The aftermath of the Branson tornado and the destruction to the Port of Kimberling Marina at Table Rock Lake. The damage and infrastructure loss led directly to the cancellation of the EverStart Series Table Rock Lake tournament, scheduled for March 1-4. (Photo by Laura Powell)
Isolated storm damage from Branson-area tornado damages marina
29.Feb.2012
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. – Damage sustained from severe weather in the area has forced the cancellation of the EverStart Series tournament scheduled for March 1-3 and the FLW College Fishing tournament scheduled for March 3 at Table Rock Lake. The severe weather that went through the area yesterday caused damage to the Port of Kimberling Marina and FLW tournament equipment.
“Our number one concern is the safety of our anglers, staff and the community,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW president of operations. “The storm that ravaged the area severely damaged the marina and much of the equipment needed to conduct a tournament, unfortunately we have no choice but to cancel the event at this time.
“There is no reason why this tournament won’t be rescheduled,” Fennel continued. “Right now we are looking at alternative dates but nothing has been decided at this time.”
Anglers were scheduled to take off from Port of Kimberling Marina located at 72 Marina Way in Kimberling City, Mo. Weigh-in was scheduled to take place at the marina on Thursday and Friday and Walmart located at 18401 State Highway 13 in Branson on Saturday, all activities have been canceled.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the EverStart Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.
Fathers Day Sale!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Tucker would like to run the Table
Tucker would like to run the Table: 
Catbird's seat With Classic in hand, Tucker would like nothing more than to run the Table
Catbird's seat With Classic in hand, Tucker would like nothing more than to run the Table
Conventional wisdom isn't
Conventional wisdom isn't: 
If you hang around enough tournament weigh ins, you'll hear all kinds of ideas and theories. Some are obviously correct, some are remarkably stupid, and some are up for grabs ...
If you hang around enough tournament weigh ins, you'll hear all kinds of ideas and theories. Some are obviously correct, some are remarkably stupid, and some are up for grabs ...
Irons In Two Fires
Monday, February 06, 2012
Photo: Bill Day
Bill Day claims that he works too much to be a good fisherman and fishes too much to be a good boat dealer.
By Lynn Burkhead
Special to BassFan
Sometimes, when you watch Bill Day make a cast from the deck of his boat, you might see him smile.
Why? Simply because he's out there on the FLW Tour, getting to live out a dream.
"I have a tremendous love of fishing, always have, and I'm willing to take a lot of licks on the chin," he said.
In his "real" job – he's a full-time boat dealer in Frankfort, Ky. – he's taken plenty of licks in recent years.
"I was afraid in 2008-09 that we'd go out of business because of the economy," Day said. "But last year was my most profitable year in the business, ever."
How did that turnaround happen? Day attributes at least a portion of it to key business relationships he has learned to develop.
"There were a couple of key things that enabled us to survive and get to last year," he said. "One was being a Ranger dealer. And the other was the partnership we have with REC Lending, which allowed us to make the dream of owning a boat a reality for our customers."
Not surprisingly, Day credits his presence on the FLW Tour to that same thing: key relationships.
"I live in a part of Kentucky where we don't have any really super-strong fishing spots," Day said. "When people think of fishing in my state, they automatically think of Kentucky Lake. But Kentucky Lake is 3 1/2 hours from where I live. So really, I've learned how to fish out here with these guys."
Ego Adjustment
Day says that he's the first to admit that he came onto the FLW Tour with a "fairly big ego" after having done well on fishing circuits in the Bluegrass State.
"But then I decided to fish the EverStarts and it didn't take long to figure out that I really didn't know what I was doing," he laughed.
Enter J.T. Kenney, the Florida pro with more than $900,000 in career earnings, two FLW wins, and 30 Top-10 finishes.
"I've had some really good friends on the Tour who have helped educate me," Day said. "I simply can't say enough about J.T. Kenney. He has really shown me a lot of stuff (about succeeding as a pro)."
Day, whose best 2011 finish was a 37th at Hartwell, is particularly enthused about putting some of that stuff to good use in the FLW Tour season opener this week at Lake Okeechobee.
"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to (that one)," he said. "Of course, it's Florida we're talking about, so the game changes moment to moment, but J.T. is one of best flippers in the world and he has shown me a lot that I'm looking forward to using."
