TOP PROS LOOK TO SETTLE SCORES AT THE PLANO BASSMASTER ELITE EVENT ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Plano, makers of the world’s premier tackle storage products, supports bass fishing at all levels – most recently through title sponsorship of the Sept. 8-11 Plano Bassmaster Elite event on the Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wis. The tournament is the 2016 season finale for bass fishing’s most prestigious tour.
It has been three years since a Bassmaster Elite event has been held in La Crosse, where the shallow backwaters of the Upper Mississippi River hide hordes of cookie-cutter largemouth bass beneath broad expanses of grass and pads. If history counts for anything, anglers and fans should expect this year’s Mississippi River event to be a game of ounces – one battled with frogs fished over shallow, hard-bottomed weed flats.
Plano pro Brent Chapman won Bassmaster’s prestigious Toyota Angler of the Year Award in 2012. He fished the Elite events in La Crosse in both 2012 and 2013, and has a host of Top-10 finishes on large river systems. “Competition is always tight in La Crosse,” says Chapman, who expects most anglers in this year’s hunt on the Mississippi to live or die by the frog. “Doing well in La Crosse requires limits of solid, three-pound bass … and just about everyone will be catching 2½ to 3-pounders,” he continues.
Chapman’s math checks out, as Todd Faircloth won in La Crosse in 2012 with 62-4, while Tommy Biffle bested the Elite field in 2013 with 64-2. Interestingly, Biffle abandoned his green bass ways late during the final day; putting together a tournament-winning smallmouth pattern employing his namesake Biffle Bug to shock the field and overcome a three-pound deficit. The lesson? The Upper Mississippi’s ever-present bronzeback wildcard is always in play in La Crosse.
In addition to Chapman, bass fans should keep their eyes on Plano-sponsored Bassmaster Elite pros Kevin VanDam (KVD), Stephen Browning, Brian Snowden, John Murray and 2015 Rookie of the Year Brent Ehrler when they roll into Wisconsin’s Coulee Country early next month.
Ehrler is coming off a strong third-place finish at the recent Bassmaster Elite event at the Potomac River. Of course, KVD is also red-hot, posting three Elite Series wins so far in his 2016 comeback season. Murray, too, can be considered a river specialist, with Elite Series top-ten finishes on the Alabama, Arkansas and Niagara Rivers.
“La Crosse is a fan-favorite stop on the Bassmaster Elite Tour,” says Plano Synergy Vice President of Marketing, Pete Angle, who points to the city’s unique combination of significant outdoor recreational, historical and cultural amenities as reasons for its popularity. “We’re very appreciative of the relationship we have with Bassmaster and are excited to be sponsoring this Elite event in such an excellent venue.” To celebrate their involvement, Plano will offer fans a variety of special exhibits, programs and giveaways, headquartered from their booth near the weigh-in stage.
“We’ll have a big variety of the latest Plano and Frabill products on display for fans to check out,” says Plano Synergy Marketing Manager – Fishing, Christina Wiese. “And we’re giving Plano 3600 Series Stow-Aways to the first one-hundred people through the booth on each Saturday and Sunday.” In addition to showcasing their latest tackle storage products, the iconic company will participate in Bassmaster’s Fan Frenzy before each day’s weigh-in, tossing a variety of Plano and Frabill goodies into the crowd. Minnow races will be held for the kids. Plano pro Dale Stroschein, a Wisconsin-based tournament walleye angler and USCG-licensed Captain plying the waters of Green Bay, will also be on hand with his boat to provide informative demonstrations covering on-board rigging and tackle management.
Fans who can’t make the Plano Bassmaster Elite at the Mississippi Riverin person can get in on the fun online. “Plano will have a giveaway on social media, as well,” says Wiese. “Five fans will win a Plano KVD Elite Tackle Bag, and one grand prize winner will receive a Guide Series Tackle Bag autographed by three bass fishing legends, a KVD Elite Tackle Bag, a Waterproof Guide Series Box, a Frabill Crankbait Net, and a Frabill Aerated Bait Bucket.”
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. 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 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 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, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
Plano: Original Fishing Gear, Since 1952
Owning Plano® quality is a tradition that began when the company created the first-ever molded plastic tackle box in 1952. Since then, the Plano brand has found its way into the hearts and hands of four generations. There are many reasons why anglers choose Plano, including quality, variety-of-style, performance and innovation, but our favorite is “It’s what my dad always used.”
By: Leslie Sundahl Vick, Traditions Media
