PARK FALLS, WIS. (January 28, 2025) – Younger expertise. There’s loads of it to be seen, adopted, and admired throughout the sphere of at this time’s aggressive bass-fishing. The highest ranks of the game’s highest-level collection and tournaments are flush with rookies, competing and profitable alongside veteran anglers who’ve – conversely – grinded, scratched, and clawed by means of years and even many years of competitors, change, and adversity in pursuit of their triumphs.
The appearance of organized angling on the high-school and collegiate ranges has a lot to do with bass-fishing’s child growth. Scholastic angling gives good children who’ve a ardour for fishing with accelerated alternatives for studying and improvement, devoted assets, an atmosphere of like-minded friends, and the dear commodity of match expertise.
Hunter Gross sales is a kind of devoted assets. The 27-year-old from Blaine, Tennessee has served as head coach of the Carson-Newman College Eagle Anglers since he graduated from the college in 2018. However for Carson-Newman’s scholar anglers, Gross sales is greater than a useful resource; his management is a force-multiplier to their success. Halfway by means of the 2024-2025 season, the Eagle Anglers are presently ranked primary general within the race for 2024-25 Bass Professional Outlets Faculty of the 12 months.
Whereas doing a couple of individual’s half in cultivating rising fishing expertise, Gross sales, himself, ought to correctly be thought of considered one of at this time’s “younger weapons” of match bass fishing. After serving to to begin Carson-Newman’s fishing workforce throughout his personal senior yr, he’s fished competitively ever since. After investing a couple of years within the MLF Toyota Collection, Phoenix BFL, and BASS Opens, he superior to the NPFL final yr, the place he completed twelfth out of 118 within the NPFL Progressive AOY factors race whereas incomes a pair of top-ten finishes in six occasions.
“St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels are angler-centric family-owned manufacturers fueled by angler enter in any respect ranges,” says St. Croix Vice President of Advertising, Jesse Simpkins. “We’ve watched and appreciated Hunter’s journey over the previous few years. His ardour, information, expertise, character, and affect make him a fantastic match for our premium, American manufacturers. We couldn’t be extra excited to announce that Hunter can be fishing our rods and reels whereas serving as an envoy for the St. Croix and SEVIIN manufacturers.”
Gross sales has seen plenty of rods over his profession, however St. Croix was the primary. “My dad used plenty of St. Croix rods whereas I used to be rising up,” Gross sales recollects. “He raved about them. In a while, I developed a relationship with the Koza household – house owners of The Dugout Bait & Deal with in Marietta, Georgia which is a vital St. Croix supplier. I began fishing a few of them and was impressed… not simply with the premium high quality, however with the story of the model, American craftsmanship, and their historical past that goes all the best way again to 1948. St. Croix is unquestionably an aspirational model resulting from its heritage, high quality, and the truth that it frequently develops new and higher rods that enchantment to everybody. I received to know Jesse (Simpkins) throughout my time fishing the BASS Opens and noticed how nice the individuals are at St. Croix as properly. That’s additionally after I was first uncovered to SEVIIN reels. Joey Nania is an ironman on the Bass Opens circuit and he’s additionally an envoy for SEVIIN. We developed a bond resulting from our religion and comparable outlooks on fishing and life. He offered me on SEVIIN’s efficiency and reliability.”
Exterior of his fishing, that religion is what’s most essential to Gross sales. “Carson-Newman is a Christian faculty,” he says. “My duty is to assist the younger folks on my workforce become one of the best anglers, one of the best Christians, and one of the best human beings they are often.”
Gross sales says he’s wanting ahead to working with manufacturers which have an unbroken historical past of success.
“To succeed and endure for so long as St. Croix has, you have to frequently adapt,” Gross sales says. “It’s fascinating… I can draw a parallel to the upcoming 2025 NPFL season, the place there’s a full ban on forward-facing sonar. That is going to show these opponents who can’t adapt and reward those that can. I spend plenty of time round youthful anglers, so I like to make use of as a lot know-how as I can. Ahead-facing sonar allowed plenty of anglers to make their residing fishing offshore, and due to the ban I count on lots of them will flood again to the financial institution this season.” However Gross sales says he’ll nonetheless fish offshore utilizing gentle line, small baits, and authorized electronics. “It’s a power of mine,” he says. “You’ll possible see guys fishing high-percentage targets extra so than prior to now, and people who excel at bait placement will possible do properly within the Progressive AOY standings.”
Gross sales is worked up to get to Santee Cooper in early March to kick off the 2025 NPFL season. The roster was not too long ago introduced and consists of a formidable variety of among the greatest names on this planet {of professional} bass fishing.
Comply with Coach Hunter Gross sales on YouTube, Instagram, and Fb.
About St. CroixHeadquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Greatest Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the one main producer to nonetheless construct rods totally from design by means of manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing amenities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With well-liked trademarked collection corresponding to Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all sorts of anglers from all over the world. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
About SEVIIN ReelsWherever and nonetheless you fish, the reel in your hand ought to assist create higher experiences. Born from St. Croix’s seven many years of design and manufacturing experience, industry-leading customer support, and unbroken non-public possession by the Schluter household courting again to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to assist anglers conquer each species on each piece of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels solely, designing and crafting merchandise that enhance the angling expertise, whatever the rods anglers select. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days every week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed solely by a ardour to ship probably the most dependable reels on the water. SEVIIN is part of the St. Croix Household of Manufacturers, together with St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
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