Btw if you missed Jay Kumar’s incredible tribute to Forrest, it’s definitely worth a read.
9. Buck Knives has a new prez.
Buck Knives is a 4th-generation family-owned company. This is the first “non-family” prez in the history of their 120+ yr knife-making legacy.
They brought on industry veteran Lane Tobiassen:
> …was president of the Firearms Division of American Outdoor Brands, better known as Smith & Wesson. In that capacity he led the marketing, product development, and sales functions at the industry-leading firearms manufacturer, which included Smith & Wesson, M&P, Performance Center, and Thompson/Center firearms brands. Prior to that, he spent 14 yrs with Crimson Trace, a leading tactical laser sight and sport optics company in the roles of marketing director, president and CEO.
10. X2Power partners with AIM.
Premium AGM batteries from Batteries Plus:
> “AIM Walleye’s catch-record-release tournament format is indicative of the organization’s commitment to investing in the future of fishing, something that aligns very well with our values as a company.”
Few battery specs from X2Power’s website:
> 30% longer life per charge…lasts 3x longer and recharges 5x faster than traditional batteries.
> …28x more vibration resistant than conventional batteries [and] performs as both a starting and a deep cycle battery.”
11. MN: West Metro Walleye League schedule out.
And the West Metro Walleye League is now officially affiliated with H2H Fishing, and is a qualifier for the H2H regionals.
12. UT sold 100K more licenses than normal last year.
That’s about 28% more than the previous year, when on average they usually see a 2% increase.
13. UT: Powell level way down and might drop more.
> Water levels continue to drop and are within 10′ of the lowest level in more than a decade. Rivers that flow into the massive reservoir are at 48% of normal, and the snowpack above Lake Powell is also down significantly (78% of normal).
Sounds like walleyes are in the middle of the spawn right now. Dude who did the writeup says he doesn’t think it will impact the fish populations much, and will actually make them more catchable:
> …most species should do well and their numbers will concentrate due to lower water levels, which translates into more catchable fish in less water.
14. Strangest catch of 2021.
I know we’re pretty early into the year, but I’m already gonna call this the most unusual “catch” of 2021….
A fisherman from Ukraine saved a little boy – who was stuck on a floating chunk of ice in the middle of a river – by casting to him and reeling him in: