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THLIVEROS, HOLLOWELL AND PANGRAC TO JOIN “FLW LIVE” AS ANALYSTS FOR 2019 FLW TOUR SEASON

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THLIVEROS, HOLLOWELL AND PANGRAC TO JOIN “FLW LIVE” AS ANALYSTS FOR 2019 FLW TOUR SEASON

THLIVEROS, HOLLOWELL AND PANGRAC TO JOIN “FLW LIVE” AS ANALYSTS FOR 2019 FLW TOUR SEASON

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MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 8, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) the world’s largest tournament organization, announced today three additions to the “FLW Live” coverage team for the 2019 FLW Tour season – veteran FLW Tour pros Peter Thliveros and Todd Hollowell, as well as internet talk show personality Matt Pangrac. Thliveros and Hollowell will step off the front of the boat and into the FLW Live broadcast studio as the primary color commentators for six of the seven regular-season FLW Tour events, while Pangrac, a familiar face to fans as co-host of the popular internet show “Bass Talk Live”, stepping in for the Grand Lake event. The three personalities will share the “FLW Live” desk with host Travis Moran, who has been a mainstay on the show since its inception in early 2017.

“We wanted to bring in pros with extensive knowledge of what it’s like to be competitive on the FLW Tour. Peter T. is a legendary angler who is loved by fans, and Todd Hollowell has had many successful years on the Tour and continues to fish,” said Peyote Perryman, Executive Producer of “FLW Live” and the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show. “Matt Pangrac is a younger guy who reports on the industry and competes at the Costa FLW Series level. All of our additions have some sort of experience to share with our audience.”

Known as ‘Peter T.’ among friends and fans, Thliveros first joined the FLW Tour in 1996, winning the coveted FLW Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) title the same year. Thliveros went on to enjoy a 16-year run on the FLW Tour, and celebrated a victory at Michigan’s Lake St. Clair in 1999. The Florida pro also racked up six FLW Cup appearances and nearly $620,000 in career earnings during his tenure.

“I’m looking forward to the whole experience. With the amount of water I’ve fished over the years, I’m familiar with the terminology and have gained enough knowledge about the places the anglers are going to compete at,” said Thliveros. “For 35 years I was the one occasionally getting interviewed. Now I’m going to be on the other end of it, and to me it’s just as exciting.”

Hollowell first fished the FLW Tour as a co-angler in 2009 before joining as a full-time professional in 2012. Since, Hollowell has earned two FLW Cup appearances, two top-10 finishes in Tour competition and more than $250,000 in career earnings.

“I think FLW is on the cutting-edge of bringing the fans what they want to see through FLW Live,” said Hollowell. “As an angler who has been competing on the Tour for seven years, it’s an awesome opportunity to sit in the studio and get an inside look at how some of the best anglers in the world break down these lakes. I also believe I’ll be able to help communicate some of the thoughts and feelings some of these anglers are experiencing. I’m very thankful to be a part of it.”

The 2019 season of “FLW Live” kicks off this weekend with live, on-the-water coverage on Saturday, Jan. 12 and Sunday, Jan. 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST at the FLW Tour at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Polaris. The live on-the-water broadcast will air on days three and four of all FLW Tour regular-season events from the boats of the tournaments’ top pros, as well as all three days of the FLW Cup.  For additional coverage details, visit FLWFishing.com.

Major League Fishing reveals on-air talent for MLF NOW!

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Major League Fishing reveals on-air talent for MLF NOW!
Major League Fishing reveals on-air talent for MLF NOW! –
The Bass Pro Tour program will feature five hours of daily live stream coverage

TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 8, 2019) – Major League Fishing (MLF) today announced its five-person MLF NOW! talent lineup that will be calling the action during the program’s five hours of live-streaming broadcast on each competition day of the new MLF Bass Pro Tour that kicks off Jan. 29 in Kissimmee, Fla.

