Davis fishing Kissimmee 2/28/2007

He told BassFan he's fishing the Southern Opens for two reasons. One, of course, is for a shot at making the Bassmaster Classic. The other reason is just as interesting: As president of the Professional Anglers Association (PAA), he wants to show good will and connect with PAA members there he might not otherwise meet.

In a Tour Insider feature to be published soon, he'll cover both those topics, plus a lot more, like his recent 16th-place finish at the Travis FLW Tour, and the PAA pairings setup for the upcoming Texas Bass Classic.

Brunswick reorg continues 2/28/2007

As a result of the consolidation, the position of Saltwater Group president was eliminated and Michael Myers will leave the company.

McCoy said of the reorganization: "This is another step in fulfilling an imperative we articulated earlier this year – to have a flatter, more cohesive and agile organization. Among these brands and their primary markets, we see many common qualities and characteristics, as well as the opportunity to move forward with common leadership. We also see the opportunity to provide a fuller and more competitive product offering for our dealers."

McCoy added: "We need to do all that we can to operate effectively and profitably. That means constantly reviewing our market positions, our product portfolio and our relationships with our customers. This move further refines and defines our organization, bringing together leading brands and a collective knowledge base. We plan to further harness and leverage our expertise in a more focused and timely fashion as we continue to execute against our core strategies, emphasizing the critical need to: get the product right, get the distribution right, be best-cost in our industries, be global, and attract and retain talent."

> Brunswick also announced that Jay Povlin, currently MerCruiser VP of sales, marketing and product integration, will join the Outboard Boat Group as Bluewater Group president.

The Army winners are... 2/28/2007

Now, for last week's winners:

> Mustang Survival Hydrostatic Inflatable lifejacket MD3183 (valued at $250 each) – Kelley Farris of Corbin, Ky. and Brian Jones of Boones Mill, Va. Congratulations to both. Each will receive one lifejacket courtesy of Mustang Survival and the BassFan Army.

If you haven't signed up, we recommend you get your name in quickly. This week, one lucky member will win a new 70-pound-thrust Minn Kota Edge foot-control trolling motor (valued at $540).

Schwenkbeck's cowl coat 2/28/2007

"I had a comfort level that was unmatched with Amsoil, and they blend their oil up to a performance level, rather than down to a price," he said. "I think they make the best oil made, and based my decision on that."

> No photo is available yet, but we'll post it when we get it.

Next up: Billy Joel 2/28/2007

Classic: One-Knocker 2/27/2007

PRADCO – which owns various brands like Cotton Cordell, XCalibur, Yum and others – is reissuing the old Cordell Spot. Sort of.

You may recall that this bait was made famous by David Fritts and other "old-school" crankers, and came to be called the one-knocker because of the single lead weight it contained. The weight made a knocking sound – unintentionally – which led to the rattling baits craze we still enjoy today.

Even though Cordell still makes the Super Spot, the old one-knocker has never been reissued as a one-knocker – and still hasn't, but it's coming. The 3/4-ounce XCalibur XrK75 One-Knocker will be available sometime this spring or summer in six colors, with an MSRP of $9.99 apiece.

It's a reissue, but it's not the same as the old Spot. It's more like an updated version, notably with a tungsten knocker, which makes it much louder than the original. (Note: The one "rattle" supposedly makes the bait run truer than a multi-rattle bait.)

Several pros had some of these at the Classic, and dozens of the baits were for sale at the Classic outdoor show but were sold out in 4 hours. "A really educated bass fisherman knows what it is," said XCalibur's Bruce Stanton. "We didn't have to advertise it."

He added: "We normally release new baits in June, but wanted our pros to have it this time of year."

Crews Tipped Off 2/27/2007
The latest edition of Tipped Off Radio features Bass Cat pro John Crews, who talks about the best way to set up your new boat. He covers tackle and rod storage, special items for emergencies, and more. To listen, click here.

Duckett does Radio 2/27/2007
Today on BassFan Radio with Terry Brown, 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion Boyd Duckett discusses his gameplan, and the tools he used to win the biggest tournament of his life. To listen, click here.

PAA teams revealed 2/27/2007

PAA executive director Gene Ellison said: "The team format of this tournament is a first on a slot lake, and a natural to showcase the conservation advantages for Lake Fork at its 25th anniversary. We believe the teams will also showcase the talents of the anglers and make the tournament more exciting for spectators. The PAA is pleased to take a leadership role in this tournament."

2007 Texas Bass Classic Teams

(Note: Team members are listed by ranking group, from highest rank (captain) to lowest rank.)

Army caption contest! 2/27/2007

Send us a caption -- G-rated only, please -- and tell us whether you're a Stren or Trilene man (or woman), and you could win some line. We'll pick the one we like best, so make us laugh!

Note: You MUST BE a BassFan Army member to enter this contest. Click here to join -- Lifetime membership is free (seriously).

Email your captions, along with your full name, full mailing address and a daytime phone number to: memberservices@bassfanarmy.com.

Kumar's day 3 report 2/25/2007
What did Jay Kumar find on the last day of the Classic? For a somewhat introspective account of it, click here.

Classic: Consolation prizes 2/25/2007

Naturally they took a little ribbing from the media for being junior champions, but were still good enough sports to pose for a few mock press conference photos like the one at right.

Classic: purple rods 2/25/2007

"It's just a color I think is very appealing," she said. "But it's not just a good-looking rod. It's also a quality rod. I'm using them on tour."

Skeet? 2/25/2007
Don't know if you've been following the leaderboard estimates on Bassmaster.com, but the scuttlebutt going around the arena here is that the top weights will be ridiculously tight. A few people in the know are talking about Skeet Reese. We'll all find out soon.

A Fed. Classic winner? 2/25/2007

For those BassFans in need of some reference on McWilliams, the text below is a republished account of his day 2.

9th: McWilliams a Wildcard

McWilliams is the angler no one's talking about, but should be. He's under the radar in a big way right now, which could be crucial tomorrow, since he won't have as many boats on him.

That alone could be a deciding factor in the event.

With 12-04 today and 27-13 total, he trails VanDam by 5-02.

"I had a limit by 8:30, but my fish just quit," he said. "The bite should have gotten better. We had cloud cover, wind, and everything in the book says that's supposed to help.

"When my fish quit, I tried everything to trigger them. The baitfish are thick against the bank. If you move against the bank, the bait move out and the fish come up. I did that and had a 3 1/2-pounder busting shad. I couldn't make him eat."

He did get a few bites after 8:30, but they didn't help.

He noted: "Yesterday, I left that spot when they were still biting, to save it for today. Today, they left me. Hopefully tomorrow, both of us will hang in there, and I'll come in with a big limit.

"I still think I can win this thing with a couple of big bites," he added. "With the Lord on your side, anything's possible. I'm a Christian, and I believe all things happen for a reason. I'm here for a reason. If He has a win in mind for me, that's the reason I'm here."

Classic Radio 2/25/2007
BassFan Radio host Terry Brown has been walking the floor of the Bassmaster Classic outdoor show with his mic. BassFans can listen to pro Stephen Browning talk about the do-or-die importance of the 2007 Elite Series, and his first bass of 2007. Also check out the interviews with Preston Clark, plus Mark Sexton and Eric Naig of Berkley.

To listen to BassFan Radio, click here.

KVD: Fishing for Dave 2/25/2007

The person he pointed to was his friend David Martin, who'd made a 5th annual trip to watch the Classic. But this year marked a special journey for Martin. The husband and father of three was terribly hurt in a car accident 7 months ago in Kalamazoo, Mich. (VanDam's hometown). Reportedly, the doctors didn't give Martin much hope, and he lay in a coma for 3 weeks. All the while, those in his attendance played fishing-tournament DVDs.

Martin was released from the hospital last fall, but was paralyzed from the neck down. At the time, he vowed to be in Birmingham to see the Classic, and he made it.

About Martin and his recovery, VanDam told ESPN reporters, "This is a family that can tell you what true love is all about. I'd like nothing more than to win this for Dave. It would make it, by far, the most special event of my career."

A letter 2/25/2007
Jay Kumar decided to publish a letter we received about the Gerald Swindle DQ -- sort of. You'll know what we mean when you read it.

WBT: Martin-Wells wins 2/25/2007

"I was the last one to qualify for the Championship, but I told my husband I'd finish 1st. From that point on – after I knew that I qualified – I was on a mission.

"It's indescribable," she said of her feelings. "To have all those people cheering for me, it may be weeks before this sinks in."

On being the first-ever WBT Championship winner, she said: "It's something nobody can ever take away from you. There'll be others, but I'll always be the first."

Details of her winning pattern will be published soon on BassFanArmy.com.

