B1 Early Bird Registration Ends Dec 1

Last day to register for the Early Bird for 2018! Register for an individual event or for the the entire TOY TOUR and benefit from a 1st pool blast-off draw at every event!

Register Online Today: 
http://www.berkleyb1.com/registration.html

G. Loomis EX6 Series of Rods

Here's a video of JVD with the G. Loomis EX6 rods he loves to use. They're are top quality gear. They'll make a great gift for the one you love...YOU!

Cyber Monday Baby!

Today might be the best day of the year to score some super fishing deals. Here's some super places to look for that new gear for 2018!

Stringease
https://stringease.com

Set The Hook
http://setthehook.ca

Carrot Stik Rods
https://www.carrotstix.com

Tacklewarehouse
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com

Bass Pro Shop
http://www.basspro.com

Land Big Fish
http://www.landbigfish.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing all our American buddies a Happy Thanksgiving!

Rapala Gift Guide Part 2

Rapala® Floating Aerator
While Rapala® is best known as the world’s premier lure-maker, the brand’s expertise doesn’t stop there, especially when it comes to gear that makes anglers lives’ easier. Enter the Rapala Floating Aerator, a compact accessory guaranteed to be a welcome addition on your loved one’s next fishing trip.

Small in size, the Floating Aerator consistently punches above its weight class and offers big-time results. It helps keep bait alive longer by gently mixing air into water, aerating 1.5 liters (0.4 gallons) per minute. Ideal for most bait-storage containers or enclosures, this portable device features a floating, water-activated switch, air-release stone and offers 18 hours of continuous run time. When it’s set to run at 15-minute intervals, it will provide up to 36 hours of run time.

Not only does this gift keep bait kickin’ longer, it also ensures anglers’ dollars will go further at their favorite local bait shop for years to come.

Rapala® Premium Fillet Knives
No serious angler’s gear collection is complete without a premium Rapala fillet knife. Expertly crafted by legendary Finnish blade manufacturer Marttiini, all Rapala fillet knives are constructed of the finest European stainless steel, delivering razor-sharp blades that will last a lifetime. This holiday season, choose from a wide variety of Rapala fillet knives to give the outdoors enthusiasts in your life a gift ready to handle any filleting chore.

From the iconic birch-handled Fish ‘n Fillet®, the knife the taught the world to fillet, to electric and long-lasting battery-powered options, Rapala fillet knives are the No. 1 choice of anglers worldwide and this holiday season’s must-have stocking stuffer.

Visit Rapala.com to browse the brand’s full catalogue of fillet knives, including options specifically designed for niche game species.

New Rapala® RipStop™
This holiday season, surprise your loved ones with a lure unlike any other: the new Rapala® RipStop™, a fast-ripping, hard-stopping bait described as a cross between a hard plastic jerkbait and a soft-body swimbait.

The bait’s never-before-seen rear plastic boot tail sets it apart from the competition. Not only does the boot tail create a hard-rolling, slashing action that mimics the live-minnow movements of a soft plastic swimbait, but it also causes the bait to stop on a dime when paused. The RipStop’s body shimmies as it comes to rest, then slowly rises, a natural motion that indicates an easy meal for hungry predators.

A terror for bass and other popular gamefish, the workhorse RipStop may be fished as a twitch bait, popped and ripped like a jerkbait, or cast and reeled in with a steady or variable-speed retrieve, providing a host of options to elicit heart-pounding strikes in any scenario.

Featuring two-part plastic construction with a non-inserted lip, RipStops weigh 1/4 ounce, cast a mile with far with little effort and dive 3 to 4 feet. The bait measure 3 ½ inches, is available in 14 appetizing color patterns and comes armed with two sticky-sharp VMC® light-wire treble hooks.

Rapala Gift Guide Part 1

Rapala® Mag Spring Pliers & Precision Line Scissors
Experienced anglers know having the right tools on-hand can make or break a day on the water. This holiday season, thrill your family and friends the latest from Rapala®: The Rapala Mag Spring Pliers and Precision Line Scissors.