For the play-by-play coverage, MLF veteran announcer Marty Stone will team with former pro angler JT Kenney, outdoors communicator Rob Newell, college sports announcer Chad McKee and social media personality Natalie Dillon.
 The new Major League Fishing MLF NOW! live stream broadcast team consists of (left to right): Rob Newell, JT Kenney, Marty Stone, Natalie Dillon and Chad McKee. The program will provide five hours of live streaming coverage during each competition day of MLF Bass Pro Tour series’ events.  (Click to enlarge/download)
“I really like the dynamics of this group we’ve assembled,” said Randy White, MLF vice president for broadcast production. “We wanted people who had different strengths and perspectives, and to that effect we have a great mix of personalities and knowledge with Marty, JT, Rob, Chad and Natalie. With each of them having their own style, it will no doubt add to the entire on-the-water viewing experience for our livestream audience.”

Stone is a color analyst for General Tire Major League Fishing Cup events that air on the Outdoor Channel and CBS Sports, and has been since the television show’s debut in 2011. During his previous pro angling career, he garnered two wins among 20 Top 10s in B.A.S.S. and FLW events.

Kenney is a former MLF Select pro who earned 45 Top 10 finishes and more than $1.5 million throughout a 17-year career along the FLW tournament trail. He elected to join the MLF NOW! team instead of competing in the Bass Pro Tour series.

McKee is a veteran college basketball and football announcer for ESPNU, where he also hosted the network’s “This Week in the Big 12” studio show. He additionally hosts football programming on the University of Oklahoma’s Sooner Sports TV.

Newell is an outdoors communicator whose articles and photos have appeared in FLW and Bassmaster media outlets for years, and he was a regular on FLW Live. He’s also covered MLF events since the beginning and therefore has one of the most thorough understandings of the league’s format, rules, anglers and tournament-fishing strategies.

Dillon is a social media personality with a following for her “Nattie Up North” postings on YouTube and Instagram. She developed her passion for fishing and the outdoors at an early age in her home state of Minnesota.

MLF NOW! features 10 cameras/cameramen shooting on board competitors’ boats throughout all six rounds of each Bass Pro Tour event. MLF opted for the five-person talent crew instead of going with the smaller lineup used at Major League Fishing Cup and MLF Select events because of the extended real-time coverage.

“At first we looked at just a three person set, but quickly realized that five live hours a day is a lot of time for a host, analyst and reporter to cover,” White said. “It made perfect sense to have a bigger team for MLF NOW! in order to capture the full excitement and keep things moving.”

The organization’s inaugural 80-angler event on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain of Lakes is Jan. 29 – Feb. 3. Each of the eight Bass Pro Tour events will produce roughly 40 hours of live-streamed content that can be followed on MajorLeagueFishing.com.

All Bass Pro Tour venues have been qualified during the site selection process to satisfy MLF’s stringent connectivity requirements because MLF NOW! live stream and SCORETRACKER™ are critical parts throughout the competition days at every event.

Every Bass Pro Tour stop will also become a 2-hour television show to air on Discovery Channel in the fourth quarter of 2019, and then repeat on Sportsman Channel in first and second quarters 2020.

MLF also runs on Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network and Discovery Channel, and all episodes are available on-demand on My Outdoor TV (MOTV).
For more information about MLF and its anglers, rules and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

EVINRUDE EXTENDS FLW SPONSORSHIP, NAMED PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR FIVE FLW EVENTS IN 2019

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EVINRUDE EXTENDS FLW SPONSORSHIP, NAMED PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR FIVE FLW EVENTS IN 2019

EVINRUDE EXTENDS FLW SPONSORSHIP, NAMED PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR FIVE FLW EVENTS IN 2019

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MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 8, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today a sponsorship renewal with Evinrude for the 2019 season, marking the 18th year the brands have aligned. The agreement ensures that Evinrude and its premier lineup of outboard engines will be showcased across all FLW tournament circuits and through exclusive digital content as well as remaining the official outboard sponsor of FLW.

“FLW is extremely pleased to announce our continued partnership with Evinrude,” said Trish Blake, President of FLW Marketing Division. “2019 marks 18 years of our longstanding relationship, which reinforces the commitment both companies have toward one another and the sport of professional bass fishing. Our fans and anglers have shown tremendous loyalty to our sponsors’ products and our tournaments offer the perfect showcase to display the efficient, reliable Evinrude outboards.”

