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FISCHER LOOKING FORWARD TO FISHING, FELLOWSHIP AT TOYOTA OWNERS TOURNAMENT

FISCHER LOOKING FORWARD TO FISHING, FELLOWSHIP AT TOYOTA OWNERS TOURNAMENT
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For Team Toyota pro Kristine Fischer, some of the best tournaments of the year aren’t necessarily the ones with the most money on the line. Sometimes it’s more about the people you meet at the boat ramp, the stories swapped in the parking lot and the opportunity to spend a fall day on one of the most storied bass fisheries in the country. That’s a big part of the appeal of the upcoming Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament on Lake Guntersville in Alabama.
“I think the most special thing for me is seeing how well the event is received from everyone who fishes it,” Fischer said. “Everyone is so positive and grateful to be there.”
The event gives Toyota owners an opportunity to gather for a tournament built as much around community as competition. For Fischer, who spends much of the year traveling and competing, that atmosphere provides a welcome change of pace.
“It’s a no entry fee tournament and Toyota rolls out the red carpet for all of the folks who have invested in Toyota vehicles,” Fischer said.
That investment is something Fischer understands particularly well. For professional anglers, a truck is more than transportation. It’s the piece of equipment responsible for getting a boat, tackle and everything else needed for a tournament season thousands of miles across the country. But the Toyota Owners tournament offers something different from the typical grind of professional competition.
“It’s a great way to end the season on a feel-good note,” Fischer said. “There is so much stress during the tournament season, but this is a great community-centered event.”

MORE THAN A TOURNAMENT
Spend enough time around tournament fishing and it becomes obvious that the weigh-in tells only a small part of the story. There are early mornings, long drives and countless hours preparing tackle. There are missed fish that stick with an angler for months and last-minute decisions that can turn an entire tournament around. Then there are the friendships.
For Fischer, the Toyota Owners tournament offers a rare opportunity to reconnect with anglers she often sees only while everyone is busy competing.
“I only see my fellow Team Toyota pros a handful of times per year,” Fischer said. “So it’s great to see everyone in one place and get to spend time together and catch up.”
The same applies to the anglers who come to fish the event. Professional bass fishing can sometimes create a natural separation between touring pros and the anglers watching them compete. An event like this helps eliminate that barrier. Conversations happen around boats and trucks instead of across a weigh-in stage.
“My favorite part of this event is meeting members of the fishing community,” Fischer said. “Everyone is so happy and I get to share that excitement and passion for both fishing and Toyota.”
There is still a tournament to fish, of course. This year, it happens to be on a lake capable of making things pretty interesting.
FALL ON GUNTERSVILLE
Lake Guntersville has built its reputation through decades of producing quality largemouth bass. Its combination of aquatic vegetation, offshore structure and abundant forage gives anglers a wide range of ways to catch them. In October, Fischer expects those options to be particularly evident.
“October on Guntersville is just awesome,” Fischer said. “It’s one of the healthiest fisheries in the country. There will be a frog bite, a flipping bite and fish chasing balls of bait. I think there will be a lot of 17- to 19-pound bags and a handful over 20 pounds.”
Fall fishing is often dictated by baitfish movement and anglers willing to keep moving can find bass feeding aggressively. But Guntersville’s vegetation also means someone who would rather put a flipping stick in their hand or work a frog across shallow cover doesn’t necessarily have to abandon what they do best.
In other words, there should be more than one way to catch them. That can be important in a tournament featuring anglers with a broad range of experience. Some competitors may know Guntersville intimately, while others might arrive with considerably less history on the lake. A fishery offering several productive patterns can give anglers the freedom to settle into the technique they trust most.
A solid limit in the upper teens might keep an angler in contention but Fischer expects the lake to produce some heavyweight catches, too. With a handful of bags potentially breaking the 20-pound mark, there should be plenty of suspense when anglers return to weigh in. Still, focusing solely on the leaderboard would miss much of what Fischer believes makes the tournament special.

