Micah Frazier retiring from Bassmaster Elite Series

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After fishing nine seasons on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Micah Frazier of Newnan, Ga., is stepping away from professional fishing. Over the course of his B.A.S.S. career, Frazier has earned one Elite win, nine Top 10 finishes and 34 Top 30 finishes.

 

Although Frazier has experienced consistent success in the Elite Series, he felt as if now was the right time to step away for his family and future endeavors.

 

“This has been a decision that has been two or three years in the making,” said Frazier. “My family has always been able to travel with me, but with my son (Huck) about to start kindergarten, I just can’t come to peace with leaving them so often when they start school.

 

“I keep reminding myself that if I fish for another 10 years how much time I would miss with my kids, and I truly think that if you gave me the chance at the end of those 10 years, I would absolutely buy that time back.”

 

The five-time Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic qualifier also feels as if some of the business opportunities he’s passionate about have forced him to step back from providing bass fishing the attention it demands to be successful.

 

“I’ve really had to come to grips with the fact that I simply can’t do everything I want to do,” he said. “I feel like I have to free up some space in my life and in my mind. I haven’t been giving fishing the attention it deserves.”

B.A.S.S. boosts Opens with new investment, including expanded live coverage for 2024!

 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As buzz continues around the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, B.A.S.S. officials announced increased payouts and widely expanded coverage for 2024. These enhancements not only reinforce the longstanding stability and popularity of the Opens format, but also highlight the organization’s commitment to leadership in serving the bass fishing community.
Live coverage from all nine Bassmaster Opens will be streamed on Bassmaster.com, with expanded coverage for the 2024 season on FS1, FS2, Tubi and the Fox Sports digital platforms. The newly expanded live coverage on multiple platforms will allow fishing fans to follow the intense competition and see every hookset, battle and weigh-in as they get to know the sport’s rising stars.

“B.A.S.S. continues our commitment to fueling a passion for fishing by entertaining and educating fans as well as serving anglers, who pour their time and efforts into our events. We have been exploring opportunities to further support our Opens Series, and after listening to anglers, fans and industry partners, we are thrilled to announce these exciting changes,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Providing the best possible platform for anglers is a top priority for us, and showcasing all levels of Bassmaster tournament fishing only helps to strengthen the entire sport.”

America Wins XVII Black Bass Fishing World Championship on Sabor Lake, Portugal !

Black Bass Championship format is based on 3, 2-person teams per country. Each team's total it tallied and scored as a whole. Nation and Individual rankings are displayed below. 

Angling All Stars coming to Whitby, Ontario on November 15th!

 

MLF announces strategic plan for 2024 Bass Pro Tour and beyond

MLF returns to its roots, reinstates “every fish counts” format on the Bass Pro Tour, announces exclusive field of 50 anglers in 2025 to showcase top performers

Major League Fishing, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, today announced long-term plans for the Bass Pro Tour, including an investment in increased livestreaming of MLF competition, a return to the “every fish counts” scoring format, and an exclusive roster of 50 anglers for the Bass Pro Tour in 2025 to increase visibility and showcase top performers.

2025 Bass Pro Tour

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour field will feature an all-star roster of 50 anglers comprised of the top 35 pros from the 2024 Bass Pro Tour lifetime Angler of the Year (AOY) standings, the Top 10 anglers from the 2024 Bass Pro Tour single-year standings that did not qualify via the top 35 lifetime AOY standings, and the top five anglers from the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.

Each regular-season 2025 Bass Pro Tour event will be four days with every angler competing the first two days. The Top 20 anglers based on two-day cumulative weight will advance to the Knockout Round (Day 3). Weights will reset in the Knockout Round, and the Top 10 anglers will advance to the Championship Round (Day 4). Winners will be determined by heaviest cumulative weight from the Knockout and Championship rounds.

“The future of our sport is livestreaming, catch-weigh-immediate release and every fish counts,” said MLF President and CEO Boyd Duckett. “By focusing on 50 anglers in a more compact event that’s easy for both die-hard and casual fans alike to follow, we’ll do what other successful leagues have done to grow – focus on a small group of the highest performers and make them the most visible personalities in the sport. It also allows us to enhance what are already the sport’s best payouts.”

First EQ class graduates to Elites

By Mike Suchan

BASSMASTER 

Congratulations and welcome to the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

There were 172 aspiring anglers who competed in the first year of Bassmaster’s Elite Qualifier series, which was comprised of nine St. Croix Bassmaster Opens. The top nine anglers in EQ points graduated to fish the top circuit in B.A.S.S.

While three anglers ran away from the pack, the final spots in the EQ series came down to the final day of fishing.

J.T. Thompkins, John Garrett and Trey McKinney were virtually assured of reaching the Elites before the last Open this past weekend on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes.

With the eighth through 17th EQ spots separated by only a couple dozen points, several anglers were nervous as they leap-frogged one another through the weather-shortened tournament. It went down to the final moments, and the last several had to sweat it out before the reveal.

Link here for to meet the new Elites

Matt Messer Wins 2023 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes!

