Welcome to BassFan's Dock Talk section, where you will see brief, newsworthy items that for one reason or another can't be made into full-blown news articles. Despite the name, and in keeping with BassFan's editorial policy, every effort will be made to avoid publishing outright rumors.
Open: Hudgins moves to top 1/30/2009 Bryan Hudgins caught a 30-15 sack today – the biggest of the tournament thus far – and took over the lead at the Harris Chain Bassmaster Southern Open with a 2-day total of 53-13. He's a little under 6 pounds in front of his closest pursuer, day-1 leader John Kremer.
Here's how the Top 10 looks with 1 day to go:
1. Bryan Hudgins -- Orange Park, Fla. -- 10, 53-13
Day 1: 5, 22-14 -- Day 2: 5, 30-15
2. John Kremer -- Sanford, Fla. -- 10, 47-10
Day 1: 5, 29-13 -- Day 2: 5, 17-13
3. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, Okla. -- 10, 46-01
Day 1: 5, 17-13 -- Day 2: 5, 28-04
4. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, Fla. -- 10, 40-02
Day 1: 5, 20-00 -- Day 2: 5, 20-02
5. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, Ala. -- 10, 34-13
Day 1: 5, 25-09 -- Day 2: 5, 9-04
6. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, S.C. -- 10, 34-11
Day 1: 5, 18-07 -- Day 2: 5, 16-04
7. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, Ala. -- 10, 33-15
Day 1: 5, 23-00 -- Day 2: 5, 10-15
8. Jimmie Murphy -- Ocala, Fla. -- 10, 33-14
Day 1: 5, 17-03 -- Day 2: 5, 16-11
9. Preston Clark -- Palatka, Fla. -- 10, 32-04
Day 1: 5, 19-04 -- Day 2: 5, 13-00
10. Ben Quisno -- Maineville, Ohio -- 9, 30-10
Day 1: 5, 18-11 -- Day 2: 4, 11-15
Jimmy McMillan caught a 14-09 sack today and held onto the lead at the Okeechobee Eastern FLW Series with 1 day to fish. His 3-day total is 57-06 and he has a 1-05 lead over 2nd-place Scott Lunsford, the day-1 leader.
Scott Martin (21-10) and Tom Mann Jr. (23-07) made big moves today to secure spots in the Top 10. Below are the anglers who'll fish the final day of the tournament tomorrow:
Big reel = big value 1/30/2009 Shopped for a big-bait reel recently? Did the price scare you? Why not consider another option – a traditional round reel that'll do everything you ask it, plus stand the test of time. For one very good option at the $60 price point, click on over to the Catch More Fish page.
Reese launches Q&A feature 1/30/2009 California Bassmaster Elite Series angler has added a question-and-answer feature to his website, www.SkeetReeseInc.com.
“Without the consumers who drive our industry, none of us would be in the position to do what we do,” said the 2007 Elite Series Angler of the Year. “I’ve found that there are a lot of people around the country who have specific questions about fishing and our sport in general. Realizing that other people might have the same questions, I decided to open up a forum for everyone to share and learn together.
“I'm open to all sorts of questions, and from the many that have come into the site in the few days since we activated the Q&A email address, people will have a multitude of topics to discuss. I will answer as many questions as I can, and do it in the most direct and clear way possible. This is one way I can give a little bit more to our industry and the fans.”
The Q&A will be a regular monthly feature on the site. Questions can be submitted to qanda@skeetreeseinc.com.
Open leader pushes 30 1/29/2009 John Kremer of Sanford, Fla. flipped up a 29-13 bag today to take the day-1 lead at the Harris Chain Bassmaster Southern Open in Florida. He has a lead of more than 4 pounds over 2nd-place Greg Vinson of Alabama.
Here's a look at the Top 20 with 2 days remaining:
1. John Kremer -- Sanford, Fla. -- 5, 29-13
2. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, Ala. -- 5, 25-09
3. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, Ala. -- 5, 23-00
4. Bryan Hudgins -- Orange Park, Fla. -- 5, 22-14
5. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, Fla. -- 5, 20-00
6. Preston Clark -- Palatka, Fla. -- 5, 19-04
7. Ben Quisno -- Maineville, Ohio -- 5, 18-11
8. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, S.C. -- 5, 18-07
9. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, Okla. -- 5, 17-13
10. Mike Prindle -- Bainbridge, Ga. -- 4, 17-11
11. Mike White -- Reynoldsburg, Ohio -- 5, 17-10
12. Eric Stong -- Belle Isle, Fla. -- 5, 17-09
13. Jimmie Murphy -- Ocala, Fla. -- 5, 17-03
14. Scott McGehee -- Madison, Miss. -- 5, 15-11
15. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, Fla. -- 5, 15-09
16. Casey Ashley -- Donalds, S.C. -- 5, 15-03
17. Wayne Clifton -- Moncks Corner, S.C. -- 5, 14-07
18. Luke Estel -- Murphysboro, Ill. -- 5, 14-02
18. J. Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, Ga. -- 5, 14-02
20. James Charlesworth -- Saint Cloud, Fla. -- 5, 13-01
Alabama's Greg Pugh had his day-1 catch disqualified at the Okeechobee Eastern FLW Series on Wednesday for fishing in an off-limits area. It was the second time in 2 seasons that he's become embroiled in a boundary issue.
There was no controversy this time, though – he admittedly made "maybe a dozen" casts in an area that he said had historically been fishable water during FLW events at the Big O. The incident occurred during the closing minutes of the day, and he said he didn't realize the area had been placed off-limits this year until he was told as much by fellow competitor Koby Kreiger as they were idling back to the launch.
He self-reported the violation to tournament director Bill Taylor, and then released his 16-pound limit back into the lake. He caught 12-05 today and is in 116th place in the 154-angler field.
"I had a mental meltdown," he said. "I think my mind is in Shreveport, La. (where he'll compete in next month's Bassmaster Classic) right now."
BassFans will recall that he was involved in a similar incident on day 2 of last May's Norman FLW Tour. He admitted that he'd inadvertently traveled into an off-limits area and looked for fish, but said he did not make any casts. He reported that he passed two polygraph examinations that focused on his no-casts claim.
Ostensibly based on those exams (FLW Outdoors did not clarify the rationale for its ruling), he was not DQ'd and went on to finish 4th.
On Wednesday, he saw the pole that's adorned with ribbons to mark the off-limits boundary, but said he didn't recognize it as such. He said a game warden on a personal watercraft was tied up to it and was in the process of ticketing another boater, and he might've became distracted by the whole scene, which included flashing blue lights.
He said the area is in full view of any angler returning to the launch, so that should negate ideas that he had nefarious intentions.
"If I was trying to cheat, would I do it right out in the open where everybody can see me?" he asked. "It was just a stupid mistake, and it'll be a costly one because I would've had a shot at making the Top 10.
"I've been coming here since 1996 and there's always been a set place where the off-limits has been," he continued. "This year they extended it for whatever reason. Sometimes at the (pre-tournament) meetings we get to talking, and it was my fault for not paying enough attention.
"I think my brain is in recession just like everything else."
The leaderboard looks a lot different after day 2 of the Okeechobee Eastern FLW Series. Basically, yesterday's Top 3 – Scott Lunsford, David Dudley and Dave Lefebre – caught half of what they did on day 1.
Florida's Jimmy McMillan (pictured), who was in a three-way tie for 8th yesterday, now leads.
Here's a look at the Top 20 with 2 days left to fish.
