PARK FALLS, WIS. (December 15, 2025) – “Ol’ Bob Downey” will probably be competing in his fourth Bassmaster Traditional when he splashes his Bass Cat within the waters of the Tennessee River this March. He has a historical past of success there, together with a Seventeenth-place end when the Traditional was final held in Knoxville in 2023.
“I fished the Tennessee River an honest quantity within the spring – all up and down from Guntersville to Pickwick to Chickamauga,” Downey says. “I adore it within the springtime. I simply really feel extra snug there at the moment of yr than I do in these summertime tournaments. The Tennessee River in Knoxville isn’t a straightforward place to fish and, traditionally, it doesn’t take plenty of weight to win there.”
One of many issues it does take to win there – or at any high-level fishing event – is dependable tools. Coming into his seventh yr on the St. Croix Elite professional employees, Downey has introduced he’ll be swapping the entire reels on his St. Croix rods with SEVIIN reels shifting ahead.
“I imply, for me, it’s a reliability issue,” Downey says. “Reels are a instrument for me to carry out my job, so I take a look at it no totally different than a contractor who wants the fitting instruments to do his or her job. You could have reels to do what we do on the water and I must have reels that carry out reliably on the highest stage. Whether or not it’s a drag system or a breaking system, you may’t fear about them within the moments you want them. If you’re, you’re losing worthwhile time and psychological capability.”
Downey says he’s had his eyes on SEVIIN and has been fishing a few of their reels right here and there for the reason that model was launched practically three years in the past.
“Although these reels got here out of the gate as a St. Croix product, I needed to essentially see how they carried out, how they held up, and the way the SEVIIN vary may broaden,” Downey says. “I just like the reels I obtained my palms on, however on the time I didn’t really feel they provided the entire reels I wanted with a purpose to achieve success on tour. Now, with three separate freshwater reel households that embody 15 totally different spinning reels and 18 casting reels, that has positively modified. Extra anglers have observed the identical factor and, going ahead, I really feel like now was the fitting time for me to dive in, get behind the model, and assist it develop much more than it already has.”
Downey says his seven-year relationship with St. Croix additionally performed a key function in his determination to change to SEVIIN Reels.
“Each time you resolve to work with a brand new model, you’re additionally deciding to construct a brand new relationship with folks, and also you’re by no means fairly positive how that’s going to go,” he says. “However from this angle, it’s tremendous seamless. I do know everyone there, so I do know who I’m working with. I understand how they function. As I’ve carried out with St. Croix Rods, I’m actually trying ahead to serving to with product improvement for the SEVIIN Crew going ahead whereas additionally giving suggestions and sharing good and sincere info with anglers and followers.”
St. Croix and SEVIIN Vice President of Innovation, Ryan Train, agrees.
“We’ve leaned on Bob loads over the previous a number of years on lots of our Analytical Professional Groups,” Train says. “He’s constantly given us stable suggestions on particular concepts and instructions we’ve particularly requested about, however on multiple event he’s additionally prompted our design and product groups to consider issues we didn’t significantly have on our radar screens. We depend on this type of suggestions to be angler-driven, and Bob is an distinctive instance of the form of angler we most need suggestions from. He’s the most effective minds within the bass-fishing {industry}, and likewise one of many kindest and most-genuine folks you can hope to work with… in any {industry}. We’re thrilled that he’s approaching board with the SEVIIN Reels Crew.”
Again to the quick activity at hand, Downey says he expects this yr’s Traditional to be an awesome one for the followers.
“It’ll for positive be a pre- spawn event,” he says. “I don’t know that we’ll see a spawn occur except we get a loopy heat. The final time we had been there it was primarily pre-spawn and I believe it was two or three weeks later than this yr. So yeah, I count on a full-blown pre-spawn chew. I understand how I’ll strategy it, however it will likely be actually attention-grabbing as a result of now we have a complete new crop of younger anglers that simply take a look at issues totally different than then a few of the older era. So, that all the time makes for some intriguing tournaments. What occurred from a selected sample and method standpoint even 5 years in the past is totally totally different than it’ll be right now. So, yeah, it’ll be a enjoyable one to observe.
Downey joins fellow SEVIIN Reels staffer, John Crews, in addition to St. Croix teammates Caleb Kuphall, Trey McKinney, and Pat Schlapper within the discipline at this yr’s Bassmaster Traditional.
About SEVIIN ReelsWherever and nevertheless you fish, the reel in your hand ought to assist create higher experiences. Born from St. Croix Rod’s seven a long time 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 advertising and marketing 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 our passionate need to ship probably the most dependable reels on the water. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, Rod Geeks, and the St. Croix Manufacturing facility Retailer.
