OLATHE, Kan./January 8, 2016/Business Wire – Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), today announced the addition of 21 professional fishermen to its 2016 marine pro team. The team of more than 60 anglers includes professional bass, walleye, and crappie fishermen who will be representing Garmin in tournament trails across North America, including the B.A.S.S. Elite Series and FLW Tour.
The 2016 Garmin marine pro team is being announced in conjunction with a 360-degree national campaign called “Sons of Fishes,” which includes television, print, digital and social media executions that show why so many professional anglers are making the switch to Garmin. The primary reason members of this “fishing club” are switching to Garmin is because of its new revolutionary PanoptixTM all-seeing sonar technology that provides a real-time video-like image of the bottom, structure and fish swimming around or in front of the boat. Check out the extended commercial here.
“Our team has more than doubled in size in just two years,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “It’s an impressive group of anglers, all of whom have joined the Garmin team because they believe it will give them the competitive edge. Garmin is more committed than ever to being a top player in the freshwater fishing industry, and we’re so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of their success on the water.”
The new Garmin pro anglers include: Todd Auten (B.A.S.S.), Josh Bertrand (B.A.S.S.),
Zack Birge (FLW), Ramie Colson (FLW), Chad Grigsby (FLW), Chris Johnston (FLW),
Cory Johnston (FLW), Brad Knight (FLW), Russ Lane (B.A.S.S.), Matt Lee (B.A.S.S.),
Jared Lintner (B.A.S.S), Richard Lowitzki (FLW), Mike McClelland (B.A.S.S.), Cody Meyer (FLW), Cliff Prince (B.A.S.S.), Tom Redington (FLW), Mark Rose (FLW), Jim Tutt (FLW),
Greg Vinson (B.A.S.S.), John Voyles (FLW), and Jay Yelas (FLW).
They join dozens of world-class professional fishermen already running Garmin electronics, including Scott Martin (2015 FLW Angler of the Year), Brent Chapman (2012 Bassmaster Angler of the Year), Jason Christie (two-time Elite Series champion), Clent Davis (2012 FLW Rookie of the Year), Greg Hackney (2014 Bassmaster Angler of the Year), Jason Lambert (2014 FLW Rookie of the Year), Andy Morgan (2013/14 FLW Angler of the Year), bass fishing’s elder statesman and ambassador, Bill Dance, and many more.
The 2016 pro team will use Garmin electronics on their boats and during tournaments, television shows, and in public appearances. They’ll be equipped with detailed lake maps and best-in-class electronics and technology, including the National Marine Electronics (NMEA®) award-winning GPSMAP 7600 series chartplotters, and the new Garmin Panoptix all-seeing sonar.
Recently, Garmin was named Manufacturer of the Year and received the honor of being the most recognized company in the marine electronics field by the NMEA. Garmin’s portfolio includes some of the industry’s most sophisticated chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar technology, high-definition radar, autopilots, high-resolution mapping, sailing instrumentation and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and ease-of-use.
For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.