Bobby Lane Wins Redcrest 2022 Presented by Costa on Grand Lake!

Florida pro Bobby Lane caught the REDCREST-winning bass with less than 3 minutes left. (Photo: Berkley) 

TYLER BRINKS • BASS PRO TOUR

GROVE, Okla. – It was hard to keep up with the action in one of the most dramatic finishes in Major League Fishing history. REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa was one for the ages.

The suspense never wained throughout the Championship Round with numerous lead changes and nobody running away with the win as the weights remained close all day. Several anglers made big runs at various points, and it became clear that whoever had their hot streak last would take home the trophy.

The group of Bobby Lane, Luke Clausen, Jacob Wheeler, and Dustin Connell battled it out at the end and Lane came out on top as the 2022 REDCREST Champion after catching 10 bass for 29 pounds, 14 ounces.

Before Lane’s triumph, a dizzying array of catches came across SCORETRACKER® late in the game with the lead held by four anglers during the third period. It was set up to be a showdown between the anglers using forward-facing sonar, Wheeler and Connell, and the anglers casting to shallow targets without relying on their electronics, Lane and Clausen.

Clausen began the period with the lead before Connell took control. Then came Wheeler, who held the lead for more than an hour. Lane then caught a 2-0 with less than three minutes to go. Clausen then added a 4-2 mere seconds later. 

But, when the clock stopped and the waters calmed on Grand Lake, Lane prevailed for the biggest win of his career.

Lane Emotional After Win

Lane has had a stellar career with a Major League Fishing World Championship, MLF Cup titles, and a Bassmaster Elite Series win, but this is now easily his most significant achievement. He’s also been very close to more wins, including some heartbreakers last year.

“It’s a big monkey off of my back, and I’ve fought the battle for a long time to win a big one again,” he said. “Last year, Wheeler beat me by 2 ounces on Lake Travis and that was running through my mind today. Those demons are behind me, and I’m finally standing here as the REDCREST Champion.”

During the week, Lane quietly had success each day of fishing. He began the tournament with a sixth-place standing after catching eight bass for 26-12, then added four for 9-9 the next day. In his group’s Knockout Round, he tallied 27-13 on nine fish to make it to Championship Sunday.

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.”

2012 FLW Open Wheeler Lake: Mark Rose Wins

 by David A. Brown
FLW Press Release
DECATUR, Ala. – It's neither fair, nor respectful to other competitors to assume a tournament is "in the bag" just because a guy brings a huge lead into the final round. But Mark Rose, at least indirectly, justified any such murmurings with his dominant wire-to-wire win at the FLW Tour Open event on Wheeler Lake.

Mark lead all four days and took the trophy with ease.
(Photos: FLW)

Ever the humble gentleman, Rose simply won't engage in that line of thinking. He'll thank God, his family and his sponsors and he'll let others draw their own conclusions. For him, it's simply a matter of being fortunate enough to fish his style of fishing during a period when Wheeler's bass were positioned well for it. Essentially, the fish are just starting to move into their fall transition of shallow migration, but the water's still on the warm side, so plenty of quality fish remain out deep. With a solid understanding of these seasonal patterns and significant experience at picking apart the deep bottoms of TVA impoundments, Rose was in his comfort zone and simply went to work methodically locating and engaging his finned opponents.
"I just felt comfortable out there – I just get in tune with it," he said. "It's a passion I have. I really like it. I like it when I'm not catching anything because I'm trying to figure them out.

2012 FLW Open Wheeler Lake Day 3: Mark Rose Continues to Dominate!

Missouri’s Loeffelman Jr. Wins Co-Angler Title, $20,000

FLW Press Release
DECATUR, Ala. – National Guard pro Mark Rose slipped a bit and only weighed in the second-biggest stringer of the day at the Walmart FLW Tour Open on Wheeler Lake presented by Ranger Boats. It was still enough to increase his lead to a near-insurmountable 7 pounds, 1 ounce heading into the fourth and final day. The top cash award of $125,000 is now his to lose as the world’s best bass-fishing pros continued their four-day battle at Wheeler Lake on Saturday.

