Berkley Unveils Two New Gulp! Saltwater Shrimp Shapes

  • Gear, The Lead

Berkley Unveils Two New Gulp! Saltwater Shrimp Shapes

  • By The Fishing Wire

Take your artificial shrimp game to the next level with the Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Turbo Shrimp and Nemesis Prawn Curl Tail.

Columbia, SC – Berkley is adding to their shrimp imitations with the introduction of two new Gulp! soft plastics—the Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Turbo Shrimp and the Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Nemesis Prawn Curl Tail. Engineered to provide constant action at any retrieve speed or style with the trusted superior scent dispersion of Gulp!, these new additions are built to help anglers catch more fish in any saltwater scenario.

The Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Turbo Shrimp is the next evolution in shrimp imitations, designed to create maximum attraction and scent distribution. Featuring a unique leg design that oscillates back and forth on retrieval, it generates turbulence and vibration that mimics the erratic movements of live shrimp. This lifelike action, combined with Gulp!’s proprietary scent dispersion formula  makes the Turbo Shrimp an irresistible target for redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and more. Available in 11 natural and vibrant colors and three versatile sizes, it’s the perfect bait to match the hatch or stand out in murky conditions.

Adding to the lineup, the Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Nemesis Prawn Curl Tail delivers a deadly combination of subtle action and maximum scent dispersion. Built with a finely tuned reverse curled tail, this bait produces a lifelike flutter even at super slow retrieve speeds—perfect for enticing finicky fish. Its heavily spiked prawn-shaped head and faceted body create extra turbulence, dispersing scent effectively through the water column. Available in eight lifelike and bold colors, the Nemesis Prawn Curl Tail offers the versatility anglers need to fish confidently in all conditions.

Whether you’re fishing grass flats, mangroves, or deep channels, the Gulp! Turbo Shrimp and Nemesis Prawn Curl Tail are must-have additions for any saltwater angler looking to catch more fish and land bigger bites.

“The Gulp! Saltwater Turbo Shrimp and Nemesis Prawn Curl Tail are something we have been working on for a long time and can’t wait for people to get their hands on,” said Will Pate, Berkley Saltwater Product Manager. “We are super excited to keep expanding the Gulp! Saltwater line-up, and this is just the beginning.”

BERKLEY GULP! SALTWATER TURBO SHRIMP – KEY FEATURES:

  • Unique leg design that oscillates to mimic real shrimp leg action
  • Segmented body and wide fan tail creates a tail kick action and turbulence in the water
  • Gulp! superior scent dispersion
  • Available in 11 fish-catching colors

Sizes: 3” • 4” • 5”
Colors: Peppered Prawn • Camo • Pink Belly Shrimp • New Penny • Pearl White • Molting Shrimp • Nuclear Chicken • Flamingo Chrome • Violet Haze Fleck • America • Ocean Shift 
MSRP: $8.99

Available: March 2025

About Pure Fishing

Pure Fishing is a collection of the world’s favorite fishing brands. Every day, all around the world, someone experiences the joy of catching a fish with one of our products. From gear for epic battles at sea to a relaxing day with family at the lake, our portfolio includes the most recognized and admired brands in fishing tackle, lures, rods, reels and storage. Abu Garcia, Berkley, DAM, Fenwick, Fin-Nor, Frabill, Greys, Hardy, Hodgman, Johnson, JRC, Madcat, Mitchell, Penn, Pflueger, Plano, Prologic, Savage Gear, Shakespeare, SpiderWire, Stren, Ugly Stik and Van Staal.

Bad Fishing Products and Worse Service

Have all companies given up on making decent products or just some of the fishing equipment ones I have dealt with recently? 

My $2500 Minn Kota trolling motor had a problem that a $25 aftermarket sleeve solved. Yet folks at Minn Kota told me they knew of the problem and there was no fix.

When I sent them proof there was a simple cheap solution they could implement, I got no response.

T-H Marine makes a replacement trolling motor pull handle that I have used in the past that worked well. I recently installed a new one and the eyes of the Allen set screws that came with it stripped out with almost no pressure.  They would not tighten down.

When I contacted T-H Marine they said they did not see that as a big problem and they sold many of the handles.  They are aware of the problem but it is not a big one to them.  In their defense, they did send me new screws that seem to be good.

