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Walters makes a splash in debut as Rapala® Pro

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Walters makes a splash in debut as Rapala® Pro

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A one-two punch of Rapala® and VMC® tackle helped Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Patrick Walters launch his pro career in impressive fashion last week in Florida. Included in his fourth-place total weight of 91 pounds, 14 ounces, was a one-day limit of five bass weighing a whopping 32 pounds, 15 ounces.

“It was a magical day,” Walters said on the Bassmaster weigh-in stage after the third of four competition days on the St. Johns River. “The Lord blessed me today and it could not have been a better day.”

Walters, 24, a former University of South Carolina college fishing champion and Bassmaster Opens stand-out, is the newest member of Rapala’s Pro Team. The splash he made last week in his first-ever Bassmaster Elite Series tournament did not surprise Rapala Field Promotions Manager Dan Quinn.

“I’m very thorough when selecting anglers I’d like to represent the Rapala brands, many factors are considered and honestly it’s often a roll of the dice to see how things develop” Quinn said. “ However, signing Patrick was more like betting on the house, he’s got it all – incredibly talented on the water, a top notch human being and much wiser and knowledgeable than his age. After a season of working with Patrick, he didn’t give me an option, it was a no brainer to bring him on our national team. He understands how this whole thing works, on and off the water and I couldn’t be more proud to see him display the Rapala®, VMC® and Sufix® logos front and center.”

In his impressive pro debut, Walters found active fish with a Rapala X-Rap® Prop topwater bait and then brought them into his boat on VMC hooks dressed with soft-plastic worms and stick baits weighted with VMC tungsten. “I caught ‘em flippin’,” he said onstage after weighing his 32-pound, 15-ounce mega-bag. “I’m not [sight fishing], I’m blind-flippin.’”

Targeting mostly reed-heads, isolated reeds and other emergent vegetation, Walters’ first productive flippin’ set-up comprised a 3/8 oz. VMC tungsten weight, a 4/0 Heavy Duty Flippin Hook and a soft-plastic worm. As conditions changed, he continued to catch fish by switching to a set-up that comprised a 3/16 oz. VMC tungsten weight, a 4/0 VMC Heavy Duty Wide Gap and a soft-plastic stick bait or worm. All the fish he weighed came into his boat on prototype 20-pound Sufix® Advance® Fluorocarbon line.

Although sight-fishing wasn’t his main program, Walters did on Day 2 catch some fish off spawning beds – including a 6-pounder – by triggering reaction bites with a VMC Tokyo Rig, a new product in which he is quickly gaining increasing confidence.

“I’m tellin’ ya, that thing is blowin’ me away,” Walters said in a pre-tournament interview. “I’m very surprised by what all you can do with it. It’s very, very versatile.”

Imagine a drop-shot rig on steroids — with a big hook and indestructible metal leader — and you’ve got the picture of a Tokyo Rig. It features a VMC Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook, barrel-swivel, welded O-ring and a rigid wire dropper arm to which anglers can attach a weight or two of their choice.

“One of the biggest players this season is going to be that Tokyo Rig,” Walters said. “That thing is the real deal. It was designed for punching, but I think that’s going to be only 20 percent of what it’s used for. It’s got a million uses.”

On the St. Johns River, Walters dressed his Tokyo Rig’s dropper arm with two 1/8 oz. VMC Tungsten Worm weights situated back to back, with a glass bead separating them. He dressed his hook with a soft-plastic stick bait and dragged it onto spawning beds, making a commotion by shaking the rig to make his weights clack against the bead.

A Terminator® Walking Frog accounted for some of Walters’ fish as well.

“Every day the bite changed,” Walters said onstage after weighing in a limit of 21 pounds, 9 ounces on Championship Sunday.

‘A dream come true’ to represent Rapala, VMC and Sufix
In addition to Rapala, Walters represents VMC terminal tackle and Sufix line as well. Each is a Rapala Respected Brand.

“It’s really a dream come true to be chosen for Team Rapala,” Walters said. “Growing up, as a kid, I was always throwing Rapala jerkbaits and DT-4s. I mean, when you think of hardbaits, you think of Rapala. And to have that opportunity to grow with Rapala and be part of that family, it means the world to me.”

