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COLSON TAKES LEAD AT PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY WALMART

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COLSON TAKES LEAD AT PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY WALMART
COLSON TAKES LEAD AT PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY WALMART
Salt Lake City’s Hawk Wins Co-angler Title, $50,000

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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 21, 2015) – Fifty of the best professional bass anglers in the world continued their four-day competition for a top cash award of $500,000 at the Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing, at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas on Friday.
After the last fish had been brought to the scale, Ramie Colson Jr., of Cadiz, Kentucky, grabbed the lead by weighing in a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 4 ounces – the heaviest stringer of the tournament thus far. Colson’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 31-1 give him a 2-pound, 13-ounce lead heading into day three, with Brad Knight of Lancing, Tennessee, right behind him in second place with 10 bass weighing 28-4.
“I had about 12 or 13 pounds in my livewell this afternoon and was already having a pretty good day,” said Colson, who has earned more than $645,000 in his 11 years as a professional on the Walmart FLW Tour. “I told my co-angler that if I could get a big fish right now, it would be a game changer for me. Then the Good Lord blessed me and I caught a 5 (pound), 14 (ounce) fish at 2:30. Now, here I am getting ready to fish another day.”
Colson said that he has stuck to one main area, consisting of three different arms of the lake. He said that while many of his competitors were beating the banks with topwater baits, he opted to stay out deeper and fish very, very slow.
“That’s been my key so far, fishing extremely slowly,” Colson said. “I don’t cover water very fast, and it seems like that is what everybody else is doing. That seems to be working for them, but that is not my cup of tea. I like to spend my time fishing slow and dissect the spot, then I move on to another.”
Although he declined to mention any specifics, he did say that he was fishing soft plastics and managed to bag a total of 12 keepers throughout the day. He credited his Garmin Panoptix sonar as being a major factor in his success.
“I can turn my Panoptix directly on the brush pile and it’ll show me if there are any fish there, saving me quite a bit of time. I caught them out of 15 different piles, but I’ve got around 40 different piles marked.
“I figured that if I could catch 10 to 12 pounds a day that I would make the top-20 cut and get to fish the weekend. Anything more than that would be a bonus,” Colson went on to say. “It’s tough fishing out there, but I’m having a lot of fun and doing what I love to do.”
The top 20 pros that will continue to Saturday’s competition are:
               1st:          Ramie Colson Jr., Cadiz, Ky., 10 bass, 31-1
               2nd:         Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-4
               3rd:          Jacob Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., 10 bass, 27-1
               4th:          Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 10 bass, 25-12
               5th:          Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C., 10 bass, 25-10
               6th:          Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C., nine bass, 24-13
               7th:          Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 24-9
               8th:          Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 10 bass, 23-4
               9th:          Walmart pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 21-11
               10th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 21-10
               11th:        Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., nine bass, 21-8
               12th:        Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 10 bass, 21-7
               13th:        Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 20-9
               14th:        Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., 10 bass, 20-6
               15th:        Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 20-1
               16th:        Livingston Lures pro Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark., 10 bass, 20-0
               17th:        Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, nine bass, 19-15
               18th:        Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-13
               19th:        Lowrance pro Ishama Monroe, Hughson, Calif., seven bass, 19-12
               20th:        James Biggs, Euless, Texas, nine bass, 19-4
Final results for the remaining field can be found on FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 193 bass weighing 387 pounds, 9 ounces caught by pros Friday. The catch included 28 five-bass limits.
Sunny Hawk of Salt Lake City, Utah, won the co-angler division and $50,000 Friday with a two-day total of eight bass weighing 19 pounds, 11 ounces followed by Bryan New of Belmont, North Carolina, in second place with nine bass weighing 16-6 worth $10,000.
“It’s a blessing to be here competing for the Forrest Wood Cup,” said Hawk of his first win in FLW competition. “There’s a ton of great co-anglers in the field. It has been an amazing opportunity for me.”
Hawk said that he caught the majority of his fish on a Lucky Craft Gunfish topwater bait, but also caught one of his keepers on a frog.
Day2_WI_Photo_By_FLW_CO_9756

