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Itawamba Community College Team Overcomes Adversity To Win On Lake Martin

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February 7, 2016

Itawamba Community College Team Overcomes Adversity To Win On Lake Martin

Hunter Schrock (left) and Russ Johnson of Itawamba Community College weighed in a three-day total of 35 pounds, 9 ounces to take home the trophy Saturday during the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops held on Lake Martin out of Alexander City, Ala.

Photo by Shaye Baker/Bassmaster

Feb. 6, 2016

Itawamba Community College Team Overcomes Adversity To Win On Lake Martin

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ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — On Thursday, Russ Johnson and Hunter Schrock of Itawamba Community College locked the keys inside their truck and had to pry the door open with a tree limb after trying unsuccessfully to break their window with a tennis racket.

On Friday, they nearly lost a tire off their boat trailer due to a bad wheel bearing.

On Saturday, despite a week of troubles, they won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops on Lake Martin.

Fishing in a borrowed boat, Johnson and Schrock caught five bass that weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces and took home the first-place trophies with a three-day weight of 35-9. They finished just 4 ounces ahead of John Davis and Payton McGinnis of the University of Alabama (35-5).

“We saw the lake for the first time last Saturday,” Johnson said. “We fished Saturday, half a day on Sunday and then came back and fished the Wednesday before the tournament. We had about three days of practice, and that was it.”

But one crucial cast during that practice period turned them on to the winning strategy.

“We fish Aberdeen Lake on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway,” Johnson said. “It’s a real, shallow muddy place, and that’s why we decided to go out and try to find some largemouth here on Lake Martin. There were places that reminded us a lot of home.

“We caught a fish on about our 10th cast with a KVD 2.5 square bill crankbait Saturday, and that pretty much set the tone for the week. As soon as we caught the fish, we decided that was what we were going to go with.”

The plan seemed to work better as the week went along — even if their luck and equipment didn’t.

After the key-locking fiasco on the first day, they still managed to catch a five-bass limit that weighed 9-8. Then after seeing one of their trailer tires wobbling at a 45-degree angle the following day due to the bad wheel bearing, they managed 11-9 and made the final-day cut with 21-1.

They fished Saturday in a boat loaned to them by their Itawamba Community College teammates Ty Cox and Jake Houston. They caught 14-8 — easily the biggest catch of the day — by doing the same thing they had done all week.

“We just kept throwing that KVD 2.5 in the sexy shad pattern,” Schrock said. “We didn’t change anything all week. That was all we really knew to do.”

The tournament began with a giant field of 214 boats that weighed in the first two days at Wind Creek State Park. The field for Saturday’s round was trimmed to the Top 26, and a drive-through weigh-in was held at nearby Central Alabama Community College with a format similar to that of the Bassmaster Elite Series.

Johnson and Schrock took the lead early during Saturday’s weigh-in, and it seemed for the longest time that they wouldn’t even be seriously challenged. But the Alabama team of Davis and McGinnis, who entered the final day with the lead, made for a few nervous moments for the front runners, as they were the last boat to weigh in.

Needing an even 10 pounds to overtake the Itawamba team, Davis and McGinnis weighed in 9-11 and missed the victory by 4 ounces with a three-day total of 35-5.

“For whatever reason, the big fish just didn’t bite today,” Davis said. “Where we caught largemouth yesterday, there were spotted bass today. Obviously, they were a lot smaller.”

The second-place finishers used Strike King KVD 1.5 square bills in a crawfish pattern all week.

“This time of year, that’s how you’re going to catch your big bags,” McGinnis said. “We looked for that big bag in practice. We never found it, but we knew that was the way to do it.”

All 26 teams that qualified for Saturday’s round are now eligible to fish the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, which will be held later this year on a lake to be determined.

Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional
Lake Martin – Wind Creek State Park – Alexander City, AL
2/4/2016 – 2/6/2016
STANDINGS BOATER DAY 3
Today’s Activity

