bassmaster - Bass Fishing Florida

WFN Latest Fishing News

This Week, WFN Latest Fishing News

DENVER, COLORADO -WFN NEWS, the industry’s first news program reporting on the stories and events that shape the fishing industry will once again present a wide array of fishing news for viewers. This week’s episode, airing on Tuesday, May 4, at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT includes; interviews with PAA Tournament Director Randy Knight, an update on the Great Lakes Restoration program, results from the weekend’s professional tourneys and much more.

A new episode of the weekly news program airs each Tuesday night as a lead-in to the network’s primetime theme block Fly Fishing Tuesday from 8-10 pm ET. For a complete schedule, visitwww.WFN.tv.

The only weekly news show dedicated to covering the tournaments, issues and stories that anglers care about, WFN NEWS leverages the network’s regional production bureaus across North Americato uncover the stories for millions of anglers. Hosted by broadcast veteran Jim Van Horne, the show tackles professional angling, government and ministry involvement, science and technology, world records, community and regional coverage, environmental news and industry profiles.

THIS WEEK ON WFN NEWS: May 4 @ 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT features:

– PAA tournament director Randy Knight discusses the PAA’s new tournament circuit

– State fish hatcheries new revenue streams

– Great Lakes Restoration program update

– Weekend results from Bassmaster Elite Series & Skeeter Bass Champs

About WFN: World Fishing Network
WFN: World Fishing Network is the only 24/7 television network dedicated to all segments of fishing with programming that covers instruction, tips, tournaments, travel, food, boating, outdoor lifestyle and more. WFN’s wide-ranging programming lineup includes primetime theme nights, regional bureaus from across the nation, a selection of the best international series and the most diverse species coverage of any TV channel. Featuring popular programs hosted by the world’s top anglers, the network also delivers a weekly news program, WFN News, and the schedule includes a variety of exclusive lifestyle shows including Hookin’ Up with Mariko Izumi and WFN’s Reel Road Trip. WFN also delivers the beauty of fishing in stunning High Definition with WFN HD, a separate network that delivers 100 percent High Definition programming 24/7.

Originally launched in December 2005, today WFN and WFN HD are available in more than 20 million households through North American cable, satellite and telecommunications distributors. In the U.S., distributors include AT&T U-verse, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH Network and Verizon FiOS. For more information, visit www.WFN.TV.

Media Contact
Doug Drotman – WFN (631) 462-1198 or doug@drotmanpr.com

Bass University

I was very fortunate to spend the first weekend in February attending the final session of the Bass University school year.

The BU was revived by Mike Iaconelli & Pete Gluszek and included some of the biggest names currently on the Bassmaster Elite circuit. To say that the weekend was an eye and brain opening expeerience would be an understatement. It’s one thing to read all the books and magazine articles, watch the videos and fishing shows on T.V. but to be able to get up close and personal in a classroom setting was truly unique. Each day was comprised of 3 classes in the morning and 3 classes in the afternoon. Each round of 3 classes was followed by a roundtable Q & A session where any type of question could be asked.

Day one started off with Ish Monroe covering all of the finer points of using a large weight in pitching and flipping to punch thru heavy mats to get at those lunkers lying in wait below. His second class involved advanced frog fishing techniques along with all the tricks and tactics he uses on tour. Pete Gluszek followed by talking about shallow cranking – using a tight or wide wobble and lipless baits. He discussed the strategies he uses in adjusting size, color and vibration of the crankbaits in all types of conditions. His next class involved spinnerbait strategy. Blade combinations, colors and sizes used for different conditions and depths were explained. He added a short discussion on the Mop head jig, when and where to use this bait to generate strikes from the “big” ones. Fred Roumbanis rounded out the first day talking about the proper use of wake baits and some different modifications you can make. Fred finished out day one outlining how to put together a simple, straight foward tournament plan.