Rose does a little kneeling and reeling while keeping
a keen eye on the depth finder.
(Photos: FLW)

The West Memphis, Ark., native moves on to the final day of competition as the No. 1 seed with a five-bass limit Saturday of 15-10. Rose’s three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 54-8 gives him a dominating lead heading into Day 4.
“It’s awful special to be able to come out and be in the lead here,” said Rose, who is hunting for his sixth FLW tournament championship. “The Tennessee River just has a really special place in my heart. I’m fishing with a lot of confidence right now, just doing what I love to do.”
Rose said the bites were hard to come by Saturday and he really credits his Lowrance Structure Scan as being the key to his success.
“You have to idle and find these fish, and see where and how they’re set up,” Rose said. “You have to use your Lowrance to find the depths and positioning, and then decide what baits to throw. I couldn’t be doing this without it.

2012 FLW Open Wheeler Lake Day 2: Mark Rose in Total Control

FLW Press Release
by David A. Brown
DECATUR, Ala. – Experience can certainly build confidence, but it's not an absolute requirement. Case in point: National Guard pro Mark Rose admits to having little of the former on Wheeler Lake, but he had plenty of the latter as he maintained his lead on day two of the FLW Tour Open event.
The pro from West Memphis, Ark. caught 21 pounds, 6 ounces on day one and took the top spot by a margin of 3-7 over Alabama pro Blake Nick. Today, Rose added 17-8 and widened his lead to 4-6 with a total weight of 38-14, as Nick also held his position.

Fishing deep is really paying off for Mark Rose.
(Photos: FLW)

"I'm fishing with a lot of confidence right now and I'm comfortable fishing on the Tennessee River, although I don't know as much about Wheeler as the ponds above and below it," Rose said. "I don't have the time on Wheeler, but it's on the Tennessee River and I'm very comfortable at it. I'm fishing my style and I like it."
Asked what defines his style, Rose said it's as much about the hunt as the presentations. He's working two main areas with specific bottom characteristics and giving the fish a good mix of baits.
"I like reading my Lowrance StructureScan and finding deep fish," he said. "I like cranking, I like throwing a big worm, I like throwing a big spoon, I like throwing a big swimbait and that’s the kind of stuff that I'm doing here.

FLW Tour Potomac River Day 4: Clausen Claims Potomac Win!

Luke Clausen Wins!
05.Jun.2011
FLW PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.  Chevy pro Luke Clausen of Otis Orchards, Wash., caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 4 ounces Sunday to win $125,000 at the Walmart FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by National Guard with a four-day catch of 20 bass weighing 69-14.
The catch gave him the win by a 1-pound, 13-ounce margin over Michael Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J., who caught a total of 20 bass weighing 68-1 and earned $35,000.

Luke fishes the grass for first
(Photos: Gay Mortenson FLW)

“This is amazing,” said Clausen, who hasn’t won a major tournament since 2006 when he won the Bassmaster Classic. “I get pretty mad pretty easily and I would have been pretty upset with a second place finish. This is a relief really. After winning both the Forrest Wood Cup and the Bassmaster Classic and not having a victory since 2006, I have been pretty frustrated. To finally win again is just an amazing feeling.
“I was a little nervous coming to the scales today,” Clausen went on to say. “I thought I only had about 16 pounds and when I saw 19, I almost fell over.
“I fished in one area all week long,” Clausen added. “I am not real familiar with fishing tides so when I found this area in practice I felt had the opportunity of producing good quality fish. I just stuck with it all four days. And it did. I brought in six bass that weighed over 5-pounds each.
“The area fished differently every day,” Clausen elaborated. “I learned something new each day and by today, I felt like I really knew how to fish it. There were about 25 boats in there the first two days and then Bryan Schmitt and I were in there all alone the final two days.

Ike slips to second in close battle on Sunady.

“The high tide was definitely better for me,” Clausen continued. “You could see what you were throwing at. Low tide made it very difficult. Thankfully we had a long high tide today. I was pretty worried when I saw that south wind this morning. I really thought I was going to be in trouble.
“Of course grass was key to this tournament. I was throwing inside the grass and outside the grass depending on the tide. I used so many different things for bait this week but my main go to baits were Z-man finesse worms and Z-man creature baits. Today I was using a swim jig. Basically whatever felt right was what I used. It changed often depending on the wind and the tide. One of the reasons the Potomac is so fun to fish is that you can do so many different things with so many different baits and they all work,” Clausen continued. “It doesn’t matter what you use or how you fish, you’ll catch fish all day long.
Clausen opened the tournament in 17th place Thursday with five bass weighing 15-3. On Friday he added another five bass weighing 17-0 using Z-Man creature baits to move up to fourth place. He then caught five bass weighing 18-7 on Z-Man finesse worms Saturday to make the crucial top-10 cut in second place. On Sunday he sealed his victory using a swim jig.

