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

Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers Kicks Off Season Opener on Lake Okeechobee

wpalert

-

February 4, 2021

Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers Kicks Off Season Opener on Lake Okeechobee

163 Professional Anglers Descend on Clewiston, Season Purse Exceeds $6.4 Million

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament organization, will kick off the 2021 Pro Circuit season next week, Feb. 11-14, with the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers at Lake Okeechobee presented by 13 Fishing . In its 26^th season, the circuit formerly known as the FLW Tour will feature 163 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals competing across six regular-season events, each with a top award of up to $135,000. The field will also compete for valuable points to qualify for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, and the opportunity to compete for up to $235,000.

This first event of the 2021 season – hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council and Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort – offers competitors a total purse of more than $900,000 and will mark the 22^nd time the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit has visited the southern Florida fishery.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit last stopped at Lake Okeechobee in 2018, where Florida pro Tim Frederick grabbed the first major win of his career. Frederick targeted spawning fish around the Spoil Islands, pitching a Texas-rigged Strike King Perfect Plastics Ocho to sack up 85 pounds, 4 ounces over four days of competition.

Clewiston’s hometown pro Brandon McMillan compiled a whopping 106-pounds, 10-ounce over four days of competition in 2011 and still holds the record for heaviest winning weight in a Pro Circuit event on Lake Okeechobee. The biggest bass ever weighed in Pro Circuit competition at Lake Okeechobee were both 11-pound hammers – one weighed in by former pro Bobby Curtis (2005) and one by pro Shin Fukae (2011).

“I’m excited to kick off the 2021 season this year, especially at an event close to home,” said pro Laramy Strickland of Bushnell, Florida. “This is my favorite time of year to fish, so I’m definitely looking forward to getting the ball rolling for this event and riding that momentum into the next.

“I’ve only fished three major tournaments on Lake Okeechobee, and they were Toyota Series events and BFL’s. This will be my first year to fish there with the Pro Circuit,” continued Strickland. “I’m pretty familiar with this lake, although it does change year to year. With the cold front we are having right now, it should be setting up for a pretty good tournament next week.”

Strickland said he believes multiple different Florida baits and tactics are going to work next week on Lake Okeechobee.

“Anglers should be able to cast and flip and do whatever they want to do, really,” he continued. “It’s just a matter of finding a wave of fish that’s pooled up on the lake. I expect some big limits, with it taking somewhere around 75 to 80 pounds to win this tournament.”

Laramy said his excitement for this first event pales in comparison to his anticipation for the season as a whole.

“I think the 2021 Pro Circuit schedule is really good this year. We pretty much follow the spawn early on, then will get to compete on some pretty fun lakes with multiple opportunities to catch them shallow or deep later in the season.”

Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will be joined this season by 20 MLF Bass Pro Tour anglers, including Florida pros Bobby Lane and John Cox, as well as Wesley Strader, Justin Lucas and Cody Meyer.

Anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. ET Thursday through Sunday from Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, located at 920 E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina daily at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers event at Lake Okeechobee presented by 13 Fishing will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 11 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall.. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 8 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 season culminates with the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, where the top 48 pros in the points standings plus, 2020 TITLE Champion Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif., and 2020 Angler of the Year Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., will compete for as much as $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About MLF BIG5

MLF BIG5 is part of MLF, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization. It provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits featuring a five-biggest-fish format. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with offices in Benton, Kentucky, MLF and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

MLF tournaments are broadcast on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, MyOutdoorTV, Discovery and CBS Sports while MLF Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros to the world’s most avid bass anglers.

2021 Hobie® B.O.S. Series Anchored by Power-Pole® Is Ready to Roll

wpalert

-

February 4, 2021

0

2021 Hobie^® B.O.S. Series Anchored by Power-Pole^® Is Ready to Roll

Series kicks off this weekend on Georgia’s Lake Seminole. Harshman hopes to defend crown.

[print_link]

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (February 4, 2021) – It’s taken just two years for the Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole to capture the imagination of kayak bass fishing fans across the country. Now, heading into its third season, it may be the most prestigious kayak tourney trail in the country.

