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FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HEADING TO LAKE MURRAY

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April 2, 2015

FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HEADING TO LAKE MURRAY

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 2, 2015) – College teams from across the country will be heading to Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, April 16 – 18 for the 2015 FLW College Fishing National Championship presented by the Lowrance Insight Genesis College Cup. Fifty college bass fishing duos will be competing for a top award of a Ranger Z117 with a 90-horsepower outboard and entry into the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing.

According to reigning Forrest Wood Cup champion Anthony Gagliardi, who won the championship on Lake Murray, it will be typical springtime fishing at its best. “This event will hit the lake right at the heart of the spawn and bass will be in all stages. We should see spawning, prespawn and postspawn bass all being caught.”

According to Gagliardi the best targets are going to be the pre and postspawn bass. Popular baits expected to be thrown will be spinnerbaits and swimbaits. He went on to say that depending on the weather, herring-spawn topwater baits could play a factor as well.

“It’s not hard to catch fish on Murray but the one thing teams are going to have to be careful of is getting sucked into a pattern that is producing fish, but not the right size fish,” Gagliardi continued. “It’s hard to move when you’re catching 2-pound fish cast after cast after cast. But those are not the fish that are going to win the tournament. Teams are going to have to move away from those areas to go and find the 4- to 5-pounders that they’ll need to make a difference.

“It’s going to be a fun tournament with a lot of fish caught. Teams are going to be competing for the same water so having multiple productive locations will be the difference between winning and losing.”

Gagliardi believes that teams are going to have to consistently bring in 18- to 20-pound sacks to become champion. Back-up plans are going to be clutch. He cautions that one spot will not carry them through the entire tournament to earn victory.

Anglers will take off from SCE&G North Recreation Area at Dreher Shoals Dam located at 2101 N. Lake Drive, in Columbia at 7 a.m. Weigh-in will be held adjacent to Carolina Stadium at Williams and Wheat Streets in Columbia beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday (or immediately following the end of the University of South Carolina baseball game). Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.

Schools competing in the 2015 FLW College Fishing National Championship, which is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country, include:

Arkansas Tech University – Sawyer Grace, Russellville, Ark., and Brandon Rieve, Sheridan, Ark.

Auburn University – Ben Curry, Hayden, Ala., and Timmy Ward, Sylacauga, Ala.

Auburn University – Candler McCollum, Auburn, Ala., and Wiliam Bates, Suwanee, Ga.

California State University-Chico – Andrew Loberg, Rocklin, Calif., and Michael Braswell, Chico, Calif.

Christopher Newport University – Peter Kenny, Ashburn, Va., and Cody Griffey, Smithfield, Va.

Colorado Mesa University – Kennedy Kinkade and Josh Worth, both of Grand Junction, Colo.

East Central University – Tanner Masters and Wyatt Ryan, both of Ada, Okla.

Eastern Kentucky University – Kyle Raymer, Brandenburg, Ky., and Ethan Snyder, Vine Grove, Ky.

Eastern Washington University – Cy Floyd, Wenatchee, Wash., and Tyler Wasilewski, Cheney, Wash.

Eastern Washington University – Nick Barr, San Antonio, Texas, and Jarred Walker, Cheney, Wash.

Humboldt State University – Christopher Childers, McKinleyville, Calif., and Erich Coulter, Arcata, Calif.

Jacksonville State University – Nate Killough, Sylacauga, Ala., and Will Bullen Jacksonville, Ala.

Kansas State University – Nathen Kozlowski, Junction City, Kan., and Lance Maldonado, Chapman, Kan.

Kent State University – Trevor White, Newton Falls, Ohio, and Greg Perry, Cortland, Ohio

Lamar University – Brandon Simoneaux, Bridge City, Texas, and Josh Bowie, Port Neches, Texas

Lamar University – Cameron Lafleur, Orangefield, Texas and Justin Royal, Vidor, Texas

Lamar University – Quinton Evans, Orange, Texas, and Colby Ogden, Kountze, Texas

Liberty University – Travis Rulle, Denver, N.C., and Caleb Eppler, Sachse, Texas

Louisiana Tech University – Caleb Boudreaux, Doyline, La., and Matthew Loetscher, Many, La.

Mansfield University – Matt Novitski, Kingston, Pa., and Alec Engleman, Milton, Pa.

