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CHICKAMAUGA’S GROSS OUT FRONT AT FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

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CHICKAMAUGA’S GROSS OUT FRONT AT FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

CHICKAMAUGA’S GROSS OUT FRONT AT FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

Georgia Pro Drops 19-Pound Limit on the Scale to Grab Lead Heading into Championship Sunday

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2019) – After an exciting day of movement atop the leaderboard, FLW Tour pro Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Georgia, took the lead Saturday after the final bass had been weighed at the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats with a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 12 ounces. Gross’ three-day cumulative catch of 15 bass weighing 62 pounds even paces the final 10 pros as they head into Championship Sunday at the competition that features the world’s finest bass anglers casting for a top award of up to $125,000.

Right behind Gross (15 bass, 62-0) is hard-charging local angler Darrell Davis of Dover, Florida. Davis started the day in 13th place but moved into second after weighing a huge 25-pound, 12-ounce limit this afternoon – the largest of the day – bringing his three-day total to 15 bass weighing 60-15. Josh Douglas of Isle, Minnesota, (15 bass, 60-3) rounds out the top three, and was the only other pro to top the 60-pound mark after three days.

“I’ve got a good little spot – I think I’ve weighed in 14 of my 15 fish from it – but I’m really pushing it to its limits,” said Gross, who is seeking his second career FLW Tour win. “I keep looking for another spot, and I might have found one this afternoon. I caught one that culled – almost a 4-pounder – at the very last place I stopped on the way to weigh-in.”

Gross’ main area is an offshore stretch of hydrilla on Lake Toho. He said he’s been able to put a limit in the boat by 10 a.m. each day on the first two days of competition, but today it took until noon.

“The spot has both pre and postspawn bass. When the prespawners show up, they’re feeding, and when they feed I can see it and I can catch them – that’s my little flurry,” said Gross. “Tomorrow I’m going to catch what I can catch there and then start looking. I had some giant fish, but I still haven’t gotten a kicker. I haven’t had anything over 5½ [pounds] in three days and there’s a lot of stretches where I’ve caught some 7s, 8s and 9s in practice, so I’m going to have to move around a little more.”

Gross said he’s mostly relied on a swimbait and a pair of swimjigs, citing a natural light-colored Scottsboro Tackle swimbait, black and blue-colored swimjig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Z-Craw trailer and a white swimjig with the Scottsboro swimbait as a trailer. He’s also utilized a Nichols spinnerbait this week.

“The swimjig probably caught more weight than the swimbait today, but every other day it’s been the swimbait. I’m using a little underspin-type blade on the hook – an Owner Flashy Swimmer. It’s got a little extra flash and I think that’s what’s triggering the fish.”

The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition on Lake Toho are:                                                                                      

1st:          Buddy Gross, Chickamauga, Ga., 15 bass, 62-0

2nd:         Darrell Davis, Dover, Fla., 15 bass, 60-15

3rd:          Josh Douglas, Isle, Minn., 15 bass, 60-3

4th:          John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 57-8

5th:          Aaron Britt, Yuba City, Calif., 15 bass, 57-7

6th:          Wade Strelic, Alpine, Calif., 15 bass, 57-3

7th:          Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 54-12

8th:          Tommy Dickerson, Orange, Texas, 15 bass, 54-3

9th:          Nitro pro Tyler Woolcott, Port Orange, Fla., 15 bass, 53-1

10th:        Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., 15 bass, 51-6

 

Finishing 11th through 30th are:

 

11th:        Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., 15 bass, 50-5, $12,000

12th:        Nitro pro Casey Scanlon, Lake Ozark, Mo., 15 bass, 49-12, $12,000

13th:        Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 15 bass, 48-14, $12,000

14th:        J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga., 15 bass, 47-11, $12,000

15th:        John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind., 15 bass, 47-10, $12,000

16th:        Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., 15 bass, 47-10, $11,500

17th:        Braxton Setzer, Montgomery, Ala., 14 bass, 46-15, $11,500

18th:        Nitro pro David Williams, Maiden, N.C., 15 bass, 46-15, $11,500

19th:        Rapala pro Terry Bolton, Benton, Ky., 15 bass, 45-9, $11,500

20th:        Brian Latimer, Belton, S.C., 15 bass, 45-9, $11,500

21st:        Polaris pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 44-5, $10,500

22nd:       Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 15 bass, 43-14, $11,000

23rd:        Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 43-3, $10,500

24th:        Austin Wilson, Citrus Heights, Calif., 15 bass, 43-1, $10,500

25th:        Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark., 15 bass, 42-9, $10,500

26th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 42-1, $10,500

27th:        Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 14 bass, 41-9, $10,500

28th:        Chad Warren, Sand Springs, Okla., 15 bass, 41-0, $10,500

29th:        Strike King pro Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 15 bass, 40-6, $10,500

30th:        Bass Pro Shops pro Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 13 bass, 39-12, $10,500

 

Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 146 bass weighing 401 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 30 pros Saturday. The catch included 27 five-bass limits.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 170 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Saturday. Now, only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats is more than $860,000, including $9,000 through 65th place in the Pro Division. The tournament is hosted by Experience Kissimmee and the Kissimmee Sports Commission.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 9-11 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

Anglers will take off for the final day of competition at 7 a.m. EST Sunday from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Drive, in Kissimmee. Sunday’s championship weigh-in will also be held at the marina, beginning at 4 p.m.

Prior to the weigh-in Sunday FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at Big Toho Marina from 2 to 6 p.m. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats will premiere in 2019. The exact air-date will be announced soon. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs each Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST and is broadcast to more than 63 million cable, satellite and telecommunications households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean on the World Fishing Network (WFN), the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air Sunday, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pro Peter Thliveros to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

Gigantic Catches Highlight Memorable Day At Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

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Gigantic Catches Highlight Memorable Day At Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

Canada’s Chris Johnston catches 28-13 and holds on to the lead going into Championship Sunday with a three-day total of 75-13.

                                                                                                                                                      Photo by B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito
Feb. 9, 2019

Gigantic Catches Highlight Memorable Day At Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

PALATKA, Fla. — The one word used most often by the anglers weighing in during today’s semifinal round of the Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River was “special.”

“Magical” was also floated around. So was “awesome.”

They all fit, and yet somehow they didn’t do justice to a day that saw 14 limits of bass totaling 20 pounds or more brought to the scales. Of those catches, six topped the 25-pound mark and three eclipsed the almost-unattainable 30-pound benchmark.

