THE LATEST NEWS
IKE Live Season Wrap Up
Pittsgrove, NJ, September 25th, 2016 – Tune into Ike Live this coming Sunday, September 25th 6-10 PM ET for a brand new Ike Live Show live-streaming on IkeLive.com. Mike and the Ike Live crew take a look how the BASS Elite season came to a close and get to chat with recent winners and champions!
Touring pro JT Kenney joins Ike in-studio for the full 4-hour show to talk about his season and why he is considered one of the best flippers in the world! In addition, recently crowned BASS Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle, Mississippi River Elite Champion Ott DeFoe, and last weeks AOY Championship winner Seth Feider will be on to talk about their perspective titles and victories! Live viewers will also have a chance to ask questions to the guests and will have the opportunity win great prizes from Mystery Tackle Box, Flambeau Outdoors, TH Marine, Tackle Warehouse and many more!
This show, along with all other previous shows, are available the next day for download to a PC, tablet or smartphone at IkeLive.com. Audio of the show is available for free on both iTunes and Stitcher. And the “best of shows” are now available for viewing on Bassmaster.com. To subscribe to automatic downloads, enter TinyURL.com/IkeLiveiTunes into your browser, click “View in iTunes” and choose iTunes as your application. Click “Subscribe” and new shows appear in your iTunes library automatically as they become available.
Ike Live! fans receive email reminders for the show when they join the Ike’s Fish Heads Nation at MikeIaconelli.com , and they can opt-in to receive the monthly newsletter, links to videos and periodic discount offers. Clips of the show are available on YouTube at Going Ike and via YouTube subscription.
About Mike “Ike” Iaconelli
A South Philadelphia native now living in South Jersey, Mike Iaconelli fell in love with fishing at his grandfather’s side in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He began fishing in tournaments after high school, joined the pro-am circuit in 1992 and turned pro in 2000. In 2003, he won the Bassmaster Classic. He is the only angler to win the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Angler of the Year and B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.
He and wife Becky run The Ike Foundation®, which provides fishing equipment to community associations and youth fishing clubs to “get kids fishing.” In addition, he and fellow fishing champ Pete Gluszek run The Bass University, which offers intense 2-day fishing classes and on-the-water experiences that bring avid amateurs and professional fishermen together.
Tacoronte Takes The Lead At Champlain Open
Jesse Tacoronte of Orlando, Fla., took the lead on Day 1 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open #3 held on Lake Champlain out of Plattsburgh, N.Y. Tacoronte brought 21 pounds, 3 ounces to the scales at Wednesday’s weigh-in.
Photo by Ronnie Moore/Bassmaster
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Guessing his primary spot would be taken, Jesse Tacoronte went to his Plan B spot and took over the pro-division lead at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open on Lake Champlain.
“Since I was the last boat (during takeoff), I figured I would go to my worst water first, but it turned out we were done there by 9 o’clock,” Tacoronte said. The Orlando, Fla., angler quickly caught his limit of smallmouth bass and culled to accumulate 21 pounds, 3 ounces by 9 a.m.
“I didn’t expect that quality of fish to be in that one spot because that was my ‘B’ water,” he said. The rest of the day Tacoronte “dinked around” because he wanted to save the best spots he found in practice for the rest of the tournament.
“God willing those spots will be there for me tomorrow,” he said.
Tacoronte found a spot loaded with bait during practice Monday, and he noticed the baitfish were still there on the first competition day.
“As long as the bait stays there the big fish will be there,” he said. Even though he will be the first boat out in Thursday’s takeoff, he plans to start again on his “B” spot since it produced so well.
Despite a long drive to reach Champlain and limited practice time, Adrian Avena still managed to catch a 20-15 limit to move into second place. Avena and his dad drove 30 hours from the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship at Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. They made it to Champlain on Tuesday so the Bassmaster Elite Series pro could practice for four hours before the Open.
Avena relied on a junk fishing pattern that produced a victory for the Vineland, N.J., pro at Champlain in a Rayovac tournament in 2011. “It’s a grind,” said Avena, who had a mixed limit of smallmouth and largemouth.
