Friday, July 31, 2020

2020 FLW Pro Circuit Super Tournament on the Mississippi River Day 3: Monsoor Maintains Lead with 42lbs!

Canadians: Charles Sim 58th & Erik Luzak 163rd
By Sean Ostruszka
FLW PRESS RELEASE

Monsoor's history on river key
to finding better bass.
(Photo: FLW)
He’s had as much or more success on the Mississippi River than any angler out there … except at the highest level. With one day to go, Tom Monsoor has put himself in position to change that.

The swim jig king of the river has 26 top 10s and six victories in various levels of FLW competition on the river to this point. Yet, the last time the Pro Circuit came to his home waters in 2017, he bombed into 105th.

This time around has been considerably better, as he held onto his lead going into the final day of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament presented by OPTIMA Batteries. Despite a little drama to start and end his day, Monsoor managed to catch more fish than he had the previous two days combined to bring in a 13-pound, 5-ounce limit to give him and even 42 pounds through three days. 

“These are my worst tournaments,” says Monsoor about the higher-level FLW events on the Mississippi. “The worst! I couldn’t do any worse. I have the best practices. This is the first one it hasn’t screwed me on. So, I want this real bad. All you can do is fish as hard as you can, and nobody fishes harder than me. I know that. I don’t stop.”

He certainly didn’t today, as he had two offshore spots in the Black River on Pool 8 that were pumping out fish to start his day off. Well, at least one was until a small altercation with a local water ski boat who wanted to use a course that Monsoor was fishing near.

“That kinda wrecked my morning,” says Monsoor. “I’ve been here all my life, and I’ve never had anybody do that. They ski there all the time. I fish there all the time. There’s never been a problem. That took the edge off right away. I was having fun until that. I was going to catch some fish there, too. But he shut it down.”

Fortunately, his second offshore spot was pumping out fish almost every cast. The only problem is they were cookie-cutters with little size. So around noon, he only had roughly 10 pounds in his livewell.

Figuring that was enough to get him to Saturday, Monsoor opted to try to fish for bigger bites when he noticed something late in the day that prompted some clutch catches.

“I noticed the water was going up,” says Monsoor. “So I fished an old spot, but I fished it different. I caught three in the last half hour. I always hear people say they did that, but that never happens to me.”

Monsoor wasn’t the only pro who noticed the rising water levels in Pool 8 – THE pool to be in this week, as seven of the top 10 are fishing there and none of the top 10 fished in Pool 7 on day three. Many pros mentioned the water had come up at least 6 inches, which may not seem like much, but on the Mississippi River, it is, as it opens up backwater areas that would otherwise be inaccessible.

It also may hurt Monsoor and his offshore areas come tomorrow.

“[The rising water] don’t help anything,” says Monsoor. “The fish are moving up now because the water is moving up. That’s what they do here. I like low water because it concentrates them. So I’ll try offshore spots tomorrow, for at least a half hour. And then I’ll go looking for big ones.”

 

2. Zack Birge – Blanchard, Okla. – 40-15 (15)

Anglers come to the Mississippi River to fish shallow, but the top two anglers are making hay out deeper.

Birge has one spot in Pool 8 that he’s caught more than 80 fish from over three days. And he’s doing it quick, having the majority of his weight on day two by 8:05 a.m. and a good portion of it today by around the same time.

“It’s just a little hole,” says Birge about his spot. “Nothing special. There’s one tire on bottom and a couple sticks. The rest just feels like sandy bottom. I think it’s just deepest water in there, and the fish just congregate in there.”

Birge had been running a secondary pattern the first two days, but today that pattern dried up, forcing him to return to his main spot to cull out two key fish. As for tomorrow, he plans to “milk it for everything it’s worth” in an attempt to try and get a win he’d covet.

“Other than winning at home, this would be my most desired place to win at,” Birge says. “It’d mean a lot to win here, for sure. Hopefully, I can get a bigger bite or two tomorrow since I know there’s some big fish in there. I just wasn’t able to get them to bite today. They bit yesterday. So maybe they’ll bite tomorrow.”

