2016 BASSfest Lake Texoma Day 3: Casey Ashley Grabs Lead Again with 51-15!

Ashley surges ahead 
BASS PRESS RELEASE
Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., bounced back to reclaim the lead today after bringing 17 pounds, 5 ounces to the scale during the semi-final round of GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.
Ashley's limit of bass bumped his three-day total to 51-15, which is more than 3 pounds ahead of Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., who now sits in second.

Early morning bite key for Casey. (Photo: BASS)

"The morning hours are very important to producing a solid limit," Ashley said. "Once the sun gets high, the fish seem more reluctant to bite. It's flat-out challenging to cull up during the afternoon."
Even after three days of competition and several official practice days, the 2015 Bassmaster Classic champion said that he still isn't locked in on a specific pattern, but the fishing remains good in his area.
"During most tournaments you can often predict when and where the fish will bite, but here it's not that way at all. The fish are setting up in submerged bushes that are typically on dry land. When one does bite, it's very random compared to how and where the last fish did."
Ashley said that covering water and keeping his lure in the brush is the best way to find and catch active fish.

2016 Walmart FLW Kentucky Lake Day 2: Terry Bolton Leads with 44-13lbs.

Bolton takes over Kentucky

by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

The name Terry Bolton of Paducah, Ky., has been synonymous with the name Kentucky Lake for the better part of 30 years. Today, the well-known local pro showed why, bringing in another 22-pound plus bag of bass for the second day in a row to take the lead in the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Mercury and hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau with a two-day total of 44 pounds, 13 ounces.

Local pro shows consistency is key. (Photo: FLW)

Two major obstacles have been an issue for FLW Tour pros this week: fishing pressure and lack of current. Bolton has found a way to clear both hurdles over the last two days by searching out smaller “clusters” of suspended bass in waters that are deeper than where most of the fishermen are wearing ruts into the ledges.

“When they get up high off the bottom here, I like it,” Bolton says. “When they’re on the bottom, a lot more people can catch them. But when they suspend up high due to lack of current and fishing pressure, they get a little trickier to fool.”

“The big schools are broken up now and they are moving around a lot,” he continues. “So I’m looking for smaller clusters of fish. Some pods might have 5 or 6 fish in them; others might have 15 to 25. And I only catch a few fish out of these smaller groups – this is not a case where I’m sitting in one place wearing them out.”

Bolton adds that looking out deeper has been a key for him.

“I don’t normally like to fish this deep; it takes too long for my bait to get to the bottom,” Bolton adds with a laugh. “But that’s what I feel I have to do to get off the beaten path and find those more isolated, suspended pods that are not as pressured.”

 Top 10 pros below

2016 Walmart FLW Kentucky Lake Day 1: Brad Knight Leads by Ounces Over Fukae

Knight Leads with 23-6

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Best start of the year for FLW Cup Champ
(FLW Photo)

Since winning the Forrest Wood Cup in August of 2015, Brad Knight’s 2016 follow-up Walmart FLW Tour season has not been what he had hoped, collecting just one check in the first four events. Today the Lancing, Tenn., resident took the first step in righting the ship with a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 6 ounces for the day-one lead at the FLW Tour on Kentucky Lake presented by Mercury and hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Man, I’ve had enough of the bad this year,” Knight says. “It’s time to get this thing turned around and what better place to do it than on the Tennessee River.”

Knight’s limit was anchored by the day-one big bass, weighing in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces.

2016 BASSfest Lake Texoma Day 2: BASSfest get Hacked!

Hackey and Swindle Battle for Lead and AOY
By Thomas Allen
BASS PRESS RELEASE

Greg shinning in shallow water. (Photo BASS)

“You live by the sword, you die by the sword.”

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., uttered those words immediately after he weighed in a 20-pound, 2-ounce limit to take the lead Thursday during the GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.

Hackney’s two-day combined weight of 35-12 bumped Wednesday’s leader Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., into second place by 1 pound, 2 ounces.

“Yesterday I fished a pattern that produced some solid fish, and today it was more of the same thing — they were just bigger,” Hackney said. “The bite has been pretty unpredictable, but I’ve been able to narrow it down to one bait. It’s risky business relying on one presentation, because it could pay off big and win me this tournament, or it could end up costing me.”

Hackney came into this event leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, and he said it was his objective to strengthen that lead by staying consistent on the water.

“I’m a long ways from winning Angler of the Year, but I knew that a good finish here would put me one step closer,” said Hackney, the 2014 Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “I’m not concerning myself with anything other than tomorrow. If I can stay on the pattern and put together another solid limit, then I’ll start thinking about winning the derby. Right now, I’m just thankful for another great day.”