WBT Championship Final Standings

1. Pam Martin-Wells -- Bainbridge, Ga. -- 15, 38-07 -- $60,000
Day 1: 5, 12-06 -- Day 2: 5, 10-09 -- Day 3: 5, 15-08

2. Sheri Glasgow -- Muskogee, Okla. -- 15, 31-05 -- $25,000
Day 1: 5, 8-01 -- Day 2: 5, 10-06 -- Day 3: 5, 12-14

3. Juanita Robinson -- Highlands, Texas -- 15, 28-12 -- $15,000
Day 1: 5, 8-00 -- Day 2: 5, 7-13 -- Day 3: 5, 12-15

4. Tammie Muse -- North Little Rock, Ark 14 -- 25-12 -- $12,500
Day 1: 5, 9-08 -- Day 2: 5, 8-15 -- Day 3: 4, 7-05

5. Linda Sands -- Cullman, Ala. -- 15, 25-05 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 6-10 -- Day 2: 5, 8-13 -- Day 3: 5, 9-14

6. Dianna Clark -- Bumpus Mills, Tenn. -- 10, 21-03 -- $7,500
Day 1: 4, 8-15 -- Day 2: 5, 9-00 -- Day 3: 1, 3-04

7. Cindy Hill -- Smyrna, Tenn. -- 11, 19-06 -- $5,000
Day 1: 4, 7-13 -- Day 2: 4, 7-01 -- Day 3: 3, 4-08

8. Tammy Richardson -- Amity, Ark. -- 9, 18-06 -- $5,000
Day 1: 4, 7-05 -- Day 2: 5, 11-01 -- Day 3: 0, 0-00

9. Lucy Mize -- Ben Lomond, Ark. -- 7, 13-06 -- $5,000
Day 1: 1, 1-00 -- Day 2: 1, 0-14 -- Day 3: 5, 11-08

10. Lisa Sternard -- Clarksville, Tenn. -- 6, 11-02 -- $5,000
Day 1: 1, 1-08 -- Day 2: 2, 3-10 -- Day 3: 3, 6-00

11. Emily Shaffer -- Mt Juliet, Tenn. -- 6, 10-05 -- $5,000
Day 1: 1, 1-05 -- Day 2: 4, 6-12 -- Day 3: 1, 2-04

12. Robin Babb -- Livingston, Texas -- 4, 9-01 -- $5,000
Day 1: 2, 2-10 -- Day 2: 1, 4-01 -- Day 3: 1, 2-06

Classic pic: John Doe? 2/25/2007

Classic pic: warning 2/25/2007

Kumar found stuff 2/24/2007
Jay Kumar's day 2 Classic report is about some of the stuff he found at the outdoor show. To read it, click here.

Laney on Swindle, VanDam 2/24/2007
Today at the Bassmaster Classic, columnist Scot Laney fired off a Laney Opinion just after Gerald Swindle came down off the stage. He also tackles the VanDam factor. To read it, click here.

Classic: Dance vs. Parker 2/24/2007

Some highlights:

> Parker -- "He's so old, he gets all these sympathy votes" (after Scott asked how many people watching were Stren fans).

> Dance -- "He's so sensitive, he needs to be pitied."

> Parker -- "It's tough doing a blooper show (on Dance) because they have 400,000 tapes of bloopers."

> Dance -- "Look here (indicating Parker's shoes). He wears slip-ons because he doesn't know how to tie his shoes. You ought to try Stren (for tying shoes)."

> Parker -- "Trilene's so durable and castable, but that Stren will wad up a lot."

> Dance -- "One day Hank and I were fishing, and he said, 'Can you feel that bottom?' I said, 'Yeah I can feel it. It's just pea gravel. I can feel everything.' He said, 'I can't feel anything,' so I said, 'Here, take my rod.' So I took the well rope and he took the Stren. He pulled (Dance's bait) a little, and said, 'Here's a soft drink bottle.' He pulled it a little more and said, 'It's Coca-Cola!' Everyone knows Stren's the best. You can depend on Stren."

> Parker (to the crowd) -- "Trilene! Trilene!"

Hall ceremony tonight 2/24/2007
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will welcome four new members in a ceremony tonight held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham, Ala. The class of 2007 consists of Basil Bacon, Stan Fagerstrom, Bill Norman and Dee Thomas.

For a profile of each, click here.

Swindle DQd (video) 2/24/2007

Moments ago, BASS tournament director Trip Weldon announced that Gerald Swindle's day-2 weight at the Bassmaster Classic was DQd.

Weldon stated that Swindle was DQd for a violation of BASS Rules 5 and 6. The applicable part of Rule 5 states: " Safe boat conduct must be observed at all times by competitors."

The applicable part of Rule 6 states: " Maximum courtesy must be practiced at all times, especially with regard to boating and angling in the vicinity of non-competitors who may be on tournament waters. Any act of a competitor which reflects unfavorably upon efforts to promote fisheries conservation, clean waters and courtesy, shall be reason for disqualification."

Weldon stated that Swindle was DQd for "unsafe boating."

Earlier today, a BASS photographer phoned Weldon to inform him of the violation. The violation was caught on video, and was reviewed by Weldon, who then "began gathering facts." Weldon also spoke with Swindle.

"He was too close to other boats, on plane," Weldon said. "These boats were around Randy Howell. There were spectator boats, and media boats."

Swindle, Howell, and other competitors – including Tommy Biffle and Skeet Reese – had been fishing a section of the Coosa River on Lay Lake up toward the Logan Martin Dam. The river is notoriously crowded.

Swindle was not immediately available for comment.

BASS officials said a video of the violation will be made public.

Swindle weighed 14-10 on day 1, and was in 9th place – a little more than 5 pounds behind day-1 leader Boyd Duckett. His day-2 weight, prior to the DQ, is not known, but unofficial observer estimates put his weight at 7 pounds.

More details will be posted if and when they become available.

Two oopses 2/24/2007
In the rush around the Classic, we somehow neglected to publish the BassFan World Rankings presented by Tru-Tungsten after the Lake Travis FLW Tour event, and the FLW Tour Angler of the Year standings . Apologies to all. Click on the links to see both, now current.

Classic: Wurm, Brauer report 2/23/2007
Mike Wurm had a good day 1 at the Bassmaster Classic. Denny Brauer's outing was a disaster. For their reports, click here to visit the Team Evinrude page.

Laney, Kumar Classic reports 2/23/2007
Scot Laney doesn't shoot the wounded, but he does make some good points in his day 1 report from the Bassmaster Classic. Click here to read it.

Jay Kumar's day 1 report is about Jerry McKinnis's farewell -- sort of. To read it, click here.

WBT Day 2: Martin-Wells 2/23/2007

"My day went pretty good," Martin-Wells said. "I didn't get any big bites. I ran some of the deals I did yesterday, but I also tried to hit a bunch of different areas so I wouldn't wear my fish out. I just never got a bigger bite today."

Her lead is decent, but not overwhelming, and she's not sure what weight would clinch it tomorrow. Weather is a major factor – winds over 16 mph are in the forecast – which may or may not affect her bite.

"It's an excellent fishery, and there's the possibility of a 17- to 20-pound stringer," she noted. "I won't be comfortable until the weigh-in's over. It could be the same (types of weights) as today, or it could be 15 or 20 pounds. I just want the sun to keep shining so things stay the same."

About what it would mean for her to win the first-ever WBT Championship, she said: "It would be a big step. I've been a professional angler for 21 years. I've won 11 national events, and three Angler of the Years, but this (a championship) title has eluded me. And to win the first Women's Bassmaster Championship – that would be a double-bonus. That would be too cool."

Day 2 Standings

1. Pam Martin-Wells -- Bainbridge, Ga. -- 10, 22-15
Day 1: 5, 12-06 -- Day 2: 5, 10-09

2. Sheri Glasgow -- Muskogee, Okla. -- 10, 18-07
Day 1: 5, 8-01 -- Day 2: 5, 10-06

2. Tammie Muse -- North Little Rock, Ark 10 -- 18-07
Day 1: 5, 9-08 -- Day 2: 5, 8-15

4. Tammy Richardson -- Amity, Ark. -- 9, 18-06
Day 1: 4, 7-05 -- Day 2: 5, 11-01

5. Dianna Clark -- Bumpus Mills, Tenn. -- 9, 17-15
Day 1: 4, 8-15 -- Day 2: 5, 9-00

6. Juanita Robinson -- Highlands, Texas -- 10, 15-13
Day 1: 5, 8-00 -- Day 2: 5, 7-13

7. Linda Sands -- Cullman, Ala. -- 10, 15-07
Day 1: 5, 6-10 -- Day 2: 5, 8-13

8. Cindy Hill -- Smyrna, Tenn. -- 8, 14-14
Day 1: 4, 7-13 -- Day 2: 4, 7-01

9. Emily Shaffer -- Mt Juliet, Tenn. -- 5, 8-01
Day 1: 1, 1-05 -- Day 2: 4, 6-12

10. Robin Babb -- Livingston, Texas -- 3, 6-11
Day 1: 2, 2-10 -- Day 2: 1, 4-01

11. Lisa Sternard -- Clarksville, Tenn. -- 3, 5-02
Day 1: 1, 1-08 -- Day 2: 2, 3-10

12. Lucy Mize -- Ben Lomond, Ark. -- 2, 1-14
Day 1: 1, 1-00 -- Day 2: 1, 0-14

Classic: new spinning 'wave' 2/23/2007

According to Hannon, the patented "wave" design allows the line to skip from peak to peak on each wave. Loops reportedly lie down between the waves and never engage the line during the casts, which increases casting distance by 30%.

The reels cost approximately $139.95 and will be available in April.

Classic: shirt shift 2/23/2007

Classic: Ike and light 2/23/2007

"Light is going to be a major factor," he said. "Whether it's bright or cloudy will really affect the exact location of these fish. As it changes, you'll have to follow them according to light penetration."

Conditions today in Birmingham, Ala. are partly cloudy, but mostly sunny. Tomorrow's forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies, with rain developing by Sunday morning.

About his feeling before launch this morning, he said: "I feel good. I feel more settled than I have at past Classics. Adapting will be key. The bite's in constant flux, but if you can keep up with the fish, you can win the tournament. It's a fish-the-moment tournament all the way, and versatility will be huge."

His strategy for this morning was to get onto one of his banks, then determine the best bait to throw based on conditions. He noted he thinks it'll take at least three baits to win this Classic, maybe more.

> Ike's got a new color scheme this year. Instead of red and black, his shirt is now yellow and black, to reflect Toyota's move to a yellow scheme for its Tundra promotion. It still includes the flame motif.