3. David Walker – Sevierville, Tenn. – 40-8 (15)

Around 12:30 p.m. today, Walker finally got to cull for the first time. What he realized was a pleasant surprise.

“I got [to the back of the boat], and I was like, ‘Jeez, all my fish are big,” says Walker, who weighed in the biggest bag of the day at 15-1. “I didn’t really know what to do.”

That was nice problem to have, especially since Walker’s goal all week was to just catch bags in the “high 12s” to keep moving up. But with that well taken care of, it afforded Walker an opportunity today to do something rare.

“I felt like I needed to explore some ideas I had in my head,” says Walker, who is just fishing things that are “different.” “I never do that, but in this one here, points don’t matter. I felt like I’m in the money. So, just try this, try that to get ready for tomorrow. I’m just fishing really loose and it’s working.”

4. Scott Wiley – Bay Minette, Ala. – 40-5 (14)

When you have four fish for more than 12 pounds, you’re around the right quality. But the fact Wiley couldn’t get No. 5 today cost him dearly.

“I’m real disappointed,” says Wiley about only weighing in four fish. “I had a real good bag going. I couldn’t scratch out that fifth one, and I did everything I could to do it.”

Wiley started in Pool 9 like he has been the first two days. Only, his starting spot didn’t work out as planned. Fortunately, his back-up plan did, as he caught a 4 ½-pounder, 3-pounder and 2-pounder in quick order. Unfortunately, that was it down in Pool 9, and around 1 p.m. he came back up to Pool 8 to fish a frog, which produced a quick 3-pounder. However, he only got one more bite after that, and he doesn’t know if it was a bass.

As for tomorrow, Wiley figures he’s scrapping Pool 9 to try and win in Pool 8.

“We’re going to go out tomorrow, swing for the fence and try to hit it over,” say Wiley. “Hell, worst I can do is finish 10th.”

 5. Jacob Wheeler – Harrison, Tenn. – 39-12 (15)

You don’t get to be the best angler in the sport by playing it safe, and Wheeler is definitely not doing that.

After spending significant portions of the first two days in Pool 7, Wheeler finally committed himself today solely to Pool 8 in hopes of getting the bigger bites. He only got six bites all day, which may not sound great, but he landed all of them, which is a positive change from the last two days when he’s lost some key bites.

That’s encouraging for him, as he knows he’ll need a 15-pound bag to win tomorrow and he feels he has the mindset and spots to make it happen.

“This is the thing: I know where some big ones live, that’s for dang sure.,” says Wheeler. “So tomorrow, I’ll see what I need to do to have a chance to win, because that’s all I really care about is winning. If I finish tenth tomorrow trying to make it happen I’ll be completely OK with it.”

 

Top 10 pros

1. Tom Monsoor – La Crosse, Wis. – 42-0 (15)

2. Zack Birge – Blanchard, Okla. – 40-15 (15)

3. David Walker – Sevierville, Tenn. – 40-8 (15)

4. Scott Wiley – Bay Minette, Ala. – 40-5 (14)

5. Jacob Wheeler – Harrison, Tenn. – 39-12 (15)

6. Tyler Stewart – West Monroe, La. – 39-9 (15)

7. Kyle Hall – Granbury, Texas – 39-0 (15)

8. Bailey Boutries – Daphne, Ala. – 37-13 (15)

9. Clark Reehm – Elm Grove, La. – 37-10 (15)

10. Cody Meyer – Auburn, Calif. – 37-9 (14)

2020 BASS Elites Lake Champlain Day 2: Jamie Hartman Continues to Lead with 42-04lbs!

Canadians Cory Johnston 8th, Chris Johnston 21st. & Gustafson 26th
By David A. Brown
BASS PRESS RELEASE 


Reversing his game plan, Day 1 leader Jamie Hartman of Russellville, Ark., added 20 pounds, 3 ounces to Thursday’s weight of 22-1 and retained the top spot in the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 42-4.

