2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Title: McClelland Grabs Group A Lead!

KYLE WOOD • TACKLE WAREHOUSE PRO CIRCUIT

PRESS RELEASE

LA CROSSE, Wis. – While there was a level of excitement shared among the 25 pros in Group A that set out on the Mississippi River for the first day of Qualifying Round action in the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, uncertainty was another frame of mind they all had in common.

Water level and clarity on the Mighty Miss had changed almost by the hour thorough practice – with that, the smallmouth and largemouth were equally as fickle. With a full day between Sunday’s final round of practice and today’s competition, so much could have changed.

Picking up where he left off in practice, Mike McClelland set the pace on Day 1 with a limit weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces to take a 2-ounce lead over Alex Davis heading into Thursday’s final round of competition for Group A.

One thing playing into McClelland’s hand this week is the the fact he’s made several trips to the Upper Mississippi River over his career and has witnessed it in low water years to flood stage.

“The fortunate part about my practice is that I’ve actually fished here when the river was down,” McClelland confirmed. “It seemed like every time we showed up for a tournament in the past a massive flood hit, so anything I did in practice didn’t actually work. This week as we got to town there was localized heavy flooding, the river came up a foot and a half, two foot – maybe a little more – and muddied the water up and really messed some areas up.

Expanded Shimano Pro-Staff Ready for 2019 Tournament Season!

BPS, Elites and FLW Tour heavy with Shimano Pros

As the professional bass fishing tours kick off their 2019 seasons, there are both established anglers and rising stars ready to show off their skills using the latest in Shimano tackle, G. Loomis rods, PowerPro braided line, and Jackall bass baits.

JVD donig Shimano/ G. Loomis proud on BPS tour. 

“All of us at Shimano are excited to be working with and providing exceptional tackle to some of the best bass anglers both in the U.S. and Canada,” said Kurt Mazurek with Shimano North American Fishing, Inc. “With 2019 being an interesting year for the pro-level bass fishing trails, we are anxious to watch how the three major circuits can generate more interest in bass fishing, and in turn, push Shimano to always be a leader in fishing tackle technology.”

On the Bassmaster Elite circuit, pro anglers including Keith Combs, Brett Preuett, Bernie Shultz, and newcomers Greg Dipalma and Ed Loughran are all using Shimano rods and reels. Clent Davis, the 2018 FLW champ, will now be using Shimano reels as an Elite angler.

Part of the ‘Canada invasion’ to the B.A.S.S. Elite angler ranks, Jeff Gustafson, Chris Johnston and Cory Johnston will be casting Shimano reels spooled up with PowerPro braid, Shimano and G. Loomis rods, and an assortment of Jackall lures.

The FLW tour will see Alex Davis, Josh Douglas and Brandon McMillan flying the Shimano colors. Davis and Douglas also use G. Loomis rods and spool their Shimano reels up with PowerPro.

On Major League Fishing’s new Bass Pro Tour, the Shimano brands are well represented. Continuing their use of Shimano reels are James Elam – now also using Shimano rods, and David Walker and Jonathon VanDam, who both also use G. Loomis rods. Aaron Martens continues to fish with Shimano Curado DC and Metanium casting reels, along with Stella spinning reels. New to the Shimano team is past Bassmaster Classic and FLW Cup winner Luke Clausen all rigged-up with Shimano reels and G. Loomis rods.

“We have long-time pros who continue to show they know their way around just about any lake, anglers just starting their professional fishing careers, and a solid group with plenty of experience who can easily be at the top of the leaderboard at any of the tournaments,” Mazurek said. “Having them use Shimano rods and reels, G. Loomis rods, PowerPro braid and Jackall lures at the events helps us prove the tackle’s durability, performance and fish-catching features to the hundreds of thousands of bass anglers who follow pro bass fishing. We look forward to all the upcoming events from B.A.S.S., FLW and MLF.”

2018 Forest Wood Cup Lake Ouachita Day 1: Alex Davis Leads with 13-10lbs!

Cory Johnston in 4th!
FLW PRESS RELEASE

Alex Davis best them all on difficult first day.
(Photo: FLW)

Alex Davis was talking with his dad, Jeff, before the Forrest Wood Cup about who was going to win it.

“I told him whoever was going to win this thing would do it on luck,” Alex says. “By God, that’s exactly what happened today for me.”

He’s not lying. The Albertville, Ala., pro went from a single 1-pounder at noon to a day-one-leading 13 pounds, 10 ounces through a comedy of randomness.

Setting the scene, Alex figured he had some solid stretches where he could catch them shallow on topwater, and they certainly showed they were there, as he had seven blowups throughout the morning. He only landed the lone dink, and he lost another three on a worm.

“I have no idea how,” he says.

Finally, he made a move and caught a pair of small fish. Another move prompted a fourth.

“My dad told me before I left today, ‘Don’t come back with four,’” Alex says. “I knew of one brush pile. So I went there, made one cast and the second it hit the bottom I set the hook. So then I had a limit and decided to head in.”

However, there was still a little time left before the 33-year-old had to check in. He decided to stop on one more area. First cast he caught a 3-pounder on something “special” he didn’t want to discuss until tomorrow.

Again, he was “done,” but he still had a little time left. So with 10 minutes to go he stopped at a random cove he’d never even been in before.

“My last cast I caught my biggest fish of the day,” Alex says. “I slung him in the boat, pulled up my trolling motor, tossed out my smallest and checked in. How crazy is that?”

Obviously, luck can be fickle, so when it comes to day two the pro has “no idea” what he’s going to do or how well.

“I may just go throw topwaters again tomorrow,” he says. “I had all those blowups. I do know I’ll check that one special thing. Everyone will see it tomorrow on live, but if it goes it could be awesome.”

TOP 10 PROS

1. Alex Davis – Albertville, Ala. – 13-10 (5)

2. Nick LeBrun – Bossier City, La. – 13-5 (5)

3. Zack Birge – Blanchard, Okla. – 13-1 (5)

4. Cory Johnston – Cavan, Ontario – 12-8 (5)

5. James Niggemeyer – Van, Texas – 12-2 (5)

6. Wes Logan – Springville, Ala. – 11-9 (5)

7. Bradford Beavers – Summerville, S.C. – 11-6 (3)

8. John Cox – DeBary, Fla. – 11-3 (5)

9. Jason Lambert – Michie, Tenn. – 10-0 (5)

10. Justin Atkins – Florence, Ala. – 9-14 (5)

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

Cory Johnston finishes 11th

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

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

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

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

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