New Major League Bass Pro Series Started
Johnny Morris Support Was Crucial to MLF
The ceremonial first cast to start the new Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour was made today when Bass Pro Shops founder, Johnny Morris, tossed a lure into Florida’s Lake Toho.
Morris was instrumental in MLF’s fast-moving evolution that resulted in the formation of the Bass Pro Tour. Announcement of the new tour was made just last September, so a lot of things had to happen fast in order to make the season a reality in the short period of time between then and this point in January.
But Morris has been breathing new life and light into fishing ever since he started Bass Pro Shops in the 70s.
MLF President and CEO Jim Wilburn said, “This is a giant day for anglers everywhere and it’s exciting to think it’s just the start of so many good things to come, including introducing fishing to a broader audience that likely will inspire people who have never fished before to give it a try and the knowledge for how to do it.”
Jan 29 – Feb. 3 is the First Series
The Bass Pro Tour event on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Jan. 29 – Feb. 3, brings many activities that can be enjoyed through live stream programming, as well as on location at the Lake Toho Marina.
Round #1: Howell on Top w/ Big Catch
A well-known name on pro bass circuits jumped out to a big lead in Round 1 of the new Major League Fishing Pro Tour Tuesday on Florida's Kissimmee Chain. Alabama angler Randy Howell caught and released 26 fish for a total weight of 49 pounds, 12 ounces to put himself well ahead of the pack.
California angler Ish Monroe was second with 40-13, Zack Birge third with 36-0. The 40 anglers from Tuesday’s Group A will compete again on Thursday, Jan. 31, adding their totals from today’s round to their Elimination Round. The Top 20 weights from the elimination rounds will advance to the Knockout Round against the top 20 from Group B, which is competing today and Friday.
During the day, there were three 2:30 fishing sessions with lines in, separated by two 30 minute breaks in the action. In total there were 7:30 hours of actual competition fishing.
The Bait and Strategy of the Leaders
Howell caught six fish for 11-5 in a 41-minute span (most of it on a 3-inch Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad swimbait and a homemade lipless crankbait), and then added nine fish for 15-9 in the final hour of Period 3 to distance himself from Ish Monroe (40-13), Zack Birge (36-0), Gerald Spohrer (35-4) and Ott DeFoe (35-14).
“The wind changed direction three times this afternoon, so my biggest task was to adjust to how it would move the bait around,” Howell said. “We had these windows where cormorants were really chasing the bait, and I was just trying to stay where the bait was. I’d move ahead of them and let the wind blow me back through them, and that’s when I had those flurries.”
Monroe took a decidedly different approach, catching 11 of his fish punching a Missle Baits Craw Father. The California native, who was a pre-event favorite because of his previous success in big-fish fisheries, caught seven fish 3 pounds or heavier, including a 5-4 and a 4-15.
“I didn’t do anything really great today – I probably left 15 pounds of fish out there that I didn’t execute on – but my goal in the Elimination Round is to catch 10 pounds and then spend the rest of the day looking for new stuff,” Monroe admitted.
BoatTEST will be following the MLF each weekday with a recap on Monday February 4th.
Shotgun Round – Group 1
Action on Lake Toho – All Photos Below by Garrick Dixon