Old Town Topwater PDL boat

Newly released at ICAST 2018, the Old Town Topwater PDL boat will change the way you fish. Listen as David Hadden takes us through this fantastic fishing rig.
Old Town is proud to unveil its all-new Topwater™ Series, which offers great Old Town performance in a compact, nimble format. A marriage of stability and performance, the Topwater—with the all-new ultra-stable DoubleU™ hull—quietly glides through any water condition while providing a stable, comfortable stand-up fishing platform. Equipped with thoughtful onboard tackle and rod management and a revolutionary universal transducer mount, even the most discriminating anglers will be impressed by the overall fishability of the new Topwater Series: paddle versions Topwater 106 and Topwater 120; and a pedal-driven model, the Topwater PDL.

“The growth and popularity of kayak fishing has brought many new companies into the marketplace but unfortunately we have seen a glut of poorly-made and engineered boats in the sub $1000 category,” says David Hadden, Brand Director, Johnson Outdoors Watercraft. “Our goal with the Topwater™ Series was to engineer a boat that gave a great on the water fishing experience, which would allow anglers to catch more fish and be more comfortable. We also wanted it to outperform

Patrick Sébile’s A Band of Anglers acquires SpoolTek

Sebile rebuilding again

originally published in Angling International

A Band of Anglers, the company founded last year by award-winning lure maker Patrick Sébile, has acquired SpoolTek, the US company renowned for its patented concealed leader technology.

Sébile said: “Ever since I was a teenager, I have realised the importance of lure leverage in losing fish. When I saw the SpoolTek concealed leader technology, I immediately wished I had invented it myself. A Band of Anglers is thrilled to own this patented technology and have big plans for it.”

SpoolTek’s leader technology is the product of snook specialist Dave Justice and medical device inventor Chris Walsh. “I am extremely proud and happy that one of the world’s most famous and accomplished anglers and lure designers – Patrick Sébile – will now own and drive the development of SpoolTek,” said Walsh. “I am also confident that A Band of Anglers CEO Brian Anderson will bring the brand Dave Justice and I created worldwide exposure and international success.”

Humminbird® Announces New Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar

Anglers can now choose the mode for their needs, delivering bigger and better fish arches, maximizing detail and target separation

Humminbird^® is giving anglers another advantage in finding and catching more fish with the announcement of its new Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, designed to deliver the best 2D sonar returns ever with minimal setting adjustments.

Through its new Low Q transducer, Humminbird allows the user to choose from multiple settings to maximize their 2D sonar based on application and goals. It is included with select new HELIX third generation (G3/G3N) and SOLIX second generation (G2) units and the new Minn Kota^® Built-In MEGA Down Imaging^™ trolling motors. The transducer will also be available as an aftermarket product compatible with second and third generation HELIX models and all SOLIX models.

“The easiest way to explain Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar is that we are providing flexibility within 2D sonar based on different frequencies and cone angles,” said Justin Freeman, Humminbird product manager. “Anglers can choose Wide Mode, which delivers a wider cone angle and big, clearly defined fish arches to ensure that what you’re seeing is actually a fish. Narrow Mode gives you a tighter cone angle which allows you to clearly distinguish fish, bait and structural details and provide the ultimate in target separation even when fish are tight to bottom.”

Wide Mode chirps between 140 and 200 kHz and Narrow Mode chirps between 180 and 240 kHz. When combined, they work together to create the most complete 2D picture. Anglers can choose the correct mode for their style of fishing, ultimately leading to the strongest sonar returns ever in a Humminbird unit and a clear screen with minimal adjustments to sensitivity.
 

2019 Bassmaster Elite Field Set!

Field capped at 75
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

With another season just three months away, B.A.S.S. officials announced Wednesday that the field for the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series has been set.
 
The prestigious circuit, which will feature higher payouts and lower entry fees than ever before, will consist of 75 anglers (about 40 fewer than last year), including three who have won both the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods and the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year award.
 
The season-opening event is scheduled for Feb. 7-10 on the St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla.
 
“Every year when our anglers leave the takeoff site for the opening day of the first tournament, the excitement in the air is just amazing — and that will certainly be true this year,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “As in past years, we have some familiar faces who have already accomplished great things with us.
 