Canadian Chris Johnston caught 28-13 and held on to the lead with a three-day total of 75-13. But after standing in a weigh-in line surrounded by giants, Johnston said he knows he still has work to do if he hopes to earn his first Elite Series win.

“I did the same thing I did the last three days, but you don’t normally catch 7- or 8-pounders unless you’re on the St. Johns River,” Johnston said. “Apparently, everyone caught them today. I was hoping to have a little bit of a cushion, but I’m gonna have to catch them again tomorrow.

“I think I’m gonna need probably at least another 23-pound bag tomorrow to win this.”

With at least 24-3, Johnston could break the 100-pound mark and earn one of the coveted “Century Belts” awarded by B.A.S.S. to anglers who reach triple digits. But for the moment, he has much more important things to worry about.

The bags weighed in by the anglers just behind him in the standings were astounding.

First-year pro Patrick Walters of South Carolina weighed in 32-15 and moved into second place with 70-5. Kentucky veteran Mark Menendez topped the 20-pound mark for the third straight day with 23-7 that kept him firmly positioned in third with 69-5, and Cory Johnston — the Canadian brother of the leader, Chris — weighed in 27-13 to land in fourth with 68-13.

But the most eye-popping bag of the day belonged to Arizona pro Clifford Pirch, who weighed in five bass that pushed the scales to 34-9. His three-day total of 68-9 has him in fifth place, and his steamrolling momentum has him in position to make a final-day charge toward his first Elite Series victory.

“These fish can turn on a dime down here,” Pirch said. “It’s crazy how one day a bank can have a bunch of little males on it. Then you get a little temperature change, and all of a sudden there’s giant females everywhere.

“It’s fun when you hit that window right.”

Pirch, who caught a 10-4 largemouth during Friday’s second round, knew he was in the right area early this morning because he could see big bass everywhere. But for a while, he couldn’t put them in the boat.

After losing what he estimated to be 25 or 30 pounds of bass, he took a breather and his luck began to change.

“I’ve lost a few fish in this tournament, and they were giant ones,” Pirch said. “Today, I lost four of them, and I think the smallest was about 6 pounds. The rest of them were 7, 8, 9 to…who know’s what?

“I sat down, cut my bait off and just made a whole different program. I got re-rigged and luckily the next five stayed on.”

Pirch’s giant bag made performances that would have been otherwise jaw-dropping seem almost commonplace — like the 23-pound bag weighed in by Rick Clunn to position the 72-year-old legend from Missouri in eighth place with 64-0.

But one angler who almost matched Pirch fish for fish was Walters — the 24-year-old South Carolina phenom who was grinning from ear to ear after weighing in 32-15.

“It was just one of those days when everything was going right,” Walters said. “I promise you my boat was even running a mile and a half faster than usual today. When I was running down the river and it finally hit 70 mph for the first time, I got a little emotional.

“I thought, ‘This is what dreams are made of.’ A year ago, I would have been watching Bassmaster LIVE. But now I’m living my dream and chasing these guys.”

Things started happening quickly for Walters — and very little went wrong all day.

“When you get down there and they start biting like they did this morning, it’ll just stick the hairs up on the back of your neck,” Walters said. “Something pulled the fish up late last night, and they were just sitting there waiting. It was the perfect storm.”

With that said, Walters and the other nine anglers who qualified for Championship Sunday seemed to agree that things could be tougher during the final round.

Menendez, who said the fishing has been surprisingly slow for him during a week when he’s averaged more than 23 pounds a day, cautioned that the water temperature had already dropped several degrees from earlier this week. He said it could fall several more degrees with the cooler temperatures forecast for the region tonight.

“I had a deeper bite going on earlier in the week, but it went away today,” Menendez said. “The water temperature is going to drop tonight, and that’ll slow it down some. But there’s just so many of those good ones here that you never know what might happen.”

Despite today’s remarkable results, the leader for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award remained intact. Virginia pro John Crews set that bar with an 11-2 largemouth on Day 1, and no one has eclipsed it yet.

Sunday’s takeoff will be at 7:30 a.m. ET from Riverfront Park — which was packed with a large and enthusiastic crowd of spectators today — and the final weigh-in will be held back at the park at 4:10 p.m. The winner will earn $100,000.

2019 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/7-2/10
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA 15  75-13  100
  Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   25-11     Day 3: 5   28-13
2.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         15  70-05   99
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   23-07     Day 3: 5   32-15
3.  Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             15  69-05   98
  Day 1: 5   24-08     Day 2: 5   21-06     Day 3: 5   23-07
4.  Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            15  68-13   97
  Day 1: 5   21-01     Day 2: 5   19-15     Day 3: 5   27-13
5.  Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              15  68-09   96
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   20-05     Day 3: 5   34-09
6.  Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            15  68-01   95
  Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   26-06     Day 3: 5   21-15
7.  Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           15  66-03   94
  Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   25-12     Day 3: 5   30-04
8.  Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 15  64-00   93
  Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   23-11     Day 3: 5   23-00
9.  Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA            15  63-11   92
  Day 1: 5   25-02     Day 2: 5   13-15     Day 3: 5   24-10
10. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               15  58-10   91
  Day 1: 5   24-13     Day 2: 5   15-15     Day 3: 5   17-14
11. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           15  57-08   90  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   18-08     Day 3: 5   20-02
12. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  57-03   89  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   22-05     Day 3: 5   22-15
13. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO        14  56-11   88  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 4   10-10     Day 2: 5   20-00     Day 3: 5   26-01
14. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             14  55-13   87  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 4   14-04     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   23-03
15. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              15  55-01   86  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   18-11     Day 3: 5   16-15
16. Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ           15  54-14   85  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   20-10     Day 3: 5   15-12
17. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             15  54-05   84  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   17-12
18. Drew Cook              Midway, FL              15  54-02   83  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   24-05     Day 3: 5   19-00
19. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            15  53-07   82  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   20-08     Day 3: 5   21-13
20. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           15  52-14   81  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   23-01     Day 3: 5   10-00
21. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         15  52-13   80   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 5   15-06     Day 3: 5   16-13
22. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          15  49-13   79   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   22-00     Day 3: 5   13-00
23. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC          15  49-13   78   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   16-07     Day 3: 5   19-15
24. Shane Lehew            Catawba, NC             15  49-10   77   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   09-13     Day 3: 5   19-05
25. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             15  45-12   76   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   11-06     Day 3: 5   15-04
26. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN           15  43-03   75   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 5   12-08     Day 3: 5   11-08
27. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX              13  42-08   74   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   23-04     Day 2: 4   13-02     Day 3: 4   06-02
28. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          13  41-15   73   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 3   07-13     Day 2: 5   22-09     Day 3: 5   11-09
29. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              14  41-09   72   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   22-08     Day 2: 5   12-04     Day 3: 4   06-13
30. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           14  41-08   71   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   11-09     Day 3: 4   08-09
31. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR        15  40-03   70   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   16-03     Day 3: 5   10-12
32. Derek Hudnall          Baton Rouge, LA         12  38-06   69   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   17-07     Day 3: 2   03-13
33. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH       12  37-00   68   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   13-13     Day 3: 2   05-11
34. Rob Digh               Denver, NC              13  36-15   67   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   12-06     Day 3: 3   06-06
35. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         11  34-14   66   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   16-06     Day 3: 1   01-01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        57       333      1008-14
 2        64       353      1094-03
 3        28       160       615-06
----------------------------------
         149       846      2718-07