McKendree University – Dustin Pendegraft, Summerfield, Ill., and Phillip Germagliotti, Highland, Ill.

Murray State University – Justin Graben, Murray, Ky., and Dan Schult, Millstadt, Ill.

Murray State University – Seth Brock, Cedar Hill, Tenn., and Lance Freeman, Eddyville, Ky.

Nicholls State University – Trevor Leblanc and Jess Robertson both of Houma, La.

Oregon State University – Chase Cochran, Corvallis, Ore., and Ryan Sparks, Gearhart, Ore.

Oregon State University – Peter Kawamura and Eric Strickler both of Corvallis, Ore.

Polk State College – Wesley Wise, Lake Wales, Fla., and Luke Ferguson, Bartow, Fla.

Radford University – Will Bowling, Fincastle, Va., and Justin Witten, Radford, Va.

Ramapo College – Joseph Zapf and Andrew Zapf, both of Whippany, N.J.

Rutgers University – New Brunswick/Piscataway – Kyle Genova, Millstone Twp. N.J., and Andrew Ridinger, Thorofare, N.J.

San Jose State University – Adam McAndrews, Santa Clara, Calif., and Joey Fortina, Ben Lomond, Calif.

Shenandoah University – Thomas Arens, and Billy Arens, both of Winchester, Va.

Shippensburg University – Kevin Hollasch, Marriottsville, Md., and Hunter Chamberlin, Shippensburg, Pa.

Sonoma State University – Brent Nelson, Santa Rosa, Calif., and Jake Banuelos, San Pablo, Calif.

Southeastern Oklahoma University – Jonathan Furlong, Bixby, Okla., and Dwight Camp, Talihina Okla.

Tennessee Technological University – Joe Ellis, Harriman, Tenn., and Matthew Townson, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Tennessee Technological University – Matt Allen, Bloomington Springs, Tenn., and Zach Youngblood,, Silver Point, Tenn.

University of Alabama – Keith Kirkley, Northport, Ala., and Frankie Appaluccio, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

University of Florida – Shelby Concon, Fruitland Park, Fla., and Kyle Smith, MacClenny, Fla.

University of Idaho – Tanner Mort, Moscow, Idaho, and Austin Turpin, Coeurdalane, Idaho

University of Louisiana-Monroe – Blake Alford and Tyler Stewart, both West Monroe, La.

University of Missouri – Ben Verhoef, Osage Beach, Mo., and Christian Ponzetti, Excelsior, Minn.

University of Oregon – Kyle Schneider, Beaverton, Ore., and Jacob Wall, Jacksonville, Ore.

University of South Carolina – Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C., and Gettys Brannon, Columbia, S.C.

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse – Pat Bowers, Hudson, Wis., and Sig Finley, Wonder Lake, Ill.

University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Brett Daggett, Cottage Grove, Wis., and Ryan Gilbert, Sterling, Ill.

West Virginia University – Mathew Gibson, Morgantown, W.Va., and Edward Rude III, Falling Waters, W.Va.

Western Carolina University – Austin Neary, Cullowhee, N.C., and Zack Hicks, Cherokee, N.C.

Western Kentucky University – Ryan Coleman, Utica, Ky., and Stephen Compton, Bradengburg, Ky.

Winona State University – Wyatt Stout, Winona, Minn., and Cade Laufenberg, Stoddard, Wis.

FLW will also be hosting the College Fishing Expo April 16-18, which runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The Expo will take place adjacent to the Carolina Stadium. Activities include a sports zone, tailgate games, sponsor giveaways and a Ranger boat simulator.

The FLW College Fishing National Championship awards the top team a $30,000 prize package, including a Ranger Z117 with a 90-horsepower engine and an entry into the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup. The team member fishing as a pro in the Forrest Wood Cup also receives the use of a wrapped Ranger Boat and Ram Trucks Tow Vehicle. All prize money earned in the Forrest Wood Cup goes directly to the individual who earns it. The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, will be held August 20-23 on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and will offer the collegiate anglers the opportunity to compete for a top award of $500,000.

