The owner of Pure Fishing has been sold in a deal that is said to be worth $13 billion. The Jarden Corporation has been acquired by Newell Rubbermaid, makers of many home hold names such as: Sharpie and Irwin tools. This is the second time in the past eight years that Pure Fishing has changed hands. It was bought by Jarden back in 2007. Pure Fishing is a powerhouse in the fishing world. Its fishing tackle manufacturers, including Shakespeare, Mitchell, Berkley, SpiderWire, Abu Garcia and Hardy.
With all three sonar technologies in
one transducer, anglers receive the benefits of greater fish-target separation
and less interference for a more clutter-free display with CHIRP Sonar, plus
photo-like images of fish-holding structure on both sides of your boat with
StructureScan HD – along with the same photo-like images directly beneath your
boat with DownScan Imaging. TotalScan reduces the number of transducers
required to take full advantage of all the latest fishfinding features of Lowrance
systems. Lowering costs and simplifying installations, the Lowrance TotalScan
transducer offers additional versatility with multiple mounting options.
“We are
constantly building on our hard-won reputation for innovation that provides
meaningful benefits to anglers,” said Leif Ottosson, CEO, Navico. “We believe that
innovation is not only about bringing new products to market, but also
simplifying the boater’s experience by eliminating the need for additional
products and simplifying the installation process. TotalScan is the only
transducer you will ever need.”
One of the world’s top anglers, Kevin VanDam, an owner of leading marine electronics company, Hydrowave, will remain with the company following its acquisition by T-H Marine.
Huntsville, Alabama-based T-H Marine, a leading manufacturer of boating and fishing accessories, completed the acquisition of Hydrowave last month for an undisclosed sum.
Jeff Huntley, President of T-H Marine, said: “We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of the Hydrowave assets. We are proud that we will retain several key Hydrowave employees and have entered into a multi-year consulting agreement with the founder, Gene Eisenmann. Gene and his team have built a strong company with an excellent reputation for providing cutting-edge technology to help make fishing more rewarding for anglers of any skill.
“These products really work and we are excited about adding this great brand to the T-H Marin product line.
“We are also pleased to announce that Kevin VanDam is maintaining an interest in the brand and staying involved with product development and promotion. We love that KVD believes in us and the Hydrowave brand.”
VanDam added: “I am excited that a super company like T-H Marine has bought Hydrowave. T-H is a true leader in innovation of new products for serious fishermen. I have used and believed in its products for many, many years. We have already made plans for me to stay very involved with the brand and to work with T-H Marine to help more anglers catch fish with our sound technology.”
Top Bass Announces its 2016 line up of bass tournaments in southern Ontario. With eight qualifying events and a two-day Classic on Rice Lake in early September, these season will fill up in a hurry.
Link to TOP BASS
The Perfect Gift Jump Starts Cars,
Charges Phones and Fits In a Pocket
Weego, an innovator in portable battery solutions, announced
today a powerful gift package for the holiday season, Weego Jump Starter
Battery+ bundled with a free Weego smartphone charger. There should be no
shortage of power under anyone’s tree this year.
“Product registrations for Weego to date, show that 35%
of all units sold are given as gifts,” said Gerry Toscani, CEO, Weego. “The
message ’Don’t get stuck like Chuck’ is loud and clear when planning your
holiday purchases. Weego is a top-ten gift for everyone’s list in 2015. From
mom to the mechanic, a college-bound kid to a long-distance grandmom, having peace
of mind and safety when away from home and on the go is priceless. So much
better than a gaudy Christmas sweater, why not give a super-practical,
why-didn’t-I-think-of-that gift to them.”
Nomark Inc. announced that Chris Hockley has joined the company to further develop their exclusive Canadian product offering and website. Chris comes with a wealth of experience within the Industry, having spent the last 25 years in marketing, sales, consulting, outdoor writing, and promoting fishing products.
Chris joins Normark Inc. (Rapala Canada) as Product and Web Manager to continue Normark’s recent success in supplying exclusive Canadian inspired fishing products to Canadian consumers. Chris’s responsibilities will include working with the global product development team on new product initiatives as well as further developing the company’s website. Chris comments “I am excited to start a new challenge within the Normark group and look forward to working with the team to further develop their already extensive product offering and website. I am fortunate to be joining such a respected company that prides itself on providing innovative premium quality fishing products”.