February 2019 Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Dale Wilson

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February 2019 Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Dale Wilson

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REP
February 2019
DALE WILSON’S
SML GUIDE SERVICE
PHONE NO: 540-297-5650 / 540-874-4950
www.captaindalewilson.us

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OVERVIEW: Fishing almost came to a stop the past two weeks. Water temperature will be in the upper 30’s to upper 40’s. Baitfish will start to move to shallow water this month. Most species of fish will begin feeding actively this month as water temperature rises.

Largemouth Bass- Fishing will be fair to good later this month. Best lures will be Alabama rigs, jigs, drop shot rigs, crank baits, spinner baits, jigging spoons and jerk baits. Most largemouth bass will be caught on secondary points, creek channel banks, brush piles and docks. Best depths will be from 2 to 30 feet deep. Most largemouth bass will start to follow the shad movements. Rocks, stumps and shallow brush are a key factor to finding bass this month. Slow your retrieve when fishing cold water temps.

Smallmouth Bass- Fishing should be fair. Best areas will be rocks, humps, ledges and deep main channel points. Best lures will be jig & pig, jerk baits, hair jigs and floating-fly-rigs. Best areas will be in the mid to the lower sections of the lake. Most smallmouth bass will be suspended on or around ledges and humps this month. Cloudy days with light winds are good times to try your luck! Light line and smaller lures will increase your chances to catch smallmouth bass.

Striped Bass- Fishing will be good. Stripers will be caught in the mid to upper sections of the lake and in
the larger creeks. Best lures will be jerk baits, Alabama rigs, swim baits, and Zoom flukes fished on 3/8 to 1/2 oz. lead heads. The best depths will be from near the surface to 40 feet deep. Try to find areas with the largest concentrations of baitfish. Vertical jigging with 3/4 oz. Hopkins spoons will also work this month. Find the seagulls and you will usually find feeding stripers. Live bait will also work this month.

Crappie- Fishing for crappie will be better this month. They will be found 5 to 15 feet deep. Best areas will be in the main creeks around docks, fallen trees, and brush piles in the mid to upper parts of the lake. Small live minnows and 1 ½ to 2 inch tubes or shad shaped plastic lures fished on 1/16 to 1/8 oz. lead heads will work best to catch crappie this month. Spider rigging is also a great method to catch crappie this month.

TIP OF THE Month: Don’t over look fishing shallow during the coldest days! The fish will relate to the super shallow areas because of a slightly warmer water temp. It a good idea to always fish with a partner during the cold months. Make sure you wear your life jacket during the winter. You can never be too careful when boating. Remember to be courteous and obey all the boating laws. Please practice catch and release. Take a kid fishing!

COX HOLDS LEAD AFTER DAY TWO OF FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

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COX HOLDS LEAD AFTER DAY TWO OF FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

COX HOLDS LEAD AFTER DAY TWO OF FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

Florida Pro Leads Final 30 Pros into Day Three of FLW Tour at Lake Toho

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2019) – Pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, brought five bass to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces, to hold the lead after day two of the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats. Cox’s two day total of 10 bass weighing 48-13 will give him a 3-pound, 9-ounce advantage over second place angler Aaron Britt of Yuba City, California, (45-4). The field of 170 anglers is now cut to just the top 30 as the world’s best bass fishing professionals continue their competition for the top award of up to $125,000.

Cox said he fished a lot of the same areas from Thursday, rotating in some new areas as well. He said the sight-fishing bite was tough once again and it forced him to move deeper to salvage the day.

“I looked at a lot of beds and nothing was happening – it was dead again,” said Cox, who looks to earn his 19th top-10 finish in FLW Tour competition. “There were four or five other guys that ran into big ones and I never ran into any. Yesterday, I got one before anyone else got any. There are only a handful of spots and everyone is rotating them.

“At about 1 (p.m.), I finally was like ‘man I need to put some fish in the boat’,” continued Cox. “I started fishing and caught two nice ones and a couple of other keepers to try and save the day.”

Cox’s two “nice ones” were a 5-pounder and one that was close to 4. He said he caught them on the Berkley Windup Worm – the same bait he relied on Thursday.

“This place has always had my number – I’ve never made the cut here,” said Cox. “I’ve won some one-day tournaments, but I’ve never done well in a multi-day event. The fish always seem to change.”

The Florida veteran said that for Saturday, he plans on doing something completely different.

“I’m going to go try something else where I think there might be some real big ones. I got a feeling about this one area. I’ll give it an hour, and if it happens, I’ll bust them big time. If it doesn’t, I’ll leave and try and do something else.”

