Search
Subscribe
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Home Blog Page 1185

Top gun Scott Martin divulges post-tournament therapy – Old Town Predator XL Minn Kota

wpalert
-
0
Top gun Scott Martin divulges post-tournament therapy – Old Town Predator XL Minn Kota

Day Off With A Bass Pro

[print_link]

Top gun Scott Martin divulges post-tournament therapy

“My fingernails are chewed off, my eyes are about to fall out my head, my back hurts … I feel like I’ve been fighting Mike Tyson all week.” – Scott Martin

Bass pro Scott Martin makes it all look easy.

15 FLW Cup qualifications, six FLW tour wins, 34 Top 10 finishes and 2.3 million in winnings. Statistically speaking, Martin ranks second for all-time winnings and tour wins—and he’s only 40 years old.

And then there’s TV. Since 2005, Scott has hosted the “Scott Martin Challenge,” a fast-paced TV show that pits Scott against some of the world’s best anglers. As far as fishing shows go, it’s one of the very best in terms of entertainment and production value.

But catch Scott in a rare off-stage moment, and he’ll admit that competing on the FLW Tour and hosting a TV show is like having two full-time jobs. And that doesn’t include guiding, promo work, and duties as a husband and father of four.

“I spend more time on water than I do on land,” says Martin. “And the majority of that is spent competing in bass tournaments with high risk, high reward, extreme conditions and stressful moments. It’s pretty hardcore fishing. So, when I’m not competing, I try to relax on the water.”

At the time of this interview, Martin was driving home from a tournament.

“My fingernails are chewed off, my eyes are about to fall out of my head, my back hurts … I feel like I’ve been fighting Mike Tyson all week. I can’t wait to get out in my Old Town and do some fun fishing,” says Martin.

To be specific, he’s referring to the Old Town Predator XL Minn Kota, a fishing machine that bridges the gap between kayak, shallow-water skiff and bass boat, and is powered by 45 pounds of Minn Kota saltwater-grade thrust.

“You can’t get that kind of quiet intimacy on the water in a big bass boat. There’s just something about being in the Predator that allows you to relax on a different level. It’s super comfortable and the fishability is impressive. Obviously, you can fish places where you can’t even get a big boat. But the tranquility of it, the peacefulness of it, that’s what I love. It’s like therapy for me.”

He continues: “You can throw the Predator in the back of the truck, drive down the road, and be on the water in no time. Where I live in Florida there are canals, retention ponds, and other waters that don’t have a boat ramp of any sort. Now, it’s as easy as pull the kayak out of the truck and start fishing.”

A ‘Game-Changer’

Although an experienced paddler, Martin calls the Minn Kota motor in the Old Town Predator XL Minn Kota “a game-changer,” which puts anglers where the action is faster than ever before.

“It’s a great combination. Both Old Town and Minn Kota stand for quality. The Minn Kota trolling motor has always been the most dependable brand out there, bar none. The efficiency of their motors is huge. I was able to drive the motor in the Predator XL Minn Kota through Okeechobee’s grass with ease, and it’s some of the thickest vegetation on the planet. I didn’t get stuck; I didn’t have any problems. The boat performed beautifully in forward and reverse in all situations in the most extreme situations you could imagine. And the motor’s simple to operate. Great design.”

Endless Rig-ability

Another thing that struck Martin’s fancy was the Predator XL Minn Kota’s endless rigging potential.

“Because my boat is my office, it is pretty accessorized with everything I need in my line of work: depth finders, places to put pliers, cup holders, places to secure cameras, etc. That’s what’s cool about the Old Town Predator XL Minn Kota. You can accessorize the boat with all types of products from electronics, to cameras, rod holders, and more. There are endless ways to customize the boat. That’s neat. You can really ‘trick out’ your Predator to exactly the way that suits how and where you fish.”

A ‘Go Anywhere’ Boat

Living in Florida, Martin has opportunities to fish everything from large lakes, farm ponds, canals, marshes, inland waterways, as well inshore and offshore waters. Especially for his locale, he calls the Predator XL Minn Kota a “go-anywhere boat.”

“I wouldn’t be uncomfortable in any way using the Predator in the saltwater environment. It performed well and is very stable. I even stood up in it and fished. Versatile for bass fishing, panfish, inshore, bluewater, you-name-it.”

Family Flotilla

While Martin enjoys fishing solo, using the Predator XL Minn Kota as a vehicle to decompress from hardcore tournament fishing, he also sees real potential in its family-friendly potential.

“What would be neat would be to have four, five or six Predator XL Minn Kota boats so the entire family can go out and attack a lake. I see that all the time now: four or five kayak anglers fishing together at a time … and way up lakes and places where it’s tough to get to.”

