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Country Music’s Bass Fishing Fiddle Player
Shawn Bailey has played fiddle on songs such as Mark Chesnutt’s “Blame it on Texas” and Easton Corbin’s “A Little More Country Than That” in front of 100,000 fans without ever a hint of stage fright, but the escapades he and his father endured in a rickety brown and white 15-foot bass boat as a teenager in North Texas nearly sunk any aspirations he had of ever going fishing again.
“There’s nothing more exciting than walking out on stage to 100,000 people at a place like Jamboree in the Hills in Ohio, but there’s nothing that’ll make you more anxious than the transom falling off your dad’s bass boat when you’re a young kid,” laughs Bailey.
From forgetting to put the drain plug in, to the boat’s outboard literally tearing loose from the transom, let’s just say the little brown boat left its mental mark on the Fort Worth native, but thank heavens, it wasn’t enough to sink his passion for bass fishing.
Bailey is currently touring with Easton Corbin, and just booked a guided trip with 8-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Chet Douthit on Okeechobee when they play an upcoming music festival there. And before a recent show in Tulsa, Bailey proved his prowess in cold 47-degree water on Lake Skiatook with a Shad Rap tied to a Quantum Smoke spinning reel.
However it’s Guntersville, Alabama later this spring that has him feeling most froggy. “Yep, I guess if everyday was Christmas, and I got to choose, I’d say let’s go to Guntersville around the spawn and pull topwater frogs over their heads in that vegetation,” says Bailey. “I’m not sure it gets much better than that.”
It It also doesn’t get much better than making a living doing something you love – and sharing a peaceful little 40-acre farm southeast of Nashville complete with two ponds, two homes, and people you love.
Shawn lives in one of the homes on the small farm, and his parents live in the other. “After dad retired from driving a fire truck, he moved to the shores of Lake Fork, but consistently low water levels left his boat dock dry more than wet, and eventually he decided he and mom would join me near Nashville.”
Having family nearby to share life between 200 soul-draining days on a bus and concert stage is a giant blessing for the career musician who first fell in the love with the fiddle on a family vacation to Branson, Missouri. “I was like 7-years old when we went to that show in Branson, and I looked at my Mom and told her I wanted to play fiddle like the guy on stage,” grins Bailey.
“Mom and Dad fostered my dreams, and before you knew it, I was playing around North Texas, and later Branson, as a teenager with guys like Wyatt Beard, who has now played keys with Kenny Chesney for 20 years,” says Bailey.
Since those early days in Branson, Bailey has played with Mark Chesnutt, Big & Rich, Craig Campbell and currently Easton Corbin, but between hundreds of tour dates, he’s never far from following guys like Gerald Swindle on social media, or reading everything he can about bass fishing on the sport’s most popular websites.
And perhaps the best addition to the small farm Shawn shares with his parents and sister is not a tractor, but instead a new model Charger bass boat with no threats of the transom falling apart. Long gone is the little brown and white boat that caused so much anxiousness, and here to stay forever is a fiddle player’s genuine passion for bass fishing.
The Ike Foundation® Announces College Scholarship Opportunities for Young Anglers
Pittsgrove, NJ, March 5, 2018. The Ike Foundation® is a non-profit organization founded by Mike and Becky Iaconelli. The mission of the Foundation is to introduce urban and rural children to the wholesome sport of fishing while instilling in them a love and respect for the outdoors. The Ike Foundation® also provides five college scholarships to deserving high school seniors who share The Ike Foundation’s® mission.
The 2018 Ike Foundation® Scholarship Dinner raised over $15,000 this year, with help from the local community and sponsors as well as generous support from the fishing community and corporate sponsors.
Scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors pursuing full-time enrollment in a 2-year or 4-year college or university in the United States. Awards are based on academic achievement, demonstrated volunteer commitment (preferably in the fishing or conservation world), and a personal statement of how fishing has impacted their life and prepared them for college. Completed and submitted application materials must be postmarked or submitted online before April 1, 2018.
The Foundation’s Scholarship Committee conducts a blind review of all applications to determine the final award. Trustees score submissions using a pre-defined point system. Scholarship awards may be applied to tuition, fees, supplies, books, or equipment. All interested applicants should go https://theikefoundation.org/2018-scholarship-application.
