New Deal Features 54 Hours of Weekend Elite Series Coverage on FS1.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
Sept. 19, 2024
Bassmaster expands LIVE coverage on FOX/FS1 for 2025 season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Following a 2024 season of record viewership and increased interest in Bassmaster LIVE programming, B.A.S.S., FOX and FS1 have announced plans to expand Bassmaster’s live coverage in 2025. The new agreement sets the stage for a monumental surge in viewership for 2025.
“The demand for increased coverage of Bassmaster’s high-quality, professional fishing product is increasing, and FOX has recognized that desire and is stepping up to satisfy the fishing community’s rabid consumption of Bassmaster LIVE content,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “The relationship between FOX/FS1 and B.A.S.S. has been exceptional, and we look forward to continuing to showcase even more tournament coverage from the worldwide authority on bass fishing.”
As part of the new agreement, the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors will now have six hours of broadcast coverage on FOX across Saturday and Sunday, as well as 54 hours of Elite Series coverage on Saturdays and Sundays featured on FS1 next year — with the potential for six additional hours on FOX each season.
“FOX and FS1 are thrilled to extend the relationship with B.A.S.S. and the Bassmaster brand,” said FOX Sports EVP/Head of Programming & Scheduling Bill Wanger. “The new deal with this best-in-class fishing organization continues to deliver unsurpassed action on the water from all over the country, highlighted by live weekend coverage of the Bassmaster Elite Series on FS1.”
The additional coverage follows a season of record-breaking viewership in 2024, with one event still to air. The previous high-water mark for Bassmaster LIVE viewership was 14 million in 2021.
This historic television agreement comes on the heels of B.A.S.S. announcing an Elite Series schedule that will feature diverse venues across the nation. Based on the passionate nature of the fan bases in these host communities, B.A.S.S. expects not only record-breaking viewership numbers, but record-setting attendance in 2025, as well.
Maximizing September Bass Fishing: Techniques and Tips for Grass Lakes
By Dave Miller
I can’t believe it’s September already. I’m kinda happy as boat traffic has slowed down quite a bit making time on the water more enjoyable. August was tough for me on the tournament scene, with limited to no practice for a few events and some very bad weather leading to poor decision making as well as event cancellations. However, guiding has been extraordinary on my home waters. Let’s dive in.
Grass lakes! Milfoil and Hydrilla for whatever reason I’ve noticed hasn’t been up as high as it normally is in August. Where the grass is now capped out on many lakes creating some juicy mat, it’s usually that way by the second week of August here in the Northeast.
Where there’s grass there are bass.
Weed line fishing is probably my favorite way to fish and has been excellent for my clients. With a lot of guys now fishing out in deep water chasing suspended fish, these fish have been touched so chances are you’ll probably the place to yourself.
What to look for.
Those rocky banks and also contours near deeper drop offs that now have grass are your priority. Areas with more sandy or muddy bottoms may still hold fish depending on the lake, but for me that would be the last grass I target. There’s 2 scenarios of how bass will be staged for forage here. First is the outside edge. Bass will congregate or even school up around all the intricate points and pockets along a weed line. School after school of baitfish hang out along the edges while bass lurk around the grass waiting to ambush those balls of bait. Second is throughout the grass. For most of the country the Bluegill have completed their spawn and hang out in these grass areas to feast on bugs. Grass also makes great feeding grounds for crawfish. Both Bluegill and Crawfish are mega protein sources for big Bass. If the grass is all the way to the top creating a canopy or even see some lily pads mixed in, you can almost guarantee frogs will be around as well.
This leaves us with 3 techniques that will catch them, and if you’re on a tidal body of water it will make your fishing even easier.
Frog
Who doesn’t love a Topwater bite, seriously! This is going to be your starting point regardless of time of day. When grass fishing and covering lots of water this will help you find bass. Even if they don’t commit and take the frog they will certainly blow up on it for a closer inspection, by doing so they are giving away their position. You could then follow up with different baits. With hollow body frogs there really is no wrong way to work them. Let the bass tell you the cadence that they want to trigger a bite. Start off casting around the outside edges before casting deep into weeded areas. Paddle tail style frogs are also great as you can move them quicker and cover more water in less time. As for color some guys go white or black depending on the sky. I start with a yellow bellied frog, always. It’s a great inbetween color and works in all conditions.
Recommended equipment: 7’3” Heavy Fast action rod, 8:1 speed reel, 50lb braid.
*Pro Tip – On hollow body frogs you’ll notice right out of the pack the hooks are pointing inward. With a pair of pliers, bend the hooks outward and upward so the hook points are barely touching the frog and straight in line with the body. Your hook up ratio will skyrocket doing this.