Beyond the season opener, Day is also excited about how the remainder of the schedule sets up for him.
"I like to power fish and I like the schedule this year. I'm going to simplify all of my tackle and flip as much as possible. Because of that – and if they don't ban the Alabama Rig – I may be able to catch them this year."
If he's able to do so, it will be due in part to some of the lessons that he learned last season thanks to another successful FLW pro.
"Traveling and rooming with Shawn Murphy, last year's rookie of year on FLW, has also taught me quite a few things," he said.
Such as?
"He has a really strong work ethic," Day said. "I wanted to quit at 3:30 every day – my shoulders were hurting, my feet were hurting, etc. But after watching Shawn (and his dedication to succeeding), I learned that if I'm going to fish with these boys, then I'm going to have to get back after it pretty hard."
Caught in the Middle
While Day readily credits some of his fellow pros with helping him learn more about the business of fishing on the FLW Tour, don't think for a minute that he comes to the table with nothing to offer.
"It's not my day-to-day profession, but I think I can hang with those guys, and every once in a while get something done on the water," he said.
"I work too much to be a good fisherman and fish too much to be a good boat dealer. But this year, with a more stable economy, I've kind of turned a corner in my mind and I'm going to give everything I need to this year in order to be good at it."
Part of being able to turn that mental corner is due to the commitment of Day's employees to minding the fort so that he can concentrate on fishing.
"As far as my employees go, I'm just the luckiest guy in world," Day said. "A lot of guys might resent their boss getting to go fish and be on tour with all the pros. But not my guys. I think they know how hard it is, how hard you have to work at it, how hard I work at it."
Day says that many of his staff members are tournament anglers themselves, so they understand the grind of trying to succeed on two fronts.
"When I get to go, they're watching to see how I'm doing. They see me have my good days and they see me have my struggles. And when I struggle, I think it hurts them a little bit because they want to see me do good."
With his tournament skills improving, with his business stable, and with his employees backing his endeavor to be successful, Day is able to hit the water this year with few worries on his mind.
Add in financial sponsorships from the likes of Ranger, Mercury, Shimano, G. Loomis, Backwater Outfitters, and Team BassADX and it's easy to see why Day is highly optimistic about his chances in 2012.
"Some guys swing for the fence, but I'm going to try and knock it down," Day laughed. "And right now, with the season about ready to start, I'm like a kid who can't wait to get out of school.
"I'm getting better and I'm getting my confidence back," he added. "But I'm not going to be cocky about any of this. Instead, I'm going to be thankful for the good fortune I'm having."
Hopefully all the way to the Forest Wood Cup this year on Georgia's Lake Lanier.
Photo: Bill Day
Bill Day claims that he works too much to be a good fisherman and fishes too much to be a good boat dealer.
By Lynn Burkhead
Special to BassFan
Sometimes, when you watch Bill Day make a cast from the deck of his boat, you might see him smile.
Why? Simply because he's out there on the FLW Tour, getting to live out a dream.
"I have a tremendous love of fishing, always have, and I'm willing to take a lot of licks on the chin," he said.
In his "real" job – he's a full-time boat dealer in Frankfort, Ky. – he's taken plenty of licks in recent years.
"I was afraid in 2008-09 that we'd go out of business because of the economy," Day said. "But last year was my most profitable year in the business, ever."
How did that turnaround happen? Day attributes at least a portion of it to key business relationships he has learned to develop.
"There were a couple of key things that enabled us to survive and get to last year," he said. "One was being a Ranger dealer. And the other was the partnership we have with REC Lending, which allowed us to make the dream of owning a boat a reality for our customers."
Not surprisingly, Day credits his presence on the FLW Tour to that same thing: key relationships.
"I live in a part of Kentucky where we don't have any really super-strong fishing spots," Day said. "When people think of fishing in my state, they automatically think of Kentucky Lake. But Kentucky Lake is 3 1/2 hours from where I live. So really, I've learned how to fish out here with these guys."
Ego Adjustment
Day says that he's the first to admit that he came onto the FLW Tour with a "fairly big ego" after having done well on fishing circuits in the Bluegrass State.
"But then I decided to fish the EverStarts and it didn't take long to figure out that I really didn't know what I was doing," he laughed.