Hartman ended Day 1 by stopping on a rocky point close to the tournament site and catching a 4-pounder 10 minutes before the 3 p.m. weigh-in began. Friday, he started on this spot and quickly lit up the BASSTrakk leaderboard by securing a solid limit of smallmouth in less than two hours.

“I took a lot of pressure off this morning in the first hour and a half, I had 18 1/4 pounds,” said Hartman, a New York native who moved away from his home state to pursue a career in professional bass fishing. “Then I figured I only needed two more 4-pounders, but it took all the way to the last two hours to do it.

“That spot was on my way to a big flat I wanted to fish in the lake’s north end, so I just said I’m going to start there and see if the fish were there, and they sure were. Hopefully, they’ll reload and I’ll get on them tomorrow morning.”

Having fished this spot in years past, Hartman said his nearly immediate bite on Day 1 told him the point held greater potential than he had anticipated. With Friday’s calm, clear conditions contrasting Thursday’s partly cloudy and increasingly breezy complexion, he started Day 2 expecting fireworks and the bass mostly cooperated.

Hartman caught those early fish on a Carolina rig with craw bait on a 3/0 Owner extra-wide gap hook. He used a 1-ounce weight and a 3-foot leader, which helped him keep his bait above the grass.

“The spot had scattered grass and rock, so the Carolina rig was absolutely perfect, and my hookup to landing ratio is really good,” he said. “I said I was going to put it in my hand this week before we started because I lost so many fish last week [at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite on the St. Lawrence River]. I said I’m going to swing with the big one this time.

“I was using a steady retrieve and whenever I’d come through a patch of grass, I’d pop the rig to snap it out of that grass. They’ll whack it every time when I do that.”

By midmorning, he decided he was not going to upgrade on his starting point, so he made a move to avoid burning up too much of the spot’s population. Heading to his northern flat, he focused on scattered grass in about 10 to 15 feet.

“I didn’t want to keep hammering my starting spot,” Hartman said of his plan to manage the bass. “I didn’t even go back to it on the way in. I didn’t want to catch another one off that spot; I need them for tomorrow.”

When the Carolina rig failed to produce, Hartman went to a 1/2-ounce Riot Baits Lil’ Creeper jig with a swimbait trailer. He was again targeting smallmouth but ended up making a key cull with a largemouth around 2:30 p.m.

Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second place with 41-8. After anchoring his fourth-place Day 1 catch of 20-1 with a 5-4 largemouth, Feider added a limit of 21-7 Friday that included another huge largemouth that went 6-6.

Feider caught Friday’s big fish by targeting boat docks with milfoil and flipping a 5/8-ounce Outkast Tackle jig with a chunk-style trailer. While largemouth on marina docks produced most of his Day 1 weight, today told a different tale.

“I did most of my damage this morning on smallies; I ended up weighing four smallies and one buckethead (largemouth),” Feider said. “My smallmouth spot was a grass point in 10 to 12 feet on a big flat. I caught two on drop shot and two on a crankbait.”

Koby Kreiger of Alva, Fla., is in third place with 40-1. After posting 18-1 Thursday, he added 22 pounds on Day 2. Noting that a Heddon Super Spook Jr. and two jerkbaits — a Lucky Craft Pointer 100 and a Megabass Vision 110 — produced his fish, Kreiger said today’s calm, sunny conditions plus a cleaner performance yielded a better sack.

“It slicked off, which made it easier for me to see the fish and for them to see my bait,” Kreiger said. “Yesterday, I jumped off a couple and today, I fished clean.

“I’m fishing a great big flat in 10 feet with isolated rocks and isolated grass patches on it. I can see them pretty far out with my Humminbird 360; that shows me what’s in front of the boat when I’m drifting.

Feider is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-6 largemouth.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. ET at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m.

Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.

The tournament is being hosted by the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, City of Plattsburgh and Clinton County with support from the Office of the Governor of the State of New York.

