THE LATEST NEWS
Introducing: The all new Daiwa Steez AGS Rods
Our flagship line of rods has been upgraded, redesigned and is ready to live up to the Steez name.
Featuring a wide range of our industry leading technologies, these rods are truly the pinnacle of design and innovation. Our new and improved AGS Guides are now even lighter than previous versions. The high rigidity of the AGS frame offers extraordinary sensitivity- relaying vibrations on the line directly to your hand. These AGS carbon fiber guides are now truly some of the lightest guides in the world. A step above HVF and SVF blanks, SVF Compile X is a higher volume of fiber and less resin- creating a lighter, stronger and more sensitive blank than standard blank constructions. Complementing the SVF Compile X is our Nanoplus technology. This is a proprietary technology that allows us to assure even distribution of resin and carbon throughout the blank, giving you maximum power and sensitivity from every angle. Also utilizing X45, a 45 degree construction prevents twisting of the blank for greater strength, sensitivity and hook setting power. Complete with Air Sensor Reel Seats for weight reduction and maximum palmability, peak performance and design have been achieved giving you a stronger and more sensitive rod.
Available in 10 casting models and 3 spinning models to cover a wide range of applications. Each rod is designed for a concept, rather than a single technique- giving you maximum versatility when it comes to choosing the right rod for the job. All rods are equipped with our fully adjustable Daiwa Hook Keeper and a protective rod sock.
Click here for more info and be sure to check out the all new Steez AGS rods at a Daiwa dealer near you. https://daiwa.us/products/new-steez-ags
Videographer: Myles Wickham- @myleswickham
The post Introducing: The all new Daiwa Steez AGS Rods appeared first on Bass365.com.
Three Elite Series Anglers Out For Rest Of 2021 Season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The field for the final two Bassmaster Elite Series events is down to 95 anglers after Clent Davis, Rick Morris and Brett Preuett have withdrawn for the remainder of the 2021 season. The Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain will be held July 8-11 and the Elite Series rounds out the year at the Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River July 15-18.
Davis, of Montevallo, Ala., will take a medical hardship after learning that his right shoulder — which was originally injured in the off-season and has been bothering him intermittently throughout 2021 — requires surgery. Davis left the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk in Fort Worth, Texas, after failing to make the Championship Sunday cut and drove home to have his ailing shoulder assessed by Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center, which is known for treating professional athletes and high-profile college football players among others.
“I found out Friday my labrum is torn, and they said my bicep is detached. I found out Monday they’re going to have to go in and surgically anchor all that stuff back in,” said Davis, who will take a medical hardship for the remainder of the 2021 Elite Series season. “Then it’s six weeks in a sling and six months of rehab. I will start therapy the next day after surgery.”
Davis plans to fish the 2022 season, with hopes of returning to the upper echelons of the Bassmaster Angler of the Year point standings, through which he qualified for the past two Classics.
“I will be back next year,” he said. “I’m pretty sure by the time I get done with all this, I’ll be happy to go fishing.”
Morris was one of the original members of the Elite Series in 2006 and has fished 274 B.A.S.S. events. The pro from Virginia Beach, Va., had hip replacement surgery after the 2019 season and said he has been dealing with health issues that will force him to also take a medical hardship.
“It’s really hard for me to not fish the Elites,” Morris said. “For me to make this decision, I had some serious situations to deal with.
“I love the Bassmaster Elite Series, but your physical condition has to be top-notch to be able to do this.”
The six-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier will not return for the 2022 Elite Series season. In the next six months, Morris will have tests run in order to return to full health. Morris, who loves to teach bass fishing, hopes to guide back home in Virginia as much as he can, and he plans to return to competition at some point.
Preuett, of Monroe, La., will also miss the Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence River events. After five seasons on the Elites, Preuett has decided to step away and reset his career.
“I’ve got some really good things going on my ranch at home, but it just takes time,” Preuett said. “I haven’t been fishing free with everything else going on at home, and I just have to get back to that like I did when I was in college.”
Preuett said he plans to get things well-situated at home then attempt a return to the Elites.
“I’ve been living my dream for the last five years,” he said. “I’m not going to let this hold me back. I just want to come back as a better angler all around — mentally, financially and even as an angler itself.”
Preuett plans on fishing all of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens in 2022 in a bid to requalify for the Elite Series.
The 2021 Elite Series was set to begin with 101 anglers, but Jesse Tacoronte took a medical hardship because of neck surgery before the first tournament, Gary Clouse took a hardship with debilitating pain in his back and shoulder and Tyler Carriere exited to tend to family matters.
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, 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 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 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, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The post Three Elite Series Anglers Out For Rest Of 2021 Season appeared first on Bass365.com.
Italy’s Gallelli Claims Victory at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 Presented at Potomac River
MARBURY, Md. (June 20, 2021) – Rookie Jacopo Gallelli of Florence, Italy, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Sunday weighing 20 pounds even to win the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River . Gallelli’s four-day total of 20 bass weighing 65 pounds, 3 ounces earned him the win by a 2-pound, 5-ounce margin over pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, and the top prize of $100,000, making him the first European to ever win a professional bass-fishing event in the United States.
