New Megabass Northern Secret Limited Edition Colour for 2017 with Nick Cousvis

Nothing works better on big bass than a jerk bait and Megabass makes some great ones. Megabass has created a custom colour that is designed for northern waters. Their new Northern Secret should be awesome on monster smallmouth. Listen to pro-staff and top angler Nick Cousvis as he explains this Limited Edition Northern Secret.

Timmy Horton Wins the 2017 BASS Elite Lake Okeechobee with 83-05lbs!

Horton wins by one pound!  

BASS PRESS RELEASE
After starting Championship Sunday more than 8 pounds ahead of his nearest competitor, Tim Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., struggled throughout the day, but held on tight to win his first championship in a decade at the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.

A big win for the whole Horton team.
(Photo: BASS)

Horton was only able to bring 11 pounds, 7 ounces of Okeechobee largemouth to the scales today, which pushed his total four-day weight to 83-5. His success topped second-place finisher Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., by 1 pound, 4 ounces.

Horton's last victory was at the 2007 Elite Series Champion's Choice on New York's Lake Champlain. It's been 10 years since the 11-time qualifier of the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods took home the trophy and $100,000 first place prize.

"Today was a very difficult day, no question about it," Horton said. "I'm so thankful and so very blessed that Thursday and Friday went as well as they did. If it weren't for those two heavy limits, I wouldn't have won."

2017 BASS Elite Lake Okeechobee Day 3: Timmy Horton Remains in Lead with 71-14lbs.

Horton hanging on. 

BASS PRESS RELEASE
After losing a 9-pound bass to start his morning, Tim Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., kept his composure and weighed 15 pounds, 11 ounces to keep a tight grip on the lead at the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.

Horton's three-day total was pushed to 71-14, which is more than 8 pounds ahead of second place — Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn.

Leaders struggle as Big O stayed calm.
(Photo: BASS)

Horton, who is hoping to win his fifth Bassmaster title, said it was a heartbreaking moment, and it wasn't the only big bass he lost during Saturday's competition.

"I had a perfect day on Friday, I didn't lose a single fish," Horton explained. "I knew I was bound to mess something up, and I did today. Twice. When you're in contention to win one of these tournaments, mistakes like that can cost you big time. I lost that big one early, then I dumped another 5-pounder around midday."

Horton's misfortune, while painful, didn't last long.

"I had two minutes to go and I caught a 5-13, which culled out a 13-ounce bass I had been trying to get rid of all day," he said. "I made it to check-in with one minute to spare. I'm so thankful I was able to catch that big fish late in the day. It gave me a much needed boost in confidence to start the final day, and that always helps."

2017 BASS Elite Lake Okeechobee Day 2: Timmy Horton Sacks Monster Bag and 8 Pound Lead!

Big bags move many up leader board. 

BASS PRESS RELEASE
After weighing the second limit of the tournament that crested 30 pounds, Tim Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., took control on Day 2 of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee. Today's 30-pound, 4-ounce limit pushed his two-day total to an impressive 56 pounds, 3 ounces.

Horton's performance vaulted the four-time Bassmaster champion ahead of Thursday's leader Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., by almost 8 pounds.

This is what 30-04Lbs looks like.
(Photo: BASS)

Horton has a history of winning by a substantial margin: Three of his four victories carried a minimum of a 13-pound difference between first and second place.

But knowing how fickle Lake Okeechobee bass can be, he's not comfortable just yet.

2017 BASS Elite Lake Okeechobee Day 1: DeFoe Grabs Lead with 31-03lbs!

Tyler Carriere Day 1 Big Fish winer with 9-05lbs. 
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Two beast leaps Ott atop of field.
(Photo: BASS)

Florida’s famous big-bass factory showed off during the first day of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee, as Tennessee native Ott DeFoe caught a huge five-bass limit that weighed 31 pounds, 3 ounces.
 
DeFoe’s impressive catch put him more than 4 pounds ahead of Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., who is in second place with 26-13.
 
Anchoring his limit with two giant bass that weighed 8-6 each, the 31-year-old DeFoe knew he had located quality fish during practice on the lake, but he didn’t realize just how good they were.
 
“I had a lot of bites during practice, but I wasn’t catching very many fish over 2 1/2 to 3 pounds,” DeFoe said. “But, a few of those fish were in one area that seemed to have all the right ingredients to justify a return trip once the tournament began.”
 