Tackle in the Rapala family of brands that Walters will rely on to catch fish this season – in both Elite Series and Bassmaster Eastern Open tournaments – include DT-series crankbaits, Storm Wiggle Warts, VMC Tokyo Rigs and VMC Neko Hooks.

Today, Walters is on the water on Georgia’s Lake Lanier, finding fish in the second day of the official practice period for the second Bassmaster Elite Series event of the year. The tournament will be contested Feb. 14-17. In a pre-season interview, Walters said “Lanier is the big one I’m looking forward to,” and predicted that Rapala DT-6’s, DT-10’s and Wiggle Wart will be key baits.

“Coldwater cranking – even if you are sponsored by somebody else, you’re throwing a DT-6 and a Wiggle Wart,” Walters said. “It’s just what you throw. They are, by far, hands down, the best cold-water crankbaits. Warm water as well.”

See Rapala® X-Rap® Prop
See Rapala® DT® Series
See VMC® Tungsten Flippin’ Weight
See VMC® Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook
See Terminator® Walking Frog
See Storm® Original Wiggle Wart®

SEAGUAR REVEALS LOW-VISIBILITY SMACKDOWN – STEALTH GRAY

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SEAGUAR REVEALS LOW-VISIBILITY SMACKDOWN – STEALTH GRAY

SEAGUAR REVEALS LOW-VISIBILITY SMACKDOWN – STEALTH GRAY

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Seaguar’s new low-visibility braid sets a new standard for ultra-finesse fishing and stealthiness

Louisville, KY (February 19, 2019) – It seems the ante is raised when the decision to target shallow water bass is made. The big fish opportunities increase but so do the odds of spooking your quarry. That’s why stealth is so critical and where new Seaguar Lo-Vis Stealth Grey Smackdown Braid can make a difference. It blends in to make presentations more natural.

Smackdown is Seaguar’s premium braided line, made with 8 ultra-thin strands woven into a perfectly round profile for quiet, exceptionally long, laser-precise casts. Smackdown’s tight weave makes it one of the thinnest-diameter braids available – so thin that 20 lb. test has the diameter of 6 lb. monofilament – which dramatically enhances its sensitivity. A remarkably strong line, Smackdown provides exceptional knot and tensile strength with unparalleled abrasion resistance. And now, all of Smackdown’s advantages are paired with an extremely low-visibility color, Stealth Gray…

Pro angler Brandon Palaniuk is a big believer in using a stealthy approach to catching fish, especially when his prime targets are shallow. “Big bass can be shallow almost anytime – in the spring when they’re feeding up and bedding, during the summer when they’re buried in the thick stuff, and in the fall when the weeds are dying back and the shallows are brimming with bait. Those shallow fish can be spooky,” notes Palaniuk, a three-time Champion in Bassmaster Elite Series events, “and often react negatively if they spot my line.”

“I rely on Seaguar Smackdown to help me make the long, precise casts I need to chase fish in shallow water, and to get those fish into the boat after they strike. With new low-vis Stealth Gray Smackdown, I can fish up shallow with more confidence, knowing that my line won’t spook the big gals in that skinny water.”

Similarly, bass expert and TV host Mark Zona is a big fan of Seaguar Smackdown Stealth Gray. “Anytime I’m flipping up in shallow grass I make sure my reels are spooled with it. Same goes for throwing swim jigs and frogs and anytime I need to put stealth on my side. The line is simple unparalleled when it comes to its camouflage and how difficult it is for fish to see. To say it’s become a big part of my power fishing program would be an understatement,” says Zona.

Seaguar Smackdown – Stealth Gray is available in line tests of 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 65 lbs, in 150 yards spools. Smackdown – Stealth Gray sets a new standard in low-visibility braided lines – fish it once, and you’ll understand why Seaguar is Always The Best!

For more information, call 502-883-6097, write Kureha America LLC, 4709 Allmond Ave., Suite 4C, Louisville, KY 40209, or visit us on the Web at www.seaguar.com or on Facebook.

