Posts | The Bass Cast | Your News Source for Bass Fishing

B.A.S.S. Announces First-Ever High School All-American Team

wpalert

-

May 6, 2015

0

B.A.S.S. Announces First-Ever High School All-American Team

[print_link]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Twelve high school students from 10 states have been selected as members of the first Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team.

“These 12 student anglers have a rare combination of fishing ability, leadership skills and involvement in community service projects,” said Hank Weldon, B.A.S.S. youth manager. “We believe they will continue to make an impact on their communities and the sport of fishing well into the future.”

The High School All-Americans were selected from a pool of 57 Bassmaster High School All-State anglers from 33 states. Judges reviewed tournament resumes, service activities and recommendations from coaches and school officials before making the selections. More than 200 nominations of student anglers in grades 10-12 were submitted for the inaugural All-American program.

Those earning the prestigious High School All-American title for 2015 are Laura Ann Foshee of Gardendale, Ala.; Zeke Gossett of Cropwell, Ala.; Joe Grafeman of Lake Ozark, Mo.; Dillon Harrell of Porter, Texas; Jake Lee of Knoxville, Tenn.; Julius Mazy of Phoenix, Ariz.; Carter McNeil of Abbeville, S.C.; Nick Montilino of Edina, Minn.; Jared Penton of Sanger, Texas; Cam Sterritt of Newfields, N.H.; Ryan Wood of Broomfield, Colo.; and Trevor Yates of Norman, Okla.

All have been invited to participate in a special Bassmaster High School All-American Bass Tournament being held in conjunction with BASSfest June 3-7 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Tennessee. Each high school angler will be paired with a Bassmaster Elite Series pro for the one-day tournament.

Here’s a look at what they did to become All-Americans:

Laura Ann Foshee, Alabama
A junior at Alabama’s Gardendale High School, Foshee is a founding member of the Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club. She has a long list of tournament accomplishments, including a pair of victories.

Foshee helped create a benefit tournament to raise money for the Outdoor Ability Foundation, which provides hunting and fishing equipment to children with disabilities. She is also a member of Team Pink Fishing, which raises funds for breast cancer research. She assists with fish care in various tournaments, and she encourages other girls to enjoy fishing during an episode of the television show “Lunkerville.”

Zeke Gossett, Alabama
A senior at Pell City High School and member of the Pell City Panthers Bass Fishing Team, he has a 3.91 GPA and a tournament resume that includes a third-place finish in the 2014 Costa Bassmaster High School Classic, fourth in the 2014 Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship and qualification for the upcoming national championships for B.A.S.S. and TBF.

He’s a 12-time Alabama Bass Fishing State Champion and was named Alabama Sports Festival’s “Athlete of the Year” in 2010 out of 4,000 contestants in all sports. He was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces In The Crowd Section” in 2011, and was commended for his bass fishing achievements in a bill introduced in the Alabama House of Representatives in 2012.

Gossett started dual-enrollment classes last year and has already completed four college courses, while also holding fishing seminars for junior fishing clubs and high school clubs.

Joe Grafeman, Missouri
Grafeman is a sophomore at Missouri’s School of the Osage. He and his partner won the 2014 Missouri State Championship and Missouri’s Junior Bassmaster tournament on Truman Lake in summer 2014. He is currently working to start a bass fishing team at his high school.

As a frequent volunteer at fishing shows and guest speaker at elementary schools, Grafeman uses his experiences to bring other young people to the sport of bass fishing. Those experiences include more than 20 Top 5 finishes in tournaments on the high school and adult levels.

Dillon Harrell, Texas
Harrell is a senior at New Caney High School in Porter, Texas, where he sports a 3.48 GPA. His incredible list of tournament accomplishments features more than 20 Top 5 finishes, including a wins in a TBF High School tournament and a SETX High School tournament in 2014.

The reigning SETX High School Fishing Angler of the Year, Harrell is president of his school’s fishing team, and he helped add a disability ramp to his local community mission. He also has participated in two roadside cleanups and recently received the New Caney FFA Star Lonestar Farmer Poultry Proficiency Award.

Jake Lee, Tennessee
A junior at Karns High School in Knoxville, where he maintains a 3.3 GPA, Lee and his partner won the 2014 Costa Bassmaster High School Open and the 2015 Norris Lake Bass Pro shops event.

Last year, Lee had a Top 20 finish in the 2014 Bassmaster High School National Championship on Kentucky Lake and a fourth-place finish in a TBF event in the fall. He works the sound room at Middlebrook Pike Baptist Church in Knoxville and helps the Sportsman Ministries program with a kids fishing day.

Julius Mazy, Arizona
Mazy, a sophomore at Arizona’s Boulder Creek High School, hopes to join the growing ranks of Western anglers who have succeeded as professionals. He’s had numerous first-place finishes during his young career, including one in the B.A.S.S. Nation High School Western Divisional on California’s Clear Lake in April.

Mazy and his teammates on the Phoenix High School Bassmasters organize local fun days to help younger kids enjoy fishing at local ponds. He’s also been active with the Cast for Kids program and with boat washes and raffle sales to raise money for his club.

