THE LATEST NEWS
T-H Marine Partners with Mark Zona
Huntsville, AL – January 9, 2017 — T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., of Huntsville, Alabama, announces that it will be partnering with Mark Zona and Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show for 2017.
T-H Marine CEO Jeff Huntley stated, “We are super happy for this new relationship with Mark Zona and the Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show! Zona is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic personalities in fishing and he just makes fishing fun to watch! The name of the show is spot on, because it really is “Awesome”, and it is very popular with super airing times on the Outdoor Channel. We know our many customers and fans are watching Zona’s show, so we are glad to help bring the fun to them every week.”
“I have used T-H Marine accessories on my boat’s for over 2 decades. The whole staff at T-H marine fish and I know that when my boat hits the water- it’s ready! To be a part of this company is a true honor “, states Mark Zona host of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show, The Bassmaster’s and The Bass Pros.
“We are excited to partner with Mark and Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show. His boat will be rigged with our Atlas Hydraulic Jackplate, Hydrowave H2, KVD Kong Electronics mounts and GForce Trolling motor accessories, plus a number of other T-H Marine accessories. Many of his shows are filmed on big water lakes in extreme conditions and this will help showcase our products while they are being put to the test” said Jimmy Mason, Director of Marketing, T-H Marine.
T-H Marine is celebrating its 41th Anniversary of business and has grown to be one of the largest manufacturers of boating and fishing accessories in the U.S. T-H Marine provides parts to every boat manufacturer in the country and distributes them thru virtually every major distributor and retailer of boating and fishing products. To learn more about T-H Marine, please visit www.thmarine.com .
FLW Announces Pro Field for 2017 FLW Tour
MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 10, 2017) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) announced today the complete professional angler roster of 165 for the upcoming 2017 FLW Tour season, the 22nd season of the FLW Tour. The 2017 FLW Tour will feature seven regular-season tournaments with competition kicking off Feb. 2-5 at Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.
The 2017 FLW Tour roster is headlined by three-time reigning Angler of the Year (AOY) Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee, and 2016 Forrest Wood Cup champion John Cox of DeBary, Florida. They’ll be joined by nine former FLW Tour AOY winners, six former Forrest Wood Cup champions, and 30 Tour rookies in 2017.
Also making their FLW Tour debut at Lake Guntersville in February will be former Bassmaster Elite Series competitors Carl Jocumsen, Billy McCaghren, Matt Reed, Casey Scanlon and Dennis Tietje. Those newcomers bring a combined 33 top-10 finishes and career earnings of more than $1.6 million to the Tour.
“The talent level of the professional anglers on the 2017 FLW Tour roster is second to none,” said Bill Taylor, Senior FLW Tournament Director. “We are extremely excited to kick off the season next month at Lake Guntersville and I anticipate that this season will be one of the most competitive seasons that we have ever had in FLW Tour history.”
The top 100 pros and top 10 co-anglers from the 2016 FLW Tour, the top 10 pros from each of the five 2016 FLW Series divisions, the 2016 TBF National Champion, and the 2016 BFL All-American champion all received priority invitations to join the Tour.
In addition to the $125,000 paycheck that is awarded to FLW Tour winners, FLW will pay out at least $10,000 to pros down to 50th place along with one additional payout of $4,000 per boat over a 160-boat field. The season opener on Lake Guntersville, scheduled to fish 165 boats, will pay out 55 places.
In FLW Tour competition anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2017 Forrest Wood Cup will be in Columbia, South Carolina, Aug. 11-13 on Lake Murray and is hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
2017 FLW Tour Anglers
Jason Abram Piney Flats, Tenn.
Tracy Adams Wilkesboro, N.C.
Dean Alexander* Georgetown, Texas
Matt Arey Shelby, N.C.
Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, Okla.
Justin Atkins* Florence, Ala.
Todd Auten Lake Wylie, S.C.
Evan Barnes* Hot Springs, Ark.
Clayton Batts Macon, Ga.
Robert Behrle Hoover, Ala.