Evinrude will be prominent at all FLW-sanctioned tournaments and outdoor expos with an Evinrude booth with featured products for fans to visit and experience. The Sturtevant, Wisconsin-based company will also be seen across the FLW’s various media platforms including FLWFishing.com, “FLW Live”, the FLW social media channels, FLW Bass Fishing magazine, and the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show. Evinrude is slated to be the presenting sponsor for five events during the 2019 tournament season.

“We are very excited to continue our relationship with FLW,” said Tracy Crocker, president of the BRP Marine Group and senior vice president and general manager of Evinrude. “FLW events offer an ideal platform to demonstrate the industry-leading power, performance and value of our Evinrude E-TEC G2 outboards. We look forward to the results from this year’s tournament circuit and helping FLW, competing anglers and fans have a successful 2019 season.”

As part of the sponsorship agreement, Evinrude will continue to offer a contingency awards program for boaters competing in the T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL). To participate, an angler must be the owner of a 2016 or newer 90- to 250-hp Evinrude E-TEC or G2 outboard engine. All contingency payouts will be administered by FLW, allowing for immediate payouts at each tournament.

Prizes are as follows:

  • $300 to the highest participating finisher in each qualifying tournament
  • $1,000 to the highest participating finisher in each of the six Regional events
  • $5,000 to the highest participating finisher at the BFL All-American; $1,500 to the second-highest participating finisher at the BFL All-American; $1,000 to the third-highest participating finisher at the BFL All-American; $500 to the fourth-highest participating finisher at the BFL All-American

Updated details and terms of the program will be posted at FLWFishing.com.

BRP’s Evinrude engine line-up from 3.5 to 300 horsepower offers anglers superior value across a wide range of applications. Outboard engines are available at authorized Evinrude dealerships worldwide. For more details or to find a dealership near you, visit Evinrude.com. Follow Evinrude on social media at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and YouTube.

Scholarships Awarded By Alabama Power/B.A.S.S. To Two Alabama Students

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Scholarships Awarded By Alabama Power/B.A.S.S. To Two Alabama Students
Jan. 8, 2018

Scholarships Awarded By Alabama Power/B.A.S.S. To Two Alabama Students

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two Alabama students were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship from B.A.S.S. and Alabama Power, the companies announced today.

“We are proud to partner with Alabama Power to support students who want to further their education in a trade,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “And, we’re even more pleased to provide additional scholarship opportunities for students.”

Brenton Godwin of Stapleton and Grey Terry of Tuscaloosa are the recipients.

Godwin is currently a senior at Baldwin County High School (BCHS) in Bay Minette, Ala., and plans to attend Coastal Alabama Community College.

“I plan on starting my college career at Coastal Alabama Community College, then transferring to Auburn University to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Poultry Science Production,” said Godwin. “While in college, I aspire to fish at Auburn on the collegiate level.”

He has been an active member of the Baldwin County Fishing Team for the past three seasons, as well as several activities at school and in his community. He participates in Key Club, French Club, Technology Student Association, Future Farmers of America, National Honor Society and the BCHS Varsity baseball team.

“It means so much to me to have been chosen for this scholarship,” said Godwin. “I’ve always loved the sport of bass fishing, and the fact that I’m able to pay for college through this sport is something I never would have imagined 5 years ago.”

Terry, a senior at Northridge High School, has been a student in the welding program at Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy and Shelton State Community College’s Dual Enrollment Welding class.

“My goal is to complete an Associate’s Degree at Shelton State and pursue a career in welding,” Terry said. “Since I began taking these courses, I have learned so much about the importance of skilled trades.”

“Congratulations to Brenton and Grey for this acknowledgement of their environmental stewardship and hard work in the classroom,” said Zeke Smith, Alabama Power executive vice president of External Affairs. “These scholarships continue to help students develop the high-demand skills needed for a career in the future workforce of Alabama, and we are proud to partner with BASS to make it happen.”

Applications were open to students currently attending, or planning to attend, a technical school in the state of Alabama.

The scholarship recipients are able to apply the award toward tuition, textbooks or living expenses.

Applications for the 2019-2020 school year will open early this year. Visit Bassmaster.com for details.

About Alabama Power Company
Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), provides affordable, reliable electricity to more than 1.4 million customers across the state. Learn more at www.alabamapower.com.