1. Jimmy Mcmillan -- Belle Glade, FL -- 5, 19-10 -- 5, 23-03 -- 10, 42-13
2. Scott Lunsford -- Calhoun, GA -- 5, 25-15 -- 5, 13-05 -- 10, 39-04
3. Ray Scheide -- Dover, AR -- 5, 19-05 -- 5, 19-01 -- 10, 38-06
4. Carmen Patti -- Davie, FL -- 5, 16-11 -- 5, 18-07 -- 10, 35-02
5. Tom Monsoor -- La Crosse, WI -- 5, 21-02 -- 5, 13-10 -- 10, 34-12
6. Shonn Goodwin -- Moore, OK -- 5, 18-02 -- 5, 16-05 -- 10, 34-07
7. Kevin Long -- Clewiston, FL -- 5, 19-10 -- 5, 14-11 -- 10, 34-05
8. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, VA -- 5, 23-15 -- 5, 10-01 -- 10, 34-00
9. Mike Surman -- Boca Raton, FL -- 5, 17-13 -- 5, 16-02 -- 10, 33-15
10. Shinichi Fukae -- Mineola, TX -- 5, 18-01 -- 5, 15-11 -- 10, 33-12
11. Dwayne Horton -- Knoxville, TN -- 5, 16-10 -- 5, 16-15 -- 10, 33-09
12. Dave Lefebre -- Union City, PA -- 5, 22-00 -- 5, 11-04 -- 10, 33-04
13. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee, FL -- 5, 19-10 -- 5, 13-10 -- 10, 33-04
14. Glenn Browne -- Ocala, FL -- 5, 15-09 -- 5, 17-02 -- 10, 32-11
15. Chad Grigsby -- Maple Grove, MN -- 5, 19-06 -- 5, 12-12 -- 10, 32-02
16. Keith Combs -- Del Rio, TX -- 5, 21-08 -- 5, 10-08 -- 10, 32-00
17. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- 5, 15-07 -- 5, 16-09 -- 10, 32-00
18. Scott Martin -- Clewiston, FL -- 5, 17-15 -- 5, 13-11 -- 10, 31-10
19. Luke Clausen -- Mount Juliet, TN -- 5, 16-04 -- 5, 15-05 -- 10, 31-09
20. Chad Prough -- Chipley, FL -- 5, 18-00 -- 5, 13-07 -- 10, 31-07
News of another pre-Classic endorsement deal broke today when Secret Weapon Lures announced its sponsorship of Randy Howell.
Secret Weapon president Joe Haubenreich said in announcing the news: "Randy Howell's an extremely gifted angler who shares our priorities of God, family and fishing. He has the necessary attitude, experience, and skill to win the Classic, and we believe that Secret Weapon's Recoil Rig can help him attain that goal."
The Recoil Rig works via an elastic shock line segment between the weight and main line – similar in concept to the Boomerang Fishing Pro, still sold by Renosky, although different in execution.
Howell said: "The Recoil Rig is the first thing to come along in quite some time that improves the way we can make fish bite. It's deadly on bedding fish. I used to say the Recoil Rig is like putting a dropshot on steroids, but it's more than that. It's even more effective fished around docks, laydowns, and cover. One rod on the deck of my Triton is dedicated to the Recoil Rig at all times.
"I use electronics to find heavy fish-traffic areas – lanes where I can see fish funneling through," Howell added. "Usually we swim or hop our lures through there and hope fish are passing by just then, too. After casting a few times most anglers move on, leaving catchable fish behind. I can position a lure on a Recoil Rig right in their path and work it in place until the fish comes along."
Gags shifts to Chevy 1/29/2009 FLW Outdoors announced today that Anthony Gagliardi will join Jay Yelas as new members of Team Chevy for the 2009 FLW Tour season. They join holdovers Luke Clausen, Dion Hibdon, Larry Nixon and Kim Stricker.
Jimmy Houston will remain with the team, but will fish only the Eastern FLW Series this year.
“I'm excited to join Team Chevy as they are one of the best teams and have been a part of the FLW Outdoors family for a long time,” said Galiardi, who was previously a member of Team Folgers. “Chevrolet is an American brand that embodies American values, as does FLW Outdoors, and I 'm proud to represent them.”
Chevrolet, a longtime sponsor of FLW Outdoors, is the title sponsor of the Chevy Open, set for Feb. 12-15 at Alabama's Lake Guntersville. The company is also the presenting sponsor of the BFL All-American.
Pure Fishing, parent company of brands like Berkley, Abu Garcia and All Star Rods, will again sponsor the BoatUS National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.
Pure Fishing senior marketing manager Andrew Marks said of the deal: "The students that fished the series last year were tremendous. Their professionalism and dedication to the sport, along with their commitment to academics, will ensure the future of fishing continues to flourish."
Pure Fishing will offer cash and product incentives for tournament wins and big-bass awards. In addition, Berkley Conservation Institutes will present the award for the Collegiate Angler of the Year who combines angling skills and academics in order to reward students for their efforts to improve the industry and conservation.
Scott Lunsford, a 3rd-year FLW Series pro from Calhoun, Ga., leads day 1 of the Okeechobee Eastern FLW Series with 25-15. But he's got some pretty stout company around him.
Veteran David Dudley's 2 pounds behind with 23-15, followed by Dave Lefebre with 22-00, Keith Combs with 21-08 and Tom Monsoor with 21-02.
Word from the Big 'O" was the bite was off, and that's largely true, as 13-08 is good enough right now for 50th place and 12 of the 154 pros blanked.
Lunsford's bag was anchored by a 10-01 – the day's big bass. "It was a great day on Okeechobee," he said. "I caught at least three limits today, but I'm having a hard time getting them to the boat. I'm using 60-pound braided line with different baits. I know that I'm doing something that no other angler's doing. I think it's all to do with the bait I'm using.
"On my first few stops this morning I had 10 boats around me, but the other boats weren't getting any bites," he added. "I'm in some of the thickest stuff you could ever imagine. There's a reason why I'm fishing these certain areas, but I'm not casting to beds – it's all random casting. The fish are there – I just hope that nothing changes with the weather. I look forward to just going fishing and hopefully it works out."
Here's a look at the current Top 20 with 3 days of fishing left.
1. Scott Lunsford -- Calhoun, GA -- 5, 25-15
2. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, VA -- 5, 23-15
3. Dave Lefebre -- Union City, PA -- 5, 22-00
4. Keith Combs -- Del Rio, TX -- 5, 21-08
5. Tom Monsoor -- La Crosse, WI -- 5, 21-02
6. Terry Baksay -- Easton, CT -- 5, 20-10
7. Robert Sherry -- Saint Charles, IL -- 5, 20-06
8. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee, FL -- 5, 19-10
8. Kevin Long -- Clewiston, FL -- 5, 19-10
8. Jimmy Mcmillan -- Belle Glade, FL -- 5, 19-10
11. Chad Grigsby -- Maple Grove, MN -- 5, 19-06
12. Ray Scheide -- Dover, AR -- 5, 19-05
13. Mike Jackson -- San Mateo, FL -- 5, 18-10
14. Shonn Goodwin -- Moore, OK -- 5, 18-02
15. Shinichi Fukae -- Mineola, TX -- 5, 18-01
16. Chad Prough -- Chipley, FL -- 5, 18-00
16. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, TX -- 5, 18-00
18. Scott Martin -- Clewiston, FL -- 5, 17-15
19. Mike Surman -- Boca Raton, FL -- 5, 17-13
20. Tim Farley -- Lula, GA -- 5, 17-02
BassFans who watched the ups and downs of the Bassmaster Elite Series schedule and payouts the past few weeks wondered when they'd be able to see the final 2009 field. Remember that originally, the field was going to be released in early January, but then BASS held off and promised a field announcement later in the month.
BASS today released its final Elite Series field, and here it is. A total of 101 pros will fish – down slightly from last year's 110-angler count.
Final 2009 Elite Series Field Casey Ashley -- Donalds, S.C.
Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, S.C.
Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, Okla.
Jon Bondy -- Windsor, Ontario
Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, Mo.
Brent Broderick -- Oregonia, Ohio (12th place Central Open points)
Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, Ark.
Mark Burgess -- Norton, Mass. (15th place Central Open points)
Terry Butcher -- Talala, Okla.
Scott Campbell -- Springfield, Mo.
Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, Kan.
Brian Clark -- Haltom City, Texas
Rick Clunn -- Ava, Mo.
Jeff Connella -- Bentley, La.
Ken Cook -- Meers, Okla.
John Crews -- Salem, Va.
Steve Daniel -- Clewiston, Fla.
Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, Ark.
Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, Ala.
Guy Eaker -- Cherryville, N.C.
Paul Elias -- Laurel, Miss.
Edwin Evers -- Talala, Okla.
Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, Texas
Jami Fralick -- Martin, S.D.
Vince Fulks -- Purcell, Okla. (8th place Central Open points)
Grant Goldbeck -- Gaithersburg, Md.
Pat Golden -- High Point, N.C.
Chad Griffin -- Cresson, Texas (11th place Southern Open points)
Shaw Grigsby -- Gainesville, Fla.
Luke Gritter -- Kalamazoo, Mich. (10th place Southern Open points, note hometown)
Wade Grooms -- Bonneau, S.C.
Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, La.
Bradley Hallman -- Norman, Okla.
Charlie Hartley -- Grove City, Ohio
Matt Herren -- Trussville, Ala. (Former FLW Tour pro, 1st place Southern Open points)
Kenyon Hill -- Norman, Okla.
Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, S.C.
Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Randy Howell -- Springville, Ala.
Michael Iaconelli -- Runnemede, N.J.