2020 BASS Elites Lake Champlain Day 1: Jamie Hartman Bests the All with 22-01!

Canadians Chris Johnston 12th, Gustasfon and Cory Johnston tied at 36.
BASS PRESS RELEASE 

Hartman targets largemouth and smallmouth to take lead
as leader board stacks.
(Photo: BASS)

An afternoon decision paid off big for Jamie Hartman of Russellville, Ark., who nabbed a day-ending bonus that helped him claim the Day 1 lead of the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with 22 pounds, 1 ounce.

At the day’s conclusion, Hartman’s name appeared next to three of the Top 10 Big Bass — a 5-pounder, a 4-14 and a 4-4. He also added a 4-0 just 10 minutes before the weigh-ins opened at 3 p.m.

“I upgraded in the last few minutes on the way in; I was pretty much done and I just hit something on the way in, made three casts and caught a 4-pound smallmouth,” said Hartman, a native New Yorker. “That spot was just a steep drop with some grass on top of it. “I’ve fished it in the past and I’ve never caught a big fish off of it, but I’ve caught some decent fish. I was basically scouting for tomorrow, so after catching a 4-pound smallmouth, I think they’re there.”

 Hartman’s late-day bonus spot exemplified the type of habitat he eventually settled into. Finishing his day with a mixed bag of three smallmouth and two largemouth, Hartman actually got off to a slow start but eventually turned his day around by adjusting his location.

 “I went up north and the water was so calm that it was tough for me to get bit at all,” he said. “I ground it out for a while, got a couple of bites and made one move. When I finally made the move to go fish what I wanted to fish, it all came together. I bounced around to several different spots within the same area, making decisions on what to fish.”

 Hartman generally described his area as a mix of rock and grassbeds in 12 to 15 feet. The key, he said, was targeting the right type of grass, specifically taller patches of milfoil.

 “I was watching my electronics and making sure I was around patches of grass,” he said. “I was making sure I was in the high enough grass.”

 Hartman caught his bass on a mix of soft-plastic presentations. Although he tried to get the fish interested in reaction baits early, a Carolina rig proved most productive.

 “I tried to catch them on a swimbait like I did in practice. But there was no wind, so they wouldn’t eat it,” he said.

 With the grassy shallows of the Ticonderoga area at Champlain’s lower end presenting the tempting potential for big largemouth, Hartman admitted he considered making the 70-mile run.

 “When I had a slow start, I thought I had made the wrong decision by not running to Ti, but I slowly started to put it together,” he said. “I just kept reminding myself: pick off one at a time. They’re good ones, so we’ll keep going.”

 Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Ga., is in second place with 21-2. Noting that Champlain’s smallmouth have often confounded him in the past, Gross mainly focused on largemouth Thursday. But with the lake about 4 feet below normal, he caught them in places where he has targeted smallmouth.

2020 FLW Pro Circuit Super Tournament on the Mississippi River Day 2: Tom Monsoor Jumps into Lead with 28-11lbs!

Canadians: Charles Sim 58th & Erik Luzak 163rd
By Sean Ostruszka
FLW PRESS RELEASE
River master using history to capitalize on big bass.
(Photo: FLW)

Anglers came to the Mississippi River expecting two things – to catch a lot of fish and for local legend Tom Monsoor to catch more than most.

The first hasn’t come to fruition. Instead of sore hands from catching dozens of bass a day, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament presented by OPTIMA Batteries has hurt plenty of egos. More than 80 pros today failed to weigh in a limit, and even the top pros are catching maybe 10 keepers a day at best.

Monsoor says the river is fishing as tough as he’s seen it in a while, but that hasn’t stopped him from making the second expectation a reality. He quietly sat in seventh after yesterday, but today he decided to put himself in the familiar pole position thanks to a 14-pound, 8-ounce bag. That moves the La Crosse, Wis., pro to a total weight of 28-11 after two days.

