Soft Stick Bait Secret Rigging Tips Lunker Hunt Pro Matt Avry

Everyone loves to throw soft plastic stick baits. Its the #1 bait in the world for bass. Most anglers think they know it all. Listen to Lunderhunt pro and new Bassmaster Elite angler Matt Avry as he gives you some little known tips on rigging soft stick baits for bass.

Johnston Brothers Bassmaster Elites for 2019

Cory and Chris moving to BASS
By Luigi De Rose

From left to right: Cory Johnston, Jeff Gustafson, and Chris Johnston
(Photo by Jeff Gustafson)

Canadian fishing brothers Cory and Chris Johnston have made the decision to move to the Bassmaster Elite in 2019. Cory stated in his Facebook announcement that fishing in the Bassmaster Classic has been a childhood dream and this move to the Elites is a step in the right direction to fulfilling that dream. They will be joining fellow Canadian Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson who announced his decision two weeks ago. 

2019 Bassmaster Elite Schedule Announced

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Since the Bassmaster Elite Series made a two-week trip to the West Coast back in 2015, fans of the sport have been clamoring for the world’s premier bass fishing circuit to return to that region.

Now, they’re about to get their wish.

B.A.S.S. officials unveiled an action-packed 2019 Elite Series schedule today that includes a Western swing in mid-June with back-to-back trips to Sacramento, Calif., for an event on the California Delta and to Tri-Cities, Wash., for a tournament on the Columbia River.

The Columbia River will be one of three first-time destinations for the Elite Series, along with Lake Lanier in Georgia and Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.

“We couldn’t be happier with the schedule we’ve put together for 2019,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “This lineup of events will be exciting and challenging for our anglers — and for fans of the sport, it literally has something to offer from coast to coast.”

The slate will have a familiar kickoff venue, as the Elite Series returns Feb. 7-10 to the St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla. — the site of the 2016 season opener where Missouri superstar Rick Clunn recorded one of the more memorable victories in B.A.S.S. history. Just four months shy of his 70th birthday, Clunn brought 31 pounds, 7 ounces of bass to the scales during the semifinal round and eventually became the oldest angler to win an Elite Series event with a four-day total of 81-15.

 The St. Johns River has been a regular destination for B.A.S.S., with the organization visiting 20 times for major events since 1973.

“The Bassmaster Elite Series tournament coming back to Palatka and Putnam County is a tremendous win!” said Dana Cameron Jones, president of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, which will host the event. “Putnam County’s natural beauty provides a great venue for bass fishing, and B.A.S.S. provides business for our local community! It was an easy decision to host B.A.S.S. — the economic impact into our local economy by an Elite Series event easily equates to over $3 million dollars, and the media value well over $500,000 is a huge value-add.”

From Florida, the schedule will shift to Lake Lanier in Gwinnett, Ga., Feb. 14-17 — a venue that has hosted eight major B.A.S.S. tournaments since 1983, but never an Elite Series event. The 37,000-acre fishery on the Chattahoochee River has long been known for producing giant spotted bass.

Mike Iaconelli Wins Bassmaster Elite Delaware River!

Philly Goes IKE!

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Michael Iaconelli hopped five feet down off the Bassmaster Elite Series stage, turned and hoisted his 55-pound winner’s trophy, then practically danced with it up through the roaring audience stacked on the concrete steps of the Great Stage of Penn’s Landing.

Moments before, he had told the crowd exactly what he was feeling as he won Bassmaster Elite on the Delaware River.

“I won today, but not for me. I won for you guys,” said Iaconelli, Philly-born and raised in New Jersey.

Mike with the whole family celebrate
his home town win.
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)

Suddenly, “Going Ike” took on a new meaning.

When the fishing goes very right and when the fishing goes horribly wrong, Iaconelli is famous for his, um, unrepressedvocal and physical expression. Now, “Going Ike” also means achieving the win of any pro angler’s dreams.

Sunday, Ike nailed what few anglers have been able to: win a Bassmaster Elite Series event on home water. He topped that by whipping the field by no less than 8 pounds.

