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Meet Skylar Hamilton
Lot’s of kids dream of being the next KVD, meet Skylar Hamilton he is well on his way, at 22 years old the Dandridge TN Pro has been competing on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail for six years. Here is a look back at his at his road tom the Bassmaster Elite Series. Dreams do come true with a lot of hard work and sacrifice.
Final Berth Remains For 2018 Bassmaster Classic On Lake Hartwell
GREENVILLE/ANDERSON, S.C. — A star-studded field of 51 bass anglers has qualified to compete for more than $1 million in the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. Only one spot remains to be filled in the world championship of bass fishing. It will go to the individual winner of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship, to be held in December.
Long known as the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, the Classic will take place — for the third time — on Lake Hartwell at Anderson, S.C., March 16-18. Morning takeoffs will be from the modern Green Pond Landing and Event Center in Anderson, and weigh-ins and the popular Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods will be held in Greenville on those dates.
Among the 13 former Classic champions competing for the $300,000 first prize are two who have won on Hartwell: Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., the winner in 2015, and Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas, the 2008 champion. Also aiming for bass fishing’s biggest prize are defending champion Jordan Lee of Guntersville, Ala., and four-time Classic winner Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.
VanDam also owns seven Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles. Reigning Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk of Hayden, Idaho, will join him and five other AOY titleholders in the 2018 Classic.
A dozen rookies hope to achieve a rare feat by winning the Classic on their first try. No angler has done so since Boyd Duckett captured the trophy in 2007.
Among the first-timers are the Top 3 finishers in last week’s Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors, which also was held on Lake Hartwell. They are Caleb Sumrall of New Iberia, La., the newly crowned B.A.S.S. Nation champion; Marty Giddens of Eclectic, Ala.; and Luke Gritter of Otsego, Mich., who competed in the Elite Series in 2009.
In addition, 19-year-old college freshman Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tenn., qualified through the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. And four more-seasoned competitors earned invitations by winning a Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens tournament: John Cox of DeBary, Fla.; Rick Morris of Lake Gaston, Va.; Carl Svebek of Orange, Texas; and Stanley Sypeck Jr. of Sugarloaf, Pa. Morris was an Elite Series angler from 2006 to 2014, and Svebek competed on the Bassmaster Top 100 circuit, a predecessor to the Elite Series, in 1996 and 1997.
Three current Elite Series anglers also earned bids to the Classic by winning Opens this year. They are Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark.; James Elam of Tulsa, Okla.; and Jesse Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., and they are among 43 Elite anglers who will be competing in the 2018 Classic. They know that simply qualifying for the Classic solidifies a professional angler’s career. Winning often is worth more than $1 million in endorsements, bonuses and public appearance fees.
Alabama, the adopted home of numerous touring pros, accounts for 11 of the Classic qualifiers to date. Tennessee will send six to the event and Texas, four.
The 2015 Greenville Classic drew an attendance of more than 103,000 over the three-day event. Weigh-ins will be held each competition day in the Bon Secours Wellness Center arena in downtown Greenville. The Classic Expo, featuring the newest boats, motors, electronics, tackle and lures, will spread across 260,000 square feet in the TD Convention Center. The Expo rivals the annual American Sportfishing Association ICAST trade show in attention focused on new fishing gear, and numerous manufacturers use the venue to introduce new products for the coming fishing season.
At full pool, Lake Hartwell comprises nearly 56,000 acres and offers anglers 962 miles of shoreline in their search for the heaviest five-bass daily limits. The 2018 Classic is almost four weeks later in the year than the 2015 event, which was the coldest Classic on record. The air temperature for the opening round that year was 9 degrees, and the takeoff was delayed briefly as crews struggled to free boats that were frozen to trailer bunks.
Still, Ashley was able to string together three daily limits totaling 50 pounds, 1 ounce. He’s a favorite to repeat as champion, but another South Carolina pro, Jason Williamson of Wagener, has a home-state advantage as well. Until recently, anglers competing on their home waters were considered jinxed, but three of the four most recent winners, including Ashley, Randy Howell of Alabama in 2014 and 2016 champion Edwin Evers of Oklahoma, overcame those odds. Alabama’s Lee broke the string with a record-setting come-from-behind victory on Lake Conroe, Texas, this year.