AFTCO 2024 Bass Bus Summary, What Is It and What Does It Do?

  • Tournaments

AFTCO 2024 Bass Bus Summary

  • By The Fishing Wire

The AFTCO Bass Bus release boats have had another busy season in 2024 helping ensure the safe release of thousands of bass back to the lakes and rivers they were caught in that day.  AFTCO sponsors and supports two release boats that are operated and maintained by Ulrich Marine Service in Branson, MO.  In 2024, these two boats traveled to dozens of events across the Midwest to aid tournament organizations in releasing fish safely, but also to help spread them out for reduced harvest in the days following an event. Spreading the release of tournament fish out across the lake also ensures that an area does not receive too many fish to safely support them in that area. The Ulrich Marine staff is trained on the proper release methods including “fizzing” and operation of the boats to protect as many fish as possible. 

The original AFTCO Bass Bus just completed its seventh season of releasing fish.  This boat has supported 43 events in 12 states and released over 27,000 bass back into their waters. AFTCO support for a second boat was added in 2019 and the company now supports two boats in operation in conjunction with Ulrich Marine. AFTCO provides financial support for the operation of these boats free of charge at approved tournaments thru out the year. 

In conjunction with the release boat at many events is the AFTCO Bank Bag program and distribution of the AFTCO Bass Care 101 guide for all angler and organizations to use for successful fish care management.

In 2025, both Bass Busses are already scheduled for dozens of events across the Eastern US.

About AFTCO

Family owned and operated, the American Fishing Tackle Company (AFTCO) represents unparalleled quality, performance, and reliability when it counts most. Worn across the globe, AFTCO’s performance fishing clothing and fishing rain gear is designed to handle the harshest elements. Whether you’re a tournament bass angler looking to stay dry in a late fall downpour or an offshore weekend warrior seeking protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, AFTCO keeps you fishing comfortably.

AFTCO reflects a legacy of firsts. From former company Chairman Milt Shedd’s pioneering conservation achievements, to the invention of the roller guide and the introduction of the world’s first pair of true fishing shorts, AFTCO provides conservation leadership and innovative products proven to deliver performance on the water. Our passion for the outdoors goes beyond our product offering because of an unwavering commitment to help protect our fishing resources and angler rights. Through our 10% Pledge to Protect and Conserve, your purchase of any AFTCO product directly supports conservation initiatives.

Inconsiderate Rude Fishermen and Folks In General with Social Media Making Them Worse

    On the inconsiderate, rude fishermen and folks in general thing, social media has also made things worse.  Many “keyboard warriors” out there seem to live to make stupid and or insulting comments. And trolls say things just to try to stir up controversy.  They would never make those kinds of comments in person since they would not want a black eye. 

    When I do my Georgia Outdoor News articles I shoot a short video with the fisherman landing a bass. They then hold it up while telling a little about why and where they are fishing. The videos are about one minute long total. The video goes with my article when it is put online. 

    My editor told me last week a couple of “fishermen” had sent in comments that we were keeping the bass out of the water too long making the video.  I wonder if they would have that problem if I were taking pictures of them? And I would not be surprised if they “boat flip” bass, jerking them out of the water and letting them slam into the bottom of the boat.  But we have to protect bass no matter what, in their opinion. 

I am tempted to tell them “don’t worry, we took the fish home to eat” but that would make me a troll, too. Those folks think it is a deadly sin to kill and eat a bass. But I can be snarky, too!

    I got the following comments online when I went to the Minn Kota users’ group on Facebook asking for help about a trolling motor problem. The pull cable comes through a hole in a cast aluminum block and mine cut a groove in it, which then cut the cable. I asked if there was a fix like a stainless-steel sleeve to go in the hole.   

    Several people said they had the same problem and a couple gave me a link to an aftermarket product that solves it. 

But the following comments range from not responding to the problem to the irrelevant to just plain dumb: 

    “Guys I been working on trolling motors for 28 year’s I’m very aware of everything , if they made the part out of steel then (when ) you run into something it would break every thing instead of the aluminum part, you have to have inexpensive weak spots in everything in lifes gadgets lol.” 