# Fish Lbs – Oz
Accumulative
Name # Live # Fish # Live Lbs – Oz

1 Russ Johnson – Hunter Schrock Itawamba Community College 5 5 14- 8 15 15 35- 9

2 John Davis – Payton McGinnis University of Alabama 5 5 9-11 15 15 35- 5

3 KJ Queen – Evan Owrey Bethel University 5 5 11- 9 15 15 34- 5

4 Thomas Oltorik III – James Oltorik Daytona State College 5 5 11-10 14 14 33- 2

5 Anderson Aldag – Lee Mattox University of Alabama 5 5 10-10 15 15 32- 6

6 Josh Oliver – Chase Chastain Jacksonville State University 5 5 9- 8 15 15 31-12

7 Ben Stone – Collin Smith Lander University 5 5 11- 6 15 15 31- 8

8 Shawn Callahan – Tom Brewbaker University of South Carolina 5 5 10- 6 15 15 31- 3

9 Tanner Malone – Kyle Alford Mississippi State University 5 5 8-14 15 15 30-15

10 Caiden Sinclair – Hunter Gibson University of Alabama 5 5 9- 6 15 15 30-14

11 Cole Burdeshaw – Travis Culbreth Auburn University 5 5 7- 8 15 15 30-10

12 Hunter McKamey – Kyle Oliver U. of Central Florida 5 5 8- 6 15 15 30- 5

13 Michael Chambliss – Gregory Carlisle Columbus State University 5 5 9- 2 15 15 30-2

14 Ryan Hayse – Jake Staley U. of North Alabama 5 5 6- 6 15 15 29-14

15 Luis McMurphy – MJ Vihnanek U. of South Alabama 4 4 5- 3 14 14 29- 7

16 Zeke Gossett – Hayden Bartee Faulkner University 5 5 8-15 15 15 29- 6

17 JC Adams – Darius Williams University of West Georgia 5 5 8- 5 14 14 29- 5

18 Brandon Koon – Kenneth Parks UT Martin 5 5 9- 4 15 15 29- 4

19 Austin Handley – Caleb Wozniak Auburn University 5 5 7-10 15 15 29- 2

20 Justin Singleton – Ryan Stewart Georgia College 5 5 7-14 15 15 28- 2

21 Chayse Freeman – Ryan Shields Wallace State Comm College 4 4 6- 2 14 14 27- 4

22 Jesse Hill -Cody Whisenhunt Jefferson State Community College 5 5 6- 7 15 15 27-3

23 Chad Matthews – Austin Wingard Auburn University 5 5 6-15 15 15 27- 1

24 Dylan Brown – Hunter Franklin U. of South Alabama 3 3 4-13 13 13 26- 3

25 Shane Haas – Reid Hammil University of Florida 4 4 3-15 14 14 25-12

26 Levi Baker – Bayne Miller U. of North Georgia 3 3 4- 0 13 13 24- 5

27 Tyler Collins – Bradley Rilling Kennesaw State University 10 10 19-13

28 Joseph Lacy – Breanna Wyatt Faulkner University 10 10 19-11

29 AJ Simmons – Bradley DeLeon Auburn University 10 10 19-11

30 Cody Peak – Jeff Roman Clayton IV Mississippi State University 10 10 19- 7

31 Jacob Reome – Daniel Rupee Clemson University 10 10 19- 6

32 Nathan Martin – Davis Whitten U. of North Alabama 10 10 19- 5

33 Kyler Chelminiak – Alec Piekarski Bethel University 10 10 19- 3

34 Brian Sweeney – Robert White University of South Carolina 10 10 19- 2

35 CJ Holbrook – Caleb Garvin Mississippi State University 10 10 19- 2

36 Connor Champman – Heath Alread Kennesaw State University 10 10 19- 1

37 Patrick Walters – Hampton Anderson University of South Carolina 10 10 19- 0

38 Houston Calvert – Gavin Hays Wallace State Comm College 10 9 18-15

39 Ty Dyer – Ricky Harris Bethel University 10 10 18-14

40 Logan Shaddix – Ethan Flack University of Alabama 10 10 18-13

41 Tyler Moody – Kevin McIntyre UAB 10 10 18-11

42 Conner Fogg – Chandler Fogg Bryan College 10 10 18- 8

43 Matthew Mullins – Bailey Stover University of West Georgia 9 9 18- 8

44 Mitch Brumbeloe – David Robinson University of West Alabama 10 10 18- 7

45 Andrew Himmelreich – Justin Henderson Young Harris College 10 10 18- 5

46 Ty Cox – Jake Houston Itawamba Community College 10 10 18- 3

47 Evan Horne – Dawson Lenz U. of North Alabama 10 10 18- 3

48 David Gaston – Brandon Barnett Central Alabama Comm College 10 10 18- 1

49 Michael Elkins – Luke Mason U. of North Alabama 10 10 18- 1

50 Triston Crowder – Lake Blasingame U. of North Alabama 10 10 18- 0

51 John Garrett – Brian Pahl Bethel University 10 10 18- 0

52 Tyler Brown – Zac Rita Clemson University 10 9 18- 0

53 Luke Ferguson – Jerod Gadd Polk State College 9 9 17-14

54 Reid Daniel – Ben Adams U. of North Georgia 10 10 17-13

55 Wyatt Burkhalter – Mark Grant University of West Alabama 10 10 17-12

56 Colin Drew – James Addison Clemson University 10 10 17-11

57 Patrick Williford – Briggs Kennington Clemson University 10 10 17-11

58 Chancellor Rich – Hunter Presley Central Alabama Comm College 10 10 17-11

59 Daniel Murkerson – Joshua McQueen UAB 10 10 17- 8

60 Trey O’Daniel – Ben Wall Auburn University 9 9 17- 8

61 Jesse James – Nolan Vinson Troy University 10 10 17- 8

62 Cody McBryar – Chance Johnson Jacksonville State University 10 10 17- 7

63 Baylor Ronemus – Teddy Chewning Clemson University 10 10 17- 6

64 Andrew Warbington – Taylor Teague University of West Alabama 10 10 17- 6

65 Ty Johnston – Evan Gaddis U. of North Georgia 10 10 17- 5

66 Alex Peric – Matt Tessar University of Alabama 10 10 17- 5

67 Denver Satterlee – Jonathan Tilley JC Calhoun Community College 10 10 17- 3

68 Martin McCravy – Koby Littrell U. of North Alabama 10 10 17- 0

69 Murphy Klumpp – Auburn University 8 8 16-15

70 Ethan Thomas – Stephen Ansel Georgia College 10 10 16-14

71 Kolby Bowers – Benjamin Chandler Abraham Baldwin Ag College 10 10 16-14

72 Wesley Griner – Corey Brown Darton State College 10 10 16-13

73 Grant Bergeron – Tim Parker University of Florida 9 9 16-13

74 Cody Cleary – Max Gresham Valdosta State University 10 10 16- 9

75 Isaac Nesbitt – Ross Burns Clemson University 10 10 16- 8

