SHREVEPORT, La. — For the second year in a row, Tennessee’s Rus Snyders has won the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title, accumulating 730 points throughout the five-event season. Along with a customized trophy, Snyders earned a prize of $5,000.
It is the first time in Kayak Series history an angler has repeated as Angler of the Year.
“I’m just grateful to do what I love,” Snyders said. “We had big-time attendance at all of the events this year. I’m guessing there were an average of 200 anglers this year. Most of the top kayak anglers committed to the Kayak Series this year. It was the most talent we’ve had in these tournaments.”
Virginia’s Casey Reed finished second with 717 points, Ohio’s Jason Isaacs finished third with 711 points, Mississippi’s Clint Pippen was fourth with 709 points and Massachusetts’ Derek Brundle was fifth with 707 points.
“I respect Casey a lot,” Snyders said. “He is a great angler and very respectful. There have been a number of times where we have shared water, and he is a guy that I know will treat others the way he wants to be treated.”
As a Dakota Lithium angler, Snyders has watched the company grow over the last couple of years and has been grateful for the support they have given him and the kayak industry as a whole.
“Dakota Lithium has been a big supporter of kayak fishing for a number of years now. It is how they got their foot in the door and have evolved into working with Bassmaster not only in the Kayak Series, but (with their) bass boat series too. They are a huge supporter of kayak fishing, and they take care of their pro staff. They put a lot into helping us with a number of different things, and their support means a lot to me.”
Fishing out of his Bonafide PWR 129 with a Torqeedo motor, Snyders wanted to make sure he fished consistently all year long, and he certainly accomplished that goal by cashing checks in four of the five events. The one tournament that he didn’t cash a check in — the final event of the season on Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau — he missed out by only two places.
“I only had one Top 5, but I had the consistency of being able to cash a check. That was a big part of my goal. I played it safe a few times just to make sure I got a limit and solid fish rather than swing for the fences.
“I couldn’t have picked a better schedule,” he added.
As a shallow-water power angler, the 2024 schedule set up perfectly for Snyders. However, a variety of different strategies came into play this year for the California native who currently resides in Tennessee, including several finesse presentations. But a squarebill crankbait was what he used whenever he needed to get a quality bite.
Just like in past years, Snyders made winning Angler of the Year a priority, and he set the tone for the season with a 12th-place finish at Lake Murray. One big catch in particular late on the second day propelled him into check range and gave him positive momentum for the following events.
“Within the last half hour of that second day, I caught a 22-incher,” he explained. “Getting a last-minute big bass like that is always something that stands out. It gave me that positive energy and momentum (and that) can really carry on into the next tournament.”
Then came a weather-shortened Possum Kingdom event where Snyders veered slightly out of his comfort zone to notch a fourth-place finish in central Texas.
“There were some giant bass caught. I caught one that was nearly 10 pounds in practice,” he said. “It was one of the few tournaments where I ended up using my electronics a little more. I used LiveScope and worked a shaky head and Texas-rigged worms in brushpiles that were in 5 to 12 feet of water.”
Two of his favorite fisheries were next on the schedule, a May event at Lake Guntersville and a July event at the Susquehanna River. He finished ninth and 10th respectively in those events but used very different techniques to earn checks. On Guntersville, the crankbait shined, while a weightless Senko was his primary presentation at the Susquehanna.
“I had a little more of a finesse approach at the Susky,” he said. “I let the Senko drift with the current. I had to find as many ambush points as I could in practice and hit as many waypoints as I could.”
He then sealed the title with a 21st-place finish at Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau, where he mined the vast cypress swamps for quality keepers.
“I’m not sure there is a better place to fish in the fall,” he said. “I really love fishing cypress trees. It is one of my favorite things to do.”
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S., the worldwide authority on bass fishing, and Castaway Coffee have partnered to offer the B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend, an exclusive, highly caffeinated coffee boasting nearly twice the amount of caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. A portion of every bag of the medium-roast B.A.S.S. Kickin' Blend will go to support the conservation efforts of B.A.S.S.
"Castaway Coffee is committed to fueling adventures while preserving the environment," said Castaway Coffee Conservation Coordinator and Co-Founder Laura M. Sixto. "Our partnership with B.A.S.S. will amplify our impact supporting initiatives that address key issues such as habitat conservation, aquatic invasive species and responsible fishing practices within the bass fishing community."
“We’re very excited to be partnering with Castaway Coffee on this unique brew,” said Phillip Johnson, B.A.S.S.’s Chief Operating Officer. “In our role as a conservation leader, we want to continue to work with brands that have a like-minded approach to preserving the sport and the waters we all fish.”
The B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend joins Castaway Coffee’s lineup of custom blends alongside Café Cubano Espresso, Guatemalan Delight, Monsoon Malabar, Breakfast Blend and Dark Roast. Castaway Coffee also offers flavored coffees, including Paradise Crunch, Hazelnut, Bourbon Infused Coffee, Pumpkin Pie and Holiday Blend.
Castaway Coffee subscribers can also save 5% on Café Cubano Espresso, Dark Roast and Breakfast Blend by subscribing to regular deliveries at castawaycoffee.com.
About Castaway Coffee
At Castaway Coffee our mission is to keep providing you with the best coffee you’ll ever drink. We also think it’s important to give back. For each bag of Castaway Coffee sold, we give a portion of sales to environmental initiatives and other worthy causes. Castaway Coffee has joined the 1% for the Planet initiative, which reinforces our commitment to our community, our customers and our planet. We are committed to addressing the health of our oceans — a focus that is at the core of our organization’s mission. We’re excited to partner with other like-minded organizations working to solve the most urgent environmental issues.
We’re not just talk; our co-founder, marine artist Steve Diossy, has helped to raise millions for oceanographic research, conservation and education by creating artwork such as the 1998 “Protect Wild Dolphins” license plate and the 2021 “Protect Marine Wildlife” license plates for the state of Florida. Coastal living is all about the water, and Castaway Coffee is committed to doing what we can to help protect our oceans and waterways.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic.
WILKESVILLE, Ohio — The National Professional Fishing League and Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board (CCLMC) are announcing that the NPFL will complete its 2024 season on South Carolina’s Lake Murray out of Newberry, South Carolina, December 11-13. The tournament was previously scheduled for the St. Johns River out of DeLand, Florida, but high waters and unsafe conditions following two major hurricanes required that the venue be changed.
“There are mixed emotions with this announcement,” said NPFL President Brad Fuller. “We’re disappointed that we cannot move ahead with plans to fish the St. Johns River and work with the wonderful team at the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority, but weather and river conditions meant that we first had to reschedule that event and that we now must relocate it. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to go to historic Lake Murray and finish our season on a fishery that we’ve been targeting for some time and that promises to be a fantastic setting for our season finale.”
Georgia Turner, Executive Director of the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority in DeLand, Florida, said, “We're disappointed that the schedule didn’t work out this year due to weather conditions, but we look forward to having the NPFL back very soon!”
The 2024 NPFL season will conclude at Lake Murray, the "Jewel of South Carolina" — a reservoir that has hosted numerous major fishing championships through the years. Created nearly a century ago, the lake offers 50,000 surface acres and 650 miles of shoreline for the NPFL pros to spread out and target largemouth bass using a wide variety of baits and techniques.
“We're glad we could step up to the challenge and work this prestigious professional fishing league season finale into our schedule. We know Lake Murray will deliver a challenging event to the professional anglers and that the final weights will be strong,” said Miriam Atria, CCLMC President/CEO.
About the National Professional Fishing League
The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.
Murray State College, in working with the TBF, is hosting the 2024 Open Junior College National Championship. Find out more tournament details and get signed up:
Tournament Details
When – November 14th and 15th
Where – Lake Eufaula, Eufaula Oklahoma
Ramp Location – Nicholes Point Pavilion Dabbs Rd, Eufaula, Ok 74432
Both days - Take off / Weigh-in – 7:00 am or safe light. 3:00 pm weigh-in (No Max boat field for this tournament.) “Combined Weight for 2 days”
Scottsboro, AL (October 22, 2024) – If you dig into the history of tournament bass fishing, you’ll find the blood, sweat, and tears of a dedicated group of anglers and hard-working folks in Alabama. Front and center, you’ll find the late Ray Scott, the genius behind the first professional bass fishing tournaments dating back to the 1960s.
Years after the launch of the Bassmaster Series and the Bassmaster Classic (aka "The Super Bowl of Bass Fishing"), numerous other national pro bass fishing circuits popped up, many of which still exist today, like Bassmaster itself, MLF, NPFL, and several others.
Well, meet a new, first of its kind, organization founded in Scott's home state of Alabama, a group called Unified Pros: a nonprofit, with no ownership, promising to be the biggest news in tournament bass fishing since those early days of Ray Scott, Roland Martin, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, and other passionate anglers who birthed a new professional sport and subsequently created a billion-dollar-plus industry across the world.
Working hand-in-hand, Unified Pros and the State of Alabama will launch its first tournament, the Ultimate Angler Championship—October 5-11, 2025 on Lake Guntersville, near Scottsboro, Alabama, with a guaranteed 1st Place payout of $500,000—the largest pot in bass fishing's history—and a total of over 1 million in cash payouts.
Alabama Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth said, “The Ultimate Angler Championship is not just a fishing tournament; it is an opportunity to unite anglers from diverse backgrounds, highlighting their talents while fostering camaraderie and mutual respect for a sport we all love in the place where tournament bass fishing began…the great state of Alabama.”
Alabama State Senate Majority Leader, Steve Livingston, said "Alabama offers outdoor recreational activities unlike any other place in the world, and we are committed to conserving our abundant, God-given natural resources. We are absolutely thrilled to host The Ultimate Angler World Championship in Scottsboro, as we put Alabama on the map for competitive fishing and will continue to raise funds for further conservation initiatives."
The Ultimate Angler Tournament is being modeled after The Masters golf tournament, and will be open to qualifying college anglers, amateurs, and pros. The tournament winner will be the first and only champion crowned across multiple bass fishing leagues and tournament trails.
The tournament will take place October 5-11, 2025 on Lake Guntersville near Scottsboro, Alabama.
Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats.
These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.
By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced the schedule for the revamped 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN, and the schedule features eight events — including some vintage tournament stops for the organization — across two divisions.
For 2025, Opens anglers placing in the Top 50 in each division’s Angler of the Year race will advance to the Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series. This stand-alone series will feature three events, spanning from September through November, where anglers will compete to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series. The Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series schedule will be released at a later date.
“We are proud of the diversity of this schedule,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “Each division works its way from south to north as the year goes along and mixes in different kinds of fisheries from highland reservoirs to river systems to tidal fisheries as well. At the end of the Opens, we should have a very diverse and tested group ready to move into the EQs.”
The schedule begins Jan. 23-25 at Clarks Hill Reservoir in Evans, Ga. This event marks the first time an Open event has visited the fishery, which is the third-largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi River. Featuring more than 400 miles of shoreline, Clarks Hill is referred to by Georgians as “Georgia’s Freshwater Coast.”
After a break of more than two months, Division 1 will pick up competition again April 16-18 at Tombigbee River in Columbus, Miss., a stop that hasn’t appeared on a Bassmaster schedule since 2004. Arkansas pro Mark Davis brought 62-4 to the scales to win that event by a massive 15-pound, 1-ounce margin over Kevin VanDam.
“Visit Columbus, partnering with the city of Columbus and Lowndes County, is thrilled to welcome Bassmaster and its anglers,” said Frances Glenn, tourism director for Columbus-Lowndes Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We cannot wait to show off our beautiful town and great fishing on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. A tournament of this size is a huge economic boost not only for our hospitality partners, but our area as well. Columbus is known for its warm Southern hospitality, and we are looking forward to welcoming a national tournament.”
Division 1 then heads to Upper Chesapeake Bay in North East, Md., July 23-25. Elite Series pro Aaron Martens picked up a 2015 victory at Chesapeake Bay with a total of 70 pounds, 2 ounces. The Division then heads over to St. Lawrence River in Waddington, N.Y., July 31-Aug. 2, which claimed the No. 1 spot overall on the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list for its deep, clear waters that are famous for chunk smallmouth.
Division 2 kicks off its season Feb. 13-15 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas. The 114,000-acre Sam Rayburn ended up No. 7 in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes: Central list for producing giant largemouth consistently. The next stop for Division 2 will be a familiar one, as the Opens return to Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley in Paris, Tenn., March 6-8.
Division 2 then takes a swing to a destination that has not been visited by Opens competitors in nearly a decade — Norfork Lake in Mountain Home, Ark., April 3-5, where anglers will find plentiful bass in more than 22,000 acres of crystal blue water set in the Ozark Mountains.
The final stop of Division 2 will be Aug. 14-16 on Leech Lake in Walker, Minn., where in 2024 22-year-old Easton Fothergill fished his home waters to win an Open event with a weight of 49-13. The 2024 stop was the first visit for the Opens to Leech Lake.
“I absolutely circled this one on the calendar,” Fothergill said after winning the Leech Lake event. “Being 30 minutes away (from home) and the first time B.A.S.S. has come to Leech Lake and Walker, Minnesota — I’ve spent so much time out here through my childhood; it means the world to me to pull off the win on my home lake.”
Also new for the 2025 Opens and EQ Series, the new electronics rule for 2025 that was implemented for the Elite Series will also apply for the Opens. That includes standardization practices that allow for only one live transducer connected to the trolling motor shaft and capping total screen inches at 55. Complete details of the 2025 Opens format can be found at Bassmaster.com.
2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN
Division 1
Date
Location
Clarks Hill Reservoir
Jan. 23-25
Evans, Ga.
Tombigbee River
April 16-18
Columbus, Miss.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
July 23-25
North East, Md.
St. Lawrence River
July 31-Aug. 2
Waddington, N.Y.
Division 2
Date
Location
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Feb. 13-15
Jasper, Texas
Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley
March 6-8
Paris, Tenn.
Norfork Lake
April 3-5
Mountain Home, Ark.
Leech Lake
Aug. 14-16
Walker, Minn.
Chronological
Clarks Hill Reservoir
Jan. 23-25
Evans, Ga.
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Feb. 13-15
Jasper, Texas
Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley
March 6-8
Paris, Tenn.
Norfork Lake
April 3-5
Mountain Home, Ark.
Tombigbee River
April 16-18
Columbus, Miss.
Upper Chesapeake Bay
July 23-25
North East, Md.
St. Lawrence River
July 31-Aug. 2
Waddington, N.Y.
Leech Lake
Aug. 14-16
Walker, Minn.
Registration will open Nov. 18 at 9 a.m. CT at Bassmaster.com for pro angler B.A.S.S. members, Nov. 19 for Single Division - Life and B.A.S.S. Nation members and Nov. 20 for Single Division - B.A.S.S. members who want to participate in the Opens.
For full details of the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN please visit Bassmaster.com.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic.
Since we’ve started our fishing travel consultancy, we’ve focused on maintaining a list of goals, a sort of moral code of what we want our purpose to be. For example we’ve vowed to do the following:
Send you to the best places at the best times;
Make sure that you get the best service, but never pay a penny more than you’d pay by booking directly with the outfitter;
Hook you up with likeminded people, or hosted trips, as appropriate;
And keep you aware of trends in gear, clothing and travel options.
There’s a flip side to all of those rules, though. We have to ensure that we maintain certain ethical standards and rules. Too many people in the fishing business are unscrupulous or simply don’t care once they have your money. We’ve been scammed by such operators on a small level, and we know many more anglers who’ve gotten a bad taste of fishing travel in other ways as the result of poor business practices.
We can’t control whether the fish bite or how big they are, but we can ensure that you have the best possible chance of having a great trip. Here are six things we WON’T DO under any circumstances — our ultimate goal is to make sure that the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is everything you’d hoped, or to make sure that trip number 200 is the best one ever:
We Won’t Let You Spend Too Much – We know that both your time and money are precious resources. We value both in our own lives, and we work to preserve as much as we can while still getting the most out of our fishing and travel experiences. If you need to upgrade some portion of your package or your gear, we’ll tell you so, and we’ll explain why, but ultimately the choice is yours. We will treat your money as carefully as we’d treat our own – helping you find the best possible deals, best flights, and all sorts of other hacks to ensure that you have money left over for the next trip.
We Won’t Let You Go Unprepared – We perform tireless (bordering on obsessive) research and you’re the beneficiary of those efforts. Usually that means we’ve been to a place multiple times, but when we haven’t we’ll go the extra mile – checking trip reports, calling experts, dialing in the tackle, clothing and transportation choices so that little is left to chance. We don’t want you to get there and suffer because you didn’t know it was going to rain or because the only lizard color they’ll eat is watermelon or because local merchants don’t take American Express, or aren’t open on Sundays. We’ll send you a dossier ahead of time, and if any questions are still unanswered we’re on call 24/7 and will track down accurate information.
We Won’t Let You Go on the Wrong Trip — Part of the information-gathering process comes down to understanding the physical demands and accommodation requirements of each individual angler. If you can’t stand on a rocking boat, we won’t send you tuna popping. If you can’t hike into a remote stream, we might still send you to Alaska, but tell you to forego the difficult fly-in options. If you don’t like heat, we won’t recommend that you visit the Amazon for peacock bass. We want to get you fishing, but it’s our obligation to tell you if we think that something is not going to be to your liking. Ultimately, you can override that advice, but we won’t hold our tongues.
We Won’t Let You Go Places that Disrespect Staff or the Environment – We’re often heading to places that are distant from us geographically and culturally. We are guests on their soil and on their waters. It’s important to us to respect their hospitality and to make sure that it’s there for generations to come. We won’t book with outfitters or lodges who don’t have that same attitude. We want the guides and other staff to reflect our values and we need to show them equal courtesy.
We Won’t Lie to You – Some outfitters and booking agents will tell you exaggerated stories of fish counts and once-in-a-lifetime trophies as if they’re virtually guaranteed. They take the best day a given fishery has ever had and build it up by 20% or more. They’ll tell you that the average size of the fish is equal to what most people would consider a giant. Our goal is to be as straightforward as possible about ranges of numbers and ranges of sizes based on our firsthand experiences whenever possible – and on reliable sources when not possible. If anything, we aim to under promise and overdeliver.
We Won’t Let You Further the Lies – If we’re not there with you, we want to hear all of your great fish stories from the trips we set up (and even some we don’t) in all of their excruciating detail. This is what we live for: not just our own on-the-water success, but also that of people we know and like. But what we need from you in return is a pledge to do the same. We need to pass along your information to our next group of travelers, who will rely upon it in preparing the same way you relied on information from your predecessors. It’s part of the circle of success.
If this approach appeals to you and you want to travel and fish, please email us today at [email protected] and let’s get the process moving in the right direction.
The 2024 Alabama Bass Trail Championship, was held on October 18-19 at Lay Lake. This highly anticipated event brought fierce competition from the best of the best in team fishing. Teams qualified for this no-entry-fee event with a guaranteed $50,000 first-place prize plus another $50,000 paid out though 25th place. The top 75 teams from the north and south divisions plus 5 college teams, 5 couple teams, 5 student teams, and the 10 winners from the divisional tournaments make up the 175 teams all converging on Lay Lake for the two-day shootout.
The event featured changing fishing conditions, with the cool October weather scattering the fish out and making locating fish tough for anglers. Each morning anglers were greeted with foggy conditions. Day two began with a 45-minute fog delay. This caused anglers looking for the early morning bite to possibly miss an opportunity to catch them up shallow early. Lay Lake provides an abundant population of spotted and largemouth bass. Teams used a mix of various strategies to target largemouth and spotted bass. Teams reported having to fish shallow and deep to put together a solid limit. Lots of teams said they just went “junk fishing” to locate and catch fish in the changing conditions. As the competition progressed, consistency would play a key role. The anglers that were able to make adjustments and catch fish consistently for two days ended up on top.
During the final day's weigh-in, the tension in the air grew as the Phoenix Boat Hot Seats took center stage, occupied by Bret Harrel and Tyler Smart, the current leading team with 30.91 pounds. As the weigh-in progressed, each team brought their bags to the state trying to surpass their weight and dethrone them from the hot seats. One by one, teams crossed the stage, but none were able to achieve a significant enough gain on the final day to claim control of the Phoenix Boats Hot Seats. The anticipation built as only two teams remained. The team of Nicholas Turner and Joe Lay were the day one leaders, and they were the last team to cross the state. They needed only 13.51 pounds to win. When they dropped their catch on the scales it totaled 14.03. Enough to take the lead and win the $50,000 as the 2024 Alabama Bass Trail Champions. It was a thrilling and unforgettable conclusion to an intense competition.
The Champs Nicholas Turner and Joe Lay are locals on the lake and beat the local lake curse to take home the win. They spent lots of time fishing their history on the lake. They described their style this weekend as “junk fishing. They used a variety of baits, including soft plastics, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and trick worms, without any specific standout bait. We really mixed it up.” The deck of their boat was covered with rods rigged for every opportunity. They spent lots of time just covering water. Lots of teams reported the fishing was tough and when asked why Joe shared “It just hasn’t got cold enough and the water temp is just not there, there are a few shallow fish they just aren’t all there. There are a few fish offshore, lots of fish are suspended currently floating around and scattered in between. This lake has lots of timber in it the lake is up a little right now and you can not see the timber above the surface and the only way to learn it is to just go fishing. The guys that do that will learn there are sweet spots in the timber and can be very productive. There are several of those places across the lake and you can only find them by taking the time to learn it.” They went out on day two as the tournament leaders after catching 17.40 on day one. They caught a couple fish early but spent lots of time moving around trying to locate fish. The team shared, “we had a special small little area that we were able to get a key spot off every day. We had the plan to pull up the trolling motor at 3:30 and we caught the biggest fish and culled us up at the last minute.” They culled up to the winning weight of 31.43.
The Second Place Team of Bret Harrell and Tyler Smart are no strangers to the top of the leaderboard in the ABT Championship. They have fished the ABT Championship 4 times, and this is their 3rd top five. They have some heartbreaking finishes but have proven they are included in the best of the best in team fishing. The team shared “We both have been working a lot and we came down the previous two Sundays and found some shallow grass that had some fish. We basically found a creek up here close and a couple of pockets on the lower end. The plan was to fish one day in each area. The cold front moved in this week and the water dropped 12 degrees and the fish were still in the same places but seemed really lethargic. We just went junk fishing in those areas and we caught two or three solid fish in each area. The down-the-river area was a pocket in a creek with docks and grass mixed in. We primaly used a Spro Frog and Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. The area was really close to deep water. We were sitting in 10 feet of water and casting up to 3 feet. The second area was a little shallower in the back of the creek. The area had a little bit of grass and rock. We went with these plans but every time we tried to build on the plan, it just wouldn’t pan out and we had to try something else.” They ended day one in 15th place with 13.76 and sat in the hot seats for a long time. The team shared “we hoped if we do lose it is more than by a half of a pound because yesterday we lost a fish that would have given us that and maybe more” They end up with another top five finish in second place and collcted a $10,000 payday.
The third-place team of Walker Brown and Sloan Pennington shared that practice for them “was not good” Walker shared “I grew up here and now live in North Alabama, but I still consider Lay Lake as my home lake. I thought the two days we spent practicing were going to be better. We practiced all the stuff we used to catch them on and both days we ended up not catching them. Normally this time of year, I would expect to throw a spook all day and you can catch 18 pounds plus a day.” The team shared, “On tournament day we abandoned the practice plan and just went fishing today. On day one we didn’t fish a single thing we fished in practice and on day two we didn’t fish a single thing from day one. We caught everything we weighed in on a Green Pumpkin on a Davis shaky head and flipped the grass with a Green Pumpkin NetBait B-Bug on a 1oz weight. Yesterday we lost a couple of fish that should have had us close to 18-pounds we lost a 4-pounder at the boat and a 3.5 right at the net. Going out today we were excited and planned on flipping all day long we didn’t catch anything early so the fog delay didn’t hurt us. We felt we were in a position that if we did catch two of those that we lost yesterday we would be in a good place and knocking on the door to win. Today we only ended up catching only one of those but at the end of the day in the last 15 minutes, we culled with a 3-pound spot and another 2.5 spot.” Their total weight for two days was 30.21 pounds. With their third-place finish, they collected $5,000 payday.