He cites a recent experience on Beaver Lake during an FLW tournament.

“I was way up river where there aren’t any boat ramps for miles, and I come around the corner at 7:30 a.m., and there’s a half-dozen kayak anglers out there fishing down the shoreline. Obviously, these folks drove their trucks down the dirt road and loaded them off the shore. How cool is that? You can drive to where you want to fish, boat ramp or not, and launch your Predator from the shore for quick work right to the best fishing!”

Martin pauses. “You know what that means, don’t you? With the Predator XL Minn Kota you end up with a whole lot of secret fishing holes.”

JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global outdoor recreation company that turns ideas into adventure with innovative, top-quality products. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of award-winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft, Marine Electronics, Diving and Outdoor Gear. Johnson Outdoors’ familiar brands include, among others: Old Town® Canoes and Kayaks; Ocean Kayak™ and Necky® Kayaks; Carlisle® Paddles; Extrasport® Personal Flotation Devices; Minn Kota® Motors; Cannon® Downriggers; Humminbird® Marine Electronics; LakeMaster® Electronic Charts; SCUBAPRO® and SUBGEAR® Dive Equipment; Silva® Compasses; Jetboil® Outdoor Cooking Systems; and Eureka!® Camping and Hiking Equipment. Visit Johnson Outdoors at www.johnsonoutdoors.com

Top 10 Baits from Pickwick Lake May 10, 2016 by Kyle Wood & Garrick Dixon

wpalert
-
0
Top 10 Baits from Pickwick Lake May 10, 2016 by Kyle Wood & Garrick Dixon

Top 10 Baits from Pickwick Lake

[print_link]

May 10, 2016  by Kyle Wood and Garrick Dixon

Summer is near, as evidenced by the schools of bass pushing offshore on Pickwick Lake this past week in the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Quaker State and hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism. However, that wasn’t the deal across the board, and many of the top 10 fished near the bank or on shallow grass flats leading to the ledges. Winner Buddy Gross was part of that group. If you plan on hitting the Tennessee River in the next few weeks, you might want to give these baits a try.

Gross’ winning pattern

Top 10 patterns

Compete results

 

 

1. Buddy Gross took the title in his rookie season with a variety of baits. A Tennessee River Tackle Tremor Head with a Zoom Super Fluke, a Fringe Tackle  Company swimbait rigged on a 5/0 Owner Flashy Swimmer and a 1/4-ounce spinnerbait helped produce some bites. The main player was a 1-ounce Hog Farmer Baits hair jig worked in eelgrass. Gross fished the majority of the baits on either a 7-foot, 3-inch or 7-foot, 6-inch, extra-heavy Hammer rod with a Lew’s Tournament Pro reel (6.8:1 gear ratio) and 17-pound-test P-Line fluorocarbon.

 

2.  Michael Neal worked offshore with a Big Bite Baits BB Kicker swimbait (5 1/2 inch) in blue shad rigged on a 1-ounce TrueSouth Custom Lures jighead and a homemade bucktail jig made by his friend Gary Hurley. He threw those on a 904 Cashion rod with an Ardent reel spooled with 20-pound-test Sunline Super FC Sniper Fluorocarbon.

 

3. Scott Suggs carried a few weapons to target both the shad spawn and deeper fish. He rigged a swing-head jig (7/16, 5/8 or 3/4 ounce, depending on depth) with a Zoom Z Craw, Zoom Magnum Trick Worm or Gene Larew Biffle Bug. A Berkley Digger crankbait also produced, as did a War Eagle spinnerbait. A 7-foot, 6-inch, heavy Abu Garcia Veracity rod with an Abu Garcia Revo Premier spooled with 15-pound-test Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon was his go-to setup.

 

4. To land in fourth, Jamie Horton targeted the shad spawn early with a 3/4-ounce Nichols Pulsator double-willow spinnerbait tipped with a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. He ran that on 20-pound-test Seaguar InvizX and fished it on a 7-foot, 2-inch, medium-heavy Phenix rod with a Daiwa Tatula reel. Horton also caught some kickers cranking a Strike King 10XD and 6XD. To toss the magnum baits, he used an 8-foot Phenix flipping stick with 15-pound-test Seaguar InvizX and a Tatula reel.

 

5. Veteran Mike Surman rallied on the final day thanks to a Yo-Zuri 3DB square-bill (chartreuse and black), as well as an old 3/4-ounce Gambler spinnerbait. For the crankbait, he reached for a 7-foot Witch Doctor rod and 20-pound-test Yo-Zuri Hybrid line, while he used a 6-foot, 10-inch Witch Doctor rod for the spinnerbait with 15-pound-test Yo-Zuri Hybrid. Both rods are 50 percent graphite and 50 percent fiberglass.

