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Tuesday, December 16, 2025
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Garmin Launches The Force Current Kayak Trolling Motor With Unrivaled Maneuverability

Brian Carter
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Garmin Launches The Force Current Kayak Trolling Motor With Unrivaled Maneuverability
Garmin Launches The Force Current Kayak Trolling Motor With Unrivaled Maneuverability

Industry’s first hands-free kayak propulsion system allows anglers to focus on fishing.

OLATHE, Kan. — Garmin (NYSE: GRMN), the world’s largest1 and most innovative marine electronics manufacturer, today announced Force® Current—a trolling motor that redefines kayak fishing with a first-of-its-kind hands-free wireless throttle and steering control system. This all-in-one solution allows anglers to navigate, troll and fight fish without ever setting the rod down. Delivering legendary Force performance, it features a brushless motor purpose-built for kayak anglers with full forward and reverse thrust that makes it easy to navigate in any direction, weave through tight timber, turn in a tight circle, sneak along shorelines or creep through weed beds while fishing.

See the Force Current kayak trolling motor in action.

“Kayak fishing continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments of recreational fishing. We’re thrilled to expand our Force trolling motor lineup with a premium kayak solution that’s both innovative and intuitive for anglers of all skill levels. Leveraging Garmin’s most advanced trolling motor technology with our revolutionary hands-free kayak propulsion system, the Force Current will change the way you fish from a kayak.” –Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing

Control your kayak with ease

  • Use the power steer foot pedals, included on select bundles, for hands-free throttle and steering, or use the wireless handheld remote with point-and-go gesture steering.
  • Reduce clutter on the deck and eliminate the need for rudder cables; the pedals connect wirelessly to the motor and are designed to accommodate a variety of simple installation methods.
  • Quickly engage anchor lock, heading hold and more with programmable foot pedal buttons.  
  • The dual-voltage, efficient brushless motor delivers 50 pounds of thrust with 24V power, or 30 pounds with 12V power to move anglers from spot to spot all day long. 
  • Stay put – even in windy conditions or strong current – thanks to Garmin’s smart anchor lock technology with multi-band GPS.
  • Wireless chartplotter integration allows anglers to create routes and tracks for the trolling motor to follow while they fish; the chartplotter can also be used to control steering, throttle, anchor lock and more
  • Control throttle and steering from the wrist with a compatible Garmin smartwatch.
  • With safety in mind, the included wireless man overboard tag will cut off the motor should the operator fall overboard.  
  • In shallow areas, quickly and easily stow or deploy the prop with one hand with the included stow rope and cleat kit.
  • Get on and off the water fast; installation is simple and intuitive, and the lightweight motor weighs less than 25 pounds so it can be easily carried in one hand.

Rugged and durable, the Force Current is built to endure harsh saltwater and freshwater environments with advanced corrosion protection. Two prop options are included; a high-efficiency prop for maximized battery life and a weedless prop designed to cut through aquatic vegetation.

The Force Current will be available in July with a suggested retail price of $3599.99 for the motor and foot pedals, or without the pedals for $2999.99. To learn more, visit garmin.com/marine.   

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for anglers, sailors, mariners and boat enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing the most innovative, highest quality, and easiest to use marine electronics the industry has ever known, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. For the tenth consecutive year, Garmin was named the Manufacturer of the Year by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminfishhunt on social, or follow the Garmin blog.

1Based on 2024 sales.

About Garmin

Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. Garmin, GPSMAP, ActiveCaptain and NMEA are registered trademarks, and Auto Guidance+, ClearVü, EmpirBus, Garmin Navionics+, Garmin Navionics Vision+, LiveScope, OneHelm, Panoptix and SideVü are trademarks of Garmin Ltd., or its subsidiaries.





Familiar waters carry Jagdfeld to lead at Nation Regional at Lake Erie

Brian Carter
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0
Familiar waters carry Jagdfeld to lead at Nation Regional at Lake Erie

Michigan’s Aaron Jagdfeld has taken the lead on Day 1 of the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Erie presented by Lowrance with a total of 23 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Grant Moxley/B.A.S.S.

July 16, 2025

Familiar waters carry Jagdfeld to lead at Nation Regional at Lake Erie

Nation_Mercury_Lowrance_4C_Raster.png

MONROE, Mich. — Fishing familiar territory proved to be the right choice for Aaron Jagdfeld on Day 1 of the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Erie presented by Lowrance. 

The 24-year-old made the 130 round-trip trek to Lake St. Clair to land 23 pounds, 5 ounces of smallmouth to take the Day 1 lead, anchoring his bag with a 5-7 to take control of Big Bass of the Tournament. 

Jagdfeld carries a 1-15 over Iowa’s Chris Miller into Day 2 and a nearly 2-pound advantage over Ohio’s Cody Dawson.  

The waves across this massive system created by scattered thunderstorms caught much of the field off guard, cutting many fishing days short and resulting in several late penalties. Even still, more than half the field landed limits on the first day of competition with 27 anglers catching more than 17 pounds. 

With winds forecasted at 15 to 30 mph and waves on Lake Erie projected to be between 5 and 9 feet, tournament officials made the decision to cancel Day 2 after Wednesday’s weigh-in. The full field of 166 anglers will compete on the final day. 

A native of Rochester Hills, Mich., Jagdfeld said he is far more familiar with Lake St. Clair than Lake Erie, and despite the long run, felt like making the trip was well worth it. 

“I spent all of practice in St. Clair,” the Adrian College graduate said. “I broke down new water and tried to find some stuff. I didn’t really find any big groups, it has just been a one here, one there kind of deal. It is all about staying on the trolling motor and hunting them down.”

During the warm-up period, Jagdfeld found many of the smallmouth in St. Clair are still in a postspawn funk and skinny. Those bass are honing in on a mayfly hatch, and have been generally reluctant to bite a bait.

Instead, the 2024 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s runner-up is targeting the smallmouth that are in a full summer pattern in deeper water. On Day 1, he pitched a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader and a 6-inch Deps Sakamata Shad to smallies hovering around sand and cabbage in 19 feet of water.  

“I’m targeting the bass that have been out there for a good month now,” he said. “I’ve kept two different baits on the deck in several different colors and rolled with it.”

Jagdfeld had about four hours to fish, but made the most of his limited time by landing 21 pounds by 10:30 a.m., landing his biggest bass during that time frame. 

“That was about 9 in the morning,” Jagdfeld said. “I had three big ones at that point. I saw it floating out there and casted at it. I thought it was only about 5 at first.”

He managed to cull one last time before seeing the storm clouds building and decided to run back and ensure he made it back to weigh-in on time. 

“I saw the storm coming at 11:45 and said screw this, turned around and ran back,” he explained.

His better bites came during the short period of time the sun was out, but once the clouds rolled back in he noticed the bass sank to the bottom. 

Miller also made the run to St. Clair, making it back to check-in with a bag of smallmouth weighing 21-10, anchored by a 4-14, with three minutes to spare.

“This place is absolutely awesome,” Miller said. “The winds weren’t supposed to be this bad, and I saw they were picking up so I decided to cut my day short and come back. That was a good call because I barely made it in.”

Fishing around a patch of weeds in 10 to 12 feet of water he found during practice and landed a limit within 20 minutes of fishing. Throughout the day, the Spirit Lake, Iowa native caught around 40 bass to get to his total weight using a Strike King Z Too. 

“During practice, I figured out right away that there were postspawn fish that hadn’t fattened up yet,” the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn presented by SEVIIN champion said. “They were long but didn’t weigh much. So I found a section of the lake that I could hit where the bass were more in their summer patterns. 

“They were grouped up better today than they had been all week.” 

Paul Andorfer from Albion, Ind. and Ontario’s Warren Cooper are tied for the nonboater lead with a three-bass limit weighing 12-0. Rochester, Minn.’s Perry See is third with 11-11. Wisconsin’s Jediah Barrett landed the Big Bass of the Day, a 4-3 smallmouth. 

