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

Jordan Lee Wins 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

wpalert

-

November 16, 2020

Jordan Lee Wins 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

Alabama Superstar Catches 2-Pounder in Final Minutes to Overtake Casey Ashley in Dramatic Finale, Earns Johnny Morris Award and Top Payout of $100,000

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (Nov. 16, 2020) – The 29-year-old Alabama superstar did it again. Major League Fishing (MLF) pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, caught 37 bass totaling 69 pounds, 4 ounces, to narrowly edge out South Carolina’s Casey Ashley and win the 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and the top prize of $100,000.

It was a nail-biting finale that came down to the wire in the final day Championship Round that aired Saturday on Discovery. Lee caught his last fish – a 2-pound, 2-ounce largemouth – with just 14 minutes to spare in the final period, overtaking Ashley, who had put together a frantic 17 bass third-period rally to move to the top of the leaderboard. Lee’s last fish came on a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General worm.

“Oh man, what a feeling,” said Lee, who was the 2020 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year, winner of the inaugural Heavy Hitters tournament in February, and now the 2020 General Tire World Champion. “Casey was just killing it right there at the end. It seemed like every time I caught one, he would catch two. It was gut-wrenching. I was listening to him bumping up the SCORETRACKER® and he just kept coming and I couldn’t do anything about it. I just had to keep my head down and focus on every single bite. That last fish turned out to be the difference maker. We fished all day long and I won by less than a pound. Unreal.”

Lee started out his day on Spider Lake targeting largemouth with a vibrating jig and a swimjig, before mixing in a frog and eventually the Berkley The General worm (black and black-and-blue) as the day progressed. He keyed on the shallow reeds and lily pads on the 1,392-acre lake.

“It was mostly a fun day of flipping and frogging, and that is what I love to do,” Lee said. “I mixed up a couple of different baits to start with, but the swim jig really got me started. It clued me in that the fish were around the reeds and the pads, and then I started catching some good ones.”

Lee led after Period 1 of competition and had a near 20-pound lead into Period 2 before his bite slowed in Period 3. Meanwhile, Ashley’s pattern caught fire. Ashley took the lead with 40 minutes remaining in the event, and the two anglers battled back and forth before Lee’s last-minute heroics clinched the victory.

“We were so close, I pretty much knew that whoever caught the last scorable bass was going to win,” said Lee. “As the clock ticked down, I kept expecting my boat official to tell me that Casey had caught one at the very end to take it, but luckily for me that didn’t happen.

“To win this event is just the best feeling in the world,” Lee went on to say. “MLF puts us out in the middle of nowhere – down dirt roads, places we’ve never fished before. I love that part of this game. It’s a level playing field, and to come away with a win against this bunch of guys – they’re the best in the world. This has been a special, special week. Nothing comes easy in this sport and I don’t take it for granted. I’ve had a great year. I’m fishing with confidence and I hope I can keep the good vibes going next season.”

The final six anglers at the 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in Grand Rapids, Minnesota finished:

1^st:          Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., 37 bass, 69-4
2^nd:         Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., 35 bass, 68-5
3^rd:         Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., 28 bass, 48-2
4^th:         Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, 29 bass, 46-10
5^th:         Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va., 20 bass, 43-6
6^th:         Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 21-10

Complete results and photos from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Meyer caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a 5-pound, 2-ounce largemouth at the end of Period One that came on an unnamed finesse worm.

Overall, there were 159 bass weighing 297 pounds, 5 ounces caught by the final six pros during the Championship Round of competition on Spider Lake.

The 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops was hosted by Visit Grand Rapids and premiered on the Discovery Channel as six, two-hour original episodes debuting on Oct. 10, 2020, and running through Nov. 14, 2020. The event, shot over six days in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, showcased 16 MLF pro anglers culminating the 2020 Cup season and competing for the top prize of $100,000.

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

Who Needs to fish 1 more? Bass Cast Tournament Trail

wpalert

-

November 15, 2020

0

Who Needs to fish 1 more? Bass Cast Tournament Trail

This year you only needed to fish 3 events to qualify for the 2020 Bass Cast Tournament Trail classic on Smith Mountain Lake. Danielle give everyone a quick update on who needs to fish just 1 more.

MISSOURI’S MACY WINS PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE ALL-AMERICAN ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY TINCUP

wpalert

-

November 14, 2020

0

MISSOURI’S MACY WINS PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE ALL-AMERICAN ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY TINCUP

ANDERSON, S.C. (Nov. 13, 2020) – Boater Chris Macy of Diamond, Missouri, won the 37^th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American on Lake Hartwell presented by TINCUP Friday, bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 13 pounds, 1 ounce. Macy’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 34-10 was enough to overtake second-place angler Todd Goade of White Pine, Tennessee – who led the event after the second day of competition – by a 2-pound, 4-ounce margin. For the win, Macy earned the top payout of $100,000.

“This is unbelievable – going in to today, I really didn’t think I had a shot at it,” said Macy, who qualified for this tournament through the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division. “I went out this morning and thought that if I could catch 10 pounds, I’d be happy. When you make it to the last day, you kind of look at the payscale and you know that every spot you can hold or move up is another thousand bucks in your pocket. My goal was just to hang in there.

“I stumbled on to something around 1 o’clock this afternoon, and it absolutely went crazy from there,” Macy continued. “On the LiveScope, I would watch my swimbait come across the brush piles and if I could get the fish to follow it, I would kill it and let that swimbait go straight to the bottom. Every one of those fish would nose down on it, and as soon as I popped that swimbait up off the bottom, they would eat it every time.”

Macy said that of the 15 keepers he brought to the weigh-in stage this week, 14 of them came on a Keitech 2.8-inch swimbait in Tennessee Shad and Sexy Shad colors. He credited his electronics as being crucial to his win.

“Every fish that I caught came off of a brush pile,” Macy said. “My Garmin LiveScope was crucial. Every fish that I caught this week, I watched it bite. Most of the water I fished was 20- to 30-feet-deep, and if I could get the fish sitting up on top of the brush piles, it was game on.

“Overall, it has just been a super three days,” Macy went on to say. “I was just so happy to be fishing on the third day of the All-American, and I knew that if I could put a big one in the bag today that anything could happen. When it’s your time, it’s your time and today was just my day.”

The top 10 boaters on Lake Hartwell finished:

1^st:       Chris Macy, Diamond, Mo., 15 bass, 34-10, $100,000
2^nd:      Todd Goade, White Pine, Tenn., 15 bass, 32-6, $20,000
3^rd:       Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 15 bass, 31-11, $15,000
4^th:       Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C., 15 bass, 31-7, $21,000
5^th:       Bryan Dowdy, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 30-7, $18,000
6^th:       Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 28-1, $12,000
7^th:       Randall Allen, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 15 bass, 27-11, $12,000
8^th:       Kip Carter, Mansfield, Ga., 15 bass, 27-11, $10,000
9^th:       Dustin Lippe, Lampe, Mo., 12 bass, 25-11, $9,000
10^th:     Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., 13 bass, 23-11, $8,000

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Overall, there were 45 bass weighing 77 pounds, 5 ounces, caught by the final 10 boaters Friday. The catch included eight five-bass limits.

Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, won the co-angler division and $50,000 Friday with a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 26 pounds, 9 ounces, followed by Larry Rothweil of Saint Charles, Missouri, in second place with 12 bass weighing 22-2, good for $10,000.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1^st:       Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., 14 bass, 26-9, $50,000
2^nd:      Larry Rothweil, St. Charles, Mo., 12 bass, 22-2, $10,000
3^rd:       Kibbee McCoy, Knoxville, Tenn., 12 bass, 19-14, $6,000
4^th:       David Blankinship, Cushing, Okla., 13 bass, 19-6, $5,000
5^th:       Dalton Steele, Cherokee, Ala., 10 bass, 18-5, $4,500
6^th:       Cole Sands, Calhoun, Tenn., 12 bass, 17-11, $4,000
7^th:       Andrew Wiley, Joppa, Md., 13 bass, 17-7, $3,500
8^th:       Leo Reiter, Greenup, Ill., 13 bass, 16-13, $3,000
9^th:       Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C., 11 bass, 16-2, $3,000
10^th:     Kerry Harris, Bethel Island, Calif., 11 bass, 16-1, $2,000

Overall, there were 30 bass weighing 40 pounds, 6 ounces, caught by the final 10 co-anglers Friday. The catch included two five-bass limits.

In addition to the cash payouts, the highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each of six Regional Championships, the Wild Card Championship and The Bass Federation (TBF) National Championship at the All-American now advance to the 2020 Toyota Series Championship next month on Lake Cumberland for a shot at winning $235,000 and $33,500, respectively.

The eight boaters and co-anglers that now advance to the 2020 Toyota Series Championship are:

Region 1 (Lake Hartwell) Boater Champion: Todd Goade, White Pine, Tenn.
Region 2 (Lake Seminole) Boater Champion: Randall Allen, Owens Cross Roads, Ala.
Region 3 (Kentucky-Barkley lakes) Boater Champion: Kerry Frey, Middlebury, Ind.
Region 4 (Potomac River) Boater Champion: Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C.
Region 5 (Lake Guntersville) Boater Champion: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Region 6 (Grand Lake) Boater Champion: Chris Macy, Diamond, Mo.
WildCard (Kentucky Lake) Boater Champion: Bryan Dowdy, Florence, Ala.
TBF (Kentucky Lake) Boater Champion: Blake Wilson, Benton, Ark.

Region 1 (Lake Hartwell) Boater Champion: Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga.
Region 2 (Lake Seminole) Boater Champion: Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C.
Region 3 (Kentucky-Barkley lakes) Boater Champion: David Blankinship, Cushing, Okla.
Region 4 (Potomac River) Boater Champion: Mark Blankenship, Christiansburg, Va.
Region 5 (Lake Guntersville) Boater Champion: Dalton Steele, Cherokee, Ala.
Region 6 (Grand Lake) Boater Champion: Larry Rothweil, Saint Charles, Mo.
WildCard (Kentucky Lake) Boater Champion: Leo Reiter, Greenup, Ill.
TBF (Kentucky Lake) Boater Champion: Andrew Wiley, Joppa, Md.

Hosted by Visit Anderson, the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American on Lake Hartwell presented by TINCUP featured a field of the top 55 boaters and 55 co-anglers from across the 24-division Bass Fishing League, TBF, Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI and High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing.

Television coverage of the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American presented by TINCUP will premiere Jan. 2, 2021, on the Outdoor Channel, Jan. 4, 2021, on the World Fishing Network and be featured in the FLW television series on YouTube.com/FLWFishing. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

HOBIE B.O.S. ANCHORED BY POWER-POLE ANGLER OF THE YEAR (A.O.Y.) CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT HOBIE T.O.C. EVENT

Hobie Kayaks

wpalert

-

November 14, 2020

0

HOBIE B.O.S. ANCHORED BY POWER-POLE ANGLER OF THE YEAR (A.O.Y.) CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT HOBIE T.O.C. EVENT

T2020 A.O.Y. scoring leaders set to battle it out as top kayak anglers descend on Knoxville’s famous Tennessee River bass waters.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (November 13, 2020) – There will be more on the line than the ultimate event title at the prestigious Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole 2^nd Annual Tournament of Champions (T.O.C.) when an elite fleet of kayak anglers swarm Knoxville’s famous Tennessee River bass waters this coming weekend. Also at stake will be Hobie’s highly coveted Angler of the Year (A.O.Y.) Championship, which – in addition to recognition for superior performance throughout the season series – comes with significant cash and product prize packages, plus a heaping serving of personal pride.

“It’s an award these kayak anglers take very seriously,” says B.O.S. Tournament Director, A.J. McWhorter,” and you can bet those in the running will battle it out through the final seconds of the T.O.C. to try and come out on top. Several anglers have been locked in a close race all season long for the A.O.Y. points lead, but it’s still anybody’s game heading into the final event of the year. Anglers have been competing for the 48 guaranteed spots in the T.O.C. since the opening B.O.S. event on Lake Seminole back in February, but the A.O.Y. honors are going to have a nail-biter finish as many of the top names in kayak bass fishing remain in the hunt.”

Hobie’s Angler of the Year standings are based on the culmination of points earned from an angler’s top three B.O.S. open event finishes during the current season, plus their T.O.C. performance. The Top 100 anglers in each of the season’s nine open tournaments receive points starting at 100 for first place and decreasing by a point for each additional place (i.e., 99 points for second place, 98 points for third, etc.). Extra points are awarded for catching the largest limit or biggest bass of the day for an angler’s counted events. Any ties for A.O.Y. honors will be broken by the angler with the highest finish in the T.O.C.

Jody Queen

This year’s A.O.Y. prize package includes $5,000 cash plus a fully rigged, custom-colored, orange and black B.O.S. camo Hobie Mirage 360 Pro Angler 14. This super package is worth over $6,500 and comes outfitted with a Power Pole, Lowrance Unit on a Scotty base, and Dakota Lithium batteries. The second-place finisher will receive $3,000 plus a prize package, while third place will earn $2,000 and a prize package. The top A.O.Y. finisher also receives an invitation to the Hobie Worlds 10.

Leading A.O.Y. scoring heading into the T.O.C. are an all-star cast in kayak-fishing history. Jody Queen, the reigning T.O.C. champion, who has already qualified for Hobie Worlds 9 and 10, is in the top slot with 298 points while Rus Snyders (297.6) and Drew Gregory (294.1) are seeded second and third. Closely following this formidable threesome are Cody Milton, one of the top anglers in the country, former Kayak Bass Fishing National Champion Kurt Smits, Eric Siddiqi and Ron Champion. All have scored between 285 and 282 points.

“If you look down the leader board,” says McWhorter, there’s a ton of anglers breathing down the necks of the leaders. Jaxton Orr, Guillermo Gonzalez and Jason Broach all have more than 274 points and remain within striking distance with a top-shelf performance. Anyone in the top ten is still clearly in the game.”

For Queen, 55, a full-time professional kayak bass angler, a second T.O.C. crown combined with A.O.Y. honors would be especially sweet. “The B.O.S. series is so competitive,” he says. “Nobody gets a free pass here. Mike Iaconelli entered the Susquehanna event back in August and finished 12! Imagine that.”