David Howell Takes the ABA Win on Seminole January 6,2019

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David Howell Takes the ABA Win on Seminole January 6,2019

David Howell from Bainbridge, Ga. is one step closer to the Bass Pro Shops American Fishing Tour National Championship with a first place win in the Seminole Division 114 bass tournament held on Lake Seminole January 6, 2019. David’s limit weighed in at 27.85-pounds.  Big Bass was awarded to Andrew Whitaker for catching a 7.71-lb largemouth.

These anglers are acquiring valuable points to ensure their birth into the Bass Pro Shops American Fishing Tour National Championship. Their points are also being used to determine the divisional angler of the year. The top angler by points earned in this division will represent the division in the Angler of the Year final round.

The top six anglers were:

1st David Howell 27.85-lbs
2nd Andrew Whitaker 24.37-lbs
3rd Doug Davis 20.67-lbs
4th Rick Tyindell 20.58-lbs
5th Steve Phillips 20.30-lbs
6th Nic Jeter 17.22-lbs

Conditions: Clear Bluebird skies with mild temp day! Waters temperatures were in the low 60’s.  Water was muddy.

Winning Strategy: David’s pattern was fishing a Carolina rig in deep trees!

Next Divisional Tournament: This division’s next tournament will be February 3, 2019, on Lake Seminole at Seminole Lodge. For more information on this or any future event in this division contact Mitch Oldnettle 850-376-2628 or Len Lindahl 850-272-5305.

About the American Bass Anglers – American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler while offering an upward path for individual angler progression.  For more information about American Bass Anglers and all their bass tournament trails visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

American Bass Anglers is sponsored by: Bass Pro Shops, Triton Boats, Nitro Boats, Tracker Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Garmin, T-H Marine, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Engel Coolers, Maui Jim and Power-Pole.

The BBZ brings the “Big Bass Junior Championship” to all high school and college anglers, through the pages of Bassin’ Magazine

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The BBZ brings the “Big Bass Junior Championship” to all high school and college anglers, through the pages of Bassin’ Magazine
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What is the Big Bass Junior Championship?

The Big Bass Junior Championship (BBJC) set a goal to offset the stagnate and cost prohibited norm in bass fishing tournaments, and start something fresh, new, and innovative. The new tournament format has been established to focus on the growth of kids and young adults and motivate them towards enjoyment in outdoor activities.
This tournament format will unbound the constrictive traditional one-day tournament format and allows anglers to compete nearly year-round on their schedules. In the past, stressful decisions had to be made by these young tournament anglers between their academic commitments and traditional bass tournaments. The BBJC will allow the anglers to compete on their time while keeping up with their responsibilities.
In this new format there is no need for expensive equipment like a boat, this is grass roots fishing at it’s finest. This allows all young anglers at all skill levels to compete.  All you need is a camera or a phone and an e-mail address to register your catch.

This tournament is also geared for social media.  Every fish registered requires a photo; it’s easy to share, promotes a greater reach, and impacts the industry like nothing before. This tournament’s format is as simple as it gets:Click Here to Read the Story 

To get the full press release on Word,  email: [email protected]

Z-Man Retains New Bassmaster Elite Series Star Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson

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Z-Man Retains New Bassmaster Elite Series Star Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson

Gustafson shares his secret weapon—a ChatterBait JackHammer— during a 2018 FLW Tour event.” (Photo by Charles Waldorf)

Ultimate Tackle Testimonial

Z-Man Retains New Bassmaster Elite Series Star Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson

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Ladson, SC (January 7, 2019) – You might call it the ultimate tackle testimonial.

Long before Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson flashed the Z-Man logo—or cashed a sponsor check from the cutting-edge South Carolina tackle company— the versatile tournament angler was already boating big sacks of bass with7 ChatterBaits and other Z-Man creations, under the radar.

Actually, at the March 2018 FLW Tour event at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, Gussy made no secret of the fact he and fellow Ontario angler Chris Johnston wielded identical Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammers to finish 2nd and 1st, respectively. (In truth, Johnston’ tourney-winning ChatterBait came from Gustafson’s personal stash.) At the time, neither angler was sponsored by the company whose lure earned them a cool, collective $155,000.

The lure Gustafson calls the ‘crankbait of grass fishing‘.