St. Croix Rod celebrates 60th Anniversary of the iconic Premier Series

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St. Croix Rod celebrates 60th Anniversary of the iconic Premier Series

Premier for Decades

St. Croix Rod celebrates 60th Anniversary of the iconic Premier Series

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Park Falls, WI (February 18, 2019) – In an industry where fishing rod models seem to come and go, the story of St. Croix’s Premier series (casting and spinning) is an exceptional tale of creativity, rebirth, and longevity. In fact, 2019 marks a celebratory 60 years that the rod has been in anglers’ hands—the longest continuous availability of any one rod series in the marketplace and fishing history itself.

Yet, a closer look at the 60 years reveals a story of vastly greater significance. Sure, Premier has sold millions of units and is an iconic rod that anglers literally love to fish, but it’s also an emblem of St. Croix culture and telling of the company’s ups and downs over those many decades. Just as the rod has gone through many transformations, so did the company—from a manufacturer of premium fishing rods in the ‘50s and ‘60s to a company that nearly closed in the 1970s prior to the purchase by Gordon Schluter in January of 1978 and reinvention of the Premier rod series in the early-to-mid-1980s by brothers Paul, Jeff, and Dave Schluter and their family of passionate employees.

Launched in 1959 with seven spinning and three casting models, the first St. Croix Premier rods were fiberglass similar to other premium fishing rods of the era. Throughout the 1960s, Premier fiberglass rods were top-of-the-line and incredibly popular and didn’t begin to lose momentum until graphite blanks began to set the new standard in performance and quality in the 1970s to early 1980s.

Premier spinning rod featured in 1959 St. Croix Rod catalog.

Sensing this shift in the marketplace based on extensive conversations with customers and retailers, brothers Paul and Jeff Schluter made the decision to move the Premier line to carbon/graphite blanks and contemporize componentry, as well as the overall look, feel, and performance. Thus, the first graphite Premier rods appeared in the 1984-1985 St. Croix Rod catalog and an entirely new era began for the company.

“The Premier rod of the 1970s were high-quality rods; they were well constructed but were heavier and less sensitive than the few good graphite rods on the market at the time. Paul went on the road and quickly realized we weren’t even competitive, so he came back in-house and his job was to reconfigure Premier more or less so we could take it out into the market and fight for market share. We weren’t even competitive at the time, we just weren’t. Was it a good rod? Sure, it was a decent rod, but it was ten years plus behind the times so we had a lot of catching up to do,” says Jeff Schluter, V.P. – Brand Management.

“Glass rods were simply not competitive. They were outdated and we had lost much of our distribution because Premier hadn’t kept up with advances in rod technology. Most people don’t realize that the company was actually in the process of closing the business during this time. The announcement was made public that the factory in Park Falls, Wisconsin was going to close in October of 1977 and then Gordon bought the company in January of 1978 and kept it open,” says Paul Schluter, President.

These lean and difficult years into account, in many ways, the modern history of St. Croix Rod as the brand is known today all starts with the launch of the carbon-based Premier rod series in 1984-1985. Since, the rod has grown into the most popular U.S-built rod series through its various iterations and remains so in 2019, a full 60 years since its inception.

“The Premier series has retained its tremendous popularity over the decades in great part because it provides incredible performance and value while maintaining its U.S.-built heritage,” says Jeff Schluter.

Paul Schluter adds: “And people bought them and they liked them. And they bought more and they told their friends and they liked them. And they told their friends and they liked them and the entire Premier series just snowballed.”

But it was 20 years ago that Jeff Schluter came up with a cosmetic change that is reflected in today’s iconic Premier, an immediately-recognizable turquoise motif found on each of the 69 currently-available Premier models for anglers of all freshwater species—from panfish and trout to bass, walleye, pike, musky, and more. Prior to the change to turquoise St. Croix badge and trim, Premier rods featured a gold leaf label and maroon with gold metallic trim.

Over the past two decades these rods have simply become iconic and immediately recognizable on the water. But there’s much more to them than the streamlined look. Feel is what has driven countless anglers to make the rods their mainstays.

“When you talk to anglers who have been part of the St. Croix family for years, they always talk about the fact that they started with a Premier,” says Jesse Simpkins, Director of Marketing.

