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Uncategorized by bassnomadJul 7, 20186:47 pm

If it seems like we’ve known Bradley Roy since he was a child, that’s because it’s mostly true: Roy started fishing the Opens when he was 18, and became the youngest Elite qualifier in history shortly thereafter. Now at the ripe old age of 27, Roy is the man to beat. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Brent Chapman finds himself in the thick of the AOY race for the first time since he won that award in 2012, and he can thank an off-season adjustment for this year’s success: “I simplified everything I do. It’s really made a difference in my day-to-day success.” BASS photo by Seigo Saito.

I think we can all stop feeling sorry for Casey Ashley when he complains (good-naturedly) about his dislike of smallmouth. Ashley is fresh off a second-place finish on Lake Oahe, and he finished in the Top 10 the last time the Elites fished the St. Lawrence River in 2017. That said, watch out for Ashley if he heads into the AOY Championship on Lake Chatuge within 15 points of the lead, he’ll be right at home in that Blue Ridge Mountains fishery. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Josh Bertrand has been the most consistent Elite pro in 2018: he’s finished in the Top 50 at every event, with two Top 10s. Expect Bertrand to make a surge inside the Top 6 at the St. Lawrence event: he’s finished 8th, 11th and 16th the three times the Elites have fished there. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Justin Lucas will be the first to admit that he entered the 2018 season with a chip on his shoulder after a dramatically sub-par season in 2017. Mission accomplished: Lucas is the hottest angler on the roster heading into the Chesapeake Bay event, notching three Top 12s in a row. Photo by Joel Shangle.

It seems impossible to get away from this guy: Ott DeFoe is having a great season by any measure, but he’s just a few ounces shy of an EXTRAORDINARY season. The Tennessee pro has finished 13th – just out of the Championship Sunday cut – three times this year. He’s been slightly inconsistent on the St. Lawrence, finishing third there in 2014, but then slipping to 78th and 99th in 2015 and 2017. Photo by Joel Shangle.

The quietest AOY race: who will claim the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series crown?

Is it just me, or is this the quietest Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year race in history? Here we are just two events away from the 2018 AOY Championship, and there’s nary a […]

Photos by bassnomadFeb 20, 20188:35 pm

Bass Nomad: our 2018 clients

It’s an extreme honor and pleasure to work with these fine companies in 2018.

Photos by bassnomadSep 7, 20178:14 pm

Oakely Howell wonders “How did that fish not eat my dad?” as Livingston pro Randy Howell bags up a giant on Day 3. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Gene Larew pro Tommy Biffle loaded up a behemoth on Day 2. Photo by Joel Shangle.

King Leonidas returned to Sparta. Rather, Daiwa pro Seth Feider returned to Mille Lacs. With 26-2. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Tackle Warehouse pro Jared Lintner tucked behind two Mille Lacs tubs. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Simms pro James Elam averaged 4.5 pounds a smallmouth … and finished fifth! Photo by Joel Shangle.

Livingston pro Hank Cherry, just another toad. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Megabass pro Chris Zaldain wrestled 26-1 of Mille Lacs smallies into his Day 2 bag. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Rigid Industries pro Brandon Palaniuk: “How do I get 22 pounds of smallmouth into a 20-pound bag?” Photo by Joel Shangle.

Bass Mafia pro Greg Hackney piled up a personal-best 23-5 on Day 1.

Mercury pro Greg Hackney called this 6-pounder “Ol’ Big”. Right so, because she was ol’ and she was BIG. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Quicksilver Marine pro Jacob Powroznik loads up 23-4 on Day 2. Photo by Joel Shangle.

#tbt to the time in Mille Lacs …

… when the dinosaurs came to town. With the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year Championship – and high-noon shootout between Brandon Palaniuk and Jason Christie – bearing down on us next week […]

Uncategorized by bassnomadMay 25, 201712:01 am

1. They call Livingston pro Andy Morgan “The GOAT” for a reason. This is the last guy I ever want to fish against, and the first guy’s house I’m going to in a zombie apocalypse. Photo by Joel Shangle.

2. YUM pro Jason Christie is also my starting shooting guard in any game of pickup 3-on-3. Photo by Joel Shangle.

3. Does it seem like BPS pro Ott Defoe has been around forever?!? Well, he hasn’t. He’s just been so damned good in the six years he’s fished the Elite Series that it just seems like it: Top 20 50% of his tournaments! Photo by Joel Shangle.

