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Team Yamamoto - Western Region

Margie Anderson, Phoenix, AZ

An active member of OWAA (Outdoor Writers Assoc. of America) since 1991, Margie Anderson usually writes 50 to 60 fishing articles that get published each year. She fishes All Star team tournaments with her husband, John. Together, they do a lot of work with kids, especially Pathway to Fishing. These youth events and seminars are held at shopping malls, schools, parks, sports stores and other convenient locations for parents and kids. Margie and John also like to hunt a lot.

Ron Colby, West Jordan, UT

Ron Colby holds the enviable distinction earning back-to-back BASS Federation Western Division Championship titles in 2001 & 2002. During the 2001 BASS Federation Western Divisional on Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming, Ron beat 120 top BASS Federation State Team fishermen from ten Western states. Ron used a one-two combo of LuckyCraft jerkbaits, enticing finicky followers who shied away from biting the jerkbaits with Gary Yamamoto grubs. During the 2002 BASS Federation Championship held on the Red River in Shreveport Louisiana, Ron finished seventh overall and was the Western division Champion. This qualified him for the SUPER BOWL of bass fishing, the 2002 Bassmaster Classic.

In May of 2002, Ron repeated his performance and captured the Western Division title on the California, San Joaquin Delta by flipping Yamamoto Senkos and Mizmo tubes into thick weed beds. He will be fishing the 2003 Federation Championship being held on Tuscaloosa Reservoir, Tuscaloosa Alabama, May 11th - 17th, where he will be trying to get back to the 2003 Classic.

You know, it's one thing to be a bass pro who has paying sponsors and often has a bass-related business or job that funds the pro's participation on the major circuits. It's quite another thing to be an amateur BASS Federation club angler with a family, an everyday job, and who still finds time to fish and win tournaments. It's not easy! Avid anglers like Ron Colby, their families, employers and fishin' buddies who support them are truly the unsung heroes of our sport.

Todd "Toad" Crockett, Orangevale, CA

Todd Crockett, his wife and two sons, make their home in Orangevale, California. Crockett is Sales Coordinator for the D.L. Ricci Corp's Western Branch, and an avid fisherman for the past 20 years. Although he’s fished for most everything that swims, over the past five years his main interest has been bass. During the past two years it’s been monster bass only for Crockett, thus, his nickname...Toad! He’s founder of the NorCal Trophy Hunters Bass Club. When not out fishing, Todd's often found posting under his moniker, "Toad" on several Internet bass fishing message boards.

Andy "Cooch" Cuccia, Oakley, CA

A California Delta veteran, "Cooch" has been fishing for about 30 years. When he's not fishing the BASS Western Open or West Coast Bass trails or guiding on the Delta he's contributing his writing skills to fishing publications such as West Coast Magazine, NCBF, BASS publications, and Angler's Choice. In past years, Cooch was awarded the "Top Cyber Fishhead Award" by CMA Marketing, in recognition for his posts on Internet message boards that combined educational detail, humor and a whole lot of personality. Look for Cooch on www.ncbf.com and visit hiis website at www.coochsfishing.homestead.com.

Jamie Cyphers, Cedar City, UT

Thirty-two year old Jamie Cyphers lives in Cedar City Utah with his heavenly wife Jaci and their five year old son Austin. He's a sales consultant and outdoor promotions director for Bradshaw Chevrolet. With twenty-five years of fishing experience, Jamie's biggest attribute may well be promoting the finest sport in the world...to tomorrow's anglers. Jamie organizes Cops, Kids and Communities "Fishin' for a Change" events, and he has served as a director with the American Bass Association. A solid competitor on many Western pro and team circuits, much of Jamie's success comes on reaction baits, yet when the bite gets tough, Jamies goes to a 1/2 oz 208 or 221 Yamamoto Hula jig and a 3.5 inch Yamamoto tube in 29 (pumpkin w/ black & green). A writer for the Inside Line Magazine for over 5 years, Jamie has used Yamamoto products for seventeen.

Cap'n Chuck Duggins, Page, AZ

Cap'n Chuck Duggins always manages to get the last word in the Inside Line magazine! That's because he writes One Last Cast, the column that's featured on the magazine's final page.

