CAPE FAIR’S POWER WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION EVENT ON TABLE ROCK LAKE

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June 27, 2016

CAPE FAIR’S POWER WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION EVENT ON TABLE ROCK LAKE

Delgado wins co-angler title

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KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (June 27, 2016) – Kelly Power of Cape Fair, Missouri, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the third FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division tournament of 2016 on Table Rock Lake. For his victory, Power earned $5,663.

Power said he spent his morning on the James River targeting suspended bass. He said he used a white-colored HogFarmer swim-jig to catch nearly 30 keepers throughout his day.

“The schools were suspended over deep timber in 10 to 15 of water,” said Power, who earned the first win of his FLW career. “I rigged the swim-jig with a pearl-colored Keitech Swimbait so it had more pull. You want something that vibrates a bit for suspended bass.

“At my first area I had 11 keepers in 11 casts,” Power continued. “The fish were less aggressive with the warmer water, but most of the bites were strong. The water was also clear, so a subtle presentation was crucial. I wanted something down there that didn’t look hard to eat.”

By 8:30 a.m., Power said his flurry slowed, so he moved on to new structure.

“I hit 10 or so spots where the channel swung in close to timber or major drops,” said Power. “The bass were with shad schools in the tops of submerged trees about 15 feet down. I just kept culling and brought in what I did. After all was said and done, I had a great day out there.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Kelly Power, Cape Fair, Mo., five bass, 16-7, $5,663

2^nd: Marcus Sykora, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 14-15, $2,082

3^rd: Marc Czachowski, Spokane, Mo., five bass, 14-7, $1,387

4^th: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., five bass, 14-5, $971

5^th: Dustin Lippe, Lampe, Mo., five bass, 14-2, $833

6^th: Joe Brantley, Willard, Mo., five bass, 13-13, $763

7^th: Dustin Blevins, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 13-8, $694

8^th: Lance Williams, Billings, Mo., five bass, 13-6, $590

8^th: Tyler Matlock, Omaha, Ark., five bass, 13-6, $590

10^th: Bob Renken, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 13-2, $486

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Mark Harper of Monett, Missouri, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $580.

Stephen Delgado of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, weighed in five bass totaling 13 pounds, 8 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,082.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Stephen Delgado, Lee’s Summit, Mo., five bass, 13-8, $2,082

2^nd: Jeremy Rushton, Lee’s Summit, Mo., five bass, 11-14, $1,041

3^rd: Jonathan Dotson, Dover, Ark., five bass, 11-9, $692

4^th: Donny Murrell, Sapulpa, Okla., five bass, 11-0, $486

5^th: Josh Spencer, Saint Charles, Mo., four bass, 9-6, $416

6^th: Sy Kirby, Rogers, Ark., four bass, 9-5, $382

7^th: B.J. Hicks, Richmond, Mo., five bass, 9-2, $347

8^th: Brandon Hecker, Camdenton, Mo., three bass, 8-13, $312

9^th: Eric Rogers, Lawrence, Kan., four bass, 8-8, $260

9^th: Cory Schuh, Hillsboro, Mo., four bass, 8-8, $260

Stanley Caldwell of Thayer, Missouri, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $290.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 27-29 Regional Championship on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Arkansas. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

CLARKSTON’S DOBSON WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE MICHIGAN DIVISION OPENER ON DETROIT RIVER PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

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June 27, 2016

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CLARKSTON’S DOBSON WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE MICHIGAN DIVISION OPENER ON DETROIT RIVER PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

Lovin wins co-angler title

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TRENTON, Mich. (June 27, 2016) – Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Michigan, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 23 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament on the Detroit River presented by Navionics. For his victory, Dobson took home $7,166.

Dobson said he targeted postspawn bass on flats and in current breaks in creek mouths. He said he dissected 15 to 20 areas and caught approximately 20 bass during the event.

“I caught two fish first thing in the morning that really anchored my limit,” said Dobson, who earned the sixth win of his FLW career. “One was just shy of 6 pounds. It ended up being the heaviest fish caught in the tournament. By 8 a.m. I had my entire limit. I made a small upgrade later in the day, but that was about it.

“I was throwing a Chartreuse Shad-colored Lucky Craft Pointer jerkbait,” Dobson continued. “I positioned it on the flat and brought it to the break to imitate the baitfish. It didn’t take long for the bass to ambush it.”

Dobson said he also used a Sexy Shad-colored Keitech Swing Impact swimbait to add a few keepers.

