World Predator Classic 2018 official magazine

OFFICIAL WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC MAGAZINE

JUNE 2018

BASS ATTACKn!what Jordan Lee oe a it takes to b ion Bass Champ

KEEPING . .

IT CLEyAloN oks

Ross Hone ing at the changling and spirit in ang help how we can

JOHNNY MORRIS AND HIS AMERICAN DREAM

68

LOWRANCE: OUR 3-STEP PLAN Success is all about the planning, planing and more planning

104

26

MAN WITH A VISION Johnny Morris sees a bright future ahead after the merging of Bass Pro and Cabela

INSIDE

IT’S ALL INSIDE YOUR WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC MAGAZINE!

kicking bass!

Bassmaster Champion Jordan Lee ..

What it takes to become a Bass Champion

WPC INFO THINGS YOU

SHOULD KNOW...

14 ROLL OF HONOUR

After going for five years, the WPC recognises our past victors to date

32 GETTING BACK

TO MY ROOTS Lure designer Dietmar Isaiasch talks about steering away from the pack

135

THE BIG INTERVIEW Elite Bass Angler Kevin Van Dam copy goes int othis space irer

CAUSING A SPLASH release the big guns to take 38 Duo down monster beasts with their new range of Fang Ops .. deadly!

113 THE SPIRIT OF ANGLING WPC Founder, Ross Honey and his mission to leave no footsteps

8 PERFECT STORM

How Johannes Dietel and Dustin Schöne weathered the elements and came back fighting to take the Champions' WPC Title

20 2017 PRIZE TABLE

Over £60,000 worth of prizes up for grabs ..You know you want it!

40 2017 ITINERARY 46 STREET FISHING PARTICIPANTS 66 OFFICIAL GUIDE MAP TO THE EVENT

The zones, the sponsors and where the party’s happening

76 WPC17 PARTICIPANTS

Find out who you’ll be challenging for this year’s title

122 ANYTHING FOR A LAUGH! Classic 2017 moments

3

WELCOME FROM EVENT FOUNDER ROSS HONEY

Welcome..

to the 2018 World Predator Classic

‘‘

On behalf of my team and myself, it is with the greatest of pleasure that I am able to welcome each WPC competitor, associated sponsors and supporters, as we gather here once again at the amazing location of Hellevoetsluis, for the 2018 event.

team etc… with the drive and ambition to succeed and expand.

During the opening ceremony last year, it was with great personal sadness that I received the bad news that my father had just passed away. A year on, it is a timely reminder for us all to cherish our loved ones, as well as being very proud of being involved in this very special event that is now being recognized all over the world.

Along with my fantastic team, we are looking forward to staging a fantastic event this year. I wish you all good fishing and good luck in the competition and I hope to see as many of you as possible at the closing and prize giving ceremony.

A Big thank you to everybody involved in the event this year!

Tight Lines

TOURNAMENT FOUNDER

‘‘

The WPC is a Special event with high quality at the forefront of everything – participants, sponsors, location and event team, with the drive and ambition to succeed

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Those who have taken part in the event previously will know that the firing of the ancient cannons signals the grand opening parade, where everyone gathers before embarking on the incredible challenge ahead of them.

It is amazing to think that we are already celebrating the 5th anniversary of the event.

Already, in its short history, there are a great number of people to be thanked for their help in the event’s meteoric rise to popularity and recognition in these past few years.

I will be forever thankful for the great deal of hard work that has been put in by the truly remarkable team that I am blessed to have working with me and, of course, without their help the event would simply not be possible.

Also, and without doubt, this fantastic location and home of the WPC at Hellevoetsluis is one of the major contributing factors that must be cited for the amazing success of the event.

The International TV coverage and huge media exposure that the event enjoys are obviously extremely important factors to the competition where promotion is concerned. But it is not the writers and reporters who create the best stories, that wonderful contribution is all down to you, the competitors!

Unquestionably, the USA is the reference point for predator fishing events.

You only have to look at the Bass Masters Classic, The Ranger Cup and the FLW to see that.

Outside of these, and other major events within the USA, there is nothing like that and this is why the WPC was established – to help create and legitimize a European and rest-of-the-world team, with the ambition of taking on the very best the USA has in head to head events.

The Angling Super Cup. The WPC is a Special event with high quality at the forefront of everything, participants, sponsors, location, event

5

World Predator Classic: SPONSOR’S WELCOME

T

The 2018 competition marks the Fifth edition of the World Predator Classic and it’s all set to be a thrilling year.

Our Global event partners in the competition are LOWRANCE, PLANO, BASS BOATS GERMANY, NITRO, TRACKER AND MERCURY MARINE , PLANO, PETERS & MAY.

These are supported by official host event location Hellevoetsluis. In addition to these great partners are the official official sponsors , support partners and official suppliers which help make the world Predator Classic what it is today.

The total prize values and welcome gifts for 2018 are well in excess of £125,000/142,500 euros which help ensure this competition continues to be successful year on year.

Angling Spirit’s aim is to ensure we attract only the best sponsors, for the best equipment and services to make your stay here in Hellevoetsluis the time of your life.

We continue to strengthen the ties

of the predator angling community by bring more media attention and new people into the sport.

The World Predator Classic are thrilled to welcome all our sponsors and thank them for the tremendous support during the lead-up to and throughout the competitions.

It is always great to see the innovation they bring to the sport which helps to expand the number of people involved, which in turn makes competitions like this, bigger and bigger. These world leading brands are very much valued by the competitors and the sport of fishing worldwide.

Please welcome our sponsors to the World Predator Classic and may the best anglers win!

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

A HUGE WELCOME TO ALL FROM OUR SPONSORS

7

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

2017 WPC CHAMPIONS: DUSTIN SCHONE & JOHANNES DIETEL

8

PERFECT STORM

Harsh weather conditions and electrical problems did not make it easy for the German team, Johannes Dietel and Dustin Schöne during last year’s World Predator Classic, but that didn’t stop them snatching the trio and taking the ultimate prize. Here’s their WPC 2017 story

DUSTIN SCHONE: 2017 WPC CHAMPION’S STORY

‘‘

We didn’t have the energy to celebrate after a

W

inning the WPC title was mesmerizing. I was just inches from the trophy in 2015 when I finished in second place together with Jürgen. Then in 2016, Johannes and I were catching consistently and finished in 5th place – so close to second place again!

Last year, due to work commitments, I only just made it in time for the competition.

Johannes had one day of practice together with Willem but did not have one single bite. So, we were only semi optimistic at the start of the tournament.

We had a lot of problems during those three days. For example our electric engine broke in the shallows on the second day after 5 hours. We had our Zander and Pike and had just caught our first Perch, so we were on the right track for the full card. But we couldn’t fish where we found Perch and got lost in the wind.

The new engine was ready at 3am in the morning of the last day. (Thanks, Marco!) I had hardly slept and after we caught 2 Perch, we ran out of battery on the last day.

It was so windy and we had no idea about the consumption of our new device. Although we were happy that we managed to buy the last drift anchor in Hellevoetsluis the day before, we didn’t catch a thing for three hours. Then Johannes lost a very big fish (Zander) just in front of the boat. That killled us and we were both really down.

Shortly after that, a small pike attacked my bait on the surface – although it was completely covered by salad – and suddenly there seemed a chance to climb up the ladder (we started from fourth position in the morning).

Then Johannes caught a Perch. And that was it. Three Perch and one Pike. No Zander.

As we drove through the channel towards the harbor, thumbs went up and there were smiling faces everywhere. Slowly we began to realise

DUSTIN SCHONE: 2017 WPC CHAMPION’S STORY

crazy day fishing in the middle of a storm that we just might have won. But we were not going to believe it until we were the last team called to the stage. Really crazy.

Delighted as we were, we didn’t have the energy to celebrate after such a crazy day of fishing in the middle of the storm. But it felt great.

Johannes proposed that I should keep the trophy and display it in my office (I run an advertising agency focused on filming) and it was really funny having to explain the story of this cup to my clients. It was also touching to see how many supporters we had (Facebook, Barsch-Alarm, BATV, Instagram…) and even better to know that so many of the competing anglers shared in our happiness. Thank you all.

It was a great experience.

Johannes and I are a very good combination.

He is a skillful Perch angler and always very well prepared (in contrast to me). He does not like to throw big lures and he does not like “the smartphone sh*t” as he says. So, it’s my job to upload the fish. It’s also my job to drive the boat. Johannes would not drive that fast. But he placed his life in my hands for three days, because he knows that I always like to drive fast and I’ve never had an accident. So, this year he might feel even more comfortable because we “have to use” the “Prize-Boat” making us 50 km/h slower!

We always agree in the places we should fish and in the time we should invest to explore the spots. We fish differently in technique, bait size, colours and speed until one of us finds the key. It’s a good feeling. If we do argue, it’s always about small things, like not fixing the drift anchor to the clamp or such.

To be honest, I was so busy with my company last year, I almost had no time for fishing at all. Johannes and I went to Sardinia to fish for Black Bass as a reward for our WPC victory, then I visited the Netherlands twice and in April 2018 I flew to Oman to battle some really strong fish .. that’s all. I won’t have the time to practice again.

But that’s my life. Always in a hurry. Never feeling overprepared. Improvising all over the time. But this busy lifestyle has led me to run a fairly successful company and to win the WPC. Let’s see what will happen this year. Like Johannes I am looking forward to meeting you all. The 2018 WPC is going to be great! n DUSTIN SCHONE

‘‘

It’s my job to drive the boat.

Johannes won't drive that fast.

But he placed his life in my hands for three days, because he knows I always like to drive fast

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM 11

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Johannes Dietel: 2017 WPC CHAMPION’S STORY

12

I would never call myself “World Champion” without having challenged at least some of those famous bass cracks. So, come on, dudes!

After our success at the World Predator Classic, it all went really crazy. My phone was ringing every 10 minutes, the Facebook-messenger was popping up all over the place and my website barsch-alarm.de mailbox was overfilled with congratulations. So even a down-to-earth-guy like me had severe problems in finding his feet.

‘‘

To be honest, I was very proud then and I am still proud to share the title World Predator Champion 2017 with Dustin.

Of course, it was good for my sponsor Shimano and many other projects, too.

I have been writing for the German fishing press for over 15 years now. I mainly focus on perch fishing and I’m therefore happy that I could prove that some of my “smallfish-strategies” have helped Dustin and me to be something like the World Champions in predator fishing. I say “Something like”, because we miss the American and Japanese guys here. I would never call myself “World Champion” without having challenged at least some of those famous bass cracks. So, come on, dudes! It’s nice to fish for perch, zander and pike, too. And there are some Europeans out there who want to get a beating.

As you might know, in Germany we are not allowed to organize competitions. The WPC and other tournaments are perceived completely differently by German anglers.

For example, the Bass Master Classic is seen by the American anglers. Guys spending so much money for crazy boats, electronics, fishing tackle and evrything else we have to invest to have a chance to compete with the best are considered as alien for the most part.

But through the positive and professional promotion of competition angling with the WPC, the number of anglers is rapidly growing.

I hope with our reports and interviews we could help to promote the competitionthing, too. Finally, all anglers out there will profit from this energetic circle.

I shared every little detail of my experience during the WPC with Blinker, Rute&Rolle, Esox and Fisch&Fang readers, the BarschAlarm-community, BATV and Facebookfollowers. So, if you read my articles and posts on barsch-alarm.de and the Shimano-blog and watch our videos on youtube you will

know exactly which lures we fished and what kind of strategies Dustin and I pursued. If you feel really desperate, you will find some concrete hints in the www.barsch-alarm. de/news

What else happened last year? I was fishing for the same species as every year.

I was fishing the same waters.

The WPC title did not make me catch more. But it was always in my mind that I will have to defend it in June 2018. So, after every trip I reflected on the fishing and asked myself if I could learn something from those days for the next WPC. Is there anything I can use for the perch, zander or pike fishing in Haringvliet? I am quite sure that I found some interesting lures and methods I did not use in 2017. We will see if they will help or not.

During the tournament we will fish from our new boat for the first time. So, apologies, but I cannot provide you with any information about the Tracker we won last year. But I can guarantee that we will give our eye teeth to score again.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you all, guys. It’s really nice to fish this great competition. Thanks to the organization, Ross and Christian. Thanks to all marshals and all the other helpers. Thanks to all the sponsors making this huge event possible.

And special thanks to all those crazy anglers battling for this title as sportsmen. It’s so nice to meet you all. I have been looking forward one whole year to see you again. Let’s enjoy those days at Hellevoetsluis! n JOHANNES DIETEL

I’m happy that I could prove that some of my “small-fishstrategies” have helped Dustin and me

‘‘

14

2014-2017

WPC ROLL OF HONOUR

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

World Predator Classic ROLL OF HONOUR

As it's the World Predator Classic reaches it's fifth year, it seems only right to look back at the successes and honour those anglers who pulled out all the stops to be titled WPC Champions.

Congratulations to you all and here's to many more WPC Champions

2015 Overal Champions:

Overall Champions: 2014 Luc Coppens and Jeremy Staverman. This was the first of a consecutive win streak for the Belgian pairing!

Street Fishing Champion: Mark Lubbarts took victory for the Netherlands in 2014.

Luc Coppens and Jeremy Staverman, the Belgian pairing that won the 2015 boat event, bettering their opponents scores on every competition day. The first pair to win two years in a row!

Street Fishing Champion: Michael Bongers the German angler won the street event by a long way with 49 points more than second place!

World Predator Classic ROLL OF HONOUR

Champions: Dustin And Johannes secured first place in the 2017 Overall 2017 boat event, yet again putting Germany at the top of the podium.

Street Fishing Champion: Fabian Grafe, the German street fisherman conquered the 2017 competition and took first place proudly. A well deserved win.

2016

Overall Champions: Markku Tiusanen and Antti Anttila set a goal and smashed it coming from the Finnish qualifier to winning the 2016 event with a whopping 545cm of Zander.

Ahead of their competition by a long shot!

Street Fishing Champion: Vitalijs KarpenKovs brought home the street fishing trophy for Latvia winning 11 points ahead of second place!

M

ERCURY MARINE’S Outboard motors have kept tournament anglers atop the winner’s stand in North America for decades, and a powerful lineup of new engines recently introduced

by Mercury seems destined to keep that trend rolling.

Among these introduced at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show were an ultra-fast 150hp Pro XS motor and three V-6 FourStroke outboards (175hp,

16

200hp and 225hp) with low weight, awesome power and spectacular fuel economy that make them exceptional candidates for multiple uses.

Additionally, three new low-horsepower Mercury engines – 15hp FourStroke, 20hp FourStoke and a snappy 15hp ProKicker – will be turning heads in Europe this year.

All of these outboards join Mercury’s stable of tournament-winning outboards, led by the mighty 350 Verado, the acknowledged king of

saltwater tournaments; and the longstanding global leader of bass tournaments, the 250 Pro XS. Here’s a breakdown of these new world-class outboards that are powered to win.

When Going Fast Matters Most: 150 Pro XS Mercury’s Pro XS family is recognized throughout the world of tournament angling as the outboard with the blistering speed necessary to bring home the gold.

MERCURY MARINE: POWER BEHIND THE BEST

GREAT FISHING STARTS WITH GREAT

POWER

I wouldn’t have had a chance to win the Classic without the durability of my 250 Pro XS

‘‘

Where does this extraordinary speed come from?

Extraordinary engineering.

Pro XS is engineered for the two most-demanding types of people on the water – anglers battling on the tournament trail and powerboaters who simply crave speed. Mercury developed exclusive components and tuning to extract every ounce of performance from each Pro XS model to get you to the fish first, then back to the weigh-in with time to spare.

Pro XS boasts the new boss of the 150hp high-output class: On freshwater or salt, bass rigs or skiffs, the new Mercury 150 Pro XS is tuned to take mid-size boats to the limit. A mighty 3.0-liter in-line fourcylinder powerhead offers the most displacement – yet the lowest weight (456 pounds) in the 150hp category – and acceleration-boosting Transient Spark for heightened performance.

Down below is a durable and proven 4.8-inch gearcase with four front water

MERCURY MARINE: POWER BEHIND THE BEST

MERCURY MARINE

pickups on the nose of the torpedo. That provides more flexibility to mount the engine higher, install a jack plate, or trim more aggressively to maximize top-speed performance. All in the name of winning!

Additional advantages include: n Stiff high-performance motor mounts for better high-speed handling and feel n Untouchable hole shot n Superior batter management

Best-in-class acceleration

Transient Spark technology optimizes timing to boost torque during acceleration New 2.08:1 gear ratio transmits more torque at the prop shaft.

The lowest weight and most displacement in the category also contribute to unmatched hole shot on a wide variety of boats.

Choose your speed with high-performance calibration A 5200-6000 wide-open-throttle rpm range permits the use of a wider selection of prop pitches, so you can choose to prop for hole shot or top speed. Our rugged 4.8-inche diameter gearcase provides proven durability and speed.

Smart charging

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

A best-in-class 60-amp alternator keeps up with electronics, lights, aerator pumps and audio systems. Pro XS’ Idle Charge low-voltage batter-management automatically boosts idle speed and alternator output to recharge boat batteries to the proper level.

If you’re serious about tournament fishing, get serious about the 150 Pro XS.

18 10

V-6 FourStroke 175hp, 200hp and 225hp Built for Reliability, Power and Efficiency Some outboards are built for specific purposes. Some are engineered to take on the world. Backed by decades of innovation and leadership, Mercury FourStroke outboards deliver legendary performance and forward-thinking technology.

Higher-horsepower FourStroke outboards – four-cylinder and six-cylinder – are built to go the distance on any water and on a wide variety of boats. They are . . . n Reliable, because Mercury values your time on the water n Powerful, from hole shot to top end n Efficient, to stretch your adventures to the limit The new V-6 FourStrokes are precision engineered from skeg to cowl. Packed with advanced technology to improve all aspects of performance and reliability, the robust 3.4-liter V-6 engines deliver Mercury’s best-ever FourStroke hole shot, top speed and fuel efficiency.

These new FourStrokes also provide unsurpassed dampening of sound and vibration for a superior boating experience, and Idle Charge batterymanagement prevents boaters from draining their batteries.

The V-6 FourStroke’s compact profile is ideal for a broad range of multi-engine applications, including tournament fishing. The new V-6 models are available with mechanical or Digital Throttle and Shift controls for enhanced versatility and repower compatibility. For easy engine oil checks, just pop open the new Top Cowl Service Door. And these motors look like nothing else on the water. Bold, contemporary styling is inspired by speed and power, and multiple color options make them easy to personalize.

Sometimes Trolling is the answer ...

All the power you need to control bigger boats. Electronic Fuel Injection enables precise fuel metering for smooth operation all day at the lowest trolling speeds. The innovative adjustable tiller handle is designed for comfortable operation with port or starboard transom mounting. n High-thrust four-blade Mercury propeller efficiently transfers engine torque to the water – the perfect combination for controlling larger fishing boats under most conditions. n Standard power tilt gets you up and running fast with no reach. n Exclusive centering straps automatically

straighten and lock the outboard in place during high-speed runs and trailering. n 9-amp alternator output at trolling speeds helps keep batteries charged.

Ambidextrous Tiller The new center-mounted tiller provides simple horizontal adjustment and reversible throttle grip rotation for port or starboard installation.

Hassle-Free Maintenance n New drain hose removes oil from the filter for no-mess maintenance. n Convenient freshwater flush fitting n Maintenance-free lash-for-life valve train

MERCURY MARINE: POWER BEHIND THE BEST Get on Plane Faster

Compact and Light

n These are our quickest and fastest

Ounce by ounce, Mercury engineers cut pounds from the new Mercury FourStroke outboards, resulting in the lightest engines in their class. Less weight improves every aspect of performance.

The V-6 powerhead configuration has been optimized to minimize size, and the single-latch cowl is designed to hug the powerhead for a smaller profile. The V-6 FourStrokes mount on 26-inch centers, which helps them fit a broader range of transoms – they are ideal for repower applications. n

FourStroke models ever, with classleading V-6 displacement. n Quick-revving double-overhead camshaft design and deep-breathing intake deliver thrilling and satisfying performance. n These are the lightest outboards in the category by more than 10 pounds.

These features contribute to unmatched hole-shot performance on a wide range of boat types. But that’s not all . .

Best-Ever FourStroke Fuel Economy Now you can go farther and fish longer.

Advanced Range Optimization and closed-loop fuel control work together to precisely adjust the fuel mixture and deliver the best-possible efficiency on 87 octane fuel for convenience and savings.

Details such as bearing sizes and oil-flow scheme have been engineered to reduce internal friction and improve overall efficiency. A hydrodynamically efficient gearcase slips through the water so the outboard has less work to do.

Mercury's 15 ProKicker 20hp and 15hp FourStrokes

More power. More control. More comfort.

The new Mercury 20hp and 15hp FourStroke outboards are designed to improve every minute of your time on the water. A new adjustable tiller is designed for comfortable left- or right-hand operation. Enjoy the ease of battery-free Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) with new twin-cylinder powerhead, delivering outstanding power and fuel economy.

Less Weight but More Torque A new low-friction, single-overhead-cam powerhead delivers greater torque.

Meanwhile, overall weight is decreased by 10 pounds. These are the quickest, fastest and strongest outboards in the category.

Easy to Start, Easy to Drive The FourStrokes’ Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) system also produces easy starts – hot or cold – and outstanding fuel efficiency.

Throttle response is always crisp.

Ambidextrous Tiller The new center-mounted tiller provides simple horizontal adjustment and reversible throttle grip rotation for port or starboard installation. Vertical down-stop is also adjustable.

And the award for innovation goes to ..

Mercury Marine’s new V-6 3.4L FourStroke outboard won a 2018 Innovation Award from the National Marine Manufacturers Association at the Miami International Boat Show.

The new V-6 is offered in 175, 200 and 225hp models. Judges said they were impressed with the engines’ new look, engineering, design and features that enhance the overall boating experience.

“We are honored to win an Innovation Award for our new V 6 FourStroke platform,” said John Buelow, Mercury Marine vice president of global category management. “These engines are going to change the mid range market. In fact, the market is already responding favorably to these new engines, and we anticipate even greater interest as more information and testimonials come out.”

The V-6 outboards employ large-displacement, a naturally aspirated powerhead and proven midsection and drive system designs. The V-6 outboards are exceptionally versatile, offering the option of mechanical or digital controls, hydraulic or power steering, and black or white cowls on FourStroke-branded products, as well as a variety of accent panel colors. This versatility makes the new V-6 an ideal engine for repower applications.

According to the NMMA, its Innovation Award program honors manufacturers and suppliers who bring new and innovative products for the boating industry to market.

NMMA partners with Boating Writers International (BWI) to provide knowledgeable and unbiased judges.

WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC 2018

PRIZE TABLE

World Predator Classic 2018: PRIZE TABLE

Boat Event First Prize Overall n World Predator Classic 2018 Champions title & 2 trophies and World Predator Classic 2018 Champions shirts n Tracker Pro Guide V-175 SC boat with a Mercury PRO XS115 HP* n Pega Tracker Multiliner Trailer n Lowrance 2 x HDS Carbon 9” n Lowrance 2 x Total Scan Transducer n Ram Mounts n Quantum Products n Power Pole n Grundens Clothing n Ram Mounts n Navisafe products n A featured review: Your year as Champions in the 2019 Official event magazine

2nd Place Overall n 2 trophies n Motorguide Xi5: featuring Variable Ratio Steering n Lowrance 2 x Hook 4” n Lowrance 2 x Total Scan Transducer n Plano products n Ram Mounts n Power Pole n Grundens Clothing n Quantum Products n Navisafe products

3rd Place Overall n 2 trophies n Motorguide Xi5 featuring Variable Ratio Steering

n Lowrance 2 x Hook 2.5” n Power Pole n Plano products n Ram Mounts n Grundens Clothing n Quantum Products n Navisafe products

4th Place Overall n 2 trophies n 2 pairs Wiley X glasses n Plano products n Ram Mounts n Grundens Clothing n Quantum Products n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ products

5th to 10th Place Overall n 2 trophies n Wiley X glasses n Plano products n Ram Mounts n Other sponsors products n Grundens Clothing n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ products

Team Event 1st Place Overall

n 4 trophies & WPC Team Champion title n Wiley X glasses n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ products

World Predator Classic 2018: PRIZE TABLE

Top prizes for top anglers!

We are delighted to have such a massive, high-quality prize table for this year’s event, thanks to the fantastic sponsors and event partners.

Our top prize up for grabs is the amazing Tracker® Pro Guide™ V-175 SC boat kitted out with the high-performace Mercury 115hp Pros XS Four Stroke engine*!

