Chad Poteat: First Honoree in NPFL- Circle of Honor

An extraordinary moment with an extraordinary man at the Championship Banquet.

Story by Ken Duke; photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons 

Occasionally, people are extraordinary.

Through grit, determination, perseverance, resilience, and sheer force of will, they find a way to prevail under circumstances that would crush most of us.

In 2025, NPFL professional angler Chad Poteat, 52, of Mount Airy, North Carolina showed the world that he is one of those extraordinary people. Early this year, Poteat was diagnosed with an aggressive form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (“ALS” or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). It’s a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting neurons in the brain and spinal cord. These neurons control voluntary muscles, like the ones that enable us to walk, talk, swallow, and breathe. With ALS, they gradually weaken, atrophy, and lose their ability to function. Over time, paralysis develops, but cognitive abilities usually remain intact.

It’s a cruel, relentless disease that takes an inevitable toll. That toll has been magnified in the case of Chad Poteat in 2025. In August, his 21-year-old daughter passed away. His 96-year-old mother died less than a month later.

To withstand such loss—even in great health—is a challenge. To do it with a debilitating disease seems unthinkable.

Poteat and his wife Alaine did it.

MillerTech expands sponsorship of Major League Fishing, named presenting sponsor of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit

Larger and Deeper Payouts for New Season

BENTON, Ky. – Major League Fishing, the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, announced today that MillerTech Energy has renewed its sponsorship agreement with the organization and expanded their agreement into a multi-year partnership that now encompasses all MLF circuits, including being named the presenting sponsor of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit. The new multi-year deal strengthens MillerTech’s status as an Official Sponsor of MLF while continuing several high-profile assets across the league’s premier events and enhancing Pro Circuit payouts.

As part of the agreement, the Pro Circuit will now be titled the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech Energy. MillerTech’s presence will also extend across the MLF Bass Pro Tour, REDCREST, Heavy Hitters and Team Series, highlighted by the popular “MillerTech Time Clock” feature during live broadcasts. The company will also maintain its footprint at the annual REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo and expand digital, broadcast and social media activations throughout the season.

“We are proud to continue our partnership with Major League Fishing and excited to expand into the presenting sponsorship of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit,” said Lester Miller, owner of MillerTech Energy. “Our company was built on performance, reliability and customer service, and those values align perfectly with the passion and dedication of MLF anglers and fans.”

Scott Canterbury Wins 2025 NPFL Lake Logan Martin in Alabama

Scott Canterbury Wins 2nd NPFL Event in 2025. (Photo: Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons)

Story by Justin Brouillard, NPFL Press Release

Alabama angler Scott Canterbury wins his second NPFL event of the season, capping off a stellar 2025 with a $100,000 payday in his home state, at a place he loves to fish, especially in the fall. What is meant to be will be, they say, and Canterbury proved it this week. After a decent Day One, he kicked off the event with 13-15, putting him in the top five.

He added his biggest bag of the event on Day Two, weighing 17-5, and moved into the lead going into Showdown Saturday. This morning, he left the docks as boat one, leading the field, and had his toughest day of the week. His 10-1 limit was enough to edge Tennessee angler Brandon Perkins by just 6 ounces, capping an emotional finish.

Canterbury also took home big bass honors with his Day Two lunker. The 6-4 came in the midst of running a stretch of deep spots, where Canterbury has a lot of history. “I used to fish that brush pile back in the day before technology, triangulating myself to fish it. I cast in, had no idea there was a fish there, had no idea he was looking at my bait, and when I set the hook I had no idea how big it was—just like I grew up fishing,” he said.

Canterbury Brings It Home

Under tough summer/fall conditions, a big bite is hard to come by, but his magical Day Two was the sealing moment of the week, moving the Alabama angler into the lead and putting him in position to win his second event of 2025.

After a tough practice, in which he sampled the entire lake, he landed on some deeper spots on the south end that ended up producing the majority of his weight. Knowing so much about Logan Martin, he learned quickly where it might go down—but he didn’t know it would be him.