    Later I had this exchange with the same guy: “so if I put a stainless steel grommet made for this problem in the hole it will weaken mine?” his response “Depends on how much you drill out.” No idea where he came up with drilling anything, or about running into things. 

Another guy stated, “its not a piano.” I said “weird response, what do you mean?” but got no response. 

Another suggested I buy a different brand trolling motor for $3500 rather than the less than $25 part to fix mine. And yet a third suggested if I could not keep my equipment repaired I should stop fishing, and go to trowling, whatever that is.  Maybe he thinks I should install stucco.  That from me just asking if anybody had the same problem and a solution for it. 

Although I stated up front the groove had cut my stainless-steel pull cable, I got this genius response: “Maybe they can redesign the parts, so it cuts into the stainless steel cable, and then your cable breaks, and you have something else to bi**h about. Motor looks very well loved. It’s a cheap part and actually if you have any decent repair center around you they will give you one for free and it will take 10 minutes to swap out.”   

I had checked with Minn Kota and they offered to sell me the replacement part, exactly the same as the one that caused the problem, for about $20 

    For the suggestion “You’re supposed to cut the cable short enough so you reach out and pull the cable straight up to release it. That’s straight from Minnkota.” I responded that at my age that ain’t gonna happen.  

I have a hard time just standing on the front of the boat, much less leaning over the trolling motor and front of the boat and pulling a cable straight up.  I guess he did not consider the health and age of some of us, or anything else for that matter. 

Although I did find the part I needed on the Facebook page from a couple of suggestions, I don’t know why I bother. And stuff like this is even more sad when you realize the net and social media are killing print media. 

What Is The State Of Lake Okeechobee From A Professional Anglers Point Of View

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The State Of Lake Okeechobee From A Professional Anglers Point Of View – Good or Bad?

  • By The Fishing Wire

Lake Okeechobee is one of the most historic bass fisheries in the world. The Seminole Tribe named it “big water” for its size, but the size of the bass has historically been what people think of when they hear its name. The lake has and continues to provide anglers from all over the world with a once-in-a-lifetime fishing trip. It is considered by many as the Valhalla of Bass Fishing. 

As a professional angler who grew up in Clewiston, Florida, Lake Okeechobee is very special to me because I’ve spent my entire life on it and understand how this lake lives and breathes. It is also a big part of why we are here, as a family, and a big part of why we started our family business on the shores of this wonderful lake. My father–Roland Martin, who has spent his lifetime in the sport—mentored me. I am blessed to have a very successful 22-year career myself by winning bass tournaments all over the country. My family is all involved in the outdoors: my daughter Hilary, seems to be the one that is taking the name to the next generation and continuing our family legacy. 

We have a responsibility to act as stewards of this majestic body of water. That’s why we co-founded Angler’s for Lake Okeechobee (AFLO) to advocate for the lake by focusing on solutions to stop large influxes of water and nutrients from entering the lake from urban centers north of us, as well as protecting the habitat and wildlife in the lake. Since starting AFLO, we’ve developed an even deeper personal understanding of how Lake O operates. We’ve seen it at its best and we’ve seen it at its worst and our mission is to maintain and to improve upon its glory. Anglers, business owners, and boat owners as well as fishing guides are all part of this effort to care for the lake, fix the estuary crisis downstream, and reduce spraying of harmful chemicals that are intended to manage and control invasive aquatic plants that can disrupt the native ecosystem, hinder navigation, and negatively impact fish and wildlife habitats. 

Lake Okeechobee has suffered several injuries in recent years including mismanagement, chemical assault and negative press coverage from certain groups and people who don’t recognize the Lake’s  value or want to blame shift from problems in their own waters to ours. However, there have been significant efforts at the state and federal levels to stabilize the lake and heal it. 