Breaking new ground, the new Rapala Mag Spring Pliers utilize an ingenious patent-pending “Mag-Spring” system that keeps pliers open and ready for action, making it easier to use while busy holding a fish or rod. The Mag Spring Pliers comes ready for action with a pivoting, quick-draw sheath with belt loop and clip and a handy lanyard connection.

Traditional scissors just don’t cut it when you are using superlines. Another great stocking-stuffer, the new Rapala Precision Line Scissors excel at cutting and trimming micro super lines, as well as all other traditional fishing lines. Super lines are tough on a pair of scissors, dulling the blades in record time.

A great gift your friends or family will use for years, this pair features German stainless steel blades with premium titanium coating that extends life up to 15 times longer than other models.

Rapala® 50 lb. High Contrast Digital Scale
Ensure friends and family know when they’ve hauled in a record-setting hawg with the new Rapala® 50 lb. High Contrast Digital Scale, the brand’s most groundbreaking scale to date.

Sure to be a memorable gift this season, this cutting-edge digital scale is packed with features that set a new standard and promise make the life of every angler easier.

Its reverse-image LCD illuminated screen makes it easy to read the weight of your catch, even on bright, sunny days. Its intuitive directional pad operation system delivers easy navigation through a variety of menu options — including quick reference for minimum and maximum bin size, as well as total weight.

The 50 lb. High Contrast Digital Scale also comes with a fish-friendly gripper and alternate stainless steel hook for fast, safe weighing.

Humminbird® Introduces the New SOLIX™ 10

When Humminbird® introduced the SOLIX™ Series in January, it redefined sonar by integrating its most revolutionary technological features into a new line of powerful, easy-to-use fish finders. For 2018 Humminbird has expanded the series with the SOLIX 10. Its 10.1-inch screen makes it ideal for use at the bow or on more compact console settings. The SOLIX 10 helps anglers find and catch more fish with the most advanced sonar, image clarity and mapping capabilities in its class.

Crystal-clear images
The SOLIX 10 comes in two models: one featuring Humminbird’s exclusive MEGA Imaging™ with GPS and CHIRP Digital Sonar, and another with GPS and CHIRP Digital Sonar only. Humminbird’s ultra-clear MEGA Imaging™ is the first Down and Side Imaging technology to enter the megahertz range with performance that’s nearly three times greater than traditional 455 kHz frequencies. It results in the clearest, sharpest on-screen images ever seen.
 
B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk gives credit to MEGA Imaging for his 2017 victory at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, saying “I found brush piles that other guys drove right past with their sonar units. During practice I stacked up tons of waypoints on brush that held good fish, and during the tournament I was able to go back, see where the bass were on the piles, and smash them.”
 

Buy Yourself a New Reel! You've Earned it!

With Christmas coming up soon, it might be a great time to treat yourself to a new fishing reel. Listen to Mike Iaconelli as he explains why you need to invest in a top of the line reel.

Remembrance Day

Remembering all who fought so we shall live in peace.

Sales Up for Rapala North America Despite Turbulence

Originally posted by Angling International

Rapala’s third quarter performance has kept the company’s year-to-date net sales figures close to those of last year.

Third quarter net sales were boosted by the North American market (+9%) and, despite challenging market conditions, show an overall 2% increase on the same quarter last year.

Rapala’s strategy to improve profits, lighten the balance sheet and improve operational performance is proceeding well, says the company.

Bradford Beavers Wins 2017 Costa FLW Series Championship with 45-12bs!

Shallow bar key to limits

by Jody White

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Big topwater key to win. (Photo: FLW)

On a tough and topsy-turvy Kentucky Lake, Bradford Beavers ground out about 15 pounds per day and came away with his first big win in the Costa FLW Series Championship. Totaling up 15 bass for 45 pounds, 12 ounces, the up-and-coming Ridgeville, S.C., pro earned a $50,000 prize package and qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup for the second year in a row.

Beavers started decently and managed to stay consistent every day, basically playing the shallow bar game that Kentucky Lake is known for in the fall. He essentially had two or three spots that produced for him the whole tournament, with one real sweet spot, and he found them all on the last day of practice just north of New Johnsonville.