Queen, it should be noted, won both the Susquehanna (112 anglers) and Kentucky Lake (129 anglers) events, and finished third at Lake Dardanelle, to amass his leading A.O.Y. point total. It was in that last event that he managed to edge out Snyders for third place in the tournament and position himself at the top of the field heading into this weekend’s final match.

Holding down the second spot in the A.O.Y. standings, Snyders strung together victories at the Lake Fork (155 anglers) and Mississippi River (84 anglers) events, and a fourth-place finish at Lake Dardanelle, to fend off the hard-charging Gregory. The latter conquered the field at Lake Dardanelle and finished fourth at both the Susquehanna River and Coosa River events to secure his third place A.O.Y. standing.

While all three A.O.Y. point leaders have a way of making things look easy on the water, each had to overcome stiff competition and concerns to persevere and finish atop the field. On Kentucky Lake, Queen managed to scratch out a win on Day 2 after putting down his soft plastics and switching to a Z-Man JackHammer™ ChatterBait® with about an hour to go in the tournament. That resulted in two additional fish – one that measured 18” and the other stretching the tape to 19.25” to seal the last-minute victory. For Snyders, the Lake Fork event – the largest field ever assembled for a B.O.S. competition – was stacked with heavy hitters, and featured a significant number of local anglers who were intimately familiar with the lake. At Lake Dardanelle, Gregory needed a lunker in the last hour-and-a-half of competition and responded with a 21-inch brute. That fish, he recalled, exploded on his Whopper Plopper after a smaller bass shook it free while being retrieved.”

“Some days it helps to have a little luck on your side,” admits Gregory. “That lunker lifted me into first place for the event and also scored as big bass for the day, so here I am among the top three in the A.O.Y. standings, ready and rearing to go.”

Drew Gregory

As far as game plans for attacking Knoxville’s famed waters which contain a mix of largemouths, smallmouths and spotted bass, Queen hopes to establish a jig or spinnerbait smallmouth pattern because those are his favorite bass to target. If he can’t get the bronzebacks going, he’ll switch over to lake fishing for largemouths and target weed beds with a Z-Man JackHammer™ ChatterBait® or Z-Man Mag FattyZ™. “I figure it is going to take 85” to 86” of bass each day to get the T.O.C. win and wrap up A.O.Y honors, so I plan to go at it real hard right from the start.”

Snyders, on the other hand, intends to keep an open mind heading into the competition. “I’ve struggled a bit during a few practice sessions there in recent weeks, so I’m planning to be prepared for anything. It’s been hot leading up to the T.O.C., which has dulled the bite, but there are a couple days of rain in the forecast and cooler weather is on the horizon. I’m hoping that changes things up. Either way, I’ll be ready. I’m bringing a full arsenal to make it happen.”

Gregory, meanwhile, plans to concentrate his efforts targeting smallmouth bass in the river stretches. “I’m going river bassing. That’s my strong suit,” he states. “There’s three rivers within the boundaries for this event, the French, the Broad and the Tennessee. I’m hoping there are enough quality smallmouths in at least one of them to compete with the largemouths of Lake Fort Loudon and Lake Tellico. I’ll throw the new Z-Man ChatterBait® WillowVibe™. It has a smaller profile and tighter wobble than other chatterbaits because its blade is shaped like a willow leaf. I think a small lure and tight action might be just what the smallies will want this time of year in that cool, clear water. I might throw a spinnerbait as well. Either way, I’ll be fishing seriously but keeping it fun.”

The 2020 Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole 2^nd Annual Tournament of Champions (T.O.C) is the final stop on Hobie’s celebrated kayak bass fishing tour. To make the cut, anglers had to compete in at least one of nine two-day Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power-Pole open events and/or the single-day B.O.S. Shootout, scheduled for November 13. These events, spread across the country, allow the 50 top anglers in the series based on accumulated A.O.Y. points to showcase their skills, compete for the toughest and most highly prized title in kayak bass fishing, and gain the final qualifying spot for the Hobie Fishing Worlds 10.

Total T.O.C. payout this year will be $61,000, dispersed through the top 10 anglers (or 20% of the field), including a whopping $30,000 for the first-place finisher. There’s also a $1,000 bounty for Bassin’ Big Bass honors, plus the A.O.Y. prizes to be awarded. All T.O.C. qualifiers will enjoy three complimentary meals and the comforts of the Farragut Community Center as their tournament headquarters. The first-class accommodations are central to everything in the Knoxville area, which provides a magnificent surrounding for family and friends to relax and enjoy the great outdoors following the competition.

For more information on the Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power-Pole, go to: https://tourneyx.com/app/tourney/hobie-bos-tournament-of-champions.

To view Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power-Pole Angler of the Year standings during and after the T.O.C. tournament visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HobieBOS/.

Schlapper Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Earns Classic Berth At Pickwick

wpalert

-

November 14, 2020

0

Schlapper Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Earns Classic Berth At Pickwick

Pat Schlapper, of Eleva, Wis., has won the 2020 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake with a three-day total of 51 pounds, 10 ounces.

Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.

November 13, 2020

Schlapper Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Earns Classic Berth At Pickwick

Florence, Ala. — Pat Schlapper had nothing but good fortune on Friday the 13th when he caught the heaviest limit of the week for a come-from-behind win in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Pickwick Lake located in the northwest corner of Alabama.

Schlapper, a 38-year-old resident of Eleva, Wis., caught five bass during the final round that weighed 23 pounds, 3 ounces, which was 6 1/2 pounds heavier than any other limit weighed at McFarland Park this week. Combined with his limits of 14-11 on Wednesday and 13-12 on Thursday, Schlapper had a 51-10 total and won the championship by more than 7 pounds.
Schlapper’s win brought a wealth of riches, including a $20,000 cash prize, an invitation to compete on the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series and $16,000 in paid entry fees to those tournaments. B.A.S.S. also will loan Schlapper a bass boat, complete with a “Nation’s Best” wrap, to use in Elite Series events.

But without a doubt, Schlapper’s most precious prize is a berth in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic. The most prestigious fishing tournament in the world will be held on Lake Ray Roberts in Texas on March 19-21.

“My buddies have been saying for a long time, ‘Let’s go to the Classic one year,’” Schlapper said. “I told them, ‘I’m not going to the Classic until I’m fishing in it.’ I’ve been saying that since I was 18, and now I’m finally going.”

Schlapper was in sixth place after Day 1 and jumped to second on Day 2, trailing Louisiana’s Blake Sylvester, who led Days 1 and 2. He trailed Sylvester by only 6 ounces heading into the final day but wasted no time pulling ahead — and away — from the 11 other anglers who made the cut and fished Friday.

“I got lucky,” he told a B.A.S.S. official after the final weigh-in, debunking the lore that only bad omens come on Friday the 13th.

The good luck struck Schlapper early on Friday when current was moving quickly on the Tennessee River. Schlapper was having a difficult time staying in place on a spot he wanted to fish about five minutes from McFarland Park, so he motored above the spot and began drifting back to it. He caught an undersized bass on the drift, which prompted him to cast a few more times to the same area.

The key was putting a 3/4-ounce jighead on the paddletail swimbait (shad color) he’d used throughout the tournament. The switch got his lure to the river bottom and it ignited a smallmouth feeding frenzy. By 10 a.m., Schlapper had 21 pounds and made his final upgrade (a 2-pound bump) at midafternoon.