Alton Jones -- Waco, Texas
Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, Texas
Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Ala.
Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, Ala.
Gary Klein -- Weatherford, Texas
Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, Okla.
Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, Fla.
Chris Lane -- Winter Haven, Fla.
Russ Lane -- Prattville, Ala.
Kevin Langill -- Terrell, N.C.
Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Bill Lowen -- Cincinnati, Ohio
Elton Luce, Jr. -- Brookeland, Texas
Aaron Martens -- Leeds, Ala.
Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, Ark. (5th place Central Open points)
Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, Ark.
Mark Menendez -- Paducah, Ky.
Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, Texas
Jimmy Mize -- Ben Lomond, Ark.
Ish Monroe -- Hughson, Calif.
Rick Morris -- Virginia Beach, Va.
Jim Murray -- Arabi, Ga.
John Murray -- Phoenix, Ariz.
Britt Myers -- Lake Wylie, N.C.
James Niggemeyer -- Van, Texas
Takahiro Omori -- Emory, Texas
Cliff Pace -- Petal, Miss.
Pete Ponds -- Madison, Miss.
Jason Quinn -- York, S.C.
Matt Reed -- Madisonville, Texas
Clark Reehm -- Russellville, Ark.
Skeet Reese -- Auburn, Calif.
Derek Remitz -- Grant, Ala.
Jeff Reynolds -- Idabel, Okla.
Marty Robinson -- Landrum, S.C.
Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu, Ariz.
Scott Rook -- Little Rock, Ark.
Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, Okla.
Zell Rowland -- Montgomery, Texas
Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, Fla.
Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, Fla.
Morizo Shimizu -- Suita Osaka, Japan
Kevin Short -- Mayflower, Ark.
Dave Smith -- Del City, Okla.
Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, Mo.
Matthew Sphar -- Pavilion, N.Y.
Jeremy Starks -- Charleston, W.Va.
Marty Stone -- Fayetteville, N.C.
Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, Ala.
Peter Thliveros -- St. Augustine, Fla.
J. Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, Ga. (11th place Central Open points)
Mark Tucker -- Saint Louis, Mo.
Mark Tyler -- Vian, Ariz.
Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, Mich.
Byron Velvick -- Del Rio, Texas
Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, Ala. (FLW Tour rookie last year, 5th place Southern Open points)
Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, N.C.
Jason Williamson -- Aiken, S.C.
Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood, Ky.
Dave Wolak -- Wake Forest, N.C.
Mike Wurm -- Hot Springs, Ark.
So that's a look at who's fishing this year. As for who's not, here's a look at the 2008 Elite Series pros who won't be with the tour this year. Note that Bobby Myers, Greg Gutierrez, Matt Amedeo and Rick Ash are not on the list below, as they withdrew from the Elite Series prior to the end of the 2008 season.
2008 Elite Pros Not Returning Glenn DeLong -- Bellville, Ohio
Kurt Dove -- Warrenton, Va.
Jay Fuller -- Kingston, Okla.
Paul Hirosky -- Guys Mills, Pa.
Bryan Hudgins -- Orange Park, Fla.
James Kennedy -- Lacombe, La.
Ben Matsubu -- Hemphill, Texas
Ray Sedgwick -- Cross, S.C.
David Sherrer -- Shreveport, La.
Corey Waldrop -- Fort Worth, Texas
There'd been rumors that FLW Outdoors would soon announce new sponsors. BassFans read about one this morning –Goodwill Industries, and the fact that Chad Grigsby and Wesley Strader were named to the team. Note that Grigsby last year fished for the Prilosec team, while Strader fished for Coppertone. In Grigsby's case, this is his second team change in as many years, as Prilosec replaced his longtime BF Goodrich team deal, which ended in late 2007 (although Grigsby maintained a private sponsorship with the company).
The formal announcement about Goodwill partnering with FLW Outdoors was released early this afternoon. In the announcement, it was noted that Goodwill "will have the opportunity to use the resources of FLW Outdoors to drive traffic and awareness to its locations and benefit local communities by helping people find jobs, support their families and feel the satisfaction that comes from earning a paycheck. Goodwill will be collecting new or gently used clothing donations at each FLW Tour event in order to fund its mission of providing employment training for people who have physical, mental or emotional disabilities, who lack education or job experience, as well as anyone else who needs job assistance."
Goodwill president and CEO Jim Gibbons said in the announcement: "Goodwill Industries International's partnership with FLW Outdoors is the first of its kind. Goodwill will capitalize on the marketing strength of FLW Outdoors and the generosity and support of its fans and partners in order to continue our vital mission of providing job-training programs for those who need it most."
FLW Outdoors chairman Irwin Jacobs said: "The partnership between FLW Outdoors and Goodwill demonstrates the willingness of both organizations to find an avenue to help benefit our community. We're extremely proud of this venture and look forward to a longstanding relationship to assist Goodwill Industries in enhancing the lives of tens of thousands of people each year."
As noted, this is Goodwill's first venture in sports marketing.
As for who the other sponsors might be, there's no word yet – just that big news is coming. In other words, the sponsors will come in at a major, rather than minor, level. Stay tuned.
Xtreme Glove has signed perhaps the greatest bass angler in history, Rick Clunn, to an endorsement deal.
According to the company, Rick Clunn was first introduced to the Xtreme Glove at a Bassmaster Elite Series event in 2008, and he saw the product as a way to protect his hands and the fish while handling them in the livewell and onstage. He also saw opportunities to improve the product. Thus, the new Rick Clunn Signature Series Xtreme Glove was born, and will be available this April.
Clunn will be wearing a prototype while fishing next month's Bassmaster Classic.
In announcing the deal, Clunn noted: "In other sports like football and golf, the competitors all wear gloves to protect their hands and give them a better feel. To this point, anglers have felt that the gloves on the market offer protection, but eliminate feel. The components of the Xtreme Glove give me a better feel in addition to protecting my hands from the fish, sun and cold. I encourage people to open their minds to the possibilities that the Xtreme Glove brings them."
XTreme Glove CEO Lynn Robinson said: "Working with an angler of Rick Clunn's experience and studiousness has been priceless. We started out wanting to give anglers a way to protect their hands and ended up with a glove that'll revolutionize the sport. The Signature Series glove is going to change the way people think about fishing and hand protection."
Bass Pro Shops will stock Xtreme gloves in all its stores. The first shipments arrive in early February, but as noted, the Clunn glove won't be available until April.
FLW Outdoors today confirmed what had pretty much been the worst-kept secret in pro fishing: Its FLW Outdoors TV show will move from Fox Sports Net (FSN) to the Versus network. The new season will begin in April and will include 30 original shows. Airtimes are Sundays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET.
Shows currently slated to air include:
> Forrest Wood Cup (two shows)
> FLW Tour events (six shows)
> FLW Series events (eight shows)
> FLW Walleye Tour events (five shows)
> College Fishing regionals (five shows)
> BFL All-American (one show)
> Stren Championship (one show)
> TBF National Championship (one show)
The schedule will be published and updated on FLWOutdoors.com, where the shows will also be available for on-demand viewing.
In announcing the news, FLW Outdoors chairman Irwin Jacobs said: "Our multiyear partnership with FSN was instrumental in putting competitive fishing in the forefront. That being said, we feel there's room for continued growth, and our new partnership will place our television programming on the fastest-growing network in the nation. Quite simply, Versus is home to the best outdoor programming in the world, which makes it a perfect fit for FLW Outdoors.”
Jeff Macaluso, Versus director of field sports and new-media programming and production, noted: "Versus is very excited to be the new home of FLW Outdoors. These high-quality shows represent the best fishing tournaments with the most talented anglers from all around the country and are the perfect blend of outdoors and competition, which is exactly what we promise to deliver to all our viewers."
The FLW Outdoors show will continue to be broadcast on WFN and Matchroom Sport.
PAA seeks salesperson 1/28/2009 The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) is seeking a full-time salesperson. Pay is a base salary plus commission.
Resumés should be submitted to Jamie@fishpaa.com or Lisa@paa.com by Friday (Jan. 30). The PAA's office in Benton, Ky. can also be contacted by calling (270) 527-2030.
Kansas spawn speed-up 1/28/2009 Due to a variety of factors, bass fishing in Kansas reservoirs has been declining for quite some time. In an attempt to reverse that trend, officials at one hatchery will try to get bass to spawn 2 months earlier than they normally would. If successful, that would give young-of-the-year fish an opportunity to feed on gizzard shad, which would allow more of them to survive their first winter and thus provide for better fishing in the future.
