03-11-2009, 11:10 AM
Oroville, Calif. - Announced only last week, the Bass Tackle Depot .com Professional Fishing Team wasted little time in proving their mettle as anglers at three separate events March 5- 8. The Bass Tackle Depot .com fishing team is built of anglers from all levels of the sport, and true to their skill and professionalism, showed that the BTD Pros and College teams are a force to be reckoned with.
The BTD Fishing Team's sturdy performance was led by Bassmaster Elite Series Pro James Niggemeyer of Van, Tex. who claimed his third BASS victory when he won the first Bassmaster Central Open of the 2009 season on Toledo Bend Reservoir, which straddles the borders of Texas and Louisiana.
Niggemeyer used sightfishing techniques to finish in a tie for first place with fellow Texan Jerrel Pringle on the tournament's scheduled final day on Saturday, March 7. The pair of anglers would return to Toledo Bend on Sunday for a fish off tiebreaker on Sunday, where Niggemeyer would seal his victory in a three and a half hour fishing period.
"I used sightfishing to get into the position of winning," said the 38-year-old pro. "I made my mind up to do the same thing that got me into the position to be in a fish off, so I went back to the areas that got me here in the first place."
Upon finding that the spawners in his primary area had moved on overnight, the former Bassmaster Southern Tour Angler of the Year put his trolling motor down and went looking for new targets. The approach netted him a 14-pound, 2-ounce limit of Toledo Bend largemouth that netted him his third win and a $51,686 first prize.
"I used a series of baits to get into the fish off; I really threw the kitchen sink at them," said the veteran angler. "However, during the fish off, a Strike King SVD Perfect Plastics Zero and Baby Rage Tail Craw produced all of the fish." He rigged his baits on a heavy action seven foot St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Slop 'n Frog rod and an Ardent XS1000 reel, which he said was a key to presenting baits to wary spawning fish. "The smoothness of the reel helped me stay back from the fish and keep from spooking them."
While Niggemeyer was winning in Texas, two other Bass Tackle Depot .com pros were standing tall in FLW Stren Series competition on California's Clear Lake. Matt Newman of Agoura Hills, Calif. and Chad Martin of Plumas Lake, Calif., both made the top 10 in a heavyweight battle on the famed northern California big bass factory.
Newman grabbed 6th place and Martin 7th in the first Stren Series Western Division event of 2009. Newman used a medium running Clear Red Black Back LaserLure crankbait on the cloudy days and green pumpkin Picasso Ken Cook Fantasy Football Jig with a brown and purple Roboworm Kicker Craw as a trailer when the sun was out. Both the crankbait and jig were thrown on Shimano Cumara rods and Core reels spooled with 12 pound Izorline fluorocarbon line. His 57-pound, 4-ounce total weight included a 2nd day heavyweight performance that included the second day's big bass, an 8-pound, 12-ounce Clear Lake largemouth.
Meanwhile Martin's solid performance was jumpstarted by his first day limit of 23 pounds, 4 ounces, which, like Newman included a giant 9-pund, 12-ounce lunker that was big bass on day one. Martin used a chartreuse and blue 3/8-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait with tandem gold blades and a five inch green pumpkin Yamamoto Senko to fool his bass. The spinnerbait was thrown on a Powell 733 CF casting rod paired with a Shimano Chronarch Mg Super Free spooled with 15-pound P-Line CXX line. His Senko setup included a Powell 733MEF spinning rod and Shimano Stradic MgfB reel with 10-pound-test braided line and an 8-pound test P-Line Fluorocarbon leader.
Not to be outdone, the Bass Tackle Depot .com college teams performed equally strong as four of the teams finished in the top 12 at the first event of FLW College Fishing's 2009 season. The Sacramento State University Team of Stephen Lesiur and Matthew Paul finished 2nd with a 6 fish limit of 19 pounds, 4 ounces. While the Chico State University Team of Spencer Moran and Marshal Smith grabbed 8th place with five fish for 13 pounds, 15 ounces. Sac State's Alec Brassington and Christopher Wong finished 11th with 11 pounds, 3 ounces and Chico State's Matt Dixon and Mike Reis grabbed 12th place with 10 pounds, 15 ounces.
All told, the Bass Tackle Depot.com fishing team collected $62,764 in winnings in a three day period. For more on the Bass Tackle Depot Fishing Team or to order the products associated with these anglers' success visit www.basstackledepot.com; where the pros shop.
Bass Tackle Depot ..com is a leading Internet Retailer of premium bass fishing tackle and accessories. Operated by hardcore bass anglers who know what the bass fishing enthusiast requires to pursue their quarry. Bass Tackle Depot .com is the Internet home of brick and mortar establishments, Oroville Outdoors in Oroville, Calif., Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport, Calif. and soon to open Delta Outdoors, in Oakley, Calif. Bass Tackle Depot is a part of MAM Marketing Group, which is the parent company of Bass West USA Magazine, Westernbass.com, Westernbass.tv, Swimbaitnation.com and U.S. Anglers Choice tournament trails.
