COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR DUSTIN LYNCH TO PERFORM FREE CONCERT IN HUNTSVILLE PRESENTED BY WDRM 102.1

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July 25, 2016

COUNTRY MUSIC SUPERSTAR DUSTIN LYNCH TO PERFORM FREE CONCERT IN HUNTSVILLE PRESENTED BY WDRM 102.1

Broken Bow Records Artist Set To Perform at 2016 Forrest Wood Cup

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (July 25, 2016) – Country music superstar Dustin Lynch will perform a free concert on the Walmart weigh-in stage at the Propst Arena in the Von Braun Center in Huntsville on Sunday, August 7, starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in of the world championship of professional bass fishing, the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart. The concert is presented by WDRM 102.1 radio.

Lynch occupies a unique place in today’s country music. Thanks to his classic sensibilities, he’s been heralded as the heir to George Strait’s throne. Yet with one listen to, “Where It’s At” it’s obvious the young Tennessee native knows how to combine his traditional influences with an edgy intensity that places him at the vanguard of today’s contemporary country scene. Racking up over 25 million views on YouTube/VEVO, soaring to #1 on the MTV Music Meter and selling 2.4 million digital singles, fans and critics alike are buzzing about Lynch’s undeniable, high-energy live show.

“A high-energy performer like Dustin Lynch will be the perfect way to celebrate our season in Huntsville,” said Patterson Leeth, FLW vice president of marketing. “Bass fishing and country music fans of all of ages are going to be in for a fantastic evening.”

Lynch is currently performing with Luke Bryan on his 2016 KILL THE LIGHTS Tour. He is the only artist Bryan has handpicked as an opener for a second time.

The Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing, returns to Wheeler Lake and the Huntsville, Alabama, area August 4-7 to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2016. Hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the tournament will feature 50 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals and co-anglers casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at

Wood/Harris win Castaway Angler’s Smith Mt Night Tournament Results – 6/23-24/2016

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July 25, 2016

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Wood/Harris win Castaway Angler’s Smith Mt Night Tournament Results – 6/23-24/2016

Hey Everybody,

We held our club night tournament last night and had 13 boats participate. Congrats to Wood/Harris who took 1st place with 15.91 lbs, Millner took 2nd place with 15.27 lbs (and big fish – 6.17 lb largemouth) and Moon/Slayton took 3rd place with 14.59 lbs. It was a long humid night but everybody had a good time and caught lots of fish. Our next tournament is Saturday, August 13, 2016 from 6am to 3pm at Leesville Lake out of the state ramp (by the dam). Hope to see everybody there.

Jimmy

Click Here To See Standings

Bass Cast Radio with Special guest Theron Asbery July 24,2016

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July 25, 2016

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Bass Cast Radio with Special guest Theron Asbery July 24,2016

On this weeks episode of Bass Cast radio me & Bruce had the opportunity to welcome our newest member of Bass Cast Radio to the show Jonathan Martin. Plus Bruce gave us a look at the 6th Annual Reel American Heroes Foundation tournament held on Lake Anna. Then to top it all of we had our special guest for the night Mr Theron Asbery come on and gave us a look at ICAST 2016 a look at the 2017 season & his thoughts on who was going to with the 2016 Forest Wood Cup.

MICHIGAN’S DOBSON LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS COSTA FLW SERIES EVENT AT 1000 ISLANDS PRESENTED BY MERCURY

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July 24, 2016

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MICHIGAN’S DOBSON LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS COSTA FLW SERIES EVENT AT 1000 ISLANDS PRESENTED BY MERCURY

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CLAYTON, N.Y. (July 23, 2016) – Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Michigan, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the Costa FLW Series Northern Division event at 1000 Islands presented by Mercury with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 68 pounds, 8 ounces. For his win, Dobson earned $82,669, including a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

“What a week this has been,” said Dobson, who earned his first career FLW Series victory. “I’ve been so close to winning in the past, and I knew that this tournament was mine to lose today. It was very tough today and my composure was really tested at some points, but it all worked out in the end and I am extremely happy right now.”

Dobson said that the majority of his fish came by rotating through three areas, keying in on spots that he said were, “snot free.”

“If you got any of that slimy grass on your lures, it was over and the fish weren’t going to bite,” Dobson said. “We started to call it ‘snot’ because when that happens your bait is not getting bit. So I keyed in on a couple of isolated areas that were clean and ‘snot’ free.”

