2026 FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville Day 2: Kyle Welcher Jump into Lead!

Canadians Gallant 9th, Cory Johnston 10th, Gustafson 16th, Evan Kung 17th & Chris Johnston 32nd. 

By David A. Brown

BASS Press Release

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Kyle Welcher doesn’t like to stay put, but switching off his core instinct and committing to one area delivered a big Day 2 improvement that put him atop the leaderboard for the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

After placing 18th on Day 1 with 20 pounds, 7 ounces, the pro from Valley, Ala., sacked up 24-9 and surged into the lead with a two-day total of 45 pounds.

“The moral of the story was hunkering down and staying put,” Welcher said. “I did better than I did yesterday; I didn’t run around as much and that was the way to catch ’em.”

Welcher, who won the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River by parking in one key area, knew he’d have to employ the same uncomfortable strategy on Guntersville.

“It’s the hardest thing for me to do; it goes against everything that I want to do,” Welcher said. “But when it’s tough and it’s hard to run around and get bites, sometimes that’s the best thing to do.

“That’s something I’ve had to learn by fishing on the Elites. I didn’t have the patience whenever I first started out here.”

Welcher said he fished south of the takeoff site at Goose Pond and focused on a 3-acre stretch. He tried the same area he fished on Day 1, but when the bites failed to materialize, he repositioned and relocated his fish.

“They had slid 150 yards away and I caught them there today,” Welcher said. “The majority of what I’m fishing is eelgrass, but every now and then, I’ll pull up some coontail or some hydrilla, but it’s 90% eel grass.”

Welcher stuck with the same lipless bait/bladed jig combo that much of the field has been throwing. His choice was a 1/2-ounce Rapala Snare and an unnamed bladed jig with a Crush City Freeloader trailer.

Describing his presentations, Welcher said: “It was early-slow and late-fast. That was the biggest adjustment I’d make throughout the day. I think they get up higher in the water column as the sun gets up.”

A gloomy Day 1 brought mostly overcast skies, light breezes and air temperatures that struggled to reach the low 40s. By contrast, the second round saw bright, sunny conditions, stronger afternoon wind and a high of 61.

“I think the sun is the major thing, but the wind could’ve helped a little” Welcher said. “I caught a couple big ones after it started blowing today, but I caught most of the fish I weighed in before the wind started blowing. I definitely think the sun helps you get more bites.

Rapala's Instagram Vintage Videos

“Witness first-hand the glory days of sport fishing’s past as you travel to some of the world’s most fabled

fishing destinations. Come along with fishing industry legends and Rapala Founders, Ray Ostrom & Ron Weber plus Bill Cullerton - Rapala’s first rep group namesake with a supporting cast of others from Ray Scott, founder of B.A.S.S., Mark Sosin, legendary saltwater angler and fishing celebrity and the local guides that put them on some of the best fishing in the western hemisphere.

Filmed in the 1960s into the 1970s, witness a bygone era with trips from Alaska to the Amazon to the Baja and Costa Rica featuring fishing gear, tackle and boats from the fledgling days of some of today’s most famous brands that will make any collector swoon.
Created by Ray Ostrom, these films, from the Normark Film Library and the Estate of Norma and Raymond Ostrom, were used to share the excitement of fishing with fisherman across the country. Loaned to fishing clubs, American Legions and, on special occasions, shown as feature films at local Minneapolis Movie Theatres. Ray, an avid photographer and film maker as well as fisherman, was the driving force behind the concept and creation of this series.”

CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 50 RAPALA PRIZE PACKS!

CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 50 RAPALA PRIZE PACKS!

Now that we are all practicing proper physical distancing, we want to challenge you to show us how you’re staying motivated for the season ahead while at home. We have received a bunch of inspiring stories of what you are doing to stay motivated, prepared and focused for the fishing season ahead! So, we wanted to give you a place to share your stories. In return, we will be gifting 50 Rapala prize packs at random. We will also feature some of your posts on our Insta page.

Entering is easy! Simply snap a pic or take a video of you staying motivated for the fishing season and post it tagging us @rapalacanada and use the hashtag #FocusOnFishing in the caption. You must also challenge 3 or more fishing buddies by tagging them(eg. “I nominate @buddy1 @buddy2 @buddy3”). Use other posts below for ideas or check out our Insta page for a list. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box because we aren’t afraid to give away extra prize packages to super creative, inspiring or motivational posts!

