Blue Ridge’s Graham Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BUCKHEAD, Ga. (March 16, 2021) – Boater Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Ga. Kimmel earned $6,153 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Justin Kimmel of Athens, Ga. | 5 | 22-4 | $6,153 |
| 2nd | John Duvall of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 19-0 | $3,452 |
| 3rd | Lance Collins of Monticello, Ga. | 5 | 18-7 | $1,968 |
| 4th | Justin Durham of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 18-2 | $1,377 |
| 5th | Brian Jamison of Greensboro, Ga. | 5 | 17-3 | $1,181 |
| 6th | Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga. | 5 | 15-14 | $1,082 |
| 7th | Dylan Peppers of Social Circle, Ga. | 5 | 15-6 | $984 |
| 8th | Cody Stahl of Griffin, Ga. | 5 | 15-5 | $886 |
| 9th | Weston Parker of Mansfield, Ga. | 5 | 15-0 | $787 |
| 10th | Willie McMullen of Oxford, Ga. | 5 | 14-14 | 689 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Graham of Blue Ridge, Ga. | 5 | 13-8 | $2,952 |
| 2nd | Randal Ditto of Tallahassee, Fla. | 4 | 13-6 | $1,961 |
| 3rd | Tim Prosen of Cleveland, Ga. | 5 | 13-4 | $984 |
| 4th | Thai-Son Le of Macon, Ga. | 5 | 12-3 | $689 |
| 5th | Troy Cain of Gillsville, Ga. | 5 | 12-2 | $590 |
| 6th | Frank Godwin, Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga. | 5 | 11-15 | $541 |
| 7th | Danny Smith of Tyrone, Ga. | 4 | 11-1 | $492 |
| 8th | Gabe Sowash of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 10-11 | $443 |
| 9th | Daniel Tuten of Byron, Ga. | 5 | 9-11 | $394 |
| 10th | Chandler White of Covington, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| 10th | Wesley Wilson of Cornelia, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga. | 6-pound, 8-ounce bass | $970 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Randal Ditto, Tallahassee, Fla. | 6-pound, 1-ounce bass | $485 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | John Duvall, Madison, Ga. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | – ½-ounce Missile Jig – Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer – Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | – Daiwa Yamamoto Neko Fat Worm, shaky head | Baby Bass |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Bulldog Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Florida | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
