Shimano Expands Flagship MGL Spinning Reel Lineup with the Exsence 2500XGB

A New Size for 2025 Brings Added Offering for Finesse Freshwater Applications

Shimano North America Fishing announces the debut of its Exsence B spinning reel lineup with a new 2500-size option, tailored for light-tackle anglers targeting freshwater species with techniques. As the flagship model in Shimano’s MagnumLite series, the Exsence B sets the standard for performance in finesse applications.

“When we talk about finesse, we’re talking about control — and that’s where this Exsence B dominates,” says Kade Gewanter, Freshwater Product Marketing Manager at Shimano North America Fishing. “The new size offering within the redesigned Exsence series — the Exsence 2500XGB — expands access to Shimano’s premium technologies for finesse bass fishing, allowing more anglers to fine-tune their gear for specific techniques using a premium reel equipped with Shimano’s MGL Rotor. Whether shaking a dropshot, or strolling a minnow, the Exsence B delivers the performance edge.”

Exsence B is engineered with Shimano’s most advanced reel technologies, empowering anglers with longer, more accurate casts, ultra-responsive control, and smooth, powerful retrieves. The lightweight frame is now available in a 2500-size option with ultra-fast XG gearing (6.4:1), making it the perfect spinning reel for targeting bass with finesse tactics.

Making a Strong Case for Protection

New D-VEC Reel Bag underscores DAIWA’s commitment to protecting and transporting your reels and other valuable gear

The innovative fishing company’s new D-VEC Reel Bag puts a heavy-duty nylon forcefield around 7 to 8 small to midsize reels, spinning or baitcasting.  

The case’s innerworkings are intuitive and utilitarian. Not only does the D-VEC Reel Bag accommodate a fishing vacation’s rotisserie of reels, but it’s also designed to individualize protection for the shape and size of each one. Semi-firm and padded dividers offer a modular approach to customizing fit, panels secured with Velcro tabs. And there’s no statute that says the bag is limited to reels, either. The modular configuration lends itself to multipurpose applications. Build a fortress around that camera, maybe safely encase your binoculars and smartphone. How about a small drone? No problem. There should still be enough space for a couple DAIWA reels…

The inside lid of the D-VEC Reel Bag is assigned as well. Double zippers open and close a mesh storage pouch that is ideal for spinning reel handles, keys, and that priceless fishing license.

Externally, the rugged D-VEC Reel Bag sports a robust zipper with easy-open, oversized pull-tabs. A comfortable sewn-in handle satisfies quick grab and go’s, while an adjustable and removable shoulder strap easily totes your treasures through the airport.

XZone and Cooper Gallant's New Rally Shad

The NEW Rally Shad was designed by Elite Series Pro Cooper Gallant. The Rally Shad has a realistic profile, ultra-thin fork tail, and our proprietary blend of slow-floating plastic. When fished on a ball head jig, this produces a unique body roll that mimics a real bait fish. Cooper created the Rally Shad to be used with forward facing sonar techniques, such as mid-strolling and hover strolling. This bait also excels on a drop shot, underspin, vibrating jig and other jigging techniques. Available in 10 proven fish catching colors for both bass and walleye anglers!

Most Popular Techniques

• Damiki/Moping/Hanging A Minnow
• Strolling
• Drop Shot

Most Popular Rigging

• Ball Head Jig/Swimbait Jig
• Hover Rig
• Drop Shot
• Chatterbait Trailer

Scott Canterbury Wins 2025 NPFL Stop #3 on Douglas Lake

Story by Justin Brouillard 

With light wind and shifting water levels across Douglas Lake, anglers were once again forced to adjust on the final day of Stop #3 of the NPFL season. The offshore bite never really came back after Day One, and while shallow patterns remained the deal, water color and stability varied depending on where you were.

When the dust settled, Scott Canterbury, who shared the lead heading into Showdown Saturday, showed up when it counted. He started the morning fishing floating docks around a marina and connected with a 4-pound, 14-ounce kicker—his biggest of the week—then backed it up with another solid keeper to put him over 8 pounds right out of the gate. From there, he returned to his flooded bushes, where he’d caught fish all week, and made key culls to build his final-day bag of 19 pounds, the biggest of the event.