Catches should be heavier than in previous Hartwell Classics but aren’t likely to exceed the Classic record of 69-11 set by VanDam in the Louisiana Delta out of New Orleans in 2011. Hartwell is ranked 21st in the Southeast Division of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list for 2017.
Hartwell, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impoundment of the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers, is shared by South Carolina and Georgia. The two previous Classics there were won in offshore locations, but the mid-March timing of the 2018 event should play into the strategies of shallow-water experts.
The Classic will be hosted by VisitGreenvilleSC and Visit Anderson.
The final qualifier for the 48th Classic will be named Dec. 9, following the Bassmaster Team Championship, which includes the top two-angler teams from 54 sanctioned team trails across the country. More than 200 teams are expected to battle for the national team title Dec. 6-7 on Norfork Lake in Mountain Home, Ark. The next two days, members of the Top 3 teams will fish solo with the individual winner earning an invitation to the Classic.
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C. (9)
Josh Bertrand, Gilbert, Ariz. (3)
Hank Cherry, Lincolnton, N.C. (4)
Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla. (6)
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash. (4)
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas (7)
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala. (1)
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn. (1)
John Crews, Salem, Va. (11)
John Cox, DeBary, Fla. (1)
Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala. (1)
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark. (20)
Ott DeFoe, Knoxville, Tenn. (7)
Brent Ehrler, Newport Beach, Calif. (3)
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla. (3)
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla. (17)
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas (16)
Seth Feider, Bloomington, Minn. (1)
Jacob Foutz, Charleston, Tenn. (1)
Micah Frazier, Newnan, Ga. (2)
Marty Giddens, Eclectic, Ala. (1)
Luke Gritter, Otsego, Mich. (1)
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La. (15)
Jamie Hartman, Newport, N.Y. (1)
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala. (16)
Michael Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J. (19)
Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas (19)
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala. (9)
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla. (11)
Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala. (7)
Jordan Lee, Guntersville, Ala. (4)
Matt Lee, Guntersville, Ala. (2)
Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn. (3)
Aaron Martens, Leeds, Ala. (19)
Mike McClelland, Bella Vista, Ark. (11)
Rick Morris, Lake Gaston, Va. (6)
Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss. (7)
Brandon Palaniuk, Hayden, Idaho (8)
Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz. (5)
Jacob Powroznik, Port Haywood, Va. (4)
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif. (18)
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky. (2)
Caleb Sumrall, New Iberia, La. (1)
Carl Svebek, Orange, Texas (1)
Gerald Swindle, Guntersville, Ala. (17)
Stanley Sypeck Jr., Sugarloaf, Pa. (1)
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich. (27)
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn. (12)
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn. (2)
Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala. (2)
Jason Williamson, Wagener, S.C. (3)
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 more than 45 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 Series presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
Lee Brothers Choose One Treat Each for Tricking Halloween Largemouth
During his highly successful Carhartt Bassmaster College Series days at Auburn, Matt Lee once dressed as country music star Brad Paisley for Halloween.
“I had a plaid button-up shirt and carried a guitar around all night – mostly because chicks were into Brad Paisley at the time, and I cold grow a goatee in four days,” laughed Matt, as he reflected back to his campus days.
Speed ahead half-a-dozen years, and Lee is now a full-time Bassmaster Elite Series pro, fresh off five very impressive Top 12 finishes during the 2017 season. And this Halloween, he’s costuming as an old lady, and choosing a topwater frog as his single favorite lure for late October.
“People think of a frog as being a lure for aquatic vegetation, and it’s definitely great for that, but it’s also an awesome bait to throw around isolated laydowns and docks — especially if you’ve got shade present,” says Matt.
Don’t Be Afraid of Braid – “For whatever reason, a lot of beginning anglers are afraid to throw braided line. But with a frog, braid is a ‘must-have’ for better hooksets, and to land the fish that blow up on it,” says Matt. He favors 50 or 65 pound Seaguar Smackdown, and spools it to a Quantum Speed Freak reel with a blazing 8.1:1 gear ratio that’s crucial to picking up line really fast following topwater explosions.