Pitching and Flipping
This technique is where you’ll be imitating crawfish and bluegill. I love beaver style baits and brush hogs in green pumpkin or black and blue. When targeting the outside edges I typically start with a pegged 5/8oz weight and move up accordingly. My rule of thumb is that I want to get away with the lightest weight I can. Even in punching scenarios. The bigger weights have a tendency to pop the bass’ mouth open too much during the hook set which results in the hook missing. If you used the frog to locate the bass go straight to them. If not start out by making pitches to the pockets around the outside weed edges and scattered clumps. As you work your way in to thicker grass go up in weight as necessary. 5/8oz up through 1.25oz covers a lot so make sure you bring a few weights with you. As far as hooks go, a 4/0 straight shank is the only flipping hook I use, period. I’ve never felt I needed a bigger or smaller hook or ewg for that matter. The vast majority of brands have great hooks and all of them come with some type of bait keeper attached, find what you like and stick with it.
Recommended equipment: 7’6” Heavy Fast action rod, 8:1 speed reel, 60lb braid.
Swim Jig or Bladed Jig
This will play more in tidal water than lakes. Depending on the depth of the area, as the tide moves out so will bass. I’ve found schools hanging out as far as 50 yards off a weed line at lower tides. With maybe just a couple random strands of grass or an occasional clump. Also it’s smart to keep an eye on your sonar here for depth changes and other hard structure. For swim jigs I like to stay at 1/4oz in white with a small paddle tail swimbait as a trailer. The lighter weight will help you keep the bait higher in the water column while working it slower. You’re goal here is to get the bass that are targeting minnows. For the crawfish and bluegill eating bass this is where your profile size is going to increase by going to a bladed jig. Any green pumpkin variant will do with a matching trailer. Now unlike the swim jig I’m going heavier here with either a 3/8oz or 1/2oz weight. I want to keep the bait lower in the water column while also keeping a larger profile. With either, if you hit a random patch of grass, rip the bait from it violently to trigger reaction bites from the bass.
Recommended equipment: 7’3” Heavy fast action rod, 7:1 speed reel, 20lb fluorocarbon.
Well there ya have it guys. Get out there and get fishing! I’ll see y’all back here in October for the final installment of the year. If you would like to talk tackle or pick my brain on another technique feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @davemillerfishing.
Scottsboro, AL (September 20, 2024) – Unified Pros announced today the creation of its Athlete Advisory Board. The advisory board will consist of a representative from the NFL, MLB, NBA, PGA and the professional fishing world.
Bill Maas, the first member of the Unified Pros Athlete Advisory Board, is a retired defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1984 and selected for the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987. Maas considers himself an outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as he can hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing and golfing. “Most professional athletes have one thing in common,” says Maas, “We all love competition and when we aren’t competing in our sport, we’re outdoors finding other ways to compete. Unified Pros’ vision of combining competition with conservation is something I think every professional athlete can get behind.”
Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Unified Pros envisions an inclusive world where athletes collaborate and compete in the outdoor arena to create transformative experiences that make a lasting impact on individuals, communities, professional athletes, and the sport of bass fishing.
Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats. These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.
By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.
But, the second match of the Knockout Round ended with a tale of ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’, with the Team Builders FirstSource father-son duo of Alton Jones Jr. and Alton Jones Sr. finishing atop the leaderboard with 21 bass weighing 38-7 to pace the field and advance to Friday’s Championship Round. Also advancing is Team Star Tron – comprised of Grae Buck and Martin Villa – who ended the day with 11 bass totaling 23 pounds even to finish in second.
Team Star Tron started off with a bang at the top of the leaderboard, holding that lead throughout the first period and finding themselves neck and neck with Builders FirstSource midday. However, the Jones duo pulled ahead at the start of the second period and widened their gap throughout the remainder of the competition day.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, made up of Casey Ashley and Terry Scroggins, fought back from a huge deficit period after only catching one scorable bass in Period 1. The tandem rallied and went on an afternoon flurry in Period 2 that brought them above the elimination line. That bite was short-lived, however, and the pair just weren’t around enough quality fish to survive the Knockout Round.
Team Builders FirstSource and Team Star Tron now join Team REDCON1 and Team Knighten Industries to advance to Friday’s Championship Round. Eliminated from competition was Team Smokey Mountain, who caught 10 scorable bass weighing 21-3.
Team Builders FirstSource began the day targeting boat docks, boating one keeper out of a drainage pipe while catching everything else around retaining walls and boat docks the remainder of the day.
“What a great day,” said Jones Sr. “The conditions today really made a difference for us. The bass chased the bait a little bit today, whereas they wouldn’t chase anything in our Elimination Match on Sunday.”
The father-son duo took over the top spot from Team Star Tron at the beginning of the second period and ended the period with an 8-pound lead.