The event marked another successful chapter in Alabama Bass Trail history, solidifying Lay Lake’s reputation as a premier fishing destination. Visit the www.alabamabasstrail.or for more coverage and highlights from this unforgettable day on the Alabama Bass Trail!
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The podcast is released each week on Tuesday. The 2024 Alabama Bass Trail Sponsors Include: Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Landers - McLarty Chevrolet, McGraw - Webb Chevrolet, Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Jack's, Garmin, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, American Trailer Rental, Yamaha, Anheuser-Busch, Big Bite Baits, American Baitworks, E3 Sports Apparel and FishAlabama.org
Arkansas’ Sloan Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
TEXARKANA, Texas (Oct. 21, 2024) – Boater Zack Fogle of Longview, Texas, caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 48 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Wright Patman Lake . The tournament, which was hosted by the City of Texarkana, Texas, concluded Saturday. For his win, Fogle earned a prize package valued at $67,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, $10,000 and the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus.
The Wright Patman event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 6. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Arkie, Cowboy, Mississippi and Okie divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.
Fogle’s winning strategy was to get away from the fishing pressure concentrated around obvious targets on Wright Patman’s shoreline.
“It’s a very shallow fishery; pretty much the whole lake,” he said. “Out in the middle of the lake it’s even 8 to 10 foot in some places. Typically, everything (fishing patterns) is around the bushes, laydowns and all that kind of shallow bank cover type of stuff. But as I was practicing for the tournament, everyone was up there around that stuff fishing, and I knew it wouldn’t hold up through the whole event. So I kind of backed off and started looking for brush piles and the bigger stumps off the bank that were holding fish.”
Fogle marked about 200 brush piles for the tournament. His better brush piles were in 10 to 12 feet of water and produced 12 of his 15 keepers. He also targeted some stumps in about 5 feet of water, and even those were out off the bank away from other anglers.
His strategy each day was to start on a spot within sight of takeoff and milk that area until about 10 a.m. Then, he switched to a run-and-gun strategy the rest of the day to cull up his weight.
On day one, it worked perfectly. He had a 3-pounder and another keeper in the livewell before the entire field was done launching and a limit by 8 a.m. He started out in third place with 17 pounds, 4 ounces. Day two was similar. Fogle sacked up a limit by 8:20 and then culled his way to another 17-pound daily weight, which put him in first place by 10 ounces.
“The last day got extremely tough,” he said. “It got tough on everyone. I didn’t get a limit until about 12:30. On my starting spot, I only caught two that morning. I was a little worried, feeling the pressure of everything. I just kept my head down and ran through my stuff and ended up getting my limit. Around 2:05, I pulled back on my starting spot because it was close to takeoff, and I culled my final time and actually broke off a big fish in a brush pile. I was really concerned that was going to cost me the tournament because I only had 14 pounds. I came in, and it turns out the guy really close to me, Cody (Ross), he actually had the same weight as me – 14-4. So that 10-ounce lead I had basically held through the last day.”
Fogle caught most of his fish on a Texas-rigged 10 1/2-inch Zoom Ol’ Monster worm. He also caught one keeper on a jerkbait and a couple on lighter Texas rigs. Now in his sixth BFL season, Fogle is headed to the All-American for the first time.
“I’m super excited about it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it. It (Lake Hamilton) is not terribly far from me. It’s only four hours from here, so it’s pretty exciting. I’ve heard it’s a very fun tournament to fish.”
The top six boaters who qualified for the 2025 All-American finished:
Brad Smith of Longview, Texas, won the Berkley Big Bass boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces.
Mark Sloan of Harrison, Arkansas, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday after bringing a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 3 ounces, to the scale. His $50,400 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The top six Strike King co-anglers who qualified for the 2025 All-American finished:
7th: Russell Malone, Grove, Okla., 11 bass, 21-15, $1,300
8th: Jonathan Dotson, Dover, Ark., eight bass, 21-11, $700
9th: Wes Ledbetter, Coweta, Okla., eight bass, 17-4, $600
10th: Levi Nix, Weatherford, Okla., six bass, 14-12, $550
11th: Zack Nick, Lufkin, Texas, seven bass, 14-10, $500
12th: Buck Blackwell, Pine Bluff, Ark., seven bass, 13-0, $500
The top-finishing co-angler from each division (not including the winner) earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Arkie: Nathan Hall, Hensley, Ark., 4th Place, $500 Cowboy: Robert Massey, Calhoun, La. 2nd Place, $500 Mississippi: Joe Cornelius, Corinth, Miss., 17th Place, $500 Okie: Russell Malone, Grove, Okla., 7th Place $500
Zachary Morrow of Lonsdale, Arkansas, won the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award and $500 for catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Kentucky’s Smith Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
SPRING CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 21, 2024) – Boater Tanner Hadden of Appling, Georgia, caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 47 pounds even to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Watts Bar Lake Presented by recteq . The tournament, which was hosted by the Rhea County Department of Tourism – Fish Spring City, concluded Saturday. For his win, Hadden earned a prize package valued at $65,805, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, $10,000 and the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus.
The Watts Bar event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 5. Originally scheduled for Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia, the event moved due to the impacts of the recent hurricanes. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Choo Choo, Music City, Piedmont and Volunteer divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.
Hadden is a senior business management major at the University of South Carolina-Union. He actually signed up to fish the entire Choo Choo Division for the first time this year just for a shot at making this Regional, since it was originally scheduled for nearby Clarks Hill. Obviously, the storms changed the plans, but that didn’t slow down Hadden.
“It all worked out in the end,” he said.
Getting the W started with adapting to conditions.
“From all the flooding, a lot of the lake was blown out,” he said about Watts Bar. “There were only a few areas of the lake that were clean. One of them was by the boat ramp, so I pretty much figured I’d stick around in that area.”
In addition to the muddy water, anglers had to deal with a cold front – a tough combo anywhere, anytime of year. The cold, muddy conditions pushed the fish off the bank. Hadden relocated them about 50 feet out suspended on the edge of some grass over about 15 feet of water. Schools of bait were suspended in these areas, too.
“I fished two half-mile banks for three days pretty much,” he said. “That was it. And they were in the same pocket. I pretty much fished one creek arm all week.”
The mornings were slow all week. In fact, most days the fish didn’t turn on until after 11. On day two, it was closer to 1 p.m. The most interesting part was how defined the bite window was each day. Hadden saw fish on his sonar all day long, but they just wouldn’t bite until after the sun got up and something triggered them to get active. Each day, he experienced a similar flurry of activity.
“At 11 the first day I went through one stretch and caught three 4-pounders within like 30 minutes to an hour,” he said. “And then the second day, I struggled until 1. They didn’t start biting until 1 because it got colder the second day. At 1 o’clock, I caught two 3 1/2-pounders back to back off that same stretch.
“The third day it was like 11 o’clock when I got on one stretch and just started catching them. I caught pretty much everything I caught in like 15 minutes. It was a timing deal.”
Hadden’s limits included a mix of species. Day one, he weighed four largemouths and a 4 1/4-pound smallmouth as part of his 18-pound, 11-ounce limit. Day two, his three biggest keepers were three different species – largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. Hadden weighed 14-11. The final day, he weighed in a 13-10 limit of five largies to move into first place for the win and his shot at the 2025 All-American.
The top six boaters who qualified for the 2025 All-American finished:
The top-finishing boater from each division (not including the winner) earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Music City: Nathan Reynolds, Nashville, Tenn., 4th Place, $1,000 Choo Choo: Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., 3rd Place, $1,000 Piedmont: John Wiese, Charlotte, N.C., 24th Place, $1,000 Volunteer: Dustin Dyer, Johnson City, Tenn., 2nd Place $1,000
Matt VanMeter of Grant, Alabama, won the Berkley Big Bass boater award and earned the $1,000 prize.
Corey Smith of Hazard, Kentucky, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday after bringing a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 39 pounds, 1 ounce, to the scale. His $50,000 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The top six Strike King co-anglers who qualified for the 2025 All-American finished:
The top-finishing co-angler from each division (not including the winner) earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Justin Stephenson of Jasper, Alabama, won the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award and earned the $500 bonus.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
A heavy influx of runoff from the recent hurricanes was still making its way into Lake Chickamauga when the collegiate anglers arrived. The resulting current and muddy waters were the biggest factors in the outcome.
“We had a really good pattern going – a main-lake pattern – and I think everybody else kind of missed it just because the water was really muddy out there,” said Shaw. “It didn’t look good. We were just running main-lake current breaks, and we were also fishing some submerged grass.”
The submerged grass was hydrilla in 5 to 10 feet of water. For the current-related pattern, the UNA anglers targeted anything that formed an eddy along the main-lake bank, including some shallow points where the fish could forage in the flows. Their best areas were near the mouths of large creeks.
King and Shaw fished a milk run of about 30 to 40 spots, cycling back through any that produced good fish. Their primary lures were a Picasso Bait Ball Jr. umbrella rig and a 5-inch Zoom Swimmer.
“It was just really hard to catch them just because the water was dirty,” added Shaw. “You just had to put it right on their head to catch them.”
The top 10 teams finished:
1st: University of North Alabama – Gage King, Birchwood, Tenn., and Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 28-9, $2,000
2nd: University of Montevallo – Connor Bell, Lisbon, N.Y., and Nicholas Dumke, Grand Rapids, Minn., five bass, 19-13, $1,000
3rd: University of Montevallo – Miller Dowling, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Mason Kornegay, Buhl, Ala., five bass, 19-8, $700
4th: Kentucky Christian University – Ethan Burnette, Monticello, Ky., and Cameron Dials, Lovely, Ky., five bass, 19-4, $600
5th: University of Montevallo – Brody Robison, Dawson, Ala., and Peyton Sorrow, Abbeville, S.C., five bass, 18-10, $500
6th: Florida Gateway College – Seth Jones, Havana, Fla., and Bryson O’Steen, Live Oak, Fla., five bass, 18-10
7th: University of North Alabama – Samuel Schmitz and Nick Staub, both of Germantown, Tenn., five bass, 18-6
8th: University of Montevallo – Luke Davis, Bishop, Ga., and Kaden Raichel, Scottsburg, Ind., five bass, 18-2
9th: University of Montevallo – Mathias Boerboom, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., and Jacob Swanson, Farmingham, Mass., five bass, 18-1
10th: Adrian College – Mathias Dahline, Howell, Mich., and Henry Vincent, Richmond, Ind., five bass, 17-15
The top 12% of teams qualified for the 2025 National Championship. A full list of qualifiers and complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake Chickamauga Presented by Suzuki Marine was hosted by Fish Dayton – Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. It was the final event of the 2024 College Fishing season. The 2025 season kicks off at Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia, on February 14.
The 2024 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season features college teams from across the country competing in nine regular-season tournaments. The top 12 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2025 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
A field of 37 teams competed Saturday in the no-entry-fee tournament, which was hosted by Fish Dayton – Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. In MLF High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top three teams that advanced to the 2025 High School Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Cartersville High Fishing Team, Cartersville, Ga., Bill Gaines and Owen Wiggins, five bass, 17-10
2nd: Kingston Fishing Team, Kingston, Tenn., Hayden Barnett and Camdyn Cranfill, five bass, 13-6
3rd: Kingston Fishing Team, Kingston, Tenn., Jackson Daugherty and James Lane, five bass, 12-15
Rounding out the top 10 teams were:
4th Kaneland High School, Maple Park, Ill., JD McBroom and Carter Pjesky, five bass, 12-10
5th Galatia High School, Galatia, Ill., Brian Gibbs and Mace Ridgeway, five bass, 11-12
6th Smoky Mountain Anglers, Tennessee, Carson Holbert and Cooper Moon, four bass, 10-3
7th Alcoa Fishing Team, Tennessee, Tanner Howerton and Ainsley Lynn, four bass, 7-3
8th Gordon Lee High School, Chickamauga, Ga., Bryson Johnson and Eli Massey, four bass, 6-13
9th Richland County High School, Olney, Ill., Drake Koester and Jakoby Vandyke, two bass, 6-8
10th Salem Community High School, Salem, Ill., Peyton Bumgardner and Ben Ryan, two bass, 6-4
MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing presented by Tackle Warehouse tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2024 National Championship. Tournaments held after May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2025 National Championship.
The 2025 Abu Garcia High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals events will take place June 25-27, at Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. The High School Fishing National Champions each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2025 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Right after he booked the house, Jensen realized he had overlooked something. He thought initially only Caddo Lake was legal fishing waters, but soon discovered Bistineau was fishable water for the tournament as well.
“Honestly, it didn’t click that Bistineau was even one of the places we could fish. I read it, but it never registered in my brain,” Jensen explained.
So, when tournament week rolled around, Jensen found himself making an 80-mile one-way trek to Lake Bistineau every day, which turned out to be the winning move for the YouTuber known as “Flukemaster.”
With a total of 198.5 inches, Jensen claimed the top spot at the final Kayak Series event of the season, earned $11,000 in prize money and a trip to the 2025 Yamaha Rightwater Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship scored by TourneyX. The Georgia angler caught 98.25 inches on Day 1 before landing 100.25 inches on the final day to edge out Texas angler Matthew Scotch by 1/2 inch and Day 1 leader Abby Abbondanza by 1.5 inches.
“This wasn’t even my goal,” Jensen said. “My goal was a Top 5 because I knew I didn’t want to fish Lake Hartwell for the Georgia B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship. Hartwell and I never get along. But I told my travel partner before the tournament started that I knew what was going on on the lake. When I know what is going on all over the lake, I am deadly. That doesn’t happen very often. I can think of two other times that has happened, and I won both of those tournaments. It was pretty neat to feel that again.”
While he has fished the lakes several times, the shallow-water nature of the fisheries does not set up for his offshore style of fishing. But when Jensen realized he could go to Lake Bistineau, he was excited for one main reason: Each year, the lake is drawn down several feet in an attempt to combat the invasive Giant Salvinia that have infiltrated the lake.
The drawdown concentrates the bass in more predictable places, Jensen said, which helped him find his primary area.
Jensen spent six days of practice on Bistineau, only spending one day on Caddo to check some of the areas he fished during an August scouting trip. Each day on Bistineau, he landed over 90 inches while his lone day at the latter produced only 70 inches.
“I was catching 90 inches just searching. I went to Caddo and hit what I knew and caught 70 inches and said, ‘Nope.’ I made the decision that night to commit to Bistineau no matter what,” he said.
His best area was at the back of a long drain where the bass were funneling in and out. The middle of the drain was as deep as 4 feet, but many of the bass were up in 2 to 3 feet of water around cypress trees, laydowns and stumps. He also saw what looked like bluegill beds on his Lowrance SideScan, but those turned out to be little depressions he believes the bass were making to find hard bottom to find relief from the current.
“I’m guessing 5,000-plus acres of that lake drains down into this (area) when they draw it down,” he said. “So, all of the bass in those acres pulled down into this deeper ditch. I found it on Monday, and when I went to check it again on Wednesday, they had moved a little deeper because the lake had dropped about an inch.”
A Nichols Lures Pulsator spinnerbait with white willowleaf blades caught all of his bass. Jensen only had one in his kayak during practice, but luckily a friend was traveling to the tournament a few days later and was able to pick a couple up on his way into town.
“I caught 40 or 50 on one of those spinnerbaits before it broke,” he said. “White on white in dirty water just shows up a lot better whether it is sunny or cloudy.”
On Day 1, Jensen landed six bass in six casts to open Day 1 and left the area alone after that. Late in the day, he landed a key 20-incher, a bass that broke his spinnerbait as Jensen was netting it.
He returned to his primary on Day 2 and caught around 20 bass, but his tournament-defining catch came with 15 minutes to go before lines in. As he made his way out of the ditch, Jensen pitched his spinnerbait to a nearby stump and hooked up with a 20.5-inch largemouth that lifted him to the 100-inch mark.
“They weren’t biting right today,” Jensen said. “You had to bump what they were on, and you couldn’t kill the bait right at the log. You had to reel it two or three more times and then kill it, and then the bass would hit it on the way down.”
Scotch, meanwhile, landed 96 inches on Day 1 before landing 102 inches on Day 2, the biggest bag of the final day. He also used a spinnerbait, which he paired with an XCite Baits ShadNasty Swimbait trailer. In the afternoons, he would switch to a bluegill-colored spinnerbait when the bass buried themselves in the shade.
He opened the tournament fishing the same area as Jensen, but with not nearly the same amount of success. With one bass at 12:30 p.m., Scotch made a long run to an area he has fished in the past and filled out a limit.
“I went 9 miles. I just had to get down to that area,” he said. “As soon as I got down there, I started putting them in the boat. It was an awesome three hours of fishing.”
On Day 2, Scotch started in that same area and caught better quality bass. Each bass in his limit measured over 20 inches.
“Today I didn’t mess around. I went straight there and started hammering on them,” he said.
After leading Day 1 with a staggering 102.75 inches, Abbondanza caught 94.25 inches on Day 2 to finish in third place. The Pennsylvania angler lost two key bass in the morning hours of the final day but finished the day with two key culls to jump back into the Top 3.
Abbondanza caught all of his bass in one main area of Caddo Lake using a Bama craw-colored Z-Man Tungsten ChatterBait Elite EVO.
“It was one of those areas that just kept reloading,” he said. “It is a great lake.”
Along with a fourth-place finish, West Virginia’s Jody Queen caught the $500 Big Bass of the Tournament, a 22.75-inch largemouth he caught on Day 1.
A full list of results from the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau scored by TourneyX can be found here.
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — 2024 saw B.A.S.S. kickstart the BassmastHER program, a new initiative with the goal of creating a space for female anglers at all levels to learn new fishing skills within a supportive community. B.A.S.S. hosted workshops that ran concurrently with three Bassmaster Elite Series events across the 2024 season, and 2025 will see the program expand its offerings to create even more workshop opportunities across the country.
2024’s events were held in conjunction with the Elite Series tournaments at St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., and St. Lawrence River in Waddington, N.Y. The expanded list of 2025 BassmastHER workshops includes:
“As a dad who is teaching his two young girls to fish, I am excited that the BassmastHER program will introduce more females to the sport of bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “I am thankful for our partners at Toyota for their continued support, and I believe together we can continue to grow this great program.”
Although gender does not dictate how successful you can be on the water, it helps to have a like-minded support system for education, travel, inspiration and ideation. BassmastHER was created to build a passionate community of female anglers, inspire confidence when you make it to the water's edge and to be the conduit for creating lifetime friends and memories.
BassmastHER workshops are conducted by BassmastHER ambassadors Anastasia Patterson, Kristine Fischer and Maggie Jo Carsello, along with fishing experts from the Bassmaster staff. Topics at the workshops will range from bass fishing fundamentals to casting for accuracy, getting familiar with a bass boat or kayak, bank fishing and discussing industry and sponsorship opportunities. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network with other female anglers at the workshops.
“Being a part of BassmastHER is bigger than just me — it’s every little girl, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend who has a passion for fishing,” said Patterson. “They are all a part of this initiative to get more women out there and go fishing. The workshops are a great space to learn, lead, network and contribute to plant seeds to grow the community of female anglers and hopefully see more women out on the water.”
Virtual BassmastHER workshop educational material, articles and how-to pieces can be found at Bassmaster.com. Women interested in attending workshops, telling their story or asking fishing-related questions are encouraged to reach out to BassmastHER on any of their social channels, including a private Facebook page for female anglers to network with each other and establish community, or email bassmasther@bassmaster.com.
The BassmastHER workshops are for all skill levels, but participants must be at least 14 years old. Workshops are only $25 to attend and space is limited, so it is first come, first serve.
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
WILKESVILLE, Ohio — The National Professional Fishing League has formally scheduled six of its seven tournament events for 2025 — including the second NPFL Championship — in what promises to be an exciting and competitive season. Another regular season event and the final dates for the Championship will be announced when finalized.
“Creating our tournament schedule is one of the most challenging things we do each year,” said NPFL President Brad Fuller. “Our complete regular season schedule for 2025 should be ready very soon, but we’re excited to announce what’s already been secured. We think it’s the best schedule we’ve ever assembled, and it promises to deliver a year of competition, content, and camaraderie to further elevate the League for our fans, our partners, and our anglers.”
Santee Cooper (South Carolina), March 6-8
In March, the NPFL will revisit legendary lakes Marion and Moultrie (often referred to as “Santee Cooper” for the rivers they impound) out of Clarendon County, South Carolina, March 6-8. Launch and weigh-in will take place at the John C. Land III Landing.
Santee Cooper was the site of a 2023 event won by local favorite Patrick Walters. Lake Marion produced the state record largemouth bass (16 pounds, 2 ounces) in 1949. These two historical bass fisheries were impounded in the 1940s, cover more than 170,000 surface acres and are renowned for lunker largemouths and heavy cover.
Douglas Lake (Tennessee), May 22-24
The NPFL will pay its first visit to 30,400-acre Douglas Lake out of Dandridge Tennessee, May 22-24. Launch and weigh-in will take place at Dandridge Boat Ramp in Jefferson County.
“We are incredibly excited to host the National Professional Fishing League on Douglas Lake in 2025,” said Lauren M. Hurdle, Director of Tourism for Jefferson County. “The tournament could not be scheduled for a better time of year, as it will really showcase just how amazing this fishery is. Douglas Lake is a tournament destination, but this will be its first time hosting an NPFL event, and it will be exciting to see what these anglers are able to do on these waters.”
Douglas Lake is widely regarded as one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. It features both largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Lake Eufaula (Oklahoma), June 18-20
For the second time in two years, the NPFL will go west to Oklahoma and Lake Eufaula, June 18-20. The massive U.S. Army Corps of Engineers impoundment was completed in 1964 and covers 105,500 acres. Launch will be at Xtreme Cove Marina and weigh-in will be at Nichols Point.
“We are looking forward to welcoming NPFL back to Eufaula for the 2025 season,” said City Manager Jeb S. Jones. “Recreation is our economic engine, and we are excited to have NPFL as a community partner.”
In 2023, Lake Eufaula was the site of the closest finish in league history with Louis Fernandes taking the title by virtue of a tiebreaker over Will Harkins. The fishing can’t get any closer than that, but a return to Eufaula promises plenty of drama and a tight competition.
To Be Announced, July 31 – August 2
The NPFL is finalizing location and host details for an event in the northeast, July 31 – August 2. The League has yet to hold an event in this region, renowned for large, plentiful and aggressive smallmouth bass.
Logan Martin Lake (Alabama), September 25-27
In its continuing effort to shake up conventional tournament scheduling, the NPFL will return to the site of the 2024 season opener — Logan Martin Lake in Oxford Alabama — but this time in the fall, September 25-27. Launch will be at Lincoln’s Landing each morning, and weigh-ins will be held in Oxford.
“The City of Oxford looks forward to hosting the National Professional Fishing League again in 2025,” said Mayor Alton Craft. “Oxford’s inaugural partnership with the NPFL in 2024 proved to be a success for both as it boosted our local tourism and economy, while the visiting professional anglers found a variety of ways to engage and entertain our youngsters, senior citizens, and everyone in between. We are pleased to welcome back this positive, family-friendly experience which brings together good sportsmanship, community spirit, and the fun of fishing.”
Will Harkins claimed the win in 2024 out of the largest field of anglers in NPFL history. That event was in March under tough conditions with high, muddy water. A fall tournament should present new challenges and opportunities for league anglers.
NPFL Championship — Lake Hartwell (South Carolina), Fourth Quarter of 2025
The NPFL’s second Championship will be its third visit to Lake Hartwell and Anderson, South Carolina. The venue is not only one of the fishing friendliest in the country, but the 55,900-acre lake offers the kind of angling diversity that make it a true test of the best, suitable for the league’s premier event.
“We’re very excited for the opportunity to host the NPFL Championship at Green Pond Landing, Lake Hartwell, and Anderson County,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson, and a leading advocate for professional angling events. “We’ve hosted the NPFL twice for regular season events and could not be more impressed with the impact they made on our community. The opportunity to host their second Championship is an honor and a privilege. The leadership of Anderson County has provided us with a world class facility in Green Pond Landing as well as the resources to be able bring the NPFL Championship to our community. We take a great deal of pride in providing a championship caliber experience to our guests and look forward to providing the NPFL, the anglers, their families, and industry support with a memorable experience in our community.”
