Lake Ray Roberts in North Texas will be the site of the First Annual Abu Garcia Revo Big Bass No-Slot Tournament. The inaugural tournament is scheduled for Saturday, September 12th according to Andrew Marks, Abu Garcia Sr. Marketing Manager.

The event will feature the hourly payback format used at the popular Berkley Big Bass Challenge held each year on Texas’s Lake Fork. Anglers will be competing for a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 to be awarded to the person weighing in the largest bass of the day.

Any Big Bass hourly winner using a Revo low profile baitcast reel will win 2 Revo SX reels and a pair of new 2010 Abu Garcia rods – one each of the Vendetta and Vengeance. Abu Garcia is just now introducing these rods to anglers nationwide.

Ten places will be awarded cash each hour with the big hourly bass worth $500. The second largest hourly bass is worth $400 and the payout scale graduates to $120 for the 10th largest hourly bass.

Ray Roberts Marina will host the event. The entry fee is $120 per person and on-site registration at the Marina will be open Friday, September 11, from 9 am to 11 am and again at 4 pm to 7 pm. Saturday registration will be available beginning at 4:30 am. A complete set of tournament rules and more tournament information can be found at www.basschamps.com or by calling 817-247-2974.

The Vendetta and Vengeance rods are factory balanced specifically for use with Abu Garcia Revo baitcast and Soron spinning reels. Rod blank design and construction is tailor made for bass fishing with premium rod components for reel seats, guides and handles. For more information on these products can be found at www.abugarcia.com.

The Abu Garcia Revo Big Bass Tournament is hosted by BassChamps, the number one tournament trail in Texas.

“Alongside the Bro Series, Ice Hunter is the most comprehensive series of ice rod actions ever developed,” stated Frabill Marketing V.P., Jeff Kolodzinski.” These are technique focused rod and reel combos; each precision application designed to target individual species. To do this, we collaborated with top guides and anglers who ice fish world renowned waters.

“In designing these combos, we didn’t ask a walleye expert for input on a panfish combo, or vice versa,” states Kolodzinski. “To assemble a premium bluegill combo, for example, we called on Walt and Poppie Mattan, famed creators of the Rat Finkee jig. Their combined experience with big ‘gills is legendary. And we think the 26-inch Quick Tip Bluegill combo hits the sweet spot for fishing micro ice plastics.”

Along these same lines, there’s the 22-inch Quick-Tip Crappie, created by Scott Glorvigen, a professional angler renowned for his prowess with trophy black crappies. The rod’s Quick-Tip is a perfect match for microlight jigs and finicky-biting panfish.

Then there’s the 24-inch Finesse Perch rod, drafted by Hall of Famer Tom Neustrom, who tracks perch schools in Minnesota’s famed lakes Leech and Winnibigoshish. Similarly, for a Perch/Finesse Walleye stick, Devils Lake, North Dakota guide Jason Feldner was a logical choice. And crafting Ice Hunter’s walleye/pike combos — 26-inch medium Deep Water Walleye and 32-inch medium heavy Trophy Walleye/Pike Jigging models — were veteran guides Dale Stroschein and Paul Nelson, respectively.

On the predator front, Great Lakes guide Captain Eric Haataja created a 38-inch Trout/Heavy Jigging combo. This choice rod sports a custom glass Quick-Tip that absorbs the shock of powerful predators. “This is the finest combo out there. It meets the needs of anglers from Rocky Mountain reservoirs to the Great Lakes,” says Haataja.

Besides Haataja’s Trout combo, which features glass, each of the other six rods are founded on solid graphite blanks adorned with stainless steel ice guides to prevent freezing. For handles, Frabill incorporated high-grade tapered custom cork, which provides warmth, ergonomic comfort and precision control over any presentation.
Unlike many companies that scrimp on the reel, Frabill took its characteristic high road, incorporating first-rate features that perform optimally in extreme cold. Infinite anti-reverse, multi-disc, front load drag, and three plus one ball-bearings ensure liquid smooth operation. Each reel also includes a machined-aluminum spool, and is injected with special Sub-Zero™ lubricant for seamless operation in the coldest temperatures. This winter, Ice Hunter offers anglers everywhere the rare privilege of mingling with ice fishing’s dream team.

2007 Bassmaster Classic Boyd Duckett is no longer with E21, the company who produced the orange Carrot Stik fishing rod.

Some highlights why he parted:

Duckett said he has severed ties with E-21 because of “strong disagreements over construction of the Carrot Stix series rods” and “because of the financial instability” of the Toronto, Canada-based company. Duckett said he believes his reputation as an angler and businessman would have been damaged had he maintained his relationship with the company.

Duckett learned recently that the Carrot Stix rods being sold in stores are not built as Duckett and Whiting had originally discussed. The rods are different from the prototypes that won ICAST in 2007. The rods are also different than the Carrot Stix rods Duckett uses while fishing on tour.

“The bottom line is that we have strong differences of opinion over the whole Carrot Stix concept. For example, I’m concerned about the general quality of the rods being made and how warranties are being honored. And I’ve learned that there are too many warranty claims being made for me to continue putting my endorsement on the Carrot Stix. I don’t want any part of the direction E-21 is now going.”

E21 Fishing started out with rods made specifically for bass anglers but as we have seen in the recent past years they have expanded into fly and saltwater application rods, and from last year’s ICAST even apparel.

In the upcoming ICAST 2009 in Orlando Florida, E21 will be introducing two new series of rods, a Jiggin’ Stik for saltwater anglers and Carp Rods for fresh. The show is only one month away and as we get more information we’ll be giving you the latest about these E21 fishing rods. Now the question is… will they be Carrot orange?

Quantum will be introducing a new series of rods at the Classic in Red River,  LA.

Making their debut in the Quantum booth will be the brand new Tour Elite Signature Series of rods custom designed by top pros like VanDam, Hackney, Biffle and others. It will also be the first chance for many consumers to see and feel the newly redesigned Quantum PT baitcast and spinning reels.