2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Erie presented by Lowrance 7/16-7/18
Lake Erie, Monroe  MI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Aaron Jagdfeld         Rochester Hills, MI      5  23-05    0
  Day 1: 5   23-05   
2.  Chris Miller           Spirit Lake, IA          5  21-10    0
  Day 1: 5   21-10   
3.  Cody Dawson            Mount Vernon, OH         5  21-08    0
  Day 1: 5   21-08   
4.  Allex Conner           Delaware, OH             5  20-10    0
  Day 1: 5   20-10   
5.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA           5  19-15    0
  Day 1: 5   19-15   
6.  Jonathon Dewey         Fort Gratiot, MI         5  19-13    0
  Day 1: 5   19-13   
7.  Kevin Martin           Crown City, OH           5  19-11    0
  Day 1: 5   19-11   
8.  Connor Sirois          Buxton, ME               5  19-11    0
  Day 1: 5   19-11   
9.  Brian Brown            Sandusky, OH             5  19-03    0
  Day 1: 5   19-03   
10. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               5  19-02    0
  Day 1: 5   19-02   
11. Charles Sim            Wasaga Beach Ontario CA  5  19-00    0
  Day 1: 5   19-00   
12. Keith Poulin           Lisbon, ME               5  18-13    0
  Day 1: 5   18-13   
13. Bryce Poulin           Lisbon, ME               5  18-11    0
  Day 1: 5   18-11   
14. Reece Keeney           Winneconne, WI           5  18-10    0
  Day 1: 5   18-10   
15. Paul Ersing            Ogunquit, ME             5  18-09    0
  Day 1: 5   18-09   
16. Justin Hrach           Rostraver Township, PA   5  18-04    0
  Day 1: 5   18-04   
17. Nathan Delaney Jr      Weyauwega, WI            5  18-01    0
  Day 1: 5   18-01   
18. Larry Clontz           Trenton, OH              5  18-01    0
  Day 1: 5   18-01   
19. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                 5  17-15    0
  Day 1: 5   17-15   
20. Nick Deering           Portland, ME             5  17-14    0
  Day 1: 5   17-14   
21. Griffin Fernandes      Fishers, IN              5  17-14    0
  Day 1: 5   17-14   
22. Eddie Levin            Westerville, OH          5  17-12    0
  Day 1: 5   17-12   
23. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI               5  17-07    0
  Day 1: 5   17-07   
24. Whitney Stephens       Waverly, OH              5  17-04    0
  Day 1: 5   17-04   
25. Kyle Moodie            Ripon, WI                5  17-04    0
  Day 1: 5   17-04   
26. Jack Frame             Fremont, WI              5  17-02    0
  Day 1: 5   17-02   
27. Bradley Baxter         Willshire, OH            5  17-01    0
  Day 1: 5   17-01   
28. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL              5  16-15    0
  Day 1: 5   16-15   
29. Eric Storms            Winner, SD               5  16-15    0
  Day 1: 5   16-15   
30. Doug Chapin            Tigerton, WI             5  16-14    0
  Day 1: 5   16-14   
31. Matt McCoy             Indianapolis, IN         5  16-14    0
  Day 1: 5   16-14   
32. Mark Tonjum Jr         Spencer, IA              5  16-12    0
  Day 1: 5   16-12   
33. Russell Volquardsen    Creighton, NE            5  16-10    0
  Day 1: 5   16-10   
34. Trysten Williams       Georgetown, IN           5  16-10    0
  Day 1: 5   16-10   
35. Michael Spaulding Jr.  Dundee, MI               5  16-07    0
  Day 1: 5   16-07   
36. Derrick Soulliere      Belle River Ontario CAN  4  16-07    0
  Day 1: 4   16-07   
37. Cory Mathes            New Holstein, WI         5  16-06    0
  Day 1: 5   16-06   
38. Eric Aguilar           Grand Blanc, MI          5  16-04    0
  Day 1: 5   16-04   
39. Michael Egnac          West Mifflin, PA         5  16-03    0
  Day 1: 5   16-03   
40. Jacob Zaremski         Rochester, NY            5  15-15    0
  Day 1: 5   15-15   
41. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD               5  15-13    0
  Day 1: 5   15-13   
42. Brock Belik            Orchard, NE              5  15-12    0
  Day 1: 5   15-12   
43. Carson Peeters         Menasha, WI              5  15-11    0
  Day 1: 5   15-11   
44. Josh Cole              Columbus, IN             5  15-10    0
  Day 1: 5   15-10   
45. Corey Bohlmann         Le Roy, IL               5  15-09    0
  Day 1: 5   15-09   
45. Mason Gillihan         Manchester, IA           5  15-09    0
  Day 1: 5   15-09   
47. Cason Hiers            St. Paul, MN             5  15-08    0
  Day 1: 5   15-08   
48. Matthew Davis          Morenci, MI              5  15-07    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
49. Matt Marques           Seneca, IL               5  15-07    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
50. Darryl Halbert         Enoree, SC               5  15-07    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
51. Jose Munoz             McHenry , IL             5  15-05    0
  Day 1: 5   15-05   
52. Chad Timmer            Hudsonville, MI          5  15-05    0
  Day 1: 5   15-05   
53. Shane Nelson           Wadsworth, OH            5  15-04    0
  Day 1: 5   15-04   
54. Vince Xiong            Champlin, MN             5  15-03    0
  Day 1: 5   15-03   
55. Dustin Bauer           Louisville , KY          5  15-02    0
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
55. Corey Lindsey          Marion, OH               5  15-02    0
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
57. Bryan Finch            Belton, TX               5  15-02    0
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
58. Dan Hendley            Mankato, MN              4  14-15    0
  Day 1: 4   14-15   
59. Randy Huffman          Charleston, WV           5  14-14    0
  Day 1: 5   14-14   
60. Tim Ward               Coshocton, OH            5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
61. Steven Smith           Johnstown, OH            5  14-10    0
  Day 1: 5   14-10   
62. Jeremiah Acton         Shelbyville, MI          5  14-09    0
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
63. Miles Johnson          Washington Twp, OH       5  14-09    0
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
63. Zack Morris            Durham, ME               5  14-09    0
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
65. Bryce Hauf             Winner, SD               5  14-08    0
  Day 1: 5   14-08   
66. Nathan Reynolds        Florence, AL             5  14-07    0
  Day 1: 5   14-07   
67. Ed Powell              Sandyville, WV           5  14-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
68. Joe Titus              Bemidji, MN              5  14-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
69. Gunner Wilson          Fenton, MI               5  14-05    0
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
70. James Welch II         Litchfield, ME           5  14-05    0
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
71. Josh                   Orland Park, IL          5  14-04    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04   
72. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ              5  14-03    0
  Day 1: 5   14-03   
73. Troy Thorington        West Olive, MI           5  14-00    0
  Day 1: 5   14-00   
74. Jerry Koller           Paragon, IN              5  13-14    0
  Day 1: 5   13-14   
75. Gary Greenwood         Taylors, SC              4  13-14    0
  Day 1: 4   13-14   
76. Jordan Hirt            Council Bluffs, IA       5  13-12    0
  Day 1: 5   13-12   
76. Chris Johnson          Farmington, AR           5  13-12    0
  Day 1: 5   13-12   
78. Nick Hargis            Wentzville, MO           5  13-11    0
  Day 1: 5   13-11   
79. Mitchell Elsey         Olivet, MI               5  13-11    0
  Day 1: 5   13-11   
80. Steve York             Bronson, MI              4  13-10    0
  Day 1: 4   13-10   
81. Michael Kazmierczak    Lemont, IL               5  13-09    0
  Day 1: 5   13-09   
82. Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA            5  13-03    0
  Day 1: 5   13-03   
83. David Reiss            Westport Island, ME      5  13-03    0
  Day 1: 5   13-03   
84. Ricardo Guzman         Farmington, MO           5  13-00    0
  Day 1: 5   13-00   
85. Justin Rowse           O’Neill, NE              5  12-15    0
  Day 1: 5   12-15   
86. Cliff Van Beek         Canistota, SD            5  12-14    0
  Day 1: 5   12-14   
87. Kevin Allen            Springport, IN           5  12-12    0
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
88. Edward Gad             Morris, IL               5  12-10    0
  Day 1: 5   12-10   
89. Kevin Newcomb          Saint Albans, WV         5  12-07    0
  Day 1: 5   12-07   
90. Shane Oltjenbruns      Neligh, NE               5  12-06    0
  Day 1: 5   12-06   
91. Chris Rhodes           Eaton, IN                3  12-06    0
  Day 1: 3   12-06   
92. Nobuyuki Terajima      Hermitage, TN            4  11-15    0
  Day 1: 4   11-15   
93. Bailey Bleser          Burlington, WI           5  11-14    0
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
94. Colby Kirwan           Wagner, SD               5  11-11    0
  Day 1: 5   11-11   
95. Drew Crawford          Knightstown, IN          5  11-04    0
  Day 1: 5   11-04   
96. Johnny Bigger II       Spring Hill, FL          5  11-03    0
  Day 1: 5   11-03   
96. Karl Guegold           Johnstown, OH            5  11-03    0
  Day 1: 5   11-03   
98. Larry Peterson II      Hammond, WI              4  11-01    0
  Day 1: 4   11-01   
99. Jody White             Shaftsbury, VT           5  11-00    0
  Day 1: 5   11-00   
100. Jeff Brown             Wentworth, SD            5  10-15    0
  Day 1: 5   10-15   
101. Dave Schneider Jr      Indianapolis, IN         5  10-14    0
  Day 1: 5   10-14   
102. Cade Laufenberg        Onalaska, WI             4  10-09    0
  Day 1: 4   10-09   
103. Colton Lindsey         Mount Sterling, OH       5  10-08    0
  Day 1: 5   10-08   
104. Jesse Stewart          Lima, OH                 5  10-01    0
  Day 1: 5   10-01   
105. Ryan Whitacre          Chicago, IL              5  10-00    0
  Day 1: 5   10-00   
106. Bryan Hulsey           Troy, MO                 5  10-00    0
  Day 1: 5   10-00   
107. Darrin Lewellen        Heath, OH                5  09-14    0
  Day 1: 5   09-14   
108. Brad Paradis           Ogdensburg, NY           4  09-09    0
  Day 1: 4   09-09   
109. Dustin Taylor          Galesburg, IL            4  09-08    0
  Day 1: 4   09-08   
110. Robert Myers           Lacona, IA               4  09-04    0
  Day 1: 4   09-04   
111. Trevor Sanderson       New Lenox, IL            5  08-08    0
  Day 1: 5   08-08   
112. Ray McGraw             Chillicothe, OH          3  08-06    0
  Day 1: 3   08-06   
113. Donald Roberts Jr      Bellville, OH            4  08-02    0
  Day 1: 4   08-02   
114. Thy Dinh               Charleston, WV           3  08-01    0
  Day 1: 3   08-01   
115. Clayton Grimm          Mechanic Falls, ME       3  07-10    0
  Day 1: 3   07-10   
116. Ernie Dillingham       Wisconsin Rapids, WI     3  07-07    0
  Day 1: 3   07-07   
117. Geno Bielawa           Schodack Landing, NY     5  07-06    0
  Day 1: 5   07-06   
118. Jeremiah Shaver        Holmen, WI               2  07-06    0
  Day 1: 2   07-06   
119. Josh Hubbard           Citrus Springs, FL       3  07-03    0
  Day 1: 3   07-03   
120. Andy Toft              Canton, SD               2  07-02    0
  Day 1: 2   07-02   
121. Quincy Bryant          Shakopee, MN             3  06-15    0
  Day 1: 3   06-15   
122. Mathew Lyons           Bar Harbor, ME           2  06-01    0
  Day 1: 2   06-01   
123. Frank Scalish          Mt Gilead, OH            2  05-14    0
  Day 1: 2   05-14   
124. Gary Michalski         Naperville, IL           3  05-13    0
  Day 1: 3   05-13   
125. Bob Evans              Elkhart, IN              3  05-10    0
  Day 1: 3   05-10   
126. Kevin Scheibelhut      Mishawaka, IN            5  05-02    0
  Day 1: 5   05-02   
127. Mason Phillpotts       Swartz Creek, MI         3  05-00    0
  Day 1: 3   05-00   
128. Jacob Crapyou          Wheelersburg, OH         2  04-06    0
  Day 1: 2   04-06   
129. Travis Wise            Rootstown, OH            2  04-05    0
  Day 1: 2   04-05   
130. Harry Therault         Elgin, IL                2  03-11    0
  Day 1: 2   03-11   
131. Colton Boelkes         Roscoe, IL               1  02-09    0
  Day 1: 1   02-09   
132. Joseph Kinsley         Parkersburg, WV          1  02-08    0
  Day 1: 1   02-08   
133. Allen Williford        Paducah, KY              1  01-13    0
  Day 1: 1   01-13   
134. Kevin Postalwait       Ripley, WV               5  00-00    0
  Day 1: 5   00-00   
135. Brennan Berglund       Zimmerman, MN            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Dustin Bliss           Brooklyn Park, MN        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Hunter Colwell         Bellefontaine, OH        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Tyler Conde            Chepachet, RI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Kollin Crawford        Broken Bow, OK           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Lance Crawford         Broken Bow, OK           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Evan Delarosa          Kalamazoo, MI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Mark Desjardin         Vassalboro, ME           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. John Engler            Vinton, IA               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Chris Episcopo         Canonsburg, PA           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Ethan Fields           Carlyle, IL              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Joe Grafeman           Camdenton, MO            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Patrick Henry          Westerville, OH          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Jon Jezierski          Clinton Twsp, MI         0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Casey Knaup            Fort Atkinson, WI        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Ryan Koehn/Lofts       Ada, MI                  0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Nick Koehne            Manteno, IL              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Randy Kukral           Aurora, OH               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Buck Mallory           Lawton, MI               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Harmon Marien          Eagle River, WI          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Tylor Marquis          Gray, ME                 0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Tricia Mcgraw          Chillicothe, OH          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Brian Post             Janesville, WI           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Nic Rand               Paw Paw, MI              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Clay Reitz             Morton, IL               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Craig Saylor           Oak Hill, OH             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Dan Stowell            Plainwell, MI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Kenneth Swint          Bargersville, IN         0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Zach                   Ravenna, MI              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Neal Wisinski          Stevens Point, WI        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
135. Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       103       606      1796-01
———————————-
         103       606      1796-01





