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2014 TTBC Keith Combs on the “W”
We caught up with the 3 time Toyota Texas Bass Classic Champion Keith Combs on this Bass Cast edition. Keith talks about how he was able to set a new 3 day world record of 110 lbs. If your planning a trip to Texas your going to want to stop by Lake Fork, it could be the best place on the planet to catch big bass right now. Congratulations Keith.
Keep up with Keith on his Facebook page.
Photo credit: Octagon Events and www.gabrielroux.com.mx
It Did Not Disappoint
110 lbs of bass to win a 3 day derby!
This 8 pound 8 ounce largemouth that KVD caught represents well the huge bass, monstrous 5-basss limits, and great crowds of fishing fans and country music lovers that were a part of the 2014 Toyota Texas Bass Classic on Lake Fork this past weekend.
Thanks to an awesome number of volunteers, morning launch went extremely smooth for 50 of the world’s best bass pros.
Mike Iaconelli shares a 7 pound 8 ounce bass with his fish-loving young son, Vegas.
Iaconelli hoists his fat green Lake Fork bass up for thousands of fans at the outdoor weigh-in.
Iaconelli’s Toyota teammate, Terry “Big Show” Scroggins, caught a giant 9 pound 8 ounce Lake Fork bass on Day One of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. Scroggins has been very successful at events held on Lake Fork.
The bass aren’t the only big thing at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. Crowds to see concerts after weigh-in each night are awesome too.
Little Big Town performed hits like “Boondocks” and “Pontoon” for fishing fans after weigh-in on Saturday night.
A team of volunteers rides with the pros to serve as scoring officials. They use a 2-way radio to report the weight of every keeper bass as it’s boated. The vast majority of the largemouth are then immediately released in an effort to eliminate the handling of as many bass as possible.
VanDam shows off the oversized Quantum EXO 200 reel and an extra large swimbait he used in search of Lake Fork’s green monsters.
A BBQ contest is a big part of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic – and this year’s proud overall winner was Craig Sharry.
Justin Moore loves to hunt and fish when he’s not playing music like he did for thousands of fans just before the final weigh-in on Sunday afternoon.
And with lyrics like “catchin’ bream on a Zebco” and “he can’t even bait a hook” – Moore’s words resonate well on bass fishing fans.
With an on-stage monologue that would have rivaled Larry The Cable Guy, bass fishing’s funniest man, Gerald Swindle, played well to fans also.
Whether listening to concerts, Swindle, or watching big bass get weighed-in – fans were plentiful.
Nobody caught more giant bass than Keith Combs this weekend.
Combs caught a mind-boggling 110 pounds of bass in three days – easily earning the LEER Heavyweight Award. His catch is believed to be an all-time record for a 3-Day event involving modern day 5-bass limits.
Combs is the only 3-time winner of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic – dominating the event’s young but awesome 8-year history.
2014 FOM National Championship
We caught up with 1/2 of the 2014 Fishers of Men Team Trail National Championship Team at Green Top Sporting Goods. Wayne Vaughn shared the baits the team used and how they fished them.
Defending Champion Earns Third TTBC Title in Four Years at Lake Fork
QUITMAN, TX (May 11, 2014) – The world championship of bass fishing, the Toyota Texas Bass Classic was decided by a world record-breaking performance from two-time winner and defending TTBC Champion Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas. Combs broke the tour-level world record today with a amassing 110 pounds following three days of competition at historic Lake Fork. The previous record for a 5-bass-limit was set in 2000 at Clear Lake, California by Byron Velvick with 83 pounds, 5 ounces. Combs’ total over three days broke the record by a staggering 26 pounds, 11 ounces.
“To get 100 pounds in four days is a major accomplishment, and to do it in three is unheard of, it’s nothing about the angler but it’s a testament to this lake,” Combs said. “I wasn’t the only one here to crack 100 pounds on 15 bass, so that just tells you how strong and how well-managed this lake is.”
After standout performances from Combs in the first two days of TTBC competition, he entered Sunday with a four pound lead, however Stetson Blaylock, Russ Lane, Jason Christie and Randy Haynes overtook him and the lead spot saw multiple anglers in first place during an early morning flurry of big catches.
Lane was the first pro to top 90 pounds, tallying 96, which was then quickly topped by Blaylock with a 93 while Combs sat at 88 pounds. Justin Lucas was the sixth pro to top 80 while Mark Rose added a couple weighers around 10 a.m. By noon, the top seven of the Tundra Ten were within 10 pounds.
As wind picked up around the noon, the big six, seven and eight pounders that Lake Fork is famous for, started to show up. Combs bounced through several spots producing four or more catches at each.
“Midday, I got into a little rhythm but was only catching one fish per spot. I’d run, catch one, run again, catch one. I told my onboard judge, ‘I’m feeling it,’ and I got a little groove on,” said Combs. “I said to my judge, ‘It’s happening for me right now.’”
Combs was on track to collect his second Century Bag (100+lbs) of his eight year career, recording 102 pounds and regaining the lead with an 8-8 (over 24 inches) in the afternoon. Blaylock made a late afternoon run with catches at 7-8, 4-8 and 5-12 within five minutes of each other, earning him the first Century Bag of his young professional career but it proved not enough to catch Combs. Blaylock finished second at 102 pounds, 8 ounces.
Combs’ world record performance also claimed two individual statistic awards, his 42 pound bag performance on Friday earned him the LEER Heavyweight Award (largest single day weight) while his 10 pound 14 ounce catch Friday won him the ATX Wheels Big Bass Award. Combs will receive a LEER Truck Cap and a set of premium ATX Wheels for his efforts.
“You really never know what you’re going to catch. Every time I set the hook today, I thought it was going to be a 10 pounder,” said Combs. “In your mind, there’s no doubt of the potential Lake Fork has on any cast. There aren’t many places we fish on the pro tours where that happens.”
The tournament remains a non-entry fee event, with all 50 competing anglers taking home guaranteed prize money. In addition, the TTBC continued its focus on conservation and adhere to strict catch, weigh and immediate release format that has earned the event national praise for its conservation efforts over the past eight years. The program highlights the efforts of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and after a $250,000 contribution this weekend, TTBC has given $2 million in donations to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department to fund youth education and outreach programs.
Three days of world championship bass fishing also included performances from three of country music’s brightest stars. Little Big Town, Justin Moore and Pat Green entertained thousands of fans throughout the weekend. Free family fun was also a highlight of the event, with activities in the Bass Pro Shops Kids Zone and TPWD Outdoor Adventures Area.
PHOTOS (Photo Credit Gabe Roux)
KeithCombs.jpg Keith Combs celebrates winning the $150,000 prize package awarded to at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork in Quitman, Texas on May 11, 2014. (Photo by Gabe Roux)
Combs is the only three time Toyota Texas Bass Classic Champion and also made a world record at this World Championship of bass fishing.
B.A.S.S. Elite Interviews
What happens when the Elite field is asked questions that are well… not about fishing? What will they say? Check it out! Thanks to Emily Lester.