He considered heading back to shore at noon to weigh his haul, but he stuck it out until 45 minutes before the 2 p.m. weigh-in.

“I put all my eggs in the basket with the smallmouth,” he said. “The current here is a lot like what I fish back home on the Mississippi River.”

Schlapper’s heaviest smallmouth weighed 5-3, and his smallest was just shy of 4 pounds.

“I caught a lot of good fish on a 1/2-ounce jig this week, but the 3/4-ounce made the bait swim right,” he said. “It was like the smallmouths had never seen it before.”

Sylvester, a 29-year-old angler from Plaquemine, La., finished second with 43-2 over three days, including 14-5 on Friday, to earn the second of three Classic bids up for grabs. He also won $15,000 for the runner-up finish, as well as entry into the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens.

Sylvester pounded a grassy stretch of the river all three days, using a Delta Lures Thunder Jig, a Humdinger bladed jig and a Missile Baits Shockwave (green pumpkin).

“I just wanted to make the third day and give myself a shot (at the Classic),” Sylvester said. “It worked out.”

Justin Kerr of Lake Havasu, Ariz., finished third with 40-7 and secured his own spot in the Classic. He won $10,000 and invitations to all of next year’s Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens.

Kerr, 39, rotated between a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap and an Evergreen Stealth Blade to catch his biggest bass on Pickwick. After 20 years of professional fishing, he was elated to finally qualify for the Classic.

“It’s been a major goal of mine for as long as I can remember,” he said. “After all this time, I’ve got it.”

In all, 94 anglers qualified for the tournament, including 48 in the boater division and 46 in the co-angler field, all competing for a share of $176,800 in cash and prizes. All but four states were represented, with only Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii and North Dakota not competing.

The tournament was hosted by Visit Florence.

2020 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake 11/11-11/13
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 15 51-10 0 $20,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 23-03
2. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 15 43-02 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 12-03 Day 3: 5 14-05
3. Justin Kerr Lake Havasu, AZ 15 40-07 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 11-13 Day 3: 5 14-06
4. Bryan Gunter Ninety Six, SC 13 36-01 0 $5,000.00
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 11-09
5. Joel Smith Guin, AL 14 35-07 0 $4,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 4 08-03 Day 3: 5 14-03
6. Jason Hickey Weiser, ID 13 33-07 0 $3,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 3 08-03 Day 3: 5 12-11
7. Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT 12 31-07 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 13-07 Day 3: 2 04-11
8. Josh Ray Alexander, AR 11 29-03 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 2 03-13 Day 3: 4 09-07
9. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 11 28-00 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 2 04-02
10. Josh Cotier Clinton, MA 11 26-12 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 4 09-00 Day 3: 2 04-05
11. Eddie Levin Westerville, OH 8 23-10 0 $500.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 3 07-09 Day 3: 0 00-00
12. Terry Peterson West Jordan, UT 9 23-09 0 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 3 06-13 Day 3: 1 02-02
13. Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN 7 20-10 0
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 2 05-06 Day 3: 0 00-00
14. Matthew Robertson Kuttawa, KY 8 20-07 0
Day 1: 4 10-08 Day 2: 4 09-15 Day 3: 0 00-00
15. Ray Trudeau Saint Cloud, FL 8 18-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 3 06-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
16. Brent Shores Boise, ID 9 18-07 0
Day 1: 4 08-05 Day 2: 5 10-02 Day 3: 0 00-00
17. Christian Gladfelter Albuquerque, NM 6 18-02 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 1 03-09 Day 3: 0 00-00
18. Bert Collins Heaters, WV 7 17-15 0
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 4 08-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
19. Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA 8 17-14 0
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 4 09-12 Day 3: 0 00-00
20. Nate Caldwell Fort Collins, CO 7 17-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 2 04-11 Day 3: 0 00-00
21. Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT 7 17-07 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-05 Day 2: 3 06-02 Day 3: 0 00-00
22. Jesse Jordan Stilwell, KS 7 17-04 0
Day 1: 4 08-01 Day 2: 3 09-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
23. Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL 6 16-11 0
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 1 01-10 Day 3: 0 00-00
24. Jeff Lugar Cross Junction, VA 8 16-11 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 3 06-09 Day 3: 0 00-00
25. Justin Hicks Gunnison, CO 7 16-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 2 05-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
26. Chris Killoren Marcellus, NY 6 15-03 0
Day 1: 4 11-06 Day 2: 2 03-13 Day 3: 0 00-00
27. David Cavell Prairieville, LA 6 14-14 0
Day 1: 4 08-00 Day 2: 2 06-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
28. Jason Crone Kalispell, MT 6 13-11 0
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 4 09-02 Day 3: 0 00-00
29. Jacob Coverdale Frederica, DE 7 13-10 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 2 03-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
30. Michael Cash Louisburg, NC 6 13-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 1 02-00 Day 3: 0 00-00
31. Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI 6 13-03 0
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 06-01 Day 3: 0 00-00
32. Timothy Wells Clovis, CA 6 13-01 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 1 03-09 Day 3: 0 00-00
33. Paul Gietka Abingdon, MD 5 12-13 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 12-13 Day 3: 0 00-00
34. Derek Severns West Mifflin, PA 5 11-11 0
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 1 01-10 Day 3: 0 00-00
35. Michael McMahon Hackettstown, NJ 6 11-07 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 5 09-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
36. Tom Wennerlund Tonto Basin, AZ 4 10-12 0
Day 1: 2 06-14 Day 2: 2 03-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
37. Mark Pierce Cadiz, KY 4 10-06 0
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 05-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
38. Dave Andrews Hudson, MA 5 10-05 0
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 1 01-11 Day 3: 0 00-00
39. Ken Day Kennewick, WA 5 10-05 0
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 2 04-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
40. John Thomsen Creston, IA 5 09-04 0
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 1 01-11 Day 3: 0 00-00
41. Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN 3 09-02 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 2 06-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
42. Jared Miller Norman, OK 3 07-10 0
Day 1: 2 06-04 Day 2: 1 01-06 Day 3: 0 00-00
43. Dan Jordan Camas, WA 4 07-04 0
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 2 04-05 Day 3: 0 00-00
44. Jay Beffa Festus, MO 3 06-08 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 04-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
45. Ken Carter Enterprise, FL 3 06-00 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 04-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
46. Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX 3 05-13 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 03-13 Day 3: 0 00-00
47. David Gorman Canton, GA 2 04-07 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
48. Scott Robert Greene, ME 2 03-14 0
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Day 3: 0 00-00
49. Eric Storms Winner, SD 1 01-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Day 3: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT 05-15 $0.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 20 174 441-12
2 9 133 317-00
3 6 41 115-00
———————————-
35 348 873-12

A look back at 2020 with Buddy Gross & we welcome The Bass Geek to the show

wpalert

-

November 13, 2020

0

A look back at 2020 with Buddy Gross & we welcome The Bass Geek to the show

In this episode we welcome our new co-host Hank the Bass Geek to the show & finish our regular season conversation with Bassmaster Elite angler Buddy Gross. What a great show.