That being said, let’s all lift our glasses to 60 years of Premier and the blood, sweat, and tears the rod series represents, a history of an American fishing brand once near the point of extinction but reinvented by something as simple—and complex—as one fishing rod series. A toast should also be made to all those anglers, dealers, and extended St. Croix fans who’ve helped make it what it is over the decades—and continue to do so today and beyond. Yes, here’s to 60 years of an iconic U.S.-built fishing rod series, brand, and greater factory of employees who continue to persevere and manufacture products that will provide every angler the best fishing experience possible .

Scott Williams & Robbie English Win CATT Lake Wateree, SC Feb 16,2019

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Scott Williams & Robbie English Win CATT Lake Wateree, SC Feb 16,2019

Use PHANTOMCATT15 and receive 15% off your next order!

Next Wateree CATT is this Saturday Feb 23 at Clearwater Cove Marina!

Scott Williams & Robbie English win a tough day at Lake Wateree with 5 bass weighing 15.82 lbs!

2nd Place was secured by RB Blackmon & Matt Nettles with 14.00 lbs!

Jeffrey Furr and Chad Gainey claimed 3rd with 11.01 lbs!

Donald Wells & Paul wells with some nice Wateree Bass!

 

Big Total
20 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Scott Williams – Robbie English 4.77 15.82 $1,140.00 110
Matt Nettles – RB Blackmon 3.72 14.00 $275.00 109
Chad Gainey – Jeffrey Furr 2.82 11.01 $125.00 107
Steven Walker – Barry Brown 3.56 10.99 $100.00 108
Donald Wells – Paul Wells 4.34 10.55 106
Jacob Norris – Jeff Norris 3.60 9.96 105
Jason McCoy – Casey Stevens 4.60 9.59 $60.00 104
Mark Healon – Tony Truitt 3.46 7.98 103
Shane Cantley – Michael Richardson 4.42 6.94 102
David F Canupp & David L Canupp 0.00 5.43 101
Kyle Westerman – Windy Horrell 3.98 3.98 100
Allen Fletcher – Donald Hinson 0.00 3.13 99
Mike King – Lewis Thompson 0.00 2.95 98
Butch Williams – David Ethridge 0.00 2.85 97
Mike Ware – Bryan Holmes 0.00 0.00 96
Bob Weaver – Scott Floyd 0.00 0.00 96
Max Price – Brent Neal 0.00 0.00 96
Kirk Crump – Eric Dry 0.00 0.00 96
Ronnie Crapps – Jason Pelfrey 0.00 0.00 96
Jim Davis – Mike Allman 0.00 0.00 96
Total Entrys $1,600.00
BONUS $ $500.00
Total Paid At Ramp $1,700.00
Wateree 2019 Spring Final Fund $320.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $50.00
2019 Wateree Spring Final Fund Total $320.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,805.00

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE READIES FOR WEEKEND OF FLW YOUTH BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS

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LAKE GUNTERSVILLE READIES FOR WEEKEND OF FLW YOUTH BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE READIES FOR WEEKEND OF FLW YOUTH BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS

YETI FLW College Fishing tournament set for Friday, Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Open tournament to follow Saturday

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GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Feb. 19, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) is set to visit the Guntersville area next week, March 1-2, with the YETI FLW College Fishing event at Lake Guntersville presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open at Lake Guntersville presented by Costa. The tournaments, hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau, will showcase some of the top young anglers from across the region competing for cash and prizes and angling for their chance to advance to the FLW College Fishing National Championship and High School Fishing National Championship events.

“The x-factor in these tournaments is going to be the weather,” said FLW Tour pro Jay Kendrick of Grant, Alabama, who has three top-10 finishes on Lake Guntersville in FLW competition. “We’ve got a big system moving through that is dumping 4 to 8 inches of rain and the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) are warning people about being on the water through this weekend. It should clear out by the time the tournaments roll into town, but it will change things dramatically for the young anglers.

“That being said, it’s still Lake Guntersville, it’s still February and they still live here,” Kendrick continued. “This is the time of year that we start to see the 30+ pound limits. Last weekend a local angler caught a 13½-pounder on a swimbait. The giants are starting to show up.”

