|
|
|
RAY
SCOTT OUTDOORS Bass Boat
Locking Device File this under, "you're not going to believe it happened." Particularly to Mark Williams, the designer and innovator of TAKL-SAF, the popular theft deterrent system for bass boats. The unique T-bar system provides a bass boater with a secure, stainless steel lock-up for as many as five compartments, usually found on the pro-style bass boat. Says Mark Williams, "I believe you will find this to be the most complete theft deterrent system on the market. This is a great product for serious tournament and recreational fishermen alike. We all need to protect our valuable tackle. Don't be fooled into thinking it will not happen to you." Yes, it happened to Mark Williams at the 18th annual Fishing Expo & Boat Show. A thief broke into his truck parked at a Timonium, Maryland motel. Mark's TAKL-SAF keeps would-be thiefs at bay, stopping break-ins to boat compartments. But, smashing a window in his vehicle is another matter. Hang around the Tournament Trail and you'll most likely hear horror tales of stolen rods and reels and vandalized boats. Mark's integral locking system provides peace of mind. As Dustin Wilks, the 1998 Bassmaster Eastern Invitational points leader notes, "I used to carry my tackle into the hotel room with me every night. Loading and unloading every day became a chore that I didn't enjoy. Now, I just install my TAKL-SAF and forget about it." Ball-jointed, crossbar sockets allow for installation on most bass boats. For more information, see Mark Williams website: www.takl-saf.com. *************** Speaking of the wired webworld, how bass boaters shop and do business is changing with the click of a mouse and a turn of a website page. "We have a huge web site for our customer's shopping convenience," says Bill Horn of Angler's Choice Bass Boat Superstore in Martinsville, Virginia. The website address is: www.anglerschoicemarine.com Shopping on the web is one thing, but when it's time to buy there's no better place or opportunity to see the lineup of new TRITON Boats than at a 2002 Boat Show, such as the Bass-A-Rama, the long-running bassman's spring-opener in Richmond, Virginia. Host Ronnie Bache attracted over 15,000 visitors this past weekend, January 25-27. "Angler's Choice is one of the largest pure bass boat dealers in the country," points out Bill Horn, who offers TRITON's No. 1 selling fiberglass high-performance hulls and Skeeter at the dealership, located at 6771 A. L. Philpott Hwy. in Martinsville. Asked about the key to his dealership's success, Horn offered, "We sell only the top name bass boats by manufacturers, who build the best and back what they build." But, as Bill Horn knows, "The manufacturer makes the boats, but the dealer makes the difference." The dealership has a 10-point Angler's Choice Service Policy. The first objective is "to keep you on the water so you can enjoy your investment." And, Horn adds, "We lake test every new boat to make sure you have trouble-free performance on the water." Also, in this web-surfacing new world of bass boat buying it's good to read the fine print on any service policy. Angler's Choice wants the business regardless. "We will service your boat even if you did not purchase it from us," acknowledges Bill Horn. The 1st Annual Spring Open Team Bass Tournament, March 9, 2002, will be hosted by Angler's Choice on Smith Mountain Lake out of the Waterwheel Marina. Up for grabs is a guaranteed $5,000 first place purse. Triton is putting up $500 for the big fish pot, along with Skeeter, for the biggest largemouth and smallmouth, respectively. Entry fee is $100 per team and $20 for the big fish competition. Entry deadline is March 4, 2002. For information, contact: Angler's Choice, Ph (276) 632-5600. *************** For TRITON boaters, the key tournament date of the 2002 schedule is set for June 8th. The 3rd Annual TRITON Boats Owners Tournament will lure a field of 250 teams to Old Hickory Lake at Hendersonville, Tennessee. Neal Hart, marketing vice president and tournament chairman for TRITON, says the demand has reached the point where only 250 boats (teams) will be allowed to compete. Entries are open to "all persons who own a Triton boat and their partners." All entries will be by U.S. Mail, and the tournament contenders will be by drawing, conducted April 4, 2002 at the TRITON plant in Ashland City, Tennessee. Entry