Author: jcarrigan

Categories
MLF BIG-5

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE SET TO HOST COSTA FLW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 18, 2018  by FLW Communications \\ Photo Credit FLW Tour Alex Davis

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE SET TO HOST COSTA FLW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – More than 200 of the top semi-professional bass anglers from both the United States and around the world will visit the Guntersville area Nov. 1-3 for the 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship at Lake Guntersville. The three-day event, hosted by the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau, features a top prize of $95,000 in the Pro Division, including a Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and an automatic qualification to the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup – the world championship of bass fishing.

Competitors qualified for the Costa FLW Series Championship through five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – and an International division that features anglers from Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa,and Spain. The highest finishing pro from each U.S. division and the International division will qualify for the 2019 FLW Cup. A total of six FLW Series boaters will advance to the 2019 FLW Cup, which will be held at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 9-11.

“Overall, Lake Guntersville should fish well for this event,” said FLW Tour pro Alex Davis of Albertville, Alabama, who has logged three career wins on Lake Guntersville in FLW competition. “There should still be some grass left, but it will be more scattered instead of matted up. Most of the lake should be productive, especially Mud Creek, Crow Creek, and the Goose Pond area. The area around Alred Marina on the lower end should produce some notable bites as well. Those locations have the most amount of grass right now.”

Davis said that fans should expect to see a variety of lures being used to pick apart the grass.

“It will be your typical frog deals on the grass mats, as well as some flipping and punching beaver-sty

 

le baits,” said Davis. “A buzzbait and a spinnerbait should be good as well. There’s been some wind and rain which moves the grass and makes the mats a lot smaller. If the grass keeps decreasing the way it is, an umbrella rig could be a factor as well.”

Davis went on to say that it will likely take a three-day cumulative of about 54 pounds to win the event.

“Finding that 3½- to 4½-pound bite instead of the [more common] 2- and 3-pound bass will be key,” said Davis.

Anglers will take off from Guntersville City Harbor, located at 201 Blount Ave., in Guntersville, at 7:30 a.m. CDT each day. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also take place at the harbor, and will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will take place at Cabela’s, located at 7090 Cabela Drive in Huntsville, Alabama, and will begin at 3:30 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public.

Area youth are encouraged to attend the free FLW Foundation Unified Fishing Derby at Guntersville City Harbor on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 1-2:30 p.m. The all-inclusive event is open to youth (18 and under) and Special Olympics athletes (all ages). Tackle, bait and expert assistance will be provided. Registration begins on-site at noon.

In Costa FLW Series competition, 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.

 

Categories
BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

Bassmaster Opens Championship Will Decide Classic Berths At Table Rock Lake

Photo by: B.A.S.S. October 12, 2018

Bassmaster Opens Championship Will Decide Classic Berths At Table Rock Lake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. —A year-long tournament circuit that included eight events in eight states and thousands of anglers from across the country will reach its conclusion next week with the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Championship on Table Rock Lake.

The Top 28 pro and co-anglers from the regular-season standings will fish Oct. 18-20, with daily takeoffs at 7:15 a.m. CT from Long Creek Marina. Weigh-ins the first two days will be back at the marina at 3:15 p.m., with the final-day weigh-in shifting to the Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo., at 4:30 p.m.

All three bass species — largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass — could play a role in deciding the seven berths that are at stake for the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

“The lake is full of fish, but it’s like fall fishing anywhere else,” said Brock Mosley, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Collinsville, Miss. “You can expect a lot of bites. But with the 15-inch minimum size limit, it can be hard to find keepers.

“You’ll catch a mixture of all three species — and I wouldn’t be surprised to see some 15-pound bags that have at least one of each.”

That diversity in the bass population will force competitors to make difficult choices, and no one can say for sure which anglers’ strengths will play best.

If smallmouth and spots are the dominant species, deep-water specialists could locate big schools of offshore fish and grab center stage. But shallow-water anglers might also dial in a largemouth bite that gives them an advantage.

Another wild card could be the weather. Fall is trying to take hold in the area with temperatures expected to be in the low 30s Monday night, but then back into the mid-60s by Saturday.