The Berkley Experience Trailer is headed to the Bass Pro Shops in Orlando, Fla. The trailer will roll in Friday (Jan. 31) and will offer demonstrations and interactive games for kids and adults during its 3-day stay.
The trailer gives the everyday angler the opportunity to view baits in the Berkley line and chances to see the baits in action. Kids and adults alike will enjoy fishing games and competing in knot-tying contests.
“We want everyone, young and old alike, to enjoy the Berkley experience,” said marketing manager Andrew Marks. “In addition to our bait and line interactive displays, we will have Abu Garcia reel demonstrations, interactive touch screens to learn how to catch more fish and a showcase for our latest and most innovative fishing products.”
Special sales and promotions will be offered wherever the Berkley trailer stops. After Orlando, its next stop will be at the Gander Mountain store in Lake Mary, Fla. from Feb. 8-10.
If you are unable to make it by the trailer and test the interactive components in Orlando, Fla., look at the upcoming events.
BassFans who read today's Q&A with Jay Yelas know that he's developing a new line of signature-series rods for Abu Garcia. For more about the rods and their development, click on over to the Catch More Fish page. Tidbit: Swimbait rods were a priority for Yelas, and it looks like his new signature series will include two of them.
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Immediately after Arizona Bassmaster Elite Series pro Dean Rojas signed on to the Big Bite pro staff last fall, development began on the first Rojas signature series bait. The result is the new Rojas Fighting Frog, which will come in two sizes (3 1/2 and 4 inches) and 14 colors.
Unlike traditional topwater frogs, the Rojas Fighting Frog is designed to be used as a sub-surface bait – for flipping, pitching, Carolina-rigging or as a jig trailer. It features a compact body with small front legs for subtle action and larger back legs that impart a swimming action. When fished with a light weight, it has a natural gliding action on the fall, or with a heavier weight it can be used for faster presentations. It's also a good follow-up bait for missed strikes on a topwater frog.
One of the most important features of the bait is the innovative use of pockets and grooves. The Fighting Frog has hook pockets on the top and bottom (the arrows point to them in the accompanying diagram – click on it to see a larger version), but the key is additional grooves on the sides. The channels and grooves prevent the bait from balling up on the hook and interfering with hooksets.
“I'm very excited about this bait," Rojas said. "There's nothing like it on the market and it's a brand new concept.
"The design of the bait allows it to collapse for maximum hook penetration. It has great action in the water and we have some great colors. I can’t wait to use the Fighting Frog this year on the Elite Series."
Rojas said the bait can be fished on a 3/0, 4/0 or 5/0 hook. It will be available next month and will make its debut at the Bassmaster Classic.
Vicious Fishing announced that it's added Alabama Bassmaster Elite Series angler Gerald Swindle to its pro staff. He joins original members Jeff Reynolds and Pete Ponds and recent additions Kevin Short and Marty Stone.
"The only true way to help fund my 401K is by using Vicious Fishing line, the toughest fluorocarbon on the water," said Swindle, the 2004 Bassmaster Angler of the Year. He added that "the direct connection between the bass angler and the bass is the line he chooses to fish. My success is judged by weight. I choose only the best fishing line on the market and that is Vicious."
Said Vicious marketing chief Chris Dutton: "Earning the anglers’ and the industry’s respect by building the best products at a fair price has been the Vicious mantra since day 1. We believe that our lines are the best value on the market when you compare quality with price. So having the best anglers in the country fishing our line, and staking their reputations on it, is a testament to that goal."
Toyota continues moving forward with their support of competitive bass fishing by offering fishing’s first and only national tow-vehicle contingency program to FLW and Bassmaster anglers in 2009. Plus, the program is no longer limited to Tundra and Sequoia owners – 4Runner and Tacoma owners are now eligible, too.
It's free to sign up, and you don’t have to win the tournament to win the Bonus Bucks – you simply have to be the highest-finishing registered participant.
It’s simple – drive a 2007 or newer Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner or Tacoma, send in your registration form, catch more pounds of bass than the other eligible Toyota owners in your event, and you win the Bonus Bucks. Before you know it, you’ll be offsetting some serious tournament expenses just for towing with a Toyota.
Toyota owners took full advantage of the opportunity in 2008. From BASS Federation Nation anglers like Richard Culver (pictured), who carried home $5,000 from the Federation Nation Championship, to Elite Series angler Edwin Evers, who won $18,000, several Toyota owners cashed in at all levels of competitive angling.
To find out more, and to make sure you're signed-up, click here or call (918) 742-6424.
Crazy Craw 1/23/2009 Did you miss the news last month about Berkley's Red River Classic baits? Even if you didn't, it pays to read a refresher. In either case, click on over to the Catch More Fish page to learn about the newest addition to the Chigger posse.
Also note that Berkley's running a new special on soft baits. Buy any four bags or jars of Gulp!, Gulp! Alive! or PowerBait and get a $5 cash-back rebate. For more info, visit Berkley-Fishing.com.
Falcon first-timer scores big 1/22/2009 Joe Don Setina, a former FLW Tour regular from Pittsburg, Texas, had never visited renowned Falcon Lake prior to the recent Texas Stren that took place there. He used a tip he got from a friend and fellow competitor and combined it with his own practice pattern to achieve the victory.
Brad Bookmyer of Leander, Texas had his fishing trip cut short Wednesday, but he was happy about it. After hooking two fish so big he couldn't turn them and keep them hooked, he landed a 15.45-pound largemouth bass that was 22 inches in girth and 26 1/4 inches long.
The fish is the seventh ShareLunker to come from Choke Canyon and weighs nearly a pound more than the previous lake record (a 14.66-pounder caught in 1991).
Bookmyer was fishing in 10 feet of 53-degree water when the fish took a crankbait. “I immediately quit fishing to get the fish into the minnow tank at the Calliham Store as soon as possible,” Bookmyer said.
The fish is the third to be entered into the ShareLunker program during the current season, which runs through April 30. Anyone legally catching a largemouth bass in Texas waters, public or private, weighing 13 pounds or more can enter the fish into the program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550, or by paging him at (888) 784-0600 and leaving an area code and phone number.
For more about the ShareLunker program, click here.
New FLW network? 1/22/2009 Rumors have intensified that FLW Outdoors will soon announce a move from Fox Sports Net to the Versus Network. Like previous reports on the rumor, nothing's been confirmed, but the increase in chatter is noticeable.
If the rumors are true, the move would likely be well received by both FLW pros and fans. Versus is a widely distributed network that has aggressively expanded its outdoor programming.
Prior to its 2005 debut on Fox Sports Net, FLW Outdoors had been broadcast on three other networks – ESPN, PAX and the Outdoor Life Network.
Pro Kota Kiriyama's giving away some free, high-end Japanese tackle on his website.
To find out how to win, visit NinjaTackleBox.com, click on "Japan Tackle," then scroll to the bottom of the page and watch the movie titled 2009 New Year Special Present.
BASS Southern: full 1/22/2009 With the recent contraction in the Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, many BassFans have wondered how the Bassmaster Opens will fare this year. The news is good there. The season kicks off next week with the Harris Chain Southern, and according to BASS, there are 192 confirmed pros for the event, with about 20 more on the waiting list.
It's also worth noting that the first Stren of the year, the Falcon Texas Stren, was overbooked with 203 boats.
Eliminate line twist 1/21/2009 Do you fish a spinning reel? Line twist got you down? Today on the Catch More Fish page, light-line specialist Mike Iaconelli provides four simple tips to help virtually eliminate line twist. Three of the tips you've likely heard before, but the fourth will probably surprise you.
Swindle's tribute 1/21/2009 Gerald Swindle got a tattoo recently in memory of his brother Tony, who died last year of pancreatic cancer. To see it, click here to visit the Daily Crank (the Lucky Craft blog).
Bass Edge: season 3 1/21/2009 The new season of Bass Edge has begun, and its heavy hitting lineup of guests continues. This season's shows will include Denny Brauer, Jonathon VanDam, Sean Hoernke, California Delta rat Chris Ball and more.
To check out a cool highlight video for the current season, click here.
You've heard a lot about 'em, and now you can finally own 'em. Rapala's much-anticipated Clackin' Rap has shipped to retailers nationwide.
David Fritts, who played an integral role in the bait's development, noted: "This is a totally different, versatile lure and it's the most exciting bait I've ever seen. The Clackin' Rap is a very rare bait that excels in all applications. Fish it 5 feet deep or 100 feet deep and let the Clackin' rattle go to work - it's the ultimate bait, perfect for any condition."