The top 30 pros that made the cut and will fish Saturday on Lake Toho are:                                                                                      

1st:          John Cox, Debary, Fla., 10 bass, 48-13

2nd:         Aaron Britt, Yuba City, Calif., 10 bass, 45-4

3rd:          Braxton Setzer, Montgomery, Ala., 10 bass, 42-12

4th:          Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 42-11

5th:          Buddy Gross, Chickamauga, Ga., 10 bass, 42-4

6th:          Josh Douglas, Isle, Minn., 10 bass, 42-3

7th:          Nitro pro Casey Scanlon, Lake Ozark, Mo., 10 bass, 40-10

8th:          Power-Pole pro Tyler Woolcott, Port Orange, Fla., 10 bass, 39-5

9th:          Rapala pro Terry Bolton, Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 35-12

10th:        John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind., 10 bass, 35-7

11th:        Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 10 bass, 35-6

12th:        Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., 10 bass, 35-4

13th:        Darrell Davis, Dover, Fla., 10 bass, 35-3

14th:        J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga., 10 bass, 34-8

15th:        Wade Strelic, Alpine, Calif., 10 bass, 34-6

16th:        Brian Latimer, Belton, S.C., 10 bass, 33-13

17th:        Nitro pro David Williams, Maiden, N.C., 10 bass, 33-12

18th:        Austin Wilson, Citrus Heights, Calif., 10 bass, 33-6

19th:        Polaris pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 32-11

20th:        Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 10 bass, 32-7

21st:        Bass Pro Shops pro Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 10 bass, 32-7

22nd:       Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 31-15

23rd:        Strike King pro Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 31-14

24th:        Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., 10 bass, 31-9

25th:        Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 31-2

26th:        Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., 10 bass, 30-13

27th:        Chad Warren, Sand Springs, Okla., 10 bass, 30-3

28th:        Tommy Dickerson, Orange, Texas, 10 bass, 30-2

29th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 30-1

30th:        Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark., 10 bass, 29-13

 

Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Horton caught the heaviest fish in the pro division Friday – a 10-pound, 5-ounce largemouth – and earned the day’s Big Bass Award of $500.

Overall there were 794 bass weighing 1,902 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 165 pros Friday. The catch included 148 five-bass limits.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 170 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight now advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats is more than $860,000, including $9,000 through 65th place in the Pro Division. The tournament is hosted by Experience Kissimmee and the Kissimmee Sports Commission.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 9-11 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. EST each day from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Drive, in Kissimmee. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins will be held at the marina, beginning at 4 p.m.

Prior to the weigh-ins FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at Big Toho Marina from 2 to 6 p.m. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the marina on Saturday from Noon-2 p.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to anyone under the age of 18 and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the biggest fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats will premiere in 2019. The exact air-date will be announced soon. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs each Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST and is broadcast to more than 63 million cable, satellite and telecommunications households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean on the World Fishing Network (WFN), the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air Saturday and Sunday, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pro Peter Thliveros to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

Heavyweight Bass Remain Plentiful At Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

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Heavyweight Bass Remain Plentiful At Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

Canada’s Chris Johnston, who had fished a grand total of four B.A.S.S. events prior to this week, caught five bass during Friday’s round that weighed 25 pounds, 11 ounces and took the lead in the season-opening event with a two-day total of 47-0.

                                                                                                                                                      Photo by B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito
Feb. 8, 2019

Heavyweight Bass Remain Plentiful At Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

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PALATKA, Fla. — During the weeks leading up to the Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River, brothers Chris and Cory Johnston insisted the Florida fishery reminded them a lot of the waters they grew up fishing back home in Canada.

Those who may have doubted them know better now.

Chris Johnston, who had fished a grand total of four B.A.S.S. events prior to this week, caught five bass during Friday’s round that weighed 25 pounds, 11 ounces and took the lead in the season-opening Elite event with a two-day total of 47-0.

Lee Livesay of Texas is second with 46-2, followed by Mark Menendez of Kentucky (45-14), Brandon Cobb of South Carolina (42-14) and Rick Clunn of Missouri (41-0).

Cory Johnston, who has teamed with his brother to dissect the fishery for months, caught 21-1 himself Friday and moved into sixth place at 41-0.

“I just hope I’m a couple of ounces ahead of him after tomorrow and then hopefully again on Sunday,” Chris said of his brother. “We always have a rivalry between us. We’re always trying to beat each other for bragging rights.

“I’ve got a little lead on him now, and hopefully I can carry it through the rest of the week.”

Chris said he’s been fishing for mixture of bedding bass that he can’t see and prespawn fish that are still working their way onto the beds. Like most of the field, he expects the weather to be a factor on Saturday, when the forecast calls for a shift from the sunny, clear conditions of the past two days to somewhat cooler temperatures and 10- to 20-mph winds.

“It’ll probably affect me, but I think everyone’s in the same boat,” Johnston said. “I went around looking today for three or four hours, marked a few fish and saw a couple of areas I like. If Plan A fails, I’ll go to Plan B.”

Livesay, who caught 19-12 on Day 1, got off to a fast start Friday, putting 12 pounds in his livewell in less than 15 minutes. Once that area started receiving pressure, he began checking out new fishing areas and put together a five-bass limit that weighed 26-6.

“I got on a little pattern and caught a big one in a spot,” he said. “Then I thought the same thing should work in another spot — and sure enough, I caught another big one.”

Then, as strange as it sounds, he basically started fishing where he didn’t expect to catch a bass.

“It’s gonna be so weird tomorrow with this weather coming in, and I didn’t want to burn any 2- or 3-pounders that might help me a lot,” he said. “So I just went to some water I’d never even looked at and caught a 5-pounder.”

Menendez, who caught 24-8 Thursday, added 21-6 Friday and held on to third place with 45-14. He scored early in the day with a 6-pounder that he wasn’t really expecting to catch.

“That’s a spot where I’ve always caught 2- to 4-pounders,” Menendez said. “So when you pull up there and catch a 6-pounder, you’re thinking, ‘Well, giddy-up, it’s gonna be a good day.’”

A slight shift in technique helped Menendez to his quick start, but then he went back to the same tactics he used on Day 1 — tactics he’s not quite ready to discuss.

“I had to change baits today, and the change gave me the bites early so I could slow down and fish really thorough,” Menendez said. “Then during the afternoon, I went back to what I caught them on Thursday and got into another one of those big ones, a 5-plus, and another one that was about 4 pounds.

“Those really help you.”

Fourth and fifth place represent the age diversity on this year’s Elite Series, with the 29-year-old Cobb leading the 72-year-old legend, Clunn, by less than 2 pounds. Cobb caught 23-1 Friday to push his mark to 42-14, while the seemingly ageless Clunn caught 23-11 to lift his two-day total to 41-0. Clunn won his 15th Bassmaster title on these same waters when the Elite Series last stopped here in 2016.

Cory Johnston is tied statistically with Clunn for fifth place, but is credited for sixth place because Clunn has had the bigger single-day bag of the two and won the tie-breaker.

Cory said he’s not conceding anything to his brother — or anyone else.

“No one wants to be behind his brother,” he said. “The competition that we have amongst ourselves and our friends, that’s bigger than anything. So I just want to beat him.

“I’ll be out there trying to win.”