“This is not going to be a straight, down-the-line, this-is-what-will-happen kind of tournament,” said Carl Jocumsen, an Australian-born angler who now lives in Texas. “The lake is going to change every day at this time of year. Keeping an open mind and keeping an eye on the conditions is going to be a massive part of this tournament.”

The regular-season Opens circuit included four tournaments each in the Central and Eastern divisions. The Top 10 from the season points standings in each division qualified for the championship, along with the winners of all eight events.

When the dust settles at Table Rock, the overall winner of the Opens Championship will receive a Classic berth, plus $10,000 cash and a Triton 19 TrX with Mercury 200 Pro XS package worth $45,000. The Top co-angler receives a Nitro Z18 with a Mercury 150 Pro XS outboard.

The Top 3 pro anglers in points from each division following the championship will also be invited to the Classic.

Frank Talley, Brad Whatley and Toby Hartsell currently occupy the Top 3 spots in the Central Division standings, while Bobby Lane, Brandon Lester and Garrett Paquette lead the Eastern Division.

John Cox, a Florida pro who finished the regular season fourth in the Eastern standings, said a Classic berth is his main objective — and he doesn’t believe it’ll happen unless he hoists the Opens Championship trophy.

“The way the standings line up, there’s no way I’m going to make it into the Top 3 in points,” Cox said. “So really, the only way I’m going to make it into the Classic is if one of the guys in front of me wins or if I win.

“So, it would be nice to take some of the mystery out of it and just win.”

Jocumsen said he’ll be working from a similar game plan.

“This is the best tournament I’m ever going to fish because it’s win or nothing,” he said. “I have to win to get that Classic berth. There’s no other option. There’s no risk in doing that. I have to do that.

“That makes it fun.”

Photo by: B.A.S.S.

 

Categories
BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

B.A.S.S. Nation Releases Full Four-Tournament Schedule For 2019

October 12, 2018
Photo by: Brian Sak

B.A.S.S. Nation Releases Full Four-Tournament Schedule For 2019

B.A.S.S. officials announced Thursday that the B.A.S.S. Nation, the popular grass-roots organization with affiliated clubs in 47 states and 10 nations worldwide, will once again hold three regional events and a year-end championship in 2019.

The Nation will visit Alabama’s Lake Guntersville for the Central Regional on April 17-19, California’s Lake Shasta for the Western Regional on May 8-10 and Sebago Lake in Maine for the Eastern Regional on Sept. 11-13.

The season will then culminate with the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, which will be held on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell at a date to be determined — most likely in October.

“We’re excited to have a schedule that includes well-known bass-fishing havens like Lake Guntersville, Lake Shasta, and Lake Hartwell,” said B.A.S.S. Nation Director Jon Stewart. “Obviously, the tradition that B.A.S.S. has with those three lakes speaks for itself.

“But we’re also really excited about holding a B.A.S.S. Nation Regional event at a great site like Sebago Lake. It’s a place that we’ve visited for smaller divisional tournaments before, but a place that may be a lot of people aren’t as familiar with as some of the others.”

The timing of the Guntersville event — right in heart of spring — should make for good weather and excellent fishing on a 69,000-acre Tennessee River fishery that is known for producing giant largemouth. The tournament will feature a field of 190 boats with 418 anglers, including alternates.

Guntersville has hosted 22 major B.A.S.S. tournaments, including the 1976 and 2014 Bassmaster Classics and Bassmaster Megabucks events in 1990 and 1992.

“All you have to say is ‘Guntersville,’ and bass fishermen perk up,” Stewart said. “Bass anglers of all skill levels understand what an opportunity it is to fish a lake like Guntersville, especially during the spring.”

The Lake Shasta tournament, which will be held in Redding, Calif., will have a field of 110 boats with 242 anglers — and history says it could be a spotted bass slugfest. “When we were out there for the Nation Regional in 2017, anglers were saying you could pull up to any place you wanted to, throw any bait you wanted to throw and expect to catch fish,” Stewart said. “We had some incredible fish weighed in, mostly big spots. We hit it just right — and hopefully, we will again.”

The final regional of the year, on Sebago Lake, will feature 180 boats with 396 anglers leaving from Point Sebago, Maine. The 30,000-acre fishery, which is the state’s second-deepest lake at 316 feet, has excellent populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as landlocked salmon and lake trout.

Unlike 2018, when the site of the Nation Championship was announced well after the regional lineup, Lake Hartwell has already been identified as the site of the 2019 year-end event. The 56,000-acre fishery on the Georgia/South Carolina border has hosted three Bassmaster Classics, including the 2018 event that drew a record total attendance of 143,323.

The event will be hosted by Visit Anderson.

“Our team at Anderson county could not be more excited about hosting the 2019 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship again at Green Pond Landing and Lake Hartwell,” said Neil Paul, executive director of Visit Anderson. “Our community enjoys a tremendous amount of success whenever we’re hosting the great folks at B.A.S.S. We owe a great deal of credit to B.A.S.S. for their part in helping to make Lake Hartwell a championship fishery and Green Pond Landing one of the top facilities in the nation.

“We look forward to welcoming the anglers, their families and the entire B.A.S.S. Nation in 2019.”

The Top 3 finishers from the 2019 Nation Championship will earn a spot in the 2020 Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, and the overall Championship winner will receive an invitation to fish the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series.

“When we refer to the B.A.S.S. Nation as a grass-roots organization, we mean exactly that,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “It’s an organization that gives anglers from all walks of life an opportunity to fish at the highest level of professional bass fishing.

“That’s what makes it truly special — and that’s why it’s still growing after 50 years.”

B.A.S.S. Nation Releases Full Four-Tournament Schedule

 

Categories
BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

Paramount Outdoors Signs Ground-Breaking Licensing Agreement With B.A.S.S.

October 8, 2018 – Photo Courtesy of Bassmaster.com
Paramount Outdoors Signs Ground-Breaking Licensing Agreement With B.A.S.S.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —Paramount Outdoors, a division of Paramount Apparel International, Inc. (“PAi”), has signed a ground-breaking licensing agreement with B.A.S.S. and is debuting a full line of Bassmaster branded apparel, headwear and accessories for the Spring 2019 season.

Paramount Outdoors’ cutting-edge Engineered Angling Gear (EAG) line of technical performance fishing apparel, headwear and accessories features Bassmaster’s branded goods as part of its unique “one-stop shop” platform for major retail partners in all channels of distribution.

“Paramount Outdoors is blessed and honored to feature Bassmaster branded technical performance and casual lifestyle apparel, headwear and accessories in our expansive Engineered Angling Gear line-up,” said Tim Berry, Paramount Outdoors’ Divisional Vice President of Sales & Merchandising. “We couldn’t ask for a better partner and stronger conservation organization partner than B.A.S.S. and Bassmaster.

“Adding Bassmaster to our best-in-class and industry-leading line-up of top five camo partners and major conservation organizations only bolsters our ability to fully service our retail partners through our unique platform of apparel, headwear and accessories.”

Under the deal announced today, PAi will design and sell the Bassmaster line to its customer base. The line will feature Bassmaster branded apparel, headwear and accessories and will appeal to all anglers.

“The more than 500,000 B.A.S.S. members worldwide and the millions of fans who follow the Bassmaster Elite Series demand performance and lifestyle clothing that not only feels good and protects them against the elements but also sets them apart as passionate about their outdoor sports,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “We are proud to partner with Paramount Outdoors by licensing the Bassmaster brand to their leading-edge clothing and accessories lines.”

Categories
BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

B.A.S.S. Redefines Professional Bass Fishing With 2019 Elite Series

September 19, 2018

B.A.S.S. Redefines Professional Bass Fishing With 2019 Elite Series

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —After 50 years of setting the world standard for professional bass tournament competition, B.A.S.S. made historic changes to the Bassmaster Elite Series on Monday, which will elevate the sport to levels never seen before. Elite Series pros will begin the 2019 season with a smaller field of competition, vastly increased payouts, dramatically reduced entry fees and the promise of more exposure through the company’s industry-leading media platforms.

“We just celebrated our 50th anniversary at B.A.S.S., and made the decision to create an environment second to none in the world of professional bass fishing,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “Our anglers have been loyal to the Elite Series, and we want to not only reward that loyalty, but also redefine what it means to be a professional angler. We feel the new Elite Series format accomplishes these goals, and also provides bass fishing fans with more of the content they crave.”