[spreaker type=player resource=”episode_id=41962027″ width=”100%” height=”350px” theme=”dark” playlist=”show” playlist-continuous=”false” autoplay=”false” live-autoplay=”false” chapters-image=”true” episode-image-position=”right” hide-logo=”false” hide-likes=”false” hide-comments=”false” hide-sharing=”false” hide-download=”true” color=”00d084″]

Daiwa Deluxe Spinning Reel Family Now Available

wpalert

-

November 13, 2020

0

Daiwa Deluxe Spinning Reel Family Now Available

Longer life, more power and torque, and high performance characterize the new Kage LT MQ

Cypress, CA (November 13, 2020) – Behold the new standard in crossover saltwater and freshwater spinning reels, Daiwa’s brilliantly designed Kage LT MQ.

The new Kage (pronounced kah-gay) LT MQ embodies a rich feature set, which starts with its one-piece MONOCOQUE Zaion body. This design framework yields more space for larger gears, thus promoting increased torque and power from the get-go… and at the same gear ratios of competitive reels.

“What makes this reel special is just like the regular Kage LT, the LT MQ family features a MONOCOQUE frame and body. And, the whole Kage line is a dealer-driven reel series. We’re focused on the independent retailer. No internet sales for Kage. You can’t buy it from an online dealer. So, what we did when developing the Kage is creating a series specifically to help the independent local retailers. It means big online companies like Amazon can’t sell this product, so no price gauging. The Kage LT MQ is the highest quality Kage in the lineup at a price of $329.99 to $359.99, depending on reel size,” says Marc Mills, Daiwa Field Marketing Manager.

“There are two key things about the Kage LT MQ. It’s constructed of Zaion, a carbon fiber body and frame, which makes it very lightweight and corrosion resistant. And of course, Kage LT MQ is manufactured using Daiwa’s exclusive MONOCOQUE technology, making it extremely lightweight and very rigid. It allowed us to put a much larger main gear and pinion gear in the reel and still create the same amount of gear ratio. You get the usual gear ratio, but with more power, more torque, and better leverage—plus, it offers longer gear life,” adds Mills.

In terms of construction, the inventive Zaion MONOCOQUE body also offers 360 degrees of stability and improved waterproofing over standard spinning reels employing conventional, screw-in side plates. 360 degrees of stability means the gearing is held firmly and in precise alignment; the less gears shift side to side, the less binding and wear take place, and longer your new reel will feel fresh out-of-the-box.

The MONOCOQUE body has no screw holes. Engineering-wise, when you introduce screw holes to a reel body, the holes must be built up with metal or plastic. That adds weight and decreases the amount of space inside the reel body for large gearing. In short, with MONOCOQUE, Daiwa can increase interior space to facilitate larger gearing and reduce overall weight, simultaneously. Lighter and more corrosion resistant than aluminum, Zaion is an exceptionally light but rigid material, which minimizes flex in the handle stem and gear box.

Unlike reels that use rubber seals to protect the one-way roller bearing, Daiwa employs a proprietary system of waterproofing protection called Magseal. Magsealing uses a special magnetic bushing in conjunction with a magnetic weld to create an airtight and watertight oil seal, virtually eliminating the travel of contaminants or water down the main shaft and into the gear set or roller bearing. Daiwa’s patented Magseal process is so effective, it was originally used in the aerospace industry on space suits.

The Kage LT MQ also features an air rotor engineered to be incredibly rigid and with minimal flex, especially at high drag pressures. Critically designed cut-outs reduce the weight of the rotor, too. The lighter the rotor, the less force it takes to spin around the reel, making it easier to turn the handle. The Kage LT MQ also features a tubular air bail, which further reduces weight and offers more rigidity than standard wire, minimizing concerns over flex, bending or breaking. The thicker material feels better to the fingers when flipping the tubular air bail as well.

A7075 aircraft-grade aluminum DIGIGEAR® technology is another hallmark of the Kage LT MQ. The especially hard and lightweight aluminum is precision machined and digitally cut, making it considerably more resistant to wear than traditional gear materials on the market.

Anglers fishing Kage LT MQ reels will appreciate Daiwa’s brilliant Advanced Tournament Drag (ATD™) when setting the hook and fighting fish. The smart system applies an increased, instantaneous, and calculated resistance during the hookset. After the hook drives home and the fish starts pulling, ATD automatically returns to the selected drag setting.

Where reel meets angler, the Kage LT MQ features a machined screw-in handle that connects directly to the main drive gear. The other end of the handle features a premium, grippy cork handle knob, emblazoned with the Kage logo for aesthetic flair.

BG MQ Features:

One-piece MONOCOQUE ZAION body
MAGSEALED
AIR ROTOR and AIR BAIL
A7075 Aircraft Grade Aluminum DIGIGEAR®
Advanced Tournament Drag (ATD™)
Cork Style Handle Knob
Machined aluminum screw in direct drive handle

For freshwater and inshore anglers seeking their next premium, precision spinning reel, look no further than the Kage LT MQ, a reel engineered with advanced technology and constructed of the finest and most durable materials available.

MSRP $329.99 – $359.99

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 ishttp://www.daiwa.com/us/

Sylvester Holds On To Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

wpalert

-

November 13, 2020

0

Sylvester Holds On To Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

Blake Sylvester, of Plaquemine, La., is leading after Day 2 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake with a two-day total of 28 pounds, 13 ounces.

Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.

November 12, 2020

Sylvester Holds On To Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

[print_link]

Florence, Ala. — Blake Sylvester was a bit worried the spot he pounded to grab the Day 1 lead in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Pickwick Lake might not be as productive a day later.
It wasn’t, but it didn’t matter.

Sylvester, a 29-year-old Plaquemine, La., resident, caught a limit of five bass Thursday that weighed 12 pounds, 3 ounces. Added to the 16-10 limit he caught Wednesday, he has a tournament-best 28-13 total heading into the final day on this 43,000-acre impoundment of the Tennessee River.

Despite his position atop the leaderboard after both days of fishing, Sylvester has struggled to get the Pickwick largemouth bass to bite. He found a stretch of submerged grass in approximately 6 feet of water that was productive in practice, and he fished it almost exclusively on Wednesday but got only a handful of bites. Sylvester returned there Thursday, but he didn’t catch his first bass until after 11 a.m.

With nothing in his livewell more than halfway through Day 2, Sylvester wondered if he should stick with the grass or look for another area. He chose to remain on his primary spot, and it finally paid off with six keeper bites, five of which made it to Thursday’s weigh-in at McFarland Park.

“Back home, I would have left the spot in a heartbeat,” he said. “But in the three days I spent here before we were off-limits, plus the three days we practiced, that was the only spot that I was really confident in.”

Still, it was extremely difficult to stay when nothing was biting.

“I was thinking about what my sob story would be when I weighed in today,” he said with a laugh. “Really, I was looking at the same thing over and over again. It was tough. I must have thrown a thousand times.”

Sylvester said his bite ignited only when he switched colors on his lure of choice. He said that simple change was the difference between fishing Friday’s championship round and heading home to Louisiana.