Kendrick predicted that the winning weight for each tournament would likely still be around 25 to 27 pounds, and suggested that the young anglers look for areas that have the least amount of run-in and find the cleaner water.

“I think that areas that have the cleanest water will likely be the most productive,” Kendrick said. “As a general rule, stay out of areas that have the big creeks running into them. Look for the areas that have very little run-in, adjacent to spawning flats with access to deep water close.”

Kendrick said that he expects squarebill crankbaits, swimbaits, lipless crankbaits, and ChatterBaits to all play a role for anglers next week.

“The fish are really ganged up right now, and with all of the current it’s going to push them even tighter,” Kendrick went on to say. “You can fish for miles and not get a bite, then load the boat with 25 pounds from an area as big as the size of the hood of your truck. My advice is that when you do get a bite, stay awhile.”

The college anglers will kick off competition on Friday, March 1, at 7 a.m. CST at Lake Guntersville State Park, located at 7699 Alabama Highway 227 in Guntersville. The weigh-in will be held at the State Park Friday at 3 p.m. The high school anglers will then compete on Saturday, launching at 7 a.m. from the State Park and weighing in at 3 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public, and will be streamed live online at FLWFishing.com.

YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats. The Potomac River and Marbury, Maryland, will play host to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship, June 4-6, 2019.

The Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any FLW and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school clubs. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship on Pickwick Lake in June. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing and the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Tyson Alvanos & Josh Rennebaum Win CATT Lake Murray, SC Feb 15,2019 with 25.70 lbs

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Tyson Alvanos & Josh Rennebaum Win CATT Lake Murray, SC Feb 15,2019 with 25.70 lbs
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Next Murray CATT is Feb 23 at Dreher Island State Park!

Tyson Alvanos & Josh Rennebaum weighed in 5 bass at 25.70 lbs taking 1st place! Great job guys! They weighed the 2nd BF at 6.80 lbs!

2nd went to Rhet Manus & Doug Lown with a limit weighing 19.72 lbs and they brought in the 1st BF at 7.05 lbs!

Howard Stephens & Paul Ham with a nice bag!

Big Total Total
18 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Josh Rennebaum – Tyson Alvanos 6.80 25.70 $1,309.00 110
Doug Lown – Rhett Manus 7.05 19.72 $551.00 109
Johnny Mayer – Chris Epting 4.37 18.59 $200.00 108
Howard Stephens – Paul Ham 4.00 17.95 107
Ronnie Mueller – Wayne Frierson 0.00 16.92 106
Kevin Fulmer – Tim Sox 4.04 16.83 105
Roger Farr – Rodney Cromer 3.95 16.46 104
Anthony Cancelli – Kevin Malone 4.08 15.92 103
Sean Anderson – George Berry 0.00 15.91 102
Brian Key 3.89 15.78 101
Zach Thompson – Brandon Thompson 3.31 14.61 100
Scott Farmer – Samuel Freeman 4.36 14.58 99
Neil Huffstetler – Tim Huffstetler 3.48 13.70 98
Todd Ledford – Jeff Douglas 3.89 13.35 97
Bradley Rhodes – Chris Dorlan 3.73 13.11 96
Todd Lawrence – Travis Deal 3.33 13.00 95
Seth Michell – Chris Barnet 0.00 0.00 94
Tim Slice 0.00 0.00 94
Total Entrys $2,160.00
BONUS $$ $325.00
Total Paid At Ramp $2,060.00
Murray Spring 2018 Fall Final Fund $325.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $70.00
2019 Murray Spring Final Fund Total $210.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,755.00

LAKE MEAD SET FOR WEEKEND OF FISHING LEAGUE WORLDWIDE BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS

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LAKE MEAD SET FOR WEEKEND OF FISHING LEAGUE WORLDWIDE BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS

LAKE MEAD SET FOR WEEKEND OF FISHING LEAGUE WORLDWIDE BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS

Three Events – Costa FLW Series, YETI FLW College Fishing and Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open – To Take Place at Callville Bay Resort & Marina in Overton

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HENDERSON, Nev. (Feb. 19, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) is set to visit the Las Vegas and Henderson area next week, Feb. 28- March 2, for three bass-fishing tournaments that will award anglers of all ages and skill levels thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.