According to Angling International, the owner of the world’s biggest fishing tackle manufacturer could be on the brink of a merger.
Jarden Corporation, which boasts the Pure Fishing group of companies within its portfolio, saw its stock market price rise by nearly 4% earlier this week following a report in the Wall Street Journal that it was in merger talks with Newell Rubbermaid, the maker of a wide variety of products including Irwin tools, Parker pens and Rubbermaid food containers.
Pure Fishing, which includes some of the world’s top angling brands, for approximately $400m in April 2007. It added Sébile to its stable in 2011and the iconic UK brand Hardy & Greys in 2014.
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Things didn’t go exactly as Thomas Martens had hoped during Saturday’s six-man Bassmaster Classic fish-off on Lake Guntersville.
Last day hero make Classic as individual. (Photo: BASS)
The current he had relied on all week disappeared, and that may have caused him to lose a couple of good fish Saturday morning. He also had to share his best spot with the crowd of recreational fishermen who always flock to Guntersville on the weekends.
But none of it was enough to keep Martens from his biggest accomplishment as a tournament angler.
Martens caught just two fish that weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces during the morning session of the fish-off. But he rebounded with four giants that weighed 22-12 during the afternoon session and claimed the individual title with a combined weight of 28-14.
The victory earned Martens a berth in the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, which is scheduled for March 4-6 on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — Everything went right for Chris Risner and Timothy Eaton during Friday’s second round of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville.
Even some things they never could have imagined.
The Michigan anglers, who qualified for the event through their home state’s D&R Sports Center Tournament Risner and Eaton finished just Trail, caught five bass that weighed 24 pounds, 13 ounces and claimed the national team championship with a two-day weight of 48-7. Two of their best fish came around mid-morning on one magical cast.
Good bites came on key day. (Photo: BASS)
“Chris had just finished telling me that he needed me to catch an 8-pounder,” Eaton said. “Then on the very next cast, I got a bite and set the hook. I couldn’t believe it. It was 8 pounds of fish, but it was two of them on the same bait — a 5-pounder and a 3-pounder.
“That’s when we started to feel like maybe it was just meant to be. This is our biggest dream come true.”
They finished ahead of the Texas team of Dean Alexander and Thomas Martens (46-10) and the Louisiana pairing of Nickolas LeBrun and Randy Deaver (45-4).
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – Dense fog and low visibility brought things to a standstill Thursday for the 394 anglers who were hoping to compete in the second round of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville.
Hours of heavy fog stalls day 2. (BASS Photo)
Jon Stewart, tournament director for the Team Championship, postponed Thursday’s round when the teams were still sitting at the launch site at 10:30 a.m. waiting out a fog delay more than four hours after the scheduled takeoff time.
B.A.S.S. rules call for competition days to be postponed if the anglers can’t fish at least four hours of a scheduled eight-hour day. Thursday’s weigh-in was scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
“I knew that if it was foggy, it was going to be bad,” Stewart said after announcing the postponement. “It was foggy when we were setting up on Tuesday, and it didn’t lift until after 10:30. I told the anglers at the briefing Tuesday that if it got foggy at all, it would probably be tough.”
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — After a two-day pre-tournament practice period
that saw most of the 197-boat field from around the country struggle, it
only makes sense that two local teams shot to the top of the
leaderboard during Wednesday’s opening round of the Toyota Bonus Bucks
Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville.
Fishing "history" yields lead for local sticks on Day 1 at Lake Guntersville. (Photo: BASS)
Billy Sharp and Kevin Stubblefield, who qualified for the event
through the Alabama Bass Trail, brought five fish to the scales that
weighed 27 pounds, 6 ounces and claimed the Day 1 lead. Stubblefield is
from right here in Guntersville, while Sharp lives in Albertville, less
than 30 minutes from the lake. “We grew up here, and we’ve been fishing here since we were just
kids,” said Stubblefield, who teamed with Sharp to win the Alabama Bass
Trail championship on nearby Lake Wheeler in October. “We were fishing
history today, places we’ve fished before. We stayed off of them in
practice, and the fish were on some of them today.” Practice was tough for Sharp and Stubblefield just like it was for
most of a field that includes anglers from as far away as Maine,
Delaware, New Jersey, California and Canada. But when competition began,
the leaders were aided by built-in knowledge of the lake and conditions
that are slowly improving. “We had kind of a hard time in practice,” Sharp said. “But the water is clearing up, and I think that’s helping us some.”
