FLW & MLF Revamped Pro Circuit with Super Tournament

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Though the 2020 tournament season will surely be remembered for the weeks that anglers spent off the water while waiting out the COVID-19 pandemic, today FLW is rolling out major changes to the remainder of this season’s Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit that will result in some of the most memorable professional bass tournaments in history once everyone returns to competition. 

Among the changes, the organization has extended an invitation to Major League Fishing’s pro anglers to join the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit for three newly created “Super Tournaments” that include an expanded roster and higher payouts. The Super Tournaments are made possible by the abbreviated schedules announced recently by MLF and FLW.

Because both organizations’ seasons have been cut short due to the timing of television production schedules and COVID-19-related schedule interruptions, FLW’s invitation to join together provides additional opportunities for pros who choose to participate.

All Pro Circuit anglers will retain their spots on the roster, but the field size will be expanded to include any MLF pros that commit to competing in all three events. MLF Pros have been given until May 15 to indicate their intent to fish, which means the roster could be final as soon as May 16.

While the total number of anglers is yet to be determined, the boost in entry fees paid by the MLF pros, plus an extra investment from the League, could result in tournament payouts of approximately $3.8 million through three events (a $1.37 million increase), depending on field size. Assuming a 200-boat field, 50 percent of the anglers will earn at least $10,000 at every tournament. Along with increased payouts, FLW will deliver an expanded four-day FLW Live on-the-water broadcast. 

These changes aid anglers as they look to not only overcome the challenges caused by COVID-19, but to create even greater interest in the tournaments among fans. Without question, the 2020 Super Tournaments will feature the most accomplished roster of anglers currently competing in a five-bass-limit tournament format. 

Schedules below

Team Canada Wins Gold at 2019 Pan AM on St. Lawrence River

MDJ and B. Lat Top Team

By Jody White

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Stand on Guard for Thee.
(Photo: FLW)

Though Team USA locked up the top three places, Team Canada placed six teams in the top 10 and averaged 38.98 pounds to win the Pan American Bass Championship on Lake St. Francis. Results were tallied based on the average weight brought in by each team in the two sessions of fishing, which almost guaranteed an extremely close finish. Earning a silver medal, Team USA finished just a hundredth of a pound back with a 38.97 average.

Earning bronze, Team Mexico had a tough afternoon overall and finished with a 28.62 average. Team Akwesasne First Nations brought up the rear with a 23.97 average.

Nicolas Gendron and Jason Gramada were the highest-finishing Canadian team at fourth, and they also weighed the big fish of the day, a behemoth 6.26-pound smallmouth.

Gramada and Gendron took a power approach to the day, and as one of the truly local teams in the event, they were able to fully apply their history on St. Francis. 

“We’re from here, we’ve got a lot of history here, we’ve won some Canadian Opens on this body of water,” says Gramada. “This time of year, the fish migrate up towards the dam. It’s kinda unique, there are three major spawning tributaries, and I think they do their wintering there to get ready for the spring spawn. So, it’s not a secret, that’s why the weights are so close – it would have been way different fishing had it been a July or august tournament.”

Avoid 3 Common Ledge Fishing Mistakes with Michael Neal

As largemouth bass complete the spawn, they'll slip into deeper water and school in large groups. With large clusters of bass living in the deep water, anglers and fish will focus on structure. At times, fishing can a fast and furious. Time it incorrectly and expect a lot of frustration.

Jackall GoVacho Frog with FLW Pro Cory Johnston

Cory Johnston is the real deal. He's been doing great on the FLW Tour level and frog fishing is key to his success. Check out the new 3 tailed GoVacho frog by Jackall. It not just a simple hollow body frog.

Jackall Rerange Jerkbaits with FLW Pro Cory Johnston

Spring time is jerkbait time. Actually, these is no bad time to jerk a jerkbait. Listen to FLW Tour pro and BASS winner Cory Johnston as he explains why you need to buy a Jackall Rerange jerkbait for bass fishing. It comes in a 110 and 130 sizes perfect for all your needs.