FLW Tour Potomac River Day 3: Ike on Top

Leonard wins co-angler title, $20,000 04.Jun.2011
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.
FLW PRESS RELEASE

Mike Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J., caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, Saturday to capture the lead at the Walmart FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by National Guard and advanced to the top 10 as the crucial No. 1 seed. With a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 51-9, he now holds a narrow 15-ounce lead in the tournament going into the final day of competition.

Ike loves his chances of a win.
(Photos: Gary Motonson FLW)

“This feels good,” said Iaconelli, who still remembers losing the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup Championship by three ounces. “I want this win real bad. I have a little fire in my chest after losing by three ounces in Pittsburgh. It only happens once in a while that you get a legitimate shot at winning and this is one of those times.
“Timing is everything on this river,” Iaconelli went on to say. “The Potomac is unique in the fact that twice a day there is a high and a low tide. If you are using the right bait and hit the tide at the right time magic happens. Every day I fish I feel like I am getting a little more in tune with the tide. I feel like I am living and breathing with the fish and it is a good feeling.
“I am not camping on one spot,” continued Iaconelli. “Unlike the other pros that seem to be fishing in one area all day long, I have four good grassy areas during low tide and four good hard places that I can run to during dead high tide. And by hard places I mean woody areas like docks. I can only explain that I am doing both power fishing and finesse fishing.

FLW Tour Potomac River Day 2: Lane On Top, Nixon Tumbles to Bottom

Bobby Lane Bolts to the Top

Bobby Lane ready to win again on the
Potomac River.
(Photo by Gary Mortenson FLW)

03.Jun.2011
FLW PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces Friday to capture the lead on day two of the Walmart FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by the National Guard. His two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 11 ounces gives him a 2-pound, 2-ounce lead heading into the third day of the tournament. There were 154 pros and 154 co-anglers from across the United States and Canada that started the tournament. The top 20 will fish day three and the top 10 will compete for the title on day four.

“This river has been good to me,” said Lane, who was in fifth place after day one. “The key factor in being successful on this river is learning the tides. For me there is an hour-and-a-half window when the high tide starts rolling in that gives me my opportunity. All my big fish came in that hour-and-a-half window.

“There is not one area that is going to produce consistently year after year,” Lane went on to say. “The traffic on the river is so heavy that it puts a lot of pressure on the fish and they tend to move to new areas. I have had a lot of success in many different areas on the river. This week I have been fishing some new water. The area I am fishing now seems to be where the brim are spawning and the bass are coming back to feed..

Z-Man Unveils Premiere Pro Staff

Luke Clausen, David Walker and Stephen Browning to lead Z-Man’s Pro Team.

LADSON, S.C.  Z-Man Fishing Products is proud to announce the signing of professional anglers Luke Clausen, David Walker, Stephen Browning and David Goshorn to Z-Man’s national freshwater pro-staff.

These top-notch anglers will assist Z-Man in the design and promotion of ElaZtech® baits, as well as educating anglers on how to achieve maximum results when fishing ElaZtech space-age soft plastic baits.

“We are thrilled to have four of bass fishing’s best aboard to help promote and design ElaZtech baits for Z-Man,” said Daniel Nussbaum, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Z-Man. “In addition, these pros will be very active on our social media channels, providing a look inside the lives of pro anglers for our Facebook fans and Website visitors.”

Luke Clausen of Spokane, Wash., is one of only five pros to have won both the Bassmaster Classic (2006 at Lake Toho) and the FLW Tour Forrest Wood Cup (2004 at Lake Logan Martin). He will be fishing the FLW Tour in 2011.

“ElaZtech is a product of the future and I’m really pumped to be a part of it,” said Clausen. “ElaZtech has a lot of advantages fishermen have yet to discover. Yes, it’s a departure from conventional plastics, and just as fluorocarbon is different than monofilament and tungsten is different from lead, there’s going to be a period of adjustment for anglers to get used to it. But once anglers realize the advantages of ElaZtech, they will definitely incorporate it into their arsenals.

David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., won the FLW Tour Angler of the Year title in 1999, has qualified for the FLW Tour Forrest Wood Cup 10 times, the Bassmaster Classic six times, and has amassed an amazing 32 top-10 finishes in FLW Tour and Bassmaster Tour competition. He will be fishing the B.A.S.S. Elite Series in 2011.

“This is a huge opportunity to influence the future of soft plastics, and I’m certainly looking forward to it,” Walker said. “The supreme durability of ElaZtech in high-impact situations such as skipping docks, flipping heavy cover or punching mats will reveal just how much unnecessary plastic we go through and time we waste in a day’s fishing due to conventional plastic tearing up so easily. I started fishing ElaZtech baits on the Redfish circuit years ago and have been a believer ever since.”

Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., has 15 top-10 appearances in Bassmaster Tour and Elite Series competition, with one Tour win, and seven Bassmaster Classic qualifications, including the 2011 Classic coming up in New Orleans.

“I’m excited about being involved with Z-Man,” Browning said. “The Original Chatterbait® lure has been a big plus in my fishing the last couple of years. This fall I had a chance to try some of the ElaZtech products and it opened my eyes to how much fishing time and money can be saved with it. The days of constantly stopping your fishing to dig out a new jig chunk or creature bait are over.”

Rounding out the Z-Man pro staff is David Goshorn of Harleyville, SC. Goshorn fished the FLW Tour from 1997-2000 and recently re-qualified for the 2011 FLW Tour through the FLW Series.

For more information, visit Z-Man at www.zmanfishing.com . Learn more about Luke Clausen at www.lukeclausenfishing.com  and David Walker at www.davidwalkerfishing.com .

Bass Master Classic 2011 Day 2: VAN DOMINATION

Bass Master Classic: Day 2
Kevin Van Dam Smashes 22-08 Sack to Take Command!
Saturday,  February 19, 2011
Louisiana Delta
New Orleans, La.
By Luigi De Rose



Day 2 Leader!
Photo: James Overstreet (BASS)



In true Van Dam fashion, Kevin dominates Day 2 with a remarkable catch of 22-08. Fishing boat to boat with three other anglers in the Lake Cat region of the Delta,  Kevin outdistanced himself from all other Classic competitors with a two day, 10 limit of 41-11.  "It was a real grind in the morning." explained Kevin but the afternoon warmth kick started the larger fish. In the afternoon, he was able to land two bigger bass to push his limit past the 20 pound mark.  

Van Dan has the opportunity to make history tomorrow if he wins. Not only will he tie the mystical mark of 4 Classic Titles set by Rick Clunn, he might be able to set the heaviest 5 fish limit (15 fish total) Classic of all time. The current record is 56-02 set by Luke Clausen on the Kissimmee Chain in Florida. If Kevin can maintain a 20 pound daily average he will easily over shoot this landmark. 

Chapman in second.
Photo: James Overstreet (BASS)

In second place, Brett Chapman made the long trek to Venice worth every  minute by collecting an impressive limit of 20-01. Considering he was only permitted to fish 1 hour and 10 minutes due to the lengthy fog delay. It is remarkable he is only 2-10 off the lead. Even more remarkable is the fact that Brett's boat is not equipped with radar. In true Classic sportsmanship, Gary Klein allowed Chapman to follow his lead through the fog down south. Without Gary's help he wouldn't have made it.   



Brandon Palaniuk
Photo: James Overstreet (BASS)



Yesterday's leader, Aaron Martens has hung onto third place even with a disappointing 12-11 limit.  Aaron,  Scott Rook who is currently in fifth with a two day total of 31-11 and Derek Remitz who is in sixth with 30-03, all fished alongside Van Dam. The location is hot but only Kevin and Remitz, who bagged 17-04 today have unlocked the secret of catching the larger ones on day 2.  

Fourth place is proudly held by Bradon Palaniuk, a Federation angler from Rathdrum, ID. He has amassed a solid two day total of 32-08. Being in the presence of super stars has not wavered this young gun. He too is fishing Cat Lake. If today's 17-14 creel is any indication of his skills, he should be rock solid tomorrow.  (It cannot be confirmed at this time if Brandon is overlapping Van Dam's spot or fishing along it's perimeter.)

Van Dam with Rook and Remitz.
Photo: James Overstreet (BASS)

Many are already considering this Classic Van Dam's to loose. Kevin is not one to blow any tournament but there are many factors to consider. Even Kevin was cautious during the post weigh-in interview when discussing tomorrow's fishing. Again, the questions arise if the honey hole in Cat Lake is drying up, especially with four of the top six all within casting distance of each other. Fishing and boating pressure will be at full tilt there. The weather is said to be breezy which could muddy the magic flat for everyone in Cat Lake. " I would like it flat calm, just like it was today." announced Kevin while talking with Zona and Sanders of ESPN. The wind might be powerful enough to erase any fog giving everyone a longer fishing day. If Brett Chapman is able to get several hours to fully utilize his area he might be a true threat. We'll have to wait and see.

Stay Tuned!