Hartwell was the site of NPFL events in April of 2022 and May of 2024. A fall tournament on the big Savannah River reservoir will guarantee that a wide variety of baits and methods will be in play for the 40-plus anglers in the field, all with their eyes on the biggest prize the NPFL has to offer — the gold Championship trophy and a six-figure payday.
“Final details of the 2025 NPFL season will be announced as soon as possible,” said Fuller. “We wanted to get this information out to stakeholders and prospective anglers now so that decisions can be made for next year.
“The challenge of putting our schedule together only after other leagues have made their announcements means that we can avoid unnecessary and unproductive conflicts, but it also means that things may come together later than we’d like and without every last detail being nailed down. Nevertheless, we work to ensure that our angler and sponsor partners can move forward with confidence and commitment.”
About the National Professional Fishing League
The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.
Scottsboro, AL (October 18, 2024) – Unified Pros announced today the fourth addition to its Athlete Advisory Board, decorated professional angler, Kevin VanDam. Retired NFL defensive tackle, Bill Maas, retired MLB pitcher, Josh Beckett and retired PGA golfer, Brett Wetterich have previously been announced as board members.
Kevin VanDam is a 2018 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee, seven-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year, FLW Angler of the Year, four-time Classic Champion, twenty-five-time Bassmaster winner and three-time MLF winner. “Unified Pros’ mission will elevate the sport of bass fishing to the position it deserves,” said VanDam. “By pairing professional anglers with professional athletes from other sports, for tournaments around the country, Unified Pros is taking bass fishing to places it’s never been before. Match that with a focus on charity and conservation and you’ve got a recipe for success.”
Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Unified Pros envisions an inclusive world where athletes collaborate and compete in the outdoor arena to create transformative experiences that make a lasting impact on individuals, communities, professional athletes, and the sport of bass fishing.
Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats. These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.
By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.
Hosted on Grand Lake, Costa’s first amateur-only bass tournament draws 150 teams, benefits freshwater conservation
Jupiter, FL – October 17, 2024 –
Every bass angler who has competed in a tournament has dreamed of a late day flurry that wins them the tournament, especially when the fishing is slow. It only takes five casts to put the winning fish in the boat, right? Those five casts could happen in the last hour of the day just as easily as the first hour, and that’s exactly what Preston “Kojak” Cook and Micah Littlejohn experienced en route to winning the inaugural Costa Bass Derby held on Grand Lake, October 13th 2024.
Littlejohn and Cook junk-fished their way to a limit of over 19-lbs, most of which was caught in the final hour after sitting on only two bass in their livewell until 1:30PM. The northeast Oklahoma natives and Grand Lake locals won the $15,000 grand prize payout, and chose Friends of Reservoirs to receive an additional $1,000 donation from Costa.
The Conservation payout is a core component of Costa’s popular Compete + Conserve contingency program, which pays a bonus to the highest placing angler wearing Costa Sunglasses in over 300 bass tournaments across the country each year. In addition, each Compete + Conserve winner chooses one of five conservation partners to receive an allotted donation from Costa that directly benefits freshwater conservation.
This was the first annual Costa Bass Derby, hosted in partnership with Academy Sports + Outdoors, which drew 150 amateur teams, like Cook and Littlejohn, who have been wearing Costas for years, and were eager for the chance to support the brand and fish a high-payout event on one of their home lakes.
“I bought my first pair of Costas over fifteen years ago and I bet I’ve had at least 10 pairs since,” Cook shared. “Both Micah and I have several different lens colors and just like we’ve heard the pros talk about, we change lenses based on the conditions. My favorite frame is the Cat Cay and Green Mirror is my favorite lens color, unless it’s low light, then Sunrise Silver Mirror is the deal for me.”
Cook owns a meat processing plant in Miami, Oklahoma and Littlejohn works as a physical therapist assistant. The duo fish several tournaments together each year, and they also do a lot of fishing with their spouses, who are equally as passionate about fishing and the culture that revolves around bass tournaments. Like many recreational bass anglers across the country, they look forward to getting on the water during the weekends and fish as many tournaments as possible.
“I’m sure my wife will want to fish this with me next year… this event had such an awesome atmosphere,” Littlejohn said. “There is nothing like this that comes to Grand Lake for us weekend anglers, and we fish dozens of tournaments in the area as well as several tournament trails on Grand Lake. From the gift bags at registration, having pros like Jason Christie hanging out with us, and the payouts being good from top to bottom, it was truly a great experience.”
For information on future Costa Bass Derby events, or to learn more about Costa Compete + Conserve, visit https://www.costacompeteandconserve.com/. If you own a pair of Costas, it’s completely free to register and you can win extra payouts if you compete in supported tournaments.
To shop Costa Sunglasses’ full collection of performance, lifestyle and optical eyewear, and learn more about its commitment to conservation, visit costasunglasses.com.
About Costa Sunglasses
More than 40 years ago, a group of anglers created Costa Sunglasses to stand up to the harsh light, unforgiving salt and rough conditions of a day at sea. The gear they made was up to the task, and it’s been on the water ever since. Today, Costa combines its superior 580® lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability to make the highest-quality sunglasses and prescription eyewear for adventures on the water. Committed to protecting the watery world it calls home, sustainability and conservation is woven throughout everything they do. From building products made of responsible materials, to Costa-owned initiatives like Kick Plastic® and #OneCoast, and its partnerships with 40+ mission-aligned conservation organizations, Costa inspires its community to help protect the earth’s resources and #SeeWhatsOutThere. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.
Bass Pro Tour anglers compete as two-man teams on unknown west-central Texas fisheries in third event of season, all six days of competition livestreamed and filmed for broadcast on Outdoor Channel
Hosted by Visit Early, the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq will feature 12 two-man teams of professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour competing at fisheries in the region that are unknown to the competitors until they arrive to the launch ramp each morning.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Major League Fishing and some of the world's best anglers to Early, Texas,” said Denise Hudson-Brian, Tourism Director for Visit Early. “It’s exciting to feature the best in the sport, showcasing their skills in our area's diverse fisheries and exploring the fantastic experiences that Early and Brown County offer. We’re confident this event will have a substantial economic impact on our local hotels, restaurants and businesses throughout the competition and into the future.”
The General Tire Team Series is livestreamed daily, meaning every cast and every catch is covered live and fans can watch teammates work together to break down a new body of water in real time. The MLFNOW! broadcast is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble. The broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition at the Patriot Cup from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT.
In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, Early, Texas was not revealed to Team Series anglers until 30 days prior to the start of the tournament. All fishable waters within 60 miles of Early then went off limits to anglers. Fans watching the MLFNOW! livestream will find out the day’s competition waters right along with the anglers each morning, and then watch all the action unfold live as teams work together and share their knowledge as they compete for the Patriot Cup and to claim a part of a season-long purse of more than $720,000.
“Well, I don’t know where exactly we’re heading, but we grow big ones in Texas and there are a couple of lakes within the 60-mile limit that are absolute giant factories,” said Wills Point, Texas pro Jeff Sprague, who will be fishing alongside Bryan Thrift for Team Coign. “This is a really exciting Team Series event to go to. It won’t be like the northern fisheries where you catch 100 fish a day. But we have the potential to see some absolute giants here.”
Sprague said he expects the fish will be fully into their fall patterns by the time the tournament begins.
“We have a cool system coming in this week, which is really going to change things up,” Sprague said. “Water temperatures are already down into the high 70s around here, and that cold front is going to drop the temperatures a bit more. It will really set those fall patterns in motion.
“The bass will be chasing the baitfish,” he continued. “We’ll see a lot of topwater action, a lot of crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits – just power-fishing. And you can still throw the finesse stuff at them, chasing the bait balls. That’s one of the things that make this event so cool – we don’t know which pattern is going to be the strongest. And every cast has the potential to catch a giant.”
Despite the potential to catch giant bass and the numerous different patterns available, Sprague said he’s most excited to be sharing the boat again with Thrift, who was his partner last month at the Heritage Cup in Wisconsin. Although they had a disappointing event and didn’t advance past the Elimination Round, Sprague said he thinks their experience fishing together will be beneficial in this tournament.
“We learned so much from each other at the last event,” Sprague said. “Even though we’ve fished together a lot as friends, we’d never competed together on the same boat, and we learned a lot. I feel like we’ll work together, better, and fish faster and more efficiently at this one. I’m more excited for this one than I have been in quite a while.”
The 12 teams that will compete in the General Tire Team Series Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq in Early, Texas are:
Team 7 Brew Coffee:
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Team Builders FirstSource:
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Team Coign:
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
Team Ferguson:
Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
Team Knighten Industries:
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Team Kubota:
Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
Team Lucas Oil:
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.
Team REDCON1:
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va.
Team Star brite:
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark.
Team U.S. Air Force:
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
On Saturday, Oct. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to join MLF pros, Visit Early and the Texas Forest Service (TFS) for Fishing with the Pros at the TFS inaugural Arbor Day event. The event will be held at Town Center Lake, located at 109 Kelcy Way in Early, and will provide local youth and community members an opportunity to fish up close and personal alongside MLF pros. Tackle and bait will be provided and the event is free and open to the public.
The MLF General Tire Team Series Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq will also air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting March 29, 2025, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The complete television schedule for the 2024 General Tire Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Spencer Shuffield Finishes Second, Martin DeHaven Tops AAA Division
Laughlin, Nev. – October 16, 2024 –– The first two days of the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury had proven to be the shootout that was predicted. As the 172-boat field ventured out on to the waters of Lake Mohave in Laughlin, Nev. for Championship Wednesday less than two pounds separated the day two leader Bryant Smith (43.84 pounds) and second place pro, Kyle Grover (41.88 pounds), the defending Champion.
Like most events, the one thing that is a certainty is that once the field gets accustomed to the conditions, they will change. The first two days featured barely a breath of wind, and the water’s surface resembled a mirror. The final day brought winds in in the 10 mile per hour range which added a wrinkle to the narrative of the event.
The question remained as to which of would be able to maintain the quality results they had to date, or would they fall to the hard charging efforts of pros like third place pro Spencer Shuffield (40.99 pounds), fourth place pro Josh Bertrand (40.16 pounds) or fifth place Julius Mazy (40.03 pounds).
The answer to that question would be Smith. The Roseville, Calif. pro bagged 20.90 pound of Lake Mohave smallmouth bass to push his final weight to 64.74 pounds to earn the top prize of a fully rigged 2024 Ranger Z520R powered by a Mercury ProXS 250 equipped with Lowrance Electronics, Bioenno Lithium Batteries, Power Pole Charge, Megaware Keelguard and DD26 Accessories valued at more than $90,000. Along with the Ranger / Mercury prize boat, the $70,000 winner’s share of the payout brings his total package to $160,000.
Shuffield finished second after posting a 21.10-pound limit of smallmouth bass to bring his total to 62.09 pounds for the Championship. 2023 U.S. Open Champion Kyle Grover caught a 19.61-pound limit to finish third for the event with 61.49 pounds. Arizona pro Joe Uribe Jr. weighed 19.89 pounds to post 58.62 pounds and finish fourth while Shane Edgar posted 19.44 pounds to finish with 57.29 pounds to round out the top five.
Bryant reported that his practice period started slow, but that he began to put the pieces of the puzzle together as his pre-tournament scouting progressed. “It took me a while, but I was able to find them in the same areas I fished last year, but had to make adjustments,” he said. “I targeted smallmouth that had sand, grass and bait in the main bowl and my depth varied from the 10 to 20-foot range.”
He caught his fish using a green pumpkin Stike King Half Shell on a drop shot rig. He set it up on a 6’10-inch Alpha Angler DSR spinning rod designed by Elite Series pro Brandon Palaniuk, a Lew’s Custom Lite spinning reel spooled with 10-pound-test braided main line to a 6-pound-test Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon Leader. His Half Shell was rigged on a size 4 Gamakatsu Drop Shot hook and 3/8 and 1/2-ounce Tour Grade Tungsten Drop Shot Weights.
He said he had dreams of winning the U.S. Open for many years. “Every serious angler from the West dreams of being the U.S. Open Champion, and it has been for me for years,” he said. “Now I can say that I am the winner and is something that hasn’t hit me yet, but this is absolutely humbling; I can’t believe it.”
Like Smith, Shuffield fished on the bottom as well. He fished in the main bowl himself and targeted edges where short grass and rock were inhabited by baitfish. “I fished a dropshot rig on a 7’3” medium-light Ark Reinforcer spinning rod with 15-pound white Yozuri Super Braid with a 10-pound-test T7 Fluorocarbon and a Baby Too,” he said. “I also Ned rigged a 7’1” Reinforcer with the same line and caught all of my fish on those two setups using my Livescope to find those edges.”
This marks the second time Shuffield has placed second in the U.S. Open and finishing fourth in his other attempt. “I am thrilled to have another strong finish out here, but to come close again makes me want it even more,” he said. “I just wasn’t able to chase Bryant down, but gosh I really want to win this tournament.”
Martin DeHaven, who led the AAA Division after day one, become the AAA Division Champion by posting at three-day total of 51.42 pounds. Zack Hayes finished second for the championship with 51.14 pounds, he was followed in third position by Dean Yamagata with 51.10 pounds. Fourth place went to Larry Llanes with 49.91 pounds and Nicolas Skerston finished fifth with 49.82 pounds.
Other than Smith who is already a Bassmaster Elite Series Pro, and any others who may be double qualified, the Golden Tickets to the 2025 Bassmaster BASS Nation National Championship will be awarded to the top five Pro and AAA anglers and will finalize the season long WON Bass Angler of the Year competition to see who will receive guaranteed slots into the 2025 Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers.
Daily takeoffs and weigh-ins occurred at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina in Bullhead City, Ariz. with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open Awards happened at the Tropicana Hotel Laughlin.
The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada culminates with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October 14-16, 2024. The full schedule of the five event dates are as follows:
Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta - Champion Nick Wood – 47.42 pounds
April 17-19, Clear Lake – Austin Bonjour – 83.28 pounds
May 15-17, Lake Havasu – Joe Uribe Jr. – 57.31 pounds
Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead – Julius Mazy – 45.24 pounds
Oct. 14-16, U.S. Open at Lake Mohave – Bryant Smith – 64.74 pounds
The 2024 WON Bass Northern California Lake Mead Open was brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Phenix Rods, Yamamoto Baits, Bill Lewis Lures, Buckeye Lures, Steel Shad, Bioenno Power, DD26 Fishing, SOG Knives, Cold Steel Knives, Gamma Line, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine, PRP and Signature Gates.
Local presenting sponsors were Visit Laughlin and Katherine Landing
SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 16, 2024) – With the completion of the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open last weekend, the Association of Collegiate Anglers has now contested two events during its historic 20th season. Stop two of the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series took place October 12-13 at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR. At the registration meeting on Friday night, prior to the start of the event, the ACA named three more anglers to its 2024-25 All-Academic Team.
Here are the three anglers who were selected:
Briar Dodson – University of Montevallo
Mason Bohland – Purdue University
Jake Krauth – University of North Alabama
Balancing school work and time on the water is a demanding challenge for all college anglers. Excelling in the classroom is an even greater accomplishment. It is because of this hard work and required dedication that the ACA has created the All-Academic Team to call attention to, and reward, student anglers for their success in the classroom.
Briar Dodson – University of Montevallo, Sophomore, Business Major
The first angler to be highlighted in this feature is Briar Dodson. Briar is a sophomore at the University of Montevallo majoring in Business. He received multiple nominations to be named to the All-Academic Team. Briar is described as a deserving angler who goes above and beyond his call of work to find success in the classroom and on the water, while also working.
Mason Bohland – Purdue University, Senior, Design Construction and Integration Major
The second angler to be featured in this article also received multiple nominations for the All-Academic Team. Mason Bohland is a senior at Purdue University. He is majoring in Design Construction and Integration. In his time at Purdue, Mason has displayed diligent work ethic to earn the respect of his professors and classmates. He has also served as an officer for the Purdue bass fishing team, through which he has worked to coordinate multiple “take a kid fishing days” and holiday toy drives.
Jake Krauth – University of North Alabama, Sophomore, Marketing Major
Jake Krauth is a Sophomore at the University of North Alabama. He has managed to demonstrate a high level of academic success while pursuing a degree in Marketing. Like each of the recipients of this award, Jake goes above and beyond to balance his course work and time spent on the water. Along with diligent work in the classroom, Jake also looks out for his peers to encourage them and make them better as well.
At each ACA tournament during the 2024-25 season, 3 nominees will be selected to the All-Academic Team for that event. Throughout the season, a total of 12 student anglers will be selected to the All-Academic Team. Each of the 12 selected nominees will be presented at that specific tournament, of which they’ll receive a valuable prize package, exposure on ACA social media platforms and television series, as well as have the opportunity to be named the Academic All-American at the end of the season.
All-Academic Team members and the overall award recipient will be selected based on their all-around performance in the classroom, to include overall GPA, as reviewed by ACA staff through a diligent process.
To find out more information about the program and nominate an angler, click here.
Team Toyota pro Kevin VanDam might have taken a step back from professional fishing tours but his schedule and love for the outdoors remain steadfast.
Anyone who archery hunts will be familiar with the following term.
“Just breathe.”
This is taught to us all at an early age as we hone our skills as an archer. When looking through the sights of your bow-and-arrow setup, it’s important to take some deep breaths before releasing the string. We are all stewards of the outdoors and we take great pride in making the land better for all living creatures. That comes with a lot of blood, sweat and tears through the years but it’s a responsibility we’re all more than willing to bear.
Mother Nature has blessed us. We feel it’s necessary and appropriate to return the favor.
This simple breathing exercise allows us to slow our heartbeat, collect our nerves, steady our hands and make the most ethical shot of which we’re capable. We simply owe it to the animal.
So when Team Toyota pro Kevin VanDam, who has amassed more than $7.3 million in professional bass-fishing tournament winnings throughout his career talks about his recent “retirement” from professional-level bass fishing, he likens it to his passion for archery hunting.
“I felt like it was just time to step back and breathe a little bit,” VanDam said. “My wife and two boys have sacrificed so much throughout the past 33 years; I owe it to them to slow down and just take a few deep breaths. Being a professional touring angler, you don’t really have any flexibility in your schedule. If there’s a tournament, you have to be there. Anniversaries, illness, family obligations… It doesn’t really matter. You have to make a living and I totally understand it. That’s the game I signed up to play. But I was at a point in my career when it was simply time to slow down and breathe.”
The support of VanDam’s wife has been essential to his legendary career. She has done so much for him throughout his career, he wants an opportunity to return her many favors.
“My wife and I still haven’t been on a trip to celebrate our 30th anniversary and that has been several years ago now,” VanDam said. “She has never been the type of person to want the limelight but in the background, she has been absolutely essential to everything in my career and life in general. From business, to sponsor communication, to raising two outstanding young men, it has been a total team effort.”
Although some folks might consider his recent career move a retirement announcement, VanDam doesn’t see it that way whatsoever. While he might be done competing in the national-level tours, he’s as busy—if not busier—than he’s ever been. The key difference, however, is the manageability of his new schedule. He still has a lot of media work and sponsor events to attend, along with filming his new TV show The VanDam Experience, which is sure to be a hit, but these days he finally has the ability to bend and flex his schedule to enjoy more time with his cherished family.
If anyone in the outdoor industry has earned that right, it would be Kevin VanDam.
As he heads to the Michigan deer woods this fall, he’ll do so with an unfamiliar ease that doesn’t include (quite as much) constant phone ringing and things of the sort. He’ll quietly crunch through the frost-covered leaves and grass in the darkness, climb up that old hardwood tree filled with memories of past hunts and finally, for once in his adult life…
He will sit.
And just breathe.
Whether the rutting whitetails bound his way or he simply spends the early morning hours observing the antics of nearby racoons, squirrels, turkeys, hawks or eagles, watching the world wake up is something that will never lose its luster to the bass-fishing icon. To us, an outdoor legend is sitting in that treestand but during that brief period, all creatures are equal and on a level playing field.
“I’ve been blessed to watch the world wake up most days of my adult life and there is simply nothing like it,” VanDam said. “The tranquility of each morning just brings a calmness over me I cannot accurately describe. Knowing that my family and I have put the hard work into making this land rich in gooseberry, elderberry, clover and fruit- and nut-producing trees unveils a pride I simply cannot match. The outdoors are absolutely everything to us and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The legend we watched on television all those years is, in fact, human. And as he enjoys the fruits of his labor and professionalism, we can all rest easy knowing we have a true outdoorsman and steward of the sport watching over and protecting our woods and waters.
A USA Bass team with plenty of tour-level accolades and a lot of experience in international competition is in Italy this week for the 18th edition of the Bass World Championship. Competition among 15 nations gets under way on Thursday at Lake Bolsena, about 75 miles outside Rome.
The American squad is seeking its third straight title in the event. Five of the six team members were on last year’s gold medal-winning team at Lake Sabor in Portugal.
Scott Martin, who’s served as the USA Bass captain for the past several international competitions (including the recent Pan-American Championship in Canada), will again lead the American contingent. The Bassmaster Elite Series competitor and former FLW Tour Angler of the Year and FLW Championship winner will share a boat with ex-B.A.S.S. AOY Scott Canterbury.
MLF Bass Pro Tour stars Jacob Wheeler (the top-ranked angler in the world for five years running) and Dustin Connell will again form a powerhouse pairing. Wheeler captured his third BPT points title in the past four seasons in 2024 and won two regular-season events, and Connell claimed his second REDCREST Championship at Lay Lake and triumphed in the season opener at Toledo Bend Reservoir.
BPT veteran Fred Roumbanis and Elite Series angler Joey Cifuentes will be in the other American boat. Cifuentes, who replaces Hall-of-Famer David Fritts, is the only U.S. angler who wasn’t in Portugal in 2023, but earlier last year he’d teamed with Larry Nixon (another Hall-of-Famer) to take top honors in the Pan-American Championship in their home state of Arkansas.
“Having Joey on the team this year is a good call,” Martin said. “From what we can tell, it’s going to be an offshore bite and an electronics-based event for the most part, and Joey’s good with that.
“I think we’ve got a really strong team this year. Jacob and Dustin can do everything and if there’s a bite with a big swimbait or something off the wall like that, Fred can unlock that big-time. Myself and Canterbury both have a lot of experience fishing grass, so we’ve got a lot of bases covered.”
Other countries slated to compete are the host Italians, along with Australia, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Mexico, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Spain, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Lake Bolsena, an ancient body of water formed by a volcano, is in Veterbo Province. It covers 28,000 acres with a maximum depth of nearly 500 feet. Largemouth were introduced in the 1970s and the population has thrived ever since, growing both in terms of numbers and size of the individual specimens.
It has clear water, lots of grass and a myriad of depth changes.
“It’s not going to be a shoreline deal – there’s grass and some other vegetation, and out past that it’s suspended fish,” Martin said. “This might be the hardest one for us to win just because we don’t have any experience there. The Italians, of course, have spent a lot of time there, and so have other teams like Spain and Germany.
“There are subtle depth changes in that grass that aren’t going to show up on a map and it takes time to find those really good sweet spots. It’s difficult to do that in two days of practice.”
Last year, the Americans won a tiebreaker over Germany for the gold after both countries finished with 67 points. The points total is the sum of the finishes among the field of each of the country’s three pairs – the lower the number, the better.
The tiebreaker was total weight for the event (higher is better for that) and the three American duos compiled 73.57 pounds. Germany had 69.09.
Italy, led by the gold medal-winning tandem of Luca Vittorio Della Ciana and Jimmy Ashlock, claimed the team bronze with 98 points.
This year’s event includes an opening ceremony following Tuesday’s initial practice day. After another practice round on Wednesday, competition will take place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Fans can follow the Bass World Championship event at:
Day One Leader Kyle Grover in Second place with 41.88 pounds
Laughlin, Nev. – October 15, 2024 –– For the second day in a row, the conditions for the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury were hot and slick. Temperatures pushing the 100-degree mark with very little breeze meant that anglers would likely find conditions similar to the first day when the field presented nine limits that eclipsed 20 pounds and nearly 30 limits that topped 18 pounds.