Classic: fishing superstitions 2/23/2007
No bananas in the boat. No fish on the first cast. Those are just a few of superstitions some of pros adhere to. For more, click here to read the latest Tour Insider feature.

Plano joins Army 2/22/2007
Plano Molding Company has joined the BassFan Army as its newest sponsor. A leader in tackle storage, Plano is providing their popular FlipSider system for the expanded BassFan Army contingency program.

Plano provides products for just about any situation on the water, from utility boxes and hard-box systems to the ever-popular soft-sided Tackle Logic line, and now the FlipSider hybrids. The FlipSider 3258 features four rows of lure storage and includes three Stowaway utility boxes, plus a waterproof box for spinnerbaits.

"Winners of the BassFan Army contingency packages will have a first-class system with the FlipSider to store all of the fun stuff they’ll be receiving," said BassFan VP of membership programs Al Smith.

For more on Plano, click here.

Classic: Fed. Nation qualifiers 2/22/2007
The six BASS Federation Nation anglers in the Bassmaster Classic are fully aware that this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and they're looking forward to matching their skills against the pros. For more on how they're approaching the start of the tournament, click here.

Classic: Martens clips dog 2/22/2007

BassFan asked if he'd also be throwing his new Blakemore Rollin' Runner horsey-head. "No comment," he said, but did add that he might throw a new head he poured a few weeks ago. He wouldn't elaborate further.

Classic: Berkley seminar schedule 2/22/2007
Going to the Bassmaster Classic Outdoor show tomorrow, Saturday or Sunday? Want to get in on some of the free seminars from top pros? There'll be plenty. To help with scheduling, here's a comprehensive look at the seminar and tank-demonstration schedules for the Berkley/Abu Garcia and Stren booths.

Friday, Feb. 23

Berkley/Abu Garcia Seminars
10:30: Luke Clausen
11:30: Dale Sprouse
12:30: Lisa Craig
1:30: Jason Williamson
2:30: Casey Ashley
3:30: Charlie Youngers
4:30: Charlie Youngers
5:30: Dale Sprouse
6:30: Dale Sprouse
7:30: Mark Sexton

Berkley/Abu Garcia Tank Demonstrations
11:00: Brad Campbell
12:00: Brad Campbell
1:00: Preston Clark
2:00: Brad Campbell
3:00: Brad Campbell
4:00: Jimmy Houston
5:00: Brad Campbell
6:00: Brad Campbell
7:00: Brad Campbell

Stren Seminars
11:00: Darren Gallaher
12:00: Jimmy Mize
1:00: Guy Eaker
2:00: Jimmy Mize
3:00: Jimmy Mize
4:00: Matt Mize
5:00: Jimmy Mize
6:00: Darren Gallaher
7:00: Darren Gallaher

Saturday, Feb. 24

Berkley/Abu Garcia Seminars
10:30: Luke Clausen
11:30: Dale Sprouse
12:30: Lisa Craig
1:30: Jimmy Houston
2:30: Mark Sexton
3:30: Jay Yelas
4:30: Mark Sexton
5:30: Dale Sprouse
6:30: Dale Sprouse
7:30: Mark Sexton

Berkley/Abu Garcia Tank Demonstrations
11:00: Hank Parker
12:00: Hank Parker
1:00: Preston Clark
2:00: Casey Ashley/Jason Williamson
3:00: Charlie Youngers
4:00: Charlie Youngers
5:00: Jay Yelas
6:00: Brad Campbell
7:00: Brad Campbell

Stren Seminars
11:00: Bill Dance
12:00: Jimmy Mize
1:00: Guy Eaker
2:00: Darren Gallaher
3:00: Jimmy Mize
4:00: Matt Mize
5:00: Jimmy Mize
6:00: Darren Gallaher
7:00: Darren Gallaher

Sunday, Feb. 24

Berkley/Abu Garcia Seminars
10:30: Luke Clausen
11:30: Dale Sprouse
12:30: Lisa Craig
1:30: Jimmy Houston
2:30: Casey Ashley/Jason Williamson
3:30: Charlie Youngers
4:30: Charlie Youngers
5:30: Dale Sprouse
6:30: Dale Sprouse
7:30: Mark Sexton

Berkley/Abu Garcia Tank Demonstrations
11:00: Hank Parker
12:00: Hank Parker
1:00: Preston Clark
2:00: Jay Yelas
3:00: Lucy Mize
4:00: Lucy Mize
5:00: Brad Campbell
6:00: Darren G.
7:00: Brad Campbell

Stren Seminars
11:00: Darren Gallaher
12:00: Jimmy Mize
1:00: Guy Eaker
2:00: Bill Dance
3:00: Matt Mize
4:00: Jimmy Mize
5:00: Jimmy Mize
6:00: Darren Gallaher
7:00: Darren Gallaher

Classic: Kennedy sick, says flu 2/22/2007

He began throwing up at about 9:00 last night, and continued through 9:00 this morning. As of 2:00 today, he was still weak and queasy, but will go tomorrow no matter what.

About his practice, he noted: "I've got four patterns I can catch fish with. It doesn't seem to matter which one I do – they all contact fish. Some are for limits, some are for better quality fish."

Yesterday, during the final day of practice, he tried to stay away from everything he'd found the week before. He did some flipping, but also caught fish on a swim-jig, jerkbait and crankbait. Three of his bites yesterday were big bites.

"I don't know what I'm going to start with (tomorrow)," he added. "I'm pretty sure I'll start on something I found yesterday, but I don't want to be leading after day 1. I don't even want to be leading after day 2. This is my first Classic, so I don't know what to expect, but from everything I've heard, I know I don't want to be the leader."

Classic: special tackle deals 2/22/2007
BassFans attending the Bassmaster Classic outdoors show in Birmingham, Ala. should note the following show specials on a number of its brands. These specials are good only at the Classic, and here's the scoop:

Spiderwire, Berkley, Abu Garcia Specials
> Buy one box of Spiderwire Stealth or Ultracast line, get a FREE Spiderwire hat and box of Spiderwire EZ line
> Buy any four bags of Powerbait, Get a FREE Powerbait hat and box of Trilene Maxx line
> Buy any three bags of Gulp!, get a FREE Gulp! hat and box of Trilene Maxx Line
> Buy any 2 boxes of Trilene or Vanish line, get a FREE Trilene hat and package of Gulp!
> Buy one box of FireLine, get a FREE hat and Berkley Blade Dancer lure
> Buy any Abu Garcia reel or Berkley or Fenwick rod over $49.95, get a FREE Abu Garcia hat and a package of Powerbait
> Buy an Abu Garcia Revo reel and get a FREE Fenwick Venture rod

Stren Special
> Buy two boxes of Stren, get a FREE Stren hat

The offers are good on products purchased at the Berkley, Spiderwire, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, Stren, Bass Pro Shops, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Mark's Outdoors show booths. Spiderwire, Berkley and Abu Garcia free merchandise may be claimed at the Berkley booth. The free Stren merchandise may be redeemed at the Stren booth.

Classic: induction ceremony 2/22/2007
Last night (Wednesday) in Birmingham, Ala. the 108 anglers fishing the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series, plus their spouses and other guests, attended a jacket-required induction ceremony that was pretty darn cool.

Food included jumbo shrimp, fried oysters, Cajun sausage, steak and fresh fish, plus deserts.

ESPN talent Kenny Mayne was master of ceremonies and was downright hilarious in his typically dry, under-delivered style. He knows zilch about fishing, but didn't hide it. Anybody else would have stubbed his toe on the fishing humor, but Mayne pulled it off beautifully. Especially funny was his continual thanks to different sponsors, and his imitation of Ike's breakdance moves.

Triton president Earl Bentz took a moment onstage to ask for prayers for the family of Mercury's Kevin Luebke, whose young son is stricken with cancer. Luebke's young daughter will soon donate bone marrow to help her younger brother.

Ike gave a passion-rich acceptance speech for his 2006 BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) award that chronicled his struggles through fishing, and the fact that he almost gave it all up in 2003. He was straight-up with the crowd, and said that some may not like him, some may think he's the worst thing that ever happened to fishing, but he was here for one reason only, and that's because he lives for the sport.

He also revisited his Classic meltdown from last year, apologized again, and said it was a critical moment that led to a re-examination of himself as a person and angler. "It happened for a reason," he said, and his recovery from the incident gave him more focus and allowed him to win AOY. He was given a standing ovation.

New BASS VP and GM Tom Ricks also gave a short speech, noting the challenges that lie ahead for BASS, and how happy he is to be leading the company through them.

Each Elite Series pro also received an induction plaque with their photo.

More jigs and docks 2/22/2007
Like winner Aaron Hastings, the anglers who finished in 2nd- through 5th-place at the recent Travis FLW Tour worked patterns centered around boat docks, and caught their fish primarily on jigs. For specific pattern info from Bryan Thrift, Craig Dowling, Clark Wendlandt and Ron Shuffield, click here.

Quinn's mammoth wagon 2/21/2007

Watch for a further update after the BassFan staff puts its hands on the rig at this week's Bassmaster Classic. BassFans will also be able to see the rig at the Classic, so stay tuned for more details.

Reese on Classic: decision time 2/21/2007

He said: "Is it going to be won with largemouths or spots? Is it going to be won up the river, or at the bottom end? We won't know until the tournament gets rolling. Are the spots here big enough to win? Absolutely. Are the largemouths big enough to win? Absolutely. It all just depends on how soon these fish react to the warm weather. If there's enough time with the warming trends, largemouths will be more of a factor. If there's not enough time to get the water temperature up, then spots will probably be the bigger factor."

