Elite Series or the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens.

 

That puts a cap on a star-studded career that began with the 1986 Georgia Invitational on West Point Lake and ended with the 2023 Elite Series event on the St. Lawrence River. Between those dates, he became one of the few anglers to win a Classic, an AOY title and the FLW Tour’s Forrest Wood Cup.

 

“Winning the Bassmaster Classic makes your career, and to follow up with the AOY in 1994 was really something special,” said Fritts, who had five victories and earned more than $1 million with B.A.S.S. “Winning the Forrest Wood Cup in 1997 was also a really big moment for me. All of those things were big stepping stones and building blocks for my career.”

 

After winning the 1993 Classic on Alabama’s Logan Martin Lake and then winning AOY the next year, Fritts came within 7 ounces of winning the Classic again at Logan Martin in 1997. He said that’s the one near miss that haunts him the most.

 

“I had my hands on the winning fish twice and watched it slip away,” he said. “For me, that tournament will always be like the 200-inch deer I shot and never found. I only think about it every two days or so.”

 

Besides his many victories on the water, Fritts, who is highly regarded as one of the best crankbait anglers of all time, had a major hand in designing some of the most popular crankbaits ever brought to market. His work included models for Poe’s Crankbaits during the 1980s, the mega-popular DT Series for Rapala and nearly every model of hard bait produced by Berkley, including the highly regarded Frittside.

 

“I like to think my work has helped a lot of fishermen,” he said. “The younger generation probably knows me more for the Frittside than they do for anything else — and that’s fine by me. That’s a bait that will literally catch anything that swims.”

 

Fritts said he believes he’s better at designing crankbaits than he’s ever been, and he hopes to keep doing that in some capacity. Likewise, he says fishing will always be part of his life.

 

“Fishing’s been good to me,” he said. “The last 10 years haven’t been great, and the last two have been especially tough. But overall, I’ve been blessed.

 

“The picture for the lock screen on my phone is me and Ray Scott when I won a B.A.S.S. tournament at Buggs Island. Ray did so much for me and promoted all the fishermen the way we needed to be promoted. Dave Mercer is great at it too. I can’t say enough about B.A.S.S. They made my career for sure.”

by AnglersChannel

Fishin' Tip Friday - Montgomery on the Strike King Skip'N Buzz

We got the chance to spend some time in the boat with Andy Montgomery talking about the Strike King Skip'N Buzz he helped design.   The Skip'n Buzz features a 4/0 hook positioned perfectly to not hinder the baits skipping ability while maintaining maximum hook ups. An exclusive additional wire holds the buzz bait frame in perfect out of the package position to withstand the rigors of not only skipping but any fishing condition.  Check out what he has to say about it!

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers field once again stacked with established pros and rising stars

The 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series tournaments will feature some of the biggest names in bass fishing as they fight for one of nine coveted invitations to join the Bassmaster Elite Series.  

Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

November 16, 2023

Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers field once again stacked with established pros and rising stars

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Enthusiasm reached an all-time high for the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens in 2023 as B.A.S.S. unveiled a new “Elite Qualifiers” division that required anglers to fish all nine events across three divisions to qualify for one of nine spots on the Bassmaster Elite Series.

 

That momentum shows no signs of slowing down as more than 150 anglers have already signed up for the EQs in 2024, including, once again, some of the biggest names in professional bass fishing.

 

This all comes on the heels of B.A.S.S. officials announcing increased payouts and widely expanded coverage for 2024.

 

Live coverage from all nine Bassmaster Opens will be streamed on Bassmaster.com, with expanded coverage for the 2024 season on FS1, FS2, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms. Also beginning in 2024, Bassmaster Opens EQ anglers will be competing for a combined Angler of the Year purse of $110,000, which includes an increased first-place cash prize of $45,000. The prize payouts for every tournament will also increase, with the top 45 anglers earning a check. Alongside the new AOY purse, that totals a prize purse of more than $3.1 million over the course of the season.

 

“The field just keeps getting tougher and more impressive for the EQs,” said Chris Bowes, vice president of tournaments for B.A.S.S. “That’s the way it should be for a trail that is the proving ground for the Bassmaster Elite Series. When anglers survive the grind of fishing nine tournaments against this roster, they can feel confident they’re ready for a shot at the top level of professional bass fishing.”

 

Like last year, the field is an incredible mix of established stars and up-and-coming young talent — with both lists growing even longer than before.

 

Among the notables are three current Japanese Elite Series pros, Kyoya Fujita, Kenta Kimura and Masayuki Matsushita. In 2023, Fujita claimed an Elite Series win at Lake Champlain as well as four other Top 10 finishes, while Kimura earned three Top 10s and finished fifth in the Opens EQ points standings.