“I just kept chucking and winding, and eventually they ate it,” said Dobson. “The 6-pound bite really sealed the deal for me.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 23-10, $5,166 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Kyle Greene, Ortonville, Mich., five bass, 23-1, $2,136

3^rd: Steve Clapper, Lima, Ohio, five bass, 21-11, $1,424

4^th: David Reault, Livonia, Mich., five bass, 21-5, $997

5^th: John Tromley, Richmond, Mich., five bass, 21-3, $854

6^th: Chris King, South Amherst, Ohio, five bass, 20-8, $783

7^th: Mark Modrak, China Township, Mich., five bass, 19-5, $712

8^th: Ryan Hochstetler, Shipshewana, Ind., five bass, 18-6, $641

9^th: Mervin Miller, Sugarcreek, Ohio, five bass, 18-4, $569

10^th: Nick Neves, Brooklyn, Mich., five bass, 18-3, $473

10^th: Hyman Johnson, Ypsilanti, Mich., five bass, 18-3, $473

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Dobson’s 5-pound, 15-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $595.

John Lovin of Fayetteville, Ohio, weighed in five bass totaling 21 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,100.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: John Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, five bass, 21-4, $2,100

2^nd: Michael Sitko, Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 19-5, $1,050

3^rd: Randy Westerfield, Constantine, Mich., five bass, 18-9, $701

4^th: David Matual, Chicago, Ill., five bass, 18-8, $782

5^th: Justin Sawyer, Dearborn Heights, Mich., five bass, 17-7, $420

6^th: Steven Esbin, Holland, Mich., five bass, 16-13, $385

7^th: Marvin Anderson, Russell Springs, Ky., five bass, 16-10, $350

8^th: George Sterkel Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, five bass, 15-10, $315

9^th: Bob Eastman, Fenton, Mich., five bass, 15-9, $280

10^th: Bill Langille, Kent, Ohio, five bass, 15-8, $232

10^th: Tony Mitchell, Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 15-8, $232

Matual caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $292.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

Chris Atwell & Gary Atwell Win Priority Automotive Event June 25,2016

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June 27, 2016

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Chris Atwell & Gary Atwell Win Priority Automotive Event June 25,2016

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Smith Mountain Lake July 2016 Fishing Report by Captain Dale Wilson

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June 26, 2016

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Smith Mountain Lake July 2016 Fishing Report by Captain Dale Wilson

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT
July 2016
DALE WILSON’S
SML GUIDE SERVICE
PHONE NO: 540-297-5650 / 540-874-4950
www.captaindalewilson.com

Brian Mason from New Jersey with a citation small mouth bass caught while fishing with Captain Dale 5/30/16.

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OVERVIEW- Fishing will be good this month! Water temperature will be in the 80’s. Best times will be early morning, late afternoon and at night this month. Fishing the past few weeks has been good! Most species of fish are in their summer patterns. Night time is the best time to try your luck!

Largemouth Bass- Fishing for largemouth bass will be fair this month. Best lures will be jigs, drop shots, deep diving crank baits, top water lures, Texas rigged large plastic worms and shaky heads. Most largemouth bass will be caught near deep water ledges, brush piles, points and deep water docks. Best depths will be from 2 to 25 feet deep. When fishing at night some bass will be caught on wake type lures such as Thunder sticks fished close to rip rap points and others on football head jigs, Texas rigged large plastic worms and deep diving crank baits.

Smallmouth Bass- Fishing should be fair. Best areas will be humps, ledges and long main channel points. Best lures will be tubes, jigs, top water lures and deep diving crank baits.. Best areas will be in the mid to the lower sections of the lake. Cloudy days with light winds and night time are good times to try your luck! Look for areas with rocks, on points next to deep water. Look for stumps and isolated rocks on flats near deep water. Most smallmouth bass will feed after dark this month.

Striped Bass- Fishing should be good this month. Stripers will be caught in the lower to mid sections of the lake and the large creeks. Best lures will be top water and Zoom flukes fished on 1/2 to 3/4 oz. lead heads. Stripers will surface some during the month of July. Best times to find schooling fish is cloudy days, early morning and later afternoon. The best depths will be from the surface to 45 feet deep. Live bait fished on planner boards will also work well this month. Most fish will be suspended and will constantly be on the move. Find the largest concentration of shad. Night fishing will be poor this month. Mid to lower end of the lake seems to be the best area to catch stripers this month. .

Crappie- Fishing for crappie will be poor this month. They will be found 5 to 25 ft. deep. Crappie will be found around docks, deep brush piles, and fallen tree tops. Small live minnows and 1½ to 2 inch tubes or shad shaped plastic lures fished on 1/16 to 1/8 oz. lead heads will work best to catch crappie this month.

TIP OF THE Month- Night time will be the best time to fish this month. Use a black light when fishing at night. Best time to fish is from an hour before dark to an hour after day break. You can also hear reports about local fishing on the website: THE BASS CAST RADIO SHOW each month. Make sure your running lights are on after dark! Remember to be courteous and obey all the boating laws. TAKE A KID FISHING!