 

6. Barry Wilson stayed close to the ramp working a 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait with a YUM Pulse Swimbait – both white. He fished the combo on a Team Lew’s Pro Magnesium Speed Spool Series reel (7.5:1 gear ratio), Lew’s Custom Speed Stick Lite 7-foot, 2-inch Mag Hammer rod and 15-pound-test P-Line fluorocarbon.

 

7. Wesley Strader netted another top 10 thanks to a 5/8-ounce Stan Sloan’s Zorro Bait Company Bango Blade spinnerbait (chartreuse and white) with a Zoom Split Tail Trailer. He ran that on a Powell Max 3D rod with 16-pound-test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon and a Lew’s Pro Magnesium reel.

 

8. Travis Fox kept on a roll after his top 10 at the Costa FLW Series event on Kentucky Lake by pitching a Zoom Brush Hog (green pumpkin) with a 1/2-ounce VMC tungsten weight and 20-pound-test Sufix line matched with a Lew’s Tournament Pro reel and Lew’s Custom Speed Stick Mag Pitching rod. He also caught some deep on a Rapala DT-16 in Helsinki shad.

 

9. For his first top 10, Stephen Patek stuck with a 1/2-ounce Z-Man Custom ChatterBait tied to 16-pound-test Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon. A Phenix X13 Crankbait rod and Shimano Curado (6.3:1 ratio) did the heavy lifting.

 

10. Peter Thliveros had a few offerings that produced. A 1/2-ounce double-willow spinnerbait and an Allen Lures Milo lipless bait caught some fish. Peter T fished the spinnerbait on 17-pound-test Lew’s APT Fluorocarbon Speed Line and the Milo on 14-pound-test of the same. Both lures were fished with Lew’s crankbait rods (TP-1 Crankbait rod for the spinnerbait and Dave Fritts Perfect Crank Stick for the Milo) and Lew’s BB1 Pros. He also caught some on his namesake “Petey Rig” rigged with a Zoom Super Fluke in green pumpkin.

Tags: pickwick-lake  kyle-wood-and-garrick-dixon  post-tournament  2016-05-05-pickwick-lake

Zoom Brings Back an Original with a Twist May 10, 2016

wpalert
-
0
Zoom Brings Back an Original with a Twist May 10, 2016

Bogart, Ga.— Zoom Bait Company announces the reintroduction of the Original Zoom Worm, a finesse worm that dates back 40 years. Except now, it will come in hand-poured triple laminate patterns instead of the conventional injection colors that originally comprised its lineup.

This release comes a year after Zoom brought out the “Z-3” triple laminates in the Swamp Crawler product, another finesse-oriented worm. Anglers across the country have clamored for additional products to be released in this lineup, and the subtle 6-inch Original – with its flat tail, slight egg sack and lightly-ribbed body – seemed a likely choice to fulfill the needs of dropshotters. Like its predecessor, it combines the best attributes of hand-poured worms with affordability and Zoom’s legendary quality control.

The new version will be just as tantalizing as the original, but the build process will be more like that of traditional “garage pours,” a labor-intensive, multi-step effort that produces a softer body and a wider range of color options. Up until now, this has been difficult to replicate in a mass production setting. Nevertheless, its shape will remain true to the original upon which the Zoom brand was built.

The Z-3 Original Zoom Worm will initially be available in three colors – Prizm Shad, Sexy Shad and Morning Dawn – to match your local forage and water color. It will soon be available at leading tackle stores and online retailers.

CALIFORNIA DELTA SET TO HOST FLW COLLEGE FISHING WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALE

wpalert
-
0
CALIFORNIA DELTA SET TO HOST FLW COLLEGE FISHING WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALE

CALIFORNIA DELTA SET TO HOST FLW COLLEGE FISHING WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALE

[print_link]

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (May 10, 2016) – FLW College Fishing is headed to the California Delta May 21 for the final stop of 2016 in the Western Conference. A full field of college teams will be competing for a top award of $2,000 and a berth into the 2017 College Fishing National Championship.

“Unlike other popular bass fisheries around the country, you don’t need to be in a specific area on the Delta to catch the big ones,” said Walmart FLW Tour pro Mark Daniels Jr., a California-native who spent his early years fishing the Delta. “It can be won literally anywhere on the lake. These teams will be able to target bass that are in all three spawning phases, which means we’re going to see many different techniques in play.