 

Mississippi pro Cliff Pace, winner of the 2013 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, will join this year’s EQs lineup, along with four-time B.A.S.S. winner Randall Tharp. Other former Elite Series pros in the field will include Darold Gleason, Chad Grigsby, Brett Hite, Charlie Hartley, Mike McClelland, Ish Monroe, James Niggemeyer, Garrett Paquette, Russ Lane, Gary Clouse, Yusuke Miyazaki, Casey Scanlon and Shane Lineberger.

 

Those veteran pros and current Elites, who have an amazing 59 Classic appearances among them, will be joined by talented young anglers like University of Montevallo star Easton Fothergill, who qualified for the 2024 Classic by winning the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, and decorated Auburn University angler and college national champion Tucker Smith.

 

B.A.S.S. Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon, who oversees the Opens trail, says no one should shy away from Opens competition. But he says everyone should enter with their eyes wide open, knowing just how tough this field will be.

 

“Everywhere you look on this roster of anglers you see guys who are capable of winning major events,” Weldon said. “I thought it was tough last year when we drew 173 guys for the first-ever EQ field. But this list may be even more loaded with big-time talent — and with the schedule we have, it’s going to make for some really exciting events.”

 

Other recognizable names in the field include Idaho pro Cody Meyer, a former FLW Tour angler with more than $1.4 million in career earnings, and Alabama pro Joey Nania, who won his second Open at Lake Eufaula, Okla., in 2023 — and qualified for his second Classic — before finishing 18th in the EQ standings, less than 100 points from an Elite berth.

 

“This field is not for the faint of heart,” Weldon said. “Some of the guys who just missed last year — like Keith Tuma, Sam George, Kyle Austin — will no doubt be even hungrier this second time around.”

 

The field is down slightly from last season but loaded with more established names, suggesting many anglers might have decided they need more time to prepare for a shot at fishing all nine events. Those who survived the gauntlet say that could be a wise decision.

 

During the 2023 season, anglers like JT Thompkins — the very first Opens EQ Angler of the Year — expressed just how difficult it was knowing every event could be the one that made the difference between qualifying for the Elites or being forced to make another round through the Opens. But he also said the rigorous Opens format was the perfect preparation for an Elite Series slate that will be even tougher.

 

“I think everyone can see clearly that (the EQ format) was a very good thing because it brought the best out of every angler in the field,” Thompkins said. “I think it’s the best thing that we could have done.

 

“I think this 2024 Elite rookie class will be the best rookie class of all time, and I think that’s all thanks to the format that (B.A.S.S.) put out.”

 

With the schedule still split into three divisions, winners of all Opens will still earn a spot in the 2025 Classic, provided they fish all three events in that division.

 

Registration for both boaters and nonboaters remains open for all 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens tournaments at Bassmaster.com/Opens.

 

The complete Elite Qualifiers field is as follows:

 

Alabama

Matthew Adams, Oxford

Josh Butler, Hayden

Cody Detweiler, Guntersville

Jacopo Gallelli, Horton

Sam George, Athens

Laker Howell, Guntersville

Connor Jacob, Auburn

Logan Johnson, Jasper

Russ Lane, Prattville

Andrew Loberg, Grant

Joey Nania, Cropwell

Tripp Noojin, Bryant

Tucker Smith, White

Trey Swindle, Cleveland

Brady Vernon, Sterrett

Garrett Warren, Hoover

 

Arizona

Tai Au, Glendale

Brett Hite, Phoenix

 

Arkansas

Greg Bohannan, Bentonville

Beau Browning, Hot Springs National Park

Scout Echols, Monticello

 

California

Seiji Kato, Los Alamitos

Ish Monroe, Oakdale

Christian Ostrander, Turlock

 

Colorado

Ty Faber, Pagosa Springs

 

Florida

Bobby Bakewell, Orlando

Tommy Dunaway, Havana

Tim Frederick, Leesburg

Teb Jones, Yalaha

Scott Kerslake, Okeechobee

Chris Kingree, Inverness

Clint Leonard, Saint Cloud

Brandon McMillan, Clewiston

Blake Smith, Lakeland

Mike Surman, Boca Raton

Jackson Swisher, Lake City

Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe

 

Georgia

Allen Armour, Cumming

Elijah Benson, Dawsonville

Tony Dumitras, Winston

Paul Marks, Cumming

Cody Stahl, Barnsville

Emil Wagner, Marietta

Kelvin Wilcox, Hazlehurst

 

Idaho

Cody Meyer, Eagle

Brent Shores, Boise

 

Illinois

Richard Lowitzki, Hampshire

Trevor McKinney, Noble

Ryan Partake, Marseilles

Bart Stanisz, Chicago

 

Indiana

Billy McDonald, Greenwood

John Voyles, Petersburg

 

Iowa

Chancy Walters, West Des Moines

 

Kentucky

Chris Beaudrie, Princeton

Lafe Messer, Warfield

Matt Messer, Warfield

Dalton Smith, Taylorsville

 

Louisiana

Darold Gleason, Many

Alex Heintze, Denham Springs

Alex Murray, Lake Charles

Clark Reehm, Elm Grove

 

