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Brent Ehrler’s Tournament Day
Daiwa pro Brent Ehrler’s FLW Lake Okeechobee tournament day. Filmed with Brent’s GoPro during the tournament.
Howell Hunts Down Lead In Bassmaster Elite Event On St. Johns River
PALATKA, Fla. — Randy Howell, the 2014 Bassmaster Classic winner, often says that professional bass fishing is a humbling sport.
He ate a piece of that bitter pie last week at the Bassmaster Elite Series season opener in Georgia on Lake Seminole, where he finished close to the bottom of the field. But this week, after a hop to Florida for the next event, Howell “The Champ” shined through.
With 27 pounds, 3 ounces, Howell led the field Thursday in the first of four days of Elite competition on the St. Johns River. He was 3 pounds, 2 ounces ahead of Davy Hite and Marty Robinson, who tied for second place with 24-1.
Fourth place was marked at 22-6 by Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., following up in style on his Top 12 finish in Georgia. Fifth place at the St. Johns event was taken with the 22-1 bag brought in by Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas — another Top 12 finisher on Seminole.
The Elite pros are competing on the St. Johns for a first-place prize of $100,000 and an instant entry into the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
Howell credited his 27-3 to good decision making while sight fishing on Lake George, one of the river system’s most prolific and well-known bedding areas for largemouth bass.
“Late in the day in Florida, they always move up, and I’m usually the guy who leaves at the wrong time. And somebody catches them after I leave. Today I made the decision to stay,” said Howell, who is from Springville, Ala.
“At Seminole, I was boat 100, and I let that affect me mentally,” he said. “I gave up on all my sight fishing spots I’d practiced on because so many boats were there and went out looking for offshore fish and didn’t find them.
“That helped me this week. I know I still have to do the right stuff to put fish on the scale, still try to win. It made me be smarter, not take a lot of risks,” Howell said.
A 7-15 was Howell’s largest bass; a 2 1/2-pounder was his smallest of the day. He said he had tried to trade in the smallest so he could meet or exceed his final-day, take-me-to-the-trophy bag at the Classic of 29-2, his personal best.
Like Howell, Robinson was catching spawning bass on Lake George, but he didn’t start out that way.
“I tried to ‘go fishing’ this morning,” said the Lyman, S.C., pro, meaning he wasn’t targeting bass on beds. “I thought maybe I could catch a limit. It didn’t work out with the slick-water conditions this morning, so I went sight fishing.”
Hite also found success sight fishing on Lake George. The 1999 Classic champ and two-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year from Ninety Six, S.C., Hite got the day’s largest bass from the lake. It was a 10-2, setting the bar for the Carhartt Big Bass Award of the event.
Hite first threw a floating worm to the 10-2, and it hit, but he wasn’t able to connect. Another cast with a creature bait did the trick.
It was the magic kicker that all the Elite pros are trying to land to offset some of the smaller male largemouth they’re hooking into in spawning areas.
The full field of 108 pros will compete Friday. Takeoff is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. from Palatka’s Riverfront Park. The weigh-in, at the same location, will begin at 4 p.m.
The Bassmaster Elite Series Expo will open at noon Saturday and Sunday. The local host will present a full slate of fan fun, kicking off at 6 p.m. Friday with a street party, outdoor movies and food vendors.
There’s no admission charge to any Bassmaster event.
ESPN2 will air coverage of the St. Johns River event on The Bassmasters, Sunday, April 6, at 8 a.m. ET. A reair is scheduled for Sunday, April 13, also at 8 a.m. ET. Fans can catch the episode again on The Outdoor Channel on May 19.
Local Host: Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. 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 presented by Allstate, B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.
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Davis adds Phenix Rods to the Boat
Montevallo, Ala – Clent Davis has joined the Phenix Rod pro team for the 2014 season. Davis is off to a great start in 2014 with back to back Top 5 finishes in FLW events. Davis finished in third place at the FLW Tour Lake Hartwell event and followed that with a fourth place finish at the FLW Rayovac Santee Cooper event where he boated an incredible 31-pounds, 1 ounce to lead after the first day of the event.
Davis is pleased with the performance of Phenix rods, “I have used rods from at least a dozen different manufacturers over the past few years, and these Phenix Rods are the best yet. I know we are supposed to say that, but it’s true. Working at TheFishRanger.com, I have been able to test a lot of rods and I chose Phenix because they are the best I have tried. They are sensitive, strong and durable. I put them through the ultimate test on Santee Cooper last week and I couldn’t be happier with how they performed.”
Vince Borges, Director of Sales & Marketing said, “ We are extremely happy to sign yet another great angler and soon to be ambassador to the industry. With Clent’s early career success, and continued consistency, I think its safe to say, we will be seeing more & more of him on the big screen for years to come. Like with all the Phenix Elite Anglers, I am happy to call Clent not just a pro-staffer or sponsored angler, but a true friend and member of the Phenix family. We look forward to a very long working relationship with Clent Davis.”