First, the 2019 Elite Series field size will be based on 80 anglers, down from 110 last year. This reduction in the number of competitors will not only allow the pros to get more exposure through B.A.S.S. media platforms, but also will improve their odds of winning and qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic.

The new format features three no-entry fee events that will payout $1 million each: Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship and the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, bass fishing’s crown jewel. Additionally, the eight regular-season Elite Series events will now pay the entire field of anglers, a first in the world of professional fishing. First-place prize will remain $100,000, but now the last-place angler will earn $2,500.

Increased payouts are just half of the story, though. Alongside the three no-entry fee events, B.A.S.S. slashed regular-season entry fees by $5,375. So, the entry fees for Elite Series anglers is now $43,000. Because every angler is guaranteed to make at least $23,500, the total out of pocket expense is now only $19,500.

But there is even more good news for Elite Series anglers. B.A.S.S. is providing a $20,000 credit to anglers who competed in the 2018 Elite Series season and who take advantage of an early entry fee offer, giving these fishermen a $500 surplus above participation fees. So, for the first time in the history of professional bass fishing, anglers are actually being paid by the league to fish. In total, B.A.S.S. is investing an additional $3 million in payouts and reduced entry fees for the 2019 Elite Series.

Not only has B.A.S.S. made a historic financial commitment to anglers through lower entry fees and higher payouts, but the organization also announced an increased investment in exposure opportunities for the pros. Starting with the 2019 season, the incredibly popular Bassmaster LIVE show on Bassmaster.com, which has generated over 2.5 million video views and 59 million minutes of content consumed by fans, will be produced all four days of Elite Series events. Plus, there will be live-streaming cameras on every boat on semi-final Saturday, as well as Bassmaster LIVE cameras on every angler for Championship Sunday.

The Bassmasters TV show is being revamped with a renewed focus of on-the-water footage featuring more anglers, catching more bass. Other opportunities for Elite Series anglers to get exposure for their sponsors include Bassmaster Magazine, which has a readership of 4.4 million; B.A.S.S. Times, which reaches 100,000 of the nations most avid anglers; Bassmaster Radio, which airs on 200 stations on the SB Nation network; and Bassmaster.com, which averages over 1 million unique visitors per month.

“We want the world to know that B.A.S.S. and our incredible stable of sponsors are committed to growing the sport of bass fishing,” Akin said. “Ray Scott launched the sport and industry 50 years ago with the creation of B.A.S.S., and we will continue to push his vision forward for the next 50 years.”

Categories
BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

Knoxville To Host 2019 Bassmaster Classic On The Tennessee River

The prestigious championship bass tournament — widely known as the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” — will be held March 15-17 in downtown Knoxville and on the University of Tennessee Campus.

“Knoxville meets and exceeds all the requirements we have for the 2019 Bassmaster Classic — great fishing on the Tennessee River, first-class facilities to accommodate crowds of fishing fans, a vibrant city with plenty to see and do, and a corps of state and local tourism professionals who will ensure its success,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin.

“Bass fishing is hugely popular in this part of the country,” he added. “In fact, 10 of our 109 Bassmaster Elite Series pros are from the Volunteer State, and most live in East Tennessee. This is going to be a very exciting Classic.”

“Hosting the 2019 Bassmaster Classic is an incredible privilege for the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission. This has been a total team effort over the past two years to land this highly respected event. We look forward to welcoming the anglers and their families, along with all of the loyal Bassmaster fans from around the country to our great city,” said Visit Knoxville Sports Commission Senior Director Chad Culver.

“Knoxville is honored to welcome the Bassmaster Classic to Knoxville in 2019.  We hosted the Bassmaster Elite in 2017 [held on nearby Cherokee Lake], which was a great success. We anticipate the 2019 Classic to really showcase the partnership between B.A.S.S., our own Visit Knoxville Sports Commission, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and both Knox County and the City of Knoxville. The Tennessee River is the perfect setting for this competition, and anglers and spectators alike will enjoy the beauty that surrounds our city,” said Visit Knoxville President Kim Bumpas.

The Bassmaster Classic pits 50 of the world’s best bass anglers against one another for shares of the $1 million purse, including $300,000 for the winner. Jordan Lee of Grant, Ala., a 26-year-old former college fishing champion, is the current defending Classic Champion after becoming the youngest ever — and one of only three in history — to win back-to-back titles.