It’s no surprise he’ll head back to the grassbed Friday, hoping it can sustain him for a wire-to-wire championship win and a spot in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

“I think it has more fish,” he said. “They’re there for a reason. It has all the right conditions. I might run some stuff tomorrow morning to catch some smallmouths, but I’ll wind up back in the same spot. It’s been the best one here so far.”

Sylvester is one of 12 competitors who survived the cut and will fish Friday. The top three among them will earn berths in the Classic to be held March 19-21 on Lake Ray Roberts near Fort Worth, Texas.

The winner of this week’s tournament will also win $20,000 cash and $16,000 in paid entry fees to compete on the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. The winner can opt instead to receive entry to the 2021 Bassmaster Opens, and B.A.S.S. will provide a “Nation’s Best” wrapped boat to use on either circuit next year.

Utah’s Terry Peterson won the co-angler division Thursday with a two-day total of 21-7. Peterson was presented the Louis “Pee Wee” Powers Trophy for winning the division and collected $10,000 cash and paid entries to all Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens tournaments in 2021.

B.A.S.S. officials outfitted him with a boat to use in Friday’s final round, and he’s the only one of 46 co-anglers competing Friday.

Peterson jumped to the top of the co-angler leaderboard Wednesday with a 14-10 limit and followed with three bass Thursday that weighed 6-13.

“I only started fishing B.A.S.S. Nation four years ago,” the 52-year-old West Jordan, Utah, resident said. “Having a chance to make the Classic tomorrow, it’s like an amateur playing golf in The Masters. It’s an amazing feeling, and it’s really close to reality right now.”

The Top 12 co-anglers split $31,500 in cash after Thursday’s weigh-in.

Wisconsin’s Pat Schlapper placed second in the boater division with 28-7, followed by Vermont’s Michael Comeau with 26-12 and Arizona’s Justin Kerr with 26-1.

The Top 10 competitors in the boater division automatically advanced to the final round, as did the co-angler champion and anyone who placed among first or second in one of five B.A.S.S. Nation Regional tournaments who wasn’t in the Top 10 at Pickwick.

Whoever finishes second among the remaining dozen competitors will win $15,000 cash and entries into all 2021 Opens events, while third place is good for $10,000 and invites to all Opens.

In all, 94 boaters and co-angler champions from 46 states qualified for the championship on Pickwick with a total purse of $176,800 in cash and prizes up for grabs. North Dakota, Connecticut, Hawaii and Alaska are the only states not represented this year.

Oregon’s Cody Hollen, last year’s B.A.S.S. Nation Champion, was entered, as was Florida’s Ken Carter, the Paralyzed Veterans of America Angler of the Year.

The final round begins with takeoff at 6 a.m. CT Friday from McFarland Park. The weigh-in is scheduled for 2 p.m. back at the park.

The tournament is being hosted by Visit Florence.

2020 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake 11/11-11/13
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 10 28-13 0
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 12-03
2. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 28-07 0
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 13-12
3. Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT 10 26-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 13-07
4. Justin Kerr Lake Havasu, AZ 10 26-01 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 11-13
5. Bryan Gunter Ninety Six, SC 8 24-08 0
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 5 15-02
6. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 9 23-14 0
Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 5 14-11
7. Eddie Levin Westerville, OH 8 23-10 0
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 3 07-09
8. Josh Cotier Clinton, MA 9 22-07 0
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 4 09-00
9. Joel Smith Guin, AL 9 21-04 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 4 08-03
10. Jason Hickey Weiser, ID 8 20-12 0
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 3 08-03
11. Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN 7 20-10 0
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 2 05-06
12. Matthew Robertson Kuttawa, KY 8 20-07 0
Day 1: 4 10-08 Day 2: 4 09-15
13. Josh Ray Alexander, AR 7 19-12 0
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 2 03-13
14. Ray Trudeau Saint Cloud, FL 8 18-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 3 06-14
15. Brent Shores Boise, ID 9 18-07 0
Day 1: 4 08-05 Day 2: 5 10-02
16. Christian Gladfelter Albuquerque, NM 6 18-02 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 1 03-09
17. Bert Collins Heaters, WV 7 17-15 0
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 4 08-03
18. Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA 8 17-14 0
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 4 09-12
19. Nate Caldwell Fort Collins, CO 7 17-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 2 04-11
20. Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT 7 17-07 0
Day 1: 4 11-05 Day 2: 3 06-02
21. Jesse Jordan Stilwel, KS 7 17-04 0
Day 1: 4 08-01 Day 2: 3 09-03
22. Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL 6 16-11 0
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 1 01-10
23. Jeff Lugar Cross Junction, VA 8 16-11 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 3 06-09
24. Justin Hicks Gunnison, CO 7 16-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 2 05-03
25. Chris Killoren Marcellus, NY 6 15-03 0
Day 1: 4 11-06 Day 2: 2 03-13
26. David Cavell Prairieville, LA 6 14-14 0
Day 1: 4 08-00 Day 2: 2 06-14
27. Jason Crone Kalispell, MT 6 13-11 0
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 4 09-02
28. Jacob Coverdale Frederica, DE 7 13-10 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 2 03-07
29. Michael Cash Louisburg, NC 6 13-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 1 02-00
30. Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI 6 13-03 0
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 06-01
31. Timothy Wells Clovis, CA 6 13-01 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 1 03-09
32. Paul Gietka Abingdon, MD 5 12-13 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 12-13
33. Derek Severns West Mifflin, PA 5 11-11 0
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 1 01-10
34. Michael McMahon Hackettstown, NJ 6 11-07 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 5 09-03
35. Tom Wennerlund Tonto Basin, AZ 4 10-12 0
Day 1: 2 06-14 Day 2: 2 03-14
36. Mark Pierce Cadiz, KY 4 10-06 0
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 05-14
37. Dave Andrews Hudson, MA 5 10-05 0
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 1 01-11
38. Ken Day Kennewick, WA 5 10-05 0
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 2 04-03
39. John Thomsen Creston, IA 5 09-04 0
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 1 01-11
40. Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN 3 09-02 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 2 06-14
41. Jared Miller Norman, OK 3 07-10 0
Day 1: 2 06-04 Day 2: 1 01-06
42. Dan Jordan Camas, WA 4 07-04 0
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 2 04-05
43. Jay Beffa Festus, MO 3 06-08 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 04-03
44. Ken Carter Enterprise, FL 3 06-00 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 04-07
45. Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX 3 05-13 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 03-13
46. David Gorman Canton, GA 2 04-07 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-07
47. Scott Robert Greene, ME 2 03-14 0
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
48. Eric Storms Winner, SD 1 01-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 19 169 427-02
2 9 130 310-03
———————————-
28 299 737-05