The Costa Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) Series Western division will kick things off, Feb. 28- March 2, with the Costa FLW Series at Lake Mead presented by Ranger Boats. The three-day tournament will feature 200 of the best West Coast bass-fishing professionals and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $85,000, including a brand new Ranger Z518L boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard in the pro division.

Saturday, March 2, college anglers kick off competition at the YETI FLW College Fishing event at Lake Mead presented by Bass Pro Shops. The one-day tournament will showcase college bass-fishing clubs from the Western Conference competing for cash and prizes and angling for their chance to advance to the FLW College Fishing National Championship.

Competition will wrap up Sunday, March 3, with the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open at Lake Mead presented by Costa. The one-day High School Fishing Open tournament is a free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any FLW and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club in the country. The top 10 percent of finishers at the High School Open will advance to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship on Pickwick Lake in Alabama this June.

According to local professional angler Clayton Meyer of Henderson, the cold weather has the bass-fishing on Lake Mead a little slow, but with warmer weather being forecast before the event he expects the fishing to pick up.

“I think we’re going to see a lot of good fish brought in – both smallmouth and largemouth,” said Meyer, who has three career top-10 finishes on Lake Mead in FLW competition. “If the weather does what it is supposed to do and warms up, we’re going to be catching them on everything. Drop-shot rigs, Texas-rigged soft-plastics, Yamamoto Senkos, swimbaits and spinnerbaits will all produce.

“If it warms up, I think we could see it take a three-day total nearing 40 pounds to win the Costa event,” Meyer went on to say. “For the one-day College and High School Fishing tournaments, I think a five-bass limit nearing 13 to 14 pounds would have a pretty good chance to win those tournaments.”

Anglers will take off from Callville Bay Resort & Marina, located at 100 Callville Bay Road in Overton, at 6:30 a.m. PST each day. Weigh-ins will also take place at the Resort, starting at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public, and will be streamed live online at FLWFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW and their multiple tournament circuits at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

New Z-Man SlingBladz is already churning up the bass world

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New Z-Man SlingBladz is already churning up the bass world

Super-Tuned Spinnerbait Bass 

New Z-Man SlingBladz is already churning up the bass world

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LADSON, SC (February 19, 2019) – “Probably the only painful part of throwing a spinnerbait is finding one that runs consistently straight and true,” remarks Miles “Sonar” Burghoff, rising star on the FLW Tour and a veteran of the blade game. Like many anglers, Burghoff had until recently lived with the reality of keeping spinnerbaits in tune, often unsuccessfully— bending wires this way and that, eyeballing the bait for perfect alignment. Even then, some spinnerbaits—even a few fresh from the package—simply wouldn’t cooperate.  . .

A radically re-sculpted head design helps the SlingBladeZ Spinnerbait track straight and true.

For Burghoff as well as Bass Pro Tour angler Luke Clausen, the angst began to evaporate last year when a state-of-the-art spinnerbait arrived on the scene. Clausen, who helped design the new lure, likens its assets and bass-appeal to another bladed bait, the Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer.

“There’s a reason almost every competitive angler out there is throwing the JackHammer right now,” notes Clausen, who’s competing in the inaugural season of the Major League Fishing / Bass Pro Tour. “It’s the most intelligently crafted lure in its category, by far. Catches a ton of big fish, too.

“We approached the design of the new SlingBladeZ spinnerbait (Double Willow and Willow/Colorado) in much the same way as the JackHammer,” says Clausen, “The goal was to address every issue and problem area with traditional spinnerbait design, and fix it and make it better. Ultimately, we’ve given anglers the highest performing, coolest spinnerbait they’ve ever fished.

“Other than the fact the lure always tracks with the blade upright and aligned, the first thing that wows you about the SlingBladeZ is its intense vibration,” he observes. “You’re going to feel that rhythmic thumping right up the line, through the reel and into your hands. The bait’s low-vis 17-7 LiveWire frame really amplifies blade vibration. Fished on fluorocarbon, you can almost hear it.”

