2016 BASS Elite Wheeler Lake Day 2: Dave Lefebre Sacks 21 Pounds to Grab Lead.

Battle of shallow vs deep.

By Thomas Allen

BASS PRESS RELEASE

With a rapidly approaching severe thunderstorm, the Bassmaster Elite Series anglers rushed through Friday's weigh-in to stay ahead of the potentially dangerous weather. Erie, Pa., angler and Bassmaster newcomer Dave Lefebre is the Day 2 leader after catching an impressive limit of bass that weighed 21 pounds, 3 ounces.

Lefebre's not limited to one pattern. (Photo: BASS)

Like most of the anglers, Lefebre had a difficult practice and was only able to isolate a single area that was producing the kind of fish he thought could carry him through to Championship Sunday at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake.

Lefebre is competing during his first year as a Bassmaster Elite Series pro, but he is no rookie. He spent 13 years fishing the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) tour, earning six wins and nearly $2 million in prize money.

"I knew I had more weight than yesterday, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I had caught better fish today than I had expected," Lefebre said, who weighed 18-12 on Thursday for a combined two-day total of 39-15. "I feel like I could have weighed even more yesterday and today if I executed better. I've been leaving that area after I have a good limit hoping to keep some fresh bass for the next day."

2016 BASS Elite Wheeler Lake Day 1: John Crews Grabs Lead with 20 Pounds!

Crews rockets into lead.

By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

By nature, fishermen can be storytellers, and the top-shelf professional anglers that make up the Bassmaster Elite Series are no exception. Before the tournament began, the vast majority of the 108-angler field claimed the three official practice days were very unproductive — if not downright difficult.

It's standard procedure for tournament anglers to hold their cards close to their chest, especially during the days leading up to official competition. However, practice was certainly difficult for some at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake.

John Crews grabs lead as most struggle. (Photo: BASS)

Reality or a well-played bluff, all but eight anglers weighed five-fish limits of bass during the first round of competition on Wheeler. In all seriousness, effectively and consistently catching bass immediately following the spawn can be a difficult prospect as the fish are in need of recuperation. And, that is exactly what the anglers are faced with in in northwestern Alabama.

Heavy Drop Shot for Shallow Bass!

At the recent 2016 BASS Elite Bull Shoal/Norfork event, several of the top anglers did very well with heavy drop shotting. Switching to bait casting and heavier line, the drop shot is amazing when the fish are pressured or just off the bite. Elite angler Chris Zaldain lead most of the event by heavy drop shotting the shallow bushes. Check out this video on how to rig and fish a heavy drop shot.

Sufix's NanoBraid for Light Line Anglers

Sufix's New Nano Line

By Luigi De Rose

 

NanoBraid features an ultra-thin diameter for extreme sensitivity and long casts without sacrificing strength. Made from 100 percent Dyneema fibers, it boasts a uniform diameter, increased abrasion resistance and superior knot and shock strength. Expect uniform spooling, easy casting plus tremendous strength. Available in Sufix’s Aqua Camo in 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10 pound tests, it is a great match for small outfits. MSRP $34.99

Randall Tharp Wins 2016 Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork!

Tharp thumps ‘em

By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

The tournament format was complicated.

It was one event on two lakes over the course of four days.

But through all of the shifting and changing, Florida pro Randall Tharp decided to keep things simple — and that stay-the-course approach ultimately led to a victory in the Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork event.

Tharp used a 4x4 Jig — the Randall Tharp Signature series that he designed for the company — in the golden craw color pattern with a green pumpkin Zoom Big Salty Chunk to catch his fish all four days.

Nothing like your first Elite win. (Photo: BASS)

His final total of 61 pounds, 10 ounces was more than 2 pounds better than that of second-place finisher Skeet Reese (59-8).

Chris Zaldain (58-12), Matt Herren (58-10) and Bill Lowen (58- 5) made up the rest of the top five.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork Day 3: Tharp Leads Going into Final Day!

Top 12 head to Norfork for Final Day.
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE
Randall Tharp suffered through one of the toughest seasons of his professional career in 2015, but it seems to have given him some extra motivation for this year's campaign.

Tharp opened the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series season with back-to-back Top 20 finishes — and now, he has caught enough fish at this week's Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork to move himself into position to claim his first Elite Series win.