Unlike other rattlebaits, the Clackin' Rap features a deep-base rattle that emanates from a metal rattle chamber with a single large BB. Rapala noted that "Numbers of rattles will catch fish, but one big, deep rattle catches the really big fish."
It can be fished like a traditional rattlebait with a lift-drop retrieve to create a flutter as it falls, or it can be fished vertically, just like a jigging spoon.
The Clackin' Rap is 3 1/8 inches long, weighs a hefty 7/8-ounce, and is equipped with a front VMC SureSet belly hook and a black nickel treble hook in back. Suggested retail price is $9.99.
> For more about the bait, click here for Rapala's info page.
> Clackin' Raps are currently for sale at the BassFan Store. Click here for the order page.
> To read a BassFan Product Review of the Clackin' Rap, click here.
Citing the nation's economic downturn, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame announced today that it's postponing its annual induction dinner, which was scheduled for Feb. 19.
Sammy Lee, president of the Hall's board of directors, said the decision was a
difficult one, but that it was necessary in light of the current economic environment.
"The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is supported by anglers and sponsors who want to
ensure that pioneers of this great sport are honored with their own hall of fame. Like
most companies today, our sponsors are carefully reconsidering all expenditures,
including donations to non-profit organizations like ours," said Lee. "We are optimistic that the economic climate will improve soon, and we will reschedule the induction banquet as soon as it is advisable to do so."
The 2009 inductees are: the late John Powell of Alabama, one of the pioneers of professional bass fishing who won several tournaments in the 1960s and '70s; FLW Outdoors founder and Genmar Boats owner Irwin Jacobs of Minnesota; former Bassmaster Classic Champion Woo Daves of Virginia; veteran fishing writer and photographer Steve Price of Texas; and Tim Tucker, a BASS senior writer from Florida who died in an automobile accident in 2007.
For more about the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, click here.
Snowden tops at Toho 1/18/2009 Brian Snowden caught a 17.75-pound sack on Saturday to win the season-opening PAA Tournament Series event at Florida's Lake Toho. The Missourian prevailed by a margin of more than 3 1/2 pounds over runner-up Steve Kennedy.
Day-2 leader Shaw Grigsby stumbled on the final day and weighed just 1 1/2 pounds, which dropped him to 10th place in the final standings.
Details of Snowden's winning pattern will be posted soon.
Hidden Lines 1/16/2009 Preventing fish from seeing the line has been a major concern ever since the first angler the world ever knew made his initial cast. There have been a lot of breakthroughs in this area over the years, and Spiderwire is taking it to yet another level.
The new Stealth Camo and Code Red braided lines are designed to stay off the radar of wary fish. You undoubtedly understand how camo works, but unless you remember everything you learned in high school science, you might be a bit baffled by the use of red as a concealment color.
Optima ups with BASS 1/15/2009 BASS announced today that Optima Batteries will increase its sponsorship involvement with the league. The company was a supporting sponsor of BASS in 2008, but will be an official sponsor of BASS this season.
The agreement includes sponsorship of the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series, BASS Federation Nation, Bassmaster Opens and Women's Bassmaster Tour. Additionally, Optima will sponsor BASS's youth initiatives – the Junior Bassmaster World Championship and the Bassmaster CastingKids program.
Optima marine brand manager Josie Cline said in announcing the news: "Optima Batteries is proud to continue our association with BASS – the worldwide leader in bass fishing. As an Ultimate Power Source for BASS and an avid supporter of the sport of bass fishing, Optima Batteries encourages enthusiasts everywhere to stay out on the water longer, and together we'll continue to power the sport into the future."
BASS VP and GM Tom Ricks said: "Optima has a fantastic reputation in the industry and we're excited to have them increase their association with BASS. Companies like Optima are necessary to grow the sport of bass fishing."
BASS revises payouts 1/15/2009 BASS today released newly revised payouts and entry fees for its 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series. BASS stated that the newest revision was made "in light of recent feedback."
Entry fees were increased to $41,600 for the 8-event season (up from the previously announced $32,000). Payouts were adjusted accordingly and can be found below. Note that significant money was moved from the Angler of the Year program into regular-season events, alongside the increase in entry fees, so that anglers who finish 50th or better will now win at least $10,000.
In addition, BASS moved its rescheduled Oneida Elite Series back to its original dates of Aug. 13–16, and hence there is no longer a Forrest Wood Cup conflict.
Pre-spawn primer 1/13/2009 Florida Bassmaster Elite Series pro Preston Clark likes to keep things pretty simple when he's pursuing pre-spawn fish – he counts on two types of baits to do the bulk of the work. To find out which baits those are, click here to visit the Catch More Fish page.
A new episode of BassFan Radio features pro and PAA vice president Chad Morgenthaler, who talks about this week's Toho PAA Tournament Series. To listen, click here.
The shows plays as a WMA file. What if you're on a Mac and can't listen to Windows Media files? Consider downloading Flip4Mac, which is free and an indispensable tool. Click here to learn more about it.
For those who knew him, the memory of Tim Tucker is alive and well. And so is the trust fund for his two children Kyle and Rachel (11-year-old twins). In fact, Shaw Grigsby's wife Polly will be accepting donations for the trust fund this week at the Toho PAA Tournament Series.
Donations can also be made by sending a check to:
Polly Grigsby
4937 SW 80th Place
Gainesville, FL 32608
Notable too is that Triton gave Tucker's boat to Kyle and Rachel and it's for sale, with proceeds to go to the trust fund. For information about the boat, contact:
Jeff Miller
Millers Boating Center
1661 NW 57th St.
Ocala, FL 34475
(352) 622-7757
Oroville Stren postponed 1/13/2009 As anticipated, the Oroville Western Stren scheduled for Jan. 22–24 has been postponed due to "delays in ramp construction at the Bidwell Canyon Marina in Oroville, Calif." The FLW College Fishing event, scheduled in conjunction with the Stren, has likewise been moved.
FLW Outdoors stated, "Ramp construction is now slated for completion around the end of February, though dates for the tournaments have yet to be determined. Dates for the two events will be determined and announced soon."
Florida BassFans should note that the Berkley Experience Trailer will roll into the Dania Beach, Fla. Bass Pro Shops this weekend (Jan. 16–18).
The Berkley Experience Trailer gives the everyday angler the opportunity to view baits in the Berkley line and chances to see the baits in action. Kids and adults alike will enjoy fishing games and knot tying contests.
Special sales and promotions will be offered wherever the Berkley trailer stops. For BassFans unable to make the Dania Beach stop, other upcoming stops include:
Jan. 30–Feb. 1: Bass Pro Shops, Orlando, Fla.
Feb. 8–10: Gander Mountain, Lake Mary, Fla.
Cup conflict not intentional 1/9/2009 BassFan spoke with BASS about its schedule conflict involving the 2009 Oneida Elite Series and the Forrest Wood Cup. Remember that BASS, under its new Elite Series format, moved the date of the Oneida Elite Series to July 30 – August 2, which is on top of the Forrest Wood Cup.
"That was not intentional at all and we're looking for alternative dates," a BASS official told BassFan. In other words, expect the Oneida date to change, which means Takahiro Omori, Mike Iaconelli, Tommy Biffle and Greg Hackney (who are qualified for the Cup) won't be forced into a decision.
High-end spincaster? 1/9/2009 Abu Garcia's new Abumatic 170i is pretty darn cool. It's a high-end spincast reel that's packed with many of the features you'd expect on a quality baitcaster. For all the details on the reel, click on over to the Catch More Fish page.
The Professional Anglers Association has released the roster for its inaugural PAA Tournament Series event, which will take place next Thursday through Saturday (Jan. 15-17) at Florida's Lake Toho.
Here's the list in alphabetical order:
Tracy Adams, Patrick Amick, Todd Auten, Terry Baksay, Chris Baumgardner, Charles Bebber, Bob Bennett, Mike Bierfreund, Tommy Biffle, Cody Bird, Shonn Blassingame, Bob Blosser, Dalton Bobo, Frank Boothe Jr., Roger Boler, Denny Brauer, Ray Brazier, Glenn Browne, Scott Browning, Greg Buie.
Terry Butcher, Keith Caka, Ben Carroll, Russell Cecil, Tony Chachere, Jason Christie, Luke Clausen, Gary Clouse, Erwin Cole, Fred Contaoi, Arch Cornett, Brandon Coulter, John Crews, Brent Crow, David Curtis, Chris Daves, Ott DeFoe, Nick DiBerardino, Jim Dillard, Kurt Dove.