Carter McNeil, South Carolina
McNeil is a senior at South Carolina’s Abbeville High School where he has a 3.2 GPA and is a member of the Abbeville Panthers fishing team.

He and his partner won the B.A.S.S. Nation High School Southern Divisional on the Pee Dee River in April and took third place in the 2015 Costa Bassmaster High School Classic Exhibition. McNeil is the founder and president of his fishing team and a frequent volunteer for Corps of Engineers projects aimed at planting aquatic vegetation on South Carolina’s Lake Russell.

He will be attending Bethel University on a fishing scholarship.

Nick Montilino, Minnesota
A senior at Edina High School, Montilino won the 2014 TBF state championship and was a runner-up in the B.A.S.S. state championship just two weeks later. He finished a remarkable 2014 season with wins in two more summer club events.

Montilino has participated in numerous lake and park cleanup efforts and has prepared meals for the underprivileged through his local hockey association and his church. He has a 3.6 GPA and has mentored younger bass fishermen from Minnesota youth organizations and at his high school.

Jared Penton, Texas
Penton is a senior at Sanger High School where he carries a 3.65 GPA. He won the Texas High School Bass Association Fun ’n Sun Open in January 2014 and has several other Top 10 finishes to his credit.

He has served as president of the Sanger High School fishing team the past two years and does volunteer work for the Sanger Crisis Center, where he helps stock the food pantry for people in need. He also volunteered at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic Kids Casting Booth, helping younger anglers learn the basis of casting.

Cam Sterritt, New Hampshire
Sterritt has been a standout competitor since he was 12 years old. He won the 2007 New Hampshire Bassmaster CastingKids state championship for his age group and a slew of Junior Bassmaster titles over the years. He and his partner finished second among 60 teams in the 2014 Bassmaster High School National Championship on Kentucky Lake. He won the inaugural New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) High School Bass Fishing State Championship in 2013, as well as the NHIAA High School Qualifier for the state championship that year and the Angler of the Year title in 2014.

Sterritt, now a senior, founded the Exeter High School Blue Hawks Bass Fishing Team. He volunteers at Camp Carefree for children with diabetes, CastingKids competitions, cleanup projects at state parks and a fish tagging project for the New Hampshire Fish & Game agency.

Ryan Wood, Colorado
A senior at Legacy High School, Wood currently has a 4.0 grade average and is a member of the National Honor Society. Just last year, he won the prestigious Costa Bright Future Scholarship, which was presented at the 2014 Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship.

Wood has been successful at multiple levels of competition from Junior Bassmaster to high school tournaments and adult events. He won the 2013 Bassmaster Junior World Championship on the Arkansas River, finished third in the 2014 Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship, and then went on to win a Denver Bassmasters adult open at Horsetooth Reservoir. He was a charter member of his club, Front Range Bass Club, and presently serves as its president.

Wood has been a leader in conservation, helping his club earn a conservation grant to refurbish a pond in North Denver and volunteering with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife to assess the aquatic health of lakes, ponds and streams in his state. Wood has participated in church mission trips, volunteered at kids’ derbies and organized backpacks and school supplies for a charity in his hometown.

Trevor Yates, Oklahoma
Yates is an active leader at Little Axe High School, where he is a senior. He has been involved in the student council for the past four years and is a member of the Business Professionals of America.

He has several high school wins to his credit, including the Oklahoma B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship and the TBF High School Southern Conference Championship, both in fall 2014. Yates also won the 2013 Junior Bassmaster World Championship alongside his All-American teammate, Ryan Wood.

Yates hosted a fishing clinic in 2014 for kids, showing them how to cast and other fundamentals of fishing. He helped the North OKC Junior Bassmasters assemble and place habitat in Oklahoma lakes. Yates formed the Little Axe Bass Club at his school and encourages kids to get into fishing by helping at local CastingKids competitions.

Kenny Reynolds and Bo Grosvenor Win Fishers of Men on Philpot Lake May 2nd,2015

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Kenny Reynolds and Bo Grosvenor Win Fishers of Men on Philpot Lake May 2nd,2015

Philpot Lake Results: May 2, 2015

[print_link]

Hello all, VA West would like to thank First Baptist Church of Collinsville for hosting us and providing us an awesome dinner. Thank you George Brown and Pastor Larry Cheek for opening your church and your kitchen up to our division, we really do appreciate your partnership in our ministry.

Our message was presented by Jeff (Ace) Foldesi from Hyland Heights Baptist Church, Ace as I call him shared with us when he got saved and then shared with us a story about three other folks and how the gospel impacted there lives. This was a very moving message and really made us all think about our walk with Christ. We had one rededication and many prayer requests.

Well the team of Kenny Reynolds and Bo Grosvenor won there third tournament of this season with a weight of 15.86 lbs being anchored by a 5.21lb large mouth, which was also big fish of the tournament. The question I have for the next tournament is can these two guys be beat? Leesville Lake will prove to be a good tournament and several locals that currently fish with us could put some pressure on these two guys.

