BASS Report
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation schedule features five opportunities for grass-roots anglers to battle some of the country’s best bass fisheries. Each regional championship will provide opportunities for everyday anglers to qualify for the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship and a shot at one of three berths in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.
“As we’ve seen in the past with anglers like 2010 B.A.S.S. Nation champion and two-time Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk and Taylor Smith, who represented the Nation with a Top 10 finish at the 2022 Classic, the B.A.S.S. Nation can be a fantastic opportunity for weekend anglers to fish for big money on a big stage or the gateway to a stellar career in professional fishing,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “All of these anglers are going to have the opportunity to compete on fantastic and historic fisheries. We’re proud to offer three Nation anglers the opportunity to compete in the iconic Bassmaster Classic, where anything is possible.”
The schedule will kick off next spring with the Central Regional on the Arkansas River in Muskogee, Okla., May 3-5. The fishery, known for its variety of structure, has hosted a dozen major B.A.S.S. events, including two Bassmaster Classics and, most recently, a 2020 Bassmaster Open.
After a stop at Douglas Lake in Jefferson County, Tenn., May 24-26 for the Southeast Regional, the schedule will swing to the upper region of the United States in June with the Northeast Regional on the Potomac River in Charles County, Md., June 7-9 and the Northern Regional June 28-30 on Lake Winnebago in Fox Cities, Wis.
By Louie Stout
Bo Thomas says he’s following his dad’s footsteps into the Bassmaster Open Tournament Trail.
But this isn’t quite the same as what pops Mickey faced when he fished the Bassmaster Opens years ago.
Son Bo…at age 24…has visions of making the Bassmaster Classic and qualifying for the Bassmaster Elites. He will have to do it against a very, very strong field and a tougher format in B.A.S.S.’s newly designed Open Elite Qualifiers (EQ) Division.
“I’m 100 percent in,” Thomas said this week. “I have the sponsors and support from family and friends. This is everything I’ve been working for ever since my dad fished these events.”
Under the old format, you could fish three Opens, do well and make it to the Classic and potentially qualify for the Elites.
Under the EQ format, win an Open and you get a Classic invite, but you must fish all nine EQs and do well enough to qualify for one of the nine invitations B.A.S.S. grants into the Elite Series the next following season.
Entry fee is $1,800 per event and 175 anglers have signed up. Thomas, who graduated from Western Michigan University and was president of the school’s college bass team, will be banging heads with some of the country’s best anglers.
For example, former Classic qualifiers Ish Monroe and Bobby Lane, who left B.A.S.S. three years ago to fish the fledgling Pro Bass Tour (MLF), are entered in the Open EQs with hopes of getting back to the Classic and Elites.
Other veterans Bo will be fishing against include Tennessee pro Brad Knight, the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup champion along with a string of former Elites, including Destin DeMarion, Charlie Hartley, Dale Hightower, Harvey Horne, Shane Lineberger, Yusuke Miyazaki, Kyle Monti, James Niggemeyer, Garrett Paquette and Casey Scanlon.
Does he find that intimidating?
“Not really,” said Thomas. “I’m just excited to see the level of competition. I got to fish against a lot of good anglers at the collegiate level and I’ve done pretty well fishing out of state. I know a lot of the veteran pros and it’s going to be cool to fish against guys that my dad once fished against.”
Polar Bear Open Report
The final Polar Bear Opens bass tournament brought high winds and low temps but the home team of Steve Kline and Aaron Likens pulled off the win.
Kline and Likens had 14.57 pounds, anchored by a 4.30 pounder that won them the big bass pot. They fished jigs and blade baits to win $270 for first and $80 for big bass.
Tournament Director Lee Duracz said several fish were caught in 8 feet or less which was shallower than most anglers expected. Weather likely limited the field to eight boats.
Second place went to Scott and LeeAnn Sizemore with 12.52 pounds. They used blade baits and Ned rigs.
Polar Bear Report
Jeremy Bunnell and Lee Duracz captured another Polar Bear victory, winning on the St. Joseph River at 6 Span last weekend.
The winners ($500) had 8.76 pounds with for 4 overs. They caught all their fish in the main river channel around isolated cover in 12-17 feet. Most of the fish came on Ned Rigs, but they caught a few on blade baits and A-rigs. They said they lost a lot of fish as well.
Second place ($250) went to Jake Otto and girlfriend Kylla Vaillancourt with the only true limit of 4 overs and 1 under that weighed 8.70 pounds.