As if it couldn’t get any better, Day 2 started off with one of the “godfathers” of the swimbait technique – Byron Velvick. Byron began with a history of the swimbait technique, starting off as a west coast only method and then spreading across the bass fishing landscape like a wildfire. In his second lecture, he broke down all you needed to know about rigging, retrieve, shapes, colors, sizes and equipment. Next up to the plate was Peter T. Thilveros. Peter T. opened up with an advanced presentation on the utilization of the many types of soft plastics available. He then brought the students up to speed on the latest methods of using two traditional standbyes – the Texas and Carolins rigs. The weekend’s finishing kick was provided by none other than bass fishings wildman – Mike Iaconelli. Mike opened up with an animated presentation on the employment of using advanced finesse fishing strategies when the fishing sucks. Using the Flick Shake, Shaky head, tail weighted french fry and the wet noodle rigs to name a few. Ike closed out the weekend session talking about how to initiate reaction strikes from inactive bass. He detailed in depth the use of the football head jig and the Laserlure crankbait.

It goes without saying that the weekend was an experience beyond all expectations. I highly recommend that anyone wanting to expand their bass fishing knowledge and experise to attend a future seminar. Check out www.thebassuniversity.com for further details.

Bassmaster Elites Return to Lake Guntersville

Sticking around BASS’ home state of Alabama for a while longer, the Bassmaster Elite Series will head south from the Alabama Charge at Pickwick Lake this weekend to Lake Guntersville for the May 6-9 Synergy Southern Challenge out of Guntersville.

Guntersville has been the site of 20 top-level BASS events, including the 1976 Bassmaster Classic, won by Elite Series pro Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo. The Elites competed at the fishery in 2009, when the top four overall weights for the four-day tournament crashed the scales at more than 100 pounds. Elite anglers caught nearly 1,300 fish and more than 5,300 pounds over the course of four days.

Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., took home the $100,000 first-place prize and the Southern Challenge trophy for his fifth career BASS victory. With 107 pounds, 8 ounces, through four days, Martens stayed ahead of 2007 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., for the win by just more than 3 pounds.

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the Southern Challenge on The Bassmasters, which airs Sunday, May 16, at 10:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2 (re-airs Sunday, May 30, 11 a.m. ET). The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN3.com.

Bassmaster.com will follow the Charge each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by ESPN3.com.

In the 2009 competition on Guntersville, after a productive first three days, Martens struggled on Day 4 as local fishermen were in his key spots early in the day. He recovered by switching locations and patterns, going with a deep-diving crankbait and a worm.

Martens said the best spots were those with grass and shell beds. In those spots, he would retrieve the crankbait erratically – similar, he said, to the method of retrieving a jerkbait. He said his retrieve was key to enticing the bigger bass.

While Martens is a Guntersville expert, Clark Reehm of Russellville, Ark., fished his first BASS event on Guntersville in 2009. After a subpar first day, Reehm figured things out, playing to the current. He eventually finished in 38th place on the strength of his near 30-pound limit on the second day.

“You might see something similar to last year in terms of weights,” said Reehm, who has qualified for three straight Saturday cuts to begin the Elite season. “If they turn on the generators, it could get ugly and guys will really smoke them.”

Reehm said that lipless crankbaits would be an obvious lure choice and that the early morning bite would be important to capitalize on. Additionally, he said the shad spawn should be starting at just the right time for pros to capitalize on schooling bass.

Reehm estimated that it could take anywhere from 80 to 100 pounds to get the victory on Guntersville.

“On a big-bass lake, it’s really hard to pinpoint how much it will take to win,” said Reehm, who was in the middle of his three-day practice period on Pickwick. “Targeting those schooling fish where the good-sized bass are wadded up is the best approach. It’s such a phenomenal lake. You can go through nearly 50 4-pounders on Guntersville and it’s considered just an average day.”

Along with the top prize of $100,000, the Southern Challenge awards valuable points in the 2010 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title race. With 885 points after four events, Reese leads the AOY standings after winning the April 15-18 Blue Ridge Brawl on Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake. Trailing him are Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., in second with 798 points, and Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., in third with 730 points.

The public is invited to attend the daily launches at 6 a.m. CT at Lake Guntersville State Park, 1155 Lodge Dr., Guntersville, Ala., 35976. After Day 2’s competition Friday, the field will be cut to the top 50 anglers for Day 3. Only the top 12 will go on to compete in Day 4. Also free and open to the public, the daily weigh-ins are set for 3:30 p.m. CT at Lake Guntersville State Park.

Local sponsor of the Southern Challenge: Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The top 12 pros in the AOY standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series postseason, in which the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be determined. With the completion of the Southern Challenge, the 2010 regular season will have just three events remaining.

After Guntersville will be the May 20-23 Pride of Georgia on Clarks Hill Lake out of Evans, Ga.

Toyota Trucks Championship Week is set for July 24-31 and will be played out once again on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first leg, the July 24-25 Trophy Chase, returns to Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka. The finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for July 30-31 on the Alabama River from Montgomery.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter and Yamaha.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance and Triton Boats.

About BASS
For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN3.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration,Fla.

Media Contact
Doug Grassian at 407-566-2216 or doug.grassian@espn.com

VanDam Says He Can Recover In AOY Race

Hope floats high for KVD: Can Kevin VanDam close his 30-place gap in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, considering he has only six events to engineer a recovery?

“For sure, absolutely, there’s no doubt.” said VanDam, the 2009 AOY who sits in 42nd place in the 2010 AOY standings. “Points-wise, it’s not like it’s monumental to get to the top 12, by no means. But that being said, with eight events total, you’ve got to make that happen in a hurry.”

Last season after two events, the pro from Kalamazoo, Mich., led the AOY race. He stayed at or near the top until he won the 2009 crown, his fifth. A few months later, he won the 2010 Bassmaster Classic.

To have a shot at the 2010 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, he needs to end the 2010 regular season in 12th place or higher. That would qualify him for the July Bassmaster Elite Series postseason, the finish line of the AOY race.

History says VanDam has a fighting chance to be in the postseason. That’s according to Ken “Bass Geek” Duke, the editor of Bassmaster.com.

“Only four anglers have clawed their way into the top 12 after being ranked so low after two tournaments and twice it was Mike Iaconelli,” Duke wrote in his April 9 blog. “…So for all you Kevin VanDam fans out there, his tough start (42nd place) is not a death sentence.”

Mathematically speaking, recovery is possible. Mentally speaking, VanDam is confident he can move past his subpar, relatively speaking, finishes in the first two events, both in California: a 29th place on the Delta and a 59th finish onClear Lake.

“You really have to put it behind you,” he said. “It isn’t going to have a bearing on how I’m going to approach Smith Mountain Lake.”

That’s where the third event of the Elite’s 2010 season will happen this week. VanDam is the defending Blue Ridge Brawl champion.

“You win one, you want to win the next one too. I’m looking forward to it because I had a really good event there last time. Anytime I go someplace and have success, I feel really good about going back,” he said.

In Virginia, the Blue Ridge Brawl begins Thursday and ends Sunday. VanDam will attempt to defend his title taken there in 2009, and take home the $100,000 first prize. And, of course, as many points as he can earn.

FIRST LOOK: Monday, Bassmaster Elite Series pros hit the water for the first of three days of practice before competition begins Thursday.

“I think sight fishing is going to play heavily in this event,” said James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, who finished 7th at the 2009 Brawl, and who is 7th in the 2010 AOY points standings. “There’s going to be some different ways to catch them, but to say sight fishing wouldn’t be a factor would not be right.”

Whether the bass are moving up or backing out is the question.

“It’s hard to say exactly what’s going on because it’s my first day on the water,” Niggemeyer said. “I would say by the looks of things that some of them have already been there (on the beds), but there are a good bunch of fish still in pre-spawn mode.”

Florida pro Shaw Grigsby, known as one of the world’s best sight fishermen, said his day on the water told him that many of the big females may be finished spawning.

“It got so warm a week ago, it really pushed the water temperature up. … I definitely know there will be a fair amount of sight fish caught, but I think the bigger ones are done and out,” said Grigsby, who was 6th at the 2009 Brawl and sits in 10th in the current points race. “There’s plenty of little guys on the bank, but not quality fish. It doesn’t all happen in a week, but I think a lot of it has happened. I’m not seeing the quality ones I’d like to and have seen in the past.”

Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala. – 2nd at the 2009 Brawl, and 15th in the AOY standings – said his first practice day showed him at least one thing: He’s in for what he described as a chess match.