Gallelli fished one area in Potomac Creek all four days of the competition – an area that produced the biggest limit of the tournament on Championship Sunday – where he moved back and forth, running to the top, then drifting down with the wind.
“It’s kind of amazing – It’s been such a long road and I’ve had so many things happen this season that just weren’t going my way, so to end up here with this win is absolutely amazing,” said Gallelli. “This trophy means way more than the money for me. I’ve invested my entire life trying to achieve this level of fishing in my career, and I am finally here. I came 5,000 miles across the ocean to make this day happen.
“It’s been such a sacrifice and the sacrifice has continually grown,” continued Gallelli. “If I go back home, I cannot keep competing. I’ve missed my son’s birthday, Christmas, New Years, Easter and now it sounds like I probably cannot go back to Italy until the beginning of the fall. But I will be coming back with something great. It’s not about the money – it’s about coming home with one of these [trophies].
“The only thing that would have made this a better Father’s Day celebration is if I were able to hold this trophy with my son,” continued an emotional Gallelli. “I dedicate this win to my son, Lapo – Ciao Lapo.”
Gallelli is the first European to ever win a high-level tournament in the U.S.
“Believe it or not, this is the very first event I have ever won in the United States,” said Gallelli. “I’ve had a lot of good results on the lower-level circuits, but never a win, so finally I’ve made my win happen when it really counts. This is as good as it can be. I feel like I am watching from outside my body right now. It’s just unbelievable.”
Gallelli went up against some of the biggest names in tournament bass-fishing on Championship Sunday, making the victory even more important for the rookie angler.
“I know I just beat some of the best in the sport, but honestly it’s not only my skill – it’s the support that I’ve had from everyone,” said Gallelli. “Thousands of people were cheering for me today from Italy and Europe, cheering like there was no future and I was about to win a soccer championship. I don’t even have the courage to open my phone. It’s been ringing and lighting up non-stop – everyone is calling and sending messages.
“This win is not big because of me,” continued Gallelli. “It’s big because 40 years ago someone launched a bass-fishing tournament in Italy and one young kid started dreaming. I’d like to thank those pioneers of bass fishing in Europe for bringing this idea of fishing to Europe and to Italy.
“This is a win not only for me but for the entire European bass-fishing movement. It’s incredible.”
The top 10 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Federal Ammunition Stop 5 on the Potomac River finished:
1st: Jacopo Gallelli of Florence, Italy, 20 bass, 65-3, $100,000
2nd: Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 20 bass, 62-14, $30,000
3rd: Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho, 20 bass, 62-11, $25,700
4th: Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tenn., 20 bass, 60-14, $20,000
5th: Adrian Avena of Vineland, N.J., 20 bass, 60-1, $19,500
6th: Justin Cooper of Zwolle, La., 20 bass, 59-12, $18,000
7th: Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Mo., 20 bass, 59-5, $17,000
8th: Shin Fukae of Osaka, Japan, 20 bass, 59-4, $16,000
9th: Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., 20 bass, 58-3, $15,000
10th: Josh Bragg of Jacksonville, Ala., 20 bass, 56-3, $14,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 149 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the final 10 pros Sunday. All of the final 10 pros brought a five-bass limit to the scales.
The four top performers who now qualify to compete in the MLF Bass Pro Tour Stage Six Presented by Googan Baits at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York, Aug. 5-10, are Jacopo Gallelli, Ricky Robinson, Justin Cooper and Lawson Hibdon.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River event will feature a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, August 29 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River is hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continued competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and YouTube .
The post Italy’s Gallelli Claims Victory at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 Presented at Potomac River appeared first on Bass365.com.
Lawson Hibdon Clings to Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 at Potomac River
MARBURY, Md. (June 19, 2021) – Following a grueling day on the water, rookie Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Missouri, narrowly maintained his lead on Day Three of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River on Saturday. After weighing back-to-back 17-pound stringers the first two days of competition, Hibdon brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces on Saturday. His three-day total of 47-11 gives him a mere 15-ounce lead over pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee , who jumped from seventh place into second, with a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces, for a three-day total of 46-12.
Pro Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho rounds out the top three with a total of 46-7, while fellow rookie Jacopo Gallelli of Wetumpka, Alabama, made the biggest leap from nineteenth place into sixth and into the top 10 cut.
With a live camera in his boat throughout the day, Hibdon said things felt off from the start and he struggled to find his rhythm.
“I’ve started in [Aquia Creek] every day but have left pretty quickly the first two days because I’ve had decent stringers,” said Hibdon. “Today I could never get that decent stringer going, so I left there with only about an hour left to fish. I should have made that move earlier because the tide was already changing and putting me at a disadvantage to come back up to catch a good one.
“Things just never clicked today. I don’t know what was going on, but I missed a ton of bites. They’d eat my jig trailer off or I’d hook them for just a second, then they’d come off. I don’t even know what I can do differently to fix that.”
While he missed some key fish on Day Two as well, Hibdon was able to come back with some solid bites later in the day, so his total weight and his mindset were unaffected. However, the missed opportunities on Day Three seemed to worry him a bit more.