Shimano KEEPS YOU FISHING!

Shimano has always been at the forefront of the fishing industry. A strong advocate of catch and release in tournaments, they also promote and fight for angler's rights. Listen to Bob Mahoney as he explains the role Shimano is having in the industry with KEEP YOU FISHING!

Humminbird New HELIX GEN 2 and MEGA Imaging with Humminbird Pro Nick Cousvis

Big changes for Humminbird units in 2017! The Helix Generation 2 has changed the game. Plus, the introduction of MEGA which offers higher frequency which translates to sharper, clear images. Listen as Humminbird pro staff Nick Cousvis explains all these great advancements.

Mark Rose Wins 2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Travis! First Back-to-Back FLW Winner.

Thrift 2nd again!

by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

In the 20-year history of the FLW Tour, there has never been a back-to-back winner in a single season. There have been pros who have won multiple events in a season. And there have been pros who have won on the same lake in back-to-back seasons. But never has an FLW Tour pro won two consecutive events in a season.

Rose first FLW Tour back-to-back winner.
(Photo: FLW)

That all changed Sunday when Mark Rose, fresh off his Tour win at Guntersville, raised the winner’s trophy at the FLW Tour presented by Quaker State on Lake Travis. The historic win made Rose the first back-to-back winner in FLW Tour history.

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Travis Day 3: Thrift Retakes Lead as Rose Sit Second!

Gustafson finishes 13th. 

by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

When it comes to the top spot in an FLW Tour event, Bryan Thrift and Mark Rose seem to be getting in each other’s way a lot these days. And going into the final day of the FLW Tour presented by Quaker State on Lake Travis, this reoccurring theme has happened again.

The last time the two parted ways at Lake Guntersville just a couple weeks ago, Rose walked away with an FLW Tour trophy and Thrift was left in the runner-up spot. Going into the final day at Guntersville, Rose was the leader and Thrift the pursuer. When the day ended, Thrift came within a pound of stealing Rose’s glory.

Thrift scratches up 11-07lb limit to take lead.
(Photo: FLW)

Now the tables are turned: Bryan Thrift is now the leader and Rose will be following Thrift out tomorrow, and – ironically - the two heavyweights are separated by just a pound.

Thrift is still riding the wave of a momentous day one when he weighed in nearly 25 pounds to lead the event. Since then he has dug in his fingernails, with subsequent catches of 9-6 and 11-7 to keep himself on top. However, his last two days put together don’t equal what he caught the first day.

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Travis Day 2: Patek Leads with 36-06lbs!

Gustafson 13th, Chris Johnston 32nd, Richardson 37th & Cory Johnston 134th. 
by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Pre-spawn staging area moves Patek into lead.
(Photo: FLW)

Stephen Patek of Garland, Texas is fishing his third year on the FLW Tour and for the first time in his short career he finds himself leading an FLW Tour event after day two of the FLW Tour at Lake Travis presented by Quaker State.

After loading up 20 pounds, 5 ounces on the scale on day one, Patek backed it up with 14-1 today to nudge Bryan Thrift off the lead by 4 ounces with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 6 ounces.

Patek owes the bulk of his catch to a single-cast hot spot that he found on the third day of practice while graphing.

“When I idled over it, it looked like a loaded ledge on Kentucky Lake,” he says. “I spun around, made one cast and caught a 2-pounder and left. I didn’t return until yesterday morning and caught them pretty quick.”

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Travis Day 1: Thrift Takes Big Lead with 24-12!

Chris Johnston 21st, Richardson 22nd, Gustafson 54th & Cory Johnston 120th. 
By Luigi De Rose

Thrift lead on Travis. (Photo: FLW)

Keepers a struggle for the 164 Walmart FLW Tour anglers on Day 1 of Lake Travis, Texas. Under an early fog and cool weather the fishing was a challenge for most except Bryan Thrift. Thrift, a professed "runner and gunner",  milked several key areas to take the day 1 lead with 24-12lbs of bass. Stephen Patek is 4 pounds back in second place with 20-05lbs and Bradley Hallman is sitting 3rd with 19-04 with only 4 bass.

