Josh Bertrand Goes Wire-to-Wire to win 2022 WON Bass U.S. Open

Laughlin, Nev. – October 12, 2022 Its very rare to have a bass fishing event in the deserts of Nevada and Arizona where wind is not a factor in the event.  It is even more rare for a three-day event to have a complete lack of wind.  Warm, calm conditions greeted the anglers who ventured out onto the waters of Lake Mohave each day for the 2022 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open has been presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin.

 

Calm slick conditions on a clear water fishery often means difficult conditions, but for the first two days, San Tan Valley, Ariz. pro Josh Bertrand seemingly made it look easy with consecutive limits that eclipsed 20 pounds.  With a two-day total of 43.79 pounds, he held a little more than a fourpound lead over second place pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., who started the final day with 39.43 pounds.  Threetime U.S. Open champion Clifford Pirch, from Payson, Ariz. stood in third with 39.36 pounds.

 

The trio, and those chasing them spent a long day on Lake Mohave, but in the end, it was San Tan Valley, Ariz. pro Josh Bertrand, the man who led since the opening bell who proved to put the pieces of the puzzle together the best and walked away with the title of 2022 WON Bass U.S. OpenChampion.  Bertrand added a final day limit of Lake Mohave smallmouthweighing 17.99 pounds to bring his three-day winning total to 61.78.

 

In claiming victory, Bertrand not only held the trophy, but also grabbed the keys to the Bass Cat Cougar FTD / Mercury ProXS 250 prize package worth $86,000 and the winners share of the purse worth another $75,000.

 

Bertrand outlasted Shuffield who posted his second consecutive limiteclipsing 20 pounds on the final day.  His 20.75-pound limit brought his total to finish the tournament with 60.18 pounds, good enough for second place.

 

AAA angler Joe Ahrens of San Diego, Calif. began the final day in eighthplace and fished with Fort Worth, Tex. pro Chris Zaldain.  The pair weighed 18.83 pounds on the final day to bring his total weight to 46.40 pounds to claim the title of WON Bass U.S. Open AAA Champion.  His victory earned him the keys to a Honda Fortrax ATV valued at $5,600 and $9,000 cash.

 

Bertrand, who began his fishing career guiding and competing in tournaments in Arizona, said that this title was something he had wanted for years.  The U.S. Open has always been one of the most important and special tournaments Ive fished in, he said.  Id always wanted to earn this trophy, but I didnt know how much it meant to me until I was on the water today; it was a very stressful day, and I am so happy that it turned out this way.

 

The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour angler, who has turned into one of the most consistent anglers in the business, said that he fished deep with a dropshot rig to put his weight together.  I fished the middle section of the lake on structure in 20 to 40 feet of water, he said.  I would use my Garmin Livescope Plus to make sure the fish were there and cast my dropshot rig to them; they were relating heavily to school of baitfish.

 

Bertrand revealed that each of his keepers came on a Berkley Flatworm in green pumpkin, with the late exception of two of his final fish that bit the same worm in a black color.  I used the Flatworm because I have so much confidence in how it appeals to smallmouth, he said. I threw it on my new Abu Garcia dropshot rod ad reel spooled with 6-pound-test Trilene fluorocarbon, a 3/8-ounce dropshot rig with a Fusion 19 Dropshot Hook; that was my whole program.

Bertrand, who won a Bassmaster Elite Series event on the St. Lawrence River in New York in 2018, said that the personal importance of this win is at a premium.  I am really fortunate to compete on a national level, and to have won there, he said.  But this win ranks at the top of my list because of what it has meant to me over my career; the U.S. Open has been the event all of us in the West want to win, and Ive dreamt of it my whole life; Im absolutely in shock right now.

 

Fishing his first U.S. Open, Shuffield found comfort in the fact that he was smallmouth fishing and put together a run at the win.  I really loved the way this lake fished, it is an amazing lake, said Shuffield.  I used a dropshot rig and a Ned Rig to catch all of my fish this week fishing in the area they call The Bowl.

 

Shuffield used the same Berkley Flatworm that won the event, but also used a green pumpkin Z Man TRD to boat his fish.  He threw them on a 74 Phenix M1rod and Daiwa Ballistic reel spooled with 15-pound-test Hi-Viz Yellow Yozuri Super Braid and an 8-pound-test Yozuri T7 Fluorocarbon leader.

 

The Arizona pro said that he let himself listen to the dock talk that said that 18 pounds a day would win the event, and it cost him.  I had 18 pounds early then laid off my fish trying to conserve the areas on the first day and weighed in two under four pounds, he said.  I tried to make up for it, but that first day really cost me.  But I have to give it Josh, he knew what he had to do and went out and did it; congratulations to him.

 

Patrick Touey from Nipomo, Calif. caught 19 pounds today and moved into third place for the championship with 56.75 pounds. 18-year-old Zach VerBrugge brought 17.71 pounds to the scales at Katherine Landing to move his total weight to 53.47 pounds, landing the Lake Havasu, Ariz. pro in fourth place.  Rounding out the top five was Zaldain, the Bassmaster Elite Series pro weighed a total of 51.61 pounds for the event.

 

Following the AAA winner Ahrens, in second place was Brian Tressen from Corona, Calif with 45.72 pounds.  In third place was Mike Crothers of Chandler, Ariz. with 44.03 pounds. Jim Vretzos of El Dorado Hills, Calif. finished the event in fourth place with 43.54 pounds and Tyler Head of Eugene, Ore. Rounded out the top five with 41.71 pounds.

 

The 2022 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open has been presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin. Takeoffs and weigh-ins were held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

 

Look to wonbass.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms for event details and updates.

 

Complete final standings can be found below.

 

The 40th Anniversary 2022 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Costa, CenturyMarine, PowerPole, Western Outdoor News, Next Gen Lithium, Daiwa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Frabill, Plano, Seaguar, Chevron Techron Marine, Lowrance, DD26 Fishing, Phenix Rods, Gamakatsu, Livingston Lures,Roboworm, HydroHoist, Bridgford Foods, Last Chance Performance Marine, Anglers Marine, Katherine Landing, Sure Life, LifeSource Water Systems, HUK Fishing, Huntington Beach Honda, Anderson Ford, Tuff Bunk, Laughlin Tourism Commission, Visit Laughlin and Edgewater Hotel, Casino & Resort.

 

Final Standings:

 

 

PRO

 

AAA

1

$75,000 + Fully Loaded Bass Cat

Josh Bertrand

 61.78

1

$9,000 + Honda Fourtrax ATV

Joe Ahrens

46.40

2

$16,500

Spencer Shuffield

 60.18

2

$5,750

Brian Tressen

45.72

3

$10,000

Patrick Touey

 56.75

3

$4,750

Mike Crothers

44.03

4

$9,000

Zach VerBrugge

 53.47

4

$3,350

Jim Vretzos

43.54

5

$8,000

Chris Zaldain

 51.61

5

$2,500

Tyler Head

41.71

6

$7,500

Luke Clausen

 51.06

6

$2,300

Michael Gabrielson

40.34

7

$6,500

Sean Coffey

 50.64

7

$2,000

Brian Kemp

39.72

8

$6,000

Austin Bonjour

 48.88

8

$1,750

Phillip Dijulio

39.47

9

$5,500

Jeremy McKay

 48.12

9

$1,500

Ty Crofts

38.34

10

$4,500

Todd Kline

 46.49

10

$1,250

Mike Gowey

38.02

11

$3,750

Scott Hellesen

 45.88

11

$1,000

R. Stephen
Gustafson

36.95

12

$3,750

Justin Kerr

 45.34

12

$1,000

Mike Rasso

36.71

13

$3,750

Conrad Demecs

 45.25

13

$1,000

Gary Freeman

36.32

14

$3,500

Clifford Pirch

 45.24

14

$1,000

Mike Kizis

35.65

15

$3,500

Kyle Grover

 43.09

15

$1,000

Tom Creasy

35.62

16

$3,000

Ben Byrd

 40.62

16

$900

Eric Hammer

35.59

17

$3,000

Joe Uribe, Jr.