ARTIN LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN PRESENTED BY GENERAL TIRE

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June 26, 2016

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ARTIN LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN PRESENTED BY GENERAL TIRE

Florida pro Claims Record Sixth FLW Tour Victory, Wins $125,000

Link to HD video footage of Martin’s winning moment

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PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (June 26, 2016) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) pro Scott Martin of Clewiston, Florida, already had an impressive fishing resume – Forrest Wood Cup Champion, 2015 FLW Tour Angler of the Year, 12 seasons as host of the successful outdoors television show The Scott Martin Challenge. Sunday in Plattsburgh, Martin added another accolade to the FLW record books.

Martin weighed a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds even to win with a wire-to-wire victory at the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Champlain presented by General Tire. Martin’s four-day total of 74-10 was enough to earn the win by a 1-pound margin and earn a record-breaking sixth career victory in FLW Tour competition. Three of those wins have come on Lake Champlain.

“This lake has been very special to me over the years,” said Martin, who pushed his FLW career earnings to more than $2.5 million. “I don’t have a secret spot, but I put in a lot of hard work over the years and I truly love fishing here. It’s been a stressful four days, but I fished with a focus and a purpose this week.”

Martin spent most of the first two days of competition targeting largemouth areas on the north end of the lake near Missisquoi Bay. As the tournament progressed into the weekend Martin was forced to scramble and fish for spawning smallmouth.

“I saw that the smallmouth were spawning during our practice period but I also found a couple areas on the north end that were holding largemouth, so I figured that I had the best of both worlds,” Martin said. “Yesterday, when I had some issues, I was able to audible and go to those smallmouth and that’s really what won the tournament for me. It would have been a completely different tournament if I hadn’t caught those smallmouth.”

Martin weighed a mixed bag Sunday consisting of 3 largemouth and 2 smallmouth. He named three baits as being key to his success throughout the week – a Live Target LMB70 crankbait, a ½-ounce green-pumpkin-colored Impact Lures jig with an unnamed creature bait and a white vibrating jig.

“The crankbait was really key for me – especially when I weighed in 22 pounds on day one,” Martin said. “My secondary bait was the jig, but I was doing something a little different. I had the skirt trimmed up real small and compact, and I would bite off most of the creature bait that I was using so the whole presentation was very compact. That made a huge difference.

“I fished hard in this event and left everything on the table,” Martin went on to say. “I wanted to prove to my family and kids that hard work pays off. I prayed to the Lord to bless me and allow me to make good decisions this week and that’s exactly what happened. This win was special.”

The top 10 pros finished the tournament:

1^st: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 20 bass, 74-10, $125,000

2^nd: Jason Meninger, Gainesville, Ga., 20 bass, 73-10, $30,000

3^rd: Yamamoto Baits pro Shinichi Fukae, Palestine, Texas, 20 bass, 72-0, $25,000

4^th: Walmart pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 20 bass, 71-0, $20,000

5^th: Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 20 bass, 69-15, $19,500

6^th: Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., 20 bass, 68-10, $18,000

7^th: Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 20 bass, 68-6, $17,500

8^th: Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., 20 bass, 68-0, $16,000

9^th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 20 bass, 65-3, $15,000

10^th: Livingston Lures pro Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark., 20 bass, 63-9, $14,000

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 50 bass weighing 153 pounds, 10 ounces caught by pros Sunday. All of the final 10 pros weighed in five-bass limits.

Adding another accolade to his illustrious career, Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee, clinched his third Angler of the Year title Friday. Morgan made the top-20 cut in 10^th place, guaranteeing him the season-long cumulative points title. Morgan became the third angler in FLW Tour history to win the title three times, earning him a check for $100,000 and an automatic berth into the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup.

Johnston clinched the 2016 Walmart FLW Tour Rookie of the Year award, which is awarded to the rookie pro angler who finishes the season with the highest point total.

Al Gagliarducci of West Suffield, Connecticut, won the co-angler division and $20,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 11 ounces, followed by David Hudson of Jasper, Alabama, who finished in second place with 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 13 ounces worth $7,600.

Bryan New of Belmont, North Carolina, clinched the Walmart FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year title and won a new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Champlain presented by General Tire was hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau. It was the sixth and final regular-season tournament in the FLW Tour’s 2016 season. The next event for FLW Tour anglers will be the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup Championship presented by Walmart held on Wheeler Lake, August 4-7 in Huntsville, Alabama.

Coverage of the Lake Champlain tournament will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Oct. 12 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 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.

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Kevin VanDam Comes From Behind To Claim Second Victory Of Season At Cayuga Lake

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June 26, 2016

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Kevin VanDam Comes From Behind To Claim Second Victory Of Season At Cayuga Lake

Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., wins the 2016 Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake held out of Union Springs, N.Y., Sunday, with a four-day total weight of 71 pounds, 13 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

June 26, 2016

Kevin VanDam Comes From Behind To Claim Second Victory Of Season At Cayuga Lake

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UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. — A little over a month ago, many professional fishing fans were wondering out loud, “What’s wrong with Kevin VanDam?”