Be safe, be patient, but be ready for the end of this storm. Make the most of the fishing season ahead by staying motivated and preparing now. After all, success is where preparation and opportunity meet. And you know the opportunity is coming!

Swindle's Giant New Sponsor

 To start the 2018 season on the Bassmaster Elite season, Gerald Swindle has inked a new mega deal with Rapala. Here's the G-Man himself talking about his move to Rapala.

Rapala Gift Guide Part 2

Rapala® Floating Aerator
While Rapala® is best known as the world’s premier lure-maker, the brand’s expertise doesn’t stop there, especially when it comes to gear that makes anglers lives’ easier. Enter the Rapala Floating Aerator, a compact accessory guaranteed to be a welcome addition on your loved one’s next fishing trip.

Small in size, the Floating Aerator consistently punches above its weight class and offers big-time results. It helps keep bait alive longer by gently mixing air into water, aerating 1.5 liters (0.4 gallons) per minute. Ideal for most bait-storage containers or enclosures, this portable device features a floating, water-activated switch, air-release stone and offers 18 hours of continuous run time. When it’s set to run at 15-minute intervals, it will provide up to 36 hours of run time.

Not only does this gift keep bait kickin’ longer, it also ensures anglers’ dollars will go further at their favorite local bait shop for years to come.

Rapala® Premium Fillet Knives
No serious angler’s gear collection is complete without a premium Rapala fillet knife. Expertly crafted by legendary Finnish blade manufacturer Marttiini, all Rapala fillet knives are constructed of the finest European stainless steel, delivering razor-sharp blades that will last a lifetime. This holiday season, choose from a wide variety of Rapala fillet knives to give the outdoors enthusiasts in your life a gift ready to handle any filleting chore.

From the iconic birch-handled Fish ‘n Fillet®, the knife the taught the world to fillet, to electric and long-lasting battery-powered options, Rapala fillet knives are the No. 1 choice of anglers worldwide and this holiday season’s must-have stocking stuffer.

Visit Rapala.com to browse the brand’s full catalogue of fillet knives, including options specifically designed for niche game species.

New Rapala® RipStop™
This holiday season, surprise your loved ones with a lure unlike any other: the new Rapala® RipStop™, a fast-ripping, hard-stopping bait described as a cross between a hard plastic jerkbait and a soft-body swimbait.

The bait’s never-before-seen rear plastic boot tail sets it apart from the competition. Not only does the boot tail create a hard-rolling, slashing action that mimics the live-minnow movements of a soft plastic swimbait, but it also causes the bait to stop on a dime when paused. The RipStop’s body shimmies as it comes to rest, then slowly rises, a natural motion that indicates an easy meal for hungry predators.

A terror for bass and other popular gamefish, the workhorse RipStop may be fished as a twitch bait, popped and ripped like a jerkbait, or cast and reeled in with a steady or variable-speed retrieve, providing a host of options to elicit heart-pounding strikes in any scenario.

Featuring two-part plastic construction with a non-inserted lip, RipStops weigh 1/4 ounce, cast a mile with far with little effort and dive 3 to 4 feet. The bait measure 3 ½ inches, is available in 14 appetizing color patterns and comes armed with two sticky-sharp VMC® light-wire treble hooks.

Rapala Gift Guide Part 1

Rapala® Mag Spring Pliers & Precision Line Scissors
Experienced anglers know having the right tools on-hand can make or break a day on the water. This holiday season, thrill your family and friends the latest from Rapala®: The Rapala Mag Spring Pliers and Precision Line Scissors.

Breaking new ground, the new Rapala Mag Spring Pliers utilize an ingenious patent-pending “Mag-Spring” system that keeps pliers open and ready for action, making it easier to use while busy holding a fish or rod. The Mag Spring Pliers comes ready for action with a pivoting, quick-draw sheath with belt loop and clip and a handy lanyard connection.