Cap'n Chuck is a licensed Maine Master Guide and Coast Guard licensed Captain. He has been guiding Maine waters for over thirty years. Over the past 11 years, his fishing clients have logged over 30,000 fish, mostly on the Penobscot River. A retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, his last Navy duty was teaching Aircrew Survival, out of the Brunswick, Maine Naval Station.

Cap'n Chuck has recently moved to Page, Arizona where he plans to fish and guide on scenic Lake Powell.

Jarrett Edwards, Del Norte, CO

Jarrett Edwards is one of our sport's youngest full-time professional angler fishing the Bassmaster tournament trail. Jarrett currently holds the Colorado state record for largemouth bass. Jarrett is proud to be one of the the West Coast's top bass fishing promoters with over 200 days of speaking engagements per year, and he has the world's largest traveling aquarium bass tank exhibition at outdoor sport shows. Jarrett believes youngsters are the future of our sport, and he speaks to over 10,000 high school and middle school kids about fishing each year. When not on the road, Jarrett operates a successful summertime guide service on beautiful Lake Powell, Arizona. Visit Jarrett's web site at: www.lakepowellpro.com

Wayne Gustaveson, Page, AZ

Wayne Gustaveson was educated in Utah, earning a MS degree in Wildlife Science from Utah State University and a BS from the University of Utah. Irrationally, Wayne roots for BYU in all team sports. His Master's thesis research and first job were at Lake Powell, where he fell in love with the complete package - fish, scenery and lifestyle.

Wayne raised a family of five as his first priority, then devoted the rest of the time to the fishery. As a result, Gustaveson is nationally noted as an expert on inland striped bass population dynamics, spawning and behavior. He has devoted 24 years to his Fisheries Management career at Lake Powell and plans to keep at it as long as it's fun. Don't expect that job to open any time soon. Visit Wayne's website at www.wayneswords.com.

A rising star on the Western pro trails, Roy Hawk has a reputation for weighing the biggest bass in whatever tournaments Roy competes. Click here to read how Hawk won $32,000 for big bass both days of the 2002 US Open, also Roy's 2nd place finish in the 2002 WON Bass Pro/Am on Lake Mead

Larry Hemphill, Yuba City, CA

 Since catching his first largemouth at Lake Berryessa in 1962, "Lunker Larry" Hemphill started a professional fishing career in 1973, competing on the earliest tournament trails out West. Doing well for ten years in tournaments, what Larry found he enjoyed most was guiding with nice folks from all over the United States - including Hawaii and Alaska. Since 1981, teaching people of all ages how to bass fish was then and is now the thing that excites him the most. He found guiding to be the perfect opportunity to share his skills with people new to the sport of bass fishing as well as established fishermen. Larry is also in demand as a seminar speaker at sport shows, bass clubs, fly-fishing clubs, and other civic organizations. He has been mentioned in Bassmaster magazine, and featured in Bass West, Field and Stream, and many other Western publications, and he's interviewed often on radio and television. Larry has taught youth and adult fishing classes for over twenty-five years.

Larry lives with his lovely wife, Jean, in Yuba City, in the middle of some of the best bass fishing California has to offer. While Larry does all types of instructional guiding on six major Northern California lakes, his passion is the trophy bass trips he provides, mostly experienced at night.

Having studied the habits of monster bass most of his life, helping clients hook one of these "toads" is the greatest prize of bass fishing. Hundreds of clients have landed the "fish of their dreams" with Larry, including four from 11.5 to 12.5 pounds. Larry himself has caught 40 bass over 10 pounds, six from 12 to 14+ pounds.

On the night of Nov. 6, 2001, Larry and his clients experienced the "trip of a lifetime" catching ten bass weighing 76 pounds at Clear Lake. Nearly every monster bass caught by Larry and his clients has been released.

Don Iovino, Burbank, CA

A fixture in innovative bass fishing techniques for more than 20 years, Don Iovino and his deep-water bass fishing methods, has become one of the most identifiable elements of finesse fishing throughout the country. As a professional angler, he has fished competitively throughout the country and in the Orient. Don has also been a highly successful fishing guide in southern California and along the Colorado River. He has demonstrated his "doodling" method of plastic worm fishing to numerous clients. Although retired from the guide business, he now operates a promotional business providing customized fishing tackle for his clients in the U.S. and the Orient.

