THE BUSINESS NEWS OF FISHING.
Issue #170
1. Stat of the Day
PRESENTED BY: Sunline
2. Money Matters
PRESENTED BY: Big Bite Baits
Inaugural Bassmaster High School Combine Nets Over $2.6 Million In Scholarships
After a wildly successful debut year, the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine returns to Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Sept. 16-18 for a weekend combining skills challenges and recruiting visits in hopes of reeling in college fishing scholarship money. The first Combine generated more than $2.6 million in scholarship offers. “These high school anglers represent some of the finest athletes in the country, and it took the same drive and commitment to get here as it does to excel in any sport,”
said Abu Garcia Vice President of Marketing Communications Marc Kemper.
“They truly represent the ethos of Abu Garcia — Fish to Win.” 
Only schools offering bass fishing scholarships were invited to the inaugural High School Combine, and coaches from 19 colleges attended. The experience offered young anglers and college coaches a chance to leverage rare face time to find the best fit for students ready to further both their education and their fishing at the next level.
“The Combine has given me the opportunity to meet and recruit anglers that I would've never been able to evaluate otherwise,” said Campbellsville University coach Tony Miracle. “It also gives kids the opportunity to meet and talk to universities and coaches that they never would've had the chance to meet. It's an unbelievable opportunity for both sides.
“I signed two anglers from last year’s Bassmaster High School Combine and am excited to get them on campus and start their journey. I'm also recruiting several high school juniors for next year. I absolutely will be back this year. I wouldn't miss it!” 
The Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine will be a three-day event where anglers will perform multiple tasks to showcase their skills not only on the water but also display their knowledge of the sport as a whole. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. Each angler will accumulate points to determine an overall winner.
After the first day, colleges will have the opportunity to select anglers for a “second look” where they can further explore everything that angler has to offer and see if they would be the perfect fit for their fishing program.
Fifty-seven scholarship offers came out of the first-ever High School Combine, with many students signing with a university on-site. Overall winner Levi Thibodaux of Thibodaux, La., inked an offer to fish for the Louisiana State University-Shreveport Pilots and Coach Charles Thompson, while Justin Frey of Landisburg, Pa., took home the victory in Casting Accuracy as well as an offer to fish for Bethel University.
“I connected with two universities during the combine that both have fantastic programs at an elite level,” said Frey. “What separated them the most in my mind was that both coaches were awesome, caring individuals. I was ecstatic and very blessed to sign with an athletic scholarship from Bethel University thanks to Coach Garry Mason ... it’s been a dream come true.”
Prior to the combine, Frey was not being recruited by Bethel University, which was the first college in America to offer bass fishing scholarships and has claimed 11 national titles.
“B.A.S.S. is constantly looking for ways to grow the High School and College platforms and give young anglers opportunities to excel not only in the sport, but also in the industry,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager — College, High School and Junior. “The inaugural Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine was a great success, and we’re looking forward to growing this experience for both these high school anglers and the coaches who attend.”
Registration for the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine will open at 1 p.m. CT on June 7 at Bassmaster.com/high-school and remain open until 100 participants have registered. The $500 registration fee includes accommodations for two nights and all meals for the weekend.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-school.
3. Behind the Scenes
Tips From A Tournament Director
Bassmaster Open Tournament Director, Hank Weldon gives some tips to make your tournament experience a positive one:
1.      Read the rules and pre-tournament paperwork. 99%of the calls that I get before a tournament starts are questions that are answered in the rules and paperwork. I know it’s not the most exciting reading, but spend some time going over all the documents and almost all of your questions will be answered. 
2.      Learn about the body of water where the tournament is taking place. Every fishery is different when it comes to off-limits areas, idle zones, hazard areas, and navigation. Spending some time on Google Earth or researching the state and local regulations will give you a better understanding of what you will encounter on the water. 
3.      Make sure your equipment is functioning properly prior to the tournament. Unforeseen problems are inevitable, but the number one reason anglers have to leave a tournament early is because of malfunctioning equipment. If you know you have issues, get them taken care of before arriving at the lake. 
4.     Have your finances in order. I know that this is more of a personal issue, but as a tournament director, I’ve seen how financial problems can lead to desperation on the water and poor decision making. 