Coverage of the 2015 FLW College Fishing National Championship will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) November 16 from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. EST when Season 20 of “FLW” returns this fall. 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.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

A Look Back at the Star-Studded Top 20

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April 2, 2015

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April 1, 2015 by Curtis Niedermier

To survive the top-20 cut at a Walmart FLW Tour event is an accomplishment in itself. It always takes a high caliber of angler to get there.

At Lewis Smith Lake for stop No. 2 of the 2015 Tour, however, the top 20 featured an impressive group of anglers who not only were top performers that particular week, but have been throughout their careers.

We broke down some of their stats to show you just how good this top 20 really was.

Career earnings – Prior to this event, the top 20 pros had combined FLW earnings of $19,890,481.25. They collectively added $419,000 at Lewis Smith. Among the pros in the top 20 were the two highest earners all time with FLW. David Dudley is tops, with $3,364,466.75. Scott Martin is second with $2,257,078.

Millionaires – Nine FLW millionaires finished in the top 20. The list: Andy Morgan, Anthony Gagliardi, Clark Wendlandt, Dave Lefebre, David Dudley, Luke Clausen, Scott Martin, Shin Fukae and Wesley Strader.

Tour champs – Combined, the top 20 pros have won 29 Walmart FLW Tour events. That includes Tour Opens, Tour Majors, Forrest Wood Cups and Lefebre’s win this time. Scott Martin tops the list with five Tour wins. Lewis Smith was Lefebre’s third Tour victory. He’s previously won at Old Hickory and Kentucky Lake. The full list of past Tour champs in the top 20: Tracy Adams (1), Matt Arey (1), Drew Benton (1), Luke Clausen (2), John Cox (1), David Dudley (4), Shin Fukae (2), Anthony Gagliardi (4), Dave Lefebre (3), Scott Martin (5), Andy Morgan (1), Wesley Strader (1) and Clark Wendlandt (3). Dudley has the most FLW wins as a boater across all circuits with seven.

AOY champs – Wesley Strader currently leads the 2015 AOY race with a one-point lead over Luke Clausen and a two-point lead over Zack Birge. All three finished in the top 20 at Lewis Smith. Former AOY winners in the top 20 included David Dudley and Clark Wendlandt, the only three-time AOYs, plus Shin Fukae, Anthony Gagliardi and Andy Morgan, the two-time reigning AOY.

The Rayovac FLW Series champ – Zack Birge was the only pro who made the top 20 who has also won the Rayovac FLW Series Championship. He won the title last season. Birge was also the only rookie in the top 20.

Forrest Wood Cup appearances – The top 20 has a combined 136 Forrest Wood Cup appearances, though that includes appearances as a pro and co-angler. Take out the co-angler appearances, and that leaves 129 pro appearances. Andy Morgan leads the pack with 16, David Dudley has 15, and Clark Wendlandt and Scott Martin have 14. One of Martin’s Cup appearances was as a co-angler. Other members of the top 20 who’ve fished the Cup as a co-angler include Anthony Gagliardi (1), Clayton Batts (2) and Matt Arey (3).

Forrest Wood Cup champions – Four former Forrest Wood Cup champions made the top 20. The list includes reigning champ Anthony Gagliardi, plus David Dudley, Scott Martin and Luke Clausen.

Big Weights Expected As Elite Series Shifts To Lake Guntersville

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April 2, 2015

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Big Weights Expected As Elite Series Shifts To Lake Guntersville

The Bassmaster Elite Series heads to Alabama’s Lake Guntersville April 9-12 for the Diet Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville to be held out of Guntersville City Harbor.

Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

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April 2, 2015

Big Weights Expected As Elite Series Shifts To Lake Guntersville

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala — After opening the season on the Sabine River where daily limits of 14-inch keepers were impossible for some anglers to come by, the Bassmaster Elite Series pros are now headed for the land of giants, Alabama’s Lake Guntersville.

Better still, they’ll arrive at the time of year when giants are most common.

The Diet Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville, scheduled for April 9-12 with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins at Guntersville City Harbor, will offer anglers a chance to attack one of the nation’s premiere fisheries under near-perfect conditions.

With water temperatures still in the low 60s, the lake’s giant female bass haven’t completed their spring spawning rituals. That means they’re still carrying eggs and the extra layers of fat they packed on during the winter months in preparation for the spawn — and that could mean fishing fans will see some gigantic fish brought to the scales during the four-day event.