It worked for Dobson as he weighed a limit of smallmouth bass each day on a variety of baits, including a Ned rig, which he dubbed “Mr. Flanders”, a drop-shot rig, a jerkbait, a spinbait and a tube. He said that he averaged 9 to 10 fish each day, but only caught 7 keepers Saturday.

“The drop-shot rig caught the most and biggest fish, but the Ned rig and the Duo Realis Spinbait 90 caught some important fish for me today.

“I think the biggest key to my win were my eyes,’ Dobson continued. “I saw every fish that I caught, and my experience fishing shallow back home on Lake St. Clair taught me that bait presentation is everything. If you cast too close, you’ll spook them. If you cast too far away, they can’t see it. It had to be very precise to get them to bite.”

The top 10 pros at 1000 Islands were:

1^st: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., 15 bass, 68-8, $82,669

2^nd: Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 61-4, $14,609

3^rd: Cal Climpson, Sharon, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 58-8, $11,584

4^th: Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 58-6, $9,425

5^th: Bob Izumi, Milton, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 54-11, $8,482

6^th: Dennis Carnahan, Cazenovia, N.Y., 15 bass, 53-3, $7,540

7^th: Andrew Slegona, Walker Valley, N.Y., 15 bass, 48-12, $6,597

8^th: John Vanore, Mullica Hill, N.J., 15 bass, 45-6, $5,655

9^th: Joel Richardson, Kernersville, N.C., 13 bass, 42-4, $4,712

10^th: Neil Farlow, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, 14 bass, 39-9, $3,770

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Climpson caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division Thursday – a bass weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces to earn him the day’s Big Bass award of $274.

Joe Thompson of Clayton, Georgia, won the co-angler division and a Ranger Z117 with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor, with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 43 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers at 1000 Islands were:

1^st: Joe Thompson, Clayton, Ga., 15 bass, 43-7, Ranger Z117 w/90-horsepower outboard

2^nd: Tom Streek, Belleville, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 41-13, $4,724

3^rd: James Schneider, Rexford, N.Y., 15 bass, 40-8, $3,779

4^th: Casey Casamento, Morrisonville, N.Y., 15 bass, 39-3, $3,307

5^th: Heath Toler, Walnut Cove, N.C., 13 bass, 37-5, $2,834

6^th: Rob Johnson, Schuylkill Haven, Pa., 15 bass, 36-1, $2,362

7^th: Brian Kich, Berea, Ohio, 14 bass, 32-1, $1,890

8^th: John Wilson, Six Mile, S.C., 14 bass, 31-3, $1,653

9^th: William Clute, Hogansburg, N.Y., 11 bass, 29-6, $1,417

10^th: Eric Correll, Birdsboro, Pa., 10 bass, 24-12, $1,181

Gary McClain of Chesapeake, Virginia, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division Friday weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces to earn him the day’s Big Bass award of $145.

The Costa FLW Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2016 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Nov. 3-5 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri.

The Costa FLW Series at 1000 Islands was hosted by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. It was the second Northern Division tournament of 2016.

The next Costa FLW Series tournament will be the third and final regular-season event in the Northern Division, held August 18-20, on Oneida Lake in Brewerton, New York. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NORTHERN CONFERENCE EVENT ON CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

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July 24, 2016

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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NORTHERN CONFERENCE EVENT ON CHAUTAUQUA LAKE

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CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (July 23, 2016) – The Penn State University duo of Clayton Frey of York, Pennsylvania, and Derek Horner, of State College, Pennsylvania, won the FLW College Fishing Northern Conference event at Chautauqua Lake Saturday with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned the club $2,000 and qualified the team for the 2017 FLW College Fishing National Championship.

“We expected to do well here, but we didn’t really expect to win,” said Horner, a junior majoring in Rehabilitation and Human Services. “Clayton and I had great teamwork today. The morning was very tough, but we stayed confident and we had good execution.”

“This is my third event fishing with Derek and I think that he and I work very well together,” said Frey, a junior majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. “It took us all day to grind it out, but it feels pretty good to qualify for the National Championship.”

The duo said that they caught their winning limit targeting the plentiful docks around Lake Chautauqua. They estimated that they fished 100 to 150 docks throughout the day, throwing a wacky-rigged Cinnamon Brown-colored Yamamoto Senko and a green-pumpkin Jakked Baits football-head jig with a Strike King Rage Craw, also in green-pumpkin.