4. Anglers Tribune
Miller's Truck Camper
After fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series from 2013 -2015, Oklahoma’s Jared Miller took a hiatus from top level tournament fishing until he qualified for the 2022 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell by finishing 3rd in the 2021 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River. The 3rd place finish also came with entry into all nine of the 2022 Bassmaster Opens.
“I hated staying in hotels when I traveled for the Elite Series,” said Miller. “I was always fighting for parking spots and worried about my stuff, so I knew that I didn’t want to go through that again this year fishing the Opens.” 
After some research, Miller purchased a 2020 Palomino HS-750 truck camper and fit it on his truck, even though he had never spent a night in a camper in his life.  Here are some of the benefits he’s seen already:
- “I couldn’t believe that there was a queen size bed that was so comfortable. I was immediately comfortable and was able to sleep the entire night. 
- “I have storage to bring all my extra tackle with me so I’ve already spent less money ordering tackle and stopping at tackle shops.” 
- “I can stay at campgrounds right on the lake that have boat ramps. I can wake up and be on the water fishing within 15 minutes with zero hassle.” 
- “While I’m traveling, I can stop wherever I want and take a nap, get a cold drink, or fix something to eat. I’ve already saved over $500 just in hotel rooms alone traveling to and from tournaments.” 
Miller said that the biggest expense is towing with a dually. He also said that there’s been a learning curve when it comes to bringing certain pieces of equipment like a water hose for water hookup.
5. Baits Not Being Talked About
Building on the success of the Bronzeye Frog Series, the Spro Bronzeye Blade Frog 65 adds a new level of flashing action that skitters across the surface and produces monster blowups. Featuring two small Colorado blades instead of traditional skirted rubber legs, the Spro Bronzeye Blade Frog 65 is meant to be reeled across the surface, which produces a subtle buzzing action and bright flash like a baitfish trying to evade predators. Because of its hollow body design, anglers can also fish it over heavy cover or walk it like a standard hollow body frog, giving you the power of multiple lures in one package.
Just like all the other Bronzeye Frogs, the Spro Bronzeye Blade Frog 65 is armed with a 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG double frog hook that delivers proven hook setting performance and the power needed to get big fish out of the heaviest of cover. Available in a wide selection of colors, the Spro Bronzeye Blade Frog 65 adds a new element to your frog arsenal.
Check out the full lineup here.
6. What We're Watching & Listening To
PRESENTED BY: Gamakatsu
Chasing Ghosts
Go on a journey with Adam "Bart" Bartusek and Cody Hahner as they take you all down a wicked trail, a black hole if you will, about a fish that makes very little logical sense. But because they're big fish junkies, they just can’t stop chasing them. See the full video here.
7. Jersey Watch
PRESENTED BY: Denali
Cal Lane
Photo Courtesy Major League Fishing
Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler, and son of Chris Lane, Cal Lane's sponsorship lineup includes Bass Pro Shops, Lithium Pros, Power-Pole, Costa, Mercury Marine, Lowrance, Frogg Toggs, Duckett Fishing, and TruTimber Camo, just to name a few.
8. Recommendations
Big Bite Baits Fathers Day Kit
Is your dad the BFE (Best Father Ever)? This kit is the perfect Fathers Day gift for him! He will get to test out all of the newest and hottest items from Big Bite Baits, including the BFE (Best Flipper Ever), plus he’ll get a Keeper to store it all in and a Big Bite Baits decal to put wherever he’d like. This kit includes:
  • Pack of BFEs
  • Pack of Suicide Shads
  • Pack of Kamikaze Swimons
  • Pack of Fighting Frogs
  • Tour Toad Buzz
  • Bait Keeper
  • Decal
Get your Big Bite Baits Father's Day kit here.
9. Best for Last
PRESENTED BY: AFTCO
Why Professional Anglers Need Forward Facing Sonar
Forward facing sonar has changed the game of fishing at the highest level. The main technology known as forward facing sonar is a transducer that shoots a beam in a forward direction or a down direction getting a picture of what structure or fish are in any direction you point it in. The kicker is that this is being received in live timing meaning you can see not only a piece of structure and the fish, but you can see the fish swimming. The technology allows anglers to follow your bait back to the boat and watch as fish eat it. Anglers are even using it to find fish and then test what mood the fish are in and even entice them into biting. Check out the full article and learn why you might want to consider adding forward facing sonar here.
Learn more about how to properly setup your forward facing sonar here.
Has record inflation affected the amount of money you are spending on fishing tackle?
Yes
No
Issue #170
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