“There was a 12-7 caught in a tournament here just recently,” said Chris Lane, winner of the Sabine River Elite Series event, who makes his home in Guntersville. “I would be surprised if there aren’t several fish over 10 pounds caught next week. It’s going to be that kind of tournament.”

Many anglers have been predicting a “slugfest” at Guntersville. But Lane, whose fishing vernacular includes the catchphrase “Pow!” when he catches a big bass or wins a tournament, has another word for what he believes it will be like.

“It’s gonna be a smashfest,” Lane said. “I haven’t always done well in tournaments like that, but I’m trying to learn how to deal with it. You just have to keep telling yourself that 2- and 3-pounders aren’t going to help you any. You need big fish, because 18 or 19 pounds a day might not even get you paid.”

Guntersville’s vast beds of milfoil, hydrilla and coontail grass will likely play a role as the Elite pros begin forming strategies during the official practice period Monday through Wednesday. With fish moving into shallow water for the spawn, heavy limits could be caught on a wide variety of lures.

Lane agreed with the popular assessment that it could take a four-day weight of more than 100 pounds to win. So did Casey Ashley, winner of the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro held on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell in February.

Ashley said the tournament will require a different kind of discipline than the Sabine River.
“On the Sabine, we were weeding through 13 1/2-inch fish, trying to find five keepers,” Ashley said. “On Guntersville, it’ll be sort of the same deal, except we’ll be weeding through a bunch of 3-pounders trying to find five fish that are big enough to actually help us at the scales. It’s two different kinds of challenges, but they’re both tough in their own way.”

Like all B.A.S.S. events held in Alabama, the field will include a host of in-state anglers with extensive knowledge of the venue.

Lane, who lives close enough to the lake that he can have his boat in the water in just minutes, finished 36th in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic and 40th in the 2010 Elite Series event on Guntersville – his two most recent events on the fishery.

Justin Lucas, who relocated to Guntersville from his native northern California, will be fishing a professional event for the first time on his new home lake.

“I’m in a pretty unique position this year,” said Lucas, who is off to an excellent start in 2015 with a ninth-place finish in the Bassmaster Classic and a 10th-place effort on the Sabine River. “I get to fish back-to-back events on my new home lake, Guntersville, and the California Delta, which is where I used to call home. Not a lot of people can say that.”

Aaron Martens, another California native who now makes his home in Leeds, Ala., has a rich history on Lake Guntersville that includes a win in the 2009 Elite Series event on the lake. He also finished 13th in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, 17th in a 2006 Elite Series event and 14th in Bassmaster Tour events in 2004 and 2005.

John Crews, a Virginia angler who finished third in the 2010 Elite Series event on Guntersville, elected not to pre-fish before the lake was declared off-limits because he already knows it so well. He expects the grass to play a big role in the outcome.

“I’ve been to Guntersville 15 times,” Crews said. “The grass changes from year to year, but that’s true of any lake with grass in it. That’s what you have to be ready for.

“I think there will be a ton of 6- to 7-pounders caught. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Launches are scheduled for 6:15 a.m. CT each day from Guntersville City Harbor with weigh-ins also set for the ramp each day at 3:15 p.m. CT. Launches and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The local host of the event is the Marshal County CVB.

Ronnie Ray and Alton Stillwell Win Alabama Bass Trail Lake Eufaula 29.09-pound limit Highlights Impressive Day on Historic Fishery

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April 2, 2015

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Ronnie Ray and Alton Stillwell Win Alabama Bass Trail Lake Eufaula 29.09-pound limit Highlights Impressive Day on Historic Fishery

Posted on March 15, 2015 by ABTadmin

Eufaula, Ala. – March 15, 2015 – With a bass fishing history as rich as a Rockefeller, Lake Eufaula is one of the premier bass fisheries in not only the state of Alabama, but the country. In the short history of the Alabama Bass Trail, it has been the scene of fireworks, with the lake producing one of the heaviest winning weights as well as one of the heaviest total field weights for the inaugural season.

With much of the state being gripped by freezing conditions for much of the past month, many wondered at just how any event would produce. But, as the weather began to warm, transitioning from freezing conditions to moderate rains and warming skies; Lake Eufaula began to show its potential.

As if on cue, as the second event in the Alabama Bass Trail’s Southern Division neared, Lake Eufaula’s bass began to move. Word was that anglers would be able to run into quality bass on the bank, and some heavyweights would be more readily found in transition.

Even though the morning of the event was gloomy and drizzly, the anglers of the Southern Division did not disappoint. Leading the field was the local team of Ronnie Ray and Alton Stillwell, who brought a limit of Lake Eufaula largemouth bass to the stage weighing 29.09 pounds to win the event.

The impressive catch was reportedly taken mostly in eight to twelve foot depth on transition areas around the mid lake area; with the main basin near the dam contributing as well. Ray, a member of the winning team reported that the winning catch came on Ledgebuster spinnerbaits and Carolina Rigged Big Bite Baits Lizards. “We found the fish in practice, but really only thought we could get 25 pounds,” he said. “We got our first limit around 10:30, then were able to cull up until about 12:30.”

The pair has won several events on the lake in the past, but said winning an event like this was special. “We really thought that the entry fee and payouts of the ABT made it a great circuit,” said Ray. “Then the field size and the quality of anglers makes it very competitive; it really feels pretty good to have won this event.”

Ray and Stillwell earned $10,000 for their victory.

The second place team of Ralph Moseley and Terry Stevens brought 25.00 pounds to the scales and echoed the thoughts of the winners. “We thought we would be able to catch 22 to 23 pounds, so we really maximized what we had found,” the pair said. “We caught our first limit on topwater and sightfishing with a Big Bite Baits Warmouth, then caught a big one to cull with on a Rat-L-Trap. It was a great day on the water.”

Moseley and Lamar earned $5,000 for their second place finish as well as the Bill Penney Toyota bonus of $1000 and the Alabama Bass Trail Gear bonus of $250 for being the highest finisher in those two contingency programs.

The team of Taylor Lamar and Mac Lamar finished 19^th for the event, but their 18.81-pound limit was anchored by the 7.49-pound Mountain Dew Big Bass of the tournament. The fish earned them a $500 bonus.

The top 10 in the standings were as follows below. For complete standings visit the results page at http://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/le-results/

The sponsors of the 2015 Alabama Bass Trail include: Bill Penney Toyota, the Alabama Tourism Department, Phoenix Bass Boats, Inc., Garmin, Academy Sports & Outdoors, T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Alabama Power Company, Buffalo Rock, Inc., Jet-Pep, Inc., Tennessee Valley Authority, and Frogg Toggs, Inc., HydroWaveTM, Alabama Foundation Specialist, Boat U.S., LEER, Vicious Fishing, E3 Sports, Inc., Costa Del Mar, Frogg Toggs, Inc., Power-Pole, Window World and Yeti Coolers.

PLACE	NAME	FISH	WT	PEN	B/F	PTS	WINNINGS
1	Ronnie Ray/Alton Stillwell	5/0	29.09	0.00	0.00	225	10000
2	Ralph Moseley/Terry Stevens	5/0	25.00	0.00	5.66	224	5000
3	Jeff Aul/Paul Aul	5/0	24.79	0.00	6.00	223	4000
4	Wayne Cox/Jimmy Harrison	5/0	22.86	0.00	0.00	222	3000
5	Ryan Ingram/James Grogan	5/0	22.39	0.00	5.65	221	2000
6	David Caylor/Travis Northey	5/0	21.58	0.00	0.00	220	1000
7	Scott Montgomery/Les Bratcher	5/0	21.56	0.00	0.00	219	900
8	Barry Isbell/Jeff Schatz	5/0	21.38	0.00	0.00	218	800
9	John Pollard/Dallas Weldon	5/0	21.33	0.00	6.10	217	700
10	Keith Dees/Tommy Walley	5/0	21.28	0.00	6.37	216	600

Top Baits From Lewis Smith

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April 2, 2015

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Dave Lefebre caught his winning limits with a blueback herring-colored Rapala BX Waking Minnow and a 1/2-ounce Sworming Hornet Fish Head Spin with an albino Yamamoto D-Shad.

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March 31, 2015

Dave Lefebre caught his winning limits with a blueback herring-colored Rapala BX Waking Minnow and a 1/2-ounce Sworming Hornet Fish Head Spin with an albino Yamamoto D-Shad.