His winning total was 47 pounds, 14 ounces — a respectable weight for any midsummer tournament, and, as Iaconelli pointed out, proof that the Delaware River is a fishery worth any bass angler’s time.

Now living in Pittsgrove, N.J., Iaconelli recovered from a start at 21st place to lead for two days running before triumphing on the fourth and final competition day on the Delaware River, where he learned as a kid what bass fishing was all about.

2014 Bassmaster Elite Lake Dardanelle Day 1: Crew takes Flight of Lead

Crews is steady as she goes on Lake Dardanelle

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — “Steady” was the first word John Crews came up with when asked about his first day of competition in the May 15-18 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle.

John Crews takes lead on day 1 in very tight field.
(Photo: BASS)

“One good one here, one good one there, and at the end of the day, it was looking really nice,” Crews said.

“Rock steady” is a more accurate description of Crews’ Thursday performance. The pro from Salem, Va., weighed a five-bass limit of 22 pounds, 9 ounces, for a lead of 12 ounces over Greg Hackney.

Jacob Powroznik Wins the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Toledo Bend Tournament

Powroznik throws KO punch on Toledo Bend

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

MANY, La. — With a one-two, the rookie won.

Jacob Powroznik delivered that punch Sunday in the form of two good-sized bass in the last hours of competition of the four-day Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend.

Dave Mercer gets the good on how Jacob achieved his
first win on the Elites.
(Photo: BASS)

“I’m speechless. That doesn’t happen very often,” said Powroznik as he accepted his first Bassmaster Elite Series trophy after competing in only four events in his first year on the top-level tour — and on a fishery on which he had never before competed.

From Port Haywood, Va., Powroznik claimed the first-place prize of $100,000 and an instant-in for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, his first world championship qualification.

“To get into the Classic feels like someone just gave me a million dollars,” said Powroznik after he stepped off the stage and got his voice back. “You don’t get many opportunities to win one of these events. It’s so hard to do. To do it my first year is a blessing.”

After leading on Friday, Powroznik was stumped in Saturday’s round by a disappearing shad spawn bite that had helped him considerably in the early morning hours of competition. Then he was smoked out of a promising spawning bass area by a controlled burn of Texas shoreline forest. Going into the Sunday finals, Powroznik had dropped more than 2 1/2 pounds behind the leader, two-time Bassmaster Toledo Bend champ Dean Rojas.

2014 Bassmaster Elite Toledo Bend Day 3: Dean Rojas take lead and ready for his third victory here!

Rojas rules Toledo Bend again. 

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

MANY, La. — Toledo Bend Reservoir produced a little something extra — lagniappe in Louisiana French-speak — for Dean Rojas on Saturday.

This beauty along with a sizeable sack launched Dean
into the lead.
(Photo: BASS)

Actually, that something extra was very large: a 7-pound, 2-ounce largemouth bass. And it proved to be the catch that made all the difference for Rojas on the third day of the May 1-4 Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite on Toledo Bend.

Because of the big cull his 7-2 made possible, Rojas turned his day around. The so-so limit he would have had became a good day’s catch of 17-14.

Best of all, the 7-2 helped him to a 2-10 advantage over Friday leader Jacob Powroznik.

“I was fortunate today to have that big one that separated me from having a small limit,” said Rojas, who’s from Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

It helped that Powroznik tripped. He managed just 11-13 Saturday. Those bass put his total to 60-1, good enough for second, but not enough to stay in the catbird seat, the spot Rojas captured with his 62-11 total going into the final competition on Sunday.

2014 Bassmaster Elite Toledo Bend Day 2: Powroznik Powers To Lead, Rojas Closing In!

Former FLW Pro Takes Lead at Toledo Bend

By Deb Johnson

bass press release

MANY, La. — Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Jacob Powroznik had been to Toledo Bend Reservoir just once before he came to the May 1-4 Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite.

Powroznik ahead of former Toledo Bend Champ Rojas
by 3 pounds.
(Photo: Seigo Saito BASS)

Dean Rojas has a wealth of experience on the lake; his 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series victory on Toledo Bend proved that.