Maryland

Brian Mullaney, Ijamsville

 

Michigan

Chris Hellebuyck, White Lake

Garrett Paquette, Canton

Bo Thomas, Edwardsburg

 

Minnesota

Easton Fothergill, Grand Rapids

Chad Grigsby, Maple Grove

Brad Leuthner, Victoria

Jim Moynagh, Shakopee

Nathan Thompson, Eagan

Keith Tuma, Brainerd

 

Mississippi

Keith Brumfield, Vicksburg

Brett Cannon, Kiln

Cliff Pace, Ovett

 

Missouri

Mike McClelland, Blue Eye

Andy Newcomb, Camdenton

Casey Scanlon, Eldon

Trey Schroeder, Theodosia

Joe Wieberg, Freeburg
Zachry Williams, Shell Knob

 

Nebraska

Brock Belik, Orchard

 

Nevada

Cody Steckel, Las Vegas

 

New York

Billy Gilbert, Hamburg

Zach Goutremout, Chaumont

Phillip Kroll, Otego

 

North Carolina

Shane Lineberger, Lincolnton

Brayden Rakes, Winston-Salem

 

Ohio

Charlie Hartley, Grove City

Richard Kaluba, Litchfield

Kyle Weisenburger, Columbus Grove

 

Oklahoma

Austin Cranford, Norman

Kollin Crawford, Broken Bow

Lance Crawford, Broken Bow

Allan Nail, Sand Springs

Matt Pangrac, Shawnee

 

Pennsylvania

Jonathan Dietz, Corry

Derrick Sadlowski, Monaca

 

South Carolina

Sean Anderson, Leesville

Kyle Austin, Ridgeville

Chris Blanchette, Edisto Island

Sean Clayton, Clover

Cole Drummond, Effingham

Derek Lehtonen, Woodruff

Lance Owen, Greer

Jacob Thompkins, Myrtle Beach

Tucker Veronee, Gilbert

Avery Williams, Murrells Inlet

 

Tennessee

Jason Abram, Piney Flats

Miles Burghoff, Dayton

Gary Clouse, Winchester

Sam Hanggi, Knoxville

Jason Lambert, Savannah

Tristan McCormick, Burns

Freddy Palmer, Estill Springs

Kyle Palmer, Winchester

Jimmy Washam, Stantonville

 

Texas

Jason Borofka, Lavon

Paul Browning, Monahans

Caden Cowan, Stephenville

Kevin Dritschler, Prosper

Bryan Finch, Belton

Joey Hanna, Corsicana

Andrew Hargrove, Moody

Andrew Harp, Linden

Scott Isaacs, Ladonia

Dylan Mayo, Athens

Mike Mayo, Athens

Mike Mitchell, Seven Points

Yusuke Miyazaki, Forney

James Niggemeyer, Van

Danny Ramsey, Trinidad

Blake Schroeder, Whitehouse

Jack Tindel III, Orange

Tim Tyndell, Mineola

Andrew Upshaw, Hemphill

Wyatt Wimberley, Broaddus

Jack York, Emory

 

Virginia

Chase Clarke, Virginia Beach

Jack Dice, Lynchburg

Jeremy Radford, Huntly

 

Wisconsin

Andrew Behnke, Fond du Lac

Jacob Bigelow, Cecil

Bailey Bleser, Burlington

Brian Post, Janesville

Adam Rasmussen, Sturgeon Bay

Nick Trim, Galesville

Josh Wiesner, Fond du Lac

 

Canada

Paul Bouvier, Kingston

Evan Kung, Pickering

Danny McGarry, Newcastle

 

Japan

Yui Aoki, Minamitsurugun

Kyoya Fujita, Yamanashi

Kenta Kimura, Hirakata Osaka

Daisuke Kita, Otsu Shiga

Masayuki Matsushita, Tokoname-Aichi

by AnglersChannel

New LEXA Baitcaster Design

DAIWA’s latest technology means longer casts and better leveraged fights with big fish.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (November 16, 2023) – Behold the newest design in big fish freshwater and inshore low-profile baitcasting reels, DAIWA’s brilliantly designed LEXA. Having achieved cult-like status with freshwater and inshore big-fish anglers, the long-casting and palmable low-profile baitcaster has been made even better.

“We’re proud to offer exactly what anglers have been asking for in the LEXA. It features a new level of palmability, reliable and precise UTD carbon drag, MAGFORCE cast control, Infinite Anti-Reverse, and new EVA handle knobs, which are sure to be a hit with the guys chasing big toothy-critters,” says DAIWA Marketing Manager, Marc Mills.

“It’s a great reel choice for anything from saltwater to muskie fishing or any application where you need a larger low-profile reel. We’re seeing a lot of opportunities with this reel in Florida where anglers are throwing big swimbaits and bucktails for snook. We’re also seeing it take off on the West Coast for everything from yellowtail to calico bass; even guys fishing bluefin tuna will want it. Then you’ve got your striped bass markets, where the reel fits perfectly,” adds Mills.