Top 10 pros

1. Bryan Thrift – Shelby, N.C. – 24-12 (5)

2. Stephen Patek – Garland, Texas – 20-5 (5)

3. Bradley Hallman – Norman, Okla. – 19 – 4 (4)

4. Scott Suggs – Alexander, Ark. – 17-3 (5)

5. Christopher Brasher – Longview, Texas – 16-8 (5)

6. Justin Atkins – Florence, Ala. – 16-0 (5)

7. Deal Alexander – Georgetown, Texas – 15-0 (5)

8. Dylan Hays – Sheridan, Ark. – 14-15 (5)

9. Anthony Gagliardi – Prosperity, S.C. – 14-13 (5)

10. Grae Buck – Harleysville, Penn. – 14-12 (5)

Who's Going to the Show?

Abu Garcia Revo ALX Low Profile Reel

Engineered to give anglers the compact performance of the MGX along with the versatility of a heavy-duty fishing reel, the Revo® ALX low profile reel features an aluminum frame for added strength while the C6 carbon side plates and aluminum main gear allow for maximum weight optimization. Easily adjustable and ultra compact, the ALX is suited to throw baits from lightweight finesse baits all the way through to heavy jigs.

Jacob Wheeler Wins 2017 BASS Elite Cherokee Lake Tournament with 69-13lbs!

Wheeler rolls into win
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Lunch time flurry seal the deal for Jacob.
(Photo: BASS)

At only 26 years of age, Jacob Wheeler has already won more than his share of big-money bass tournaments.
 
But he’s never won one under the same set of circumstances he faced this week during the Bassmaster Elite at Cherokee Lake — and he’s quick to admit that he may never do it again.
 
After a week of adversity that some anglers don’t face in an entire season, Wheeler won the event and its $100,000 first-place prize with a four-day total of 69 pounds, 13 ounces. A final-day catch of 18-3 — his biggest of the tournament — helped him jump from third place into the winner’s spot.
 

2017 BASS Elite Cherokee Lake Day 3: Wiggins Still Leads!

Battle of the Damiki Rig

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Jesse's morning bite is key for control of tournament.
(Photo: BASS)

Jesse Wiggins wishes he had a more exciting story to tell about the Bassmaster Elite at Cherokee Lake.
 
He wishes there had been some drama or even a near-miss moment that might have given him a funny story for the weigh-in stand.
 
But it just hasn’t been that kind of tournament for him.
 
“I’m just going around in circles on spot, looking for fish on my graph,” said Wiggins, who caught 16 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to maintain the overall lead with a three-day total of 52-13. “When I see one, I drop down to it and try to get it to bite. It’s the simplest thing you’ve ever seen.
 

2017 BASS Elite Cherokee Lake Day 2: Jesse Wiggins Grabs Lead with 35-15lbs.

Wiggins not acting like a rookie!
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Jesse just off Open win and leading after Day 2.
(Photo: BASS)

With the Bassmaster Elite at Cherokee Lake having reached its halfway point, a trio of Elite Series newcomers are sitting atop the standings with a chance to make their mark on the trail very early in the season.
 
Jesse Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., came to eastern Tennessee this week, having already won two Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens in the past 10 months. Now, after catching 35 pounds, 15 ounces the first two days, Wiggins is leading his first-ever Elite Series event with a 1-6 advantage over Indiana pro Jacob Wheeler — a newcomer to the Elite Series who doesn’t qualify as a rookie because of his past career earnings on other trails.
 
Wiggins has relied on one incredible spot the first two days — and probably hasn’t spent more than three hours fishing it in 16 total hours of competition.
 

2017 BASS Elite Cherokee Lake Day 1: Crochet Grabs Lead with 19-07lbs!

Cajun Baby heats up winter tournament.
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Despite snow morning bite was hot.
(Photo: BASS)

Cliff Crochet is a noted shallow-water specialist who loves to fish green vegetation during warm, springlike conditions.
 
He found the exact opposite of that during Thursday’s opening round of the Bassmaster Elite at Cherokee Lake, but the Louisiana angler who goes by the nickname “Cajun Baby” put on quite a show anyway.
 
With early-morning temperatures in the low 20s and a peppering of snow blowing sideways across the lake at takeoff, Crochet took the lead with five bass that weighed 19 pounds, 7 ounces. Elite Series rookie Jesse Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., weighed in 19-1 and trails the leader by only 6 ounces.
 