Enter J.T. Kenney, the Florida pro with more than $900,000 in career earnings, two FLW wins, and 30 Top-10 finishes.
"I've had some really good friends on the Tour who have helped educate me," Day said. "I simply can't say enough about J.T. Kenney. He has really shown me a lot of stuff (about succeeding as a pro)."
Day, whose best 2011 finish was a 37th at Hartwell, is particularly enthused about putting some of that stuff to good use in the FLW Tour season opener this week at Lake Okeechobee.
"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to (that one)," he said. "Of course, it's Florida we're talking about, so the game changes moment to moment, but J.T. is one of best flippers in the world and he has shown me a lot that I'm looking forward to using."
Beyond the season opener, Day is also excited about how the remainder of the schedule sets up for him.
"I like to power fish and I like the schedule this year. I'm going to simplify all of my tackle and flip as much as possible. Because of that – and if they don't ban the Alabama Rig – I may be able to catch them this year."
If he's able to do so, it will be due in part to some of the lessons that he learned last season thanks to another successful FLW pro.
"Traveling and rooming with Shawn Murphy, last year's rookie of year on FLW, has also taught me quite a few things," he said.
Such as?
"He has a really strong work ethic," Day said. "I wanted to quit at 3:30 every day – my shoulders were hurting, my feet were hurting, etc. But after watching Shawn (and his dedication to succeeding), I learned that if I'm going to fish with these boys, then I'm going to have to get back after it pretty hard."
Caught in the Middle
While Day readily credits some of his fellow pros with helping him learn more about the business of fishing on the FLW Tour, don't think for a minute that he comes to the table with nothing to offer.
"It's not my day-to-day profession, but I think I can hang with those guys, and every once in a while get something done on the water," he said.
"I work too much to be a good fisherman and fish too much to be a good boat dealer. But this year, with a more stable economy, I've kind of turned a corner in my mind and I'm going to give everything I need to this year in order to be good at it."
Part of being able to turn that mental corner is due to the commitment of Day's employees to minding the fort so that he can concentrate on fishing.
"As far as my employees go, I'm just the luckiest guy in world," Day said. "A lot of guys might resent their boss getting to go fish and be on tour with all the pros. But not my guys. I think they know how hard it is, how hard you have to work at it, how hard I work at it."
Day says that many of his staff members are tournament anglers themselves, so they understand the grind of trying to succeed on two fronts.
"When I get to go, they're watching to see how I'm doing. They see me have my good days and they see me have my struggles. And when I struggle, I think it hurts them a little bit because they want to see me do good."
With his tournament skills improving, with his business stable, and with his employees backing his endeavor to be successful, Day is able to hit the water this year with few worries on his mind.
Add in financial sponsorships from the likes of Ranger, Mercury, Shimano, G. Loomis, Backwater Outfitters, and Team BassADX and it's easy to see why Day is highly optimistic about his chances in 2012.
"Some guys swing for the fence, but I'm going to try and knock it down," Day laughed. "And right now, with the season about ready to start, I'm like a kid who can't wait to get out of school.
"I'm getting better and I'm getting my confidence back," he added. "But I'm not going to be cocky about any of this. Instead, I'm going to be thankful for the good fortune I'm having."
Hopefully all the way to the Forest Wood Cup this year on Georgia's Lake Lanier.
Canadian angler gains huge fan following after top-20 finish
01.Mar.2012 by Brett Carlson
There were several compelling storylines at the season-opening Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Okeechobee – from Roland Martin's impressive return to Brandon McMillan's emotional fifth-place finish just weeks after his father's passing. Randall Tharp, of course, garnered the most attention by breaking through and notching his first Tour win on his favorite lake.
Amid the hectic tournament news cycle, there was one story that didn't receive the coverage it deserved. A 29-year-old Canadian angler drove 37 hours to south Florida to compete in his pro debut. Sounds like a donator, a recipe for disaster, right? For most fishermen, it would be. But not for Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson.
A native of Kenora, Ontario, Gustafson is well known in the North Country as a smallmouth stick. He's been fishing tournaments since he was 10-years-old when he received a paid entry fee as a Christmas present. Since then, he's claimed the area's most prestigious events – the Kenora Bass International and the International Falls Bass Championship.