“I can’t believe [the fishing is] as bad as it is,” says Monsoor, who figures the small shad size is a big reason for the tough fishing.  “In two weeks it will be phenomenal [when the shad get a little bigger]. That’s the difference between 15- and 20-pound bags here is three weeks. That’s La Crosse for you.”

If anyone would know it’s Monsoor. The veteran has 27 top 10s and seven victories in various levels of FLW competition on the river to his name. And that level of experience usually benefits a local in a tough tournament like this. But Monsoor says it’s actually hurting him.

 Top 10 pros below

Thursday, July 30, 2020

2020 FLW Pro Circuit Super Tournament on the Mississippi River Day 1: Scott Wiley Grabs Lead with 15-03lbs!

Canadians: Charles Sim 61st & Erik Luzak 149th

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Wiley scored strong average as ounces are critical
on the Mississippi (Photo: FLW) 

As is usual on the Mississippi River, the weights are stacked tight after the first day of fishing in the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament presented by OPTIMA Batteries. Leading the way, Scott Wiley put 15 pounds, 3 ounces on the scale to edge ahead. Behind him, eight other pros caught more than 14 pounds, so he’s got some serious pressure on him from the rest of the pack.

Check back soon for more from the top five pros, and be sure to watch FLW Live tomorrow from 8 a.m. CT until 2 p.m. CT.

Top 10 pros

1. Scott Wiley – Bay Minette, Ala. – 15-3 (5)

2. Jacob Wheeler – Harrison, Tenn. – 14-14 (5)

3. Derrick Snavely – Piney Flats, Tenn. – 14-8 (5)

4. Joey Cifuentes – Clinton, Ark. – 14-6 (5)

5. Jesse Wiggins – Logan, Ala. – 14-5 (5)

6. Ron Nelson – Berrien Springs, Mich. – 14-4 (5)

7. Tom Monsoor – La Crosse, Wis. – 14-3 (5)

8. Bradford Beavers – Summerville, S.C. – 14-2 (5)

9. Robert Nakatomi – Sacramento, Calif. – 14-1 (5)

10. Mitch Crane – Columbus, Miss. – 13-15 (5)

Monday, July 27, 2020

Chris Johnston Wins 2020 BASS St. Lawrence River with 97-08lbs!

Canadians Cory Johnston 7th & Jeff Gustafson 12th 
By David A. Brown
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Johnston become first Canadian to win an Elite event. He scored 20lb limits
each of the four tournament days.
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)
His home waters were off-limits this week, but that didn’t stop Canadian standout Chris Johnston from winning the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a whopping four-day total of 20 smallmouth bass that weighed 97 pounds, 8 ounces. 
The first Canadian to claim an Elite title, Johnston was the only competitor to break 20 pounds each day. Hailing from Peterborough, Ontario, he placed second on Day 1 with 27-0 and held that position for two more days with weights of 24-12 and 23-0.
Entering Championship Sunday a little more than 2 pounds off the lead, Johnston added a final limit of 22-12 to surge ahead of Connecticut pro Paul Mueller and win by a margin of 1-10. Mueller had led the event all three days going into the final round.
“This has been a crazy year fishing-wise for me; I had two of the worst tournaments probably in my career and to bounce back and win on the St. Lawrence, of all places, is just incredible,” said Johnston, who finished 71st and 59th in the first two Elite Series events this year. “I’ve wanted a big tournament win on the St. Lawrence River bad, and it finally came together.
“I’ve watched Bassmaster my whole life and even if you’d asked me three or four years ago, I didn’t think I’d be here in this position. It’s been surreal. I can’t even describe how cool it feels.”
Throughout the week, Johnston used several baits, including a tube, a Ned rig and a black hair jig. On Sunday, he caught his fish on a drop shot with a green pumpkin Berkley Flat Worm. He needed a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight for proper presentations on Lake Ontario, where steady 6- to 8-foot waves made everything more difficult than it had been the three previous days.
The first two days saw Johnston plucking early keepers from a rocky point inside the river and then moving out to fish Lake Ontario rockpiles in 20 to 40 feet. On Saturday and Sunday, he did the majority of his work in the Great Lake.