Craig Dowling, Boyd Duckett, Clay Dyer, Guy Eaker, Paul Elias, Chris Elliott, Gene Ellison, Luke Estel, Todd Faircloth, Art Ferguson III, Jami Fralick, Kyle Fox, Shinichi Fukae, Anthony Gagliardi, Andy Gaia, Sam Greer, Shaw Grigsby, Ricky Guy, Bradley Hallman, Charlie Hartley.
Mike Hawkes, Matt Herren, Sean Hoernke, Tim Horton, Mike Iaconelli, Charlie Ingram, Aaron Lee Jakub, Duke Jenkel, Kelly Jordon, Pat Kelly, Steve Kennedy, J.T. Kenney, Gary Klein, Monte Knight, Trevor Knight, Koby Kreiger, Jeff Kriet, Arnie Lane, Bobby Lane, Chris Lane.
Russ Lane, Dave Lefebre, Randy Link, Elton Luce, Trea Luedke, Curt Lytle, Kyle Mabrey, Dave Mansue, Aaron Martens, Casey Martin, Ben Matsubu, Mike McClelland, Sandy Melvin, Andy Montgomery, Russell Moran, Andy Morgan, Chad Morgenthaler, Rick Morris, Michael Murphy, Sam Newby.
Matt Ogrodowicz, Lonnie O'Neal, Takahiro Omori, Keith Pace, Brian Penso, Gordon Phillips, Patrick Pierce, Pete Ponds, Dennis Price Jr., Greg Pugh, Justin Rackley, Matt Reed, Derek Remitz, Jason Reyes, Gary Riffle, Mark Rose, Zell Rowland, Darrin Schwenkbeck, Bernie Schultz, Terry Scroggins.
Jason Seaton, Terry Segraves, Micah Silverman, Tim Sisk, Dave Smith, Brian Snowden, Dan Strickland, Marty Stone, Craig Taylor, Peter Thliveros, Eddy Thomas, Joe Thomas, Wes Thomas, Bryan Thrift, Byron Velvick, Lance Vick, Greg Vinson, Ronnie Wagner, Corey Waldrop, David Walker.
Brad Wall, Kyle Walters, Chris Wilkerson, Dustin Wilks, Jason Williamson, Kevin Wirth, Dave Wolak, Mike Wurm.
Kentucky Bassmaster Elite Series angler Mark Menendez announced that he's signed a sponsorship deal with Del Rio, Texas-based Power Tackle rods. The deal replaces the one he had with All Star, but he'll continue to fish Pflueger reels.
“The Power Tackle line of rods will help the bass angler land more bass," he said. "The detail in design and comfort allows the angler the utmost in sensitivity.
"After extensive testing, the new palming grips and ACS reel seats offered on Power Tackle rods have reduced the amount of wrist and elbow fatigue experienced from long days on the water. This is really evident in today’s power fishing techniques, such as swimbaits, deep cranking and heavy-cover flipping."
Said Power Tackle co-owner Tim Reneau: “We are extremely happy to have Mark working with us at Power Tackle. He is known as a tireless educator and effective speaker. Mark’s presence on the Elite Series will help the Power Tackle brand receive exposure in areas of the country (that are) new to us."
American Bass Anglers announced that the 2009 Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship will be held Nov. 1-8 at Lake Dardanelle out of Russellville, Ark.
Anglers earn berths via local qualifying events across the country. The winner will receive $100,000 out of the total $680,000 purse, plus a berth in the 2010 Bassmaster Classic. Bonus payouts will be available to boaters and non-boaters down to 50th place.
“We feel it is an honor to have this event in our community and think it will be as successful for American Bass Anglers as for us," said Russellville Tourism executive director Christie Graham. "We look forward to hosting this event and being able to show off our lake as well as our new State Park Visitors Center and Aquatic Center, which features state of the art amenities and educational opportunities. The park also has a new shoreline boardwalk, handicap fishing pavilion, and the only tournament weigh-in facility like it in the nation."
Added ABA president Morris Sheehan: “Lake Dardanelle and Dardanelle State Park is a great venue for the championship. The state park offers tremendous facilities and the lake has great fishing for the anglers. This Championship is how the weekend angler qualifies for the Bassmaster Classic, and Dardanelle is a great place to for a champion to be determined."
Big Bay de Noc, Champlain out, too 1/9/2009 TimesDaily.com of Florence, Ala. published an updated story today that reports that in addition to the Bassmaster Elite Series event scheduled for Lake Pickwick, the 2009 tournaments at Michigan's Big Bay de Noc and New York's Lake Champlain have been canceled, as well.
Elite shocker Updated 1/8/2009 Update: BassFan spoke with a BASS official at 10:00 a.m. this morning and asked for clarification about the reported cancellation of Pickwick and other Elite Series events. The official withheld comment, but said full details will be released later this afternoon.
The 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule will be shortened from 11 events to eight due to the slumping economy, according to a story posted this afternoon by TimesDaily.com of Florence, Ala.
The brief article reports that Debbie Wilson, director of the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Bureau, was told by BASS that the Lake Pickwick event scheduled for May 14-17 has been canceled, along with two other Elite tournaments. Wilson told TimesDaily.com that BASS did not inform her as to which other events had been eliminated.
BASS is scheduled to divulge specifics of the '09 Elite Series on Friday.
Rob Newell recently wrote a killer 2-part story on David Dudley, published by FLW Outdoors. Especially notable is Newell's in-depth discussion with Dudley about his offshore studies the past few years. Want to know what's in Dudley's crankbait box? Want to know his thoughts on schooling fish – in particular, their relationship to winning tournament strategies? Want to know how Dudley honed his instincts? Then this is a piece you want to read.
Despite a career year that included his first-ever win, 2008 ended on a somber note for pro Kota Kiriyama. The Japanese pro fished all year under the shadow of an ill father, who was home in Japan and locked in a battle with kidney cancer. BassFans probably remember how emotional Kota was when he won at Buffalo last summer while his father watched over the Internet from his sick bed.
Kota carried the Buffalo trophy back to Japan as his father neared the end. Kota arrived on Nov. 26, and his father passed away the following week.
"He got to see it," Kota said of the Elite Series trophy. "When I got there was the only time he was able to communicate a little bit. By that time, he had a morphine patch on his back. That puts him to sleep all the time. When I got there, he was staying awake, and he was telling me a few things that he wanted to tell me.
"He told me he's very happy that he got to see me win that tournament, and he was happy that I mentioned that I found something that I want to do for rest of my life. He was happy to hear that, he said, and he was just happy and told me he wants to show me how he lived, and was hoping that I learn – that I see him and I learn from him. Those were the last things he told me. Then after that, they put him in bed in the hospital with more morphine, and I couldn't communicate with him after that. He passed away on Dec. 1 at 10:33 pm."
Kota, although deeply saddened by the passing of his father, noted the example his father set in his fight against cancer.
"He fought for almost 2 1/2 years. And he really fought. He fought real hard with pain. I know it was physically very difficult for him to walk, I think because he was taking chemotherapy, but he still wanted to run his business."
Meet Charles Sim 1/8/2009 Charles Sim of Ottawa, Ontario is set to become the first Canadian to fish the FLW Tour full-time since Bob Izumi in 2003.
"It's kind of a tough year for me to throw my hat into the ring," said the 36-year-old, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 300 pounds. "I have a number of great product sponsors up here in Canada, but in this economy I have yet to find a single cash sponsor. Anyway, I'm going to compete hard, try to represent well and see where it all ends up after this year.
"I'm just about as much of a rookie as I can be as I have yet to see five of the six bodies of water."
He made his Tour debut with a 39th-place finish last year at the Detroit River. He'll also fish the Bassmaster Northern Opens and a circuit in his homeland this year.
LaserLure, Inc. announced today that it has signed 2007 Bassmaster Classic champion Boyd Duckett to a sponsorship contract.
LaserLure, a Shreveport, La.-based manufacturer of laser beam-infused lures, sought Duckett because of his popularity and reputation for seeking creative approaches to competitive fishing, said national sales manager Mike Lopez.
“We are delighted to welcome Boyd Duckett to our team," Lopez said. "At LaserLure, we know that we’ve developed an innovative, exciting new product and we’re equally certain that we’ve formed a partnership with an angler that will bring the right kind of attention to our product. Nothing could please us more than knowing that when the Bassmaster Classic comes to Shreveport in February, Boyd Duckett will be tossing our lures and telling people the terrific things he’s found out about them.”
Said Duckett: “I’m really proud to be part of the new LaserLure team, because the company has created a truly innovative product. LaserLure has taken a great idea and turned it into products that work.