Cody Bird Granbury, Texas
Zack Birge Blanchard, Okla.
Daryl Biron South Windsor, Conn.
Derrick Blake* Rockwood, Tenn.
Randy Blaukat Joplin, Mo.
Greg Bohannan Bentonville, Ark.
Terry Bolton Paducah, Ky.
Christopher Brasher Longview, Texas
Jimmy Brewer Marshall, Texas
Aaron Britt* Yuba City, Calif.
Chase Brooks Iraan, Texas
Keith Bryan* Novato, Calif.
Grae Buck* Harleysville, Pa.
Jamey Caldwell* Carthage, N.C.
Jeff Cannon* Douglasville, Ga.
Scott Canterbury Springville, Ala.
Peter Cherkas* Des Moines, Iowa
Joey Cifuentes* Clinton, Ark.
Brandon Cobb Greenwood, S.C.
Ramie Colson Jr. Cadiz, Ky.
Kyle Cortiana* Broken Arrow, Okla.
John Cox Debary, Fla.
Wade Curtiss* Meadow Vista, Calif.
Alex Davis Albertville, Ala.
Bill Day Frankfort, Ky.
John Devere Berea, Ky.
Jim Dillard West Monroe, La.
Jeff Dobson* Bartlesville, Okla.
Bradley Dortch* Atmore, Ala.
Josh Douglas* Mound, Minn.
Kurt Dove Del Rio, Texas
David Dudley Lynchburg, Va.
Luke Dunkin Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
Charlie Evans Berea, Ky.
Ronald Farrow* Rock Hill, S.C.
Austin Felix Eden Prairie, Minn.
Mark Fisher Wauconda, Ill.
Tim Frederick Leesburg, Fla.
Shinichi Fukae Palestine, Texas
Anthony Gagliardi Prosperity, S.C.
Nick Gainey Charleston, S.C.
Chris Gosselaar* Fresno, Calif.
Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, Fla.
Buddy Gross Chickamauga, Ga.
Jeff Gustafson Keewatin, Ontario, Canada
Bradley Hallman Norman, Okla.
Dylan Hays* Sheridan, Ark.
Jonathan Henry* Grant, Ala.
Billy Hines* Vacaville, Calif.
Joe Holland Jefferson, Maine
Todd Hollowell Fishers, Ind.
Jamie Horton Centerville, Ala.
Jimmy Houston Cookson, Okla.
Rex Huff Corbin, Ky.
Bill Hutchison* Bessemer, Ala.
Eric Jackson Walling, Tenn.
Carl Jocumsen Frisco, Texas
Jason Johnson Gainesville, Ga.
Chris Johnston Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Cory Johnston Cavan, Ontario, Canada
Jim Jones Big Bend, Wis.
Cody Kelley Conway, Ark.
Powell Kemp Scotland Neck, N.C.
Jay Kendrick Grant, Ala.
J.T. Kenney Palm Bay, Fla.
Mike Kernan Wylie, Texas
Rob Kilby Hot Springs, Ark.
Brad Knight Lancing, Tenn.
Daniel Kweekul* Bryant, Ark.
Jason Lambert Pickwick Dam, Tenn.
Brian Latimer Belton, S.C.
Jeremy Lawyer* Sarcoxie, Mo.
Shane Lehew Catawba, N.C.
Richard Lowitzki Hampshire, Ill.
Scott Martin Clewiston, Fla.
Lendell Martin Jr. Nacogdoches, Texas
Billy McCaghren Mayflower, Ark.
Chris McCall Palmer, Texas
Johnny McCombs Morris, Ala.
Michael McCoy* Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio
Bill McDonald Greenwood, Ind.
Tim McDonald Prestonsburg, Ky.
Brandon McMillan Clewiston, Fla.
Brandon Medlock Lake Placid, Fla.
Jason Meninger Gainesville, Ga.
Cody Meyer Auburn, Calif.
Kerry Milner Bono, Ark.
Kurt Mitchell Milford, Del.