‘We caught around 15 keepers and stayed in Bemus Bay for the entire day,” Horner said. “The fish were sitting 6 to 7 feet deep.”

“We caught our last keeper about 10 minutes before we had to check in and I knew that it was going to be close,” Frey said. “I’m happy we’re going home with the win.”

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2017 College Fishing National Championship are:

1^st: Pennsylvania State University – Derek Horner, State College, Pa., and Clayton Frey, York, Pa., five bass, 13-3, $2,000

2^nd: Schoolcraft Community College – Anthony Gilmore, Livonia, Mich., and Clayton Hatton, South Lyon, Mich., five bass, 13-3, $1,000

3^rd: Lake Superior State University – Jake Dorony, South Lyon, Mich., and Hunter Scharphorn, Grand Haven, Mich., five bass, 12-11, $500

4^th: Adrian College – Jack Hippe III, Davison, Mich., and Brandon Herzberg, Clarklake, Mich., five bass, 11-9, $500

5^th: University of Akron – Anthony Villalba, Silver Lake, Ohio, and Robert Webber, Elyria, Ohio, five bass, 11-8, $500

6^th: Adrian College – Dalton Breckel, Brooklyn, Mich., and Ryan Sharnas, Davison, Mich., five bass, 11-5

7^th: Ohio State University – Michael Whitacre, Hudson, Ohio, and John Belluardo, Peninsula, Ohio, five bass, 11-2

8^th: Lake Superior State University – Keegan Russell, Gladwin, Mich., and Nic Rand, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 10-12

9^th: Virginia Tech University – Milton Sheesley, Amissville, Va., and Ian Hardesty, Round Hill, Va., five bass, 10-8

10^th: Kent State University – Logan Willoughby, New Philadelphia, Ohio, and Trevor Gillett, Kent, Ohio, five bass, 10-5

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Penn State won the event via tiebreaker over second place, Schoolcraft Community College. FLW College Fishing Rule No. 17 states: Total number of fish for the tournament will break ties. If a tie remains, it will be broken first by total number of live fish for the tournament, then the earliest entry for the tournament and then by lottery. Since both teams weighed in five fish, all alive, the earliest entry was the deciding factor. Penn State registered for the event first, earning them the tiebreaker decision.

This FLW College Fishing Western Conference event was hosted by the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau and was the third and final regular-season qualifying tournament in the Northern conference. The next event for Northern Conference anglers will be the FLW College Fishing National Championship, held early next spring on a lake yet to be announced.

FLW College Fishing teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 15 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2017 FLW College Fishing National Championship.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

VanDam Clinches Bass Fishing’s Elite 8 Bracket Championship

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July 23, 2016

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VanDam Clinches Bass Fishing’s Elite 8 Bracket Championship

Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., wins the 2016 Bassmaster Classic Bracket held out of Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, earning a first-place prize of $10,000 and a berth in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.

Photo by James Overstreet/Bassmaster

July 22, 2016

VanDam Clinches Bass Fishing’s Elite 8 Bracket Championship

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — In the final round of the Bassmaster Classic Bracket event on the upper Niagara River, Michigan’s Kevin VanDam collected his 23rd B.A.S.S. win in a dramatic ending to this first-of-its-kind tournament.

In today’s championship match, VanDam was pitted against Brett Hite of Arizona, and fans were able to watch live on Bassmaster.com as the two Elite Series anglers clashed rods for a berth in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro and a $10,000 first-place payday. Unlike the first two elimination brackets of this derby — and traditional Elite Series tournaments — where a five-fish limit was the goal, every legal-size bass caught today was weighed and counted.

VanDam, who was worried about the change in format after it was announced Thursday, had no issues locating and catching enough fish to eliminate Hite, as he landed 11 bass that weighed-in at 20 pounds, 3 ounces.

“I hit a whole lot of spots looking for keepers, but really the key to my weight today was a spot where I caught my biggest fish (Thursday),” VanDam said. His key area was a flat littered with grass and rock that slowly dropped from 5 to 10 feet deep. And there was plenty of current. “Fish spawn here a lot later than people think, and I was sight-casting to a lot of smallmouth.”

VanDam swapped between three Strike King baits, including a tube, drop shot and jerkbait. “The drop shot was key on the sight-fish, but being able to cover water with the jerkbait in this crazy Niagara River current was important in connecting with fish.”

Hite committed to fishing a bridge on the northernmost boundary of competition waters, where he easily eliminated his first two opponents.