Big rods and jigs jumps Tharp to lead. (Photo: BASS)

He brought in five bass Saturday from Bull Shoals Lake that weighed 16 pounds, 4 ounces and moved from fifth place to the top of the standings with a three-day total of 45-8. The tournament, which began Thursday on Norfork Lake and moved to Bull Shoals Friday and Saturday, will shift back to Norfork for Sunday's championship round with Tharp leading the remaining Top 12 anglers.

"I started in the same place today where I lost a big one (Friday), and I never had a bite," said Tharp, who has three Bassmaster Open victories but none on the Elite Series. "Where I pulled my trolling motor up (Friday), I just decided to keep on going. I kept the trolling motor down until 11 o'clock, and that's how I caught most of what I had.

"It was new water — a lot shallower than what I had been fishing — and I just fished everything in front of me."
Tharp said he was struggling early, but a slight change in technique helped.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork Day 2: Zaldain and Lowen Tie with 30-14lbs!

Round Two on Bull Shoals starts tomorrow

By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

The format for the Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork is one of the more complex in the trail’s 11-year history.

A full field of 108 Elite Series anglers began on Norfork Lake Thursday and moved to Bull Shoals Lake for Friday’s second round. The remaining Top 50 will fish Bull Shoals again Saturday, with the final Top 12 moving back to Norfork for Sunday’s final round.

Zaldain and Lowen both favour shallow water making
day three a great battle. (Photo: BASS)

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, there are now two anglers deadlocked atop the leaderboard.

Chris Zaldain of San Jose, Calif., and Bill Lowen off Brookville, Ind., have each caught 30 pounds, 14 ounces — and though they took different paths to get there, they will share the lead as the unique tournament heads into the semifinals.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork Day 1: Matt Herren Grabs Lead with 17lbs!

Anglers head to Bull Shoals for Friday.

By Bryan Brasher

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Matt Herren came into this week’s Bassmaster Elite at Bull Shoals/Norfork, with a free-wheeling attitude.



“My motto for the week is just to fly by the seat of my pants,” Herren said. “Since we’re fishing two different lakes, I figure that’s all you can really do.”



Big bass lands Matt lead.
(Photo: BASS)

So far, the strategy has worked very well.

Herren caught five bass Thursday on Norfork Lake that weighed 17 pounds and took the lead in the first-of-its-kind, two-lake Elite Series event. His catch was bolstered by a 6-pound, 1-ounce largemouth that bit during the final minutes.

In an unusual format, the 108 Bassmaster Elite Series anglers will divide their time between two nearby Ozarks lakes near Mountain Home.

After competing today on Norfork, the full field moves to Bull Shoals for Friday’s round, after which the field is cut to 50 anglers, who will again compete on Bull Shoals. The Top 12 anglers after Saturday will return to Norfork for the final round.



Herren feels confident now as the tournament shifts to Bull Shoals Lake for the next two rounds before coming back for Championship Sunday on Norfork.

“I just had a really fortunate day,” Herren said. “I got on something early and had a good limit of fish. But with about 15 minutes left in my day, I caught a 6-1. 

Pure Fishing acquisition by Newell Brands completed.

Newell Brands has completed its acquisition of Newell Rubbermaid and the owner of Pure Fishing, the Jarden Corporation.

Originally posted in Angling International

The $15.4 billion transaction, which was announced in December last year, has created a $16 billion consumer goods company that includes some of the world’s best known brands, including Yankee Candle, Graco, Irwin, Rawlins, Coleman and in recreational angling, the Pure Fishing stable of companies. The new business has been renamed Newell Brands Inc. and will continue to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

“The combination of our two great organisations creates a powerhouse consumer goods company and sets up a very exciting long-term growth and value creation company,” said Michael Polk, Newell Brands Chief Executive. “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Newell Brands and the development of our business. We expect Newell Brands to unlock far greater upside than either company could have done on their own.

“Our immediate focus will be to deliver our 2016 financial objectives, start the work of integrating the two companies and develop long-term corporate and portfolio strategy that will guide the choices we make and the realisation of the company’s full potential.”

For the balance of 2016 the operating structure will remain largely unchanged with Jarden and Newell Rubbermaid commercial operations running alongside each other. William Burke will serve as President of the Jarden Group and will lead the business, working closely with Richard Sansone, Chief Operating Officer.

Martin E. Franklin, Founder and former Chief Executive of Jarden, and Ian Ashken, Co-Founder and former Vice Chairman of Jarden, have joined the Newell Brands Board of Directors.