Yamamoto Fuzzy Nut Debuts

Brian Carter
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Yamamoto Fuzzy Nut Debuts

The Yamamoto Fuzzy Nut is an odd-looking bait – but it sure does catch fish.

Irving, TX – The 1.5″ Fuzzy Nut is a dice-style bait that lives up to its Fuzzy name with threaded skirt material, providing a subtle secondary action that drives bass crazy.

“Most dice-style baits are cube-shaped,” explains Yamamoto pro Cody Meyer. “The Fuzzy Nut is actually a bit longer, so it looks more natural and provides numerous rigging options. You can completely hide a nail weight in this thing to add more glide, and it has the same salt content that the legendary Senko was built on.”

Coming 6 per pack, the Fuzzy Nut is available in 10 winning colors and can be found at Baits.com or your favorite fishing retailer.

About GSM Outdoors

Few American outdoor companies enjoy a mutually respected relationship with their customers that span over five generations. GSM Outdoors is among those few! For over 70 years, the GSM family of brands has been helping passionate hunters, shooters, knife enthusiasts and anglers succeed through innovation and the manufacture of high-quality, reliable products that continue to prove themselves in the field, on the range and on the water. GSM Outdoors continues to leverage the latest technology and provide customers with the best products on the market. Tradition, heritage, and loyalty to outdoor enthusiasts of generations past and generations to come…that’s the GSM Outdoors guarantee!