2016 BASSfest Lake Texoma Day 1: Casey Ashley Grabs 20 Pounds in Flood.

Ashley Surges Ahead!

By Thomas Allen

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Flooded shorelines and muddy water didn’t stop some Bassmaster Elite Series pros from finding big bass during the GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.
 


The day's big bass helps Ashley grad lead. (BASS)

After a very difficult and unproductive practice, Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., “just went fishing,” and put together the day’s heaviest five-fish limit of bass that weighed 20 pounds, 1 ounce. His lead eclipsed Chad Morgenthaler of Coulterville, Ill., who is in second place by only 11 ounces with a total of 19-6.
 


Ashley’s limit included the tournament’s current Phoenix Boats Big Bass that tipped the scales at 6-15. If the 2015 Classic champion can hold the big-fish lead for the duration of BASSfest, he’ll earn a $1,500 bonus.
 


“I had no idea I was going to catch them that good today,” Ashley said. “The first bite of the day was my big one, and when you start things out with that kind of momentum, it really helps you to settle in and make good decisions for the rest of the day.”
 


The South Carolinian is unsure if he can replicate today’s success on Thursday, but he’s sure going to try.
 


Costa Partners with Renowned Bass Fishing Icon Dave Mercer

Costa recently announced its new partnership with Facts of Fishing TV show host and Bassmaster Elite Series tournament emcee Dave Mercer.  Mercer, who is well known and loved within the bass fishing community, is often referred to as the unofficial voice of professional bass fishing, as his addictive energy and comedic presence has garnered a cult-like following of fishing fans young and old.
 In addition to hosting his own television show, Mercer is a sought-after seminar speaker, has a record-selling DVD series, and uses his active social media presence to engage and inspire anglers around the world. A native of Canada, Dave started tournament fishing at 13 years old. “Dave has this natural ability to connect bass fishing fans everywhere, from a young person just starting out, to the most seasoned Elite Series pro angler,” said Melinda Hays, bass fishing community manager. “He’s a great ambassador not just for the Costa sunglasses brand, but for sport fishing as a whole.”

Got Your ICAST Winners Yet?

In one month, IBASSIN will be in Orlando, Florida ready to discover new and wonderful fishing products. But, for many of us last year's winners are only now slowly entered our local stores and tackle boxes. If you're looking for a bit of new gear have a look at this list of winners. 

Here’s a rundown of the other category winners: 
> Freshwater rod: G. Loomis E6X 
> Saltwater rod: St. Croix Avid X 
> Fly fishing rod: St. Croix Mojo 
> Freshwater reel: Shimano Stradic C3000HG-K 
> Saltwater reel: Penn Clash 
> Fly fishing reel: Pflueger Medalist 
> Soft bait: LIVETARGET Hollow Body Sunfish 
> Hard bait: Savage Gear Hard Shrimp 
> Rod/reel combo: Lew’s Mach 1 Combo 
> Electronics: Humminbird Helix 7 SI 
> Line: PowerPro MaxCuatro braid 

New Zodias Froggin' and Crankin' Rods from Shimano!

SHIMANO EXPANDS ZODIAS BASS ROD SERIES WITH THREE NEW MODELS

FOR CRANKBAITS, CASTING INTO HEAVY COVER

Frogging or Cranking the ledges is summer time fishing. Here's some great news from Shimano on their technique specific designs, Shimano adds three rods to its 14-model Zodias (ZDS) bass rod line-up with the new ZDS 170M-G, ZDS 176MH-G and the ZDS 175H.

While the current Zodias series provide anglers with rods designed to perform as needed with all types of lures – be it worms, jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits, the new Zodias rods are constructed for specific lure and situation use. The 7-foot ZDS 170M-G and 7-foot-6 inch ZDS 176M-G crankbaits rods have longer reargrips for long-casting leverage, and include glass composite material within their Hi-Power X blank for the softer action needed. The heavy power, 7-foot-5-inch ZDS 175H is ideal for braided line applications, especially when launching frogs into heavy grass. A long reargrip provides added casting distance leverage.

All the Zodias rods blanks feature Hi-Power X construction, eliminating blank twist for both better casting distance and accuracy. Hi-Power X is a unique process to support the lightweight blanks, with carbon tape added in a 45-dgreee ‘X’ pattern on the outside of the blank. The tape process provides what is called ‘torsional rigidity’ to keep the blank from twisting during the cast – and with it, more distance and a more accurate lure presentation.

The new Zodias rods also include the sensitivity and strength of lightweight CI4+ material reel seats, plus lightweight semi-micro guides.

Jackall Cross Tail Shad

Find out why the Jackall Cross Tail Shad is the #1 smallmouth bait on the Great Lakes.
There is a reason why this bait is so popular. Find out more about the Jackall Cross Tail Shad.