TOP 10 BELOW

Flambeau® NextGen™ Tackle Box: A New Spin on a Classic Design for Today’s Angler

 

Flambeau Outdoors® has reengineered the DNA of the over 60-year-old trunk-style cantilever tackle box. Flambeau knows that anglers face various fishing applications and scenarios on the water. Many factors can affect the bite, proving that various gear and tackle options are critical to success. Protecting and organizing hooks, baits, floats, sinkers, and tools allows anglers to be efficient with precious time and make the most of every cast.  Generations of anglers have invested time on the water with trunk-style cantilever tackle boxes, creating both tradition and nostalgia. Time-honored heritage, whether panfish in a farm pond, catfish at a community lake, or bass fishing in a reservoir, cannot be overlooked. The Flambeau NextGen™ Tackle Box suits various angling applications and is practical for experienced anglers and brand-new fishermen.   The iconic product line features a top entrance bulk storage compartment for full access without compromising tools and gear like needle-nose pliers, line clippers, and fillet knives. Pivoting swing trays instead of stacked cantilever trays open with ease. A new fast dial latch for secure closure and an integrated storage space for stowing Tuff Tainer utility boxes nearly doubles the tackle volume capacity of traditional tray boxes, despite sharing the same standard exterior dimensions. Proudly made in the U.S.A., the NextGen tackle boxes are Built to Fish. Built to Last™.

Flambeau NextGen Specs: Item #: 440NGA Product Exterior Dimensions: 14" L x 8.7" W x 7.6" H Compartments: 4 Trays / 23 Compartments + Top Bulk Flambeau NextGen Features: Top entrance bulk storage compartment with extra deep bobber box (345 cu. in.) 4 pivoting swing trays with 23 individual tackle compartments (142 cu. in.) - Compartment sizes: 5" Max / 1.5" Min Easily access specific tackle from individualized anti-migration pivot trays Fast dial latch for secure closure Integrated storage space for stowing a 4000 Series Tuff Tainer adds 16-24 compartments (Not included) Proudly made in the U.S.A.

The 9 Lives of Line

 

 XBRAID’s new FULLDRAG X9 brings big game fishing the pinnacle in 9-strand braided line technology and advanced manufacturing techniques

Not so long ago, 8-strand – aka 8-carrier – braided lines were all the range. New offerings were popping up like prairie dogs. Now, legitimate fishing line brands offer at least one 8-strand variety. But no, 8-carriers weren’t enough. It was inevitable that somebody would push the envelope and develop a 9 strander.

But like the goldrushes for who could pack the most ball-bearings in a reel or slap the most X’s on a graphite blank, smoke and mirrors are aplenty. Just because a spool reads 9-strand, doesn’t mean it’s worth the tiny cardboard box it’s packaged in.

Fortunately, the fishing world has dependable and time-honored brands like XBRAID... Its parent company, Japan’s YGK, traces its lineage back to 1945 and the pioneering company’s first braided line to 1953 – spun threads for hand fishing. Over the decades, YGK has earned a reputation with anglers worldwide for producing the highest quality fishing lines, especially those sporting the XBRAID name. And now, the fishing line master craftsmen present XBRAID FULLDRAG X9, a technical and purposeful 9-carrier braided fishing line that surpasses all others. 

Sizes and strengths below

Emil Wagner Wins 2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops; John Crews Advances to 2026 Classic!

Elite Series pro Emil Wagner claims the title at the very first Elite Qualifier tournament on Lake Champlain. 

By Andrew Canulette

BASS Press Release

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Before the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops even started, Emil Wagner was telling anyone who would listen how much he loves this lake.

Now that the tournament is complete, he can shout it even louder.

Wagner, a 27-year-old Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro, topped the 105-angler field with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 69 pounds, 2 ounces. That’s the heaviest three-day winning total on Champlain in B.A.S.S. history, which is saying a lot given how frequently B.A.S.S. has visited this 278,000-acre mammoth fishery that forms a large portion of the New York/Vermont border.

Because Wagner is already qualified for next year’s Elites, he was one of 10 anglers in the field who wasn’t eligible to earn EQ points at Champlain. He made the 20-plus hour journey from Marietta, Ga., because he enjoys fishing Champlain more than any other tournament water in the world. There was also a $58,049 check awaiting the winner, which Wagner happily pocketed after hoisting the first Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops trophy aloft Saturday afternoon at Plattsburgh Boat Basin on the Champlain shore.

“I asked my buddies when we were on the way up here, ‘Why are we driving this far to fish this tournament?’” Wagner said. “We all just love catching smallmouth … This place is the absolute best.”