 39.68

17

$900

Charles Jett

35.55

18

$3,000

Kalib Lund

 39.35

18

$900

Max Howarth

35.33

19

$2,750

Dan Frazier

 39.23

19

$900

Dylan Watson

34.98

20

$2,750

Cody Kurz

 38.72

20

$900

Bo McNeely

34.96

21

$2,500

Jonathan Schuyler

 38.64

21

$800

Kyle Keegan

34.93

22

$2,500

Mark Williams

 37.61

22

$800

Pete Marino

34.66

23

$2,500

Roy Hawk

 37.30

23

$800

Brandon Diamond

34.52

24

$2,500

Jon Bell

 37.15

24

$800

Jeff Stuart

34.46

25

$2,500

Brett Leber

 37.05

25

$800

Junior Mora

33.64

26

$2,250

Kyle Richins

 36.99

26

$750

Joe Uribe, Sr.

33.45

27

$2,250

Douglas Jones

 36.97

27

$750

Michael Reynolds

33.14

28

$2,250

Byron Velvick

 36.67

28

$750

Anthony Stanfa

32.99

29

$2,250

Marvin Finley

 36.24

29

$750

Andrew Packard

32.97

30

$2,250

Bryan Grier

 36.14

30

$750

Nick Lara

32.96

31

$2,000

Mike Bird

 36.10

31

$600

Makoto Otani

32.72

32

$2,000

Michael Phua

 35.86

32

$600

Dave Phillips

32.66

33

$2,000

Ken Whalen

 35.69

33

$600

Kurt Hodges

32.25

34

$2,000

Tim Klinger

 35.62

34

$600

Noah Sanford

31.58

35

$1,600

Max Hernandez

 35.51

35

$600

Joseph Riordan

30.87

36

$1,600

Mike Steckel

 35.37

36

$600

Dean Yamagata

30.85

37

$1,600

Billy Hines

 34.84

37

$600

Brian Reaves

30.65

38

$1,600

Mark Poe

 34.82

38

$600

Richard Johnson

30.48

39

John Basmadjian

34.58

39

Ray Kawabata

30.12

40

Samuel Collins

34.51

40

Zach Gines

29.83

41

Clayton Meyer

34.47

41

Robert Brondyke

29.81

42

John Fuqua

34.07

42

Jonathan Green

29.61

43

Paul Hodges

33.92

43

Kevin A. Smith

29.58

44

Brandon Morton

33.9

44

Sonny Yee

29.51

45

Gunnar Stanton

33.77

45

Darren Wilson

29.50

45

Johnny Johnson

33.77

46

William McAninch

29.39

47

Bill Brown

32.76

47

Colton
Underwood-Garside

29.15

48

Kevin Wiggins

32.53

48

Steve W. Clark

28.80

49

Dennis Kolender

32.51

49

Bryan Ledford

28.51

50

Jeff Baird

31.61

50

Clif Gallagher

28.50

51

Chris Patek

30.88

51

James Pena

28.24

52

Dylan Maxon

30.85

52

Douglas Bullard

28.18

53

Jason Reyes

30.15

53

Adam Arp-Romero

28.14

54

Mike Williams

29.74

54

Melanie McBride

28.13

55

John Martinez

29.55

55

Tom Kruse

27.99

56

Kevin Johnson

29.3

56

Tony Witt

27.88

57

Chris Costello

29.14

57

Ethan Hammer

27.57

58

Micah Jones

29.06

58

Brian Avila

27.54

59

Ricky Shabazz

28.23

59

Lyle Valador

27.41

60

Marty Lawrence

27.96

60

Kenneth Murata

27.09

61

Levi Samz

27.72

61

Michael Nugent

26.82

62

Jerry Ballesteros

27.6

62

Alf Penland

26.72

63

Chris Kinley

26.9

63

Rick Correa

26.72

64

Kevin Hugo

26.63

64

Patrick S. Donoho

26.59

65

Steve Lund

26.17

65

Gary Wasson

26.52

66

Mike Folkestad

25.89

66

Stephen Byrum

26.36

67

James Weaver

25.82

67

Nathan Foreman

26.04

68

Phillip Emery

25.58

68

Daymond Allen

26.01

69

Tom Kilduff

25.55

69

Mick Karshner

25.95

70

Louis Fernandes

25.35

70

Matthew Matus

25.78

71

Joe Cole

25.12

71

Ken Hromada

25.63

72

Sunny Hawk

24.98

72

Chris Ricci

25.59

73

Jim Herrero

24.84

73

Matt Thomas

25.07

74

Jordan Collom

24.47

74

Dylan Moore

25.03

75

Christopher Allen

24.33

75

John Younce

25.02

76

Steve Molinari

23.91

76

Rick Mason

24.83

77

Daylon Smith

23.9

77

John Bitting

24.81

78

Anthony Salazar

23.85

78

DJ Virzuela

24.57

79

Carl Limbrick, Jr.

