2023 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on Lake Okeechobee Day 1: David Walker Smashes 28-01lbs; Gallelli 26-11lbs

By EriK Gaffron

MLF PRESS RELEASE

CLEWISTON, Fla. – Day 1 of the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on Lake Okeechobee was an absolute banger, with 15 pros weighing 20 pounds or more to kick off Power-Pole Stop 1 Presented by Phoenix Boats. In the lead, David Walker stacked up 28 pounds, 1 ounce to edge out Italian pro Jacopo Gallelli (26-11) in second. Behind the top two, Jason Vance and Tai Au also crossed the 25-pound mark, and 18 pounds was good for just 30th after Day 1.

Walker’s day started trending in the right direction from the jump, boating a keeper just a few casts into his morning.

“You know, it started good, but it didn’t start with big fish,” he said. “It just started with some bites. In the area I went to I was sure I could get some bites there. I’d had a few bites there in practice and just kept going through it. I caught one about a 2-something (pounder); I didn’t make two or three casts and thought ‘well, that’s good, there’s still some more fish here.” 

Not long after, Walker was able to boat a 4 1/2-pound fish that flipped the switch on his day. 

“I was really surprised because I didn’t expect that (caliber of) fish there, and little did I know I’d end up culling that fish. I mean, what a day,” he said.

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Minn Kota & Humminbird Owners Tournament June 3-4 on Pickwick Lake!

Get ready for the first Minn Kota & Humminbird Owners Tournament!

The tournament will be held at Pickwick Lake on June 3-4, 2023 and is open to anyone with at least one Minn Kota trolling motor, shallow water anchor, on-board charger or Humminbird fish finder installed on their boat.

With over $150,000 in total payouts and the grand prize for the 1st place finisher taking home $50,000 it will make for an exciting event! Anglers will also have the opportunity to win additional Minn Kota and Humminbird products, more cash, and other prizes for finishing in the top 5 overall. PLUS - The first 200 online registrants will receive a FREE Humminbird LakeMaster Southeast Premium map card!

Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/3JJGQf9

Kennie Steverson Wins 2023 MLF Toyoto Series on Harris Chain of Lakes!

Canadian Cory Johnston 5th

By Job Newwell 

MLF PRESS RELEASE

LEESBURG, Fla. – Some anglers will tell you they are a slow fisherman. That when it comes to fishing, they can drop it down into granny gear and just creep along slower than anyone else – and that’s fine. But in bass fishing, there are two levels of slow; what everyone calls slow, and Kennie Steverson slow.

How slow does Steverson fish? He literally got passed by all the turtles on the Harris Chain of Lakes en route to winning the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southern Division event this week.

For the record, Steverson’s scorecard for the event included a Day 1 catch of 24 pounds even, a Day 2 catch of 27-11 and a closing round catch of 20-2 for a total of 71-13.

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Ned Rig for Smallmouth with Dave Chong

 

The Z-Man Ned Rig is one of the most effective finesse presentations an angler can cast. Listen to Dave Chong as he explains how he uses the Ned Rig for smallmouth. Dave Chong has won tournaments throughout the smallmouth range and knows how to make bass bite.

Chris Zaldain Moves to Nitro Boats/Mercury and Johnny Morris in 2023!

Chris Zaldain and Trait Zaldain sit down in the latest episode of The Bilge x  @battlebornbatteries  to discuss his biggest sponsor change of his fishing career and the thought process behind his major sponsorship changes over the last two years. Digital media and content big player in move to Bass Pro Shops. To understand their though process and the move in sponsorship is a long haul move.

Bassmaster Kayak Series expands competition days for 2023 season

BASS Press Release

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After crowning its first Angler of the Year in 2022, the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX now has its much-anticipated five-tournament regular-season schedule in place. New for 2023, every tournament will feature two days of competition.

“It’s been really fun to watch anglers enjoy this trail as the sport — and our trail — continues to evolve and grow,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “We value the feedback of anglers who are traveling from across the country to fish with B.A.S.S., and the two-day events we experimented with last season were extremely well-received.

“We’re excited to offer expanded competition on some iconic lakes. The 2023 season will showcase fisheries where the Kayak Series has already made history as well as some exciting new waters.”

Brandon Palaniuk Moves to Megabass USA!

Brandon Palaniuk, 2 Time BASS Elite Angler of the Year, has made the move to Megabass USA. After a decade with Rapala, he will start the 2023 Elite season with Megabass USA. 

Brandon made the announcement on Instagram. He wrote, "A new chapter in this book we call life has begun 🙌🏼 We are officially part of the @megabassamerica team and I can’t wait to bring this partnership to life. So much innovation, creativity, and drive to make products that earn the right to be in your tackle arsenal and we are going to bring it to you through a fresh lens. This speaks to my constant drive for growth personally and what matters most to me as much as anything else. 

RAPALA® Signs Welcher to Further Bolster Pro Staff

Rapala, a legendary company already in possession of the industry’s most accomplished and diverse set of pro-staffers, announces the addition of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kyle Welcher.

Welcher joins a team that includes past Bassmaster Anglers of the Year such as Gerald Swindle, Davy Hite, Mike Iaconelli and Seth Feider, as well as Bassmaster Classic winner Ott DeFoe, and Jacob Wheeler, generally considered to be the hottest bass angler on the planet right now.

Welcher is particularly excited to offer his R&D ideas and to swap information with his fellow pros. “We’re going to talk through things and it’ll be a team effort,” he explained. “Most of us are on the same page about the value of Rapala’s high quality, even if we have our own styles on the water.

About Kyle Welcher
As he enters his fifth season in the Elite Series, Kyle Welcher has quickly established himself as one of the top up-and-coming pros anywhere, with two Bassmaster Classic appearances under his belt. The Alabama pro, who will turn 30 this February, was the runner-up in the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” in 2022. Perhaps more impressively, he’s finished in the money in 27 of 34 B.A.S.S. events, just under 80 percent. A lot of those checks have been earned on the back of Rapala products.

2022 Bassmaster Classic Champion Jason Christie on Team Skeeter!

With no fanfare or even a simple post, Jason Christie has made the switch from aluminum rig to a new 2023 Skeeter FXR. Check out his latest video where he displays his new battleship for the up-coming 2023 BASS Elite season.