I want to share some recent positive developments on the state of the Lake. First, ongoing construction of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells  will “slow the flow” of nutrient-laden and contaminated water from Orlando’s urban runoff in the wet season and provide much-needed fresh water during the dry season. Year after year, more than 95 percent of the water and nutrients that end up in the lake flow unimpeded from Orlando and urban centers north draining into the Lake. Leaders in Florida like Governor Ron DeSantis and those in charge of the Florida Legislature deserve significant credit for committing the resources necessary to get these projects done.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have begun to shift their lake management philosophy to put the lake into “recovery mode,” which means lower lake levels will create an opportunity for sunlight to once again grow grass and healthier fish habitat. A major new USACE project was just authorized when the Water Resource Development Act was signed on January 4, 2025. The plan proposes an enormous reservoir north of the Lake with the capacity to store 200,000 acre-feet of flow before it ever reaches the Lake. It will limit human-borne contaminates from polluting the Lake–as we see in the estuaries to our west that are filled with pollution from stormwater runoff, septic tanks, and sewage from failing wastewater infrastructure that feed harmful algal blooms and red tides. Lastly, there has been a shift in focus on supporting funding and projects inside Lake Okeechobee so we can do the restoration and habitat projects that are greatly needed there. 

Florida is growing, but our population continues to become more aware of its ecosystems and the impact we all have on water. Lake Okeechobee is not toxic as often cited. 

Bass fishing continues to take off nationally. It’s increasingly becoming a young person’s sport and there’s nothing better than seeing the lake filled with young anglers from all over the country. They come to compete and fill their bags on what I believe is still the premier bass fishing destination in the world and considered by many fishermen, their ultimate bucket-list destination. 

The push to save Lake Okeechobee continues to gain steam. AFLO has brought together many different stakeholders who all care about the Lake including city leaders, farmers, conservationists, outdoor, sports and fishing brands, as well as our coastal neighbors. 

There are still challenges to resolve like the ongoing spraying issues that harm bass spawning beds, promote unhealthy lake bottom, and reduce submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), which promotes fish habitat and provides the filter Lake Okeechobee needs to clean its own water. Lake Okeechobee used to have between 30,000 and 50,000 acres of SAV each year and has been reduced to basically zero over the last 7-8 years. 

Also, we need to dispel the idea that Lake Okeechobee is toxic, which has been the result of decades of pseudo-environmentalists attacking our rural communities over water issues. 

And finally, we need to promote healthy dialogue among all stakeholders to ensure everyone involved has a better understanding of our shared issues. 

The largest freshwater lake in Florida generates more than $30 million in income for businesses annually. That despite all the challenges it has faced over the years. Imagine what a better lake could do for our state and our country.

AFLO, key stakeholders and our family will keep working on this goal by sharing facts and encouraging our leaders to preserve the lake’s status as a world-class bass fishing destination.   

–Scott Martin is a professional angler, the host of “The Scott Martin Challenge” and co-founder of Anglers for Lake Okeechobee.

The Actions of A Few High School Anglers and Boat Captains Turned Me Against Youth Fishing Tournaments

    Fishermen have always been mostly nice, polite considerate folks. There have always been the exceptions, but they were fairly rare and were shunned by most. 

Unfortunately, the huge influx of young tournament fishermen due to the popularity of high school tournaments has produced way too many out there that have no concept of courtesy, rules or safety. And its not just the kids, the adults driving the boats are even worse.

    I always supported youth tournaments, starting a youth tournament club through the Flint River Bass Club  and the Spalding County Sportsman Club. The Flint/Spalding Youth Club was successful, winning the state championship twice. But we emphasized courtesy and safety to them.

    My support changed at a Sportsman Club tournament three years ago at Guntersville. That huge lake is very shallow with thousands of acres of grass beds that have narrow boat channels marked through them. Twice in practice I was run out of those channels by adult “boat captains” driving for high school fishermen.

They did not know or care that the law says boats stay to the right when meeting an oncoming boat, just like in a car. If I had not gone out in the grass to my right they would have hit me.

    More madding but less dangerous, the next day in the tournament I was sitting a short cast off a point with a grassbed on it and had just caught a keeper bass. I was about 50 feet from the edge of the grass and the bank was not far behind the grass. The whole creek was behind me, hundreds of acres of open water. Unfortunately, the boat ramp was down the bank about 300 yards from me.

    I heard a boat out in open water past the point toward the main lake and, due to my experience the day before, looked up.  It was a high school team, two kids in their cute little jerseys, with an adult in the same cute little jersey driving the boat.

    They came off plane about 150 yards from me and I thought they were nice, not making a big wake to hit me while I fished. But then I saw how they were idling, headed right between me and the bank. It would have been even closer for them to go behind me to the ramp, but no, they had to mess up my fishing.