The Ike Foundation® hosts and sponsors several fundraising events per year. All proceeds support the mission and are tax-deductible via a credit card contribution on the website https://theikefoundation.org/donate.
Follow The Ike Foundation® @TheIkeFoundation on Facebook, on Twitter @FoundationIke and Instagram @theikefoundation.
The Ike Foundation® appreciates the generous donations from individuals and corporate sponsors, including Bass Cat Boats, Toyota, Yamaha Outboard Motors, Abu Garcia, Flambeau, Rapala, RAM Mounts®, Casio, and more. A full list of sponsors can be found at https://theikefoundation.org/sponsors.
Reese’s Pit Boss Bass
Browning Wins Bassmaster Central Open At Ross Barnett
Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark., won the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open No. 1 held on Ross Barnett Reservoir out of Ridgeland, Miss., with a three-day total of 44 pounds.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
RIDGELAND, Miss. — A never-give-up attitude paid off with the win for Stephen Browning at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on Ross Barnett Reservoir.
“On most days I only had one fish in the livewell by noon,” said Browning of Hot Springs, Ark. “Every day I caught my fifth bass about 10 minutes before having to leave.
“It was very tempting to give up about midway through the day, but that also was the turning point in my mind to stay focused, bear down and grind it out,” he said.
The longtime Bassmaster Elite Series pro also staged a come-from-behind win after rising from fifth place on Saturday. His score after three days of fishing was 15 bass weighing 44 pounds.
Browning stole the lead from Japanese angler Ken Iyobe, who finished second with 42-13. Brad Whatley of Bivins, Texas, took third place with 41-10. Blake Betz of Baton Rouge, La., earned fourth with 40-9. Finishing fifth with 40-7 was Luke Palmer of Coalgate, Okla.
Browning’s hot spot was a dense growth of eelgrass on a large spawning flat, he said.
“The key was marking those very thick spots of grass on my GPS and then grinding it out until the fish moved in,” he explained. “It was the largest spawning flat on the lake, so I needed the recall of the GPS to keep me on the spots.”
Browning’s intent to target prespawn fish was a good idea. The biological clocks of those bass were ticking, and a move into shallow water to spawn came next. Spawning bass tend to weigh heaver, making his decision even better.
“Prespawn fish also tend to be eager to bite, more aggressive,” he continued. “They are more committed to moving shallow, and rarely do they completely shut down when bad weather comes through an area.”
Browning used a 3/8-ounce Z Man ChatterBait Jack Hammer, with 4-inch Z Man DieZel MinnowZ trailer. He chose black/blue for the morning bite and switched to white during the afternoon.
The lures used by Iyobe were key with keeping him in contention to win. He started the tournament using a 1/2-ounce homemade jig to coax slow biters. When the fish turned on, he switched to crankbaits of his own design marketed by Shimano Japan. The Bantam Macbeth diver and Shimano Bantam Rattlin Sur-Vibe lipless crankbait were the choices.
Iyobe flipped the jig to isolated shoreline cover, while a fast retrieve with the diving crankbait worked for prespawn fish moving into shallow water. The vibrating action of the lipless crankbait produced strikes at mid-depth ranges. He rotated through four areas using the same lures.
“On Thursday the bite slowed and the fish stayed close to the brushpiles on the shoreline,” he said. “The crankbaits worked best on riprap warmed by the sunshine.”
Browning’s winnings included cash and a Triton Tr19 with Mercury Outboard and factory accessories worth nearly $50,000. He also advances to the 2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Championship, Oct. 18-20, at a location yet to be announced.
Co-angler Justin Leet won the co-angler division with a total weight of 26-11. The Memphis, Tenn., angler did so in his first Bassmaster Open. Prior experience on the lake influenced his decision to use a bladed jig. Coincidentally, that lure was popular among the top pro anglers.
“I knew coming into the tournament that lure would give me the best shot, especially after learning the grass was already coming up,” he said.
On Thursday he fished with Browning, putting the eventual co-angler champion on track with the reassurance his lure choice was ideal. Leet won a Nitro Z18 with Mercury Outboard and factory accessories.
Quentin Cappo of Prairieville, La., earned the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $750 in the pro division by catching a largemouth weighing 8-6 on Friday. That same day Ronald Robbs of Ironton, Mo., caught a largemouth weighing 7-1 to win the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award worth $250 in the co-angler division.