76 Robert Hewitt – Allan Stack Clemson University 10 10 16- 4

77 Michael Blake – Morgan Fuller Central Alabama Comm College 8 8 16- 3

78 Scott Cain – Tyler Teal UAB 10 10 16- 3

79 Caleb Dennis – Sloan Pennington U. of North Alabama 10 10 15-14

80 Chris Blanchette – Lucas Cornwell University of South Carolina 9 9 15-12

81 Zac Bennett – Chase Williams Georgia College 10 10 15-12

82 Brooks Phillips – CJ Knight Auburn University 10 10 15-11

83 Kenny Johnson – Brandon Black University of West Georgia 10 10 15-10

84 Dalton Bradford – Matthew Lamastus UT Martin 10 10 15-10

85 Dylan True – Dylan Fuller UT Martin 10 10 15-10

86 Mitchell Jennings – Legare Wheeler Auburn University 10 10 15- 9

87 Makenzie Henson – Brett Webster U. of North Alabama 10 10 15- 9

88 Dylan Kear – Nathan Bell Bryan College 10 10 15- 8

89 Kendall Pierce – Daniel Sims UAB 8 8 15- 5

90 Brooks Bishop – Caleb Hebert Mississippi State University 8 8 15- 5

91 Hunter Louden – Carter McNeil Bethel University 10 10 15- 5

92 AJ Etheredge – Colton Granger Troy University 10 10 15- 5

93 Stephen Young – Zach Hitt Reinhardt University 10 10 15- 4

94 Kendall Andrews – Taylor Oliver Auburn University 10 10 15- 4

95 Will Miller – Ethan Ingle University of South Carolina 10 10 15- 3

96 David Heflin – Logan Elton Florida State University 10 10 15- 3

97 Chase Kanute – Connor Thompson Bryan College 10 10 15- 3

97 Garrett Stone – Daulton Smith University of Georgia 10 10 15- 3

99 Chase Roberts – Jeffrey Hopkins Auburn University 10 10 15- 1

100 Blake McDaniel – Chet Reaves Auburn University 10 10 15- 1

101 Andrew Cannon – Daniel Leiner U. of North Alabama 10 10 15- 0

102 Cody Harrison – Clint Frederick U. of North Alabama 10 10 15- 0

102 Cale Mathis – Jonathan McLendon Abraham Baldwin Ag College 10 10 15- 0

104 Austin Herring – Kel Easterling University of Montevallo 10 10 14-15

105 John Duarte – Jonathan Kelley Coastal Carolina University 10 10 14-14

106 JR Wright – Bridger Thomas Itawamba Community College 10 10 14-13

107 Roy Zhang – Cassidy Evans Auburn University 10 10 14-12

108 Ethan Hayes – Lauren Remolde Auburn University 10 10 14-10

109 Zane Xanders – Jacob Lane Florida Gulf Coast University 10 10 14-10

110 Adam Neill – John Bryant University of Alabama 10 10 14- 9

111 Caleb Luzader – Cole Sands Bryan College 10 10 14- 9

112 Drake Champion – Colton Turner Jacksonville State University 10 10 14- 8

113 Michael Mitchell – Matt Haney Jacksonville State University 10 10 14- 6

114 Armando Ortiz – Zach Buchanan Auburn University 10 10 14- 5

115 Nick Gresens – Robert Keene Georgia College 10 10 14- 4

116 Jake Farrer – Levi Neave Clemson University 9 9 14- 4

117 Ethan Barrett – Harrison Barton Young Harris College 10 10 14- 3

118 Cole Nunnery – Logan Morel Southwest Mississippi Comm College 9 9 14- 2

119 Cody Chambers – Blake Milner U. of North Georgia 9 9 14- 0

120 Mekiah Jack – Joseph Huggins Bethel University 8 8 13-14

121 Joshua Butts – Wallace State Comm College 10 10 13-14

122 Taylor Thompson – Blake Yarbrough Abraham Baldwin Ag College 9 9 13-10

123 Matthew Maynard – Will Henderson Auburn University 8 8 13- 9

124 Hunter Waller – Blake Ridgdill Abraham Baldwin Ag College 10 10 13- 9

125 Trent Humber – Joey Porter University of West Alabama 10 10 13- 7

126 Kyle Stafford – Matt Bedenbaugh Polk State College 10 9 13- 6

127 Ryan Kennedy – Charles Conger Kennesaw State University 10 10 13- 4

128 Drew Cook – Mason Brown Florida State University 10 10 13- 2

129 TJ Neely – Abraham Baldwin Ag College 9 9 13- 0

130 Tyler Mann – Dustin DeVon Faulkner State Community College 10 10 13- 0

131 Andrew Tate – Hunter Haney U. of North Alabama 9 9 12-14

132 DJ Barber – Thomas Mistead University of Alabama 10 10 12-11

133 Chase Baker – Ryan Baker University of Montevallo 9 9 12- 7

134 Brandon Bland – Biilly Knapp U. of South Alabama 9 9 12- 2

135 Richie Young – Emmanuel College 8 8 12- 2

136 Zachary Edmunds – Nelson Madruga U. of Central Florida 10 10 12- 1

137 Blake Burtram – Hunter McCarty U. of North Alabama 7 7 11-14

138 Joe Nakai – Michael Gullette U. of North Alabama 10 10 11-12

139 Gobind Kala – Tate West University of Alabama 8 8 11-11

140 Leslie Dunstan – Sean Murphy Auburn University 10 10 11-11

141 Edward Garner – Faulkner State Community College 8 8 11-11

142 Myles Bowen – Mason Bond Georgia College 8 8 11-10

143 Hank McIntosh – Hunter Brock Troy University 7 7 11- 9

144 Andrew Brown – Ryan Ferraro Mississippi State 10 10 11- 9

145 Collin Settnek – Stetson University 10 10 11- 8

146 Jonathan Peck – Tyler Chumley Bryan College 7 7 11- 8

147 Jordan Heath – Noah Barcroft Auburn University 8 8 11- 6

148 Brady Bowden – Landon Olson Faulkner University 9 9 11- 6

149 Austin Bell – Trever Stephens Polk State College 10 10 11- 6

150 Grant Carter – John Price Columbus State University 9 9 11- 3

151 Andrew Hulbert – University of Mississippi 7 7 10-14

152 John Maner – Colby Harville U. of North Alabama 9 9 10-11

153 Gunnar McCollough – John Defore Troy University 5 5 10-11

154 Frank Lillig – Jackson Moody Kennesaw State University 9 9 10-10

155 AJ Barnes – Robert Gibson Bryan College 6 6 10- 9

156 Drew Grow – Mitch Naler University of Alabama 7 7 10- 5