“We finished out the end of the day fishing some main-lake boat docks with wind blowing on them to see if any smallmouth were patternable,” said Jones Jr. “We were just trying to figure out some new patterns and new possibilities. We assume we might be going to Lake Winnebago for the Championship Round, so we decided to come to the other side of the lake, because that was the closest we could get to Winnebago.
“Honestly, I hope they send us to Green Lake and it’s a crystal clear, smallmouth smash fest,” said Jones Jr. “But we had a good cushion toward the end of the day, so we started thinking through possible game plans for tomorrow.”
That strategy may or may not play out for the pair. While the competition waters for the Heritage Cup have included Lakes Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Morts thus far, anglers won’t find out the competition waters for Friday’s Championship Round until they are driven to the ramp by competition officials Friday morning.
“That’s the hard part, because we really don’t know what we’re going to do until we get there – and find out where ‘there’ is,” Alton Sr. added, laughing.
Jones Jr. spent the majority of the day throwing an unweighted wacky rig on the shallow end of boat docks, while Jones Sr. threw a weighted wacky rig on the deeper end of the docks, a tactic that worked great for the duo.
“We really just caught them junk-fishing today,” said Jones Jr. “Whatever looked right, whatever presentation for the piece of cover in front of us. We caught a lot of fish on a wacky rig, but my biggest and best quality fish today came on a green-pumpkin-colored 3/8-ounce bladed jig with a green-pumpkin-and-white-colored prototype trailer that we’ve been working on for a while.
“It just seemed like every time I got a bite, it was one of those 2 1/2- to 3-pound class fish, and with SCORETRACKER® as slow as it was, it’s been tough. So, catching those 2-pound or better fish has been really key, because bites have been really hard to come by,” Jones Jr. finished.
Team Star Tron led most of the first period, starting the morning fishing theoutside edge of cane grass with a ChatterBait and a wacky rig before moving to boat docks and catching a few fish there. They made another successful move, stacking up more weight targeting riprap before ending the day around willow trees in the third period.
“I was super happy with our first period,” said Villa. “The rest of the day was a grind, but any time you’re at least catching them on pace with the other teams is a good deal. The bridge move we made was a good one. We made a lot of moves today while also trying to spend our time fishing, not just running around.”
While they moved around the fishery more than any other team on Thursday, Team Star Tron strategically slowed their fishing down during Period 1, a decision that definitely played in their favor.
The duo made a move right before the start of the second period that they hoped would continue to propel them up the leaderboard, but the hard-charging Jones duo had other thoughts in mind. Team Star Tron went the final 45 minutes without a scorable bass but were able to hold off Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches by a mere 1-13.
“We had a bite right after we made that move, before the first period ended, so we were hoping that would prove to be a good spot,” said Buck. “As the sun got higher, the bite started fading, so we had to try some different things. Thankfully it was enough to move us on to the Championship Round.”
The top two teams now advancing to the Championship Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley are:
1st: Team Builders FirstSource, 21 bass, 38-7 Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 13 bass, 25-14 Alton Jones Sr., Lorena, Texas, eight bass, 12-9 2nd: Team Star Tron, 11 bass, 23-0 Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., six bass, 12-2 Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 10-14
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, 10 bass, 21-3 Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., five bass, 10-1 Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 11-2
Overall, there were 42 bass weighing 82 pounds, 10 ounces caught by the three teams competing in Match 2 of the Knockout Round on Lake Butte des Morts. Jones Jr. caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – only one of three smallmouth caught on the day – weighing 3 pounds, 2 ounces.
The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.
The final day Championship Round will take place Friday featuring Team REDCON1 (Ott DeFoe/Andy Montgomery), Team Knighten Industries (Kelly Jordon/Keith Poche), Team Builders FirstSource (Alton Jones Jr./Alton Jones Sr.) and Team Star Tron (Grae Buck/Martin Villa).
Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning as early as 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams competed each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
Julius Mazy Smashes 19.80 pounds to Take Over Day Two Lead of WON Bass Lake Mead Open with 31.72 Day One Leader Shane Edgar in Second place .74 pounds behind at 30.98.
Las Vegas, Nev. – September 19, 2024 –– When the morning of day two of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury commenced with clear skies and little to no wind, not too many could have predicted the storm that would arise later in the day. Any time there is a bass tournament, the adage that is often repeated is the “somebody is going to catch them.
On day two at Lake Mead, somebody who figured them out better than the rest was pro Julius Mazy.
The Phoenix, Ariz. pro opened the event with a limit of Lake Mead bass that weighed 11.92 pounds, landing him in a respectable 17th place. But his 19.80-pound limit on day two catapulted him into the lead in the pro division with a two-day total of 31.72 pounds.
Mazy’s effort earned him just short of a three quarter-pound margin over day one leader Shane Edgar from Surprise, Ariz. Edgar added 14.65 pounds on day two to his first day’s 16.33 pounds to bring his total weight to 30.98 pounds heading into the final day. He is followed in third place by Grand Junction Colorado’s Bill Brown who added 13.40 pounds on the second day to bring his total to 27.78 pounds and move up one place in the standings.