Sunny Hawk, Salt Lake City, Utah, eight bass, 19-11, $50,000

The top 10 co-anglers finished:
               1st:          Sunny Hawk, Salt Lake City, Utah, eight bass, 19-11, $50,000
               2nd:         Bryan New, Belmont, N.C., nine bass, 16-6, $10,000
               3rd:          David Hudson, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 12-12, $9,000
               4th:          Todd Lee, Jasper, Ala., seven bass, 11-4, $8,000
               5th:          Timmy Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C., five bass, 11-0, $7,000
               6th:          Billy Billeaud, Lafayette, La., eight bass, 10-14, $6,000
               7th:          Tee Watkins, East Point, eight bass, 10-9, $5,500
               8th:          Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., four bass, 9-6, $5,000
               9th:          Brett Rachal, Monroe, La., five bass, 9-2, $4,500
               10th:        Eric Self, Lawndale, N.C., five bass, 8-10, $4,000
Overall there were 81 bass weighing 131 pounds, 14 ounces caught by co-anglers Friday.
The 2015 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita presented by Walmart is being hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Anglers will take off from the Brady Mountain Resort and Marina located at 4120 Brady Mountain Road in Royal, Arkansas, at 7 a.m. each morning at the Folger’s Morning Takeoff. Each days weigh-in will be held at Bank of the Ozarks Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd. in Hot Springs, Arkansas, beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston and Byron Velvick. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Saturday and Sunday the first 500 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod and reel combo courtesy of KATV ABC 7 after the evening’s weigh-in. Also on Sunday one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z520C bass boat with an Evinrude G2 outboard motor courtesy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.
Also on Saturday and Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. During the two day event, fans will have the opportunity to sample barbecue from 30 of the top teams in the country. The competition is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and is a part of a yearlong points race to find the best barbecue in the nation. A $5 donation will give fans five tickets to redeem for pulled pork and rib samples from the competing teams. All fans who buy sampling tickets will help determine the “Fishermen’s Favorite” Award, which goes to the team that collects the most votes. Awards will be presented before the Forrest Wood Cup weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. The total payout for the two-day competition is $10,000.
Live concerts will also be a huge part of the Bass & BBQ festival and the FLW weigh-ins. Shari Bales & Southbound will perform outdoors at the competition on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m., while the Luke Williams Band will play at the same time Sunday. Country music superstar Justin Moore will headline the festivities with a free live concert on the Walmart weigh-in stage in Bank of the Ozarks Arena on Sunday, starting at 4 p.m. The Valory Music Company recording artist has four No.1 hits, including “Small Town USA,” “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” and “Til My Last Day.”
The Folger’s Morning Takeoffs, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concerts and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
Coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) when “FLW” airs December 6 from 7 – 8 p.m. ET. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

LUTCOM SA DE CV SIGNS EXCLUSIVE FLW LICENSING AGREEMENT TO BEGIN RUNNING FLW FISHING TOURNAMENTS IN MEXICO

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LUTCOM SA DE CV SIGNS EXCLUSIVE FLW LICENSING AGREEMENT TO BEGIN RUNNING FLW FISHING TOURNAMENTS IN MEXICO
LUTCOM SA DE CV SIGNS EXCLUSIVE FLW LICENSING AGREEMENT TO BEGIN RUNNING FLW FISHING TOURNAMENTS IN MEXICO
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 21, 2015) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced an exclusive licensing agreement today with LUTCOM SA DE CV, of Mexico City, Mexico, to begin sanctioning FLW bass-fishing tournaments in Mexico at a signing during the “FLW Morning Show” at the Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart.   The agreement was signed by FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel and Jaime Luengo, President and CEO of LUTCOM SA DE CV.
“Bass fishing is a year-round sport in Mexico that is rapidly growing in popularity,” said Luengo, who has experience on the Walmart FLW Tour as a co-angler. “This new era of competitive fishing will bring more awareness to my country to take care of the resources. It is great to have the support of FLW, as it allows our great fisherman to compete head-to-head with the best anglers in the world.”
Mexico will run a series of FLW tournaments that advance anglers, who are citizens of the host country, to the new international division at the Rayovac FLW Series Championship beginning in 2016. Two anglers will compete as pros with FLW providing Ranger boats and two will compete as co-anglers.
The top pro award at the Rayovac FLW Series Championship is $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C if the pro is Ranger Cup qualified, and the top co-angler award is a Ranger Z117. The highest finishing pro from the newly introduced International Division at the Rayovac FLW Series Championship will advance to the following year’s Forrest Wood Cup for the chance to compete on the sport’s biggest stage for the biggest payday in bass fishing. FLW will also provide a Ranger boat for use in the Forrest Wood Cup.
Mexico is the fourth country to sign on for international sanctioning, joining Canada, South Korea and China as FLW partners under the new program.
“We are thrilled that Mexico has joined Canada, South Korea and China in running FLW-sanctioned tournaments in 2016,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. “It is well known that there are some fantastic bass fisheries in Mexico. There are also some incredibly talented anglers, and we look forward to welcoming them to the new international division of our Rayovac FLW Series.”
Additional FLW qualifying tournaments in other countries are forthcoming. Watch FLWFishing.com for details.
Named after the founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW introduced its Fishing League Worldwide tagline last year to better reflect its status as the world’s largest tournament fishing organization. Earlier this year FLW expanded its presence on the world stage with the introduction of a sanctioning program allowing international partners to license the iconic brand and run FLW tournaments abroad.