    All three kind of raised their hands in a little wave, but when I took out my phone and started videoing them, they all three looked the other way and would not look back. They kept that pose as they idled through the grass I was fishing.

    That was in a 200 boat Alabama Federation Youth tournament. When I got home I contacted the state tournament director about the courtesy and safety issues. His response was basically they were too big and busy to worry about safety and courtesy. And he said 90 percent of his captains were safe.

    So based on his admission, about 20 boats in his tournament were running around dangerously on a crowded lake.  I am afraid you will read more and more about boating “accidents” that are not really accidents.

    Boat ramps produce good examples of folks not knowing what they are doing and not caring they are blocking the ramp for others.  In my club we can launch 10 boats in less than 15 minutes in the morning and load them up in about 20 minutes in the afternoon.

For years we made fun of those that launched a boat just a few times a year, doing stupid stuff at the ramp. You can watch many videos of that kind of thing online.

    But those that are just stupid or mean that block the ramp for a long time while others are waiting to use it are really the problem. Last month at Lanier I saw a good example of this, and again it was an adult with kids “practicing” for an upcoming tournament.

    The adult pulled in, backed down the ramp then he and three kids got out of the truck. They started getting tackle, coolers, snacks and other stuff out of the truck and putting it in the boat.

    Folks with any sense do that in the parking lot, getting the boat ready then quickly launching it. These folks took about 20 minutes getting their boat ready blocking the ramp before finally getting their boat in the water.

    Even after getting the boat tied up to the dock and parking the truck, the adult walked from the boat to the truck twice getting stuff they forgot before they finally left.

    I wish we could bring back courtesy and sense in many things but none more than fishing.

Targeting Spring Bass with the Right Gear

Targeting Spring Bass

  • February 17, 2025
  • By The Fishing Wire

In just a few short weeks, anglers across the United States will be gearing up for one of our favorite pastimes: spring largemouth bass fishing. Depending on where you are located, spring bassing could mean cool, crisp mornings, long days in the sun and rod-bending action for hours. No matter if you’re flipping soft plastics into heavy cover, casting buzzbaits or just plugging the shoreline of your favorite lake or reservoir, you’ll benefit from a good pair of fishing gloves.

Just as you’d wear a glove for golf or baseball batting practice, fishing gloves can help your game on the water by greatly reducing hand fatigue. Fish Monkey gloves have just the right amount of padding in all the right places plus a superb grip area that works as well when wet as it does dry to help relieve the pressure on your hands from making hundreds of casts every day. Another benefit: They offer good hand protection and reduce those fin pricks, scrapes and small cuts from hooks, gill plates, braided line and more. You can also virtually eliminate “bass thumb” —those scrapes on your thumbs from lipping and releasing largemouths—with a good pair of gloves as well. 

One of the most popular options is the Stubby from Fish Monkey. This design has been a best-seller since the first season it was introduced, and for some very good reasons. First, it was crafted for comfort and all-day wearability, with ultra-lightweight, quick-drying fabric and a second-skin fit, plus shorter fingers and cuffs (hence the name). The Stubby offers UPF 50-plus sun protection for the sensitive skin on the backs of your hands and has a non-slip silicone palm print. 

For those who want a bit more protection, check out the Half Finger Guide glove. It differs from the Stubby in that the fingers and cuffs are a bit longer. It also retains the same qualities of quick-drying fabrics, second-skin fit and UPF 50-plus sun protection too. 

And for something that’s a bit of both, there’s the Pro 365 Guide glove. It has a bit less coverage than the Half Finger but a little more than the Stubby—it’s just right. Designed for those guides, captains and professional anglers who spend long hours in the sun, it has unparalleled comfort, UPF 50-plus sun protection, padding where you need it and a wet-or-dry grip that won’t quit. 

Make the most of your spring bass fishing this year with Fish Monkey performance fishing gloves. Interested in becoming a Fish Monkey Hunt Monkey dealer? Click here for more information! 

Tough Day Fishing Until I Found One Sweet Spot

Last Sunday at West Point for me was like the Herman’s Hermits song “Henry the Eighth” “Second verse, same as the first” refrain. I ended up almost dead last in the tournament, but at least I did catch a limit.