On the heels of the 2019 season, Gustafson’s first in the Bassmaster Elite Series, Z-Man has legitimized the alliance, inking an endorsement deal with the popular Canadian angler.

“Formally linking up with Z-Man is especially cool because I’ve been friends with these guys and have fished their baits for years,” said Gustafson, while packing for inaugural Elite Series events, two-thousand miles from his Keewatin, Ontario home. “These days, you almost have to fish ElaZtech softbaits and ChatterBaits to stay competitive. Z-Man makes some high-level stuff that helps a lot of guys cash checks.”

“First time I fished with Gussy about five years ago, I immediately knew we needed to have him on the Z-Man team,” said company president, Daniel Nussbaum. “Gussy’s genuine, engaging personality perfectly matches his intense passion for the outdoors. But what also stood out to me was his ability to succeed in tournaments from Ontario all the way to Florida. That level of fishing intuition and versatility is a special gift.”

Beginning almost two decades ago, Gustafson began an incredible run of tournament success, winning the ultra-competitive Kenora Bass International in 2000 and 2008. He also claimed first place at the 2005, 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2018 International Falls Bass Championship and won the Fort Francis Canadian Bass Championship in 2013 and 2014. For the past six seasons, the star Canadian angler has achieved success on the nationwide FLW Tour, claiming numerous top-10 finishes.

“Around 2016, Z-Man confidant Drew Reese, who spends his summers near my home on Lake of the Woods, introduced me to a bait called the Hula StickZ,” recalls Gustafson. Reese, who finished seventh in the very first Bassmaster Classic in 1971, has been called one of the top finesse bass anglers in America.

“I was prefishing a tournament down in Arkansas, and Reese drove a couple hours and met me over on Table Rock Lake. He showed me how to fish the Hula StickZ on a Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ head—basically what we know today as the Ned Rig. At the tournament, I fished behind other boats and caught all kinds of bass in used water; the bait propelled me to a nice 11th place finish. It’s been so good to me all over North America now that I always keep a Hula StickZ rigged up.”

Gussy offers further perspective on the emergence of Z-Man baits among his professional peeps: “Z-Man ElaZtech baits have become big players on the BASS and FLW circuits. The baits are as soft and consistent as some of the best hand-pours. Their durability and buoyancy give me a ton of other advantages, too.

Gussy’s favorite finesse bait, the Z-Man Hula StickZ.

“When I’m chasing smallmouths in Canadian lakes—places full of pike and walleyes—durability is huge. I can catch 40 or 50 bass on a single ElaZtech bait. And the buoyancy of a bait like the StreakZ makes it sit horizontal in the water, so bass see a totally natural presentation.

“Of course, everyone knows about the ChatterBait and its success in tournaments across the country.

Even my buddy Brandon McMillan, who’s a lifelong flipper on Okeechobee, admits the ChatterBait is now the superior presentation; it’s become the crankbait of grass fishing.”

“Working with pros like Gussy who come in with a pre-existing belief in our baits is a dream scenario,” summarizes Nussbaum. “His passion is authentic; it makes him the ideal person to help us spread the word about our baits and to expand our product line even further.”

 

Jacob Wheeler Joins Duckett Fishing’s Famed Pro Staff

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Jacob Wheeler Joins Duckett Fishing’s Famed Pro Staff

Jacob Wheeler Joins Duckett Fishing’s Famed Pro Staff

Guntersville, Ala., Jan. 7, 2019  — Jacob Wheeler, number one angler in Bass Fans World rankings, welcomed 2019 as the newest member of the Duckett Fishing Pro Staff. Under his contract, Wheeler will fish exclusively with Duckett Fishing products.
“Jacob’s talents are undeniable, and the fact that he chooses to fish with us is an honor,” stated Boyd Duckett, owner of Duckett Fishing. “He can resonate with aspiring anglers, providing them with a role model for exceptional fishing techniques.”

Wheeler’s success as an angler stems from his distinctive techniques, which perfectly align with Duckett Fishing’s “Pro-Driven” philosophy. As an angler-owned and angler-driven company, Duckett Fishing leads the design of each of its products with technique, not price and style like other manufacturers.
“Duckett’s rods and reels have a great reputation for quality,” said Wheeler. “Being a Pro-Driven company, these folks do this day in and day out. I can count on the fact they will always have a rod to fit my needs.”