Wielding the lure at recent FLW events, Burghoff has been impressed with the innovative spinnerbait’s super-tuned construction. “I’ve never seen a spinnerbait head design quite like the SlingBladeZ. It’s got a low center of gravity with these unique side flanges and a water-channeling underbelly that provides amazing stability. I’ve slow rolled the lure and burned it on the same day and it always runs true. Pretty cool that I don’t have to re-tune this bait after catching several bass.”

While many anglers now throw a ChatterBait instead of a spinnerbait, Burghoff says both lures shine in different situations. “The rule I go by is to throw a ChatterBait in any area with grass; it also works awesome for skipping under docks. But for fishing isolated pieces of cover or working through hard-cover such as timber, such as at Sam Rayburn, the SlingBladeZ excels; comes through brush exceptionally well. I also like the spinnerbait in places with at least a foot and a half of water clarity, as well as for working suspended bass.

“At some of the upcoming FLW tournaments, with bass in prespawn, and 55- and 64-degree water, I’ll be using the bait to burn water for big bass. During shad spawns, too, the SlingBladeZ has been a total money bait.” Burghoff adds that in clear or warming water, tandem willowleaf blades shine. While in dirty or colder water, a tandem willowleaf / Colorado configuration tends to excel. For Burghoff, color choice stays simple: “I really like the Mouserat color, an awesome shad pattern at places like Rayburn or other clear lakes. With a little color in the water, chartreuse/white is tough to beat.”

This season, two separate retrieves have produced Burghoff’s biggest bass. “The stability of this spinnerbait means I can throw a heavier ½- or ¾-ouncer and really slow roll it in deeper water. I like to add a paddletail trailer to give fish something to key on, close to the hook. My favorite trailer, by far, is a DieZel MinnowZ. It adds buoyancy and unbelievable durability.”

The rest of the time, Burghoff employs his favorite spinnerbait retrieve: fast and furious. “Again, you can’t do this with a lot of spinnerbaits, because as you amp up the speed, the blades tend to roll. But the SlingBladeZ is so well-tuned you can burn it through brush and elicit reaction bites without the bait coming off center.

“No need for a trailer here. The skirt and blades are more than enough incentive to draw feeding-frenzy-like bites. Instead of a chintzy rubber band, Z-Man used copper wire that makes the lure’s silicone skirt flare and breathe. It billows out really nicely, and when you stop-and-go, you get a beautiful pulsing action. I’ll trim the skirt maybe ¼- to ½-inch to really accentuate the billow-and-breathe factor.”

Rising start Miles “Sonar” Burghoff says a spinnerbait is the ultimate prespawn bite bait.

Clausen calls out another subtle design tweak that comes into play with heavy cover. “See that little bend just ahead of the head? We put it there for even greater balance. But the bend also pushes grass and brush away from the hook, sliding the bait running clean through cover.

“While testing and throwing prototypes of the SlingBladeZ, I actually won a lot of tournament money,” he laughs. “But I rarely fish the bait in a straight line. Gotta add lots of random stops and quick-starts, which each produce a different vibration. Tell you another tip that works: Put a Z-Man Swimmin’ TroutTrick on the back of a big ¾-ouncer. Burn it as fast as you can. Big smallmouths absolutely stomp it.”

MARYLAND’S DUARTE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SOUTH CAROLINA DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

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MARYLAND’S DUARTE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SOUTH CAROLINA DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

MARYLAND’S DUARTE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SOUTH CAROLINA DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS

Co-angler Title Goes to Gilbert’s Hough

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ANDERSON, S.C. (Feb. 18, 2019) – Boater John Duarte of Middle River, Maryland, caught five bass Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) South Carolina Division season opener on Lake Hartwell presented by Navionics. For his win, Duarte earned $4,396.

“I fished mid-lake docks in pockets and tried to cover as much water as I could,” said Duarte, who earned his second career victory in BFL competition. “It was on fire from 11 (a.m.) until the end of the tournament. I think the time of day positioned those fish in the backs of the pockets and put them where they were easy to catch.”