Cappo also earned the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $500 on the pro side for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.
The next Central Open is April 19-21 at Muskogee, Okla., on the Arkansas River. The 2018 Opens season features four events apiece in the Central and Eastern divisions.
The eight winners from each tournament will compete in the championship. Joining them will be the Top 10 anglers in the point standings from each division. The 28 anglers will vie for berths in the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series and GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
Local event host was Visit Ridgeland.
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Power-Pole, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, T-H Marine, Carhartt, Livingston Lures
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Ross Barnett Reservoir 3/1-3/3
Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ridgeland MS.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 15 44-00 200 $51,125.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 16-08
2. Ken Iyobe Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 15 42-13 199 $15,313.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 11-12
3. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 13 41-10 198 $11,375.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 3 08-03 Day 3: 5 15-02
4. Blake Betz Baton Rouge, LA 15 40-09 197 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 13-05 Day 3: 5 12-13
5. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 40-07 196 $9,188.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 10-06 Day 3: 5 13-02
6. Frank Talley Temple, TX 13 40-02 195 $7,875.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 3 12-04 Day 3: 5 14-11
7. Bradley Burns Brandon, MS 13 36-13 194 $6,563.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 15-04 Day 3: 3 06-10
8. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 10 33-12 193 $6,063.00
Day 1: 4 12-14 Day 2: 4 15-06 Day 3: 2 05-08
9. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 13 32-08 192 $3,938.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 13-04 Day 3: 3 06-00
10. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 30-09 191 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 3 06-13 Day 3: 2 04-04
11. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 9 28-10 190 $3,063.00
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 2 04-02 Day 3: 2 03-09
12. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 25-14 189 $2,888.00
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 0 00-00
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 08-06 $750.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 47 494 1238-14
2 28 390 965-00
3 6 42 109-15
———————————-
81 926 2313-13
2018 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Ross Barnett Reservoir 3/1-3/3
Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ridgeland MS.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Justin Leet Memphis, TN 8 26-11 200 $30,000.00
Day 1: 3 13-04 Day 2: 3 09-07 Day 3: 2 04-00
2. Ronald Robbs Ironton, MO 7 23-10 199 $5,150.00
Day 1: 2 06-00 Day 2: 3 12-13 Day 3: 2 04-13
3. Jim Opetaia-Williamson Dunnellon, FL 7 23-01 198 $3,719.00
Day 1: 2 02-13 Day 2: 3 10-07 Day 3: 2 09-13
4. Bernard Crump Jackson, MS 8 22-15 197 $2,450.00
Day 1: 2 05-15 Day 2: 3 08-13 Day 3: 3 08-03
5. Larry Savell Jr. Brandon, MS 6 20-13 196 $2,275.00
Day 1: 3 12-11 Day 2: 3 08-02 Day 3: 0 00-00
6. Alan Manning Brandon, MS 7 19-06 195 $2,188.00
Day 1: 3 09-11 Day 2: 2 06-00 Day 3: 2 03-11
7. Rick Parker Kaufman, TX 7 18-14 194 $2,100.00
Day 1: 2 08-10 Day 2: 3 07-04 Day 3: 2 03-00
8. James Simmons Houma, LA 7 18-08 193 $2,012.00
Day 1: 2 09-06 Day 2: 3 06-01 Day 3: 2 03-01
9. John Connell Marion, IL 6 16-10 192 $1,925.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 3 10-02 Day 3: 0 00-00
10. John Milam Beaumont, TX 5 16-10 191 $1,750.00
Day 1: 1 05-07 Day 2: 3 09-12 Day 3: 1 01-07
11. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 6 15-10 190 $1,531.00
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 2 05-14 Day 3: 1 01-11
12. Bob Burgess Millington, TN 6 15-06 189 $1,400.00
Day 1: 3 09-13 Day 2: 2 03-08 Day 3: 1 02-01
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Ronald Robbs Ironton, MO 07-01 $250.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 23 198 500-01
2 24 164 418-02
3 1 18 41-12
———————————-
48 380 959-15
Baty Wins Costa FLW Series Southeastern Tournament on Lake Seminole
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (March 3, 2018) – Local pro Matt Baty of Bainbridge, won the Costa FLW Series Southeastern Division event at Lake Seminole presented by T-H Marine Saturday after bringing a limit of bass weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces to the scale. Baty’s two-day total of 45-0 gave him the win by a 2-pound, 3-ounce margin in the wind-shortened event and earned him a winner’s check worth $56,200.