Media Contact
Daniel O'Sullivan, danobass@sbcglobal.com
The BTD Fishing Team's sturdy performance was led by Bassmaster Elite Series Pro James Niggemeyer of Van, Tex. who claimed his third BASS victory when he won the first Bassmaster Central Open of the 2009 season on Toledo Bend Reservoir, which straddles the borders of Texas and Louisiana.
Niggemeyer used sightfishing techniques to finish in a tie for first place with fellow Texan Jerrel Pringle on the tournament's scheduled final day on Saturday, March 7. The pair of anglers would return to Toledo Bend on Sunday for a fish off tiebreaker on Sunday, where Niggemeyer would seal his victory in a three and a half hour fishing period.
"I used sightfishing to get into the position of winning," said the 38-year-old pro. "I made my mind up to do the same thing that got me into the position to be in a fish off, so I went back to the areas that got me here in the first place."
Upon finding that the spawners in his primary area had moved on overnight, the former Bassmaster Southern Tour Angler of the Year put his trolling motor down and went looking for new targets. The approach netted him a 14-pound, 2-ounce limit of Toledo Bend largemouth that netted him his third win and a $51,686 first prize.
"I used a series of baits to get into the fish off; I really threw the kitchen sink at them," said the veteran angler. "However, during the fish off, a Strike King SVD Perfect Plastics Zero and Baby Rage Tail Craw produced all of the fish." He rigged his baits on a heavy action seven foot St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Slop 'n Frog rod and an Ardent XS1000 reel, which he said was a key to presenting baits to wary spawning fish. "The smoothness of the reel helped me stay back from the fish and keep from spooking them."
While Niggemeyer was winning in Texas, two other Bass Tackle Depot .com pros were standing tall in FLW Stren Series competition on California's Clear Lake. Matt Newman of Agoura Hills, Calif. and Chad Martin of Plumas Lake, Calif., both made the top 10 in a heavyweight battle on the famed northern California big bass factory.
Newman grabbed 6th place and Martin 7th in the first Stren Series Western Division event of 2009. Newman used a medium running Clear Red Black Back LaserLure crankbait on the cloudy days and green pumpkin Picasso Ken Cook Fantasy Football Jig with a brown and purple Roboworm Kicker Craw as a trailer when the sun was out. Both the crankbait and jig were thrown on Shimano Cumara rods and Core reels spooled with 12 pound Izorline fluorocarbon line. His 57-pound, 4-ounce total weight included a 2nd day heavyweight performance that included the second day's big bass, an 8-pound, 12-ounce Clear Lake largemouth.
Meanwhile Martin's solid performance was jumpstarted by his first day limit of 23 pounds, 4 ounces, which, like Newman included a giant 9-pund, 12-ounce lunker that was big bass on day one. Martin used a chartreuse and blue 3/8-ounce War Eagle spinnerbait with tandem gold blades and a five inch green pumpkin Yamamoto Senko to fool his bass. The spinnerbait was thrown on a Powell 733 CF casting rod paired with a Shimano Chronarch Mg Super Free spooled with 15-pound P-Line CXX line. His Senko setup included a Powell 733MEF spinning rod and Shimano Stradic MgfB reel with 10-pound-test braided line and an 8-pound test P-Line Fluorocarbon leader.
Not to be outdone, the Bass Tackle Depot .com college teams performed equally strong as four of the teams finished in the top 12 at the first event of FLW College Fishing's 2009 season. The Sacramento State University Team of Stephen Lesiur and Matthew Paul finished 2nd with a 6 fish limit of 19 pounds, 4 ounces. While the Chico State University Team of Spencer Moran and Marshal Smith grabbed 8th place with five fish for 13 pounds, 15 ounces. Sac State's Alec Brassington and Christopher Wong finished 11th with 11 pounds, 3 ounces and Chico State's Matt Dixon and Mike Reis grabbed 12th place with 10 pounds, 15 ounces.
All told, the Bass Tackle Depot.com fishing team collected $62,764 in winnings in a three day period. For more on the Bass Tackle Depot Fishing Team or to order the products associated with these anglers' success visit www.basstackledepot.com; where the pros shop.
Bass Tackle Depot ..com is a leading Internet Retailer of premium bass fishing tackle and accessories. Operated by hardcore bass anglers who know what the bass fishing enthusiast requires to pursue their quarry. Bass Tackle Depot .com is the Internet home of brick and mortar establishments, Oroville Outdoors in Oroville, Calif., Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport, Calif. and soon to open Delta Outdoors, in Oakley, Calif. Bass Tackle Depot is a part of MAM Marketing Group, which is the parent company of Bass West USA Magazine, Westernbass.com, Westernbass.tv, Swimbaitnation.com and U.S. Anglers Choice tournament trails.
Media Contact
Daniel O'Sullivan, danobass@sbcglobal.com