He kicked things off with 17 pounds, 6 ounces on Day One to take the lead, then added 14 pounds, 3 ounces on Day Two—his slowest day of the week. On Saturday, he slammed the door shut, weighing the tournament’s heaviest bag to earn his first NPFL win and take home the Douglas Lake NPFL Shield.

Kyle Welcher, the reigning Progressive AOY, came out swinging and put together a solid bag of 16 pounds, 10 ounces, finishing in second place with 48 pounds, 3 ounces for three days. Barron Adams finished in third place with 43 pounds, 2 ounces, adding his biggest limit of the event on the final day.

Canterbury Closes Strong

After holding a share of the lead through two days, tied with Kyle Welcher and Tim Cales, Canterbury knew the final day would come down to decision-making. As it turned out, a choice he made in practice—and another first thing Saturday morning—helped seal the deal.

Memorial Day

 

Wishing our American readers and meaningful day. 

Nick Hatfield cruises to first Bass Pro Tour win at B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops, Jeff Sprague earns $100,000 Big Bass Award

Tennessee pro catches 12 bass for 42-12 in Championship Round to earn $100,000 top prize, Sprague catches 6-2 largemouth to earn $100,000 Berkley Big Bass Award

MLF Press Release

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – Entering the Championship Round at B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops, Nick Hatfield didn’t really believe he had much of a chance of leaving with the title belt. Sure, he tried to talk himself into a scenario in which every other angler struggled and he found a magic school of Smith Mountain Lake bass. But given that he’d never led at any point during his first three days of competition and squeaked into the Top 10 by finishing eighth in the Knockout Round, his focus was more on winning the $100,000 Berkley Big Bass award up for grabs on the final day.

Yet Hatfield took the lead 5 minutes after lines in Thursday and never looked back. He stacked up 42 pounds, 12 ounces on 12 scorable bass to top Justin Lucas by 13-12 for his first Bass Pro Tour victory. That earned him not only the championship belt but a $100,000 paycheck, plus an extra $10,000 for catching the biggest bass during his second day of qualifying.

Hatfield wasn’t the only angler to leave Smith Mountain with a six-figure payday. While Jeff Sprague caught just two scorable bass on the day, one of them tipped the scales at 6-2. More than a pound heavier than the next-largest bass, that easily earned Berkley Big Bass honors, netting Sprague his second career $100,000 big bass bonus.

Hatfield never felt farther away from the Heavy Hitters title than at the end of his first day competing on Smith Mountain Lake. During Group A’s first day of the Qualifying Round, he mustered just five scorable bass for 15-1, which had him nearly 10 pounds back of the elimination line.

Yet that lackluster day laid the foundation for Hatfield’s win. He’d caught all his weight off the same spot during the first period – a flat, main-lake point where both largemouth and smallmouth were ambushing spawning blueback herring. However, having never competed on Smith Mountain before, when his bite slacked, he set off in search of something better. He never caught another scorable bass on the day.

Justin Lucas Leads 2025 B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops

It was a tight race for the top during the Knockout Round and Justin Lucas came out on top with 64-4 on 21 scorable bass. Photo by Tyler Brinks

Mitchell Forde Bass Pro Tour 

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. — Everything has gone to plan so far for Justin Lucas at B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops. His last remaining objective on Smith Mountain Lake: claim the title belt he’s coveted for the past three years and at least one of the $100,000 paychecks up for grabs on Championship Thursday.

Lucas totaled 64 pounds, 4 ounces on 21 scorable bass during the Knockout Round. With less than 2 minutes left before lines out, he boated a 3-13 smallmouth that put him atop SCORETRACKER®, 1-8 ahead of Zack Birge.

Meanwhile, even though he finished the day in third place, the biggest winner was Matthew Stefan. The Wisconsin pro earned $30,000 for catching the Berkley Big Bass of the day, a 5-15 that ate a bladed jig.

Lucas will lead the Top 10 into what’s shaping up to be a wide-open Championship Round, where $100,000 will be up for grabs for both the tournament winner and the angler who catches the biggest bass. Watch the final day live on MLFNOW! from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and the Major League Fishing channel on Rumble.

Full results can be found here.

Lucas hopeful he’s on the winning pattern

Lucas’ Knockout Round unfolded much like his Qualifying Round. He got off to a strong start, putting plenty of distance between himself and the elimination line early, then spent some time scouting for the next round. 