Tom Lowery, who opened the event in second place fell to fourth place with 27.50 pounds by posting 11.57 pounds on day two. Santee, Calif. pro Dennis Kolender rounded out the top five by bringing his second consecutive 12.80-pound limit to the Callville Bay scales to total 25.60 pounds.
Mazy reported that he let some opportunities slip through his grasp on day one but adjusted on day two. “I didn’t execute yesterday and it cost me three or four pounds on the first day,” he said. “I knew I needed to make some adjustments, so I fine tuned my rotation and was able to capitalize on my primary areas, then found another that would help later in the day – I didn’t expect to even come close to this weight.”
Mazy, who felt his high-water mark for a great day would be between 15 and 16 pounds, said he had that midday. “I started practicing a little and pulled into a pocket on my way back and culled up with a four pounder,” he reported. “I’m looking for a certain set of ingredients, and when I find them, I can find quality fish.”
He said he switched things up and started throwing topwater in the morning, then started looking deeper with his Livescope and jighead and minnow as the day progressed. “I figured out that I wasn’t fishing deep enough with the finesse tactics yesterday, so I had to go deeper today,” he said. “I also switched up to throwing topwater in the morning with the slick conditions, and that’s what made the difference for me today.”
Edgar flatly said that his day two was one of good fortune. “I got lucky today, and that’s all I can say about it,” he reported. “I had three fish at 11:00 and had 11 pounds at 3:30. I made a move into a cut and caught a four pounder, and while I was culling it, Joe Sr. (AAA Joe Uribe Sr.) caught a three and a half that gave us our weight – I’m lucky to be here in contention.”
In the AAA Division, AAA James Scott of Lancaster, Calif. rode his day two pairing with Mazy to the lead with 29.21 pounds, a leap from 57th place. After helping his pro with a key fish, Uribe Sr. moved into second place on day two with 27.37 pounds. Third place went to Tyler Bolin of Valley Springs, Calif. with a two-day total of 26.38 pounds. He is followed in fourth place by Wes Nunley of Washington, Utah with 26.20 pounds and past U.S. Open Champion filling in as a last-minute AAA Nick Salvucci sits in fifth place with 25.47 pounds.
As a result of mechanical failures, 99 boats ventured out onto the surface of Lake Mead for day two of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury. The top 10 anglers in each division are listed below, for complete standings visit: https://wonbassevents.com/pages/lake-mead-open-pairings-and-results
WON Bass Lake Mead Open 9/18 to 9/20/2024
Place
Pro Day 2
Hometown
Fish
B/B
Pnlty
Day 1
Day 2
Total
1
Julius Mazy
Phoenix AZ
10-10
5.99
11.92
19.80
31.72
2
Shane Edgar
Glendale AZ
10-10
4.04
16.33
14.65
30.98
3
Bill Brown
Grand Junction CO
10-9
5.81
0.50
14.38
13.40
27.78
4
Tom Lowery
Lakeside CA
10-8
3.94
1.00
15.93
11.57
27.50
5
Dennis Kolender
Santee CA
10-10
4.01
12.80
12.80
25.60
6
Kyle Grover
RCHO STA MARG CA
10-10
13.63
11.87
25.50
7
Andy Doudna
Discovery Bay CA
10-8
3.04
1.00
11.21
14.10
25.31
8
Jeff Baird
Washington UT
10-8
4.06
1.00
12.18
12.99
25.17
9
John Murray
Spring City TN
10-10
5.94
10.95
14.15
25.10
10
Cody Steckel
Las Vegas NV
10-9
0.50
14.58
10.49
25.07
Place
AAA Angler Day 2
Hometown
Fish
B/B
Pnlty
Day 1
Day 2
Total
1
James Scott
Lancaster CA
10-10
9.41
19.80
29.21
2
Joe Uribe, Sr.
Lake Havasu City AZ
10-10
3.34
12.72
14.65
27.37
3
Tyler Bolin
Valley Springs CA
10-9
3.84
0.50
15.93
9.95
25.88
4
Wes Nunley
Washington UT
10-9
0.50
13.63
12.07
25.70
5
Nick Salvucci
Paso Robles CA
10-10
5.78
13.98
11.49
25.47
6
Mike Hawkins
Boulder City NV
10-10
13.54
10.57
24.11
7
George Azevedo
Desert Hot Springs CA
10-10
9.18
14.15
23.33
8
Jay Guterding
Redding CA
10-10
3.04
10.36
12.80
23.16
9
Brian Reaves
Bullhead City AZ
10-10
2.95
11.12
11.87
22.99
10
David Childress
Bakersfield CA
10-9
0.50
9.53
13.40
22.93
The winner of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open will earn the Ranger Boats / Mercury Motor prize boat, and the Golden Tickets to the 2025 Bassmaster BASS Nation National Championship will be awarded to the top five Pro and AAA anglers and will further develop the season long competition to see who will receive guaranteed slots into the 2025 Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers.