Kyle Grover, the defending U.S. Open Champion set the pace on day one with 22.15 pounds and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bryant Smith opened his tournament with 22.14 pounds. The two pacesetters employed different approaches with Grover covering water and Smith working over one area for most of the day.
What effect the conditions, and the heavy fishing pressure would have on the anglers’ ability to get consistent bites would have to be seen. What would also be a topic of discussion was if the leaders, who were both in the first flight on the opening day, would be able to get into their areas, or did they have enough real estate to adjust with being in the last flight on day two.
The answer to those questions is that both of the top anglers would perform well, but that they would flop positions. Smith leapt into the lead by posting a 21.70-pound limit on the day to bring his total weight to 43.84 pounds while Grover connected with a 19.73-pound creel to fall just less than two pounds behind his Northern California competitor at a total weigh of 41.88 pounds.
Arkansas Bass Pro Tour angler Spencer Shuffield, competing in his third U.S. Open caught 21.25 pounds to leap from 11th place after day one into third place with 40.99 pounds. Josh Bertrand, who won the 2022 U.S. Open caught a 19.45-pound limit to bring the Arizona pro’s two-day total to 40.16 pounds, good for fourth place. Julius Mazy, who won the Lake Mead Open last month vaulted from 29th place to fifth place when the Arizona pro crushed a 22.18-pound limit, the heaviest of the event thus far, to bring his total weight to 40.03 pounds.
Bryant said that he targeted isolated targets using his Lowrance Active Target II and a drop shot presentation. “I was able to keep using the program I did yesterday and catch about the same weight I did yesterday,” he said. “With the slick conditions, I decided that finesse fishing would be the best approach and I’m using my Lew’s Custom Lite Reel and Alpha Angler DSR spinning rod, 6-pound-test Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon and a drop shot Strike King Half Shell; it’s been my go-to smallmouth setup for a long tie; I’m going with my confidence approach.”
Bryant reported catching 20 keepers today and feels optimistic about tomorrow. “I feel like I have enough water to have the right moves tomorrow, and I have a backup plan if the winds pick up, so I’m looking forward to the final day,” he said. “I’m entering the final day in the lead of the U.S. open and as a Western angler, winning this tournament is something I’ve dreamt of for a long time.”
Grover reported having a better overall day of fish catching than he did on day one but found his quality harder to locate. “I probably culled three 17-pound limits today but was only able to bring two four pounders to the scales,” he said. “I did cost my partner a big one this morning, I tied a new leader on his spinning gear, and he hooked a big one and broke it off, so I tied a bad knot. It’s my fault, but that probably cost me a pound by the end of the day.”
He said he feels relaxed going into the final day, even with the possibility of repeating as champion. “I know the pressure of going out in the lead after last year so I will go out there tomorrow with less pressure on me tomorrow,” he said. “I feel pretty comfortable because I am using both finesse and power fishing patterns, so whatever the wind does, I feel like I’ll be okay.”
In the AAA division, Matt Moler partnered with his pro Cody Steckel to bring 20.90 pounds to the scale to take the lead with 39.72 pounds. Nick Dulleck moved to second place with 39.46 pounds after his 21.25 pounds with Shuffield. Chuck Kavros posted 20.12 pounds to finish third with a total weight of 39.08 pounds. Day One AAA Leader Martin DeHaven moved to fourth place by bringing 16.39 pounds with a total weight of 38.54 pounds while Zack Hayes rounded out the top five with 35.64 pounds after bringing 18.64 pounds to the scales.
Daily takeoffs occur at safe light from Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina in Bullhead City, Ariz. with daily weigh-ins at the U.S. Open stage located at Katherine Landing beginning at 3:00PM Pacific.
The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada culminates with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October 14-16, 2024. The full schedule of the five event dates are as follows:
Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta - Champion Nick Wood – 47.42 pounds
April 17-19, Clear Lake – Austin Bonjour – 83.28 pounds
May 15-17, Lake Havasu – Joe Uribe Jr. – 57.31 pounds
Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead – Julius Mazy – 45.24 pounds
The 2024 WON Bass Northern California Lake Mead Open is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Phenix Rods, Yamamoto Baits, Bill Lewis Lures, Buckeye Lures, Steel Shad, Bioenno Power, DD26 Fishing, SOG Knives, Cold Steel Knives, Gamma Line, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine, PRP and Signature Gates.
Local presenting sponsors are Visit Laughlin and Katherine Landing
Bryant Smith in Second place with 22.14 pounds after Opening Round
Laughlin, Nev. – October 14, 2024 –– For the third consecutive year, Lake Mohave serves as the playing field for the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury. The 42nd holding of the premier bass fishing event in the Western United States always draws the attention of the industry. Following the official practice period, several anglers in the field expressed the thought that there could be some heavy stringers presented at the Katherine Landing scales.
Despite the fact that the conditions were pushing the century mark, which is seasonably warm for October, the field reportedly found the bass population of Lake Mohave to be in a cooperative mood. Even with light winds and slick conditions, there were several patterns that were producing at all depths across the lake.
With so many available options, that left some questions as to who would be able to capitalize and take control of the event. With the potential for a shootout, who would discover the key to unlock the lake and open what is expected to be a shootout for the champion’s prize of a 2024 ranger Z520R powered by a Mercury ProXS 250.
Day one proved to be impressive as nine bags eclipsed the 20-pound mark, but it was the defending champion, Kyle Grover and his AAA partner Martin DeHaven who topped the field with 22.15 pounds on day one. Though his limit was very impressive, he holds a scant, 1/100th of a pound lead over Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bryant Smith, who partnered with his AAA David King to weigh 22.14 pounds to finish in second place for the day. Smith’s fellow Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain and his AAA partner David Oyler stand in third place with 20.87 pounds. Another former U.S. Open Champion, Josh Bertrand and his partner Gary Wasson posted 2.71 pounds to finish fourth and pro Steven Mack and his AAA Dan Davis rounded out the top five with 20.66 pounds.
Grover was content with his day one performance but felt it would fall short of holding the lead after he weighed-in during the first flight. “I caught them well, but I don’t think it’s going to be enough today,” he said. “I ran all over the lake and tried to find one me better quality fish, but it just didn’t happen.”
The defending champion said that he had to use multiple techniques to bag his limit. “I’ve found the fish doing several different things in all depths, so I had to junk fish all day – I caught my keepers on four different baits in four different areas,” he said. “I was a little nervous about the short day today but I’m in the last flight tomorrow so I’m hoping I can capitalize on that a little bit more.”
Smith took a different approach with the slick conditions on Lake Mohave today. “I fished slow today and most of my fish came from one area,” he said. “I ran around a little bit in the afternoon but stayed in my primary area and worked things methodically. I feel pretty good about tomorrow, but we’ll just have to see how it goes.”
Daily takeoffs occur at safe light from Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina in Bullhead City, Ariz. with daily weigh-ins at the U.S. Open stage located at Katherine Landing beginning at 3:00PM Pacific.
The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada culminates with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October 14-16, 2024. The full schedule of the five event dates are as follows:
Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta - Champion Nick Wood – 47.42 pounds
April 17-19, Clear Lake – Austin Bonjour – 83.28 pounds
May 15-17, Lake Havasu – Joe Uribe Jr. – 57.31 pounds
Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead – Julius Mazy – 45.24 pounds
The 2024 WON Bass Northern California Lake Mead Open is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Phenix Rods, Yamamoto Baits, Bill Lewis Lures, Buckeye Lures, Steel Shad, Bioenno Power, DD26 Fishing, SOG Knives, Cold Steel Knives, Gamma Line, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine, PRP and Signature Gates.
Local presenting sponsors are Visit Laughlin and Katherine Landing
The top 75 teams in the points in each division (North and South) and the winners of the regular season events will qualify automatically for the ABT Team Championship. Plus, the top 5 high school student teams, top 5 college teams, and top 5 couples teams overall will automatically advance to the Championship. To be eligible for the championship, teams must enter all five qualifying events in their respective division. Check out the Live Stream both days starting at 7 am on Alabamabasstrail.org
The Santee Cooper event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 4. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Bama, Bulldog, Gator and North Carolina divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.
For the safety of the anglers, Major League Fishing proactively cancelled day one of the Santee Cooper event due to extreme winds caused by Hurricane Milton. But it was actually lingering effects of Hurricane Helene that had the biggest impact on this tournament.
Around the time anglers started practicing, lake managers dropped the bottom out of the fishery, lowering it by about 5 1/2 feet to make room for runoff into the system. Then the runoff arrived, raising the lake level each day through practice and the event.
According to Grooms, who lives on Santee Cooper, water level fluctuations like this are rare. It made a drastic impact on the fishery.
“The lake was pristine,” he said, referring to conditions before the storm. “There was a lot of grass. It was crystal clear, like an aquarium. Over the last four or five days it has come up a foot a day. So that rise in water brought orange mud water. It was the nastiest, foamy looking and there was all this debris.
“There was a lot of grass in the lake,” he added. “What happened when it went low and came back up, it was so much inflow that it was just current – like a strong current of muddy water. It ripped out a bunch of the grass. The conditions were tough.”
On top of that, a cold front arrived on day one, and it was 37 degrees in the morning.
“It hasn’t been that cold since last April. All the conditions you don’t want with bass fishing occurred here within one week.”
Mother Nature rolled out a real challenge for the Regional qualifiers, but that’s kind of the point, right? Fall fishing is all about navigating changing weather and seasonal transitions, and the best anglers in their region should be challenged for a shot at grassroots fishing’s biggest tournament.
Grooms adapted, using his knowledge of good grass beds and some solid logic regarding the current conditions.
“I tried to find the cleanest water I could find,” he said. “There was one little strip I found that was 500 yards wide by 500 yards long.”
Within that stretch, he targeted a clumpy mix of hydrilla and eelgrass. There were actually a lot of fish in the area, but they got tougher to catch as the tournament went on. On day one, Grooms caught an impressive 19-pound limit – the biggest limit of the tournament – anchored by a pair of 5-pound, 10-ounce bass.
On day two, the area had shrunk in half, with muddy water moving in and forcing Grooms to slide closer to the bank to stay in the cleaner water. That was a challenge too, because he was catching his fish where clean water and grass met in about 6 feet. Grooms realized the fish weren’t moving with that clearer water, and he caught only 14 pounds, 8 ounces fishing a bit shallower on the final day. Still, it was enough to get the win by a half-pound over Scott Wiley Jr.
Grooms caught all his fish on a junebug-colored Zoom Speed Worm.
“It was weighted, and I was slow-rolling it and just ticking the grass,” Grooms said. “If you weren’t making contact with grass you weren’t getting bit. So that was the main thing.”
Grooms navigated quite the mix of challenges to earn a trip to his first All-American. You could credit the win to his local knowledge, a great strategy or his willingness to buckle down in one area and grind it out. He said all those things played a part, but so did something else.
“The power of prayer,” he said. “It works.”
The top six boaters who qualified for the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:
The top-finishing boater from each division (not including the winner) earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Bama: Scott Wiley Jr., Bay Minette, Ala., 2nd Place, $1,000 Bulldog: Jamie M. Fountain, East Dublin, Ga., 3rd Place, $1,000 Gator: Matt Wieteha, Miami, Fla., 12th Place, $1,000 North Carolina: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., 4th Place $1,000
Gary Givens of Semmes, Alabama, and Chad Smith of Buckhead, Georgia, tied for the Berkley Big Bass Boater award, each landing a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. They each took home $500 for their share of the prize.
Justin Lemaster of Royston, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday after bringing a two-day total of eight bass weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces, to the scale. His $50,000 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The top six Strike King co-anglers who qualified for the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:
1st: Justin Lemaster, Royston, Ga., eight bass, 16-10, $50,000
2nd: Jeffrey Webb, Watkinsville, Ga., eight bass, 15-15, $4,788
3rd: Tony Stevens, Monroe, Ga., seven bass, 15-9, $2,145
4th: Harold Grizzle, Gainesville, Ga., six bass, 14-5, $1,286
5th: Tim Greene, Loganville, Ga., seven bass, 12-15, $858
6th: Daniel Arnberg, Auburn, Ala., six bass, 12-12, $1,272
The rest of the top 12 finished:
7th: John Burt Jr., Montgomery, Ala., four bass, 12-5, $686
8th: Shaun Ireland, Lake Worth, Fla., six bass, 11-14, $1,100
9th: Curtis Hillman, Eufaula, Ala., five bass, 11-6, $515
10th: Caleb Gwaltney, Athens, Ala., five bass, 11-4, $472
11th: Chad Cleckner, Spring Lake, N.C., five bass, 10-9, $929
12th: Josh McCrimmon, Nashville, Ga., five bass, 10-8, $679
The top-finishing co-angler from each division (not including the winner) earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Bama: Daniel Arnberg, Auburn, Ala., 6th Place, $500 Bulldog: Jeffrey Webb, Watkinsville, Ga., 2nd Place, $500 Gator: Shaun Ireland, Lake Worth, Fla., 8th Place, $500 North Carolina: Chad Cleckner, Spring Lake, N.C., 11th Place $500
Brody Bowen of Cleveland, Georgia, and Jeff Turner of Morris, Illinois, tied for the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award. They each took home $250 for catching a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 1 ounce.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
The Mississippi River event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 3. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Great Lakes, Hoosier, Illini and Michigan divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.
Winning this tournament earned Brueggen an incredible 10th BFL All-American qualification, adding to an already stellar BFL career that includes 11 victories and 67 top-10 finishes in 155 events fished since 2002. Brueggen has been a mainstay of the Great Lakes Division the entire time, earning Angler of the Year honors six times in a 12-season span from 2009 to 2020. This season, he finished runner-up in the AOY race to earn his shot at the Regional in Quad Cities.
All but one of Brueggen’s tournament wins have come on river systems – mostly the Mississippi River out of his hometown on La Crosse. He put all that river knowhow to work early preparing for this year’s Regional.
“I started figuring it (the winning pattern) out a year ago when the schedule came out,” he said. “I came down and practiced. And I came down before cutoff and practiced. I figured out that I could try to fish shallower than everybody to possibly get an advantage.”
The biggest challenge he encountered was the fact that this stretch of river doesn’t have the weeds that he’s used to fishing in La Crosse. He ended up deciphering a milk run of shallow main-river current-related spots.
“I didn’t think I could win,” he added. “I caught enough keepers (in practice) that I knew there were groups of fish up shallow. This week I caught bigger fish than I expected to catch. I did not hook many in practice, and I did not realize I was on that many fish.”
On day one, Brueggen caught 13 pounds, 3 ounces from some logs using a Texas rig. He felt like 12 pounds per day would be enough for a high finish, so he laid off the fish early. On day two, he caught some big ones early and filled out a limit of 15-1, which was the biggest single-day weight of the event. With a good limit in the box, he quit fishing early again.
“Because I caught a good weight every day early, I didn’t expand, so I hadn’t seen my other water in four or five days,” Brueggen said. “So Saturday it was really weird when I didn’t have them early and had to go fishing again. I didn’t catch my last two decent ones until 1:30.”
A final-day weight of 14-4 gave Brueggen the win with a cushion of more than 3 pounds.
With next season’s Regional also scheduled for the Quad Cities stretch of the Mississippi River, the champ was hesitant to reveal too much about where he caught his fish, other than the spots were small. He actually thought they’d be one-fish spots, but he was able to catch multiple keepers off some of them.
He used the Texas rig on day one because he couldn’t fish the logs the way he wanted to with a shallow crankbait. From there, his primary lures were a crankbait and a Head Hunter Nasty 50/50 spinnerbait. The spinnerbait produced nine of his keepers in three days.
Looking ahead to All-American No. 10, Brueggen, who clearly has a fierce competitive streak, shared how he feels about the opportunity: “Pressure, honestly. The last couple I haven’t made top 10s in, and it bothers me.”
As if he has anything to prove, he’ll get a chance to right the top-10 ship next May.
The top six boaters who qualified for the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:
The top-finishing boater (not including the winner) from each division earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Great Lakes: Adam Crigger, LeClaire, Iowa, 2nd Place, $1,000 Hoosier: William Briere, Mooresville, Ind., 12th Place, $1,000 Illini: Travis Boley, Weldon, Ill., 3rd Place, $1,000 Michigan: Cody Kelley, Plainwell, Mich., 4th Place $1,000
Drake van Dike of Livonia, Michigan, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces, the biggest of the tournament.
Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday after bringing a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 30 pounds, 6 ounces, to the scale. His $50,000 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The top six Strike King co-anglers who qualified for the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:
The rest of the top 12 who made the cut to fish on Saturday finished:
7th: Dominick Dinovo, Joliet, Ill., 12 bass, 23-4, $755
8th: Thomas Bridges, Kankakee, Ill., 11 bass, 22-13, $661
9th: Kim Sapetti, Chatham, Ill., nine bass, 20-3, $566
10th: Timothy Wittren, Ontario, Wis., nine bass, 18-1, $519
11th: Hayden Swain, Tamaroa, Ill., six bass, 14-13, $472
12th: David Ondrla, Elmhurst, Ill., seven bass, 13-15, $472
The top-finishing co-angler (not including the winner) from each division earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Great Lakes: Mark Folsom, Waterville, Iowa, 5th Place, $500 Hoosier: Billy French, Hamilton, Ohio, 4th Place, $500 Illini: Ross Davis, St. Elmo, Ill., 2nd Place, $500 Michigan: Brian Townley, Wyoming, Mich., 3rd Place $500
Dante Johnson of Gurnee, Illinois, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $500.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Location:
Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
Weigh in Site: NEW SITE - SEE MAP AT BOTTOM OF PAGE
Mariners Landing, 1217 Graves Harbor Trail, Huddleston, VA 24104
Guaranteed Overall Grand Prize: $55,600
2024 NITRO® Z18 rigged with a Mercury® 150L Pro XS outboard, Minn Kota® Ultrex® 24V, 80-lb, Bow Humminbird® HELIX™ 9 SI G4N with GPS, Console Humminbird® HELIX™ 8 SI G4N with GPS, Hot Foot throttle, genuine two tone cover, tandem-axle upgrade 2 brakes, 14" tire/wheel upgrade with spare. NITRO® trailer w/powder-coat finish & GALVASHIELD® Impact corrosion & chip protection. To learn more about NITRO® boats visit the website atNitro.com.
Early Entry Rods: $25,000 Fenwick Eagle Series Casting Rod, Model #EGLB73MH-FC, Value $99.95
Early entry rods go to the first 250 three day and two day online entrants. Youth entry is not eligible for a free rod. See the Fenwick Eagle rod details here.
Early entry promo rods may be picked up on the day listed below or during any tournament day. Please do not call our offices related to early entry rods. There is a rod counter at the top of each event page. Rods are gone when counter shows zero. We will post the date the counter goes to zero on the site. *Another angler may pick up your rod for you if you're unable to be present.
Rod Pick Up: Thursday October 17th from 4 - 6 pm at Mariners Landing, 1217 Graves Harbor Trail, Huddleston, VA 24104.
You may also pick up rods on any of the tournament days.
Fenwick Eagle Rod Features:
24/30 ton graphite blend with proprietary reinforcing resin
Fenwick designed reel seat fits the crux of your hand for a custom natural feel
Stainless steel guide frames with thin zirconia inserts
Multi-material full length grips for the best blend of feel, balance and durability
Event Registration:
Registration for an Event closes at 9:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the beginning of the Event for a three-day entry. There will be no morning registration on Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday of the Event. Participants may register online prior to the Event or in person at the designated time above during rod pickup. Once an event begins, participants that register late online on must do so before 9:00 p.m. on Friday and before 6 p.m. on Saturday for the remaining days and must also adhere to the off limits rules listed in section 6.02. Click here to see rule 6.02
Text System:
You may enter yourself in the text system for this event by texting the word fallsml to the number (833) 933-1717. We will enter your number in the system, but some carriers block this type of message, so by entering yourself this will prevent the chance of being blocked. Also, if you have previously opted out of our system, you will have to put yourself back in the system by texting the above keyword. If you opt-out we cannot put you back in the system.
Android users: If you have an android and you aren't receiving texts from us, you will need to search the number (833) 933-1717 in your text app and accept that it is not spam.
Start Time:
Due to the varying times of year that we host our tournaments, we will notify everyone of the start time the day prior to the start of the tournament. We will notify you via text message. Start time (first cast) for each tournament will be safe light and set by the tournament director. You may launch and be on the water but you may not begin fishing until we notify you of first cast. Please do not call our offices related to start time. We will post start fishing time on this page and text out the time the week of the event. You will also be sent a live leaderboard link once the event starts.
Weigh in Times: All days of event
8-9am, 9-10am, 10-11am, 11am-12pm, 12-1pm, 1-2pm, 2-3pm.
Participants less than 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult with written parental permission. (Written parental permission must be provided to Event staff prior to the start of the Event) Participants under the age of 18 years may not fish alone in the Event.Junior Division for 2024.
Participants 12 and under will compete for a top 3 event payout, at a reduced entry fee. The entry fee for the entire event is $75 (regardless of the number of days fished) and we will pay three places for the top three bass weighed in during the event. Anglers 13 and over will compete for full payouts and pay full entry fees.
9th ranked Drury University finishes in 2nd, and 3rd ranked LSU-Shreveport claims 3rd
RUSSELLVILLE, AR (October 13, 2024) – Tournament competition has concluded at Lake Dardanelle for the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. The second stop of the 2024-25 season for the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, the Association of Collegiate Anglers’ historic 20th season, saw 262 boats travel to Russellville, AR to compete in the nationally televised, no-entry-fee, double points event that awarded over $20,000 in prizes and contingencies.
Tripp Berlinsky and Bryce Dimauro from 8th ranked University of North Alabama won the major event with a two-day total of 30.96 pounds. The duo entered today in 4th place, roughly 1.50 pounds behind the 1st place team going into today from Murray State College.
By finishing in 1st place Berlinsky and Dimauro earn a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card, $1,000 Garmin credit, $500 AFTCO gift card, Rapala tackle package, 2 pairs of Bajio Sunglasses, 2 Turtlebox speakers, and 2 Trailer Valet hitches. The pair also claimed the $500 ACA logo contingency. All total, the 1st place victory pays the UNA anglers close to $5,000 in prizes and contingencies. The tournament victory also earns UNA 1,750 points towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Finishing in second place were Cade Lipham and Caleb Coleman from 9th ranked Drury University. The anglers representing the team from Springfield, MO weighed in 14.50 pounds of Lake Dardanelle bass on Day 2 to move up 10 spots from 12th on Day 1. By finishing in 2nd with a two-day total of 29.60 pounds, Lipham and Coleman earn a $700 Bass Pro Shops gift card, $300 AFTCO gift card, Rapala tackle package, 2 pairs of Bajio Sunglasses, and 2 Trailer Valet hitches. The duo also claimed the $200 G2 Gemini Jersey Contingency Bonus, as being the highest-placing jersey wearer.
Rounding out the Top 3 are Miles Smith and Levi Thibodaux from 3rd ranked LSU-Shreveport. With a two-day total of 28.66 pounds, the Montevallo anglers earned a $550 Bass Pro Shops gift card, $200 AFTCO gift card, Rapala tackle package, two pairs of Bajio Sunglasses, and two Trailer Valet hitches. Miles claimed both Garmin Tournament Rewards Contingencies, paying out a total of $500 for being both the highest-placing Force Trolling Motor user, as well as the Garmin exclusive bonus.
The field of elite anglers found great success out on Lake Dardanelle throughout both days of tournament competition at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. Over two days, 249 of the 262 teams weighed in fish. The bass were biting well with warm early fall conditions. The weights were also very strong, as this year’s winning weight was the highest of any event the ACA has contested here during the fall.
The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open was the second ACA double points event of the season to count towards the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. As referenced earlier, the winning team received 1,750 points, and schools were eligible to receive points for the their two highest-finishing teams inside of the Top 150 of the final tournament standings. 8th ranked UNA placed two teams in the Top 10 (1st, 9th), and so too did 7th ranked University of Montevallo (5th, 6th) Later this week, the ACA will release the latest points update for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Parker Brown from Southern Methodist University claims Overall Big Bass with a fish weighing 5.99 pounds. That big fish pays out a new Power-Pole.
The Top 10 finishing teams in the final tournament standings receive automatic qualification into the 2025 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.