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Chris Johnston Wins! Chris Johnston Wins!

Chris Johnston wins the 2020 BASS Elite on the St. Lawrence becoming
the first Canadian to win an Elite title!
More information to come.
(Photo: BASS)

Friday, July 24, 2020

2020 Bassmaster Elite St. Lawrence River Day 2: Paul Mueller Hold Lead with 52-02lbs!

Canadians Chris Johnston 2nd, Jeff Gustafson 12th & Cory Johnston 19th
By David A. Brown
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Mueller continues to lead, Chris Johnston ounces behind.
(Photo BASS)

After sacking up 27 pounds, 1 ounce during Thursday’s opening round, Connecticut pro Paul Mueller added 25-1 Friday and maintained the lead in the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a two-day total of 52-2.

Committing his day to the massive waters of Lake Ontario, Mueller started on rock transitions in about 40 feet, but he seemed to struggle in the early going.

“Some of the places I had, they really suspended and those fish got tougher to catch,” Mueller said. “I realized I had to get away from that and once I found fish on the bottom, those fish were easier to catch.

“The fact that the shallower fish didn’t suspend is kind of intriguing, but I also think the deeper fish were feeding on something else other than gobies.”

Mueller got things moving in the right direction around 11:30 a.m. when he boated a 4 1/2-pounder, the first of four big fish he’d catch in about an hour. Moving into shallower areas and fishing rock structure in 20 to 26 feet proved to be the key decision.

He caught all of his fish on a drop shot with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm in the natural shad and goby colors. Noting that his fish seemed much spookier in the day’s clear, calm conditions, Mueller said he had to transition from vertical drops to a cast-and-drag presentation.

“The fish definitely got a little more finicky, and they definitely got a little more boat shy,” Mueller said. “I think boat shadow, livewell noise and the pinging transducer all contributed to that. The big thing for me today was keeping away from the fish.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

2020 Bassmaster Elite St. Lawrence River Day 1: Paul Mueller Claims Lead with 27-01lbs!

Canadians Chris Johnston 2nd, Cory Johnston 19th & Jeff Gustafson 47th
By David A. Brown
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Despite Mueller's giant 7-13lb smallmouth, he only has a 1 ounce
lead over Christ Johnston. (Photo: BASS)  
Paul Mueller grabbed the Day 1 lead at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence with an astounding limit weighing 27-1. Read more!
Tournament wisdom says you can’t win on Day 1, and you can’t win with a single bass.
But one giant bass certainly helped Connecticut pro Paul Mueller to a fantastic start Thursday, as he took the opening-round lead at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a 27-pound, 1-ounce limit. His bag was anchored by a massive smallmouth that weighed 7-13.
Seeking to add another 2020 Elite win to his season-opening victory on Florida’s St. Johns River, Mueller spent his day in Lake Ontario, where he targeted rock transitions in 15 to 35 feet. His area was thick with gobies — a prime smallmouth forage — but Mueller said his open-minded approach was essential to his success.
“I didn’t get locked into a certain depth, even though I caught more fish deeper in practice,” Mueller said. “Today, I caught fish shallower and my Garmin LiveScope was the key. It told me if they were there or not.
“That’s going to be a big deal for me this week — using that LiveScope to pinpoint these fish daily because these fish move. Smallmouth are here today and gone tomorrow. With good electronics, you’re able to stay with them. I’m hoping I can just be consistent.” 
One of 17 competitors to break the 20-pound mark, Mueller caught all of his bass on a drop shot rigged with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm. He alternated between the natural shad and goby colors and used a custom 3/8-ounce Do-it Molds drop-shot weight. 