There are currently 110 pro anglers, and 104 AAA partners signed up for the event – signups remain open until September 13, 2024.
The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events Consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada moves next to the Lake Mead Open September 18 to 20, 2024. The series will culminate with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October. The full schedule of the five event dates are as follows:
Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta – Champion Nick Wood – 47.42 pounds April 17-19, Clear Lake – Austin Bonjour – 83.28 pounds May 15-17, Lake Havasu – Joe Uribe Jr. – 57.31 pounds Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead Oct. 14-16, U.S. Open at Lake Mohave
For complete details or to register, look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com to hear the latest news about the 2024 season and beyond and follow along at Facebook.com/WONBassTournaments. The 2024 WON Bass Northern California Lake Mead Open is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Phenix Rods, Yamamoto Baits, Bill Lewis Lures, Buckeye Lures, Steel Shad, Bioenno Power, DD26 Fishing, SOG Knives, Cold Steel Knives, Gamma Line, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine and Signature Gates.
Local presenting sponsors are Callville Bay Marina, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce and Boulder City Tackle
The 2 Day ALTEC Guaranteed $7000.00 Championship is in the books!!! We had an awesome weekend at Kerr Lake last week hosting the $7000.00 Championship.Weather was great and the competition was even better. We had Great comradery, tight weights and even had a pretty good meal to boot. After the Prayer and the National Anthem we blasted off 67 teams to see who could go home with the goods! Typical of Fall fishing on Kerr Lake fishing was kinda tough. But as always somebody’s going to catch em!!
After day 1 of the weigh in was concluded it was two teams that stood out front from the rest of the crowd. The team of Doughtie & White was the 1st to come to the scales with a big bag weighing 17.08 pounds. Not going to lie I didn’t think that would be topped but wrong I was!
A few minutes later the team of Wray & Purcell decided they wanted the lead going into day 2 and brought in an impressive bag weighing 19.29 pounds!!
I definitely wasn’t expecting to see a bag like that at the scales.
Day 2 we had 53 teams come back for more. Some with high ecspectations and some not so much but they stuck it out. During the weigh in it seemed the weights were more solid across the board for day 2. Going into Day 2 with the lead the team of Keith Wray & Tyler Purcell came to the scales with another solid bag weighing 12.94 pounds. That gave them a 2 day total of 32.23 pounds which topped the field by 2 pounds to give them their 2nd – 5 Alive Team Trail 2 day Championship. The Team made the run to Nutbush & fished creeks with a crankbait to catch most of their fish.
Win
They went home with an extra
$7570.00
Excellent Job guys on a well deserved WIN!!! They were followed by the 3rd place team after day 1 Tony Fox & Patrick Wooten. They came to the scales with the biggest bag of day 2 weighing 16.67 pounds giving them a 2 day total of 30.04 pounds. That earned them a total of $4250.00 for 2nd place. Great job guys!! Also very well deserved! Big fish for the tournament was also Won by the Winners of the tournament Wray & Purcell. They had a 5.55 pound bass earning them another $670.00. As always we want to CONGRATULATE all the teams that finished in the money.
We at the 5 Alive Team Trail want to THANK everyone that came out and fished with us this year! I say it every year and I say it from the heart. I feel that we have the greatest group of fishermen that we could ever ask for and we can’t express enough how much we appreciate each and every one of yall.
I Definitely want to Thank the staff of the 5 Alive Team Trail. My wife Krystal Kirby Sheppard , Jessica Turner Byrd , Chris Byrd . Also Thanks to the extra help when needed. My son Jeremy Sheppard , Cassie , Addison, Charlie Franklin, Clem Warren.
Last but Definitely not least We want to THANK all of our 2024 Sponsors. As I always tell everyone at the end of the tournaments. Always take a good look at all of the Sponsors we have on display because if it wasnt for them we would not be able to do what we all love!
Team Star Tron (Buck/Villa) catches 11 bass weighing 21-11 to advance on a very tough day of fishing, Knockout Round to start Wednesday
NEENAH, Wis. (Sept. 17, 2024) – Green Lane, Pennsylvania, pro Grae Buck, competing for Team Star Tron, caught the first two scorable bass of the day to jump out to the early lead Tuesday, and the Star Tron duo never relinquished the lead for the rest of the day. Buck and teammate Martin Villa, of Charlottesville, Pennsylvania , boated 11 scorable bass weighing 21 pounds, 11 ounces to win Match 3 of the Elimination Round and advance to the Knockout Round of competition at the General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley
Also advancing to the Knockout Round in second place was the Team Knighten Industries pairing of Kelly Jordon and Keith Poche , who caught 10 bass weighing 15-4, despite starting the day with a one-hour no-fishing penalty. The duo was assessed the penalty because Poche viewed SCORETRACKER® on Monday during Match 2. Viewing SCORETRACKER® on a day off from competition is allowed while competing on the Bass Pro Tour, but is not allowed during the General Tire Team Series. While competition began at 8:30 a.m. for the other three teams on the water, Team Knighten Industries was forced to wait until 9:30 a.m. to start its day.