Entering its 11th season, the 2016 Bassmaster
Elite Series field has been filled with 111 professional anglers,
including both new and familiar names. Most are veteran tournament
anglers; 98 are returning Elite Series anglers, while many of the 13
newcomers have long and distinguished résumés from other fishing
circuits. All will be battling for hundreds of thousands of dollars,
plus the prestigious Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and
coveted 2017 Bassmaster Classic spots, in competition on some of
America’s top bass fisheries. Headlining the field is Aaron
Martens of Leeds, Ala., the reigning Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the
Year. Martens clinched the 2015 AOY title after turning in one of the
most dominant performances in recent history, including two Elite Series
victories. Joining him are other members of the Top 5 in 2015 AOY
points, including Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., who won the 2015
Sacramento Bassmaster Elite at Sacramento River; four-time tournament
winner Dean Rojas; 10-time champion Edwin Evers, who also won
back-to-back events in 2015; and three-time winner Jacob Powroznik. Fifteen former Classic winners
will be competing in the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series, including the
2015 champion, Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C.; Luke Clausen of Otis
Orchards, Wash.; Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo.; Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark.;
Boyd Duckett of Guntersville, Ala.; Paul Elias of Laurel, Miss.; Davy
Hite of Ninety Six, S.C.; Randy Howell of Guntersville, Ala.; Michael
Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J.; Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas; Chris Lane
of Guntersville, Ala.; Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas; Cliff Pace of
Petal, Miss.; Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.; and Kevin VanDam of
Kalamazoo, Mich.
The new E6X rod series introduces anglers to what G. Loomis rod designers refer to a ‘swing-weight’, the proper rod balance needed when fishing ‘tip up’ techniques like pitching/flipping and casting tubes, jigs, soft plastic jerkbaits and drop shot rigs, and ‘tip down’ lures like crankbaits, spinnerbaits or swimbaits. “Proper balance lets anglers concentrate on what is happening on the end of the line, rather than the tip of the rod,” said G. Loomis’ Bruce Holt. “With the E6X series and the G. Loomis’ Multi-Taper Technology behind them, we can provide light, sensitive, yet powerful rods for all types of bass fishing techniques – what anglers know and come to expect form G. Loomis and all at a very comfortable price.”
Lowrance
TotalScan Transducer – TotalScan is an all-in-one transducer that
combines CHIRP technology with high-resolution StructureScan HD and
DownScan Imaging technology. TotalScan eliminates the need for multiple
transducers and simplifies installations.
Lowrance
Elite Ti – Available in both 5- and 7-inch displays, Lowrance announces
the new Elite Ti Series Fishfinder/Chartplotter. With CHIRP sonar,
StructureScan HD and DownScan Imaging, the Elite Ti Series is an
affordable unit for anglers that want a complete view of what’s under
their boat. Also, with integrated wireless connectivity with GoFree,
Elite Ti models can access mapping downloads, software updates and
Insight Genesis.
Lowrance
HOOK Fishfinders – With CHIRP sonar and DownScan Imaging, Lowrance
introduces HOOK Series fishfinders. Available in 4-, 5-, 7-, and 9-inch
displays, HOOK fishfinders offer Ice Machine models in the 4- and 5-inch
models. Also in the HOOK line are two new affordable fishfinders, the
HOOk-3x with BroadBand Sounder and HOOK-3x DSI with DownScan Imaging.
Also available with and All Season Pack, these compact units bring
convenience to fishing, be it from a dock, small boat, or frozen lake.
JACKSON, Miss. —A man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison in a 2013 shooting outside a Jackson motel that killed professional bass fisherman, James “Jimmy” Johnson in the
parking lot of the Motel 6 off Instate 55. If you recall this was during a BASS Central Open Event on Ross Barnett. event. Johnson confronted Brown who was burglarizing his boat.
Shaun Brown, 19, pleaded guilty Nov. 16 to a second-degree
murder charge in Hinds County Circuit Court. He was originally charged
with capital murder. Jackson police said at the time that the
then-17-year-old confessed to killing.
Electronics giant Garmin has been banned from selling and importing its SideVu sonars in the US after they were was found to infringe a patent belonging to rival Humminbird – part of the Johnson Outdoors group of companies.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has confirmed an earlier ruling by the Administrative Law Judge that Garmin had violated a section of the 1930 Tariff Act by importing and selling SideVu sonars, which infringe a Johnsons Outdoor side scan sonar patent used in certain Humminbird fishfinders.