In a nutshell, as of ICAST 2023, the LEXA is available in two additional sizes—the LX300 and LX400. The newly redesigned LEXA is available with a power handle or a double paddle handle.

“We switched to robust EVA knobs for grip and feel, and retained the same aluminum frame and side plate (gear side) design, brass gearing, MAGFORCE Cast Control, Ultimate Tournament Drag (UTD), swept handle with weight-reducing cut-outs, and infinite anti-reverse of its predecessor,” continues Mills.

In terms of construction, the improved LEXA features an aluminum frame and gear-side plate that keeps all the gears in precise alignment. Speaking of gears and alignment, the new LEXA features a unique gear train that utilizes a hardened brass main gear and pinion gear. DAIWA employs the hardened brass to maintain durability when casting and retrieving heavy lures and high drag pressure that takes the brunt of the pressure.

DAIWA’s proven MAGFORCE cast control system is also employed in the new LEXA, allowing the angler to adjust the tension of the spool and castability from the non-handle side of the reel dial with settings that range from zero to twenty. This allows a reduction in backlashes, longer casts in the wind, and better overall control of the reel.

The reel also offers Daiwa’s Ultimate Tournament (UTD) system for a maximum of 25 pounds of drag pressure.

LEXA is available in right- and left-handed versions in two different gear ratios: 6.3:1 and 7.1:1. Both were designed to meet the needs and expectations of saltwater anglers fishing different presentations.

LEXA is the perfect stepping stone in the progression up to a LEXA HD or a LEXA TW. Available in multiple gear ratios—everything from a 5.1:1 to a 7:1.

FEATURES:

  • Aluminum Frame and Sideplate (Gear Side)
  • MAGFORCE Cast Control
  • Ultimate Tournement Carbon Drag (UTD)
  • Swept Handle w/ Weight-Reducing Cut-Outs
  • Infinite Anti-Reverse
  • EVA Handle Knobs

MSRP: $219.99 - $279.99

For freshwater and saltwater anglers seeking their next premium, precision long-casting baitcasting reel, look no further than the LEXA LX 300/400, a reel engineered with advanced technology and constructed of the finest and most durable materials available.

MATCH LEXA TO THE RIGHT ROD

Perfect for just about any inshore species. From snook, speckled trout, tarpon and cobia in the Gulf and Calico Bass on the west coast, Proteus Inshore Rods have all the right actions. Built with high modulus carbon graphite with DAIWA’s exclusive High Volume Fiber (HVF) low-resin design to make them strong and lightweight.

MSRP $189.99

by AnglersChannel

Gamakatsu lands title sponsorship for Bassmaster Elite kickoff at Toledo Bend

November 16, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Gamakatsu, a leading manufacturer and innovator of fishing hooks and terminal tackle, has signed on as the title sponsor for the 2024 season’s first Elite Series event. The 2024 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend will be held February 22-25 in Many, La.

“Gamakatsu is very excited to partner with B.A.S.S as the title sponsor for the first Elite event in 2024 at Toledo Bend,” said Ted Thibault, sales manager at Gamakatsu USA. “Kicking off the season in Texas should be fun for the anglers and the fans at a fishery known to produce big fish.”

A perennial favorite on Bassmaster Magazine’s annual 100 Best Bass Lakes List and one of the country’s oldest, most famous fisheries, Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Texas/Louisiana border has been one of the best big-bass factories in the world for many years, and those genes continue to thrive. When the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series visited Toledo Bend in mid-April, Texas pro Ben Milliken — who would go on to qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series — took the tournament with 77 pounds, 14 ounces — the third-heaviest total in a three-day Opens tournament in B.A.S.S. history.

Gamakatsu has deep relationships within the Elite Series ranks, with a variety of current Elite Series anglers on their pro staff, including four-time B.A.S.S. champion and Texas native Lee Livesay.

“It feels great to start the year off here at Toledo Bend,” said Livesay. “Half in Louisiana and half in Texas, I feel right at home. I loved seeing Gamakatsu as the title sponsor for this event. They are a great company to work with and I look forward to showcasing their variety of world-class fishing products.”

Live coverage of all four days of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend starts Thursday, Feb. 22 on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

by AnglersChannel

High School Fishing on the Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show This Weekend

The Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman’s Warehouse be on Discovery this Saturday morning, at 6:30 am EST.  The crew is at Green Pond Landing on Lake Hartwell for the Strike King Bassmaster High School Championship.  We'll also have features, like the Ranger Boats Under the Lid, additional tournament coverage, and much more.  Here’s a little sneak peek to get you thinking about the weekend!

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing Announces Roster for 2024 Bass Pro Tour

BENTON, Ky. (Nov. 15, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the roster for the 2024 Bass Pro Tour, the sixth season of professional bass fishing’s preeminent tournament circuit. The field of 80 of the world’s top bass-fishing professionals will compete across nine states during the Bass Pro Tour season for a total purse of more than $6.7 million.