A jig around docks for Jordan — Matt’s younger brother, and Bassmaster Classic Champion, Jordan jumps on a jig for his pick of one lure he can count on in mid-autumn.
“I’m looking to pitch at any isolated piece of wood on the shoreline, but docks are also super key in late October, and it’s hard to beat a 3/8 ounce Strike King finesse jig for laydowns or docks,” says Jordan.
Haunted Docks?
Okay, maybe not haunted, but old, somewhat dilapidated docks are famous for attracting more bass than new, well-maintained docks.
“Yep, the best docks are kinda crusty, and covered in spider webs, with an old aluminum boat parked in the middle of ‘em,” grins the younger Lee brother. “Ideally I like a dock with about 15-feet of water on the front posts, and 5-feet of water near the back of it.”
Jordan trims his jig with a Strike King Menace and spools up with 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, but cautions anglers to not go too big with their rod selection.
“I like a 7-footer versus a 7’ 6” or a 7’ 10” when I’m fishing docks, because a lot of times you’re in tight spaces, plus you make more accurate pitches with a slightly shorter rod,” he explains. Jordan’s current dock fishing pitchin’ stick of choice is the new Quantum Smoke S3 model #SMC707XF.
Given their phenomenal success during their short tenure as full-time pros, perhaps avid angler and country music star Brad Paisley might consider dressing as one of the Lee Brothers this Halloween – and if he’s wise – he’ll tie on a frog and a finesse jig.
Louisiana’s Caleb Sumrall Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship
Caleb Sumrall of Louisiana won the 2017 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C., with a three-day total weight of 36 pounds, 12 ounces.
ANDERSON, S.C. — A rogue cloud formed the beginning of a winning pattern for Caleb Sumrall at the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors.
Sumrall of New Iberia, La., weighed a three-day total of 36 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the global competition of bass club anglers on Lake Hartwell.
An unproductive practice in shallow water forced Sumrall to expand his search to the lower, deeper end of the massive 56,000-acre lake. The cloud pattern miraculously came together during Thursday’s opening round.
“A patch of clouds came over, and I recalled a tip from a friend about casting a (Zoom) Fluke into schooling fish under those conditions,” recalled Sumrall, 30, and a member of the Atchafalaya Bassmasters.
The friend was fellow Louisianan Jamie Laiche, who discovered the pattern while fishing the 2008 Bassmaster Classic. Sumrall had such a rig on his front deck. On consecutive casts he caught keepers to give him confidence that a game plan was coming together.
On Thursday, he weighed 11-5 and entered the standings in ninth place. Early the next morning he returned to the spot. The low-light conditions were ideal for stimulating the schooling fish to bite the soft jerkbait. After a flurry of activity a limit was in his livewell, including a largemouth weighing 5-15.
“The big difference was my schooling fish were very concentrated in numbers,” he explained. “Elsewhere the schools were smaller and more loose.”
Sumrall described the key area as a main lake shoal in 11 feet of water. Growing within 4 feet of the surface was a patch of hydrilla.
“I’m a Louisiana boy and that made the spot even sweeter for me.”
The key bait was a Zoom Super Fluke. He rigged that to a 1/4-ounce weighted Gamakatsu Superline EWG Weighted Hook. Gluing a plastic rattle inside the hollow body added strike appeal.
By midmorning the schooling fish settled down. A drop-shot rig coaxed slow biters to fill his limit.
Sumrall weighed 15-10 on Friday and finished the tournament with a limit weighing 9-13.
Runner-up Luke Gritter alternated between the river and main lake. The double effort produced a final weight of 34-8
“I fished the river for the bigger largemouth and filled out my limit with the spotted bass in the lower lake,” explained Gritter, a carpenter from Otsego, Mich., and member of the West Michigan Elite Bass Club.
Gritter fished a brown 3/8-ounce leadhead jig and 3/8-ounce spinnerbait along shoreline woody cover in the river. In the lake, he chose a drop-shot rig made with a 6-inch Roboworm, 4/0 hook and 1/4-ounce weight. A Lucky Craft Sammy produced strikes during the topwater bite.
