THE BUSINESS NEWS OF FISHING.

Best on Tour brings you interesting news from the fishing industry in a weekly email.

1. Stat of the Day

PRESENTED BY: Sunline

The FLW Tour wrapped up the regular season on Lake Champlain, with David Dudley claiming the AOY title. Here is a snapshot of the top money earners on tour in 2019.

2. Money Matters

PRESENTED BY: Big Bite Baits

How much does an FLW Tour angler make?

Greg Bohannan finished 101st in the FLW Tour standing for 2019, which is far below his usual position considering his career earnings are $826,363. His winnings on the Tour this season were $22,000. See how that compares to previous years as shares some examples of what his earnings were and what life is like for a professional angler in this article on the JOBSHADOW website .

3. Behind the Scenes

PRESENTED BY: SPRO

Nissan USA occupied some prime real estate on the ICAST floor last week in Orlando. While Toyota has long been associated with bass fishing, the appearance of Nissan at last week's show was a bit of a surprise to many in attendance. Showcasing many of their premium model trucks and suv models, Nissan certainly made an impression on those industry insiders in attendance. Whether this means we will see the company make a bigger push into the outdoor industry via sponsorships, or partnerships will be something to keep an eye on headed into 2020.

4. Anglers Tribune

Dual Perspective On ICAST

While most professional anglers attend the annual ICAST show with the singular goal of representing their sponsors, Bass Pro Tour angler Michael Neal has to wear two different hats while he is on the show floor. Neal is the owner of the popular Dayton Boat Dock on the shores of Lake Chickamauga, as well as the online tackle retailer Real Deal Tackle . Keeping up with the latest trends in the tackle industry is not only an essential element to Neal's success on tour, but to his tackle business as well. "The majority of my ICAST show is spent working hard for my sponsors, and making sure that they are taken care of. When I don't have obligations for my sponsors I will put on my buyer badge and spend time looking at what I might need to stock in my store and for my online business," says Neal. Floating between angler and tackle store owner has become second nature for the Tennessee pro. "It's second nature for me at this point. I've learned to find the right balance between the two and that is really working for me" concluded Neal. With sales at Dayton Boat Dock and Real Deal Tackle on the rise, and Neal finishing 5th in the Bass Pro Tour standings this season it is hard to argue that his formula hasn't been successful.

5. Baits Not Being Talked About

Minscraft ' s company slogan is "Making Lures is a Science". After spending some time at the South Korean companies booth at ICAST last week, I would have to agree with that statement. Utilizing 3D model engineering, Minscraft produces a full lineup of hardbaits that rival any of the major manufacturers offerings from a visual standpoint. While Japan and China have had their hands in the American tackle market for years, South Korea now seems to be making a push to become a player in the game.

6. What We're Watching & Listening To

PRESENTED BY: Gamakatsu

Mike Long Article Author Discusses His Story

The fishing world continues to buzz with the release of the infamous Mike Long video on sdfish.com . Accompanied by a nine-page article on the subject written by Kellen Ellis, the video has over 400,00 views and counting. Kellen joined Bass Talk Live to answer questions and provide additional details. See the full interview here.

7. Jersey Watch

PRESENTED BY: Denali

Watches, batteries, chips and pop tarts on jerseys Since it's inception in July of 1996, anglers on the FLW Tour have sported non-endemic sponsor jerseys that were tied to vendors doing business with Walmart. Those sponsorship deals saw anglers wearing jerseys with Timex, Rayovac, Pop Tarts, Snickers and Everstart to name a few. Less prevalent today with Walmart no longer being the title sponsor, but some non-endemic team deals still remain. Greg Bohannan has consistently had one of those non-endemic deals and that continued in 2019 with Pringles being his primary sponsor. Photo courtesy of FLW Fishing/Jacob Fine.

8. Regional Recommendations

BOBCAT's services anglers in the Kerr Lake and Buggs Island vicinity of Virginia with a full line tackle store. Their tackle selection features everything an angler needs for bass, crappie or catfish. They have fishing reports available with current lake levels along with the top tackle you need for that area. Visit their website here .

9. Best for Last

PRESENTED BY: AFTCO

Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S. Each year ICAST features an item, or category of items that garner the lion's share of attention. This year the trolling motor was hands down the most talked about topic on the show floor, and throughout social media platforms. Lowrance , Garmin , and MotorGuide all released new motors in Orlando last week to compete with the highly successful Minn Kota Ultrex . While the Garmin Force claimed the ICAST Best Of Show award, each motor offers unique features that should make for an ultra competitive market moving forward. Each manufacturer will feature their own version of"spot lock" technology, making it almost an industry standard feature on trolling motors. With rumors of Power Pole also entering the trolling motor market in the near future, the fervor about trolling motors doesn't appear to be dying down anytime soon.

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