The season starts on Jan. 30 at the Bass Pro Tour Stage One at Toledo Bend in Many, Louisiana, and ends in August at the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, where the 2024 Bass Pro Tour Angler of Year will be crowned and 40 berths into REDCREST 2025 on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville will be determined.

“We’re excited to announce the Bass Pro Tour roster for the 2024 season,” said Kathy Fennel, Executive Vice President & General Manager of Major League Fishing. “The Bass Pro Tour represents the highest level of competition our sport has to offer, and nowhere is that more evident than in the field of anglers who will be competing in 2024. It’s going to be an extremely competitive season.”

The 2024 field is led by 2023 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker, as well as two-time Bass Pro Tour AOY Jacob Wheeler and 2019 AOY/REDCREST champion Edwin Evers. Also returning are multi-time MLF winner Ott DeFoe, 2023 REDCREST champion Bryan Thrift, multi-time Bass Pro Tour winner and REDCREST 2021 champion Dustin Connell, and up-and-coming superstars Alton Jones, Jr. and Dakota Ebare. REDCREST 2022 Champion Bobby Lane will also return to the lineup via a Champions Exemption after a one-year hiatus from the Tour. The 2024 field includes 29 anglers who have won either a major-circuit Angler of the Year title or national tour-level championship.

Of the 24 states represented, Alabama, the site of REDCREST 2024 on Lay Lake in Birmingham (March 14-17), leads the way with 13 anglers. Tennessee is home to 10 anglers fishing the Bass Pro Tour, followed by seven pros from Arkansas.

New to the Bass Pro Tour roster for 2024 are 12 rookies who qualified via the 2023 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals: Ron Nelson (Michigan), Matthew Stefan (Wisconsin), Keith Carson (Florida), Martin Villa (Virginia), Grae Buck (Pennsylvania), Nick Hatfield (Tennessee), Marshall Robinson (South Carolina), Drew Gill (Illinois), Colby Schrumpf (Illinois), Jason Vance (Indiana), Justin Cooper (Louisiana), and Joshua Weaver (Georgia).

“Making the jump from the Invitationals to the Bass Pro Tour is one of the most challenging transitions in all of bass fishing,” said MLF Bass Pro Tour Tournament Director Daniel Fennel. “Our 2024 rookies are a very talented group, and they have all had great success as they worked their way through the ranks. I think they’re going to challenge our Bass Pro Tour veterans and provide some stout competition throughout the season.”

Invitations to compete in the MLF Bass Pro Tour are earned by performance in the previous year’s Bass Pro Tour, overall lifetime BPT average and performance in the previous year’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.

The 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour will air on Discovery Channel beginning in July 2024 and Outdoor Channel in early 2025.
For compete details and up-to-date tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Pro Tour updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram, and  YouTube.

The 80 professional anglers that will compete on the 2024 Bass Pro Tour are:

  • Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
  • Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
  • Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
  • Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz.
  • Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
  • Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
  • *Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa.
  • *Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.
  • Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
  • Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
  • Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.
  • *Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
  • Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.
  • Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
  • Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
  • Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
  • Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
  • David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
  • Dakota Ebare, Denham Springs, La.
  • Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
  • James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
  • Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
  • Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
  • Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
  • Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan
  • Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
  • *Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
  • *Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.
  • Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark.
  • Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
  • John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
  • Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
  • Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas
  • Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
  • Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas
  • Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
  • Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
  • Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
  • Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
  • Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
  • Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.
  • Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
  • Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
  • Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
  • Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
  • John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.
  • Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
  • Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
  • *Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich.
  • Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
  • Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
  • Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
  • *Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
  • Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
  • Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
  • Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark.
  • Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark.
  • Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
  • Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala.
  • *Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill.
  • Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
  • Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala.
  • Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
  • Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
  • Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas
  • *Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis.
  • Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
  • Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.
  • Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
  • *Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind.
  • Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
  • *Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va.
  • Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
  • David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
  • Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
  • James Watson, Lampe, Mo.
  • *Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga.
  • Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
  • Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.

* Denotes 2024 Bass Pro Tour Rookie

2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour Schedule:
Jan. 30- Feb. 4                 Stage One at Toledo Bend                                                      Many, La.
Hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country

Feb. 20-25                        Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes                                   Clarendon County, S.C.
Hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce

March 14-17                   REDCREST 2024 at Lay Lake                                                 Birmingham, Ala.
Hosted by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau

April 9-14                         Stage Three at Dale Hollow Lake                                       Byrdstown, Tenn.
Hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce

April 30- May 5              Stage Four at Lake Eufaula                                                    Eufaula, Okla.
Hosted by Vision Eufaula

May 18-23                        General Tire Heavy Hitters at Kissimmee Chain      Kissimmee, Fla.
Hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission

June 4-9                             Stage Five at the Chowan River                                           Edenton, N.C.
Hosted by the Town of Edenton, the Chowan County Tourism Development Authority and Harbor Towns Cruises

June 25-30                       Stage Six at the James River                                                  Richmond, Va.
Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism

Aug. 6-11                          Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River                            Massena, N.Y.
Hosted by the Town of Massena

by AnglersChannel

Jordan Lee makes legendary return to Bassmaster Elite Series

Two-time Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee will be competing on the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2024. 