Duarte said he caught 12 to 15 keepers overall, saying that four of the five fish he weighed came on a 4.8-inch Pro Blue Red Pearl-colored Keitech FAT Swing Impact swimbait with a ¼-ounce jighead.

“I was skipping it under the docks and casting to the edges,” said Duarte.

Duarte’s other limit-fish came on a ½-ounce homemade green-pumpkin-colored jig with a Zoom Big Salty Chunk trailer of the same color. He said he caught it around 8:30 a.m. from under a docked pontoon boat up the Seneca River.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          John Duarte, Middle River, Md., five bass, 18-8, $2,396 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2nd:         Wesley Sandifer, Chapin, S.C., five bass, 16-0, $1,148

3rd:          Kyle Austin, Ridgeville, S.C., five bass, 15-14, $701

4th:          Scott Allgood, Fair Play, S.C., five bass, 15-8, $489

5th:          Shayne McFarlin, Martin, Ga., five bass, 15-6, $419

6th:          Nitro pro David Williams, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 14-13, $384

7th:          Thomas Guthke, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-9, $349

8th:          Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-7, $314

9th:          Travis Garrett, Toccoa, Ga., five bass, 13-6

10th:        Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 13-1

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Brian Tucci of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, caught a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $100.

Kate Hough of Gilbert, South Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,248 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Kate Hough, Gilbert, S.C.,   five bass, 11-13, $1,248

2nd:         Stephen Britt, Columbia, S.C., five bass, 10-3, $574

3rd:          Jeff Horton, Boiling Springs, S.C., five bass, 9-7, $349

4th:          Mario Hill, Thomson, Ga., five bass, 9-4, $245

5th:          Lee Inman, Inman, S.C., five bass, 8-15, $210

6th:          Kyle Deeds, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 8-6, $192

7th:          Bill Hawkins, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 8-3, $175

8th:          Shawn Kincaid, Lexington, S.C., five bass, 8-1, $157

9th:          Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C., four bass, 6-1

10th:        Weston Thomas, Chapin, S.C., five bass, 6-0

Dwayne Parton of Anderson, South Carolina, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 3 pounds, 10 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $100.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The T-H Marine FLW BFL South Carolina Division tournament on Lake Hartwell presented by Navionics was hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2019 BFL All-American will be held May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism and the Commissioners of Charles County. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

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

Jeremy Talbert & Tod Haynes Win CATT Yadkin Feb 9,2019 with 21.62 lbs

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Jeremy Talbert & Tod Haynes Win CATT Yadkin Feb 9,2019 with 21.62 lbs
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Next Yadkin Divisions Qualifier is Mar 3 at Badin launching from Alcoa!

Jeremy Talbert & Tod Haynes weighed up a fat sack of Tillery bass at 21.62 lbs and also weighed the BF at 5.39 lbs! Their win was worth a total of $785.00!

2nd went to Jeff Coley & Brice Hollis

3rd Marty Williams & Mark Beck

John Lancaster & Mike Smith won the Wacky Riggers cash award $50 for their 4th Place finish!

Big Total Total
15 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Tod Haynes – Jeremy Talbert 5.39 21.62 $785.00 110
Brice Hollis – Jeff Coley 5.14 18.13 $340.00 109
Marty Williams – Mark Beck 3.53 13.94 $80.00 108
John Lancaster – Mike Smith 3.20 13.74 107
Andrew Wallace 4.34 12.15 106
George lambeth – Herby Young 3.34 12.13 105
Justin Goodyear – Tony Waterhouse 0.00 10.82 104
Kent Reed 0.00 10.69 103
George Gooch – Zac Gooch 4.15 9.90 102
Mike ray – Orlando Giles 0.00 9.49 101
RM Parker – Corey Gibson 0.00 3.69 100
Roy Barrow – April Barrow 0.00 0.00 99
Mike White – Billy Lee 0.00 0.00 99
Dean Jacobs – Jeremy Branch 0.00 0.00 99
Ron Wolfarth 0.00 0.00 99
Total Entrys $1,200.00
BONUS $ $325.00
Total Paid At Ramp $1,205.00
Yadkin Spring 2019 Final Fund $260.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $30.00
2019 Yadkin Spring Final Fund Total $260.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund Total $2,685.00
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