Wagner climbed atop the leaderboard on Day 2 after catching a 23-9 limit, which tied for second heaviest of the derby. Combined with the 22-2 he caught on Day 1, he entered Championship Saturday with 45-11 and a mere 2-ounce lead over Day 1 leader Matt Messer.

Wagner caught 23-7 on Saturday to pull away from Messer, who caught 22-12 on the final day and finished second overall with 68-5. 

The 23-year-old native of Warfield, Ky., said finishing second was bittersweet, but he was happy to leave Champlain with a full 95 EQ points. That puts him atop the EQ standings with two of the three EQ events to go — at Alabama’s Wheeler Lake on Oct. 2-4 and Florida’s Lake Okeechobee on Nov. 13-15. The Top 10 in the EQ points standings when those events are complete will earn invites into the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

2025 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier At Lake Champlain Presented by Bass Pro Shops Day 1: Messer Snags Leader!

By Andrew Canulette

BASS Press Release

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Matt Messer wasn’t necessarily joking when he said he can’t catch smallmouth bass.

But Thursday, on Day 1 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops, Messer pounded the lake’s legendary smallmouth population, eventually weighing a five-bass limit for 23 pounds, 9 ounces on a blustery day here in the far northeast corner of the Empire State.

Messer, a 23-year-old native of Warfield, Ky., is a self-confessed sucker for largemouth bass, so his success with Champlain’s smallies surprised him.

 “I had over 20 pounds (of smallmouth bass) at about 10 o’clock this morning and then caught two bigger ones late,” Messer said. “It was a pretty consistent bite all day. I culled out like eight 4-pounders today … I saw some stuff in practice but didn’t have a set spot to go to, so I was kind of bouncing around this morning. But I landed on ’em big time this morning and I didn’t leave ’em there … I got every bite I could. It was a fun day.”

So fun, in fact, that Messer never had to look for the largemouth he figured he’d need to get a solid start to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series. Instead, he focused on an area measuring about 1 1/2 miles long and hammered the smallies from the start on Thursday. He said his best bites came from pairs and trios of smallmouth bass suspended throughout Champlain’s water column.

The weather is expected to change some overnight, with temperatures dropping from the lower 70s on Thursday to the 50s for much of the fishing time on Friday. Sustained winds of 10-15 mph are expected to blow from the north, as well, which could scatter bass and the bait they’re chasing on Champlain.

No matter, Messer said. He’ll stick with what put him in the pole position on Day 1.

“I tried to catch largemouth all during practice (and got nothing,)” he said. “I don’t know how these boys are doing it. I love largemouth fishing, but I can’t catch ’em here. So, I’m sticking with the smallmouth.”

---

Grae Buck, a 35-year-old pro from Green Lake, Pa., finished Day 1 with a 23-8 limit, only an ounce behind Messer’s total.

“It was the best day I’ve ever had on Champlain,” Buck said. “Everything went right.”

Like Messer, Buck started on the smallmouth bite and had a limit within an hour after take-off. That allowed him to spend much of the day “headhunting” for largemouth bass, and unlike the guy he’s trailing, Buck built his bag on largemouth. His 5-11 was the Phoenix Boats Big Bass on Thursday but he also bagged another 5-pound largemouth and added a 5-pound smallmouth to his mix.

“I found two good largemouth that put me over the top today,” he said. “I don’t know if I can do it again tomorrow, but we’re gonna’ try. It was the perfect start to the EQs. I know Champlain better than the other places we’re going, so I wanted to make it count this week.”

Until Thursday, though, Buck said he’s not had great success at this 278,000-acre mammoth lake straddling the New York/Vermont border.

“I’ve fished here a lot … cashed checks here,” he said. “But I’ve never had a Top 10 here. I spent a lot of time here before the off-limit (period) and tried to get really dialed in. One of the areas (I found in pre-fishing) really paid off today.”

Rounding out the Top 5 on Day 1 of the tournament are Tennessee’s Christian Nash with 22-13; local favorite Alec Morrison, of Peru, N.Y., with 22-10; and Alabama veteran Russ Lane right behind with 22-9.

A total of 105 pros are competing on Champlain, with 97 of them in the EQ field. The 10 atop the points standings following the season’s three EQ tournaments will earn an invitation into the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. The other two EQ tournaments in 2025 are scheduled for Alabama’s Wheeler Lake Oct. 2-4 and Florida’s Lake Okeechobee Nov. 13-15. 