The latest decision has been welcomed by Johnson Outdoors Chairman and CEO, Helen Johnson-Leipold. She said: “Humminbird’s pioneering, patented side scan sonar technology, marketed under its Side Imaging brand, is the gold standard in fishfinders. This reflects our unique understanding of anglers and our expertise in designing products which provide the best fishing experience on the water.
“We are recognised as an innovation leader – a company that respects the intellectual property of others and protects its own. Obviously, we are very pleased by this final determination by the ITC.”
In its verdict the ITC affirmed that all three patents asserted by Johnson Outdoors are valid and enforceable and that numerous models of Garmin’s SideVu sonars directly infringe six Johnson Outdoors patent claims.
It also issued a limited exclusion order barring Garmin’s infringing SideVu sonar systems and its components, which are manufactured overseas, from import into the US. A cease and desist order, prohibiting Garmin from selling or distributing any offending product or component from its inventory, was also put into place.
The orders will come into effect following a mandatory review by the US trade representative.
The internet is awash of deals today. Have a look at these great sites to find that early Christmas present or just that something special you deserve. Good luck and remember to get the free shipping!
Fishing tackle giant, Shimano, has reiterated its support for dealers by rolling out a new store initiative across Europe.
The Japanese-based manufacturer, which has gone on record as stating that it will not sell direct, has given a further boost to its bricks and mortar outlets by introducing the ‘Corner Concept’ – a special area of a store reserved solely for Shimano products.
It has already fitted out 20 tackle shops in Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK and is on target to complete another five by the end of the year.
In an exclusive interview with Angling International in December 2014, Shimano Europe Fishing Holdings Managing Director, Cor Ax, pledged his support for retailers by insisting the tackle giant would remain loyal to them and not deal direct.
The company’s Senior Marketing Manager, Gerard Bakkenes, said: ”Internet shopping is growing immensely. At Shimano we strongly focus on our dealers. It is very important to support retail as they are the output channel to consumers.
“With the installation of the Shimano Corner we want to generate traffic which helps the retailer. By having a Shimano Corner, retailers will enhance customer experience in the store.”
Erik-Jan Brunninkreef, Retail Sales Manager at Shimano Europe, added: “We want people to go into the shop where they can actually touch and feel the products and get personal and professional advice from the retailer. Because a wide and complete assortment is available in the Shimano Corner and displayed together, it will enable the retailer to do upselling – for example, not only sell a reel, but also matching Shimano products to go with it.
“For consumers the purchasing decision will be easier, having a complete range of products to choose from and to actually touch and feel them.”
With the Corner Concept, Shimano offers a flexible in-store display that can be updated to create a customer experience around the Shimano brand. It can be set up in different dimensions to adapt to available store space.
Top-tier executives at Ranger Boat have just resigned. Several outlets have stated that CEO Randy Hopper, Vice-President of sales Keith Daffron and vice president of finance Mendel Hughes are no longer with Ranger Boat of Arkansas. This dramatic event come nearly a year after the announcement that Ranger was being purchased along with competitors Triton and Stratos boats.
Here's Randy himself explaining the amazing Ranger 520C.
Text and Photo Originally Posted in Fishing Tackle Retail
FORT SMITH, Ark. – PRADCO Outdoor Brands, a leading manufacturer and marketer of fishing and hunting brands and products, has acquired legendary fishing lure brand Norman Lures, formerly of Greenwood, Arkansas.
Dick and Holly Nethers of Fort Smith have owned Norman for the past 18 years and will remain involved in a consulting capacity. Under the Nethers’ leadership, Norman has continued a legacy of innovation and development with fishing lures and colors.
Norman Lures was founded by Bill Norman in the early 1960s. Some of Norman’s early creations are still being marketed and used to catch fish today. These include the DD22 and Deep Little N, which continue to be standards in deep-diving crank baits.