The ACA would like to thank the Russellville Tourism and Visitors Center for their hospitality this week in hosting all of these college anglers, and to the staff at Lake Dardanelle State Park for their assistance as well. This event marks over 10 years of which the ACA has been hosting major college events on Lake Dardanelle.
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — A little over a year ago, Easton Fothergill sat in a hospital room in Birmingham, Ala., with an infected mass in his brain, wondering if he would ever be able to bass fish again. Now, he has achieved a lifelong goal of becoming a Bassmaster Elite Series angler.
The Grand Rapids, Minn., native claimed the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Angler of the Year title with a total of 1,606 points, earning himself an invite to the 2025 Elite Series roster and a $45,000 check. His remarkable season included two victories at Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma and his home fishery of Leech Lake, as well as five more Top 25 finishes in Opens competition.
“It was super cool how it unfolded. I really didn’t think I was capable of this, but here we are,” Fothergill said. “(Opens pro Cody Meyer) came to my hometown of Grand Rapids, Minn., when I was in eighth grade, and I went up to him and met him. I told Cody that, and he didn’t remember it, but it was a really big moment for me. He is someone I have always looked up to, and for me and him to go neck and neck was a super cool experience.”
Representing the University of Montevallo, he became the first College Classic Bracket champion to advance to the Elite Series in their first Opens season.
“The craziest part is, without winning the Classic Bracket, I wouldn’t have even been here this year,” he said. “Then to come here and have the year that I had, it is a crazy feeling.”
He entered the final event of the season at Lake Martin with a slim lead over longtime pro Meyer, who also happens to be one of Fothergill’s mentors. While Meyer made the final day, Fothergill finished the season with a 17th place finish, earning enough points to wrap up the title on Day 2.
“These were the first tournament days of the whole season where I really felt nerves. I was sitting there shaking going out because I wanted to win Angler of the Year so bad,” he said. “It wasn’t a good feeling trying to accomplish my job on the water.”
Fothergill has certainly learned a lot as an Opens angler, but recognizing when to value points over victories went a long way in determining his fate.
“I have grown leaps and bounds as an angler,” he said. “Just changing my mindset of trying to win every tournament to sometimes, ‘Hey, I have to grab a limit just to grab some points.’ You have to play the long game in the Opens; I learned that pretty quickly at Santee Cooper. I bombed Day 2 of that tournament because I had a really good Day 1 and some big bed fish. I went all in on those bed fish to try and get a Top 10 and it really bit me.
“But I learned from my mistake there and made sure I had limit holes at each tournament.”
Fothergill opened the season at Lake Okeechobee with a certain amount of imposter syndrome. “Am I good enough to be here?” was a thought that often crossed his mind as he looked around and saw anglers like Meyer, Dakota Ebare, Randall Tharp and Scott Martin. He notched a seventh-place finish at Okeechobee, which gave him some much-needed confidence.
“I felt like the complete underdog at Okeechobee,” Fothergill explained. “Feeling like I maybe didn’t belong and wasn’t ready yet. To have that good finish there changed my mind set, and I felt like, ‘OK, I might be able to do this.’”
But even with that finish and then an 11th at Lake Ouachita, those thoughts continued to linger, especially after his 83rd-place finish at Santee Cooper Lakes. The next event at Logan Martin, however, turned the season around as Fothergill scrapped his initial game plan and followed his instincts to notch a 25th-place finish. He then won at Lake Eufaula, again giving him a sign he can hang with the rest of the field.
“I honestly don’t know if that feeling has totally disappeared, but my win at Eufaula was when I finally thought I was good enough to compete at this level,” he said. “I thought those first couple tournaments might have been a fluke. I kept having good finishes and it didn’t feel real.
“But Eufaula was really not in my comfort zone with how muddy it was and how it laid out,” he continued. “To have that good of a finish, that is really what showed me I’m versatile enough to compete and maybe make things happen.”
Following his instincts the rest of the season, he said, is largely the reason he can call himself an Elite Series qualifier.
“Moments like Logan Martin where I made a complete game plan change on Day 2 and threw everything out the window to do something new, it was stuff like that all season that made the difference,” he said. “It was just gut feelings. Trusting that all year long has led me to this.”
Now, Fothergill will set his sights on the 2025 Elite schedule, something he has dreamed about since he was a child.
“Just to spend every day on the water with all of the guys I have watched on TV my whole childhood is something I’m super looking forward to, and hopefully I can make a career out of it,” he said.
Fothergill’s Top 4 Presentations from 2024
A Neko rig
A jighead minnow
A Drop Shot
A Jig.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — Lake Martin was the last place in the world Bobby Bakewell thought he would clinch a Bassmaster Classic berth, but it turns out it was the perfect place.
The Orlando, Fla., native landed 13 pounds, 12 ounces on the final day of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN to earn a comeback victory with a three-day tally of 35-15. He anchored his bag with a 4-10 largemouth, which earned Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament honors.
“I’m going to have to make room on the mantle,” he said. “That Classic berth is so sweet. It hasn’t really set in yet. After practice, I was ready to get done with this one. Now, I’m really happy we are done with this one.”
Alabama’s Josh Butler finished second with a total of 34-2 while Texas pro Dakota Ebare finished third with 32-13. Will Davis Jr, who led the first two days of the tournament, fell to fourth on the final day with a total of 32-11.
Admittedly, Bakewell is not a buzzbait guy, but it was the presentation that carried him through the week, particularly the final two days. When he arrived at Lake Martin, he unwrapped a ½-ounce Greenfish Tackle Toad Toter buzzbait sent to him by 44 Tackle, not knowing it would be the bait that would change his life.
He used several different trailers, including a Bruiser Baits Crazy Craw and then a Zoom Horny Toad when he ran out of Crazy Craws. Some form of white or silver was his best producing color. Using a 7-foot, 3-inch medium-heavy baitcaster and an 8:5:1 reel spooled with 40-pound-test Yo-Zuri braid, Bakewell used a steady retrieve.
Bakewell reeled that buzzbait along shallow seawalls in 3 feet of water and less, where he could see the bottom. The bottom also had to have rock — it couldn’t be clean clay. As the sun rose, the shade line became even more important.
“I started running it and I started getting bit, so it worked out,” he said. “I’m not a buzzbait guy. It was fun, though. I threw a Whopper Plopper and I just didn’t get many bites, and the buzzbait, I got more bites with it. So, I just ran with it. Ninety eight percent of the bass I caught bit within three cranks of the reel handle.”
A ½-ounce Bakewell Custom Jig with a Bruiser Baits Crazy Craw produced a couple of good bass as well as a Bruiser Baits Rad Shad.
Practice was not particularly kind to Bakewell, but one buzzbait bite toward the end of practice gave him a starting spot for Day 1. He mixed in the buzzbait and then some offshore brushpiles to catch 9-14. The shallow bite was much better on Day 2, as he received seven buzzbait bites in the span of an hour.
To start Day 3, Bakewell fished an area he had never fished before that he had found looking at his maps at 10:30 the night before. He landed a couple of keepers to start the day, but a cast next to a dock produced the big largemouth, which turned out to be the highlight of Bassmaster LIVE coverage.
“I was going through a little bit of a dry spell and started thinking that I should have gone to water I had fished before. Then I hooked that giant,” he said. “It was crazy. I was trying to decide whether to let the boat ram the dock or go for the bass, and I chose the bass. I’m so glad I did, too.”
After filling out his limit, Bakewell suffered a long lull, but in the last hour he caught two bass over 2 pounds along a shade line to bolster his bag.
“I kind of knew I didn’t have enough,” he said. “I had almost admitted defeat. I hadn’t got bit in hours. I got to a shady pocket, and I picked up the buzzbait and a 2.80 ate it. A pound here is huge. I ran to another shady pocket across the way and caught a 2-pound spot that culled out a 1.60. It was little decisions like that that were the difference this week.”
With bags of 9-7, 14-5 and 10-6, Butler wrapped up the tournament in second, just over a pound short of his second Opens victory of the season. While he caught plenty of bass on the final day, the Hayden, Ala., native couldn’t get a 3-pounder to eat.
“It is a little bittersweet. You don’t have a lot of opportunities to (win),” the Logan Martin champion said. “You have to have a 4½-pounder here. I was lacking that today. I had a 2½-pounder, and I started really well early. I thought I could catch some quality bass this afternoon flipping boat docks. It just didn’t happen. I caught 30 fish flipping docks, and they were all rats.”
Most of the tournament Douglas tossed a translucent Whopper Plopper around deeper seawalls that had at least 5 feet of water next to them, as well as boat ramps and the corners of boat docks.
“That was definitely a morning deal,” he explained. “That seemed to last the first three hours of the morning. After 9:30, it pretty much died. Then I locked a jig in my hand, occasionally a Senko, and fished as many docks as I could to get it in front of a big one. Yesterday I did that more than once.”
Ebare, meanwhile, landed bags of 12-7, 9-1 and 11-5 to finish his season with his second Top 10 of the season. The Brookeland, Texas, pro adjusted his strategy every day of the tournament. The first morning, the topwater bite was crucial for Ebare, but on Days 2 and 3 he needed to adjust after the morning bite dissipated.
“Points seemed to be key, no matter what you were doing,” he said. “Whether you were fishing out deep or in 6 inches of water, points were key. Some had wood mixed in, others had brush and rockpiles. The bass were definitely concentrating on those points.”
His two best bass on Day 3 came off of a rockpile. He caught the first one using a glidebait before landing his biggest bass of the day with a jig paired with a Strike King Scounbug. A topwater bait, a Strike King Baby Z-Too and 2.5 Rage Swimmer were also key baits.
The Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifiers points race was finalized at the end of the Day 3 weigh-in. Easton Fothergill earned the title with 1,606 points while Idaho pro Cody Meyer finished second with 1,591 points and Alabama’s Tucker Smith finished third with 1,516 points. Georgia’s Paul Marks and Emil Wagner finished fourth and fifth with 1,512 points and 1,505 points respectively. California’s Andrew Loberg finished sixth with 1,495 points followed by Ebare in seventh with 1,494 points, Arkansas’ Beau Browning in eighth with 1,466 points and Canadian Evan Kung in ninth with 1,463 points.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN (originally Lake Hartwell) 10/10-10/12
Lake Martin, Alexander City AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 15 35-15 200 $27,683.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 13-12
2. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 15 34-02 199 $10,773.00
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 5 10-06
3. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 15 32-13 198 $14,580.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 09-01 Day 3: 5 11-05
4. Will Davis Jr Childersburg, AL 15 32-11 197 $7,541.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-09 Day 3: 5 08-02
5. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 15 32-04 196 $19,003.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 10-01 Day 3: 5 10-06
6. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 15 31-11 195 $15,464.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-05 Day 3: 5 09-11
7. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 15 30-13 194 $5,925.00
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 10-02 Day 3: 5 09-12
8. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 15 30-06 193 $5,387.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day 3: 5 08-08
9. Byron Kenney Jr Monticello, GA 15 30-03 192 $5,387.00
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 10-13 Day 3: 5 08-01
10. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 15 28-12 191 $5,387.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 10-06 Day 3: 5 06-15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 04-10 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 110 578 973-04
2 113 578 996-12
3 10 50 96-14
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233 1206 2066-14
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — Will Davis Jr. insists the fishing is brutally tough on Lake Martin, but right now he is making the most of the bites he has received.
The Sylacauga, Ala., native continues to lead the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN with a two-day total of 24 pounds, 9 ounces. After leading Day 1 with 13-0, Davis added 11-9 on the second day, thanks in part to the biggest spotted bass — a 3-6 — he’s caught out of the lake in several years.
“It is brutal out there. I didn’t think it was going to be good,” Davis said. “I said, ‘My gosh, I didn’t know they lived here like that.’ It has been a long time since I’ve seen one that big. It’s probably been 10 years.”
Fellow Alabama pro Josh Butler is second with 23-12 followed by Florida’s Bobby Bakewell in third with 22-3.
Although a weak cold front pushed through the area early in the week, sunny and seasonably warm temperatures have prevailed over middle Alabama. Plenty of bass have been caught, but catching keepers and quality is much more difficult.
For the most part, Davis has stuck to the bank, primarily targeting docks that are located anywhere from 2 to 20 feet of water. Garmin LiveScope has revealed which docks hold bass and which ones aren’t worth fishing. A Davis Baits Wood Jig paired with a 2¾-inch Big Bite Chunk has been his best bait, as well as a popper-style bait.
Each creek he goes into fishes differently, he said, and the different water clarities set the bass up differently. One thing that is constant, however, is the sun positioning the bass under docks as it gets high in the sky.
“Each creek is fishing differently in some aspect. Some fish are shallower in some creeks, and some fish are deeper in some creeks. It is very weird,” he explained. “The water color has a lot to do with it. The clearer it is the deeper they seem to be, and the dirtier it is the shallower they are.”
Davis caught eight keepers total on Day 1, and Day 2 wasn’t much better. Around midday, he only had two bass in the livewell, which forced him offshore for a while.
“I could feel the tires shredding,” he said. “I finally just started running new water and remembered, to do well here you have to run new water. You cannot repeat the milk run every day. You can go to the same area, but not the same stuff.”
There, he caught two spotted bass with a drop shot before fishing new shallow areas the rest of the day. His big spotted bass came late in the day and put on a show for the Bassmaster LIVE audience.
“I pulled up there and told (my cameraman) John, ‘This is a big one,’” Davis said. “I fired that jig up under there and the bass ran down there to it and thumped it. I set the hook, and he didn’t get it. I fired it back over there, and the bait went down and she hit it before it hit the bottom. I knew it was a good one. It is one you have to have in this tournament.”
After landing a respectable 9-7 on Day 1, Butler caught the tournament's biggest bag so far, a 14-5 mixed bag that included several quality spotted bass. Butler, who has already won an Open this season at Logan Martin, is just 13 ounces behind Davis.
“I had to put my head down and stay in the same area I fished yesterday,” Butler said. “I got fortunate this morning and caught an almost 4-pound spot. Just what you have to have here. I was shocked it was a spotted bass. I broke a couple off; it could have been an even better day. In the last hour, I caught a 3-pound spot and another 2½-pounder.”
The Hayden, Ala., native has focused his efforts close to the bank, targeting as many seawalls and docks he can find. The seawalls that have deeper water around them have produced better quality bass.
“The dock bite doesn’t pick up until 10:30 or 11 o’clock, but after that it is lights out. This afternoon, I ran to an area and every single dock had fish on it. It was a lot of fun.”
Bakewell embarked on a similar comeback, as he caught 12-5 on Day 2 to add to his 9-14 Day 1 tally. A key topwater bite unfolded for the Floridian, which got his day off to a positive start.
“I got six or seven bites this morning on a buzzbait, which I didn’t get yesterday,” he said. “From there, I got lucky and caught a fish on a jig at the end of the day. Every bass I caught was out of an area I had never made a cast around in my life.”
Bakewell has mixed in both a shallow-water and offshore strategy so far. He has started his days shallow, taking advantage of the three-hour topwater window around certain types of seawalls. He then went and fished offshore brushpiles that were located in less than 30 feet of water.
Louisville, Tenn., boater Chris Whitson caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 3-11 largemouth. Davis continues to hold the overall lead with his 4-9 largemouth from Day 1.
Georgia’s Chad Stahl won the co-angler division with a two-day total of 10-7. Japanese angler Satoshi Yaguchi finished second with 10-1 while North Carolina’s David Waack finished third with 10-1. Georgia’s Jason Law caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 3-8 bass that earned him $250.
Texas angler Niko Romero clinched the non-boater points race with 1,614 points followed by Jimmy O’Brien in second with 1,530 and Jason Barber in third with 1,523 points.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN (originally Lake Hartwell) 10/10-10/12
Lake Martin, Alexander City AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Will Davis Jr Childersburg, AL 10 24-09 200
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-09
2. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 10 23-12 199
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 14-05
3. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 10 22-03 198
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 12-05
4. Byron Kenney Jr Monticello, GA 10 22-02 197
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 10-13
5. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 22-00 196
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-05
6. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 10 21-14 195
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 10-01
7. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 10 21-14 194
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 10-08
8. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 10 21-13 193
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 10-06
9. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 10 21-08 192
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 09-01
10. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 10 21-01 191
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 10-02
11. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 10 21-01 190 $4,848.00
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 10-12
12. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 20-13 189 $3,771.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 10-12
13. Brent Shores Boise, ID 10 20-11 188 $3,232.00
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 10-05
14. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 10 20-09 187 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 09-09
15. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 10 20-09 186 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 09-15
16. Kyle Weisenburger Columbus Grv, OH 10 20-05 185 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 09-12
17. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 19-15 184 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 10-04
18. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 10 19-15 183 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 10-01
19. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 10 19-12 182 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 09-09
20. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 10 19-10 181 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 10-11
21. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 10 19-10 180 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 5 10-10
22. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 19-09 179 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 10-03
23. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 10 19-08 178 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 09-07
24. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 19-08 177 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 09-12
25. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 19-06 176 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 10-03
26. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 19-04 175 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 09-01
27. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 10 19-03 174 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 09-09
28. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 10 19-01 173 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 09-12
29. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 10 18-15 172 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 10-06
30. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 18-12 171 $2,693.00
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 08-12
31. Jack York Emory, TX 10 18-12 170 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 09-04
32. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 18-11 169 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 09-00
33. Andrew Loberg Grant, AL 10 18-11 168 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 09-01
34. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 10 18-10 167 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 06-02
35. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 10 18-10 166 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 10-04
36. Garrett Warren Scottsboro, AL 10 18-09 165 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 5 10-10
37. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 10 18-09 164 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 08-11
38. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 18-09 163 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 08-11
39. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 10 18-09 162 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 09-07
40. Connor Jacob Auburn, AL 10 18-08 161 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 09-04
41. Parker Guy Ocilla, GA 10 18-07 160 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 09-10
42. Masayuki Matsushita Porter TX JAPAN 10 18-05 159 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 09-06
43. Chris Whitson Louisville, TN 10 18-04 158 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 07-03 Day 2: 5 11-01
44. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 18-04 157 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 10-01
45. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 10 18-03 156 $2,155.00
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 08-15
46. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 10 18-00 155
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 08-06
47. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 10 17-15 154
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 09-08
48. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 10 17-15 153
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 09-03
49. Jake Maddux Roswell, GA 10 17-14 152
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 10-09
50. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 10 17-12 151
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 09-02
51. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 10 17-11 150
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 09-06
52. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 10 17-10 149
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 09-05
53. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 10 17-10 148
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 08-14
54. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 10 17-09 147
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 07-08
55. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 10 17-09 146
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 08-06
56. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 10 17-08 145
Day 1: 5 07-11 Day 2: 5 09-13
57. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 10 17-08 144
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 09-04
58. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 17-05 143
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 09-00
59. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 10 17-05 142
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 08-07
60. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 10 17-04 141
Day 1: 5 07-02 Day 2: 5 10-02
61. Colden Baker Ridgeway, SC 10 17-04 140
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 08-13
62. Elijah Benson Dahlonega, GA 10 17-03 139
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 08-14
63. Sean Clayton Seneca, SC 10 17-02 138
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 08-05
64. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 10 17-01 137
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 08-06
65. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 10 16-09 136
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 07-13
66. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 10 16-09 135
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 5 08-01
67. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 16-08 134
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 08-12
68. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 10 16-07 133
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 07-00
69. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 10 16-06 132
Day 1: 5 06-08 Day 2: 5 09-14
70. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 10 16-04 131
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 08-12
71. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 16-02 130
Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 08-08
72. Dylan Quilatan Windermere, FL 10 16-02 129
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 07-11
73. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 10 16-01 128
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 5 08-02
74. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 10 15-15 127
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 07-03
75. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 10 15-14 126
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 07-11
76. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 10 15-13 125
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 5 07-13
77. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 10 15-09 124
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 5 07-09
78. Brian Post Janesville, WI 10 15-05 123
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 5 08-12
79. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 10 15-04 122
Day 1: 5 07-07 Day 2: 5 07-13
80. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 10 15-02 121
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 5 07-14
80. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 15-02 121
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 5 07-14
82. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 10 15-01 119
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 5 08-00
83. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 10 14-15 118
Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 5 08-00
84. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 9 14-13 117
Day 1: 4 05-02 Day 2: 5 09-11
85. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 10 14-13 116
Day 1: 5 06-10 Day 2: 5 08-03
86. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 10 14-13 115
Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 5 07-14
87. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 10 14-11 114
Day 1: 5 06-11 Day 2: 5 08-00
88. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 10 14-09 113
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 06-03
89. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 14-04 112
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 06-00
90. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 10 14-04 111
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 5 08-01
91. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 9 14-03 110
Day 1: 4 04-11 Day 2: 5 09-08
92. Kevin Dritschler Prosper, TX 10 14-02 109
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 06-10
93. Bird Jones Loxahatchee, FL 9 14-01 108
Day 1: 4 04-01 Day 2: 5 10-00
94. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 14-00 107
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 5 05-00
95. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 10 13-15 106
Day 1: 5 06-10 Day 2: 5 07-05
96. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 10 13-12 105
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 06-00
97. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 10 13-12 104
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 06-04
98. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 10 13-10 103
Day 1: 5 06-05 Day 2: 5 07-05
99. Woo Daves Spring Grove, VA 10 13-06 102
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 06-01
100. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 10 13-05 101
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 5 06-09
101. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 9 13-00 100
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 4 06-09
102. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 10 12-15 99
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 5 06-03
103. Allen Armour Cumming, GA 10 12-14 98
Day 1: 5 06-02 Day 2: 5 06-12
104. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 10 12-10 97
Day 1: 5 06-02 Day 2: 5 06-08
105. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 10 12-08 96
Day 1: 5 07-02 Day 2: 5 05-06
106. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 8 12-06 95
Day 1: 3 03-15 Day 2: 5 08-07
107. Sho Egawa Osaka JAPAN 10 12-02 94
Day 1: 5 05-10 Day 2: 5 06-08
108. Lance Owen Greer, SC 10 12-00 93
Day 1: 5 05-12 Day 2: 5 06-04
109. Clint Leonard Jr Saint Cloud, FL 10 11-10 92
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 5 05-11
110. Al Trapp Inverness, FL 10 11-09 91
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 5 05-06
111. Chris Lighthizer Zanesville, OH 10 11-05 90
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 5 05-06
112. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 8 10-12 89
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 5 06-05
113. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 9 09-05 88
Day 1: 4 03-09 Day 2: 5 05-12
114. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 6 09-02 87
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 5 08-03
115. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 8 08-15 86
Day 1: 5 05-12 Day 2: 3 03-03
116. Matt Molitor Canton, IL 8 08-11 85
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 3 02-12
117. Mark Guhne Hixson, TN 6 07-15 84
Day 1: 3 03-08 Day 2: 3 04-07
118. Garrett Rocamora Lake wales, FL 5 06-10 83
Day 1: 5 06-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
119. Harry Moore Valley, AL 2 03-00 82
Day 1: 2 03-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
120. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
120. Chuck Pippin Jr Gotha, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 110 578 973-04
2 113 578 996-12
----------------------------------
223 1156 1970-00
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN (originally Lake Hartwell) 10/10-10/12
Lake Martin, Alexander City AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 6 10-07 200 $7,254.00
Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 3 04-13
2. Satoshi Yaguchi Ibaraki Gun JAPAN 6 10-01 199 $1,707.00
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 04-11
3. David Waack Cary, NC 6 10-01 198 $1,280.00
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 3 05-00
4. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 6 09-15 197 $928.00
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 3 05-04
4. Riku Hayashi Ritto Shiga JAPAN 6 09-15 197 $928.00
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 3 04-11
6. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 6 09-15 195 $854.00
Day 1: 3 04-12 Day 2: 3 05-03
7. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 6 09-12 194 $811.00
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 3 04-12
8. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 6 09-11 193 $768.00
Day 1: 3 04-01 Day 2: 3 05-10
9. Jason Law Tifton, GA 6 09-06 192 $954.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 3 03-13
10. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 6 09-02 191 $640.00
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 3 04-11
11. Sawyer Hunt Springfield, GA 6 08-12 190 $597.00
Day 1: 3 03-05 Day 2: 3 05-07
12. Andrus Kung Pickering CANADA 6 08-12 189 $555.00
Day 1: 3 03-08 Day 2: 3 05-04
13. Tadd Davis Colon, MI 6 08-12 188 $469.00
Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 3 03-09
14. Stephen Mickle Pell City, AL 6 08-12 187 $427.00
Day 1: 3 03-12 Day 2: 3 05-00
15. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 6 08-11 186 $384.00
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 3 04-04
16. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 6 08-08 185 $341.00
Day 1: 3 03-15 Day 2: 3 04-09
17. Macoy Fisher Clewiston, FL 5 08-05 184 $320.00
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 2 02-14
18. Keith Gunsauls Dandridge, TN 6 08-04 183 $320.00
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 3 03-06
19. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 6 08-03 182 $320.00
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 3 03-13
20. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 6 08-01 181 $320.00
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 3 03-03
21. Brandon Parson Erwin, NC 5 07-14 180 $299.00
Day 1: 2 02-08 Day 2: 3 05-06
22. Andrew Fuller Marietta, GA 5 07-14 179 $299.00
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 2 02-15
23. Alex Watts Salem, VA 6 07-12 178 $299.00
Day 1: 3 03-13 Day 2: 3 03-15
24. Troy Mims Suwanee, GA 6 07-10 177 $299.00
Day 1: 3 03-09 Day 2: 3 04-01
25. Daniel Vasquez Boynton Beach, FL 5 07-09 176 $299.00
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 2 03-04
26. Richard Greene Ocala, FL 5 07-08 175 $256.00
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 2 02-09
27. Jason George Farragut, TN 6 07-07 174 $256.00
Day 1: 3 04-09 Day 2: 3 02-14
28. Brandon Clayton Haslet , TX 6 07-07 173 $256.00
Day 1: 3 03-00 Day 2: 3 04-07
29. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 6 07-07 172 $256.00
Day 1: 3 03-08 Day 2: 3 03-15
30. John Sanderlin IV Chesapeake, VA 6 07-06 171 $256.00
Day 1: 3 04-04 Day 2: 3 03-02
31. Jimmy Obrien Southampton, NY 5 07-05 170 $235.00
Day 1: 2 03-00 Day 2: 3 04-05
32. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 6 07-04 169 $235.00
Day 1: 3 03-10 Day 2: 3 03-10
33. Eddie Kidd Fort Moore, GA 5 07-03 168 $235.00
Day 1: 3 04-02 Day 2: 2 03-01
34. Gordon Smith Clover, SC 5 07-02 167 $235.00
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 2 02-00
35. Kristian Johnson Belvidere, NJ 4 06-13 166 $235.00
Day 1: 1 01-02 Day 2: 3 05-11
36. Don Harvey Franklin, TN 6 06-12 165 $235.00
Day 1: 3 02-14 Day 2: 3 03-14
37. William Baker Ridgeway, SC 5 06-11 164 $235.00
Day 1: 2 02-02 Day 2: 3 04-09
38. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 5 06-09 163 $235.00
Day 1: 2 01-12 Day 2: 3 04-13
39. Andy Simm Piney Flats, TN 5 06-08 162 $235.00
Day 1: 2 02-07 Day 2: 3 04-01
40. Thomas Abraham Winchester, TN 4 05-07 161 $235.00
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 1 00-13
41. Lee Stewart Raeford, NC 4 05-07 160
Day 1: 3 04-08 Day 2: 1 00-15
42. Tiffany Leal Austin, TX 5 05-06 159
Day 1: 2 01-13 Day 2: 3 03-09
43. Adler Odle Willow Springs, MO 4 05-05 158
Day 1: 3 03-04 Day 2: 1 02-01
44. Bryce Kelly Lakeland, FL 4 05-03 157
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 1 01-03
45. Byong Lee Stedman, NC 4 05-00 156
Day 1: 3 03-14 Day 2: 1 01-02
46. Austin Nelson Apopka, FL 3 04-09 155
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 03-00
47. Charles Bowman II Kernersville, NC 3 04-07 154
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
47. Wes Burchfiel Granite Falls, NC 3 04-07 154
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 04-07
49. Matt Champion Scottsville, NY 3 04-05 152
Day 1: 2 03-07 Day 2: 1 00-14
50. Tristian Dupuis Shreveport, LA 4 04-04 151
Day 1: 3 03-05 Day 2: 1 00-15
51. Will Major Port Allen, LA 3 04-00 150
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
52. Ricky Fulk Shenandoah, VA 2 03-13 149
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 01-14
53. Kyle Jenkins Summerville, SC 3 03-08 148
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 03-08
54. Albert Jones Jr Covington, GA 3 03-01 147
Day 1: 3 03-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
55. Mikki Sprenkle Linden, NC 2 02-09 146
Day 1: 2 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
56. Ronald Miller Attalla, AL 2 02-07 145
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 1 01-08
57. Steve Deyton Forest City, NC 2 02-06 144
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 1 01-01
58. Bobby Williams Salisbury, NC 2 01-10 143
Day 1: 1 00-12 Day 2: 1 00-14
59. Cody Koehler Acworth, GA 1 01-05 142
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
60. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 1 00-15 141
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 00-15
61. Donald Biggs Murphysboro, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Chris Earles Lady Lake, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Shawn Martin Weirsdale, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Ethan Puller Guthrie, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 42 149 209-12
2 36 134 191-00
----------------------------------
78 283 400-12
Both lakes are familiar destinations for kayak anglers, as both Kayak Bass Fishing and Hobie BOS have hosted important events there in the past. Multiple limits over 90 inches have been landed in fall and spring events, as well as several 100-inch daily totals and a 25.25-inch largemouth that was scored during a 2019 event.
