January 26, 2026 – Charleston, SC – Shimano North America Fishing is thrilled to announce the addition of Elite Series Pro Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Alabama, to its Pro-Staff.
Smith brings a deep well of competitive experience built through years of tournament success. Growing up fishing the Coosa River and Lake Guntersville, he has earned multiple high school and college national championships and has competed at the highest levels of tournament bass fishing.
At just 24, Smith made his mark on the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series with a dominant win at the Tackle Warehouse event on Lake Fork, totaling 127 pounds, 8 ounces, one of the heaviest four-day weights in Elite Series history. The performance helped secure his Dakota Lithium Rookie of the Year title. He also captured the inaugural Ultimate Angler Championship on Lake Guntersville with more than 71 pounds, earning a record $500,000 payout, one of the largest prizes in modern bass fishing.
“Shimano has been a crucial part of my fishing career since I started,” said Smith. “I was introduced to Shimano at a young age and have used them ever since.”
As part of Shimano’s Pro-Staff, Smith will work closely with the company on product development, gear testing, and sharing his on-the-water insights with anglers nationwide.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tucker to the Shimano North America Fishing Pro-Staff,” said Kade Gewanter, Freshwater Marketing Manager. “His skill, dedication, and deep understanding of competitive bass fishing will inspire anglers and help us continue pushing innovation across the sport.”
For more information about these new offerings and Shimano’s complete range of innovative fishing tackle, visit fish.shimano.com. To find a retailer near you, visit Shimano’s dealer locator. For more information on Shimano and the latest product releases, please contact Gordon Brown at gordon@darbycommunications.com.
About Shimano North America Fishing
Since 1970, Shimano has been a global manufacturer of industry-leading fishing tackle systems built for anglers compelled by experiences on the water. Shimano designs, manufactures, and markets a deep lineup of angling-specific products focused on promoting health and happiness through the enjoyment of nature and the world around us. The company proudly maintains a portfolio of four consumer-preferred brands: Shimano, G.Loomis, Jackall, and PowerPro. You can learn more at https://fish.shimano.com/en-US or follow on social @fish_shimano_north_america/, @fishgloomis, @jackall_usa, and @fishpowerpro.