“There’s a few on, but there’s a lot of cruising going on,” Herren said. “I would rather not have to sight-fish. I do OK at it, but it’s like a chess match with your competitors, trying to figure out who knows where what fish are, making the right stops at the right times, figuring out which areas of the lake are hot.”

Herren said locating a few bigger fish will be as crucial this year as it was last year. “Here, you have to get those key bites,” he said.

WEIGHTY GUESSES: James Niggemeyer guesses the winning Smith Mountain Lake weight will be close to that of 2009 champ Kevin VanDam: 61 pounds, 13 ounces.

“I think if a guy had 15 a day, he’d be strong,” he said.

Shaw Grigsby estimated that 15 a day will put an angler in the top 12 for the final day.

It could take 18 a day to win, he said. He pointed out that a one-day tournament last weekend on Smith Mountain was won with more than 20 pounds, but that was dead-on when large females were moving shallow.

Herren predicted the winning weight would exceed that of 2009. “But by just a couple pounds more, and still in the 60s somewhere.”

About two weeks out, before the weather turned warmer, VanDam estimated 15 pounds a day would put an angler at the top. “Conversely, if another bad, cold front comes through, it could turn the bite off a little bit and it could take only 12 pounds a day to win,” he said.

Fishing fans can take their own guesses by playing the Ramada Worldwide Winning Weight Game online at Bassmaster.com, or by texting to “Ramada” at 4ESPN. Click here for details.

DOUBLE UP AT BASS PRO: As it did last season, Bass Pro Shops is offering double reward points on purchases of products used to win BASS events.

Now eligible for double points in the Outdoor Rewards program are products used by 2010 Bassmaster Classic champ Kevin VanDam, such as his Quantum Tour rod. Other products include those used by Duel in the Delta winner John Crews and Golden State Shootout winner Byron Velvick.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Timesand Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

Media Contact
Doug Grassian at 407-566-2216 or doug.grassian@espn.com

Reese Wins By Fourteen-Pounds

HUDDLESTON, Va. – While others zigged this week, Skeet Reese zagged and the decision paid off in spades. Bucking the sightfishing trend and primarily working a swimbait, the Auburn, Calif., pro left the competition in the dust – his closet competitor was Jason Williamson more than the 14 pounds behind – amassing 78 pounds, 1 ounce, of Smith Mountain Lake bass to take his fifth Bassmaster victory at the Evan Williams Bourbon Blue Ridge Brawl.

Reese continued the good vibes in what has been a white-hot start to the Elite Series. But it all hasn’t been roses for Reese as he had a bitter taste after the season-opening California swing. Reese fell to Virginian John Crews on the California Delta by 1 ounce and failed to score victory on what he considers his home fishery, Clear Lake.

But Reese left nothing to chance this week, posting more than 17 pounds all four days of competition. With the victory, Reese moves ahead in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings by a wide margin of more than 85 points. Full standings can be found below.

“I worked my tail off this week and I burned through a ton of water,” said Reese, the 2007 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “I knew it can be a grind here and you’re never guaranteed to catch them so I never felt comfortable, even until the end. But it was a great week and it’s special to win like this.”

Coverage of the Brawl will be featured on The Bassmasters on Sunday, May 2 at 9 a.m. ET. Additionally, Bassmaster.com will follow the event each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by ESPN3.com.

Reese built a 6-plus pound margin heading into Sunday but with changing conditions on Smith Mountain, the 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion knew nothing was guaranteed. Fortunately, the steady wind Reese needed blew Sunday allowing him to put the nail in the coffin with a final-day tally of 19 pounds, 14 ounces.

Reese said the swimbait – a 6-inch Rago SKT Swimmer in light hitch – was key for two reasons. One, it was large enough to entice the right bites. Additionally, the color and design mimicked bluegill, a main forage on Smith Mountain.

Reese’s conviction in the swimbait was important as well. On Friday, nearly 2/3 through his competition day, he only had two fish in the boat. And he began to question his technique.

“I knew that these fish aren’t necessarily used to seeing bigger lures,” said Reese. “But there are some bigger fish in this lake and they are capable of eating bigger baits. That’s why I stuck to my guns.”