2018 FLW Tour Roster Announced

187 FLW Tour Pros ready for 2018

by FLW

Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) announced today the complete professional angler roster for the upcoming 2018 FLW Tour season, the 23^rd season of the FLW Tour. The 2018 FLW Tour features seven regular-season tournaments around the country with competition kicking off when FLW returns to Lake Okeechobee, Jan. 25-28 in Clewiston, Florida, and is headlined by the world championship of bass fishing, the Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita, Aug. 10-12 in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Demand for entry into the 2018 FLW Tour was unprecedented, with well over 200 pros registering last week. Per the FLW Tour qualifying process, 160 pros gained priority entry based on finishing the 2017 FLW Tour ranked in the top 100 pros or in the top 10 co-anglers, finishing a 2017 Costa FLW Series division ranked in the top 10 pros, or winning the TBF National Championship or the T-H Marine BFL All-American as a boater.

Additionally, there was record demand for sponsor entries, which do not count toward the maximum field size. To accommodate qualified anglers and sponsor entries, including those from loyal Ranger boat owners, the 2018 FLW Tour will feature 187 pros.

Click here for full FLW Tour Pro Roster

CSFL to Run FLW Canada Tournaments in 2018

CSFL & FLW join forces in 2018
By Luigi De Rose

On Friday, October 20, 2017, FLW formally announced that CSFL will be taking over FLW Canada tournaments. The FLW Canada Cup will be held on August 16-18, 2018 on Bay of Quinte (bay only). The full schedule and event locations have yet to be released.  All FLW Canada tournaments will be open to all anglers and no FLW Canada membership is not required.

Here is the official press release:

FLW has reached an exclusive licensing agreement with the Canadian Pro Bass Tour to assume operation of FLW Canada bass tournaments. The agreement was signed by FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel and Andrew Pallotta, president of the Canadian Pro Bass Tour.
“Canadian bass anglers are among the best in the world, and they deserve world-class events in which to showcase their talent,” Fennel says. “We are excited to announce Andrew Pallotta as our new partner in Canada. We are confident that his extensive background in tournaments and sport shows will further elevate the status of FLW Canada tournaments and provide a promotional platform befitting such a talented group of anglers.”

FLW Canada will continue to advance two pros and two co-anglers to the Costa FLW Series Championship each year, where they will compete against the full field and other International Division anglers from China, Korea, Mexico and South Africa. The highest finisher in the International Division will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup.

FLW Canada in Jeopardy Next Year

By Luigi De Rose

According to FLW Canada's Facebook page the 2018 season will have some major changes. Shootout Fishing League (SFL) and Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) were unable to come to terms. FLW has yet to officially announce who will be running their tournaments in Canada. Considering the series has only run two seasons, they were well attended and well run.  

Here is their statement:

Shootout Fishing League (SFL) and Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) were unable to reach a contract renewal agreement. Even though SFL will no longer be operating FLW Canada, there is an organization that will be taking over these operations and continue with the FLW Canada tournaments. An official announcement will be made by FLW soon.

“It has been an honor to work with such incredible anglers over the past three seasons, and we are looking forward to building on our existing SFL brand and running events in the same ethical manner we always have with FLW and SFL. It is unfortunate that an agreement could not be reached, but we are excited for the future and growth of SFL while continuing to put our anglers first.” - Cory Banford

2017 Costa FLW Series 1000 Islands Day 1: Cory Johnston Leads with 23-07lbs!

Three time AOY Johnston leads tight field

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Cory becoming one of the hottest smallmouth sticks ever.
(Photo: FLW)

Cory Johnston was the first man to weigh in, and he set the bar high on day one of the Costa FLW Series presented by Evinrude on the 1000 Islands. Leading off with 23 pounds, 7 ounces of smallmouths plucked from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, the FLW Tour pro leads by 9 ounces over fellow Tour pro Kurt Mitchell.

Cory Johnston was the first man to weigh in, and he set the bar high on day one of the Costa FLW Series presented by Evinrude on the 1000 Islands. Leading off with 23 pounds, 7 ounces of smallmouths plucked from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, the FLW Tour pro leads by 9 ounces over fellow Tour pro Kurt Mitchell.

“It went a little better than I thought it would,” says Johnston of his effort on day one. “I wasn’t sure how big my deep fish were. I knew there were 4-pounders, but it turns out there were some 5-pounders mixed in.”

Johnston is as local as they come, and between he and his brother, Chris, the pair has hundreds of days on the water at the 1000 Islands. Because of that, the leader from Cavan, Ontario, had plenty of options.

“I started in the river and then made it out to the lake and caught most of my fish there,” says Cory, who hasn’t decided on a plan for Friday yet. “The wind is supposed to switch directions, and I have a lot of stuff that should be sheltered. But I might just go back to where I caught them today. I’m going to have to see what the wind does in the morning.”

