Hypertech reveals pro team

BARTLETT, Tenn. — Hypertech has announced their newly formed fishing team, the Hypertech Reel Team. The team consists of Bassmaster Elite Anglers Buddy Gross from Chickamauga, GA, Mark Menendez from Paducah, KY, and Bassmaster Opens angler John Coble Garrett from Union City, TN. 

The Hypertech Reel Team now has an awe-inspiring group of angler team members. The Bassmaster Elite 2021 tournament season opened February 11th on the St. Johns River with Palatka, FL as the tournament headquarters and launch site. The St. Johns River Elite Tournament will start a nine-tournament series for the Elites and will end in New York in July at the St. Lawrence River Elite Tournament. Both Gross and Menendez will compete in all nine events, with both having goals to win Angler of the Year and qualify for the 2022 Bassmaster Classic.

Menendez finished the St Johns River Elite tournament in fifth place with a total weight of 67 pounds and 5 ounces, winning $20,000 in the event. Gross finished in 28th place with a total weight of 41 pounds and 5 ounces, winning $10,000 in the event. This is an excellent start for the year for both anglers in both monetary winnings and in points totals towards AOY status. Menendez got a lot of exposure as Bassmaster posted many pictures online of Menendez fishing on days two and three of the event and in the weigh-ins for all four tournament days. Most of Menendez’s catches came on Strike King Game Hawg or Strike King Rage Craw soft plastics in the Junebug color, and Menendez was pitching these lures around cypress trees and scattered lily pads.

John Coble Garrett will also start his Bassmaster Opens tournament season in Florida on March 4th at the Harris Chain of Lakes and finishes the Opens series at Grand Lake of the Cherokees in Oklahoma in October. Garrett will be competing in all three of the Opens Regional Divisions (Southern, Central and Northern divisions with three tournaments each) and working towards point totals for the Opens AOY and Opens Divisional championships. If Garrett can accumulate enough points in the point totals at year-end, he could qualify for Elite status for 2022 and possibly even a spot in the 2022 Bassmaster Classic.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this talented trio of anglers and, most importantly, bring awareness of our brand to a very loyal base of enthusiast,” said John Lambert, General Manager at Hypertech. With over 35 years in the automotive performance industry, Hypertech expands its marking efforts into the outdoor markets. Most anglers and outdoor enthusiasts drive trucks, and Hypertech’ s current offerings include a wide variety of products to improve vehicle performance in power, torque, fuel economy, and drivability.

Teaming with Gross, Menendez, and Garrett will provide Hypertech with thousands of miles of real-world testing and feedback. “We are developing products specifically to enhance not only an angler’s towing experience, such as trailer tire pressure and temperature monitoring systems, but also products to improve launch ramp and towing experiences with our React Throttle Optimizer,” said Lambert.