So based on his practice, where does he shake out? "I'm either screwed, or I'm going to do well. I spent 1 day of practice doing one thing, and if that doesn't work (today), I'll have to go to plan B. I have nothing strong in either (plan). I don't have any areas, and I've got nothing dialed in. I might have a great tournament, or I might have a horrible tournament, which is very possible."

He added that he'll decide at launch this morning whether to go up-lake or down-lake. Then, tonight, he'll make his overall decision on where to start when competition begins on Friday.

Toyota = BASS AOY 2/20/2007
Toyota's arms keep opening wider and wider around the sport of pro fishing. Many had speculated the automotive company might become the new title sponsor of BASS. That hasn't happened (yet), but BASS did announce today that Toyota has stepped up to title sponsor its Angler of the Year (AOY) program. Toyota filled the vacancy created when former AOY sponsor Citgo parted ways with BASS.

A press release noted that the official title of the 2007 award will be the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Toyota also title sponsors the Women's Bassmaster Tour AOY program.

Toyota corporate manager of marketing communications Kim McCullough said: "With the launch of our all-new Tundra, we're truly excited to increase our commitment to BASS. We love interacting with fans with our onsite activities and enjoy helping move the sport of professional bass fishing forward."

BASS senior director of sales and sponsorship Michael Cassidy said: "We're excited to have Toyota sponsor a premier program such as the AOY. We applaud the vision of Toyota in recognizing the significance of the award and the brand-loyal BASS members."

> Toyota also sponsors BASS's Rookie of the Year and Moving Forward (most improved) awards.

> The 2007 AOY program will award Bassmaster Elite Series pros with a total $600,000.

Brauer melting 2/20/2007

"I'm starting to feel like I'm thawing out, finally," he said. "It was pretty brutal last week. Of course, we have the clothes nowadays to make it more tolerable, but the second day of practice was especially nasty. We had wind advisories, snow, sleet, freezing drizzle, ice freezing in the guides. It was a little bit more challenging than an average practice."

While some anglers will focus on spotted bass, he's hoping the warm weather brings the largemouths up. He's one of the best flippers, if not the best, in the sport, so a bite like that would suit his strengths. But if that happens, he won't have much from practice to go on. And he hasn't ruled out a spot-based bite, either.

"You need some stable weather to move the largemouths in," he noted. "That cold front (last week) kind of devastated that. I spent some of my time hunting for spotted bass for a little backup deal. It wasn't the ideal scenario, as far as practice, but you never know – a lot could change."

And it looks like things are changing, which gives him another day to search for largemouths. That occurs tomorrow (Wednesday) – the final day of Classic practice.

"I'll probably just go looking – that's generally what I do on the last (practice) day," he said. "I don't know what you really accomplish by checking (previous areas), unless you have so many areas that you can't get through them in a day. I'll just try to use that last practice day to expand what I've got, and try to find something more for the tournament. But I don't think you need to totally focus on largemouths (to win). Lay has a lot of big spotted bass. I'm more comfortable with largemouths, but maybe I'll have a better opportunity to catch some big spots."

KVD's way 2/20/2007

"One of the biggest keys to my success is the preparation I do. It's about having confidence. Whether I'm trimming a spinnerbait skirt or changing hooks on crankbaits, changing line, oiling reels or whatever, when I'm doing all these things I think are important, the key is thinking about what I'm going to do with them. I'm thinking about different things I want to try – different areas. It's a time to mentally prepare myself.

"Even on the drive to a lake, I do a lot of that mental visualization. I'm not going on the Internet searching out what happened at tournaments or calling people at tackle stores. I just have to do things my own way."

Here's betting a lot of people would like to do things KVD's way.

Classic TV: big change 2/19/2007
BASS just released the TV schedule for this week's Bassmaster Classic, and more than a few BassFans will likely be disappointed – especially those with kids. First, here's a look at the schedule. All times noted are Eastern, and shows air on ESPN2.

Saturday (Feb. 24)
7:00-8:30 a.m. - Bassmaster Classic Day 1
8:30-10:00 a.m. - Live from Birmingham
10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. - Bassmaster Classic Day 2

Sunday (Feb. 25)
6:30-8:30 a.m. - Bassmaster Classic Day 2
8:30–10:00 a.m. - Live from Birmingham
10:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m. - Bassmaster Classic Day 3

Overall, viewing hours are 2 hours less this year (likely because BassCenter is no longer on the air), but note that the day-2 and day-3 weigh-ins will air beginning at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, as opposed to the last year, when they aired throughout the dinner hours. Also notable is the tape-delay broadcast of the day-1 weigh-in the following morning, and that the final weigh-in airs only on ESPN2 (not ESPN, as was the case last year).

In case BassFans are wondering which programs will air during the dinner hours on Saturday and Sunday, instead of the Classic, selections include college basketball and motorports on Saturday, then indoor track and field, women's college basketball, World's Strongest Man, motorsports and SportsCenter on Sunday.

Classic daffodils 2/19/2007
So far, all the talk at Lay Lake after the official Bassmaster Classic practice has been about water temperature. Conditions were miserable and cold last week, and Lay's big largemouths were a no-show. But the promise of warm weather this week loomed like a carrot in front of an apple cart for those wanting to fish shallow. The good news for them is daffodils bloomed today in Birmingham, and it looks like the promised warmup has arrived. The bad news is they'll have 1 short day of practice on Wednesday, if that, to put together a largemouth pattern. In all likelihood, many will simply start over on Friday, since the largemouth bite will still be in a state of evolution.

According to OutdoorsFanWeather.com, daytime temperatures today in Birmingham are 60 degrees, but by Wednesday they'll reach 65 and Thursday's daytime temps should push 70. Also crucial is the nighttime temperature, which should stay around 50 degrees the rest of the week. Likewise, precipitation in the forecast could warm the lake too.

If it all comes together, everyone might as well toss their practice in the trash. That'll place a premium on instinct and quick decision-making. It'll maybe throw even more advantage to locals, too, who already know where and what the largemouths do at the first sign of the big spring warmup.

Jr. Classic results 2/19/2007

With the win, each angler took home a fully rigged bass boat and $5,000 in scholarship money. A Walt Disney World experience will also be provided to the champions.

Anglers competed in two age divisions: 11–14 and 15–18. Two anglers, one from each division, fished from the same boat in the company of a Bassmaster Classic competitor. All earned the right to compete in the championship by fishing events at the local and regional levels.

Toplis, who traveled to Alabama from Capetown, South Africa, boated two bass by working a green-pumpkin jig. It was his first time fishing with the lure. The near-freezing temperatures were a shock to his fishing style, but the 14-year-old managed to capitalize on two bites to weigh 7-04. "You have to fish a little slower in the States," he said. "And with the way the weather was today, I don't think we would've even gone fishing in South Africa. But I sure am glad we went out today."

Tippett, from Hanson, Ky., boxed three fish for 7-08. He caught two on a spoon and one on a jerkbait. "It's awesome to be here, much less to win it," he said. "I've been fishing since I learned to walk, and this is a huge accomplishment for me." He added that he hopes to one day be a pro angler.

Dyer not discouraged 2/19/2007

"I'm not going to beat myself up too bad," he said. "I missed a couple of bites (on day 1) that would have given me a limit, and I had a 4-pounder (on day 2) that came off. If I'd caught those, I'd have been in pretty good shape.

"I'm just learning more and more as I go on and I'm gaining more confidence. I just want to try to keep improving."

The frigid temperatures of the first 2 days and the violent winds of day 2 combined to negate the gameplans he'd formulated in practice.

"I had three or four places where I thought I could catch a limit, but the water had cooled off on me a lot and the wind muddied some of them up. I tried to make adjustments – I ran 30 miles upriver, but that water was trashed.

"I came back to my two best areas on the main lake and the fish were there, but they were suspended. That 4-pounder was the only bite I got all day, and even that one doesn't help if you don't put it in the boat."

The tournament was his first in his new Evinrude-powered Ranger. "I owe a big thanks to D and D Marine in Lawrenceburg, Tenn."

Join the new Army! 2/19/2007
The new BassFan Army is here. Ready? Here are a few highlights:
> More trails than ever can qualify anglers to the Weekend Warrior Championship.
> FREE lifetime membership.
> 30-plus sponsors and counting.
> More giveaways of, and contests for, "free stuff" than available anywhere else.

If you're ready to join -- it's free and you only do it once for life -- sign up here.

For Al Smith's welcome message, where he discusses the new BassFan Army programs, click here to read it on the new BassFanArmy.com.

Yeah!

Terminator (Rapala) cuts Reese – updated 2/16/2007

For 10 years, Skeet Reese has been the face of Terminator Lures, but that all changed this afternoon when he received word from Rapala – which had recently agreed to purchase Terminator – that his contract would not be renewed. He said the news was a surprise, because he expected to continue with the Terminator brand after Rapala's acquisition.

"Rapala's no longer supporting and working with me in regards to Terminator," he said. "I was a little surprised to find out today. They said they had to tighten up their budget. After 10 years of working with the Terminator brand, I'm sad about it. I felt like the people at Terminator, along with myself and Jimmy Houston (the other pro originally associated with the brand) had done a good job of growing together. We've been pretty instrumental in the growth of the brand, so it's sad to part ways.

"It's a brand I believe in, and it's the first time I've ever lost a sponsor," he added. "It feels weird. I've lost sponsors by my own choice, but this is definitely the first time I've ever been let go from a deal."

BassFan spoke with Reese after close of business, and Rapala could not yet be reached for comment. Reese noted that Jimmy Houston and Rob Kilby are still with Terminator. BassFan confirmed with Brent Chapman that he will continue to represent the Terminator brand this season as well.