157 Taylor Minick – Ralph Collings Southern Regional Technical College 9 9 10- 4

158 William Blount – Kirk Savage U. of South Alabama 7 7 10- 4

159 Chasten Beck – Bronson Jones Snead State Community College 9 9 10- 3

160 Hooper Matthews – Tristan Yates Auburn University 6 6 10- 2

161 Jordan Parisian – Collin Chandler University of Georgia 7 7 10- 1

162 Hunter Reeves – Tucker Hill Georgia Southern University 6 6 10- 0

163 Laj Tripp – Morgan Locke Florida State University 7 7 10- 0

164 Andrew Smedley – Charles Farr Mississippi College 7 7 9-14

165 Bennett Brantley – Dustin Watson Huntingdon College 7 7 9-11

166 BJ Johnson – Justin Jones Troy University 8 8 9- 8

167 Cody Billings – Christian Pierson University of Georgia 8 8 9- 7

168 Dylan Pritchett – Jalen Smith Bryan College 7 7 9- 6

169 Holden McBride – Dalton Jennings Central Alabama Comm College 5 5 9- 5

170 Andrew Kiser – Charles Kelly Clemson University 5 5 9- 1

171 Brandon Acker – Garrett Calhoun Faulkner University 5 5 8- 5

172 Hunter Bland – Matthew Cantrell University of Florida 6 6 8- 4

173 Mark Denney – Wesley Paskett Middle George State University 7 7 8- 1

174 Layton Jones – Jared Baker Georgia Southern University 7 7 8- 0

175 Dillon Easley – Chandler South Itawamba Community College 6 6 7-14

176 William Duffey – Stewart Ward Central Alabama Comm College 4 4 7- 4

177 Jacob Pannell – Chase Robinson Itawamba Community College 5 5 7- 2

178 Caleb Whitehead – John Ford Mississippi State University 3 3 6-13

179 Sawyer Haney – Michael Warner Northeast Alabama Community College 4 4 6- 4

180 Kendal Bracknell – Matthew Colbert University of West Georgia 5 5 6- 2

181 Jonathan Poore – Colby Jones UT Martin 6 6 6- 1

182 John Byrd – Braden Mattingly Stetson University 5 5 5-11

183 Scott Nichols – Corey Kelton Southwest Mississippi Comm College 4 4 5-10

184 Joe Bates – Jay Tootle Georgia Southern University 4 4 5- 3

185 Hunter Bechtel – Joseph Caldwell Abraham Baldwin Ag College 5 5 5- 2

186 Ben Spiller – Blake Smith Mississippi State University 5 5 5- 1

187 Forrest Sears – Greg Dean Wallace State Comm College 5 5 5- 0

188 Tyler Howard – Jeffrey Mills University of Montevallo 4 4 5- 0

189 Kyle Jackson – Willem Hattink Georgia Southern University 3 3 4-12

189 Ryan Schroeder – Austin Tubbs University of West Alabama 3 3 4-12

191 David Carney – Patton Carney University of Alabama 2 2 4-12

192 TJ Sroufe – Tom Patten U. South FL Sarasota 4 4 4-11

193 Kyle Dillard – Chase Christie University of West Georgia 5 5 4- 1

194 Landon Jackson – Kaylyn McDaniel Troy University 3 3 4- 1

195 Heath Mitchell – Cooper Patton U. of North Georgia 3 3 3-15

196 John Ramer – William Steele Faulkner State Community College 1 1 3-13

197 Dylan DeForrest – Hunter Taylor Florida Gulf Coast University 1 1 3- 3

198 Justin Paulus – Christian Cole Kennesaw State University 2 2 3- 0

199 KD Sizemore – Stuart Stanford Darton State College 2 2 2-15

200 John Campbell – Dalton Adair Troy University 2 2 2- 9

201 Dakota Garner – Cale Underwood Northeast Alabama Community College 1 1 2- 7

202 Jeremy Ray – Auburn University 2 2 2- 1

203 Tucker Adams – Justin Reynolds Southwest Mississippi Comm College 1 1 1-10

204 Andrew Fisher – Addison Wells Jacksonville State University 1 1 1- 4

205 Blake Spradlin – Channing Brand LaGrange College 1 1 1- 2

206 William Ireland – Dylan McKee Auburn University 1 1 1- 1

207 Jonathan Twilley – Jacksonville State University 1 1 0-15

208 Max Korfhage – Kevin Szczech University of South Carolina 0 0 0- 0

208 Brett McDowell – Joshua Griner Southern Regional Technical College 0 0 0- 0

208 Dean Mullett – Cole Watson Georgia Southern University 0 0 0- 0

208 Dylan Pugh – Zachary Lineberry Troy University 0 0 0- 0

208 John Thigpin – Costa Kell University of Mississippi 0 0 0- 0

208 Benjamin Webster – Andrew Deloney University of Alabama 0 0 0- 0

208 Joe Williams – Addison Cimino Auburn University 0 0 0- 0

Name City,State Lbs-Oz

1 JC Adams – Darius Williams Carrollton, GA 5- 4

2 John Davis – Payton McGinnisVestavia, AL 6-12

3 Russ Johnson – Hunter Schrock Amory, MS 5- 8

# Fish Lbs – Oz

BIG BASS

TOTALS

Day # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits

# Fish

1 890 888 1463- 9 152

2 832 831 1407- 2 140

3 123 123 218- 5 21

Kayak Bassin TV – FULL EPISODE – Season 3 – Episode 1

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February 6, 2016

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Kayak Bassin TV – FULL EPISODE – Season 3 – Episode 1

What a great episode guys Chad Hoover and the guys are in Spencer Tennessee on Long Branch Lakes catching some big old Bass. Check it out guys, plus as newer episodes arrive we will be posting them on the Bass Cast.com so come back often.

University Of Alabama Maintains Second-Day Lead On Martin, New Team Takes Top Spot

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February 6, 2016

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University Of Alabama Maintains Second-Day Lead On Martin, New Team Takes Top Spot

John Davis (left) and Payton McGinnis of the University of Alabama weighed in a two-day total of 25 pounds, 10 ounces to take the Day 2 lead Friday in the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops held on Lake Martin out of Alexander City, Ala.

