Simple Strategy Powers Continued Success of Epic Baits Pro, Matt Becker
Over the course of seven years as a touring bass professional, Matt Becker has earned a multitude of accolades, such as winning the 2018 FLW Tour Rookie of the Year and the 2021 MLF Pro Circuit Champion titles. Recently wrapping up his sixth season with Major League Fishing, Becker embarked on his rookie campaign with the Bass Pro Tour in 2023.
Notably, he secured victory at Stage Seven at Saginaw Bay and thereby clinched the Angler of the Year award. “The drop shot was the most impactful technique for me all season,” said Becker. “I put it into play in five of the seven events, and the Epic Tungsten Tear Drop Shot weight was what I used in all of them. I caught a lot of spawners on the drop shot but mostly fished it out on deep drop-offs and ledges.”
Becker’s 2024 Bass Pro Tour season has commenced with notable success. He advanced to the Championship Round during the inaugural event at Toledo Bend. Moreover, Becker secured a fourth-place finish in the subsequent tournament hosted at South Carolina’s Santee Cooper Lakes in February.
Birmingham, Alabama, sets the stage for the next gathering of Bass Pro Tour anglers, where they’ll vie for the prestigious REDCREST Championship on Lay Lake from March 13-17. Reflecting on his preparations, Becker remarked, “I’ve never fished a tournament there. I went and did a little practice in December before the 30-day off-limits period, but that’s the only time I’d ever been there.”
The blueprint for triumph in tournament campaigns often unfolds well before the angler hooks up their trailer. Yet, Becker has carved out a path of simplicity amidst the complexity. “I like to start fresh. I clean out the boat and tackle, order anything I might need, and I wait until the tournament to try and figure out what’s going on that week and not go in with a preconceived notion.”
REDCREST 2024 promises an expanded field, boasting 50 anglers, all vying for the $300,000 prize. The excitement begins with two days of qualifying rounds. “After the qualifying round, it’s a whole new tournament. It’s all about making the adjustments throughout the week; there’s a lot of strategy that plays into it.”
Qualification hinges on the combined weight of scorable bass caught over two days. “It’s spring, so the bass are moving shallow. I imagine it will be chatterbait, spinnerbait, swim jig kind of stuff at Lay Lake. The Epic Tournament Grade Swim Jig is probably what I’ll be using the most; quarter ounce to keep it pretty high up in the water column.”
Epic’s Tournament Grade Swim Jig, available in 1/4, 1/2, and 3/8 ounce, features a razor-sharp Gamakatsu hook, 3-D eyes, and skirts that are hand-tied, which allows for a near-perfect color separation around the skirt perimeter. “I’ll probably keep it pretty simple and start by throwing either something black and blue, or white,” said Becker.
The top 20 anglers advance to the Knockout Round on March 16, where weights are zeroed. From there, the top 10 advance to the Championship Round, starting fresh one last time on March 17.
Join Epic Baits in Birmingham for REDCREST 2024. Experience Major League Fishing’s championship and the Outdoor Sports Expo at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex from March 15 to 17. Discover more at www.redcrestexpo.com and www.epicbaitsfishing.com.
For more information on Epic Baits, contact Dena Vick at [email protected] or visit epicbaitsfishing.com.
About Epic Baits Fishing:
Epic Baits Fishing is a small company comprised of dedicated anglers. The founders have spent their lives fishing in ponds, lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. It was their passion for fishing that inspired them to start a lure-making business. Epic Baits Fishing has established itself as a trusted retailer of high-quality, proven-effective fishing tackle. Though our company is small in size, we’re making a name for ourselves at retailers and professional bass tournaments across the country. Epic’s custom fishing lures are designed for both salt and freshwater fishing, so no matter where the adventure takes you, you’ll be ready to catch the big one. We have an assortment of custom spinnerbaits, custom football jigs, and other fishing jigs that will get the fish biting.
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