WILKESVILLE, Ohio—The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) and Johnson Outdoors announce a new partnership with Humminbird, the industry leader in fishing electronics. The partnership will include branding and a program of contingency awards for NPFL anglers using certain Humminbird products.
Brad Fuller, President of the NPFL, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “It’s exciting and an honor to be working with Johnson Outdoors. When we decided to prohibit real-time imaging units [often referred to as “forward-facing sonar”] last September, we hoped that the industry would understand that we were making a decision in favor of our audience rather than a decision against technology. We’re thrilled that Humminbird understood that and saw the opportunity to promote their array of technologies to best match the diverse needs of fishing through the NPFL.”
The partnership includes branding of certain NPFL elements and a contingency program that pays $1,000 to the highest-ranking finisher equipped with Humminbird XPLORE technology in six regular season NPFL tournaments. At NPFL Stop 1 at Santee Cooper Lakes, that angler was Bill Lowen, who finished in fourth place.
Jeff Kolodzinski, Brand Manager of Fishing for Johnson Outdoors, commented on his company’s support of professional fishing: “We sponsor all three of the principal bass leagues, and we’re thrilled to partner with NPFL. The NPFL has staked out a position that differentiates it from the other organizations and we appreciate that it represents an approach that appeals to many fans and anglers. There’s more to fishing—and fishing electronics—than forward-facing sonar.
“Fishing is and has always been a multi-dimensional sport. Successful anglers are required to master a variety of fish-finding skills, which is why the NPFL offers Humminbird a great opportunity to highlight our complete array of fish-finding technologies in the form of the new XPLORE series. And, with Minn Kota being part of the same company as Humminbird, anglers can level-up their experience with a Minn Kota for the best in trolling motors to stay on the fish.
“Our new XPLORE Series is the finest fish finder platform ever offered by Humminbird,” says Kolodzinski. “The interface is fully compatible with our live sonar [MEGA Live 2], XPLORE offers plug-and-play compatibility with Minn Kota trolling motors and Raptor/Talon anchors, works with LakeMaster and CoastMaster charts, syncs up to 10,000 waypoints through our new waypoint management system, and is highly customizable and user-friendly. It’s all part of our commitment to helping pros and enthusiasts catch more fish and have more fun.”