Now those same fans must be wondering just how many gigantic moments VanDam has ahead of him.

After recording his 21st career victory at Louisiana’s Toledo Bend Reservoir in May, VanDam won again Sunday, coming from behind to claim the $100,000 first-place prize in the Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake. After going five years between victories, the Michigan superstar has now won twice in seven weeks.

VanDam went into Sunday’s final round in third place, almost 2 pounds out of the lead. But a final-day catch of 15 pounds, 7 ounces put him over the top with a four-day mark of 71-13. Jordan Lee, a 24-year-old Alabama angler who led going into the final round, finished second with 70-12.

“You just never know how things are going to go out here,” said VanDam, who extended his own B.A.S.S. record with his 22nd career win. “I’ve said it many times before. It’s really hard to win against these guys.

“I feel pretty lucky today, for sure. I didn’t have a great day today.”

Unlike Toledo Bend, which he described as the “toughest tournament he ever won,” VanDam went into the Cayuga Lake event with a lot of confidence based on what he’d seen in practice. He used a variety of patterns throughout the week and exploited the lake’s solid populations of both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

He spent part of his week sight fishing for bedding bass on the lower end of the lake. For that, he used a combination of baits, including new Strike King lure called a Half Shell, a 4-inch wacky rigged Strike King Ocho and a Strike King Dream Shot.

“When you’re sight fishing, every fish is different,” VanDam said. “I had to show them several different baits and different colors. One would bite chartreuse, the next one would bite green pumpkin and the next would bite KVD magic.

“You never knew if it was going to be something natural or something loud. Some would want the tube instead of the drop shot.”

Sight fishing produced 20 pounds for VanDam on Thursday. But as is often the case in a sight fishing tournament, his fish became more depleted as the week went on.

That forced him to rely on other tactics to stay among the leaders.

He spent some time flipping the lake’s expansive grass flats in search of big fish. Then he also targeted cruising fish in the shallow grass.

“One thing I was doing was fishing for postspawn and prespawn bass that were just coming up in stages,” VanDam said. “They were cruising on the inside grass lines. I was catching them with a wacky rigged Ocho.”

VanDam’s catches declined each day, with him catching 18-15 Friday and 17-7 Saturday.

After Saturday’s semifinal round, VanDam said he believed a little extra wind would help his results. But the wind blew harder Sunday, and his weight actually dropped again to 15-7.

“Today the wind picked up a little bit, and I actually caught three on a KVD jerkbait,” he said. “But I was really surprised it didn’t help the fishing more.”

With such a low weight, VanDam didn’t exactly like his chances as he headed back toward the weigh-in.

“You see that a lot on Sundays in these tournaments,” he said. “The pressure of the week gets to the fisheries, but I didn’t think it was going to happen here as good as it’s been all week. With 15 pounds, I was thinking I was not going even make the Top 8.”

The victory was sealed when Lee weighed in 12-10 during the final weigh-in, finishing 1-1 behind VanDam.

“Jordan has proven he’s a great fisherman,” VanDam said. “He was in the driver’s seat today, and I’ve been there plenty of times too. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen. The key in a Bassmaster event is to just have yourself in contention going into the final day. If you do that enough times, and you’re confident enough, you’re going to win one.

“Today, I might have stolen one, but I’ve been on the other side of it too. It all balances out.”

Besides earning $100,000 for first place, VanDam qualified for the Bassmaster Classic Bracket tournament, to be held on the Niagara River out of Buffalo, N.Y., July 19-22.

In that event, the Top 8 finishers from Cayuga Lake will go head-to-head in a bracket-style event that will pay $50,000 to the winner. The top finisher in the bracket event will also earn a guaranteed spot in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic.

The Classic Bracket will be streamed live on Bassmaster.com and will feature — for the first time ever in Bassmaster competition — catch-weigh-and-release scoring. The entire event will be carried live on Bassmaster.com.

The Top 8 finishers at Cayuga were VanDam, Lee, Brett Hite, Jacob Powroznik, Koby Kreiger, Keith Combs, Dean Rojas and Drew Benton.

Alabama angler Gerald Swindle finished 10th, missing the cut for the bracket event, but he maintained his lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with a season points total of 643. Combs is second with 602.

Swindle was awarded $1,000 for the leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race at the end of the event.

VanDam earned the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash award of $1,000 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.

Lee earned the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for leading on the second day.

Lee also won the Toyota Bonus Bucks Award of $3,000 for being the highest-placing eligible entrant in the program. The second-highest-placing eligible entrant, Jacob Powroznik, received $2,000.

The Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $1,500 was presented to Morizo Shimizu for weighing in the overall biggest bass of the event — a 6-3 bass caught on Thursday.

Rojas earned the A.R.E. Top Angler Award of $1,000 for being the highest placing angler using A.R.E. products.

Dick Cepek Rolling Forward Award of $1,000 will be presented to the angler who makes the largest gain in Toyota Angler of the Year points from tournament to tournament.

2016 BUSCH BEER Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake 6/23-6/26
Cayuga Lake, Union Springs NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 20 71-13 110 $101,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 18-15 Day 3: 5 17-07 Day 4: 5 15-07
2. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 20 70-12 109 $25,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 17-10 Day 4: 5 12-10
3. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 20 69-11 108 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 21-03 Day 3: 5 20-06 Day 4: 5 12-08
4. Jacob Powroznik Port Haywood, VA 20 69-08 107 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 15-15 Day 4: 5 13-06
5. Koby Kreiger Bokeelia, FL 20 69-08 106 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 16-06 Day 3: 5 19-01 Day 4: 5 15-03
6. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 20 69-06 105 $13,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 17-10 Day 4: 5 15-12
7. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 20 69-01 104 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 16-07 Day 4: 5 13-03
8. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 20 68-15 103 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 15-15 Day 4: 5 13-08
9. Morizo Shimizu Suita, Osaka JAPAN 20 68-11 102 $13,500.00
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 14-07 Day 4: 5 14-04
10. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 20 67-10 101 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 17-12 Day 4: 5 13-04
11. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 20 67-08 100 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 5 16-07 Day 4: 5 13-02
12. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 20 65-08 99 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 18-13 Day 4: 5 11-15
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Morizo Shimizu Suita, Osaka JAPAN 06-03 $1,500.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 105 529 1738-00
2 105 531 1661-07
3 50 250 752-04
4 12 60 164-02
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272 1370 4315-13

Learn Your Fishing Kayak Paddle Strokes Eric Jackson

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June 26, 2016

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Learn Your Fishing Kayak Paddle Strokes

Eric Jackson

June 24,2016

Eric Jackson shares his tips for learning to paddle your fishing kayak for better maneuvering while fishing.

It should be no surprise that how fast, far and in-control you can be in your fishing kayak has a lot to do with your paddle strokes. Everyone comes with their own personal horsepower and strength-to-body-weight ratio, but your efficiency is directly related to how well you apply that power to your paddle. I will give you the most basic stroke technique for the forward stroke, reverse stroke, forward sweep, reverse sweep and paddling standing up while kayak fishing.

I will be demonstrating in my Jackson Kayak Coosa HD, which is 12-foot long and 34-inches wide. It is stable enough for stand-up fishing. I will be using a Werner “Cyprus Hooked” paddle which is a foam core, carbon fiber paddle, and as good as they get.

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FLORIDA’S MARTIN RETAINS LEAD ON DAY THREE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN PRESENTED BY GENERAL TIRE

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June 26, 2016

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FLORIDA’S MARTIN RETAINS LEAD ON DAY THREE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN PRESENTED BY GENERAL TIRE

Veteran Looking to Secure Third Tour Win on Champlain

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PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (June 25, 2016) – Pro Scott Martin of Clewiston, Florida, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday to take a 2-pound, 3-ounce lead into the final day of the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Champlain presented by General Tire. Martin’s three-day total of 58 pounds, 10 ounces make him the No. 1 seed on championship Sunday as the field is now cut to 10 in the four-day competition that features 160 of the world’s best anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.

Right behind Martin in second place is Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Maryland, who brought in a five-bass limit weighing 17-11 for a three-day total of 15 bass worth 56-7.

“I had some adversity to overcome out there today, so I feel very blessed to have caught what I did,” said Martin. “I experienced some mechanical issues this morning and had to return to the takeoff ramp. After I was cleared, I made some adjustments and caught some nice smallmouth.”

Martin said he caught three of his limit-fish from an area near Rouses Point, and two from a couple of honey holes. He said he used a creature bait, a tube and a topwater bait to piece together his limit.

“My original plan was to save those fish for tomorrow, but I ended up needing them today,” said Martin. “I’m glad I had them, but I’m going to have to go out there tomorrow and figure out something new.”

In addition to the smallmouth bite, Martin said he plans to focus on largemouths as well. He said he will have 15 rods on the back of his boat and is prepared to throw everything he has at them.

“At this lake, ounces are everything, and if you don’t catch a nice bag you’ll fall behind,” said Martin. “This tournament can’t be won with just smallmouth, so I need tomorrow to be an epic day. I’m fishing good. I’m fishing clean. I feel like I’ve made some really good decisions over the past few days, I just have to keep it rolling.”