Yet these polar opposites — at least when it comes to the famed big-bass factory on the Louisiana-Texas border — were the top two anglers after Friday, the second day of competition.

And it was the rookie who led the veteran; Powroznik had 3 pounds, 7 ounces on Rojas.

Powroznik, who is from Port Haywood, Va., added 23-6 Friday to his Thursday weight of 24-14 for a two-day total of 48-4. He inched up from third place to take the lead.

2014 Bassmaster Elite Toledo Bend Day 1: Jared Lintner Leads with 25 pounds!

Jared Keep AOY Streak Alive

By Deb Johnson

BASS PRESS RELEASE

MANY, La. — Jared Lintner went to extremes Thursday, the first day of the May 1-4 Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend out of Many, La.

Jared sacks 25.7lbs and the lead. Expect major
changes in the leader board throughout the tournament as
big bass abound.
(Photo: Seigo Saito BASS)

He was especially extreme in his choice of fishing lines from lightweight to unbreakable. “I caught them on 10-pound fluorocarbon and 80-pound braid,” said the Californian from Arroyo Grande. “I didn’t get very many bites with the braid, but they were good ones.”

Good enough to help him amass 25 pounds, 7 ounces of bass to take the lead by 7 ounces over J Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., who weighed 25-0 for second place.

In third after one round was Elite Series rookie Jacob Powroznik of Port Haywood, Va., with 24-14. Fourth place was taken by another Californian, Chris Zaldain of San Jose. His weight was 22-6, including an 8-12 on 6-pound-test line in an around-the-boat chase that “took forever” but was, he said, probably less than two minutes in real time.

ICAST 2011 DAY 3: It's done but not over!

It's over but still not over. I'm speaking to Bernard Yong-Set, he's the one who designed the VMC Spin Shot and the Zero Twist Shot. The Spin Shot won the best new terminal tackle at ICAST and he is happy as punch. Its so funny, after three days of non-stop talking, we're still chatting about fishing. Bernard is on a role as I write.

Another strange thing about Vegas is the people you see. I'm sitting in the airport, 10 minutes ago and I just opened the lap top and this guy ask me to move over. As I look up, its Ish Monroe a Bassmaster Elite tournament angler. His phone was dying and he was looking for an outlet to charge up. Funny thing is that if I wanted to talk to him in a normal situation, I would have to attend a sports show or visit a Bassmaster tournament. When ICAST is on, there are celebrity anglers, company people and media everywhere.

It's 12:19pm eastern time, 9:13pm Vegas time, and I need some food. Only problem is that I am so tired I don't feel like eating and most of us have had so much meat. Steak three times in a row for me baby and it's finally taken its toll.

I have no energy to up-load anything.  So take care, good night if its time for you to go to bed and stay tuned. Videos, photos and strange stories from ICAST will be funnelling down.

ICAST 2011 DAY 2: Wow Again!

Super busy. As a fishing and tournament fan this place is like crack. So many people are floating around but the super pros have a swarm around them. Last night having dinner with the Thunder Mist Lure company brothers, I sat beside Zell Rowland and Tommy Biffle. Really cool.

Pure fishing won so many awards last night. I shot a lot of video with them on line, lures, Abu reels, and some Sebile lures.

Ike was around again and displayed a new way to rig his Havoc Devil Spear. Wait till you see the in-water tank demo. So deadly!

Just shot video with Brent Ehrler at the Lucky Craft booth. Looks great and Lucky Craft has some super new sizes for swimbaits.

Shin Fukae displayed new Gami stuff and if you like senkos, drop shotting or wacky rigging you'll love their stuff.

Rapala has a lot of new colours and Terminator redesigned their jig and spinnerbait line with a lot of off the hook colours.

TV star and legend, Larry Dahlberg showed me some wacky rigging for big muskies and walleye trolling using your POWER POLE. They have a new 10 foot model and changed all their hardware so rigging is much easier.

Shot some good video with Quantum reels. They have a new EXO reel and Smoke spinning reel that is really sexy.

Shot a video with Western star Chris Ricci. Cool baits.

Got to go and get a drink. This place being so hot will suck the life out of you without you noticing.

LATER!!