“I found my spot about three weeks ago after we had gotten quite a bit of rain,” said Baty, who earned his second career win on Lake Lanier in FLW competition. “I’ve fished it a few times over the years, and it never really had any grass before. This year there was a small patch of deep grass, and there was a current over it. The fish were holding to the grass.
“During my practice I caught a 6-pounder there, but I had foul-hooked it in the eye,” Baty continued. “I left the area and was hoping that it would be productive for me come tournament time. I ended up catching that same 6-pounder during the tournament – I could tell by the messed up eye.”
Baty described his area as a creek channel bend. He said he sat his boat in 8 feet of water and cast his baits out to 18 feet, flowing with the current. He credited a gizzard shad-colored Jenko CD20 crankbait, a 1-ounce Buddha Bait Swagger Jig with a 4-inch shad-colored Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper and a Carolina-rigged Zoom Trick Worm as his key baits for the event. He estimated that he caught around 20 keepers on Friday and another 15 on Saturday.
“The first day I caught most of my fish on the Jenko crankbait. The second day the big ones came on the Swagger Jig, but I used the Carolina rig to fill out my limit. I did get one big one with the Carolina rig. I truly believe that Spike-It Aerosol Garlic Oil scent on my baits was a big difference-maker.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Seminole finished:
1st: Matt Baty, Bainbridge, Ga., 10 bass, 45-0, $56,200
2nd: Rick Tindell, Leesburg, Ga., 10 bass, 42-13, $23,650
3rd: Hensley Powell, Whitwell, Tenn., 10 bass, 40-14, $16,100
4th: Jason Smith, Dawson, Ga., 10 bass, 39-7, $14,000
5th: Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., 10 bass, 39-4, $13,000
6th: Troy Gibson, Mountain Home, Ark., 10 bass, 38-9, $10,000
7th: Wes Logan, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 38-8, $8,600
8th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 33-7, $7,600
9th: Bradley Enfinger, Colquitt, Ga., 10 bass, 31-12, $6,600
10th: Koby Kreiger, Bokeelia, Fla., 10 bass, 31-10, $4,800
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tindell and Brandon Classon of Leesburg, Georgia, both caught an 8-pound, 6-ounce bass Friday – the biggest of the tournament – and split the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $300.
Shawn York of Sarasota, Florida, won the Co-angler Division and a Ranger Z175 with a 90-horsepower outboard motor with a two-day total catch of nine bass weighing 28 pounds, 11 ounces. Terry Holsapple of Greenup, Illinois, finished runner-up with 10 bass weighing 27-14, good for $7,050.
The top 10 Co-anglers on Lake Seminole finished:
1st: Shawn York, Sarasota, Fla., nine bass, 28-11, Ranger Z175 with a 90-horsepower outboard motor
2nd: Terry Holsapple, Greenup, Ill., 10 bass, 27-14, $7,050
3rd: Chuck Laslie, Havana, Fla., 10 bass, 27-2, $5,600
4th: William Cusic III, Lakeland, Fla., 10 bass, 25-5, $4,500
5th: Eulon Lee, Eclectic, Ala., eight bass, 23-8, $3,800
6th: Alan Engberg, Greenville, Ala., seven bass, 22-14, $3,300
7th: David Sullivan, Gaffney, S.C., 10 bass, 22-2, $2,800
8th: Cal Culpepper, Hamilton, Ga., nine bass, 21-10, $2,150
9th: Scap Cicero, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 20-3, $1,660
10th: Robert Russell, Smyrna, Tenn., seven bass, 19-12, $1,410
Harold Driver of Powder Springs, Georgia, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday, a bass weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces that earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $200.
The Costa FLW Series on Lake Seminole presented by T-H Marine was hosted by the Bainbridge Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second of three FLW Series Southeastern Division tournaments in the 2018 season. The next Costa FLW Series tournament will be a Southwestern Division tournament, held March 22-24 on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Nov. 1-3 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2018 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct 286 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.