Lee is guaranteed the right to defend his title. Other anglers will spend the rest of this season trying to qualify from several B.A.S.S. circuits, including the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series.

Tournament waters include Fort Loudoun and Tellico lakes, twin reservoirs connected by a canal and comprising about 30,000 acres. Competitors can fish either lake and anywhere along the Tennessee River upstream from Fort Loudoun Dam to the Interstate 40 bridge on the Holston River and the Highway 168 bridge on the French Broad River.

B.A.S.S. Nation Championship tournaments for top-ranked amateur club fishermen were held on the Tennessee River at Knoxville in 1998 and 2000, but B.A.S.S. has never held a professional bass tournament on that section of the Tennessee River.

“Anglers can expect to catch good numbers of bass in Fort Loudoun and have the potential of catching some above-average smallmouth,” said Bart Carter, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Region 4 fisheries manager. “Largemouth will be the go-to fish for both reservoirs.”

Since 2015, TWRA has been stocking those waters with Florida-strain largemouth, which have the potential to grow much larger than the native “northern” largemouth, but the agency pointed out that it’s probably too early for those bass to reach trophy size.

Still, 7-plus-pound bass are not uncommon in early spring, and a one-day tournament held on Fort Loudoun a year ago was won with a 27 1/2-pound limit of five bass, which is considered a game-changing catch in any fishery.

The Classic is a catch-and-release event, with bass being returned to the fishery under the supervision of the TWRA. The 2018 Classic saw a 99.7 percent survival rate among the bass weighed in.

Daily takeoffs will be from Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville each competition day, and weigh-ins will take place in the Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus — a 20,000-seat facility that is fifth largest in the country.

The fan-favorite Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods will be held Friday through Sunday, March 15-17, in the Knoxville Convention Center and the adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall, which is being newly renovated this spring.

For the past decade, combined attendance at Classic venues has averaged more than 100,000 per year, and the event typically generates about $25 million in economic impact.

All activities and venues are free and open to the public. For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.

Categories
BASSMASTER Elite Series/Opens

JUSTIN LUCAS’S WINNING SETUP THAT SEALED THE DEAL FOR AOY CHAMPIONSHIP

Cover Photo Credits  September 23, 2018 Photo by B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito

JUSTIN LUCAS’S WINNING SETUP THAT SEALED THE DEAL FOR AOY CHAMPIONSHIP

Justin Lucas is fresh of his latest and knocking out amazing Top 10 Finishes in this 2018 season fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series. Topping off this great season was winning 2018 Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Lucas sealed the deal on the Angler of the Year on Lake Chatuge at the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship.

Faced with clear water on Lake Chatuge and sunny skies Justin’s winning strategy was working topwater for bass suspended above brush in 10-20ft of water. Justin Lucas’s winning setup was center around an awesome new topwater bait from Berkley.

THE BAIT

The Cane Walker was just released this year at ICast 2018 and was critical to Lucas winning AOY on Chatuge this year. The Cane Walker is widely available on the internet and comes in 10 colors. Its the unique pencil shape that is makes this lure the most dynamic. The Cane Walker boast a long slender body on the bottom and wider at the top. The Cane Walker is tail weighted and that will help aid in an extra long cast for fishing in pressured condition. Making the Cane Walker even better is the Berkley Fusion 19 treble hooks. Check out the link below to get the Cane Walker: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Berkley_Cane_Walker/descpage-BCW.html

THE REEL

The reel that Justin used was the Abu Garcia REVO STX and this reel looks to be very critical when it comes to the long distance casting that can be associated with the Infinity Variable Centrifugal Brake System on the reel. You can see the reel here: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Abu_Garcia_REVO_STX_Gen_4_Casting_Reel/descpage-STXG.html

THE LINE

The line is also highly important with the casting distance and Justin directly attributes this to the new Berkley X9 in Crystal. The X9 line boasts a new 9 braid carrier technique that promotes a super smooth and tight braid to horse out the toughest fish. Check out the new Berkley X9 here: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Berkley_X9_Braided_Line_Crystal/descpage-BX9.html 

THE ROD
Justin’s rod was discontinued but here is a comparable rod from Abu Garcia the Veritas Winch: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Abu_Garcia_Veritas_Winch_Crankbait_Casting_Rods/descpage-WNCV.html

I’m’ personally excited about the new Cane Walker from Berkley, as I fish some heavily pressured lakes and rivers with calm/clear conditions similar to what Justin faced on Lake Chatuge.