Tom Monsoor La Crosse, Wis.
Drew Montgomery Maiden, N.C.
Harry Moore Valley, Ala.
Dan Morehead Paducah, Ky.
Andy Morgan Dayton, Tenn.
Bob Morin Seymour, Tenn.
Troy Morrow Eastanollee, Ga.
Brandon Mosley* Choctaw, Okla.
Jim Moulton* Merced, Calif.
Jim Moynagh Carver, Minn.
Shawn Murphy Nicholasville, Ky.
Michael Neal Dayton, Tenn.
Chris Neau New Orleans, La.
Blake Nick Trussville, Ala.
Larry Nixon Bee Branch, Ark.
Jordan Osborne Longview, Texas
Stephen Patek Dallas, Texas
Robert Pearson Herndon, Va.
Pete Ponds Madison, Miss.
Chad Randles* Elkhorn, Neb.
Tom Redington Royse City, Texas
Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas
Clark Reehm Huntington, Texas
Jimmy Reese Witter Springs, Calif.
Jason Reyes Huffman, Texas
Curtis Richardson Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Darrel Robertson Jay, Okla.
Mark Rose West Memphis, Ark.
Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas
Casey Scanlon Lenexa, Kan.
Bryan Schmitt Deale, Md.
Braxton Setzer Montgomery, Ala.
Alvin Shaw Roaring Gap, N.C.
William Shelton III La Crosse, Va.
Blake Smith Lakeland, Fla.
David Smith Del City, Okla.
Bill Smith Jr. Burlington, Ky.
Jeff Sprague Point, Texas
Matthew Stefan Junction City, Wis.
Wesley Strader Spring City, Tenn.
Scott Suggs Alexander, Ark.
Mike Surman Boca Raton, Fla.
Austin Terry San Angelo, Texas
Peter Thliveros Saint Augustine, Fla.
Rodney Thomason Maumelle, Ark.
Timmy Thompkins Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Bryan Thrift Shelby, N.C.
Dennis Tietje Roanoke, La.
Rusty Trancygier Hahira, Ga.
Jim Tutt Longview, Texas
Andrew Upshaw Tulsa, Okla.
John Voyles Petersburg, Ind.
Chad Warren* Sand Springs, Okla.
James Watson Nixa, Mo.
Joshua Weaver Macon, Ga.
Joseph Webster Fulton, Miss.
Kyle Weisenburger* Ottawa, Ohio
Clark Wendlandt Leander, Texas
Chris Whitson Louisville, Tenn.
Scott Wiley Bay Minette, Ala.
Barry Wilson Birmingham, Ala.
Matt Wittekiend Angleton, Texas
Kenneth (Boo) Woods London, Ky.
Michael Wooley Collierville, Tenn.
Gary Yamamoto Palestine, Texas
Jay Yelas Corvallis, Ore.
Andy Young Mound, Minn.
Major League Fishing Announces General Tire World Championship
TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 9, 2017) – Major League Fishing (MLF) officials announce the creation of its own World Championship event, pitting 12 of the world’s top anglers against one another in televised matches to air on CBS and CBS Sports Network in 2017. The airings will mark the largest and first-ever consecutive six-week bass fishing series to run on national broadcast television, a precedent for the sport.
Each competitor wears a microphone and has a cameraman to capture every thought, emotion and action during competition. The made-for-television MLF formats puts the TV audience right there in the boats with
the anglers for every episode.
“We are truly excited to have our General Tire brand as the title sponsor of this new championship with Major League Fishing,” said Travis Roffler, director of marketing for General Tire. “The MLF format is already such an entertaining way to watch bass fishing and now this new championship is only going to increase the level of intensity and excitement of the sport. We can’t wait to get this kicked off and see how it plays out. It’s going to be somewhat stressful for the anglers but really fun for everyone else to watch.”
“This has been a dream of mine since the beginning when conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris first asked me what we could do to bring the sport of bass fishing to a broader audience,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF general manager.