Cory says he fished both shallow and deep, and landed 10 or 12 solid fish. He did lose a key 5-pounder late in the day. Fishing a deep spot in the river, the big smallmouth broke his line after surfacing near the boat.

Top 10 pros

1. Cory Johnston – Cavan, Ont. – 23-7 (5)

2. Kurt Mitchell – Milford, Del. – 22-14 (5)

3. Joseph Fonzi – Gasport, N.Y. – 22-8 (5)

4. Cal Climpson – Sharon, Ont. – 22-6 (5)

5. Jason Putman – Cicero, N.Y. – 21-11 (5)

6. Jason Bacon – Nutting Lake, Mass. – 21-6 (5)

7. Matt Becker – Finleyville, Penn. – 21-4 (5)

8. Ryan Smith – Galloway, N.J. – 21-1 (5)

9. Dylan Hays – Sheridan, Ark. – 21-0 (5)

10. Dean Meckes – Clayton, N.Y. – 20-14 (5)

“It went a little better than I thought it would,” says Johnston of his effort on day one. “I wasn’t sure how big my deep fish were. I knew there were 4-pounders, but it turns out there were some 5-pounders mixed in.”

Tom Monsoor Wins 2017 Walmart FLW Tour Potomac River 66-11lbs!

Chris Johnston 3rd! 

by Sean Ostruszka

FLW PRESS RELEASE

They say turnabout is fair play. Tom Monsoor certainly agrees.

Four weeks ago, the La Crosse, Wisc., pro was considered a favorite to hoist the trophy on his home waters of the Mississippi River. Instead, he watched Potomac River stud Bryan Schmitt hold it up while he sat at home, having finished a disappointing 105^th.

Tom Monsoor wins his 1st FLW Tour event. (Photo FLW)

On Sunday, those roles were reversed. The favorite, Schmitt, sat on the sidelines as Monsoor did just enough to hold off a number of hard chargers to win the FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by Costa Sunglasses. Monsoor’s winning weight of 66-11 bested tour rookie Chad Warren of Sand Springs, Okla., by a mere 5 ounces.

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Potomac River Day 3: Tom Monsoor Stills Leads with 51-09llbs!

Chris Johnston in 4th! 

by Sean Ostruszka

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Tom Monsoor’s game plan didn’t change, nor did his place in the standings. His mindset and optimism sure have, though.
Don’t be mistaken; Monsoor is excited to be leading after catching 15 pounds, 5 ounces on day three of the FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by Costa Sunglasses. The long-time pro from La Crosse, Wis., has never won a Tour event, and after watching Bryan Schmitt win the last event on Monsoor’s home waters, he’d enjoy returning the favor.
That said, his once-sizable lead has dwindled to a mere 2 ounces over Brandon McMillan of Clewiston, Fla., in large part because a key part of his game plan failed him Saturday, and that has him concerned for tomorrow.
“The big bites just didn’t happen today,” says Monsoor. “I think my big-fish area might be done, and that’s bad.”

Mr. Swim jig working his magic. (Photo: FLW)

Monsoor has been running a two-area pattern based around the tides, and he did so again Saturday, starting on a 200-foot-long grass bed where every morning he’s sacked up a quick limit. That part held true again Saturday, as he switched between his notorious swim jig and a swimbait to catch roughly eight keepers, with two of them being good ones.
At 8:30 a.m. he pulled the plug to go to his big-fish area – a 100-yard grass bed just south of takeoff. For the next 6 hours Monsoor soaked his swim jig in that area, catching only four keepers. Two did cull him up a little, but it was far from what he’d come to expect from the area where he’d been able to make significant upgrades the first two days.
The lackluster bite confirmed what was his lone fear about the area: that it may have been beaten up too badly by fishing pressure the previous days.

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Potomac River Day 2: Tom Monsoor Leads with 36-04lbs!

Bryab Thrift Wins 2017 Angler of the Year!
by Sean Ostruszka

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Monsoor grabs lead with hot morning.
(Photo: FLW)

Tom Monsoor is known for two things: swim jigs and rivers. Both may finally be converging perfectly for him after two days of the FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by Costa Sunglasses.

Despite his strengths, Monsoor has had an up-and-down history on the Potomac, in large part due to the tides – he admits he never had really been able to figure them out. On day one, he thought it finally clicked, as he utilized a pattern he felt was tide dependent. Helping the matter was his boat position of 149, which allowed him to capitalize on both key feeding windows brought on by the tide changes in the morning and afternoon.

However, being in the first flight Friday, and with the tides backing up an hour, he knew he really only had the morning window. He made the most of it, cracking 16 pounds, 14 ounces to take over the lead with 36 pounds, 4 ounces.

On Friday the veteran hit the same two areas he caught all his fish Thursday. The first area is only 100-200 feet long, but he’s caught a limit there quickly both days despite it being “packed” with boats. The second area is the one that makes Monsoor grin, as it’s 100 yards wide and has been producing better quality.

“I had a limit by 8 a.m. on the first spot, and then I culled out four of them in the second spot,” says Monsoor. “I was done fishing by noon and just went looking after that.”

SFL AND FLW CANADA GOES ORANGE!

SFL AND FLW CANADA GOES ORANGE!

FLW Canada, Canada's largest professional bass tournament trail, and Shootout Fishing League (SFL), Eastern Ontario's leading open event organization and Carrot Stix, Fishing's fastest growing rod and reel brand, announced a major partnership today, with Carrot Stix being named as each events main presenting sponsor.

All 2017 events by SFL(6), and FLW Canada(4) we be presented by Carrot Stix! C.E.O. Cory Banford says "we could not be more excited with this partnership with such an exciting group, and growing company. They already sponsor FLW in the USA, so the fit is natural for both SFL/FLW Canada and Carrot Stix. We look forward to helping Carrot Stix grow north of the border with both our organizations, and all our amazing supportive anglers"

Carrot Stix in the past few years have been turning anglers heads to their product because of the quality, and range of high end rods! Carrot stix also offers a lifetime warranty, which makes it a no gamble purchase for the angler!

Tournament Anglers will get a first look at the partnership in action on June 18, from White Lake with SFL, and FLW Canadian anglers on June 24/25 from Rideau Lake.

Tactics for fishing Pre Spawn for bass with FLW Pro Cody Meyer

Pre-spawn is the time to catch numbers and trophy bass. Listen to FLW pro Cody Meyer as he explains some of the best presentations for targeting bass in the early spring.

2017 Costa FLW Series Southeastern Lake Okeechobee Day 1: Gary Milicevic Grabs Lead with 25lbs!

Spawner is key to bigger weights
by Rob Newell 
FLW PRESS RELESE 
 
This time of year, 10- to 12-pound limits are a dime a dozen on Lake Okeechobee. If you don’t believe it, just take a look at the day one stats of the Costa FLW Series event presented by Power-Pole where 211 limits were weighed in out of 250 pros fishing.
Most of those limits were comprised of aggressive buck bass that make beds by the thousands in the shallows while the more wary – and much larger – females lurk around on the outsides of the bedding zones in deeper water or thicker cover.

Two brutes for Milicevic. (Photo: FLW) 

Essentially the difference between a par 10-pound limit and a 24-pound limit on Okeechobee right now is one is a bag full of males and the other is a bag full of females. But targeting just female bass all day is a much riskier proposition that requires being in close tune with staging areas, moon phases, wind directions, water clarities and fishing pressure to know exactly when and where a new bevy of big girls is going to roll up.

Tips for your next bass fishing vacation to America with Aussie FLW Pro Carl Jocumsen.

Travelling to the States for some bass fishing is easier than you think. No matter where you fish, you'll need to find them. So, if you're from Canada or the northern States and you want to have a little bass fishing vacation, then here's a cool video from Australian angler Carl Jocumsen. Remember he makes s his living fishing for American bass.

New World Record Spotted Bass Caught in Cali!

FLW Pro Cody Meyer nets early Christmas present.
By Luigi De Rose

All smiles with record spot.
(Photo: Cody Meyer)

FLW pro Cody Meyer catches the potential IGFA Line Record Spotted Bass in California. The bass weights 10.80lbs on certified scales is awaiting official certification.
Via a post on Cody's Facebook page, he said he saw the fish with the Garmin Panoptix ahead of the boat. The spotted bass was suspended over 100 feet of water. This isn't the only big bass boat that day. He and JR Wright estimated that their best 5 bass total weight was over 40 pounds that day.