Rounding out the top seven teams is as follows:
2nd – Wayne Myers and Erice Huff – 14.29
3rd – David Martin and Kevin Simmons – 12.71
4th – Jared Sowers and Soloman Sowers – 12.50
5th – Richard (Mac) Addair and Nathan Reeves – 11.66
6th – Eric Rumley and Mark Edwards – 11.09

Just out of the money winners were Brian Lindamood and Stephen McQuire who will receive the two JB Custom rods at the next meeting at Leesville Lake.

Congratulations to all our winners.

Total Teams : 30
Total Fish Caught: 148
Total Weight of Fish: 291.87 lbs
Avg Fish per Team: 4
Avg Weight per Team 9.73lbs
Avg Weight per Fish: 1.97lbs

VA West would like to thank our local sponsors for their support this year, Hold Fast Marine, McCraw Insurance, Nixon Land Surveying, LLC, Limit 5 Fishing Apparel, Riverside Signs, E&W Custom Baits, SFVU Business Group, MH Masonry, and a few individuals that want to remain nameless. God bless you all for your support.

VA West would also like to thank our national sponsors, Pflueger, Strike King, Skeeter Boats, Profound Outdoors, Nester Hoisery, Solar Bat Sunglasses, Stren, Yamaha, Buckeye Lures, Duckette Rods, Hydrowave, Keelshield, Power Pole, New Tech Global, Jacobs Glass, Lowrance, Marshall’s Marine, Berkley, Kistler Rods, and Outdoor Specialty Products

Shimano Curado I Review by Bobby Saffel May 5,2015

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Shimano Curado I review

By Bobby Saffel

[print_link]

This is a review that I’ve been holding back because I wanted to really learn the ins and outs of before I stood behind it. Fishing reels are something that feel great right out of the box. They’ll cast a mile and the handle will turn like silk. To me, what is a test of a good real isn’t how many seconds the handle spins when you give it a quick whip while standing in the isle of your local tackle shop, it’s how it feels after a year of hard use and abuse. The Shimano Curado I is a reel that I’m proud to have. Here’s why.

Before I go into the details of this reel I wanted to give you some insight into the abuse my gear takes. 90% of my reels have some type of braid. Usually it’s 50 to 65 pound power pro. All of them have the drag locked down because I’m flipping a jig or some type of plastic into brush, punching grass mats with a big rod and heavy weight, or working a frog over the top over grass or a lily pad field. As you can tell, this is a place where give is out of the question. If you give them an inch, they WILL take a mile and usually this ends in you losing a fish. So with that said, let’s talk about what I like about this reel.

First off the smoothness of the reel is unbelievable even after a year. My first two reels went on my jig and frog rods. These rods see the most use so of course they’re the best one to write examples on. They have handled dirty situations very well and that smooth feeling hasn’t wore off. The dirt and grim that gets in them from riding on the deck while you run across the lake or on the ride home hasn’t shown any effect on them. I am very pleased.

The biggest thing that was changed on this reel besides the color was the brakes. No longer is does the Curado have just a centrifugal braking system. It now is equipped with magnetic brakes. This turned a lot of people off because they’re set in their ways and I can’t blame them. I’m set in my ways, if you don’t believe me just ask my tournament partner. As much I disliked them reinventing the wheel when they had something that worked, I gave it a shot. I knew that Shimano was a million dollar company and spent a fortune on making making their customers happy. If you do believe this, look at uproar the Curado G caused and how they corrected it with the Curado I. Shimano kept the same adjust centrifugal braking style but added a magnetic brake adjustment to the outside for quick adjustments on the fly. This serves as a fine adjustment and the centrifugal brakes are a course adjust. I find myself using the magnetic brakes and never opening it up to adjust the others.

The oversized reel handles is another change. If you had any of the green ones you’ll notice the change. I personally like it because I feel like I get a better grip of the handle and can apply just a little bit more torque than before. This is just a personal preference and some will have other opinions.

Top 10 Baits from Lake Texoma

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Joe Don Setina and his son

May 3, 2015 by David Brown & Jesse Schultz

1. Tournament winner Ray Hanselman owes his success to a Strike King Sexy Frog with a yellow belly.

Read about his winning pattern here.

2. The topwater look of a hollow frog proved effective for second-place pro Bradley Hallman.

3. Third-place pro Nick Lebrun caught his fish on a V&M Cliff’s Wild Craw in the Bama bug color. He rigged the bait on a 3/0 Gamakatsu hook and a 1/2-ounce Elite Tungsten weight.

4. Joe Don Setina fished a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and Little Dipper, both in the sun gill color. He dipped the tip of the Sweet Beaver in chartreuse dye and used a 3/0 hook.

5. Jeff Reynolds relied on pitching a Zoom Z-Hog on a 4/0 Trokar hook and a 3/8-ounce Strike King tungsten weight.

6. Cody Bird caught all of his fish on a Kicker Fish Kicker Kraw Jr. rigged with a 3/0 Gamakatsu wide-gap hook and a 1/8-ounce weight.

7. A Kopper’s LIVETARGET Frog (leopard frog pattern) produced all of Brian Ankrum’s fish.

8. Opting for a more active apprach, Robert Brown fished a 3/8-ounce spinnerbait – a sexy shad color pattern with one willow-leaf blade and one Indiana blade.