Traditional scissors just don’t cut it when you are using superlines. Another great stocking-stuffer, the new Rapala Precision Line Scissors excel at cutting and trimming micro super lines, as well as all other traditional fishing lines. Super lines are tough on a pair of scissors, dulling the blades in record time.

A great gift your friends or family will use for years, this pair features German stainless steel blades with premium titanium coating that extends life up to 15 times longer than other models.

Rapala® 50 lb. High Contrast Digital Scale
Ensure friends and family know when they’ve hauled in a record-setting hawg with the new Rapala® 50 lb. High Contrast Digital Scale, the brand’s most groundbreaking scale to date.

Sure to be a memorable gift this season, this cutting-edge digital scale is packed with features that set a new standard and promise make the life of every angler easier.

Its reverse-image LCD illuminated screen makes it easy to read the weight of your catch, even on bright, sunny days. Its intuitive directional pad operation system delivers easy navigation through a variety of menu options — including quick reference for minimum and maximum bin size, as well as total weight.

The 50 lb. High Contrast Digital Scale also comes with a fish-friendly gripper and alternate stainless steel hook for fast, safe weighing.

Sales Up for Rapala North America Despite Turbulence

Originally posted by Angling International

Rapala’s third quarter performance has kept the company’s year-to-date net sales figures close to those of last year.

Third quarter net sales were boosted by the North American market (+9%) and, despite challenging market conditions, show an overall 2% increase on the same quarter last year.

Rapala’s strategy to improve profits, lighten the balance sheet and improve operational performance is proceeding well, says the company.

NEW TERMINATOR® POPPING FROG TALKS THE TALK & WALKS THE WALK

For Canadian anglers this will be under the Storm label.

“With its cupped face, the new Terminator^® Popping Frog pops and spits, causing a major commotion and drawing in fish,” says Ott DeFoe, a four-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier and 2011 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year. “But it also walks very well, too. Other frogs can maybe do one or the other well but not both. I think Terminator really hit a home run with this one.”
DeFoe has already caught a lot of fish on the Popping Frog, which he helped design. “It’s already proven its merits to me in a few tournaments this year,” DeFoe says. “I’ve thrown it a lot and caught a lot of fish on it. It’s been pretty awesome.”
When the conditions call for frog fishing, DeFoe will tie on a Popping Frog about 80 percent of the time. “In most cases, especially around scattered grass — stuff with a lot of holes in it — I’m going with that one,” he says. “I like the added action and sound it offers.” When bass are holding under really thick mats of vegetation, however, he’ll turn to the Terminator Walking Frog, which he helped design as well.
By varying retrieve cadence and how much slack you give it on the stop, you can make a Popping Frog attract fish in different ways. “If you keep it tight-lined, it doesn’t want to walk as much and you can make it chug really hard,” DeFoe says. “If you twitch it on a slack line — a lot like you would walking a topwater hardbait — then it’s going to have a lot more walk and side-to-side action.”
Both the Popping Frog and Walking Frog feature a custom VMC^® frog hook, round-rubber legs, a heavy-duty welded line tie and lifelike detail from nose to rear. Both are tail-weighted to increase casting distance and stability on the retrieve. The bodies of both are extra soft, easily compressing when bass bite them to increase your hook-up ratio.

Cory Johnston Wins 2016 Costa FLW Oneida Lake and Angler of the Year!

King of the North!

by Jody White

FLW PRESS RELEASE

One of only three pros to bring limits to the stage on the final day of the Costa FLW Series presented by Ranger Boats on Oneida Lake, Cory Johnston earned the win by more than 4 pounds. In total, the Cavan, Ontario, pro toted 14 pounds, 1 ounce to the scale on the final day for a 50-4 total that earned him $32,778 and a new Ranger Z518. In addition to winning the tournament, Johnston also finished off his third Northern Division Strike King Angler of the Year title, earning a Strike King tackle pack and the deposits in the division of his choice for 2017.

Cory is " King of the North" in New York!
(Photo: FLW)

“We’ve never been here before and its fun to go out and learn a new lake,” says Cory Johnston of his and Chris’s first time on Oneida. “When you’re somewhere you haven’t been before you’re not going into the lake with a preconceived notion of what the fish were doing last time here. You can really figure it out and zone in on them real good.”

