When it comes to finding and catching smallmouth bass, few people on this planet rival the skills of Major League Fishing pro Josh Bertrand. The ‘cool as a cucumber’ Arizona native proved this yet again at the FLW Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament on Lake Erie with a third-place finish and an extra $3,000 prize from Toyota Bonus Bucks.

Bertrand’s Tundra features a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent wrap, and it comes as no surprise that a green pumpkin MaxScent Flat Worm rigged on a drop-shot was responsible for every fish he weighed in last week.

“We’ve heard it a lot this year, but the Flat Worm was absolutely crucial,” Bertrand explained. “I have 100 percent confidence in a Flat Worm and a drop-shot for northern smallmouth. I literally never strayed from that presentation in practice or the tournament, which made me much more efficient. I was able to focus on finding fish, not weeding through different baits.”

The Berkley pro successfully milked his areas on Lake Erie for all they were worth and was happy to be making the 30-hour haul back to Arizona with a Top-3 finish. Long drives have been a constant theme for Bertrand throughout his career, and so has towing with a Toyota Tundra.

“I’m currently driving my third Tundra and the reliability is absolutely my favorite thing about my truck,” Bertrand said. “In eight years I’ve logged close to 300,000 miles towing a boat, and I’ve literally never had a problem. I can’t explain how comforting it is to know I’m driving a reliable vehicle when cruising through the desert or in the middle of nowhere. It can’t be overstated.”

Bertrand estimates he has earned somewhere in the ballpark of $25,000 of contingency rewards from Toyota Bonus Bucks over the last eight years. But Bonus Bucks isn’t only for touring professional anglers – you can get in on the rewards, too!

As long as you drive a 2016 or newer Toyota tow vehicle, have registered (for free) for the program, and fish one of the hundreds of supported bass or walleye tournaments you are eligible for Bonus Bucks.

For program information, full lists of events, or to get registered for the program follow this link: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/. If you’d rather call than click, dial (918) 742-6424 and Chip or Kendell will be happy to help you out.