4. Talk to Fitzgerald Rods pro Bryan Thrift before a tournament and you’ll swear he won’t catch a single fish. And then he’ll beat you 99 days out of 100. Photo by Joel Shangle.

5. I can tell that the rest of the Elite Series field is nervous that Rigid pro Brandon Palaniuk has matured into a consistent Top 10 guy. He’s always had the ability to win tournaments, but now you throw in AOY-level consistency? Yeah, no thanks, I don’t want any part of a head-to-head with BP. Photo by Joel Shangle.

6. Is Enigma pro Aaron Martens having a down year? Well, yes, especially by his standards. But out of this list of nine, I’ll wager that Aaron is the guy THEY would least like to have to beat head-to-head. Photo by Joel Shangle.

7. Nicest guy you’ll ever meet, ol’ Ark Rods pro Randall Tharp … and then mention the word “compete” or “contest” or “game” and the Honey Badger comes out. The only way I’m ever facing off against Tharp is if it’s a drop-shot-only contest on Lake Washington, and Tharp is blindfolded. Photo by Joel Shangle.

8. You know when somebody just HAS it?!? You can’t even identify it, but you can tell that whatever IT is, they have it, and you don’t. Carhartt pro Jordan Lee owns “IT”. This guy is going to be a terror for the Elite Field for years to come. Photo by Joel Shangle.

9. Unless you’ve been on a boat with Quantum pro Kevin Vandam, you can’t begin to understand just what a machine he is. Not in a robotic way, but in an “I’m going to beat the daylights out of you” way. Photo by Joel Shangle.

The Nomad 9: Who would we least like to face in a head-to-head fish off?

SEATTLE – The latest Bassfan.com World Rankings are out, and it’s no stretch that Jacob Wheeler is the new No. 1. He rankles a fair number of his competitors with his scouting/practice habits, but when […]

Uncategorized by bassnomadMar 13, 201712:51 am

Livingston pro Jacob Powroznik’s breath says it on on a frigid Lake Cherokee morning. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Family pride: Alton Jones and Alton Jr. made their first Top 50 together at Cherokee. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Academy Sports pro Jacob Wheeler went 2-for-2 in his Elite Series career by winning the Cherokee trophy. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Gene Larew pro Jacob Wheeler found the right size smallies on Cherokee. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Looks like we’re back in Florida: Costa pro Casey Ashley heads out onto Okeechobee. Photo by Joel Shangle.

The bag that won it for Timmy Horton: Day 2, Horton brought some monsters to the party. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Livingston pro Randy Howell showed off a pair of Lake O. beauties. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Daiwa pro Andy Montgomery in the thick of it with some big fish. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Spiderwire pro Bobby Lane’s big Day 1 fish had his marshall’s attention. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Simms pro Brett Hite with an in-your-face giant from Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Bass Pro Shops pro Timmy Horton tried to absorb the fact that he had won. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Timmy Horton is thumbs up with his fifth Elite Serie strophy. Photo by Joel Shangle.

2017 Elite Series first-lap observations: Wheeler chills, Horton hangs on

For a season that started off so ice-cold (literally, it was below freezing at Cherokee Lake), things have heated up pretty quickly on the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series. Faced with an inordinately early start to […]

Uncategorized by bassnomadOct 30, 20166:35 pm

Morgan started off the 2016 season with a healthy Day 1 bag at Lake Okeechobee. Photo by Joel Shangle.

You could tell from Day 1 at Beaver Lake that Morgan was headed for another Top 12. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Yet another Championship Sunday sunrise greeted the GOAT at Beaver Lake. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Morgan bagged up his record 61st Top 10 at Beaver Lake. Photo by Joel Shangle.

The GOAT shows off a Pickwick Pair. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Livingston pro Andy Morgan loads up at Pickwick Lake. Photo by Joel Shangle.

“The fish are thataway,” Morgan said as he hopped to a new spot on Day 2 at the Forrest Wood Cup. Garmin photo by Joel Shangle.

Morgan was ready for Day 1 morning at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Time to make room for some more hardware at the Morgan residence. Photo by Joel Shangle.

A season in the life: Andy Morgan’s AOY year

As I write this, the man with the best (most fitting) nickname in professional bass fishing is likely hunkered in a ground blind in Nebraska, waiting for a chance to bring yet another monster mule-deer […]

Uncategorized by bassnomadSep 23, 20163:34 am

Rigid Industries pro Brandon Palaniuk tries to stuff 22 pounds of smallmouth into a 20-pound bag. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Trokar pro Chris Zaldain with 26.1 pounds of Mille Lacs monsters. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Livingston pro Hank Cherry caps off the week with a bag of 5-pounders. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Team Livingston at work as Oakley Howell supervises dad Randy’s 25-pound bag on Day 3. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Quigley pro Dave Lefebre hides behind a “witness protection program” giant. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Daiwa pro Seth Feider shows off one of the 5.5-pounders that he weighed. Photo by Joel Shangle.