“Then, we also have some new anglers who are bound and determined to become superstars themselves.”
 
Missouri legend Rick Clunn, who owns four Classic trophies and the 1988 AOY award, is back from last year’s Elite Series field, along with North Carolina pro David Fritts, who won the 1993 Classic and the 1994 AOY trophy. Jay Yelas, a veteran Texas pro who won the 2002 Classic title and 2003 AOY award, will also be joining the Elite Series after several years with other circuits.
 
Other big names returning from last year’s Elite field include Keith Combs, a two-time B.A.S.S. winner who is right on the cusp of the $1 million mark for career earnings, 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship tournament winner Seth Feider of Minnesota and Nevada pro Chris Zaldain, who holds two B.A.S.S. wins of his own.

ANGLER LIST BELOW 

Lest We Forget

Historian say that it takes 3 generations to forget the past and that current generation is likely
to repeat the mistakes their ancestors made. Lets hope no one forgets these brave men and women. 

Officially Sold!

Pure Fishing sold for $1.3 billion

originally posted by Angling International

Newell Brands has today announced that it has agreed the sale of Pure Fishing to a New York-based private equity group in a deal that is worth $1.3 billion. Sycamore Partners is the surprise choice of new owner for the business. It is unknown in fishing circles and owns no outdoor leisure-related industries. It specialises in consumer, distribution and retail-related investments.

In the same press release, Newell announced the sale of Jostens, another brand deemed surplus to requirements, for $1.3 billion. The two deals will add approximately $2.5 billion to the Newell Brands balance sheet. The proceeds of the sale of Pure Fishing will come as a surprise to many analysts and those within the industry who valued the business at between $500 million and $1billion.

“We are pleased to announce another step forward in our Accelerated Transformation Plan, with the signing of the Pure Fishing and Jostens transactions,” said Michael Polk, Newell Brands President and Chief Executive Officer. “We have full confidence that these businesses will continue to thrive under new ownership, as they leverage their strong positions in the market place.”

Spy Bait Seasonal Secrets with Duo Realis Pro David Williams

Late fall is big bass time. Late fall can also be difficult to catch them as bass are in transition. Learn from FLW Tour pro David Williams as he gives some great advice on using the Due Realis Spin bait to catch lots of autumn bass.

Kyle Walters Wins 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship with 44-03lbs!

2019 FLW Cup for Eric Luzak (Canada) Top International angler 

by Curtis Niedermier

FLW PRESS RELEASE

When Kyle Walters wants to punch mats with big tungsten and sling hawgs around his boat, he doesn’t need to travel very far from his Grant-Valkaria, Fla., home to do it. That’s one of the perks of living in the Sunshine State. There is grass and bass everywhere.

Walters is also a businessman who builds custom homes and a father of four, so he has good reasons to stick close to home to scratch his bass fishing itch. That’s why, when you browse Walters’ FLWFishing.com profile page, you’ll see that he doesn’t venture too far from the typical Florida tournament waters where he competes in T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League and Costa FLW Series tournaments.

Yet this season, Walters fished the entire Southeastern Division of the Costa FLW Series for the first time since 2004. And his reason had nothing to do with fishing Florida waters. He wanted to fish the championship on Lake Guntersville.

In 2013, Walters won the BFL Regional on Guntersville with a very Florida-like approach of punching mats up around the BB Comer Bridge. It was his biggest tournament accomplishment to date, and it earned him a $60,000 prize package.

Walters wanted another crack at G-Ville. So when FLW announced that the famed north Alabama reservoir would host the 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship, he told his buddy JT Kenney that they had to fish the Southeastern Division to try and get to the championship.

Mission accomplished. Walters qualified by finishing 23rd in the Southeastern Division standings, and this week he put a flipping stick in his hands and punched his way to the Costa FLW Series Championship title with a two-day tournament total of 44 pounds, 3 ounces. His total prize package is worth $92,700.

“If you’d have told me when I started fishing the BFLs that I was about to win this championship, I’d have told you you were crazy,” Walters said about midway through the final weigh-in, once Bryan Thrift, his closest competitor, failed to surpass Walters’ weight.

The champ says he has no intentions of pursing an FLW Tour career. He lives vicariously through buddies like Kenney, who recently retired from professional fishing, and fishes for the sport and a love of competition.

