THE LATEST NEWS

Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie Carl Jocumsen has joined Amphibia Eyegear as a major part of his sponsorship portfolio. Carl, a native Australian, has spent the last three years in his quest to be the first from his country to fish the Elite Series. In 2014 he qualified through the Central Opens.

“I have worn Amphibia sunglasses for the last 2 years simply because they are the best tool when it comes to eyegear. Now, actually being affiliated with them is a big bonus. I know that fishing at this level there is no room for compromise and having the best gear is paramount.” Carl Jocumsen

“Carl is a great addition to our already amazing line up of pros. His attention to detail brings the image we desire for our brand. His success on a Global scale makes the relationship even more attractive. Simply put, Carl is the type of individual we want to be associated with.” Jeff Gibson, President of Amphibia.

Amphibia has set its sights on revolutionizing the performance eyewear industry through innovation and leading-edge technology. Designed by fishermen for fishemen, Amphibia floating eyegear is so much more than just another pair of sunglasses. From the rugged, lightweight polymers that form the basis of our high-flotation architecture, to the ultra-clear lenses that meet or exceed the highest standards for impact resistance, Amphibia is performance-focused.

Amphibia is the world’s first-and-only ANSI-rated floating eyegear. Maintaining buoyancy while being rugged enough to attain the highly coveted ANSI Z87.1 impact safety rating is, quite literally, a moon landing in the eyewear industry.

www.amphibiaeyegear.com

Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, a legendary manufacturer of high performance fishing tackle, announced today that the company will serve as the title sponsor for veteran pro Shinichi “Shin” Fukae in 2015. Both Fukae and 1983 Bassmaster Classic champion Larry Nixon will run GYCB boat wraps on the FLW Tour this year.

“With our long relationship with Shin both here in the United States and while he was fishing in Japan, this title sponsorship just made sense,” said Ron Colby, GYCB VP of Operations. “His success in the United States with some of our Japan-only products encouraged us to release these items and colors here and they have become very popular, especially his favorite the Shad Shape Worm. We are currently working with Shin to add colors to his favorite lures and to bring out some unique styles that he has been working on.”

Fukae turned pro in Japan in 1991, and shortly thereafter won an Angler of the Year title in his native country. He moved to the U.S. in 2004 and won the FLW Tour AOY title as a rookie, thus making him the only angler with two such major titles from different countries. Over the course of his career at FLW, Fukae has won three tournaments and has competed in the Forrest Wood Cup on nine occasions. Last year he won the season’s second Bassmaster Northern Open, thereby qualifying him for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, which will be his first shot at that major title.

“I’ve been using Yamamoto products since I was a kid in Japan,” Fukae said. “I first met Gary and Beverly over 10 years ago and our friendship and business relationship continues to grown. As many fishing fans know, I enjoy finesse fishing so the partnership with Yamamoto is a great fit. The Senko and the Shad Shape Worm in particular have enabled me to earn lots of checks over the course of my career. I can’t wait to win more tournaments with Yamamoto products.”

His next chance to win with Yamamoto will be at the 2015 Bassmaster Classic on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell, a venue where he has substantial tournament experience. It promises to be a big weight pre-spawn event, but anyone who counts Fukae out because of his finesse skills isn’t taking stock of his true skill set – in addition to winning on traditional tough venues like Beaver Lake, he’s also won a slugfest at Okeechobee and twice at Champlain. Don’t be surprised to see him sporting his GYCB jersey at the winner’s press conference.

Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, based in Page, Arizona, makes tournament-tested fishing tackle that can be used effectively by novices and champion anglers alike. The company produces a wide range of products, most notably soft plastics baits such as the Hula Grub and the Senko, two first-of-their-kind lures which remain the standard-bearers for their categories today. GYCB has recently expanded its soft plastics lineup substantially and added a new lineup of hard baits. Look for new game-changing product developments in the near future.

For more information about Shinchi Fukae, go to www.shinfukaefishing.com

Cotati, CA – Fishing tackle e-commerce site MonsterFishingTackle.com has added Aaron Martens as their brand ambassador for 2015. Monster Fishing Tackle specializes in bass fishing tackle and accessories for anglers anywhere on the spectrum of experience, from the beginning angler to the top professionals.

Two-time B.A.S.S. Elite Series Angler of the Year Aaron Martens said, “Not many anglers have more tackle than me; I am serious about tackle. From my time dealing with Monster Fishing Tackle, I know they are serious about supplying anglers with the best tackle. I look forward to working with them to make sure they have the best tackle: from the stuff I use everyday to the stuff only a select few know about. Through their site, I will be able to educate anglers and share secret baits, techniques, and even alterations I make to current baits.”

Monster Fishing Tackle is a family business that was started by Ken Elie over 25 years ago in a small shop in Rohnert Park, California. Today that shop has grown to over 20,000 square feet and employs many local fishing experts. Marketing manager Pat Elie said, “Working with Aaron is a dream come true. We’ve worked hard to build a store and website that offers anglers the best tackle for chasing bass or other species. On site, we’ve employed many regional experts that work one-on-one with customers to ensure success on their fishing trips. Adding Aaron will allow us to do the same for anglers all around the globe through our website. His time on the water and unique experience with fishing products also offers us an exclusive insight to the best tackle in the world, which we will utilize to educate our buyers about the latest and most effective products.”

Martens is often referred to as “the Tackle Doctor” by his peers, and while some may not agree with his enthusiasm about tackle, all respect it and appreciate it. Martens said, “I spend twice the amount of time working on tackle than I do actually fishing. Just the other day, I spent six hours working on 25 baits for the Bassmaster Classic. I’ve never been shy about sharing what I think about fishing tackle, and I know Monster Fishing Tackle will give me a platform to share these thoughts with anglers everywhere.”

As part of the agreement, Monster Fishing Tackle will become a one-stop-shop for anything Aaron uses while fishing whether the manufacturer sponsors Martens or not. Monster Fishing Tackle buyer Tim Elie said, “We’ve always strived to stock the best equipment for our customers; anything good enough to find its way into Aaron’s tackle box is definitely good enough for any angler on the planet.”