The tournament will resume Saturday with the Top 35 remaining anglers taking off from Riverfront Park at 7:30 a.m. ET. The weigh-in will be back at the park at 4:10 p.m., with only the Top 10 anglers advancing to Championship Sunday with a chance to win the $100,000 first-place prize.

Arizona pro Clifford Pirch wowed the weigh-in crowd with a 10-4 trophy largemouth, but Virginia angler John Crews still leads the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass with the 11-2 largemouth he caught Thursday.

2019 2019 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/7-2/10
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA 10  47-00  100
  Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   25-11
2.  Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            10  46-02   99
  Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   26-06
3.  Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  45-14   98
  Day 1: 5   24-08     Day 2: 5   21-06
4.  Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           10  42-14   97
  Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   23-01
5.  Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 10  41-00   96
  Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   23-11
6.  Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            10  41-00   95
  Day 1: 5   21-01     Day 2: 5   19-15
7.  John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  40-12   94
  Day 1: 5   24-13     Day 2: 5   15-15
8.  Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ           10  39-02   93
  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   20-10
9.  Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA            10  39-01   92
  Day 1: 5   25-02     Day 2: 5   13-15
10. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  38-02   91
  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   18-11
11. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         10  37-06   90
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   23-07
12. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  37-06   89
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   18-08
13. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  36-13   88
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   22-00
14. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  36-09   87
  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   18-06
15. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               9  36-06   86
  Day 1: 5   23-04     Day 2: 4   13-02
16. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  36-00   85
  Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 5   15-06
17. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           10  35-15   84
  Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   25-12
18. Drew Cook              Midway, FL              10  35-02   83
  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   24-05
19. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              10  34-12   82
  Day 1: 5   22-08     Day 2: 5   12-04
20. Derek Hudnall          Baton Rouge, LA         10  34-09   81
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   17-07
21. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  34-04   80
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   22-05
22. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  34-00   79
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   20-05
23. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         10  33-13   78
  Day 1: 5   17-07     Day 2: 5   16-06
24. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  32-15   77
  Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   11-09
25. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              9  32-10   76
  Day 1: 4   14-04     Day 2: 5   18-06
26. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN           10  31-11   75
  Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 5   12-08
27. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  31-10   74
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   20-08
28. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH       10  31-05   73
  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   13-13
29. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO         9  30-10   72
  Day 1: 4   10-10     Day 2: 5   20-00
30. Rob Digh               Denver, NC              10  30-09   71
  Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   12-06
31. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             10  30-08   70
  Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   11-06
32. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           8  30-06   69
  Day 1: 3   07-13     Day 2: 5   22-09
33. Shane Lehew            Catawba, NC             10  30-05   68
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   09-13
34. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC          10  29-14   67
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   16-07
35. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR        10  29-07   66
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   16-03
36. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           9  28-11   65   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 4   11-03
37. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               9  28-08   64   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 4   11-13     Day 2: 5   16-11
38. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY              10  28-08   63   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   15-15
39. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK            10  28-07   62   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   14-13
40. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  27-13   61   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   11-13
41. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           8  27-10   60   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 5   18-15
42. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA        10  27-07   59   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   14-00
43. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             10  26-15   58   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-15     Day 2: 5   14-00
44. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               9  26-10   57   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   08-10     Day 2: 5   18-00
45. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             9  26-07   56   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   11-15     Day 2: 5   14-08
46. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                10  26-06   55   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   12-03
47. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  26-04   54   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   18-04
48. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL          10  26-00   53   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-08     Day 2: 5   18-08
49. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC          10  25-02   52   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   08-05
50. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC            10  24-03   51   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   15-06
51. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             10  24-02   50   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   13-03
52. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  23-15   49   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   11-03
53. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              8  23-11   48   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 5   17-06
54. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          10  23-01   47   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   11-10
55. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               9  22-05   46   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 4   09-12
56. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             9  22-04   45   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 4   08-12
57. Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL           10  22-04   44   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   09-08
58. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  21-15   43   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-01     Day 2: 5   13-14
59. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  21-12   42   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   10-04
60. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA         10  21-10   41   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   10-04
61. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA  7  20-14   40   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   06-05     Day 2: 5   14-09
62. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  20-12   39   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   08-12
63. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  19-07   38   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-08     Day 2: 5   09-15
64. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  18-15   37   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   07-13     Day 2: 3   11-02
65. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA              7  17-01   36   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 5   12-08
66. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          9  16-06   35   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   09-05     Day 2: 5   07-01
67. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            8  15-15   34   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 3   05-15
68. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA               8  15-10   33   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 3   04-05
69. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               7  14-14   32   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 2   02-04
70. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         8  13-14   31   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 5   08-02
71. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          7  12-01   30   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   02-04     Day 2: 5   09-13
72. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           4  11-08   29   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 1   05-02     Day 2: 3   06-06
73. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA  5  11-06   28   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 2   04-01
74. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX         5  05-12   27   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   05-12
75. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            1  01-00   26   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        57       333      1008-14
 2        64       353      1094-03
----------------------------------
         121       686      2103-01

Cooling Trend Could Be Good News For Bassmaster Elite At Lake Lanier

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Cooling Trend Could Be Good News For Bassmaster Elite At Lake Lanier

 

Feb. 8, 2019

Cooling Trend Could Be Good News For Bassmaster Elite At Lake Lanier

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GWINNETT, Ga. — As much as David Fritts is enjoying the mild weather this week in Florida, he hopes it’s a little bit colder when he arrives in northern Georgia for next week’s Toyota Bassmaster Elite at Lake Lanier.

The second event on the 2019 Elite Series schedule is set for Feb. 14-17, with daily takeoffs at 6:45 a.m. ET from Laurel Park. Weigh-ins on Thursday and Friday will be at 3:10 p.m. at Laurel Park and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Coolray Field.

Fritts has an excellent history on the 38,000-acre Chattahoochee River impoundment, but he’s done his best work there when it’s been chilly.

“We’re probably going at my favorite time of the year — when the water’s cold,” said Fritts, who has had a fourth-place B.A.S.S. finish and a sixth-place FLW Tour showing on Lanier during his storied career. “At least I hope it’s cold.

“The fish are naturally looking up anyway, and they like to come up and hit baits. So if the water temperature is right, and they’re at the right depth, it makes it a lot of fun on a lake that has as many fish as Lanier.”

Lanier was a common destination for the Bassmaster Tournament Trail during the 1980s and ‘90s. But next week’s visit will be B.A.S.S.’s first stop on the fishery since 2006 and only its second time visiting the lake since 1995.