“In addition to topwater baits and swimbaits, I think we’ll see finesse tactics being utilized to catch the giant ones,” continued Daniels. “Drop-shot rigs and wacky-rigged worms will be the deal. I also see running a ChatterBait near grass and a square-billed crankbait bite along levee walls being strong choices as well.”

Daniels said that flipping matted grass, water hyacinth and primrose could also produce some heavy limits for competitors.

“When I go out flipping on the Delta, I always have crawfish imitators in different shades of red rigged up, as well as a handful of green-pumpkin bluegill imitators,” said Daniels. “You can’t go wrong with those on your deck.”

Daniels said that a five-bass limit nearing 25 pounds should be enough to take top honors.

“It’s a team deal, so I could see a limit weighing as much as 30 pounds winning it all,” said Daniels. “The Delta is one of the top three fisheries on the country in my opinion. It can produce some impressive bags.”

Anglers will take off from Russo’s Marina, located at 3995 Willow Road in Bethel Island, at 6:15 a.m. PDT Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the marina beginning at 12:30 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.

Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at CollegeFishing.com. Schools currently registered to compete in the California Delta tournament, which is hosted by Russo’s Marina and Sugar Barge RV Resort & Marina, include:

California Polytechnic State University – Christopher LeClair, Santa Clarita, Calif., and Clayton Lauchland, Lodi, Calif.

California Polytechnic State University – Johan Eide, Sebastopol, Calif., and Colton Farquer, Oakdale, Calif.

California State University-Chico – Alec O’ Rourke, Newcastle, Calif., and Cole Lauchland, Lodi, Calif.

California State University-Chico – Andrew Loberg, Rocklin, Calif., and Travis Bounds, Roseville, Calif.

California State University-Chico – Carson Leber, Dixon, Calif., and Lucas Boxwell, Auburn, Calif.

California State University-Chico – Chas Brannon, Santa Maria, Calif., and Michael Woods, Olivehurst, Calif.

California State University-Chico – David Griswold, Oroville, Calif., and Jeremy Andreasen, Chico, Calif.

California State University-Chico – Frank Tomasello and Jakob Conlan, both of Morgan Hill, Calif.

California State University-Chico – Sean Huber and Travis Strain, both of Chico, Calif.

California State University-Sacramento – Daniel Rodriguez, Selma, Calif., and Jeff Taluban, Salinas, Calif.

California State University-Sacramento – Edward Worden, Salinas, Calif., and Gerardo Reyna, Colusa, Calif.

California State University-Sacramento – Tanner Austin, El Dorado Hills, Calif., and Ethan Clark, Elk Grove, Calif.

Humboldt State University – Alex Robbins, Novato, Calif., and Joseph Schiavoni, Fairfield, Calif.

Humboldt State University – Drew White, Auburn, Calif., and Graeme Lock, La Crescenta, Calif.

Humboldt State University – Jeffrey  Teel, Vacaville, Calif., and Spencer Butler, Fairfield, Calif.

Northern Arizona University – Jim Herrero and John Herrero, both of Kingman, Ariz.

Oregon State University – Eric Strickler, Florence, Ore., and Max Kitzmiller, Wilsonville, Ore.

Oregon State University – Zach MacDonald, Willits, Calif., and Zach Martinez, Linden, Calif.

University of Idaho – Tanner Mort, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Austin Turpin, Moscow, Idaho

University of Southern California – Nick Nikchevich, Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Elliott Beckstrom, Santa Cruz, Calif.

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 FLWFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

CALIFORNIA DELTA SET TO HOST COSTA FLW SERIES WESTERN DIVISION FINALE PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

wpalert
-
0
CALIFORNIA DELTA SET TO HOST COSTA FLW SERIES WESTERN DIVISION FINALE PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

CALIFORNIA DELTA SET TO HOST COSTA FLW SERIES WESTERN DIVISION FINALE PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

[print_link]

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (May 10, 2016) – The Costa FLW Series is headed to the California Delta May 19-21 for a tournament presented by Power-Pole when as many as 400 pros and co-anglers will take to the water for the final stop of 2016 in the Western Division.

“At this event, anglers will be able to target bass that are in all three spawning phases,” said Walmart FLW Tour pro Mark Daniels Jr., a California-native who spent his early years fishing the Delta. “This time of year it’s tough to pin down a particular winning pattern, but that means we’re going to see many different techniques in play.

“The Delta is one of those fisheries where you don’t need to be in a specific area to catch big ones,” continued Daniels. “It can be won literally anywhere on the lake. I think we’ll see everything from topwater baits, swimbaits, to drop-shot rigs being utilized. Personally, I bet that a flipping stick will be most productive. It’s always a dominant choice on the Delta. I see the biggest limits coming from flipping matted grass, water hyacinth and primrose.”