Photo by B.A.S.S.

November 15, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Former back-to-back Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee is headed back to the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2024. Lee will return to the Elites via a Legend’s spot in the field, which opened when Larry Nixon announced his retirement.

 

In just five seasons competing in major B.A.S.S. events, Lee, of Grant, Ala., amassed more than $1.1 million in earnings through wins in the 2017 and 2018 Bassmaster Classic and dominant performances in both the Elites and the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, notching 21 Top 10s and 36 Top 30 finishes.

 

“It is great to welcome Jordan back home to the Bassmaster stage, where he built such a fantastic career spanning from college to the historic back-to-back Classic victories,” said Lisa Talmadge, tournament director for the Elite Series.

 

The former Auburn University angler, who was an early star in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, is ready to get back to the biggest stage in fishing.

 

“This is really exciting,” Lee said. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of being back on the Elites. I know, from a competition standpoint, there are a lot of young guys on the Elite Series that are young, hungry and eat, sleep and breathe this sport.

 

“When I started my career at B.A.S.S., I didn’t really know what was going to happen, but winning those Classics changed my life. To this day that’s what people know me from. I still have people bring it up and talk about it pretty consistently.”

 

The storied Classic stage is also a big part of the reason Lee felt coming back to B.A.S.S. was the best thing for his career.

 

“The two Classic wins are what most people still remember me for even to this day,” he said. “Those two wins were definitely the highlight of my career. The atmosphere of the Bassmaster Classic is unreal, and I don’t think anyone can argue what the Classic means to the sport of bass fishing and what it can do for an angler’s career.

 

“If I’m able to get back to the Classic, I know it’s going to put a huge smile on my face seeing all the fans, my family and just being back on the big stage. That’s what everyone dreams about, and I’m hoping I can get back there.”

 

Another driving factor that made the five-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier desire a return to B.A.S.S. was the unconditional fan support that he’s felt from Bassmaster fans.

 

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to the B.A.S.S. fans,” said Lee. “I’ve always been appreciative of the fans. Honestly, the fans are what keep you going when things get tough. I don’t take it for granted at all.”

 

Anglers earn one Legends point for each Bassmaster Classic victory and one point for each Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. According to Elite Series rules, up to two Legends qualifiers can be added to the Elite field size per season. When compared with the other anglers who inquired about a Legends exemption, Lee had the most points based on his two Bassmaster Classic titles. No spots are being cut from the 2024 Elite field to make room for Legends qualifiers.

by AnglersChannel

Ranger Boats Under the Lid - Maxing Out Reel Storage with Bryan Thrift

When you're a Run & Gun champion, like Bryan Thrift, having everything you need in arm's reach is critical.  This week Thrift gives us a simple DIY hack he does with every new Ranger Z521 R.  By maxing out his rod straps, Bryan can squeeze a few extra combos on each side and lock them down at a moment's notice to make a move.  When time is money...every second counts!  Check it out!

by AnglersChannel

New Bassmaster College Series trails fill quickly; creates historic level of opportunity for anglers

After the organization implemented a new two-division format for 2024, 500 teams from 78 schools will be able to compete in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

November 14, 2023

New Bassmaster College Series trails fill quickly; creates historic level of opportunity for anglers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — When B.A.S.S. announced a change to the format of their already wildly popular 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops the organization felt that a two-division format — with each team limited to competing in just one division — would open the door for more teams to compete.

After registration saw both College Series divisions fill in record time — the Legends Trail in 21 minutes and the Lunkers Trail in just 17 minutes — a staggering 500 teams from 78 schools are set to compete for the Bassmaster College Team of the Year title and an opportunity to compete in the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s.

“Over the past few years, even with expanding our field size, B.A.S.S. had massive waiting lists of more than 400 teams that wanted to compete in our College Series events,” said Glenn Cale, tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior Series. “We knew that creating this new format and eliminating those waiting lists would open avenues for more teams to compete, but to come out of registration with a 230% increase in individual teams competing, including a handful of schools who haven’t competed in B.A.S.S. events previously, is huge for the long-term growth and health of our sport.”

In 2023, 150 teams competed for the Team of the Year title, which was won by Easton Fothergill and Nick Dumke from the University of Montevallo. Fothergill would go on to claim the College Classic Bracket title and will compete at the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

Over the course of the three-event season, each of the 250 teams competing in the two divisions will be competing against other teams in their division for valuable Team of the Year points. The Top 20 from each division’s TOY standings, as well as the Top 10% of the field from each event, will qualify for the College Series National Championship. Alongside the Top 20 anglers in each division and tournament qualifiers, the National Championship event will also include up to two qualifiers from each state’s B.A.S.S. Nation College circuit.