The new E6X rod series introduces anglers to what G. Loomis rod designers refer to a ‘swing-weight’, the proper rod balance needed when fishing ‘tip up’ techniques like pitching/flipping and casting tubes, jigs, soft plastic jerkbaits and drop shot rigs, and ‘tip down’ lures like crankbaits, spinnerbaits or swimbaits. “Proper balance lets anglers concentrate on what is happening on the end of the line, rather than the tip of the rod,” said G. Loomis’ Bruce Holt. “With the E6X series and the G. Loomis’ Multi-Taper Technology behind them, we can provide light, sensitive, yet powerful rods for all types of bass fishing techniques – what anglers know and come to expect form G. Loomis and all at a very comfortable price.”
There are 12 E6X technique specific casting rods designed for jig & worm use, for flipping and punching, crankbait and spinnerbait specific, along with four technique specific spinning models for small jigs, tubes and worms, plus two drop shot spinning rods. Holt notes that both the casting and spinning jig & worm rods have the needed extra-fast tips, the crankbait rods have the needed slower, softer actions, while stiff, powerful actions are found on the flip/punch rods and unique actions are featured on the spinnerbait, swimbait and drop shot rods. The entire technique specific rods feature split grip handles with cork grips, along with Fuji reels seats and guides. The 12 Classic multi-purpose E6X models include six ‘Mag Bass’ and flipping action casting rods, and six spin jig spinning rods. They all feature fast tapers with powerful but-sections, load easily for casting accuracy. All the E6X Classic rods come with full cork grips, Fuji guides and Fuji exposed blank trigger reels seats.
“Offering both performance and value, just about all anglers can experience what G. Loomis rods are all about,” said Holt. “The rods really become an natural extension of you, providing the fish-catching fingertip sensitivity that anglers who know expect from G. Loomis rods. And while we have a main focus on bass fishing, anglers will discover E6X rods that have great actions and lengths for walleye, northern pike and inland striper situations.” As with all G. Loomis rods, the new E6X rods are handcrafted in Woodland, Washington USA. For more information, visit gloomis.com, call 800/GLoomis, or stop by your nearest G. Loomis tackle dealer.
Check us out at: www.ibassin.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/ibassincom/265989363495983
Dock-to-dock Autorouting, a unique breakthrough in boating navigation, quickly creates detailed routes even through narrow waterways and channels, based on chart data and nav aids. It is available in the Navionics Boating app for iPhone and iPad, with a Navionics+ subscription.
Now with Navionics Boating version 8.4, Dock-to-dock Autorouting gets another important feature: POIs (points of interest) nearby the destination, like the harbor master, marinas and moorings, fuel stations, restaurants and bars, shops, taxis & launch services, repairs and dealers, appear automatically within the Autorouting menu, complete with phone numbers and other valuable information like VHF channels for marinas. With a simple tap, you instantly have all the details of your arrival point at your fingertips. That's a big advantage! Learn more.
We are also proud to announce that at METSTRADE show in Amsterdam, Navionics Dock-to-dock Autorouting received a special mention at the DAME Design Award, the most prestigious international design competition for new marine equipment and accessories.
The Simrad HALO™ Pulse
Compression Radar, the world’s first high-performance recreational solid-state,
open-array radar system with pulse compression technology, has won the
prestigious 2015 Design Award METS (DAME) in the Marine Electronics category at
the Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
“We are very excited that HALO Pulse
Compression Radar has won such a prestigious award, especially on the 25th
anniversary of the competition,” said Leif Ottosson, CEO, Navico. “This is
important recognition of the hard work by our engineering teams to get this
state-of-the-art radar system into the marketplace. It demonstrates our ability
to lead the marine technology industry with innovative and specialized marine
products for both recreational and commercial use.”
Simrad’s HALO Radar combines the
advantages of Broadband Radar™ and traditional pulse radar systems – providing
navigational visibility and awareness as close as 20 feet (6 meters) within the
pulse radar’s short-range “blind spot,” where once only Broadband Radar could
operate – all while offering exceptional long-range performance up to 72
nautical miles.
This is the week to register for everyone planning on fishing the FLW Series in 2016. Registration has been open for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2015 FLW Series and the top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2015 Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) for some time. Tuesday is when everyone else can begin to get in on the action.
Registration dates
November 17 – Ranger Boat owners and sponsor entries
PowerPro Maxcuatro more than just an award winner.
By Luigi De Rose
A lot has been written about how fishing lines are all the same. As an Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine columnist for two decades, I have overseen their line guide for years. Many lines are the same but the PowerPro Maxcuatro is not one of them. Maxcuatro is truly unique. So much so that it easily won the 2015 ICAST Award for Best New Line. The research and development team of PowerPro has figured out what a lot of companies cannot; how to make heavy-strength lines manageable and thin enough to spool on smaller reels.