No fish here. I just thought this was a cool photo. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Bass Pro Shops pro Jason Williamson with part of his haul from the week. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Yamaha pro Chris Zaldain likely had to file an OSHA claim after hoisting 26 pounds around. Photo by Joel Shangle.

This fish was one of over 30 that MinnKota pro Matt Herren caught on Day 2. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Simms pro James Elam with a bit one from Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Yamaha pro Takahiro Omori was one of several with 25-plus-pound bags. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Smallmouth smackdown! A look at the monsters of Mille Lacs Lake

ONAMIA, Minnesota – I should’ve known it was going to be a Gong Show when the first boat pulled into the parking lot at the Grand Casino on Day 1 at the AOY Championship set […]

Uncategorized by bassnomadSep 18, 201612:24 am

This Day 2 fish for Hackney was so big it earned a nicnkame: “Ole Big”. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Gene Larew pro Tommy Biffle with a giant on Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Megabass pro Chris Zaldain does some heavy lifting on a trip of Mille Lacs monsters. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Shimano pro Jared Lintner is 6-foot-6, but hides pretty well behind these two Mille Lacs monsters. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Daiwa pro Seth Feider stepped up with 25 pounds on Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Bass Mafia pro Greg Hackne’s “copperhead” smallie from Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Rigid Industries pro Brandon Palaniuk bags up a pair of 5-pounders on Day 2. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Garmin pro Greg Hackney with his personal-best smallmouth on Day 2: 6-0 pounds. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Rapala pro Dave Lefebre shows off a Day 1 5-pounder. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Daiwa pro Brent Ehrler shovels a 5-pounder in on Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Mercury pro Shaw Grigsby had a lot to smile about with these two Day 2 monsters. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Livingston pro Jacob Powroznik with a giant on Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Mille Lacs monsters! Here’s what’s happening in Minnesota this week

MILLE LACS CO., Minnesota – You always have to be a little leery when something is labeled “The best in the world!” Because, frankly, the reality never lives up to the hype. Never say “never”. […]

Uncategorized by bassnomadAug 4, 20163:53 am

Meyer was a Cup bully the first three years he fished it, finishing in the Top 10 three years in a row. He’s had some middle-of-the-pack finishes in recent years, but Meyer is always, always a threat at this event. Photo by Joel Shangle

Garmin pro Stetson Blaylock is an interesting story here because he’s like the rent: due. Blaylock has competed in 10 FWCs and averaged somewhere in the 30s, but that can’t continue forever for a guy who averages a Top 10 every five tournaments. Photo by Joel Shangle.

MHX pro John Cox is maybe the wildest of the wild cards here this week. Not because he’s a hack – two Top 10 AOY finishes in a row – but because he’s flat out admitted that he’s taking the Crestliner places that nobody else would even think of. He’ll be fun to watch this week, no matter what. Photo by Joel Shangle.

The other half of the “Aluminum Duo”, G-Loomis pro Jeff Gustafson had a break-out year on the FLW Tour. He’s been consistently good this year, and is fishing this week without a care in the world. Watch out for that. Photo by Joel Shangle.

How happy do you think 2007 Cup champion Scott Suggs is to be back in this tournament? Damn happy. And how dangerous is a guy who knows how to fish these bathtub-warm waters? Damn dangerous. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Quaker State pro Matt Arey has three Cup Top 10s as a co-angler and three Top 20s as a pro. He obviously knows how to compete here, and you’d be a fool not to put him on your must-watch list. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Confession: Troy Morrow is our darkhorse favorite this week. Not necessarily because we think Wheeler sets up well for him, but because he squeaked into this event … and that’s all he needed. Morrow shows out at the Cup, with three Top 10s in the four he’s fished. Photo by Joel Shangle.

If Garmin pro Scott Martin is in the Cup field, he’s automatically a threat to win. Doesn’t matter what fishery it’s on. The 2011 FWC champ has matured into maybe the best “big-game player” on Tour, with four Top 10s in the last five FWCs. Photo by Joel Shangle.