Ringing in at second place, Clark Wendlandt threw a 1/4-ounce white 4X4 swim jig coupled with a white Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper for much of his weight. Wendlandt also bed-fished with a white tube.

Jason Reyes swam a bluegill flash-colored 2.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT for most of his weight and added some with a Zoom Finesse Worm.

Tracy Adams captured fourth place with a watermelon-colored Zoom Trick Worm rigged on a Jackall Flick Shake jighead and a Texas-rigged Zoom Centipede in the same color.

Scott Martin used a variety of baits to catch schooling spotted bass, but caught all of his bedding fish on a white craw with a single Trokar TK130 flipping hook that he used for the entire event.

After leading for two days, Zack Birge fell to sixth on the final day. He caught largemouths on a 1/4-ounce white Santone Lures buzzbait and a SPRO Bronzeye frog throughout the tournament.

Andy Morgan relied on a green pumpkin-colored Zoom Finesse Worm on a shaky head for most of the week and pitched a Texas-rigged Zoom Z-Craw on the final day.

Drew Benton caught a lot of fish off beds with a Bass Assassin Pure Craw, but he also used a Strike King Sexy Dawg topwater and a Bagley Sunny B crankbait to target prespawn bass.

Running far up the Sipsey River, Clayton Batts caught his fish on a Reaction Innovations Vixen topwater and a SPRO blue-colored SPRO McStick jerkbait.

T-Roy Signs Up with Strike King

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April 2, 2015

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Troy Broussard is looking for largies in Smith Lake’s bushes.

April 1, 2015

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Collierville, Tenn.– Strike King Lure Co. has announced the addition of TV personality and Walmart FLW Tour pro T-Roy Broussard to its national pro staff.

“T-Roy is not only the guy we’ve all seen on TV, but he’s so much more,” says Strike King Marketing Relationship Manager Mark Copley. “Aside from his obvious success as a nationally recognized alligator hunter, he’s a very passionate outdoorsman and a very experienced and knowledgeable bass angler. He fits perfectly into the mold here at Strike King. He’s our kind of guy,” Copley adds.

“As a guy that takes bass fishing very serious, it’s a huge honor to partner with Strike King. These folks live and breathe the outdoors just like I do,” notes Broussard, who played a leading role on the hit reality show “Swamp People,” before going pro with the Tour this year. “Not only that, but Strike King makes products that work that the average angler can afford. Aside from an alligator lure, what else could you ask for?”

Beside the Tour, Broussard also is competing in the Texas division of the Rayovac FLW Series.

For more information on Strike King products, please visit www.strikeking.com or a preferred fishing tackle outlet.

Old Spice Teams with Bohannan

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April 2, 2015

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Greg Bohannan takes off on day one of the 2015 FLW Tour season opener on Lake Toho.

March 31, 2015

Old Spice, maker of men’s toiletry products, has added Arkansas pro and veteran Walmart FLW Tour angler Greg Bohannan to its pro-staff. Terms of the agreement were not revealed.

“I’m honored to represent Old Spice,” says Bohannan, of Rogers, Ark. “I’ve been using its products for years, and I’m extremely high on Old Spice’s line of crisp, clean masculine scents. I believe it’s a great fit for the outdoor industry.”

“Old Spice is proud to partner with Greg Bohannan and his competitive angling events on the Walmart FLW Tour,” says Michelle Yocum, spokesperson for Old Spice. “The New Old Spice Fresher Collection at Walmart is all about smelling as great as nature is – and this sponsorship of Greg and the FLW Tour is a perfect blend of smelling manly while celebrating sport fishing and the great outdoors.”

BOLT LOCKS TO SPONSOR TWO BASSMASTER ELITE PRO ANGLERS DURING 2015 TOURNAMENT SEASON

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April 2, 2015

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BOLT LOCKS TO SPONSOR TWO BASSMASTER ELITE PRO ANGLERS
DURING 2015 TOURNAMENT SEASON

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MILWAUKEE – STRATTEC Security Corporation’s BOLT(r) locks has announced that the brand will provide sponsorship support to Bassmaster Elite Series pros Justin Lucas and Brandon Palaniuk throughout the 2015 tournament season.