"I grew up on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods and I've been fortunate enough to make a living within the fishing industry most of my life," said Gustafson, who guides and writes in addition to competing in tournaments. "I'm just a fish-head; I live and breathe for bass fishing."
Gustafson has always had the itch to test his skills against the best in the sport. He never had the chance until Kruger Farms president and CEO Don Nelson approached him with a sponsorship opportunity.
"Last fall Don basically offered to help me out on the four Opens. This has always been a lifelong dream and Don made it a reality."
Gustafson had fished Okeechobee exactly once before the 2012 opener and was limited to sampling the rim canal due to low lake levels. With that lack of experience in mind, he traveled to Florida early to sample the nearby lakes while Okeechobee was off-limits.
"I spent a few days on Toho, Kissimmee and Istokpoga just fishing with family and friends. What I learned about Florida fishing is that you go a long time without getting a bite and then all of a sudden you'd find one of these stretches that held fish. So when the official Okeechobee practice started, I decided that's what I wanted to find."
Flipping turned out to be the dominant pattern for most, but Gustafson was able to coax some quality largemouths into chasing a bait.
"I used a new a prototype swimbait from Trigger X called the Slop Hopper. It's a Skinny Dipper-type bait. It's funny because I don't ever fish that way back home. But everywhere I went in Florida I could make it work.
"The other thing I learned during that practice time was that you were only going to get two cracks a day at catching those really big Okeechobee bass. There just wasn't a lot of 3- and 4-pounders. So the whole key to doing well was capitalizing on those two big cracks."
Gustafson executed his game plan flawlessly – catching limits of 15-2 and 19-2 the first two days and squeaking into the top-20 cutoff. His pattern consisted of throwing the Slop Hopper along a 1-mile stretch of small dollar-sized lily pads. Ironically, he started the first day within sight of several of the tournament leaders who were flipping mats on the northwest side of the lake. Even then, Gustafson had the confidence to stick with his buzzing strategy.
"Coming in, I didn't have lofty goals. I just wanted to make the top 50 and take home one of the big checks. But I was so happy when I made the cut. The best part was going to the mandatory meeting after weigh-in. It was so surreal being there with guys like Randall Tharp, Bryan Thrift and Jay Yelas. That was just wild."What happened the third day can best be described as a media frenzy. Shortly after takeoff, FLW's On-The-Water coverage page blew up with innumerable requests for updates on "Gussy." The user comments ranged from the simple "Gussy! Gussy! Gussy!" to the more patriotic "Gussy Nation out in full force today. Great representation for Canada."
Likewise, the social media world got Gussy Fever. Keep in mind this was a rookie pro who hadn't previously competed in a single FLW or BASS tournament. Before the event started, one member (who will go unnamed) of the On-The-Water coverage team didn't even know who Gustafson was. Others simply knew him as the guy fishing out of the tin boat. Rest assured, everyone knows "Gussy" now.
Ultimately his pattern died and he failed to make the top-10 cutoff. But 20th place out of 160 pros is an impressive feat nonetheless. Since the tournament, Gustafson has returned to the glacial lakes that line the Minnesota-Canada border. Instead of flip flops and Florida sun, he's back to his normal routine of drilling holes through 20-plus inches of ice in search of slab crappies.
In his personal life, he's proud to announce his recent engagement to longtime girlfriend August Collison. Other than that, Gustafson simply can't wait to fish the next FLW Tour Open, slated for the Detroit River in August.
"Now that the Majors are starting next week it is absolutely killing me to watch from the sideline; I wish I was fishing. I just hope that everything goes all right at the four Opens this year and if it does, I'm going to try and make a run at fishing all the events next year."
If Okeechobee was any indication, Gustafson has what it takes to compete full time. However, FLW's computer system, which runs the On-The-Water page, might not be able to handle a full dose of Gussy Fever.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The Best Fish Finder 101
Perhaps you might be interested in precision fishing. And so you better secure the best fish finder around. It enables you to locate the whereabouts of fishes underwater with high-efficiency. And you've got great options to choose from. There many different varieties available on the market. In fact, each unit varies in terms of functionality, packaging, and brand.