“I identified three pilings in the center of the bridge that were holding nice schools of bass,” he explained. “The water was 10 to 18 feet deep and I drop shotted with a Yamamoto Shad Shape worm the whole time.”

Unfortunately for Hite, those bass had lockjaw during the championship match. “It was really overcast today, and I think I needed sun to position those fish where I could catch them,” he said. “Plus, we had a strong cross-current wind that could have messed ‘em up.”

He caught a little more than 7 pounds on the bridge during the first five hours of competition.

“I ditched the bridge pattern with an hour left in the match and caught two keepers quickly,” Hite said. “And I was fighting a third keeper as the buzzer went off. I made a big mistake by not leaving that bridge earlier.” Hite ended with seven bass weighing 13-9.

Although VanDam seemed to cruise to victory, there was some controversy. VanDam boated a 1-13 keeper bass after fishing in an area B.A.S.S. officials.

“I made a ruling at that time that the 1-13 was caught in an off-limits area and that the fish did not count. Kevin agreed and moved and fished the rest of the day,” said B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon, who happened to be official assigned to VanDam’s boat during the championship round. Hite was notified of the rules violation and was given the opportunity to fish under protest, which he did. Once the competition day was over, Weldon met with the anglers and other tournament officials to make the final decision.

Weldon stated, “Bassmaster Elite Series Rules state in section C1: The following rules shall apply to all Bassmaster Elite and Bassmaster Classic events except that (i) rules for special tournaments may differ from those contained herein. Rule C1 goes on to state under the penalties for rules violations: (b) Loss of one or more fish caught in potential violation of rules or regulations. All bass under question must be marked and verified by your marshal/camera operator. If not verified, the entire catch may be disqualified.”

Weldon was the marshal, the fish was weighed, the boundary checked, and the fish was disqualified according to the rules stated above. Because this was a catch-weigh-release tournament, and because Weldon witnessed the catch and verified the weight, there was no confusion as to which fish was to be disqualified.

“I am completely fine with the ruling,” Hite said. “I didn’t protest because I had anything against Kevin, I just wanted a clarification of the rules. Kevin fished a great tournament.”

2016 Bassmaster Classic Bracket 7/19-7/22
Niagara River, Buffalo, N.Y.
Standings Day 3

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Big Bass
Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 11 Bass 20-3 Big Bass: 2-11
Brett Hite Phoenix, Ariz. 7 Bass 13-9 Big Bass: 3-3

PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP SET TO VISIT WHEELER LAKE

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July 22, 2016

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PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP SET TO VISIT WHEELER LAKE

World’s Best Anglers Eye $300,000 Title in Historic 21^st-Annual Championship

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (July 21, 2016) – The Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of professional bass fishing, will visit Wheeler Lake and the Huntsville, Alabama, area August 4-7 to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2016. Hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the tournament will feature 50 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.

“I’ve won a lot of tournaments and been really blessed to have a successful career, but the Forrest Wood Cup is a title that is still on my bucket list,” said Walmart pro Mark Rose of West Memphis, Arkansas, who will be among the 50 anglers competing. “To win this tournament would really mean a lot to me and my family.”

“Last year I had nothing on my mind other than first place,” said the reigning 2015 Forrest Wood Cup champion Brad Knight of Lancing, Tennessee. “I’m approaching this tournament the same way – if you ain’t first, you’re last. The most exciting thing about this tournament for me is the opportunity to make history and become the first angler to win it twice.”

Wheeler Lake is setting up to be a bit of a wildcard for the tournament anglers, as competitors believe a variety of patterns will be in play.

“There will definitely be a lot of options,” said Quaker State pro Matt Arey of Shelby, North Carolina. “There will be schooling fish in play, there will be deep fish in play, and there will be shallow fish in play. We’re going to have to cover water fast and efficiently in order to have a shot at the win.”

“Versatility is going to be the key,” Knight added. “I don’t think you’ll be able to win this tournament by fishing exclusively one way. I think you’re going to have to mix it up – find some fish offshore in the brush piles and find some fish on the bank. It won’t be like last year where I was able to find an area and milk it for four straight days. There will be multiple patterns in play.”

Multiple baits and techniques will be featured by competitors – swimbaits, big soft-plastic worms and football-head jigs are expected to play prominent roles for anglers fishing offshore, while topwater and flipping baits will be strong for anglers fishing the bank.