WHEELER GRABS DAY ONE LEAD AT PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY WALMART

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WHEELER GRABS DAY ONE LEAD AT PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY WALMART
WHEELER GRABS DAY ONE LEAD AT PROFESSIONAL BASS FISHING’S FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY WALMART
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 20, 2015) – Fifty of the best professional bass anglers in the world began their four-day competition for a top cash award of $500,000 at the Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing, at Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas on Thursday.
Jacob Wheeler of Indianapolis, Indiana, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 2 ounces to take the early lead after day one of the four-day event. Wheeler now holds a slim 1-pound, 2-ounce lead over Lowrance pro Ishama Monroe of Hughson, California, who caught five bass weighing 15 pounds even, good for second place.
“I was very fortunate today. My practice wasn’t great, and I really wasn’t on a whole lot coming in to the tournament,” said Wheeler, who won the 2012 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier in Duluth, Georgia. “I had a few places out deep and a few places shallow, but I felt like I could catch a pretty good bag if everything worked out. Today, it did. Hopefully I can go out tomorrow and duplicate what I did today.”
Wheeler said that he was threw six different baits throughout the day and managed to catch nine fish, although four of them only weighed 1½ pounds. He said that he covered a lot of water today and tried to find some new areas to fish tomorrow.
“I did some looking and tried to figure out what was getting hammered by other anglers and what was being left alone,” Wheeler said. “Tomorrow I’m going to fish my same area, but I won’t hesitate to fish some new water. The key will be figuring out how to stay consistent.”
When the 2012 champ was asked if he approached this event just like any other tournament he was quick to point out that the magnitude of this event.
“The Forrest Wood Cup is a totally different tournament,” Wheeler said. “There is so much on the line – not only the money. One of these years, someone is going to become the first ever two-time champion. I know Scott (Martin) wants to win it. I know (Luke) Clausen wants to win it. No one has ever won it twice.
“I love those guys, but I’m going to go out there tomorrow and catch as much as I can to do my best to beat them,” Wheeler went on to say. “It’s going to be an absolute grind – a battle to the end – I can guarantee you that.”
The top 20 pros after day one on Lake Ouachita are:
               1st:          Jacob Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., five bass, 16-2
               2nd:         Lowrance pro Ishama Monroe, Hughson, Calif., five bass, 15-0
               3rd:          Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 14-10
               4th:          Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 14-6
               5th:          Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn., five bass, 14-4
               6th:          Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 13-8
               7th:          Ramie Colson Jr., Cadiz, Ky., five bass, 13-3
               8th:          Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., five bass, 13-1
               9th:          Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., five bass, 12-15
               10th:        John Cox, DeBary, Fla., four bass, 12-0
               11th:        Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., five bass, 11-12
               12th:        Chris McCall, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 11-8
               13th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 11-4
               13th:        Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C., five bass, 11-4
               15th:        Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 10-14
               16th:        Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, five bass, 10-10
               17th:        Livingston Lures pro Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark., five bass, 10-9
               18th:        Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., four bass, 10-5
               19th:        Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 10-4
               20th:        James Biggs, Euless, Texas, four bass, 10-1
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Sunny Hawk of Salt Lake City, Utah, leads the co-angler division with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces followed by Bryan New in second place with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces. Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of $50,000.
The top 20 co-anglers are:
               1st:          Sunny Hawk, Salt Lake City, Utah, five bass, 13-6
               2nd:         Bryan New, Belmont, N.C., five bass, 10-15
               3rd:          Brett Rachal, Monroe, La., five bass, 9-2
               4th:          Eric Self, Lawndale, N.C., five bass, 8-10
               5th:          Todd Lee, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 8-9
               6th:          Bob Burgess, Charleston, W. Va., four bass, 8-6