“I had a couple of really good largemouth bites and that‘s what you need out here are those kickers to put you over the top.”
The Elite Series pro had about a 10-pound limit by 10 a.m. and then started catching kicker largemouth. “From there on every hour I got a 4-pound-plus bite,” he said.
The rest of the Top 5 contenders in the pro division are Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., third place, 20-9; Scott Pellegrin, Eau Claire, Wis., fourth, 19-13; and Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., fifth, 19-9.
Paired with Elite Series pro Carl Jocumsen, Robin Roystan caught a three-fish limit weighing 11-15 to take over the lead in the co-angler division. The 54-year-old retired logger from Bath, N.H., frequently fishes Champlain and was happy Jocumsen allowed him to catch bass on his favorite Champlain lure. “I got to fish my jig all day long,” said Roystan, who weighed in two largemouth and a smallmouth.
Hosting this week’s Northern Open is The Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau (www.goadirondack.com). The launches and weigh-ins each day will be held at Dock Street Landing at 5 Dock Street in Plattsburgh.
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Berkley, GoPro
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Rapala, Shell Rotella, Shimano, A.R.E. Truck Caps, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels
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), 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, B.A.S.S. Nation, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
|
|
Swindle Discusses Most Meaningful Lure, Reel and Memory of Rare and Remarkable Second AOY Title Season
Professional bass fishing’s funniest man, Gerald Swindle of Guntersville, Alabama, just joined a seriously exclusive list of only 11 men to ever win the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title more than once throughout the award’s highly respected 46 year history.
Swindle won his first AOY title in 2004. And while he struggled atypically in this year’s final tournament, the remarkable (6) Top 12 finishes he scored among nine regular season Elite Series events heading into the Toyota Angler of the Year Championship at Mille Lacs, provided a critical mathematical cushion when he needed it most.
“I feel like winning Angler of the Year twice in my career puts me in a really special group of anglers,” says Swindle in humble fashion. “It’s an absolute dream come true, for sure.”
On the eve of claiming his historic second Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, the “G Man” was asked about the moments he’ll remember most, and the equipment he leaned on heavily while cashing checks in every single event of this season.
“The most memorable moment was at Wheeler in April when I caught a 7-pounder on a buzzbait in the middle of the afternoon on a day when I’d had been struggling pretty bad until that point,” reflected Swindle. “That fish came as a result of trusting my intuition, and making a critical change late in the day.”
“It’s always difficult to pick one lure that you leaned on most, but there’s no doubt the Zoom Z Craw was the bait I used just about everywhere we went– mainly because it’s so versatile,” says Swindle. “I’ve used it as a jig trailer, I’ve threaded it on the hook of a buzzbait, and I’ve straight-up Texas rigged it with a 7/16 ounce weight.”
Such was certainly the case at Swindle’s very best finish of the year. He finished 3rd at BASSfest on Texoma largely by pitching a Zoom Z Craw on a heavyweight Quantum rod and their new Smoke HD reel. “I’ve been with Quantum a longtime, and I’m not sure they’ve ever made a reel that I’ve felt as strong about as that one,” says Swindle. “Smoke HD has a big, smooth casting spool in a low profile frame, and as simple as this may sound – I love the fact we put a huge handle on it because I never got caught with my hands out of position when a good one bit this year.”
Indeed Swindle’s grip on the handle of the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series Season was firmer than any of the world’s top anglers, and with (52) Top 10 career finishes, 16 Bassmaster Classic qualifications, and now two very rare Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles to his credit, he marks his place in bass fishing history as one of the greatest to ever cast a line.
Thrift Wins Walmart FLW Tour Invitational on Lake Norman
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 17, 2016) – Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 11 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the Walmart FLW Tour Invitational at Lake Norman presented by Lowrance. Thrift’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 34 pounds, 12 ounces earned him the win by a slim 6-ounce margin over second place angler Scott Beattie of Lincolnton, North Carolina, in the first FLW Tour Invitational event of 2016. For his win Thrift earned $71,000 and became the second angler – joining 2016 Forrest Wood Cup champion John Cox – to punch his ticket to the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup.