The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition on Lake Champlain in are:

1^st: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 58-10

2^nd: Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 15 bass, 56-7,

3^rd: Jason Meninger, Gainesville, Ga., 15 bass, 55-15

4^th: Walmart pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 55-9

5^th: Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 53-13

6^th: Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., 15 bass, 53-11

7^th: Yamamoto Baits pro Shinichi Fukae, Palestine, Texas, 15 bass, 52-6

8^th: Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., 15 bass, 52-1

9^th: Livingston Lures pro Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark., 15 bass, 51-12

10^th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 15 bass, 51-1

Finishing 11^th through 20^th are:

11^th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 51-1, $12,000

12^th: Braxton Setzer, Montgomery, Ala., 15 bass, 50-15, $12,000

13^th: Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 50-8, $12,000

14^th: Jacob Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., 15 bass, 50-2, $12,000

15^th: Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 15 bass, 49-13, $12,000

16^th: Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury, Springville, Ala., 15 bass, 49-11, $12,000

17^th: Terry Bolton, Paducah, Ky., 15 bass, 49-9, $12,000

18^th: Curtis Richardson, Belleville, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 49-9, $12,000

19^th: Jason Johnson, Gainesville, Ga., 15 bass, 15 bass, 49-1, $12,000

20^th: GoPro pro Mike Kernan, Wylie, Texas, 15 bass, 46-0, $12,000

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 100 bass weighing 320 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 20 pros Saturday. All of the top-20 pros weighed in a five-bass limit.

Al Gagliarducci of West Suffield, Connecticut, won the co-angler division and $20,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 11 ounces, followed by David Hudson of Jasper, Alabama, who finished in second place with 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 13 ounces worth $7,600.

Adding another accolade to his illustrious career, Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee, clinched his third Angler of the Year title Friday. Morgan made the top-20 cut in 10^th place, guaranteeing him the season-long cumulative points title. Morgan became the third angler in FLW Tour history to win the title three times, earning him a check for $100,000 and an automatic berth into the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup.

Pro Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, clinched the 2016 Walmart FLW Tour Rookie of the Year award, which is awarded to the rookie pro angler who finishes the season with the highest point total.

Bryan New of Belmont, North Carolina, clinched the Walmart FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year title and won a new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

Anglers will take off Sunday from the Plattsburgh City Marina located at 5 Dock St. in Plattsburgh at 6:30 a.m. EDT. Sunday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Crete Memorial Civic Center, located at 4 Beach Road beginning at 4 p.m.

Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Civic Center before the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes a 100-yard Lew’s Casting Lane, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.

Coverage of the Lake Champlain tournament will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Oct. 12 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.

The Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Champlain presented by General Tire is hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.

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 Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

Young Alabamian Lee Maintains Lead Going Into Final Round On Cayuga Lake

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June 25, 2016

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Young Alabamian Lee Maintains Lead Going Into Final Round On Cayuga Lake

Jordan Lee of Grant, Ala., maintains the lead on the third day of the Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake, bringing 17 pounds, 10 ounces to the scales on Saturday for a three-day total weight of 58-2.

Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

June 25, 2016

Young Alabamian Lee Maintains Lead Going Into Final Round On Cayuga Lake

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UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. — As an Alabama resident and former member of the Auburn University Bass Fishing Team, Jordan Lee has spent plenty of time on Lake Guntersville.

On that famed Alabama fishery, largemouth bass wallow out holes in aquatic grass to make their spawning beds — and that’s where Lee always looks for them during the spring.

The fish are doing the same thing on Cayuga Lake this week, and Lee’s hard-earned, home-grown knowledge has put him on the verge of his first career victory on the Bassmaster Elite Series.

The 24-year-old angler caught 17 pounds, 10 ounces of largemouth during Saturday’s semifinal round and maintained the lead in the Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake. His three-day total of 58-2 gave him a narrow lead over Arizona angler Brett Hite (57-3) and Kevin VanDam (56-6) — a Michigan superstar who fished his first event with B.A.S.S. in 1987, four years before Lee was born.

“I’m honestly just a little bit disappointed in the way things went today,” said Lee, who won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic qualifying event in 2013. “I was hoping to catch a couple of more big ones. I fished clean and probably caught about 25 fish, but I just never had any big bites today.”

Lee hasn’t been “sight fishing” by the typical definition of the term because he hasn’t actually been seeing most of the fish he’s casting to.

But Cayuga is a clear glacier lake with massive flats that have grass growing up from the lake bottom. When Lee finds holes in that grass in about 9 feet of water, he knows they are more than likely home to bedding fish.

“The holes that I’ve been catching most of my fish from have actually been pretty deep,” Lee said. “I went up shallower for a little while today and caught some there, too. I think they’re just all over.

“The fish are spawning right now, doing the same thing they do on Guntersville during the spawn. You can catch them on the same baits.”

Lee has been using a drop shot rig — something that was suggested to him by his brother and fellow Elite Series angler, Matt Lee.

“Matt and I share information, and he told me that he got a few bites on a drop shot during practice,” Lee said. “I went out and tried it, and it’s been working out the last couple of days.”

Though this is only his second year on the Elite Series, Lee understands the level of competition he’s facing as he vies for his first win.

A four-time qualifier for the GEICO Bassmaster Classic and winner of an Elite Series event on Georgia’s Lake Seminole in 2014, Hite has been catching fish at an amazing rate this week. The fishing got so good at one point Friday that he took a break to eat barbecued chicken pizza on the front of his boat.

On Saturday, he hit the fish a little harder and brought 20-6 to the scales to move from 12th place into second with 57-3. He described seeing things on Cayuga that many fishermen have likely never experienced.

“When you reel in a bass on the spot I’m fishing, there are times when the whole school comes with it,” Hite said. “Today, I probably saw it six or seven times.

“You reel in one bass, and there will be 20 more following it. You reel in a pike, and there will be 10 bass with it.”

Hite has been using the two techniques he’s most known for — a drop shot and a bladed jig called the Evergreen Jackhammer.

“The place I’m fishing really just has all of the stereotypical elements that you would expect from a perfect spot on a northern lake for postspawn bass,” Hite said. “It’s just one of those spots you always hope to find in a tournament.”

VanDam has used three separate unnamed techniques to build his third-place weight of 56-6. But he said only two of them worked Saturday, as he brought 17-7 — his lowest weight of the week — to the scales.

“With the slick calm conditions, I just couldn’t make one of them really work,” said VanDam, who recorded his 21st career victory with B.A.S.S. early this year on Louisiana’s Toledo Bend Reservoir. “I spent about two and a half hours doing it and only upgraded once by a few ounces.

“It’s just so hard to get bit fishing fast when there’s no wind like this.”

The tournament will conclude Sunday, as the Top 12 remaining anglers battle for the $100,000 first-place prize. Takeoff will be at 6:15 a.m. ET from Frontenac Park, with the weigh-in back at the park at 3:15 p.m.

2016 BUSCH BEER Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake 6/23-6/26
Cayuga Lake, Union Springs NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 15 58-02 110 $500.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 17-10
2. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 15 57-03 109
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 21-03 Day 3: 5 20-06
3. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 56-06 108
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 18-15 Day 3: 5 17-07
4. Jacob Powroznik Port Haywood, VA 15 56-02 107
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 15-15
5. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 15 55-14 106
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 16-07
6. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 15 55-07 105
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 15-15
7. Morizo Shimizu Suita, Osaka JAPAN 15 54-07 104
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 14-07
8. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 54-06 103
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 5 16-07
9. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 54-06 102
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 17-12
10. Koby Kreiger Bokeelia, FL 15 54-05 101
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 16-06 Day 3: 5 19-01
11. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 53-10 100
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 17-10
12. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 53-09 99
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 18-13
13. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 15 53-01 98 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 5 15-12
14. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 15 52-10 97 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 17-14
15. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 15 52-08 96 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 17-12
16. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 52-08 95 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 16-03 Day 3: 5 16-14
17. Seth Feider Bloomington, MN 15 52-06 94 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 14-07
18. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 15 52-03 93 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 15-08
19. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 51-15 92 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 17-09
20. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 15 51-14 91 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 18-04
21. Shaw Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 15 51-09 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 18-10 Day 3: 5 15-07
22. Dave Lefebre Erie, PA 15 50-13 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-02 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 13-14
23. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 15 50-10 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 15-02
24. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 50-06 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 12-02
25. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 15 50-03 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 14-07
26. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 50-02 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 14-12
27. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 15 50-02 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 5 15-10
28. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 15 49-06 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 5 15-12
29. Josh Bertrand Gilbert, AZ 15 49-06 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 15-09
30. James Elam Tulsa, OK 15 49-04 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 13-01
31. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 15 49-02 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 16-12 Day 3: 5 15-06
32. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 15 49-01 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 14-03
33. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 15 49-01 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day 3: 5 15-09
34. Hank Cherry Jr Maiden, NC 15 49-01 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 14-14
35. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 15 48-12 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 15-01
36. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 15 48-12 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 13-10
37. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 15 48-11 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 12-07 Day 3: 5 15-01
38. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 15 48-10 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 12-00
39. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 15 48-10 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 12-15
40. Fletcher Shryock New Philadelphia, OH 15 48-06 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 13-08
41. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 15 48-03 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 5 13-02
42. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 15 47-12 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 13-07
43. Matt Lee Guntersville, AL 15 47-08 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 18-11 Day 3: 5 13-11
44. Chad Pipkens Lansing, MI 15 47-06 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 11-09
45. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 15 47-06 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 12-15
46. Billy McCaghren Jr Mayflower, AR 15 47-04 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 12-10
47. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 15 45-10 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 11-08
48. Ken Iyobe Tokoname Aichi JAPAN 15 45-04 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 11-14
49. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 15 44-15 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 11-12
50. Brandon Card Caryville, TN 15 43-03 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 09-15
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 105 529 1738-00
2 105 531 1661-07
3 50 250 752-04
———————————-
260 1310 4151-11