ICAST 2020: Zman Wins ICAST Hard Lure Awards with JackHamer Stealth Blade


Placing a precious jewel in the crown of the bladed jig category it helped create, Z-Man recently won Best Freshwater Hard Lure at the fishing industry’s preeminent trade show, the 2020 International Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST). Among a multitude of new lures, the exceptional new Z-Man bladed jig garnered the winning votes cast by media and tackle buyers in ICAST’s New Product Showcase.
Already renowned for its phenomenal run of fish-catching, tournament-winning success, the Z-Man / EverGreen ChatterBait JackHammer has now been joined by a subtler, ultra-refined bladed bass jig. 
“The JackHammer StealthBlade is the antidote for bass that have seen endless parades of traditional bladed jigs,” divulges Brett Hite, pro angler and designer of the eminent ChatterBait JackHammer and its radical new finesse offspring, the JackHammer StealthBlade.
The driving force behind the patented new ChatterBait design, a clear, finely-chiseled polycarbonate blade produces a totally different sound and vibration, but like its predecessor, starts thumping intensely with the first half-turn of the reel handle. “I’d say the vibe of the StealthBlade feels a little tighter, hunts with a slightly higher frequency vibration,” asserts Hite, who has won over a million dollars on bladed jigs. “The clear, covert blade is heard, but not seen by bass. It gives off a fresh vibration that hunts in evasive ways and gives the jig’s head a sweet rolling action. The StealthBlade’s compact size adds to its appeal in heavy pressure situations.”

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

ICAST 2020: Set The Hook's Crush Worm

NetBait, in partnership with STH Bait Co introduces the Crush Worm. The Crush Worm is poured with super soft high floating plastic salt and scent. The Crush Worm is available in three sizes 3.75" Crush Worm, 3.5" Stumpy Crush Worm and the 3" Jr. Crush Worm.

ICAST 2020: Lunkerhunt's New Fishing Bag


No boat? No problem. Lunkerhunt’s LTS Avid series backpacks are feature-heavy bags built to handle the roughest of treks. TPE-coated waterproof fabric and heat-sealed seams provide a water-resistant base for this 48L hauler, which includes 2 plastic tackle trays and a spacious interior designed to hold all your gear. Making fishing-on-the-go easier and safer are superior organizational features, such as two adjustable rod holders that free up your hands when on the move, and a shoulder-strap mounted pliers holder to keep the most important tool in your arsenal within reach at all times. The Avid backpack also comes with a built-in carabiner, mesh water bottle holder, watertight side pocket perfect for valuables, and MOLLE mesh onto which you can strap or clip additional gear. The dry pack clip closure and bottom carry straps round out the remaining features of the Lunkerhunt LTS Avid Backpack.

PRODUCT FEATURES
  • 2 Adjustable rod holders
  • Mesh water bottle holder
  • Molle webbing for adding accessories
  • Built in carabiner holder
  • Plier holder on arm strap for easy access
  • Made of TPE-coated waterproof fabric
  • Includes 2 tackle boxes
  • 48L Capacity
  • Easy access side pocket for valuables like phone, wallet, and keys.
  • Dimensions: 14in Wide, 10in Deep, 19in Tall

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Scott Burns and Wayne Misslebrook Win 2020 CSFL Lake Scugog #2 with 17.42lbs!

COMPETITIVE SPORT FISHING LEAGUE
LAKE SCUGOG | PORT PERRY, ON
SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020
  1. SCOTT BURNS & WAYNE MISSELBROOK, 17.42
  2. GEOFF DAVIS & SAM DAVIS, 15.26
  3. STEVE ROWSWELL & COLE VARDY, 14.34
  4. MIKE SLOCKI & JOHN HAWLEY, 13.78
  5. DOUG MONAHAN & ERIC MACHOLD, 13.52
  6. GREG ELCICH & PAUL LEBLANC, 11.78
  7. GARRY MANSHOLT & TYLER MCCLURE, 11.76
  8. MIKE BRAYFORD & RYAN ARCHIBALD, 11.56
  9. EVAN KUNG & ANDRUS KUNG, 11.26
  10. MIKE WILLIAMS & DUANE JACOBS, 11.22
  11. JEFF TRIPP & ADAM SINCLAIR, 11.14
  12. VINCE REYNOLDS & ROB CHAU, 11.06
  13. DANNY GOBOITSIOS & SOTIRI THEOFILAKTIDIS, 10.83
  14. CALEN HOGBEN & DAVE HOGBEN, 10.14
  15. SEAN PALMER & MATT HUBBLE, 9.66
  16. COOPER GALLANT & COLBY BAKER, 9.34
  17. MURDOCK GRAHAM & JAYSON SALIBA, 9.24
  18. SAM LISTRO & JAYDEN KEISSLING, 9.06
  19. JOE FORD & LINDA FORD, 6.74
  20. TOM TSATSKAS & CARLO PUIATTI, 5.92