“This is the lake I learned how to fish on,” said Thrift, who also won an FLW Tour event on Lake Norman in 2010. “I’m able to run to specific areas where I know fish are supposed to be. If I don’t get a bite, I can go somewhere else. This week I ran through what I normally run on this lake.
“Most of my fish came from docks and rocks – a lot of bank-related areas,” Thrift continued. “My biggest catches came from the docks. I fished the entire lake all three days and I burned around 35 gallons of gas each day.”
Thrift said he used 10 different baits throughout the week, citing a 4-inch Pearl Blue-colored Damiki Anchovy Shad, a handtied jig and a white buzzbait as his key lures.
“A River2Sea Whopper Plopper and a crankbait also came in handy,” said Thrift. “I had 15 rods on the deck and used every one of them. That’s what makes fishing on Lake Norman so fun. I can go from throwing a buzzbait on a rocky bank to skipping a jig under a dock to throwing a swimbait out deep. It was an awesome week.”
The top 20 pros finished the tournament:
1st: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 34-12, $61,000 + $10,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Scott Beattie, Lincolnton, N.C., 15 bass, 34-6, $18,340
3rd: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 15 bass, 33-9, $15,200
4th: Todd Hollowell, Fishers, Ind., 15 bass, 33-9, $12,160
5th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 32-14, $9,120
6th: William Shelton, La Crosse, Va., 15 bass, 32-12, $7,904
7th: Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury, Springville, Ala., 15 bass, 31-14, $7,600
8th: Tracy Adams, Wilkesboro, N.C., 15 bass, 31-7, $7,296
9th: Michael Stephens , Gastonia, N.C., 15 bass, 31-4, $6,992
10th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 31-3, $6,688
11th: Walmart pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 30-15, $6,080
12th: Jason Meninger, Gainesville, Ga., 15 bass, 30-9, $6,080
13th: Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 30-9, $6,080
14th: George Hirapetian, Charlotte, N.C., 14 bass, 29-10, $6,080
15th: Joseph Webster, Fulton, Miss., 15 bass, 29-8, $6,080
16th: T-H Marine pro Luke Dunkin, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 15 bass, 29-5, $6,080
17th: Rodney Morrow, Hickory, N.C., 15 bass, 29-4, $6,080
18th: Shane LeHew, Mooresville, N.C., 15 bass, 29-1, $6,080
19th: Chris Gosselaar, Fresno, Calif., 15 bass, 28-0, $6,080
20th: Ronald Farrow, Rock Hill, S.C., 12 bass, 25-15, $6,080
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 97 bass weighing 185 pounds, 2 ounces caught by the 20 pros Saturday. The catch included 18 five-bass limits.
The Walmart FLW Tour Invitational at Lake Norman presented by Lowrance was hosted by Visit Lake Norman, Visit Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation. The next event for FLW Tour anglers will be the second FLW Tour Invitational, held Oct. 20-22 on Norris Lake in Clinton, Tennessee. The tournament will be presented by Quaker State and hosted by the Anderson County Tourism Council.
The 2017 Forrest Wood Cup – the world championship of bass fishing – will be held Aug. 11 to 13 on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. The event is being 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.
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 2016 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea. 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: @FLWFishing.
Team Swindle Claims the 2016 AOY Title.
The emotion after the weigh in was unexplainable after Gerald Swindle took the trophy at Mille Lacs. See for yourself, congratulations “G” and LeAnn Swindle.
.themify_builder .video-23742-0-0-1.module-video .video-content { }
.themify_builder .video-23742-0-0-1.module-video .video-title { }
.themify_builder .video-23742-0-0-1.module-video .video-title a { }
.themify_builder .video-23742-0-0-2.module-video .video-content { }
.themify_builder .video-23742-0-0-2.module-video .video-title { }
.themify_builder .video-23742-0-0-2.module-video .video-title a { }