Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits officially announced its sponsorship deals with former longtime Pure Fishing pro-staffers Larry Nixon and Jay Yelas in a press release today.
“I’m proud to add Larry and Jay to my team,” said company founder Gary Yamamoto. “Both of them are not only champion anglers, but also true professionals. I look forward to their many future successes on the water and their help developing my product lineup.”
Nixon won the Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) title in 1980 and 1982 and earned a Classic victory on the Ohio River in 1983. He’s been to 25 Classics and 13 Forrest Wood Cups.
“I’ve been a big fan of Gary’s for many, many years,” Nixon said. “He makes some of the greatest baits ever designed and this is a great opportunity for me.”
Yelas won the Bassmaster AOY in 2003 and the FLW AOY in both 2002 and 2007. He also won the Classic in 2002, one of 16 times he qualified for the B.A.S.S. championship. Additionally, he has competed in nine Forrest Wood Cups.
“I’ve used the Yamamoto Hula Grubs and double-tails for a long time and I’ve always been a believer in their effectiveness,” Yelas said. “I’ve also been a closet Senko user as long as they’ve been around – all of the pros are. No one else has been able to make a soft stickbait with the exact same action.”