2017 BASS Elite Season Starts Today!

New Concept for 2017
By Luigi De Rose

Last day of practice before the 2017 season kickoff.
(Photo: BASS)

The 2017 BASS Elite season is starting off today with a pre-Classic event on Cherokee Lake outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. With the BASS Classic moved to March, instead of February, BASS didn't want to delay the season so they came up with a fresh idea; their first event occurring before the main event.

Cherokee is a challenging fishery at the best of times and this looks to be even more difficult. Very few anglers have experience here especially during the late winter. Another factor is the water is low. Low water usually means less shallow cover for anglers and bass. This highland reservoir's primary cover is rock and some wood. Expect anglers to focus on bass in transition. Smallmouth will be a factor. This region has always produced monster brown bass. Also, the pre-spawn period often has big smallies schooled up making several northern anglers possible outside favourites.

Visit IBASSIN.com for daily results.

Three Tips on Shallow Water Cranking with Adrian Avena

Shallow water cranking is an awesome technique from late winter, throughout the hot water months and into late fall. We just witnessed this at the 2017 Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Gutnersville. Most of the Top 10 were shallow cranking.
Bass are always shallow and ready to munch a shallow crank bait. Learn from Adrian Avena on how to do it. He's a fan of the new Berkley crank baits. IT might be wise to pick up a few new crank baits from Berkley before you launch the boat.
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/berkley-bait-hard-bait/

https://www.facebook.com/ibassincom-265989363495983/?fref=ts

Mark Rose Wins 2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Guntersville with 79-11 lbs!

Rose milks Brown's creek for win.

by Rob Newell 

FLW PRESS RELESE

Coming into the FLW Tour event presented by Lowrance at Lake Guntersville, Mark Rose had quite a laundry list of reasons why he wanted to win the tournament.

First of all, Lake Guntersville has a rich history in the sport of professional bass fishing. Fishing legends such as Zell Rowland, George Cochran, Rick Clunn and David Fritts have all won national events on the historic lake. Rose has always wanted to put his name alongside such icons as a professional tournament winner on Guntersville.

Consistency key to Rose's win.
(Photo: FLW)

Second, Rose has been so close to victory in other events on Guntersville. He has finished runner-up in a Costa FLW Series event and a Tour event at the lake.

Rose is also well known for his deep-water prowess. He has earned his moniker as a “ledgemaster” through multiple offshore wins along the Tennessee River. With that, he felt like he had become almost pigeonholed as a deep-water specialist and was ready to prove to himself that he can win events in waist-deep water as well.

Finally, Rose was ready to erase a memory from Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 2014 when he lead an FLW Tour event going into the last day and faltered, letting none other than Bryan Thrift slip past him and grab the brass ring.

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Guntersville Day 3: Mark Rose Leads by 5 lbs!

Cory Johnston finishes 11th

FLW PRESS RELESE
Over the past 10 years, the name Mark Rose has become synonymous with summer and fall ledge fishing along the Tennessee River chain of lakes. He’s won six FLW tournaments on the system, mostly during the postspawn period. However, as he is proving this week on the frigid waters of Lake Guntersville at the FLW Tour event presented by Lowrance, Rose’s Tennessee River savvy extends beyond summer and fall. After checking in 19 pounds on day three, Rose now leads the FLW Tour event with a three-day total of 61 pounds, 8 ounces, carrying a 4-pound, 12-ounce advantage into the final day.

Rose ready to win 7th Tennessee River event.
(Photo: FLW)

Rose’s inherent understanding of Tennessee River bass, no matter if the water temperature is 45 degrees or 85 degrees, is uncanny.

“I just feel comfortable on these Tennessee River lakes,” Rose says. “It’s hard to explain, but I can assess water conditions quickly here, and I have a feel of where to look for bass given the conditions. Some of the places I’m catching bass this week are the same kinds of things I look for in the summer – little transitions, indentions, isolated pieces of cover. I’m just looking for that stuff in 2 to 6 feet of water now instead of 20 or 30 feet like I would be in the summer. But it’s the same kinds of little subtle changes in the bottom that create the habit that Tennessee River bass like to live on.”