BOLT locks will protect these anglers’ valuable gear with the one-key convenience and security offered by tough, weatherproof BOLT padlocks and 5/8-inch Receiver Locks. BOLT locks feature innovative technology that programs a single truck ignition key to open any number of BOLT locks, eliminating the need for multiple keys.

“We are proud to be able to give these busy anglers the peace of mind and convenience that comes from knowing that their trailers and equipment are secured with BOLT locks. Our lock products are extremely popular with fishing and outdoor enthusiasts, so this sponsorship makes sense for our brand,” said Erika Garcia, national sales manager for BOLT.

BOLT’s line of weatherproof and durable trailer lock products includes 5/8-inch and 1/2-inch Receiver Locks for Class I-V receivers and a Coupler Pin Lock to secure hitches when leaving towed vehicles unattended. To protect equipment and gear, BOLT offers a 6-foot Cable Lock, a Padlock with optimized body design to fit job boxes, a Toolbox Latch Retrofit kit, a BOLT cylinder lock and a GM Tailgate Replacement Handle Assembly. BOLT locks come with a limited lifetime warranty. Find a BOLT retailer by using the zip code finder, www.boltlock.com/retail-finder or purchase from the BOLT website at http://www.boltlock.com/shop. BOLT locks are also available at 4-Wheel Parts stores, Advance Auto Parts, Basspro.com, Cabela’s, Canadian Tire, Pep Boys, and Summit Racing.com. For more information, visit www.boltlock.com.

About STRATTEC(r) Security Corporation
STRATTEC(r) Security Corporation is the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive locks, keys and related access control products, and is the primary lock supplier to Ford, GM and Chrysler. STRATTEC’s history in the automotive business spans 100 years. For more information, write to 3333 West Good Hope Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53209; call 414.247.3333; or visit www.boltlock.com.

St. Croix Reveals Specialist Spinnerbait Rods

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April 1, 2015

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St. Croix Reveals Specialist Spinnerbait Rods

New Legend Tournament Bass “Sniper” and “Sweeper”

sticks complement two trending blade tactics

Park Falls, WI (March 31, 2015) – Slow rollin’. Chunkin’ and windin’. Grindin’. Bumpin’ the stump. Burnin’. Helicopterin’. There’s nearly no wrong way to fish a spinnerbait—that old classic bass lure responsible for tournament wins and giant bucketmouths in the boat.

That said, pairing a sweet blade or a chatterbait with a mismatched rod can feel a little like playing a violin with a guitar pick. Accordingly, eliminating the angst of marrying technique and tool, the fishing rod prodigies at St. Croix recently revealed two new specialist sticks designed to make beautiful spinnerbait music: behold the Sweeper Spinnerbait and Sniper Spinnerbait, the newest rods in St. Croix’s masterful Legend Tournament Bass series.

Surely the most thoroughly researched, tested and exhaustively engineered spinnerbait/chatterbait rods to date, the two customized bass tools each perform a dedicated function. “We realized right away that two of the hottest spinnerbait techniques demanded distinctive rod designs,” says Dan Johnston, St. Croix regional account manager, and confirmed bass-sneak. “From continuous retailer feedback, Randy Hamilton—St. Croix southeast regional account manager—and I ultimately convinced our design team to adopt the challenge. First cast with these rods, we looked at each other and knew we’d nailed it.”

At 6 feet 9 inches, Johnston says the medium-heavy power, moderate-fast action Sniper Spinnerbait rod (TBC69MHMF) gifts anglers with the immediate ability to deliver short, pinpoint-accurate casts to cover. “The challenge in building the Sniper was that it needed a very precise power for not only setting hooks and wrenching fish from cover, but also an exacting tip action for pitching baits into small windows. If you create a tip that’s too fast (stiff), you loose accuracy. But if it’s too slow (loose), you sacrifice power and some of the sensitivity.

“Very few spinnerbait-specific rods are totally dialed in, because it’s technically difficult to balance all the needs of the angler and the technique and build a rod that delivers on every front—from accuracy to strength to sensitivity. Like the ability to feel the blades pulsing in your hand, to detect when you’ve picked up a sliver of grass, and to distinguish between bumping a stump and a bass bum-rushing the bait from behind.” Johnston adds that the Sniper also doubles as a choice chatterbait stick.