It was the toughest fishing day of the event so far for anglers. For the third consecutive Elimination Round match, anglers competed on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain. Despite teams catching 56 bass Sunday during Match 1 and 81 bass Monday during Match 2, the four teams caught just 33 bass total on Wednesday.
“It was tough, but it was an awesome day of fishing out here with Martin today,” said Buck, who caught six bass totaling 11-5. “I threw a (Z-Man) ChatterBait (Jack Hammer) today, all day. I paired it with a (Z-Man) RaZor ShadZ as a trailer – I put it on and only went through one trailer the rest the day. The ChatterBait is my confidence bait, so getting to chuck this around all day long and let Martin clean up behind me was a great 1-2 punch.”
While Buck spent the day throwing the ChatterBait, Villa added five scorable bass of his own throwing a stick worm, including a 2-pound, 3-ounce smallmouth as time expired.
“We didn’t really need that one, but that was a great way to end the day,” Villa said. “We knew there was a group of fish there – we could see them on the (Lowrance) ActiveTarget. I was throwing a jerkbait at them, but they wouldn’t commit. Then I fired the worm in there and she bit. It kind of sealed the deal on a good day.”
“I enjoyed fishing with Martin, and I think we’re a strong team,” Buck went on to say. “We’re excited to see how it all plays out in the Knockout Round.”
The Team Knighten Industries duo of Poche and Jordon struggled for most of the day, but went on a furious rally in the final 45 minutes, catching seven scorable bass and adding 9-9 pounds to overtake Team Ferguson with just 10 minutes remaining and secure their spot in the Knockout Round.
“What a day,” said Poche in his postgame interview. “To start out with a freaking hour penalty, which was my fault, and overcome that adversity… man.”
“It was just one more obstacle that we had to overcome,” Jordon said. “That’s all that penalty was for us. But we fished hard and made the right decisions today.”
The area where Knighten Industries went on their rally to finish the day was found by Poche, who casted his line over a man-made rock wall into a little area that was kind of blocked off – not restricted, but also not easily accessible. He caught one, and that clued them in to go inside that area – a little backwater marsh behind a rock wall to prevent erosion.
“I was frustrated until the end,” Poche said. “It’s a challenge fishing with somebody that you don’t normally fish with – not knowing what they’re thinking, or what side they want to throw on, or where. But despite that, we pulled it out and now we get to move on to the Knockout Round.”
Most of Team Knighten Industries’ catch came on a frog, although they did add a few bass with an unnamed stick worm and a swimjig.
The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 3 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley that now advance to the Knockout Round are:
1st: Team Star Tron, 11 bass, 21-11 Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., six bass, 11-5 Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 10-6 2nd: Team Knighten Industries, 10 bass, 15-4 Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, three bass, 5-1 Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., seven bass, 10-3
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Ferguson, seven bass, 14-7 Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., three bass, 4-3 Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., four bass, 10-4 4th: Team Coign, five bass, 8-10 Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, four bass, 7-10 Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., one bass, 1-0
Overall, there were 33 bass weighing 60 pounds even caught by the four teams during Elimination Round Match 3 on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain. Team Ferguson pro Marty Robinson caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces.
The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.
Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning as early as 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
Every weekend, I’m out there throwing everything but the kitchen sink at these bass. I’ve tried every lure, technique, and supposed “secret spot” I can think of. But no matter what I do, I just keep reeling in those pesky little bronzebacks that barely measure up to the legal limit. It’s a never-ending cycle of hope and disappointment, but this past weekend, something changed.
Hitting the Real Struggles of Bass Fishing
If you’ve ever dipped your line in the water, you know that frustration. Countless hours under the sun, slinging lures across the lake, only to reel in fish that couldn’t make the cover of a magazine. Since joining my local tournament bass fishing community, this feeling has become all too familiar. But that’s why we’re here—to share the *real* ups and downs and help each other become better anglers.
Re-evaluating the Basics: Keep It Fresh
One thing I’ve learned in my journey is that sometimes you have to go back to the basics. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest lures or secret techniques that promise a hefty haul. But sometimes, what you really need is a fresh approach to the fundamentals.