For the Hard Working Angler by WHITEWATER

Brian Carter
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For the Hard Working Angler by WHITEWATER
For the Hard Working Angler
Whitewater Fishing’s new Riparian Jacket and Bib are designed for those who take fishing as seriously as their dream job
MUSKEGON, Mich. (July 14, 2025) – Fishing can be work. Yes, we said it. Folks are always talking and daydreaming about fishing more and working less – an admirable concept. But, frankly, sometimes a hard day in the boat feels like work.And for those journeyman anglers who attack fishing like they’re aiming for a raise, Whitewater Fishing gives you the new Riparian™ Jacket and Bib. 
GRAPHITE
BLACK
BLACK
Think of that guy or gal that’s always first to the bow to the pull the anchor. Or rerig tangled lines with frozen fingers while others have “alligator arms”. Or willingly be the “net-man”, letting the rest of the crew fight and hold fish for Facebook posts. That’s a Riparian angler…Riparian is a hardworking, two-layer rainsuit built for tasks on the water while simultaneously providing the ultimate weather protection.As always, fabrics and construction were ground zero in the development of Riparian. “The Riparian Jacket and Bib are constructed from tough mini-ripstop, 4-way stretch nylon/spandex with a smooth polyester lining,” said Whitewater Fishing Marketing Director, Steve Allie. “We focused on durability, but at the same time made Riparian fit and feel comfortable, like everything we design.”The only things Riparian has in common with those heavy, boxy, yellow longshoreman suits are waterproofness and durability. In fact, Riparian’s 4-way stretch nylon/spandex with laminate boasts 20k waterproof and windproof ratings. A 20k waterproof rating is considered excellent, suitable for heavy rain, wet snow, and high-pressure conditions such as sitting or kneeling on wet surfaces.
Supplementing the fabric’s waterproofness are fully taped seams. If a seam can’t repel water, the fabric’s watertightness doesn’t matter. Each strategically cut and sewn fabric panel in the jacket and bib are fully taped. Riparian seams simply don’t leak. And why all the “strategically cut and sewn fabric panels”? Because Whitewater fabric panels represent areas of motion. Riparian is designed to fit and move with the human form.The workhorse Riparian jacket sports a blitz of other foul weather features, too. First, the front zipper is shrouded with an extra wide triple storm flap. The crisscrossing panels keep wind and water soundly on the outside. The front zipper is special as well. The reliable, two-way AquaGuard® zipper is water-resistant, adding yet another layer of defense.The AquaGuard influence doesn’t end there, either. Riparian boasts a total of seven AquaGuard zippers on the jacket alone, and another three on the bib. The jacket features an AquaGuard zippered chest, waist, and hard-warming pockets. On the bib, you’ll find a two-way AquaGuard main zipper and chest storage pocket. 
The Riparian hood is distinguished as well. The three-piece hood features multiple adjustment points for a customized fit. The adjusters and cords are concealed, too, keeping the components from snagging anything while maintaining a finished look.  In the wrist area you’ll appreciate the Riparian jacket’s hook-and-loop cuff. Comfortably secure it to keep rain out or adjust to accommodate inside layers or gloves.Other Riparian jacket callouts include a secure D-ring to connect a safety cord/engine kill switch and purposefully placed reflective tape to ensure visibility in low-light conditions.The Riparian bib benefits from all the same waterproof, windproof, and durable features as the Jacket, and then offers its own specializations.For openers, adjustable suspenders perfectly center on your shoulder, while added silicone grip secures them in place. Every angler out there has fell victim to suspenders slipping off their shoulders underneath a jacket – super uncomfortable 
Fit and function are further fortified with dual, high-strength and molded waist adjusters. These let you lessen the weight from your shoulders and share it with your hips, consequently reducing the neck and back fatigue often created by a long day on the water.Full length zippers lend quick on-and-off with the Riparian bibs, even with footwear. The AquaGuard zipper itself is sheltered by storm flaps as well. AquaGuard zippers also protect a pair of perfectly situated handwarmer pockets. The total pocket-package also includes two spacious side cargo pockets to accommodate items like gloves and keys.Lastly, hook-and-loop adjusters at the ankles can customize fit to your boot, deck shoe, or open ankle and flip-flops. 
Riparian Jacket FEATURES:Durable mini-ripstop 4-way stretch nylon with a DWR treated polyester liningWaterproof/windproof 20k/20k lamination and taped seams to keep you dry3-piece hood with multiple adjustment points and invisible cord locksMultiple reflective tape placements for visibilitySewn-in D-ring for a safety cordNine pockets with AquaGuard® water-resistant zippers for storage and warmth: 3 chest (2 outer, 1 hidden under flap), 4 waist (2 top-loading snap-closure, 2 side-entry zip), 2 handwarmer pocketsHook and loop cuff adjustments for a secure fitMSRP $269.99
Riparian Bib FEATURES:Durable mini-ripstop 4-way stretch nylon with a DWR-treated polyester liningWaterproof/windproof 20k/20k lamination and taped seams to keep you dryMultiple reflective tape placements for visibilityTwo sewn-in D-rings (lower ring for safety cord, upper ring for trolling motor fobs)Dual hook-and-loop waist adjustmentsFive pockets: 2 cargo with snap closure, 2 handwarmer, and 1 chest with AquaGuard® water-resistant zippers to keep gear dryLeg zippers with storm flaps and hook and loop closuresAdjustable suspenders with silicone grip to stay in placeMSRP $269.99





DAIWA’s new able and affordable D-SHOCK II combos come pre-spooled with high-visibility J-BRAID

Brian Carter
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DAIWA’s new able and affordable D-SHOCK II combos come pre-spooled with high-visibility J-BRAID
Future of Fishing for $40
DAIWA’s new able and affordable D-SHOCK II combos come pre-spooled with high-visibility J-BRAID
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (July 16, 2025) – Interested in joining the 60+ million anglers in the U.S. and Canada who share various levels of passion for wetting a line and waiting for an exciting tug on that line? If you’re a youngster or novice just starting to experiment with the sport – and/or just need some solid, functional, inexpensive tackle for that annual weeklong or weekend at the lake (and those family and friends who are sure to stop by!), DAIWA’s new D-SHOCK II spinning rod/reel combo is the ticket.Designing and manufacturing proven-quality tackle since 1958, DAIWA’s D-Shock II combos – five versions offered in the right sizes for most fishing situations including inshore saltwater actions – in the features needed to target bluegills, crappie and nighttime catfish action, trout and bass in rivers and lakes, walleye and northerns, and even redfish and sea trout. 
The combos are the first to come pre-spooled with DAIWA’s own modern braided fishing line – a big bonus, and extra special for those just starting out. As noted by DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, this offers exceptional value and advantages for entry-level anglers. DAIWA’s J-BRAID X4 has very little stretch, plus it’s high-visibility and super sensitive features can help anglers land their first fish or even a personal best.“At DAIWA, we all have a passion for fishing and want to share that passion with others who want to discover it,” said Martin. “In putting together these D-Shock II combos, we make it even easier with the right rod and an already J-BRAID spooled-up reel to tie on a bobber and a nightcrawler or an artificial lure, and then hope for that elusive tug. As the kids say – ‘IYKYK’ – and we want more folks to know all about the fun of fishing and have quality tackle from a quality brand to add to it. You get that with DAIWA.” 
The spinning rods offered with the D-Shock II combos are constructed with forgiving fiberglass blanks with comfortable cork handles. “This is the ideal rod blank feature when using the J-BRAID X4. Plus, the DAIWA designed spinning reel is ultra smooth from strategically placed ball bearings within its DIGIGEAR gear system.”Ideal for all kinds of fishing experiences and adventures no matter your ability, the DAIWA D-Shock II spinning combos all come with two-piece rods offered in 6’2” ultralight and medium light, 6’6” medium, and 7’ medium and medium-heavy power versions, and all with reels spooled with DAIWA’s J-BRAID X4.Being introduced at ICAST 2025 on July 16 in booth #5630, they will be available starting at $39.99 (USD) from tackle shops and sporting goods stores both in the U.S. and Canada. For more information, view the DAIWA USA website at https://daiwa.us/collections/combos-freshwater/products/d-shock-ii-with-braided-line-spinning-combos.
ICAST NEW PRODUCT PRESENTATION
For DAIWA’s latest color catalog and/or information on DAIWA dealers in your area, call DAIWA’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for DAIWA’s web site is daiwa.us





Master the Neko Rig for More Bass!