Third-place angler Marty Giddens refused to go chasing the lake’s notoriously evasive schooling bass. After three days, his total catch weighed 32-10.
“I tried it but just don’t have the patience,” said Giddens, a plumbing and home contractor from Eclectic, Ala.
Instead, Giddens focused on boat docks on a five-mile stretch of the lake.
“I skipped a plastic worm to probably every dock, just ‘grinded’ it out,” he said.
Giddens used a 1/8-ounce Davis Baits Screw Lock Shaky Head, with a 6.5-inch Netbait T Mac Worm.
Sumrall, Gritter and Giddens advance to the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The Classic is March 16-18 on Lake Hartwell.
Sumrall also received the Bryan V Kerchal Memorial Trophy. A Skeeter ZX200 rigged with Yamaha SHO 200 outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics is part of the prize package. A berth in the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series is also reserved for Sumrall. He receives $16,000 for entry fees by accepting the invitation.
The Top 3 anglers earned paid entry fees in the division of their choosing for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, and for year the use of a B.A.S.S. Nation’s Best package. That is a Phoenix Boat with standard factory accessories.
Gritter won a Skeeter TZX190 and Yamaha SHO 150, rigged with the same accessories as the winner’s boat as runner up.
Giddens won a Triton 189 TRX, Yamaha VF150LA and Triton standard equipment for third place.
The championship is truly the only global bass club competition of its kind. Joining anglers from 47 states were those from five continents. Mexico, Japan, Australia, Portugal, Italy, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the province of Ontario and the Republic of South Africa were the nations represented in the championship.
Visit Anderson hosted the event at Green Pond Landing and Event Center in Anderson County.
2017 B.A.S.S. Nation Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2017 B.A.S.S. Nation Presenting Sponsor: Magellan Outdoors
2017 B.A.S.S. Nation Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2017 B.A.S.S. Nation Premier Sponsors: Mercury, Minn Kota, Berkley, Huk, Humminbird, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Shell Rotella, Power-Pole
2017 B.A.S.S. Nation Supporting Sponsors: Livingston Lures, Phoenix Boats, Shimano, Advance Auto Parts, Lowrance, Nationwide, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, T-H Marine
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 more than 45 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, Costa Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
2017 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors
10/19-10/21
Lake Hartwell, Anderson, SC
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 15 36-12 0 $56,985.00
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 5 09-13
2. Luke Gritter Otsego, MI 15 34-08 0 $50,335.00
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 14-09
3. Marty Giddens Eclectic, AL 15 32-10 0 $37,293.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 04-15 Day 3: 5 10-02
4. Tray Huddleston Russellville, AR 11 31-15 0 $3,250.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 15-05 Day 3: 1 02-07
5. Mark Lodge Alfred, ME 13 31-07 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 13-10
6. Mike Lavallee Sandy, UT 15 30-12 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 07-11 Day 3: 5 09-15
7. Dean Silvester Boonah Queensland AUSTR 15 29-08 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 10-05 Day 3: 5 10-13
8. James Van Rooyen Lidwigsdorf Windhoek NA 15 28-15 0 $500.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 07-13 Day 3: 5 08-15
9. Wyatt Smith Stroud, OK 14 27-12 0 $500.00
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 10-14 Day 3: 4 08-03
10. Matt Pangrac Norman , OK 15 27-11 0 $500.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 05-08 Day 3: 5 08-13
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Luke Gritter Otsego, MI 06-03 $500.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 42 258 450-15
2 33 235 380-05
3 9 52 108-11
———————————-
84 545 939-15
Matt Arey Introduces the FETCH from Lunkerhunt
The Lunkerhunt Fetch is a professional grade swimbait that is designed for anglers of all skill levels. Developed collectively with fishing pro Matt Arey, this signature series bait will catch a wide range of fish.
The Fetch Swimbait casts far and has a neutral and steady action under fast or slow retrieve speeds. This enables it to stay in the strike zone longer, even at slow speeds. The Fetch resembles live bait and predator fish cannot resist it.