Toledo bend

[volzfan59]

12 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

no clue, but you might be right, and the Elite series events pay out 100k to the winner.   

Yes, Elites are $100K. Not to long back, the Opens paid $30K and a boat. Not sure if they still do that or not.

 

I guess I've been living under a rock. Don't have any idea who Ben Milliken is? From the comments I'm guessing he's a YouTuber? I know this about him, he's pretty much built up an insurmountable lead at TB.

[TnRiver46]

25 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Y'all are aware what Ben is doing is average at best. Ain't saying he ain't good but he ain't all that.

 

 

Clunn lives in Missouri & doesn't fish Toledo often.

Qualify for classic is average at best? What do you have against the man? 
 

heck I thought I was average 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

10 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

Yes, Elites are $100K. Not to long back, the Opens paid $30K and a boat. Not sure if they still do that or not.

 

I guess I've been living under a rock. Don't have any idea who Ben Milliken is? From the comments I'm guessing he's a YouTuber? I know this about him, he's pretty much built up an insurmountable lead at TB.

Dang just the boat would likely sell for $50k.   

 

Yeah Ben is a YTer from NE who moved to Texas.    I'm a huge fan because I've learned quite a bit from him. 

 

When this over, he'll show everything in a series of videos.   Check out the ones he did for the first Open, they are packed full of knowledge.  His FFS videos are incredible as well.    Dude just likes to fish as well, he'll fish a mud hole if he can.   

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Qualify for classic is average at best? What do you have against the man? 
 

heck I thought I was average 

Don't worry buddy, you'll always be average in my book ??

 

p.s. JK ?

[hokiehunter373]

He has a chance to beat Swindles record for all time winning weight in a open but yeah he’s just average lol

[PhishLI]

I dunno? This Utoober thing is almost dismissive. Nearly a slur on someone. Jake Paul is a youtuber who's trying to box by fighting washed up MMA retirees. Milliken is a fisherman who started a YT channel. It's not the same thing. He was on a college team and has been doing local derbs for years before YT. Scott Martin has the biggest YT channel of any pro. Does YT diminish him? Milliken isn't that far behind Martin's channel because he has hardcore fishing content where if you pay attention, you'll actually learn something. Unlike the beloved Shimano salesmen, he actually goes deep on tactics, and remarkably little on gear.

 

Looks like YTer Rob Terkla from G Squad washed out at the NPFL, and YTer Oliver Ngy from Big Bass Dreams struggled mightily on tour, and he can catch them.

 

I hope Milliken does well.

[TnRiver46]

11 minutes ago, hokiehunter373 said:

He has a chance to beat Swindles record for all time winning weight in a open but yeah he’s just average lol

The g man got a century belt at lake fork last year too, he likes to catch the big uns 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Qualify for classic is average at best? What do you have against the man? 
 

heck I thought I was average 

 

Your reading skills are lacking?

 

I said on this lake at this time of years his weights are average.

 

Be back in 4-5 hrs, busy boiling crawfish!

[TnRiver46]

27 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Your reading skills are lacking?

 

I said on this lake at this time of years his weights are average.

 

Be back in 4-5 hrs, busy boiling crawfish!

Seems like the average weights would be middle of the pack, local tourneys always have bigger bags than big time BASS events. I kept hearing about 23 lbs winning a tourney on loudoun, bass classic comes and 17-18 lbs is biggest . 
 

If I have an average day like that you better be at the after party, I’ll even buy the mudbugs 

[PhishLI]

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Seems like the average weights would be middle of the pack, local tourneys always have bigger bags than big time BASS events.

Yup. I don't see the point in comparing locals and local guides to out-of towners. There were a number of Elite and MLF pros who didn't make the cut. Recent Classic winner Jason Christie and recent Redcrest winner Booby Lane Jr both missed.

[PhishLI]

Still too close to call with 36 mins left. Mckinney might be sandbagging. Are there marshalls in the top 10 boats today?

[hokiehunter373]

15 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Still too close to call with 36 mins left. Mckinney might be sandbagging. Are there marshalls in the top 10 boats today?

Ben doesn’t have an update in several hours either. Gonna be an interesting weigh in

[AlabamaSpothunter]

21 minutes ago, hokiehunter373 said:

Ben doesn’t have an update in several hours either. Gonna be an interesting weigh in

I'm pumped, took a break from actual fishing to watch people fishing lol ?

38 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Still too close to call with 36 mins left. Mckinney might be sandbagging. Are there marshalls in the top 10 boats today?

Yeah I think so, I saw a robust lady in the boat with Ben.  

