B.A.S.S. Pioneer Ricky Green dies at age 69

(Originally posted by BASSFAN)

Former tour pro Keith Green confirmed today that his father, 14-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Ricky Green, died on Sunday at age 69. He'd battled severe lung issues for several years and received a transplant on May 1, but developed an infection that led to his death.

He won two Bassmaster Tour events (the 1972 Rebel Invitational at Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi and the 1974 Texas Invitational at Sam Rayburn Reservoir) and competed in his final Classic in 1985.

"Getting that transplant was the only chance he had to get back to doing what he liked to do, which was being in the outdoors," said longtime friend and fellow Arkansan Larry Nixon. "It was extremely risky, but he decided to do it, and I admire him for that."

Keith Combs wins the TTBC for a Record Third Time!

Lake Fork and Keith Combs are best friends again, again and again!

Defending champion earns third TTBC title in four years at Lake Fork QUITMAN, TX. – The world championship of bass fishing, the Toyota Texas Bass Classic was decided by a world record-breaking performance from two-time winner and defending TTBC Champion Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas. Combs broke the tour-level world record today with a amassing 110 pounds following three days of competition … - See more at: http://www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com/#sthash.yIuHnnAx.dpuf

Florida reworking tournament creel limits

By Luigi De Rose

Strange politics playing out in Florida. Participants will be encouraged to provide input on the proposal for a statewide five-fish daily bag limit, only one of which could be 16 inches total length or longer. In other words, four of the five largemouths would have to be less than 16 inches total length. 
For more information click here

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.

Jacob Powroznik Wins the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Toledo Bend Tournament

Jacob Powroznik wins at Toledo Bend with 79-12 lbs
anchored with a 7-13 lb largemouth. That big bass was the largest
of the day. More tournament news shortly.
(Photo: BASS) 

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.

Shimano Injects Over $10,000.00 to CSFL Tournaments

Shimano Injects Over $10,000.00!

CSFL Press Release

It was less than a week ago when the CSFL officially announced the countdown to the first of two of the Nation’s most prestigious events and how it is making waves south of the border.  Today the CSFL is proud to announce industry leader Shimano Canada has once again stepped up to support Canadian Anglers.