2018 Costa FLW Northern Division Lake Erie: One and Done-Day 2 & 3 Cancelled!

Neil Farrow Wins!

By Colin Moore

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Wicked winds halts tournament.
(Photo: FLW)

A stubborn weather front packing westerly winds lingered overnight in the eastern basin of Lake Erie near Buffalo and forced the cancellation of the final day of the Costa FLW Series Northern Division tournament presented by Polaris. Ron Lappin, Costa FLW Series tournament director, made the call at about 4 a.m. after boating out to the mouth of the protected harbor where the tournament was headquartered.

In effect, it was a one-day tournament, as Lappin called off the second day of the event Friday because of dangerous boating conditions on Erie’s open waters.

“As soon as I got out to the opening, I saw 5-footers washing up,” said Lappin. “The front that was supposed to go through yesterday evening [Friday] apparently didn’t. The weather report showed gusts to about 22 mph coming in until about 10 a.m., then letting up some, then picking up again in the afternoon. So even if we had waited an hour or two, it wouldn’t have made much difference.

“There’s no sense in taking chances. This is the type of waterway that can get really dangerous in a hurry,” Lappin said. “Going out in even marginal conditions is asking for trouble, so for the best interests of everyone involved we ended the tournament with the standings as they are.”

Ontario pro Neil Farrow was declared the winner on the strength of his 24-pound, 4-ounce limit of smallmouths in the event’s opening round Thursday. Ben Wright of Peru, N.Y., was runner-up with 24-3, Charles Sim of Nepean, Ont., was third with 23-3, JT Kenney of Palm Bay, Fla., was fourth with 23-2 and J. Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., was fifth with 22-15.

In Thursday’s opening round, 44 pros had limits that each weighed 20 pounds or more, while nine co-anglers accounted for 20-pounds-plus sacks. Sakae Ushio of nearby Tonawanda, N.Y., won the co-angler division with 23-7.

Lappin said that the top 43 places each on the boater and co-angler sides would receive checks. The payout begins at 9 at the weigh-in trailer at Safe Harbor. The next Costa FLW Series Northern Division matchup is set for Sept. 6-8 out of Clayton, N.Y. That event will decide the final divisional standings.

Humminbird Lakemaster Ontario Map Card Features with Charles Sim

The Humminbird Lakemaster Ontario Map Card will be released in 2018. Learn from Bassmaster Classic Qualifier Charles Sim as he explains the features of using the Lakemaster maps and colour features to map out his fishing. Learn as he explains how to improve your fishing and boating.

Albert Collins Wins 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship!

Charles Sim becomes second Canadian ever to fish Classic!

By Tyler Wade

BASS PRESS RELEASE

MONROE, La. — Albert Collins’ victory in the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship was a year in the making. The Texas angler lost his bid to the Classic by 1 1/2 pounds on the Ouachita River in November 2014; he’s been planning for his next chance ever since.
Collins ended the 2015 championship with 44 pounds, 15 ounces over three days, and he earned a berth in the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro. He also won the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy and a Skeeter ZX200 with a Yamaha motor, a Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics.

Remove location key for Collin's come from behind win. (Photo: BASS)

Collins has qualified for the Classic before, back in 2013 when he won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship. But he really wanted to make it through the B.A.S.S. Nation.
“It means something special to qualify through the Nation,” said Collins, who has tried several times to qualify through the Nation Championship and, like one year ago, fell just short.
“What I learned last year was that I needed an aluminum boat,” said Collins. “Last year, I used my fiberglass boat, and it’s just not made to go through those stumps and all that shallow water. So I bought an aluminum one for this tournament.”

2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Day 2: Jamie Laiche Continues to Lead!

Canadian Charles Sim sits in 14th. 

By Tyler Wade

bass press release

Jamie Laiche of Gonzales, La. holds a 2 pound lead.
(Photo: BASS)

MONROE, La. — The conditions changed on Day 2 of the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River, but the first-day leader did everything the same and managed to stay on top of the field.

Louisiana’s Jamie Laiche added 13 pounds, 14 ounces, ending Day 2 with 30 pounds, 4 ounces and a 1 1/2-pound lead.

“I did the exact same thing,” Laiche said, “but I didn’t get that big bite like I did yesterday. I caught a ton of fish, but the size wasn’t there.”

The air temperature dropped 5 degrees from yesterday and the Monroe area got an inch of rain. Day 3 should bring more rain and even cooler temperatures.

None of those weather changes bother Laiche.

“I have the opinion that if it affects me, it’ll affect everybody else,” he said, calmly. “If the Lord feels like it’s my time, I’ll find ’em.”

2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Day 1: Jamie Laiche Grabs Leads!

Canadian Charles Sim in 7th!

By Tyler Wade

bass press release 

MONROE, La. — Jamie Laiche of Gonzales, La., only traveled four hours to get to the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, so it seems like he would have home-lake advantage over the rest of the field. However, he had never fished the Ouachita River until he started pre-fishing it earlier this fall, and now he leads the event on Day 1 with 16 pounds, 6 ounces.

Sixteen pounds take lead for Laiche. (Photo: BASS)

“I call the Atchafalaya Basin my home water,” said Laiche, “and so I’d call myself a shallow-water, stump, cypress tree fisherman. This is right in my wheelhouse.

“I’m used to fishing tough for seven to eight bites a day, which is how this is fishing,” he said.

Laiche is one of a handful of anglers who brought small boats to navigate the stumpfields of the Ouachita.

“I gambled a little and brought the smaller boat,” said Laiche, referring to his 17-foot Bass Tracker boat that is only 6 feet wide but floats in 7 inches of water. “It’s got a small motor on the back that floats high, and that’s key to getting into those shallow backwaters.”

The drawback to that small boat? “It goes 28 miles per hour,” said Laiche with a laugh. “They’re all passing me.”