9. Focusing on bed-fishing, Russell Cecil presented the fish with a Big Bite Baits WarMouth rigged on a 4/0 hook with a 1/4-ounce weight and the Big Bite Baits YoMama with the same hook but a 5/16-ounce weight.

10. Craig Frilot committed to throwing a white ChatterBait throughout the event.

Top 10 Patterns from Lake Texoma

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

May 4, 2015 by David A. Brown

With his win on Lake Texoma, Del Rio, Texas, pro Ray Hanselman made Rayovac FLW Series history by sweeping the Texas Division. Hanselman did most of his damage with a Strike King Sexy Frog, although he made a few flips and pitches here and there with plastics.

Recent rains had pushed Texoma to about 2 feet above normal pool, and Hanselman used this to his advantage by targeting overlooked areas that had been muddy during practice. Working flooded brush in the backs of secondary coves, he found bedding fish, as well as postspawners ready to chew in the clearing water.

Most of the other top 10 finishers also targeted a mix of spawning and postspawn fish. The changing water level, plus a mild cold front that pushed through the first day of the event, made for tough fishing under mostly high, bright skies. Anglers reported super-tough conditions, and many struggled to get daily limits.

Here’s a look at the second- through 10th-place finishers:

2. Hallman Hammers ’Em for Second

After seeing enough solid bed fish in practice and calculating the likely influence of a full moon a day after the tournament, Bradley Hallman says he was “all in for sight-fishing” the entire tournament. The plan worked well on day one for 14 pounds, 8 ounces, a little less so on day two with 12 pounds. The third day, Hallman stormed up the standings on the strength of a 20-pound, 5-ounce sack that put him in second with 46-13.

Needing light and warmth to facilitate this game, Hallman started his mornings by looking for a topwater bite before transitioning to pitching presentations.

“I started off throwing a frog and had a limit probably by 9:30 to 10 o’clock, but then the sun got high enough around 10 and I started looking for them,” he says.

Targeting beds with a Texas-rigged Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw, Hallman fished flooded brush and found his areas reloading daily.

“I was fishing the same areas. We were getting new fish every day,” he says.

Hallman notes that his Power-Poles were essential in holding his position to work stubborn bed fish. Also important: bait color.

“All week, I sight-fished with a green pumpkin bait, but I also used a white tube if I was having a hard time telling if a fish was eating the bait,” he says. “You obviously don’t want to foul-hook a fish [bass hooked outside the mouth while sight-fishing must be immediately released], so with the white, I could tell if she ate the bait.”

3. Confidence Bait Leads Lebrun to Third

Nick Lebrun from Shreveport, La., caught only four keepers on day three, but they were the right ones. He weighed in 21 pounds, 13 ounces – the day’s heaviest sack and the tournament’s second heaviest – and finished just 7 ounces behind Hallman with 46-6.

Earlier in the tournament, Lebrun caught his fish on a V&M Cliff’s Wild Craw (Bama bug color) Texas rigged with a 1/2-ounce Elite Tungsten weight and a 3/0 Gamakatsu hook. Day three saw him switch to a SPRO Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog in sexy shad – a choice he says gave him supreme confidence.

“I tried to fish the frog with ‘X-ray vision,’” Lebrun says. “I tried to picture the holes in these bushes and pretend there was a 5-pounder lying there.

“I’d make the precise cast and work the frog like she was staring at it the entire time. That confidence and mind-set are important – especially when it’s really tough.”

Lebrun says a basic walk-the-dog presentation served him best. He’d give the bait four to five twitches, let it sit and then repeat.

As for his specific targets, Lebrun likened his Texoma experience to the previous Texas Division tournament on Sam Rayburn. In that event, flood conditions pushed bass deep into shoreline timber and brush.

“I had several blow-ups [on day three], and they were in places that reminded me of Rayburn, where you should never be able to get a fish out,” he says. “But they came right to the net, so the good Lord was with me.”

4. Power-Poles Key to Setina’s Program

After leading day one with 20 pounds, 9 ounces, Joe Don Setina slipped on day two when he lost some key fish to the heavy brush he was pitching. Day three saw him recover and turn in 15-2 for a three-day total of 45-13.

On day three, Setina caught one small keeper on a frog, but boated all of his other bass while bed-fishing. He alternated between two Reaction Innovations baits – a Little Dipper and a Sweet Beaver. He liked the sun gill color for the Dipper and green pumpkin for the beaver. Dipping the tails of baits in chartreuse dye enhanced their appeal.

“I just drove around the backs of pockets looking for them,” Setina says. “I found some really stubborn ones, and one thing that was really important was having my Power-Poles. That was just as important as having the fishing pole. I could tuck in there and hide from them and stay still. The fish were spooky, so I was really thankful to have my Power-Poles.”

5. Reynolds Sight-Fishes for Fifth

Jeff Reynolds, of Calera, Okla., devoted his tournament to sight-fishing and turned in a fifth-place total of 39 pounds, 4 ounces. Working marinas and flat, grassy pockets, he pitched a Zoom Z-Hog in green pumpkin or white.