Brian Carter
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0
Master the Neko Rig for More Bass!
The Neko rig is a subtle finesse setup that excels at targeting isolated bass holding areas. This rig involves inserting a small weight into the nose of a soft plastic bait while rigging a finesse hook through the body in a wacky-style fashion. The design of a Neko Rig allows the bait to fall head-first with a natural shimmy, making it especially deadly around structure. Its strength lies in precise casting, allowing anglers to present a bait exactly where bass are hiding, such as under docks or in tight cover. Unlike bulkier presentations, the Neko rig can sneak into pressured spots without spooking fish. It’s an ideal technique when bass are finicky or holding close to cover in clear or calm summer conditions. The bait’s upright fall and nose-down posture mimic natural foraging behavior, which helps trigger strikes. Its exposed hook and subtle action works exceptionally well in areas where bass are used to seeing more aggressive presentations. Anglers can also use it to dissect high-percentage targets slowly, keeping the bait in the strike zone longer. This makes it a powerful follow-up bait after a missed bite or refusal on a more active lure. Neko rig combines finesse, control, and realism to outsmart pressured bass in a wide range of summer situations.Using a stick-styled worm is the most tried and true ways to catch fish. We have a variety of 5-inch Worms to choose from but we just added MidNight, Glow, and Ghost Worms! Our popular Watermelon Red Worms have been restocked as well. You can also experience our new wacky rigging kit while it’s ON SALE! The WACKY Pack offers our most popular colors and essential tools for wacky rigging. If you’re fast enough you might be able to grab the limited-release Pumpkin Spice Worm before it’s completely sold out along with some of our newest colors including the Brown Worm, Electric Chicken Worm, and Goby Wan Worm colors. The high-grade non-salt plastic they’re made from provides positive buoyancy and it even floats underwater! We also released new 6-inch Worms including Charmeleon, Rainbow TRT, Bone, Chocolate Mint, and Fire TGR — all available in 5 and 6-inch. We’ve also recently released new 8-count packs of worms available in Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, and Green Pumpkin. We also offer worms that have the unique ability to shift from one color to another. Scented for total attraction underwater.
A lightweight rod with a sensitive tip is crucial when fishing the Neko rig, as many bites are subtle and occur at a distance or in deeper water. The tip should be soft enough to detect slight pressure changes, yet strong enough to drive the hook home during a hookset. Pairing the rod with a slightly larger spinning reel allows for smoother drag performance and faster line retrieval, which is especially helpful when covering water or managing long casts. The larger spool size also reduces line memory and offers better casting distance. This setup provides the angler with improved feel and control, making it easier to detect and respond to light bites. The rod and reel combo becomes an extension of your senses in finesse fishing. A fast-action rod with a balanced backbone also helps maintain consistent pressure during the fight, reducing the chance of the hook pulling out. The added sensitivity is especially important when fishing around submerged cover where bass might bite and sit still. A quality drag system ensures that even light line can handle the surges of a larger fish without breaking. Long, accurate casts are easier to achieve with this setup, allowing you to reach fish that may be spooked by close-range pressure. Fine-tuning your gear gives you the upper hand when targeting pressured bass with finesse techniques.Our newest FreshBaitz Mandingo Trick Worm is the ultimate game-changer for anglers with a passion! Engineered for the angler who knows SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a penchant for the larger bait. The Mandingo Trick Worm boasts a solid 7-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. Officially available in a vibrant array of 8 colors. Each worm is made from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for total and maximum attraction, the Mandingo Trick Worm promises year-round effectiveness in lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you’re rigging it on a Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Texas Rig, or Carolina Rig, these worms are your ticket to landing the big ones. Proudly made in the USA by real anglers to help elevate your fishing experience and catch more bass year-round!
Choosing the right line setup is key to maximizing sensitivity and control with a Neko rig. Many anglers opt for a strong, low-visibility mainline with a sinking characteristic, paired with a fluorocarbon leader for stealth and abrasion resistance. This combination ensures a direct connection to the bait, especially important when fishing in deep water or around cover. The leader also helps prevent break-offs when the bait is dragged over rocks, wood, or dock pilings. A proper line setup enhances casting distance and reduces slack, making it easier to maintain contact with your soft plastic bait. This improved connection boosts both strike detection and hook-up efficiency, particularly in pressured or clear-water situations. The sinking mainline helps eliminate the bow that typically forms with floating lines, improving sensitivity and control during the retrieve. A longer leader can offer a more natural presentation in clear water, while a shorter leader may provide better control around heavy structure. Matching line strength to your environment is also key. Lighter lines for open water and heavier lines for dense cover. Knots should be carefully tied and tested, especially where the mainline meets the leader, to avoid weak points. A dialed-in line setup lets you fish the Neko rig with confidence in any condition.Our Fresh HellaMite is designed to imitate a major aquatic food source, delivering a realistic profile of an insect larva that fish can’t resist. Each is scented for complete and total attraction underwater along with being made in the USA by real fishermen just like you. We’ve recently dropped a new HellaMite Pro Pack that is loaded with 60 total baits in all six proven colors, plus three Owner Block Head Ned Jigs and a handy storage bag. This kit has everything you need to stay rigged and ready year-round. Grab our newest Lil Bass, Hot Sauce, MidNight, Glow, 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink HellaMite colors. We’ve also recently restocked our popular Smoke Purple HellaMite. The HellaMite’s solid body and hyperactive ribbed tail design produce a life-like quivering action with every twitch of the rod. Its unique flat underbelly detail enables this bait to be fished as a drop shot, Ned rig, neko rig, and even a small Carolina-rig, making it the ideal bait in any condition year-round. When the water is clear, the fish can see the bait and look like real food, causing strikes. Each cast becomes an opportunity for an exhilarating catch, thanks to its superior performance and versatility.
Rigging your hook correctly is a critical detail when fishing the Neko rig. The hook should be oriented so that the point faces upward, allowing for optimal penetration when a bass bites. This positioning ensures that even light pressure during a hookset drives the point cleanly into the fish’s mouth. The soft plastic bait is typically pierced through the midsection or slightly forward, depending on the desired action. A weed guard or finesse-style hook can help reduce snags when fishing around brush or docks. Because bass often inhale this rig fully, it’s best to avoid hard hooksets. Instead, steadily reel into the fish for a clean and effective hook-up. This subtle approach minimizes the risk of pulling the bait out prematurely, especially when fishing with lighter line. Ensuring your hook is sharp and properly aligned will make a significant difference in hookup ratios. Experimenting with different hook sizes can also fine-tune your presentation based on bait profile and cover. When rigged correctly, the Neko rig delivers a natural look and consistent performance across various scenarios. Attention to small details like hook placement often separates casual bites from solid landings.We use our Fresh Scorpion because it closely imitates a crawfish. Our newest 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink Scorpion colors work wonders. The Scorpion is a revolutionary new look to soft plastics. Its intricate detailing and texture mimic the nuances of a real crawfish, making it hard for bass to resist. Of course, water clarity always plays a role in color selection but in any season, you can’t miss using colors such as Green Pumpkin Seed, Brown Bark, and the Magneto. This bait not only appears natural to fish but gives them something to become curious about. The Scorpion paired with a stand-up jig is deadly because the jig actually sits the bait upright in a defensive stance. The subtle color variations across the bait further enhance its appeal, mimicking the natural color shifts found in live prey. Each Fresh Scorpion has a unique and exclusive 3-axis tail design that is engineered like no other soft plastic bait. Our Scorpions are made by anglers from high-grade non-salt plastic to provide superior life-like action that triggers strikes!
During the summer, bass tend to move away from shallow backwaters and instead relate to deeper, more stable structure. Ideal targets include brush piles, dock pilings near the main lake, and submerged wood or rocks that provide shade and ambush points. These areas offer cooler temperatures and access to baitfish, making them high-percentage zones. A Neko rig shines in this environment because it can be cast precisely and fished slowly through heavy cover without spooking the fish. Anglers should focus on isolated targets and make repeated casts at varying angles to coax reluctant bass into biting. Understanding these seasonal movements is key to locating active fish when surface activity slows during the heat of the day. Electronics can be especially helpful for locating submerged structure that holds summer bass. Once a productive area is identified, it’s often worth spending extra time thoroughly working the spot from multiple directions. Bass positioned near main-lake structure are typically feeding-oriented, making them more likely to strike a slow-falling soft plastic like a beetle or cray-styled bait. Avoid wasting time in shallow pockets that were productive in spring. These fish have shifted with the changing conditions. Staying focused on deeper cover helps you stay on fish throughout the summer’s toughest stretches.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fast, we’ve recently just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Synthetic Lizard designs! The unique forward-facing leg design creates drag that holds it in the strike zone longer or produces wild flapping action with every pull of the rod. Additionally, its slightly ribbed solid body and large head hold your hook in place and provide much better weedless performance making it the ideal bait to use in any condition. Water clarity always plays a super big role in color selection but in any season year-round, you can’t miss when using colors such as Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, or Green Pumpkin. Its flexible tail design ensures added movement, tempting even the most cautious fish. The superior 5.5-inch profile stretches to a whole 7 inches which is perfect for predatory fish including bass year round. Made from long-lasting durable high-grade non-salted plastic for total and maximum attention-grabbing action underwater.
One of the advantages of the Neko rig is its flexibility in adapting to different depths by adjusting the nail weight inserted into the soft plastic bait. Lighter weights are ideal for shallow water or a slower fall, while heavier options are better for fishing down in 20 to 60 feet of water. The correct weight allows the bait to reach the strike zone efficiently without wasting time on long sink rates. Having a small kit of different weights on hand gives you the versatility to adapt to any lake or river condition. Whether using worms or other soft plastics, properly weighting the presentation ensures the bait stays where the bass are holding. Depth control is essential for dialing in your pattern, especially during warm summer months. Experimenting with weight also influences the action of the bait. Heavier weights produce a sharper fall, while lighter ones allow for more glide and shimmy. In current or windier conditions, a heavier nail weight helps keep the bait in position and increases bottom contact. When fish are suspended or less aggressive, a slower fall can trigger more strikes. Observing how bass react to different fall rates can help refine your approach and lead to more consistent results. Being precise with weight selection helps you stay efficient in changing summer conditions.Our Fresh Beetle delivers ultimate versatility in a soft plastic bait. Its slim yet wide body design and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water. This design ensures they remain enticingly active longer than conventional baits. Its unique texture also provides a realistic feel, making bass hold on longer once they bite. Water clarity plays a big role in color selection but year-round you can’t miss when using go-to colors such as Chocolate Mint, Ox Blood, or 10w30 Synthetic beetles. The hyper-active swimming claws are designed thin with long-lasting durable non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement. The Fresh Beetle offers an enticing 4-inch profile and is scented for complete and total attraction! You can rig these Beetles as a Jig/ Chatter Trailer, Flippin/ Punching, Texas Rig, Swing Jig, and Carolina Rig. Making the beetle beyond perfect in any weather condition year-round!
In the heat of summer, bass often become less aggressive during the middle of the day and prefer slower presentations. A proven cadence for the Neko rig involves long casts followed by a slow drag and subtle shaking motion. This mimics the movement of a struggling creature along the bottom, triggering reaction bites from otherwise inactive bass. Early mornings may allow for slightly more aggressive retrieves, but midday fishing calls for patience and finesse. The goal is to maintain bottom contact while keeping the bait in the strike zone as long as possible. By reading the fish’s behavior and adjusting your retrieve accordingly, you can consistently catch bass even in tough summer conditions. Pausing the bait between movements can give nearby fish the time they need to commit. In areas with thick cover or deep brush, minimizing movement and letting the bait sit can be especially effective. Small twitches with the rod tip can create lifelike motion without pulling the bait out of the strike zone. Varying the speed of your drag and the length of your pauses helps you dial in what the bass want that day. Adopting a slow, methodical rhythm builds consistency and increases your odds of connecting with quality summer bass.We have a wide variety of terminal tackle to choose from, but our Mosquito Hooks work perfectly for Neko rigging and accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. We’ve also released new Nako Tungsten Tear Drop Shot Weights, crafted from 97% eco-friendly tungsten for stealth, durability, and vibration, with easy-to-read size stamps and a crimped swivel for quick changes. The popular All Purpose Hooks are built with an extra-wide gap and are made to accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. The Ultrahead Wacky Jig features precise weight positioning and hook orientation for the ultimate wacky presentations. The new Haymaker EWG Worm Hooks are also now available, featuring an extra-wide gap for various soft plastics, a Z-lock shoulder bend for secure bait placement, and an angled-up super needle point for fast, powerful hooksets. For creature-styled baits, a more popular choice to use is the Stand-Up Jig because it sits the bait up-right in a defensive stance! The Block Head Jig is perfect for ned rigging the HellaMite with its mushroom-style head that seamlessly matches a wide variety of soft plastics. The Offset Block Head Jig, offers the same mushroom-style head with a unique offset hook, making it a go-to for weedless Ned Rig applications. The Shakey Ultrahead can permanently secure baits by inserting the pin in the center and screwing the twist lock coil spring for perfect rigging every time! For fast Texas rigging, we use the Bullet-Type Rig which has an attached weight saving you precious time when fishing cover. The 4x Jungle Flippin Hook is designed for big fish and the toughest conditions. The Range Roller Jig Head is crafted for precision with its high center axis design, perfect for hover-strolling and mid to bottom strolling with forward facing sonar, ensuring an enticing rolling action that triggers bites. We also just released Keep’em Fresh Bait Bags! These bags are the ultimate solution for anglers who need their gear to perform. Built like a tank, this bag is 20x stronger than regular zip bags and offers 100% waterproof protection with a rock-solid double zipper seal. Whether it’s for soft plastics, snacks, or your smartphone, this reusable and versatile bag keeps everything safe from water, mud, and grime. It’s lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure.