               7th:          Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., three bass, 7-15
               8th:          David Hudson, Jasper, Ala., two bass, 7-5
               9th:          Tee Watkins, East Point, Ky., five bass, 7-1
               10th:        Chad Randles, Elkhorn, Neb., three bass, 7-0
               11th:        Jordan Osborne, Longview, Texas, three bass, 6-13
               12th:        Brandon Bray, Marble Falls, Texas, three bass, 6-8
               13th:        Billy Billeaud, Lafayette, La., five bass, 6-4
               13th:        Tom Stark, Angola, Ind., five bass, 6-4
               15th:        Carl Gillespie, Old Hickory, Tenn., three bass, 6-3
               16th:        Gary Haraguchi, Redding, Calif., four bass, 5-14
               17th:        Ryan Bowman, Seneca, S.C., three bass, 5-3
               18th:        Josh Smith, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 4-9
               19th:        Tim Cales, Sandstone, W. Va., three bass, 4-0
               20th:        Gettys Brannon, Columbia, S.C., two bass, 3-13                          
               20th:        Shane Melton, Kokomo, Ind., two bass, 3-13
Anglers will take off from the Brady Mountain Resort and Marina located at 4120 Brady Mountain Road in Royal, Arkansas, at 7 a.m. each morning at the Folger’s Morning Takeoff. Each days weigh-in will be held at Bank of the Ozarks Arena located at 134 Convention Blvd. in Hot Springs, Arkansas, beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Hot Springs Convention Center on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes games, activities and giveaways provided by more than 40 FLW sponsors, the opportunity to shop the latest tackle and outdoor gear from more than 100 exhibitors, Ranger boat simulators, a casting pond and a trout pond for children, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with top professional anglers, including Hank Parker, Jimmy Houston and Byron Velvick. FLW’s namesake Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, will also be greeting fans.
On Saturday and Sunday the first 500 children 14 and under each day who are accompanied by an adult will receive a voucher to redeem for a free rod and reel combo courtesy of KATV ABC 7 after the evening’s weigh-in. Also on Sunday one lucky fishing fan will win a brand new Ranger Z520C bass boat with an Evinrude G2 outboard motor courtesy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The Ranger Boat giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday’s final weigh-in to win.
Also on Saturday and Sunday, FLW fans will be treated to the Bass & BBQ Festival in conjunction with the FLW Expo. During the two day event, fans will have the opportunity to sample barbecue from 30 of the top teams in the country. The competition is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and is a part of a yearlong points race to find the best barbecue in the nation. A $5 donation will give fans five tickets to redeem for pulled pork and rib samples from the competing teams. All fans who buy sampling tickets will help determine the “Fishermen’s Favorite” Award, which goes to the team that collects the most votes. Awards will be presented before the Forrest Wood Cup weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. The total payout for the two-day competition is $10,000.
Live concerts will also be a huge part of the Bass & BBQ festival and the FLW weigh-ins. Shari Bales & Southbound will perform outdoors at the competition on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m., while the Luke Williams Band will play at the same time Sunday. Country music superstar Justin Moore will headline the festivities with a free live concert on the Walmart weigh-in stage in Bank of the Ozarks Arena on Sunday, starting at 4 p.m. The Valory Music Company recording artist has four No.1 hits, including “Small Town USA,” “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” and “Til My Last Day.”
The Folger’s Morning Takeoffs, FLW Expo, Bass & BBQ event, live concerts and weigh-ins are all free and open to the public.
Coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) when “FLW” airs December 6 from 7 – 8 p.m. ET. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

AOY Race Winding Down As Elite Series Pros Head For Lake St. Clair

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AOY Race Winding Down As Elite Series Pros Head For Lake St. Clair
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Aaron Martens will be one of 107 competitors at the Plano Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair out of Detroit, Mich., Aug. 27-30. Competitors will be vying for the $100,000 first-place prize and valuable Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points.
Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

August 20, 2015

AOY Race Winding Down As Elite Series Pros Head For Lake St. Clair

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DETROIT, Mich. — With the Bassmaster Elite Series regular-season schedule drawing to a close, many anglers are still fighting for crucial points in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.

With the AOY title and Bassmaster Classic berths on the line, it should make the upcoming Plano Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair one of the more exciting tournaments in what has already been a record-breaking year for the Elite Series.