In addition to first-place checks of some $58,000, the three winners will earn spots in the 2026 Bass Pros Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour when it’s held in Knoxville on the Tennessee River in March. 

The 10 pros at Champlain who aren’t in the EQ group are fishing for a Classic berth and part of $294,000 to be split among the Top 40 anglers in the field. 

The Top 50 anglers in the points in both Division 1 and 2 of this year’s Opens qualified for the EQs. The circuit also was open to any 2025 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro as well as the Top 3 anglers in the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance.

Day 2 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops takes off at 7 a.m. ET Friday from the Plattsburgh Boat Basin. Weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. ET from the same location. The field will be cut to the Top 10 on Saturday for the final day of fishing.

Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com each day. Live coverage of Championship Saturday will be streamed on Bassmaster.com as well as the Roku Sports Channel from 7-10 a.m. ET and 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

This event is being hosted by The Adirondack Coast.

The 2025 Bassmaster Elite Qualifier Series Start Today on Champlain!

By B.A.S.S. Communications

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Lake Champlain has hosted many national level bass tournaments over the years, all carrying various levels of significance.

This week, however, career trajectories hang in the balance at the lake often referred to as the sixth Great Lake.

The Bassmaster Elite Qualifier Series gets started Thursday with a 106-boat field, some of whom are chasing a ticket to the 2026 Elite Series field while others are seeking to maintain their spot on the Elite Series roster. Still others are gunning for a berth in the 2026 Bassmaster Classic.

How'd They Get Here

The top 50 finishers in both divisions of the Bassmaster Opens will be joined by a handful of current Elite Series pros and the top 3 finishers from the 2024 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship as the three-event series gets under way this week. Divisional points are zeroed and the Top 10 in EQ points will receive invitations to fish the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

The winner of each EQ event will also clinch a spot in the 2026 Classic next March in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Venue

“Champlain can be overwhelming, because it is a gigantic body of water,” said Elite Series pro Kyle Patrick. “It’s hard because these (anglers) have to swing for the fence in order to make (or requalify for) the Elites.”

Indeed, the 435-square-mile natural lake straddling the New York/Vermont border offers boundless opportunity for smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing, with tremendous habitat diversity. Patrick believes the entire lake could be in play, but the seasonal focus will be clear.

“Fall feed baby!” he said of the event’s expected theme. “We’ve had some really cool nights, so it’s fall here in Upstate New York.”

As Patrick pointed out, the region’s drought conditions have pulled Champlain out from its usual shorelines. A week and a half before the tournament, Champlain stood a little more than 3 feet below its average annual level of 96.5 feet. (The record low was 92.4 feet in 1908.)

ANGLER LIST BELOW

Nishine Lures BQ Frog Release Dates Coming Soon!

Nishine Lures has up-dated their release dates for their much anticipated topwater frog. 

In a journal post they wrote: 

Our original plan was to release the white, clear, and black colors around mid-September, and the bullfrog, brown frog, and albino frog colors around mid-October, but mass production is taking longer than expected, and we are now seeing a significant delay in shipping dates.

Based on the current situation, we estimate the shipping times to be as follows (if everything goes smoothly):

White, clear, black: late October to early November
Bullfrog, brown frog, albino frog: late November to early December

We did our best to finish it in time for frog season, but we are truly sorry that we were unable to do so.

IBASSIN rules #4 The Jika Rig

Want the edge to catch more bass? Learn how to use Japan's newest craze, the Jika Rig.

This how-to video will explain why the Jika rig is ideal for fishing soft plastics. Regardless if you're punching grass or finesse fishing for smallmouth, this rig is for you.

B.A.S.S. announces 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens schedule, Live Sonar rule change and EQ qualifications updates

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today unveiled the schedule for the 2026 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN, eight tournaments spread across two divisions that will challenge anglers on some of the country’s most iconic fisheries.
• Jan. 29-31 — Kissimmee Chain (Kissimmee, Fla.)
• Apr. 1-3 — Lake Eufaula (Eufaula, Ala.)*
• Apr. 30-May 2 — Lake Norman (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Aug. 20-22 — Lake Erie (Buffalo, N.Y.)*
• Feb. 19-21 — Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Jasper, Texas)*
• Apr. 23-25 — Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees (Grove, Okla.)
• May 20-22 — Pickwick Lake (Counce, Tenn.)*
• June 18-20 — Upper Mississippi River (La Crosse, Wis.)