To the west of Shreveport, Caddo Lake straddles the border of Louisiana and Texas and features a variety of cover for bass to hang around, including a multitude of cypress trees, lily pads, hyacinth, offshore grass and salvinia.
With a sizable slot limit for largemouth on the lake, many larger bass boat events stay away from Caddo, but with a catch-measure-release format, it is a perfect destination for kayak anglers.
A slightly smaller Lake Bistineau is east of Shreveport but offers plenty of big-bass opportunities as well. The lake is full of cypress trees, making it a shallow-water angler’s dream.
With the fall feed beginning in earnest, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits will likely come into play around shallow cover as well as flipping and pitching presentations.
Heading into the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau scored by TourneyX event, reigning Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Rus Snyders leads the AOY race once again with 730 points. He is followed by Casey Reed in second with 717 points, Massachusetts angler Derek Brundle in third with 707 points, Curtis Vance III in fourth with 703 points and Matthew Conant in fifth with 699 points. Ryan Nye is sixth with 696 points, Clint Pippen is seventh with 679 points, Jake Angulas is eighth with 678 points, BassmastHER ambassador Kristine Fischer is ninth with 676 points and John Tibbens is 10th with 670 points.
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
Davis anchored his bag with the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a unicorn 4-9 largemouth he caught with a Davis Baits Wood Jig and a Big Bite chunk.
While he’s known as more of a Coosa River stick, the two-time B.A.S.S. Nation Series champion knows plenty about Lake Martin and the importance of landing a kicker bite. He only landed eight bass all day, but they were the right ones.
“I just know from being around here that you aren’t going to win out there ’Scoping,” he said. “You have to have both the dock or brush deal and the ‘Scoping deal going to win. The lake is full of fish — a large population of small spotted bass. The largemouth population is about nonexistent.”
After the remnants of Hurricane Helene caused devastating damage to the upstate of South Carolina and the Lake Hartwell area, tournament officials made the decision to move the final Open of the year to Alabama.
Sunny skies have prevailed thus far, but a cold front pushed through just before the tournament, bringing cooler nights with it. Lake levels are also higher than normal, but the water is starting to fall, throwing another wrench into the equation. Water temperatures have started around 75 degrees and then warmed to 83 degrees, which has Davis thinking the bass aren’t quite to their fall patterns yet.
“The water is dropping a little bit right now, so some of the big ones pull up to eat bream while some of them fall back to hang out in front of the shade. It is really hard to pattern them right now,” Davis said. “My biggest one came out of 20 feet of water and my other big one came out of 2 feet of water. They are still in that pre-fall transition. With the water dropping, too, I think it has the bass a little confused.”
Starting the morning on a couple of shallow bars, Davis landed several keeper spotted bass before moving to the bank to fish docks. The first two hours of the morning have provided some of his better bites, but he has also noticed a bite window that occurs after noon.
“I went four hours today without a bite,” he said. “When the sun got high, it pushed the bass under the docks. There was a lot of wind on a lot of my stuff today and I couldn’t fish it like I wanted to.”
Davis added around 13 pounds has been the winning weight for most of the local tournaments lately. He anticipates Day 2 will be a tougher day, and running new water will be important.
“In a 100-boat field, 9½ pounds gets you paid most of the time here,” he said. “A big bag down here this time of year is 15 pounds. That is a giant bag. You have to run new water here. The big ones don’t replenish on this lake, and they never have.”
Hailing from Georgia, Brooks landed a limit measuring 12-8 to finish the day in second place. While Lake Lanier is his home fishery, another lake in his home state helped him break down Lake Martin.
“I have a lake house at Lake Nottely and it is identical to this place,” Brooks said. “I love it. I probably caught 20 bass today just fishing. I imagine it will be difficult for me to duplicate; I got two lucky bites. I should catch a lot of fish.”
Brooks filled out his limit within the first 30 minutes of the day and culled up by ounces throughout the day. Late in the day he landed his biggest bass, a 3-9 largemouth that bolstered his bag. Two primary presentations produced the majority of his bites.
“I have it focused in a little bit,” he said. “I’m not LiveScoping. I’ve been fishing really shallow.”
Entering the day in seventh in the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers race, and needing a good day to feel comfortable in the Top 9, Ebare landed 12-7 to land in third place.
“I’m thankful for the way it worked out,” he said. “I started out the morning trying to get a big bite, and I was fortunate to do that. It really settled me down and I changed my whole game plan (after that). I fished the rest of the day in a way I didn’t even practice for.”
Ebare took advantage of a morning bite and filled out his limit, which gave him the confidence to change his strategy and hunt for big bass. He has three baits that have caught bass.
“I really slowed down and picked some stuff apart. I expanded on what I thought was going on. I got more bites doing what I was doing than I anticipated,” he said. “There is definitely bait in the areas, and I used the wind to my advantage for sure.”
After Day 1, Minnesota’s Easton Fothergill leads the Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifiers race with 1,597 points while Cody Meyer is second with 1,592 points. Georgia’s Paul Marks is third with 1,513 points followed by Emil Wagner in fourth with 1,504 points and Andrew Loberg in fifth with 1,500 points. Ebare is sixth with 1,494 points, Tucker Smith is seventh with 1,492 points and Evan Kung is eighth with 1,456.
If the tournament ended today, Alabama’s Matt Adams would be the final angler to clinch an Elite Series invite with 1,454 points while Beau Browning would be the first man out with 1,443 points.
The full field of 121 anglers will launch from Wind Creek State Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. The co-angler champion will be crowned at the end of the Day 2 weigh-in while the Top 10 boaters will advance to Championship Saturday. Live coverage will air on FS2 Friday from 8 a.m. to noon ET and on FS1 Saturday from 8-11 a.m.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN (originally Lake Hartwell) 10/10-10/12
Lake Martin, Alexander City AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Will Davis Jr Childersburg, AL 5 13-00 200
Day 1: 5 13-00
2. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 5 12-08 199
Day 1: 5 12-08
3. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 5 12-07 198
Day 1: 5 12-07
4. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 5 11-13 197
Day 1: 5 11-13
5. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 11-11 196
Day 1: 5 11-11
6. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 5 11-07 195
Day 1: 5 11-07
7. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 5 11-06 194
Day 1: 5 11-06
8. Byron Kenney Jr Monticello, GA 5 11-05 193
Day 1: 5 11-05
9. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 11-00 192
Day 1: 5 11-00
10. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 10-15 191
Day 1: 5 10-15
11. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 10-10 190
Day 1: 5 10-10
12. Kyle Weisenburger Columbus Grv, OH 5 10-09 189
Day 1: 5 10-09
13. Brent Shores Boise, ID 5 10-06 188
Day 1: 5 10-06
14. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 5 10-05 187
Day 1: 5 10-05
15. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 10-03 186
Day 1: 5 10-03
15. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 10-03 186
Day 1: 5 10-03
17. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 10-01 184
Day 1: 5 10-01
17. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 5 10-01 184
Day 1: 5 10-01
17. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 10-01 184
Day 1: 5 10-01
20. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 10-00 181
Day 1: 5 10-00
21. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 5 09-14 180
Day 1: 5 09-14
21. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 5 09-14 180
Day 1: 5 09-14
21. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 09-14 180
Day 1: 5 09-14
24. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 09-14 177
Day 1: 5 09-14
25. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 09-12 176
Day 1: 5 09-12
26. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 09-11 175
Day 1: 5 09-11
26. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 09-11 175
Day 1: 5 09-11
28. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 5 09-10 173
Day 1: 5 09-10
28. Andrew Loberg Grant, AL 5 09-10 173
Day 1: 5 09-10
28. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 5 09-10 173
Day 1: 5 09-10
31. Jack York Emory, TX 5 09-08 170
Day 1: 5 09-08
32. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 5 09-07 169
Day 1: 5 09-07
32. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 5 09-07 169
Day 1: 5 09-07
34. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 09-06 167
Day 1: 5 09-06
35. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 09-05 166
Day 1: 5 09-05
36. Connor Jacob Auburn, AL 5 09-04 165
Day 1: 5 09-04
36. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 09-04 165
Day 1: 5 09-04
38. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 09-03 163
Day 1: 5 09-03
38. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 5 09-03 163
Day 1: 5 09-03
40. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 5 09-02 161
Day 1: 5 09-02
41. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 09-00 160
Day 1: 5 09-00
41. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 09-00 160
Day 1: 5 09-00
43. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 5 08-15 158
Day 1: 5 08-15
43. Masayuki Matsushita Porter TX JAPAN 5 08-15 158
Day 1: 5 08-15
45. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 08-14 156
Day 1: 5 08-14
46. Sean Clayton Seneca, SC 5 08-13 155
Day 1: 5 08-13
46. Parker Guy Ocilla, GA 5 08-13 155
Day 1: 5 08-13
48. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 08-12 153
Day 1: 5 08-12
48. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 5 08-12 153
Day 1: 5 08-12
48. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 5 08-12 153
Day 1: 5 08-12
48. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 08-12 153
Day 1: 5 08-12
52. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 5 08-11 149
Day 1: 5 08-11
53. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 08-10 148
Day 1: 5 08-10
54. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 5 08-09 147
Day 1: 5 08-09
55. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 5 08-08 146
Day 1: 5 08-08
56. Colden Baker Ridgeway, SC 5 08-07 145
Day 1: 5 08-07
56. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 5 08-07 145
Day 1: 5 08-07
56. Dylan Quilatan Windermere, FL 5 08-07 145
Day 1: 5 08-07
59. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 5 08-06 142
Day 1: 5 08-06
59. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 08-06 142
Day 1: 5 08-06
61. Elijah Benson Dahlonega, GA 5 08-05 140
Day 1: 5 08-05
61. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 08-05 140
Day 1: 5 08-05
61. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 08-05 140
Day 1: 5 08-05
61. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 08-05 140
Day 1: 5 08-05
65. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 5 08-04 136
Day 1: 5 08-04
65. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 08-04 136
Day 1: 5 08-04
67. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 5 08-03 134
Day 1: 5 08-03
67. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 08-03 134
Day 1: 5 08-03
69. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 5 08-00 132
Day 1: 5 08-00
69. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 5 08-00 132
Day 1: 5 08-00
71. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 5 07-15 130
Day 1: 5 07-15
71. Garrett Warren Scottsboro, AL 5 07-15 130
Day 1: 5 07-15
73. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 07-12 128
Day 1: 5 07-12
74. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 5 07-12 127
Day 1: 5 07-12
75. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 07-11 126
Day 1: 5 07-11
76. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 07-10 125
Day 1: 5 07-10
77. Kevin Dritschler Prosper, TX 5 07-08 124
Day 1: 5 07-08
77. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 5 07-08 124
Day 1: 5 07-08
77. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 5 07-08 124
Day 1: 5 07-08
80. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 5 07-07 121
Day 1: 5 07-07
81. Woo Daves Spring Grove, VA 5 07-05 120
Day 1: 5 07-05
81. Jake Maddux Roswell, GA 5 07-05 120
Day 1: 5 07-05
83. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 07-04 118
Day 1: 5 07-04
83. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 07-04 118
Day 1: 5 07-04
85. Chris Whitson Louisville, TN 5 07-03 116
Day 1: 5 07-03
86. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 5 07-02 115
Day 1: 5 07-02
86. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 5 07-02 115
Day 1: 5 07-02
88. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 07-01 113
Day 1: 5 07-01
89. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 5 06-15 112
Day 1: 5 06-15
90. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 5 06-15 111
Day 1: 5 06-15
91. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 5 06-12 110
Day 1: 5 06-12
91. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 5 06-12 110
Day 1: 5 06-12
93. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 5 06-11 108
Day 1: 5 06-11
94. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 06-10 107
Day 1: 5 06-10
94. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 5 06-10 107
Day 1: 5 06-10
94. Garrett Rocamora Lake wales, FL 5 06-10 107
Day 1: 5 06-10
97. Brian Post Janesville, WI 5 06-09 104
Day 1: 5 06-09
98. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 06-08 103
Day 1: 5 06-08
99. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 5 06-07 102
Day 1: 5 06-07
100. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 5 06-05 101
Day 1: 5 06-05
101. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 5 06-03 100
Day 1: 5 06-03
101. Al Trapp Inverness, FL 5 06-03 100
Day 1: 5 06-03
103. Allen Armour Cumming, GA 5 06-02 98
Day 1: 5 06-02
103. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 5 06-02 98
Day 1: 5 06-02
105. Clint Leonard Jr Saint Cloud, FL 5 05-15 96
Day 1: 5 05-15
105. Chris Lighthizer Zanesville, OH 5 05-15 96
Day 1: 5 05-15
105. Matt Molitor Canton, IL 5 05-15 96
Day 1: 5 05-15
108. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 5 05-12 93
Day 1: 5 05-12
108. Lance Owen Greer, SC 5 05-12 93
Day 1: 5 05-12
110. Sho Egawa Osaka JAPAN 5 05-10 91
Day 1: 5 05-10
111. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 4 05-02 90
Day 1: 4 05-02
112. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 4 04-11 89
Day 1: 4 04-11
113. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 3 04-07 88
Day 1: 3 04-07
114. Bird Jones Loxahatchee, FL 4 04-01 87
Day 1: 4 04-01
115. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 3 03-15 86
Day 1: 3 03-15
116. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 4 03-09 85
Day 1: 4 03-09
117. Mark Guhne Hixson, TN 3 03-08 84
Day 1: 3 03-08
118. Harry Moore Valley, AL 2 03-00 83
Day 1: 2 03-00
119. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 1 00-15 82
Day 1: 1 00-15
120. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
120. Chuck Pippin Jr Gotha, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 110 578 973-04
----------------------------------
110 578 973-04
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN (originally Lake Hartwell) 10/10-10/12
Lake Martin, Alexander City AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 3 05-10 200
Day 1: 3 05-10
2. Jason Law Tifton, GA 3 05-09 199
Day 1: 3 05-09
3. Macoy Fisher Clewiston, FL 3 05-07 198
Day 1: 3 05-07
4. Satoshi Yaguchi Ibaraki Gun JAPAN 3 05-06 197
Day 1: 3 05-06
5. Riku Hayashi Ritto Shiga JAPAN 3 05-04 196
Day 1: 3 05-04
6. Tadd Davis Colon, MI 3 05-03 195
Day 1: 3 05-03
7. Gordon Smith Clover, SC 3 05-02 194
Day 1: 3 05-02
8. David Waack Cary, NC 3 05-01 193
Day 1: 3 05-01
9. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 3 05-00 192
Day 1: 3 05-00
10. Andrew Fuller Marietta, GA 3 04-15 191
Day 1: 3 04-15
10. Richard Greene Ocala, FL 3 04-15 191
Day 1: 3 04-15
12. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 3 04-14 189
Day 1: 3 04-14
12. Keith Gunsauls Dandridge, TN 3 04-14 189
Day 1: 3 04-14
14. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 3 04-12 187
Day 1: 3 04-12
15. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 3 04-11 186
Day 1: 3 04-11
16. Thomas Abraham Winchester, TN 3 04-10 185
Day 1: 3 04-10
17. Jason George Farragut, TN 3 04-09 184
Day 1: 3 04-09
18. Lee Stewart Raeford, NC 3 04-08 183
Day 1: 3 04-08
19. Charles Bowman II Kernersville, NC 3 04-07 182
Day 1: 3 04-07
19. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 3 04-07 182
Day 1: 3 04-07
19. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 3 04-07 182
Day 1: 3 04-07
22. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 3 04-06 179
Day 1: 3 04-06
23. Daniel Vasquez Boynton Beach, FL 3 04-05 178
Day 1: 3 04-05
24. John Sanderlin IV Chesapeake, VA 3 04-04 177
Day 1: 3 04-04
25. Eddie Kidd Fort Moore, GA 3 04-02 176
Day 1: 3 04-02
26. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 3 04-01 175
Day 1: 3 04-01
27. Bryce Kelly Lakeland, FL 3 04-00 174
Day 1: 3 04-00
27. Will Major Port Allen, LA 3 04-00 174
Day 1: 3 04-00
29. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 3 03-15 172
Day 1: 3 03-15
30. Byong Lee Stedman, NC 3 03-14 171
Day 1: 3 03-14
31. Alex Watts Salem, VA 3 03-13 170
Day 1: 3 03-13
32. Stephen Mickle Pell City, AL 3 03-12 169
Day 1: 3 03-12
33. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 3 03-10 168
Day 1: 3 03-10
34. Troy Mims Suwanee, GA 3 03-09 167
Day 1: 3 03-09
35. Andrus Kung Pickering CANADA 3 03-08 166
Day 1: 3 03-08
35. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 3 03-08 166
Day 1: 3 03-08
37. Matt Champion Scottsville, NY 2 03-07 164
Day 1: 2 03-07
38. Tristian Dupuis Shreveport, LA 3 03-05 163
Day 1: 3 03-05
38. Sawyer Hunt Springfield, GA 3 03-05 163
Day 1: 3 03-05
40. Adler Odle Willow Springs, MO 3 03-04 161
Day 1: 3 03-04
41. Albert Jones Jr Covington, GA 3 03-01 160
Day 1: 3 03-01
42. Brandon Clayton Haslet , TX 3 03-00 159
Day 1: 3 03-00
43. Jimmy Obrien Southampton, NY 2 03-00 158
Day 1: 2 03-00
44. Don Harvey Franklin, TN 3 02-14 157
Day 1: 3 02-14
45. Mikki Sprenkle Linden, NC 2 02-09 156
Day 1: 2 02-09
46. Brandon Parson Erwin, NC 2 02-08 155
Day 1: 2 02-08
47. Andy Simm Piney Flats, TN 2 02-07 154
Day 1: 2 02-07
48. William Baker Ridgeway, SC 2 02-02 153
Day 1: 2 02-02
49. Ricky Fulk Shenandoah, VA 1 01-15 152
Day 1: 1 01-15
50. Tiffany Leal Austin, TX 2 01-13 151
Day 1: 2 01-13
51. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 2 01-12 150
Day 1: 2 01-12
52. Austin Nelson Apopka, FL 1 01-09 149
Day 1: 1 01-09
53. Steve Deyton Forest City, NC 1 01-05 148
Day 1: 1 01-05
53. Cody Koehler Acworth, GA 1 01-05 148
Day 1: 1 01-05
55. Kristian Johnson Belvidere, NJ 1 01-02 146
Day 1: 1 01-02
56. Ronald Miller Attalla, AL 1 00-15 145
Day 1: 1 00-15
57. Bobby Williams Salisbury, NC 1 00-12 144
Day 1: 1 00-12
58. Donald Biggs Murphysboro, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
58. Wes Burchfiel Granite Falls, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
58. Chris Earles Lady Lake, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
58. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
58. Kyle Jenkins Summerville, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
58. Shawn Martin Weirsdale, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
58. Ethan Puller Guthrie, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 42 149 209-12
----------------------------------
42 149 209-12
Fall Fishing can bring some of the best fishing of the entire season, but with that great fishing comes the need to stay comfortable in cold and wet fall weather. No matter what your choice of species or tackle is, having warm hands is the key to a successful day. While big, bulky waterproof gloves can keep your hands warm, they often make it challenging to operate baitcast or spinning tackle. On the other hand, thin gloves offer dexterity but fail to keep your hands warm and dry. AFTCO has solved that challenge with the new Breakwater gloves, and they will make your fall fishing drier and warmer. The Breakwater waterproof fishing gloves are made with a 100% waterproof membrane to keep water out and comfort locked in. They are soft to the touch on the outside and very comfortable from a 4-way stretch fabric construction. This gives your hands the ability to move and easily operate spinning or baitcast reels. These gloves allow you to feather your baitcast reel to make any cast or finesse spin the lightest line on a spinning reel. The palms and insides of the fingers have a tacky finish that provides extraordinary grip on any surface in the wettest of conditions. While soft and flexible on the outside, the construction inside the Breakwater glove features a 100% waterproof membrane to ensure your hands stay dry, no matter how much it rains or storms.