Zone in they did. Combined, the brothers rustled exactly 95 pounds of Oneida bass over three days of fishing with Cory taking the win and Chris settling for fourth place.

All week, Johnston followed a strict shallow game plan that separated him from other pros grouped up on shoals or slinging umbrella rigs on points and flats.

“The whole thing that I was fishing was isolated rock piles off the shore,” says Johnston. “When it was calm and clear like in practice you should see all these rock piles and that’s how I found all my fish. The first two days when I got here I put my trolling motor on 100 and just went looking for stuff and right away I caught a 4-pounder and a 3-pounder on topwater so I knew the big fish would be shallow and I could key in on what they were on.”

ICAST 2016 New Crawfish Rapala with Mike Iaconelli

Mike has the latest colours available in DT and Balsa lures from Rapala. He'll explains which colours he loves and when to fish them so you'll be successful.

ICAST 2016 New Storm Arashi Spinbait with BASS Star Brandon Palaniuk

Spinbait or spy baiting is one of the best ways to catch spooky bass in clear water. BASS Elite angler Brandon Palaniuk introduces us to the new Storm Arashi Spinbait. This lure is ideal for catching smallmouth and largemouth that won't bite anything else.

ICAST 2016 New Rapala Skitter V with Mike Iaconelli and IBASSIN

Rapala has a new topwater for 2016! Listen to Mike Iaconelli as he explains how the new Skitter V will walk so easily. Mike is a champ and if you use his knowledge and the new Skitter V you'll do well.

Contrasting Q1 sales for VMC Rapala and Shimano

Two of the world’s biggest fishing tackle manufacturers reported contrasting sales fortunes in the first quarter of 2016.

Originally posted in Angling International

Lure making giant, Rapala VMC Corporation, reported First Quarter net sales of €69.7 million – 6% down from the previous year (€73.9 million) – while fishing tackle sales at Shimano increased 5% compared to the same period in 2015 to 16,796 million yen.

Despite reporting a slow start to 2016, Rapala says that its financial guidance for the year remains unchanged and that it expects net sales and comparable operating profit to be above last year’s levels.

President and CEO Jorma Kasslin told investors: “The year started a bit slow, but did not include any major surprises. In North America the ice fishing season ended up being short, but now attention has shifted to the summer fishing.”

He added that although the Russian business environment continued to be ‘challenging’, there were some signs of stabilisation in the market. “Conditions are also difficult in some other regions, but we are well positioned to face the challenges.”

Shimano’s fishing operation is dwarfed by its bicycle components business, which saw its net sales drop by 20.3% from the same period last year to 65.3 billion yen, resulting in a 16.2% decrease in group sales compared to 2015.

New Rapala Shadow Rap Shad with Scott Walcott.

Rapala's new jerk bait with custom smallmouth colours!
By Joel Isenberg



Rapala's new Shadow Rap Shad is an amazing jerkbait that suspends slightly then slowly floats up nose first. From gentle twitches to hard rips, this Shadow Rap Shad will produce tremendous side to side action. Pro-staffer and guide Scott Walcott explains this bait along with its new matte finishes that are ideal for clear waters.

Shimano and Rapala Join Forces with BASS.

BASS Big Draw for Anglers

Originally posted in Angling International

Two of the world’s top fishing tackle manufacturers have announced major sponsorship agreements with B.A.S.S.

Under the deals, Shimano and Rapala will be supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation events and other major tournaments run by the organisation.

“We welcome Rapala into the B.A.S.S. sponsor family,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “The company is known worldwide as an innovator and marketer of premium fishing lures and tackle as well as a strong supporter of many Bassmaster Elite Series professionals. We look forward to helping Rapala grows its brands as it helps us grow the sport of bass fishing.”

“Rapala is extremely proud to be a sponsor of the Elite Series,” said Tom Mackin, President of Rapala USA. “We value our strong strategic marketing partnership with this world-class organisation. We also value our friendship with all the great people at B.A.S.S. Together we are building momentum – it’s really fun to be part of it all.”

Rapala's New Shadow Rap

Wicked Matte Finishes for Clear Water!