The event is scheduled for Aug. 27-30 with daily takeoffs at 6:20 a.m. ET from Lake St. Clair Metropark. Weigh-ins will be held back at the park at 3:15 p.m. each day, with pros competing for a first-place prize of $100,000.

Many will have one eye on the tournament standings and one on the season points total, including current AOY leader Aaron Martens.

“It’s something I started thinking about as soon as the last tournament was over,” said Martens, winner of two Elite Series events this season and current leader of the AOY race. “Do I play it safe at Lake St. Clair just to protect the (AOY) lead, or do I just try to go for another win?”

For Martens, who claimed AOY titles in 2005 and 2013, “playing it safe” will likely mean staying closer to the launch site. If he decides to gamble, he’ll make the long and often treacherous boat ride to Lake Erie, just as he did during the most recent Elite Series event on Lake St. Clair.

During that event in 2013, pros who were willing to risk it all by running to Erie and Huron — at least the ones who actually made it back for the weigh-in — produced the winning weights. Alabama angler Chris Lane caught 82 pounds, 4 ounces from Huron and won the event, partly because Martens hit a giant wave on Erie and was unable to make it back to the final weigh-in with a bag he estimated at 20-plus pounds.

Capt. Ross Robertson, a renowned Lake Erie guide and owner of Big Water Guide Service, also believes the big lakes could be a major factor in the standings.

“The north shore of Erie contains ample rocky contours located relatively close to shore that are typically loaded with big smallies,” Robertson said. “Plus, the area is fairly accessible if a northerly wind is a factor. On Lake Erie, you’re fishing for fewer bites, but the fish will be larger on average.”

Robertson said drop shotting will be a popular technique if the weather is conducive, but deep-diving crankbaits on shallow rock reefs could also be big.

“The anglers prepared with several primary locations — supported by numerous backups — based on the weather will do the best,” he said. “But, if Erie and Huron are accessible during all four days of competition, expect to see some impressive weights brought to the scales.”

One reason why many may choose to stay on St. Clair — besides the specter of treacherous water on the big lakes — is the improved health of the lake’s smallmouth population.

“From recent surveys, the smallmouth age structure is very impressive,” said Mike Thomas, a fisheries research biologist at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station. “Our sampling data indicates the fish are regularly reaching 10 to 15 years of age and exceeding 7 pounds in this environment. This is a result of growing awareness and common catch-and-release techniques that many of today’s anglers are embracing.”

Big crowds are expected for the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins, and those who attend will become part of B.A.S.S. history. With a year-to-date total of more than 142,000 visitors at seven events, the Elite Series has already established a new attendance record with two tournaments remaining — the St. Clair event and the Toyota Angler of the Year Championship scheduled for Sept. 17-20 at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

The AOY Championship will feature a total purse of $1 million, one of the richest in bass fishing history.

Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 214 – Carl Jocumsen

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Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 214 – Carl Jocumsen

Bass Edge Radio features Rookie BASS Elite angler Carl Jocumsen in this episode presented by MegaWare KeelGuard. Aaron and Kurt dive into Carl’s Australian roots and his amazing story to achieve his goals and success in the sport of Bass Fishing in America!

Click Here To Listen

 

 