fee is $200 per boat, including the big fish challenge. The winner nets $6,000 with the big bass worth $3,000. The full field of 250 boats will payout $50,000 in awards. "All entries not drawn will have their entry fees returned," said Neal Hart. The pre-tournament meeting, June 7, is set for the TRITON Boats plant at 15 Bluegrass Drive in Ashland City, Tennessee from 4-7 p.m. Earl Bentz says the first week of June should be on target for a good creel on Old Hickory. The weigh-in at the Sanders Ferry Ramp will be exciting and as the weigh-in master-of-ceremonies, I'm looking forward to a good tournament and big turnout. For a 2002 Triton Owners Tournament entry form, drop by your local TRITON Boats dealer or visit the company's website at www.tritonboats.com. Mail entries to: Triton Owners Tournament, P. O. Box 822, Goodlettsville, TN 37070. *************** TRITON Team pro staffer Guy Eaker, a 25-year veteran of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, says the reported revival of Georgia's famed Lake Seminole is not dock talk. "There's a bunch of 3-to-5 pound bass being caught all over the lake," says the Cherryville, North Carolina pro. "The proof will be in the creels at the Bassmaster tournament there on February 6-9," believes Eaker. The 37,500-acre impoundment on the Chattahoochee River in the early 1990s produced hefty catches of largemouth bass with North Carolina pro David Fritts recording an amazing 91 pounds, 3 ounces in his 1994 win. But the amazing turned to "amazement" as the bass fishery mysteriously went into a tailspin. The so-called "100-year flood" reportedly destroyed the grassbeds and the resulting high waters washed a chemical spill from upstream into Lake Seminole. After a pre-tournament scouting trip, Guy Eaker couldn't hide his confidence. "Boy, if conditions will hold up, I'm pumped up about the prospects of culling a 20-to-25-pound bag," he enthused during the Bass-A-Rama Boat Show, where he was working the Triton's display with Angler's Choice Marine. The mild-winter in the south Georgia-Alabama area has water temperatures inching into the 60-degree range, and largemouth bass staging and moving toward the spawning coves. "There may be some bass on the beds," says Eaker, "but I don't believe the tournament can be won sight -fishing for spawning bass. I'm figuring the big strings will be caught from the areas 5-to-6 feet or less where the bass are staging." The Georgia Bassmaster tournament weigh-ins will take place in Bainbridge at the Earl May Boat Basin, starting at 3 p.m. For information contact: Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce, Ph (229) 246-4734. *************** The "Catch 'n Release" attitude among bass fishermen has multiplied the recycling of bass since we adopted the "Don't Kill Your Catch" program on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail back in 1972. Without a doubt, the tournament live release idea has insured the future of bass fishing on our waters. The bass fishing conservation program is spilling over into many more creels outside the tournament arena. I'm told the New River near Beckley, West Virginia is providing some of the "most exciting trophy smallmouth bass fishing in the world." There's a reason. The 12 mile section from Sandstone to Quinnimont, since January 2001, is designated a catch and release fishery for smallmouth bass. According to the Twin Rivers Outfitters, a float trip operation based in Daniels, West Virginia, they've practiced catch 'n release for over 10 years. "As winter eases up in early-March, the trophy smallmouth kick into the pre-spawn mode and provides the best opportunity for a 5-pound and over fish," claims Sam Neely, the whitewater float service operator. Breaking down the nine-month season, May and June produce large bass and numbers. July and August means topwater action. Into the fall, September-October trips provide picturesque scenery and numerous strikes. The season ends in mid-November. These half-day or full-day trips are conducted by trained guides in whitewater rafting. If you're into fly fishing-an expert or interested beginner-the Twin River Outfitters offer a special two-day fly fishing trip and instructional clinic. For information, call 800-982-3467 or visit the Twin Rivers Outfitters web site: http://wvweb.com/twinrivers/index.html. Or E-mail: samneely@cwv.net. -30-
|