“I think people who know me understand that I’m really careful to make sure I associate with high-quality, top-flight sponsors. And LaserLure is a terrific, growing company. It’s always my intention to work with folks that let me have a voice into how their products are advanced and marketed. LaserLure is giving me that opportunity, and I’m excited about this partnership.”
To find out more about LaserLure's water-activated, computer-controlled lures that come in five body styles, click here to visit the company's website.
Do bass remember? 1/7/2009 Every BassFan has wondered: Will a bass strike the same lure twice? The obvious answer is yes, because we've all seen it time and again. But do bass eventually remember not to bite that lure? The answer to that question, as well as the discussion of a larger topic – how bass actually learn – occupies center stage today on the Catch More Fish Page. Click here to check it out. Tidbit: While all bass are capable of learning, individual specimens do so at quite different rates. So yes, some bass are "smarter" than others.
Reel manufacturer Ardent has announced a new, multi-year sponsorship of the ArmyBassAnglers. Ardent will provide all team members with top-of-the-line reels and accessories for use in BASS, Bass Champs and Fishers of Men events.
Formed in 2006, ArmyBassAnglers is a group of active-duty soldiers who share a passion for fishing and supporting fellow military personnel. ArmyBassAnglers consists of eight pro staff anglers and three reserves, all of whom are active or former service members.
“Our sponsorship with ArmyBassAnglers is one that is most important to our young company,” said Ardent president and CEO Michael J. Brooks. “They support programs that embody pride in our country and bring fun and enjoyment to the men and women in our country’s Armed Forces. We want to do everything in our power to ensure the ArmyBassAnglers have what they need in order to keep those important programs alive.”
ArmyBassAnglers supports programs such as “Take a Soldier Fishing,” “Return Heroes Home” and “Fishing for Freedom.” These programs help increase awareness of the mission of honoring, as well as supporting, the men and women defending the United States in the military.
BASS recently chose the ArmyBassAnglers to drive the honorary launch boats at the 2009 Bassmaster Classic.
“We couldn’t think of a better company to pair with than Ardent,” said ArmyBassAnglers president and founder Mjr. Cody Roberson. “It is important for ArmyBassAnglers to join forces with companies that support our country as much as we do. Ardent is a prime example of that. They are the only manufacturer of casting and spinning reels to make all of their products in the USA. The fact that they produce the best fishing reels on the market is an added bonus.”
In addition to the partnership, Ardent has established a reel rebate program for all men and women on active duty, providing them with a $25 discount on all Ardent reels.
Opinion: Red River Practice 1/7/2009 BassFan Clayton Frye from Bossier City, La. recently helped a Bassmaster Classic competitor with his Red River practice. By Frye's account, he learned a lot more than the pro did – not about the River, but about fishing at the tour level. The whole experience has Frye wondering if he's really got what it takes to compete at the top.
For Frye's full account of the experience, click here to read his BassFan Opinion.
PAA needs observers 1/6/2009 The Professional Anglers Association is seeking observers to ride along with pro anglers during next week's inaugural PAA Tournament Series event at Lake Toho in Florida. There are no membership or entry-fee requirements.
For more information, call the PAA office at (270) 527-2030 or send an email to Jamie@fishpaa.com.
If the FLW Tour ran a "Hottest Rig Running" contest like the Bassmaster Elite Series has done the past several years, then Tennessee's Jason Abram would undoubtedly be the preseason favorite. His wrap for 2009 depicts a bikini-clad woman.
The wrap promotes HotTanningBeds.com, a tanning-bed manufacturer that sells its products primarily through large club stores such as Costco and Sam's Club. Abram has been friends with one of the company's co-owners since childhood.
"I don't think anybody's going to walk by my boat without stopping to look and ask a question about it," he said. "We were teetering back and forth about whether to put the girl on there, and the bottom line is that stuff sells. We took a small survey, and about 90% of the people preferred her being on the boat."
He said the design has been approved by Ranger and that it doesn't violate FLW guidelines because it doesn't promote alcohol or tobacco products.
You can click on the photo to see a larger version.
Elite Series pro John Crews of Salem, Va. has launched a new venture called Bass Angler Academy. It's an intensive school "for the serious angler who's tired of getting beat," he said. "This program is something I've been asked about for a while. This is a very unique opportunity for weekend anglers to learn in a day what takes pros years to obtain."
He added that his school's an expansion of a classroom seminar he's been doing for a bass club for several years. Its success prompted him to offer more classroom options, as well as on-the-water instruction.
"It's not a guide trip. Anglers can learn boat positioning, using a GPS, reading a sonar unit, real-world casting techniques, proper hooksets, and much more."
He offers several levels of instruction, from a one-on-one, 8-hour session on the water, to classroom instruction for large and small groups. Details and pricing can be found at JohnCrews.com.
> Another Crews tidbit: He recently added Solar Bat and PowerPro to his sponsor portfolio.
Angling pioneer and legend Ron Lindner recently had a medical scare that's caused him to look at life all over again, he said.
It all started when he experienced some problems and decided to go for a stress test a few days before he was to leave for his winter home in Florida. The stress test led to an angioplasty that revealed six blockages in his arteries. He underwent surgery almost immediately for three double-bypasses and is currently recovering in Minneapolis–St. Paul. He's 75 years old.
"I had a lot of prayer from a lot of loved ones," he said. "My life is the fishing business, and I had a lot of prayer from within the industry and from without. It's probably the heaviest hit of anything I've ever felt in my life, but I'm going to be fine. It'll take time, and there'll be some healing involved here.
"It's actually a blessing from God," he added. "I was on my way out of here for Florida when I took the stress test. My brother Al said it's better they found out now than to have me 25 miles up in the Everglades fighting a tarpon by myself at 5:00 at night."
This wasn't his first brush with a potentially deadly condition. He had melanoma in the face several years ago. Looking back, he said the heart trouble was caused by years of not taking care of himself. He was a heavy drinker and smoker before he found God, and never took seriously the recommendations for eating light. In fact, he remembers his days as a walleye guide when he'd throw lard in the skillet to cook his walleye shore lunches.
He opts for baked walleye now, and urges BassFans to do the same.
Right now, he's not sure if he'll be able to get to his Florida retreat before spring. He can't be in a sitting position for any longer than 3 hours. That's about how long a direct flight will take, so if he does go, he'll fly and have sometime drive his rig down.
"I'll tell you this on reevaluating your life situation – you look at it a little different now," he said from his hospital bed. "I thank everybody who prayed for me. I truly believe modern medicine is a gift from God."
BassFans can catch up with Ron and the rest of the Lindners on their Angling Edge TV Show, which just began a new season. Air times are as follows:
Versus Network
Saturdays at 10:00 am ET
Mondays at 12:30 pm ET
Thursdays at 5:30 am ET
Fox Sports Net and other channels
Fox SportsNet North -- Sundays at 11:30 am
Fox SportsNet Midwest -- Saturdays at 10:00 am
Fox SportsNet Detroit -- Saturdays @ 10:00 am
Fox SportsNet Ohio -- Saturdays at 10:30 am
Fox SportsNet Pittsburgh -- Saturdays @ 11:00 am
BassFans who want to keep up with the PAA happenings should note two recent developments. One, the Fish PAA Television show debuted this week with an episode featuring Mike Iaconelli and John Crews. The show began airing yesterday at 7:30 pm Eastern on WFN.
Also noteworthy is that Phoenix Boats has become the presenting sponsor of the new PAA Tournament Series. Phoenix president Gary Clouse, a fisherman himself who's signed up for all the PAA Series events, commented: "We're very excited to be a part of the PAA Tournament Series. We believe that the timing is right for Phoenix Boats to support the PAA's inaugural tournament season. I've been behind the PAA 100%. Even if we weren't a sponsor, I'm still an angler and I think the PAA is very important to bass fishing as a sport – we need it."
PAA operations manager Jamie Hargrove added: "Since I started with the PAA in 2007, the members have been requesting and looking for ways for the PAA to have their own tournament series. The PAA staff and board are very excited to be able to make these requests a reality in 2009. As the PAA starts the very first tournament series developed by professional anglers for professional anglers, we're pleased to be able to team up with a new and growing company such as Phoenix boats to be able to offer the top two winning positions brand new bass boats complete with Evinrude engines."
The PAA Series begins next week at Florida's Lake Toho.
U.S. Reel deal 1/6/2009 U.S. Reel will offer a double bonus for consumers who buy its SuperCaster XL or SX wide-spool spinning reels from participating retailers, in the form of a free rod and a $10 rebate for the reel. The promotion will last from Feb. 1 to June 21, 2009.