BOAT BLING CONTEST WINNER TO COMPETE AGAINST CODY MEYER FOR NEW RANGER BOAT – FLW

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BOAT BLING CONTEST WINNER TO COMPETE AGAINST CODY MEYER FOR NEW RANGER BOAT – FLW
BOAT BLING CONTEST WINNER TO COMPETE AGAINST CODY MEYER FOR NEW RANGER BOAT
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 19, 2015) – Boat Bling anglers have been challenging their fans to enter the 2015 Boat Bling Beat a Pro, Win a Boat Challenge all season long. Over the past two weeks, all but one Boat Bling pro has announced via social media that they will not be competing against the winning amateur challenger. Boat Bling is pleased to announce that Walmart FLW Tour pro Cody Meyer of Auburn, California, will be competing against the winning amateur challenger Ryan Isaacks of Prairieville, Louisiana.
A closely held secret throughout the 2015 season, nobody outside a small group of Boat Bling and FLW staff were aware of which Boat Bling pro would be fishing in the Beat a Pro, Win a Boat Challenge – a Pro-vs Joe-style tournament in which an amateur angler is paired against a Boat Bling pro following the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita.
“It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. It still has not sunk in that I won out of everybody that entered,” Ryan Isaacks said.
An avid angler chosen out of thousands of entries, Ryan and his guest will be treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to the Forrest Wood Cup courtesy of Boat Bling and will be provided with behind-the-ropes, VIP access throughout the weekend. On Monday, August 24, while the winner of the Forrest Wood Cup cashes his check for $500,000, Isaacks will face off against Meyer in the Boat Bling sponsored shootout for a cash prize and the chance to win a new Ranger boat.
“Ryan Isaacks is the real star of the Boat Bling Challenge,” said Zack Bale, Director of Operations for Boat Bling Inc. “How often does an everyday fisherman get a chance to challenge a professional to see how they stack up? Ryan will come away from this with an amazing story to pass along to friends and family, and with a little luck, he will tow home a new Ranger boat.”
“The partnership that FLW and Boat Bling have shared for the past two years is the key to bringing such a great contest and brand awareness into reality,” said Patrick Jones, President and CEO of Boat Bling Inc. “On the heels of the biggest fishing event in the world, the Forrest Wood Cup, the energy and momentum could not be higher. We are very proud of our inaugural Boat Bling Beat a Pro, Win a Boat Challenge and look forward to seeing Ryan compete against Cody Meyer.”
Both Isaacks and Meyer will fish out of the same boat in the 6-hour shootout. After a 7 a.m. takeoff and boat inspection by FLW tournament staff, each angler will fish for 3 hours from the front and back of the boat, rotating mid day. At 1 p.m., both anglers will weigh in with a certified scale on the FLW stage, and the winner will be announced.
“Ryan Isaacks is in for a real challenge fishing one on one against Cody Meyer,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations. “That is the fun of this promotion. It is a great example of how brands build meaningful connections with FLW fans. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Ryan won’t soon forget.”
For further tournament details visit boatbling.net/challenge and follow live updates throughout the tournament on facebook.com/boatbling. Stay tuned to Boat Bling and FLW social media for announcements on what is in store for the 2016 season.

RAYOVAC FLW SERIES NORTHERN DIVISION FINALE SET FOR LAKE ERIE

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RAYOVAC FLW SERIES NORTHERN DIVISION FINALE SET FOR LAKE ERIE
RAYOVAC FLW SERIES NORTHERN DIVISION FINALE SET FOR LAKE ERIE
SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 18, 2015) – The Rayovac FLW Series is headed to Lake Erie August 27-29 for a tournament presented by Evinrude when as many as 300 pros and co-anglers will take to the water for the third and final regular-season stop of 2015 in the Northern Division.
“This time of year the water can be rough, but it should still be a very competitive tournament,” said Walmart FLW Tour pro Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pennsylvania. . “At Sandusky there’s a lot of water to cover and pressure from other tournaments. Strategies for this event could get very interesting.
“The bass are well past the spawning phase so we’re going to primarily see summertime patterns,” continued Lefebre. “The anglers in this event are probably going to target four different areas – Pelee Island, the Bass Islands, and locations in the east near Lorain and Vermillion.
“The main factor for this tournament will be the main-lake smallmouth bite,” said Lefebre. “I think it’s going to be won along rocks, ridges, humps or drop-offs. Anything in the 14- to 35-foot depths will be popular.”
Lefebre said that fans can expect to see a lot of competitors focusing on choosing baits that imitate goby.
“Gobies are the name of the game this time of year,” said Lefebre. “Beige- or pumpkin-colored baits on drop-shot rigs and tubes will be a player. I could also see people reaching for smoky- and natural-colored baits as well. It’s really all about preference. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits could come in to mix things up, but it is a little early yet.”
Lefebre concluded by saying that a three-day cumulative weight between 60 and 67 pounds should be enough to win the tournament.
“22 pounds a day should be strong,” said Lefebre. “It’s gonna be a whackfest with a lot of 3½-pounders.”
Anglers will take off from the Shelby Street Public Boat Launch ramp located at 101 Shelby St. in Sandusky at 6:30 a.m. ET each day. Weigh-in on days one and two will be held at the marina beginning at 2:30 p.m. Weigh-in on day three will take place at Walmart located at 5500 Milan Road in Sandusky at 3:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
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 Z117 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.
The Rayovac FLW Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Rayovac FLW Series Championship. The 2015 Rayovac FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 29-31 on the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Rayovac FLW Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

