For the last 10 years, bass fishermen have come from all over the country to land the biggest fish and take the top prize in the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, part of the annual Toyota Texas Fest. For 2016, 38 professional anglers gathered to battle it out for $100,000 and a new Nitro Z20 bass-fishing boat.
During the tournament anglers spent hours in remote locations on Lake Ray Roberts, 60 miles north of Dallas. Many anglers spent hours (and sometimes days) on the road to get there. While the anglers depend on experience and fishing gear to win the top prize, they also rely on the most important tool at their disposal — their pickup truck.
After spending a few days watching the action in May, it was clear how important vehicles are to their success. Here's what we learned about why anglers need pickups.
Towing Diversity
Everyone has to tow; with that said, one of the more surprising things we saw was the diversity of vehicles in the parking lots. There were half-, three-quarter- and one-ton trucks in gasoline and diesel engine flavors. We also saw a variety of bed lengths and several dualie setups.
This diversity in vehicles is due to manufacturer sponsorships as well as personal tastes and lifestyles. Aaron Martens, a perennially ranked top 10 fisherman on the Bassmaster Elite Series tour, uses a Ram 3500 dualie with the Cummins diesel engine for his fishing operation.During the tournament anglers spent hours in remote locations on Lake Ray Roberts, 60 miles north of Dallas. Many anglers spent hours (and sometimes days) on the road to get there. While the anglers depend on experience and fishing gear to win the top prize, they also rely on the most important tool at their disposal — their pickup truck.
After spending a few days watching the action in May, it was clear how important vehicles are to their success. Here's what we learned about why anglers need pickups.
Towing Diversity
Everyone has to tow; with that said, one of the more surprising things we saw was the diversity of vehicles in the parking lots. There were half-, three-quarter- and one-ton trucks in gasoline and diesel engine flavors. We also saw a variety of bed lengths and several dualie setups.
"I use the dualie because I have an overhead camper that I take with me on the road," Martens said. "With how much traveling we do, it is definitely nice to tow with the dualie setup for safety."
We're guessing having a familiar, comfortable bed to sleep on isn't so bad either.
Pickups: Another Piece of Gear
Just as with truck owners, professional anglers believe in having the right tool for the job, and one of the most important tools at each fisherman's disposal is a pickup truck. Texas bass fishing guide and professional angler James Caldemeyer put 35,000 miles on his 2016 Toyota Tundra last year, crisscrossing his way to tournaments across the country, from Texas to upstate New York.
"My truck is part of my office, really, when I'm on the road along with my boat," Caldemeyer said. "It's basically a part of my team."
A key aspect of a good pickup is a comfortable interior. After putting in 10 to 12 hours each day fishing, a pickup with a comfortable interior helps make difficult travel schedules a little easier.
"From the professional point of view, having a comfortable interior is important," Caldemeyer said. "You aren't as tired when you arrive and you really don't feel that travel lag."
Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/07/why-professional-anglers-are-hooked-on-pickups.html