Photo by Shaye Baker/Bassmaster

Feb. 5, 2016

University Of Alabama Maintains Second-Day Lead On Martin, New Team Takes Top Spot

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ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — No matter what level of tournament you’re fishing, things are always better when your equipment works right.

It certainly made a difference for John Davis and Payton McGinnis on Lake Martin Friday.

The team from the University of Alabama suffered a 2-pound penalty Thursday for being late to the weigh-in because of a dead cranking battery and finished in 140th place with only 6 pounds, 2 ounces. But on Friday, everything worked right and they brought 19-8 to the scales to rocket into the lead at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Their two-day weight of 25-10 placed them just ahead of three other in-state teams at the top of the standings. Luis McMurphy and M.J. Vihnanek (South Alabama) are second with 24-4, followed by Ryan Hayse and Jake Staley (North Alabama) with 23- 8 and Cole Burdeshaw and Travis Culbreth (Auburn) with 23-2.

“Today was definitely a different day than yesterday,” Davis said. “We didn’t have any equipment trouble like we did yesterday, and we ran to a different part of the lake that we had found in practice. For whatever reason, the big ones just showed up in there today.”

The 214-boat field awoke to temperatures in the high 20s this morning, and many of the leaders from Day 1 found the fishing much tougher. But Davis said it was last week’s unseasonably warm weather that could have actually made the difference for them.

“I think the warm weather leading into this cold front might have put them in the right place for us,” he said. “I don’t know if we can catch another 19 1/2-pound bag tomorrow, but I think we can go back and catch some more good fish.”

McMurphy and Vihnanek also made a big move Friday, but it had nothing to do with equipment issues.

After placing 130th on Day 1 with only 6-9, the University of South Alabama (USA) pair decided to abandon their strategy of fishing for spotted bass and keyed exclusively on largemouth. The decision led to a five-bass limit that weighed 17-11 and pushed their two-day weight to 24-4.

“We sat down last night and put something together, and we were able to pull it off today,” McMurphy said. “We were catching a bunch of 3-pounders during practice, and we figured we could go out and do that when the tournament started. But it didn’t pay off.

“We made a change today, and we had our weight by about 12:30.”

The USA seniors said they had one spot that paid off for much of the day Friday.

“We stayed in one creek for a long time, and it finally slowed down a little bit,” McMurphy said. “So we moved to another creek to let that spot rest. When we went back there, the fish were back.

“My partner missed a 3 1/2-pounder, and I threw right back in there and he ate it.”

Hayse and Staley were in 102nd place after Thursday’s first round with only 7-6 — and they didn’t exactly get off to a fast start on today. But they managed to put their first keeper in the boat around 8:30, and then things got exciting.

“It was really cold this morning, and it started slow for us,” said Hayse, who often fishes Wilson Lake on the Tennessee River. “I think the fish are kind of moving up on the rocks once the sun gets up. So we just went out and fished like we fish on the Tennessee River.”

The University of North Alabama team’s two-day weight of 23-8 placed them 6 ounces ahead of Burdeshaw and Culbreth — an Auburn University pair that has been one of the more consistent teams in the event.

After catching 11-8 Thursday, Burdeshaw and Culbreth managed 11-10 Friday for a two-day mark of 23-2.

“Consistency is the name of the game on this lake,” Burdeshaw said. “I honestly don’t know if largemouth can hold up on this lake for a three-day tournament. All of our pre-fishing and all of our practice has been for spotted bass.

“We feel like we can consistently catch 10 or 11 pounds of spots, and that’s what we’ll try to do again tomorrow.”

The Top 26 teams will advance to Saturday’s final round, with take-off scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Wind Creek State Park. The weigh-in will be held at 3:30 p.m. at Central Alabama Community College.

OKLAHOMA’S HALLMAN EXTENDS LEAD AT WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

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February 6, 2016

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OKLAHOMA’S HALLMAN EXTENDS LEAD AT WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

West Virginia’s Cales Wins Co-angler Title, $25,000

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CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2016) – Pro angler Bradley Hallman of Norman, Oklahoma, brought a five-bass limit weighing 25 pounds, 7 ounces to the scale Friday to extend his lead on day two of the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Okeechobee presented by Ranger Boats. Hallman will bring an 8-pound, 8-ounce advantage into day three of the four-day competition that features 169 of the top bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.

In second place is Alex Davis of Albertville, Alabama, who weighed in five bass totaling 20-15 Friday for a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass worth 41-15. The field is trimmed to the top 20 on Saturday, with only the top 10 anglers fishing on the final day Sunday.

“With the cold front that moved in last night, I went out there today only expecting to catch 10 or 11 pounds,” said Hallman, who brought in a 25-pound limit yesterday to take the early tournament lead. “I flipped mats and reed clumps in the same area as yesterday, but had only one fish in the boat by 11 a.m. Luckily after the sun came out the bite improved and I was able to get some momentum going.

“I started out targeting the same water that I had caught my biggest fish from yesterday, but didn’t get any bites,” Hallman continued. “The water clarity was different due to the strong north wind, so I only focused on those spots for about 15 minutes apiece and then moved on. Half of the cover I ended up hitting today was new.”

Hallman said a major strategy in his approach today was putting his back to the wind.

“In this kind if wind, you have to put your back to it in order to get a better presentation,” said Hallman. “The bait is so much more efficient and has a lot more action when you throw it.”

Hallman said that he only caught a total of six keepers throughout the day.

“I caught a mix of spawning and post-spawn bass, which is good,” said Hallman. “The weather tomorrow is supposed to be similar to today but with less wind from the north. As long as it doesn’t get too cold, I can live with it.”