Russellville’s Knight Wins Second Consecutive Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

Brian Carter
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Russellville’s Knight Wins Second Consecutive Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes
Boater winner Clint Knight of Russellville, Kentucky, and co-angler winner Tim Rampaul of Dickson, Tennessee.
Tennessee’s Rampaul Tops Co-Angler Division

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (July 14, 2025) – Boater Clint Knight of Russellville, Kentucky, caught a three-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes. The tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, was the fourth event of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Knight earned $3,779 for his victory.

Knight is absolutely on fire on the Kentucky-Barkley system. He won the LBL Division Angler of the Year title in 2023, finished runner-up in 2024 and is now in second place again for 2025. Plus, he’s now won two LBL Division tournaments in a row to cap a streak of three consecutive top-three finishes. 

“Today, we fished from the dam all the way to the Paris bridge,” he said. “Last month, I won the BFL, but it was completely different and things have changed a lot in the last month or so. I had 31 schools and now on all 31 of those spots, all my fish have moved. I went back and re-idled a lot of the stuff. I came down and practiced Friday, and all the way from the dam to the Paris bridge I only had seven legit schools. And when I say a school, I’m considering a school of 25 fish or more.”

In practice and in the tournament, Knight noticed his fish moving around on him. They’d move 250 or 300 feet overnight or even during the same day, often sliding up on top of the bar instead of setting up on the edge of the ledge. He attributes that to the fishing pressure and slow current. As a result, he had to make a shift midday during the tournament.

“I fished ledges until 10 or 11,” he said. “After that, I realized everything had been beat on pretty good. So I got on top of the bars. I caught a 5-opunder in the last hour in 4 foot of water, and it really surprised me because I started out the morning catching fish in 22 feet. It shows that true transition factor of Kentucky Lake in July.”

While Knight’s best school was in 8 to 10 feet of water, he spent the rest of his day targeting fish up on the bars where they were feeding on massive schools of fry. He worked through a pretty typical ledge-fishing lure rotation, except he left out a crankbait because he says it busts the schools up too much this time of year. Key lures included a Carolina rig, spoon and 5-inch minnow – ledge fishing staples for one of the hottest hands in ledge fishing right now.