The TRACKER® Pro Guide™ V-175 SC is a big boat for big water and big fish—and with an outboard capacity of 115 HP, it can get you into the fish and out of the weather in a hurry.

The side-console design leaves plenty of room in the deep cockpit for 360° fishing, and there’s lots of storage for rods and gear.

The Deep V hull has a deep 20° deadrise and a welded-in longitudinal stringer system that unitizes the transom and hull—all this means a smooth and solid ride, designed to keep you and your crew dry and to endure years of pounding choppy water. And it’s backed by the TRACKER Promise—the best factory warranty in aluminum boats.

Combine that with the incredible power, and mind-blowing performance of the Mercury 115hp Pros XS Four Stroke engine and you have a true fishing machine! n Backed by the TRACKER® Promise—the

best factory warranty in aluminum boats

n Side-console design with protective

windshield & waterproof switches/gauges

n 3 folding, movable fishing seats with 6

seat pedestal bases

n 20° deadrise, all-welded Deep V hull for a

drier ride & smooth handling in big water

n Exclusive VERSATRACK® accessory

mounting channel in gunnel

n Welded-in longitudinal stringer system &

2nd Place Overall n 4 trophies n Wiley X glasses n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ products

3rd Place Overall n 4 trophies n Wiley X glasses n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ products

Biggest Catch For Longest Pike, Zander & Perch n Trophy per angler n Sponsors' products

Street Fishing Event

StreetFishing Team Event

1st Place Overall

1st Place Overall

n 1 Trophy plus World Predator Classic Champions title and Champions Shirt n Grundens Clothing n Navisafe products n Plano products n Other sponsors’ prizes n A featured review: Your year as Champions in the 2019 Official event magazine

n 2 Trophies plus World Predator Classic Team Champions title n Sponsors’ products

2nd & 3rd Place n 2 Trophies and sponsors’ products

2nd & 3rd Place

n 1 Trophy plus.. n Lowrance Fishhunter Pro n Plano products n Grundens Clothing n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ prizes

4th to 10th Place

n 1 Trophy plus.. n Plano products n Grundens Clothing n Navisafe products n Other sponsors’ prizes

transom for a unitized hull

n Diamond Coat™ finish for ultimate

durability & long-lasting good looks

n Easy-clean vinyl cockpit floor & carpeted

fore & aft decks

n Bow 19 gal. & aft 29 gal. aerated livewells

w/removable bait buckets

n Flotation meets or exceeds NMMA & U.S.

Coast Guard requirements

And there’s more ... the boat is kitted out with the very latest in marine technology from Lowrance. This equipment will really help you to understand the waters that you are fishing.

It doesn’t stop there!

Sportsmanship Award.. n 1 Trophy n Sponsors' prizes

Also Included is an incredible Pega Tracker Multiliner Trailer, giving you safe and secure transport of this amazing boat. With over 60 years of experience you can guarantee this trailer will be easy to use, and with an extremely high-quality finish to help you transport your fishing-machine straight to the water.

21

WPC OFFICIAL LURE: CREATED BY HYBRIDA

A STAR

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

There's a new breed of lure in town and it's got the World Predator Classic written all over it ... literally! German lure manufacturers, Hybrida, have joined together with the WPC to create an original design for this year's event ... and it's a Classic

22

IS BORN

WPC OFFICIAL LURE: CREATED BY HYBRIDA

A STAR IS BORN

E

very year, the World Predator Classic invites a company to make the official event lure. The criteria is that it needs to be custom made with unique colours especially for the event, to include the event logo and be something very special.

For 2018 Hybrida were selected and we are delighted with the results. The lure was tested to make sure that it caught fish – this it did with ease and surpassed all expectations.

Each lure has been individually hand made by Hydrida and without doubt, everybody that's fortunate to get one of the 500 limited edition lures is going to have something very unique.

In addition to this the first 20 lures will be individually numbered and signed by the designer Gergor Babiarz and event founder Ross Honey.

Strokes of genius ... each Hybrida lure has been individually hand crafted for the World Predator Classic at Hybrida's Black Forest plant

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

It is 14 years since a small factory in Germany’s Black Forest began producing innovative lightweight lures for anglers fishing for predatory fish.

Today, under the brand name Hybrida, the lures are sold worldwide.

It was when anglers were asking for small, precisely-fashioned lures for street fishing that Gregor Babiarz decided to meet their needs. At first, he produced small lures hand-carved out of balsawood which were soon recognised by angling experts for their merits.

Encouraged by this success, Gregor decided to go full-time making these and established a factory for their production.

Thus was born the Hybrida brand.

It soon became evident that his initial output was not meeting the growing popularity and demand for Hybrida lures.

Gregor countered this by setting up his own in-house machinery to work more efficiently than the hand-carving technique he started out with. He listened to the anglers and their needs and focused on the environmental conditions in which the lures were to be used.

Using special foam plastics and special paints he also took into account factors such as differences in temperature under which the lures would be used, and the bonding properties of the paints and primers related to the density of water in which the lures would be submersed.

Hybrida now has over 16 different models of all sorts of types of lures – from the smallest, H1 and M1, weighing just 3g, to the largest model called “Viper Jerk” weighing in at 100g.

Hybrida’s classics, such as Hybrida B1, B3, K3 and J1 are in constant development, with ever-new and tested décor and design.

To monitor its world-wide standing, Hybrida also relies on the giant corporation VMC – a partner who co-operates, flexibly and technically, at the highest level of design and production.

A big plus for the company is the willingness of Gregor and his team of testing anglers to talk directly with the anglers for whom the lures are being made.

In this way Hybrida is prepared to build special be-spoke models – with special colourings, for example – for various companies throughout the world.

Examples of these lures are the “Zanderkonig” created for the Paul Parey Vertag, the now legendary B1 in “U1 Beyer Special Edition” and the U1 Firetiger for “Lieblingskoder”.

The latest consideration to be entertained

by Gregor is whether or not Hybrida lures could be produced in large quantities in other countries.

At present he is reluctant to do so because he feels he is not in a position to guarantee the same high quality of production outwith his own control. n

25

MAN MAN WITH WITH AA VISION: VISION: BASS BASS PRO PRO SHOP’S SHOP’S JOHNNY JOHNNY MORRIS MORRIS

a MEETING OF MINDS

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Morris minor ... Johnny with his father and mentor John A. Morris

26

O

On Monday 17th April, an Amended Merger Agreement was announced that allowed Bass Pro Shops to acquire Cabela’s for around $5.0 billion. The deal, swiftly approved by the Cabela’s board, was sealed nearly a year after it was first announced, proving that in business, the medieval proverb “There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip’ is as true today as it’s ever been.

In the year that preceded the agreement, the deal had teetered on several occasions, hamstrung, primarily, by the huge credit card segment of the business. A way was, however, found to ensure that all parties, the two brands, banks and the public who shop at these stores, all benefit in the long run.

“We’re excited to announce this agreement, which allows us to look ahead with greater certainty toward the completion of our merger with Bass Pro Shops and offers a positive step forward for all parties,” said Tommy Millner, Cabela’s CEO. “We look forward to completing these transactions for the benefit of our

shareholders, Outfitters and outdoor enthusiasts.”

Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops said: “We remain excited about the exceptional opportunity we have to continue to serve sportsmen and sportswomen by bringing together Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops and White River Marine Group. Today’s announcement is an important step forward and we are excited about the opportunity to continue celebrating the great Cabela’s brand with ours as one unified outdoor family for our customers and for conservation.”

The merger has created an outdoors gear retail chain with nearly 180 locations across the United States. Cabela’s has over 80 locations in the US and Canada while Bas Pro Shops has over 90.

Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO Johnny Morris continues as CEO and majority shareholder of the new entity, which will remain a private company with a continuing long-term view of supporting the industry and conservation.

‘Moving Forward Together’ an address

by Johnny Morris, who finally became the owner of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s in late September, 2017, has been posted on the websites of both companies. In the address, Morris described his vision

Building on the rich history of Bass Pro and Cabe

MAN WITH A VISION: BASS PRO SHOP’S JOHNNY MORRIS

ela, Morris has great expectations for the brands' future

MAN WITH A VISION: BASS PRO SHOP’S JOHNNY MORRIS

Common ground ... Ross Honey, with Johnny Morris at his Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri during A Ranger boat convention

JOHNNY

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

MORRIS

26

of creating North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company.

The combined company is now providing customers with unmatched product offerings that include destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and a lot more besides, all of them stand alongside a strong commitment to advancing conservation initiatives.

"We are excited to unite these iconic American brands to better serve our loyal customers and fellow outdoor enthusiasts," said Bass Pro Shops Founder and CEO, Johnny Morris. "As we move forward, we are committed to retaining everything customers love about both Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's by creating a 'best-of-the-best' experience that includes the superior products, outstanding customer service and exceptional value our customers have come to expect. We're also deeply motivated by the potential to significantly advance key conservation initiatives."

The combined company offers outdoor enthusiasts superior products, dynamic locations and above all, outstanding customer service.

For anyone out there reading this who hasn’t been to one of these stores, you’ll need to keep your wallet safely in your pocket. They are truly inspiring, not only in size, but the whole retail experience, the decor, the ambience, but most of all, the products. The choices are phenomenal. Whether you need 50metres of fluorocarbon or 5 metres of top of the range, ready to fish, bass boat, you can find them all in these stores.

Innovative experiences include

We are excited to unite these iconic American brands to better serve our loyal customers and fellow outdoor enthusiasts

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, the largest, most dynamic retail destination experience ever created.

Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, the enormous 52-million cubic-foot facility also contains the remarkable Big Cypress Lodge, other remarkable retail experience venues include awardwinning hospitality and nature-based attractions like Big Cedar Lodge.

This wilderness resort in Missouri's Ozark Mountains has been recognised as the number one resort in the

Midwest by Travel + Leisure for the second consecutive year.

Alongside the destination retail outlets, is the company's manufacturing arm, White River Marine Group, which specialises in outfitting the fishing boat community with an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading bass boat brands including Tracker, Nitro, Ranger, Triton and Stratos.

As a well known and long time environmentalist, conservation and introducing new audiences

to the outdoors is a key focus of Johnny Morris, who has opened the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, the largest, most immersive fish and wildlife attraction in the world.

Located next to Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, the Wonders of Wildlife is larger than the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. With 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds, the 350,000 square-foot complex establishes a significant,

not-for-profit, conservation attraction and education centre in the heart of America.

Finally, Morris paid tribute to the shared beginnings of both companies, despite their humble beginnings, they have both gone on to become industry leaders. Together the combined company will celebrate both the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's brands while building on the rich history of both companies and looking to the future to best serve customers and outdoor enthusiasts. n

The Morris Empire ... Just a few of Johnny's many dynamic retail parks and attractions, including The Pyramid,Cedar Lodge and the Wonders of Wildlife Museum

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

TOTAL CONTROL: WITH POWER-POLE WATER ANCHORS

30

POLES APART

Step up your game and go with the Power-Pole Blade Edition anchor – tested for toughness and refined for extreme durability

The Power-Pole Blade Edition is Stronger, faster, better. Securely stop on command in up to 10 feet and position yourself perfectly using the integrated C-Monster control system.

The rugged Everflex® spike is virtually unbreakable and stows away quickly and quietly into the pocket design on this slick aerodynamic model.

So, how does a Power-Pole anchor work? When fishing in shallow water, you need the ability to stop your boat quickly and quietly so you can concentrate on your cast as you spot your fish. Dropping an anchor off the side of the boat or trying to stay steady with your trolling motor can be time consuming, not exact and noisy – which results in spooking fish or missing your target completely.

But Power-Pole shallow water anchors eliminate those hassles, providing a better fishing experience.

Designed for both salt and fresh water, Power-Pole anchors are secured

on the back of the boat and deploy at the push of a button utilizing the advanced technology of the C-Monster Control System.

In a matter of seconds, the hinged arm quietly extends down and away from the boat’s transom and the hydraulic pump drives the Everflex® spike into the shallow water bottom to hold the boat in place.

Unlike clunky anchors, Power-Pole anchors are engineered to be nearly silent in operation so you have the best chance to catch your favorite fish without spooking them or the boat drifting away from your cover.

Regardless of how, where and what you are fishing in the shallow waters, you can trust that Power-Pole anchors will quickly and quietly anchor you so you can concentrate on what matters most – fish.

Benefits of PowerPole Shallow Water anchors: n Superior Design

Each Power-Pole has been meticulously crafted to combine strength, cutting-edge technology and maximum durability along with a sleek profile to provide you with the ultimate performance in shallow water anchoring systems.

n Fast & Precise (Swift)

Power-Pole anchors have the fastest stopping times among all shallow water anchors, so you can trust that your boat will be silently anchored within seconds.

The quick stopping power enables you to secure the boat at your favourite fishing spot or stop at the moment you spot a fish in your drift.

TOTAL CONTROL: WITH POWER-POLE WATER ANCHORS

POLES APART

n Drive-off-Protection comes standard with every Power-Pole anchor. Power-Pole anchors are designed to withstand the effects of a drive off, so you can rest knowing your transom is always safe and secure. n Eco-Friendly Unlike harsh, rigid anchors, Power-Pole spikes are environmentally friendly and are designed to not cause damage or disturb the shallow water bottom grasses, coral reefs and oyster beds. n Upkeep of your Power-Pole anchor

JL Marine Systems, Inc. produce Green Marine ISO-32 100% biodegradable hydraulic fluid.

Engineered to exceed industry standards, this environmentally responsible hydraulic fluid is made from an American-grown, annually renewable resource and surpasses the highest standards of biodegradability.

This fluid is safe for sea life should it accidentally enter the water. Most importantly, the Green Marine plastic bottle is made of recycled plastics.

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Power-Pole Anchors Include:

32

n Indestructible (Secure) The Everflex® spike – or pole – on each Power-Pole anchor model is nearly indestructible. Depending on your type of boat and fishing needs, the spikes range from four to ten feet in length. These spikes are designed to bend, but not to break (go ahead, put it to the test) and can anchor in all bottom types including hard sand, rock, mud and grass. It’s even backed by a Lifetime Warranty. n Silence Matters (Silent) The state-of-the-art hydraulic technology is what works to keep your Power-Pole anchor in place – quietly. In addition to delivering fast performance, the Power-Pole anchor hydraulic pump remains virtually silent when deployed and in action so you never have to worry about spooking fish again. n No Transom Damage Power-Pole anchors will not disturb the topend performance of your boat. They deploy in seconds, yet with no damage to the transom of the boat. Power-Pole anchors only add 21 to 28 lbs. to the transom so you don’t have to compromise your speed with the Power-Pole stopping power.

The C-monster system puts superior technology right into PowerPole products - it’s the “brains behind your best catches” because it wirelessly controls your Power-Pole

‘‘

n C-Monster Control System This is the advanced operating system that is built into and controls all Power-Pole shallow water anchors. It is a propriety wireless protocol that is specifically designed for the marine industry. This operating system puts superior technology right into Power-Pole products - it’s the “brains behind your best catches” because it wirelessly controls your Power-Pole anchors.

C-Monster 2.0 features a stronger RF signal so you can use your controllers from a longer range. Also, the two-way communication between the hydraulic pump (which drives your pole) and controllers ensures proper response and is now 100 times faster than before and gives you lightning fast communication to improve performance and to provide enhanced durability for even the most skilled fishermen. n Power-Pole Hydraulic Pump Unit

(HPU) Technology

Every new Power-Pole hydraulic anchor utilizes our compact hydraulic pump unit(HPU). The HPU operates using C-Monster 2.0 so it allows two-way communication with your controllers. With the C-Monster App on your Android or iOS powered device you can customize your HPU to your style of fishing.

n Two Remote Controllers Each Power-Pole anchor comes with two C-Monster 2.0 remote controllers: • The Standard Two-button Key Fob – allows you to take control anywhere on your boat with manual or double click Auto-Up/Down.

• Advanced Surface Mount – can be mounted Power-Pole shallow water anywhere on your boat for easy access and anchors will soon be available in the EU, for more features three speed settings, independent information go to control of multiple anchors and double click www.power-pole.com Auto-Up/Down.

TOTAL CONTROL: WITH POWER-POLE WATER ANCHORS

n Power-Pole Anchors Features: n Soft Close System ™ n Available up to 10ft deep n Powder coated finish n Down and away deployment n Drive-off protection n Power-Pole Anchors includes: n C-Monster Control System n 2-button Key Fob Remote n Advanced Dash Switch n New Hydraulic Pump (HPU) n Heavy-duty Hydraulic Hose n Bluetooth ®

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

BASS BOATS GERMANY: THE REAL DEAL

34

BOAT COUTURE

If you’re in the market for a specific boat that performs in a specific way for a specific type of fishing then look no further.

The Owner of Bass Boat Germany, Christian Biereth, insists he can find it!

T

he passion for boating came early for Christian Biereth, today’s owner of Bass Boat Germany.

Indeed, Christian was an avid fisherman since he was six years old and he first came in touch with “real” fishing boats about ten years ago when he had the chance to go fishing with his friend from Italy who owned a Nitro bass boat.

As his angling partner pulled up to the boat ramp, Christian instantly fell for the Nitro. It was love at first sight.

After “flying” to the first spot at something like 100km/h, Christian could not stop smiling for the rest of the fishing trip. It took only a few minutes of fishing for him to experience the enormous stability and fish-ability the boat offered.

In his imagination, Christian had already signed a sales contract and, at the same time, he began soaking up all the information and knowledge about boats and boating he could find.

He soon realized that it was not that easy to find these fishing boats in Europe at that time and that the regulations to import a boat to Europe were very strict. There was a lot to learn about what needed to be done if a boat had to be imported from USA to Europe and it could be a complicated and expensive exercise.

After getting in direct touch with Tracker Marine Group, who owned boat brands like Tracker, Nitro, Mako, Sun Tracker and Tahoe at that time (now also

BASS BOATS GERMANY: THE REAL DEAL

BOAT

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

COUTURE

36

Ranger, Stratos and Triton), he discussed the possibilities of starting a boat dealership.

Christian was not taken seriously at first by the boat industry, but he managed to get all the information required from the European authorities, as well as a great back-up from Mercury Marine EMEA and a local dealership in Mannheim, which was willing to help unload containers, rig the boats and mount and run the engines.

These strong partnerships set the wheels in motion to start importing the first container of Nitro and Tracker boats.

Since then, Christian, working together with his father, has managed to maintain and expand his knowledge and today Bass Boat Germany offers a big selection of boats, each specific to a customer’s needs.

Bigger is better Today, Christian tells how he has had to move to new facilities twice in order to obtain more room to show, rig and service boats.

“In our facility in Altlussheim, we can do everything in one place’.

Says Christian. ‘We are able to unload

containers, mount engines, fit the boats to their trailers – and, in fact, install everything a customer might want. At the same time, with the latest technology, we can let customers experience some of our boats live and in colour, as well as demonstrate the latest technology of fish-finders, trolling motors and such like in our showroom.

“We offer the best-selling fishing boats in the world and we know we can find the right boat for you!

“From what you could call the arsenal of the largest boat-builder in the world, we can supply fishing boats for almost any kind of fishing. Nitro, Tracker, Ranger, Stratos, Triton & Mako are the leading US brands: if you tell us your need and your style of fishing, we will find the right boat for you!”

Always up to date Technology, of course, changes every day and it affects our boating industry, too.

That is why our staff is always upto-date with the latest technology of the leading brands – such as Lowrance, Humminbird, Raymarine, Motorguide, Minn Kota, Power Pole, Hydrowave and so on. There is almost no boating wish that Bass Boat Germany can’t make come true.

We speak the “fishing slang” One important factor of our success is that we are fishermen and that we speak the same language as our customers.

From the input you give us, we can select the best fitting product– no matter if it is the right boat, the right engine or the right technology.

The total package – within your budget!

If you buy a boat from us, you can be sure that you will get a complete package of boat, trailer, trolling motor and electronics. It’s ready to use and, if you want, we can also put the registration number on your boat so that you can go fishing just a few minutes after picking up your boat from our facility at Altlußheim, in South-West Germany, or after we have delivered your new boat to your door.

The result ..

Happy customers! Some of our customers drive 600 km and more in order to get their boat serviced by our team, or to get some upgrades on their rides. I think that is the best feedback one can get. Don’t follow – LEAD! Come and try us! n

Experts for lithium batteries One of the latest trends in the fishingboat industry is the use of lithium batteries. These deliver a lot of power and weigh a good deal less than regular AGM or GEL batteries.

Mercury trained and certified In order to supply the best and most reliable service, we have two trained service technicians for Mercury engines at Bass Boat Germany. They can guarantee the best performance of a Mercury engine on your boat, as well as ensure a secure ride.

‘‘

We are able to unload containers, mount engines, fit the boats to their trailers – and, in fact, install everything a customer might want.

BEAST TAMERS: DUO INTERNATIONAL

BRING OUT THE

BEASTS

Introducing Duo's range of monster tamers .. but

N

Now in its third decade, DUO is a widely recognised brand in Japan's fishing industry, a country largely seen as the pinnacle of lure manufacturing.

DUO's chief designer and current CEO, Mr. Masahiro Adachi is wellknown for keeping true to the height of basic performance and also has a world reputation for producing magnificent lures in which simple beauty is combined with outstanding performance.

Duo's Fang Ops Utilizing DUO's highly advanced molding technology, the lure designs were headed

by DUO CEO and Chief designer Masahiro Adachi in close collaboration with One Bite One Fishe's Kazuhiro Uyama, a predator fishing icon, who provided invaluable insight based on his vast global experience and know-how.

Contrary to the notion of JDM (Japanese Domestic Model) being associated with finesse usage, Fang Ops lures were created specifically for daring anglers around the world, with a toughness and durability that could match any monster anytime, anywhere.

Keeping true to DUO's motto “There is Only One”, the standard-setting Realis Fang Ops lures will be a must-have for the predator angler going beast mode.

The FangPop

The Fang Giant

Versatile and Tough. Bring the Beasts up to the Surface!

Enter the Colossus! Only Beasts Allowed!

After conquering shallow and deep waters with Fangbaits, Fang Ops is ready to rule the surface too.

Introducing FangPop, the new topwater master. Even with light twitching, FangPop splashes the water well accompanied by a sweet pop sound to attract the predators to reach out.

Versatile enough to be used for GT-style popping, straight fast retrieve as well as staging a crisp walk the dog, FangPop proves it’s all-rounder status. Being fully wired-through at that, it makes it the only one of its kind. Get ready to call the beasts to meet you at the surface.

When magnum is not enough! While there are number of big baits around the world, this one is not only of monster size, but is ready to handle the monsters. A fully integrated wire system from head all the way to tail makes it ready to tackle any kind of beast. By using an original way to connect the joints, the range of movement of FangGiant was expanded and the swimbait stages an irregular action causing reaction strikes!

The Fangbait

The Fang Swimbait Built as ultimate predator swimbait, the 11 Inch Fang soft bait has a weight room in the front to apply your desired weight to adjust the fishing depth. With the hook fixed to the body via magnet, the shad tail will be able to be fished in various depth.

The heavy duty weapon for “Going Beast Mode”

beware of the Fangs!

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

What do you tie on your rod when you plan to target a 20kg Papuan Bass, 40kg barramundi or 100kg arapaima? What tackle generates enough confidence to tie it on even when fighting a world class record fish? We offer you the answer – the Fangbait series.

Developed by Kazuhiro Uyama and tested on his many trips to chase the greatest of world’s predators, Fangbait aims to become a staple in “beast hunters” tackle boxes. As a pioneering model for Fang Ops brand, it represents the concept of building some of the toughest lures in the world to the fullest.

The tag team of Fangbait SR & DR models has been built to tackle even the largest of the “beasts” guarded by a strong 1.2mm/1.5mm diameter thick wire running through the whole body. By running the wire through the outer side of the body, we were able to further reduce the plastic usually required around the wire, while increasing the air chamber for more buoyancy. We have also inserted several different sized stainless-steel pins to secure the wire which runs through the body.

This prevents the wire from coming loose, while reducing the weight by trimming the unnecessary meat off the body.

39

n 09:00 – 12:00: BOAT Competitors Registration n 14:00 – 14:30: Partners & sponsors briefing n 15:00 – 15:30: Official participants briefing (Boats) n 18:20 – 19:00: Boat Flag parade (Hellevoetsluis Canal) n 19:50: Official Picture on boats in Hellevoetsluis Canal n 20:00: Official Opening on boats in Hellevoetsluis Canal

Wednesday, June 13th

n 07:00-07:15: Boat Captains’ daily briefing n 06.45-07:45: Daily Event Boat Check n 07:45: Boats allowed to leave berth n 08.15: Start of Boat competition. At start/finish line

ITINERARY

Tuesday, June 12th

WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM 46

Monday, June 11th Partners & Sponsors invited to setup stands in sponsors arena

n 12:00 – 17:00: BOAT Competitors registration n 19.30 onwards: Welcome reception with catering & entertainment (Citta Romana).