FULL STANDINGS

Zack Langdon and Dave Langdon Win 2020 CSFL Lake Scugog #1 with 19.05lbs!



COMPETITIVE SPORT FISHING LEAGUE

LAKE SCUGOG | PORT PERRY, ON
SATURDAY, JULY 18, 2020

1. ZACK LANGDON & DAVE LANGDON 19.5
2. RYAN CROWLEY & JAY SHORT 15.72
3. SEAN PALMER & MATT HUBBLE 15.58
4. DOUG MONAHAN & ERIC MACHOLD 15.5
5. GREG ELCICH & CHRIS MONK 15.48
6. GARRY EVANS & BROSE STRICKLAND 15.48
7. STEVE ROWSWELL & COLE VARDY 14.98
8. ROB SACCOCIA & TOMMY NAPIC 14.36
9. GEOFF DAVIS & SAM DAVIS 14.04
10. SCOTT BURNS & WAYNE MISSELBROOK 13.86
11. GARY MANSHOLT 13.7
12. GARRY WILLIAMS & KARL IRONS 13.62
13. JEFF BLANCHARD & ALVAN IRONS 13.48
14. PETER WOROSZ & MIKE RICHARDSON 13.38
15. MARK ROWLEY & JENNA POPP 13.36
16. CALEN HOGBEN & DAVE HOGBEN 12.82
17. ROSS BARTOLO 12.74
18. JERRY MINSHULL & STEVE BELBIN 12.48
19. MIKE HURTLE JR. & MIKE HURTLE 12.38
20. VINCE REYNOLDS & ROB CHAU 12.3

Full standing

Monday, July 20, 2020

ICAST 2020: Set The Hook's New Drifter

NetBait in partnership with STH Bait Co introduces the Drifter. A classic, handcrafted and hand-poured bait with year round application for Bass, Walleye and Ice Fishing. The Drifter is 2.75 inches/69 mm in length. Super soft salted and scented, the Drifter moves freely in drop shot applications with out you having to shake it. 3D eyes give the Drifter a life like appearance to get every fish to stop and have a look.

ICAST 2020: Lunkerhunt's New Popping Bug

The Lunkerhunt Popping Bug floats high and is made of super tough TP Foam that gives it the durability needed to withstand hit after hit during punishing attacks. It pops and gurgles water on the pull, and drops on the pause, resulting in better hookup ratios. Rigged and ready for a fight with a 4/0 wide gap hook, the Popping Bug excels in both open water and the thickest of weeds.

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Thousand Islands Open Cancelled due to Covid 19 Restrictions


The  2020 Thousand Islands Open operated by Renegade Bass Tour has been cancelled as it violated the current Covid 19 restrictions. 


Here's the official statement sent to anglers via Facebook


To all 2020 TIO Participants,
We regret to inform you that we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 TIO.
The city of Kingston has put in place a limit of 100 total participants in the event, which would limit the tournament to 50 boats. This limit would make it entirely unfair for us to prioritize 50 out of the 94 who have registered for the event.
We appreciate all of you and the commitments you've made to fish the event this year and it is with deep regret that we have to cancel. We were very hopeful that the City Of Kingston would allow us to operate however, the regulations mandated by the city and the province do not make it possible for 2020.
All entry fees will be refunded promptly. Janet Eastman (janet@hookset.com) will be in contact with each team during the refund process.