In Spring 2019, Duckett Fishing and Wheeler will release to the public a new series of “Jacob Wheeler” rods and reels. The new line has been developed directly by Wheeler to match and support his style of fishing.

“Since I started to fish professionally, it has been a dream of mine to design a group of rods,” said Wheeler. “Designing my own series has given me the opportunity to create something specific that supports the right actions for everything I do, and now other anglers will have the opportunity to experience those same things on their rods.”

Wheeler joins the strong team of current Bass Pro Tour anglers and Duckett Fishing Pro Staff members Timmy Horton, Kelly Jordan, Gary Klein, Jason Lambert, Dean Rojas and Boyd Duckett.

To learn more about Duckett Fishing, its ProStaff and its products, visit www.DuckettFishing.com, or on Facebook.

Ken Lawhon & Tim Garrison win CATT Lake Robinson Jan 5,2018

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Ken Lawhon & Tim Garrison win CATT Lake Robinson Jan 5,2018

Tournament Results Lake Robinson Jan 5, 2018 Lawhon & Garrison Win! Next Robinson CATT is Jan 12th!

Posted Brett Collins

The weights are tight on Robinson! Come on out next week and join us!

Ken Lawhon & Tim Garrison win with 11.35 lbs and take the 1st BF at 359 lb! They collected $681.00!

2nd went to Todd Butler & Chad Gainey with 10.13 lbs!

Use this code PHANTOMCATT15 and receive 15% off your next order!

Big Total
13 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Ken Lawhon/Tim Garrison 3.59 11.35 $681.00 110
Todd Butler/Chad Gainey 0 10.13 $200.00 109
Ryan West/Randy Crowley 0 9.27 108
Freddie Gibbs/Clark Gibbs 0 9.17 107
Mike Byrd/Clint Byrd 2.21 9.03 106
Thad Driggers 0 8.41 105
Calvin Griggs/Jimmy McFarlen 2.74 8.39 104
Don Hall/Shon Fales 3.48 7.71 $39.00 103
Scott McLamb/Miles Hair 0 7.38 102
Shawn Hicken/Jody Sykes 0 7.09 101
Tony Amerson/Hillary Pratt 0 5.65 100
James Bond/Allen Varner 0 5.25 99
Gene Winburn/Jason Murdock 0 3.82 98
Total Entrys $1,040.00
BONUS $ $200.00
Total Paid At Ramp $920.00
Robinson 2018 Fall Final Fund $310.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $10.00
2018 Robinson Fall Final Fund Total $560.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,450.00

HANSELMAN WINS COSTA FLW SERIES SEASON OPENER ON LAKE AMISTAD PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

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HANSELMAN WINS COSTA FLW SERIES SEASON OPENER ON LAKE AMISTAD PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

HANSELMAN WINS COSTA FLW SERIES SEASON OPENER ON LAKE AMISTAD PRESENTED BY RANGER BOATS

Ray Hanselman earns Fifth Career Win in Costa FLW Series competition – Ties for Most All-Time – Takes Home $36,751

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DEL RIO, Texas (Jan. 5, 2019) – Local pro Ray Hanselman of Del Rio, brought five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce, to the scale Saturday to win the 2019 season-opening Costa FLW Series at Lake Amistad presented by Ranger Boats. The tournament was shortened from three days to two after competition was cancelled Thursday due to bad weather. Anglers started competition Friday, with boater and co-angler winners determined by heaviest cumulative two-day weight on Saturday. Hanselman’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 38 pounds even was enough to earn him the victory and a check for $36,751.

Hanselman last won on Lake Amistad in FLW Series competition in 2015, a season where he swept the Southeastern division and went on to win the Costa FLW Series Championship. The four-consecutive wins, dubbed “Hanselmania” by FLW web editors, was one of the most dominant performances in the history of tournament bass fishing.

“It’s sure nice when they have a tournament on your home lake like this,” said Hanselman. “I really like to fish this time of year, too.”

Hanselman’s win this year was anchored by a 25-pound limit, which he caught Friday working a flat basin in a creek arm. He looked for scattered grass in 15 to 25 feet of water and targeted bass that were transitioning from winter patterns to prespawn staging spots. He said he found his fish on three particular clumps of grass.