“We’re going to see some pretty big limits come to the scale, but the key will be doing it consistently,” Knight went on to say. “I think a 13 to 14 pound average over the four days will be pretty strong, but we’ll see multiple 16 to 18 pound limits.”

Anglers will take off from the Ditto Landing located at 2963 Ditto Landing Road in Huntsville, at 7 a.m. each morning at the Folger’s Morning Takeoff. Each day’s weigh-in will be held at the Propst Arena located at 700 Monroe St. SW, in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.

Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo at the Von Braun Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston and Byron Velvick. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.

On Saturday and Sunday the first 500 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod and reel combo courtesy of WHNT News 19 after the evening’s weigh-in. Also on Sunday one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z521C bass boat with a 250-horsepower Mercury outboard motor courtesy of WAFF 48. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.

Also on Saturday and Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. The BBQ Festival, presented by WQRV 100.3 The River, will feature four award-winning BBQ teams offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Alabama charities.

Country music superstar Dustin Lynch will perform a free concert on the Walmart weigh-in stage at the Propst on Sunday starting at 4 p.m., prior to the final weigh-in. The concert is presented by WDRM 102.1 radio. Lynch occupies a unique place in today’s country music. Thanks to his classic sensibilities, he’s been heralded as the heir to George Strait’s throne. Yet with one listen to, “Where It’s At” it’s obvious the young Tennessee native knows how to combine his traditional influences with an edgy intensity that places him at the vanguard of today’s contemporary country scene.

The Folger’s Morning Takeoff, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concert and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.

Coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) when “FLW” airs October 19 from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.

For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

Hite And VanDam Face Off In Championship Round On Niagara River

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July 22, 2016

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Hite And VanDam Face Off In Championship Round On Niagara River

During the semifinal round of the Bassmaster Classic Bracket held on the Niagara River out of Buffalo, N.Y., Kevin VanDam defeated Koby Kreiger and Brett Hite defeated Dean Rojas to advance to the championship match on Friday. The weights will go back to zero and both anglers will fish six hours, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET.

Illustration by Bassmaster

July 21, 2016

Hite And VanDam Face Off In Championship Round On Niagara River

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — A blowout and a tiebreaker made the semifinal round of the Bassmaster Classic Bracket event on the Niagara River a must-watch six-hours on Bassmaster LIVE being streamed on Bassmaster.com.

Arizona’s Brett Hite will face Michigan’s Kevin VanDam for the championship match tomorrow to determine who receives $10,000 and a berth in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.

The first-of-its-kind competition is being played out entirely live and is shown using Bassmaster LIVE technology. Fans watch competitors in side-by-side screens as they fish for bass on the Niagara. Their catches are weighed by a tournament official in each boat, and the fish are released immediately.

This semifinal round was rich with drama. VanDam faced Florida’s Koby Kreiger. It looked as though the Michigan superstar would be able to coast through the match until Kreiger made a big move and found several bass where he landed his only keeper yesterday.

Kreiger clawed from a 7-pound deficit to take the lead with only two hours left in the round. VanDam, however, fished his way back one 6-ounce cull at a time and tied Kreiger at 11 pounds with only 20 minutes left in the day. Kreiger hooked up with 10-minutes to go, and the fish came off. That smallmouth swam away with his only chance for a Classic berth, as VanDam won the tiebreaker (based on the angler with the heaviest one-day catch from the previous round).

“Man, I almost screwed this deal up,” VanDam said. “I knew Koby was struggling, so I wasn’t going to hit my best stuff today. Then, when I saw him start catching them with a really good average weight, I knew I had to get serious.

“You don’t make it to the finals if you don’t win the semifinals, and I almost didn’t win it.”

Although VanDam knows how much weight Hite has been catching, he still believes he’s on the winning fish. “I’m looking at them. I know I can win this thing if what I’m seeing will bite.”

As for Hite, who was matched against fellow Arizona angler Dean Rojas, the day was far more relaxing. He landed 13-9 in the first hour of competition and simply chilled out the rest of the day. Rojas could put together only 7-14.

“I had my weight by about 11:30, so I kinda just twiddled my thumbs for the rest of the day,” Hite said. “I did find one more little drift with fish on it that should help me tomorrow.”

And tomorrow he will face KVD, who is on a roll. “If you are going to go head-to-head on a deal like this, you want to go against the best. It should be a killer show!”

B.A.S.S. emcee Dave Mercer, who told the anglers at the beginning of the event that there would be a slight format change the final day, announced the change for the championship round.