23.78

79

David Hutto

24.44

80

John Morrow

23.68

80

Todd Tobiasson

24.34

81

Dan Davis

23.47

81

David Stanberry

24.33

82

Tony Lain

22.85

82

William Penrod

24.27

83

Travis Pitt

22.76

83

Randy Ricafort

24.24

84

Jamie Shaw

22.75

84

Tim Demecs

24.22

84

Rick Clunn

22.75

85

Ron Goldshine

23.98

86

Rusty Salewske

22.43

86

David Childress

23.92

87

Aaron Bartelt

22.4

87

Fisher Griffith

23.90

88

Adam Cacal

22.03

88

Brandon Smith

23.74

89

Mike Luiere

21.97

89

Tom Warren

23.68

90

Matt Frazier

21.78

90

David Zrebiec

23.58

91

Daniel Uptain

21.44

91

Bridger Richins

23.45

92

Justin Patti

21.29

92

Trait Zaldain

23.43

93

Tyler Ivie

21.16

93

Steve Larsen

23.41

94

Kevin Finley

21.03

94

Bryan Davis

23.37

95

Eddie Rodriguez

20.78

95

Zack Willis

23.37

96

Paul Bailey

20.66

96

Nathan Hill

23.36

97

Kazuki Kodama

20.64

97

Fred Buelna

23.35

98

Robert Morales

20.45

98

Rick Moore

23.12

99

Kevin Martin

20.29

99

Chuck Turner

23.01

100

John Gayo

19.74

100

Darin Folkestad

22.81

101

Andrew Napoleon

19.68

101

Craig Duvall

22.61

102

Mark Rauenzahn

19.57

102

Creston Carroll

22.61

103

Jeff Rutt

19.52

103

Geoff Pierce

22.60

104

Ray Arbesu

19.42

104

Joseph Weber

21.90

105

Ron Hammett

19.21

105

Shawn Carnahan

21.82

106

Tom Leedom

19.19

106

Kevin Burgess

21.73

107

Allen Bratton

19.04

107

David Thies

21.69

108

Wayne St. John

18.93

108

Josh Buller

21.29

109

Scooter Griffith

18.82

109

Chris Harvey

21.26

110

Benjamin Green

18.65

110

Jonathan Jackson

21.19

111

Tom Ormsby

18.19

111

Kaden Argyle

21.16

112

Patrick Whitaker

17.98

112

Vincent Alcantara

21.10

113

Mike Bartley

17.77

113

Anthony Romano

21.10

114

Lyle Dalby

17.68

114

Gary Volpe

21.08

115

CJ Hinkle

17.62

115

Todd Belzner

21.04

116

Matthew Luna

17.53

116

Kelly Burns

20.77

117

Robert Ostercamp

17.41

117

Hayden Metz

20.59

118

Travis Jewell

17.4

118

Kenny Johnson

20.59

119

Corey Williams

17.06

119

Jay Corbett

20.41

120

Lowell Mickelson

16.9

120

Mike Dailey

20.37

120

Jeff Hudson

16.9

121

James Scott

20.36

122

Jiggs Benn

16.83

122

Robbie Espinosa

20.33

123

Frankie Mueller

16.64

123

Norman Uptain

20.19

124

Todd Holverson

16.48

124

Joel Chin

19.77

125

Robert Lutes

16.29

125

Jordan Werner

19.73

126

Bill O’Shinn

16.23

126

Geoff Peterson

19.30

127

Donnie Scroggins

16.21

127

Gerald Kimzey

19.23

128

Shane Noel

16.16

128

Gerred Curwick

18.97

129

Louis Ulrich

16.01

129

Colin Harrell

18.76

130

Darius Arberry

15.9

130

Ray Gauerke

18.71

131

Jimmy Reese

15.55

131

Michael Grisham

18.40

132

Garrett Howard

15.54

132

Mark Chadeayne

18.40

133

David Valdivia

15.38

133

Blake Rose

18.23

134

Cody Steckel

15.21

134