The top 20 pros that made the Buck Knives Cut and will fish Saturday on Lake Okeechobee are:

1^st: Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla., 10 bass, 50-7

2^nd: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 41-15

3^rd: Charlie Weyer, West Hills, Calif., 10 bass, 34-6

4^th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-6

5^th: Shinichi Fukae, Palestine, Texas, 10 bass, 32-5

6^th: Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 32-1

7^th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 10 bass, 31-0

8^th: Ryan Chandler, Hebron, Ind., 10 bass, 30-7

9^th: Billy Shelton, La Crosse, Va., 10 bass, 30-4

10^th: Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark., 10 bass, 29-8

11^th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 10 bass, 28-6

12^th: Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, nine bass, 27-12

13^th: Clark Reehm, Huntington, Texas, 10 bass, 27-5

14^th: Kevin Johnson, Surprise, Ariz., 10 bass, 27-4

15^th: John Cox, Debary, Fla., 10 bass, 26-9

16^th: John Devere, Berea Ky., 10 bass, 26-7

17^th: Keystone Light pro Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 10 bass, 26-3

18^th: Andy Young, Mound, Minn., 10 bass, 26-2

19^th: Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 10 bass, 25-12

20^th: Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas, 10 bass, 25-9

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Shelton earned the Big Bass Award on the pro side Friday, weighing a 7-pound, 11-ounce largemouth to win the $500 prize.

Overall there were 748 bass weighing 1,446 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 166 pros Friday. The catch included 128 five-bass limits.

Tim Cales of Sandstone, West Virginia, won the co-angler division and $20,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 11 ounces, followed by Gary Haraguchi of Redding, California, who finished in second place with 10 bass weighing 27 pounds, 5 ounces worth $7,500.

“I got laid off from my job a month ago, so this has really been a blessing for me,” said Cales, who is fishing his second season as a co-angler on the FLW Tour. “I caught most of my fish this week on a Deep Creek Lures Lizard and a Vertical Lures Creature X.”

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1^st: Tim Cales, Sandstone, W. Va., 10 bass, 30-11 $20,000

2^nd: Gary Haraguchi, Redding, Calif., 10 bass, 27-5, $7,500

3^rd: Greg Mansfield, Burnsville, Minn., 10 bass, 26-5, $5,250

4^th: Maurice Cobb, Kuttawa, Ky., 10 bass, 25-4, $4,000

5^th: Vincent Yonemitsu, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, 10 bass, 25-3, $3,000

6^th: Spiro Agouros, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, eight bass, 25-0, $2,500

7^th: Frank Divis Sr., Farmington, Ark., 10 bass, 23-9, $2,000

8^th: Todd Lee, Jasper, Ala., 10 bass, 22-1, $1,800

9^th: Larry Mullikin, Lauderhill, Fla., nine bass, 21-12, $1,700

10^th: Logan Thomas, Gilbertsville, Ky., 10 bass, 21-12, $1,600

Mansfield caught Friday’s Big Bass in the co-angler division, a largemouth weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces to win the $250 prize.

Overall there were 522 bass weighing 820 pounds, 2 ounces caught by co-anglers Friday. The catch included 60 five-bass limits.

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.

Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort located at 920 E. Del Monte, Ave., in Clewiston at 7:30 a.m. each day. Saturday and Sunday’s final weigh-ins will be held at Walmart, located at 1005 W. Sugarland Highway, in Clewiston beginning at 4 p.m.

The FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will also be held at Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to area youth 15 years of age and younger and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. All bait is provided by the DMF Bait Company.

Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Walmart prior to 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 Okeechobee tournament will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) this fall. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network as well as FLWFishing.com 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 tournament is hosted by Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort and the Hendry County Tourism Development Council.

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.

Johnson Outdoors Signs Multi-Year Premier Sponsorship With B.A.S.S.

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February 5, 2016

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Feb. 4, 2016

Johnson Outdoors Signs Multi-Year Premier Sponsorship With B.A.S.S.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two of the best known brands in bass fishing, Minn Kota and Humminbird, will continue their prominence at Bassmaster events in 2016, as Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics has entered a multi-year agreement with B.A.S.S. to continue as a premier-level sponsor.

“B.A.S.S. has enjoyed a long and close relationship with Minn Kota and Humminbird, two of the most powerful brands in the sportfishing industry,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “The Johnson Outdoors companies have worked side by side with B.A.S.S. to help grow the sport of bass fishing, and we value their partnership as much as our members value their products.”

“We are excited to continue our partnership with B.A.S.S. as it reflects our mutual commitment to the sport of fishing,” said Johnson Outdoors Senior Business Director Joe Brown. “Minn Kota and Humminbird have deep roots in the fishing community. Educating and inspiring anglers from first-fish to high school competitions, and even up to the Bassmaster Elite Series, is the embodiment of our agreement, and it gives us a platform to connect with anglers at every stage of their passion.”

Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics will serve as a boating electronics and trolling motors premier sponsor for all levels of B.A.S.S. competition, including the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship, Carhartt Bassmaster College presented by Bass Pro Shops and Costa Bassmaster High School Series.

The Classic is set for March 4-6 in Tulsa, Okla., with Minn Kota and Humminbird logos prominently on display at the Bassmaster Classic weigh-ins at BOK Center.

“The 2013 Classic was such a tremendous success, we couldn’t wait to return to Tulsa and Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees with our premier event,” Akin added. “With the support that we’ve received from our hosts and bass fishing fans throughout the region, we’re expecting an even better turnout in 2016.”

But before the Classic, the new Premier partnership kicked off Jan. 28-30 at Florida’s Kissimmee Chain of Lakes with the 2016 Bass Pro Shops Southern Open and will continue with two college events, the Southern Regional Feb. 4-6 at Alabama’s Lake Martin and the Central Regional Feb. 25-27 at Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin.

The nine-stop Elite Series trail will begin soon after the Classic, as the nation’s best bass anglers compete March 17-20 on the St. Johns River, out of Palatka, Fla. This tour also includes a stop at Toledo Bend out of Many, La., May 12-15. The fishery earned the No. 1 ranking in Bassmaster’s Best Bass Lakes of 2015.

In addition to connecting with anglers through more than 30 tournaments, Minn Kota and Humminbird will reach bass fishermen through B.A.S.S. digital, print, and broadcast platforms, including Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines, The Bassmasters television show and Bassmaster.com, as well as social media.