“There’s no doubt we’re one of the top draws at this point,” says tournament director A. J. McWhorter. “Much of that is because we’re focused on the anglers themselves. We try to promote our competitors and ensure top level competition to showcase their talents, compete on the best kayak bass fishing waters in the country, offer substantial cash prizes, and make certain everything runs smoothly from start to finish. Still, it’s the competitors themselves that deserve the most credit. They’re the ones doing the heavy lifting, competing and honing their skills. It makes for some extremely competitive, fun and exciting times, and we can’t wait to get another awesome season underway.”

That happens this weekend, February 6-7, at Georgia’s famed bassin honey hole, Lake Seminole. The Bainbridge, Georgia lake has a reputation for fast action and big fish. In fact, last year saw Florida native Josh Counce blast out of the gate on Day 1 to record an amazing 101 inches for his five-fish limit of catch-and-release bass within the first hour of competition to break the all-time B.O.S. single-day record. Even though he finished strong on Day 2, it still wasn’t enough to hold off hard-charging Jake Harshman of Pennsylvania, who drilled the biggest fish of the tourney on ¾-ounce Z-Man Jackhammer ChatterBait. The 21.75-inch brute nudged him into the lead with just 40 minutes to go.

“I think the choice of waters for this time of the season is phenomenal,” says Harshman. “Lake Seminole offers a myriad of fishing prospects in terms of shallow cover, weedlines, shorelines and submerged brush. It also has an aggressive bass population with plenty of big fish. I think it will take at least 185 inches of bass to put this title away. That’s impressive. To win, you’ll probably need to stick a 22-inch bass. I wouldn’t be surprised if anything under 17 inches needs to be culled out for something even bigger.”

Of course, spring being what it is, Harshman advises anglers to gear-up and come prepared for changing weather conditions. Last year’s tournament witnessed a temperature swing of over 20-degrees from Day 1 to Day 2, he notes, but the fish still bit. Chartreuse and white are solid color choices on the waters here, he adds, with moving baits like ChatterBaits and swimbaits drawing a lot of strikes around isolated weed patches.

As for the B.O.S. trail in general, Harshman says he doesn’t think there’s a more elite level of kayak fishing competition on the circuit. “Hobie does right by its anglers,” he says. “Every tourney site is a bucket list destination, the rules are clear, fair and well thought out, the competition is unmatched, the prizes are generous and the camaraderie is top shelf. It doesn’t get any better than that when it comes to kayak bass fishing competition.”

Launched in 2019, the Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored By Power-Pole is a national kayak fishing tournament series with 10 Open Events and 1 Tournament of Champions Event (TOC). Events are scheduled at some of the best bass fisheries in the country where anglers have the chance to battle it out over the 2-day events which begin Friday night and end Sunday afternoon. Anyone aged 16 years or older may enter the Open Events and all brands of kayaks are welcome. Aside from competing for cash payouts and coveted FarWide Angler of the Year (AOL) points, each event hosts a fun raffle with sponsored prizes and encompasses the camaraderie that makes the kayak fishing community special.

In 2020, despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and new safety protocol measures put in place to protect our competitors and staff, the Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power-Pole experienced amazing growth with an average of 108 anglers per event and had as many as 155 anglers participating in a single event. Angler earning last year topped $243,000, and the Tournament of Champions purse paid out $62,000.

“We’d like to thank our sponsors heading into the 2021 season,” adds McWhorter: “Power-Pole, Farwide, Bassin’ Magazine, Lowrance, Tactacam, Dakota-Lithium, Princeton Tec, Stohlquist Water Ware, American Fishing Tackle Company, St. Croix Rod, Flambeau Outdoors, Railblaza, Hobie Eyeware, Daiwa Corporation, Engel Coolers, and Marine Mat. Their support makes a huge difference in the quality of our series. With their help, we’ll do it all again this season and continue with our goal of running the best kayak fishing tournament series in the country, helping anglers in the community, and growing the sport of kayak fishing to new heights.”

For more information on the Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power-Pole, or to register for an event, visit: hobiebos.com.