The Top 3 teams in the overall Bassmaster College Team of the Year standings — regardless of division — and the National Champions will advance to the College Classic Bracket to compete head-to-head in bracket-style competition for a berth in the iconic Bassmaster Classic.

“If registration is any indication, the 2024 Bassmaster College Series season is poised to be the biggest and most intense yet," said Cale. “Young anglers are hungry to compete at the top level and make bass fishing history."

2024 Bassmaster College Series Schedule

Legends Trail

January 26-27, Lake Murray, Lexington, S.C.
April 18-19, Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tenn.
June 6-7, Saginaw Bay, Bay City, Mich.

Lunkers Trail

February 1-2, Clarks Hill Reservoir, Columbia, Ga.
March 7-8, Douglas Lake, Jefferson, Tenn.
May 16-17, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jasper, Texas

by AnglersChannel

New Personalities Announced for the ABT Live Team

Decatur, Ala. (November 14, 2023) – With the Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) set to enter its eleventh season in 2024, the state’s premier weekend tournament trail announces two new personalities to the ABT Live team, bringing even more excitement of tournament action to the next decade. Luke Dunkin will take over as the on the water analyst and will serve as the official emcee of the ABT Tournament Series and ABT 100 series and Darien Craig has been named the ABT television show host and will also serve as an on the water analyst.

 

“I am excited to welcome both Luke and Darien to the ABT team. They are no strangers to the ABT as both have fished with us and filled in on live as we needed them. Both young men are very knowledgeable of the lakes we visit and the overall fishing landscape in Alabama. I think their input will be extremely interesting as well as entertaining to our many fans tuning in each week,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson.

 

Luke Dunkin, host of the Low Budget Live Podcast, will be the official emcee and will serve as an on the water analyst. He will be responsible for engaging the crowd watching the tournament in person as well as those fans watching from home. The new ABT television show host is Darien Craig. In addition to his hosting duties, he will also serve as an on the water analyst, bringing the fans all the action live.

 

Growing up in southern Tennessee, Dunkin got bit by the tournament bass fishing bug at the age of 10. While competing in tournaments with his father across Tennessee and North Alabama, he decided back then he wanted to pursue a career in the bass fishing world. Fast forward 30 years and he has been fortunate enough to turn that childhood dream into a reality. After competing over the years in events like the Bassmaster Opens and the FLW Tour, Dunkin decided to combine his love of fishing and gift of gab to form the Low Budget Live (LBL) podcast. Now in its sixth year, LBL has become one of the top fishing podcasts in the country, with thousands of loyal “Low Lifers” tuning in every week. Dunkin is also a commentator for the National Professional Fishing League’s live coverage. When he isn’t on the water fishing or running his mouth about fishing, he enjoys spending time with his wife Marissa and their five children hunting and playing music.

 

Dunkin stated, “I am absolutely honored to have the opportunity to work with the Alabama Bass Trail. I have had the chance to compete in both the Tournament Series and 100 Series over the years and nobody does it better than Kay, Jon and the rest of the crew. I understand that I have some huge shoes to fill on that stage and on live thanks to the great Robbie Floyd, but I am excited to bring my love of tournament fishing, my respect for the ABT anglers, my personality and my sense of humor to the 2024 season.”

 

Darien Craig, the celebrated 2017 ABT winner at Lake Guntersville, is an experienced angler in the world of bass fishing. Beyond his angling career, he is the entrepreneurial force behind the company he founded, Y'all Sweet Tea. Drawing from a wealth of experience fishing the ABT and providing insightful live show coverage, he is poised to make waves as a member of the ABT team in 2024. His on-the-water proficiency, coupled with authentic relationships among anglers, promises to bring a fresh and compelling perspective to the forefront of the ABT. Darien also finds fulfillment in his roles as a devoted husband to Hannah and a proud father to Canon.

“I am thrilled to announce my collaboration with the ABT for all 11 Tournament Series events plus the 100 Series,” said Craig. “Being on the water live during these events will be an absolute joy, as it combines two of my passions: bass fishing and talking on camera. The 2024 schedule is incredibly promising, with anticipation for some impressive fish bags. Excitement levels soar as I team up with Luke Dunkin for the entire season, bringing a dynamic duo to the coverage. Get ready for an exhilarating season full of big catches and engaging commentary!”

 

In 2024, the ABT will offer four hours of continuous on the water live coverage at each Tournament Series and 100 Series events. The coverage will feature three roaming camera boats on the water and one in the live studio. The live stream can be viewed on the ABT’s Facebook pages and website.

 

“On the water live coverage launched in 2021, delivering to fishing enthusiasts, ABT fans and anglers each more than 70 hours of live coverage from 14 tournaments. Since this time, we have had over 200,000 views from live videos on our social media platforms,” said Donaldson.