About Johnson Outdoors, Inc.
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 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 and charts; SCUBAPRO^® dive equipment; Silva^® compasses; Jetboil^®outdoor cooking systems; and Eureka!^® camping and hiking equipment. For more information, visit Johnson Outdoors at http://www.johnsonoutdoors.com.

University Of Alabama Team Grabs Early Lead On Lake Martin

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February 5, 2016

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University Of Alabama Team Grabs Early Lead On Lake Martin

Hunter Gibson (left) and Caiden Sinclair of the University of Alabama weighed in 12 pounds, 14 ounces to take lead Thursday in the 2016 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops held on Lake Martin out of Alexander City, Ala.

Photo by Shaye Baker/Bassmaster

Feb. 4, 2016

University Of Alabama Team Grabs Early Lead On Lake Martin

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ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — When fishing a bass tournament on Lake Martin, anglers often use one of two strategies.

They’ll either target the lake’s massive population of spotted bass — which are smaller, but easier to catch — or they’ll take their chances with Martin’s finicky largemouth bass.

Caiden Sinclair and Hunter Gibson went with the latter strategy Thursday, and it paid off in a big way.

The team from the University of Alabama brought five largemouth to the scales that weighed 12 pounds, 14 ounces and took the lead in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Southern Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops. The University of South Carolina team of Brian Sweeney and Robert White are in second with 12-4, and Andrew Himmelreich and Justin Henderson of Young Harris College are in third with 12-2.

“When we used to fish Lake Martin from the banks as kids with a worm, we always caught largemouth,” Sinclair said. “We really don’t know how to catch spots, but we have a lot of confidence coming here that we we’re going to catch largemouth.

“We know how to catch them and where to catch them here.”

Sinclair and Gibson found some good shallow areas during practice Wednesday, and their hard work paid off early Thursday morning. They caught a 3-pound largemouth right after take-off. Then from there, they said they caught fish every 20 to 30 minutes for much of the day.

Though they enjoyed success, not everything worked perfectly.

Around 11 a.m., they realized they had lost their landing net. “We think it must have just fallen into the water,” Sinclair said.

They managed to land a 3 1/2-pounder without the net, but the mistake ended up costing them in a big way.

“My buddy hooked a 5-pound largemouth,” Sinclair said. “I went to grab it and couldn’t get a hold of it.

“The smallest fish we weighed in was a 1 1/2-pounder. So that 5-pounder would have given us another 3 1/2 pounds. It’s kind of a sick feeling knowing we could have weighed in 16 pounds if it hadn’t been for that.”

The fish that Sinclair and Gibson managed to land gave them only a 10-ounce lead over Sweeney and White — two South Carolina anglers who had never even seen Lake Martin before Wednesday’s final practice day.

For two anglers with virtually no experience on the lake, they got off to a fast start.

“We started off on a spot that we knew had a bunch of fish, and caught a limit really fast,” White said. “We had a double on the first cast, and we had our fifth fish in the boat at 7:25.”

White said those first five bass probably didn’t weigh much more than 6 pounds. But having a limit in the boat early on foreign waters gave the Gamecocks team the peace of mind to slow down and target bigger fish.

“We wanted to start with something we felt comfortable with,” White said. “After that, we found a little spot with a couple of largemouth on it and upgraded some. Then we did a lot of running and couldn’t get another bite for the longest time.”
Then just as they were headed back to the ramp, they struck gold.

“We caught two good fish right at the end,” White said. “My partner caught a 5-3 on the last cast. That was our biggest fish of the day, right before we came in.”

Weather conditions were tough on Lake Martin today with temperatures in the high 40s and a blustery wind that blew relentlessly throughout the day. Those conditions were reflected in the standings with only 30 or 214 teams bringing in catches of bass weighing 10 pounds or more.

Things could be even worse Friday with Thursday’s overnight temperatures expected to drop into the high 20s.

Friday’s take-off is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT from Wind Creek State Park, and the weigh-in will be held back at the park at 2:30 p.m. The field will be trimmed to the top 25 teams for Saturday, with the championship weigh-in scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Central Alabama Community College.

HALLMAN LEADS DAY ONE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

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February 5, 2016

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HALLMAN LEADS DAY ONE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

Ontario’s Yonemitsu Leads Co-Anglers

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CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2016) – Oklahoma pro Bradley Hallman, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 25 pounds even Thursday to grab the early lead after day one of the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Okeechobee presented by Ranger Boats. Right behind him in second place is renowned Okeechobee angler Brandon McMillan of Clewiston, who weighed in five bass totaling 22-8. Hallman now brings a 2½-pound lead into day two of the four-day tournament that features 169 of the top bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.

“It is very enjoyable to lead the first day, but it is Okeechobee,” said Hallman, who is fishing in the first Walmart FLW Tour event of his career after a stellar 2015 season in the semi-pro Costa FLW Series. “How many times have we seen guys come down here and catch them and lead one day, then come back with four pounds the next day. I had a great day today and I’m happy to be in the position that I’m in.”

Hallman said that he fished mainly in one key area on the south end of the lake, but was covering a lot of water and had his trolling motor on high for most of the day.

“I caught 20 to 25 fish today, but not all of them were big,” Hallman said. “I’m flipping and throwing a winding bait, and I’m catching fish on both.”

The Norman, Oklahoma native said that he had very little experience on Okeechobee, having fished just one FLW Series tournament on the lake more than eight years ago. In preparation for this tournament, Hallman said that he studied old episodes of the “FLW” television show to help find the big fish.

“I spent a lot of time watching videos and old TV shows and year after year after year I was seeing the big fish coming out of the same vegetation. So, I looked for that and what I’m fishing looks like the same stuff.”

With local meteorologists predicting a cold front and a strong north wind tomorrow, most anglers expect day two to fish drastically different than the first which saw sunny 80-degree temperatures and a slight breeze from the south.