Solving Common Fishing Problems – St.Croix Rods

wpalert

-

February 4, 2021

0

Solving Common Fishing Problems

St. Croix Product Manager, Ryan Teach, on combatting rod torque with an all-new material

PARK FALLS, Wisc. (February 4, 2021) – In physics, torque is the term used to describe a type of moment that has a tendency to impart a change in angular momentum of a body about its longitudinal axis. Here, in the context of fishing rods, we’re talking about the torque an angler feels due to the normal bending stress of the rod, not torsional stresses associated with twisting forces… that’s another issue and perhaps another video.

Rod torque is experienced whenever a fishing rod is loaded – either while casting, retrieving a lure, setting the hook, or battling a fish. When a force is applied to the tip end of the rod, it creates a force at the opposing handle end that the angler must manage. If rod torque is excessive, ergonomics are compromised, angler stress and fatigue are compounded, and the rod is said to be “tip-heavy” or “unbalanced”.

Rod torque is addressed in design and manufacturing, primarily through balance. The goal is to place equal amounts of weight in front of and behind the point where the angler grips the rod. But this isn’t always as easy as it seems. If it were, every rod would be perfectly balanced. Rods with faster tips and more power, for example, are needed in certain fishing situations. Because such rods generally require more materials above the angler’s hand, these particular rods are more prone to rod torque. Balancing them often means adding more length or weight to the butt section behind the hand, but that can make them heavy, less sensitive, and a burden to fish with.

St. Croix combats rod torque with a variety of unique tools, materials and technologies, creating well-balanced rods that are strong, sensitive and durable, without increasing weight. Its latest material – SCIII+ – represents a huge win for anglers.

“We know the easy way to get a better balanced rod is to add materials to rear end like aluminum or fiberglass plugs, or extra carbon wraps under the handle,” says St. Croix Product Manager, Ryan Teach. “We didn’t do this on the new Legend Xtreme we released last year, and we didn’t do it on this new project either. Instead, we looked at each component individually and their placement on each specific rod.”

It all works because of the new, hybrid materials.

“Our new hybrid SCIII+ carbon material, which combines proven SCIII carbon with exotic SCVI carbon and ART^TM (Advanced Reinforcing Technology) is allowing us to build lighter, stronger, better-balanced rods that perform like our more expensive rods at a fraction of the price,” Teach says. “We couldn’t be more excited about announcing the first of these SCIII+ rods next Monday. No matter what kind of bass angler you are, these rods are going to help you win.”

Keep up to date at https://stcroixrods.com/pages/new-st-croix-rod.

#CROIXGEAR

Like the rods? You’ll love our lifestyle apparel.

B.A.S.S. Cancels Day 2 Of Lake Havasu Event

wpalert

-

February 4, 2021

0

February 4, 2021

B.A.S.S. Cancels Day 2 Of Lake Havasu Event

[print_link]

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — B.A.S.S. officials made a decision to cancel the second day of competition at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind advisory until 6 p.m. MST. The wind advisory is calling for sustained winds of 25 mph with gusts over 40, making the fishery unsafe for boaters.

“With a strong north-northwest wind blowing right down Lake Havasu, it can get very dangerous,” said Jon Stewart, B.A.S.S. Nation Director. “The safety of our anglers is always our first priority.”

When the tournament resumes Friday, the full field of 177 anglers across the boater and nonboater divisions will compete. The final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional will begin with a takeoff at 7:15 a.m. MST from Lake Havasu State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. and can be seen on Bassmaster.com.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

Wong Takes Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional On Lake Havasu

wpalert

-

February 4, 2021

0

Wong Takes Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional On Lake Havasu

Matthew Wong, of Culver City, Calif., is leading after Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional at Lake Havasu with 18 pounds, 8 ounces.

Photo by Brenden Kanies/B.A.S.S

February 3, 2021

Wong Takes Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional On Lake Havasu

[print_link]

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Matt Wong has only fished Lake Havasu four times, but the 32-year-old Los Angeles resident looked like an old pro here Wednesday on Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional.