Here's Cody's gear and tackle:
Rod: Prototype Diawa Tatula spinning rod which is a future signature series
Reel: Diawa Exist
Line: 6lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon line
Bait: Strike King Ocho stick bait

2016 Costa FLW Series Championship on Table Rock Day 1: Fisher Leads with 15-03lbs.

Table Rock is stingy

FLW Press Release

After four tough days of practice, most anglers figured that the fishing would be a real struggle at the 2016 Costa FLW Series Championship on Table Rock. Though the weights after day one certainly aren’t up to the lofty standards that Table Rock sets when the weather is cold, every pro in the top 10 brought in at least 13 pounds on day one. At the head of the pack, Pat Fisher of Colbert, Ga., wrangled up 15 pounds, 3 ounces for a slim margin over second-place pro Bradford Beavers of Ridgeville, S.C., who weighed 14-13

“It’s a surprise. It’s a very good surprise,” says Fisher of his day. “I made a long run, a lot of fish got beat up in there in practice, up where I was. But, I was the only one in there today, and I just stuck with it.”

Though Fisher weighed quality throughout and landed nine keepers, a big kicker really keyed his day.

“That big fish was my third fish,” says Fisher. “There was a little stretch there when they were feeding, and that really set the tone for the day. I haven’t seen a fish that big all week.”

Well away from the ramp and way in the back of a creek, Fisher adapted perfectly to the calm and overcast conditions that loomed over the field all morning.

“I’d been catching them on a shaky head in the bright sun and the clear water,” says Fisher, “but this morning with the overcast they came up and ate topwater. I had a pretty consistent day, just catching them all day long on a topwater bait. When I wanted to catch one, I picked up a shaky head, but they weren’t the size I was looking for.”

Though the area he’s fishing isn’t huge, Fisher seems fairly confident that it has enough juice for at least another day. He doesn’t think he leaned on them too hard, and he says that he only saw one other boat back in that general area today.

Top 10 Pros

1. Pat Fisher – Colbert, Ga. – 15-3 (5)

2. Bradford Beavers – Ridgeville, S.C. – 14-13 (5)

3. Christopher Jones – Bokoshe, Okla. – 14-9 (5)

4. Cody Bird – Granbury, Texas – 14-5 (5)

James Watson 2016 FLW Tour Invitational Lake Norris Tournament!

Jason Lambert Grabs 2nd. 
By Rob Newell

FLW Press Release
Every successful pro angler has a niche: a specific technique or time of year when conditions land right in their wheelhouse and as a result, their confidence swells. For some it’s prespawn reaction baits or maybe sight-fishing stubborn females off beds; for others it’s the sweltering hot ledge bite in 20 feet of water or punching matted vegetation.

"Fall Guy" pulls off key win.
(Photo: FLW)

In recent years, pro angler James Watson of Nixa, Mo., has carved out his fishing niche in the fall of the year. His career resume includes two fall wins in a PAA event and a B.A.S.S. Open, both on his home lake, Table Rock.

Today, Watson furthered his claim as the ‘Fall Guy’ with a Walmart FLW Tour Invitational victory on Norris Lake in Tenn., proving that the seasonal change of autumn is certainly his time to shine. In three days Watson checked in daily limits of 13-10, 13-4 and 9-12 to amass a winning total of 36-10 worth $95,400.

“I love fishing in the fall,” Watson says. “I have more confidence from August to December than any other time of year. The only problem is there simply are not that many big money tournaments during that time frame. Everyone wants to go deer hunting in October, November and December so there’s nothing to fish. I’m so thankful FLW made this opportunity available to us at this time of year.”

Watson relishes fall fishing because in many lakes across the country, lake managers begin to pull the water down to “winter pool” levels, shrinking the playing field and exposing a lot of previously submerged habitat. That draw down usually coincides with the first cold fronts that break up the doldrums of summer. The simultaneous drop in water level and water temperature seems to hit the refresh button on a fishery, opening up new areas and new patterns. And when that happens, Watson is ready to strike.

Classic & FLW CUP Champ Luke Clausen coming to Scarborough to talk bass!

ProJ Fishing Tackle and Megabass of America are pleased to announce that 2004 Forrest Wood Cup, 2006 Bassmaster Classic Champion and Elite Series angler Luke Clausen will be making his first ever Canadian in-store appearance at ProJ Fishing Tackle, Sunday October 16th from 2-6pm. Luke will be on hand to give tips and insight into his favourite Megabass products, sign autographs, and talk fishing with ProJ customers. Purchase a minimum of $50 in Megabass products at the event and be entered into the draw to win one of Luke's signature Orochi XX rods! This is an event not to be missed.