THE LATEST NEWS
Martens In Position For Wire-To-Wire Victory in Chesapeake Bassmaster Elite
Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., maintains the lead on Day 3 of the Huk Performance Fishing Bassmaster Elite at Chesapeake Bay. He has a three-day total of 48 pounds, 13 ounces. Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster
NORTH EAST, Md. — Aaron Martens said he’s exhausted after averaging only four hours of sleep a night since the tournament began, and he’s lost at least four good-size bass this week. read more…
‘Do-over’ Helps Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat angler David Walker Reach Top 25
|
NORTH EAST, Md. (Aug. 15) — Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat angler David Walker was fishing on free time at the Huk Bassmaster Elite tournament Saturday on Chesapeake Bay, but he made the most of his extra day.
After a disappointing start to the tournament, Walker surged to make the cut with a terrific rebound Friday, and with the extra day in hand, he fished well again Saturday to make the top 25.
“Today I felt like this was my do-over for the first day,” Walker said.
Walker landed only one fish on Thursday and seemed a long shot to make the cut, but he rebounded with the third-highest total Friday (16 pounds, 1 ounce) and finished Saturday with 12 pounds, 10 ounces. His total of 30 pounds, 8 ounces gave him a 25th-place finish.
“I really felt like yesterday saved the whole deal,” Walker said. “Today, I managed to catch some more. I caught a couple early, and I ended up losing one fish. I probably would’ve had 14 pounds today, but that being said, I still wouldn’t have made the top 12.”
Walker moved around Chesapeake Bay with confidence, knowing whatever he brought in Saturday was a bonus.
“Today, I just wanted to make sure I did what I know I could do,” Walker said. “I know I can catch some because after yesterday I had some confidence. I moved around and fished a few of the places where I caught fish yesterday, and if I didn’t catch them, I didn’t get spun out or too worked up about it.”
Walker’s surge to the top 25 helped him pile up some valuable Toyota Angler of the Year points, moving up to 20th. The top 36 advance to the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic.
“All in all, it was a successful event,” Walker said. “I said the other day that I need to have six more good days to make the Classic. Well, we’re halfway through that. I’ve only got three more good days to worry about.”
|
.themify_builder .text-19236-0-0-1.module-text { }
What Tide?
The initials P.M.A. on Gerald Swindle’s bracelet have far more to do with his place near the top of the leaderboard at a very tough Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the Upper Chesapeake Bay, than his ability to adapt to wildly fluctuating tidal water levels that have most pros on a mental roller coaster. read more…
Major Comeback Advances Bassmaster Pro David Walker to Weekend’s Action
|
NORTH EAST, Md. (Aug. 14) — After catching just one fish weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces on the opening day of the Huk Bassmaster Elite tournament on Chesapeake Bay, Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat angler David Walker figured there was no way he would make the 50-man cut to fish on Saturday. However, the Sevierville, Tenn., native used a devil-may-care attitude on Friday to bag five fish weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce to complete the most impressive rebound of the weekend.
“Can you believe this day?” an elated Walker said. “I’m totally overwhelmed. Things went about as good as they could have gone today. I’m so excited.
“I pretty much figured I was out of it, so I just fished without a care in the world. If something didn’t work or an area didn’t work, I didn’t push and push to make it happen because I thought there were fish there. I would just go somewhere else or try something different. I just didn’t care because I thought I had nothing to lose.”
The big day helped Walker rocket from the lower reaches of the field to 35th place overall. Only one angler, Australian Carl Jocumsen, pulled in more weight than Walker (17-5) on the day, with Walker’s totals for the event now a respectable six fish weighing 17 pounds, 14 ounces.
Walker, a 10-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, said although the end result was great, things didn’t come easy by any means.
“It’s 11 o’clock, I hadn’t caught anything, and I was pretty bummed,” Walker said. “I finally get one and it’s a three-pounder. Alright, awesome, that’ll probably move me up enough in this tournament to earn maybe three extra points (in the Angler of the Year standings). Then I add another one, so that’s another few points. That’s how it went.
“The weights have been bad here and the bite is off, so that placed a premium on every fish, but I just kept thinking about one fish at a time. I figured every fish represented another couple of points. So I’m out there thinking, ‘Just catch another fish. Add another pound or two.’ I didn’t even think about (fishing on Saturday) until the last catch when I looked in the live well and realized I may have a chance.”
It was a great twist of fortune for Walker, who entered the weekend tied for 45th in the Toyota Angler of the Year standings. With just one more Elite event on the schedule, every extra day of fishing an angler can earn adds much needed points to their total. The higher their ranking, the more likely they are to get an invitation to the sport’s biggest event.
“I said before we started this tournament that I needed to make it to Saturday this weekend and when we go to Michigan at the end of the month to have a chance at the Classic,” Walker said. “I thought the dream was over yesterday but I got a reprieve. Now I need to make sure I capitalize on this good fortune.”
|
.themify_builder .text-19231-0-0-1.module-text { }
Missed Cut has Cabela’s/GEICO Pro Mike McClelland Looking for Late-Season Success
|
NORTH EAST, Md. (Aug. 14) — Mike McClelland finished a disappointing 81st at this weekend’s Huk Bassmaster Elite tournament on Chesapeake Bay, leaving the Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat angler thinking his chances of making the cut for the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic are reduced to a long shot at best.
“The reality of the situation is this was a make-or-break event for me,” McClelland said. “I needed to make the cut and probably even get into the top 12 and fish on Sunday to have a chance to make the Classic (field) through the Elite points. I just didn’t get the job done these past two days.”
McClelland opened the tournament Thursday by catching three fish weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces. Surprisingly, with lots of other anglers struggling on the fishery, McClelland still had a great chance to make the 50-man cut and reach Saturday’s action if he could put together a solid effort on Day 2. But that didn’t happen, and after catching two fish weighing just 2 pounds, 2 ounces early in the day, time ran out.
“I’m upset because I felt like I did my homework for this one,” said McClelland, who finished the event with five fish weighing 9 pounds. “I got here early and fished a bunch of areas and patterns. I also had a chance to fish here back in June when I came to visit with the GEICO and Cabela’s folks in this area. I was ready to go. It just didn’t happen for me.”
Entering the weekend ranked 74th in the Toyota Angler of the Year points, McClelland’s failure to make the cut here limits his chances to earn a position in the GEICO Bassmaster Classic tournament, which will be held at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Tulsa, Okla., close to his home in Bella Vista, Ark.
“I do still have two Opens I can win and get in that way,” McClelland said, “and there is one more Elite event, so I do have an outside chance, but getting in on Elite points isn’t going to happen this year.
“It’s really disappointing when the Classic is on a lake I love that is so close to home. I’ll be scratching my head on this one trying to figure out what I did wrong.”
That process of reflection won’t take long, however, as McClelland plans to stick to his usual routine and move forward.”
“My whole career I’ve never really looked back at the ‘what-ifs,’ ” McClelland said. “I’ve been so blessed. I’ve won seven times and learned that when it’s your time to win, it’s gonna happen. If I’m meant to be in the Classic field at Grand Lake, then I’ll win one of these last three events I’m doing.”
|
.themify_builder .text-19229-0-0-1.module-text { }