“I wanted to fish down there because I saw it had more shallow water, and that’s where the grass used to be from what I read,” says Beavers, who needed 35 hours in practice to catch his first keeper. “But when I saw the forecast I was a little bit scared of the wind. I know it gets rough out here, so I practiced the first three days within reasonable range. It was so bad, I talked to my dad every night and said, ‘this could be embarrassing.’ It was that bad. So, I said to heck with it, I’m gonna go where I want to go. And I caught three fish and found that spot.”

Beavers’ three spots were nothing too remarkable – shallow bars (one with some stumps, two without) on the main lake, but not right on the channel. Beavers estimates he caught most of his fish in less than 2 feet of water. Though the places were unremarkable, he did try and avoid pressure somewhat by staying on the back of his bars, where he figured fewer people had gotten to, and he also tried to be super stealthy.

“I had to run my trolling motor on like 25 to keep from spooking them,” says Beavers. “Every once in a while you’d spook one with the boat and see the puff of sand with him going by. It’s hard to be that stealthy in shallow water, but I tried move low and take advantage of the wind and use the Power-Poles. I covered my best spot yesterday and spent six hours to go 300 yards to get 15 bites.”

Beavers did the majority of his damage off one bar the first two days. On the final day, he split his efforts between it and his third spot.

Throwing a bone and chrome-colored Heddon Zara Spook accounted for his fish on days one and two, but he made a key change to a pearl white Zoom Magnum Fluke midway through the final day.

“Yesterday I had 15 bites and only caught six of them. Today I had 12 and caught six of them,” says Beavers. “They got very smart in that spot. This morning I’d throw the Spook out there and they would blow up behind it; they wouldn’t even hit it. So, I picked up a Fluke, and right away I caught one, and then I had three other bites on it and I lost them all. So, I changed how I rigged it, and it caught two more there.”

Starting out with his Fluke simply Texas-rigged worked for one fish, but adding a treble hook as a trailer was the change that enabled Beavers to win. After finishing out his best spot, he moved on to spot No. 3 and finished his limit and culled with a 4-pounder.

“I’m speechless. I never thought I’d win one of these,” says Beavers. “I won a BFL this year, and I thought that was unbelievable. I’ve been in the top 10 in four of these, and my fish have always fallen off on the last day. It’s just unbelievable.” 

Top 10 pros

1. Bradford Beavers – Ridgeville, S.C. – 45-12 (15)         

2. Todd Hollowell – Fishers, Ind. – 37-7 (11)       

3. Larry Stoafer – Leavenworth, Kan. – 34-13 (11)

4. Tim Fox – Meridan, Miss. – 34-0 (10)   

2017 Costa FLW Series Championship on Kentucky Lake Day 2: Foster Jumps into Lead with 33.06lbs!

Leaderboard flip flops big time.
By Jody White
FLW PRESS RELEASE

by Jody White

Chad Foster jumps into lead.
(Photo: FLW)

The fishing was pretty tough on day one of the Costa FLW Series Championship at Kentucky Lake, and there’s no doubt it got tougher on day two. Kentucky Lake isn’t giving them up easily right now, but Chad Foster pieced together four quality fish to move from third to first with a total of 33 pounds, 6 ounces. Foster weighed 19-13 on day one – a strong sack that paled in comparison to Bryan Thrift’s 27-8 – but his day two catch of 13-9 has him in the lead by 1-13.

Running south toward and past New Johnsonville, Foster is focusing on isolated shallow spots with bait and a few other key ingredients.

“There’s a bunch of fish. I’m getting the bites, but they were biting weird today,” says Foster. “There were five or six of them that didn’t really eat the bait. I’d maybe have them on for a crank, and they’d come off. I feel fortunate to have four. I had the bites to have another 18 pounds, but making them commit is the hard part.

“It was slick calm this morning, and I think they were getting too good of a look at the bait. I caught my two biggest fish in three casts as soon as the wind started blowing.”

Slinging a topwater like many others, Foster isn’t just rolling down shallow main-lake bars. He’s targeting more specific locations.

“It’s all shallow. It’s 6 inches to 3 feet deep, but there has to be bait there,” says the Pequot Lakes, Minn., pro. “There’s one spot with schools of gizzard shad the size of the bait tanks. You’ll see them [bass] come blast them, and then I fire over there and they don’t hook up.”