While most of his closest competition plied steep banks on the riverine end of Smith Mountain, Lucas stuck with his approach of targeting schools of bass ambushing blueback herring around the flat points on the lower end of the lake. He amassed more than 27 pounds in the opening period, climbed above the 50-pound mark in the opening minutes of the third frame, then eased off the gas and spent the rest of the day in practice mode.

Pat Schlapper Wins 2025 MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River!

Canadian: Gallant 6th

Bass Press Release

ORANGE, Texas — A marathon, not a sprint. You’d be hard pressed to find a more fitting phrase to describe Pat Schlapper’s wire-to-wire win at the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River.

Schlapper set the early mark with a Day 1 limit of 12 pounds, 2 ounces. The pro from Eleva, Wis., would follow with daily weights of 8-7, 8-9 and 9-10 for a winning total of 38-12.

Edging fellow Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Patrick Walters by a margin of 2-4, Schlapper collected the top prize of $101,000.

“This means a lot to me that my friends and family surprised me and showed up,” said Schlapper, whose brother passed away last year. “This is for my family and my brother.”

A week after 62-11 earned him a 32nd-place finish in the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork, Schlapper endured the notoriously challenging Sabine River’s stingy ways.

“I caught my fish a few different ways; I had figured out different things and knowing when to do (each one) was the key,” Schlapper said. “I think one of the biggest reasons I out-fished a lot people in the area is that I was fishing a lot faster.

“A lot of people were fishing really slow, but I was just covering as much water as I could. I think that made a big difference.”

With cloudy, windy weather creating classic largemouth feeding conditions, Schlapper enjoyed his best morning of the week. Getting off to a quick start, Schlapper had a limit that went a little more than 9 pounds by 9 a.m.

As soon as he reached his first spot, he experienced an intense flurry that jump started his big morning.

“It was unbelievable the way that happened this morning,” Schlapper said. “That was actually the first spot that I found (in practice). I pulled in and the wind was just perfect to throw a Brazalo clacking buzzbait. It had a big gold blade and a black toad on the back.

“I just got to whompin’ on ’em for about 20 minutes and they were all quality fish. I missed one, but the rest of them choked it.”

2025 MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River Day 3: Pat Schlapper Continues Lead!

Canadians: Gallant 3rd,  Chris Johnston 13th & Gustafson 26th

Wisconsin's Pat Schlapper maintains the lead on Day 3 of the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River with a three-day total of 29 pounds, 2 ounces. (Seigo Saito/ BASS)

BASS Press Release

ORANGE, Texas — Pat Schlapper felt the moment slipping away, but he patiently persevered and found a late-day kicker that kept him in the lead of the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River.

The Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Eleva, Wis., took the early lead with a Day 1 limit of 12 pounds, 2 ounces and then remained in the top spot with a second-round bag that went 8-7. Catching a Semifinal Saturday limit of 8-9, Schlapper made it three days straight with a leading total of 29-2.

Coming off a 32nd-place finish last week in the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork, Schlapper heads into Championship Sunday with a 14-ounce lead over Kyoya Fujita. Schlapper attributes his Texas success to a rejuvenated perspective.

“It’s been a tough year, but I’ve kinda changed my mindset; I’m trying to have fun and I’m fishing to win,” Schlapper said. “We hear that all the time, but I’m really fishing to win this week.”

Schlapper demonstrated the determination requisite of blue trophy ownership by enduring a lean third day. Round 1 saw him catch all of his fish at a bridge near Taylor Bayou. That structure produced part of his Day 2 limit, with the rest coming from shallow shoreline cover.

Schlapper tried his bridge again on Day 3, but it did not yield any keeper bites.

“I started on some other stuff and then went (to the bridge) and didn’t catch ’em, then I just started fishing the way I did in practice,” Schlapper said. “I’m not counting on the bridge anymore. I’ll fish it tomorrow and think I can still catch some there, but I’m focused on the other way I’m catching them.”

That other pattern simply comprises covering water and flipping shallow habitat features. Schlapper said he’s fishing a mix of natural targets with a Texas-rigged creature bait and a jig.

“It could be grass, it could be wood, it could be a little undercut point,” he said. “I’m just trying to get my bait in front of as many fish as I can.

“It took me all day to get those five keepers,” Schlapper said. “I had six keeper bites and only I caught five of them.”