TOLEDO BEND – WINNER Rolando Nandin Takes home $10,500 AT HOBIE B.O.S. ANCHORED BY POWER-POLE

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (February 18, 2022) – Windy weather, rough water and sharp temperature changes greeted an elite field of kayak anglers primed for the season-opening event in the 2022 Hobie Bass Open Series (B.O.S.) Anchored by Power-Pole. Held February 12 – 13 on legendary Toledo Bend Reservoir, the two-day catch, photograph and release (C.P.R.) tourney was sold out weeks in advance with 200 participants, all hoping to kick off their season with a great start while challenging the largemouth population on one of the nation’s best-known bass waters.

“Gathering our community together is something this series has been based on from the start, so to have such a great turnout from across the country felt fantastic,” said tournament director A.J. McWhorter. “The conditions were incredibly challenging and kept changing throughout the weekend but those who were able to adjust and adapt best were the ones who ultimately finished in our top 20 paid places.”

Indeed, the weather featured several shifts that truly tested the skills, intuition and determination of the Hobie fleet. Just prior to the tourney the temperature hit 71 degrees on Thursday and Friday. Then a big front pushed through on Saturday bringing fierce winds and heavy rain to parts of the lake. Temperatures plummeted after the front passed, and anglers had to endure a sub-freezing morning with bluebird skies and challenging post-frontal conditions throughout Sunday.

“To come out on top of our first 200-angler field which included some of the top anglers in our sport says a lot about our winner and his ability to overcome the competition, crazy weather, and the heavy boat pressure on Day 1,” continued McWhorter.

That winner would be Rolando Nandin, 39, from San Antonio, Texas. Competing in his first Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power-Pole event, Nandin culled five-fish limits each day, tallying 90 inches for second place on Saturday and 88.5 inches for third place on Sunday. His combined winning total of 178.5 inches edged out runner-up Cody Henley, 29, of Kamas, Utah, with 177.5 inches and Michael Sebastian Mera, 32, of Knoxville, Tennessee, who finished third with 171.25 inches. For their efforts, Nandin took home a first-place check for $10,500, Henley cashed a second-place prize of $5,500, and Mera walked away with $3,200 for third. Jonathon Carter from New Orleans, Louisiana, took home Bassin’ Big Bass honors with a 23.25-inch brute caught on Day 1. Angler of the Year (A.O.Y.) points were also distributed to the top 100 competitors.

“I generally fish local tournaments, so 200 anglers in one event are the most I’ve ever competed against,” said an ecstatic Nandin. “My plan was to just dig in and hopefully cash a check when the event was over. Going in with the expectation of winning against such heavy and fierce competition just seemed to be reaching a little high. So, I did a lot of map research, factored in the weather conditions and decided to let things flow from there.”

Ultimately, Nandin settled on two areas where he might dodge the elements and hit less obvious pieces of structure before they got pounded by the fleet. On Day 1, he focused his efforts along a lee-side creek mouth that emptied into the main lake, providing a highway to a nearby spawning area. The spot featured a bridge with pylons to offer obvious structure, had protected water at the back of a creek, and some deeper water at the creek mouth where he could use his electronics to find more isolated pieces.

“Throwing jerkbaits in 10- to 12-foot depths around laydowns and brush piles, I hit those less obvious locations first,” Said Nandin. “That worked out well because most of the nearby anglers raced to the visible structure while I was able to get my limit early without much competition. Late in the morning I had an hour-long slot when I was able to use my Hobie PA14 360 to muscle out into the main lake. I had found some good fish there in practice. They were still there, and I was able to cull my way to second place for the day.”

In the end, Nandin, Henley and Mera all noted that despite the challenging conditions the Toledo Bend event was impressive not only for the fish that were caught and released, but also in the level of competition, camaraderie, and how smoothly the tournament was run.

“I’ve fished about 70 tournaments on the local level, but this was a completely different deal,” summed up Mera. “I’m elated with my results, and Hobie couldn’t have done a better job. The competition was top shelf, the rules were clear, and the competitors were friendly, supportive and focused. It really was a great experience.”

Which, concludes McWhorter, is exactly what this series is all about. “It’s exciting to see our events exploding on the national scene, and we’ll keep doing all we can to ensure our competitors have a thrilling, fun and respected series to compete in.”

The next two Hobie B.O.S. Anchored by Power Pole events, Santee Cooper Lakes, March 26 – 27, and Lake Eufaula, April 23 – 24, are already sold out. Registration for the Broken Bow event, May 14 – 15, opens February 25 at 12 p.m. EST. Visit Hobiebos.com/events for details.