Effective use of electronics when fishing or boating has never been more important, and the Breakwater gloves optimize your efficiency with your electronics in bad weather with touch screen compatible fingertips on the thumbs and index fingers of each glove.
No more having to take your gloves off to make an electronics adjustment or send a text on your phone. The Breakwater gloves have arrived just in time for fall and winter fishing and are available in three sizes: medium, large, and x-large.
AFTCO angler Mark Zona tested these gloves last fall and winter and was impressed by the performance he found with the Breakwater gloves in cold and wet weather. “If my hands get cold in harsh conditions, I’m done. After testing the Breakwater gloves, being cold or wet is zero concern. Two words—warm and dry!!!”, said Mark Zona.
Family-owned and operated, the American Fishing Tackle Company (AFTCO) represents unparalleled quality, performance, and reliability when it matters most. Worn across the globe, AFTCO's performance fishing clothing and fishing rain gear is designed to handle the harshest elements. Whether you're a tournament bass angler looking to stay dry in a late fall downpour, or an offshore weekend warrior seeking protection from the sun's harmful UV rays, AFTCO keeps you fishing comfortably.
AFTCO reflects a legacy of firsts. From former company Chairman Milt Shedd's pioneering conservation achievements, to the invention of the roller guide and the introduction of the world's first pair of true fishing shorts, AFTCO provides conservation leadership and innovative products proven to deliver performance on the water. Our passion for the outdoors goes beyond our product offering because of an unwavering commitment to help protect our fishing resources and angler rights. Through our 10% Pledge to Protect and Conserve, your purchase of any AFTCO product directly supports conservation initiatives.
SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 10, 2024) – In just a few short days, the Association of Collegiate Anglers will contest another event during its historic 20th season. The second stop of the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series is the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. The no-entry-fee, nationally televised, double points tournament will be contested at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR on October 12-13, 2024. More than 250 teams comprised of the top collegiate anglers in the nation are set to be on-hand. The full field will compete for two days in hopes of claiming their share of the over $20,000 in prizes and contingencies on the line, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Official practice begins on Thursday, with the final day of official practice and mandatory tournament meeting happening on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be official competition days, with weigh-in and takeoff happening at Lake Dardanelle State Park. Live weigh-in will be streamed each afternoon on the ACA website. Official weigh-in will begin at 3:00 PM on Day 1 and 1:00 PM on Day 2. The ACA website and social media pages will also provide detailed coverage, including a live blog, event insight, important links, and more.
Lake and weather conditions have been stable leading up to the event, which should allow anglers to easily pattern these Lake Dardanelle bass. Like any typical fall morning pattern, topwaters will be a great option early. As the day progresses, shad pattern moving baits and soft plastics will be good options. Each of these styles and presentations will work well around any of the cover that can be found out on Lake Dardanelle. Read a complete lake preview at this link.
The latest episode of the Rapala #WeAreCollegiate Bass Podcast featured Arkansas Tech University angler Mat Higby. Mat, along with his fellow teammate, won this event in 2022. Tune in to this episode as we preview the event and talk about current lake conditions.
The total payout for the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open exceeds $20,000 in prizes and contingencies. The no-entry-fee AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will pay out the Top 20 places in the final standings, several exact places, and a Power-Pole to the Overall Big Bass. This prestigious prize payout is comprised of product and gift cards from companies including Bass Pro Shops, AFTCO, Garmin, Power-Pole, Rapala, Turtlebox, Trailer Valet, and Bajío Sunglasses. Click here to view the complete prize list.
The Top 10 finishing angler pairings at the 2024 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open automatically qualify to compete in the 2025 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. These qualified angler pairing entries must compete at Lake Hartwell next May as the same angler pairing that competed at the 2024 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open.
The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will be the second ACA double points event to count towards the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. First place will receive 1,750 points, and schools will be eligible to earn points for their two highest-finishing teams inside of the Top 150 of the final tournament standings.
21 of the Top 25 teams are registered to compete at Lake Dardanelle this upcoming weekend. For teams that have two high finishes, there is potential for them to earn well over 3,000 points. 1st place Carson-Newman University leads 2nd ranked Bethel University by just less than 500 points, and 3rd through 8th are separated by less than 1,000 points, and sixth through 25th are only 3,000 points apart. Given that the standings are stacked so tightly now, there will be an opportunity for teams to make major moves in the rankings.
Live coverage for the event will begin with the Live Blog on the final day of official practice on Friday. The live blog will also be active during both days of tournament competition. As mentioned above, live weigh-in will be streamed on the ACA website both afternoons. Also, follow along with ACA social media channels for additional coverage and content.
Ever Green’s new Last Ace 140 Swim sets new highwater mark in the swimbait category.
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (October 4, 2024) – Fish aren’t getting any dumber. We can only imagine how fish must’ve hammered the first spoons and crude hardbaits that were developed in the late 1800’s. Since, manufacturers, along with their sophisticated prototyping and production technologies, have efforted to stay in front of getting, shall we say, busted by the fish.
Swimbaits are one of the more recent bait-styles trying to keep ahead of the fish universe’s learning curve. Characteristics include baitfish silhouettes; mix of authentic and agitating patterns; and a seductively nonchalant motion that makes fish think, “you gotta be kidding me.”
Fact is, though, fish – bass in particular – have been seeing this same old movie for over a decade. Subsequently, to win back their attention, even a swimbait design demands improved authenticity. And that’s precisely what Ever Green has done with their new Last Ace 140 Swim.
At 5.5-inches, the Last Ace 140 Swim falls just within the ‘big swimbait’ category. And it’s a warranted designation, too, as the realistic swimbait caters to bass of all pedigrees. (Although everyone knows swimbaits are especially deadly on monster fish.)
“The larger profile of the Last Ace 140 Swim provides that special caloric motivation for a big bass to attempt its next meal,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, with a hint of darkness in his voice.
Several features make Ever Green’s Lace Ace 140 Swim a standout amongst swimbaits, but it’s line-through design leads the list. It sports an internal harness in the head to guide an angler’s leader easily through the bait and onto the provided Ever Green custom black nickel plated treble hook, which was specifically chosen to maximize the natural presentation, while providing the best possible hook-up ratio. The line through design removes any leverage the fish might have against a traditional fixed hook, which can be shaken loose during battle.
The Last Ace 140 Swim performs best as a “chuck and wind” slow-rolling bait in the upper- and mid- water column. Nail weights can be added behind the internal harness for bottom rolling, too.
The Last Ace 140 Swim’s saltless formula produces a durable lure that’s supple enough to create lifelike action on a slow roll or fast retrieve. Diverse and detailed colorways enhance the lures attractiveness, while its pronounced 3D eyes provide realism and an easily identifiable target for bass. Its enhanced cosmetics are finished with accurate and textured fins.
For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us
Scottsboro, AL (October 9, 2024) – Unified Pros announced today the third addition to its Athlete Advisory Board, retired PGA Tour Professional, Brett Wetterich. The advisory board will consist of a representative from the NFL, MLB, NBA, PGA and the professional fishing world. Retired NFL defensive tackle, Bill Maas and retired MLB pitcher, Josh Beckett have previously been announced as board members.
Brett Wetterich played on The PGA Tour from 2000-2010 and led the Masters Tournament at the halfway point in 2007. Wetterich draws the connection between the sports of golf and fishing saying “It’s not hard to understand why so many pro golfers also love to fish. The pace, strategy and individual nature of both sports are very similar. Unified Pros will undoubtedly draw many professional golfers looking for a fun and productive way to spend their time off the course.”
Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Unified Pros envisions an inclusive world where athletes collaborate and compete in the outdoor arena to create transformative experiences that make a lasting impact on individuals, communities, professional athletes, and the sport of bass fishing.
Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats. These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.
By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.
Rhea County to Host 200 Boaters and Co-anglers from Four BFL Divisions Competing for Spot in 2025 BFL All-American, Top Prize of $60,000
SPRING CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 8, 2024) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Choo Choo, Music City, Piedmont and Volunteer divisions will wrap up their 2024 season in Spring City, Tennessee, next week, Oct. 17-19, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Watts Bar Lake Presented by recteq . The tournament was previously slated for Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia, but was shifted to Watts Bar Lake due to recent storm damage.
Hosted by the Rhea County Department of Tourism – Fish Spring City, the three-day regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.
The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.
“Watts Bar Lake has been a little slow the last couple years, but it’s been fishing really good throughout the spring, summer and fall this year,” said Strader. “The fish have been fat and healthy, so the fishery is looking really good.”
While recent weather conditions due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton have adversely affected several MLF tournaments over the past week or so, forcing cancellations and venue changes for multiple events, Strader said Watts Bar Lake is just beginning to see the effects of Mother Nature’s latest wrath.
“The runoff from the rains in North Carolina and upper East Tennessee have finally gotten to us, so anglers can expect to see a lot of muddy water,” said Strader. “The lake just turned to solid mud, except for off the main channel. That main channel will still be muddy, but fishable. I expect to see a lot of grass fishing and a lot of guys throwing a frog, as well as spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits and buzzbaits throughout the event.
“They’re running a lot of water out of the dam and have been for a while,” Strader continued. “With another hurricane on the approach, I’m sure they will continue letting water out for a while, which will impact the fishery and the way fish are setting up.”
Strader said he believes it will take at least 28 pounds for anglers to advance to the final day but expects a 16-pound average per day to take home the win.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each morning from the Spring City Boat Ramp, located at 417 Toestring Valley Road, in Spring City. Weigh-ins will also be held at the ramp and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and 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, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2025 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
The three-day event, hosted by the City of Texarkana, Texas, will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, fishing for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.
The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 42nd annual BFL All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.
“Wright Patman is a pretty good-sized lake, but it fishes relatively small when the water is at normal pool, which is where it’s at now,” said pro Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, who has 34 career top-10 finishes in MLF competition. “Generally, the lake is well known for water levels being high all the time – like 10, 15, 20-foot high, all the time. But they built a new bridge last year, and they’ve been working on a few things here and there and the water has been at normal pool for the last year, which is kind of unusual.
“There are basically two different fishing styles available,” Tutt continued. “You’ve got the lower lake, and then the upper lake which is the Sulfur River and the Sulfur River flats up there where it comes into the lake. There are a lot of great areas to target, but it can be very difficult place to navigate. There are a lot of hidden stumps and timber – I hit something the other day on the main lake in 18 foot of water and knocked my skeg off. So, everyone is going to need to be very cautious while boating. But it’s going to be a really fun tournament.”
Tutt said that he expects typical fall patterns to be in play for competitors.
“I’m definitely going to have a buzzbait tied on,” Tutt said. “I’ll also have a small, shallow-diving squarebill crankbait, something to flip – maybe a (Zoom) Baby Brush Hog – and a spinnerbait. I like to keep it simple, but I think all of those baits will be players in this one.
“We’ve got a cool spell coming – we’re getting down into the 50s this week, which should turn on the fishing some more. I think if a guy can catch in the high 13 or 14 for two days, he’ll do pretty good and will probably make the top 12 to fish the final day. But I definitely think it could take up to 20 pounds a day to win this one.”
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT each morning from the Sportsman’s Cove boat ramp, located at 850 Sportsman’s Cove Road in Texarkana. Weigh-ins will also be held at the boat ramp and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Watching his buddy Steve Summer of Rock Outdoors in Lexington, North Carolina, catch a limit of Buggs Island bass on a golden-shiner-colored spinnerbait “they weren’t supposed to bite” might have been the confirmational moment in Vexus® Pro Brandon Card’s life to tell him sometimes it’s wise to step outside of your ordinary comfort zone.
Card and his wife, Kelly, left his native Northeast Tennessee, near Norris Lake, and moved five hours east to High Rock Lake, much closer to her family. Ironically, their home is within a few long casts on High Rock’s Second Creek, where Bryan Kerchal won the 1994 Bassmaster Classic.
“I actually got to meet Bryan’s parents at a B.A.S.S. Nation Championship I went to as a fan in Knoxville. I’ll always be a Bryan Kerchal fan, so living near the boat docks where he won the Classic on a red shad worm is pretty special to me,” says Card, a seven-time Classic qualifier.
Also, near and dear to the 38-year-old veteran pro’s heart is the way all the folks at Rock Outdoors have treated him like family and made him and Kelly feel at home.
“I can’t express how grateful I am for the fact that everyone at Rock Outdoors treated a guy from Tennessee as though I’d lived here forever. From the owner, Steve, to Jerry Davis to Austin in their service department, they all have been a huge blessing. They even helped carry boxes into our new home when we moved,” smiles Card.
He had a very similar feeling a couple of years ago after a visit to Flippin, Arkansas, as he studied which brand of boat he wanted to compete from going forward.
“When I visited the Vexus factory in Flippin for the very first time, Keith Daffron and all the great people who build their boats treated me like I’d been there forever. When you combine that feeling with the smoothest riding bass boat on the planet, it’s hard not to be extremely grateful to be running a Vexus, especially when competing in big waves at places like Champlain, Lake Ontario, and Toledo Bend,” says Card.
To learn more about the high-performance Vexus seats with integrated AirWave® suspension systems and all the other premium features of Brandon’s VX21, please visit vexusboats.com.
Right now, you may be turning your attention away from summer pursuits as the days get shorter. In all likelihood, though, you have it better than the good people of Alaska. The darkness far outweighs the light for them during the coming cold winter months. If they didn’t have seasonal affective disorder before they moved there, they probably have it now.
Despite that tale of woe, you should be thinking about next year's trip to Alaska now. If you haven’t already been, I cannot stress enough that a trip to the 49th State is America’s version of going on safari within our own borders. It’s a tremendous opportunity and experience for outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen, people who love nature, and travelers who want to be awed every day. Critically, for most of us the travel season there is short – essentially June through August – and that makes it imperative to plan your trip as early as possible. There are several factors at play:
The first is TIMING. If you want to catch a particular type of salmon, or to be able to keep a certain species of saltwater fish, you’re at the mercy of the regs and the runs. If they’re not there, you can’t catch them, and if they’re not legal you can’t keep them. If you need specific date ranges, act sooner rather than later.
The second factor is PRICING. Everything is expensive up there, from hotels to bottled water to beer to gas. As you get closer to your scheduled dates, things may go up, they may go down, but by having essentials (e.g., rental car, hotels) on the books (and cancellable) you avoid shell shock at a later type.
Third, there’s SCARCITY. Not just at the lodges and among the guides – although the best and most popular among them also seem to get booked up earlier and earlier every year – but also among those commodities listed above. Since the pandemic, there have been a limited number of rental cars up there. At a certain point, you may not be able to get one at any price. Lock that sucker in before you get left in the dust, because if you arrive there and can’t find one you’re out of luck.
From a practical standpoint, it also makes sense to get moving now. You’ll want to block out the time to get there, get back, and get around to different places during your stay. It’s a big place, and while intrastate travel is not difficult, it may be time-consuming. Extend the visit as long as possible. You’ll be glad that you did.
Additionally, if (like us) you’re not an experienced fly angler and you intend to try it, it might make sense to practice your casting or take a lesson before you go. It’ll mean less wasted time on the water.
From a practical perspective, whether you’re doing a complete DIY road camping adventure or the highest end bespoke lodge experience possible, you’ll want to have the proper amount of money allocated so that you don’t feel you had to sacrifice in any way. This gives you the lead time to make sure that everything is covered.
While several different airlines serve Anchorage and Juneau, and we’ve used at least four, Alaska Airlines seems to have a lot of great deals, including BOGO options. Sign up for their email newsletter and get ready to pounce once you have dates in mind. Even if they’re not your preferred carrier, start monitoring the airline that serves your needs best and be sure to have your frequent flier accounts humming.
Finally, if you have flexibility, consider going on the edges of the “traditional” season. Some of the saltwater charters offer discounts in May, and on the Naknek River many of the biggest (30”+) rainbows come after Labor Day. Everything else will likely be less expensive and less congested, too.
If you’d like to book a trip to Bear Trail Lodge or a saltwater charter, or you’d like other advice about an Alaska visit, feel free to email us at [email protected] any time. We can’t wait to go back – we’re already planning our next couple of trips.
The full field of boaters and Strike King co-anglers will now compete on both Friday and Saturday, with Thursday designated as an off-limits day. The winners will be determined by heaviest two-day cumulative weight.
WHEN:
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 11-12
Takeoff: 7:30 a.m. ET
Weigh-in: 3:30 p.m. ET
WHERE:
John C. Land III Landing, 4404 Greenall Road, Summerton, S.C.
NOTES:
Hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, the regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from the 2024 BFL Bama, Bulldog, Gator and North Carolina divisions, competing for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest two-day catch.
The top six finishers will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix BFL All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 2025 BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
HENDERSON, N.C. (Oct. 7, 2024) – Boater Jake Monti of Mooresville, North Carolina, caught a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 38 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Kerr Lake . The tournament, which was hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority, concluded Saturday. For his win, Monti earned a prize package valued at $63,429, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard, $10,000, and the lucrative $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus.
The Kerr Lake event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 2. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Buckeye, Northeast, Shenandoah and South Carolina divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers in the Regional have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.
It was an up-and-down … then-back-up-again tournament for Monti. He opened with a 21-pound limit that was easily the biggest stringer of the event. But on day two, Monti slipped, weighing just four bass for 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Though Monti was able to hang onto his lead on day two, Ohio’s Chris Martinkovic cut the distance, getting within 2 pounds of the leader.
On day three, Monti scrapped everything he’d been fishing to that point and was able to pull together 11 pounds, 7 ounces to close out a wire-to-wire win by a margin of 1 pound, 7 ounces over fellow North Carolinian Logan Anderson. Reflecting on the experience, the 21-year-old Abu Garcia MLF College Fishing competitor and local business owner admitted it was his own stubbornness that caused such a stressful swing on day two.
“In practice, I’d found a couple areas that had fish that were wolf-packing shallow,” Monti said. “Day one of the tournament, I went back there in those same areas, and they were there big time. I had 21 pounds in about an hour all within about a hundred-yard section.”
Monti caught those fish flipping a 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle jig. Assuming the fish would stay in the area, Monti left early, thinking he was preserving his best spot for day two.
“Day two, I go back, and I re-fished that area and didn’t have a single bite,” he said. “I caught one bass off a willow tree at like 10 o’clock. At 12, I was still sitting on one bass, and that’s when I went back into Nutbush (Creek) and just started flipping a little area that at the end of day one I found a couple bites in. I ended up putting three more in the boat.”
After weighing just the four keepers on day two, Monti decided he needed to make an adjustment. He swapped rods, tackle, areas and tactics.
“I ended up going out deep (Saturday), fishing schooling fish. I threw a bait in 30 feet with LiveScope, using a Queen Tackle Rollin head. And I caught a really big spot early that got me up to a little over 11 pounds. I stuck with that throughout the day and got what I needed.
“I wish I would’ve adjusted sooner and I wouldn’t have made it so stressful. I was just stubborn,” added Monti, who qualified from the South Carolina Division. “I thought there were fish in that area because I laid off them on day one. I caught what I caught and got out of there early and thought there’d be some left, but that was not the case.”
With a tough lesson behind him, Monti is now looking ahead to the 2025 All-American, grassroots bass fishing’s biggest event.
“It’s awesome,” he said of his shot at the All-American. “I don’t really have any words for it yet. It honestly hasn’t set in. I’m so tired from fishing so hard the last couple days, and my nerves are shot from yesterday. I’m ready to be there.”
The top six boaters who qualified to fish the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American are:
The top four boaters from each division that earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event were:
Buckeye: Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, 7th Place, $1,000
Northeast: Jason Shipton, Muncy, Pa., 8th Place, $1,000
Shenandoah: Billy Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., 3rd Place, $1,000
South Carolina: Logan Anderson., 2nd Place $1,000
Monti caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Ryan Sykes of Fairfield, Ohio, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday, after bringing a three-day total of 10 bass to the scale that weighed 22 pounds, 7 ounces. His $50,400 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The top six Strike King co-anglers who now qualify for the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American are:
Rounding out the top 12 Strike King co-anglers are:
7th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., nine bass, 19-8, $795
8th: Mekye Barnes, Knightdale, N.C., eight bass, 17-6, $696
9th: Jeff Bender, Glenshaw, Pa., eight bass, 16-15, $596
10th: Kevin Walton, Norfolk, Va., seven bass, 16-8, $547
11th: Tony Toombs, Drakes Branch, Va., six bass, 16-6, $497
12th: Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., six bass, 14-4, $497
The top four Strike King co-anglers from each division that earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event were:
Buckeye: Scott Standafer, Felecity, Ohio, 6th Place, $500
Northeast: Michael Bell, Ogdensburg, N.Y., 17th Place, $500
Shenandoah: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., 3rd Place, $500
South Carolina: Riley Smallwood, Shallotte, N.C., 2nd Place $500
Richard Williams of Sutherland, Virginia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the tournament.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Missouri’s Montgomery Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
COUNCE, Tenn. (Oct. 7, 2024) – Boater Matteo Turano of Puryear, Tennessee, caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 78 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Pickwick Lake . The tournament, which was hosted by the Hardin County Convention & Visitors Bureau, concluded Saturday. For his win, Turano earned a prize package valued at $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000.
The Pickwick Lake event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 1. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 LBL, Mountain, Ozark and Savannah River divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers from the Regional now qualify for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.
For the anglers at the top of the standings, it was a slugfest on Pickwick. The water was rising and the current was heavy, and the Regional anglers who figured out the bite went to work. Two anglers averaged more than 25 pounds per day, four caught more than 70 in three days and 11 cracked the 50-pound mark.
“It was insane,” said Turano, who earned his first career victory. “I was not expecting that. I knew the weights were going to be big, but that was a lot. I had no idea I could do that for three days.”
Turano caught his fish primarily with a Buckeye Lures G-Stroll Jighead and a minnow-style soft plastic. While his winning strategy revolved around Garmin LiveScope, he wasn’t looking at every fish. Turano used the technology to spot any kind of cover or structure that was deflecting the heavy current flowing down the Tennessee River. He fished in less than 10 feet in the mornings then 12 to 14 feet in the middle of the day.
“I wouldn’t even see the fish all the time,” Turano said. “Sometimes the fish were behind a rock or a big piece of concrete or something, just lying on the bottom. So I was just casting to structure. They would come up and eat it. A big part of landing these big fish was using my 7-7 Phenix Feather series rod.”
Turano got off to a hot start on Thursday. His first fish was a 5-pound smallmouth that bit on a current seam. He went on to land 20 pounds by about 9 a.m. and eventually culled out his last 4-pounder with plenty of time to spare. Final tally: 26 pounds, 10 ounces.
On Friday, Turano went back to the current seam where he began on day one. The flow had changed, and so had the fishing.
“By 11 o’clock, I still didn’t have a keeper in the boat. Didn’t even have a bite yet,” he said.
Turano kept grinding, putting his minnow in front of fish until he finally got a bite. Then another and another. Then his luck totally changed.
