Toyota Names Four Top Bass Pros to Toyota National Fishing Team

TORRANCE, Calif. /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales announced today the
creation of the newly formed Toyota National Fishing Team featuring
four of the top professional bass anglers: Michael Iaconelli, Greg
Hackney, Terry Scroggins and Dave Wolak.

The Toyota Team members will be identified by their new Toyota branded
trucks, boats and tournament wear. The Toyota Team, featuring its new
Toyota-branded gear, will make its debut at the Bassmaster Classic,
February 23 - 26, on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla.

"Toyota has been a sponsor of BASS fishing for several years and we
felt it was time to take our sponsorship to a new level by supporting
some of the top personalities in the sport," said Steve Jett, Toyota
National Truck Advertising and Events Marketing Manager. "Our goal is
show people who love to fish how our trucks and SUVs can help them
pursue their passion."

The Toyota Team will have a prominent role in the company's marketing
efforts directed at outdoor enthusiasts, a demographic known to prefer
pickups and SUVs for work and play. The formation of the team is just
the next step in Toyota's efforts to support the outdoor lifestyle.
This year marks Toyota's third year as the official truck of BASS, the
country's most prominent bass fishing tournament organization and
producer of the Bassmaster Classic. In addition, Toyota has a strong
partnership with Bass Pro Shops and NASCAR. Toyota recently announced
it is expanding its NASCAR efforts.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/auto/20060223/LATH09423022006-1.html

[sarcasm mode engaged]
They got Ike! Where will it all end?

-phish

<phishrace (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

I saw a Toyota cap on Ike at the Classic last week, and simply assumed it
was for the Tundra tie-in they've had at the tourneys the past few years
there in BASS. Then of course, Ike went "Ike" on TV and got DQ'd for the
day, and it was the talk of the rest of the Classic...sad.

Anyone else think that Jay Crawford should stick to Cold Pizza? (raises
hand) ;-)

SimRacer wrote:
Haven't followed it closely but it almost sounded like a Nascar script.

Ike = Tony Stewart. Sure has stirred the pot over at the other lake.

-phish

<phishrace (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

Yeah, I saw that too. As well as drawing out the folks that are against
early Spring fishing on Southern lakes for bedding/spawning bass.

As for Ike's deal, I dunnno. He went off on his boat's anchor light and
broke it, on camera, after finding his dying fish in the well, which "he"
himself forgot to turn on...then the conspiracy kooks started saying that he
DQ'd himself in 2004 on that day on purpose, since he hadn't had a good
day...it's all crazy. I mean like the guy or hate him, he helped to spark
the latest growth spurt in the sport that saw the Classic prize finally
catch up to the FLW's top prize of $500k this year.

I guess the whole NASCAR "drama" angle has spilled over into fishing now.
The Redfish Cup guys haven't really caught on to it yet (lol), but there's
still plenty of time.

By the bye, the guy that took us out on New Year's Eve to catch our big old
striper, went out the following week and boated a 50+ up close to the VA
line. Now that, was a big'un. Made our 42lber look average. Word is, they're
starting to move out from the OBX, and I guess up into the rivers and back
up North....guess we'll have to wait until the Kings move in out there
before we can head back out to the coast with any chance of getting into
anything big again. I may have an invite to fish in the Big Rock tournament
this year, which could be very cool. http://www.thebigrock.com/ We've
considered it in the past, but several days of boat chartering and the entry
fee add up quickly...we may have enough money and crew to split it up enough
this year to make it work.

SimRacer wrote:
I've only seen him a few times on tv and so far I enjoy his shtick.
Then again, Fish Fishburne's tv shows have always been my favorites. If
I can't go fishing myself, then you better entertain me while I'm
watching it on tv. Almost anything on Speed is better than boring
fishing tv.

Seems Nascar is seeping into lots of things these days. It sure has
increased the amount of drivel here, that's for sure.

Wow. 50+. I can't imagine. Things are going in the opposite direction
out here. Too much water being diverted from the delta and it's hurting
everything that lives there. Lots of politics involved and it doesn't
look good for the fish or the fishermen. On top of that, they're
threatening to shut down the Pacific salmon season because some
bonehead judge released too much water out of the Klamath 3 years ago
and killed off almost an entire years run of fish. I'm sure glad I
enjoy fishing for ugly green trash fish. They're here to stay.

Hope you make that tourny. I see they award more points for using
circle hooks. That's a far cry from fishing the beds.

<phishrace (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

Yes, they've (we've) gotten quite C&R conscious with most species that are
fished in tournaments here. There was a striped bass derby the days leading
up to our trip out there to the OBX, and circle hooks were mandated there.
We tend to fish circle hooks exclusively when we striper fish just so we can
easily turn them loose if they aren't going to be kept, or fall outside the
size limit if we're looking to keep 1 or 2 for the day.

We've never tried billfishing with circle hooks yet, but John Jenkins
(Captain of the Calcutta there at the Big Rock Landing) uses them, and he's
the boat we're likely going to charter for the event....my little
Grady-White isn't up to the task of big game fishing at a paultry 23'. Capt.
John is pretty good, he puts us on giant bluefin tuna every year that we go
out there for the big catch-tag-release event for them. That's not a
tourney, it's just anglers out there getting to real in the fish, then
marine biologists give them a checkup, tag them, revive them, and release
them. Two years ago, we brought up one that went over 300 lbs IIRC. Took
turns cranking that one up...and I ain't really bragging, as I want to say
the NC BF tuna record is about 744 lbs. It was just the largest fish I've
ever had a hand in landing.