Rapala director of field promotions Mark Fisher told BassFan that the decision was financial in nature, and had nothing to do with Reese's relationship with Lucky Craft. "When things like this happen in this industry, it has nothing to do with the angler – his skills or promotional value," Fisher noted. "It simply comes down to dollars and cents and budgets. With the acquisition of the company, the budget only went far enough to keep two guys." (Houston's contract was already in place at the time of acquisition. Kilby and Chapman were extended. – Ed.)

Reese's situation is problematic for a few reasons. First, most of the current Terminator packaging features Reese's likeness. That will likely continue as stores sell through existing product, even though he's no longer associated with the brand.

His current wrap is Lucky Craft, so he won't need to make any changes there. It's not known whether his association with Lucky Craft, a major competitor of Rapala, factored into the decision.

One other notable item: He's been using Terminator spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and jigs for so long, he's not really sure what else is in the market that he'd like to be associated with. "Am I a free agent now? Absolutely. Will I look at (other bait-sponsor) possibilities if they come my way? Absolutely. But I'll take my time. I won't rush anything. To tell you the truth, I haven't fished any other brand of spinnerbaits or jigs in I don't know how long, so I don't really know what's out there that I'll be happy with."

More butter on AOY bread 2/16/2007
Land O'Lakes has been title sponsor of the FLW Tour Angler of the Year award (AOY) since 1997, but FLW Outdoors today announced that the butter company will also title-sponsor AOY awards for other trails, including both FLW Series divisions, the Walleye Tour, the Kingfish Tour, and both Redfish Series divisions.

Criteria for all AOY awards in those trails will mirror the current FLW AOY format, where the angler or team that accumulates the most points through the regular season wins AOY.

Additional elements include specialized Land O'Lakes lifejackets for current leaders to wear during competition, and a Land O'Lakes weigh-in bag for leaders to use at the scales.

Thea Keamy, Land O'Lakes VP of retail cheese, said: "Land O'Lakes is excited about expanding the AOY award to all the top tournament trails within the Wal-Mart FLW family. The additional awards are a great opportunity to recognize all the exceptional performers throughout the different tour circuits, as well as spread the exposure of the land O'Lakes brand name. This expansion of the award commemorates our first 10 years with the Wal-Mart FLW Tour and the AOY program."

FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans said: "For the past decade, Land O'Lakes AOY has been awarded to the best angler over the course of a full season. This truly is the highest honor we bestow in our sport. Rather than rewarding individual events, it evaluates the consistency of a competitor over a large body of work."

Built for the Classic 2/16/2007

Berkley did exactly the same thing for next week's Lay Lake Classic, and here's the scoop. The four new "Classic" baits from Berkley and its pro staff, available now, are the 4.75-inch Gulp! Slim Shaky worm, the Chigger Craw, 5-inch Fat Dover Crawler, and Wacky Crawler. Here's the dope on each.

> Gulp! Slim Shaky worm – Gulp! generally works better when fished slow, which is the idea behind this shakey bait. It's geared for clear water when a lighter jig's required and fish can only be caught on the "inhale."

> Powerbait Chigger Craw – This new Powerbait was made with input from Mike Iaconelli, Skeet Reese and Kevin Wirth. It measures 4 inches and is perfect as a trailer, but it can also be fished weightless or on a Texas-rig. The fluttering action of the legs is especially notable.

> Powerbait Fat Dover Crawler – It's sort of like a Senko, sort of like a worm – almost a throwback of sorts to vintage plastic earthworms. Made to fool pressured fish.

> Powerbait Wacky Crawler – When the fish have seen every worm coming straight through the water, it might be time to go wacky, which is where this bait comes in. Good along bottom, over structure, and along nothing banks.

Classic no-info rule 2/16/2007
Traditionally, competitors at the Bassmaster Classic are barred from receiving local help within 30 days of the start of the official practice period (per BASS Rule 3). However, as previously noted on BassFan, that rule was changed for this Classic and competitors were allowed to receive local information up until midnight Monday (official practice began Tuesday).

BassFan did receive a clarification from BASS on why the rule was changed this year. It boils down to the BASS Federation Nation National Championship and Weekend Series Championship, which in total qualified seven anglers for the Classic within the traditional 30-days no-info period. BASS wanted to ensure that the rules were equal to all competitors, so it lifted the 30-day no-info rule. Whether any competitors took advantage of the freedom to collect local information isn't known.

Women behind the men 2/15/2007
Vicious Fishing will introduce the Vassarette brand of women's undergarments to the fishing industry next week at the Bassmaster Classic outdoor expo. And check this out: Vassarette will sponsor the wives of Jason Quinn, Gerald Swindle and Jeff Reynolds, and the girlfriend of Russ Lane, in the "Vassarette: Supporting the Women Behind the Men" promotion. The ladies will be around to sign autographs throughout the Classic weekend.

Vicious has also teamed up with Vassarette to offer a "Classic Only" sweepstakes, which will award a fishing trip with one of the Vicious pros and a $250 gift card for Vassarette products.

KVD = Toyota 2/15/2007

His deal comes in at the associate level with Toyota Motor Sales USA. He'll tow with the new Tundra Double Cab (see mockup image to right).

Toyota senior engagement manager Kim Kyaw said: "Kevin's consistent performance on the water lends tremendous credibility to our new Tundra, but equally important is Kevin's longstanding relationship with Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Marine. With the Tundra being the official truck for both respected brands, the synergy worked perfectly for everyone involved."

VanDam said of the deal: "Toyota's quality is an enormous part of why my wife Sherri and I have owned three Toyota vehicles over the years. Let's face it, professional anglers are extremely dependent on the quality of their boats and tow vehicles. If they don't run, we don't fish and when we don't fish, we don't get paid. I'm excited about the support Toyota has shown professional bass fishing in general, and this new full-sized Tundra will give anglers more reason to support Toyota."

'Rude wins 2-stroke too 2/15/2007

Mike Kennedy, VP of North American outboard engine sales at BRP, accepted the award. "This award is very significant for Evinrude and right in line with results of our own consumer surveys conducted in the fall," he said.

Roch Lambert, VP and GM of outboard marine engines at BRP, said: "With only 4 years in the marketplace, Evinrude E-Tec has reached the top of the customer-satisfaction ranking faster than any outboard engine ever has."

Also notable is that Evinrude is the most improved two-stroke direct-injection product in its category. It increased 24 index points since last year, and gained a total of 46 index points in the past 2 years combined.

"Receiving this award demonstrates that our message about Evinrude E-Tec benefits has been heard among a growing segment of consumers looking to spend more time on the water," Lambert added.

In other Evinrude news, the company today announced a new series of props, and remote controls for the E-Tec. The addition of new propellers and enhancements to existing propellers include polished stainless steel for improved durability and longevity.

The new Rogue four-blade prop, available in five pitch sizes, is said to improve acceleration and
rough-water handling in the 40- through 115-hp E-Tecs. It's geared mainly toward flats boats. The Cyclone, Rebel and Viper props lines have all been expanded to include more pitch sizes in 1-inch increments.

A team of 10 2/15/2007
Ten members of Team Evinrude are fishing today's Travis FLW Tour: Anthony Gagliardi, Carl Svebek III, Dan Morehead, David Walker, Dion Hibdon, George Cochran, Guido Hibdon, Larry Nixon, Pete Gluszek, and Scott Martin. For some pre-tournament notes on each – which include what they're fishing for, and how the might fare – click here to visit the Team Evinrude page.

Merc gets J.D. Power engine award 2/15/2007
While Bass Cat Boats this morning received the J.D. Power and Associates customer-satisfaction award for bass boats (see Dock Talk item further below), Mercury's OptiMax tied the Evinrude E-Tec for the coveted J.D. Power Highest In Customer Satisfaction Two-Stroke Outboards award. Its MerCruiser won as well in the sterndrive category. This was the second consecutive year both engines won their respective categories.

The awards were presented today to Mercury president Patrick Mackey, Mercury Outboard president Mark Schwabero, and Mercury MerCruiser president Kevin Grodzki at the Miami International Boat Show.

Mackey said: "Being recognized 2 years in a row for both our outboard and sterndrive businesses demonstrates that Mercury Marine is truly No. 1 on the water. This achievement clearly shows that the hard work of Mercury's people over the last few years has truly paid off. The quality and reliability we've built into every engine delivers the best customer experience in the marine industry."

Yelas now up 2/15/2007
Due to a technical glitch, Jay Yelas' practice report from the Travis FLW Tour didn't go live until a few moments ago. For the scoop on his practice, and how he'll tackle the numbers vs. size issue, click here to go On Tour With The BassFan Big Sticks.

J.D. Power: Bass Cat repeats 2/15/2007

Bass Cat founder Ron Pierce, after he accepted the award, thanked the individual associates in Mountain Home, Ark. (site of the Bass Cat factory), and said the award is a tribute to them. He also thanked the Bass Cat vendors, who have "remained concerned about the quality of their products."

Current Bass Cat head cheese Rick Pierce thanked the "Bass Cat Family members" who've given tremendous support to each individual who owns a Bass Cat boat, and emphasized his appreciation of the Bass Cat dealers. "It's not those happy ones that make you better – they make it easier," he said. "It's those who are upset that make you dig in and do better. It's an honor to even be considered here among industry giants as a small Arkansas bass boat builder."

Ranger relaxes regs 2/15/2007
In response to requests from Ranger owners nationwide, Ranger Boats has opted to open its Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series events to all anglers. The move will accommodate Ranger owners wishing to fish the team-format events with friends and family members who are not Ranger owners.