This three-day battle will push the limits of anglers from all over the world ... but don’t panic, if it all gets too much, there’s always a good excuse for a party!

n 16:15: Daily end of Boat competition and return to start/finish line & return to Marina

Thursday, June 14th

n 07:00-07:15: Boat Captains’ daily

briefing

n 06:45-07:45: Daily Event Boat Check n 07:45: Boats allowed to leave berth n 08:15: Start of Boat competition at start/ finish line n 09:15 – 12:15: Street fishing registration n 16:15: Daily end of boat competition and return n 19:30 onwards: Street fishing welcome party sponsored by Lowrance (Hellevoetsluis Square)

World Predator Classic 2018: EVENT ITINERARY

Friday, June 15th

n Competitors Rest day: Boats Sponsors and event partners meet the stars Sponsor & Partners n 09:00: Rest Day and daily briefing Boat/ Partners n 09:15-11:00: Street fishing final registration

n 13:00: Street fishing Official Picture and briefing (Hellevoetsluis Square) n 14:00: Start of Street fishing session 1 (Hellevoetsluis Square) n 22:00: End of Street fishing session 1 ( Hellevoetsluis Square)

Saturday, June 16th

n 07:00-07:15: Boat Captains’ briefing n 06:20-07:20: Daily Event Boats Check n 07:45: Boats allowed to leave berth n 08:15: Start of Boat competition

announced by firing of canons n 10:00: Start of Street fishing session 2 (Hellevoetsluis Square) n 15:00: End of Street fishing session 2 (Hellevoetsluis Square) n 16:00: Daily end of boat competition at start/finish line & head to Marina n 21:00: Giant prize giving for boat, and street fishing (Theatre at Hellevoetsluis) n 22:00: PARTY TIME‌..for all!

STREE

..IT’S T

THOMAS LLOYD: ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, ANYWHERE

ET LIFE

THE ONLY LIFE I KNOW

S

‘‘

My college teacher can be discussing the Judicial system, but in my head, I’m thinking ‘Will they be eating the Dropshot this weekend?’

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

treet escap Fishing i e at any . You can ges an accessi t i m e with t up and g ble for ten o m comp minutes o inimal tac fishing r ten h kle. If letely yours elf andform a disc ours, you c it’s outba an o n the W ne c eleme k, if there’s hether it’s a world arou ct between wa nt nd you bu .

I’m with my li ter, you’ll sy city or LondoTom Lloyd, ght rod, ne find me the a tranquil t a due to n. My angli 17-year-old and small wre in my ng sta me wa rted w fishing ad aist bag. nting After r dict fr hen I w t o e a fi li s away, o I got o sing the nea h like my W as 12 years m surrou e n r nding google ma est beach w lsh family. old ps and me. a My found s over two h first fi first rod and o some sh on r water urs it whe eel cost £6 comm piece ercial matc n my friend .99 and I ca o h u but it f sweetcorn lake. I cau Charlie too ght my was m k g h me to ji t g a g lin li is resp y onsible starting po g it in the mttle Perch on a i nt, a argin a for e Now colleg I eat, sleep verything I nd that £6.9 . It was tiny e teac 9 d a o p n urcha , d brea today! her ca but in se th n Drops my head, I’m be discuss e lure fishin g h i n . o t M g t h the Ju this w inking them dic y ee ‘W p reactio retty lethar kend? The c ill they be ial system, and si n bait?’ The gic, should old weathe eating the rw I us mu da You’ll ltaneously ydreaming e a Texas ri ill have fi t h h n a at’s wh d fish ppens g or a Urban in y ecosys City canals the most u I love Stree at any time where tems! I’ve fi full of litter nexpected t Fishing! o spot o the water is shed the picare still ama f places. f z t c u r r u r y e b s s b t q a Lea w ish in l clea ue Ri ing h plastic ere the wat the water. I’vr, and you w ver Wye both! bags and s er is chocola e also fishe on’t find a tolen m d t opeds e brown and the River Cas . I’ve c middleting a lure, I aught full of ’m fish in pass m of Camden complete what I e every hou , where tho ly stress fre e relatio ’m doing. I’mr giving me usands of c in the o n w mmut s n e h ot w ird lo ips sure m any an, I’m in my e orrying abo oks wond ers ering leme glers ut m My small Lure Fishin can relate t nt catching y bills or g main Rivers o P erch. I this.

Chub. , ’m I prefe Lakes and Cly revolves a round r fishin anals f fi o g with a bait r Perch, Pik shing e caster and tr and y to

43

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

THOMAS LLOYD: ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, ANYWHERE

44

‘‘

A packet of lures costs less than a drink in the local pub! You have to weigh up, what is happiness worth to you?

use fin a ultra esse where v setup. light jigging er I can. Wh I a gauge m a fines setup, or a ether it’s on s finer wlines, longe se fanatic. T wimbait pi r I can b i r r o e ds, wid he thinne ke d hoo It’s all ks r er a to go fi e sitting on more. bout using all suit my fi spools and and b shing for a the sofa at 1 easier A finer line a little bit le shing perfe e fe 0 c w i s w n with there in les w hours, gr am, decide t s have t hich mea ill cut thro to get a b ly. s ab my m t h y a lif n n i o access distan use stupid s on a windugh the air t ible m estyle so we 30 minutes gear y c y ! It fi h e o e ll eavy th day, u can’t .A on helps fish be od for anyo nd it’s the m ts to cut the cast. a fi jig heads to I don’t h o u n r c s e o a gives m throug ne dia get can’t a constantly, use you’re w. You may th st sink q e more con h the wate meter line a have n fford t o r k i n r uicker lso he tac g long ink o wate quicke tact w That i on a li . k i S r t le r m s h , n . w w ear yo m all h hy you ght se Worki u or tup to fish give m y rig and let ich n a trave g long hou need to try o. s it uch m r S l ore sp s t r ? r o e N d e o prob t Fishi in the minut ort My fa n le vouri home es on your lucar and go fi m. Chuck g!

My fav t . e s N n h o r o c u i n i h t r g g for 2 sure w ite rig break you? G Chebu ..

0 fo h o near y oogle maps at water yo r on the wa flex he rashka rig, r sure has to o u ! which u ad or b I b h t , w e a y v o t i and ot ll show e arou y he u’ll be is also ottom In bas nd h s a e u k ll r r sh pri the it? Stre comp ics it’s an jigging rig nown as t et Fishaven’t disco sed how mu water rises o articu h . e w vered that h lated ji ing is f a hoo ch yo orth a use th over £150 a n’t expensiv . Can’t afford u the ho s a clip in it k of choice g, which n e e m . o d w !

I have some all. A p a drin movem k and weig It creates a ith a weig rod wo ac k up, wh in the loca ket of lures rth £30 and s it beca ent than a ht which gi joint betwe ht l c I a v e p t u o e t r n u s is hap happi use wi se I can ch aditional s more piness b! You have ts less than n ji t e o g h s o s h t t s w h o i ead. I e whic s Stree e weig o betwe lik h t Fishi rth to you? weigh h ng. n My wheth en tungsten t and vice v hook I wan e straigher I want to or lead, andersa. I can p t to THOM my fis t hook. It’s afish with a w then choo ick AS LLO s YD my fis h and is a hu ccounted fo eedless or e hing o g r e s f lures ly versatile o many o f betwe en 1 a rig that sui ts nd 4” Favou p erfectly rite lu There . re .. lot of c are many in dividu onfide al lure nce i Rea s that Crazy listic Shad Gn. I have F 7 i a , s have c h Polaris Westin Sh a t a o u d n g T h a e t plen me a f I had t ez and t e confid o name a ty y for me in t w. They all pe of lu he pas ent in , it wo t, but re th The the dif re are so ma uld be Crea at I am mos if t f n u e pletho rent varia y to choos re Baits! t t Punch ra to choos ions mean e from and e t cover Craw and C from. I find hat I have a my ba r a z y Fish N the Z-man The P ses be u is very nch Craw h st. They con imble to claws natural. Th as no actio trast well. n e t vibrat hat flap an Nimble ha and floats. d crea ion on s swim It accou t nted f the retrieve e a ton of ac ming 14oz, o . t r T i on a my hes P usuall ike of 22lb current PBs e two lures nd h 5oz an y fish .

P e creatu d Chu rch of 3lb ave The rig I sp swimming re baits on t b over 6lbs !I on Sh oke of earli ones on the wo rigs. a e Skip G ky Heads. I r, and the fl Cheburash the bo ap. I usually favour the Goating ones ka The p ttom and ad drag creatu amakatsu a as it gi uses are vit d twitches re baits alon a v Crayfi es them timal with the fl nd pauses. g sh wo o e t o s takes c uld be tand u ating craw s a i p like n n d be a efe Baits a space bsolutely s nsive modea real av in .T I’ve go t a ran your tackle age, give Cre he ge of lu box! ature re rod A few s and of m t ackle, im Follow age), a y favouri and me on r ig, the beautiful 2 te things..

Faceb 2 Chebu A ook a rashka lb pike (top) 6lb chubb nd In (m and m (above stagra y favou ain ) m @lu rite refish ingllo ydie

STREETFISHING

PARTICIPANTS Germany

Germany

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

REF NAME

46

TEAM

SPONSOR

001 Fabian Graefe Defending champion (2017

Hearty Rise Premium Tackle 002 Sebastian Ebert Hearty Rise Premium Tackle 003 Raphael Matschullat The Art of Streetfishing 004 Kevin Imhof The Art of Streetfishing 005 Viktor Gersch Lake Bandits 006 Florian Postmeier Lake Bandits D‘Town Fishing 007 Kevin Woidtke 008 Nikola Ivanovic D‘Town Fishing 009 Philipp Boer 010 Uwe Wermers 011 Koen Sipma Zander Elite 012 Wietze Woudwijk Zander Elite 013 Frank Huttl JAX PRO 014 Florian Rennemann JAX PRO 017 Marcel van Oudheusden Pro Perch Team 018 Peter Nebbeling Pro Perch Team 029 Sascha Erlemann Plus-Fishing 030 Andreas Buss Plus-Fishing 031 Maik Nowotny Westpott Predator 032 Jan Schodon Westpott Predator 033 Andreas Erbelding Bock auf Barsch!

034 Martin Riedel Bock auf Barsch!

035 Daniel Brouwers Percherry Germany1 036 Gerrit Scholz Percherry Germany1 037 Thomas Gronenwald Percherry Germany2 038 Holger Christoph Helbeck Percherry Germany2 040 Alexander Woitschischin Wanderers1 Merega sledopyt 041 Eduard Reicherd Wanderers1 Merega sledopyt 042 Wadim Fur Wanderers2 Merega sledopyt 043 Andrii Yehorov Wanderers2 Merega sledopyt 044 Stephan Schober Spro Sports Spro.de Spro Sports Spro.de 045 Florian Engelke 051 Florian Cegla Inglourious Bassterds 052 Patrick Klockner Inglourious Bassterds 059 Jonas Mix The Big Fish Crew-Berlin 060 Marc Thomas Kunze The Big Fish Crew-Berlin 061 Daniel Leitner Pure Rod Brand 062 Ralph Mohring Pure Rod Brand 063 Andy Linnemann Cherry Peppers 064 Manuel Schafer Cherry Peppers 065 Bjorn Wroblewski Streetfishing Angelcenter Voegler 066 Benjamin Israel Streetfishing Angelcenter Voegler 069 Patrick Kostmann Harbour Fishing Hamburg 070 Joseph Gutknecht Harbour Fishing Hamburg 072 Kai Jaspers ZFT Oberhausen 2 073 Dominik Smok ZFT Oberhausen 2 074 Sebastian Bosen Streetfishing Ruhrpott 1 075 Tim Cherman Streetfishing Ruhrpott 1 076 Dirk Becker Streetfishing Ruhrpott 2 077 Francis Rosik Streetfishing Ruhrpott 2 078 Harich Bjorn PikeTology 079 Patrick Kiefer PikeTology 080 Lars Albers Grueppen Angelsport 081 Joerg Engbers Grueppen Angelsport

REF NAME

TEAM

SPONSOR

082 Mario Bildhauser ZFT Oberhausen 083 Nino Bildhauser ZFT Oberhausen 084 Martin Braun Zander Buddies 085 Marcel Gartner Zander Buddies 086 Stefan Beckmann Predator Hunter’s Germany 087 Daniel Schrovenwever Predator Hunter’s Germany 088 Robert Munzer 089 Richard Munzer 090 Henry Hockner 091 Tom Linke 103 Gunnar Glimm 112 Mike Forster 117 Christian Rakowski Spinmad Germany 118 Martin Hoffmann Spinmad Germany 119 Heiko Sander SUR 120 Andre Griesberg SUR 121 Thomas Nosinski Harbour Fishing Hamburg 2 122 Christoph Wagner 123 Benny Beutling 124 Heiko Kahler 141 Pascal Wassenberg Zander Obsession 142 Oliver Michels Zander Obsession 144 Philipp Aust RKM 700 145 Robert Nieten RKM 700 150 Phillip Knobloch Crazy Fish THINKBIG 151 Torsten Rühl Crazy Fish THINKBIG 156 Waldi Sascha #WALDIBANDE 1 157 Tobias Haller 158 Waldi Kai #WALDIBANDE 2 159 TBA 162 Andreas Maier Bock auf Barsch II 163 Peter Karger Bock auf Barsch II Das Animalische/ Duo P.F.S. 165 Markus Geier 166 Christian Hamster Das Animalische/ Duo P.F.S. 167 Timo Waschitzki Quantum Team Germany 168 Ruwen Koring Quantum Team Germany 169 Michael Steenbreker Rhein Fire 170 Mathias Thome Rhein Fire 173 Andre Fischmann AS Fishing 174 Stephan Rigters AS Fishing 178 Sven Kwitniewski 181 Maurice Masannek A.Fishing A.Fishing 182 Frank Gunther A.Fishing A.Fishing 185 Peter Wohlers Er-Volkskoder 186 Dominik Reichert Er-Volkskoder Odenwald Fishing 188 Marko Schug 189 Stefan Strunz Odenwald Fishing 194 Christian Teper 195 Jochen Schatz kunst-koeder-shop.de 196 Manuel Buchmaier kunst-koeder-shop.de 197 Andre Gierszewski Bassattack 198 Johann Herter Bassattack 199 Johannes Brunner Topwater 200 TBA Topwater

2018 STREETFISHING EVENT: LIST OF PARTICIPANTS England

Belgium REF NAME

046 Daniel Dabija 071 Dan Dragan 164 Rozycki Marcin

TEAM

SPONSOR

Mikado Fishing Team5

France TEAM

057 Vincent Payro 058 Sebastien Pankorski 092 Christophe Bellec 093 Francis Peutet 094 Emmanuel Bonnal 095 Romuald Boucheron 096 Jose Pelegrin 097 Stephane Lherbier 098 David Alonso 099 Michel Gabrysiak 100 Yoann Herveleu 104 Christophe Planet 105 Anthony Cuq 113 Laurent Fouliard 114 Laurent Fouliard 134 Alain Pelletier 143 Stephane Konnert

AS DE PIKE AS DE PIKE CCBM4 CCBM4 CCBM5 CCBM5 CCBM2 CCBM2 CCBM1 CCBM1 French’n Fish CCBM3 CCBM3

SPONSOR

Amazing Fishing Amazing Fishing

Amazing Fishing Amazing Fishing

French’n Fish

Netherlands TEAM

047 048 049 050 055 056 067 068 171 172

Tussen Haakjes

SPONSOR

Crazy Fish Next Level Crazy Fish Next Level Jig Bros Jig Bros Tha Locals Tha Locals Anglers For Kids Anglers For Kids

Latvia TEAM

137 Gatis Malmeisters TBA 138 TBA 179 Vadims Loginovs L.Baits–Zemex

SPONSOR

TBAG TBAG Zemex-L.Baits

Lithuania REF NAME

TEAM

SPONSOR

190 Kestutis Zemaitis 191 Zilvinas Zemaitis

Zemaiciai.Lt Zemaiciai.Lt

TEAM

SPONSOR

Scotland REF NAME

Cheshire T’anglers Cheshire T’anglers

SPONSOR

015 Artur Kardasz 016 Michal Wittstock

Switzerland REF NAME

TEAM

154 Markus von Euw 155 David Falbe

Bullseye Fishing Bullseye Fishing

SPONSOR

REF NAME

TEAM

019 Jacek Borkowski 020 Slawomir Sikorski 021 Mariusz Wisniewski 022 Piotr Tokarski 023 Piotr Mankowski 024 Andrzej Demski 025 Sylwester Matuszak 026 Sylwester Matuszak Jr 027 Sebastian Sidorek 028 Zbigniew Stelmaszczyk 053 Andrzej Hinca 054 Zygmunt Wisniewski 101 Daniel Pozoga 102 Konrad Sobieraj 106 Pawel Piekuta 107 Bartosz Zawadzinski 108 Slawomir Wojtusciszyn 109 Bartosz Smoron 110 Szymon Wilke 111 Tomasz Dziewulski 115 Pawel Brzozowski 116 Marian Ciesielski 125 Wlodek Tomczuk 126 Michal Oswiecinski 127 Kamil Grzelak 128 Szymon Kolodziejczyk 129 Cezary Ejsak 130 Pawel Karwowski 131 Jakub Grochowiecki 132 Pawel Zabieglinski 133 Robert Karpinski 135 Grzegorz Lazarowicz 136 Marek Szulc 139 Patryk Kaczmar 140 Mateusz Chirowski 146 Jacek Czerwinski 147 Mariusz Bzymek 148 Wieslaw Opiol 149 Adrian Pron 160 Lukasz Okruch 161 Pawel Kozakiewicz 176 Sandra Barylska 177 Tomasz Nierada 183 Jacek Szulinski 184 Andrzej Pieprzak 192 Lukasz Mysliwiec 193 Adrian Modzelewski

SPONSOR

Polish Fishing Club 1 Polish Fishing Club 1 Polish Fishing Club 2 Polish Fishing Club 2 Polish Fishing Club 3 Polish Fishing Club 3 Matuszak team PL Matuszak team PL Polish Fishing Club 4 Polish Fishing Club 4 Polish fishing club 5 Polish fishing club 5 Team Dragon 1 Team Dragon 1 Mikado Fishing1 Mikado Abramis Mikado Fishing 1 Micado Abramis Mikado Fishing 2 Mikado Abramis Mikado Fishing 2 Mikado Abramis Mikado Fishing 3 Mikado Abramis Mikado Fishing 3 Mikado Abramis Amigo Fishing Amigo Fishing StreetFishing Poland 1 StreetFishing Poland 1 Team Dragon 2 Team Dragon 2 Shimano Poland team Shimano Poland team StreetFishing Poland 2 StreetFishing Poland 2 Team Dragon 3 Team Dragon 3 Team Dragon 4 Team Dragon 4 Team Dragon 5 Team Dragon 5 Team Dragon 6 Team Dragon 6 Team Dragon 7 Team Dragon 7 Mikado Fishing4 Mikado Abramis Mikado Fishing4 Mikado Abramis StreetFishing Poland 3 StreetFishing Poland 3 Deeper Deeper Deeper Deeper

Ukraine REF NAME

TEAM

SPONSOR

180 Vladimir Vorotniak

L.Baits–Zemex

Zemex-L.Baits

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

REF NAME

REF NAME

TEAM

039 Stephen Hands 175 Mark Barratt 187 Steve Garner

Poland

REF NAME

Daan van der Velde Dennis Metaal Dennis Horvarh Dominique Kleijwegt Pascal Kyek Christopher Lochte Raymond van Hulst Sander Bravenboer Piotr Sierant Bozena Sierant

REF NAME

47

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

2018 STREETFISHING TEAM THE EVENT: PARTICIPANTS FLASHBACK! THE GOOD, BADLIST ANDOFTHE UGLY

48

REMEMBER

FLASHBACK! THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

2017?

49

49

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

STREETFISHING CHAMPION 2017: FABIAN GRÄFE

50

LIVING THE

DREAM

Fabian Gräfe, was born to fish – he lives, works and breathes it.

So when Ross Honey asked the reigning WPC Champion how his year has been since winning, you can guarantee he’s still got a big smile on his face!

STREETFISHING CHAMPION 2017: FABIAN GRÄFE

‘‘

W

hen I was a little boy my Grandpa took me out to a small pond, fishing for roach, tench and small carps. Early on I got fascinated by nature, water and everything that lives there and when we were fishing together I never wanted to go home again.

Since that time fishing is not just a hobby for me, it’s a part of my life!

At the age of 17, I turned my passion for water into my career. Having started with an education in fish farming, I’m now working on a resettlement project for the Atlantic salmon in the Rhine river. It was always a dream for me to give something back to the environment that we live in.

But even though working with fish is my daily business, fishing never gets boring to me.

It’s the never ending learning process and that you have to understand and analyse nature that fascinates me so much. Just by putting everything together and making the right decisions you will catch fish constantly.

During my education I met Sebastian who became my best fishing buddy and we went fishing nearly every day at our home waters. We started to become a perfect fishing team, and so in 2015 we talked about fishing tournaments and decided to take part in our first one. After registering for the World Predator Classic Streetfishing Event 2016, we started to get everything prepared and developed a match plan.

Well prepared and excited, we started our journey to Hellevoetsluis in the Netherlands where the WPC took place. After some prefishing to get confident with the water, the start was near and we realised what it meant to be part of this amazing event.

Thinking back to this awesome event is still a bit surreal but it always brings a big smile to my face

It wasn’t just some anglers competing against each other, it was the great atmosphere and the chance to meet all these people with the same passion. This is what makes events like this so special. We were totally hooked and it was clear, even if we caught nothing we would be back again. But our plan was solid, and in the end I finished in 5th place at my first big fishing tournament ever.

When it came to registering for the WPC Streetfishing Event 2017 there was no doubt Sebastian and I would take part again.

We learned a lot in 2016 and were really motivated when we travelled again to Hellevoetsluis, even though there was no time to pre-fish. When we arrived, the atmosphere was great once again and after a meeting with the team we prepared our master plan for the day. And this plan paid off in the first minutes of the tournament - because at the first cast, at the first spot I caught a beautiful pike. After that fish our expectations were high, but even though we fished religiously for the whole day, we didn’t catch any more.

On the next day it turned out that the fishing was slow for every participant and my pike landed me third place. The second day started as the first had ended, slow. We didn’t get any bites and the time was against us. After changing some spots we only had enough time to try one last spot. With our plan in mind and just half an hour left we focused on our fishing and I finally got a bite that turned out to be a pike again. After measuring and taking some pictures we got back just in time to give back our score cards.

When it came to the prize giving I didn’t really expect much, despite all the effort and preparation we had put in. Two pikes aren’t that many and there were a lot of good and skilled anglers in the competition. But in these tough fishing conditions my two pikes were enough to bring me first place and when Ross shouted out my name I was overjoyed that I had made it.

Now, approximately one year later, Ross asked me how it felt to win the WPC and what changes it has brought me.

Thinking back to this awesome event is still a bit surreal but it always brings a big smile to my face.

But what has really changed?

After winning the WPC my motivation for fishing was even higher than ever before. I literally used every free minute to do some fishing stuff. And not just on the water. There were many things going on this year. I helped my main sponsor Hearty Rise, that has been supporting me now for almost five years, to develop some fantastic new rods. And there are still a lot of more things that we have

STREETFISHING CHAMPION 2017: FABIAN GRÄFE Water boys.. Fabian doing what he does best .. fishing with like-minded buddies

LIVING THE

DREAM

However, it’s not just about co-operations and sponsorships. For me, the most important thing about fishing remains – to have a good time on the water with my friends. And man, we had a great time on the water this year!

I managed to get out fishing as often as possible, not only with my old friends, but I’ve also met some great new people at the water where good friendships have been forged.

And the fishing was anything but slow.

In summer we had great zander fishing in the rivers and some special species

Fabian Gräfe: Bloke on the water Fabian literally lives for water and fish! Besides his work in a resettlement project for the Atlantic salmon, he spends nearly every free minute in the waters all around the world.

His special field is streetfishing, but no matter if on a boat, on a floattube or from the bank, if there is water, Fabian feels like he’s home. n Lives: Bonn, Germany n Age: 23 n Favourite HR rod: Evolution 662M & Valley Hunter 712ML n Favourite fish: Perch n Favourite technique: Jigging

like barble spotting with soft lures, which worked pretty well. When it came to winter, the perch fishing was insane for us.