What do you think? Comment below and share this article if you like the setup.

 

Semper Fish!

Joe, The National Angler

 

Photo Credits  September 23, 2018 Photo by: B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito

Categories
Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events

Major League Fishing Announces 80 Anglers Set for New Bass Pro Tour

Major League Fishing Announces 80 Anglers Set for New Bass Pro Tour

October 3, 2018

RIDGEDALE, Mo. – Major League Fishing (MLF) leadership today announced the official roster of the 80 anglers who have committed to compete in the new-for-2019 Bass Pro Tour and MLF Cup events. The final list was made public during an MLF meeting held this week at Big Cedar Lodge with several of its sponsors and anglers present to discuss plans in follow up to the league’s recent announcement of significant expansion for the purpose of growing the sport.

“We understand how difficult this decision was for pro anglers … everyone who has faced a potential career-changing move can relate to it, but the deadline has passed for the invitees and we now proudly have 80 individuals who have committed to a dream that goes beyond just a tournament payday,” said MLF co-founder and PBTAA Vice President Boyd Duckett. “Sure, higher payouts are part of it, but for us this is not a competition we’re in against other trails. It doesn’t matter what B.A.S.S. or FLW does; our goal is different. These anglers know that and we’re ecstatic to have them on board with the new MLF plans.”

The full 80-man field includes Bassmaster Classic champions, FLW Forrest Wood Cup winners, Anglers of the Year and top tour performers from throughout the world of competitive bass fishing.

The 2019 MLF anglers are: Casey Ashley, Justin Atkins, Adrian Avena, Josh Bertrand, Tommy Biffle, Zack Birge, Stephen Browning, Brent Chapman, Jason Christie, Luke Clausen, Gary Clouse, Dustin Connell, Brandon Coulter, Cliff Crochet, Mark Daniels Jr., Mark Davis, Ott DeFoe, Boyd Duckett, Brent Ehrler, James Elam, Paul Elias, Edwin Evers, Todd Faircloth, Shinichi Fukae, Shaw Grigsby, Greg Hackney, Roy Hawk, Brett Hite, Tim Horton, Randy Howell, Mike Iaconelli, Alton Jones, Alton Jones Jr., Kelly Jordon, JT Kenney, Gary Klein, Jeff Kriet, Jason Lambert, Bobby Lane, Chris Lane, Russ Lane, Jordan Lee, Matt Lee, Dave Lefebre, Jared Lintner, Justin Lucas, Aaron Martens, Mike McClelland, Cody Meyer, Ish Monroe, Andy Montgomery, Andy Morgan, John Murray, Britt Myers, Michael Neal, Takahiro Omori, Cliff Pace, Brandon Palaniuk, Keith Poche, Jacob Powroznik, Skeet Reese, Marty Robinson, Dean Rojas, Mark Rose, Fred Roumbanis, Bradley Roy, Terry Scroggins, Fletcher Shryock, Gerald Spohrer, Wesley Strader, Scott Suggs, Gerald Swindle, Randall Tharp, Jonathon VanDam, Kevin VanDam, Greg Vinson, David Walker, James Watson, Jacob Wheeler and Jesse Wiggins.

“This is a new day in professional bass fishing, with MLF and its team of anglers and partners now on a fast track to elevate the sport to a level comparable to that of other major league sporting events,” MLF Commissioner Don Rucks said. “Our game is played on a ‘field,” and we have celebrities, fast action, rules, officials, penalties and a clock. Our participants like being role models and giving autographs, and we’re going to make it easier for anglers and fans to share the passion of fishing going forward.”

“I, we, are going into this new MLF venture with a different mentality,” said Kevin VanDam, holder of many bass fishing titles. “To me, looking at this list is a very powerful statement about the future of the league. This group of anglers accepted the opportunity because they all believe in the vision and that we have the chance to do something very special for the sport of fishing. With all the anglers working hard for the same end goal, the future is going to be very exciting.”