Daniels went on to say that there a couple of different options for bait styles and colors for anglers choosing to go the flipping route.

“On the Delta there’s a lot of crawfish and bluegill,” said Daniels. “When I go out flipping, I always have crawfish imitators in different shades of red rigged up, as well as a handful of green-pumpkin bluegill imitators. You can’t go wrong with those on your deck.”

Daniels said that fans should expect a three-day catch worth 65 to 68 pounds to win the derby.

“It will definitely take more than a 20 pound a day average, no doubt about it,” said Daniels. “If someone brought in a limit pushing 30 pounds, I wouldn’t be shocked. The fishery is truly that good.”

Anglers will take off from Russo’s Marina located at 3995 Willow Road in Bethel Island at 6 a.m. PDT each day. Weigh-in on days one and two will be held at the marina beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will also be at the marina, but will begin at 2:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public. This event is being hosted by Russo’s Marina and Sugar Barge RV Resort & Marina.

Pros will fish for a top award of $40,000 plus a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger Z175 with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.

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.

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.

TENNESSEE’S KING WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE MOUNTAIN DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE CUMBERLAND

wpalert
-
0
TENNESSEE’S KING WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE MOUNTAIN DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE CUMBERLAND

TENNESSEE’S KING WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE MOUNTAIN DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE CUMBERLAND

Rushing wins co-angler title

[print_link]

MONTICELLO, Ky. (May 9, 2016) – J.B. King of Byrdstown, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds even Saturday to win the third FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mountain Division tournament of 2016 on Lake Cumberland. For his victory, King took home $5,972.

“I went down to the lower end of the lake to target smallmouth along rock bluffs,” said King, who earned the first win of his FLW career. “There was dirt and fine-gravel structure that attracting smallmouth. I fished stretches ranging from 100- to 600-feet long.”

“At my first area I caught my biggest bass of the day – a 4-pound, 11-ouncer – off of a gravel bank,” King continued. “I caught another keeper on a point before hooking two more from a bluff pocket. I spent 15 to 20 minutes in each spot and then moved on. I had five fish by 10:30 a.m.”

King said he used one bait to build his winning limit – a shaky-head rigged with a black and green-colored Zoom Finesse Mag Worm.

“You had to be patient and fish slow,” said King. “The fish were about 15 feet down and were either on a bed or guarding fry. Luckily I made something of my nine bites.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          J.B. King, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 17-0, $5,972

2nd:         Terry Ledford, Gray, Ky., five bass, 16-5, $2,236

3rd:          Talmadge Marcum, McKee, Ky., five bass, 14-1, $1,492

4th:          Adam Wagner, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 13-9, $968

4th:          Mark Neal, Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 13-9, $968

6th:          Josh Tramel, Smithville, Tenn., five bass, 13-6, $820

7th:          Mark Morgan, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 13-4, $745

8th:          Michael Allen, Gainesboro, Tenn., five bass, 13-1, $671

9th:          Bart Hardy, Hazard, Ky., five bass, 12-14, $596

10th:        Dwight Fox, Gainesboro, Tenn., five bass, 12-9, $522

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Nick Neves of Brooklyn, Michigan, caught a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $650.

Chris Rushing of Gamaliel, Kentucky, weighed in four bass totaling 11 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,236.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Chris Rushing, Gamaliel, Ky., four bass, 11-10, $2,236

2nd:         Tyler Sheffield, Dry Ridge, Ky., five bass, 10-12, $1,118

3rd:          Justin Sensabaugh, Byrdstown, Tenn., three bass, 7-13, $745

4th:          Jason Stigall, Tateville, Ky., two bass, 7-12, $847

5th:          Ryan Joshi, Knoxville, Tenn., two bass, 7-7, $447

6th:          Todd Stopher, London, Ky., three bass, 7-6, $410

7th:          Shawn Overton, Coal Valley, Ill., three bass, 7-0, $373

8th:          Tony Baber, Dayton, Ohio, three bass, 6-15, $335

9th:          Kevin Simpson, Monticello, Ky., two bass, 6-10, $279

9th:          Brenton Clemons, Somerset, Ky., three bass, 6-10, $279

Stigall caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $325.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 6-8 Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. 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.

GEORGIA’S MILLSAPS WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE BAMA DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE MITCHELL

wpalert
-
0
GEORGIA’S MILLSAPS WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE BAMA DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE MITCHELL

GEORGIA’S MILLSAPS WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE BAMA DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE MITCHELL

Cook wins co-angler title

[print_link]

CLANTON, Ala. (May 9, 2016) – David Millsaps of Ranger, Georgia, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the third FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bama Division tournament of 2016 on Lake Mitchell. For his victory, Millsaps took home $6,414.