We had a huge amount of big perch and I managed to start 2018 with a perch over 50cm as my first fish of the year, which is a dream fish for sure. So I’m really happy looking back to last year. Winning the WPC was my greatest achievement in fishing so far. The success has motivated me and given me some amazing opportunities I could have only dreamed about – looking forward, I’m really excited.

Finally, for all those who didn’t take part in a tournament, I would like to recommend it.

It’s an incomparable experience to fish together with so many fishing fanatics and you learn a lot about fishing during the competition.

But for me the most important thing I learned during the WPC 2017, is that you should never give up. Make a good plan you believe in, stick to it till the end and you will make your way.

I wish every participant good luck and an awesome World Predator Classic 2018, see you in the streets! n Fabian grÄfe

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

worked on together, like a new blog where the Pro Staffers could present the products and their fishing stories, and also a new bait we released in May this year.

In addition to this, there were also other new opportunities for me. I got my first requests to write articles about fishing in print magazines – which was always a little dream for me when I was a young boy. And I made ties with some new companies, for example, with Humminbird Germany and Technik fürs Boot, which are supporting me with the best electronics for my fishing.

My latest cooperation and something I’m really looking forward to, is working with Rheinlandboote.

Rheinlandboote is not just a company that offers complete packages for your n holidays in the Netherlands, it also sells boats and from this year they have become a part of the Tracker Marine Group which includes Ranger Boats – for me, one of the best fishing boats and tournament fishing machines.

So who knows, maybe next year I will take part in the boat category.

53

ADRIAN PRON: ROLE PLAYING

TRADING

ADRIAN'S STREETFISHING ADVE

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

54

‘‘

My role as Polish ambassador for the Street Fishing event will allow me to gather information among Polish players.

One of the players who comes every year from Poland – especially for the WPC competition – is Paweł Brzozowski from Team Amigo Fishing.

He also takes part in all the “Street Fishing Poland” competitions and promotes Catch

ADRIAN PRON: ROLE PLAYING

PLACES

ENTURE CONTINUES IN A NEW ROLE The WPC Street fishing formula competition captivated me from the very beginning, with the atmosphere created by all the players from around the world.

My first ever contact with this type of competition was in 2015, where as a spectator I visited colleagues taking part in the WPC in the Street Fishing event. Within a few hours, the electric atmosphere created so much positive emotion in me that I could not wait for my turn.

The moment the registration for 2016 started and I saw my name on the list, those first emotions came flooding back.

The participation in the competition turned out to be less stressful, thanks to the presence of colleagues from many European countries, who willingly shared knowledge gained in previous events and the professional approach of the organizers meant that after a short while I felt like I was at home.

With the beautiful, tourist town of Hellevoetsluis, with its wonderful specimens hidden in the Dutch canals and hundreds of anglers from all over the world in one place are all moments that will forever stick in my memory.

The Netherlands, interspersed with numerous channels, is the perfect place to organize fishing events of this type as they are very popular in this country, but none of them can match such a great atmosphere as the World Predator Classic.

It is thanks to the World Predator Classic 2017 and my development, that I was noticed by the Dragon Fishing Equipment company with whom I started to work with.

This year, a record number of players from Team Dragon – a total of sixteen competitiors – will take part in the WPC 2018 Street Fishing event, and I will be their Captain. We also have anglers Tomasz Krysiak and Robert Policha representing Team Dragon in the Boat event.

It was the inspiration of the WPC that encouraged me to create my own competition with Dragon – with the aim of integrating Polish anglers from all over Europe.

The seven events of the Spinning Dutch Adventure Catch & Release – which is organized quarterly throughout the Netherlands – used the slogan: Two Ways, One Choice, Catch & Release.

This was to promote Catch & Release among Poles and create fishing meetings with a spirit of friendly rivalry.

Each Spinning Dutch Adventure Catch & Release event has a different form and these are individual or team competitions.

& Release. Here’s what Paweł has to say: “The Street Fishing competition in Poland looks really good compared to the Netherlands. An increasing number of anglers are choosing to participate in such competitions. In Poland, events in this form are organized in different cities, which allows you to learn about new fisheries and most importantly, meet anglers from

This allows for integration and rapid exchange of experiences between players. The places where the Spinning Dutch Adventure Catch & Release competition takes place are also selected so that each of the competitors has a chance to show their best side.

The May edition of the competition is organized on the Ketelmeer reservoir connected to the North Sea. The August edition on the Leek river with a large diversity of predators – a record pike with a length of 121cm was caught here by Roman Truta, who holds the current record of all the Spinning Dutch Adventure Catch & Release competitions.

Thanks to the cooperation and invaluable help from WPC founder Ross Honey, I was also able to organize my own Spinning Dutch Adventure Catch & Release competition in Hellevoetslius in the Street Fishing formula, which were qualifiers for the World Predator Classic Street Fishing event.

During the six-hour qualifying round, a total of 1390cm of fish were caught – the three largest specimens being a 95cm pike by Artur Rymowicz, a 93cm pike by Michał Dziublak and a 91cm pike

by Wiesław Jan Opioł.

The first three places were taken by: n 1st place: Magdalena Opioł and Wiesław Jan Opioł - 156 points n 2nd place: Paweł Zabiegliński and Krzysztof Biaduń -153 points n 3rd place: Jacek Czerwiński and Daniel Pożoga -140 points However, as the winner was already on the WPC Street Fishing list, Wiesław Jan Opioł decided to offer his tickets up for auction for “Anglers for Children” and the entire proceeds went to Zoja Marianowska.

Due to the success of the Catch & Release promotion that the Spinning Dutch Adventure Catch & Release created, I have been given the opportunity to become a member of the great World Predator Classic team, to help organise the world’s largest competitions every year ... this is probably the dream of every angler, and my dream has just been fulfilled!

For my part I would like to thank everyone who has helped me promote the Catch & Release programme. But, most of all, I would like to thank Ross Honey – a great man with lots of ideas that he successively implements.

Adrian Pron

other cities. As for the scoring in Poland, the two largest fish from a given species are included in the Street Fishing competition. In my opinion, Poland will see more and more of these competitions, as there is a great demand for it.

Already you can see the number of participants rising as with the interest of sponsors, which is growing every year.”

Paweł Brzozowski

Official WPC Streetfishing rules n Streetfishing is CPR (Catch Photo Release) and every fish caught must be handled with care. n You must fish with artificial lures only and flyfishing is not allowed. n Competitors will be coupled randomly but each competitor fishes for himself. A scorecard for each competitor is held by the other competitor. n You may have two rods, but you may not fish them both at the same time and you must not fish two or more lures at one rod. n Couples need to be together during the time of fishing and must keep an appropriate distance between eachother. n Always contact a referee if there are any disputes or problems (phone number is on the scorecards). n The length of the fish in cm (if bigger than the legal size) is the number of points the fisherman will get.

There is a quotum of 15 perch: 10 zander; 10 asp and there is a quotum of 5 pieces of other fish caught. n There is NO quotum for pike. If the number of fish with a quotum (zander and perch) is more than the quotum number then the fish caught above the quotum is 1 point per fish (also if its more than the legal size).

Example: 20 perch of 25 cm are caught. Total points (15 x 25) + (5 x 1) = 380 points. The competitor who has most points wins the event. n All legal size fish need to be photographed with the fisherman and his scorecard.

Legal length: Perch 22cm; zander 42 cm; pike 45 cm; asp 0 cm; ide 30 cm; ruffe 0 cm; trout 25 cm; catfish 0 cm; seatrout 40 cm. Fish under the legal length will NOT count.

n Fish must be alive released. n No alcohol and/or drugs n It’s not allowed to walk on boats n Respect the property of others n Do not fish outside the marked track

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Sportvisserij MidWest Nederland

56

word on the street: Sportvisserij MidWest Nederland

E R ' WE D A M !

T I FOR

REET T S E H T ON K C A B S D E KI H T G N I T GET Sportvisserij MidWest Nederland is an angling federation that works together with 108 fishing clubs and serves 130,000 members in the mid-west region of Holland.

This year Sportvisserij MidWest Nederland organises the 4th edition of the SMWN Streetfishing Competition.

This competition is fished in 6 separate matches in 6 different cities. The organizing cities are: Alkmaar, Haarlem, Zaandam, Amersfoort, Utrecht and Amsterdam (finals).

The organization of each match happens in collaboration with the local fishing club from each city. Also all participating teams are linked to their local fishing club, we do this so the fishing clubs are visible during the competition.

Fishing clubs will provide their teams with clothing, comparable to a sponsor.

The main purpose of the competition is the stimulation of young competitors within the fishing sport.

To participate in the SMWN Streetfishing event, contestants have to form a team of four. Each team consists of at least two participants under the age of 22, also every team can sign up two substitutes. Since every team has two competitors under the age of 22 the teams are evenly matched in “experience”.

This results in a more even competition where every team stands a chance at winning.

The athmosphere during the SMWN streetfishing competition is perfect – every competitor wants to win but they

SMWN to co

respect each other! A fun fact is that during the last three competitions a few of the teams got really close and they became good friends and fish together very often outside of the competition!

Fishing brings people together, which is clearly visible within the competition.

This year we have 15 teams with a total of 78 competitors. Of course with every competition there’s prices to win!

Participation to our streetfishing competition is entirely free, so for the prizes we rely on sponsors. The SMWN Streetfishing Competition has sponsor deals with several fishing brands, fishing shops and fishing guides.

This year, we have partnered with the The World Predator Classic, therefore it’s not surprising they helps us with our streetfishing competitions.

As partners, the WPC will provide us with 10 'spots' for the WPC2019 Streetfishing event as it recognises our event as an official qualifier for their own competition.

During each of our individual matches one 'spot' is given away to the participant with the biggest catch of the day. Also the winning team of our competition gets 4 tickets for the WPC Streetfishing Event in 2019.

It’s amazing that we can nurture this collaboration to ensure we can go international with these events, bringing joy to younger anglers.The reactions of our contestants are always positive, and we inted to keep this vibe up! Here’s to 2018!

mpete at WP

C2018 Boat E

For the first tim Sportvisserij e Team guide that fishe M s Nederland will idWest Zaan and the N mainly on the fresh and pa rticipate in orth-Sea chan the boat even nel, specialis saltwater trips. He is a close to Amster t. Jeroen Eijsse t in fishi da m .

H e do and Michael St ns guiding jo predators and ng for big River bs for Sportviss es al seab represent team enhoef will er ij M idWest Neder As both Jeroen ass. land when we and MidWest Ned Sportvisserij ha ve sp he ec lp erla ial guests.

SMWN as guid Michael es, we Michael Stalen nd.

Al th asked them to ough youn represent experienced Za hoef is a very experienced pr g, Jeroen is an Sp or tv nder fishing iss erij MidWest guide taking cl edator fishing Nederland as ients on both pa WPC2018 Boat rt of the team.

vent

FISHING IN THE NETHERANDS

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Going Dutch? Make Holland the starting point of your fishing holiday The Netherlands is the ideal holiday spot for anglers! Let yourself be surprised by the great fishing adventures you can have here!

A large part of the Netherlands is situated below sea level, making it one of the most water-filled countries in the world. From mighty rivers like the river delta to vast areas of wetland. From the characteristic polders to the canals of Amsterdam; the Netherlands has it all, and all these waters are great for angling. Go on big fishing adventures with monstrous Pikes, huge Perch, beautiful Carp and strong Sea Bass. Or take it easy, angling for Bream, Tench or the common Roach from your lazy chair.

Would you rather go catch some marine fish? That’s also possible in the Netherlands. There are plenty of hotspots along our 523 kilometres of coastline. Beaches, ports, piers, the famous Zeeland Delta and the Wadden Islands. All these spots offer the opportunity to catch a wide variety of tasty marine fish.

In the Netherlands we like to make you, the angler, comfortable and we like to keep things as affordable as possible.

Here it is possible to catch fish all year through throughout the whole country with only one document – the VISpas – for about just 40 euros per calendar year!

How to buy a VISpa The VISpas allows you to fish in all waters stated in the accompanying booklet entitled Lists of Fishing Waters (Gezamenlijke Lijst van Nederlandse Viswateren). That's more than 90% of the surfacewater in Holland.

The average amount you pay for a VISpas is around 40 euros. When you become a member of a fishing club, you receive the VISpas automatically. Every VISpas is valid until December 31st.

Order your VISpas easy online at www.vispas.nl or at www. fishinginholland.com .

After payment by VISA or Mastercard you'll receive an automatic e-mail with a temporary permit that allows you to go fishing immediately.

The Netherlands is the angling country par excellence, it’s only a few hours from Belgium, Germany, Great Britain or France, pay us a visit!

See you soon!

DIETMAR ISAIASCH: LURE DESIGNER & PREDATOR VANGUARD

‘‘ Back to the

FUTURE O

ver the last couple of years new fishing-techniques, including lures, have been developed and tweaked to an extent that collecting the best and latest fishing tackle is becoming far sexier than catching fish!

Of course, I am just as guilty.

By developing new tackle for well-known manufacturers, I’m always trying to find the ultimate fish-catching wonder!

These days, the battle for the best tackle is ever present and it’s getting harder and harder to get a head start with all the very latest materials and artificial baits that give you at least a few weeks, or even a month’s advantage in your swim.

As a lure-designer and predator vanguard, I believe we should go back to our fishing roots to gain that advantage over others. Here’s a few of my tips on getting ahead of the game ...

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

61

DIETMAR ISAIASCH: LURE DESIGNER & PREDATOR VANGUARD

DIETMAR ISAIASCH

Half an hour to wait on my favorite boat ramp.. that’s normal these days.

About 35 years ago, when I started to focus on lure-fishing, I was almost always alone on the water. High-end boats, fully loaded with top-tackle, were rare.

But now we have reached a stage where new lureanglers think that by simply investing in the newest tackle on the market, they can buy success and gain good fish results.

Modern tackle does have its advantages and always will, but experience and know-how from the good-old days can make a big difference – especially during difficult conditions. And it can make a hell of a difference in your results if you do exactly the opposite of all the other anglers out there. Here are just a few examples of typical days which would have resulted in big disappointment, had I done the same as all the rest.

Long Line Jigging The Netherlands, home of vertical jigging!

Zander, perch and more and more pike anglers are using this style of fishing. With small and medium size softbaits in all kind of models, from low-to no-action tails, perfect boat control and a slowly jumping bait under the keel, they are searching for active fish and drifting at a very slow rate.

On one of these windy days, with force 4 plus on the ‘Hollands Diep’, most of the anglers are looking for some shelter and stay jigging on the deeper parts.

Trying to catch some perch and zander. Everybody on the same spot, doing the same thing and trying to compete in the battle between the fish hanging around.

But if you look carefully and read the water, you will find places that are more interesting for the predators to hunt.

Some might call it ‘watercraft’, I call it open your eyes and have a good look at the current. The coloring of the water and wave forming, those spots of little bits of deeper waters, behind the shallower and more troubled areas are very interesting!

Of course, the boat is not easy to control and in some cases you have no chance to present your lures vertical style. What a dilemma. You have to move to the shelter and stay with the rest, or, you change your technique.

I prefer to do my own thing and so I stay away from the rest, get wet from the waves and a red face from the wind, but I catch.

I discovered many years ago that baits presented under a shallow angle far behind the boat, will be attacked heavily and deep swallowed and in most cases a stinger hook is not needed.

Another big point is the ‘Scheuch effect’ of the boat and the transducer. A long line is, in most cases, the key to success. This style is something like casting with shads but without retrieving the lure.

Because the boat is not fixed, the speed of the drift will do the job of winding in the fishing line. Once the cusp between drift speed of boat, distance and lure weight has been found, you just move the rod-tip to activate the shad.

I always fish long line, with the wind and without any drift sack. That means I try to go over the shallow areas and make the drop into deeper water after having passed the plateau. I put my boat broadside and I face the wind – ideally, you would have two anglers facing the wind and standing on the front and rear to stabilize the boat.

I cast the jighead-shad-combination against the wind (at least 20 meters) allowing the jig to hit the bottom on free line. Once the jig is on the ground, I close the reel and start pulling the rod so the jig comes up.

I do not hold the rod-tip in an upright position, but lower the tip just a few centimeters above the water.

Therefore I have less line in the air and much better shad-control.

Each time I pull the tip forward the shad will make an elongated jump with a much longer and very natural dive. Completely different to a vertical presentation.

To assure the best performance it might be necessary to use jighead weights that are more that 25g and in some cases 35g and 50g! But that’s no big deal for a hungry perch, for sure.

Wake them up!

Another discovery from the last few years – hardbaits with rattles inside will spook the fish.

First we need to figure out the necessity of rattles inside wobblers. They represent the casting weight, but also assure the best casting performance – more accuracy and distance.

Rattles are often in different chambers and ensure a stabile swimming action underwater. And last but not least, they produce a vibration which will attract the fish. Obviously a number of hardbaits just have weights and balls inside without any account of what they do underwater.

Only a few luremakers did a decent analysis on how fish react when they recognize a certain vibration. The amount of frequencies fish seem to recognise are: enemy, friend and food.

Having used wobblers over the last 35 years, I have to say that most predators are curious and will respond positively to frequencies created by rattles inside hardlures.

This is especially the case with zanders, who are big fans of noisy lures as long as the noise is attractive to them. Most zanders react to a heavy aggressive on ‘high-frequencies’, especially when using sinking vertical wobblers without diving lip – called rattle baits.

But also cranks being used for casting with rattles inside, do a good job as they need those stainless steel balls inside for maximum casting ability and that creates an attractive sound cloud around when retrieving. Plus this extra awareness, when the diving lip hits the bottom and shakes the lure, drives the rattles inside mad.

While most of the more volume-sized trolling lures carry less rattles, they are not intended to be made for casting and the swimming action and stability comes from a higher profile and deeper belly shape. These lures are designed for pike-fishing and experience shows, that smaller pike do like rattles just as much as zander and perch. But the larger ones have more eyes for flanking trolling lures with low or no frequency.

Nevertheless, the frequencies on hard lures is a hot topic that divides predator anglers into lovers – like me that developed many great lures and haters, who have no trust in them.

In general, it appeares that big pike prefer very low frequency baits – although I caught most of my pikes on a high frequency wobbler during zander and perch fishing – but mostly fish between 50cm and 85cm.

A meter plus fish is an exception. These frequencies produce a lot of fish on all waters with or without big fishing pressure and much more than no frequency lures.

Simply, it’s important to figure out which lure does what – high or low frequency and not just making a noise! The amount of rattles, but also the plastic body is important for the right sound to wake them up! n

‘‘

DIETMAR ISAIASCH: LURE DESIGNER & PREDATOR VANGUARD

The frequencies on hard lures is a hot topic that divides predator anglers into lovers – like me that developed many great lures – and haters, who have no trust in them.

n Born in 1968, Dietmar’s fishing career began as a Stippfischer in the youth group of the Recklinghäuser fishing club. After gaining many club championship titles and several national and international honours he went on to win the world title at the 1st Predator Fife World Championship 2002 (AFCPL) in France. n Spanning over 40 years, his career as

a professional angler started during his studies as a bait designer in the USA and as a specialist writer at Rute & Rolle in 1993. Since then, he has produced several books, DVDs, magazine articles and is a well-known face through TV appearances and lecturing worldwide. n As a lure designer, Dietmar is passionate about modern predator fishing techniques

and has been involved in the development of lures for the Rozemeijer brand, Fox, Westin and more recently Zebco where he is responsible for the development and expansion of the US global Quantum brand. n His most powerful catches so far: Pike: 127cm (40lbs), Pike/perch: 107cm (30lbs), Perch: 52cm (6lbs).

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Quantum Leap: a brief background to Dietmar Isaiasch

63

A WELCOME FROM THE MAYOR OF HELLEVOETSLUIS

WELCOME FROM THE MAYOR OF HELLEVOETSLUIS Dear partcipants and visitors, Welcome to Hellevoetsluis! It’s an honour to welcome the World Predator Classic for the fifth time to the historical setting of our town.

This is a major international event that has become of great importance to our city.

The contest with fast boats, the flag parade with participants of different nationalities is a joy to look at. The good angling spirit brings an exiting vibe to the city. We’re all looking forward to this!

The unique location of Hellevoetsluis with its historical harbor directly at the Haringvliet is the perfect setting for an event as the World Predator Classic.

The waters in and around Hellevoetsluis provide many species of fish and fishing possibilities. From fishing in our ‘polders’ (low-lying tracts of land enclosed by dikes), a ditch or canal to off course the sea and our beautiful Haringvliet. In September 2018 the Haringvliet locks will be opened to let salty water get into the sweet water. This will certainly cause a change in the fauna of the Haringvliet.

Hellevoetsluis is a very lively town during the summerseason. So enjoy your drinks at the various terraces in the old town and listen to live music.

During the event you will be busy of course, but we hope you take your time to enjoy Hellevoetsluis and the island of Voorne-Putten.

There is so much you can do. In the green surroundings you can hike, bike or take a swim. There’s always a beach nearby.

So come paddle or surf on the North Sea! In the various little towns on the island you can relax and enjoy lunch or diner in the sun at a terrace. Want to know more about our history? The fortifications and other museums have various tours you can join.

We wish the organisation Angling Spirit, the initiator Ross Honey and all the participants a good tournament and a pleasant stay in Hellevoetsluis.

May the best anglers win!

Mayor Milène Junius

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM 65

Citta Romana END OF FISHING ZONE

N497

Stellendam

PARTNER’S AR Friday, June 15th Slijkplaat

Haringvliet

Middelharnis

Haringvli Haringvlie

OFFICIAL EVENT MAP OF THE WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC 2018

WORLD PREDATOR PREDATOR CLASSIC CLASSIC 2018: 2017: OFFICIAL GUIDE MAP WORLD

2

Gorslaan

Hoom werk straa t

WPC Headquarters: Competitors’ Mooring Registrations and Trailer Park

kk

ta er

Veerw

uy ts eZ ee dij k

Kanaalw eg O ostzijde

an

Ka naa lwe gO ost zijd e

Indistrieha ven

Ka naa lwe gW est zijd e

Oostkade

Molenstraat

Streetfishing Info Point and Competition Start

Westkade

Heliu shav en

3

4

a Vlas

eg

2

Start of Boat Parade Captain’s Dinner: Citta Romana

Kerkstraat

ijk ed Ze

1

3

we eu Ni

Line between the red BN4 buoy and the green BN3 bouy

4

1 Helius Haven

eg

Opzoo merl aa n

we Zeedijk Nieu

RENA th

isw ac Gl

emeester Van Der J Burg agt rad e

e w eu Ni

Zeed ijk

merlaan Opzoo

Gors

Glaciswe g

DROOGDOK

Courtine

Ka na alw eg We stz ijde

Citta Romana Zuiddijk

r St

Zuidfront

Haringvliet

A29

iet Start of Boat

Vui le G at

Tiengemeten

Haringvlietbrug

Numansdorp

Hollands Diep END OF FISHING ZONE

A29 N59

Tom Heyer

Haunetal, Germany With a passion for technology Tom spends a lot time making adjustments to his boat to fish the different waters.

Spending a lot of time optimizing his sonar set up and using new technologies to catch better fish.

His home waters are the Fulda River and Lake Edersee.

The biggest fascination for Tom is Pike, its size and wild character give him a real buzz of adrenalin to catch.

LOWRAN 3 STEPS TO LANDING

LOWRANCE: 3 STEPS TO SUCCESS

‘‘

That moment when the first fish is in the boat, feels ten times more intense than if the same fish had bitten on a standard fishing trip

SUCCESS

If you're only in it for the prize, then you've not experienced it yet!

It's the wait and anticipation just before the start of the tournament when the adrenalin really begins to boil and you literally explode the second the start signal sounds. Even the rev of the engine starts giving you goosebumps.

That moment when the first fish is in the boat, feels ten times more intense than if the same fish had bitten on a standard fishing trip. It's all these moments, coming together that creates a true adventure!

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

NCE

A

nyone who participates in a tournament like the World Predator Classic will no doubt, sooner or later, be asked the question ..."Why do you participate in such a contest"? Now, the enquirer should be patient, as the answer could take a while!

69

LOWRANCE: 3 STEPS TO SUCCESS But, before the adventure even begins, is the preparation and that is the foundation for the success of the catch.

When you ask an experienced fisherman what is most important about fishing, you will often hear 'at the right time on the right spot'. This is especially true in a competition. This element is extremely important!

A wrong decision takes time and fish, which is why catching them is all about finding them. It's no surprise that expeienced anglers will tell you that 90 percent of fish stand on 10 percent of the area.

This is why Team Lowrance are leaving nothing to chance this year and are already in the preparation phase on the technical possibilities.

Team Lowrance believes success is based on a three point plan:

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

1

70

Only those who know the way will find the destination.