“It feels weird because I’ve been second through 10th in the BFLs here, and now I finally can win two of them,” Knight said. “I’ll take it any way I can get it. I’m just gonna enjoy the ride.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Clint Knight, Russellville, Ky., three bass, 13-9, $3,779
2nd:       Sam Lashlee, Camden, Tenn., three bass, 13-2, $1,840
3rd:       Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., three bass, 12-6, $1,225
4th:        Dustin Vaal, Farmington, Ky., three bass, 11-14, $859
5th:        Matt Robertson, Kuttawa, Ky., three bass, 11-12, $736
6th:        Ron Smith, Walton, Ky., three bass, 11-9, $644
6th:        Drew Morgan, Murray, Ky., three bass, 11-9, $644
8th:        Harlan Thomas, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 11-7, $552
9th:        David Hames, Trezevant, Tenn., three bass, 11-5, $491
10th:     Kane Hackemack, Georgetown, Ind., three bass, 11-2, $429

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Ben Wade of South Fulton, Tennessee, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $480.



Tim Rampaul of Dickson, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and $2,090 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top 11 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Tim Rampaul, Dickson, Tenn., three bass, 11-12, $2,090
2nd:       Dave Willmore, West Frankfort, Ill., three bass, 10-10, $920
3rd:       Trent Gooch, Yuma, Tenn., three bass, 9-10, $612
4th:        Joshua Smith, Benton, Ky., three bass, 9-6, $429
5th:        Gary Huber II, Saint Charles, Mo., two bass, 8-15, $368
6th:        Brendan Murphy, Cape Girardeau, Mo., three bass, 8-11, $337
7th:        Kyle Cavitt, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 8-4, $307
8th:        Wesley Jennings, Clarksville, Tenn., three bass, 8-2, $276
9th:        Corey Green, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 7-7, $245
10th:     Peyton Nolen, Lexington, Tenn., three bass, 7-1, $204
10th:     Cowboy Tidwell, Madisonville, Ky., three bass, 7-1, $204

Jeff Johnston of Nashville, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $240, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Levi Kohl of Edinburg, Illinois, now leads the Fishing Clash LBL Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 995 points, while Zach Falder of Sedalia, Kentucky, leads the Fishing Clash LBL Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 942 points.

The next event for BFL LBL Division anglers will be held Sept. 27-28, at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes out of Gilbertsville, Kentucky. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 24-25 BFL Regional tournament on Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sport Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Li Time Batteries, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.





Massena Set to host Tackle Warehouse Invitational Season Finale – Stop 6 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches on the St. Lawrence River

Brian Carter
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Massena Set to host Tackle Warehouse Invitational Season Finale – Stop 6 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches on the St. Lawrence River

MASSENA, N.Y. (July 15, 2025) – The sixth and final regular-season Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of 2025 is set to visit Massena, New York, next week, July 25-27, on the St. Lawrence River – the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.

The three-day Invitational tournament, hosted by the Town of Massena, will feature professional bass anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000. Anglers will take to the river to catch their five biggest bass each day, and the winner will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative total.

“Massena is a family-oriented village and town, and we are so proud to welcome Major League Fishing, their anglers and fans to the northern part of St. Lawrence County,” said Ray Lancto, Tourism and Fishing Liaison for the Massena Town Board. “Our area is blessed with three beautiful rivers, which truly creates an anglers’ paradise. Our fishing is legendary, and our local residents encourage and welcome visitors. Please enjoy your stay and return with your families to come and see us again!” 

“Massena is excited to host the Tackle Warehouse Invitational event this year. Some of the finest anglers in the world are part of this event, and partnering with Major League Fishing is a welcomed opportunity to help Massena continue to build our reputation as a national fishing destination,” said Don Meissner, Director of Tourism for the Town of Massena. 

MLF runs tournaments out of Massena pretty regularly, and that means the fishing is a pretty known quantity to a large degree – although anglers are learning more about the river every year.

Last August, the Northern Division of the Toyota Series finished the season on the St. Lawrence and Casey Smith earned the win with 72 pounds, 1 ounce, over three days. It was one of the best events we’ve seen out of Massena (with Lake Ontario off-limits) and seven anglers weighed more than 25 pounds on Day 1 – stunning weights.

If you want to take it back to a time when forward-facing sonar wasn’t a big factor, the 2019 Toyota Series event is worth a look. Then, Wayne Vaughan won, fishing mid-river, and Scott Dobson finished second, fishing near the cutoff line far to the west. It took 63-5 to win, and consistency was very hard for anglers to maintain – plenty of pros followed up a 23-pound bag with a bag in the teens. We’ll see how things shake out on tournament day, but, it’s a good bet that doing well on Day 2 is going to be critical in this event – usually it is hard to move up and down the leaderboard in smallmouth tournaments, but for the Invitationals event, that may not be the case.

Sitting at 39th in the points, Brett Carnright of Plattsburgh is heading to his home turf with the championship on the line. With three Top 10s to his credit on the St. Lawrence, Carnright should be well-equipped for the final push, and he thinks we’re in for a great event.

“That time of year, typically, the biggest smallmouth live by the most current or the coldest water,” Carnright said. “So I expect a lot of fish to be caught deep. But, of course, it’s the St. Lawrence River, so fish are always caught shallow as well. But I think the predominant deal will be fishing deep, near or close by to at least 100 feet of water. So, high places, shoals, bars, and stuff that is very close to 100 to 150 foot of water. That’s usually where the coldest water is, and it’s usually where the biggest smallmouth live.”

Carnright figures on a winning total of 71 pounds or better, and said that he thinks the lack of forward-facing sonar on Day 2 may not impact the weights much.

“If this was a lake-only tournament, 2D out deep would be a big deal because they really don’t like to bite anymore under the boat,” Carnright said. “Though, if it were eight years ago, it would be a different story.

“But with the river, you can catch them drifting, and LiveScope doesn’t quite matter as much in my opinion, compared to other smallmouth fisheries or if you’re out on the lake,” he said. “I think it will add a little bit of a factor of guys fishing shallow more on Day 2 and possibly trying to save places that are more current-related, where you can get on a good drift. That might be something you don’t fish on Day 1 because you want to use it on Day 2. Especially if it’s sunny and calm on Day 2, I think a lot of guys will get up shallow and even just wing it almost. For myself, I know a lot of places where I don’t really need to use LiveScope to catch them on the St. Lawrence, so I will probably be saving those areas for Day 2.”

Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena, New York. Weigh-ins will be held at the boat launch and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $4.3 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for the Invitationals Championship, set for Sept. 5-7 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, and a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour – the sport’s premier circuit.

In Tackle Warehouse Invitationals competition, the full field competes in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000.

Forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar is limited to only days 1 and 3 of competition. No forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar will be allowed on day 2 of competition.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 6 at the St. Lawrence River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 1 on CBS Sports Network.





Yo-Zuri America Wins 11th-Annual ICAST Cup Presented by Major League Fishing on Lake Toho

Brian Carter
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Yo-Zuri America Wins 11th-Annual ICAST Cup Presented by Major League Fishing on Lake Toho

Father-son Bakewell duo catch three-bass limit weighing 16-3 to take home ICAST Cup

Link to Full Image Gallery from Morning Takeoff at 2025 ICAST Cup
Link to Full Image Gallery from Afternoon Weigh-in at 2025 ICAST Cup

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (July 15, 2025) – Representing Yo-Zuri America, the father-son duo of Bobby Bakewell and Robert Bakewell, both of Orlando, weighed in a three-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the 2025 ICAST Cup at Lake Toho Presented by Major League Fishing (MLF) Tuesday. The four-hour bass-fishing tournament, hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission , was one of the kick-off events to ICAST 2025. In its eleven-year history, the charity tournament has raised more than $95,800 to benefit the industry’s angler advocacy program, Keep America Fishing™.

Tuesday’s field totaled 33 boats, including a handful of MLF Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and Toyota Series anglers, as well as outdoor media and industry representatives from popular tackle brands and non-profits. The tournament this year raised a total of $6,600 Keep America Fishing™.

The Yo-Zuri America team won by a 1-pound, 4-ounce margin over Team FishNFX, which was comprised of Michael Muenzner, Paul Shenep and Sheila Crowe.