Beyond pinpoint spinnerbait/chatterbait presentations near cover, St. Croix developed a second superior tool for fishing big blades in open water for outsize smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass. The resulting 7-foot, medium-heavy power Sweeper Spinnerbait rod (TBC70MHMF) has proven itself for efficiently working large spinnerbaits over rocky points and ledges, picking up line quickly and setting hooks at long distances. “The Sweeper is a perfect Great Lakes smallmouth rod,” Johnston affirms. “It’s big and bad enough to punch bullet casts into a strong headwind. Yet it’s got a nice feathery heft that won’t wear you out after a full day of fishing.”

Johnston notes that to reduce tip weight and enhance the balance, touch and performance of both rods, St. Croix developed a specialized guide train, including Fuji® K-Series Concept Tangle Free guides with Alconite® rings and frames. Also resulting from the expertly balanced configuration is seamless, dynamic line flow and exceptional presentations with super braid, mono and fluorocarbon alike.

Like all 27 technique-specific rods in the Legend Tournament Bass series, the Sniper and Sweeper Spinnerbait rods are imbued with numerous high-level St. Croix product patents: select SCIV graphite blanks with a Fortified Resin System (FRS) for superior strength and durability; Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC) tooling technology for unmatched smoothness and sensitivity; Advanced Reinforcing Technology (ART™) for industry-leading blank strength to weight ratios. Moreover, the new Legend Tournament Bass rods sport optimized split-grips with super high-grade cork, facilitating effortless cam-action casts. A limited lifetime warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service means these may be the last spinnerbait rods you’ll ever buy.

“Spinnerbait fishing is alive and well,” says Johnston. “Our customers have continually asked for these rods, and St. Croix has delivered. Think of them like your favorite golf club. You want to take it out of your bag and use it because it makes you look good; maybe even helps you perform at levels you didn’t know you were capable of.”

Early Season “Jerkin” by Tim Grein

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April 1, 2015

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Early Season “Jerkin”
One of the best ways to catch early season prespawn fish is with a jerkbait. From water temps in the 40’s, all the way up to the upper 50’s, is prime time for jerkbaiting. A jerkbait can not only load the boat if you get in the right place, but you can really catch some big ones on it!
The first thing to remember is that these fish are staging to move up. There are really 3 main places that I look for jerbait fish. The first are longer main lake points. These seem to be the first places that I find them. Until you find exactly where the fish are positioned on a point, you need to move around. Start by sitting in 20-30 feet depending on the depth of your lake and move in. Sometimes the fish will be suspended on top of the point, and sometimes they will be on the sides where it drops off. Keep this in mind as well.
The next place I look are rocky secondary “corners”. These are typically a little more rounded and sharper and sit at the mouth of a spawning pocket or flat. When you find them on these type places, a lot of times, there are multiple fish present. Normally, the fish won’t be as deep here. I like to sit a good cast from the bank and throw up to it, working the bait about ¾ of the way back to the boat and then making another cast. The fish have moved to these places to feed up before spawning so they are typically positioned shallower and are a little more aggressive. I start looking at these rocky corners when the water hits the 50 degree mark.
The final place I will look are wind blown banks or points. These type areas can be loaded with fish one day, and the next day are gone. That being said, make note in practice if they are on a windy spot. If you are catching them on wind blown areas in practice and the wind changes direction during the tournament, go ahead and try your areas, but be prepared to totally abandon them and start running new water. You aren’t really abandoning your pattern, you just have to fish the pattern.
When it comes to retrieve, it is really a trial and error deal. Obviously when the water is colder, you need to work you bait slower, less erratic, and with longer pauses. When the water gets into the mid 50’s, the fish typically are really aggressive and don’t require those long painful pauses of 10-20 seconds. One of the best jerkbait days I ever had came the beginning of April and I could not work the bait fast enough. The fish would hit the bait so hard, it would about take the rod out of my hand.
When it comes to the equipment, I prefer a shorter rod. I like the 13 Fishing 6’7” medium action Envy paired with a 6.6:1 Concept E reel. The medium action is very important so you don’t rip the hooks out of the fishes’ mouth, and it really casts great too. The Concept E will launch a jerkbait no matter the wind conditions, and the high speed allows you to take up slack quickly, which is very important.
If you will try these tips the next time you are “jerkin”, there’s no doubt, you will become a better jerkbait fisherman.

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