That's exactly how it is in competition. To find potential spots early, the team relies on C-Map Genesis. In the cloud-based mapping service, Lowrance users can upload or download their sonar data. This creates high resolution maps like never before!

The entire competition area is extremely detailed and all this information can be easily stored on SD card for use on the echo sounder.

Subsequently, the hot spots are marked and named according to the potential fish species. If a spot has a particularly large number of distinctive structures, several points can be set for later a departure as a potential route. Even before a boat is in the water it creates a plan. Hills, edges, gullies or plateaus, nothing remains hidden! You cannot prepare better!

2

But all that theory has to be proven in practice if the considerations can lead to success.

The training phase is extremely important.

On the one hand, of course, the spots must be tested and fish caught, on the other hand, the success of the catch is very important for the selfconfidence of the team!

Moreover, the days right before the WPC are the most critical ones as the behavior of the fish then will be quite similar to those during the competition. Many crews are now in training to gather as much information as possible. It is now more important than ever to use the available time efficiently!

That's why the Team Lowrance relies on Motorguide's Pinn Point Gps. This pin-points the previously selected spots or routes on the map, sets the desired speed and automatically skips the area. In this way, no energy needs to be wasted controlling the boat and their full concentration can be invested into fishing!

3

To quickly find out if fish are on the spot, the team trusts in the combination of experience, Structure Scan and fish reveal in the

split screen.

With the Structure Scan, the areas are scanned sideways from the boat until interesting fish formations appear. Particularly promising, are mainly areas with many fish swarming surrounded by large individual ads. An extremely hot area!

All you have to do now is click on the fishindication in the sonar displayw and simply steer the engine guide in the direction of the display until it appears in the Fish Reveal.

Now you are exactly in the fish!

Knowing exactly where you are looking for the right spot will make you more relaxed and ready to engage in this great event.

Introducing Team Lowrance ..

Team Lowrance have a strong line-up for 2018 in hope to win some titles.

Ulf Stuermer, Robin Grompe, Tom Heyer & Christian Wienecke have formed a solid team, with years of sports fishing experience between them. This year, the team will be fishing from 2 fully branded boats, kitted out with the most up-to-date products from Lowrance.

Last year’s competition was a success for team Lowrance, who managed to win the award for longest Zander.

This year the team have a lot to live up to, so make sure you keep an eye out for Robin, Ulf, Christian and Tom as they take to the water for what we hope will be a huge success for Team Lowrance at the World Predator Classic 2018!

72

QUALIFIERS

WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

WPC QUALIFYING 2017: YOUNG GUNS TAKE THE TOPHY

Three countries battle it out on formidable waters for the ultimate goal – to qualify for the 2018 Predator event of the year

FINLAND

Lake Vanajavesi

SWEDEN

WPC Qualifying Finland 2017 was organized in September at lake Vanajavesi in the Southern Finland.

When the going gets tough, we get tougher!

Niclas Åhrman is the CEO and founder of the Swedish Sportfish Masters and now the European Tournament which acts as a qualifier to the World Predator Classic.

‘‘

In 2018, the event has the reputation needed in Sweden and the response from Swedish anglers has been good, and its growing! The event sends three boats to the official World Predator Classic.

In the Swedish qualifying event the winners are those who can out-perform others in catching 3 big Pike and 3 big Perch. Any angler can catch fish but consistently catching big fish is a skill that takes years of fine tuning and practice while combining watercraft with some of the finest technology around.

This is why we know that any angler that wins our event is ready to fish the official event. Plus we have had feedback from anglers that backs up our point as the competitors enjoy the challenge of fishing for both species rather than just one. It makes it a real test!

I think that the venue for this year's WPC in Hellevoetsluis will be difficult for the anglers because it is a new water and the play area has changed slightly since last year. As with anywhere, it takes time to familiarise yourself with the water and this could eat into the anglers fishing

‘‘

40 Finnish top anglers showed up to reach the desired WPC Finland championship. Due to the chilly summer it was extremely difficult to catch fishes, especially zanders. But that didn’t spoil the atmosphere. Everybody seemed to enjoy the event and over all the feeling was great.

Tight battle WPC Qualifying Finland 2017 was organized in September at lake Vanajavesi in the Southern Finland.

40 Finnish top anglers showed up to reach the desired WPC Finland championship.

Due to the chilly summer it was extremely difficult to catch fishes, especially zanders. But that didn’t spoil the atmosphere. Everybody seemed to enjoy the event and over all the feeling was great.

time, it’s important they use their practice time effectively!

I have every confidence in them though as Swedish anglers are seriously tough. Everyone says it, but no one experiences cold, rain, wind and snow like Sweden. And when most would go home in a flood of rain, a Swedish angler would say ‘you can only get so wet’ and keep fishing. Determination Is a key quality that Swedish anglers possess.

when most would go home in a flood of rain, a Swedish angler would say ‘you can only get so wet’

WPC QUALIFYING 2017: YOUNG GUNS TAKE THE TOPHY

After the first day the leaders of the competition were Kalle Paavola and Peter Lahti with a result of 300 cm. Right behind them were Henri Petro and Jarkko Uimonen with just a 3 cm shorter result.

During the second day fishes were more active and 5 teams managed to reach the full score card.

Paavola and Lahti were third at second competition day and by that they secured winning of

the competition. Pekka Laitinen and Janne Sullström arose to second place after their good performance in the second competition day. In third place were Mika Tuominen ja Tomi Nurmi.

The hunt after best results was once again even and the differences between scores were small. As the competition was so tight many participants were a bit irritated as a lost pike or under limit zander which would

have raised the result, perhaps even to the podium.

The winning of Paavola and Lahti was not a surprise so convincing have the duos performances been during the last years. Unfortunately Lahti cannot participate in World Predator Classic 2018. Instead of him Paavola’s vice-captain will be WPC Qualifying Finland 2016 winner Pekko Kanerva.

right up to the Finnish line After the first day the leaders of the competition were Kalle Paavola and Peter Lahti with a result of 300 cm. Right behind them were Henri Petro and Jarkko Uimonen with just a 3 cm shorter result.

During the second day fishes were more active and 5 teams managed to reach the full score card.

Paavola and Lahti were third at second competition day and by that they secured winning of the The Swedish anglers are hungry for a win and they will do their best to secure their feet on that podium on the final day!

The cooperation between Angling Spirit and Sportfish Masters is a great partnership and one that will continue to serve the anglers for years to come.

Bigger and better is already being planned for 2019 and we can’t wait to share this with you!

We are looking forward to the experience in Hellevoetsluis this year and are excited to meet each one of you!

Niclas Åhrman

competition. Pekka Laitinen and Janne Sullström arose to second place after their good performance in the second competition day. In third place were Mika Tuominen ja Tomi Nurmi.

The hunt for that elusive catch was on after best results was once again even and the differences between scores were small. As the competition was so tight many participants were a bit irritated as a lost pike or under limit zander which would have

raised the result, perhaps even to the podium.

The winning of Paavola and Lahti was not a surprise so convincing have the duos performances been during the last years. Unfortunately Lahti cannot participate in World Predator Classic 2018. Instead of him Paavola’s vice-captain will be WPC Qualifying Finland 2016 winner Pekko Kanerva.

On your Markku ...

Finnish Qualifying Event Markku Tiusanen organiser Markku Tiusanen

Lake caption...

The response from Swedish anglers toward the WPC has been really positive as you can see from the qualifying turnout last year

WPC QUALIFYING 2017: YOUNG GUNS TAKE THE TOPHY

ENGLAND

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Grafham Water

74

Classic example... This stunning pike is one of many predators you will now be allowed to land at Grafham Water

a first for grafham

It's access all areas for the 2018 WPC Qualifying venue that has it all

Competition predator fishing has exploded in Europe over the last few years and one event has set the standard for all other to follow: The World Predator Classic.

Based around the phenomenal fishing at the Harvingliet in Holland, WPC is the Daddy of lure fishing tournaments. There’s only one word you can use to describe it, BIG…big

water, big boats, big names, big fish and big prizes.

In fact the tournament has got so big that official qualifiers are now being organized and run across Europe and the really exciting news is that WPC is coming to England for the third year running.

The biggest decision any lure event organizer makes is choosing where to hold their tournament and for WPC we wanted it all – fantastic infrastructure, a quality fleet of boats, on site camping and catering facilities. But most of all, a massive water that contains Pike to over 30lb, Zander to high double figures and huge numbers specimen perch.

For the WPC team, there was only one choice, the jewel in the crown of British predator waters: Grafham Water.

Thanks to Angela and her team for making everything work for us and helping out on the days.

So, clear you diary, start organizing your tackle and find your fishing partner, WPC England 2018 will be held once again at Grafham Water on

August 18th and 19th this year.

This in itself very, very exciting, because in case you hadn’t realized, predator fishing has never been available on Grafham at this time of year before. It’s always been exclusively kept for trout fishing.

Well, the team at WPC have negotiated exclusive access for you, so it’s time to get involved. What’s more we are putting together the most amazing prize table for a lure fishing competition ever held in England thanks to Major Sponsor Lowrance and host of other big names.

All that should leave you with just one question – “How do I enter?”

You'll find everything you need to know at www.worldpredatorclassic. com/england-qualifier/ It’s good to have you on board!

WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC 2018: PARTICIPANTS’ LIST Germany

Austria CAPTAIN Roman Konopitzky VICE CAPTAIN Michael Harringer SPONSOR Bass Boat Germany

CAPTAIN Kevin Schroer VICE CAPTAIN Daniel Andriani SPONSOR Hechtundbarsch.de#LMAB

Belgium CAPTAIN Luc Coppens VICE CAPTAIN Jeremy Staverman SPONSOR Westin CAPTAIN Sylvain Legendre VICE CAPTAIN Jean Marc Brison SPONSOR Mercury CAPTAIN Christophe Huwarts VICE CAPTAIN Philippe Neuville SPONSOR Mercury

Czech Rep

CAPTAIN Robbie Smeets VICE CAPTAIN Gregor Pauly SPONSOR Mercury 1

Lithuania CAPTAIN Andrev Pukstys VICE CAPTAIN Vytis Baranauskas CAPTAIN Janas Prialgauskas VICE CAPTAIN Evaldas Bubulis CAPTAIN Evaldas Skablauskas VICE CAPTAIN Vilmantas Nesukuotis SPONSOR Peters & May

CAPTAIN Darius Ostendarp VICE CAPTAIN Bjorn Gerstmann SPONSOR Bass Boat Germany2

Finland CAPTAIN Saku Laaksonen VICE CAPTAIN Jarkko Uimonen

CAPTAIN Patrick Herbst VICE CAPTAIN SPONSOR Lowrance

CAPTAIN Kalle Paavola VICE CAPTAIN Pekko Kanerva

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

CAPTAIN Ugis Gross VICE CAPTAIN Guntis Riekstins SPONSOR Lucky John

CAPTAIN Roland Gotzler VICE CAPTAIN Franz Josef Gotzler SPONSOR Bass Boat Germany2

CAPTAIN Oliver Taylor VICE CAPTAIN Lee Garner

76

CAPTAIN Pierre Johnen VICE CAPTAIN Daniel Kaldowski SPONSOR Spro Sports

CAPTAIN Thorsten Klein VICE CAPTAIN Dennis Hartken SPONSOR Bass boat Germany

CAPTAIN Michal Wittstock VICE CAPTAIN Lukasz Miziolek

CAPTAIN Gregor Babiarz VICE CAPTAIN Daniel Ressel SPONSOR Plano

CAPTAIN Mika Vornanen VICE CAPTAIN Timo Narinen SPONSOR Mercury

France

Latvia CAPTAIN Janis Skrabans VICE CAPTAIN Vitalijs Karpenkovs SPONSOR Sargofish SIA

CAPTAIN Sebastian Kurpiers VICE CAPTAIN Alexander Roskowetz SPONSOR Bass Boat Germany1

England

CAPTAIN Giuseppe Capezzuto VICE CAPTAIN Marcello Sivero SPONSOR Proboats

CAPTAIN Markus Brill Heck VICE CAPTAIN Daniel Gaedeke SPONSOR Spro Sports

CAPTAIN Timo Ruff

VICE CAPTAIN Eckehard Gotze SPONSOR Bass Boat Germany1

CAPTAIN Radek Filip VICE CAPTAIN Martin Stepka SPONSOR Kajman

CAPTAIN Ari Paataja VICE CAPTAIN Pekka Laitinen SPONSOR Lowrance

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS (2017) CAPTAIN Dustin Schone VICE CAPTAIN Johannes Dietel

Italy

CAPTAIN Ulf Sturmer VICE CAPTAIN Robin Grompe SPONSOR Lowrance CAPTAIN Daniel Katzoreck VICE CAPTAIN Adrian Prus SPONSOR Quantum

CAPTAIN Frederic Laupin VICE CAPTAIN David Menteur SPONSOR Bass Boat Europe

CAPTAIN Roland Gotzler VICE CAPTAIN Alex Neissl SPONSOR Bass Boat Germany 3

CAPTAIN Kevin Hernandez VICE CAPTAIN Jordan Hernandez SPONSOR Bass Boat Europe

CAPTAIN Enrico Di Ventura VICE CAPTAIN Frank Bussmeyer SPONSOR Westin CAPTAIN Christian Wieneke VICE CAPTAIN Tom Heyer SPONSOR Lowrance CAPTAIN Sebastian Binapfl VICE CAPTAIN Sascha Todtenhausen SPONSOR Rheinland Boote

wpc 2018 PA

WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC 2018: PARTICIPANTS’ LIST Poland

Netherlands CAPTAIN Evert Oostdam VICE CAPTAIN Tim Jochems SPONSOR Mercury

CAPTAIN Tomasz Kurnik VICE CAPTAIN Piotr Wojnowski SPONSOR Peters & May

CAPTAIN Willem Stolk VICE CAPTAIN Chris Bloemert SPONSOR Mercury

CAPTAIN Jacek Gorny VICE CAPTAIN SPONSOR Plano

CAPTAIN Mark Traas VICE CAPTAIN Berry van Zelst SPONSOR Lowrance

CAPTAIN Tomasz Krysiak VICE CAPTAIN Robert Policha SPONSOR Dragon

CAPTAIN Jan Boomsma VICE CAPTAIN Mirabel Roobol-Nuis SPONSOR Plano CAPTAIN Mike Dijkstra VICE CAPTAIN Arnold van Deijck SPONSOR Ram Mount CAPTAIN Jeroen Eijssens VICE CAPTAIN Michael Stalenhoef SPONSOR Dutch Fishing Fed. CAPTAIN Freek Oosterhuis VICE CAPTAIN John Nispeling SPONSOR Ram Mount

Sweden CAPTAIN Rickard Edvinsson VICE CAPTAIN Henrik Jenssen CAPTAIN Dennis Zetterberg VICE CAPTAIN Harri Nyman CAPTAIN Marcus Thorn VICE CAPTAIN Oscar Kallvom CAPTAIN Albin Sharghi

VICE CAPTAIN Victor Soderberg SPONSOR Mojo Boats

Romania CAPTAIN

Tofan Constantin Claudiu VICE CAPTAIN Andrei Georgescu SPONSOR Peters & May

Slovakia CAPTAIN Nikolaj jochym VICE CAPTAIN Marian Maslanak SPONSOR Jochym marine

ArTICIPANTS

78

MARSHAL

your HEAD

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

HEAD MARSHALL: GARY PALMER

A WORD OF ADVICE: WPC HEAD MARSHAL GARY PALMER

WPC Head Marshal, GARY PALMER, has year’s of experience as an angler and competitor under his belt and this knowhow will ensure the success and safety of the 2018 event

‘‘

A WORD OF ADVICE: WPC HEAD MARSHAL GARY PALMER

L

et me begin by welcoming all competitors to the World Predator Classic 2018 on behalf of your marshalling team.

To get the best and really enjoy competing in any major sporting event it is vitally important to have confidence in your competition officials.

Whether that be the Referee at the FIFA World Cup, the Umpire at the Wimbledon final or the Head Marshal in the World Predator Classic. Having officials that are experienced, knowledgeable and fair is or paramount importance.

I can assure you that as Head Marshal I will do everything in my power to ensure that the World Predator Classic 2018 is an enjoyable and extremely well run competition.

Before we start getting into the rules and regulations I would first like to introduce myself. My name is Gary Palmer and if that sounds familiar to you that may be because as well as Heading up the marshalling team at last year’s event, I myself have competed in the World Predator Classic finals. In the 2016 final I fished with Hans Ruigrok during which I managed to catch the longest pike of the competition. As a previous competitor I understand and have the ability to see the competition from the competitor’s point of view as well as the organisers’.

Having fished from the age of 5 over the years I have covered all disciplines in angling from float fishing on local waters to fishing for Nile perch in Egypt. For the last 16 years I have been a dedicated lure angler including being selected to fish for Team England in the World Championships. I currently make a living as a full time Angling Guide and Consultant. Alongside this as well as competing I also organise and run UK events including the World Predator Classic England qualifiers held on Grafham Water and Zandermania which has been running for 10 years.

‘‘

well organised tackle and great boat handling will count for nothing if you are disqualified

The Main Event ..

A huge amount of time and effort is put in prior to an event such as the WPC and this preparation will pay dividends once the competition starts.

The weeks leading up to the main event are both exciting and important for both organisers and competitors, this is especially true for team captains. In my opinion the most important job of all is to understand the rules as knowledge of the water, well organised tackle and great boat handling technique will count for nothing if you are disqualified.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind Captains that it is your responsibility to fully understand and comply with all rules and restricted areas, speed limits, signs and buoys as stated in Dutch law etc. Any boat receiving a ticket for breaching any of the rules of the water including speeding will receive an automatic Red Card. Please do not ask either myself or any of my marshalling team about buoys, restricted zones etc.

Be prepared.. the marshals will check your boat every morning, so make sure you have everything required and on show

Getting it right! How to Photograph your catch Any pictures of fish that are not in the following format will be disallowed n All fish must be placed on the official measure supplied n Ensure the tip of the nose is against the stop bar right flank down n Measure to the TIP of the tail n Ensure security tags are shown n Make sure that the complete fish can be seen in the picture The golden rule is, take your time and double check that everything is correct and visible before sending.

Boat Safety ..

From experience I know that the waters immediately outside the Marina can get very choppy so safety is of paramount importance. Every boat without exception must have the following items in their boat safety kit; n One or more paddles or oars. n Appropriate anchor which is secured to your boat with a minimum of 30m rope. n A foghorn or acoustic warning device. n A bailer or manually operated water pump. n An approved dry-chemical fire extinguisher. n An emergency ignition shut off device. n A towing rope with a pull strength of 500Kg+ and a fixed tow ring. n 10 litres of spare fuel. n A first aid kit.

All boats will be checked whilst on the water on a daily basis by the marshalling team and no one will be allowed to leave the harbor without being 100% compliant.

Finally rules are rules it is your responsibility to have them, to have read them, to have understood them and to comply with them.

Good luck to all, tight lines and may the fishing gods smile on you!

8 8

Wrong: Both head and tail must be fully shown in picture

Very wrong: Treat the fish with respect ... there should be no blood

4

Right: It’s not that difficult!

‘‘

It gives me great pride to announce that Mojoboats will be participating at this year’s World Predator Classic and that we are sending two highly skilled anglers, Albin Sharghi and Victor Söderberg – both of whom work for the boat company – to represent us.

It has been a long journey for Mojoboats. From the initial idea of setting up a Fishing camp in Sweden to Europe’s largest sport fishing boat company.

My name is Robert Bertrandt and I am the founder of MojoBoats in Sweden.

‘‘

Dream team..

Mojoboat’s sales guru and superskilled angler, Albin Sharghi and marketing magician Erik Ohlsson

MOJOBOATS: ON THE RIGHT TRACKER FOR 2018

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM 83

MOJOBOATS: ON THE RIGHT TRACKER FOR 2018

GETTING MY MOJO back

Boat heaven.. Our Mojoboat showroom in Sweden (above) and Product Manager, Albin Sharghi testing out one of our Nitros (right).

I WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

am Swedish, but have lived in the United States since 1991. However, after 15 year’s of working in the American financial industry, I realised I wanted something more exciting from life, and as I have always loved pike fishing and the country I was born in, it seemed a natural move to return home.

84

My thoughts were to create a world class fishing camp in Sweden. This was in 2011 and right in the middle of the financial crisis when boats were not selling well at all.

Tracker combatted this by lowering prices by 15-20% over their whole line of boats.

This suddenly made it possible to sell boats to the Scandinavian market at competitive rates. So, instead of the fishing camp idea, I decided to start selling Tracker boat brands in Scandinavia.

Buying boats from Tracker had a major advantage – they always have an inventory that’s ready to go. As the Tracker brands are sold through the Bass Pro stores in the US, they are always available.

Depending on the season, there are six to 12 thousand boats ready to leave their High-Tech plant in Lebanon Missouri. This is a huge bonus for us because we can usually buy a boat right off the lot. No need to wait for production or a production date.

The quality of the Tracker boats keeps getting better and better every year and in 2014 Tracker started to use robotic welding.

No leaking rivets anywhere. Their deep V models have the deepest V hull of any of the models on the market. As much as a 20-degree hull angle makes a for an incredible smooth ride even on really windy days. They are also wider than the competition which leads to a very steady boat. Tracker also use a patented diamond coat finish on their boats, meaning they’re simply the best there is on the market.

For five years straight, MojoBoats have won the Tracker International Dealer of the year award. So how is it that a little country such

‘‘

as Sweden can sell more boats than Germany, France, Italy, Spain and China and so on?

First of all, we have a lot of water in Sweden. We have 91,000 lakes here and when you add to that the east and west coasts, that’s a lot of water! Fishing is huge in Sweden and it keeps growing.

In the early years, 95% of our sales were Deep V Trackers. Sweden was not ready for the high-performance Nitros just yet. But over the last five years, the competitive fishing in Sweden has exploded. Every weekend there is a fishing competition somewhere in Sweden with 50-250 boats involved. This has led to a high demand for high-performance boats like the Nitros and the Rangers.

Many Swedish fishermen thought the bass style boats where too low to use in our waters but that myth is getting debunked.

I remember the famous Rapala/Storm team member, Mathias Holgersson, calling me after WPC in 2015.

At the time, he was driving a deep V

aluminium boat at the tournament. During the very windy days of this event several of the German Teams flew by him in their Nitros.

They were also riding totally dry. He called me and said “I need one of those boats!”.

He bought a Nitro Z9. He’s now just got his second Nitro, a Z19. We now sell a lot of Nitros and Rangers and all our bass boat customers are loving their boat’s performance.

2014 was in many ways a pivotal year for Mojoboats. That was the year I found my business partner Christian Ericsson (Chrisse).

Before that, we had a company with great marketing thanks to Erik Ohlsson – who’s also the guitar player of famous Swedish band Millencolin – and the well-known angler Tobias Fränstam, but there was no-one that could actually run a business!

True, I might have started a good company with great products, but there was no structure.

Many Swedish fishermen thought the bass style boats where too low to use in our waters but that myth is getting debunked.

Albin Sharghi Very skilled anglers are always at the forefront of new technologies. Albin is no exception and as a very well-known face in Sportfiskesverige he’s often seen in the media such as Perch Pro. Albin lives in Pålsboda and is Product Manager at Mojoboats. He currrently runs a Nitro Z-18. n Occupations: Working as Product Manager at Mojoboats. n Favorite Fishing methods: Jigg fishing/ spinning on perch and spinning on pike.

Occasionally laxtrolling winter and spring as well as redding in the summer. n Favorite Fish: Feels like the last question is enough? n Partners: Mojoboats, Humminbird, My kota, Evinrude and Mastervolt n What boat model do you have: The new boat’s on it’s way! It will have an Evinrude Etec G2 - 250HO

team up at WPC with Victor Söderberg, who works part time for MojoBoats.

Everybody at the company are well known and highly respected fishermen who really know everything about our boats and products. This is a huge strength for our customers as they know that we wouldn’t sell them anything we wouldn’t use ourselves.

Besides rigging the boats with Mercury outboards, we now also offer Evinrude E-tec’s on all our models of boats. MojoBoats also recently became the exclusive dealer of Power Pole shallow water anchors and accessories.

With competitive fishing in Europe growing like crazy, our sales have grown like crazy too. We grew 75% in 2017 compared to 2016 – our sales making around three Million Euros mark. And 2018 has started even better.

We are looking forward to a great year ahead and excited about bringing home the 2018 World Predator Classic trophy!

Thanks for having us Ross n

Robert Bertrandt Founder of Mojoboats

‘‘

Christian has owned several successful companies in the past. He knows boats inside and out. He can fix anything and he can also sell, which is a weird combination. Couple that with his wife who is awesome in accounting – I feel like I won the lottery every day when I took them on board.