Bobby Bakewell said his tournament morning on Lake Toho couldn’t have started much worse – but it couldn’t have ended much better.

“I dropped my Power-Poles when the boat was in the garage, and when I went to put them back up and pull it out, nothing happened,” Bakewell said. “The boat was completely dead.”

Thanks to a last-minute battery swap – courtesy of his dad’s flats boat – and a Power-Pole Charge system that transferred power where needed, the Bakewells managed to launch right at takeoff time and fish the entire day. The early stress was replaced by relief when they hit the right stretch of eelgrass and put all three of his keepers in the boat by around 9 a.m.

“It was one of those stretches you dream about,” Bakewell said. “I pulled up and got all three there – the same area, same grass line.”

Bobby said they leaned heavily on Bakewell Arkie jigs in a custom dark-bluegill-type color, crafted by dad Robert the night before. He paired it with a Bruiser Baits Game Changer trailer, using 25-pound Yo-Zuri T-7 fluorocarbon line. He also mixed in a minnow-style bait with Yo-Zuri’s Super Braid 9 and a 10-pound Yo-Zuri Super Fluoro leader to put one of the key fish in the boat.

Fishing was far from fast and furious – Bakewell said he caught fewer than 10 fish total – but quality was the difference.

“The bite wasn’t hot, but when they hit, they were the right ones,” he said. “I think the biggest factor today was perseverance. After the morning we had, it would’ve been easy to get spun out. But we kept our heads down and made good decisions.”

Bakewell credited his gear – Yo-Zuri, Bakewell Custom Jigs, and his Scenko Stix rods – along with his dad’s great net work for helping seal the win.

The top 10 teams finished the tournament in:

  1st:      Yo-Zuri America – Bobby Bakewell and Robert Bakewell, three bass, 16-3
  2nd:     FishNFX – Michael Muenzner, Paul Shenep and Sheila Crowe, three bass, 14-15
  3rd:     Toho Marine – Grady Johnson, Tripp Berlinsky and Bryce DiMauro, three bass, 13-13
  3rd:     Tightlines UV – Steve “Boogie” Brown, Terry Segraves and Cindy Joint, three bass, 13-13
  5th:      Power-Pole, Dan Benson and Cal Lane, three bass, 13-0
  6th:      Green Outdoors – Moses Oliver, Clayburn Reed and Gina Oliver, three bass, 12-13
  7th:      CPF Lures – Jason George, Erik Tillson and Mac Hoover, three bass, 12-5
  8th:      FishNFX – Chuck Smith, Tony Mayfield and Glen Cabezas, three bass, 11-13
  9th:      Jason’s Fishing Adventures – Jason Haynes, Landon Haynes and Jonathan Semento, three bass, 11-2
  10th:   Boogerman Lures – Donnie Feagle and Bryson O’Steen, three bass, 10-15

Complete results and photos from the tournament will be posted at ICASTCup.com.

Keep America Fishing™ is leading the fight to preserve our right to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways. As the voice of the American angler, Keep America Fishing works to keep our public resources – our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams – open, clean and abundant with fish. For more information, please visit KeepAmericaFishing.org.

For more ICAST 2025 coverage, details and tournament information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X,  Instagram and YouTube.





Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig developed to generate the maximum sonar return and fish appeal

Brian Carter
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Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig developed to generate the maximum sonar return and fish appeal
Boosting Sonar Visibility
Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig developed to generate the maximum sonar return and fish appeal
FINLAYSON, MN (July 15, 2025) – Looking for the absolute brightest and crispest return when sniping bass, walleyes, crappies, and more with forward-facing-sonar (FFS)? Look no further than Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig, which sports six sides and 18 total facets to provide the strongest, most reliable sonar return when stalking fish with FFS.“Sniping bass, walleyes, and crappies has become the way to catch fish with today’s forward-facing sonar,” said Mad Scientist Tackle Sales Director, Patrick Kalmerton. “Especially in the tournament world, if you aren’t fishing with FFS, it’s hard to compete. And now, even everyday anglers are equipped with FFS and employing the same techniques and baits.”
Kalmerton continued: “But one of the biggest challenges is seeing the bait fall with sonar, especially at long distances and with smaller presentations. Sure, tungsten is one answer, but then you get a fast rate of fall, which sometimes turns the fish off.”“We figured out a better way was to introduce a lead jig with the right, slower rate of fall, but design it in such a way that it would return solid sonar signals, even stronger than tungsten can produce. That’s the origin of the Mad Scientist Tackle LS Snipin’ Jig, with it six sides and an unprecedented 18 flat facets to reflect sonar and show up nice and clear on your screen.” Kalmerton also said the Mad Scientist Tackle crew intentionally designed the LS Snipin’ Jig with a short shank for pairing with smaller plastics and live bait, making it a do-all for bass, walleye, and crappie anglers.Minnow-shaped soft plastics in the 3- to 4-inch range harmonize with the LS Snipin’ Jig. Consider FFS-specific soft plastics like the Megabass Hazedong Shad, Castaic Jerky J, Keitech Shad Impact, and 6th Sense Juggle Minnow.
The LS Snipin’ Jig’s sonar reflectivity isn’t limited to FFS, either. It’s a great jig for vertical fishing applications where it’s important to see your lure in real-time, like when jigging deeper for crappies, walleyes, and even bass. And then you get to Mad Scientist Tackle’s pioneering and eye-popping APEX Vision coatings. Feedback has shown that the amplifying APEX Vision coatings enhance catches, drawing fish to the bait when other traditionally-painted or naked-colored jigs won’t spur fish to react.“Our APEX Vision coatings really shine in stained and murky waters,” explained Kalmerton. “You might see the fish on your FFS screen, but unless you’re right above them, it can be hard to get bit. Our field testers are seeing that fish will scoot over to investigate Mad Scientist coated jigs, which gives you a margin of error on the cast.”If you’re fishing with FFS and looking for a better sonar return on your jig, then you’re going to want to give the Mad Scientist Tackle LS Snipin’ Jig a shot. Preliminary testing proves that they’re big-time fast food for all kinds of fish—and difficult, pressured fish at that!
LS Snipin’ Jig FEATURES:Unique six-sided design with 18 flat surfaces to reflect FF SonarShort shank to hide hardware from fishHigh-carbon, razor-sharp steel hookPerfect for fishing with small soft plastics or live baitSIZES: 1/8- and ¼-ounceCOLORS: APEX Vision Red, Blue, Green, Gold, Pink and NaturalMSRP $5.99 (3 per pack)
About APEX Vision Colors: Made For the Way Fish SeeAll Mad Scientist Tackle baits start off as either nude, pearl, or black base lures that are then customized through a multistage process whereby they end up in an APEX Vision coating, which radiate color in the visible, UV, and infrared spectrums, mimicking real baitfish scales and making it highly visible to predatory fish. Available colors include Red, Blue, Green, Gold, Pink, and Natural.The novel coatings were developed to appeal to the way fish see, creating flashing iridescent colors in visible, UV, and infrared spectrums that attract fish from farther than ever.Here are recommendations for when to use each APEX Vision color: 
Choose Your LS SNIPIN’ JIG Color
APEX +RED: Proven to entice reaction bites, Apex +RED imitates bleeding baitfish so perfectly that predatory fish can’t resist. It’s also the best choice for fishing in the green, algae blooms of late summer. 
APEX +BLUE: In stained to dark water, APEX +BLUE outperforms other colors. Thanks to the iridescent flash of the lure, fish see it in stained to murky water conditions with low light. 
APEX +GREEN: One of the best colors on any body of water, APEX +GREEN resembles young-of-the-year and other baitfish. It works best in spring and summer in clear and stained water. 
APEX +GOLD: Gold is a standard in every angler’s arsenal, but APEX +GOLD has brought fishing to a whole new level. It resembles a school of baitfish/minnows and is a great choice year ‘round in any water color. 
APEX +PINK: One of the most popular colors to attract predator fish from a distance. It works well in clear and stained water conditions. 
APEX +NATURAL: Resembles crayfish and gives off a more natural presentation, especially when fishing near rocks. It performs well in clear and stained water.





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