2020 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake 11/11-11/13
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Terry Peterson West Jordan, UT 8 21-07 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 3 06-13
2. Tas Moua Fresno, CA 6 17-00 0 $7,500.00
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 5 13-09
3. Mike Caul Petersburg, VA 6 15-10 0 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 1 02-01
4. Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA 7 14-15 0 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 4 08-13
5. Steve Hinkle Mount Nebo, WV 5 13-11 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 3 09-09 Day 2: 2 04-02
6. Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA 5 12-13 0 $1,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
7. Brian Kline Dysart, PA 4 11-15 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 1 03-10
8. Aaryn Coroneos Henderson, NV 3 11-06 0 $500.00
Day 1: 3 11-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
9. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 4 11-03 0 $500.00
Day 1: 2 06-09 Day 2: 2 04-10
10. Larry Carter Lucedale, MS 4 10-05 0 $500.00
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 2 05-11
11. James Topmiller III Orlando, FL 4 09-13 0 $250.00
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 2 05-10
12. Toby Cross Bowdoinham, ME 3 08-13 0 $250.00
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 06-08
13. Joe Combs Jonesboro, AR 3 08-07 0
Day 1: 3 08-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
14. Zeke Abegg Clarksville, TN 2 08-04 0 $500.00
Day 1: 2 08-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
15. Michael Johnson Crawford, TX 4 07-10 0
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 1 01-11
16. Bryce Hauf Winner, SD 3 07-00 0
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 2 04-14
17. Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN 3 06-15 0
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 2 03-13
18. Clif Gallagher Saint George, UT 3 06-10 0
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 1 01-13
19. Danny Fourr Waterflow, NM 3 06-05 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 1 03-00
20. Connor Rushing Pride, LA 2 05-11 0
Day 1: 1 03-13 Day 2: 1 01-14
21. Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI 2 05-09 0
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 1 03-00
22. Bill Lionetta Jr Alton Bay, NH 3 05-06 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-06
23. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 1 04-07 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 04-07
24. Coleton Usher Atkins, IA 2 04-03 0
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
25. Colten Didion Westerville, OH 2 04-03 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 1 02-05
26. Scott Hrcka Homer, MI 2 04-01 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
27. Larry Wigmore Smyrna, DE 2 04-01 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 01-14
28. Ryan Bone Douglasville, GA 2 03-10 0
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 1 02-00
29. Kyle Klein Hutchinson, KS 1 03-04 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-04
30. Tyler Lawwill Asheville, NC 2 02-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 1 01-07
31. Kyle Slomba Baltimore, MD 1 02-08 0
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
32. Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE 1 02-01 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
33. Kirk Albrecht Fort Collins, CO 1 02-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
34. Mike Bell OGDENSBURG, NY 1 01-15 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
35. Matthew Marques Seneca, IL 1 01-14 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
36. Austin Johnson Noxon, MT 1 01-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
37. Sean Bowen Midwest City, OK 1 01-12 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
38. Scott Seros Bend, OR 1 01-10 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-10
39. David Dias Brattleboro, VT 1 01-07 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-07
39. Kenneth Ellis Bowman, SC 1 01-07 0
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
39. Greg Jager Kennewick, WA 1 01-07 0
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. Phil Clopton Macks Creek, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. Tim Kellam Crittenden, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. Nathanial Kimberling Coeur D Alene, ID 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. Bryan Larson Waconia, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. John Serge Philadelphia, PA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 3 65 166-01
2 1 47 111-03
———————————-
4 112 277-04

TENNESSEE’S GOADE TAKES LEAD AT PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE ALL-AMERICAN ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY TINCUP

wpalert

-

November 13, 2020

0

TENNESSEE’S GOADE TAKES LEAD AT PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE ALL-AMERICAN ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY TINCUP

[print_link]

ANDERSON, S.C. (Nov. 12, 2020) – Fifty-five of the top weekend boaters and co-anglers from across the country continued their three-day battle Thursday for a top prize of $120,000 at the 37^th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American on Lake Hartwell

presented by TINCUP.

Rainy weather, which had been heavy overnight, greeted anglers to start the second day of competition. The rain tapered off after takeoff, then cloudy and slick conditions set in before turning in to a pleasant weather day, with lots of sun and a nice breeze. After weighing a respectable 11-pound, 7-ounce limit on the opening day of competition, boater Todd Goade of White Pine, Tennessee, vaulted to the top of the leaderboard after Day 2 by weighing a five-bass limit for 13 pounds, 2 ounces. Goade’s two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 9 ounces gives him a 1-pound, 13-ounce lead over second place angler Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, heading into the third and final day of competition.

The 2020 All-American features a field of the top 55 boaters and 55 co-anglers from across the 24-division Bass Fishing League, The Bass Federation, Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI and High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing, competing for a grand prize of up to $120,000 in the boater division and $50,000 in the co-angler division.

“The last two days, I’ve made the right decisions at the right times and it has worked out, so far,” said Goade, who qualified for this event out of the Bass Fishing League Volunteer division. “During practice I noticed that you needed to be in certain places at a certain time, and the fish that I’m trying to catch, I need the sun to shine for them to be on target.

“It’s been cloudy, so I’ve been stopping pretty short of my target and just working my way up to them. I’ve caught a lot of fish before I even get to the cover. As the sun came out today, the fishing got better in the afternoon. So, it’s worked out real well. I’m trying not to force anything and just let it happen.”

Goade estimated that he caught 12 to 13 keepers on Wednesday, then added another 15 to 20 keepers today. He said he’s done the majority of his damage with a Zoom worm on a shaky-head rig and a 1/8-ounce Pulse jig with an unnamed Damiki plastic.

“The fish are feeding on really small bait right now,” Goade said. “Normally they’re eating 3- to 5-inch herring, but right now they’re eating 1- to 1½-inch shad, so I’ve kind of matched the hatch with that Pulse jig.”

When asked if he was feeling any nerves leading this event heading into the final day of competition, Goade said he was hopeful, but content.

“Even if I zero tomorrow, this has already been one of the best weeks I’ve ever had in my fishing career,” Goade said. “I don’t feel any extra pressure. When it’s your time, it’s your time and if it’s meant to be it’ll happen. I’m going to do the same thing that I’ve done the last two days, and I’m just going fishing.”

The top 10 boaters advancing to the final day of competition on Lake Hartwell are:

1^st:       Todd Goade, White Pine, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-9
2^nd:      Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 22-12
3^rd:       Bryan Dowdy, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 22-5
4^th:       Dustin Lippe, Lampe, Mo., 10 bass, 22-4
5^th:       Chris Macy, Diamond, Mo., 10 bass, 21-9
6^th:       Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C., 10 bass, 21-9
7^th:       Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-9
8^th:       Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., 10 bass, 20-7
9^th:       Randall Allen, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 10 bass, 20-1
10^th:     Kip Carter, Mansfield, Ga., 10 bass, 20-0

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Overall, there were 214 bass weighing 391 pounds, 14 ounces, caught by 52 boaters Thursday. The catch included 34 five-bass limits.

Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, leads the Co-angler Division with 10 bass weighing 18 pounds, 12 ounces, followed by Dalton Steele of Cherokee, Alabama, in second place with 10 bass weighing 18 pounds, 5 ounces.

The final 10 co-anglers are:

1^st:       Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., 10 bass, 18-12
2^nd:      Dalton Steele, Cherokee, Ala., 10 bass, 18-5
3^rd:       David Blankinship, Cushing, Okla., 10 bass, 16-8
4^th:       Kerry Harris, Bethel Island, Calif., 10 bass, 14-13
5^th:       Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C., 10 bass, 14-10
6^th:       Andrew Wiley, Joppa, Md., 10 bass, 14-8
7^th:       Leo Reiter, Greenup, Ill., 10 bass, 13-6
8^th:       Cole Sands, Calhoun, Tenn., 10 bass, 13-6
9^th:       Larry Rothweil, St. Charles, Mo., 10 bass, 12-14
10^th:     Kibbee McCoy, Knoxville, Tenn., 10 bass, 12-14

Overall, there were 138 bass weighing 219 pounds, 5 ounces, caught by 46 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included 13 five-bass limits.