Phenix Rods offers fishing rods for all species from trout and pan fish to bass and on to saltwater species. For bass fishing Phenix offers a range of rods to cover any technique of fishing style an angler may need. Included in their bass lineup are the M1 Series, the Recon Series and the top of the line Ultra MBX series. “You can’t beat the Ultra MBX series rods for any amount of money,” Davis stated. “Those rods are as good as any rod on the market today.”
Phenix also offers a full lineup of 7’9″ to 8′ swimbait rods. Davis loves throwing swimbaits and finally has the right equipment for the job. “They are a western based company and that really shows in their swimbait rods. I spend a lot of time throwing big six to nine inch swimsuits and until now, I haven’t had a rod that could really get the job done. The Phenix swimbait rods have not only increased my casting distance and accuracy, and helped me land a higher percentage of swimbait fish, but they make fishing these heavy baits all day quite a bit easier on my body,” stated Davis.
Davis will attempt to continue his streak of top five finishes next week at Lake Sam Rayburn in Texas for FLW Tour stop number three. “I can’t wait to get one of these Phenix rods loaded up with a Texas giant next week,” said Davis.
For more information on Phenix Rods visit www.PhenixRods.com.
5,4,3,2,1 with Terry “Big Show” Scroggins
Fried Shrimp and a Devil’s Horse here at home on the St. Johns
Five lures local favorite Terry “Big Show” Scroggins will have tied on during the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the St. Johns River: 1.) Devil’s Horse – a legendary topwater anywhere in Florida. 2.) Xr50 One Knocker lipless crankbait. 3.) Bomber 7A firetiger crankbait. 4.) Bomber Switchback Shad crankbait that dives to about 10-feet. 5.) Carolina Rig
Four things you may not know about Scroggins: 1.) He can perform an isometric abdominal plank exercise for at least three consecutive minutes 2.) Prior to becoming a pro angler he painted cars and drove a tow truck for 15 years. 3.) He likes to fish with spinning tackle equally as much as baitcasting equipment. 4.) He has two beautiful blonde-headed grandchildren.
Three pros other than himself that Scroggins chose for his B.A.S.S. Fantasy Fishing team here on his home waters this week: Cliff Prince – he also grew up here. Shaw Grigsby – he only lives an hour away, and when the bass are on spawning beds, he may very well be the best sight fisherman that’s ever lived. Todd Faircloth – he seemingly catches ‘em everywhere we go, and he finished really high here in 2012.
Two local restaurants Scroggins recommends you eat at here in Palatka, FL: Corky Bell’s for crab legs, steak, and shrimp, and also Musslewhite’s for fried shrimp.
One guess what the winning weight will be: 82 pounds. Scroggins added that he thought an average catch of 12 or 13 pounds a day would be good enough to land in the Top 50 or so places necessary to haul home a paycheck.
The Top 100 Bass Waters in North America
LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 17, 2014 – Fishing is the fourth most popular participatory sport in the United States. More Americans fish than play golf and tennis combined. So, what species of fish do anglers in this country like to target the most? Well, when it comes to freshwater fishermen, the answer is clear: black bass (Micropterus), the genus that includes both largemouth and smallmouth. According to the American Sportfishing Association, one out of every three anglers in the U.S. fishes for largemouth bass, making it the most sought-after game fish in the country. “It’s not difficult to understand why anglers love fishing for bass,” said 2011 Forrest Wood Cup Champion Scott Martin. “They’re great fighters, they can be caught on a variety of baits and lures, and they inhabit a huge number of lakes and rivers across the nation. The challenge of figuring out how to catch one of the smartest fish that swims is what makes bass fishing so popular.”
Some bodies of water are known to produce more and bigger fish than others, however. Fishhound.com, the Web’s fastest-growing angling community and provider of real-time fishing reports, conferred recently with expert bass anglers, tournament organizations, veteran outdoor writers and other top fishing authorities to create a comprehensive list of the 100 top bass waters. Focus your efforts on these honey holes and you’ll stand a good chance of landing some quality bass, perhaps a trophy-sized fish, or if you’re really lucky, even a place in the record books.
Below are the top 10 bass waters on Fishhound’s list of 100. To view the entire list, click here.
1. Lake Guntersville (Alabama)
Not many waters offer a fat chance at both monster bass and 100-fish days, but this 69,100-acre bass factory has yielded many of both! The”Crown Jewel” of a series of fabled Tennessee River impoundments and the site of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, Lake Guntersville is as breathtaking as it is productive, with haunting hills at sunrise leaving as lasting an impression as the blow-ups of monster bass through the matted vegetation. Learn more about Lake Guntersville at Fishhound.com
2. Lake Okeechobee (Florida)
Located at the headwaters of the Florida Everglades, Okeechobee has long been one of the world’s great fisheries and is argued by many as the best bass lake in the country. Lake Okeechobee is known for its abundance of 7-10 pound bass and very high catch rate. Many travel to the “Big O” for a once-in-a-lifetime bass opportunity. Learn more about Lake Okeechobee at Fishhound website.