MLF will continue its popular Cup events and World Championship, airing on Outdoor Channel and CBS, respectively. New are the Bass Pro Tour competitions and championship, and eventually ,tour qualifiers, all of which will use the same entertaining and conservation-friendly catch, weigh and immediate-release format.

“It might seem like this expansion roll out happened in a hurry, but in reality, it’s been six years in development. Ever since Gary Klein and Boyd first had the MLF concept, we’ve had a great team of people working diligently on the bigger picture,” MLF President and CEO Jim Wilburn said. “The extensive strategic planning will become much more obvious over the next few weeks as we reveal more and more of the elements. The new MLF is fulfilling the dream of so many to grow this great sport.”

The expansions have been made possible through enthusiastic support from Bass Pro Shops, Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG) and several other fishing industry and non-endemic sponsors who have been involved since MLF’s first TV show in 2012.

Today MLF airs on Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network and Discovery Channel, and is available on-demand on My Outdoor TV(MOTV).

MLF’s 80 Anglers

For current MLF schedules, rules and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Categories
Major League Fishing - Bass Pro Tour/Cup Events

Major League Fishing Announces Additional Details of 2019 Expansion

September 20, 2018

TULSA – After the initial announcement of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour last week, league officials today announced additional details of the tour, including industry-leading media exposure with more than 850 hours of television coverage and 350 hours of live streaming, angler leadership in the series, and payouts of nearly $10 million that have never before been seen in the professional bass fishing industry.

The expanded MLF program welcomes a premier 80-angler group which will be announced in October. These anglers will, for the first time in their careers, have a seat at the table in all league decisions, including payouts, entry fees, event format, schedule and locations. Although the full schedule has not yet been announced, anglers and fans alike will be pleased to see a schedule that does not require anglers to travel or fish on major holidays such as Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, a welcome change to the schedule anglers have become accustomed to in fishing other leagues.

“Never in the history of our sport have anglers had this much control over their own destiny, from the bathroom to the boardroom and everywhere in between,” said MLF and Pro Bass Tour Anglers’ Association (PBTAA) co-founder Boyd Duckett. “These 80 anglers will have the opportunity to set a precedent for our sport for generations to come—a precedent that will likely include lower or no entry fees, higher payouts and better conditions for anglers in every regard.”

The new eight-event tour and championship also offer heightened payouts, made possible through enthusiastic support from Bass Pro Shops and Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG). Regular tour events will pay out more than $700,000 per event, with the championship purse exceeding $1.2 million. Success in tour events also qualifies anglers to high-paying Cup events, which ultimately gives anglers the chance to compete in the General Tire World Championship with CBS airtime. The four Cup events will pay a total of more than $2.2 million and the World Championship will pay more than $700,000 among only 16 participants.

“Never in the history of our sport have anglers had this much control over their own destiny, from the bathroom to the boardroom and everywhere in between.”

“Our league and sponsor partners have made a significant investment to make sure that the decision to fish with Major League Fishing in 2019 was an easy one for anglers,” Jim Wilburn, president and CEO of MLF, said. “With these payout amounts combined with our more than 850 hours of television programming across six networks and support for anglers at every level of the business, we believe our angler-centric business model is one that will resonate with anglers and sponsors.”

While MLF will continue its popular Cup events and World Championship, airing on Outdoor Channel, CBS Network and CBS Sports cable, it will now also have the Bass Pro Tour competitions and championship airing as originals on Discovery Channel with re-airs on Sportsman Channel in 2020. Altogether, Major League Fishing will air more than 850 hours of television programming in addition to the more than 350 hours of live coverage that will be streamed on majorleaguefishing.com.

“Nothing can match the amount of media coverage and exposure these 80 anglers will enjoy in the coming years across multiple networks,” Wilburn said. “We expect massive growth across the entire industry as a result of these positive changes for all anglers, sponsors and fans.”

MLF tournaments reach a bigger audience than any other tournament of their kind, and television ratings and independent surveys consistently indicate the fast-paced, action-packed format resonates with anglers of all ages.

MLF officials will announce the finalized MLF Bass Pro Tour schedule, format and anglers in the coming weeks.