The final 10 All-American boaters and co-anglers will take off from Green Pond Landing, located at 470 Green Pond Road in Anderson, at 7:30 a.m. EST Friday. Friday’s Championship weigh-in will be held at the landing at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to anglers, family and essential staff. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the daily coverage, live blogs and photos at FLWFishing.com.

The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell presented by TINCUP is hosted by Visit Anderson.

Television coverage of the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine All-American presented by TINCUP will premiere Jan. 2, 2021, on the Outdoor Channel, Jan. 4, 2021, on the World Fishing Network and featured in the FLW television series on YouTube.com/FLWFishing. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

The 2020 All-American field of 55 boaters and 55 co-anglers was comprised of the top six boaters and co-anglers from each of the six Bass Fishing League Regional Championships held in 2019, along with the top six boaters and co-anglers from the 2019 Wild Card tournament. They were joined by the top boater and co-angler from each of the seven divisions at the 2020 TBF National Championship, along with both members of the second, third and fourth-place teams at the 2020 Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship presented by Lowrance, who competed as boaters. The fifth and sixth place teams from the College Fishing National Championship and the winning team from the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship competed as co-anglers.

In addition to the cash payouts, the highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each of seven Regional Championships (including the Wild Card) at the All-American will advance to the 2020 Toyota Series Championship next month on Lake Cumberland for a shot at winning $235,000 and $33,500, respectively.

The full field of anglers competed on Wednesday and Thursday, with only the top 10 boaters and top 10 co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to Championship Friday. The 2020 All-American champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Thinning Recreational Traffic Bodes Well For Bassmaster Open On Lewisville

wpalert

-

November 13, 2020

0

Thinning Recreational Traffic Bodes Well For Bassmaster Open On Lewisville

Lewisville Lake will host the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open Nov. 19-21, 2020.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

November 12, 2020

Thinning Recreational Traffic Bodes Well For Bassmaster Open On Lewisville

[print_link]

LEWISVILLE, Texas — Fall brings a time of transition and one of the most significant changes that popular recreational lakes experience is a decline in boat traffic. Pro angler James Biggs believes this will help set the stage for anglers competing in the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Lewisville Lake.

Competition days will be Nov. 19-21 with daily takeoffs from Lewisville Lake Park at 7 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.

Biggs, who guides on Lewisville, said his home lake sees loads of summer activity and it’s not always compatible with bass fishing. With shortening days and declining temperatures, he has seen the crowds thinning.

“Now that we’re in the fall and we’re getting some cold weather, the recreation numbers have gone way down,” Biggs said. “Anglers will enjoy that part because if they came in the hot summer, it is party boats, wakeboard boats and cabin cruisers like crazy.”

This decreased congestion will help balance the seasonal challenge facing Lewisville. A warm fall has only recently seen significant cooling and with water temperatures in the low to mid-60s, this transitional period could present a daunting scenario.

“Pretty much everywhere (in the South) is fishing tough right now and Lewisville’s no different,” Biggs said. “It’s fishing a little tougher than I expected it would be. The lake turned over and now it’s stabilizing, but the fish are just scattered.”

As Biggs notes, Lewisville’s water level has fluctuated with recent rains. Currently, the lake stands about 6 inches below full pool.

This 29,592-acre reservoir on the Trinity River’s Elm Fork was created by the Lewisville Dam. It offers a significant amount of fishable water that will surely attract multiple boats.

“A jig or a shaky head is probably the most consistent way to catch ’em on the dam,” Biggs said. “You can catch them cranking, but the dam generally gets so many boats on it that it’s hard to cover water with moving baits. You’ll have a boat in front of you and behind you.”

Elsewhere, Biggs said anglers will have plenty of room to spread out and find a scenario to their liking. Following the standard formula, stained water awaits in the upper end, while the lower end holds the clearer water.

“One thing that the decreased recreational traffic will do is open up the marinas to anglers,” Biggs said. “There are (several) marinas on the lake, so skipping docks and boat slips will be a major pattern. Every marina on the lake has tournament-winning fish; you just have to figure out how to catch them because they get a lot of pressure.

“There’s also some timber, rocks, there’s offshore structure, shallow wood. I feel like the way this tournament is setting up, you can really fish your strengths and do well.”

Biggs expects the entire lake to be in play. From his recent observations, he says there are fish already in the backs of creeks, some still on the main lake and some everywhere in between.

“There are many sections of the lake to fish and before the tournament’s over, I’ll probably fish them all,” Biggs said. “I feel like it’s going to be hard to pull up and sit on one spot the whole time.

“I think versatility will be the key. A guy might get on something where he can ride one pattern, but I think the winner will probably be doing a few different things.”

Biggs said he’s looking for 12 pounds a day to make the final-round cut and approximately 47 to win the $35,000 first-place prize. Big bites will be the difference-makers and Biggs is confident that one or more of the weigh-ins will see some of the lake’s top-end quality.

“I will be surprised if somebody doesn’t bring an 8- to 9-pound largemouth to the scales,” he said. “Spotted bass will be limit-fillers, but a big spotted bass on that lake is 2 1/2-pounds. They will be a bonus fish, but nothing you’ll target.”

Since this is the final Central Open of the season, the Top 4 anglers in the Central Division standings after the event will be in line for invitations to fish the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. The division’s current Top 4 includes Jason Christie with 547 points, Darold Gleason (540), Lee Livesay (539) and Marc Frazier (533). Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., leads the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year Standings with 1,009 points.

The tournament is being hosted by the Lewisville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

basscastPRO

basscastPRO

The Bass CastYour Tourney News Headquarters

The Bass CastPRO

Jordan Lee Wins 2020 General Tire World Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

Who Needs to fish 1 more? Bass Cast Tournament Trail

MISSOURI’S MACY WINS PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE ALL-AMERICAN ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY TINCUP

HOBIE B.O.S. ANCHORED BY POWER-POLE ANGLER OF THE YEAR (A.O.Y.) CHAMPIONSHIP UP FOR GRABS AT HOBIE T.O.C. EVENT

Schlapper Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Earns Classic Berth At Pickwick

A look back at 2020 with Buddy Gross & we welcome The Bass Geek to the show

In this episode we welcome our new co-host Hank the Bass Geek to the show & finish our regular season conversation with Bassmaster Elite angler Buddy Gross. What a great show.

Daiwa Deluxe Spinning Reel Family Now Available

Sylvester Holds On To Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

TENNESSEE’S GOADE TAKES LEAD AT PHOENIX BASS FISHING LEAGUE PRESENTED BY T-H MARINE ALL-AMERICAN ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY TINCUP

Thinning Recreational Traffic Bodes Well For Bassmaster Open On Lewisville

The Bass CastPRO

Follow Us

The latest

Gill Sets the Bar as MLF’s Youngest Bass-Fishing Millionaire

Seth Dixon & Thanos Tsoumbous win Lake Gaston with 5 bass weighing 18.56 lbs!

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