“Instead of fishing for a five-fish limit tomorrow, all legal-size fish caught will be weighed by the B.A.S.S. official on the boat and counted before being released.” This wrinkle will create an all-new atmosphere of competition for the anglers.

“Well, this changes my attitude and throws a giant monkey wrench in my game plan,” VanDam said. “I was just thinking about how I was going to rig for tomorrow, and now I’ll have to rethink my rerigging. Still, I have a lot of areas to fish and anything can happen.”

Hite seemed less affected. “I like it! It’s something different and I’m looking forward to fishing hard all day. My spot has a lot of quality fish. This thing could be a real shootout.”

With weights starting from zero again, the anglers will fish head-to-head from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET for the title.

Bassmaster LIVE will stream coverage of the entire match in real time on Bassmaster.com, from first cast until the fishing stops, with a camera in both boats.

There is no entry fee for the tournament. The local host for this event is I Love New York.

2016 Bassmaster Classic Bracket 7/19-7/22
Niagara River, Buffalo, N.Y.
Standings Day 3

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Big Bass
Brett Hite Phoenix, Ariz. 5 Bass 13-9 Big Bass: 3-6
Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, Ariz. 5 Bass 7-14 Big Bass: 2-9

Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 5 Bass 11-00 Big Bass: 2-9
Koby Kreiger Bokeelia, Fla. 5 Bass 11-00 Big Bass: 2-7

Humminbird® Scores Sixth Consecutive ICAST Win

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July 21, 2016

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Humminbird^® Scores Sixth Consecutive ICAST Win

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Humminbird^®HELIX^® 10 SI voted ICAST 2016 “Best of Electronics” by buyers and outdoors media

RACINE, WI (July 21, 2016): It was another record-breaking year for ICAST, as recently-released statistics from the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) report 15,000 industry professionals attended the show in Orlando, Florida, July 13-15.

2016 also marks a new milestone for Eufaula, Alabama-based fishing electronics manufacturer Humminbird. For the sixth year in row, the company was awarded “Best of Electronics” by attending buyers and media who cast their vote for the Humminbird HELIX^® 10 SI.

“We are humbled that the industry has recognized the hard work of everyone from R&D to the factory floor to make this product a reality. Likewise, we extend our thanks to dealers, distributors, and customers who’ve really embraced the product,” said Ray Schaffart, Brand Manager, Humminbird.

He continued: “The HELIX 10 series started with customer feedback. From weekend anglers to pros, all users asked for common-sense features like an ultra-bright screen and an easy to use menu, while including proven technologies such as Side Imaging^®, Down Imaging^®, AutoChart™ Live, and LakeMaster cartography, along with Ethernet connectivity.”

Along those lines, anglers can select from three HELIX 10 systems that match their fishing needs, whether that means a SONAR/GPS combo unit, all the way up to the full complement of Side Imaging, Down Imaging, or both. All systems also feature AutoChart Live right out-of-the-box for immediate user-generated mapping; no server, cloud, or PC required. Maps literally appear in front of your eyes. Likewise, all HELIX 10 systems feature Ethernet connectivity for compatibility with 360 Imaging™ and Minn Kota^® i-Pilot^® Link™.

BEST OF ELECTRONICS WINS, ICAST 2011-2016

2011: Humminbird 1158c DI Combo
2012: Humminbird 360 Imaging
2013: Humminbird Bow-mount 360
2014: Humminbird ONIX^® Series
2015: Humminbird HELIX 7 SI
2016: Humminbird HELIX 10 SI

Evergreen One’s Bug Popper Review [Walker Smith] Walker Smith July 19,2016

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July 21, 2016

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Evergreen One’s Bug Popper Review

Walker Smith

July 19,2016

This topwater popper has proven to be an effective lure on bass throughout much of the year. Its high-quality finish and ease of use makes it an attractive option for anglers looking to add to their lure collection.

Topwater poppers aren’t the most dynamic lure in the world. In an industry filled with crazy shapes and new concepts, the effectiveness of these classic bass fishing lures often falls by the wayside. But make no mistake about it; they’re still incredibly productive on bass of all sizes.

I’ve been testing the Evergreen One’s Bug Popper since early spring and have caught dozens of quality bass with it. At first glance, it may look like a stereotypical popper, but after my extensive experience with it, I’ve found it to be an extremely dynamic lure.

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Evergreen One’s Bug Popper Review [Walker Smith] Walker Smith July 19,2016

Evergreen One’s Bug Popper Review

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