    In the Spalding County Sportsman Club February tournament at West Point 15 members and guests fished eight hours, from 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM.  We landed 65 keeper bass, mostly spots longer than the minimum 12-inch limit and a few largemouth longer than the 14 inch limit.  There were 13 five fish limits but two fishermen did not weigh in a fish.

    Lee Hancock repeated his win the week before with five weighing 10.88 pounds and had a 4.48 pound largemouth for big fish.  Doug Acree came in second with five weighing 10.65 pounds, Raymond English was third with five weighing 9.45 pounds and Glenn Anderson came back from a zero last week to place fourth with five at 9.45 pounds.

One of the fishermen that zeroed had boat problems, a live well hose leaked and almost sank his boat so he went home. The other zero said he was fishing behind a “vacuum cleaner,” meaning his partner caught all the fish. Reminded me of me last week, but I was in front of the boat!!

    I started out pretty good, landing a good keeper spot before 8:00 AM then caught short fish and another barely keeper spot. I put the small spots in the other livewell. Since there is no size limit on spots they are legal to keep under 12 inches, but club rules require them to be 12 inches long to weigh in.

    Small spots 10 to 12 inches long are easy to filet and are delicious when fried, baked in mustard/parmesan crust or just baked with a little lemon.  I was able to keep five after the tournament, a couple of them just over 12 inches long, since I didn’t weigh them so there was not penalty for not releasing them alive.

    After catching those three early I tried several places Robert caught fish last week but never had a bite. I don’t know if there were no fish there or they just would not bite for me again. Many of the places I wanted to fish had other fishermen already fishing there. At noon I still had the one decent keeper spot and one barely weigh-in size in the boat.

     A little after noon and stopped on a bank where I have caught fish in the past this time of year.  I saw a small stick just above the water, cast a jig to it and got a bite but missed it. I did feel more brush under the water but it was only five feet deep.

    The next two casts to it resulted in two more missed bites. Then I caught six keeper spots, a keeper largemouth and several short spots in the next 20 minutes!  I had put the spot lock down on my boat and the trolling motor keep the boat in one place while I caught nine or ten fish!  All hit a small jig or shaky head worm.

    That was it, in never got another bite. And my weight of 7.21 was good for only 12th place!

Roku Becomes The Streaming Hub Of Bassmaster Tournaments

Roku Becomes The Streaming Hub Of Bassmaster Tournaments So Tune in There

  • By The Fishing Wire

Birmingham, AL — Audiences can soon hook free access to live coverage of Bassmaster professional bass fishing tournaments thanks to a new streaming rights partnership between Roku, America’s No. 1 TV streaming platform, and Bassmaster, the world’s leading authority on sportfishing. Upcoming Bassmaster LIVE events will include action from the brand-new Elite Qualifiers (EQ) Series, five Bassmaster Open Series events, which set the field for the EQs, select coverage of all nine Bassmaster Elite Series events, Friday coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour and a special prime time production of the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am presented by Yokohama, all streaming for free on The Roku Channel.

Kicking off with Thursday and Friday coverage of the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series season on Feb. 20, the Bassmaster tournaments will stream live on The Roku Channel’s Roku Sports Channel. Professional fishing fans can also enjoy replays of the live stream alongside additional on-demand content, clips and highlights across The Roku Channel, Roku Sports Channel and Roku’s Sports Zone, plus a dedicated Bassmaster FAST channel launching later this year. The partnership will expand coverage availability of Bassmaster LIVE properties and further bolster Roku’s free lineup of exclusive live sports. 

“It’s an honor to call Roku the streaming home of Bassmaster, an iconic brand with a decades-spanning history of producing best-in-class professional fishing tournaments,” said Joe Franzetta, head of sports, Roku Media. “We look forward to bringing these events for free to the passionate fanbase of this top outdoor sport, as well as introducing Bassmaster to new audiences, expanding the tournaments’ reach to millions of streaming households in the U.S.”

“We are proud to bring so much live programming to Roku’s fast-growing sports channel, and we’re very excited about the creation of a new outlet for posted video content on a dedicated Bassmaster FAST channel on Roku. It’s thrilling to have one of the first streaming-rights partnerships in outdoor sports and the first for professional fishing on America’s No. 1 streaming platform,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operations Officer Phillip Johnson. “This partnership will allow Bassmaster to bring our exciting coverage of the highest level of professional bass fishing to Roku’s enormous audience and introduce our sport to a new fan base.”