“I switched to a tree and caught a 6-6 and another over 5,” he said. “I think by 11:30 I was sitting on like 25 pounds. I went from zero to 25 in like 30 minutes. I don’t know what changed, but they just started biting.”
By the time the action was done, Turano had the tournament’s biggest limit – 27 pounds, 12 ounces. On day three, everything went right once again.
“I think I had a limit by 8:30, but it was kind of a smaller limit,” Turano said. “All of my fish I’ve been catching this week, the average was like 4 or 5 pounds. I knew today (Saturday), when I was catching some smaller fish, I had probably fished my areas too much.”
He adjusted by running new water, including a spot he’d found in practice but was yet to ever fish. There, he caught a 5-pound smallmouth to cull out a 2-pounder. Soon after, he caught a 5 1/2-pound fish. And that was it.
The 22-year-old employee of A.C.S. Marine – a Phoenix Boats dealer in Paris, Tennessee – earned his way to a BFL Regional win and a shot at the All-American.
“I’m so excited for that,” he said. “It’s gonna be my first All-American. I can’t wait to go down there and fish.”
The top six boaters that qualified for the 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:
Matt O’Connell of Brooks, Georgia, caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Gabe Montgomery of Jackson, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division on Saturday. His $50,000 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The top six Strike King co-anglers that now advance to the 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American are:
1st: Gabe Montgomery, Jackson, Mo., nine bass, 27-14, $50,000
2nd: Wes Proctor, Manhattan, Kan., seven bass, 18-14, $5,500
3rd: Barrett Washburn, Dexter, Ky., six bass, 18-5, $3,000
4th: Chris Medlin, Dumas, Miss., seven bass, 17-15, $1,500
5th: Noah Gurkin, Pelzer, S.C., five bass, 17-11, $2,000
6th: Levi Allgeier, Bardstown, Ky., six bass, 16-6, $1,400
Rounding out the top 12 Strike King co-anglers are:
7th: Barry Gunter, Trafalger, Ind., five bass, 16-3, $800
8th: Dennis Taylor, Murray, Ky., five bass, 14-14, $700
9th: Jerry North II, Tree Way, Tenn., five bass, 14-5, $600
10th: Dan Marin, Appling, Ga., six bass, 14-4, $550
11th: Javon Booker, Beaver Dam, Ky., five bass, 12-15, $500
12th: Dustin Miller, Sparland, Ill., four bass, 10-4, $500
The top four Strike King Co-anglers from each division that earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event were:
Noah Gurkin of Pelzer, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the tournament.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — Approximately 200 anglers had their sights set on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell for the final St. Croix Bassmaster Open presented by SEVIIN tournament of 2024.
Unfortunately for those in the Anderson, S.C., area, and so many others throughout the eastern United States, Hurricane Helene paid a visit, as well.
The massive Category 4 storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area but ravaged states as far north as West Virginia as it made its destructive romp up the East Coast. In the end, dozens of lives were lost and untold billions in damages were incurred.
And though it was on the edge of Helene, Green Pond Landing at Lake Hartwell (where takeoff and weigh-ins for the final Open tournament of 2024 were to be held) wasn’t without damage. Given the circumstances, as well as the difficulty with finding key resources such as fuel and electricity throughout the southeastern U.S., B.A.S.S. made the decision to move the tournament.
In an effort to respect the resources and be sensitive to the difficulties storms have created in the Lake Hartwell area, the pros now are headed to Alabama where they’ll close the Opens season Oct. 10-12 at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Martin presented by SEVIIN.
Martin lies just northwest of Montgomery, near the Alabama/Georgia state line. It’s a 44,000-acre reservoir of the Tallapoosa River that’s not dissimilar from Hartwell. Anglers can find healthy populations of both largemouth and spotted bass in both, and there’s forage to chase (primarily blueback herring and some threadfin shad). There are ample docks and brushpiles for bass to cluster around as well, giving competitors ready-made habitat to search for the best bites.
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Will Davis, Jr., who lives in Sylacauga, Ala., about 30 miles from Lake Martin, had been looking forward to fishing at Lake Hartwell again after successfully defending his B.A.S.S. Nation title last season on Hartwell to become the first-ever back-to-back B.A.S.S. Nation champion.
However, the Alabama pro is just as comfortable at Martin. His family had a cabin on Lake Martin when he was a teenager, and he spent many an afternoon chasing bass on the lake. He only fishes Martin a couple of times a year now, though, so he doesn’t consider himself as much a home-water expert as some others in the field.
He noted the similarities between the two fisheries, but said the lakes do fish differently, at least in his experience.
“Bass fishing at Martin will challenge the best of the best,” Davis said. “You can pattern the fish there, but finding the pattern can be hard to find. You’ll have to do a lot of different deals. It could be bass on the docks one day, then on brushpiles tomorrow. Or you could be in 8 inches of water one day and fishing rocks the next day.
“The trick really is lucking out and catching a good one,” Davis said.
That could make the Open at Martin a power-fishing game, which plays to the run-and-gun style. Davis, 32, is perfectly fine with that — it’s what he does just about every place he fishes, anyway.
“I like the way it’s set up right now,” he said. “And I have a history there. Still, you have to catch ’em. The place can burn you if you’re not careful. It’s a very random place. I mean, you can catch them up the lake, down the lake, anywhere in between. You just don’t know until you see what it’s like when we get there.”
About 200 pros and 130 co-anglers were expected to compete at Hartwell, though that number dipped, no doubt, due to the widespread destruction Helene brought to the heart of America’s bass-fishing communities in the southeastern U.S. Total registration figures at Lake Martin were not available at the time of this writing.
Regardless of how many anglers are able to make Martin, nine Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers (EQ) competitors are guaranteed to earn invites to the 2025 Elite Series following the derby. The Top 9 in the points standings will be announced after the Martin Open.
The EQ Angler of the Year will win $45,000 — the same amount as entry fees into the 2025 Elite Series. The next nine in the points race also will split $65,000 in additional EQ prize money.
The winner at Martin could earn as much as $50,000 cash, depending upon the number of pros that compete. A cash prize of up to $17,000 will go to the top co-angler.
The tournament will begin at 6:30 a.m. CT with weigh-ins scheduled for 2:30 p.m., both at Wind Creek State Park, located at 4325 Alabama Highway 128 in Alexander City, Ala. Live coverage will air on FS1 Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m.-noon ET and on Saturday from 8-11 a.m. Additional stories, photos and analyses can be found throughout the tournament on Bassmaster.com.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S. B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 4, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the entry dates for the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI and Abu Garcia High School Fishing presented by Tackle Warehouse circuits.
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals:
With national coverage on CBS Sports, daily livestreams on MLFNOW!, a top prize of $115,000 (including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus) at each qualifier, $50,000 Angler of the Year award and a new no-entry-fee championship, the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals serve as a high-stakes platform for anglers that aspire to compete on the Bass Pro Tour in 2026. There, they will compete among a select group of 50 professionals for the sport's most substantial rewards. This week, invitations were sent to the following anglers:
The top 75 pros from the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitational Angler of the Year standings
Top five pros from each U.S. division of the 2024 Toyota Series
2024 TBF National Championship boater-division winner
Highest finishing pro from the International division at the 2023 Toyota Series Championship
Bass Pro Tour pros who did not requalify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour season
The entry deadline for these anglers to secure their invitation is Nov. 4, 2024
Entries from 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitational anglers outside the top 75 will be accepted Nov. 5, 2024, followed by entries from 2025 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Nov. 6, 2024, and entries from the top 25 pros from each U.S. division of the 2024 Toyota Series on Nov. 7, 2024.
Anglers must enter all six 2025 Invitationals and pay deposits by 5 p.m. CDT on their assigned entry date in order to secure their invitation to compete. Any remaining spots will be filled by open invitation to MLF members beginning Nov. 8, 2024, with priority given to anglers fishing all six Invitationals. All other priority is based on time and date of entry. Entries must be made by calling MLF at 270.252.1000.
The complete 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitational schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats:
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats offers the largest payouts for the lowest entry fees of any national tournament trail. Anglers have the opportunity to fish close to home for sizable awards and advancement to the nationally televised and livestreamed Toyota Series Championship, where pros fish for a top prize of $235,000, including a lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and co-anglers compete for a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat powered by a 115-horsepower outboard.
The winning pro at the 2025 Toyota Series Championship qualifies for REDCREST 2026 for the chance to win $300,000, and the highest-finishing pro from each division (including the Wild Card) at the Toyota Series Championship receives a $10,000 bonus.
The 2025 Toyota Series Championship, hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau, will be held Nov. 6-8 at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Grove, Oklahoma. The championship field will feature the top 25 pros and co-anglers from each of the five U.S. Toyota Series divisions and the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF from the BFL All-American; the top three teams from the Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship; the High School Fishing National Champions; the TBF National Champions; and up to three pros and co-anglers from each MLF International country.
Every Toyota Series tournament will feature livestreamed weigh-in coverage and the Toyota Series Championship will be nationally televised on CBS Sports with a full day of MLFNOW! livestreaming on the last day of competition.
The top five pros from each U.S. division in Angler of the Year standings earn priority entry for the MLF Invitationals. If a top-five pro declines his or her bid or earns qualification through the Invitationals or Bass Pro Tour, the next eligible pro qualifies. This process continues through the top 10 pros in each division.
Entry fees are unchanged for 2025 at $1,700 per tournament for pros and $550 per tournament for co-anglers. Anglers can register for the 2025 Toyota Series at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CDT on the dates listed below:
Entries from the top 25 pros and co-anglers and tournament winners from each division of the 2024 Toyota Series and the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League – plus the winner of each 2024 Bass Fishing League tournament (who paid an entry fee for all five tournaments in a division and fished at least two tournaments in the same division) and the top 10 anglers from the 2024 College Fishing National Championship – will be accepted beginning November 11. These anglers have until November 25 to secure their priority entry position.
Phoenix boat owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat order who will use their Phoenix boat in Toyota Series competition may enter beginning November 26.
Anglers who fished a full division of the 2024 Toyota Series or a full division of the 2024 Bass Fishing League may enter beginning November 27.
TBF members may enter beginning December 2.
All other entries will be accepted beginning December 3.
The complete 2025 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine:
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine is the sport’s premier grassroots tournament circuit for weekend anglers, maintaining the best payouts and advancement opportunities for the lowest entry fees available in the sport.
MLF added six Regionals to the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine schedule to ensure anglers can fish closer to home, on lakes they know and love. The league also doubled the number of prize boats in the Boater Division from six to 12, giving boaters twice the opportunities to win a $50,000 Phoenix boat powered by a 200-horsepower outboard. For co-anglers, each Regional features a new $20,000 first-place cash award. Doubling the number of Regionals allows 65 boaters and co-anglers to qualify from each division – up from 50 in 2024 – while simultaneously reducing the field size in each Regional from 200 to 130 boats.
With advancement opportunities to the All-American, Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST for a shot at winning top awards of $120,000, $235,000 and $300,000, respectively, there has never been a better time to fish the Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
New in 2025, MLF has limited the use of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar transducers to two per boat to help level the playing field. MLF has also eliminated boat on boat draws by giving boaters and co-anglers priority for entering together. Unlike years past, MLF will not confirm anglers beyond a balanced field.
For co-anglers, MLF also leveled the playing field with a new three-fish limit to make everyone more competitive.
The Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency award will continue for the 2025 season, enhancing payouts from $500 to $7,000 for registered Phoenix boat owners in every qualifier, Super Tournament and Regional, an additional $20,000 in the All-American, and $35,000 in the Toyota Series Championship.
Each qualifying tournament will continue to offer a top boater award of up to $13,000, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top Strike King co-angler award of $3,000. Top awards jump up to $16,000 for boaters, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and $4,500 for Strike King co-anglers in super tournaments.
Entry fees will largely remain the same in 2025 – $220 per boater and $110 per co-angler for one-day qualifying tournaments, $330 per boater and $165 per co-angler in two-day Super Tournaments, and $350 per boater and $175 per co-angler in Regional events.
The Wild Card will maintain its $13,000 top boater award, including Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top co-angler award of $3,000. Anglers who enter all five events in a division, fish two or more events in the division and are not already advancing to the All-American qualify for the Wild Card. The top three boaters and co-anglers from each Regional and the Wild Card advance to the All-American.
Anglers can register for the 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CDT on the dates listed below:
Dec. 3, 2024 – Arkie, Bulldog, North Carolina, South Carolina and Volunteer.
Dec. 4, 2024 – LBL, Mississippi, Okie, Ozark and Piedmont.
Dec. 5, 2024 – Great Lakes, Hoosier, Mountain, Music City and Shenandoah.
Dec. 6, 2024 – Buckeye, Illini, Michigan and Northeast.
The complete 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI:
The winning team at the 2025 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship will receive $43,500, including a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower outboard and $10,000. The winning team also advances to the 2025 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot at winning as much as $235,000. The highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship advances to REDCREST 2026. The runner-up at the 2025 College Fishing National Championship will receive a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower outboard. That team will also advance to the 2025 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros. Third place at the 2025 National Championship will receive $4,000 and advance to the 2025 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for the chance to win a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower outboard. Fourth and fifth place will receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively, with sixth through 10th receiving $1,000 each.
Each angler finishing in the top 10 at the 2025 College Fishing National Championship will receive priority entry into the 2026 Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Invitationals and the Bass Pro Tour. Every tournament will feature livestreamed weigh-in coverage and the National Championship will receive national television coverage on CBS Sports while the final day streams live on MLFNOW!.
Abu Garcia College Fishing teams can compete in up to six qualifying tournaments around the country. The top 15% of teams from each event will advance to the following year’s College Fishing National Championship.
Registration for the 2025 season opens at 8 a.m. CDT on Dec. 9, 2024. Fields are capped at 250 boats per tournament, so teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. The entry fee is unchanged at $100 per team.
The complete 2025 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
MLF High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse:
The 2025 MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse circuit will feature teams competing in five Opens held in conjunction with Abu Garcia College Fishing events so students and parents can network with prospective college teams and coaches during college weigh-ins. MLF High School Fishing Opens are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF)-affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10% of teams in each tournament advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before March 29, 2025, advance teams to the 2025 National Championship. Tournaments held after March 29, 2025, advance teams to the 2026 National Championship.
Both members of the winning team at the 2025 High School Fishing National Championship, held simultaneously with the TBF High School Fishing World Finals, are guaranteed $5,000 scholarships to the school of their choice, plus the opportunity to compete for a share of more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes. The 2025 High School Fishing National Champions will also advance to the 2025 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers on national television for a Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115-horsepower outboard.
Registration for the 2025 MLF High School Fishing Opens will begin at 8 a.m. CDT on Dec. 9, 2024. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. There is no entry fee for high school anglers to compete in any MLF or TBF High School Fishing tournament. Both anglers must, however, be a member of the Student Angler Federation (SAF). There is no limit to the number of teams accepted into a tournament from each school or club, but the maximum field size is 250 boats. Teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity.
The complete 2025 Abu Garcia High School Fishing schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
MLF High School Fishing Camp:
The highly successful MLF High School Fishing Camp for students and parents will be held June 25-28, 2025 at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, in conjunction with the Bass Pro Tour on Kentucky Lake. The three-day camp experience immerses passionate young anglers and coaches into the world of bass fishing. Students and coaches learn techniques from top MLF pros in small groups and receive a glimpse into the inner workings of the fishing industry through interaction with MLF staff and special guests. Registration for the 2025 MLF High School Fishing Camp will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Nov. 18, 2024. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/camp for details and registration.
For complete details and updated tournament information on all MLF circuits, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Major League Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
William Knight, winner of the Rapala Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing Challenge, claimed the top spot and a $15,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card, a $500 Bass Pro Shops gift card (B.A.S.S. member bonus), $5,000 cash, a Rapala prize package including a hat, shirt and lures and a trip to the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas, March 21-23, 2025. The total prize package has a value of $21,500.
“Winning Fantasy Fishing is awesome, and I’m headed to Bass Pro Shops soon,” said the Fantasy Fishing winner from Nashville, Tenn. “My strategy consisted of angler momentum, the weather forecast and water conditions.
“The keys to winning are doing your research and being lucky,” Knight added with a laugh.
Jenesa Balaski, the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Drain the Lake Fantasy Fishing Challenge winner, took home the first-place prize, including a $2,500 Bass Pro Shops gift card, a $500 Bass Pro Shops gift card (B.A.S.S. member bonus) and a fishing trip package for one person to fish with Elite Series angler Luke Palmer in Oklahoma. The total prize package has a value of $4,050.
“This feels pretty amazing,” said the Drain the Lake player from International Falls, Minn. “We play a small league within our friends … that’s how I got involved. I never thought I would win the entire league.
“I live in northern Minnesota, and I save the Northern guys for the Northern lakes,” Balaski added. “I grew up loving to fish and have learned more and more about bass fishing over the last few years … I do research on the lakes and where the guys come from as well.”
Rapala Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing Challenge players register for free at Bassmasterfantasy.com, set their “buckets” to assemble their team of five Elite anglers per event and earn points based on their fantasy anglers’ performance during the tournaments.
Falcon Rods Bassmaster Drain the Lake Fantasy Fishing Challenge contestants register for free at Bassmasterfantasy.com, then select eight anglers for each event. Again, players earn points based on their fantasy anglers’ performance during the tournament. Drain the Lake, however, has a twist: You can only use any given angler once during the season, so players must make their picks wisely based on an angler’s strengths and weaknesses on the individual tournament bodies of water.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
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Media Contact: Chad Gay, B.A.S.S. Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]
Bethel University ranked 2nd, and LSU-Shreveport is in 3rd
SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 4, 2024) – Following the latest weekend of college fishing events, the Association of Collegiate Anglers updates the standings for the 2024-25 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. This points update includes results from a MLF College Series major event, and a School-Run tournament hosted by the University of Montevallo.
Carson-Newman University earns over 2,000 points last weekend to move from 2nd up to 1st. Bethel University climbs three spots to be ranked 2nd, and LSU-Shreveport jumps six places to sit in 3rd.
Following the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley, Carson-Newman was ranked 2nd in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The team from Jefferson City, TN had 13 boats compete at the MLF College Series event on Sam Rayburn. Their two highest finishing boats both placed in the Top 25, earning Carson-Newman enough points to move into number one for college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system. Jacob Deel & Joe Vaulton placed 22nd, and Dylan May & Will Shepherd took 23rd. Those two Top 25 finishes earned Carson-Newman 2,070 points, and boosted their season total to 8,905 points.
The most points earned by any team to compete at Sam Rayburn was 2,400. Three different schools earned this points total: Bethel University, LSU-Shreveport, Stephen F. Austin.
Here are teams that made significant moves in the Top 25 for this points update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia:
3) LSU-Shreveport – Previously Ranked 9th
4)Tarleton State – Previously Ranked 10th
5) Wabash Valley College – Previously Ranked 11th
9) Drury University – Previously Ranked 17th
11) Dallas Baptist University – Previously Ranked 19th
Two teams moved into the Top 25 that were previously ranked on the outside looking in. Ben Burns & Grant Pursifull from Stephen F. Austin won the MLF College Series event, which aided in helping their school to move from 41st up to 22nd. Texas A&M jumped from 36th up to 21st.
The ACA will provide a points update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia following the double points AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open next weekend.
Competition set for Monday, Oct. 7, livestreamed from 8:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. ET on MajorLeagueFishing.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2024) – The University of Florida’s collegiate bass fishing team will be traveling to Fort Loudoun Lake in Knoxville, Tennessee on October 7 to compete against the University of Tennessee in the first ever Abu Garcia College Rivalry Tournament. This one-of-a-kind event, scheduled during the week of the highly anticipated Tennessee vs. Florida college football matchup, will highlight the competitive nature of the universities’ fishing clubs in a live head-to-head matchup that will be livestreamed by Major League Fishing. The College Rivalry Tournament was created to drive home the Abu Garcia brand sentiment of ‘Fish to Win’ while promoting the future of fishing.
Florida versus Tennessee is one of college football’s most heated and exciting rivalries. What better way to kick off a great college football rivalry week than pitting the fishing teams against each other in a head-to-head bass fishing battle that is being live streamed for the world of sports to watch and enjoy? In this event, Abu Garcia, in partnership with the University of Tennessee Athletics, aims to elevate the experience for college anglers by celebrating them as athletes.
“We have been looking forward to this event for a very long time,” said Marc Kempter, Abu Garcia’s Vice President of Marketing Communications. “The Abu Garcia brand cares deeply about the future generation of fishing and has for a long time supported the high school and college fishing ranks. This event is another spectacle we are adding to the list of efforts to give back to student anglers. This should be a very exciting event for the teams competing, fans watching and for each school to get behind as they lead up to a fun college football rivalry game in Knoxville.”
By combining the excitement of college football with the thrill of competitive fishing, Abu Garcia seeks to promote the future of fishing to a broader audience. The unique collaboration between Abu Garcia, Major League Fishing, the University of Tennessee and the University of Florida ensures that the college anglers will be recognized as athletes, gaining the attention they deserve.
“I’m really excited to be a part of this event and to donate my time and resources to make it the best it can be,” said Coulter. “Anglers being involved in fishing at this level is awesome and the University of Florida is one of our main rivals, so this is the perfect game to launch this rivalry event.
“We’re looking forward to giving these anglers the opportunity to be more widely recognized as collegiate athletes in their industry, and hope this is a catalyst to get more students involved,” Coulter continued. “Abu Garcia has put a lot of time and resources toward this event and our mission is to give these student athletes as close to the same ‘college game-day experience’ as their fellow college athletes have in other athletic programs.”
Abu Garcia’s College Rivalry Tournament Details:
• Teams: Both universities will field two boats with two collegiate anglers per boat (4 boats, 8 anglers total)
• Format: Every Fish Counts - winner will be the team with the heaviest overall weight. Tournament day will consist of four quarters of competition with three 5-minute breaks in between.
• Prize: The victorious team will take home a $5,000 cash prize courtesy of Abu Garcia and claim bragging rights in this first-ever fishing showdown between the schools.
• Livestream: The event will be streamed live on MLFNOW! from 8:20 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. ET on MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In addition to the competition on the water, Abu Garcia is partnering with the University of Tennessee Athletics, the City of Knoxville, local radio stations and television outlets to promote this inaugural event. To enhance the pre-game excitement and draw in anglers and football fans alike, Abu Garcia has planned several high-profile activities to take place on Saturday, October 12 at Vol Village:
• Fan Experience: Abu Garcia will host a special Fan Zone in Vol Village featuring meet-and-greets with the collegiate bass anglers, pro tournament anglers, a showcase of the tournament trophy and an exciting Abu Garcia product display, complete with swag giveaways for visitors.
• Celebrity Appearance: Fans can expect an appearance from Tennessee alum and current NFL quarterback Josh Dobbs, adding an extra layer of excitement to the weekend’s festivities.
To learn more about Abu Garcia rods and reels, click here.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Pure Fishing
Pure Fishing is a collection of the world’s favorite fishing brands. Every day, all around the world, someone experiences the joy of catching a fish with one of our products. From gear for epic battles at sea to a relaxing day with family at the lake, our portfolio includes the most recognized and admired brands in fishing tackle, lures, rods, reels and storage. Abu Garcia, Berkley, DAM, Fenwick, Fin-Nor, Frabill, Greys, Hardy, Hodgman, Johnson, JRC, Madcat, Mitchell, Penn, Pflueger, Plano, Prologic, Savage Gear, Shakespeare, SpiderWire, Stren, Ugly Stik and Van Staal.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
SHREVEPORT, La. — For the second year in a row, Tennessee’s Rus Snyders has won the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title, accumulating 730 points throughout the five-event season. Along with a customized trophy, Snyders earned a prize of $5,000.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — 2024 saw B.A.S.S. kickstart the BassmastHER program, a new initiative with the goal of creating a space for female anglers at all levels to learn new fishing skills within a supportive community. B.A.S.S. hosted workshops that ran concurrently with three Bassmaster Elite Series events across the 2024 season, and 2025 will see the program expand its offerings to create even more workshop opportunities across the country.
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — A little over a year ago, 
No more having to take your gloves off to make an electronics adjustment or send a text on your phone. The Breakwater gloves have arrived just in time for fall and winter fishing and are available in three sizes: medium, large, and x-large.
