Just a quick observation after looking through the King of the Ring tournament entries…

First off—some seriously impressive fish! Huge shoutout to everyone out there grinding and getting after it.

That said, I couldn’t help but notice quite a few entries that, if judged strictly by the rules, would’ve faced some serious deductions—open mouths, bad hand placement, poor measuring angles, stretched tails, you name it.

This isn’t about calling anyone out personally, it’s about keeping things fair and consistent across the board.

Might be time for a refresher class or quick tutorial on proper fish measurement. Let’s make sure everyone’s on the same page moving forward. A lot of great catches are at risk of being questioned—or worse, disqualified—because of things that are easily avoidable.

Let’s raise the bar, not the drama. 🎣💪

If you were in Mack’s “how not to lose your leaderboard” class, you might remember him mentioning weather stripping. I didn’t listen. Now my board with custom tag is living its best life as underwater décor somewhere in Newport News, VA. Highly recommend securing yours… unless you want the fish judging your bass!

Had the chance to meet up with Mack Toon in North Carolina yesterday for a kayak fishing trip, and I’ve got to say, the guy’s the real deal.

Mack doesn’t just catch big fish (and yeah, he landed another six-pounder like it was nothing), he makes the whole day better. Always teaching, always sharing, always making sure whoever he’s with is having a good time.

I walked away with new techniques, great memories, and a real appreciation for what Mack brings to the water. He’s the kind of angler the Straight Up Fishing community should know about, and honestly, one worth considering for future sponsorships.