2016 BFL SCHEDULE, RULES, PAY OUTS AND DETAILS

2016 BFL Schedule

FLW recently announced the 2016 Walmart Bass Fishing League schedule, rules and details. The BFL will include 128 tournaments in 24 divisions in 2016. Awards being offered total nearly $8 million, including as much as $120,000 to the winning boater and $60,000 to the winning co-angler in the nationally-televised All-American, plus advancement to the Forrest Wood Cup for the All-American boater winner.

A summary of highlights:

Entry Dates

Entries will be accepted by division beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the following dates:

Dec. 7, 2015 – Hoosier, Michigan, Music City and Volunteer

Dec. 8, 2015 – Bulldog, Cowboy, Great Lakes, Illini and Mississippi

Dec. 9, 2015 – Bama, Buckeye, Choo Choo, Gator and Mountain

Dec. 10, 2015 – Arkie, LBL, North Carolina, Northeast and Okie

Dec. 11, 2015 – Ozark, Piedmont, Savannah River, Shenandoah and South Carolina

Entries will be accepted online at FLWFishing.com, by phone at 270.252.1000 or by mail, to 30 Gamble Lane, Benton, KY 42025.

Angler and Co-angler of the Year

• $1,000 Angler of the Year award in each division
• $500 Co-angler of the Year award in each division

96 Qualifying Tournaments

• $8,000 top boater award
• $3,000 top co-angler award
• Ranger Cup bonuses
• Saturday tournaments
• Winners determined by heaviest one-day catch
• 20 percent of field earns a check
• Every angler receives points
• Entry fees: $230 boaters and $115 co-anglers

Big Changes Coming to 2016 FLW Tour Events

FLW announced Thursday its planned enhancements and key changes for the 2016 Walmart FLW Tour season. Among the major changes are the additions of two fall FLW Tour Invitational tournaments and changes to Rule No. 19 to now allow competitors to fish in their own wrapped boats on all four days of FLW Tour competition.

Key points from the recently updated rules:

 Fall FLW Tour Invitationals

Two fall FLW Tour Invitational tournaments will be held after the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup at locations yet to be announced. The tournaments will feature a three-day format and a 125-boat pro field (no co-anglers) with a $4,000 entry fee. The field will consist of the top 100 professionals and top five co-anglers from the 2016 FLW Tour Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year standings, respectively, along with the top four pros from the Angler of the Year standings in each of the five 2015 Rayovac FLW Series divisions. Co-anglers accepting invitations to compete in the Invitational tournaments will compete as pros. The winner of each Invitational will receive a top prize of $100,000 cash along with automatic qualification into the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup.

 Angler Boats, Boat Wrap Exclusivity, Jersey Exclusivity

Also new for 2016, pros will use their own boats on every day of competition. Sponsor exclusivity for boat wraps will no longer exist, and the list of FLW exclusive categories for logo display on jerseys during the final two days of competition has been reduced from nine to five.

2015 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell Day 1: Rojas Rules with Over 21 Pounds!

Despite Bitter Cold Dean was Red Hot!

By Bryan Brasher

bass press release

Doesn’t it just figure that after the coldest day in the history of the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, four anglers from warm, sunny climates are sitting atop the standings?

Arizona angler Dean Rojas wowed the crowd at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., with five Lake Hartwell bass that weighed 21 pounds, 2 ounces despite frigid temperatures that were in the neighborhood of 10 degrees just before takeoff at Green Pond Landing in Anderson.

Dean overcame the bass, weather, and
practice late penalty to take day 1 lead. He was
optimistic before the day started because this was
his 13th Classic, he is boat #13 and its was
Friday the 13th.
(Photo: James Overstreet BASS)

Rojas also overcame a 28-minute penalty that he was forced to spend in the tournament “penalty box” as punishment for being late for check-in to Wednesday’s practice period.

He leads California angler Skeet Reese (20-2), Texas pro Keith Combs (18-8) and fellow Arizona angler Brett Hite (15-7).

“This is our biggest stage that we perform on, and to be able to catch a big bag like that on the first day is amazing,” Rojas said. “How could you script it any better than that? Obviously, I’d rather finish it that way. But hey, I’ll take it.”

Though Rojas hasn’t won a Classic in 12 previous appearances – and hasn’t finished first in an event since the 2011 Elite Series event on Toledo Bend Reservoir – he said he’ll be more excited than nervous to lead the field into Saturday’s second round.

He’s taking his Day 1 success in stride, much like he did the 28-minute penalty he endured Friday morning. He said the infraction was due to a Lowrance unit on his boat that he kept promising himself he would switch from Central Time to South Carolina’s Eastern Time, but never did.

Monroe and Poche Disqualified from Southern Open!

By Luigi De Rose

Most professional athletes respect the unwritten rule that "what happened on the field stays on the field." This sportsman's code exists for ice, racetrack or ring but apparently not for fishing. Yesterday, Friday, January 16, 2015, Ish Monroe and Keith Poche got into a scuffle when Poche rammed Ish's boat at a lock on Lake Toho during the Bassmaster Southern Open tournament. Both had fiery words towards each other then Ish boarded Keith's boat. It is unclear what exactly happened next but both anglers fell into the water. By the end of Friday, Monroe was charged with battery by the local authorities.

The question many fans and pro-anglers have is to what extent does fishing relate to other sports when violations to the rules and unwritten rules of the game are broken. This might be a grey area of sportsmanship that has yet to be governed and the fact that formal charges were laid does intensify the matter ten-fold. So, the question arises, should what happens on the water stay on the water?

Here is the official statement from BASS regarding the matter.

By BASS Communications

JAN 17, 2015

Based on an investigation of an incident Friday during the Bassmaster Opens tournament on Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida, B.A.S.S. today disqualified two anglers from the event. Pursuant to B.A.S.S. rules, Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., and Keith Poche of Pike Road, Ala., were disqualified from the Open. Additional penalties for both anglers may be imposed pending the outcome of additional investigations that are ongoing at this time. Because of those investigations, B.A.S.S. will not comment further on the decisions.

Strategies for Smallmouth

Autumn has arrived! For many anglers in the north, there is a shift from largemouth to smallmouth fishing during this time of year. Smallmouth bite well as waters cool. One of the best presentations for searching and catching big smallmouth are spinnerbaits.

Here is a video on what to look for in a spinnerbait for smallmouth.

IBASSIN RULES Rules #3 Smallmouth Spinnerbaits

Here is #3 in the IBASSIN Rules series of videos. Spinnerbaits and smallmouth go hand in hand. Check out the video and see what you have been missing.

IBASSIN Rules #4 The Jika Rig, one year later

The IBASSIN Rules has become a very popular playlist for us. Here is #4 in the series. The Jika Rig is a unique blend of Texas and Drop shotting that has change the way angler rig soft plastics.

Help IBASSIN Reach 100 000 views on YouTube!

Dear Loyal Fans,

We are ever so close to 100 000 views on Youtube. Lets reach this milestone by the end of the week.
Spread the word and I'll have a prizes for you loyal fans.

Here are some of our most popular videos:

IBASSIN RULES #1 Punchig Weeds

 

IBASSIN RULES #2 Skipping 

 

 

IBASSIN RULES #3 Spinnerbait Smallmouth

 

 

IBASSIN RULES #4 The Jika Rig one Year Later

 

 

 

 

 

IBASSIN RULES #3

RULES #3 looks at spinnerbaits for smallmouth. Don't just think finesse, big gaudy spinnerbaits can be the ticket for big smallmouth. Plus, they're so fun to fish.