According to Nielsen ratings, MLF has been Outdoor Channel’s top-rated show in first and second quarters for three years in a row. MLF also airs on World Fishing Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Discovery Channel and streaming on MOTV. For current MLF schedules, rules, pros and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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Major League Fishing, Bass Pro Shops and Outdoor Sportsman Group Announce Exciting New Fishing Competition to Grow the Sport

September 11, 2018

TULSA, Okla. – Major League Fishing (MLF) officials today announced a significant expansion beginning in 2019 with the goal of dramatically growing visibility and participation for the sport of fishing. The plans will help realize the founding partners’ original vision for MLF to elevate competitive bass fishing and its top-tier pros to a national exposure level and grow a fan base on par with other top major league sports.

The expanded MLF program includes the addition of the Bass Pro Tour, a premier 80-angler, eight-event tour with a championship and heightened payouts, made possible through enthusiastic support from Bass Pro Shops and Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG). Both partners are supporting MLF as part of their commitments to the future of the sport through participation and conservation efforts.

Under the visionary leadership of noted conservationist and founder Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops has been committed to connecting new audiences to the outdoors and advocating for conservation for more than 40 years. These foundational values directly align with MLF’s innovative approach to competitive fishing.

“Bass Pro Shops has proudly supported MLF from its inception because we believed in its mission to elevate the sport of fishing. Today we’re very excited to take the next step and help showcase this great sport to every household in America,” Morris said. “We truly believe this partnership will create many positive and significant new opportunities for kids and families, professional anglers and the sport itself. Equally important to us is leveraging this popular platform to showcase the importance of conservation and promote responsible fishing practices.”

“MLF has delivered on its promised vision every step of the way since Day One,” Outdoor Sportsman Group Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Matt Hutchings said. “MLF has made fishing an even more popular spectator sport through televised events on Outdoor Channel and other networks, as well as Outdoor Sportsman Group’s diverse media platforms in publishing and online. The MLF model is a proven success and we are excited to continue the journey with all of our partners towards future prosperity.”

Today MLF tournaments reach a bigger audience than any other tournament of their kind, and television ratings and independent surveys consistently indicate the fast-paced, action-packed format resonates with anglers of all ages, and is especially effective at reaching the youth audiences essential for achieving long-term interest and growth.

MLF’s conservation-minded “catch, weigh and immediate-release” rules allow participation on waters where typical tournament formats can’t go. The model has earned respect and accolades from many state fish and game agencies.

While MLF will continue its popular Cup events and World Championship, airing on Outdoor Channel and CBS, respectively, it will now also have its own new Bass Pro Tour competitions and championship, and eventually tour qualifiers, all of which will use the same entertaining MLF format in which numbers caught can often contribute more to anglers’ scores than does big fish.

“Seven years ago, Gary Klein and I settled on a mission to expand the sport of professional bass fishing through competitive tournaments with an all new and exciting made-for-television format,” said MLF and Pro Bass Tour Anglers’ Association (PBT) Co-Founder Boyd Duckett. “After assembling 13 more of the sport’s top-level professionals, the PBT partnership was formed. We always believed if we elevated the visibility of our sport everyone in our industry would be a beneficiary.

“The preparation leading to this moment has been slow, methodical and well thought-out to ensure the outcome would be positive for everyone connected to the sport. As a result, we have a fully developed plan ready to go. Everyone in the fishing industry should appreciate the new path that Outdoor Sportsman Group and Mr. Morris have helped pave for the sport’s future because of their own personal beliefs toward conservation and the responsible use of our fish and water resources.”

MLF officials will announce the finalized MLF Bass Pro Tour schedule, format and anglers in the coming weeks.

MLF was formed in 2011 when Boyd Duckett and Gary Klein convinced television executives at Outdoor Channel to share their vision and invest in the concept for a live-action style broadcast during which all anglers could keep track of how other competitors were doing via on-board scoreboards.

“We’re especially proud to be supporting anglers themselves, who make up an important part of MLF’s ownership team,” added Morris. “Our support for this expansion does not diminish our enthusiasm or support for other popular tournament series including B.A.S.S., FLW and hundreds of grassroots events across the country.”

According to Nielsen ratings, MLF has been Outdoor Channel’s top-rated show in first quarter for three years in a row.

MLF also airs on World Fishing Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network and Discovery Channel.

For current MLF schedules, rules, pros, and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.