“The bigger fish were in the marinas, but the fish in the grassy pockets weren’t getting as much pressure,” Reynolds says. “The lake was coming up, and the fish were moving back into that grass.”

Reynolds caught most of his fish in less than 3 feet of water. He says he caught fish throughout the day, and while sunlight helped his sight-fishing, he found success in the shadows as well.

“I caught my biggest fish – a 6-15 – in the first five minutes of the second day,” Reynolds says. “We took off at 6:30 a.m., and it was about 6:50 when I caught that fish. I had found this one the day before, so I knew where she was, and I got her in probably three pitches.”

6. Big Day Two Buoys Bird

Like an Oreo, the sweet stuff came in the middle of Cody Bird’s three days on Texoma. The Granbury, Texas, pro weighed bags of 10 pounds, 5 ounces and 6-4 on the first and third days, with a big spike of 21-9 on day two.

Bird had a couple of patterns going this week. He found some quality smallmouths that would eat a Kicker Fish Hightail Holeshot finesse worm on a shaky head in the morning. After that, he’d look for bedding largemouths with the Kicker Kraw that he designed for Kicker Fish.

Unfortunately, he only found cooperative bedding bass of any quality on that second day and ended up sixth with 38-2.

7. Boat Problems Sink Ankrum

He was remarkably consistent the first two days, with weights of 15 pounds, 13 ounces and 15-12, respectively, but an engine malfunction in the afternoon of day two limited Brian Ankrum’s mobility. The Natalia, Texas, pro thought he had the problem fixed by the day-three takeoff, but after a morning of mechanical woes, he had to trailer his boat, borrow another and try to make something of the day.

The time loss left Ankrum with one final-day keeper and a seventh-place total of 33-3. All of his fish came on a Koppers LIVETARGET Frog in the leopard frog pattern.

8. Brown Fishes Fast for Eighth

Robert Brown of Round Rock, Texas, took eighth place with 32 pounds, 9 ounces. He caught his fish on a 3/8-ounce Strike King spinnerbait in the sexy shad color with an Indiana and a willow-leaf blade. He also threw a weightless white soft jerkbait.

“I was working them really fast,” Brown says of his two go-to baits. “I fished them around laydowns and submerged cover. I was just trying to get them in front of the right ones.”

9. Cecil Bed-Fishes for Ninth

Sight-fishing specialist Russel Cecil stuck with his signature strength and earned a ninth-place finish with 31 pounds, 8 ounces. Cecil gave the fish two different looks by pitching a Big Bite Baits WarMouth on a 1/4-ounce weight and a Big Bite Baits YoMama with a 5/16-ounce weight. He rigged both on 4/0 hooks.

10. Frilot Gets Chatty for 10th

Hailing from crawfish central – Breaux Bridge, La. – Craig Frilot chatted openly with Tournament Director Ron Lappin about his hometown’s seasonal abundance of this tasty crustacean. On the lake, Frilot did his talking with a Z-man ChatterBait accented with a Zoom Swimmin’ Super Fluke trailer – both in shad colors.

FLOYD WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE LBL DIVISION EVENT ON KENTUCKY/BARKLEY LAKES

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Steve Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes and a check for $6,806. (FLW)

FLOYD WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE LBL DIVISION EVENT ON KENTUCKY/BARKLEY LAKES

Rhodus wins co-angler title

[print_link]

HARDIN, Ky. (May 4, 2015) – Steve Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League LBL Division tournament of 2015 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. For his victory, Floyd earned $6,806.

“It feels pretty great to grab a win,” said Floyd. “I spent a lot of time practicing for this tournament, so it’s nice to see it payoff.”

Floyd said he focused on flipping bushes in small spawning pockets near Paris Landing as his main strategy.

“I probably fished a 10-mile stretch of the river,” said Floyd. “There were four spots I knew would be producing.

“The fish were primarily in shallow bushes,” continued Floyd. “There were a lot of large males and females in that area. Most of them were spawning even though the ones I caught were postspawn.”

To reach his winning five-bass limit, Floyd said he used a green pumpkin-colored Berkley Havoc Pit Boss.

“I caught about nine keepers all in the 3½ pound range,” said Floyd. “It was a fun and consistent day of fishing.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Steve Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 16-11, $4,806 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Mike Cox, Magnolia, Ky., five bass, 16-8, $2,403

3^rd: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 16-6, $1,605

4^th: Craig Hipsher, Benton, Ky., five bass, 15-13, $1,121

5^th: Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 14-10, $961

6^th: John Hopkins, Hendersonville, Tenn., five bass, 14-6, $881

7^th: Jackson Ryley, Clinton, Ind., five bass, 14-0, $801

8^th: Dustin Vaal, Gilbertsville, Ky., five bass, 13-9, $721

9^th: Wayne Joyce, Clarksville, Tenn., four bass, 12-11, $641

10^th: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., three bass, 12-9, $561

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Willie Rentmeister of Mount Pulaski, Illinois, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $725.