… and the longtime fans of the FLW Tour went “Chis WHO?!?” this season. Johnston. As in, the guy who damn near knocked off Andy Morgan for AOY honors. The young Canadian has proven to be a top-shelf pro. Photo by Joel Shangle.

If it’s on the Tennessee River, it’s in 5 x 3 pro Michael Neal’s wheelhouse. Even though we’re a few pools away from his home water (Lake Chickamauga), you can bet your last dollar that Neal will be in the mix this week. Photo by Joel Shangle.

There are about 1,000 reasons to pick Mercury pro Mark Rose to win this whole thing, but here are the two most compelling: he’s won on Wheeler (in 2012), and he’s going to find some deep fish that nobody else does. Count on it. Photo by Joel Shangle.

How bad does Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan want to win the Forrest Wood Cup? Bad. Like, grizzly-with-a-toothache bad. I don’t care if it’s an ice-fishing competition, I’m never betting against the G.O.A.T. Photo by Joel Shangle.

12 Spot: A dozen stories to watch at the Forrest Wood Cup

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Judging by the social media of many of the 50 anglers getting ready to throw down at the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup on Wheeler Lake in northern Alabama, there’s not a single […]

Photos by bassnomadJun 24, 20161:08 pm

Quantum pro Kevin VanDam with part of his 20-pound limit. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Rooming with Bass Nomad this week obvioiusly paid off for Andy Montgomery on day 1! Photo by Joel Shangle.

Garmin pro Paul Mueller shows off a giant Day 1 smallie. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Big Show put on a show with this Day 1 bronzeback. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Rigid Industries pro Britt Myers’ look says it all: “Oooooooooh yeaaahhh!” Photo by Joel Shangle.

Spiderwire pro Fletcher Shryock hustles a fish into his weigh bag. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Livingston pro Hank Cherry was one of 71 anglers with 15 pounds or more. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Watch out for Proz this week: Jacob Powroznik with one of three giant smallies he caught early on Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Garmin pro Russ Lane bagged up 19-13 on Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.

The fish of Cayuga Lake: It got brung on Day 1

UNION SPRINGS, New York – Rigid Industries pro Britt Myers probably said it best as he prepared to bag his fish on Day 1 at the Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake: “I think […]

Photos by bassnomadJun 19, 20165:55 pm

Surprise surprise, Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan holds the AOY lead heading into Champlain. Photo by Joel Shangle for Livingston Lures.

V&M Baits pro Jeff Sprague has hovered in the Top 3 for most of the 2016 season. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Shimano pro Jeff Gustafson is having his best Tour season ever! Photo by Joel Shangle for BassFIRST.

Perennial AOY contender Jacob Wheeler is in the hunt again. Photo by Joel Shangle for BassFIRST.

Kei Blaylock has made sure his dad Stetson was on his game this season. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Tennessee River hotshot Michael Neal has put together a consistent season in 2016. Photo from Pickwick in 2015. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Mud Hole pro John Cox was AOY runner-up last year. Can he pull it off this time at Champlain? Photo by Joel Shangle.

Garmin Tour rookie Chris Johnston started off hot at Okeechobee, finishing third. Photo by Joel Shangle for Garmin.

The Great 8: FLW Tour Angler of the Year down to the wire

LAKE CHAMPLAIN, New York – It seems appropriate that the last race of the Triple Crown was recently completed, because we’re looking at one heckuva horse race down the stretch for the FLW Tour Angler […]

Photos by bassnomadJun 14, 20164:40 pm

Eyes on the prize: Greg Hackney has his sights on a new Elite AOY points record. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Greg Hackney has reason to celebrate in 2016. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Greg Hackney rolled out for action on Bull Shoals. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Greg Hackney has worked his way through a phenomenal 2016 season. Here at Lake Ray Roberts. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Greg Hackney’s expression says it all: “I’m a baaaad, bad man.” Photo by Joel Shangle.

The Hack Attack might be hugging it out with another AOY trophy soon. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Greg Hackney throwing them in at a record pace through six tournaments. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Greg Hackney’s 2016 season started off strong: second place at the St. Johns River. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Looking ahead: Hackney is pretty good at catching smallies, too, as Mille Lacs approaches. This from last year’s AOY at Sturgeon Bay. Photo by Joel Shangle.

Hackney on pace for the best season in Elite history

TERRELL, Texas – Just how dominant has Garmin pro Greg Hackney been during the 2016 Elite Season? Well, just THE most dominant ever. After six events – punctuated by Hackney’s win at BASSfest on Lake […]