First, let’s talk **gear**. Are you using the right rod, reel, and line for the types of bass you’re targeting? For me, switching to a medium-heavy rod with a fast-action tip and spooled with braided line made all the difference. The strength and sensitivity allowed me to feel even the slightest nibble, transforming missed opportunities into potential catches.
The Importance of Location: Not All Spots Are Equal
It wasn’t until I spent a full day with a seasoned angler from my tournament bass fishing club that I realized how crucial location is. He took me to a secluded cove that looked unassuming at first glance. But once we anchored and cast our lines, it was like flipping a switch.
Look for **underwater structures** like fallen trees, rock piles, or grassy beds—these are the ideal hiding spots for trophy bass. Use topographical maps or fishing apps to identify these hotspots before you even hit the water.
Lure Selection: Match the Hatch
Another game-changer was learning to *match the hatch*. Bass are opportunistic feeders and will go after what’s prevalent in their environment. Observing the local baitfish, insects, and crustaceans can provide insights into which lures to use.
On that pivotal weekend, success came when I switched to a **natural-colored soft plastic** that mimicked the look and movement of the shad in our lake. It transformed my fishing experience, leading to several catches that easily surpassed the legal limit.
Technique Matters: Master the Presentation
It’s not just about what you throw; it’s also about how you present it. Mastering techniques like **jigging, drop-shotting, and Texas-rigging** can vastly improve your odds. One of the tricks that set my weekend apart was slowing down my retrieve. I used a **Texas-rigged worm** and exaggerated the pauses, mimicking a dying baitfish. This subtle change enticed the bass to strike more aggressively.
Weather and Timing: Nature’s Playbook
Don’t underestimate the impact of weather and timing. The wind, water temperature, and barometric pressure can all influence bass behavior. Overcast days with a slight breeze are often ideal conditions, but early mornings and late evenings yield ample opportunities regardless of weather.
Using weather apps to track fronts and pressure changes can help you plan your trip more effectively. This nuanced understanding came from countless discussions with fellow anglers at our tournament bass fishing meetups, reinforcing that knowledge and shared experience are powerful tools.
Psychology of Bass: Understand Their Behavior
One often overlooked aspect is understanding the **psychology of bass**. Bass are territorial, curious yet cautious. Knowing when to be aggressive and when to finesse your approach can be the key difference between a good day and a great day.
For instance, during spawn season, bass tend to guard their nests fiercely. Presenting a lure that irritates them can provoke strikes even if they’re not particularly hungry. On a recent outing, I used a **brightly-colored jig** to aggravate a nesting bass, resulting in a thrilling hook-up that I might’ve otherwise missed.
Shared Wisdom: Learning from Others
Community is invaluable. We frequently discuss our experiences and strategies during our tournament bass fishing club gatherings. One nugget of wisdom I gathered was the concept of **compartmentalizing your day**. Don’t spend too long in one spot. Break up your fishing day into chunks, dedicating a specific amount of time to each area and technique.
Sharing stories over coffee—or in our case, over beers at the local bar after a day on the lake—adds to this collective knowledge. These informal sessions have often provided the most actionable tips and tricks, like adjusting your casting angle to match the sun’s position or identifying subtle changes in water color that could signify a productive spot.
Persistence Pays Off: Keep Throwing That Kitchen Sink
Finally, perseverance is everything. Even when the bites are few and far between, keep experimenting. Adjust your lures, locations, and techniques until you find what works. The only way to catch those trophy bass is to keep trying, weekend after weekend.
On that transformative weekend, after hours of trial and error, I finally felt that elusive tug on my line—a brute of a largemouth that put up a fight worthy of a tournament winner. The thrill of finally landing a fish I’d been chasing for months was indescribable.
This journey isn’t just about catching fish; it’s about becoming a better angler. Understanding the factors influencing bass behavior, refining your techniques, and continually learning from your community will make every moment on the water more rewarding. So, the next time you’re out there, still throwing everything but the kitchen sink, remember these tips. You’re closer to landing that trophy than you think.
Every weekend may not result in a record-breaking haul, but each outing brings you one step closer to mastering the craft of bass fishing. Keep it real, keep it fresh, and most importantly, keep it engaging. Cheers to your next catch!
Nearly 100 student anglers and 26 of the top collegiate fishing programs in the country gathered in Decatur, Ala., Sept. 13-15 for the fourth annual Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine.
Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.
Sept. 17, 2024
Alabama’s Choquette claims Overall title at 2024 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine
DECATUR, Ala. — Opportunities are endless when you gather 97 talented high school anglers from across the country along with 26 of the top collegiate fishing programs in the U.S. That’s exactly what happened at the fourth annual Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine. Over the course of three days, Combine participants had the opportunity to meet one on one with college fishing coaches and anglers in addition to competing in three skills competitions and three bonus points challenges.