Millsaps said he spent the majority of his day fishing a bluff wall stretch on the upper end of the lake.

“I had one area that was really active, especially after the sun came out,” said Millsaps, who earned his third win in FLW competition. “It was a long, straight bluff wall with a dip in it where fish could get out of the current.”

Millsaps said he used a custom brown and black-colored jig to catch approximately 15 keepers throughout the event.

“I was sitting in about 20 feet of water and I’d let the jig slide down the wall,” said Millsaps. “That’s when they’d get it. My biggest bass – a 6-pounder – came from a seawall that had rocks on it. After that, I caught most of my fish between 1 and 3 p.m. – all on the jig.”

The Georgia angler said he filled his five-bass limit with just minutes to spare.

“I boated three in a row on a rocky point which protruded from the bluff wall and ended up weighing two of them,” said Millsaps.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          David Millsaps, Ranger, Ga., five bass, 19-11, $4,414 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2nd:         Jason Nixon, Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 16-8, $1,944

3rd:          Morgan Brown, Spanish Fort, Ala., five bass, 12-13, $1,297

4th:          Michael Smith, Andalusia, Ala., five bass, 12-12, $907

5th:          Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., five bass, 12-9, $778

6th:          Coby Carden, Shelby, Ala., five bass, 12-4, $713

7th:          Daniel Graham, Childersburg, Ala., five bass, 11-13, $648

8th:          Chris Baxter, Winder, Ga., five bass, 11-12, $883

9th:          Kenny Everette, Villa Rica, Ga., five bass, 11-8, $519

10th:        David Parsons, Dothan, Ala., five bass, 11-7, $454

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Millsaps also caught a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $525.

Jerry Cook of Prattville, Alabama, weighed in five bass totaling 15 pounds even Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $1,944.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Jerry Cook, Prattville, Ala., five bass, 15-0, $1,944

2nd:         Jeff Huddleston, Ohatchee, Ala., five bass, 13-13, $972

3rd:          Geoff Percival, Lincoln, Ala., five bass, 10-12, $649

4th:          Tanner Ellison, Clanton, Ala., five bass, 10-11, $716

5th:          Randol Stone, Marianna, Fla., three bass, 8-15, $389

6th:          Slaton Jemison, Mathews, Ala., five bass, 8-0, $356

7th:          Marcus Corbett, Anniston, Ala., five bass, 7-11, $324

8th:          Alvin Hammonds, Hampton, Ga., five bass, 7-6, $275

8th:          Bill Hawkins, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 7-6, $275

10th:        Mike Chirico, Brundidge, Ala., five bass, 7-3, $227

Ellison caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $262.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 27-29 Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. 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.

NORTH CAROLINA’S SZUBA WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SHENANDOAH DIVISION EVENT ON POTOMAC RIVER PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

wpalert
-
0
NORTH CAROLINA’S SZUBA WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SHENANDOAH DIVISION EVENT ON POTOMAC RIVER PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

NORTH CAROLINA’S SZUBA WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SHENANDOAH DIVISION EVENT ON POTOMAC RIVER PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

Pipkin wins co-angler title

MARBURY, Md. (May 9, 2016) – Wally Szuba of Cary, North Carolina, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 20 pounds even Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division tournament on the Potomac River presented by Power-Pole. For his victory, Szuba took home $5,121.

According to tournament reports, Szuba targeted wood using a jig, crankbait and a Z-Man ChatterBait to catch his limit.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Wally Szuba, Cary, N.C., five bass, 20-0, $5,121

2nd:         Ray Griffin, Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 19-2, $2,561

3rd:          Sean Lewis, Baskerville, Va., five bass, 18-7, $1,705

4th:          Carlton Owens, Franklin, Va., five bass, 17-10, $1,195

5th:          David Barker, Emitsburg, Md., five bass, 17-9, $1,024

6th:          Matt Funk, Suffolk, Va., five bass, 17-4, $939

7th:          Ronnie Baker, Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 17-1, $854

8th:          Rich Newton, Milford, Va., five bass, 16-15, $768

9th:          Ernie Freeman, Broad Run, Va., five bass, 16-7, $640

9th:          Dennis McNeal, Stafford, Va., five bass, 16-7, $640

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Andrew Green of Crofton, Maryland, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds even – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $790.