By Functionality
Fish finders vary by functionality. Most likely, each one comes equipped with the basic fish finding system. Basically, it is equipped with SONAR component varying from single-beam, dual-beam, and multiple-beam types. It also comes along with an LCD screen displaying the underwater particulars fed by transducers. Fishing monitor ranges from monochrome to full colour display. Either way you should make sure that picture and pixel resolutions are at their finest. Apart from the basic highlights, there are some extra functions that you might find interesting such as the GPS tracking system enabling you to track down specific locations. Some are further incorporated with network sharing system to impart critical fishing spots to fellow enthusiasts. Besides, fishing can be a team effort, too!
By Packaging
Apart from functionalities, these fishing devices also differ in terms of packaging. More often than not, these are fashioned in typical fishing boxes mounted on top of solid arbours. These stuffs may even look like some TV units docked on ship decks. Unlike your typical TV, a fish finder presents real-time underwater scenario. Unfortunately, some people may not be likely to grab the boxed version for it can be hefty, especially when you are supposed to go fish hunting on a small boat. Luckily, there are some variants made compact in portable sizes. You can even find some of these devices in ultra-lightweight forms which you can carry whenever and wherever. There is also the wristwatch version which you can literally wear around your wrist.
By Brand
Furthermore, fish finders likewise differ in their trademarks. And you can find many of them ranging from economical to expensive brands. Topping the list of high-quality and costly fish finders, is the Furuno collection. Hummingbird Fish Finders has its counterpart of highly efficient units sold in great value offers. The Fishin Buddy series, for instance, is available in affordable prices without compromising the quality. For special fishing niche, you might want to check out Vexilar or Marcum fish finders selection meticulously crafted for ice fishing. There is but more options for you such as Hawkeye, Eagle, Lowrance, and many more.
There are many fishing devices sold on the market but we highly recommend the best fish finder. And for more details, check out Jennifer Ling's best fish finder review.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Choosing Humminbird Piranhamax Fish Locators on a Budget
Ever spent all day on the lake and came back empty handed because you weren't sure where the fish were? If this sounds familiar then you might want to consider getting a fish locator to help you consistently find more fish. When looking for a fish finder you'll notice that they come in many different styles, sizes, and price ranges. The Humminbird Piranhamax is the entry level or budget line of fish finders by Hummingbird Fish Finders.
With 8 different Humminbird Piranha models you'll be able to find one that fits your needs. The Piranhamax fish locators are offered in stationary and portable models and both grayscale or color screens. The different models of Humminbird fish locators can make picking just one difficult.
Humminbird Piranhamax 150 Fishfinder
The entry level Piranha this model will pick up fish at a depth of up to 600ft and display them on the 4" grayscale screen. Using a single beam sonar to find where the fish are hiding this fish locator is great for the fishermen who either doesn't fish often or just wants to know if the fish are in the area. Mount the fish finder to your dash for easy viewing while floating down the lake or river.
Humminbird Piranhamax 160 Portable Fishfinder
For the fishermen looking for a fish finder that they can bring from boat to boat the Piranhamax 160 portable fish locator is sure to impress. Featuring a 4" grayscale screen and dual beam sonar this locator will find more fish because it has a wider coverage area. Everything you need can be stored in a convenient carrying case for easy transport. The transducer is suction-cup based for easy placement and removal. This portable fish finder comes complete with a battery that powers the unit for hours of operation on the water and a battery charger so you don't have to worry about connecting it to the boats power system.
Humminbird Piranhamax 180 Fishfinder
The Piranhamax 180 is the middle line in the Piranha series with tri beam sonar so you can see even more fish and under water terrain. Along with the wider sonar beam the 180 also has a crystal clear advance grayscale display. With the ability to find fish at up to 800 feet and a waterproof housing this fish locator will quickly become your go to tool on all your fishing trips. This unit is great for the fisher looking for the best possible coverage area for the price.
Humminbird Piranhamax 190C
Optimized for excellent coverage of the bottom the 190C is the only Piranhamax with a color screen. The narrow single sonar beam provides 20Ës of viewing for more precise views of fish that are holding close to underwater structures. You can spot fish at 800 feet with this fish finder making it great for the fishermen who wants easy viewing of the water bottom.
For more fish finders visit PoorFish Outdoors providing quality Outdoor Sporting Goods since 1995.
By Matt Heeb
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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