“ We knew that we didn ’ t want to have two guys in a boat with a camera , because everyone has seen that before on fishing television throughout the years ,” White said . “ We came up with the plan to give everyone their own boat and each team member was given a headset to call into a conference call . Once we figured out the logistics of juggling nine different phone lines , we were well on our way .”
That open communication is the hallmark of the General Tire Team Series and a creative new component that makes the Team Series such a fantastic watch , according to White .
“ Having nine professionals in constant contact with each other is something that you don ’ t get to see in fishing ,” White said . “ We ’ ve heard guys talk about what baits they ’ re using or what they target , but now you hear these guys tell each other what their retrieve speed is , really dialing in the depth and retrieve . This is stuff we don ’ t normally hear . Because these guys want to win , they ’ re so explicit with their teammates on all the finer details .”
Here ’ s a look at how the first-ever season of the General Tire Team Series went down :
LUCAS OIL QUALIFIER
Lake Le Homme Dieu & Lake Ida Alexandria , Minnesota Sept . 26 – Oct . 1 , 2022
In the first match of the qualifier , Team Crockett Creek ( Jacob Wheeler , Jason Lambert and Dylan Hays ) racked up a two-day total weight of 310 pounds , 7 ounces for the win , fending off a crowded field from a honey hole where Lambert piled up 131-9 in two days fishing a vibrating jig .
In Match 2 , it was a dominating effort from Team Knighten ( Wesley Strader , Mike McClelland and Scott Suggs ) as they won by more than 100 pounds . The trio spent part of the offseason fishing together while mimicking a Team Series competition – seems as though practice made perfect as Team Knighten accounted for a whopping 369-13 over two days .
Match 3 featured a rally from Team Fox Rent A Car ( James Elam , Jonathon VanDam and Brent Chapman ), who overcame a 26-2 deficit on the second day of competition to earn a 32-pound win . All three pros accounted for 100 pounds apiece over two days of competition , highlighted by VanDam ’ s 81- pound flurry on Day 2 . All three anglers leaned heavily on a vibrating jig in middepth grass , a can ’ t-miss pattern for Minnesota that time of year .
COSTA QUALIFIER
Stockton Lake Stockton , Missouri Oct . 10 – 15 , 2022
Typical fall fishing in the Ozarks greeted the nine teams fishing the Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota . Team B & W Trailer Hitches ( Kevin VanDam , David Walker and Todd Faircloth ) overcame a 6-pound deficit on the second day of competition to win , led by VanDam ’ s 58-12 . Team communication was key as VanDam urged Walker and Faircloth to throw spinnerbaits around standing timber , which proved to be their best option . The result : Faircloth exploded for 17 bass for 24-6 in the third period after going fishless for the first two periods . It was an 8-4 win for Team B & W .
Team Knighten anglers Scott Suggs , Wesley Strader and Mike McClelland advanced out of the first Qualifier .
Team B & W picked up the win in Missouri .
PHOTO BY RACHEL DUBROVIN
42 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | JUNE-JULY 2023