After racking up 370 total points across three events — Long Distance Casting, Technical and Casting Accuracy — Barrett Choquette of Headland, Ala., took home the Overall Skill Challenge title. The senior at Headland High School was rock solid across all three events and collected 11 of the 15 available bonus points to narrowly edge out Brock Lovering of Lakeland, Fla., for the grand prize.
Choquette has been familiar with the High School Combine for a few years now as his brother, Hudson, who currently fishes for the University of Montevallo, attended the very first Combine in 2021.
“My brother really got me into tournament bass fishing and encouraged me to enter into the Combine this year,” said Choquette. “I knew for sure as soon as he participated in the first Combine I wanted to be a part of this event. It’s all about getting to meet the coaches and the competitors.
“A lot of the anglers here are anglers that I will be fishing against in college for years to come, so I really wanted to meet everyone and make sure to meet with as many coaches as I could.”
As a competitor, Choquette wanted to make sure to beat his brother’s ninth-place finish at the 2021 Combine, and getting a good start was crucial to his success. His first competition was the Long Distance Casting Challenge where he made the fifth-longest cast of 57.4 yards.
“I knew that the wind was going to pick up throughout the day, so I wanted to knock out the long cast first,” he said. “After I got done with that challenge, I had to go back inside for a coaching visit, so having positive momentum was nice.”
After a great start, Choquette moved on to the Technical Challenge where he had to navigate a 20-foot Skeeter bass boat around an obstacle and make an accurate cast into a floating target. Choquette, as well as four other Combine anglers, completed the challenge in 39 seconds to tie for the third-fastest time. This event proved to be critical to making a move up the overall leaderboard.
“The Technical Challenge is really the one that saved me,” he said. “I really didn’t think that my time was that great at the time, but it turned out to be pretty good. I knew I had to put the trolling motor on 10 and get going.
“I got around the buoy, and the wind was blowing pretty strong. I made a long cast but didn’t get it in the target, but I was able to get a little closer and make a short flip on my second attempt.”
In addition to taking out the competition at the Combine, Choquette was able to meet with a number of coaches and narrow down a few schools that he is interested in attending next year.
“I’m not exactly sure where I am going to go to school, but after this event I feel like I have a lot of options,” said Choquette. “I’m really liking a few schools right now, so I guess we’ll just have to see what happens next.”
Technical Challenge
Drake Fleming of Martin, Ga., was the champion of the Technical Challenge with a blazing-fast time of just 33 seconds, which was five seconds faster than second place. The 12th grader used his fishing strengths and his familiarity with the Skeeter Boat/Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST combo to his advantage to take home the trophy.
“We actually fish out of a Skeeter ZXR20 with an Ultrex, so I’m super-familiar with the boat we were using,” said Fleming. “I fish on Lake Hartwell a lot so I’m used to keeping the trolling motor on 10 and chasing around herring fish.”
The senior from Stephens County High School paid close attention to the anglers that competed in the challenge before him to learn from their mistakes.
“I tried to hug the buoy as tight as I could and was able to hit inside the target on my second flip,” he said. “I knew that I could separate myself if I made casts from farther out rather than spending more time getting close to the target.”
Long Distance Casting Challenge
With a cast measuring 62.8 yards, Carter Lanclos of Sulphur, La., took home first place in the Long Distance Casting Challenge. Competitors were fully equipped with a Lew’s baitcasting combo, 12-pound monofilament line and a Strike King Sexy Dawg topwater. Each competitor was allowed two casts, and the farthest cast was their final score.
Lanclos, a 12th grader at Sulphur High School, tried to relate the competition to the bass fishing that he does on a few of his home lakes, which proved to be a great move.
“When I fish Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn, I seem to be fishing for schooling fish a good bit, so I’m used to making extremely long casts,” said Lanclos. “I knew the wind was going to be a big factor, so I tried to knock out the Long Distance (Casting) challenge as quick as I could.”
Also, ensuring his Lew’s combo was set to the appropriate settings was a key to maximizing casting distance.
“It took me a long time the night before to make sure my settings were going to be just right,” he said. “I knew that we were going to be throwing a bigger topwater, so everything needed to be just right to compete.”
Casting Accuracy Challenge
The Casting Accuracy Challenge proved to be the most challenging of all the competitions. Each competitor had two minutes to pitch or cast a 1/2-ounce jig with their Lew’s combo into five buckets of water while standing on the casting platform. Each pitch or cast was progressively farther away from the platform.
While this challenge stumped quite a few competitors, Tanner Mason of Grant, Ala., knocked it out of the park with a dominating score of just 32 seconds. This score was 39 seconds faster than the second-place score.
Having a background in shallow-water flipping and pitching came in clutch for the 12th grader from Dar High School.
“I consider Lake Guntersville my home lake, and I love to flip mats up the river,” said Mason. “I had a buddy that competed in the Combine a few years ago, so I knew that my best chance to win would be in this competition.”