Bassmaster Elite Series Will Return To New York’s St. Lawrence River In 2017

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June 25, 2016

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Bassmaster Elite Series Will Return To New York’s St. Lawrence River In 2017

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul met with B.A.S.S. staff and Bassmaster Elite Series pros participating in the annual “Governor’s Challenge” at Lake Onondaga today before announcing the Bassmaster Elite Series will return to Waddington, N.Y., and the St. Lawrence River in 2017.

Photo by Helen White/Bassmaster

June 25, 2016

Bassmaster Elite Series Will Return To New York’s St. Lawrence River In 2017

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UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Bassmaster Elite Series will return to one of its most popular venues in history — Waddington, N.Y. — in 2017.

Elite Series tournaments at Waddington in 2013 and 2015 drew the largest crowds in Elite Series history, with attendance exceeding 30,000 both years to the St. Lawrence River village, which has a permanent population of 996.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement during a luncheon following the annual “Governor’s Challenge” fishing tournament today, in which she, other elected officials from New York and some of the biggest names in professional fishing participated.

“New York is proud to once again be hosting this premier tournament, telegraphing the world-class fishing opportunities available across our state,” said Hochul. “Year after year, Governor Cuomo has grown tourism to record levels, proving that the Empire State is second to none for year-round recreation.”

“New York State is proud to continue our partnership with B.A.S.S. and ensure this elite fishing tournament series remains in our waters,” Cuomo said. “From Lake Placid’s fresh water, to the great St. Lawrence River and down to the Long Island coast, New York boasts world-class fishing experiences like none other, which makes this partnership a perfect fit. I encourage both New Yorkers and visitors to come and join the thousands of people who flock to Empire State waters every year and experience the 2017 Bassmasters first-hand.”

The Governor’s Challenge event was held today in conjunction with this week’s Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake, which concludes Sunday.

The Bassmaster Elite at Waddington will again feature a Governor’s Challenge, which is held annually to focus attention on the importance of fishing to New York’s tourism industry.

Elite Series tournaments have been alternating between Waddington and Union Springs since 2013, when Cuomo and I Love New York began recruiting the prestigious fishing events to highlight and promote the state’s many fishing and vacation opportunities.

“The support from Governor Cuomo and our partnership with I Love New York have enabled us to conduct some of our most successful and exciting Elite Series tournaments the past several years,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “In turn, through our media, including The Bassmasters TV program on ESPN2, we have been able to show the nation’s bass anglers the world-class fisheries available to them in New York. It is great to see a state that recognizes the value of sportfishing to its economy.

“We are thrilled that we will be able to take an Elite event back to Waddington, which is one of the most engaged and enthusiastic host communities we have ever had the fortune to work with. I know the Elite Series anglers will be especially glad to know that we’re going back to the St. Lawrence River.”

Two anglers who are most excited about returning to the St. Lawrence River are reigning GEICO Bassmaster Classic champion Edwin Evers, who won the 2015 Bassmaster Elite at Waddington, and Brandon Palaniuk, the popular pro from Idaho who won in 2013.

Dates of the four-day tournament next year will be announced later, in conjunction with the full Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, Akin said.

Hochul told the crowd of city, county and state officials that fishing is a vital contributor to the state’s tourism industry.

“New York State is home to some of the most scenic fishing destinations found across the entire U.S.,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. “Through initiatives led by Governor Cuomo, we are increasing opportunities for both residents and travelers to fish in New York’s vacation regions and building on the economic impact of tourism, which now exceeds more than $100 billion.”

The Cayuga Lake tournament this week is the seventh of 11 Elite Series events in 2016, including a first for competitive bass fishing — a professional tournament streamed entirely live.

The Bassmaster Elite Series Classic Bracket on the Niagara River July 19-22 will pit the Top 8 from the Cayuga Elite against one another for $50,000 in cash and a guaranteed invitation to the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.

A tournament official in each angler’s boat will weigh each bass caught and immediately release it. Contestants will count their heaviest five bass as they compete head-to-head in bracket sessions, which are seeded based on the anglers’ standings at Cayuga. Fans will be able to follow the event in real time on Bassmaster LIVE, which will be streamed on Bassmaster.com.

Local sponsors for the Cayuga Elite are the Union Springs Chamber of Commerce and I Love New York.

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