CSFL National Classic XXX

The secret’s out! Announced at the CSFL National Classic XXIX Anglers Meeting, we’re excited to reveal that the CSFL NATIONAL CLASSIC XXX will take place on Lake Couchiching, Orillia! 2026 marks a milestone as we celebrate 30 seasons of the CSFL.

Who will claim the title at the CSFL National Classic XXX? It could be YOU!

Registration is now open! We look forward to seeing you on the water.

Steve Lopez Wins 2025 the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship Presented by Phoenix Boats on the Mississippi River.

Fishing a few hours from the house, Steve Lopez got it done with his whole family on hand. Photo by Rob Matsuura

By Jody White

Initiations Press Release

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Heading into the event, Steve Lopez was a firm tournament favorite in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship Presented by Phoenix Boats on the Mississippi River. Sunday, with his third bag over 16 pounds of the event, the Wisconsin pro delivered, winning his first event with MLF and earning $100,000 and REDCREST qualification in the process.

Lopez tallied 16-2 on Day 1, 16-3 on Day 2 and then 16-10 on the final day for a 48-15 total. It was enough to move him up from fourth place, as leaders Banks Shaw and Alex Davis both faltered on the final day. Lopez finished 1-5 clear of Shaw, who finished his stupendous season with yet another top five.

Pool 7 pays out again for Lopez

Back in 2023, Lopez finished runner-up in the Invitationals event on the Mississippi River. He ran a remarkably similar game plan then, mostly plying a wacky rig on eelgrass holes and edges (which was also how Matt Stefan won the event). So, what MLFNOW! viewers saw on Day 3 looked pretty familiar, but it was not the original plan.

“In practice, they were really eating the frog. I found some fish that were really special,” said Lopez. “I was looking at the weather, and I prepared for the tournament and the weather. The water was supposed to drop, and I had a feeling with the wind and the weather I had to figure out something other than that.

“I felt 50 pounds would have a shot to win this tournament,” he added. “I had a plan Day 1 to go out and blast 20 pounds, but after that happened, I thought if I could go out and catch all 3-pounders or 3 1/4-pounders, I could have a shot to win this thing. I know how the river gets on Day 2 – the weights tend to compress – and if you’re consistent on this river, you usually win the tournament.”

While Lopez weighed three frog fish on Day 1, he rapidly and successfully transitioned to eelgrass edges.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series season Coin Toss for FFS!

For the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series season, anglers voted for limitations of Forward-Facing Sonar. What limitations? Some can say screen size or number of transducers, others wanted half the schedule it be allowed and the other half be restricted. How do we choose which events allow and restrict the use of FFS? A good ole fashioned coin flip determining how the 5 to 4 split would be determined.

Johnston Brothers Victorious at the 2025 CISA Kingston Open!

Massive smallmouth showcase the 2025 CISA Kingston Open 

Photo: Facebook CISA-Canada Bass

By Luigi De Rose

Kingston- The eastern portion of Lake Ontario is infamous for 2 things: giant smallmouth and sporty weather. Now a third can be added; Cory and Chris Johnston are smallmouth kings. After 3 days of competition, August 29-31, the Johnstons dominated the inaugural Canadian International Sportfishing Association (CISA) Kingston Open with spectacular feats of fishing. Leading wire-to-wire, the pair brought in fifteen smallmouth bass for a 3-day total of 83-14 lbs, a 5.53 lb average. 

Official practice was met with high winds, rain and finicky smallmouth. Many of the 66 2-angler teams who were competing for $50 000 first place prize opted to focus on the St. Lawrence River with the mindset that tournament officials would limit anglers to the river only due to high winds. On Friday, the weather calmed allowing anglers to reach their magic spots as far west as Prince Edward County and down stream as Prescott on the St. Lawrence River. 

B.A.S.S. announces Live Sonar rule change for 2026 Elite Series

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S., the worldwide authority on bass fishing, today announced an update to its forward-facing live sonar (FFS) policy that will take effect during the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season.

Beginning in 2026, forward-facing live sonar will only be permitted in up to five of the nine regular-season Elite Series events. Which events allow the technology will be determined randomly. The remaining events will prohibit its use entirely, including during official practice. Restrictions implemented for 2025 — limiting anglers to one live sonar transducer and a maximum of 55 total screen inches — will remain in place. The 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour will allow FFS, since all qualifiers earned their spot under the 2025 rules.

