Rapala, a legendary company already in possession of the industry’s most accomplished and diverse set of pro-staffers, announces the addition of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kyle Welcher.
Welcher joins a team that includes past Bassmaster Anglers of the Year such as Gerald Swindle, Davy Hite, Mike Iaconelli and Seth Feider, as well as Bassmaster Classic winner Ott DeFoe, and Jacob Wheeler, generally considered to be the hottest bass angler on the planet right now.
Welcher is particularly excited to offer his R&D ideas and to swap information with his fellow pros. “We’re going to talk through things and it’ll be a team effort,” he explained. “Most of us are on the same page about the value of Rapala’s high quality, even if we have our own styles on the water.”
About Kyle Welcher
As he enters his fifth season in the Elite Series, Kyle Welcher has quickly established himself as one of the top up-and-coming pros anywhere, with two Bassmaster Classic appearances under his belt. The Alabama pro, who will turn 30 this February, was the runner-up in the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” in 2022. Perhaps more impressively, he’s finished in the money in 27 of 34 B.A.S.S. events, just under 80 percent. A lot of those checks have been earned on the back of Rapala products.
“In the south, the DT6 has been a staple in the winter and then in the early part of spring, that and the Shad Rap,” he said. “I’ve weighted in a lot of bass on Rapala products over the years, including at Pickwick in 2021 when it was flooded and on the Tennessee River in Knoxville.”
He considers himself a connoisseur of balsa baits, but knows that many of the handmade or lower grade versions are unpredictable. “It’s hard to get any sort of consistency out of balsa,” he explained. “That’s the biggest hurdle. And that’s why I rely on Rapala, because I know that somehow they’ll be consistent and run right straight out of the package.” He looks forward to working with the company on new projects, certain that they’ll all be innovative and dependable.
“I’m fired up to add Kyle to our team of pros, said Rapala’s Director of Field Promotions and R&D Dan Quinn. “We have a dream team loaded with the best of the best and Kyle will fit right in. He has a bright future ahead and we have some exciting projects in the hopper that he will be a part of!”
For more information about Rapala, go to www.rapala.com
For more information about Kyle Welcher, go to his youtube channel