“I lost one that was 3½ or 4 pounds and you can’t lose one like that in a tournament like this – it’ll cost you,” said Hibdon. “Hopefully, I can figure them out again because I think I was off by 30 minutes or an hour today.
“It was just a weird day. It was worse than either of the practice days I had. Once you have an off day and get in a bad roll, it just keeps on rolling. It’s a bad deal when it starts happening because your mind goes the wrong direction pretty quickly.”
Although unfamiliar with the tides, after dealing with them for several days in a row, Hibdon said he’s starting to see a pattern to when the fish are biting. While he doesn’t plan to make a change to his strategy or baits – flipping hard cover with a jig or worm and covering grass with a swimjig or vibrating jig – he does expect to settle back into the timing of the bite windows tomorrow.
Although the 26-year-old is on track to pull out the biggest win of his life, he shows no signs of stress or rattled nerves, which even with his fishing background is surprising given that a little more than three pounds separates him from the 10th place angler.
“I try to not ever get too excited, because it’s fishing and you never know what’s going to happen,” said Hibdon. “You just have to go out there and fish. That’s all I’ve done the last three days. I try not to even think about winning or the money – I’ve still got to go catch a big bag tomorrow to even think about it.
“It definitely helps mentally to have my family here this week,” said the young pro. “Being able to have them here after a rough day – that definitely helps tremendously and helps me be able to think a little more clearly.”
The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition Sunday on the Potomac River are:
The post Lawson Hibdon Clings to Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 at Potomac River appeared first on Bass365.com.
Lawson Hibdon Pads Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at Potomac River
MARBURY, Md. (June 18, 2021) – Rookie Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Missouri, extended his lead on Day Two of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River on Friday, bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces. Hibdon’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 8 ounces gives him a 2-pound, 2-ounce advantage heading into Day 3 of the four-day competition featuring bass fishing professionals from around the world, competing for up to $135,000.
Pro Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey, moved from fourth place into second, weighing 16 pounds even on Friday for a two-day total of 32-6, with rookie Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tennessee making a giant leap from 59th place into third with the biggest bag of the tournament – 18 pounds, 12 ounces – bringing his total to 32-2.
Although he had a stellar end to his day, Hibdon said his day started off much slower than he had been hoping for.
“I really thought I’d be able to pull up to the first stretch of docks and catch about 12 pounds in the first 30 minutes or so, and that didn’t happen,” said Hibdon. “It was a lot tougher today – It may not look like it, but it was. I only caught 8 or 9 keepers and only had probably 15 bites total.”
Hibdon said his pattern has been evenly split between fishing hard cover and grass.
“I have a ton of experience fishing docks, but I’ve fished a lot of grass over the years as well,” said Hibdon. “There are a few smaller lakes back home that have some grass and we love fishing the grass up north. This is altogether different, but it’s still grass and the fish still act the same. I don’t care for it as much as flipping boat docks, but I also can’t get near the bites flipping boat docks, so I have to mix some grass in with it.
“I caught some of the bigger ones today around docks, rocks and basically anything that looks right,” continued Hibdon. “I’m just running around until I see something that works, but about half of the fish today were out of the grass as well.”
While he stuck with a lot of the same baits as yesterday – spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits and worms – Hibdon said he did make some color changes throughout the day.
“The tide pushed dirtier water into one of my areas, so I switched to some darker colors at one point,” said Hibdon. “It didn’t seem to make much of a difference though, the fish still missed it a lot. I may have to keep searching for something else tomorrow. I’m not sure I can go back to the same places and even catch 10 pounds.
“I fished a lot of new stuff today – a lot that didn’t work, but some that did. They just weren’t biting much today. I’m catching some good quality fish, but just not many of them. My biggest one came out of a spot I didn’t really expect to catch one, so that was a bonus because it was much tougher than I expected it to be after having so many bites yesterday.”
The top 20 pros after Day 2 on the Potomac River are:
1st: Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Mo., 10 bass, 34-8
2nd: Adrian Avena of Vineland, N.J., 10 bass, 32-6
3rd: Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-2
4th: Zell Rowland of Montgomery, Texas, 10 bass, 31-15
5th: Josh Bragg of Jacksonville, Ala., 10 bass, 31-14
6th: Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 31-12
7th: Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-10
8th: Justin O’Brian Cooper of Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 31-1
9th: Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 30-11
10th: Clabion Johns of Social Circle, Ga., 10 bass, 30-9
11th: Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 10 bass, 30-7
12th: Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 30-6
13th: Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 30-3
14th: Tai Au of Glendale, Ariz., 10 bass, 30-1
15th: Alex Davis of Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 29-13
16th: Shin Fukae of Osaka, Japan, 10 bass, 29-9
17th: Jim Moynagh of Shakopee, Minn., 10 bass, 29-9
18th: Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., 10 bass, 29-8
19th: Jacopo Gallelli of Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 29-5
20th: Pete Ponds of Madison, Miss., 10 bass, 29-2
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The post Lawson Hibdon Pads Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at Potomac River appeared first on Bass365.com.