This decision follows two years of careful evaluation. In 2025, B.A.S.S. scheduled a diverse set of fisheries to naturally limit FFS dominance, and winners in nearly half of the season’s events relied primarily on traditional tactics. However, live sonar still influenced outcomes across the board. Many stakeholders within the bass fishing community, including fans and B.A.S.S. members, continued to voice concerns about live sonar use and its influence on competition. Elite Series anglers, through the Angler Board of Professionals (ABP), also asked for more limitations for the 2026 season.

Advanced Drifting [Minn Kota Drift Mode]

Professional walleye fishing guide, Brad Hawthorne explains how Minn Kota Drift Mode has revolutionized walleye fishing by providing precise boat control while drifting walleye hot spots. Traditional drifting methods relied heavily on wind conditions or current, leaving anglers at the will of Mother Nature. However, with Drift Mode, anglers can effortlessly stay in the strike zone longer by dialing in their drift direction, exact speed over water, and much more at the push of a button.  

Learn more: https://minnkota.johnsonoutdoors.com/

Skeeter Boats Expands Partnership with Minn Kota and Humminbird

  New 2025 Skeeter FXR, APEX, FLEX, PRO and ZXE packages now include Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging 2 option and full Minn Kota/Humminbird product integration

 

Skeeter Boats is deepening its long-standing partnership with Johnson Outdoors by making Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging 2 an option on all 2025 models. These flagship packages will also feature a complete suite of integrated Minn Kota and Humminbird products—trolling motors, shallow water anchors, sonar, battery chargers, and the all-new Humminbird XPLORE—giving anglers a fully connected, competition-ready electronics system straight from the factory.

By including the Humminbird MEGA Live 2 and XPLORE, Skeeter boats provide an intuitive, high-performance setup designed to take the guesswork out of rigging your new boat. With everything seamlessly integrated at the factory, the system ensures ease of use and flawless performance—making it easier than ever to get out on the water and start fishing without delays or additional setup.

“Johnson Outdoors is proud to continue pushing the boundaries of fishing technology with Skeeter,” said Betsy Radue, Director of Brand Management. “By bringing Humminbird’s MEGA Live Imaging 2 and the all-new Humminbird XPLORE to Skeeter’s high-performance boats, we’re offering anglers the precision and reliability they need to fish smarter and more effectively.”

Improve Baitcasting Skills Without Backlashes with the Max X EZ Cast Baitcast Combo

Abu Garcia develops revolutionary anti-backlash system incorporated in the Max X EZ Cast Combo

  Abu Garcia is breaking down the barrier to baitcasting with the Max X EZ Cast Baitcast Combo—a combo designed specifically to eliminate the intimidation factor of learning to use a baitcast reel. Whether you're new to using a casting reel or just looking to refine your technique, this combo delivers pro-level features in an easy-to-use package.

At the heart of the Max X EZ Cast Combo is Abu Garcia’s revolutionary anti-backlash system, which automatically controls the spool to eliminate frustrating line tangles. An integrated on/off switch lets anglers toggle the system off once they've mastered their casting technique, offering the perfect blend of learning support and performance versatility.

“Baitcast reels have long been considered too complicated for beginner anglers, our goal was to change that,” said Andrew Wheeler, Director of Brand and Product at Abu Garcia. “With the Max X EZ Cast, we’ve taken a big step forward in making casting reels more approachable without compromising on quality or feel.”

The reel is built with a graphite frame and sideplates for lightweight strength, while a 3+1 bearing system ensures smooth retrieves. It also comes pre-spooled with 10 lb. line—making it ready to fish right out of the box. Paired with a 6' medium-action carbon composite rod, the combo features stainless steel guides and a split-grip EVA handle for comfort and control. The Max X EZ Cast Combo is your all-in-one ticket to mastering the casting game and expanding your skillset on the water.

Key Features:
• An innovative and easy-to-use anti-backlash system that automatically controls the speed of the spool eliminating line twists and tangles for a smoother, beginner-friendly baitcasting experience
• 3 Bearing + 1 roller bearing provides smooth operation
• Graphite frame and sideplates
• Pre-spooled with 10 lb. Line
• 6’ Medium action lightweight carbon composite rod in 1 pc. or 2 pc.
• Lightweight graphite composite blank with EVA split grip handle design

MSRP: $59.99
Available: August 2025