You grow a business by putting good people in the right place. In 2016, we added our first full time mechanic Kim Patriksson and we’ve just added another full time mechanic, Mikael Gustafsson.

We now have an in-house art director and video editor in Erik. He’s really aware of how he presents our brand and building it with precision from logos, website to clothing.

Our videos of the boats gets more views than the American ones, both on YouTube and Facebook.

In 2017, super-skilled fisherman Albin Sharghi joined our team to help increase sales in our Mojo Shop and also take care of the distribution of St Croix rods.

Albin has been working in the sport fishing industry for 10 years before starting at MojoBoats and is a well-known face to the angling community in Scandinavia. He will

Victor Söderberg As a very talented, versatile fisherman, Victor lives in Bro, Stockholm and works for Mojoboats with St Croix spikes. Victor has currently just ordered a Nitro Z19. n Occupations: Fisheries / Marine Management at Sportfiskarna. n Favorite Fishing methods: Trolling and spinning fishing. n Favorite Fish: Pike. n Partners: Mojoboats, St Croix Rods, Evinrude Sweden and Comstedt n What boat model do you have: Nitro Z19 with Evinrude G2 200 HO. n Why did you choose this model: Now that I’ve switched to mostly spinning on big water, a Nitro Z19 is perfect for me. It’s fast-moving and can cover large areas. I don’t need to compromise on storage and can get everything with me. And above all, magic platform to fish off and sunbathe / swim for that matter with.

Team Spro Sports WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-06 WPC18-07

Markus Brill Heck Daniel Gaedeke Pierre Johnen Daniel Kaldowski

PLAYER 2

Team Mercury 3 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-26 WPC18-17

Willem Stolk Chris Bloemert Sylvain Legendre Jean Marc Brison

PLAYER 2

Team Mercury 2 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

PLAYER 2

WPC18-18 WPC18-19

Evert Oostdam Mika Vornanen

Tim Jochems Timo Narinen

Team Mercury 1 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-20 WPC18-27

Robbie Smeets Gregor Pauly Christophe Huwarts Philippe Neuville

PLAYER 2

Team Bass Boat Germany 1 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-21 WPC18-22

Timo Ruff Eckehard Gotze Sebastian Kurpiers Alexander Roskowetz

PLAYER 2

Team Bass Boat Germany 2 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-23 WPC18-24

Thorsten Klein Dennis Hartken Darius Ostendarp Bjorn Gerstmann

PLAYER 2

Team Bass Boat Germany 2 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-25 WPC18-41

Roman Konopitzky Michael Harringer Roland Gotzler Alex Neissl

PLAYER 2

Team Bass Boat Europe 1 WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-31 WPC18-45

Frederic Laupin David Menteur Kevin Hernandez Jordan Hernandez

PLAYER 2

Team Lowrance WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-44 WPC18-37

Christian Wieneke Tom Heyer Ulf Sturmer Robin Grompeee

PLAYER 2

Team Westin WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-16 WPC18-43

Luc Coppens Jeremy Staverman Enrico Di Ventura Frank Bussmeyer

PLAYER 2

Team Peters & May WPF REF

PLAYER 1

WPC18-09 WPC18-32

Tomasz Kurnik Piotr Wojnowski Evaldas Skablauskas Vilmantas Nesukuotis

PLAYER 2

Team Ram Mount WPF REF

PLAYER 1

PLAYER 2

WPC18-49 WPC18-42

Freek Oosterhuis Mike Dijkstra

John Nispling Arnold van Deijck

DOUBLE ACT: WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC TEAM EVENT

TEAM BOAT EVENT

PARTICIPANTS The Team Event at the World Predator Classic adds an extra dimension and an nail-biting element for the competitors ... just make sure you can handle the excitement!

A team consists of two boats - which represents four participating anglers - and alongside the main event, they will also be competing in the Team Event for a separate, team prize and trophy.

Winning the Team Event will require a lot of hard work and, of course, good teamwork. Past experience in other events organised

by Angling Spirit tells us that the Team Event will be fiercely contested and the bragging rights, for contestants and sponsors alike, will undoubtedly garner a great deal of satisfaction for the winning team.

It will be really interesting to watch the developments over the three days of the event, it all starts at the draw on the first night, a draw that will determine which zones, and in which order they will be fished.

Will there be boats from the same team in the same zone?‌ If they are, how are they going to fish? Will they

be going to fish together or will the tactics be to fish in different areas and then let the other boat know what they are catching?

This will be very exciting to follow as the tournament unfolds, not only for the anglers but also for the onlookers. Following one boat is fairly straightforward, but following two, simultaneously, whilst tracking their progress against other teams, is sure to be dramatic!

With four anglers in a team, all catching fish, fortunes can swing very quickly and we envisage that this event could go right to the wire on the last day.

The eventual winners of the Team Event will be determined by the total combined length of fish caught and recorded by each of the two boats over the three days of the event.

No health warnings will be announced prior to or during the event, so please be very sure that you can endure this level of excitement!

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM 87

Home of the World Predator Classic 2018, Hellevoetsluis is a unique place to be.

It is the only fortified harbour in The Netherlands, with a magnificent location at the Haringvliet

I

t is with great pleasure that we welcome the World Predator Classic once again to our beautiful town and our interesting island . We offer the competitors of the World Predator Classic and other visitors a wide range of beautiful sites and inspiring places.

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Unique setting for an event The fast and furious boats of the World Predator Classic contrast well with the historical ships at the King’s Quay (Koningskade) where you can find three historical ships: the Buffel, AMS de Bernisse and the Lighthouseship 12 Noordhinder.

When you walk on you will arrive in the Drydock Jan Blanken. This drydock is the first drydock built in stone. You can take a tour around the harbor and enjoy a beautiful view on the National Firefighting Museum, corn mill ‘De Hoop’, the old marine school ‘De Veste’, the Prinsehuis (office of the executive board of the municipality of Hellevoetsluis), the monumental iron bridge and the protestant church with its golden lamb on top. Enjoy a cold drink on one of the various terraces and if you like to shop, you'll find a big shopping mall Struytse Hoeck 2km from the historical center.

On Saturdays there's a market where you can sample the typical dutch ‘stroopwafels’, the ‘herring’ or taste our lovely cheeses.

WELCOME TO

HELLEVOET Europe’s Biggest Cannon!

Within the fortification of Hellevoetsluis you can experience the life of the soldiers who had to defend the ramparts.

The big canon 24IJ – the only original canon in Europe of this size and in its original place – is one of the most important remains. Also, the Barracks Haerlem and the casemates dating from the 17th to the 20th century are a must. These have all been recently restored.

Nieuwe Veste

88

The house of culture opened its doors in 2017. It contains the library, the theatre, the

school of music, the volunteers center and the local television station. It is the central meeting place for all kinds of groups and people. The prizegiving of the WPC 2018 will take place here.

Island of Voorne Putten 'One island, two worlds'. This is the slogan of the Island of Voorne Putten which contains the towns of Brielle, Westvoorne, Hellevoetsluis and Nissewaard which are filled with history and modern facilities.

Here, you will also find beautiful nature and beaches. This green island offers possibilities for hiking, biking, horseriding,

HELLEVOETSLUIS: ANGLING CAPITAL OF THE NETHERLANDS Oostvoorne and Rockanje If you like the beach and the sea this is the place to be for you. You will find miles of beaches, you can walk along the seaside and there are a lot of places where you can have a drink and something to eat.

The small beach next to the lighthouse is a nice place to enjoy with toddlers and little children.

They can play on the pirateship in the sand. The big beach called Quackstrand offers possibilities to walk and swim.

The Aquapark Splash is a real water paradise.

A dive into the past: Dry Dock Jan Blanken

SLUIS relaxing, sailing, spotting seals, island hopping, golfing, kitesurfing, and more!

The Island of Voorne Putten is a hidden treasure in the south west of The Netherland.

You can spend days roaming the island by foot, bike or car and enjoy its pleasures.

Town of Brielle Brielle is a small fortified town, 11 kilometers from Hellevoetsluis. You will find some charming little shops and a very interesting historical museums. There are lots of excellent restaurants and bars – perfect for sitting on the terraces and watching the world go by when the weather is fine.

Nissewaard

Nissewaard is the biggest and very modern town on the island of Voorne Putten. In the city center you will find a lot of shops and the ‘Boekenberg’ (Mountain of Books), the library. This extraordinary building has been designed by architect Winy Maas.

Outside the town you will find a large nature park called De Bernisse.

The fast and furious boats of the World Predator Classic contrast well with the historical ships at the King’s Quay (Koningskade) where you can find three historical ships: the Buffel, AMS de Bernisse and the Lighthouseship 12 Noordhinder.

When you walk on you will arrive in the Drydock Jan Blanken. This drydock is the first drydock built in stone. You can take a tour around the harbor and enjoy a beautiful view on the National Firefighting Museum, corn mill ‘De Hoop’, the old marine school ‘De Veste’, the Prinsehuis (office of the executive board of the municipality of Hellevoetsluis), the monumental iron bridge and the protestant church with its golden lamb on top. Enjoy a cold drink on one of the various terraces. When you like to shop you can find a big shopping mall Struytse Hoeck 2 km from the historical center. On Saturdays you will find the very vivid market with various stalls. Look at the beautiful flowers, the delicious fruits and the typical dutch ‘stroopwafels’, try the ‘herring’ or taste our lovely cheese. A tourist shuttle service will take you quickly in and around Hellevoetsluis.

Waterbus Excursion The waterbus is a tourist transportsystem which serves the area from Rotterdam to Hellevoetsluis.

It is possible to hop on board and experience the beauty of the Haringvliet and its harbourtowns and visit the island of Tiengemeten.

The new Navisafe Headlamp contains all functions needed to make it the Sailor’s first choice: a red light to preserve night vision, a white floodlight to light the whole sail, and an ultrapowerful distance light shining up to 70 m plus tilt function for exact and comfortable beam positioning.

It weighs only 68 g including the single AA Battery. The Headlamp is IPX6 classified and withstands heavy splashing and rain.

Navisafe Smart Mode Switch: 1. Press and hold for 0.5s to activate the red light.

If the red light is ON for more than 3 PRESS the switch again and the light turns OFF. 2. To activate the white light PRESS and HOLD for 0.5s and activate the red light, PRESS again quickly and enter into white light mode 3.

PRESS again quickly to get to the next mode.

In ANY mode: PRESS and HOLD for 1.5s to turn light OFF

• • • • • •

7 lumens red floodlight 14 lumens white flootlight 30 lumens warm CREE LED distance light 110 lumens warm CREE LED distance light Flashing white light Beam distance up to 70m, tilt function for exact

beam positioning

• IPX6 waterproof standard, protected against heavy

splashing and rain

Address: Grini Naeringspark 4b, N-1361 Osteras, Norway, Phone: +47 922 09 001, post@navisafe.com • Powered by one AA battery (not included)

eating out in hellevoetsluis

Restaurant Kip’Sones This new trendy restaurant in the heart of the Hellevoetsluis Fortress serves delicious fresh organic chicken from the rotisserie. Spare ribs, burgers and steaks. Our French fries are cut and baked every day from fresh potatoes.

In addition, we serve various soft drinks and the tastiest specialty beers.

We are open every day from 11am to midnight.

COME DINE WITH US! La Cabaña

Authentic Argentine Grill

Wijnbar De Tijdgeest Winebar De Tijdgeest (zeitgeist) is the smallest café of Hellevoetsluis with its beautiful oak walls and bar and the historical materials this is a must to visit.

In this café you can enjoy more than 40 types of wine but also various delicious beers. There is also an extensive snack menu.

The wine bar is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm - 1am.

We prepare the best steaks and spareribs of the whole region in a fun and cozy South American atmosphere on real charcoal.

Enjoy our best Argentine wines and liqueurs with the sounds of Argentine music in the background, you get that extra ambiance as you dine. We are open from 5pm, 7 days a week

Café Tante Toos This completely new café is the new popular hotspot of Hellevoetsluis.

Various sports are shown on six TV screens. And on weekends there are DJs who make it a party. On the beer tap, Tante Toos offers Heineken, Amstel, Murphy’s red and stout. This café is the place to follow sport and have a good time with your friends.

Cafe Tante Toos is open 7 days a week from 2pm - 1am, on Friday and Saturday until 5am.

Grand café 1661 Completely renovated in November 2017, the Grand Café offers a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner. From English breakfast, hamburgers, fresh fish dishes to lobster. On their sunny terrace you can enjoy a delicious beer or wine with a choice of assorted snacks.

Open 7 days a week from 9am to midnight.

La Fortezza

A modern Italian restaurant, located in the unique historic building the Pompgebouw, in the fortress of Hellevoetsluis.

With a view of the marina, the dry dock “Jan Blanken” and the museum ship “De Buffel”, you can enjoy our Italian dishes in an ambiance of hospitality and conviviality.

On sunny days you can enjoy the terrace at the water. Whether it is a drink, a pizza, a pasta or an extensive dinner, our menu is full of delicious dishes from modern Italian cuisine: meat, fish or vegetarian, with two, your family or a bigger group? Fortezza has a place for everyone, and our restaurant is also ideal for parties and company gatherings, but it is also very fast in our restaurant!

Open Tuesday - Sunday from 12pm.

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Instead of fighting for fish, why not try tasting some?

Hellevoetsluis has a great selection of diverse eateries and wine bars and here is just a few we can recommend

91

CAPE HELIUS MARINA

OFFICIAL MARINA OF THE

www.worldpredatorclassic.com

www.marina-capehelius.nl

Master of the waves.. Harbour Master Kees Broere proudly presents the Marina in all it's glory

SONER EURO CUP 2018 We are pleased to announce the 9th edition of the international sport fishing competition SONER EURO CUP 2018 to be held on 22 and 23 September 2018 in the reservoir of Cijara, on the edge of the town of Cijara, located in the town of AlĂ­a in CĂĄceres.

This is the biggest and most prestigious black bass tournament in all of Europe with 11 countries and 260 anglers participating.

We represent the White River Marine Group, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. First prize boat is the icon Tracker Heritage Edition boat with full fishing equipment. We are committed to the sport fishing competition of Black Bass catch and release and the promotion of this sport to future generations with the Soner Euro Junior Cup, children's championship held the day before.

The main sponsors for this tournament are our boats brands from White River Marine Group, the marine electronics Lowrance and the outboards engines Mercury. In addition, the President of Extremadura, Mr. Fernandez Vara, attended the tournament last year.

Europe's biggest black bass tournament

CITTA ROMANA

A LITTLE TASTE OF DUTCH PARADISE

Resort CittĂ Romana are very proud to still be the official event accommodation for the World Predator Classic 2018 in Hellevoetsluis!

This well-known predator fishing event is growing in popularity every year.

More and more people are enthusiastic about the sport and the location, thanks to founder Ross Honey who came to Holland and put Hellevoetsluis on the Predator Classic map.

Now the World Predator Festival is known by almost everyone in Hellevoetsluis.

Now, after a couple of years, people are starting to realise this is not just a fishing event, but it is much more than that: The World Predator Classic is perceived as an exciting

international event by the whole region of Rotterdam! And it's more than just about catching fish; fast boats, live online tracking systems for the audience, music and school projects .

As the name suggests, the World Predator Classic will bring anglers from all over the world to Hellevoetsluis to compete in the event. And that is where we can help by providing great accommodation for participants, sponsors, tourists, in fact anyone looking to stay and unwind after a good fishing day.

The Resort Citta Romana is spread over 16,3 ha of land with little lakes throughout the Resort running in between the holiday

WPC OFFICIAL ACCOMMODATION: CITTA ROMANA

homes. It's described by guests as a quiet and peaceful Resort. There are 5 different types of holiday homes, of which 2 types have thatched roofs. Furthermore, every holiday home has its own free Wi-Fi and free satellite TV with 100 + (inter)national channels and a lovely garden to enjoy the good weather.

The resort's central building hosts our reception, a heated indoor swimming pool and a private sauna (which is free to use as a guest at our Resort), a cosy Tony’s Pub, the restaurant Duinhoek with a beautiful terrace next to the water, beauty salon and a massage studio for extra relaxation. For children we have an outside playground.

And it is also possible to own a

comfortable family home for own use or to let. Or both off course. If you would like more information about the holiday homes that are for sale you can send an e-mail to directie@cittaromana.com.

We surely wish you all the best of luck with this year’s World Preditor Classic event and a wonderful stay with us at Resort Citta Romana!!

If you would keep updated of our Restaurant Duinhoek and our Resort, you can download our App in the Appstore or Google play store. Off course you can also follow us on twitter:@Cittaromana or Facebook: www.facebook.com/ CittaRomana/ or www.facebook.com/ Duinhoek/

97

RAM MOUNTS: THE VERSATILE MOUNTING SYSTEM

R

AM Mounts manufactures rugged and versatile mounting systems for cameras, tablets and other mobile devices that can be attached nearly anywhere.

Unlike other mounts on the market, RAM allows you to mount items where you need them most. The unique design of the RAM Mounts system provides quick installation, adjustability, strength, vibration dampening and durability — all at a low cost. RAM uses powder-coated marine-grade aluminum with lightweight and high-strength composites, stainless steel hardware and rubber balls. RAM Mounts are made in the USA and backed by a lifetime warranty.

When you choose RAM® Mounts, you’re not only getting a durable and innovative solution – you’re investing in America's economy – every RAM product is the work of more than 300 dedicated Americans who design, engineer and hand-assemble RAM Mounts allowing us to deliver the highest uncompromising standards of quality and distribution.

All You Need to Know ..

Why should I choose RAM® Mounts?

For more than two decades, RAM products have been engineered to be rugged and durable. With thousands of interchangeable components to choose from, you can customize your mounting system however you need.

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Rods at the ready? Ram Mounts keeps them steady

can secure your fishfinder, keep your rod in place, give you a table to cut your bait on and position your camera to capture all the action.

Fishing Rod Holders n RAM-ROD® Holder

A must-have for the fishing enthusiast, the RAM-ROD can support almost any spinning reel or baitcaster with an optional locking latch. The RAM-ROD offers a secure hold for rough waters while also offering quick removal of your rod. Compatible with any RAM® post and spline or ball and socket mounting systems.

n Made in the USA: Designed and

manufactured in the USA using the highest quality materials.

n Vibration Dampening: The rubber ball

absorbs the impact of rough waves, providing shock and vibration dampening.

n Adjustable: With nearly 360 degrees of

articulation, each product can be adjusted to any angle with the turn of a single knob.

n Light-Speed and Fly Rod Jr.

The RAM® Light-Speed series is ideally suited for spinning reels and baitcasting reels, while the Fly Rod Jr. is designed specifically for fly rods and reels.

Modular Solutions for Every Use

How do I ensure my mount will hold up my fishfinder without it dropping over time or in rough water?

RAM products are thoroughly tested with the latest electronics to ensure fit and ruggedness.

We have engineered our mounts to withstand the toughest conditions, and backed them with our lifetime warranty.

98

GET AGRIP!

Are RAM Mounts compatible with major electronic brands?

We ensure fit with our top partners across multiple product lines such as Lowrance, Humminbird, Raymarine, Garmin, GoPro and others. RAM Mounts is a modular system designed to be interchangeable.

n Slip Resistant: The marine-grade

aluminum and composite arm provides a strong hold that reduces slip on the rubber ball.

n Guaranteed: RAM

Mounts offers a lifetime warranty on all mounting hardware.

Do RAM Mounts protect my electronics?

All RAM Mounts products are engineered to reduce shock and vibration in the most extreme environments, which can extend the lifespan of your valuable electronics.

Will RAM Mounts help me catch more fish?

RAM Mounts provides the tools to help you achieve the results you desire. Our products

RAP-117B

RAP-341-TRA1

RAP-117

SUCCESS IS A

SERT!

Ready for pike! The perfect match ... the Sakura Players rod and the new Jackax Shad 200 lure

F

ounded by Alexis Coutou in 1944 and taken over by his son, Francis in the late 1970s, SERT is based in Blanquefort, near Bordeaux in South-Western France.

Since the 80s Sakura has been at the forefront of fishing equipment and technology, holding the status of pioneer in the import of the first Japanese bamboo rods, then fiberglass and carbon – all thanks to close relations with the best Japanese manufacturers such as Fuji and Gamakatsu along with big names in the fishing world such as Patrick SÊbile, Henri Limouzin, Eric Le Guyader, Porteux Angel, Jean-Claude Tanzilli and many others.

SERT has always distinguished itself by taking the lead on European trends in fishing techniques and equipment. It was one of the first companies to

offer fluorocarbon and braid and remained a leader in the specific periods that marked these decades (Pike, Perch, Catfish, Trout, surf-casting).

So naturally, at the end of the 90s and seeing the evolution of the market, Francis Coutou had the idea and the desire to create two specialized brands, no longer reliant on external fishermen but led by highly experienced and fully dedicated products. A brand for carp fishing was born, Prowess and one for all lure fishing, Sakura.

It was in 2005 that Sakura landed on a French and European market awaiting these new lure fishing techniques from the USA and Japan.

To carry out this ambitious project, Mr Coutou recruited Franck Rosmann. A trained fish farmer and black bass enthusiast, who has been fishing in the southwestern lakes since his childhood.

In the 80s, Franck became familiar with the techniques of American and Japanese leaders

SAKURA: PASSIONATE ABOUT LURES

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM 101

SAKURA: PASSIONATE ABOUT LURES

SUCCESS IS A

SERT

102

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Well appointed! Black bass enthusiast, Franck Rosmann (above) and Tanguy Marlin (below) and was already equipped with stickbaits, spinnerbaits, soft swimbaits and other rubber jigs at Bass Pro Shops by placing his orders ... by fax!

Internet and e-mails did not exist yet!

Thanks to the Black Bass France Association (BBF), which he founded in 1994, he was able to promote this fish and the almost unknown products throughout France and Europe.

Little by little, the fishermen of bass and then of Zander, Perch and Pike were interested in these funny lures and these new rods which allowed them to adapt to specific species. The bass boat distributors did the same. They were amazed when they discovered the crafted boat that Franck and his friends presented at the Clermont Ferrand show in 1993!

Led by a passion overflowing for fifteen years, Franck and his teammate Laurent Poulain, criss-crossed Spain to participate in prestigious competitions, such as Caspe Bass Internacional where they were able to rub shoulders with legends such as Kevin VanDam, Roland Martin and Woo Daves. As early as 1999, they won several competitions in France against crews who handled roaches on dead fish mounts. This was the click.

Far from being limited to rods and lures, Sakura’s overall principle was that a fisherman wishing to equip himself entirely with Sakura equipment could do so.

From year one, the complete range of spinning and casting rods made a big noise within the angling world, because Sakura was the only company to offer such a choice and at staggered price levels, allowing everyone to equip themselves with the best. More than 30 rods had already graced their collection.

It was also at this time that Sakura worked with Patrick Sébile to launch their world famous brand of lures.

At the beginning, the Sakura range of lures consisted essentially of distribution brands, such as R2S, Gary Yamamoto, Ima, Molix, Gamakatsu, but little by little, Sakura started to create its own models thanks to the arrival in the Tanguy Marlin team.

Former manager of Lucky Craft Europe, Tanguy has been fishing for lures since a very young age and has a very solid experience in both

‘‘

Far from being limited to rods and lures, Sakura’s overall principle was that a fisherman wishing to equip himself entirely with Sakura equipment could do so

Freshwater and Sea fishing. He has frequented and travelled many spots around the globe and from time to time has even teased Dutch carnivores! His fishing skills combined with a creativity and a sense of acute anticipation have made him a cherry blossom brand since 2010.

One example among the many Sakura successes, the “Real Life Series” group of swimming fishes, was decorated for the first time in an industrial way via direct printing on 3D support. This remarkable innovation was awarded the First Prize for Innovation at the Salon de Nantes and is now widely used by major brands and has recently expanded to soft lures.

Although Sakura’s more conventional series, the Mister Joe and Orion jigs are known throughout the world, it’s the Phoxy Minnow, Notobug and Slit Shad that are currently Sakura bestsellers. As new seasons bring new names, 2018 has started very well with the new swimbaits for pike, the Jackax Shad.

Today, the Sakura catalogue has expanded and includes nearly 170 rods that can practice all the techniques in freshwater and sea. From trout to ultralight, to the trevally GT going through to the boom street fishing version – everything is there!

SAKURA: PASSIONATE ABOUT LURES

Using the best materials from Japan (Mitsubishi and Toray carbon and Fuji accessories) and developed by the Sakura team in France, Sakura’s rods are carefully designed and built to meet the needs of European fishermen.

