Bass Anglers Speak Their Minds in Annual Readers Choice Awards
OutdoorHub 02.19.14
28 categories include popular rods, reels and gear; Coverage in Game & Fish/Sportsman magazines and web sites
More than 2,000 Game & Fish/Sportsman magazine readers and online visitors have selected their favorite bass-fishing gear in the magazines’ annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
Results of the voting are in the current March issue of Game & Fish/Sportsman magazines and online at gameandfishmag.com/2014-rca-bass. Award trophies will be presented to winners July 15-18 at the 2014 ICAST show in Orlando.
“Our Readers’ Choice Awards reveal fascinating facts about how our readers and web site users view gear, and how they see themselves,” said Peter Gross, Game & Fish/Sportsman publisher. “And make no mistake, these anglers are hardcore.”
Nearly two in five respondents caught more than 50 bass last year. The average catch was 34 bass. The survey also showed that respondents fished an average of 42 days. A total of 37 percent of anglers considered themselves advanced or expert bass anglers. Fifty-four percent said they were intermediate, and just 9 percent said they were beginners.
Game & Fish/Sportsman magazines, which is ABC audited, has more than 400,000 monthly subscribers.
Game & Fish/Sportsman had asked manufacturers to submit new gear nominees in 28 categories, from rods and reels to raingear and sunglasses. To be considered “new,” gear must have been introduced in the last three years. The magazine then queried a sampling of subscribers and e-newsletter recipients to determine favorite picks.
Winners in each category include:
1. Favorite spinning rod
First Place, G. Loomis GL2, 26.7%
Honorable Mention
Abu Garcia Veritas, 23.7%
Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite, 20.3%
2. Favorite spinning reel
First Place, Shimano Stradic CI4+, 27.6%
Honorable Mention
Quantum Energy, 22.2%
Pflueger Patriarch, 14.6%
3. Favorite baitcasting rod
G Loomis GL2, 30.6%
Honorable Mention
Abu Garcia Veracity, 27.9%
Cabela’s Tournament ZX, 18.4%
4. Favorite baitcasting reel
Abu Garcia Revo MGX, 33.5%
Honorable Mention
Shimano Chronarch CI4+, 22.2%
Quantum Tour MG, 13.7%
5. Favorite wirebait
Bass Pro Shops Lazer Eye, 37.1%
Honorable Mention
Strike King Tour Grade Night, 30.9%
Sebile ProShad, 17.2%
6. Favorite jig
Bass Pro Shops Enticer Pro Series Football, 45.1%
Honorable Mention
Terminator Weedless Football, 32.2%
Jackall Spade Jig TG, 12.9%
7. Favorite artificial worm
YUM MightEE, 35.5%
Honorable Mention
Havoc Federale, 13.3%
ZMan FattyZ, 7.9%
8. Favorite craw/creature bait
Savage Gear 3D, 30.1%
Honorable Mention
Havoc Papa Pit Boss, 19.8%
ZMan Turbo CrawZ, 19.5%
9. Favorite topwater
Bass Pro Shops XPS Slim Dog, 30.1%
Honorable Mention
Booyah Poppin’ Pad Crasher, 20.6%
Evolve Nervous Walker Ghost, 15.7%
10. Favorite crankbait
Rapala Scatter Rap Crank, 59.3%
Honorable Mention
Bass Pro Shops XPS Square Bill, 15.7%
Storm Arashi Series, 10.4%
11. Favorite hard plastic swimbait
Rapala BX Jointed Minnow, 72.1%
Honorable Mention
Bass Pro Shops XPS Z9R, 14.2%
Savage Gear Glide Swimmer, 8.0%
12. Favorite soft plastic swimbait
Booyah Money Minnow, 32.9%
Honorable Mention
Bass Pro Shops Sassy Sally, 14.2%
Savage Gear Real Trout, 13.2%
13. Favorite soft jerkbait
Zoom Super Fluke, 67.2%
Honorable Mention
Bass Pro Shops Shadee Shad, 24.1%
Havoc The Jerk, 8.8%
14. Favorite castable umbrella rig
Berkley Schooling Rig, 36.9%
Honorable Mention
Bass Pro Shops Deadly 5 Flashy Times, 33.8%
Road Runner Buffet, 13.8%
15. Favorite mono/copolymer line
Berkley Trilene XT XL, 77.4%
Honorable Mention
Bass Pro Shops XPS Signature Series, 13.2%
Seaguar Senshi, 9.4%
16. Favorite braided line
SpiderWire Glow-Vis, 50.5%
Honorable Mention
PowerPro Zero Impact, 24.9%
Sufix 832 Advance Lead Core, 18.1%
17. Favorite fluorocarbon line
Berkley Trilene 100 FluoroXL, 63.9%
Honorable Mention
Seaguar InvisX, 19.4%
Bass Pro Shops XPS Signature Series, 13.2%
18. Favorite hook
Bass Pro Shops XPS Magna Superlock, 49.0%
Honorable Mention
Mustad Grip-Pin Swim, 25.7%
VMC Drop Dead Weighted Hook, 13.9%
19. Favorite fish finder
Lowrance Elite-5 DSI, 42.6%
Honorable Mention
Humminbird 598ci HD SI Combo, 39.4%
Garmin Echomap70s, 12.3%
20. Favorite small bass boat
Ranger Z118C, 49.2%
Honorable Mention
Alumacraft Dominator 185 LE, 29.0%
G3 Eagle Talon 17 DLX, 12.3%
21. Favorite large bass boat
Ranger Z521C, 54.5%
Honorable Mention
Triton 21HP, 27.8%
BassCat_Puma, 14.5%
22. Favorite small outboard
Mercury 9HP ProKicker, 59.6%
Honorable Mention
Yamaha F70A, 31.5%
Suzuki DF20A, 5.7%
23. Favorite large outboard
Yamaha V MAX SHO 150, 39.0%
Honorable Mention
Evinrude 150 HO, 35.8%
Honda BF250, 23.5%
24. Favorite shallow water anchoring system
Minn Kota Talon 12, 60.2%
Honorable Mention
Power-Pole Micro Anchor, 39.8%
25. Favorite rain gear
Cabela’s Guidewear Bass Angler, 53.9%
Honorable Mention
Shimano Dryfender Insulated, 20.4%
Frabill F Series, 17.2%
26. Favorite sunglasses
Berkley Zephyr, 41.3%
Costa CatCay, 28.7%
Wiley X WX Gravity, 22.7%
27. Favorite pro legend
Bill Dance, 48.2%
“Bill is a down-to-earth pro with high knowledge,” said reader Chris Chaffin. “He supports many worthwhile conservation and management programs.” For others, it had nothing to do with fishing at all: “Tennessee hat,” said Scott Roberson of Texas.
Honorable Mention
Jimmy Houston, 16.3%
Roland Martin, 13.0%
28. Favorite pro on tour
Kevin VanDam, 69.1%
“He’s the best at figuring out conditions, baits and how to win,” said voter Grant Lehman.
Skeet Reese, 9.8%
Brandon Palaniuk, 9.2%
“I like all of these guys,” said Kyle Cortiana of Oklahoma. “Jason Christie is from my home state and an awesome person of character. I love watching Brandon because I believe he will be the next VanDam. However VanDam is still the one to watch and the one who will hold all the records.”
