BASSMASTER'S BEST
Humminbird® Pros Martens and Ehrler Earn Top Titles
Aaron Martens earns third AOY, Brent Ehrler Takes BASS Rookie of the Year
EUFAULA, AL (September 25, 2015) – It was a winning weekend in Door County, Wisconsin, for Humminbird pros Aaron Martens and Brent Ehrler. On Friday, Martens took home his third career Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) title. On Sunday, first-year Elite competitor Brent Ehrler was named 2015 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year.
2015 Angler of the Year Aaron Martens was nearly unstoppable this year, commanding wins at Elite events held on Lake Havasu in May and Chesapeake Bay In August. For a guy who had nearly resigned himself to perpetual second place finishes, seems Martens finally found his rabbit’s foot.
“This year it just clicked. In the past I’ve thought too much. But when you’re making decisions while pulling up your trolling motor and telling your partner ‘let’s go,’ and where you go and what you do is the right decision, that’s where I’ve been lately,” says Martens.
Although we associate the crowning achievement of professional bass fishing with a Bassmaster Classic win, it could be argued that Angler of the Year more fully represents consistent excellence.
“I think every Elite angler starts off the year with AOY as a goal because it’s the pinnacle of the sport. The Classic is a three-day event once a year. AOY is the whole season,” says Martens. “To be able to win three of them has been … it’s hard to even talk about it … I’ve worked hard for it. It’s my second one in three years. I feel like I’ve become a better angler. Physically, I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been. I’m 43 now. I’m smarter. I’ve learned my lessons: how to react and how not to react to situations.”
But for Martens, winning another AOY is more than just personal achievement.
“This means a lot to me and my family. I get more gratification making my wife and kids happy. That probably sounds funny, but if you’re married and have kids, you can understand. It puts a smile on their faces and gives them pride. That’s how I get my enjoyment. This trophy is for them. To win it three times, I’ve definitely been blessed. I don’t know what else to say. It’s been an awesome year and I hope I can keep doing it.”
Ehrler Does It
2015 Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Brent Ehrler is no stranger to tournament accomplishments, having spent the past decade fishing FLW events with awesome results.
“It’s hard to believe that I can be called ‘rookie’ after fishing professionally for 11 years. I’m honored to win Rookie of the Year but it just seems kind of funny to be lumped into that category. I started fishing the FLW Tour in 2005 and have had plenty of tour-level events since then. My biggest goal this year was to make the Bassmaster Classic. I fortunately did that this year and now can’t wait to fish Grand Lake,” says Ehrler.
High-Tech Tacticians
Besides trophies and accolades, both Martens and Ehrler share an advanced command of today’s top fishing electronics. Both high-tech tacticians are using Humminbird ONIX units, which feature unique technologies like Cross Touch control, AutoChart LIVE to map waters in real-time, HD DSP Sonar, and Humminbird’s key patented technologies Side Imaging and Down Imaging.
“I’ve been using Humminbird something like 9 of the past 10 years. Having good electronics is a necessity. When you come down to it, your sonar and mapping units are what you spend the most time looking at on the water. The Humminbird ONIX units, definitely love ‘em. They’re a huge part of my success. Being able to see fish on Side and Down Imaging and determine if they’re bass or drum … I can’t always determine that but they do a pretty dang good job at doing that. The size of the bait even! If I’m fishing in 30 or 40 feet, to know if it’s two-, three-, four-, five- or six-inch bait. That’s a huge help. And being able to distinguish individual fish in a school. And the speeds on them, they’ll all adjustable. And you can do all manual settings on them. My units are right up there as the most important thing on my boat. I’m very happy with these ONIXs right now,” concludes Martens.
Ehrler adds: “The ONIX sonar is unbelievably crisp and clear. The Side Imaging and Down Imaging is so clear it’s very easy to see fish and structure.”
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Heather Miller
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Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc. consists of the Humminbird, LakeMaster, Minn Kota and Cannon brands. Humminbird® is a leading innovator and manufacturer of fishfinders, fishfinder/GPS combo units, ice flashers and digital depth gauges. LakeMaster® is the premier brand of high-definition electronic fishing charts. Minn Kota® is the world’s leading manufacturer of electric trolling motors, as well as offers a complete line of shallow water anchors, battery chargers and marine accessories. Cannon® is the leader in controlled-depth fishing and includes a full line of downrigger products and accessories.