Though the swimbait was instrumental, Reese did mix in other techniques – he sight fished for a minority of his time throughout the tournament and worked a Berkley worm Sunday.

Smith Mountain sets up well for Reese. The clear fishery littered with docks is similar to Clear Lake, where Reese is supremely comfortable. And Reese has performed here, notching a fourth and a ninth in past events.

And the first event, in 2007, laid the groundwork for this week’s victory. Reese said he caught a few on a swimbait that year and developed the pattern in the 2009 event before committing full-bore this week.

While Reese held steady throughout the week, other anglers were all over the map. Williamson of Wagener, S.C., started off the event with a bang, a 22-9 limit, the biggest of the tournament. But the sight bite subsequently died off, causing Williamson to settle for second.

Still, Williamson was pleased with the week and the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points he was able to rack up.

“I have no complaints this week,” said Williamson, 29. “This was Skeet’s tournament and there is not a thing that I did that I would change.”

Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., gave Williamson a scare for second but finished in third with 61-8. Ounces behind Rojas was shallow-water specialist Terry Scroggins of Palatka, Fla., with 61-5. Rounding out the top five was Matt Reed of Madisonville, Texas, with 61-2.

With a 10th place finish in the event, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., stands as Reese’s closest competition in the Angler of the Year standings. With five events left in the Elite Series, anglers will be jockeying to qualify for the Elite Series Postseason and 2011 Bassmaster Classic (New Orleans, Louisiana Delta). Rojas was third in the AOY standings followed by Edwin Evers of Oklahoma and Dave Wolak of North Carolina.

Only the top 12 qualified for the final day of competition on Sunday. Full standings can be found below.

Smith Mountain Lake out of Huddleston, Va., was the 2010 Elite Series’ third stop. Pros were competing for a $100,000 first-place prize. They also gained points to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason in July, when the $200,000 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year contest will play out in Alabama. Points also counted towards elusive berths in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.

Local sponsors are the counties of Franklin and Bedford. Click here for Smith Mountain Lake information.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter and Yamaha.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance and Triton Boats

-30-

Media contact: Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216, doug.grassian@espn.com

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE ELITE FINAL STANDINGS

2010 Moneta, VA 4/15-4/18
Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta VA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$

1. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 20 78-01 310 $101,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 18-13 Day 3: 5 21-13 Day 4: 5 19-14
2. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 20 63-08 305 $25,500.00
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 15-03 Day 4: 5 11-10
3. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 20 61-08 290 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 15-07 Day 4: 5 14-08
4. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 20 61-05 285 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 15-05 Day 3: 5 11-05 Day 4: 5 14-14
5. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 20 61-02 280 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 13-13 Day 4: 5 13-07
6. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 20 60-07 276 $13,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 11-07 Day 4: 5 15-02
7. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 20 58-05 272 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 15-03 Day 4: 5 11-06
8. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 20 57-09 268 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-07 Day 2: 5 13-09 Day 3: 5 13-02 Day 4: 5 09-07
9. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 20 57-08 264 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 12-08 Day 4: 5 12-06
10. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 20 57-08 260 $11,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 5 16-07 Day 4: 5 11-07
11. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 20 55-08 257 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 13-01 Day 3: 5 15-04 Day 4: 5 10-11
12. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 18 50-05 254 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-15 Day 3: 5 09-14 Day 4: 3 05-06

BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 06-12 $500.00
Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 06-12 $500.00
BERKLEY HEAVYWEIGHT OF TOURN
Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 22-09 $500.00

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 86 449 1264-00
2 85 449 1162-03
3 44 228 564-14
4 11 58 150-02
———————————-
226 1184 3141-03

TOYOTA TUNDRA BASSMASTER ANGLER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