“With this new competition and the partnership with CBS, we’re finally achieving that dream and look forward to sharing the sport with an even wider audience than before. Major League Fishing is a trail blazer and this is just one more ground breaking first!”
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| The new MLF World Championship will air on CBS and re-air on CBS Sports Network in 2017, making it the first fishing show series to run multi-weeks on a major national network. (Click to enlarge) |
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| MLF anglers, such as Edwin Evers, say every match in the MLF format is like a rollercoaster ride of emotional ups and downs, but they all like the unknown destination until it’s time to fish because it “levels the playing field.” (Click to enlarge) | |
MLF was developed specifically with television entertainment in mind, making it a great partner for CBS and CBS Sports Network and the national audience the new shows will reach. The broadened scope with new viewers will benefit not only the show and the anglers, many of whom will be seen by a national audience for the first time, but also the sponsors who are making the event possible.
MLF was rated Outdoor Channel’s overall No. 1 show for first and second quarter 2016. Its sixth season looks just as promising, with the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Summit Select presented by Ferguson airing now on Outdoor Channel.
Big Smallmouth on Finesse Hair Jigs
Bassmaster Elite champion Seth Feider conducts a 40-minute seminar on marabou hair jig fishing big smallmouth . In this preview video, Seth introduces the marabou hair jig for catching smallmouth in clear, shallow water.
What is your go to lure when you need a bite? For some it’s a shakey head. For others it’s a drop shot. For Seth Feider, when he needs a bite from a smallmouth bass, it’s a marabou hair jig! In this Bass University TV seminar, Feider goes into detail on his best finesse presentation in shallow water and shares how he tricks finicky smallmouth into biting often.
Become a PRO subscriber at https://bassu.tv/online-fishing-subsc… to watch the full seminar, and 200+ other bass fishing instructional videos, presented by tournament pros. For a limited time, starting January 1st, 2017, first time PRO monthly subscribers receive a 10-day preview, or save $30 with a PRO annual subscription.
UGA Bass Anglers Prepare for the 2017 Season Opener
ATHENS, Ga. (Jan. 7, 2017) – The 2017 YETI – FLW College Fishing season will kick off January 14th at Lake Seminole for the first of three regular-season stops in the Southeastern Conference. A full field of college teams will be competing for a top award of $2,000 and a berth into the 2018 College Fishing National Championship. The UGA Bass Anglers will be represented by:
Jordan Parisian and Collin Chandler Garrett Stone and Ben Hallowell Wesley Griner and Nathan Ragsdale Jordan Rowe and Freeman Edwards Cody Billings and Daulton Smith
The UGA Bass Anglers have seen exponential growth in the club since last season, growing from just 7 members in Fall of 2015 to now 23 active members before the season opener. The team plans to send five to seven boats to each tournament in the coming months as they fish competitively on three college trails. In the offseason, the anglers set their focus on building a team of sponsors that will help them excel on the water this coming season. With the acquisitions of major companies such as Quantum, ALX Rods, Zoom Bait Company, SIMMS, and Lowrance to the UGA Bass Anglers, the team feels confident for a successful season. In addition to sponsors, the team acquired their own unique logo to identify themselves from the rest of UGA’s club sport teams. As a result, the team was able to fundraise selling team t-shirts on their Facebook Page. Team president Jordan Parisian says “We hope to continue to grow as a team throughout the season every way we can. Whether that is in members, financially, or in general support from our fans, it won’t happen unless we perform on the water. It’s about time we get back on top.”
The UGA Bass Anglers 2017 sponsors are: Quantum, ALX Rods, Zoom Bait Company, Simms, Boat U.S., Rod Glove, Tackle Warehouse, Lowrance and DBK Lures.
On the January 14th, at Lake Seminole all anglers will take off from Bainbridge Earle May Boat Basin, located at 100 Boat Basin Circle in Bainbridge, at 7:30 a.m. EST Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
This event is hosted by the Bainbridge Convention & Visitors Bureau. We hope to see you there, and GO DAWGS!