Five years ago, young Bassmaster Elite Series pros Tyler Rivet and Cody Huff would have been starting classes and preparing to compete in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship. The fact these two just notched Top 10 finishes at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Oahe is not only a testament to their own skills, but to their college fishing roots as well.
Both Rivet and Huff made a name for themselves in the college fishing ranks before qualifying for the Elites through the Bassmaster Opens. In addition the Top 10 finishes, Rivet earned an extra $3,000 and Huff pocketed $2,000 of added rewards thanks to Toyota Bonus Bucks. Highlighting the fact you don’t need to win an event to reap the rewards of Bonus Bucks, you simply must be among the highest finishing registered anglers.
Huff employed a drop shot to trick Lake Oahe smallmouth and finish 10th, while Rivet slowly dragged a Carolina rig en route to his ninth-place finish. Though they used different tactics, both 20-something-year-old bass fishing talents trust a Tundra as their ride for the 30,000-plus miles they put on the odometer throughout the Elite Series season. When asked why, Rivet gave a quick, honest response.
“The main reason I run a Tundra is Bonus Bucks for sure,” Rivet said with a smile. “The chance to win extra money each tournament is huge, and Toyota supports our sport in a big way. On top of that, my truck tows my boat like it’s not even there.”
This was the fourth Top 10 Rivet has notched since joining the Elite Series in 2019. The Raceland, La., native believes his Lake Oahe finish locked up his spot in the 2023 Bassmaster Classic.
This gives him plenty reason to celebrate at one of the Walk-On’s Restaurant and Sports Bistreaux locations between La Crosse, Wis., and his Louisiana homeland. Walk-On’s is Rivet’s title sponsor, and he absolutely plans to pay them a visit during his homeward travels.
Huff, on the other hand, is finishing up his rookie season on the Elite Series. After winning the Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket in 2020 and spending a year towing a Nitro Boat wrapped in his alma mater’s colors with a loaned Tundra, Huff immediately bought one of his own to serve as his tow vehicle.
“I’ve put over 90,000 miles on my 2021 Tundra and out of all those miles I haven’t had to do anything other than change the oil and change the tires,” Huff added. “It has awesome towing capacity, and I’ve got a CrewMax so I can fit dang near my whole house in the back seat, which is such a luxury when you live on the road half the year like us. I really couldn’t ask more out of a truck.”
Toyota’s popular contingency program has been rewarding anglers who drive eligible Toyota tow vehicles for over 13 years. If you’re late to the party and want to learn more about Bonus Bucks, follow this link: www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com. You can get registered, see a full list of payouts and events and get any questions you have answered while you discover why it pays to tow with Toyota.