Some models have already caught the eye of American and Brazilian fishermen!

Since 2014, SERT has been the European distributor for the brand of French lures, Biwaa – well-known by pike and zander fishermen.

This reputation was made with the famous Divinatör – a true pike magnet, developed by the brand’s founders, the Alexandre brothers.

Competitors at heart, they brought a new breath with the pallet shad – a hybrid between a tailspinner and a soft swimbait. Created in a garage, the Divinatör has proven itself at the water’s edge, bringing several victories in competition, before being manufactured and marketed on a large scale.

Freshly launched on the market, the new Spinjet starts with a fanfare! Today, Biwaa also distributes in the USA where the “bass” oriented models work wonders. Several Biwaa teams have already participated and will be present again this year at the WPC.

Besides the lures and rods that make up the bulk of the brand’s turnover, spinning and casting reels, braids, hooks, luggage and accessories complete the Sakura range.

Sakura’s positioning on the French market places it among the leaders in the segment, but its export development objectives are clear. Sakura is already present in many countries throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and it’s still growing.

“We are very excited to be part of the WPC adventure as partners with you and your team and we are really impressed with the work you have done in recent editions and are confident that 2018 will be a staple. We are very much looking forward to meeting you at Hellevoetsluis and sharing with you our passion for lure fishing.

Since 2011, SERT and all its own brands are part of the French group Rivolier. n

www.sakura-fishing.com

CHAMPION’S LEAGUE: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BASS

t to catch up Hi Jordan grea so many wins with you, with at Bassmaster lt be ur yo under t keeps ha w , year on year te? pe m co to ck drawing you ba ly known l I have ever real JORDAN: It’s al s as I ite El e th h d to fis and have wante where we can best is grew up, since it ss fishing. I love the ba at g in liv a e mak anything ot see me doing sport and cann ghest competition tour e hi different. It’s th nally. sio es of pr h to fis you mpetitions do Q: How many co hat do you do to dw fish in a year an prepare?

-15 cally around 12 JORDAN: Typi ing, I in tra of s rm te tournaments. In h time out on the muc try to spend as ne with le, to keep in tu ib ss po as er at w g. in e do what the fish ar e you currently Q: What boat ar g? runnin a this year, I have JORDAN: For .

50 L0 52 2018 RANGER

104

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Q

scribe the Q: Could you de u have on yo Lowrance set up ? at your bo ntly I have JORDAN: Curre h with 3D as D the HDS-16 at d 2 HDS-12 StructureScan an w with HDI bo e th t-1 Carbons on NMEA and Poin transducer, with nsom of the boat. tra antenna on the screen preferred split Q: What is your why? d combination an I use e console dash th At : JORDAN Chart, ith w ew vi en re a 4-way box sc n and an StructureSca 2d sonar, side sc e 2D and DownScan th DownScan, with 1/3 of the screen to r to le al sm d ste ju ad windows. art and SideScan give a larger ch the HDS-12 Carbons of At the Bow, one

CHAMPION’S LEAGUE: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BASS

LOWRANCE ON

JORDAN LEE

Star gazing.. Jordan’s idol Kevin VanDam

is set to 3-way split vertical screen with Chart, DownScan and 2D sonar (HDI xd) and the other Carbon 12 is set to read off the back SideScan and down view.

Q: Which types of sonar are you using and how do you use them in different scenarios?

JORDAN: HDI on the bow and PD-WBL in the hull, same for all events, using the Medium Chirp on the bow and the console is running mostly 200 kHz. For black bass only (smallmouth, largemouth and spots) I use medium chirp off shore and 200kHz on shoreline under 15 feet to shore.

Q: What are your preferred settings when running StructureScan?

JORDAN: I use pallet #6 ‘tan” on auto settings.

106

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

Q: How do you use the system when competing?

JORDAN: Mainly Chart and 2D sonar is my go-to daily use once the event begins.

Q: If there was a feature you could add to your Lowrance system, what would you request?

JORDAN: The 360 type of view on StructureScan in continuous motion to see out in front more clearly.

Q:What are your most successful types of lure?

JORDAN: Jig with skirt is the main lure I always have on the deck, second most common I throw in is the chatter bait style lure, third would be a shaky head setup.

‘‘

Q: On the other hand, what has been your biggest catch?

JORDAN: As far as black bass, I weighed a 9.4 lbs at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida.

I don’t give much advice to guys that are competing against me, but I would say spend as much time on the water that you can in any type of weather to learn where fish are

Q: From your impressive amount of titles won, and the angling knowledge you have gained, you have earned a large following and many anglers look up to you, who are your fishing idols?

For more information on the entire Lowrance line of marine electronics please visit www.lowrance.com

Q: Now we know you have an impressive history and have been very successful, however you must have had times when things didn’t go quite so well, what was your most memorable fishing fail?

JORDAN: As far as losing fish, it was at Lake St. Clair last year (2017), I was leading going into last day. Tough day, in the last 15 mins of fishing time, I only had two fish in the live well, and I lost 3 big fish , with one of them right at the boat on my last cast.

JORDAN: Mike Iaconelli, Gerald Swindle and Kevin VanDam. Q: Is there one species that you haven’t yet and would really like to catch?

JORDAN: Tuna, I would really like to go fishing for Tuna and get dragged around a little bit!

Q: Have you got any plans to fish any European competitions?

JORDAN: I would like to fish in Spain as I have never been there. I was invited to the Soner Euro Cup, but unfortunately the dates didn’t work for me, since it is during the Elite event in September.

Q:What advice would you give to those competing?

JORDAN: I don’t give much advice to guys that are competing against me, but I would say spend as much time on the water that you can in any type of weather to learn where fish are.

Q: You’re not giving all your secrets away then Jordan! Thanks for your time; we look forward to following you in the Bass Elite event and at ICAST, and hopefully at a European event in the future, good luck. n

DRAG

DRAGON: SATISFYING ANGLERS’ NEEDS FOR YEARS

108

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

TEAM

TEAM DRAGON X-SYSTEM series The Team Dragon X- System series is made from a waterproof nylon-type Oxford 2600 fabric, with fourfold density and strengthened

by Cordura. The pockets and main compartments are equipped with reliable YKK zippers and solid seams protected by tinsel.

This X-system is an innovative approach to the functionality of the bags and backpacks which are based on the very success of the Team Dragon series.

The X-system offers 2 spinning bags, backpacks and fishing organizer with replaceable bags. The sectret to this system is the fishing organizer which is attached by belts to both bags and backpacks. They are equipped with functional sealed bags (offered in three sizes, which you can easily change) and inside pockets with zippers. Extra fishing boxes (also with sealed bags) can be bought to complete the set for different fisheries. The

X-system makes packing on the fishery faster and more functional. n Spinning Bags with Boxes and Fishing Organiser A good-looking, functional bag is a must when spinning from the shore or the boat. Available in two sizes, these have a strong belt with adjustable length. The bag has eight pockets of different types; a main compartment with boxes, a small pocket with Velcro fastener in the main compartment, a big mesh pocket on the inner side of the hatch and in the front, a

GON

DRAGON: SATISFYING ANGLERS’ NEEDS FOR YEARS

Having had a love affair with lure fishing for half a century, Chris Leibbrandt has witnessed the changing face of the sport ... once almost mystical

FISHMAKER II STEALTH FD

Fishmaker II Stealth FD Specs:

We decided to create a reel that met our imaginations and needs, a reel that has not been available in the angling market so far.

n Infinitive Anti-Reverse roller bearing

It is characterized by the exceptionally large spool diameter and although the depth of spool is very small, it still offers a normal line capacity.

The main advantage of this development, is a significant improvement on casting distances (up to 30%), perfect line lay and the possiblity to use significantly bigger drag washers (in the front drag models surface has increased by over 100%).

What was noticeable was definitely improved braking precision. The large spool can also reduce the gear ratio, which improves comfort when fishing.

It is worth mentioning two technical parameters – up to now unavailable for other reels.

In FD, at the size of 35 and a gear ratio at 1:4.4, line retrieve reaches 80 cm!

Only the highest quality materials are used in the production of the Fishmaker II reels – encased in a non-deformable and a rigid support frame, with al-Worm-shaft spool oscillation.

AGGRESSOR PRO A ripper with elongated, laterally flattened body, designed for fishing for zanders and perch, but is also liked by brown trout, chub and asp. Bigger sizes are also perfect for pike.

Made from the newest silicon material with exceptional softness, it achieves the most natural action.

Its slim shape and deep cuts in the part between the body and tail fin have incredible effects – the tail of the soft lure moves slightly,

big and small pocket with zippers.

On the right side there are catches for your fishing box. It includes four bigger (27 x 18 cm) boxes for lures and small accessories.

A hardened base protects the bag against crumpling and soaking and it stabilizes the bag on uneven and slippery surface.

The backpack’s flap is very stiff and profiled in the shape of the fishing organizer.

This innovative solution improves fishing, especially in difficult conditions on a small boat, where space is an issue.

n 4 stainless steel ball bearings n V-shape, duraluminum spool n Increased spool diameter in comparison with standard reels: bigger line capacity, smaller spool depth and as a result, better line lay and longer, more accurate casts n HEG-class main gear, machine cut n Titanium oversized line roller with anti-twist function n Tubular super hard bail n Long-life bail spring n Stainless steel main shaft n Duraluminum machine-cut handle n Rotor Super Balance System n Multidisc, waterproof drag with micro adjustment n Double-sized drag washers and more precise function of drag system.

even without rolling up the line or jerking the rod. You just can't find such a stillness in the water and hold the rod firmly to totally stabilize the tail of the Aggressor!

The flickering on the sides and fast deflection of the tail fin along with it's incredible colour causes fish to take this lure seriously. With colours similar to those of small fish, the Aggressor looks so natural in the water, every perch, zander or pike has to bite!

Pro Guide X series Having been on the market for years, the GUIDE SELECT series has gained respect among all the best rods. The rod will transmit the work of the lure and bite of the fish in an optimal way. The second recognizable feature is its extravagant look, dominated by the handle which is made madeentirely from graphite fibres.

Designing the new generation of rods, under a slightly changed name – Pro GUIDE X – we decided to focus on maintaining the same level quality of the sensitivity of the rod and add a little extra to the design.

Connection of the Resonance System with the handle made from stiff graphite, gives incredible sensitivity to the angler and the intensity of the way it receives the information from the lure or the fish attack isunbeliavable. Two out of the three components of the handle are thin – walled moulders, made from light fibre using the latest technology. The design of the series is glorified by dark red decorative braids and semi – translucent varnish in the same colour. The end of the handle is made from a blend of cork and rubber. For the equipment we chose a FUJI handle with partially exposed blank and Alconite K-series guides selected according to KRCONCEPT. In comparison to Guide Select series we managed to significantly reduce the weight of the rod without lowering the endurance or performance.

All proGuide X rods are made from the finest Japanese Toray Carbon Components. In the ProGUIDE X series are: n Fuji Alconite K-series guides selected according to KR-CONCEPT; n reel seat Fuji PTS (spinning equipment) or TVS (casting equipment); n handles from second generation “woven carbon“ graphite; n two-pieces, ageless, epoxy varnish; n Gudebrod threads.

Known from the previous Super Tigh Wind® series one-piece blanks – small inner hole and the thickness of the blank’s case is significantly bigger than in traditional spinning rods with the same outer diameter.

Slim and very strong rods with wide ranges of applications, they are ideal for methods from fishing in the sea to fishing little streams! All models are available in spinning and bait caster.

GrundénS: GETTING ANGLERS IN GEAR

Our story begins at the beginning of the 20th century, when Carl A. Grundén, the son of a fisherman, grew tired of the unforgiving weather on the west coast of Sweden.

‘‘

Captain Bill won't be caught wearing anything else

angler. The sportfishing collection includes a range of pants, shorts, technical and sportfishing lifestyle shirts, jackets and bibs in colors and styles designed to appeal to inshore, offshore and freshwater anglers coast-to-coast.

In 2017, Grundéns further expanded its product offering by debuting footwear.

Starting with the Deck-Boss boot, which is a 15-inch injection modeled synthetic rubber boot designed for commercial fishing, the brand has seen some early success in footwear and will continue to grow that category with additional styles in the future. A safety-toe version and an insulated version are both expected in 2018.

The Grundéns family believes that fishing feeds us, all of us – physically and emotionally.

It is our livelihood and our passion. Fishing is about the respect for nature and its elements, the thrill of the catch, as well as the greater journey and the stories we bring back. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our children will have the opportunity to have a relationship with fishing.

We are the stewards of the ocean and

we must take that responsibility seriously.

We want to be proud of how we act when no one is looking. Conscious action means being curious about and responsive to new technology, research and methods. It means supporting natural resource protection and doing our part to keep the oceans healthy. We want the relationship between fish and people to feed us – mind, body and soul – forever.

Because without fish, there is no fishing.

Today, Grundéns operates globally from Poulsbo, Washington and Boras, Sweden.

Learn more at Grundéns.com.

One of Grundéns strongest advocates is Captain Bill Wichrowski, famous for his presence captaining the F/V Kodiak on Deadliest Catch, a TV show in its 15th season in prime time on the Discovery Channel.

111

Wild Bill regularly attends Grundéns events when he’s not fishing, lending his time and celebrity presence to advocating for the brand.

According to Bill, “Grundéns is the real deal. We’ve been wearing the gear in the Bering Sea for as long as I can remember. It always holds up and never fails. Now that they have gear for warmer climates and for sport fishing, everyone can enjoy the gear that we use in the Bering Sea.”

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

He began producing traditional waterproof oilskins in 1911 for the fishermen of the North Sea in Grundsund, Sweden. Material shortages during World War I forced the company to close but in 1926 Grundéns Regnklader AB was formed and has been producing quality gear ever since.

Grundéns grew to supply the rain gear for fishermen around the globe but truly made its name in the Bering Sea. Grundéns developed clothing, primarily from super durable PVC, for fishermen that worked through the fall and winter in extreme northern latitudes. The PVC continues to be manufactured in Grundéns own factory in Portugal to this day.

Early in the 2000’s the need for waterproof breathable rainwear was evident and Grundéns began selling developing it using fabrics that were lighter in weight than PVC and could breathe while keeping the user dry.

This line of products including the best-selling Weather Watch, drove the brand’s growth as additional fisheries around the world could now use Grundéns gear. In particular, the summer salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, AK was a large customer base as the standard uniform there became Grundéns classic PVC Herkules bibs on the bottom, and a lighter waterproof breathable jacket on top.

In 2016, Grundéns, the company well-known for protecting Bering Sea crab fishermen in the world’s toughest conditions, unveiled a complete line of sport fishing apparel that combined Grundéns’ professional-grade quality with a new aesthetic, advanced materials and purposebuilt features appropriate to the recreational

AHOY WEAR!

GOOD VIBRATIONS: THE UNMISTAKABLE ORKA LURES

YOU'VE TRIED

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

O

RKA LURES was founded in 1992 by Krstic Jovica who has been at the head of the company and the dedicated team of associates who provide both domestic and worldwide markets with products all based on a great experience and knowledge.

We consult closely with both experts and fishermen to gain valuable information about the practical usage of ORKA products.

This feedback is key for the creation of new designs and provides us with new ideas on how to improve the production of soft lures and twisters of the highest quality. It is also important to mention that all of our products are manually finished, checked and quality tested.

Our assortment of different models and variety of colours shows how much this company is determined to meet the needs of fishermen all over the world who rely on our products.

There is no mistaking an ORKA. Our lures are recognised throughout the world by their shape, colour and vibration that is specific only to ORKA. Each of our models perform different degrees of vibration, ranging from the finest to very strong vibrations.

From the beginning, we have always listened to anglers and payed great attention to research. This provides us with the essential information needed to produce the best quality products and maintain the trust fishermen have in us. We believe that only professionalism provides the desired results.

The assortment of ORKA lures are mainly designed and produced with the knowledge based on facts about the natural habitat of different kinds of predator fish (perch, pike, zander, catfish..) and how these underwater predators hunt for their food both in stagnant and in running waters.

Throughout all these years, we try to combine experience and knowledge in order to offer the best quality that our customers deserve and we want our company's name to be the synonym for originality.

112

.. NOW

THE REST

TRY AN ORKA!

114

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

MARK OF EXCELLENCE: PLANO’S ORIGINAL FISHING GEAR

STAMP

OF APPROVAL The Past, Present and Future of Tackle Storage ... Plano puts a new stamp on its generation-spanning innovation

Modern thermoplastic compounds were first developed for commercial use during the years leading up to WWII. Plano Molding Company was one of the first to begin injection molding these new “miracle materials” at their Plano, Illinois manufacturing facility in 1938. Their complex mold designs and innovative spirit quickly showed the world what could be done with the new technology.

14 years later, Plano founder Pete Henning manufactured the very first molded plastic tackle box, revolutionizing – if not creating – the tackle storage industry. But being first was just the beginning.

Since then, Plano has innovated one new tackle storage solution after another – most incorporating their industry-standard, interchangeable 3600 and 3700 size StowAway tackle trays – giving anglers an unprecedented array of clever and componentized tackle storage and transportation options based on specific fishing needs. For the past six decades, Plano has focused on unrelenting innovation so anglers can find more success on the water and make the most out of every precious outing.

Today, Plano manufactures and sells over 200 distinct tackle storage products, each painstakingly designed to help anglers protect their passion with user-friendly function and pride-inspiring style. If you own a tackle box, there’s an 80% chance it carries Plano’s legendary triple P logo.

Beginning with the remarkable release of 30 all-new soft tackle bags in 2016, Plano has begun stamping a new trademark on its covetous collections – a trademark that showcases the company’s pioneering past, dynamic present, and self-destined future of industry-leading innovation.

“This mark allows us to celebrate our pride in being the original manufacturers of molded tackle storage equipment while also highlighting the date in which we began the relentless pursuit of offering the best

‘‘

For 2017, Plano’s angling engineers have developed the all-new, premium line of A-Series Tackle Bags from a totally blank canvas

performing and most innovative tackle storage products on the market,” says Plano Synergy Director of marketing, Ben Rand.

Plano, a true angler-centric company, is championed from top to bottom by employees who share the passions of their customers. “There’s no disconnect at Plano,” continues Rand. “Celebrating who we are while striving to lead the way in innovation is extremely important, and this new trademark is a visual reminder of these accomplishments and ideals.”

For 2016, Plano’s angling engineers have developed the all-new, premium line of A-Series Tackle Bags from a totally blank canvas – five adventurous and innovative soft tackle bag designs, each combining highquality materials with an all-new clean and rugged aesthetic.

A is for Alpha Plano’s new top-end A-Series is anchored by the one-of-a-kind A-Series QuickTop – an innovative hybrid soft/hard design, available in both 3600 and 3700 sizes, that places a durable and sleek, molded ABS lid atop a richly-featured soft tackle bag.

Operable with one hand, the two smoked, see-through lids unlatch on either side for immediate access to the items anglers use most on the water. When closed, these items remain visible and fully protected inside.

“Almost every angler uses a smartphone while fishing for photography, maps, fishing apps and social media,” says Plano Brand Manager, Ryan Olander. “The QuickTop solves the problem of safe and accessible storage for mobile devices while also providing fast access to preferred lures of the day… all built around a premium soft tackle bag.”

Sandwiched between its ABS top and waterproof base lies a smart and handsome soft tackle bag, crafted from an all-new proprietary fabric combining lightweight durability with premium aesthetics. A reinforced carry handle and padded shoulder strap with heavy-duty hardware ensure failsafe transportation, while the use of MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) webbing borrowed from the

MARK OF EXCELLENCE: PLANO’S ORIGINAL FISHING GEAR

tactical industry allows other gear to be securely attached to the bag’s exterior.

The QuickTop’s main interior compartment houses four included Plano StowAway utility boxes. Extra storage for gear and accessories exists in a series of additional zippered pockets and a large mesh back pocket secured by a Velcro closure. Tool sheaths are integrated on the outside of each side pocket.

Alpha anglers deserve a premium tackle bag that matches their level of commitment, and the all-new one-of-a-kind A-Series QuickTop is sure to make any angler more efficient.

116

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

A is for Adventure Some of the best fishing adventures exist beyond the range of a fully provisioned boat or SUV. Whether the final miles of the journey are covered by foot, mountain bike, horseback, kayak or dugout canoe, Plano’s new A-Series Tackle Backpack will carry the tackle and other essential gear needed to make the most of any angling adventure.

Functional utility lies at the core of this unique tackle bag. Five Plano 3600 StowAways are included and fit into the bottom of the pack’s main compartment, providing secure storage for dozens of lures and other terminal tackle. A separate upper storage compartment zips open to reveal cavernous storage for bulkier items like reels, line spools, clothing, cameras, electronics, food items and more. The interior face of the main compartment incorporates a large zippered pocket and three mesh pockets for organizing keys, wallet, smartphone and sunglasses and other sundries.

The utilitarian theme continues on the A-Series Tackle Backpack’s exterior. Two generous zippered face pockets are perfect for stashing tools and flashlights, first-aid kits, small electronics and sunscreen.

Secondary pockets with snap closures on each face pocket provide fast access to additional contents.

Rounding out its functional features, a cushioned back pad, padded and fully adjustable shoulder straps and reinforced top carry handle make the A-Series Tackle Backpack ultra comfortable to wear and use.

The aesthetics and durability of the A-Series Tackle Backpack match its utility and comfort. Premium materials and components give the pack a sturdy feel with a classically clean and rugged look that will appeal to any angler.

Perfect for kayak anglers, expedition anglers or anyone who needs to

transport tackle while keeping their hands free, Plano’s new A-Series Tackle Backpack is the ultimate adventure angling tackle pack.

A is for Authentic Plano’s new A-Series Tackle Duffel is just what the traveling angler or gear junkie ordered – a right-sized package offering maximum capacity and utility, all wrapped up with top-quality components, durable construction and handsome, A-Series aesthetics.

The venerable 3600 StowAway lies at the heart of the new A-Series Duffel’s tackle toting capability. It’s designed to house 14 of them: ten inside its cavernous main compartment and another four in its secondary front compartment. Anglers can remove a few to make room for additional gear, from rainwear and reels to fish-grippers and fillet knives. Four more zippered, exterior pockets – two on each end – are perfect for protecting smaller items like sunglasses, keys, electronics or soft plastics.

The A-Series Tackle Duffel’s utility comes not only from its hungry capacity, but also from the numerous ways it can be carried.

Traditional handles arch up from the front and back of the duffel for short-haul situations, and a padded shoulder strap is perfect for long-distance carrying. Need a handhold to drag the bag out of the back of a truck or the belly of a floatplane? There’s a handle on either end, right where it’s needed. Want to buddy-carry the bag or pass it to another person from a boat or dock?

Plano thought of that, too, placing handles on top of both ends. Practical and stylish MOLLE webbing adorns the duffel’s front.

The new A-Series Tackle Duffel is the ideal mass-tackle storage and travel bag, conceived, designed and constructed from over 60 years of authentic Plano experience and insight.

A is for Access Beauty is often skin deep. Sometimes, however, what’s inside can be just as glorious as the outside. Find this combination, and you have a keeper.

Such is the case with the new Plano

A-Series Tackle Bag. Beneath its attractive exterior, a parade of clever features combine for new levels of embodied utility, durability and performance.

At 15” long by 10.25” wide by 9.25” tall, the new A-Series Tackle Bag has what Plano engineers call “a manageable footprint.”

Others call it perfect… not too big and not too small…. Right-sized for carrying up to five fully loaded Plano 3600 Utility Boxes inside its padded main compartment.

The key to the high-end A-Series Tackle Bag’s durability is its camera bag-inspired design, which uses a pair of reinforced straps and new stronger buckles in lieu of a zipper to close the main compartment lid.

“When some tackle bags are zippered shut, the zipper can become the weak point and eventually fail because it bears the entire weight of the bag when carried by the handle on top,” says Plano Brand Manager, Ryan Olander. “For the premium A-Series Tackle Bag, we eliminated that risk by creating a bag without a zipper… using improved buckles, instead, that allow the bag’s main compartment to be opened faster and more easily… even with cold or slime-covered hands.”

Plano innovation and capability resonate throughout the rest of the A-Series Tackle Bag, which offers anglers an interior lid storage system consisting of a large zippered pocket and four smaller slip pockets in addition to an astonishing 12 exterior pockets to store, secure and access every angling essential.

Two generously sized zippered pockets on each end of the bag are capped off with open slip pockets. Three additional zippered pockets gild the bag’s front, and are finished with hardworking MOLLE webbing. The back of the bag has a large, mesh slip pocket with a Velcro closure.

Plano’s efficient new A-Series Tackle Bag provides anglers with big bag performance in a compact, aesthetically striking package that makes retrieving and stowing tackle items easier and faster than ever.