[AlabamaSpothunter]

That was fantastic, congrats Ben, you earned it! 

[PhishLI]

11 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That was fantastic, congrats Ben, you earned it! 

I'm going there to scuba dive that tree for 2-4 Hinkle Shads!

[iabass8]

7 hours ago, Catt said:

There's no less than 1/2 dozen guys who would smoke Milliken!

 

Due to the off limits of the Open many locals who are guides would loose close to a month in wages. 

 

35-40#+ stringer is highly possible!

So, based on EXACTLY what you just said here, "no less" than 6 guys make AT LEAST 12k a month guiding and cannot afford to take a month off because their finances aren't in a place where 12k a month net income isn't enough? You're telling us that AT LEAST 6 guides on Toledo bend gross 144k a year? For clarification, 6th place in the opens is 12k where first is 50. So you're saying that bass guides are making between 144k and 600k a year and this wasn't worth taking a month off for those wages + a classic berth? A guarantee is a guarantee right? So at least 6 guys wouldn't take a guarantee 12k?

 

lol, okay. 

[JediAmoeba]

6 hours ago, Catt said:

Y'all are aware what Ben is doing is average at best. Ain't saying he ain't good but he ain't all that.

He smoked the field...how is that not impressive? 

[Catt]

Man y'all sure good at trying to put words in someone mouth when it comes to your YouTube hero.

 

Got it with one win he's y'all's next KVD!

 

 

 

[12poundbass]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Man y'all sure good at trying to put words in someone mouth when it comes to your YouTube hero.

 

Got it with one win he's y'all's next KVD!

 

 

 

Full disclosure, I’ve never watched a single video of his unless you count the Orkin commercial he’s in. ?

 

I looked at some other TB tournament results from this year and his day one weight would’ve got him a win in a few tournaments and a top 3 in every tournament I saw. He averaged 25lbs this week which would’ve given him a top 5 in every tournament I saw this year. Obviously there’s probably tournaments there quite often and I don’t know where to look to see every result this year, but, I’d say his three days of fishing was above average wouldn’t you? Average would put him middle of the field. 
 

I don’t think anyone is crazy enough to think he’s the next KVD just yet. He could dominate the Opens this year, he could be average, or he could be bottom of the field the rest of the tournaments this year…it’s fishing. 

[PhishLI]

9 hours ago, Catt said:

Got it with one win he's y'all's next KVD!

Oy vey. I just pray you didn't strain anything moving those goal posts, pops.?

[PhishLI]

For those interested, Jonny Shultz from Fish the Moment is on BTL Live discussing where his predictions before this event were either correct or incorrect.

 

Do a search for "BTL - BASS TALK LIVE TOLEDO BEND OPEN ANALYSIS WITH JONNY SCHULTZ"

[PhishLI]

For anyone interested in the tournament winner's practice vid, search this:

 

I WRECKED my boat...this is NOT how I wanted to start! (Toledo Bend Open)

 

 

[PABASS]

Watching Ben for sometime and the man understands fishing and how to target and catch big bass.  Cant wait to see how he continues and what he does in the classic.

 

[hokiehunter373]

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

For anyone interested in the tournament winner's practice vid search this:

 

I WRECKED my boat...this is NOT how I wanted to start! (Toledo Bend Open)

 

 

Also, he said he's guessing Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday for the vids to release.  1 for each day of the tourney

[Catt]

I recently watched Ben's interview on Fish the Moment. 

 

Structure fishing 101!

 

Main lake wind blown clay points, Threadfin spawn early in the morning & Gizzard spawn later in the morning. 

 

Most productive technique Carolina Rigged lizard, who'd thunk!

 

He's was doing everything we preached here for years. 

 

Go look a our thread, So Y'all want to learn Toledo Bend. Detailed the exact places he was fishing doing exactly what he was doing.

 

As for all the Locals, y'all got it handed to y'all on your body of water using standard operating procedures.

 

To add to what locals would have lost besides a months wages. The ability to fish other tournament's. Yes we have tournaments that pay more than 50k. I won almost 40k for one 14" tagged fish. Check out McDonald's Big Bass Splash put on by Sealy Outdoors, they give away millions yearly.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

First video of all the practice was amazing as expected.  

Can't believe he caught a Toledo Lunker fish but couldn't turn it in for a free replica because of the derby rules.  

 

He might not have impressed locals, but he has surely impressed his fellow peers in the competition world.    When you do something that hundreds of anglers don't do and you win because of it, you deserve a little credit in my book.  

 

Now off the read the Toledo Bend thread so I can sign up for the next TB derby.....I'm gonna be just like Ben ?