Viewers not familiar with Bassmaster events are in for a real treat, as the show follows the best bass anglers on the planet racing against the clock to catch the five biggest bass they can wrangle to end the multiday tournaments with the heaviest weight. Of course, high winds, rainstorms, intense heat waves and the drama of tricking largemouth and smallmouth bass into biting leads to intense moments, as the competitors vie for the coveted trophy and millions of dollars in prize money. New viewers and die-hard fishing fans alike can expect world-class coverage of each storyline as the catches unfold across the competitions.

David Katz and Mike Kelly of ThePostGame, a leading sports media consultancy and content production company, represented Bassmaster in its recent third-party media negotiations and helped secure the partnership with Roku.

The Roku Channel is available to stream for free — no subscription or sign-up required. Audiences can watch it on Roku devices or TVs, and it’s also easily accessible online at TheRokuChannel.com, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TVs, Samsung TVs, Google TVs and other Android TV OS devices.

*By hours streamed (Hypothesis Group: Dec 2024)

About The Roku Channel

Launched in 2017, The Roku Channel is the home of free ad-supported streaming television on Roku, and features a diverse lineup of more than 80,000 on-demand movies and programs, more than 500 live linear television channels, and premium subscription offerings in the U.S. It licenses and distributes content from more than 250 partners and features a growing library of Roku Originals. In Q3 2024, The Roku Channel was the #3 app on Roku’s platform by both reach and engagement.

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 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, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

Was It Karma, Bad luck, You weren’t holding your mouth right, Just not your day, Wrong side of the boat That Caused Me To Have A Bad Day?

    “Karma.  Bad luck. You weren’t holding your mouth right. Just not your day. Wrong side of the boat. Different baits.  Different techniques.” Those are just a few of the comments I got about my fishing last Saturday.   

    I had posted “How is it possible to fish 7. 5 hours, get three bites and land one fish while your partner using same baits throwing at rock banks and points catches 12 keepers?????? And caught them on four different baits!!”

    Ignoring the comments that apparently did not see that we were fishing the same way with the same baits, that basically leaves “luck.”  There is some amount of luck when fishing a club tournament.  Although I was obviously around fish all day, they just did not hit my baits, waiting on my partner’s baits, apparently.

    In the Potato Creek Bassmasters February tournament at West Point last Saturday, 21 members fished from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM to land 73 bass weighing about 143 pounds.  Most of the bass were spots with a 12-inch size limit but there were some largemouth over the 14-inch minimum length. One person did not catch a keeper but eight members landed a five bass limit.   

    Lee Hancock won with five weighing 11.25 pounds and his 4.16 pound largemouth was big fish. My partner Robert Howell, insulting me from the back of my boat, had five weighing 10.66 for second.  Third place was taken by  Russell Prevatt with five at 10.20 pounds and Doug Acree rounded out the top four with five weighing 9.02 pounds.

    I came in 19th out of 21 with one fish weighing 1.55 pounds.  Fishing will definitely keep you humble!

    When Robert caught his first keeper, a small spot that hit an underspin on the first place we stopped, I thought it was a bad start for me. Then an hour or so later we went around a small rock point and he caught his second fish on a shaky head worm. That got me worried.

We went back around that point and I caught my one keeper on a shaky head then Robert got another keeper on his shaky head.  The third pass around that point Robert got his fourth keeper, his biggest at 3.79 pounds, on his shaky head.

Robert and I were fishing the same bait the same way, but he was using lighter line, something I did not think would matter in the stained water, but I dropped back to the same weight line just in case.

On one rocky bank we fished about 150 yards and Robert got his fifth keeper on his shaky head then culled with another keeper. He switched to a wacky rigged Senko and caught three more!  I never had a bite.

A little later Robert caught three more on a Carolina rig, a method and bait I had tried off and on all day. I fished a wacky rigged Senko some, too. He even caught a four pound blue catfish!

It did not seem to matter what I did.  I guess it was just “one of those days” for me, for whatever reason. I just hope it does not stay the same for me in the Sportsman Club tournament at West Point this weekend and I am not making excused for not catching fish!