Harris & Wood Win Castaway Anglers Leesville Lake Event August 15th 2015

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Harris & Wood Win Castaway Anglers Leesville Lake Event August 15th 2015
Hey Everybody,
We had a great turnout at our Leesvile Lake Club tournament this past Saturday (15 boats). The final results are listed below and there is also a list of members who have qualified for the Classic next month on Smith Mt and Leesville Lakes.Congrat to Mike Wood and Jason Harris who won the club points for the year. They receive free entry into the Classic tournament, but still need to pay the $20 big fish entry fee. All other boats have a $50 entry fee and $20 big fish entry fee for our two day Classic. I will email more information as we get closer the tournament. Check out the information below and let me know if you have any questions.
After being hacked this is our new email address so add this to your email list.
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Leesville Lake Results
Harris/Wood – 12.30 lbs
Layne/Lambert – 10.62 lbs
Millner/Langford – 10.20 lbs  Big Fish – 5.24 lbs
Eagle/Thomas – 7.56 lbs
Funk/Perez – 5.40 lbs
McCoy/Weeks – 5.24 lbs
Coffer/Coffer – 4.78 lbs
Team Stachowiak – 4.12 lbs
Orange/Walker – 2.86 lbs
2015 Standings
Harris/Wood                  460
Eagle/Thomas               410
Millner/Langford          410
Fulwider/Cassell           395
Funk/Perez                    385
Orange/Walker              305
Davis/Milam                 290
Coffer/Coffer                280
 Weeks/McCoy             245
Lambert/Layne             235
Dalton/Rowland           235
Jennings/ Deitterick     215
Slagle/Day                   210
Tyree/Evans                 185
Trent/Trent                     90
Team Stachowiak           90
Crisman                          70
Hall                                 65
Classic Qualifiers
Jason Harris
Michael Wood
Ronnie Eagle
Jimmy Thomas
Kenny Millner
Tom Langford
Ron Fulwider
Zach Cassell
Mike Funk
Jay Perez
Donald Orange
Deron Walker
Tim Davis
Tony Milan
Stanley Coffer
Stanley Coffer Jr.
Rodney Weeks
Brenden McCoy
Josh Layne
Josh Lambert
Frank Dalton
Jeff Rowland
Jason Jennings
Ryan Deitterick *
Ron Slagle
Chris Day
Justin Tyree *
Brian Stachowiak
Tyler Stachowiak
W.A. Cox
Brian Hall
Ian Hall *
* Individuals the qualified without a partner and can pair up for classic.
Thanks.
Jimmy

Elite Attendance Sets New Records With Two Events Left In Season

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Elite Attendance Sets New Records With Two Events Left In Season
he Bassmaster Elite Series has surpassed the 2014 attendance record with two events left in the season. Large crowds, like this one in Waddington, N.Y., have pushed this seasons’ attendance numbers to an all-time high.
Photo by Gary Tramontina/Bassmaster

August 18, 2015

Elite Attendance Sets New Records With Two Events Left In Season

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — With the seventh stop on the Bassmaster Elite Series tour complete, total attendance records have already been shattered before the tour’s final events.

The Huk Performance Fishing Bassmaster Elite at Chesapeake Bay, Aug. 13-16, tipped the scales on the 2014 Elite Series attendance record.

“With our year-to-date total of more than 142,000 people, we’ve already exceeded our Elite Series attendance record for 2014, which was 128,600 throughout the entire season,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “And the exciting part is we still have two huge events remaining.”

The Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by STARK Cultural Venues — the first event of the year — provided a great season kickoff with more than 33,000 people in attendance. The following stops at the 2014 GEICO Bassmaster Classic fishery, Lake Guntersville, and the Western swing to the Sacramento River and Lake Havasu, proved to be meccas for bass fishing fans across the country.

Then, the second-annual Zippo Bassmaster BASSfest at Kentucky Lake presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps featured an outdoors expo, a carnival for kids, an arts and crafts show, along with Bassmaster University offering seminars taught by Bassmaster Elite Series pros and B.A.S.S. staff.

The Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River in Waddington, N.Y., brought its historically massive crowds to the four-day event and came close to breaking its own attendance record of 34,000 people set back in 2013.

“The past few years we have established closer relationships with our hosts in planning the Elite Series events, and they are an integral component in an event’s success,” said Angie Thompson, vice president of events and sponsorship activation. “These close relationships are clearly working, and the results are evident in the increased attendance numbers.