Jimmy Rhodus of Versailles, Kentucky, weighed in four bass totaling 11 pounds, 7 ounce Saturday to win $2,398 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Jimmy Rhodus, Versailles, Ky., four bass, 11-7, $2,398

2^nd: David Carroll, Manitou, Ky., four bass, 11-0, $1,199

3^rd: Charlie Kuebler, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 9-0, $795

4^th: Claude Cobb, Lexington, Ky., three bass, 8-4, $560

5^th: Robert Robinson, Ashland City, Tenn., two bass, 8-2, $480

6^th: Chuck Rounds, Benton, Ky., four bass, 8-0, $440

7^th: Dan Basham, Taylorsville, Ky., three bass, 7-6, $400

8^th: Frank Spacil, Palos Heights, Ill., three bass, 7-3, $360

9^th: David Smothers, Johnston City, Ill., two bass, 6-14, $320

10^th: Danny Robinson, Fairland, Ind., three bass, 6-10, $280

Robinson caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $357.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Alabama. 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.

BECKLER, KNAACK TIE FOR WIN AT WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION EVENT ON TABLE ROCK LAKE

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

BECKLER, KNAACK TIE FOR WIN AT WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION EVENT ON TABLE ROCK LAKE

Larson wins co-angler title

[print_link]

KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (May 4, 2015) – Matt Beckler of Strafford, Missouri, and Todd Knaack of Lawson, Missouri, each weighed five-bass limits totaling 15 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to tie for the win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League Ozark Division tournament of 2015 on Table Rock Lake. For their victories, each angler earned $3,028.

Matt Beckler of Strafford, Mo. (top), and Todd Knaack of Lawson, Mo. (bottom), tied for first place in the Ozark Division event on Table Rock Lake with 15 pounds, 7 ounces. Each earned over $3000 for their win. (FLW)

Beckler said he chose to target boat docks within various spawning pockets in the mid-lake area with a homemade green-pumpkin-colored shaky-head rig and a 4-inch green-pumpkin Yamamoto Senko .

“There were three pockets where the shad were spawning around the docks,” said Beckler. “I decided to target the deeper docks that were in 12 to 14 feet of water and managed to catch 12 keepers.

“I found there were three different bites throughout the day,” Beckler continued. “In the morning the fish were on the bottom in the shadows. Around 10:30 a.m. the fish suspended underneath the docks around the shad spawn. Then, when the sun was higher in the afternoon, the fish were closer to the surface in the shadows of the dock.

“Most of my bass bit in 10 feet of water,” said Beckler. “I just had to be patient.”

Knaack said he fished slowly in the spawning pockets using a Texas-rigged green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Brush Hog.

“I went looking for stained water. I like fishing that type of color,” said Knaack.

Knaack said he explored around 12 pockets in order to catch his nine keepers.

“I stayed fairly shallow, in 6 feet of water,” said Knaack. “I caught the biggest fish of the tournament, a 4-pound, 14-ouncer, around 11:30. I knew then I had a shot at winning.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Matt Beckler, Strafford, Mo., five bass, 15-7, $3,028

1^st: Todd Knaack, Lawson, Mo., five bass, 15-7, $3,028 + $1,000 Mercury Bonus

3^rd: James Watson, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 15-1, $1,345

4^th: John Hewkin, Sullivan, Mo., five bass, 14-8, $942

5^th: Chuck Baggett, Union, Mo., five bass, 14-5, $807

6^th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., five bass, 13-15, $740

7^th: Scotty Villines, Ponca, Ark., five bass, 12-14, $673

8^th: Jamie Kowalsky, Branson West, Mo., five bass, 12-11, $606

9^th: Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., five bass, 12-3, $538

10^th: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., five bass, 11-14, $471

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Knaack 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 $545.

Dewey Larson of Fayetteville, Arkansas, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 13 pounds, 3 ounces Saturday to win $1,981 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Dewey Larson, Fayetteville, Ark., five bass, 13-3, $1,981

2^nd: Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., five bass, 11-3, $991

3^rd: Rick McGuire, Warrenton, Mo., five bass, 10-11, $662

4^th: Jeremy Rushton, Lees Summit, Mo., five bass, 10-7, $462

5^th: Frank Williams, Saint Charles, Mo., five bass, 10-5, $396

6^th: Clint Long, Raymore, Mo., five bass, 10-4, $363

7^th: Dennis Spell, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 10-3, $330

8^th: Max Wilson, Everton, Mo., four bass, 9-14, $297

9^th: Matt Masters, Branson, Mo., five bass, 8-14, $264

10^th: Stephen Phillips, Springfield, Mo., four bass, 8-12, $231

Larson also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $267.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and 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.

POTEAT WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION EVENT ON KERR LAKE

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, N.C., won the North Carolina Division tournament on Kerr Lake with 17 pounds even. He took home over $6,800 for his efforts. (FLW)

POTEAT WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION EVENT ON KERR LAKE

Benge wins co-angler title

[print_link]

HENDERSON, N.C. (May 4, 2015) – Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, North Carolina, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds even Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) North Carolina Division tournament of 2015 on Kerr Lake. For his victory, Poteat earned $6,244.

Poteat said he flipped the button bushes in the Nutbush Creek area of Kerr Lake, the same pattern he used to win a BFL Shenandoah Division event last month.