The original rules for the series, which will qualify eight anglers to compete in the Forrest Wood Cup, stated that both teammates had to be Ranger owners. This limited anglers in their choices of partners. The revised rules require only team boaters to be registered Ranger owners.

Teams must compete out of a Ranger boat, however, and cannot wear any other boat manufacturer’s apparel during competition or weigh-ins.

Boaters now may also substitute partners in the case of schedule conflicts as long as FLW Outdoors is advised of the substitution prior to each tournament’s registration meeting.

Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C., will host the first series event April 13-14, and Table Rock Lake in Kimberling City, Mo., will host the second tournament May 11-12. The entry fee is $200 per team, per event.

Teams can register by calling FLW Outdoors at (270) 252-1000. Anglers who have fished the FLW Tour, FLW Series, Bassmaster Elite Series or Bassmaster Classic as a pro in 2006 or 2007 are ineligible.

Each tournament offers a payback through 100th place and a top prize of a $10,000 Ranger purchase certificate, plus a berth in the Forrest Wood Cup. Second-place finishers receive a $7,500 purchase certificate and a Cup berth. In both cases, the team boater will advance to the Cup as a pro, and the boater’s partner will advance as a co-angler.

Ranger will cover all travel expenses for both qualifiers to compete in the Cup and will supply all qualifiers with apparel to be worn during the event.

Ranger-Rapala alliance 2/14/2007
Ranger Boats and Rapala announced today that they have formed a strategic marketing alliance and will cross-promote their products throughout the U.S. and Canada. Although terms of the partnership are still being finalized, it likely will include consumer-incentive programs in which buyers of a new Ranger could receive complete Rapala fishing packages (rods, reels, line, lures and tools).

Other possibilities include in-store promotions, joint advertising, tournament sponsorships, licensing agreements and other arrangements.

“We are excited about partnering with Rapala, the best-known name in fishing,” said Ranger president Randy Hopper. “This partnership will benefit both brands, and we look forward to leveraging the many opportunities it presents.”

Tom Mackin, president of Normark Corporation (Rapala's U.S. marketing and distribution arm), said: “People who know fishing know Ranger Boats. Working together, we can focus our strengths on a customer we both understand very well — people who love to fish.”

For more about Ranger, click here. For more on Rapala, click here.

Classic snow?! 2/14/2007
Snow in Alabama? Yep. The Bassmaster Classic field arose this morning to snow in the air, and launched into brutal boating conditions. Steve Kennedy, for one, donned a pair of SealSkinz gloves his aunt had given him for Christmas.

Call it a massive cold front, because temperatures dropped from the 60s yesterday to 29 degrees this morning. The front pushed a violent weather pattern in front of it yesterday, complete with lightning, rain and tornadoes.

And the National Weather Service today issued a lake-wind advisory for the Birmingham area, which stated: " Lake wind advisory in effect until 6:00 p.m. CST this afternoon. Northerly winds will be sustained between 10 and 20 mph, with wind gusts of 25 to 30 mph expected on open waterways. A lake wind advisory indicates that winds will cause rough chop on area lakes. Small boats will be especially prone to capsizing."

All of which brings up an interesting dynamic, because anglers will have practiced for 3 days in what can only be considered extreme conditions, but next week – about the time competition begins – the weather is supposed to settle out and warm significantly. What that will do to the patterns and fish the field finds during these 3 days is anyone's guess.

Watch for more updates from Classic practice this afternoon.

New boat, same wrap 2/14/2007
Veteran Bassmaster Elite Series angler Lee Bailey Jr. will be fishing out of a different boat this year, but it'll have the same wrap. Foxwoods Resort and Casino will be his primary sponsor for the 11th consecutive year.

Bailey was one of several anglers who found himself without a boat deal when Stratos underwent its restructuring. He's since inked a contract with Legend.

He'll also continue his relationship with Fabco Equipment Company of Albertville, Ala, near his new hometown of Boaz.

"Without those two sponsors, I'd have a very difficult time trying to compete this season," he said.

Classic practice update 2/13/2007
An official 3-day practice began today (Tuesday) for next week's Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake near Birmingham, Ala. Although anglers will have a short practice day next Wednesday, these 3 days are the most critical, since next week, most will just be checking up on fish they've already found.

Overall, reports say the water's a good color and the bite's pretty strong, but off a little due to rough weather today in the form of rain, some lightning, and even reported tornados in parts of Alabama. It was warm, but a serious cold front is hitting Birmingham right now, and temperatures will dip into the 30s tomorrow, with nighttime lows in the 20s. A warming trend is in the forecast for competition, when daytime highs should reach back into the 60s, but that's more than a week away, and a lot can happen between now and then.

The anglers BassFan spoke with basically searched as much of the lake as they could, and didn't notice a particular concentration of boats in any one arm or creek.

One notable item is a rules change for this Classic. Traditionally, competitors were not allowed to get local information within 30 days of the start of official practice. However, the off-limits for local information didn't take effect until midnight last night (Monday). Why the change was made isn't known at this time, but it might have something to do with the recent ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series, which was held at Logan Martin (adjacent to Lay). BassFan will ask BASS for a clarification.

As for the specifics about the lake, and the bite, watch for an extended practice report sometime tomorrow on BassFan.

Strike King signs Niggemeyer 2/13/2007

He was previously with Strike King at the regional level, but is now a national representative. To date, his resume includes a win at last year's Santee Cooper Bassmaster Southern Tour, and in 2005, he won both a Bassmaster Weekend Series and BFL Regional.

Strike King pro-staff director Chris Brown said: "We were all very impressed with James and recognize his fishing and promotional ability. We're very excited to welcome him to our national staff, and wish he and all of our anglers much luck in the coming tournament season."

Evers: 'Home on the Go' 2/13/2007

The Zephyr's 45 feet long and houses Evers' Nitro and just about every piece of tackle he owns. Also note the slick Optima Batteries sponsor graphics.

"To tell you the truth, I believed in the utility of this truck and trailer so much, that I sort of jumped off the deep end and bought the truck before Optima graciously agreed to be the primary sponsor," he said. "I asked the guys at Dynamic Sponsorships here in Oklahoma for help in designing the graphics package to make sure Optima got their money's worth. But they didn't just create a cool wrap – they made sure there was synergy between my truck, trailer, and boat, and all of my sponsors, when they designed the graphics package. I've had so much on my plate leading up to this Classic, I couldn't have pulled it off without their help."

The Freightliner Custom Chassis houses a 330 Mercedes diesel (read: mule), and the cab has a drop-down TV and fold-down sleeper.

"What I like most about the trailer is the ability to store and organize tackle and keep it secure," he added. "I've always camped, as opposed to staying in hotels, but a conventional RV isn't built for the life of a pro angler. This rig definitely is. It has two 24-foot-long cabinets that I've already filled with tackle-storage trays, line and extra rods. It's going to be so awesome to be able to back the boat in at the end of the day and have every piece of tackle I own at arm's reach. Plus, the ability to work and organize equipment for the next day in a dry and heated/air-conditioned environment simply adds to your overall performance on the water."

When Evers needs to launch his boat, he'll simply detach the Freightliner and use that. BassFans will be able to get a close-up look at the new rig at many of this year's Bassmaster Elite Series events.

Look out! It's the Sworm! 2/13/2007
As previously noted, today's Sworming Hornet day on BassFan, so get ready to learn a heck of a lot about this up-and-coming company, and its red-hot Fish Head Spin. Here's a brief roadmap of what's been posted.

> Today's Top News Story covers the birth of Sworming Hornet Lures and its Fish Head Spin. To read it, click here.

> A new Pro Fishing Tip features hardcore advice from Gerald Swindle and Sworming Hornet founder Rick Steckelberg about how to fish the bait. To read it, click here.

> Steckelberg's also a guest today on BassFan Radio with Terry Brown. He talks about the company's new dropshot bait, and also discusses rigging advice. To listen, click here.

Foxworthy picked 2/13/2007

Past honorary chairs have included Hank Williams Jr., Tom Seaver, Arnold Palmer, Terry Bradshaw, George Brett, Robert Urich, Ward Burton, Louise Mandrell, Travis Tritt, Wade Boggs, Tracy Byrd and many other sports and entertainment personalities.

National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated annually on the fourth Saturday of September, was founded by NSSF and formalized by Congress in 1971. For more information, including a hunting-and-angling profile of Foxworthy, click here.

Brauer and basketball 2/13/2007

Brauer will discuss the basics of flipping and pitching jigs and fishing in heavy cover in the TDEC Green Room from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Admission to the seminar is free with the purchase of a game ticket, and all seminar attendees will receive a free Strike King jig.

The team will also give a free Grizzlies knit cap to the first 15,000 fans through the gates, courtesy of Verizon Wireless.

To reserve space at the seminar, call (901) 888-HOOP or send an email to rsvp@grizzlies.com. Game tickets can be purchased by calling the number above, and they're also available at all Ticketmaster outlets, the FedEx Forum box office or online at Ticketmaster.com.

Fans can take advantage of Mid-South Hunting and Fishing group discounts by calling (901) 888-HOOP and choosing option No. 3.

Wendlandt's turf 2/12/2007
Mike Leggett of the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman wrote a piece recently about Clark Wendlandt's role as the hometown favorite for this week's FLW Tour opener at Lake Travis.

To read it, click here. Access is free, but you may be required to fill out a short registration form.

Stringer's Tiremax deal 2/12/2007

"We are especially pleased to announce Bradley as part of our winning angler team, and we know this is going to be a successful season for all of us, both on the water and in the store," said Tiremax president Christopher Wilkerson.