Marc Marcantonio, Steilacoom, WA

Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Marc Marcantonio has, as they say, been around the block. From his first fishing derby win at age five, his Delaware state record largemouth bass (8.5 pounds) at 16, to his University of Delaware degree in Ecology/Fisheries Biology, Marc's fortunes have rarely been separated from some form of finny creature.

Today, Marc makes his home with his wife, Rosalie and their daughter Andrea, in Steilacoom, WA.  A professional fisherman, fisheries biologist, outdoor writer, and owner of West Coast Tackle Company, Marcantonio was Angler of the Year for two tournament bass circuits in 2001, runner-up in a third.  In addition to speaking at club events and outdoor shows, Marc is also active in organizing major kids fishing events He's a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA).

In 2002, look for Marc on the American Bass Association - Western WA, Eastern WA & Northern OR circuits, and the 2002 ABAWA Big Bass Championship.

Dave Nollar, Redlands, CA

Dave Nollar has finally graduated (more accurately, retired) from a career in education. The one-time Redlands, California high school principal and history teacher conducts classes nowadays from the deck of his bass boat (that would be a Ranger bass boat - don’t want to be graded down for inaccuracies) or while fishing with son Brian on a charter boat out of Alaska’s Kenai River peninsula. Not a bad life for he and wife Kathy - summers in Alaska and the balance of the year spent at home in Redlands, with Dave campaigning on the WON Pro Tour. A veteran of some thirty years of tournament fishing, Nollar still has what it takes to "teach" the youngsters a thing or two, finishing third in the prestigious Diawa Cup race for 2001, and scoring a solid victory at Lake Mead in the process.

Mike Radice, Midvale, UT

As a self-imposed fishing nut, over the years Mike Radice has dragged friends and family to various fishing holes throughout the Intermountain West – some came along willingly, some not so willing. But to be honest, he's got it pretty bad. Says Mike, "I’m the proud owner of 15 fishing rods. No one needs more than one at a time but it is amazing how many different applications there are for different fish species. Wait, make that 19 rods, I forgot my four ice-fishing rods. The life of a fishing nut can be overwhelming at times; only a few years ago I thought I was doing well with the one rod I’d bought out of a discount bin – let’s face it, fishing is addictive.

I have enjoyed all types of fishing and find challenges every time I go. In particular, bass fishing is a passion. But converting those bass skills for trout fishing brings out the best in me. Fishing is like chemistry - grab a few things, mix them together, and then see what happens. There are no end to the mysteries to be solved - will a bass grub catch trout, will a strange trailer excite a huge predator, and did I bring enough bologna to last the day?

My one claim to fame is catching two 20-pound lake trout from my float tube. It took over 20 minutes of spinning, grunting, and reeling to finally heft each monster above my head, and not tip over in the water; what a thrill. Beyond all of the hoop and the la, fishing is one of the best, time-honored rituals on the planet. It is also the best way I know of to relax and allow the pressures and stresses of life to just float away."

Al Robinson has been with the Yamamoto Team since the very beginning. "Big Al" attributes about 90% of his tournament and fishing success to Yamamoto products. He relies on the twin-tailed grubs and worms, and he also likes to throw crankbaits. For topwater action, Al likes to use the deadly Sugoi Splash.

Robinson's favorite bodies of water are the Delta in California, and Lake Mead in Nevada, which is right by his home. When "Big Al" is not working as a floor supervisor at Boulder City, Nevada's Golden Nugget, you'll find him on the water.

Brian Sak, Pinole, CA

Although his latest stories are more of the how-to, where-to and when-to type, you will see that Brian Sak manages to add a bit of biology when he writes, drawing upon his 26 years of angling experience and 15 years as a biologist.

Brian attended college at Southeastern Massachusetts University and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (CA), and works as a biologist for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, monitoring the most pristine watershed in the Bay Area.

He also operates a thriving freelance writing and photography business and over the past six years has authored more than 100 feature articles and published hundreds of photos for magazines including BASSMASTER, Bassin', Angler's Choice, Game & Fish, Bass West and Western Outdoors.