“I caught them on a green pumpkin-colored Zoom Brush Hog,” said Poteat. “I was fortunate that the fish were still hanging around the same area.”

Poteat credited a move to a hidden area of the lake, which can only be accessed in certain conditions, as being a key for him.

“There is a bridge that is so close to the water that the lake has to be down to sneak through,” said Poteat. “In order to get back there I took off my windshield, my depth finders, my trolling motor as well as the cap on my motor. It was worth the effort because I caught a 6-pounder flipping the bushes around 10:30 a.m.”

Poteat said that he ended up catching around 14 bass during the tournament.

“I caught two keepers before going under the bridge, but it was the 6-pounder with the Brush Hog that sealed the deal for me,” said Poteat. “I’m truly blessed.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., five bass, 17-0, $4,244 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Marty Warren, Elon, N.C., five bass, 16-12, $2,122

3^rd: George Lambeth, Thomasville, N.C., five bass, 16-8, $1,413

4^th: Maurice Freeze, Concord, N.C., five bass, 16-3, $990

5^th: Eric Moser, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 15-5, $849

6^th: Johnny Guffey, Bessemer City, N.C., five bass, 14-15, $778

7^th: Shawn Hammack, Gasburg, Va., five bass, 14-13, $707

8^th: Michael Webster, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 14-9, $637

9^th: Jason Wilson, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 14-8, $566

10^th: Ronnie McCoy, Lamar, S.C., five bass, 14-6, $470

10^th: James Wall, Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 14-6, $470

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Poteat also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounce and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $600.

Mathew Benge of Maiden, North Carolina, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 13 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win $2,122 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Matthew Benge, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 13-13, $2,122

2^nd: Marvin Godard, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $1,061

3^rd: Steve Cannon, Wilkesboro, N.C., five bass, 12-9, $707

4^th: Kevin Lynch, Hickory, N.C., five bass, 11-6, $495

5^th: Will White, Wake Forest, N.C., five bass, 10-14, $424

6^th: Kurt Moser, Max Meadows, Va., five bass, 10-8, $389

7^th: Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C., five bass, 10-7, $354

8^th: Nicholas Shaver, Marion, N.C., five bass, 10-0, $300

8^th: Jeffery Wingler, Wilkesboro, N.C., five bass, 10-0, $300

10^th: Jason Barraza, Mooresville, N.C., four bass, 9-14, $248

Cannon caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $300.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Lake Wateree in Camden, South Carolina. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and 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.

CIFUENTES WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE ARKIE DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE DARDANELLE

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the Arkie Division tournament on Lake Dardanelle and a check for $6,926. (FLW)

CIFUENTES WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE ARKIE DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE DARDANELLE

Kimbrough wins co-angler title

[print_link]

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (May 4, 2015) – Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the fourth Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division tournament of 2015 on Lake Dardanelle. For his victory, Cifuentes earned $6,926.

“This tournament was really fun to fish,” said Cifuentes. “I know it was a tough day for a lot of anglers but I ended up having a great day.”

Cifuentes said he started out by fishing grass in the Illinois Bayou using a Denali rod and a black and blue-colored Jewel Bait Magnum Casting Jig.

“I just swam it through the grass and targeted postspawn fish that were pulling up and feeding,” Cifuentes said. “I probably had 14½ pounds by 10 a.m.”

Around 1 p.m., Cifuentes said he focused on a windy bank where he found wood and rock mixed with grass and switched to a War Eagle spinnerbait.

“I caught three keepers and a 6-pounder by 1:30 p.m.,” Cifuentes said. “I was feeling pretty good about my chances of winning by then.”

Cifuentes said he caught 12 keepers over the course of the tournament.

”My gut decision to fish that bank worked out for me,” Cifuentes said.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Joey Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., five bass, 18-12, $3,926 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus + $1,000 Mercury Bonus

2^nd: Cody Davis, Greers Ferry, Ark., five bass, 15-15, $1,963

3^rd: David Ellis, Leola, Ark., five bass, 15-11, $1,309

4^th: Brandon Lee, Ratcliff, Ark., five bass, 15-7, $916

5^th: Samuel Hutson, Benton, Ark., five bass, 14-5, $785

6^th: Spencer Grace, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 14-1, $720

7^th: Zach King, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 13-11, $654

8^th: Terry Cordum, Fort Smith, Ark., five bass, 13-9, $589

9^th: Ladd Owens, Hope, Ark., five bass, 13-8, $523

10^th: Jason Lieblong, Conway, Ark., five bass, 13-6, $458

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Todd Thomas of Fouke, Arkansas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $530.

Herbert Kimbrough of North Little Rock, Arkansas, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 11 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win $1,963 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Herbert Kimbrough, North Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 11-4, $1,963

2^nd: Nick Shaw, Greenbrier, Ark., five bass, 10-15, $981

3^rd: Michael Andrus, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 10-9, $655

4^th: Jason Broomfield, Waldron, Ark., five bass, 10-8, $458

5^th: Randy Allen, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 10-6, $376

5^th: Tommy McCullar, Benton, Ark., five bass, 10-6, $376

7^th: Garret McMahan, Barling, Ark., five bass, 9-15, $327

8^th: Travis Harley, Sherwood, Ark., five bass, 9-12, $294

9^th: Bruce Thompson, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 9-5, $262

10^th: Stephen Tyson, Camden, Ark., four bass, 9-4, $229

John McNeill of Hot Springs, Arkansas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $265.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. 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.

HARTMAN WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTHEAST DIVISION OPENER ON CHESAPEAKE BAY

wpalert

-

May 5, 2015

0

Jamie Hartman of Newport, New York, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the Northeast Division tournament on the Chesapeake Bay and earned a check for $4,652. (FLW)

HARTMAN WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTHEAST DIVISION OPENER ON CHESAPEAKE BAY

Bechtel wins co-angler title

[print_link]

NORTH EAST, Md. (May 4, 2015) – Jamie Hartman of Newport, New York, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the first Walmart Bass Fishing League Northeast Division tournament of 2015 on the Chesapeake Bay. For his victory, Hartman earned $4,652.

Hartman said he split his day fishing small grass patches in the northeast arm and deeper rocks in the main bay.

“Three of the fish on my stringer came on a Tidal Blue-colored Riot Baits Instigator Jig rigged with a green pumpkin-colored “R” Craw,” said Hartman. “The other two came off of a chartreuse and black-colored Strike King KVD HC 1.5 crankbait.”

Hartman said he found the most success in the rocks towards the end of the day.

“Three of my largest fish came from the rocks,” said Hartman. “The thing about fishing deeper in the rocks is you have to wait for the tide to go down. Once the tide drops the fish move to the outside edges and that’s when you can make your move.”

Hartman said he caught eight keepers over the course of the tournament.

“What really kept me in the hunt was my mindset. I had to stay patient and grind out those bites in the grass before moving to the rocks,” said Hartman.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Jamie Hartman, Newport, N.Y., five bass, 22-12, $4,652

2^nd: Josh Hoshour, Ephrata, Pa., five bass, 20-15, $2,326

3^rd: Travis Manson, Conshohocken, Pa., five bass, 20-2, $1,551

4^th: John Schoener, Womelsdorf, Pa., five bass, 18-6, $1,086

5^th: Ron Lutz, North East, Md., five bass, 17-10, $930

6^th: Jack Rinkers, Swarthmore, Pa., five bass, 17-9, $853

7^th: Jeff Choi, Bridport, Vt., five bass, 16-9, $775

8^th: David Wilder, Middle River, Md., four bass, 16-5, $698

9^th: Gregory DiPalma, Millville, N.J., five bass, 15-15, $620

10^th: Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 13-4, $543

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Chris Savidge of Shamong, New Jersey, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $685.

Corey Bechtel of Macungie, Pennsylvania, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds even Saturday to win $2,326 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Corey Bechtel, Macungie, Pa., five bass, 16-0, $2,326

2^nd: Rich Harris, Monroe Township, Pa., three bass, 11-11, $1,163

3^rd: Joseph Murphy, Philadelphia, Pa., three bass, 11-10, $777

4^th: Cherif Zaher, Orangeville, Pa., two bass, 10-12, $543

5^th: Kevin Mothersell, Henrietta, N.Y., two bass, 9-14, $445

5^th: Jacob Weisman, Nanjemoy, Md., four bass, 9-14, $445

7^th: Jason McDonald, Lawrenceville, N.J., three bass, 9-12, $388

8^th: Terry Beck, Lock Haven, Pa., three bass, 8-15, $349

9^th: Carl Hansen, Nottingham, Pa., two bass, 8-6, $310

10^th: Brandon Esterly, Fleetwood, Pa., two bass, 8-4, $271

Zaher caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $342.

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.

basscastPRO

basscastPRO

The Bass CastYour Tourney News Headquarters

The Bass CastPRO

B.A.S.S. Announces First-Ever High School All-American Team

B.A.S.S. Announces First-Ever High School All-American Team

Kenny Reynolds and Bo Grosvenor Win Fishers of Men on Philpot Lake May 2nd,2015

Philpot Lake Results: May 2, 2015

Shimano Curado I Review by Bobby Saffel May 5,2015

Shimano Curado I review

By Bobby Saffel

Top 10 Baits from Lake Texoma

Top 10 Patterns from Lake Texoma

FLOYD WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE LBL DIVISION EVENT ON KENTUCKY/BARKLEY LAKES

BECKLER, KNAACK TIE FOR WIN AT WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION EVENT ON TABLE ROCK LAKE

POTEAT WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION EVENT ON KERR LAKE

CIFUENTES WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE ARKIE DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE DARDANELLE

[print_link]

HARTMAN WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTHEAST DIVISION OPENER ON CHESAPEAKE BAY

The Bass CastPRO

Follow Us

The latest

Matt Robertson wins the CATT Lake Norman Fall Final with 5 bass weighing 16.50 lbs!

Surviving the Cold While Catching Monster Bass by Bruce Callis Jr

Turtlebox Audio named Title Sponsor of Bassmaster Opens Tournament Series