Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
- Details
Skeet Reese Report
Reese Fishing NEXT 1 Rods
Skeet Reese, who has compiled 11 Tour Level victories, 82 top 10 finishes, a Bassmaster Angler of the Year crown in 2007 and a Bassmaster Classic title in 2009, is building a new company, Reese Fishing, which will offer products that will provide self-designed products to fishing consumers.
Beginning with new lines of fishing rods, Reese announces a new website http://reesefishing.com, and the launch of two new fishing rod lines that are a culmination of his experience and commitment to excellence. “I’ve been fortunate to work with some great companies and to be a part of some great products in the past,” said Reese. “But with Reese Fishing, I have an opportunity to do things exactly the way I want and produce products that meet the standards I expect.”
Reese Fishing rods will initially consist of two series, NEXT 1 and NEXT 2, with the NEXT 1 series being the first to be available in the store. NEXT 1 is based off of the Skeet Reese Rods of the past but engineered to a higher degree. “This series is based on the top sellers from my previous projects, but we have taken steps to make sure they are better in every way,” said. Reese. “Every component of the NEXT 1 series has been carefully selected for feel and performance, and if we couldn’t find what I wanted, I worked to design and build them myself.”
NEXT 1 is available in eight models that will give anglers a rod for each core technique they may encounter on the water, and many of the specialized techniques as well. NEXT 1 will be available in the now famous Reese Yellow blank finish, and for those who said they would prefer something less visible. “Each NEXT 1 model has its own name and personality based on the techniques they are designed for,” said Reese. “We wanted to carry on the tradition of the yellow blank that so many customers loved, but others told us they would prefer them to be black, so each model is available in two colors to give everyone a choice.”
Soon to be released on the website will be NEXT 2, a series which Reese called the most advanced fishing rods he has experienced to date in his career. “NEXT 2 is my masterpiece to this point. I’ve designed exclusive reel seats and engineered our exclusive carbon fiber handles to integrate with them,” he said. “I’ve worked to combine the latest in technology and the best graphite and resins we could get to build this series. I’m confident that when you fish NEXT 2, you’re going to LOVE them.”
- Details
EGO Report
EGO Soft Sided Bait Cooler
Fresh live bait is sometimes the only path to fishing success . As much as we like throwing the latest and greatest soft plastics and hardbaits, there are instances when live bait will outproduce 10 to 1.
EGO Fishing puts their pledge to protect your capital live bait expenditure with the exceptional and tactical Soft Sided Bait Cooler.
EGO’s smart Soft Sided Bait Cooler is founded on the principle of maintaining water temperature, which subsequently cuts down on oxygen loss. Internally, the cylindrical wall of the Soft Side Bait Cooler offers generous insulation covered by a soft but durable TPU fabric. The bilayer membrane is waterproof and has a high tear strength as well.
- Details
Seaguar Report
Seaguar R18 Fluorocarbon mainline
Seaguar, the brand that invented fluorocarbon fishing line in Japan in 1971, has announced that three products previously only available in Japan will now be available to North American anglers - R18 Fluorocarbon mainline, PEX8 Lure Edition Braid and Grand Max Fluorocarbon Leader. They will be available at retail stores soon.
This decision came, in part, at the request of enthusiast anglers. "Many of these products are known to North American anglers who follow the Japanese bass scene," said Seaguar General Manager Gerry Benedicto. "These are existing products that have been designed to get the best performance out of lures in highly pressured fisheries in Japan. Now, anglers here can fish these unique JDM lines and experience them firsthand."
Two-time Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk has aligned himself with several Japanese-based brands. He has also spent time fishing in Japan and learning about the fishing culture, and he's excited that American anglers will have a chance to see these innovative lines.
"The biggest thing about the products that originate in Japan is the attention to detail and how they make small changes to get big results," shared Palaniuk. "There are quite a few bass anglers in Japan and not as much access to fisheries as we have here, so their bass are extremely pressured. Their product designs are out of necessity; they are very forward-thinking to enable them to catch more fish in those situations, and that's what you see when you fish these three lines."
R18 fluorocarbon is a line designed for excellent casting and performance and with Seaguar's exclusive double-structure process with two custom Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon resins to create a line with exceptional knot and tensile strength. It's incredibly soft and supple for excellent casting distances. R18 is offered on 100-meter spools, which is 109 yards and available in 4 through 20 lb. tests, including nontraditional sizes: 5, 7, and 14 lb. tests.
- Details
Northland Report
Northland ELITE PRO SUNNY B DEEP
Northland Fishing Tackle has released their Elite Series Hardbaits that includes seven shapes and six colors, all handpicked by Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson.
While some are like Northland’s sister brand, Bagley Baits, new Northland Elite Series Hardbaits include new designs, improved components, and out-of-the-package, tournament-ready performance.
New Northland Elite Series Hardbait Models Include:
- PRO Sunny B Deep (NEW)
- Sunny B Deep (NEW)
- PRO Sunny B
- Sunny B
- Shallow Sunny B
- Sunny B Twin Spin
- Bang O Lure Twin Spin
The new Northland ELITE PRO SUNNY B DEEP features all the beneficial characteristics of balsa with a modern body design. Constructed using Northland’s Heat-Compression Molding (HCM) manufacturing process, this lure has all the unique benefits of balsa but with more consistency. Its hand-tuned, deep-diving lip makes it perfect for chasing bass as they transition into (or out of) deeper waters. The PRO SUNNY B DEEP weighs a mere ½-ounce and measures only 3 inches long from its balsa nose to tail, making it a particularly appealing cold-water or pressured situation presentation.
“This crankbait takes the popular Pro Sunny B to new depths of 10 -to 12-feet,” says Northland Marketing Manager and club tournament bass angler, Charlie Peterson.
Peterson continues: “With its unique lip design, the new Northland PRO SUNNY B DEEP starts diving the moment you turn the reel handle with a nice, tight action, but in a smaller balsa crankbait profile than most hardbaits available in this depth range. Plus, we added premium #4 Gamakatsu treble hooks to make the bait tournament-ready, right-out-of-the-box—and six, must-have colors for bass through the seasons.”
THE CLASSIC CHAMP’S HAND SELECTION
“When it comes to cranks, the Bagley Sunny B family has always been a favorite,” says Gussy. “They’ve caught fish for a long time. I’ve done well with them up north for smallies, cold-water largemouths in the south, and spotted bass, too.
- Details
BFHOF Report
Limited Edition Jitterbug
The Jitterbug was among Fred Arbogast’s signature creations and now a few iconic anglers are putting their signature on the Jitterbug as part of a collaborative effort to mark Arbogast’s election this year to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
To commemorate Arbogast’s induction, PRADCO, which took ownership of the Arbogast brand in 1997, will produce a limited-edition version of the Arbogast Jitterbug with proceeds from their sale to benefit the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. Approximately 1,200 lures will be produced in four custom colors. There will be a series of 300 baits autographed by Hall of Famer Bill Dance, 300 baits autographed by current Elite Series angler Jason Christie and 300 baits autographed by Hall of Famer Kevin VanDam. Another 300 baits will feature the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame logo.
The majority of lures will be sold through PRADCO’s online store at Lurenet.com while several sets will be auctioned off as part of Celebrate Bass Fishing Week in September, which culminates with the annual Hall of Fame induction banquet on Sept. 26 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Aquarium and Wildlife Museum in Springfield, Mo. Arbogast will be inducted along with Mike McKinnis, Skeet Reese, Alfred Williams and Mark Zona.