There are a handful of truly iconic and enduring fishing brands, but none have crossed and connected more generations of anglers the way Plano has while still remaining on the cutting edge of innovation.

Plano’s revolutionary new A-Series sits firmly atop today’s tackle storage hierarchy, providing the discriminating angler with a distinctive and comprehensive system for tackle management, storage and transportation.

Learn more at www.planomolding.com.

RHEINDLANDBOOTE: PERFECT FISHING HOLIDAY PACKAGES

N O T E G

!

D R BOA

118

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

hing holiday of n, tio Imagine the fis a beautiful loca n your dreams – io at od m m acco superb holiday at right at your bo and your own be und to good to fingertips ... so true? many have

azy – and Well, call us cr dBoote we at Rheinlan and t ha w 's x bo – but that e inking out th are all about. Th reality. sa making dream better than spending a What could be land? holiday in Hol relaxing fishing ng holiday in Holland, A relaxing fishi to drift where you boat with your own 's what. own pace, that me in ur yo at , se ho choo ay lid ho autiful Add to that a be h of the Netherlands ut the North or So u have the perfect yo and we believe t is to scenario. oote, all we wan At RheinlandB es. And that can rienc offer great expe the right people at ith only happen w d port side. an your starboard e complete fishing We can offer th need to have e's no package. Ther t fishing to have a grea at bo n ow your ges ka ac r travel-p vacation. All ou fully rigged aluminum n, include moder will also set you up We fishing boats. e either ul holiday hom liday with a beautif ho nt lle ce ex a on in a marina or uth of the so or h rt the no boat on park in either ur yo ways with Netherlands. Al of your holiday home. ce spitting distan

t dard The Right Boa thing as a stan

ch There is no su fishing boat. eference wishes and pr The personal e as the rs ve di as e al ar of each individu ing, the waters we et fish we are targ shion sense of each fa e th d an e or expl oman. w d an an of fisherm picked brands nd ha 3 With our

we can put we believe that fishing-boats boat. you in the right aining and : A solid self-dr n Pikehunter rdable choice affo thus safe and 5mm of sturdy e: ur nt n Aluve nditions y for rough co ad aluminum re build and ly ats: Beautiful n Ranger Bo d lope brilliantly deve for is good enough st Only the be s or ot m ng lli use tro m our boats! We fro rs de a, Fishfin s are from MinnKot d our outboard an rd bi in m Hum . from Mercury

oats for Sale: Aluminum bfor a test drive.

Testing-center y a pig in a poke? We bu from the Who wants to l our locations diverse al in s at bo have in d an e bl la ds avai u to be different bran . All ready for yo configurations North tested. sistance in the any Service and as m er G d the south of oss the the middle an cr to ts an w e o on is available. N m occurs. when a proble n entire country w r promise he We will keep ou oote dB an nl ei Rh ice. it comes to serv iced and repaired in rv boats can be se and of course in the er Kiel, Köln, Spey With Netherlands. possibility too, lp you Financing is a he r n te ca e ar w ch es t ag oa pack Aluminum b our financing . t in The et is the larges eam come true Our charter fle we operate from three to make this dr d Netherlands an locations.

RHEINDLANDBOOTE: PERFECT FISHING HOLIDAY PACKAGES

‘‘

There's no need to have your own boat to have a great fishing vacation. All our travelpackages include modern, fully rigged aluminum fishing boats.

orkshops can Guidings & W we a boat novice,

If you're bit of g license, ng your boatin assist with getti st fishing waters’, help e be teach you guidings’ in th through locks, you to navigate finder and more. htrain to operate a fis kshops we can During our wor r, more comfortable e bette you to becom eded. ne re he w sailor

ht Angler and ible with the rig ss ce ac e d Oud n't and Volkerak an boat.

North Holland e fishing, but do . an nd of la rt ol H pa is rn Finally, feel lik ! at he m ut bo le So ht ob in rig pr e e o N th ng a To ense?

Not only , but also modation and have a boat lic fishing holiday r fleet can be There's accom stes. unforgettable ng boats in ou but some hi fis ta n. y l io al an at it M od su m , to r m n se fo l co tio en ea ac ca lic id a lo ht t e ou are the rig y ese areas ar operated with andBoote, you ke, . If you have an The water in th pi se d en an lic h Here at Rheinl r a fishing trip in rc at pe bo a ke pi ire to h, qu e rc re at fo pe s sit r s fishing fo se do not he in the best hand There is just the right e very nutritiou questions, plea s: e the waters ar the Netherland ersports fans: fantastic becaus h variety is therefore ! us t ac cont ff and invite wat and the fis landscape for ready for take-o e e can see, ar ey e e e.

W th rg as la r ly fa se only particular ard. harbors. lakes, canals as aces are of cour you to get on bo and countless But the best pl beautiful towns ost popular Some of the m iesland in www.rheinland-boot.de info@rheinlandboote.de Holland are Fr destinations in

ns and Great Locatioion at od m Accom

GOING GLOBAL: PETERS & MAY MARINE

MOVING S As leading experts in shipping solutions,

120

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

‘‘

A

s world leaders in bespoke logistics solutions; Peters & May are the natural choice when it comes to the World Predator Classic.

This year, for the first time we are excited to be an official sponsor of the competition. Peters & May are experts in understanding the requirements of competitive participants, their deadlines and logistics criteria ahead of participation.

Sharing the vision of Angling Spirit; our team are proud to help facilitate the staging of the World Predator Classic worldwide.

David Holley, CEO of Peters & May is a keen angler himself and a strong promoter of the World Predator Classic. He is thrilled to be supporting the competition as the official logistics partner and sponsor.

David explains “Every year we look forward to the competition and the new locations in which it is hosted. Having established ourselves as a market leader in Marine Racing logistics, we are no strangers to competitive sports and the logistics involved. This year in our sponsorship of the event, we look forward to the added highlight of Peters & May having their own angling team – Watch out for them on the water!”.

Peters & May’s company heritage within the marine industry was founded within the Racing sphere, as a provider of yacht racing logistics to many prestigious events including the Whitbread Round the World Race and The America’s Cup. This high-pressure environment, was fundamental in the development of Peters & May’s understanding of the pressures associated with competitive sports.

45 years on from our first beginnings in the 1970, Peters & May now ship over 4,000 boats annually across the world.

Priding ourselves on our expertise when it

Mover and shaker .. As a keen angler, Dave Holley is thrilled too be supporting the WPC

comes to bespoke solutions; Peters & May are market leaders in the development of custom fit cradles, ensuring every boat has a tailor-made solution to assure safe delivery.

Ross Honey, values the relationship Angling Spirt hold with Peters & May as he explains; “Peters & May have the expertise and knowledge needed to successfully support the World Predator Classic now and into the future. As we look to extend the competition to new locations; Peters & May play a massive role in getting competing boats and equipment to venues when deadlines are tight, and complications arise”.

With 12 strategically placed offices and agents worldwide Peters & May’s presence is truly global which means that wherever

At Peters & May we are market leaders in the development of custom fit

GOING GLOBAL: PETERS & MAY MARINE

STORIES

OFFICIAL SPONSORS OF

Peters & May have your precious cargo covered

Ferry’s on the commercial side of the business.

Peters & May welcome all participants of the World Predator Classic to speak to our experts about their logistical needs not only for competitions but also for Leisure. Established within the Leisure boat industry, our team transport fishing and leisure boats worldwide. Taking the hassle out of travel; Peters & May can open new fishing grounds for you to explore – meaning the world really is your oyster.

‘‘

the destination of shipment; our experts have local knowledge of tax, VAT and any other paperwork that needs taking care of. This global expertise has recently been extended with 2 recent acquisitions. The first being Worldwide Yacht Shipping of Dubai and the second Transport Partners located in the Netherlands and Charleston USA. As a world leader in our field we work with a variety of high profile brands including Sunseeker, Monterey, Fairline, Princess, Tracker, Sanlorenzo and Beneteau as their experienced shipping agent. However, Peters & May’s expertise doesn’t stop there! Our Loadmasters have over 25 years’ experience in lifting and loading anything from Leisure boats, to racing yachts and even Military Tugs and

A load off your mind .. From racing yachts to trucks, military tugs to helicopters ... no job is too big for the logistics experts

cradles, ensuring every boat has a tailor-made solution to assure safe delivery

IT'S A FUNNY OLD GAME

'I just don't get this Predator thing ... do you?' 'Nah, mate."

122

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

!

NEWSFLASH r de sa Caped Cru entity reveals their id

The two-in-one body suit seemed a good idea at the start - but then everything sags after a while

YOU'RE HAVING A Did you manage to spot the difference kids?

Well .. you started it!

LAUGH! Beans .. no, hoops ... no beans ... no hoops .. Oh God!

Well! So much for Catch and Release!

They'll never find them in here

OKAY ... I m ak These Plano e that 57 plants in tota l .. bags are am azing

'Obviously, it's only when I'm excited'

THOSE RAPALA GUYS WILL TRY ANYTHING TO GET IN!

The World Wat has been brok er Speed record en ... by pedalo 'OBSESSED .. MOI?'

You know Daddy ... if you had used Pega's Aqua Clean System, you soooooo could have prevented adhesion of the brake shoes ... just saying

OFFICIAL EVENT

The organisers of the World Predator Classic would like to thank all the Official Sponsors and Support Partners who have helped to make this 2018 event possible

Mercury

Since 1939, Mercury has consistently emphasised quality, performance, innovation and reliability. Today that pledge remains as strong as ever. The success of Mercury Marine has not occurred by chance. www.mercurymarine.com

Plano

Plano appreciate the passion outdoorsmen possess because we are a company built on that same passion and love for the outdoors. www.planomolding.com

Duo International

DUO stands for form, DUO stands for function. Form and function aligned in harmony, ‘functional beauty’, is a key element of our design philosophy. www.duo-international.com

Eagle Claw:

At Eagle Claw Fishing Tackle Co, we’ve provided generations of anglers around the world with innovative. Americanmade fishhooks and a full assortment of gear and accessories. Long recognized as a global brand leader, we are continually introducing new products designed to make fishing more enjoyable for people of all ages. www.eagleclaw.com

Tracker

As part of the Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine Group family, Tracker Boats take decades of top-tier innovations, quality and performance and weave them into every single model to produce a line-up of performance fishing boats absolutely loaded with value. www.trackerboats.com

Pega

In 1955, on the outskirts of Rotterdam, PEGA began life as small manufacturer.

The company now develops, produces and supplies boat trailers and is now a leading international supplier of boat trailers. www.pegabv.nl

Lowrance

Official electronics partner. Lowrance has been a leader in marine electronics since it invented the first consumer sonar device in 1957- The Little Green Box. In the years since, Lowrance has never wavered from its purpose to push the envelope of innovative performance to help anglers find and catch more fish. www.lowrance.com

WORLD PREDATOR CLASSIC: SPONSORS & PARTNERS

T PARTNERS Grundens

Our story started at the beginning of the 20th century, when Carl Grundén, the son of a fisherman, grew tired of the unforgiving weather on the west coast of Sweden. We all share the love for fishing and tales from the untamable sea. That’s why we carry on the tradition to develop products you can trust. www.grundens.se/about-us/

Rueben Heaton

Official weights and measures.

Reuben Heaton has had its roots in the angling industry since 1857 by its namesake Reuben George Heaton.

Predominantly it was a manufacturer of fishing reels but this manufacturing base was quickly extended to cover many other items of angling equipment. Heaton’s continue to manufacture in the UK, an aspect of the company that after 150 years, we are very proud of. In addition, Heaton’s now import and export scales all around the world. www.reubenheaton.co.uk

Dragon Tackle

Dragon is a Polish company that specialise in engineering high performance fishing tackle that is utilised by anglers all around the globe. www.firmadragon.pl

Ram fishing offers a complete line of mounting solutions for anglers with rod holders that are durable and compact.

Rammounts.nl

Quantum

From the latest materials to the latest design thinking, we’re constantly searching for ways to build the ultimate fishing gear. www.quantumfishing.com

Ranger boats

At Ranger®, we give you more choices so you can craft the rig of your dreams. We offer a greater array of options, colors and upgrades so your boat is precisely what you want.

Between your style and desires and our legendary performance and designs, your Ranger will stand out from the sea of cookie cutters — not to mention blow them away. www.rangerboats.com

The pinnacle of performance and unrivalled precision craftsmanship is here. The powerpole range offers unparalleled quality for those that take their angling seriously.

Citta Romana

The spacious resoirt is set amid plenty of water and greenery just 15 to 20 minutes by car from the Europoort, Maasvlakte, the Botlekgebeid and the Tweede Maasvlakte. www.cittaromana.com

Fladen: Official Life Jacket.

Fladen fishing has the ambition to make your fishing a pleasant experience. We buy from the world of leading factories without costly middlemen. Therefore we can give you better value for money. www.fladenfishing.org.

Sakura

Founded by Alexis Coutou in 1944, Sakura has been on the forefront of high quality fishing tackle production, and will continue to create tackle made by anglers, for anglers. www.sakura-fishing.uk

Navisafe Ram Mount

Powerpole

When you operate a vessel on the water from sunset to sunrise or when there is poor visibility, whether at anchor or underway, you must ensure that it exhibits the correct lights as requested by local authorities.

Navisafe makes this more than easy for you and provides a range of portable navigation lights for vessels. www.navisafe.com

Hybrida lures

Hybrida are a homemade lure company that specialise in creating high quality custom baits that are popular worldwide. www.facebook.com/Hybrida-Lures

Orka lures

ORKA was founded in 1992 and since then they have been producing great lures based on extensive research, experience and knowledge. www.orka-jk.com/en/about

Biwaa

Biwaa Fishing Performance is a French brand that was created in 2008 by the Alexandre brothers, both European tournament anglers. Biwaa lures are created from innovative concepts which have been developed in response to real world scenarios that we have encountered on the water. www.biwaa.com/aboutbiwaa-fishing

Katran

Our range of products incorporate the latest innovations from the world’s leading manufacturers of hook links and leaders. www.katran.co.uk

Camping ‘t Weergors

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Hellevoetsluis. Our website just gives you a foretaste of everything we have to offer you. www.weergors.nl

De Catfish:

A well established tackle shop located near to the Voornse Kanaal, Hellevoetsluis, to meet all of your angling needs.

www.de-catfish.nl

Angling Knots

Chasing big fish with big lures or fly fishing in high mountain streams? You'll find the correct fishing knots here. www.anglingknots.com

Peters & May

The Peters & May group has provided bespoke global logistics solutions by sea, road, rail and air since 1988. A preferred supplier to many manufacturers, organisations and individuals 44 years unparalleled service, 154 countries, travelling over 230,000,000 miles worldwide.

www.petersandmay.com

Official host venue:

The vast Haringvliet inlet has played an important role in the history of Hellevoetsluis; earning it the name of a ‘fortification town on the Haringvliet’.

The Vesting fortress weith its harbours and fortifications is steeped in history. www.helevoetsluis.nl

Cape Helius Marina

Secure mooring in Helevoetsluis for all participants’ boats.

Sportvisserjj Zuidwest Nederland: Cmap

Digital solutions for up to the minute navigation www.c-map.com

Hengelsportvereniging Het Voornse Kanaal: Local Fishing federation

(Dutch National Fishing Federation) promotes national and international interests of sport fishing. www. sportvisserijzwn.nl

REUBEN HEATON: TOTAL WEIGHING SOLUTIONS

Reuben Heaton...160 years of continuous

WEIGHT OF HISTORY T O ne of last original heritage brands in the industry, Reuben Heaton has its roots firmly in the rich history of British tackle manufacture.

126

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

In 2017, the company celebrated 160 years of continuous service to the angling trade since Reuben George Heaton inventor and angler started the business manufacturing fishing reels back in 1857.

Older brands have been reborn and reinvented over time, but Heaton’s has remained throughout making it the one of the longest, if not the longest continuously running British tackle brand in existence.

Over the years, the Heaton name has become synonymous with quality handmade fishing tackle, and this tradition is carried forward to the present day, where although the product range has changed somewhat, the attitude has not. At the turn of the century wood, brass and ebonite were the materials to hand. Large volume production in angling was in its infancy, and Reuben Heaton was at the forefront of tackle development with many patents and revolutionary designs to his name. Heaton’s experimented with new production methods and materials and were one of the first tackle companies to manufacture in aluminium in the late 1890’s.

In more recent times, Heaton’s have become famous for the manufacture of high quality angling scales and weighing accessories. Scale manufacture at the company reaches back to the mid 1800’s in the form of brass tubular balances. Dial scales however are a more recent development with the first aluminium match scales being manufactured in 1928. Since that time the company has continued to develop its scales production in both analogue and more recently digital formats. Manufacture now centres on advanced thermoplastics, laser cut components and precision engineering.

Development of products for weighing in angling and other commercial markets has been a continuous process from those first match scales built in the late 1920’s to the latest Specimen Hunter Black Edition scales launched in December 2015.

Whilst Heaton’s now employ mechanised processes in manufacture, many of the scales produced are still hand finished and calibrated. This traditional hands on approach, is borne out of the founders passion for angling and still remains at the heart of the company today.

Measured in time.. an early set of brass tubular balances dating from mid 1800’s

The new 2017 Specimen Hunter In May 2017, Reuben Heaton unveiled the latest trade incarnation of its classleading specialist scale the Specimen Hunter with improved readability and dial graphics. The 2017 model Specimen Hunter now incorporates a version of the unique Enhanced Vision System (EVH) first seen on the Limited Black Edition Specimen Hunter model launched at the end of 2015.

Improved inks specifically designed for this Specimen Hunter application and exacting lithographic print processes are used to produce multi-layered highly accurate dial graphics which utilise the available light to maximise contrast between the dial background and printed graduations. The readability of the dial is then further enhanced by an additional transparent layer overprinted onto the dial surface. This final layer reduces surface flash and reduces the tendency for parallax error, focussing the eye more easily on the dial graphics.

Use of specialist inks ensures that the dial markings are enhanced in both normal and especially low light conditions and also perform better in the glare and flash from bright sunlight and other direct light sources such as head torches.

The EVA system coating can be artificially charged using any standard light source to provide additional illumination of the dial surface during night time use but its primary function is that of improving visibility of dial markings.

REUBEN HEATON: TOTAL WEIGHING SOLUTIONS

service to the angling trade

Outweighing the competition For almost 90 years Reuben Heaton has played a major role in the recording of competition event weights and world record attempts worldwide, gaining a formidable reputation for accuracy and reliability and setting the standard by which all other angling scales are judged.

This level of performance comes from years of manufacturing experience and a passion for constant improvement aimed at developing products ideally suited for top level competition and the angling environment.

As a manufacturer of high quality analogue and digital balances for commercial markets around the world, Reuben Heaton follows processes during manufacture that reflect the exacting standards required in metrology. As a member of the UK Weighing Federation, Reuben Heaton adheres to a strict code of practice that governs all processes used during the manufacture of weigh scales and weighing equipment ensuring that your Reuben Heaton scale performs reliably.

All scales in the Reuben Heaton 4000 series including the latest 2017 Specimen Hunter models are calibrated to tolerances as specified in European directives for non-automatic weighing instruments (Class IV) and each scale is calibrated to required tolerances using traceable verified M1 class weights and all materials used in the construction of these scales conform to the relevant British BS/European Norm EN Standards.

Reuben Heaton has been working with Angling Spirit events for more than 15 years as official weights and measures sponsor. During that time, Reuben Heaton scales have weighed many thousands of kilos and maintained a 100% performance rate throughout. Here’s to the next 15 years and many more kilos.

‘The Friends of the Ebro’ campaign was introduced by Angling Spirit for the World Catfish Classic in 2011, where more than 52 tonnes of rubbish was cleared from the banks of the river Ebro in Spain. ‘The Friends of’ has since been a feature of all Angling Spirit events, conveying a clear message to the world about environmental issues.

128

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

‘‘

The World Predator Classic is a fairplay event honouring the true spirit of angling. Whilst displaying respect for the environment, with the ethos of best practice angling being observed at all times, it is hoped that the image of the sport, as projected by all Angling Spirit events, will by some small measure help to transform the sport's public face.

With that said, we at Angling Spirit recognised many years ago that much of the bad press and publicity that could and would be attributable to angling, was more aligned to the attitude of society in general, with a seemingly ever-increasing disregard towards environment waste management.

We contemplated what could be done, always mindful of the huge scale of the problem firmly in focus. We ascertained that whatever we did, absolutely nothing would be achieved by a small scale operation, so, for our scheme to have enough impact to achieve what we felt was required, we would need 3 things in place from the outset, the first being a very ambitious project!

Importantly, if the project was to succeed, we then needed a body of people to work with who had the passion, motivation and commitment to pitch in and put their weight behind this movement.

Of course, we were then, and still are now, fortunate enough to have friends who possessed all of those qualities in abundance in the form of the competitors, marshals and staff, plus a few of the local public who, inspired by our motivation to clean ‘their’ local rivers and lakes, pitched in too.

Two out of three isn’t bad, but we ideally wanted a win-win-win situation…

We wanted to reward the effort of those participating and, at the same time, validate the initiative by promoting the scale and impact that we had collectively aimed to achieve.

Not only that, but we were not looking at this as a short-term, quick fix solution to impress anyone. No, quite the opposite, in fact, this was a genuine attempt to do something positive that not only carried impact but, hopefully, a legacy that would serve as an inspiration with a clear ethos that others could seek to emulate.

“Take only photos and leave only footprints” was one of our dual-purpose memes, with the intent to make a stand against fish theft too. But that’s another, very long, story!

“The Friends of” scheme was first launched back in early 2012 as an initiative that was attached to an Angling Spirit event, named The World Catfish Classic - an event that was the forerunner to the World Predator Classic event.

The clean up of several miles of the River Ebro collected 52 tonnes of the foulest and most repulsive bankside waste you could ever imagine

‘‘

“The friends of the River Ebro” was launched amid a great deal of media attention, which brought to the event a clamour of Spanish national Press and TV. The initiative garnered some impressive backing and interest in line with the astounding response to the first-ever international catfish event being staged in the area.

With regard to the clean up of several miles of the river Ebro, to say here and now that only a moderate impact on the environment was attained, it would seem to be doing a great disservice to those who had put in a hugely impressive effort over several days to collect over 52 tonnes of the foulest and most repulsive bankside waste you could ever encounter or imagine. However sad to say, that description conjures up precisely the correct overview – for this amazingly

ANGLING SPIRIT: RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

THE SPIRIT OF change Angling Spirit recognised many years ago that much of the bad press attributed to angling was more aligned to the attitude of society and the ever-increasing disregard towards the environment ... someone had to make a difference responsibly

130

WORLDPREDATORCLASSIC.COM

ANGLING SPIRIT: RESPECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Team Spirit... Ross Honey, his willing team and local public motivated to clean their rivers and lakes collected a staggering 52 tonnes of debris

beautiful river system was in dire need of a vastly improved environmental maintenance plan, not just a clean up.

Our teams had done an incredible job of cleaning the banks in searing heat, and although it had been a staggering achievement by everyone who took part, alas, it was still not enough.

To do what we did was commendable, but without an ongoing environmental plan of action put in place by the local and national government to install rubbish collection points and supporting facilities (as promised), within just one year it was back to being an eyesore yet again.

Although we cleaned the area again for the event the following year, despite the false promises that had been made in regard to an environmental care package for the river, it became apparent that the same level of goodwill would not be forthcoming once the scale of the bankside litter problem had been scoped.

Not a shred of effort by the local or national government authorities had been put in to

rectify the problem, and all faith in that ever being the case plummeted, understandably.

We are proud to say that we did everything that we could to address the problems, and we can hold our heads high that despite engaging with those at the very summit of Spanish Government, we had to walk away defeated by their lack of support.

Later that year, the first “Friends of Bolsena” was launched as the World Carp Classic moved to Lago di Bolsena in Italy from Lac de Madine in France. This represented a smaller challenge than that of the River Ebro, as the huge public lake of Bolsena is a very popular tourist attraction and therefore it has in place a good environmental plan that is heavily focussed on cleanliness.

Such is the effectiveness of our Friends of, operation, though, that far more litter than we might have reasonably expected was collected.

Hopefully, we can continue to provide a part of the answer to such problems in the future, and with your help, we can be that much more effective. Remember; If you bring it to the bankside, you can take it home! n

“Take only photos and leave only footprints” was one of our dualpurpose memes, with the intent to make a stand against fish theft too.

‘‘

a c i r e m A n i Made

Loudmouth I · Loudmouth II

Baby 1-Minus 1-Minus Baby 8-Minus

Q-Paddler 10 Q-Paddler 12 Q-Paddler 15 Q-Fish 13