Tim Domingues

18.18

135

Ryan Yamagata

15.16

135

Greg Stevens

18.11

136

Andy Manahl

15.1

136

Kevin Holmgreen

18.07

137

Chip Gilbert

15.09

137

Thor Dusenberry

18.01

138

Cameron Karber

15.03

138

Andrew Jayne

17.98

139

Shawn Herring

15.02

139

Chris Thatcher

17.77

140

Allen Clark

14.85

140

Mark J. White

17.62

141

Chris Nickerson

14.84

141

Lonnie Foster

17.50

142

Matt Shura

14.61

142

Chris Beverly

17.26

143

Rob Sanford

14.36

143

Jeff Giffen

17.18

144

Gil Valadez

14.33

144

Joe Ramos

17.11

145

Robert Sedillo, Jr.

14.29

145

Wade Goodwin

17.01

146

Shawn Cooley

13.58

146

Logan Walker

16.78

147

Russ Barger

13.53

147

Tim Roden

16.72

148

Greg Garcia

13.41

148

J.D. Madden

16.29

149

Austin Gutzwiller

13.33

149

Roger Nelson

16.18

150

Shane Spinning

13.2

150

Darin Guglielmo

15.98

151

Dick Watson

13.14

151

Shawn Byrne

15.96

152

Jason Bryan

13.06

152

Brian P. Day

15.93

153

Brian Nunn

12.75

153

Kirk Beardsley

15.85

154

Dung Van Vu

12.7

154

Steven Cook

15.13

155

Jesse A. Marquez

12.68

155

Scott Robertson

15.07

156

Brad Szarkowski

11.98

156

Bill Eastes

14.88

157

James Hansen

11.77

157

Anthony Souza

14.77

158

Ayaaz Ismail

11.57

158

Rick Cofield

14.73

159

Scott Davis

11.31

159

Trevor Love

14.68

160

Travis Darrough

11.17

160

Mark Shelden

14.68

161

Jeremy Mann

11.04

161

Joey Aliberto

14.09

162

Jim Hawkes

10.88

162

Joe Leonard

13.98

163

Rodney Reed

10.7

163

Jeremie Wraight

13.41

164

Rusty Brown

10.69

164

Steve Rice

13.37

165

Brent Becker

10.34

165

David Meza

12.85

166

Steven Bowlin

10.27

166

Ellison Hubbard

12.85

167

Mike Huseman

10.19

167

William Hill Sr

12.76

168

Tom White Jr.

9.27

168

Melvin Cromwell

12.64

169

Mag Gimbel

8.88

169

Stacy Teeters

12.22

170

Jesse Halstead

8.67

170

Ron Smith

12.19

171

Joshua Glenn

8.62

171

Steve Baker

11.73

172

Dan Merchant

8.42

172

David Shearrer

11.66

173

Victor Azevedo

8.27

173

Bret Felter

11.04

174

David Gliebe

7.8

174

Mike Hawkins

10.03

175

Michael Kuzara

7.75

175

Ralph Wells

9.81

176

Tony Capparelli

7.31

176

Larry Ballesteros

9.72

177

Marco Fenelli

7.24

177

Jamie Johnson

9.61

178

David Kemper

6.81

178

Rick Melead

9.23

179

Josh Albee

6.36

179

Rod Livermore

8.60

180

Zachary Elrite

6.23

180

John D. Helm

8.00

181

Jeffery Klicka

5.92

181

Len Scinto

7.98

182

Sheldon Johnson

5.84

182

Kevin McBean

7.65

183

Greg Halliman

5.59

183

Adam Glasscock

7.49

184

Mike Menne

4.85

184

Adam Gragg

7.19

185

Keith Newby

4.49

185

Scott Holman

5.59

186

Hermie Romero

3.89

186

Brayden Weaver

5.30

187

Kevin Duncan

2.52

187

Willie Waller

4.81

188

Shannon Perkins

2.33

188

Wayne Larsen

3.44

189

Melvin Williams

0

189

David King

2.33