Rose’s gift for reading Tennessee River water came into play in a major way on day three after a cold overnight northeast wind pummeled his best shallow grass area, turning some of it a stained to muddy color. On days one and two, Rose had targeted inside grass lines with vibrating jigs for prespawn fish. With the dirtier, colder water today, Rose moved up to fish shallower rock with a crank bait.
TOP 10 BELOW

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Guntersville Day 2: Mark Rose Leads with 42-08lbs

Cory Johnston #18, Gussy #22, Chris Johnston #42 & Richardson #114
by Rob Newell 

FLW PRESS RELESE
Over the last few years Lake Guntersville’s fishing trends have included a lot of bridges and the burgeoning crop of eelgrass that has taken root throughout the lake. Bass behavior in the lake determines these trends, but sometimes the old tried-and-true patterns are hard to beat.
Just ask Mark Rose, who has been the only pro in the field to compile two 20-pound-plus limits through two days of the FLW Tour event presented by Lowrance at Lake Guntersville. Rose took the lead on Friday with a total of 42 pounds, 8 ounces.
Day-one leader Jay Kendrick lit off some fireworks with a big bridge catch of more than 25 pounds on Thursday, but he caught just one bass today, leaving the lead spot wide open. Kendrick’s bridges fell flat as he noticed that the bait was not stacked up as much as he would have liked to see it. He finished 26th.

Mark Rose's consistency key to lead. (Photo: FLW)

Rose is well aware of the bridge phenomenon on Guntersville. He has several top-10 finishes in previous FLW competition at Guntersville where he got beat on bridges. Also, the Tennessee River is near and dear to Rose’s heart, so he knows about the new influx of eelgrass, which is what Buddy Gross fished when he won the 2016 Tour event just downstream at Pickwick.
 

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Guntersville Day 1: Jay Kendrick Leads with 25-12lbs

Gussy #30, Cory Johnston #32, Chris Johnston #82 & Richardson #98

by Rob Newell 

FLW PRESS RELESE

Kendrick is dangerous here! (Photo: FLW)

In the realm of professional bass fishing we have grassmasters, ledgemasters and timbermasters. But Jay Kendrick of Grant, Ala., is now carving out his own niche in pro fishing: bridgemaster.
On a cold, dreary day one of the season-opening FLW Tour event presented by Lowrance at Lake Guntersville, Kendrick took an impressive early lead with a limit of bass weighing 25 pounds, 12 ounces. Three of his biggest bass came off one of Guntersville’s fabled bridges, which was a surprise to no one.
Kendrick won a Costa FLW Series event in March 2015 fishing the exact same way. Since then, his competitors have had plenty of time to read the coverage and watch footage of his win, but few seem to be able to unlock the bridge mysteries for big bass quite like Kendrick. But that’s the nature of being a “master” of a technique in this sport – other people can see all the pieces of the puzzle, but are not quite sure how to put those pieces together quickly enough in tournament competition.
“I know exactly what I’m looking for around those bridges,” Kendrick says. “I know when I see it on my electronics. I didn’t really even practice on bridges; I just idled them looking for the key ingredients.
“There is a technique to catching those bridge fish that once you figure it out, you can literally go in amongst other boats and make it work,” he adds. “The problem is those other boats get in the way of making the exact presentation needed to trigger a bite.”
TOP 10 BELOW

Mustang Survival Launches 50th Anniversary Celebrations at Vancouver International Boat Show

Burnaby, BC - Mustang Survival^®, the North American brand known for innovative solutions for the most demanding marine environments, is kicking off its 50^th anniversary celebrations at the Vancouver International Boat Show on Thursday, January 19.  The celebrations include a “Wear Your Mustang” contest, 50 Days of Giveaways and an in-booth anniversary party.

 

Boat show attendees and others are invited to join the Company in the:

 

(1)     Wear Your Mustang Contest – Wear your Mustang Survival product to their booth at the Vancouver International Boat Show (booth #265) to receive anniversary “swag” and to be entered to win a new Mustang Survival PFD.  Extra entries will be provided for the oldest, dirtiest PFDs (in working condition) we see!

 

(2)     50 Days of Giveaways – Visit http://www.mustangsurvival.com/50years to see all the ways you can enter to win Mustang Survival products. Starting January 19, Mustang Survival will be giving away a product a day for 50 days! To enter on Day 1 – January 19, visit Mustang Survival on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn, or in their booth at the Vancouver International Boat Show.

 

(3)     Anniversary Party – Stop by booth #265 at the Vancouver International Boat Show after 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 19 for free cupcakes, door prizes and a record-spinning DJ. Extra “swag” will be provided for those that attend wearing their Mustang Survival products!