Troy Pipkin of Dulles, Virginia, weighed in five bass totaling 17 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,561.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Troy Pipkin, Dulles, Va., five bass, 17-11, $2,561

2nd:         Aaron Bartlett, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 16-5, $1,280

3rd:          Matt McCluskey, Ashburn, Va., five bass, 16-0, $854

4th:          Chris Whittaker, Waverly, Va., five bass, 15-6, $598

5th:          Robbie Walker, Baltimore, Md., five bass, 15-3, $512

6th:          Sergio Render, Christiansburg, Va., five bass, 14-15, $469

7th:          Kevin Hensley, Clarksville, Va., five bass, 14-11, $405

7th:          Safulla Rana, Warrenton, Va., five bass, 14-11, $405

9th:          Scott Howard, Bedford, Va., five bass, 14-8, $341

10th:        Matthew Jennings, Suffolk, Va., five bass, 14-6, $284

10th:        Ricky Windsor, Woodbridge, Va., five bass, 14-6, $284

Richard Pace of Frederick, Maryland, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 6 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $395.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 6-8 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. 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.

ARKANSAS’ JONES WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OKIE DIVISION EVENT ON ARKANSAS RIVER PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

wpalert
-
0
ARKANSAS’ JONES WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OKIE DIVISION EVENT ON ARKANSAS RIVER PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

ARKANSAS’ JONES WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OKIE DIVISION EVENT ON ARKANSAS RIVER PRESENTED BY POWER-POLE

Eubanks wins co-angler title

[print_link]

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (May 9, 2016) – Christopher Jones of Bokoshe, Oklahoma, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Okie Division tournament on the Arkansas River presented by Power-Pole. For his victory, Jones took home $6,263.

“In the morning I ran to a backwater area 40 miles away from takeoff that had a little bit of milfoil, stumps and coontail in it,” said Jones, who earned his third win in BFL competition. “I had one thing on my mind, to catch a big one before everyone gets there. That’s what I did. I used a Booyah Single Colorado Blade Spinnerbait and caught three spawners, including a 4½-pounder.

“After that I locked back to the main river and spent the rest of my day fishing current breaks and some more backwaters,” continued Jones. “I focused on wood laydowns in the river channel and stumps in the pockets.”

Jones said he preferred to use the Single Colorado Blade with a white skirt in the cleaner backwaters, and a Booyah Double Colorado Blade Spinnerbait on the main river where the water was muddy.

“I caught the rest of my keepers and culled between noon and 2 p.m.,” said Jones. “I think I brought in 15 keepers by the end of the event. All of my decisions turned out to be the right ones. It was a great day.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Christopher Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., five bass, 17-14, $6,263

2nd:         Sean McAllister, Checotah, Okla., five bass, 17-3, $2,381

3rd:          Cade Alsbury, Cave Springs, Ark., five bass, 15-8, $1,585

4th:          Jacob Dotson, Muskogee, Okla., five bass, 15-5, $1,111

5th:          Kyle Cortiana, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 14-7, $913

5th:          E.P. Fletcher, Fort Smith, Ark., five bass, 14-7, $913

7th:          Mike McCormick, Adair, Okla., five bass, 13-12, $794

8th:          Jason Horton, Eucha, Okla., five bass, 12-14, $714

9th:          Josh Hilton, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 12-11. $595

9th:          Fred Fielder, Vian, Okla., five bass, 12-11, $595

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Terry Ezell of El Reno, Oklahoma, caught a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $710.

Billy Eubanks of Bunch, Oklahoma, weighed in five bass totaling 15 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,736.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Billy Eubanks, Bunch, Okla., five bass, 15-7, $2,736

2nd:         Matthew Gregory, Alma, Ark., four bass, 13-2, $1,191

3rd:          Ronnie White, Gore, Okla., four bass, 11-7, $791

4th:          Justin Lillie, Owasso, Okla., five bass, 11-4, $556

5th:          Rick Dawes III, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 10-9, $476

6th:          Myron Means, Van Buren, Ark., four bass, 10-0, $437

7th:          J.C. Thompson, Cartwright, Okla., three bass, 9-9, $397

8th:          Benny Williams Jr., Poteau, Okla., four bass, 8-8, $357

9th:          Jack Sikes, Quapaw, Okla., three bass, 8-6, $318

10th:        Cameron Foster, Wagoner, Okla., four bass, 7-15, $278

Eubanks also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $355.

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.

GROSS LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS WALMART FLW TOUR ON PICKWICK LAKE PRESENTED BY QUAKER STATE

wpalert
-
0
GROSS LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS WALMART FLW TOUR ON PICKWICK LAKE PRESENTED BY QUAKER STATE

GROSS LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS WALMART FLW TOUR ON PICKWICK LAKE PRESENTED BY QUAKER STATE

Georgia rookie wins by 3-pound, 1-ounce margin, Wins $100,000

[print_link]

Link to HD video footage of Gross’ winning moment

FLORENCE, Ala. (May 8, 2016) – Just six months ago pro Buddy Gross of Ringgold, Georgia, was an accomplished Costa FLW Series angler that daydreamed of competing against the best anglers in the world on the Walmart FLW Tour.