3. Clear Lake (California)
Near the top of most “best bass waters” lists, this 44,000-acre natural lake has a compelling history too. Scientists estimate its age at roughly 2.5 million years, with tectonic plate activity credited for the geothermal springs and constant renewal with fresh water that contribute to the lake’s incredible fish-per-acre output. Learn more about Clear Lake at the Fishhound website.
4. Falcon Lake (Texas)
Credit Texas Parks and Wildlife for maintaining many of the world’s best bass fisheries, but this Rio Grande River Tex-Mex border lake rises above them all. “Falcon is one of the greatest lakes in the U.S., says Texas bass pro Zell Rowland. “I don’t know that any other lake compares to it.” Learn more about Falcon Lake at the Fishhound website.
5. Lake Erie/Upper Niagara River (New York/Ontario)
If a six- or seven-pound smallmouth is on your bucket list, this is the place! The Buffalo-Niagara area offers, arguably, the best trophy smallmouth prospects of any fishery in the world. Three- and four-pound bronzebacks are typical; five-pounders hardly raise an eyebrow. Learn more about Lake Erie at the Fishhound website
6. Choke Canyon (Texas)
The ranking of this body of water may surprise many, but it comes as no surprise to those that have had the opportunity to fish it. Fishing pressure is light, but the forage base of shad, bluegill and crayfish is abundant on this 25,670-acre water supply reservoir between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. That’s why bass grow fast and bass grow big. Learn more about Choke Canyon Reservoir at the Fishhound website.
7. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California)
Fishing this fish- and wildlife-rich delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers makes for a rich sensory experience. “Where else will you catch a bass and see a sea lion pop up next to you and then a beaver a few minutes later?” asks Randy Pringle, who guides on the 15,000-plus acres of this fertile tidal fishery, which flows past Martinez into San Francisco Bay. Learn more about the San Joaquin Delta at the Fishhound website.
8. Lake Amistad (Texas)
Catch ‘em high; catch ‘em low. Clear water and diverse habitat make this Rio Grande River reservoir a multi-tiered bass fishery that has factored into some of the highest weigh-in totals in Bassmaster competition. As a Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie, Derek Rimitz posted a four-day total of 111 pounds, 7 ounces at Amistad in 2007! Learn more about Lake Amistad at the Fishhound website.
9. Oneida Lake (New York)
Located just east of Lake Ontario and New York’s Finger Lakes region, Oneida Lake has a character all its own – along with some of the best bass fishing in the Northeast. The lake boasts excellent populations of both largemouth and smallmouth bass, as well as abundant panfish, northern pike, walleye and tiger musky. Learn more about Oneida Lake at the Fishhound website.
10. Lake St. Clair (Michigan/Ontario)
If sportfishing opportunity were the measure of a city’s prosperity, there’d be no reason to dwell on Detroit’s auto industry woes. Lake St. Clair and the connecting waters of the St. Clair River to the north and Detroit River to the south comprise an incredible smallmouth bass fishery – and the musky fishing is almost as good. Learn more about Lake St. Clair at the Fishhound website.
Kay Donaldson, Vice President of Marketing for the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association is pleased, but not surprised, about Lake Guntersville earning the top spot on Fishound’s list of the best bass waters in the country. “Lake Guntersville is the crowning jewel of Alabama’s fisheries if not the country,” she said. “The pressure this lake receives year to year and it just keeps producing 30-pound bags of bass. We are extremely proud to have Lake Guntersville designated as the best bass lake in the country by Fishhound.com.”
Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Sports Development Director, Jeff Mickle, is also thrilled that his state’s renowned smallmouth destination, Lake O’Neida, has been named one of the top 10 waters on Fishhound’s list of 100. “This is a great honor for all of us who have worked so hard to make Oneida Lake a premier fishing destination, said Mickle. We think Oneida offers the best bass fishing in the U.S., and we encourage everyone to come out and experience it for themselves. We’re dedicated to keeping Oneida Lake one of the finest fisheries in the nation.”
Fishhound’s Vice President, Operations, Rick Patri, points out that every body of water on the list is a true standout among bass fishing destinations. “They represent the very best locales this country has to offer when it comes to bass fishing,” noted Patri. “Wet a line on any one of these waters and you’re likely to encounter some of the finest angling action you’ve ever experienced.”
About Fishhound.com
Fishhound is the outdoor industry’s largest word-of-mouth marketing platform designed to educate outdoor enthusiasts and influence their buying decisions. Fishhound leverages the viral nature of social media and the changes in today’s consumer buying patterns to deliver consumers the information and research they’re looking for prior to making a purchase. Fishhound is Yelp for the outdoor industry.