Winter 2020
®
It is a good feeling going into the new year for MLF knowing that the people are loving it and that was the feedback even before any of the shows aired on TV.
At the Red Crest, we had our $300,000 payout, the live streaming and there is still the TV show that started airing on the Discovery channel in October, Saturday morning at 7 a.m. Eastern.
For the 2020 season, we will fish for the Red Crest that is in 2021. We all voted on moving it to the spring of 2021. The bigger fish are caught in the spring and we want to catch the biggest fish in our biggest event.
It will be huge because there is so much star power and marketing power with Johnny Morris, all the hunting, fishing and NASCAR industries added in with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, who owns the Nuggets and the Los Angeles Rams. Everyone will work together collectively in 2020 to make the Red Crest of March 2021 the biggest event ever!
THE NEW PATH
I have a unique perspective of MLF, the FLW feeder system and the Red Crest opportunity because I’ve been through the old fishing system and I have the opportunity of going through the new system as a pro, but I also have the chance to watch it from the beginning with my sons.
That’s what’s exciting for us having boys that love to fish and wanting to try their luck and come up and compete similar to what I’ve done. I have a lot of confidence in the new path and new opportunities. Especially now that I can see it from behind the scenes, watching it being built with all the right people in the right places. We are making things happen as a group, with great leadership doing things that no one ‘s ever done before in this sport.
I think by the time that my son Laker (who is in college now) is old enough to go into the pro ranks, he is going to have a lot more opportunities and then when my younger son, Oakley (who is in eighth grade now) makes it into college, it will really have grown with a lot more
opportunities to make money and make a living doing what they love – tournament fishing.
FISH CATCHING BAITS
I have to say that I weighed in at least half of my fish caught throughout this whole eight tournament tour using a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko. It was amazing how many fish came on that and the 3-inch fat Senko on the Ned head. My Ned head is a Do-it molds Midwest finesse head that you can pour yourself with a better hook. That is really a great fish catching bait, especially in tough conditions and it excels in our format – the no limit format.
NEW GEAR FOR THE MLF YEAR
R&D with Daiwa: I was excited to have the Tatula long cast reel with me this past year and it truly would cast 20- to 30-feet farther than any other reel that I’ve used.
It is one that we worked on through the Daiwa Project T. It’s cool to have input on rods and reels in those special
events that
Daiwa puts
together every
year for us. It is
the best way to
collaborate and
make
better gear
that you get
to see come to
fruition.
It is that
simple. We
wanted a
lighter reel
that would cast
Filming on G-Ville
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