After a great season at the AAA-level, Gross qualified for priority entry into the 2016 FLW Tour. After the incredible week that Gross has had at the Walmart FLW Tour at Pickwick Lake presented by Quaker State, it’s safe to say that Gross has proven that he can compete with the best.

With a four-day total of 17 bass weighing 74 pounds, 5 ounces, Gross won by a 3-pound, 1-ounce margin, despite starting Sunday with a near 15-pound lead. Gross weighed just two bass totaling 4-14, but it was still enough to best 162 of the best bass-fishing anglers in the world and earn him $100,000.

“Today has been the biggest roller coaster of my life,” said Gross. “It was a long ride back to weigh in today – I really thought I was coming back for a second-place finish. Michael (Neal) is a true competitor and is the best fisherman that I know, and I knew that I had to catch at least 10 pounds to feel safe. Thank the Lord that I caught two, and it worked out like it did.”

Gross said that he caught the majority of his fish during the first three days of competition on a 200-yard bar running off of the bottom of an island. He found the fish keying in on eelgrass, and was catching them in 8 to 10 feet of water.

“I found the eelgrass on my Lowrance unit and I could see the fish setting up on it on my graph. I caught all of my fish there this week, except for the two today. There was no wind and no current today and that hurt, but I think I just ran out of fish. I had to scramble to catch the two that I did.”

Gross’ key bait throughout the week was a 1-ounce white Hog Farmer hair jig, but he also mentioned a Fringe Tackle Swimbait, a spinnerbait and a Tennessee River Tackle Tremor scrounger with a Zoom Magnum Fluke as baits that produced for him.

“The hair jig was by far the best bait for me in this event,” Gross said.

“Last year after I qualified through the Costa Series I really questioned whether I should take the risk, and if I could compete on the FLW Tour,” Gross went on to say. “It took every last dime that I had to come out here and compete this year, but my wife was behind me 100-percent and she said go. This win gives my family and I security and that is truly what means the most to me.”

The top 10 pros finished the tournament:

1st:          Buddy Gross, Ringgold, Ga., 17 bass, 74-5, $100,000

2nd:         Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 20 bass, 71-4, $30,000

3rd:          Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 19 bass, 65-1, $25,000

4th:          Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 19 bass, 64-14, $20,000

5th:          Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., 19 bass, 63-11, $19,000

6th:          Barry Wilson, Birmingham, Ala., 20 bass, 57-13, $18,000

7th:          Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 20 bass, 56-2, $17,000

8th:          Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., 17 bass, 56-0, $16,000

9th:          Stephen Patek, Dallas, Texas, 18 bass, 50-3, $15,000

10th:        Lew’s pro Peter Thliveros, Saint Augustine, Fla., 18 bass, 49-7, $14,000

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 41 bass weighing 124 pounds, 7 ounces caught by pros Sunday. Five of the final 10 pros weighed in five-bass limits.

Keith Diffey of Elk Grove, California, won the co-angler division and $20,000 Friday with a two-day total of seven bass weighing 25 pounds, 7 ounces, followed by Tyler Meredith of Oliver Springs, Tennessee, who finished in second place with nine bass, also weighing 25-7, worth $7,500. Diffey won via tiebreaker – the heaviest one-day catch between the two anglers – with his 13-2 limit weighed on Friday.

In addition to casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the pro division and up to $25,000 cash in the co-angler division, anglers are also competing for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2016 Forrest Wood Cup will be in Huntsville, Alabama, Aug. 4-7 on Wheeler Lake.

Coverage of the Pickwick Lake tournament will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) September 21 from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. EST. 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 Pickwick Lake was presented by Quaker State and hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism. The next event for FLW Tour anglers will be the Walmart FLW Tour at Kentucky Lake presented by Mercury.

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.

1...1,1841,1851,186...1,533Page 1,185 of 1,533

Follow Us

The latest

Tyler & Ricky Trent win the Kerr Lake Fall Final with 18.83 lbs

Buggs Island/Kerr Lake Tournament Results 0
We are currently working on a 2026 BassKings schedule...

Battery Tender named Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens

Bassmaster Open 0
Dec. 18, 2025 Battery Tender named Presenting Sponsor of the...

FISHING: Kit for a King

Bass News 0
Kit for a King EGO Fishing’s new BLACKWATER Tool Kit...

© 2023 The Bass Cast. All Rights Reserved.