This week, though, he definitely put together a pro-level performance to hold off some of the best sticks in the game.

Walters spent both days (day one was cancelled due to the risk of severe weather) flipping main-river grass mats up around BB Comer. When he won the 2013 Regional, he says he flipped hydrilla that had canopied over on the edge of the main channel. That grass was washed out recently due to heavy rains and high flows. This time he keyed on the bank side of the same mats, which grow on a ridge that parallels the channel for miles.

Two key areas – one a mile or so above the bridge and one a couple miles below it – produced all of his keepers. The spot above the bridge was 4 to 5 feet deep, with a mix of hydrilla and milfoil. Dead eelgrass and other vegetation had blown in on top of the grass and created dead, brown mats. Below the bridge, he mostly flipped hydrilla that was about 8 feet deep. The deeper spot produced a big kicker on Friday and his final keeper today. The upper spot was his real moneymaker. It’s where he sacked up a mid-20s bag early this morning, before culling out a 2 1/2-pounder on the second spot with 90 minutes left to fish.

Walters shared the area above the bridge with his buddy Robert Crosnoe, who finished third. The two Floridians shared notes in practice and realized their best spot was the same one. They basically prowled opposite ends of the key stretch. Crosnoe added 23-5 on Saturday to go with Walters’ 24-4 closing limit, proving just how great the spot was.

“Robbie was a real class act today,” Walters adds. “He had a stretch he was going to give me if I needed it, but I didn’t end up needing it. He’s a class act.”

In practice, both Walters and Crosnoe flipped beaver-style baits rigged with a screw-lock bait holder instead of a hook. In the tournament, Walters did work with a pair of Beaver-style baits, including a black and blue/green pumpkin Gambler Stinger. A former college basketball player who stands 6 feet, 7 inches tall, Walters is a big man and doesn’t need much help getting leverage on giant bass, but he went in geared for hawgs with a 7-foot, 11-inch Halo JT Kenney Signature Series rod, 75-pound-test Halo Winch braided line, a 4/0 straight shank hook and 1 1/2-ounce Picasso tungsten sinker.

2019 FLW CUP QUALIFIERS below

MLF Bass Pro Tour anglers vote no entry fees for 2019

First series ever to cancel entry fees!

The top anglers in the world who make up the 80-man field in the new Bass Pro Tour have exercised their voting rights to say "no entry fees" for the 2019 competitions. The decision has eliminated the single largest expense per event that each angler has historically had to incur throughout their careers until now.

The professional bass anglers who comprise the 80-man field in Major League Fishing's (MLF) new Bass Pro Tour have voted no to required entry fees for their participation in the 2019 tournament competitions.

 

The no-fee decision is the first of its kind for a high stakes professional bass fishing series and reveals the kind of autonomous authority the Bass Pro Tour participants have as a group for guiding the future of their events and the sport.

 

No entry fees means the cash payouts per event will be less than initially announced, although still higher than what the anglers have become accustomed to on other trails. Another advantage to this decision is that the anglers effectively eliminated one of the greatest expenses and upfront cash hurdles professional anglers had to incur annually.

 

"What brought this great group of anglers together in the first place was the allure of being able to ultimately control our own destiny because collectively we now make the rules," said Gary Klein, who was instrumental in the formation of MLF and the Bass Pro Tour. "It's all about the big picture of what we want this sport to be and getting it there. We call this 'Major League' Fishing for a reason and no entry fees is a monumental move in our achieving that distinction."

 

The MLF expansion with the new Bass Pro Tour has advanced rapidly since being announced in mid-September. It was made possible when Bass Pro Shops and Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG) pledged additional support to an already long list of MLF sponsors.

  

In addition to the pro tour, MLF will continue its popular Cup events and General Tire World Championship, airing on Outdoor Channel and CBS, respectively. All events will use the same entertaining MLF format of catch, weigh and immediate release of bass during competitions.

"Things are moving fast and each new step this group takes seems to be another giant leap in bringing attention to fishing," MLF President and CEO, Jim Wilburn said. "It's a pleasure to watch the enthusiasm and sincerity of the greatest bass anglers in the world as they take the reins in advancing the sport to the benefit of everyone who loves to fish."