“All of our hosts are finding ways to build larger festivals around the Elites, which include concerts, activities for children and a chance to watch the superstars of the sport compete on world-class fisheries. The two 5k races we had in Orange, Texas, and Waddington, N.Y., are perfect examples.”

The Elite Series makes its final regular-season stop in Detroit, Mich., with fishing on Lake St. Clair. The Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year event will bring the Top 50 Elite Series anglers to Sturgeon Bay out of Door County, Wis., where a new Angler of the Year will be crowned, and $1 million of prize money will be distributed throughout the field.

“We are very excited to see the numbers continue to increase year after year,” said Eric Lopez, director of events. “This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Bassmaster Elite Series, and we’re elated that our fans continue to support us as we take the series across the country, to historic and new venues alike.”

At all Elite events visitors are invited to enjoy an outdoors expo, where the newest boats, motors, fishing tackle, lures and other sponsor producs are on display. Fishing fans and their families are invited to discover everything bass fishing, and all Bassmaster events are free and open to the public.

MANSON WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE BUCKEYE DIVISION EVENT ON OHIO RIVER

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MANSON WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE BUCKEYE DIVISION EVENT ON OHIO RIVER
Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio, weighed four bass totaling 8 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win the Buckeye Division tournament on the Ohio River and a check for $5,205. (FLW)
MANSON WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE BUCKEYE DIVISION EVENT ON OHIO RIVER
                                                                                          
Clark wins co-angler title
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MAYSVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 17, 2015) – Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio, weighed four bass totaling 8 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win the fourth Walmart Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division tournament on the Ohio River. For his victory, Manson earned $5,205.
“I started out targeting main-river fish but decided to head into the creeks,” said Manson who has four top-10 finishes in FLW competition. “I had four spots carved out but could only find shad in one creek. I had to be around the shad to get a bite.
“I caught my first bass around 10 a.m. – the biggest fish in the tournament,” continued Manson. “All four of my winning fish ended up coming from a 50- to 100-yard stretch. I just ran back and forth hitting submerged stumps and logs.”
Manson said all of his fish were congregating in about a foot of water.
“I caught three of them on a Junebug-colored Zoom Brush Hog and one on a white spinnerbait,” said Manson. “They were the only keepers I caught all day. Luckily they were heavy enough to win the tournament.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st:          Scott Manson, Covington, Ohio, four bass, 8-10, $3,205 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd:         Kyle Weisenburger, Ottawa, Ohio, five bass, 7-7, $1,603
3rd:          Charlie Smith, Union, Ky., five bass, 7-0, $1,068
4th:          Rob Cunningham, Cincinnati, Ohio, three bass, 6-5, $748
5th:          Cody Seeger, Lewistown, Ohio, five bass, 6-2, $641
6th:          Clint Bissonett, Beavercreek, Ohio, five bass, 5-5, $561
6th:          John McCart, Williamsburg, Ohio, four bass, 5-5, $561
8th:          Kenny Mitchell, Franklin, Ohio, two bass, 5-4, $481
9th:          Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, two bass, 5-1, $427
10th:        Jim Lovelace, Liberty Township, Ohio, two bass, 4-5, $374
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Manson also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 14 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $385.
Don Clark of Cincinnati, Ohio brought three bass to the scale, while Bill Turvey of Oak Hill, Ohio, weighed in four bass, both totaling 5 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to tie for the win and each earn $1,202 in the co-angler division.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st:          Don Clark, Cincinnati, Ohio, three bass, 5-1, $1,202
1st:          Bill Turvey, Oak Hill, Ohio, four bass, 5-1, $1,202
3rd:          Darrell Carroll, Independence, Ky., three bass, 4-5, $533
4th:          Brian Short, Oxford, Ohio, one bass, 4-4, $374
5th:          Ryan Sykes, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 3-8, $321
6th:          Michael Schwomeyer, Noblesville, Ind., two bass, 2-9, $294
7th:          Dennis Sepeck, Bethel, Ohio, two bass, 2-4, $267
8th:          B.J. Barnes, Piqua, Ohio, one bass, 2-3, $213
8th:          Doyle Donnett, Minster, Ohio, two bass, 2-3, $213
8th:          Tyler Waller, Coal Grove, Ohio, two bass, 2-3, $213
Short caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $192.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. 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 compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
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