Most of the past events on Lanier were held in November and December — when the weather was exactly to Fritts’ liking.

“I remember one time it was 20 degrees when we took off on the first morning,” said Fritts, who is known for designing and winning with deep-diving crankbaits. “When it was that cold, it just seemed to make the crankbait fishing better.”

While it’s not likely to be quite that cold next week, a cold front is in the forecast for the Gwinnett area that will place daytime highs in the mid-50s and nighttime lows in the low 40s. That could make for an excellent tournament, especially if both the spotted bass and the largemouth are biting.

“That’s another thing that makes Lanier a lot of fun,” Fritts said. “You’ve got largemouth and spots, and usually one of them will bite one day if the other one’s not.

Though he prefers to fish a crankbait, Fritts said there will likely be a number of ways to catch the big spotted bass that Lanier has become famous for.

“To catch those magnum spots, you’re gonna need what you always need — a jerkbait, a shaky head, a drop-shot rig and swimbaits,” he said. “The largemouth, if they come up, could make it a good crankbait tournament, too.”

Patrick Walters, a 24-year-old Elite Series rookie from Summerville, S.C., said he also thinks spots and largemouth will both come into play — with spots likely taking center stage.

“I don’t see anyone winning it with (a four-day total of) 20 largemouth,” Walters said. “You’re going to have to have a mix — and Lanier sets up well for that.

“The lake has a lot of fish, and there’ll be two bites going on at once. There will be a shallow bite and a deep bite. People will be able to fish deep brushpiles and structure if that’s their strong suit and some will be able to go shallow — and they’re gonna find spots and largemouth.”

A full field of 75 anglers will fish the first two days, with the Top 35 advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round. Then the Top 10 will fish on Championship Sunday with a $100,000 first-place prize on the line. In addition to the prize money available, anglers will be working to rack up Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points, which determine 39 of the 53 berths in the 2020 Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

Like most Elite Series events, the Lanier tournament will feature a full lineup of events and activities, all of which are free and open to the public. On Saturday and Sunday, Bassmaster Get Hooked on Fishing presented by Toyota and Shakespeare will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, Ga. Also sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, the kid-friendly event offers a kids’ fishing pond, casting lessons and Georgia DNR’s popular wildlife experience with live animals.

Besides onshore excitement, Elite Series fans will be able to follow all of the action all four days on Bassmaster LIVE, which is streamed on Bassmaster.com and the ESPN App.

“I think it’s going to be a great tournament,” Fritts said. “I just hope it cools off a little bit. If it stays too warm, those fish will get up ankle deep, and it’ll be anybody’s ball game.”

Host sponsor for the event is the Gwinnett Sports Commission.

The Top 25 Angler’s in NC for 2018 are?

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The Top 25 Angler’s in NC for 2018 are?

It’s the Bass Cast top 25 based on the level of competition, tournament placement, social media, and 2018 results

NC TOP 25 ANGLERS

BASS, FLW, Local

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  • Bryan Thrift
  • David Fritts
  • Hank Cherry
  • Matt Arey
  • Jake Whitaker
  • Rob Digh
  • Shane Lehew
  • Shame Lineberger
  • Robert Walser
  • David Williams
  • Guy Eaker
  • Scott Hamrick
  • Roger Hoover
  • David Wright
  • Phillip Eakes
  • Ethan Cox’s
  • Scottie Morris
  • Dan Glossan
  • Jay Fogleman
  • Robert Perkins
  • David Wilsa
  • Hal Backwelton
  • Chuck Murray
  • Dennis Reedy
  • Tommy Marrow

 

Giant Bass Make A Showing At Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

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Giant Bass Make A Showing At Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

Third-year Elite Series pro Robbie Latuso (left) weighed in 25 pounds, 2 ounces to take the Day 1 lead at the Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River, in Palatka, Fla. Elite Series veteran John Crews (right) leads the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with a personal-best 11 pound, 2 ounce largemouth. 

                                                                                                                                                      Photo by B.A.S.S.

Giant Bass Make A Showing At Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite At St. Johns River

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PALATKA, Fla. — After a tough practice, Robbie Latuso said he only had one area that he felt confident about heading into Thursday’s opening round of the Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.

But it turned out to be a good area — and it just kept getting better as the day went along.

The third-year Elite Series pro from Gonzales, La., caught a solid limit early and then steadily culled up until he had a five-bass limit that weighed 25 pounds, 2 ounces. The big bag, which was anchored by an 8-6 largemouth, was good enough for the Day 1 lead.

“I got to that spot and caught a bunch of fish that were all about 3 pounds,” Latuso said. “Then I finally caught a 3-10. Then I caught a 5-pounder. Then I caught the biggest one and another big fish — about a 5-pounder — toward the end of the day.

“So I really caught most of my big fish later.”

With three days left to fish, anglers are always stingy with details. But Latuso said he’s using a technique he’s very comfortable with — and he believes his one magic spot could actually be better for Friday’s second round.

“I think more fish are coming to that area,” he said. “So I’m just gonna go out there tomorrow and have fun again and try to get five more bites.”

Latuso’s 8-plus was impressive, but it wasn’t nearly the biggest bass caught on a day when the Florida fishery really showed its muscle. The Top 10 anglers in the standings all had more than 20 pounds, and the biggest bass of the day was an 11-2 behemoth caught by Virginia angler John Crews.

The giant fish — which Crews said broke his personal-best mark of 11-1 by an ounce — anchored a five-bass limit that weighed 24-13 and moved Crews into second place.

In a scene that would make even the most experienced anglers queasy, Crews landed the bass on a spinning rod with only 12-pound-test line.

“I had caught four, and I knew I had a pretty decent bag,” Crews said. “I knew if I could just catch one more keeper, I would be in good shape. So I actually just started fishing around and picked up that spinning rod.”

He knew the bass was big when he set the hook, but it was while before he knew exactly how big.

“It went all over the place, got hung up in a tree and came out,” Crews said. “But I didn’t get in a big hurry.

“When it jumped, I thought it was a 6- or 7-pounder. When it got close to the boat and jumped again, I thought it was an 8 or 9. Then when I lipped it, it just kept coming out of the water and I knew it was at least a 10.”

Crews referred to his day as a “typical Florida day” because along with the big fish, he also had one that weighed only about 14 ounces. He said he has no idea what Friday will hold, but he’s seen proof positive once again that a big bass can bite at any moment in this state.