Late bonus pushes Messer to Bassmaster Open victory at Harris Chain of Lakes

Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day total of 39 pounds, 13 ounces. (Photo: BASS) 

BASS PRESS RELEASE

LEESBURG, Fla. — Two weeks ago, Matt Messer wondered how he would pay for his 2024 tournament entry fees.

But winning the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes completely changed that outlook.

After leading Day 1 with 24 pounds, 6 ounces, the Warfield, Ky., angler added a second-round total of 15-7 and tallied 39-13. Edging Blake Sylvester of Plaquemine, La., by 1-12, Messer won $42,467 and an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic scheduled for March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla.

“I’ve been dreaming of the Classic since I was 5 and now I get a shot at it,” Messer said. “I can hardly talk. I’m torn all to pieces.”

Messer, who won the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Harris Chain presented by Bass Pro Shops with his brother and Kentucky Christian University teammate Lafe Messer, caught both day's limits in Lake Griffin. While Day 1 yielded a 7-14 and a 7-2, the second round saw his lone shot at a kicker fizzle.

“I did not think I was going to catch ‘em,” Messer admits. “I was grinding and I got one big bite, but I didn’t get it in the boat. It was like a 7-pounder.

The Last St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Start Tomorrow on Harris Chain of Lakes!

 

The top 10 Bassmaster EQ Elite Qualifiers will secure a position for the 2024 BASS Elite season. Will Canadian, Jamie Bruce hold onto 10th place? Find all the official results here on IBASSIN.com. 

Billy Gilbert and Brad Brodnicki Crowned 2023 CHAMPIONS with 22.50lbs!

 2023 CANADIAN TIRE LAKE ERIE OPEN

Originally posted Facebook

On Saturday October 7th 100 Teams comprised of 200 anglers blasted off from Chippawa, ON in search of the biggest 5 fish limit of bass they could find. This was our 10th year doing this event since its inception in 2014 and like many times in the past, anglers were met with less than ideal conditions as a cold front was moving in, and brought strong wind and some scattered showers to start the day.

The skies cleared in the morning, but strong winds forecasted prevailed, and the tournament was restricted to the Upper Niagara River Only.

No matter the conditions, there are always teams that can locate and catch a big bag of bass! This year was no different as we saw a total of 388 fish brough to the scales for a total weight of 1440lbs. This means the average bass weighed in was just shy of 3.5lbs, a very healthy average considering not one fish was weighed in over 5lbs! As the weigh in progressed it was apparent that the 4.5lbs and above fish were not easy to find as there were only 6 teams with over 20lbs. Again, the anglers took good care of their fish and we had only 3 dead fish (99% live release) and all others went back into the river healthy and ready to be caught again. Shimano supported in this effort with use of their weigh in bags, and water weigh in technology that we adopted many years ago!

In the end the team of Billy Gilbert and Brad Brodnicki have been crowned the 2023 CHAMPIONS with a total weight of 22.50lbs!! This came with a total of $16,200 in cash and prizes – which consisted of $6500 cash for first, $6900 cash for pay to play (side pot), $1000 Canadian Tire Gift Card, and the Shimano Big Bag award!! Congratulations for huge win in a talented field of anglers! In second place the team of Franklin and Erny Janzen brought 21.00 lbs to the scale and were rewarded with $4000 cash prize! Rounding out the top 3 – Mark Piche and Erick Hodgins had 20.71lbs for $3000 cash prize. Full results are pictured in the attached!

Standings below

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Wishing our Canadian readers a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Abu Garcia Zenon MG-X Spinning Reel

 Abu Garcia’s completion of the premium and high-performance Zenon spinning reel lineup.

Filling out the premium Abu Garcia Zenon spinning reel family, the new Abu Garcia Zenon MG-X spinning reel is designed with the ultimate finesse angler in mind. Designed for anglers who are looking for an ultra-lightweight reel to match with an ultra-sensitive lightweight rod, this reel features a magnesium one-piece asymmetric design and mid-arbor air fin spool. Delivering unparalleled finesse spinning performance in a lightweight and sensitive reel, the Zenon MG-X also delivers when it comes to durability.

KEY FEATURES
• Asymmetric one-piece magnesium gear box design delivers a compact reel design that is ultra-lightweight
• Air fin spool design helps reduce weight
• V-Rotor design reduces start up inertia
• Carbon handle and co-molded handle knob
• AMG fully machined aluminum main gear gives unparalleled smoothness and durability
• 10+1 HPCR bearing system
• Rocket line management system
• Mid arbor spool design
• 6.2:1 gear ratio
• Weight: 2500 – 5.5oz • 3000 – 5.7oz

MSRP: $399.95
Available: September, 2023

To learn more about the Abu Garcia, click.

A Smallmouth Secret: The Carolina Rig

 

A Carolina rig is an old school technique to catch big bass. It works exceptionally well on beast smallmouth. If you encounter heavy wind, giant waves, scattered smallmouth or just cannot figure out finesse, then you need to learn how to Carolina rig. Carolina rig is a secret technique to nail smallmouth. You'll be surprised how how IBASSIN.com rigs up for smallmouth. Listen to Luigi De Rose as he goes through the set up, bait selection and when are where to fish the Carolina Rig for smallmouth.