Dean "NaCl" Sault, Fair Oaks, CA

A lifelong bass fishing enthusiast, Dean "NaCl" Sault actively participates in regional pro-am and team tournament circuits on Northern California lakes as well as the famed California Delta. He stays busy by balancing the demands of operating his insurance business, occasional guide duties on his home waters at Folsom Lake and supporting fishing-related, charity and conservation activities.

In the past three years, Dean's qualified for Anglers Choice's Team TOC, West Coast Bass's Team TOC, and the West Coast Bass Classic. This year, Dean has qualified for the California B.A.S.S. Federation 2002 State Team, and Dean's also been elected Tournament Director for the California Federation this year too! Dean conducts seminars and coordinates children's fishing trips for the Sacramento chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He's a member of the Folsom Bass Team and President of the NorCal Trophy Hunters Bass Club.

Dean's also a regular participant in a very special, although informal club of dedicated anglers called the "Nutcases". They are a hard-core but fun-loving group of bass anglers who regularly meet on the Internet where they freely share information and the joy of fishing. Look for Dean and the rest of the Nutcase regulars online at www.ncbf.com.

Bill Schaefer, San Diego, CA

San Diego denizen Bill Schaefer keeps himself pretty busy fishing, in both salted and unsalted waters. A licensed Captain, Schaefer guides, writes for numerous publications, is Editor of the San Diego Hook and Line Magazine, fishes the WON, American Bass, and Military Bass circuits, and is a regular competitor in saltwater tournaments. Ranked in the Top 200 pro bass fishermen by the PBAA in the 80’s, Schaefer is considered an authority on inshore saltwater fishing. Visit Bill's website at www.fishsandiego.com.

Stan Scott, Richland, WA

Stan Scott has lived and fished in the Pacific Northwest for the past 25 years and always enjoys sharing his experiences and thoughts with others. A life long learner, Stan often goes beyond the tried and true and is always looking for new and better ways of doing things.

Stan graduated from Washington State University in 1979 with a degree in Wildlife Biology. He not only enjoys competitive fishing but is also interested in philosophy and performance improvement in all aspects of life. He has also dedicated himself to helping to defend our fishing freedoms and often writes about the pros and cons of the environmental movement. Stan is sponsored by Shimano, Aquavu, Owner Hooks, PowerPro, Strike-King, and McCoy.

John Semken, WA

 John Semken has been a fixture on the Washington BASS Federation state team 8 of the last 9 years. Two time Washington angler of the year and two time AOY runner-up. Champion, 1995 BASS Federation Western Division on Lake Powell. Two time BASS National federation contender. Runner-up 2001 National BASS Federation in Mobile Alabama and Western Division Champion. 2001 Bass Masters Classic Contender on the Louisiana Delta in New Orleans.

John's favorite bait is the 4" Senko fished texposed, wacky, Carolina rig, and Dropshot. There isn't a forage this bait can't mimick or a technique that doesn't work. You can present this lure to a fish in shallow, deep, clear or muddy water and it really catches them.

His other Sponsors include Lamiglas Rods, Smelly Jelly, Skeeter Boats, Owner Hooks, Strike King.

Ray Thurston was born and raised in Nevada and loves to fish Lake Mead. "I know every nook and cranny of that lake," explains Ray. He attributes almost all of his success to Yamamoto products. His favorite bait is the skirted grub in colors 208 and 140.

Ray has had the opportunity to improve his technique with the one-ounce jig. He's also not shy about trying out new colors and is a big supporter of the Inside Line magazine. "I feel it's one of the most informative pieces on the West Coast. The West seems to be information poor because everything tends to be east-coast oriented." However, Ray points out that the Inside Line contains techniques and information that is invaluable no matter what part of the country you fish.

Derek Yamamoto, Tempe, AZ

No one is a better judge of Yamamoto products than Derek Yamamoto himself. He not only fishes the product, he has helped design it. His all-time favorite technique is to rig a 3/4-oz football head with a 140 skirt and a 208 double-tail, working the water from 5 to 35 feet deep. He also loves to throw the Senko on a 4/0 Sugoi hook to catch those active bass. When he has to throw a worm, he goes to the reliable four-inch worm in color 284.

When he's not fishing, Derek is with his wife, Amber, their son, Paolo (10), and the newly arrived daughter Kyra. Derek is sponsored by Champion Boats, Yamaha Outboards, and Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits. He uses Yamamoto Rods and Shimano reels.

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