2010 Blue Ridge Brawl – Moneta, VA Pro Points After Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, Va. Ending 04-18-2010, Day 4
——————————————-
Place Name St Pts
——————————————-
1 Skeet Reese Calif. 885
2 Greg Hackney La. 798
3 Dean Rojas Ariz. 730
4 Edwin Evers Okla. 726
4 Dave Wolak N.C. 726
6 James Niggemeyer Texas 708
7 Guy Eaker N.C. 704
8 Greg Vinson Ala. 693
9 Michael Iaconelli N.J. 681
10 Brian Snowden Mo. 675
11 John Crews Va. 673
12 Jeff Kriet Okla. 661
13 Bobby Lane Fla. 658
14 Scott Rook Ark. 649
15 Aaron Martens Ala. 642
16 Gary Klein Texas 639
16 Todd Faircloth Texas 639
16 Kelly Jordon Texas 639
19 Derek Remitz Ala. 630
20 Byron Velvick Texas 628
20 Jared Lintner Calif. 628
22 Terry Butcher Okla. 626
23 Bill Lowen Ohio 621
23 Clark Reehm Ark. 621
25 Mark Tucker Mo. 617
26 Alton Jones Texas 616
27 Kotaro Kiriyama Ala. 611
28 Cliff Pace Miss. 607
29 Matt Herren Ala. 606
30 Kevin VanDam Mich. 605
30 Mike McClelland Ark. 605
32 Gerald Swindle Ala. 602
33 Pat Golden N.C. 601
34 Denny Brauer Mo. 600
35 Morizo Shimizu Japan 595
36 Zell Rowland Texas 594
37 Tommy Biffle Okla. 590
38 Steve Kennedy Ala. 587
39 Stephen Browning Ark. 586
40 Shaw Grigsby Fla. 582
41 Terry Scroggins Fla. 581
42 Jason Quinn S.C. 577
43 Matt Reed Texas 564
44 Bradley Roy Ky. 562
45 Randy Howell Ala. 561
45 Bradley Hallman Okla. 561
47 Mark Davis Ark. 559
47 Ish Monroe Calif. 559
49 Kevin Wirth Ky. 557
50 Billy McCaghren Ark. 553
50 Jason Williamson S.C. 553
52 Peter Thliveros Fla. 545
53 Takahiro Omori Texas 533
54 Russ Lane Ala. 529
55 Marty Robinson S.C. 520
56 Marty Stone N.C. 515
57 Dustin Wilks N.C. 512
58 Casey Ashley S.C. 509
59 Davy Hite S.C. 505
60 Vince Fulks Okla. 501
60 J Todd Tucker Ga. 501
62 Matt Greenblatt Fla. 499
63 Mark Menendez Ky. 495
64 Grant Goldbeck Md. 493
65 Boyd Duckett Ala. 492
66 Rick Clunn Mo. 490
67 Jeff Connella La. 489
68 Brent Chapman Kan. 487
69 Paul Elias Miss. 481
70 Mark Tyler Okla. 479
71 Cliff Crochet La. 469
72 Bernie Schultz Fla. 467
73 Jami Fralick S.D. 461
74 Kevin Short Ark. 459
75 Dennis Tietje La. 441
76 Fred Roumbanis Okla. 435
77 Timmy Horton Ala. 421
77 Pete Ponds Miss. 421
79 John Murray Ariz. 415
80 Chad Griffin Texas 405
81 Wade Grooms S.C. 403
82 Keith Poche Ala. 402
83 Charlie Hartley Ohio 401
84 Byron Haseotes Mass. 399
85 Chris Lane Ala. 397
86 David Smith Okla. 387
87 Yusuke Miyazaki Texas 381
88 Rick Morris Va. 377
89 Kenyon Hill Okla. 375
90 Mark Burgess Mass. 355
91 Jeremy Starks W.Va. 353
92 Britt Myers S.C. 343
93 Scott Ashmore Okla. 337

Media Contact
Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216, doug.grassian@espn.com

Bassmaster Elite Coming Back to Virginia

Bassmaster Elite Coming Back to Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake

In postcard-pretty southern Virginia, Smith Mountain Lake promises to fish as good as it looks during the April 15-18 Evan Williams Bourbon Blue Ridge Brawl.

The lake’s beauty, however, has nothing to do with the amount of looking Bassmaster Elite Series pros will be doing. Most pros will be busy watching for bass on their way to, or already on, spawning beds.

Smith Mountain Lake out of Huddleston, Va., will be the 2010 Elite Series’ third stop. There the pros will compete for a $100,000 first-place prize. They also will be after points to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason in July, when the $200,000 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year contest will play out in Alabama. Points also count towards elusive berths in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.

Without warming temperatures, not much sight fishing will happen in mid-April in Virginia. But if the spawn is on, the 2010 Brawl would start looking more like last year’s version. Then, most pros cast to largemouths they could see on beds in backwaters. But the winner – five-time AOY Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich. – finessed smallmouth spawners on main-lake points. He posted 61 pounds, 13 ounces, over four days.

This year’s Blue Ridge Brawl lands a week earlier on the calendar. That timing, combined with the unusually cold winter, might nix a sight fishing tournament, VanDam said. And that, he pointed out, could be all for the good.

“A lot of fish in spawning mode don’t want to feed, don’t want to bite at all,” he said. “We saw a lot of that last year during the event. It was hard to get the fish to commit to a bait. So this year could be better if they’re pre-spawn, if they’re in a feeding pattern.”

VanDam said that even if the weather cooperated and triggered a spawn, he would not try to replicate his winning Smith Mountain Lake smallmouth pattern.

“Last year it was perfect timing for those smallmouth for me. For that to happen again, you’d have to be pretty lucky. Even if it were the same week, things change a lot year to year,” said VanDam, who earned his 15th BASS victory at the 2009 Brawl. He has since earned two more: No. 16 at the Postseason event when he took his fifth AOY crown; and No. 17 as 2010 Classic champ.

He is focused on another high finish at Smith Mountain Lake to help make up for his very un-VanDamlike finishes, a 29th and a 59th, at this season’s first two events in California. The slow start has him in 42nd place in the AOY points standings.

Greg Hackney, Elite pro from Gonzales, La., is looking for a finish in Virginia that will help him into the postseason. He’s currently in second place in the AOY standings.

“I started the year off in the right direction,” said Hackney, a three-time BASS winner. “But it’s still a long ways until the end; there are six events left.”

He’s headed to a lake on which he’s excelled. At the 2007 and 2009 Elite events there, Hackney finished 14th and fourth, respectively.

“If it stays warm like it is now, it will be a full-blown sight fishing tournament,” he said. “The whole lake should have fish spawning from one end to the other. But we’re subject to have a cold front – that happened last time we were there. It warmed up in practice, and the fish came out, a lot of big ones. Then the cold front went through and shut them down.”

Bassmaster.com will follow the Brawl each day with BASSCast, BASSCam, real-time leaderboards during weigh-ins, photo galleries, daily results, and Hooked Up with ESPN Outdoors personalities Mark Zona and Tommy Sanders. Live, streaming video will be carried by ESPN3.com. Click here closer to tournament time for a complete coverage schedule.

At the event, all spectator activities are free and open to the public, including the Thursday-Sunday launches and weigh-ins at Parkway Marina, 16918 Smith Mountain Lake Parkway, Huddleston, VA 24104. Takeoff is set for 6:20 a.m. ET; weigh-ins will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Other fan events include a Friday tailgate party with live music and a “corn hole” tournament. The party will begin after weigh-in. Likewise, Saturday’s Karaoke contest will begin after weigh-in.

Special events for kids include a Saturday tournament, “Fish Like the Pros,” and Saturday and Sunday activities hosted by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance. Also for young fans is the Toyota Kids Casting Challenge.

Saturday and Sunday, fans can check out the Yamaha VMax SHO Demo Tour and the Berkley Demo Tank. Contests include the Revo Reel Giveaway at the BASS booth.

Click here for complete event information.

Local sponsors are the counties of Franklin and Bedford. Click here for Smith Mountain Lake information.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter and Yamaha.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance and Triton Boats

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

Media Contact
Doug Grassian, 407-566-2216, doug.grassian@espn.com

WFN Latest Fishing News

Bass University

Bassmaster Elites Return to Lake Guntersville

VanDam Says He Can Recover In AOY Race

Reese Wins By Fourteen-Pounds

Bassmaster Elite Coming Back to Virginia

Lake Toho

Butler Chain of Lakes

Current Orlando Fishing Reports