“Tomorrow will be survival day,” said Hallman. “I don’t have the experience on this lake, so I don’t know what areas are going to be protected from the wind and what’s not. I’m going to go check the area that I fished today in the morning and if it doesn’t look good I’ll get back in the canal and head to the north end.”

The top 10 pros after day one on Lake Okeechobee are:

1^st: Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla., five bass, 25-0

2^nd: Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 22-8

3^rd: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 21-0

4^th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., five bass, 20-12

5^th: Ryan Chandler, Hebron, Ind., five bass, 20-6

6^th: Shinichi Fukae, Palestine, Texas, five bass, 20-3

7^th: Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., five bass, 18-11

8^th: Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas, five bass, 18-7

9^th: John Devere, Berea Ky., five bass, 18-6

10^th: FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley, Conway, Ark., five bass, 17-0

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Tommy Dickerson of Orange, Texas, earned the Big Bass Award on the pro side Thursday, weighing a 7-pound, 2-ounce largemouth to win the $500 prize.

Overall there were 780 bass weighing 1,729 pounds, 6 ounces caught by 168 pros Thursday. The catch included 139 five-bass limits.

Vincent Yonemitsu of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, leads the co-angler division with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 11 ounces, followed by Michel Purvis of Canton, Georgia, in second place with five bass weighing 18 pounds even.

The top 10 co-anglers after day one on Lake Okeechobee are:

1^st: Vincent Yonemitsu, Thornhill, Ontario, five bass, 18-11

2^nd: Michel Purvis, Canton, Ga., five bass, 18-0

3^rd: William Roberts, Fairfax, Va., five bass, 16-14

4^th: Tyler Meredith, Oliver Springs, Tenn., five bass, 15-15

5^th: Spiro Agouros, Oshawa, Ontario, five bass, 15-10

6^th: Joey Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., five bass, 15-9

6^th: Matt Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 15-9

8^th: Gary Haraguchi, Redding, Calif., five bass, 15-8

9^th: Maurice Cobb, Kuttawa, Ky., five bass, 15-7

10^th: Todd Lee, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 14-5

Surman earned the Bridgford Big Bass Award on the co-angler side Thursday with a largemouth totaling 7 pounds, 15 ounces to win the $250 prize.

Overall there were 636 bass weighing 1,218 pounds, 11 ounces caught by 161 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included 97 five-bass limits.

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.

Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort located at 920 E. Del Monte, Ave., in Clewiston at 7:30 a.m. each day. Friday’s weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s final weigh-ins will be held at Walmart, located at 1005 W. Sugarland Highway., in Clewiston beginning at 4 p.m.

Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Walmart prior to 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.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to area youth 15 years of age and younger and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. All bait is provided by the DMF Bait Company.

Coverage of the Lake Okeechobee tournament will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) this fall. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network as well as FLWFishing.com 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 tournament is hosted by Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort and the Hendry County Tourism Development Council.

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.

A.R.E. Secures Title Sponsorship Of Bassmaster Elite Event On Toledo Bend

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February 3, 2016

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A.R.E. Secures Title Sponsorship Of Bassmaster Elite Event On Toledo Bend

.R.E. Accessories is now the title sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series at Toledo Bend, May 12-15. The 185,000-acre fishery earned the coveted top spot on Bassmaster’s 2015 100 Best Bass Lakes list.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

Feb. 3, 2016

A.R.E. Secures Title Sponsorship Of Bassmaster Elite Event On Toledo Bend

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A.R.E. Accessories, the Ohio-based maker of truck caps and tonneau covers, has signed on as the title sponsor for the Elite tournament May 12-15 on Toledo Bend, B.A.S.S. announced today.

In addition, as part of a multi-year partnership between B.A.S.S. and A.R.E. Accessories, the company will once again be a supporting sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series.

The A.R.E. Truck Caps Elite at Toledo Bend promises to be a big-bass bonanza for the nation’s top professional anglers. Since May of last year, 50 bass weighing 10 pounds or more have been verified by the Toledo Bend Lunker Bass Program. The lake, which straddles the Texas-Louisiana border, ranked No. 1 on Bassmaster Magazine’s Best Bass Lakes list for 2015.

B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin said that the partnership is a perfect pairing of boats and tow vehicles used by bass anglers with A.R.E.’s American-made truck caps and tonneau covers. “We’re pleased that fishermen across the country will continue to learn more about these great accessories,” he said.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to sponsor the Toledo Bend Elite Series event,” added Andy Clutter, A.R.E.’s marketing manager for A.R.E. “A large majority of the Elite Series anglers use our truck caps and covers, so we enjoy supporting them, and B.A.S.S., through our sponsorship.

“We look forward to collaborating with B.A.S.S. and the town of Many, La., to help create an amazing event for the anglers and attendees.”

During the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro March 4-6 at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, A.R.E. will exhibit its products at the Classic Outdoors Expo in Tulsa’s Cox Business Center, while the weigh-ins are staged at nearby the BOK Center.

This will be the first Classic since 2006 that was not held in late February. “If moving the event improves odds of good fishing weather, that’s a bonus,” Akin said. “But we proved in 2013, as well as the 2015 Classic on Lake Hartwell (South Carolina), that freezing temperatures don’t hamper the anglers’ fishing success, nor do they hurt attendance.”

The 2013 Tulsa Classic recorded the second highest attendance in history, with an estimated 106,850 fans visiting one or more of the venues. Economic impact was $22.7 million, according to VisitTulsa.

Along with eight Elite Series events annually, A.R.E.’s supporting sponsorship covers nine Opens tournaments spread across the country in the Northern, Southern and Central divisions. The first of those was Jan. 28-30 at Florida’s Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. The next is set for March 31-April 2 at Alabama’s Smith Lake.

A.R.E.’s sponsorship also includes B.A.S.S. Nation events and Carhartt Bassmaster College Series tournaments.A.R.E. Secures Title Sponsorship Of Bassmaster Elite Event On Toledo Bend