Wong weighed a five-bass limit that totaled 18 pounds, 8 ounces, giving him a slim 6-ounce lead in the tournament, which is the season-opener on the 2021 B.A.S.S. schedule. A total of 177 anglers (89 boaters and 88 nonboaters) are competing, with anglers hailing from Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Wong was the standout on Wednesday. His best bass was only in the 4-pound range, but he backed it up with a quartet of keepers that were only ounces lighter.

Wong said he didn’t have a particularly easy day on the 19,300-acre impoundment straddling the Arizona/California border.

“It was tricky out there,” he said. “I was banking on the early-morning bite, and I was able to catch three by about 10 a.m. I kept my rotation going, but they quit eating. So I made a long run to a place where I spotted a big fish on the last day of practice, and she was still there. That was the biggest one and, luckily, I got her to eat.”

That bass, which Wong caught at about 1 p.m., provided him the extra ounces he needed to climb atop the leaderboard. A trio of competitors are hot on his heels, including Washington’s Taylor Smith with 18-2; Montana’s Jay Evans with 17-10; and Arizona’s Steve Lund with 16-1.

No other angler is within 5 pounds of Wong’s lead.

Smith, a 35-year-old insurance company supervisor from Spokane, Wash., said he was grouchy after a few lackluster practice rounds. His mood was considerably lighter with an 18-2 limit on the board.

“I got bit throughout the day and on a lot of different things,” Smith said. “Everything came together and I wasn’t expecting that. I concentrated on fishing slow because there are so many fish in here.”

Evans, a 50-year-old research scientist from Missoula, Mont., drove through a substantial snowstorm to arrive at Lake Havasu City, where temperatures were 75 degrees and the sun shined brightly on Wednesday.

Like Smith, he said the first day was much more productive than his practice rounds.

“We probably caught 10 keepers today, but they were good fish,” Evans said. “I found them in practice. We shook them off then and just didn’t realize the quality of the fish or how many were in there. It ended up being a really nice day.”

He also said patience was key.

“I’m fishing slow,” Evans said. “I couldn’t get much of a reaction bite going, so I just slowed down and picked it apart. That helped me get some bites. Patience was key.”

Day 2 could try the patience of all anglers and B.A.S.S. officials, too.

Strong winds are expected to begin sweeping across the region overnight, with steady winds of more than 20 mph predicted for the duration of tournament hours.

B.A.S.S. Nation Director Jon Stewart said he’ll consider his options Thursday morning and decide how to proceed based upon the weather.

If the three-day tournament continues without interruption, the field will be cut after Thursday’s round. The leading 17 anglers in both the angler and co-angler division — along with the Top 2 anglers and co-anglers from each state if they are not already in the Top 17 — will compete Friday. The angler with the heaviest three-day total will win a $5,000 cash prize, while the leading co-angler will earn $2,500. There’s a total purse of $27,200 up for grabs.

Evans caught a 6-pound bass, the heaviest in the angler division on Wednesday. The competitor with the heaviest fish after three days wins a $500 Big Bass Award. Dean Yamagata caught a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass and leads co-anglers for the $250 Big Bass Award.

Utah’s Tom Nokes leads the overall co-angler field with a limit of three bass weighing 8-6. Arizona’s Jake Morrison is second with 7-11 and Yamagata, who is from Las Vegas, is third with 6-8.

The nine states also are competing in a team competition this week on Lake Havasu. Washington leads with 40 bass for a 98-4 total. Nevada is second with 33 bass weighing 82-6, and Montana is third with 35 bass weighing 81-11.

This week’s tournament is the first of the 2021 B.A.S.S. season and the first of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals scheduled this year. Other Nation events on the schedule include April 21-23 at Milford Lake in Junction City, Kan.; April 28-30 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C.; June 23-25 at Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pa.; and Sept. 1-3 on the upper Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. The B.A.S.S. Nation Championship will be held later this year when all regionals are complete, but a date and location have yet to be announced.

If the weather cooperates, Day 2 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional will begin with a takeoff at 7:15 a.m. MST from Lake Havasu State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. and can be seen on Bassmaster.com.

The tournament is being hosted by Lake Havasu City, Ariz.