 

Fans are encouraged to follow the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series (https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaBassTrail) and Alabama Bass Trail 100 (https://www.facebook.com/albasstrail100) on Facebook and to bookmark www.alabamabasstrail.org to watch the live coverage.

 

The ABT Tournament Series will enter its eleventh season in 2024 as the state’s premier weekend tournament trail for amateur bass anglers with an 11-event schedule offering more than $750,000 in awards. The season gets underway February 10, 2024, on Lake Jordan and concludes Oct. 18-19, 2024, with the championship on Lay Lake.

 

North Division:

February 17, 2024 Pickwick Lake hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism
March 16, 2024 Smith Lake hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County
April 27, 2024 Wheeler Lake hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism
May 18, 2024 Neely Henry Lake hosted by City of Gadsden
June 22, 2024 Lake Guntersville hosted by Marshall County Sports and Tourism

 

South Division:

February 10, 2024 Lake Jordan hosted by the City of Wetumpka and the Elmore County Economic Development
March 9, 2024 Lake Martin hosted by Alexander City Chamber of Commerce
April 13, 2024 Logan Martin Lake hosted by City of Lincoln
May 11, 2024 Alabama River (Cooter's Pond) hosted by City of Prattville
June 15, 2024 Lake Eufaula hosted by Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce

 

Hosted by the Shelby County Commission, the championship tournament will be held October 18-19, 2024, on Lay Lake.

 

Returning for the fourth season, the ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 100. Entry fee for each event is $1,000 and teams must fish in all three tournaments. (No single entries allowed.)

 

Tournament dates and locations for the 2024 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:

January 20, 2024           Logan Martin Lake hosted by the City of Lincoln

June 1, 2024                 Weiss Lake hosted by the City of Leesburg

November 2, 2024         Wheeler hosted by Decatur-Morgan County Tourism

 

For more information on the ABT, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.

by AnglersChannel

Travel Tuesday - Hanna's 10 Tips for Towing a Boat

By Hanna Robbins, Half Past First Cast

As we get closer to retirement, our plans are starting to come into focus, and one of those is to buy a fifth wheel and travel the country in it. That means I’ll tow the “house,” and Hanna will have an SUV to pull the boat. She’s starting to practice so she won’t be nervous when we officially hit the road. If she can pull the Bass Cat through the DC area’s treacherous traffic,

she’ll likely be ready for anything.

by AnglersChannel

Larry Nixon retires from Bassmaster Elite Series

Two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year and 14-time B.A.S.S. champion Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., who returned to the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2023, has announced his retirement. 

Photos by B.A.S.S.

November 14, 2023

larry-nixon.jpgBIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Bassmaster’s first “Million Dollar Man,” Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., is stepping away from the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2024. Nixon decided at the end of the 2023 season that his health would not allow him to compete at his usual high standard.

“The Elite Series grind is more than most people could ever imagine,” said Nixon. “The elements of professional bass fishing are some of the toughest things in all of sports. Over the course of my career I’ve worn out two thumbs, a shoulder, a heart, a knee and an elbow due to competitive repetition.

“My health is OK, but, believe me, everything is just worn out. It’s become really difficult to just do normal things like tie knots and other little things.”

Nixon’s return to the Bassmaster stage in 2023 was much anticipated by the fans of the sport, the anglers and Nixon himself.

“Coming back to B.A.S.S. was one of the highest points of my career,” he said. “Year 46 — or whatever year this is — was absolutely fantastic. The fans at B.A.S.S. are unlike anything else in the sport. It was honestly like I never left.

“The camaraderie, the kids (and) the other Elite competitors all made me smile a lot this year because of the reception I got all year.”

With 14 B.A.S.S. wins and over $1.66 million in career earnings, Nixon cemented his legacy as one of the all-time greats in professional bass fishing.

Nixon’s consistency on the trail has been unmatched. For 12 seasons between 1977 and 1988, Nixon never ranked lower than eighth in the Angler of the Year points standings. For nine consecutive years — 1979-1987 — he was in the Top 5, with AOY titles coming in 1980 and 1982. In addition to winning the 1983 Bassmaster Classic on the Ohio River, the 25-time Classic qualifier finished in the Top 10 an astounding eight times.

In any sport, the athletes who walk away on their own terms are the most fortunate, and they are even more fortunate when they have accomplished as much as Nixon has over his legendary career.

“There is absolutely nothing in this world that I would trade for my career in professional tournament fishing,” said Nixon. “This entire journey — from being in Bassmaster Magazine for exposure, to being on television on TNN, to where the sport is today — has been truly amazing.

“I’ve had the chance to educate fans and anglers across every state in the United States except for one in my time and (have) also been to Japan three times, which is really cool to say.”

While this may be the end of Nixon’s career fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series, he plans to take this time to relax and fish more with friends.

To read more about Nixon’s legendary career, visit Bassmaster.com.

by AnglersChannel

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