Given more wind and perhaps more current, Foster could be in line for a good final day, but with weights so close and the lake so unpredictable it’s anyone’s game.

Top 10 pros

1. Chad Foster – Pequot Lakes, Minn. – 33-6 (9)

2. Larry Stoafer – Leavenworth, Kan. – 31-9 (10)

3. Bryan Thrift – Shelby, N.C. – 31-1 (7)

4. Bradford Beavers – Ridgeville, S.C. – 30-13 (10)

5. Tim Fox – Meridan, Miss. – 28-13 (8)

6. Jason Abram – Piney Flats, Tenn. – 28-8 (10)

7. Todd Hollowell – Fishers, Ind. – 28-7 (9)

8. John Soukup – Agra, Okla. – 27-7 (10)

9. Michael Matthee – Centurion, South Africa – 27-1 (8)

10. Bill Chapman – Salt Rock, W.Va. – 26-13 (10)

CURRENT DIVISIONAL LEADERS

A slot in the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be awarded to the top finisher at the Costa FLW Series Championship from each of the five U.S. divisions and the International Division. The next five highest finishers regardless of division also receive a spot at the Cup.

2017 Costa FLW Series Championship on Kentucky Lake Day 1: Bryan Thrift Takes Massive Lead!

Fall fishing freezes out some of the best

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Thrift proves why he is a winner!
(Photo: FLW)

Day one of the Costa FLW Series Championship on Kentucky Lake started slow for bass-fishing superstar Bryan Thrift, but it quickly turned into another epic outing for the 2017 FLW Tour Angler of the Year when he piled about 25 pounds in his livewell on one spot this afternoon to top off a 27-pound, 8-ounce limit. The performance has him in first place by a margin of 7-1 over Alabama pro Cameron Gautney.

Justin Hicks of Roanoke, Va., leads all co-anglers with 16-13.

Top 10 pros

1. Bryan Thrift – Shelby, N.C. – 27-8 (5)   

2. Cameron Gautney – Muscle Shoals, Ala. – 20-7 (5)                 

3. Chad Foster – Saint Cloud, Fla. – 19-13 (5)      

4. Sheldon Collings – Grove, Okla. – 18-4 (5)                    

5. Bradford Beavers – Ridgeville, S.C. – 15-13 (5)                       

6. Kurt Mitchell – Milford, Del. – 15-8 (5)            

7. Ron Nelson – Berrien Springs, Mich. – 15-7 (5)           

8. Dustin Smith – Grand Island, Fla. – 15-3 (4)    

9. Todd Hollowell – Fishers, Ind. – 15-2 (5)

10. Jason Abram – Piney Flats, Tenn. – 14-15 (5)           

Current divisional leaders

A slot in the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be awarded to the top finisher at the Costa FLW Series Championship from each of the five U.S. divisions and the International Division. The next five highest finishers regardless of division also receive a spot at the Cup.

Here are the day one leaders from each division:

Southeastern – Bryan Thrift – 27 pounds, 8 ounces – first place

Central – Cameron Gautney – 20 pounds, 7 ounces – second place

Southwestern – Sheldon Collings – 18 pounds, 4 ounces – fourth place

Northern – Kurt Mitchell – 15 pounds, 8 ounces – sixth place

Western – Brent Shores – 13 pounds, 13 ounces – 15th place

International – Michael Matthee (South Africa) – 11 pounds, 9 ounces – 26th place (tie)

Garmin acquires Navionics

Garmin is proud to announce that it has acquired Navionics S.p.A., a privately-held worldwide provider of electronic navigational charts and mobile applications for the marine industry.

Navionics has long been known as a leading supplier of highly accurate navigational charts and mobile applications for boaters. By combining Navionics’ content with Garmin’s BlueChart and LakeVü content, we will be able to offer the best available breadth and depth of coverage to our marine customers. Going forward, we plan to retain the Navionics brand and will continue to support Navionics’ existing customers.

“Since our founding, Navionics has been passionate about creating products that enhance the boating experience,” said Giuseppe Carnevali, Navionics founder and president. “Garmin shares our passion for serving the marine industry, and is an ideal company to carry the strong brand and reputation of Navionics into the future.”