“There’s a subtle ditch that ran down the middle of it – the center of the ditch was 16 feet deep and the sides were 13 feet down and I was cranking the grass that laid over it,” said Hanselman. “It’s just little patches of it. That’s the way you want it because that congregates them on [a few] good patches. This place was set up good with grass that was growing a foot or two off the bottom. Once you find that grass with your bait, you can stay on it cast after cast. One of those grass beds had three giants in it, including one that was about 7 pounds.”

Hanselman threw an umbrella rig early in the day Friday, but cited a Strike King 5XD crankbait as his main bait. Noting that natural colors work best in the lake’s clear water, he chose a bluegill-shad pattern.

“I threw my baits on 10-pound-test Gamma fluorocarbon [line], just trying to get it down to the top of the grass,” said Hanselman. “I don’t want to bog it down. I just want to touch the grass every now and then.”On Saturday, Hanselman said he returned to the basin but had trouble getting bass to bite the crankbait early on.

“I caught one right off the bat on the crankbait, and I could see them on my graph, but they wouldn’t hit,” said Hanselman. “I picked up a drop-shot rig [with a KVD Magic-colored Strike King Dreamshot] and caught a limit, which settled me in.”

Hanselman said he left around 11:30 a.m. so he could let the area rest, and caught some small ones and a couple more keepers. He returned around 2:30 p.m. and caught one on the 5XD crankbait and one on a suspending jerkbait.

The top 10 pros on Lake Amistad finished:

1st:          Ray Hanselman, Del Rio, Texas, 10 bass, 38-0, $36,751

2nd:         Tyson Patrick, McCamey, Texas, nine bass, 25-15, $14,263

3rd:          Jeff Kriet               , Ardmore, Okla., 10 bass, 25-4, $10,965

4th:          William Blaine, San Angelo, Texas, 10 bass, 24-10, $9,138

5th:          Tim Flowers, Midland, Texas, nine bass, 23-8, $8,224

6th:          Costa pro Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas, seven bass, 23-3, $7,310

7th:          T.R. Andreas, Kerrville, Texas, 10 bass, 23-2, $6,396

8th:          Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., nine bass, 22-14, $5,483

9th:          Clyde Glenn, Belton, Texas, nine bass, 22-5, $4,569

10th:        Lance Crawford, Broken Bow, Okla., 10 bass, 21-2, $3,655

A complete list of results will be posted at FLWFishing.com.

Roy Whisenhunt of Valliant, Oklahoma, weighed an 8-pound, 6-ounce, bass Friday – the biggest of the tournament in the Pro Division. For his catch, Whisenhunt earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $260.

Jay Childs of Houston, Texas, won the Co-angler Division and a Ranger Z175 with a 115-horsepower outboard motor with a two-day total catch of five bass weighing 20 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers on Lake Amistad finished:

1st:          Jay Childs, Houston, Texas, five bass, 20-9, $27,000

2nd:         Chad McClendon, Grapevine, Texas, seven bass, 18-8, $4,756

3rd:          Ray Helveston, Powderly, Texas, five bass, 17-6, $3,898

4th:          Mason Roach, Conroe, Texas, 10 bass, 16-14, $3,309

5th:          Julian Machuca, Pecos, Texas, 10 bass, 16-4, $2,794

6th:          Russell Truitt, Liberty Hill, Texas, nine bass, 15-5, $2,328

7th:          Buddy Hicks, Port Neches, Texas, six bass, 15-3, $1,862

8th:          Mike Power, Conroe, Texas, eight bass, 14-12, $1,630

9th:          Scotty Walton, Yukon, Okla., seven bass, 13-3, $1,397

10th:        Rafael Menchaca, Del Rio, Texas, seven bass, 12-12, $1,164

Helveston caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday, a fish weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces. For his catch, Bates earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $200.

The Costa FLW Series on Lake Amistad presented by Ranger Boats was hosted by the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce. It was the first of three Southwestern Division tournaments of the 2019 regular season. The next Costa FLW Series tournament will be the Southeastern Division opener, held Jan. 31 – Feb. 2 on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.

The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky.

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

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