Having just turned 40 last year, Crews has been with the Elite Series since its inception in 2006. Another Elite Series veteran, 54-year-old Mark Menendez from Paducah, Ky., fished his way into third place Thursday — and like the two anglers ahead of him, his bag was anchored by a giant.

Menendez weighed in five bass that tipped the scales at 24-8 with a 9-13 anchoring the bag.

“My day was real slow,” said Menendez, who has three career B.A.S.S. victories. “I lost my first two bites, and they were little peanuts.”

He was about to leave and make a long run, but instincts told him to explore the stretch he was on just a little further.

“I fished and fished and fished and kept thinking I needed to make that long run,” he said. “But then I stopped in a spot, made a pitch and caught the 9-13. I fished around a little longer and caught a solid 3 3/4.

“That’s when I decided I was going to be there a while — and before noon, I caught another 3-pounder and a 6-pounder, all on the same bait.”

When bass are moving onto the spawning beds, as they seem to be on the St. Johns this week, it’s hard to know exactly what will happen next. Warm weather could bring another big wave of bass to the shorelines overnight, making Friday’s round better. Or, the pressure from Thursday’s round could cause a downturn in the fishing.

But one thing is certain: Most of the 75-angler field left Riverfront Park Thursday with a solid understanding of the fishery’s potential.

“I really didn’t know what I could catch going into today,” said Brad Whatley, an Elite Series rookie from Bivins, Texas, who landed in fourth place Thursday with a catch of 23-4 that included two 8-pounders. “I think I’m in an area that has some fish coming in to spawn and some leaving the beds.

“To catch 23 pounds my first day on the job, I’ll take it all day long.”

The tournament will resume Friday with a full field of 75 anglers fishing once again. Takeoff will be from Riverfront Park at 7:30 a.m. ET, and weigh-in will be back at the park at 4:15 p.m.

After Friday’s competition, only the Top 35 will advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.

(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA             5  25-02  100
  Day 1: 5   25-02
2.  John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  24-13   99
  Day 1: 5   24-13
3.  Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  24-08   98
  Day 1: 5   24-08
4.  Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               5  23-04   97
  Day 1: 5   23-04
5.  Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               5  22-08   96
  Day 1: 5   22-08
6.  David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            5  21-06   95
  Day 1: 5   21-06
7.  Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA  5  21-05   94
  Day 1: 5   21-05
8.  Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA             5  21-01   93
  Day 1: 5   21-01
9.  Drew Benton            Panama City, FL          5  20-10   92
  Day 1: 5   20-10
10. Shane Lehew            Catawba, NC              5  20-08   91
  Day 1: 5   20-08
11. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC            5  19-13   90
  Day 1: 5   19-13
12. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX             5  19-12   89
  Day 1: 5   19-12
13. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC               5  19-07   88
  Day 1: 5   19-07
14. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN            5  19-03   87
  Day 1: 5   19-03
15. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              5  19-02   86
  Day 1: 5   19-02
16. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL            5  18-14   85
  Day 1: 5   18-14
17. Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ            5  18-08   84
  Day 1: 5   18-08
18. Rob Digh               Denver, NC               5  18-03   83
  Day 1: 5   18-03
18. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  18-03   83
  Day 1: 5   18-03
20. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        5  17-08   81
  Day 1: 5   17-08
20. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           5  17-08   81
  Day 1: 5   17-08
22. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          5  17-07   79
  Day 1: 5   17-07
23. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  17-05   78
  Day 1: 5   17-05
24. Derek Hudnall          Baton Rouge, LA          5  17-02   77
  Day 1: 5   17-02
25. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           5  16-13   76
  Day 1: 5   16-13
26. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  16-00   75
  Day 1: 5   16-00
27. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           5  14-13   74
  Day 1: 5   14-13
28. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              4  14-04   73
  Day 1: 4   14-04
29. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 5  14-03   72
  Day 1: 5   14-03
30. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC          5  13-15   71
  Day 1: 5   13-15
31. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               5  13-11   70
  Day 1: 5   13-11
32. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK             5  13-10   69
  Day 1: 5   13-10
33. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  13-08   68
  Day 1: 5   13-08
34. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA         5  13-07   67
  Day 1: 5   13-07
34. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           5  13-07   67
  Day 1: 5   13-07
36. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR         5  13-04   65
  Day 1: 5   13-04
37. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              5  12-15   64
  Day 1: 5   12-15
38. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  12-12   63
  Day 1: 5   12-12
38. Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL            5  12-12   63
  Day 1: 5   12-12
40. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               5  12-10   61
  Day 1: 5   12-10
41. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY               5  12-09   60
  Day 1: 5   12-09
41. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               5  12-09   60
  Day 1: 5   12-09
43. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  12-00   58
  Day 1: 5   12-00
44. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  11-15   57
  Day 1: 5   11-15
45. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             4  11-15   56
  Day 1: 4   11-15
46. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               4  11-13   55
  Day 1: 4   11-13
47. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               5  11-08   54
  Day 1: 5   11-08
48. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN           5  11-07   53
  Day 1: 5   11-07
49. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA          5  11-06   52
  Day 1: 5   11-06
50. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA               5  11-05   51
  Day 1: 5   11-05
51. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK             5  11-02   50
  Day 1: 5   11-02
52. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI              5  10-15   49
  Day 1: 5   10-15
53. Drew Cook              Midway, FL               5  10-13   48
  Day 1: 5   10-13
54. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO         4  10-10   47
  Day 1: 4   10-10
55. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            5  10-03   46
  Day 1: 5   10-03
56. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            5  10-00   45
  Day 1: 5   10-00
57. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           5  09-08   44
  Day 1: 5   09-08
58. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          4  09-05   43
  Day 1: 4   09-05
59. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC             5  08-13   42
  Day 1: 5   08-13
60. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           3  08-11   41
  Day 1: 3   08-11
61. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               4  08-10   40
  Day 1: 4   08-10
62. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA             5  08-01   39
  Day 1: 5   08-01
63. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  08-00   38
  Day 1: 5   08-00
64. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           3  07-13   37
  Day 1: 3   07-13
65. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         2  07-13   36
  Day 1: 2   07-13
66. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           5  07-08   35
  Day 1: 5   07-08
67. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA  3  07-05   34
  Day 1: 3   07-05
68. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              3  06-05   33
  Day 1: 3   06-05
69. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA  2  06-05   32
  Day 1: 2   06-05
70. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         3  05-12   31
  Day 1: 3   05-12
71. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           1  05-02   30
  Day 1: 1   05-02
72. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA              2  04-09   29
  Day 1: 2   04-09
73. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          2  02-04   28
  Day 1: 2   02-04
74. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00
74. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX         0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        57       333      1008-14
----------------------------------
          57       333      1008-14

