There’s a rumor that Forrest L. Wood actually wore a pair of shorts one time to play softball, but without photo evidence, the tall and much-admired boatbuilding icon will forever be fondly remembered for his boots, jeans, button down shirt, and cowboy hat.
So, when the folks at Vexus® Boats launched their REV Rewards™ bonus program for tournament anglers, they thought it would only be fitting to send each winner a commemorative western belt buckle too, and anglers like recent Bassmaster Open winner Adam Rasmussen will tell you they treasure the buckle as much as the cash bonus.
“Just about all boat companies have a contingency program, but only Vexus sends their winners a buckle, and that’s a pretty darn cool keepsake to set on your trophy shelf,” smiles Rasmussen, who is a fishing legend around his home in Sturgeon Bay, but qualified for the 2024 Bassmaster Classic as a result of his victory at the Bassmaster Open on Wheeler Lake, Alabama, more than 800 miles south of his home waters.
His victory at Wheeler was leveraged by a one-two punch that included a JackHammer vibrating jig cast shallow around the shad spawn and a VMC Rugby Jig out deeper on ledges.
This recent buckle is actually the second one Rasmussen has won. His first came as a result of a record setting win in a Champions Tour event on Pelican Lake, MN, where he tallied 98 keeper bass weighing a total of 247 pounds.
From bass to walleye, musky to redfish, the REV Rewards™ program pays winners up to $10,000, along with the unique buckle. A huge variety of tournaments, from team events to the pros, are sanctioned by the program, but you can’t win if you don’t sign up.
Story by Alan McGuckin