PowerPro has been secretly developing Maxcuatro
to compliment their already dominant market share of braided line. They claim Maxcuatro
is 30% to 40% thinner than other braids because it is constructed using Spectra
fiber from Honeywell. It will be sold in 50lb, 65lb, 80lb, 100lb tests. Available
in higher pound tests allows anglers super strong line without sacrificing
yards on the spool or casting distance. Bob Mahoney, Marketing Manager for
PowerPro, stated that not only is having super-thin, heavy pound test line ideal
for casting but it is amazing for Great Lakes trollers who can now scale down
in reel size without worrying about line capacity.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Two special events of the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series will be held at new, or relatively new, venues for the world’s premier bass fishing circuit, B.A.S.S. announced today.
The fan-favorite BASSfest will be held June 8-12 at Lake Texoma on the Oklahoma-Texas border, and the season finale, the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship, will take place at Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake.
“Similar to the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, the Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments have become extremely popular ‘happenings’ for bass fishing fans. By taking our fishing festivals to Lake Texoma and Mille Lacs, we will expose the sport to new fan bases,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “And, our Elite Series anglers are sure to enjoy the new challenges these lakes present.”
MONROE, La. — Albert Collins’ victory in the 2015 Old Milwaukee
B.A.S.S. Nation Championship was a year in the making. The Texas angler
lost his bid to the Classic by 1 1/2 pounds on the Ouachita River in
November 2014; he’s been planning for his next chance ever since.
Collins ended the 2015 championship with 44 pounds, 15 ounces over
three days, and he earned a berth in the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic
presented by GoPro. He also won the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy and
a Skeeter ZX200 with a Yamaha motor, a Minn Kota trolling motor and
Lowrance electronics.
Remove location key for Collin's come from behind win. (Photo: BASS)
Collins has qualified for the Classic before, back in 2013 when he won
the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship. But he really
wanted to make it through the B.A.S.S. Nation.
“It means something special to qualify through the Nation,” said
Collins, who has tried several times to qualify through the Nation
Championship and, like one year ago, fell just short.
“What I learned last year was that I needed an aluminum boat,” said
Collins. “Last year, I used my fiberglass boat, and it’s just not made
to go through those stumps and all that shallow water. So I bought an
aluminum one for this tournament.”
Jamie Laiche of Gonzales, La. holds a 2 pound lead. (Photo: BASS)
MONROE, La. — The conditions changed on Day 2 of the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River, but the first-day leader did everything the same and managed to stay on top of the field.
Louisiana’s Jamie Laiche added 13 pounds, 14 ounces, ending Day 2 with 30 pounds, 4 ounces and a 1 1/2-pound lead.
“I did the exact same thing,” Laiche said, “but I didn’t get that big bite like I did yesterday. I caught a ton of fish, but the size wasn’t there.”
The air temperature dropped 5 degrees from yesterday and the Monroe area got an inch of rain. Day 3 should bring more rain and even cooler temperatures.
None of those weather changes bother Laiche.
“I have the opinion that if it affects me, it’ll affect everybody else,” he said, calmly. “If the Lord feels like it’s my time, I’ll find ’em.”
MONROE, La. — Jamie Laiche of Gonzales, La., only traveled four hours to get to the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, so it seems like he would have home-lake advantage over the rest of the field. However, he had never fished the Ouachita River until he started pre-fishing it earlier this fall, and now he leads the event on Day 1 with 16 pounds, 6 ounces.
Sixteen pounds take lead for Laiche. (Photo: BASS)
“I call the Atchafalaya Basin my home water,” said Laiche, “and so I’d call myself a shallow-water, stump, cypress tree fisherman. This is right in my wheelhouse.
“I’m used to fishing tough for seven to eight bites a day, which is how this is fishing,” he said.
Laiche is one of a handful of anglers who brought small boats to navigate the stumpfields of the Ouachita.
“I gambled a little and brought the smaller boat,” said Laiche, referring to his 17-foot Bass Tracker boat that is only 6 feet wide but floats in 7 inches of water. “It’s got a small motor on the back that floats high, and that’s key to getting into those shallow backwaters.”
The drawback to that small boat? “It goes 28 miles per hour,” said Laiche with a laugh. “They’re all passing me.”