COX CATCHES 31-POUND LIMIT, LEADS DAY ONE OF FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

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COX CATCHES 31-POUND LIMIT, LEADS DAY ONE OF FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

COX CATCHES 31-POUND LIMIT, LEADS DAY ONE OF FLW TOUR AT LAKE TOHO PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

Florida Pro Grabs Day One Lead with Largest Limit Ever Weighed at Lake Toho in FLW Tour Competition

[print_link]

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2019) – Pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, hauled in a massive five-bass limit weighing 31 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest limit ever weighed in FLW Tour competition at Lake Toho – to grab the lead after day one of the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats. Cox will bring a 6-pound, 10-ounce advantage over second-place pro John Voyles of Petersburg, Indiana, into Day Two of the four-day tournament that features 170 of the world’s most decorated bass-fishing professionals casting for a top award of up to $125,000 cash.

“When I got up this morning, I was just excited to go fishing,” said Cox, the 2016 FLW Cup Champion who has more than $1.1 million in career earnings. “The weather was warm – for once – and it was going to be sunny and not windy. It was an awesome day.

“I ran a ton of spots. I ran all around this lake [Toho] and then went down and ran around the other lakes and just kept spot-hopping,” continued Cox. “I caught one good one early and then it was steady – you’d get one here, get one there.”

Cox said he made roughly 30 stops throughout the day.

“I tried to do the sight-fishing thing, but there’s just no movement. There’s no fish moving,” said Cox. “There’s a few fish still there, but most of them left for some reason, so I just started fishing and caught two good ones.”

One of Cox’s two “good ones” was a 10-pound, 9-ouncer that he wrangled a bit deeper using a Berkley Windup Worm. It ended up being the third-largest bass ever weighed in FLW Tour competition at Lake Toho.

Overall, three of Cox’s fish came from beds, and two came from the Windup Worm. He said he culled three times as well.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do tomorrow – probably run a lot of the same spots.”

The top 10 pros after day one on Lake Toho are:

1st:          John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 31-9

2nd:         John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind., five bass, 24-15

3rd:          Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 24-12

4th:          Austin Wilson, Citrus Heights, Calif., five bass, 21-11

5th:          Polaris pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 21-10

6th:          Buddy Gross, Chickamauga, Ga., five bass, 21-7

7th:          Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., five bass, 21-6

8th:          Wade Strelic, Alpine, Cal., five bass, 21-4

9th:          Aaron Britt, Yuba City, Calif., five bass, 21-2

10th:        Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark., five bass,   19-10

10th:        Jim Jones, Big Bend, Wis., five bass, 19-10

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Cox’s 10-pound, 9-ounce largemouth was the heaviest fish weighed in the pro division Thursday, and earned him the day’s Big Bass Award of $500.

Overall there were 815 bass weighing 2,032 pounds, 9 ounces caught by 169 pros Thursday. The catch included 154 five-bass limits.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 170 pro anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats is more than $860,000, including $9,000 through 65th place in the Pro Division. The tournament is hosted by Experience Kissimmee and the Kissimmee Sports Commission.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 9-11 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. EST each day from Big Toho Marina, located at 69 Lakeview Drive, in Kissimmee. Friday’s weigh-in will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins, Feb. 9-10, will also be held at the marina, but will begin at 4 p.m.

Prior to weigh-in each day FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at Big Toho Marina from 2 to 6 p.m. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the marina on Saturday, Feb. 9, from Noon-2 p.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to anyone under the age of 18 and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the biggest fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Lake Toho presented by Ranger Boats will premiere in 2019. The exact air-date will be announced soon. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs each Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST and is broadcast to more than 63 million cable, satellite and telecommunications households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean on the World Fishing Network (WFN), the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air on Days Three and Four of the event, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pro Peter Thliveros to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

 

Econo Lodge Joins Lineup of Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Sponsors

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Econo Lodge Joins Lineup of Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Sponsors
Big bass are common at Tennessee’s Lake Chickamauga and the timing will be right to see some giants caught at the destination during the Stage Four event of the 2019 MLF Bass Pro Tour presented by Econo Lodge, April 9-14.
Econo Lodge Joins Lineup of Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Sponsors
National Hotel Brand Will Present the Tour’s Fourth Stop in Tennessee
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TULSA, Okla. (Feb. 7, 2019) – The Econo Lodge brand, part of Choice Hotels International, Inc., is the newest sponsor to join the lineup for the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour. The national hotel brand will also be the presenting sponsor for Stage Four of the Bass Pro Tour, set for April 9-14 at Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour includes eight regular-season Stages featuring 80 of the sport’s top anglers. As part of the sponsorship, the Econo Lodge brand will be featured in various commercial spots and digital graphics on MLF channels throughout the season, and spotlighted on the Discovery Channel, Sportsman Channel and the CBS network when they air coverage of Stage Four. Additionally, Econo Lodge will have on-site brand activations at Lake Chickamauga and other upcoming events featuring world-renowned pro angler and Econo Lodge brand advocate Justin Lucas.
“Econo Lodge guests are adventure seekers who like to hunt and fish, which makes our new collaboration with Major League Fishing a natural fit,” said Craig Mustard, head of domestic brand management, economy brands, Choice Hotels. “With more than 800 hotels located nationwide, Econo Lodge provides travelers with great value and convenient accommodations on the way to all their favorite outdoor destinations, including stops of the Bass Pro Tour.”
Econo Lodge is one of the most recognized and trusted hotel brands in the economy segment. Every property offers the amenities guests want including free Wi-Fi, complimentary continental breakfast, and premium movie channels at a price that’s easy on the wallet.
“We’re pleased to have Econo Lodge as a national sponsor of this year’s MLF Bass Pro Tour, as well as the presenting sponsor for our fourth event – Bass Pro Tour Stage Four presented by Econo Lodge,” said MLF President and CEO Jim Wilburn. “Our fans are willing to travel long distances to attend tournaments and with reliable locations nationwide, we know our new collaboration with Econo Lodge will resonate strongly with anglers everywhere.”
For more information on Econo Lodge, visit EconoLodge.com. For more information on MLF, the Bass Pro Tour, and its anglers, rules and formats, visit www.majorleaguefishing.com.
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