For example, if a customer buys an XL reel for $109.99, and gets the free rod from the retailer, he or she can then apply to U.S. Reel for the $10 rebate, making the net purchase of the reel and rod combination $99.99.
The SuperCaster spinning reel is the only lightweight wide-spool reel to receive Editor's Pick choices from Bassmaster and Field & Stream magazines.
Visit USReel.com for complete promotion details, or inquire at your local retailer.
The real bass-man 1/6/2009 Here's one of the more interesting YouTube vids we've seen in a while. Thanks to BassFan David Monks for the heads-up, who says he witnessed the action first-hand.
Medley Opinion: 'What's Wrong?' 1/6/2009 Remember Chuck Medley the "pro"? He's back with another BassFan Opinion, and this one's a doozy. To find out what he thinks is wrong with competitive fishing today, click here.
The Berkley Experience Trailer is stopping at four Florida locations in January and February. The 60-foot long semi brings an array of product demonstrations and equipment to help any angler “Catch More Fish."
The trailer, which debuted in 2005, brings an interactive approach to learning the different techniques used by top pros. The Florida stops include three Bass Pro Shops locations and a Gander Mountain outlet.
Here's the schedule:
> Jan. 9-11 – Bass Pro Shops, Fort Myers
> Jan. 16-18 – Bass Pro Shops, Ft. Lauderdale
> Jan. 30-Feb. 1 – Bass Pro Shops, Orlando
> Feb 6-8: Gander Mountain, Lake Mary
Demonstrations, featuring Berkley line and baits and Abu Garcia reels, entertain and offer anglers of any level the chance to better their skill set. The interior of the trailer puts anglers “in the water” and includes interactive touch screens covering a variety of fishing species like bass and redfish. Along with demonstrations on fish senses, a complete breakdown of all 2009 Berkley products will be featured.
“We are excited about partnering with these great retailers and bringing the Berkley experience to Florida,” said senior marketing manager Andrew Marks, "Our Experience Trailer staff is ready to help anglers of all ages and levels learn about our products and how best to use them.”
BYM news, earlier today, published what it said is an open letter from Genmar Holdings Inc. chairman and CEO Irwin Jacobs that details a new entry level fiberglass boat brand from Genmar.
The new brand, called FinCraft, will reportedly be produced with a breakthrough in VEC technology at the company's Little Falls, Minn. plant. According to the letter, the first 17-foot FinCraft boat will be revealed at the 2009 Minneapolis Boat Show this month. The boat will come equipped with a 50-horse two-stroke, Minn Kota trolling motor, Lowrance depthfinder and is capable of fishing five people – all for a reported price of $13,995. The letter also says a $1,000 cash rebate will be offered through the spring.
At that price point and with $3,000 cash down, the letter notes that monthly payments could be as low as $136. Remember that Jacobs last month announced that Genmar would form a financing division to provide marine financing to Genmar buyers.
Also notable is that Jacobs, in the letter as published by BYM, states that in addition to Genmar dealers, "We're planning on offering our new line of FinCraft entry-level fishing boats to existing successful Lund, Crestliner, Lowe, Tracker, Alumacraft and G3 boat dealers" – meaning, it's meant as a direct competitor to aluminum.
Jacobs earlier this year stated an intent to begin a new aluminum boat brand in the coming years. In this newer letter, however, he notes that Genmar won't re-enter the aluminum market, given the breakthrough in VEC technology. "It is our intention to capture the market share of the aluminum segment of the entry-level boating market segment with our new FinCraft line of boats," the letter said.
Elite Field: final list 1/5/2009 BASS is a little slow this year in releasing its final Elite Series field list. Last year, the league released the final list in early December. BassFan asked about it, and a BASS official said it'll be released this Friday. Stay tuned.
Storm Opinion: 2-year rule? 1/5/2009 In a new BassFan Opinion, editor-in-chief Jon Storm argues that both major leagues need to make a change right now to bring stability to the athletes. What's the change he's talking about? Click here to read his opinion.
Entry-fee break? 1/5/2009 With the economy slumping as badly as it is, would BASS consider giving Bassmaster Elite Series anglers a reduction to their $5,000-per-tournament entry fees for the 2009 season? What about competitors at other levels?
Some pros have heard such rumblings, and maybe there's some substance there. Here's the response to that question BassFan got from a BASS communications official:
"As always, we're reviewing our programs in order to best serve our constituencies, but have nothing to announce at this time."
After fishing out of a Skeeter boat for the past two decades, Jay Yelas has moved to Ranger for 2009. He'll also rejoin FLW Outdoors' Team Chevy (he was a member of that team in 2002-03).
"I parted with Skeeter on great terms and I still have a lot of great friends there," said the three-time tour-level angler of the year and former Bassmaster Classic champion. "It's really a circumstantial thing – fishing FLW, it just makes more sense to be in a Ranger boat."
He's posted an open letter about his moves on his website. To read it, click here.
Vicious Fishing announced that it has signed Bassmaster Elite Series pros Marty Stone and Kevin Short to endorsement deals for its Vicious line brands.
About the new deal, Stone noted: "Vicious line has all the things I look for in a line sponsor – a quality product that continues to improve, but the improvement is not creating so many line applications and brands that it confuses the fisherman. Instead they improve on the great product lines they have and that the fisherman already knows about. I also like the fact that they have the feel of a giant company, but they still value personal relationships."
Short said: "After months of testing numerous lines, I've found that Vicious offers the best fishing lines. Not only is Vicious line extremely dependable, the entire product line, from their 100% fluorocarbon to their new braid, is very affordable. I was sold on Vicious fluorocarbon after catching my first ever 6-pound Lake Erie smallmouth on 6-pound 100% fluorocarbon. Vicious offers some of the best products for anglers because the folks at Vicious are anglers. They know what we need to catch more fish and are constantly looking to improve and add products to help all of us put more fish in the boat."
Chris Dutton of Vicious added: "We're very excited to have two hard-working, dedicated pros who're not only are great anglers, but know how to promote as well."
Here's a cool (and valuable) sales promotion: From now through Sept. 15, buy an Abu Garcia Revo reel (with a retail price of $159 or higher) and receive a free pair of polarized Wiley X glasses (a $126 retail value).
Wiley X president of sales Myles Freeman said in announcing the news: "This isn't just a great deal – it's a true win-win situation for anglers. We're working with Pure Fishing to deliver a powerful one-two combination for the serious caster. We know from our work with professional anglers like Skeet Reese how important enhanced vision and comfortable eyes are to fishing success over a long, hard day on the water. This promotion makes it more affordable than ever for family fishermen and weekend warriors to protect their eyes just like the pros."
To take advantage of this promotion, BassFans must fill out a special coupon (available on countertop displays in tackle shops nationwide) and send it in with proof of purchase and $6.95 to cover shipping and handling.
Participants can choose from the Wiley X P-17 or X Slyde. Redemptions are limited to two per household.
WSJ on 'Go Fish' 1/5/2009 The Wall Street Journal today published an in-depth story about Geogia's Go Fish campaign that inspects the economics of fishing and the impact of big events like the Forrest Wood Cup. Click here to check it out.
Shimano snags PowerPro 1/5/2009 Shimano, which had traditionally focused on rods, reels and tackle storage, recently acquired Innovative Textiles and its PowerPro braided line brand.
According to Shimano American president Dave Pfeiffer, PowerPro manufacturing operations will remain in Grand Junction, Colo., but Innovative Textiles sales and marketing efforts will transition to Shimano American, which is based in Irvine, Calif.
Pfeiffer noted: "The extensive background that Konrad Krauland and his team at Innovative Textiles have in braiding and textile engineering is one of the key assets of our acquisition. Krauland will join our management team as a vice president, focusing on production, coordinating manufacturing and new-product development with Shimano offices worldwide."
Pfeiffer added that Shimano plans to aggressively market PowerPro branded products to the international sportfishing market. "While Konrad and Innovative Textiles have become a leader in braided fishing lines here in the U.S., the connection now with Shimano will allow us to grow the business throughout Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and Latin America."
Established in 1992, Innovative Textiles introduced PowerPro braided fishing line to the market in 1997. The company first started making Spectra fiber braid for kite flying, plus Krauland and his engineering staff were involved with other companies that needed their braiding expertise for some of the first braided fishing lines.
"To be able to make that next big leap – from a strong brand in the U.S. fishing market to one that will have solid global presence – we couldn't be happier now being part of Shimano American Corporation," Krauland said. "As we integrate our Grand Junction operations into Shimano's operation in Irvine and sales offices around the globe, we look forward to working on the next innovations in fishing line technology and other new products over the next years."
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