Said Stringer: "Being part of the Tiremax team can only help me stay on top of my game. Tiremax is a company driven to deliver safety and excellence. These values truly reinforce why we head out on the trail.

"The Elite Series will be exciting this year – there's great opportunity and the schedule is one to be watched. I believe I have enough experience under my belt to know the right techniques to catch winning weights."

Tiremax has six stores in Texas and plans to expand to 15 by the end of this year.

Guideline joins 2/12/2007
The BassFan Army announced today that Guideline Eyegear is its newest sponsor. With over 30 years of polarized sunglass experience behind it, Guideline Eyegear set about to develop and launch a collection of quality, fishing-dedicated, polarized sunglasses at a value price. The company now offers seven fishing-specific polarized lens tints, along with bifocals and prescription lenses.

> Today on BassFan Army Radio, Terry Brown speaks with Guideline's Burke White about key differences in fishing eyewear, and how Guideline offers high-quality sunglasses at a low cost. To listen, click here.

> For more about Guideline Eyegear, click here.

Book: Laney on Dyer 2/12/2007

"The book traces the life of Clay from birth until the present," Laney said. "It's an interesting story in that you have Clay, a born optimist despite the obvious limitations he has, coupled with a family and community dynamic that's also a large part of how things have worked for him. The larger story – beyond just Clay and his amazing ability to do things you'd never suspect he could do – is really about how a family and a community worked in concert to give Clay a running start on life, and the support he needed to be like any other of the kids in Hamilton. It's clear that had Clay been born in a larger city or urban area, things might have been different for him."

Laney added that he hopes to have copies of the book available at the upcoming Bassmaster Classic, which BassFans should be able to find at the booths of Dyer's sponsors. We'll keep you updated.

> For more about Dyer and his incredible story, visit the Team Dyer website.

Sworm starts tomorrow 2/12/2007

Before the day officially begins, two Sworm notables are that Gerald Swindle has signed an endorsement deal with the company. "I think it's a good opportunity," Swindle said. "They're a small company, with a quality bait. I'll endorse the Fish Head Spin, and it's a bait I fished last year. I had success with it, and spent some time learning it. It's one of those specialty baits that, when you spend the time to analyze it, it has a lot of variations for fishing. Last year at Wylie (for the Bassmaster American Major), I saw how good it can really be."

The other Sworm notable is that Joe Crosby has joined the company as a principle. He was formerly operations director at JDC Marketing.

> To learn more about the company and its Fish Head Spin right now, visit www.SwormingHornetLures.com.

Scalish's big switch 2/9/2007

"The truth of the matter is, Legend Boats came to me before the end of (last) season," he said. "At that time, I had to decline because I was with Stratos, but (Legend owner and president) Dean Smith said if anything ever happened, to call him. When Stratos pulled the plug, I called, and true to his word, he worked with me and we put together a great deal. And when I had to leave Yamaha, he was responsible for opening the door with another motor line, which was Mercury. Now I'll be running a 250 Pro XS, which is the best motor on the market. I'm just really excited."

Why'd Scalish "have" to leave Yamaha – a company he'd been with for a long time? "Yamaha wasn't dealing with Legend Boats, and basically, I had a choice to make," he said. "I've been with Yamaha for a lot of years, and a lot of my decisions on the boat brands I ran were based on Yamaha. Legend's where I want to be – these guys are straight-up, they listen to you, and they're small enough that you don't get lost in the cracks – so I thought maybe it was time to change and do a complete makeover. So I did, with no regrets."

He added that he was able to work with Legend on his boat build to add some custom features, like an extra bilge pump, extra oxygenators, and flush-mounted Lowrance units in the bow and console.

His wrap this year will be the same as last year – OSI Pro Series sealants, a sponsorship that he said is "still like a dream come true" – but he'll be fishing with new sticks. "I signed with Powell rods, and that was really exiting to me. They're really lightweight. We put them on a balance beam against four other major high-end brands, and our rods came up lighter on all accounts. I also like the action, and the way the rods bend – they're not too soft, but just right."

Niggemeyer news 2/9/2007
Ray Sasser of the Dallas Morning News did a piece recently on rising star James Niggemeyer – how he got his start, and how a key piece of advice from Dean Rojas helped him. To read the story, click here.

Back from zero 2/9/2007
Veteran Arizona pro John Murray calls Havasu "probably my favorite lake," but he didn't have a lot of fun on day 1 of the recent Havasu Western FLW Series. He came in with an empty bag, and had to rally over the next 2 days to salvage a small check with a 61st-place finish.

"I hadn't fished Havasu in a couple years, but I grew up there and I know it pretty well," he said. "On that first day, I tried to make some fish bite that just didn't want to bite for me. I threw jerkbaits and stuff, and it didn't work out."

He went to the Bill Williams River the next 2 days and employed finesse tactics to catch bags that weighed 6-05 and 4-10 – nothing to write home about, but enough to avoid going away empty-handed.

"That many boats on that lake isn't my favorite thing. The stuff I fish is pretty popular and I went out late on day 1, and there were boats on everything I wanted to fish.

"I just didn't have the water to cope with it, I guess."

Cup look-ahead 2/9/2007
Yes, the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita is a long ways off, but it's worth noting there's a BFL slated for the lake next week (Feb. 17). Different time of year, sure, but it could show a little about how the lake is fishing, in terms of numbers vs. size.

Murray's musings 2/8/2007
Inaugural and two-time Bassmaster Classic champion Bobby Murray talks about the evolution of the sport and what's keeping him busy these days in a BassFan Legends Radio interview with Terry Brown. To listen, click here.

Yum keeps eating 2/8/2007

The Texas pro will run a full Yum wrap this year – featuring the Craw Papi – and he'll wear Yum colors on his jersey. "It's a neat bait for flipping vegetation, which is something I really like to do, but it's also extremely versatile," Reed said of the Craw Papi. "I'll use it as a jig trailer, and I'll rig it on a football head with no skirt for fishing deep."

His contract also includes representation of other Pradco-Fishing brands, including Bomber. Tulsa-based Dynamic Sponsorships was integral in the negotiations, and designed his wrap and jersey.

Fish with Quinn! 2/8/2007

The winner of the contest will spend a full day fishing with Quinn, at the lake of Quinn's choice. He'll choose the destination based on the hottest bite happening right then. Could be Amistad, Wylie, Clarks Hill, or anywhere else the bite is smokin'.

Along with the grand prize, over 1,000 other prizes will be awarded, including Costa Del Mar sunglasses, Shakespeare rod/reel combos, Tru-Tungsten Jason Quinn jigs, autographed Nitro hats, and Storm crankbaits. Total value of the guaranteed prizes is over $30,000.

Evan Williams brand manager Kirstin Jackson said: "We, and all the other sponsors we're working with, are very excited with the entire prize package and the opportunity to work together to offer the winners valuable prizes."

All entrants must be 21 years of age or older. For more information, or to enter online, click here.

Rapala world record gallery 2/8/2007
The IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum (IGFA) just announced that a Rapala lure exhibition will open this Sat., Feb. 10. Why Rapala? How about this fact: Rapala lures have been used for 269 IGFA records caught around the world.

"Created by a fisherman, Rapala lures have been a mainstay of our sport for nearly 70 years," said Chris Hess, director of IGFA's museum. "We are excited to showcase this historic company and its products."

"We are extremely honored by this recognition from IGFA," said Tom Mackin, president of Rapala USA. "We're always excited when our lures land a record, and it's a privilege to be featured in the IGFA museum."

IGFA will hold a museum open house and a junior angler fishing clinic at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum during the opening of the Rapala gallery. The public is invited free to the all-day event. Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.

The Rapala Lure Exhibition will showcase the historic company and its products for 3 months.

Established in 1939, IGFA maintains and publishes world records for saltwater, freshwater and fly fishing catches, as well as U.S. state freshwater records and junior angler records. The IGFA is located at 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Fla. (954-922-4212).

Wolak rap 2/8/2007
Today on BassFan Radio with Terry Brown, Elite Series pro and 2005 BassFan Rookie of the Year Dave Wolak talks baseball and bass fishing (remember the Yankees cap he used to wear?). To listen, click here.

WWC payout 2/7/2007

Everyone who participates in this no-entry-fee event will get a check under a modified "winner-takes-all" payout. The winner will receive $25,000 cash, and 2nd through the rest of the field will get $800 cash.

"Basically we're paying folks to come fish Guntersville at its peak time of year, and giving them a shot at $25,000 while they're at it," said Al Smith, BassFan's VP of membership programs. "Every participant also will have a shot at winning BassFan sponsor products.

"It should be a good time for everyone, and we invite any and all to come see the fun and have a shot at winning some products while there."

> For more info on event, and the venue, click here.

Good start out west 2/7/2007
California's Gary Dobyns managed an 8th-place finish at the recent Havasu Western FLW Series even though he lost nearly half of his bites over 4 days. To find out his impressions of the circuit's inaugural event, click here to visit the Team Evinrude page.

Omori's mindset 2/7/2007
Nick Walter of the Bradenton Herald published a piece today about Takahiro Omori attending training at IMG Academies, and what his mindset's like right now. To read it, click here.

State of the states 2/7/2007
Ever wonder how your state stacks up at the tour level? There's an easy way to find out! The BassFan State Rankings shows each state's average tour-level finish, and lists the anglers that represent each state.

Currently, the State Rankings are blank, because the 2007 FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series seasons haven't started yet. For posterity's sake, here's a look at the final state stats from 2006. To see data from past years, click here to view the State Rankings, then select an archive from the pull-down menu. (Note that the data below also includes the 2006 FLW Series.)