When the Bassmaster Classic was last held on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Mike Iaconelli led after Day 1 and Brandon Palaniuk finished runner-up. Returning to that waterbody with a new Rapala^® bait has both anglers envisioning a slightly different outcome.

“Last time we were there, a jerkbait played a huge role in my second-place finish,” says Palaniuk, a six-time Classic qualifier. “So going back with the Shadow Rap Shad in my arsenal – a bait I didn’t have before, and something the fish have never seen – could be a huge key factor in trying to win this thing.”

Iaconelli is optimistic also about his Classic chances with a Shadow Rap^® Shad.

“I haven’t been this excited about a brand-new bait for a long time,” says Ike, the 2003 Classic Champion and 17-time qualifier. “Hands down, it’s going to be a player this year.”

Iaconelli, Palaniuk and fellow Rapala pro Ott DeFoe all appreciate the Shadow Rap Shad advantage they’ll enjoy in the Classic, which will be contested March 4-6.

“Knowing that I’m one of the very few guys who’s got it this year is going to let me fish with confidence,” says DeFoe, a five-time Classic qualifier and the 2011 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year. “Fishing something different will help me catch more and bigger bass. With the action it’s got, man I just totally expect this thing to be a big hit there at Grand Lake this year.”

Similar to the original Shadow Rap, released at last year’s Classic, the Shadow Rap Shad is taller in profile than its predecessor, but not as long. And, rather than slowly sinking on the pause — as an original Shadow Rap does — a Shadow Rap Shad slowly rises when stopped, slightly wobbling and perfectly mimicking an injured shad.

Win a Birthday Wish with Rapala!

We are celebrating our 80th Anniversary. In recognition of this, we are hosting the largest contest in our history. The contest is named “Rapala 80” and there are two ways to enter. First, you can go to www.rapala.ca/rapala80 and sign up for free. The second is to visit your local tackle retailer and purchase a specially marked Rapala(has a Rapala 80 sticker on the front of the box). The specially marked boxes can be found in a Rapala 80 logo’d bin. If the purchaser finds a lure that has the Rapala 80 Golden Print on the backside, then that person is a winner! They can redeem their prize through https://rapala.ca/rapala80.  Enter both ways to increase your chances of winning. The prize package is an assortment of 80 Rapala lures(approx.. value of $1000). Basically a lifetime supply! All the details can be found at https://rapala.ca/rapala80

Positive Outlook for Tackle Giants Rapala and Shimano!

Original article posted by 

Angling International

Two of the world’s biggest fishing tackle manufacturers saw their sales for the first half of 2015 increase on the previous year.

For the majority of last year, Rapala VMC Corporation was burdened by the costs of the changeover of production of its lure manufacturing unit from China to Batam Island, Indonesia. However, with the new location now having a positive impact on profitability, the Finnish giant reported a comparable operating profit of €9.9 million (2014: €9.7 million) – up 2%. Its net sales for the period also increased 3% to €80.1 million (2014: €77.7 million).

Fishing sales at Japanese-based Shimano for the year increased 9.8% to 33,386 million yen and operating income increased 19.2% to 2,667 million yen.

The company said that a generally robust performance in North America, Western Europe, Oceania and New Zealand, helped make up for a comparable decrease in sales in the Japanese market.

Positive comparable stores sales in a number of categories – including fishing – helped North America’s iconic outdoor sporting goods store, Cabala’s Incorporated, post a 9.9% increase in total revenue to $836.3 million for the second quarter of 2015.

Retail store revenue increased 13.9% to $570.1 million, while its internet sales fell 7%.

ICAST 2015: Storm® Arashi® Rattling Deep 18 & 25

These baits swim with limited side-to-side action and body roll to maximize diving depth and reduce angler fatigue when retrieving. Single cadence rattle for low frequency sound that penetrates further yet is not overpowering.

ICAST 2015: Terminator® Walking Frog

Watch BASS Elite and Rapala Pro Angler, Ott DeFoe as he takes the Terminator Walking Frog out for a walk. It has the perfect walking action right out of the box-without modifications. The Walking Frog features the widest hook gap available created by the positioning of the rear weight. The rear weight also allows for longer and more accurate casts. The extra soft body compresses easily for increased hook-up percentage. This frog gets to & through the heaviest of cover.