States with most anglers:
Alabama (54 anglers)
Texas (41)
Tennessee (38)

States with fewest anglers:
Nebraska (1)
New Mexico (1)
West Virginia (2)
Minnesota (2)
Oregon (2)
Ontario, Canada (2)
Kansas (2)

Top 5: year-end state rankings (2006) based on average finishes
1. West Virginia (2 anglers, 59th-place average)
2. Pennsylvania (7 anglers, 72nd-place average)
2. Minnesota (2 anglers, 72nd-place average finish)
4. Washington (3 anglers, 76th-place average finish)
5. Missouri (24 anglers, 77th-place average finish)

Top 5 year-end state rankings (2005) based on average finishes
1. Kansas (2 anglers)
2. Idaho (3 anglers)
3. Maryland (6 anglers)
4. Wisconsin (3 anglers)
5. Pennsylvania (7 anglers)

States not represented in 2006
Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Wyoming

Last-place ranking
> 2006: New Mexico (1 angler)
> 2005: New Hampshire (4 anglers)

Angler of the Year states
> 2006 BASS: Mike Iaconelli (New Jersey)
> 2006 FLW Tour: Anthony Gagliardi (South Carolina)
> 2005 BASS: Aaron Martens (California)
> 2005 FLW Tour: Greg Hackney (Louisiana)

Loading the boat 2/7/2007
Does fishing for five 3-pound-plus bites a day sound fun? Well, yeah! But bass fishermen on the coasts can have much better days than that. Check out this email from Tom Gausepohl, an InshoreFan.com reader from Seabrook, Texas.

"Spending most of my life in So Cal and Arkansas, I've been a hardcore bass fisherman for about 20 years. I moved here (to Texas) about 3 years ago, and the first 2 years I spent driving all over the state enjoying all the bass fisheries. But over the past year I got burnt out on all the travel since there isn't much fresh water close by, and realized that Galveston Bay is a great fishery.

"I can take all I know about bass fishing and apply it to inshore fishing and be very successful. Specks, redfish and flounder are all similar to bass fishing in a river system. The main difference is that the structure and/or cover that these fish relate to is different, but the way the fish use them are the same. Except for a few different baits -- secret ones -- I haven't had to buy much of anything to make the change.

"Instead of fishing for five or six good bites a day, I can go out and load the boat. Plus, the added bonus of stocking the freezer keeps the wife happy and I get a few more fishing passes to boot. What a great sport/addiction fishing is."

Ish's life in ink 2/6/2007
The Orlando Sentinel recently published a full-length feature by Kyle Hightower about BASS pro Ish Monroe – from his humble beginnings, to his competitive start, to his current status as a winner and "Rat Packer." It's a good read. Also interesting is Ish's mention of BassFan's own Scot Laney. To read the story, click here.

Meet Ike for charity 2/6/2007

Tickets for the game and reception cost $85 each ($16 less than box-office price). The reception, where fans can meet and mingle with Ike, will be held in the Nets EarthLink Lounge, and will include hot dogs, deli sandwiches, popcorn, beer, wine, soda and water through the third quarter. Prizes will be raffled, and the grand prize is a day of fishing with Ike on the Delaware River this fall.

For more information, or to order tickets, contact Rich Davis at (201) 635-3305, or click here to email him.

For more information about the Myositis Association, visit www.Myositis.org.

Rod watch 2/6/2007
Some of the best pros in the business fish Kistler rods. Matt Herren, Anthony Gagliardi, Scott Martin and Jason Kilpatrick are sold. Ever wonder why? Take a look at what they have to say about their sticks in the newest episode of BassFan TV. To watch, click here.

Double-shot 2/6/2007
It's two-for-Tuesday on BassFan Radio. First is a deep-cut double-shot from Lynyrd Skynrd...oops, we mean first is an interview with Greg Hackney, who talks about his fishing, his sponsors and the upcoming Bassmaster Classic. Second is a discussion with Jeff Reynolds, who compares pro rodeo to pro bass fishing. These episodes have been live for at least a day – this is just a reminder not to miss them. What about the promised block-party weekend with BadCo, Zeppelin and Boston? We're currently working out the copyright issues.

To listen to BassFan Radio, click here.

Totino's joins FLW 2/5/2007

Johnson finished 27th in the 2006 Series Angler of the Year (AOY) race and gained a berth in this year's Forrest Wood Cup. He fished the '06 Tour as a co-angler and won at Okeechobee, and is competing on the pro side this year.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I’ve had a 5-year plan to phase out my current job and become a full-time pro.

“I’m thrilled to be with Totino’s. It’s a great family product, which can be enjoyed by many. I’m looking forward to working the Family Fun Zone."

Sun of Blaukat 2/5/2007

"(My wife) Suzanne and I sold our house, and we're in the process of building a solar home," he said. "We're building it about 5 miles south of where we live now. (Present home is Lamar, Mo. – Ed.) We always wanted a solar house, to zero our energy use."

He sold his current home to a friend, and the new spread will also be home to a 12-acre trophy bass lake, which he plans to build too. Here's what he said about the house design.

"It'll be both passive and active solar. There'll be photovoltaic panels on the roof, but also, it'll be built totally out of insulated concrete. We'll use a combo of wood heat throughout, and it'll have passive solar applications all the way around. Our goal is to be totally off the grid, as far as reliance on power companies, and usually, you can generate enough energy that you can sell some back (to the power company). We're pretty excited about it.

"It goes along with my environmental stance, and I want to push in that direction more," he added.

Shot at a mil 2/2/2007

Early Times' Reel in a Million Sweepstakes got under way this week and runs through March 31. The winner will be selected in early April and will receive travel and accommodations for the trip to Lanier, where he or she will fish with Wirth for 8 hours in May.

One tagged bass that'll be swimming in the lake that day will be worth $1 million. There will also be 24 other tagged fish for prizes that include a Triton bass boat and fishing gear from Pure Fishing.

And here's a bonus: The tagged fish can be caught either by the sweepstakes winner or Wirth, and the winner still receives the prizes.

“Not only is there a million dollars on the line, but this is one of the first fishing promotions that we know of where a consumer will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with a pro angler to win great prizes,” said Alan George, brand director for Early Times. “It’s like having an NBA pro take your million-dollar shot for you during a halftime contest.”

Entrants must be 21 or older. For more information on the contest and the online entry form, click here.

Ike on seagulls 2/2/2007
Today on BassFan TV, 2006 BASS Angler of the Year Mike Iaconelli continues his event-by-event breakdown of last season. Today, he talks about how seagulls helped him find fish at Oneida. To watch, click here.

Wilks: cautious optimism 2/2/2007

"They told me, when they did the surgery right before Christmas, that it had a 50-50 shot of being a success," he said. "It didn't work, so basically, they just took everything out that they did (in the first surgery) and cleaned it out, with the hopes there'd be a strong reaction and some scar tissue would come back in and stabilize the joint."

The bottom line is he's doing better, and is cautiously optimistic that he'll be able to return by March 2008. Apparently, his doctor's just as happy as he is.

"My doctor said that, even if this was a regular ligament reconstructive surgery, the level of stability in my elbow right now would still be in the top 30 percentile of successful surgeries. So it's an amazing turnaround. I've never seen a doctor so happy. He sat down in his chair, and had this big, old smile across his face. There were three other doctors in the room, and they were equally impressed."

During his down-time, he's started a new business – FishLikeAPro.com. He offers one-on-one lessons to the public with himself, or other tour pros. "For a guy who wants to shave a lot of time off his learning curve, he can pick the mind of a pro fisherman on or off the water. It's good for a young guy who wants to compete, or for an older guy who maybe just picked up the passion of fishing again."

Some of the pros involved include Shaw Grigsby, Tim Horton, Todd Faircloth and Mark Menendez.

Browning's biggest 2/2/2007

The 12-05 bruiser bit a Strike King Premier Plus spinnerbait (white with No. 5 willow-leaf and No. 3 1/2 Colorado blades) that was attached to 15-pound Vicious fluorocarbon. He used a 7-foot medium-heavy St. Croix Elite Tournament Series rod and a Shimano Curado reel.

"The most exciting thing was when I first saw it, because before that I knew it had the potential to be the biggest bass I'd ever landed," he said. "I was fishing with a deer-hunting partner of mine and I hollered for him to get the net, but he already had it. We were both pretty shook up when we first got a glimpse of her."

It was a chilly day and the action was far from red-hot. "The air temperature and the water temperature were both about 46 degrees. I think we caught five fish all day, but three others were in the 4-pound class."

Crews: new vinyl 2/1/2007

To right is the first look at his new wrap. The boat is pretty much Advance Auto Parts signage, but the truck includes some Berkley, Abu Garcia and Bass Cat signage too. Also note the phat rims on his 'Cat trailer.

Denney's VJG wrap 2/1/2007

Victory Junction Gang is a charity founded by stock-car driver Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie in honor of their late son Adam. It operates a year-round facility for children ages 7-15 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.

"I'm very proud to display the Victory Junction Gang logo," Denney said. "It's a charity that provides an incredible experience for seriously ill kids."

For more information on VJG, click here.

Omega lands Remitz 2/1/2007

"Derek is a very accomplished young angler and we're thrilled to have him on board," said Omega owner Todd Barnes. "We are very confident in his fishing abilities and look forward to working with him."

The 24-year-old angler began fishing Omega jigs last June, prior to the first Northern Tour event.

"I really like the Omega head design because the jig comes through brush and rock really well," he said. "I particularly enjoy using their new (shakey-style) Savior jig which, like the Omega jig, comes through cover as well as grass with ease."

He noted that he's "extremely excited" to be a part of Omega Custom Tackle as the company grows. "I’m looking forward to being involved with the design of future products, some of which are currently in the works."