ENDING THE SEASON THE RIGHT WAY
Tournament anglers spend much of the year measuring success in pounds and ounces. Every decision matters, from the first cast of the morning to the final minutes before check-in. That pressure is part of what makes competitive fishing exciting, but it can also make for a long season. The Toyota Owners tournament provides an opportunity to bring some of the fun back to the forefront.
Sure, everyone wants to catch a big bag. On a lake such as Guntersville, nobody is going to complain about watching a largemouth inhale a frog or pulling a good fish from a mat. The tournament, however, also provides a reason for anglers to gather around something they share. Fishing has always been particularly good at creating those connections. Two people can come from entirely different backgrounds and quickly find common ground talking about a missed bass, a favorite lure or the lake they grew up fishing. That’s the atmosphere Fischer is looking forward to experiencing again in Alabama.
The competition will take care of itself. Guntersville will produce some big bass and somebody will undoubtedly have a story about the one that got away. But when Fischer talks about the Toyota Owners tournament, she keeps coming back to the same thing: the people. For an angler accustomed to a season filled with travel, pressure and competition, spending time with fellow anglers who are simply excited to be there might be exactly the right way to close it out.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Starlink Team Series Continues 2026 Season with Toyota Heritage Cup in Manchester, Tennessee

by AnglersChannel

North Carolina’s George Cruises to Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on the Potomac River

MARBURY, Md. (Oct. 12, 2026) – Boater Andrew George of Poplar Branch, North Carolina, caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 47 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on the Potomac River. The tournament, hosted by Charles County Government, Dept. of Recreation, Parks and Tourism, concluded Saturday. For his win, George earned a prize package valued at $52,500, including a Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, and a $2,500 Phoenix MLF Bonus.

The Potomac River event served as the Regional championship for the BFL Buckeye, Michigan, Northeast and Piedmont divisions. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in each division based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners. The top seven boaters and co-anglers at each regional and the Wild Card qualify for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American. The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each regional and the Wild Card at the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American qualify for the 2027 Toyota Series Championship. The 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American boater champion qualifies for REDCREST 2028.

George didn’t start the tournament by catching a large number of fish, but he caught the right fish.

“On Day 1 I went to my starting area – what I thought was my best place – and I caught five keepers,” George said. “I had all five in the boat by 11 o’clock.”

George focused on the upper Potomac River and said he relied heavily on a bladed jig and a swim jig in deep grass during the tournament, which accounted for his better-quality fish. The last two days of the tournament George said he attributed a couple four-pounders to the jigs, but also spent some time punching grass with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver paired with a 1½-ounce weight.

“I ran the same thing every day,” George said. “I had eight keepers Friday and 11 on Saturday.”

George said the grass on the river had died down a bit as of late, and the mats he fished were “trash mats” that had blown in, but he was confident his jig fish and mats would hold up for the duration of the tournament.

“I got the finer points of my area figured out during the first day, and on the other days I had pretty good bags pretty fast,” George said. “I had 15 pounds where I knew I’d still be in the hunt for the All-American by 8:30 a.m. on Day 2 and 9:50 a.m. on Day 3.

“Since I wasn’t getting very many bites total, it was nice to get them early,” George added.

George said after Friday’s weigh-in he felt pretty good about his chances at a win.

“There was no point that I thought I wasn’t around the quality of fish needed to win,” George said. “I was pretty confident from the beginning that I was on the right quality and in the hunt for the win. So, this is pretty awesome. I’ve always wanted to win a big one like this. It’s pretty crazy.”

The top seven boaters who qualified for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:          Andrew George, Poplar Branch, N.C, 15 bass, 47-13, $52,500 (including $2,500 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
2nd:         Jamey Way, Washington, N.C, 15 bass, 41-14, $9,320
3rd:         Otis Darnell, Linden, Va., 15 bass, 41-13, $3,320
4th:         Josh Smith, Liberty, Ind., 15 bass, 40-3, $2,090
5th:         Jackson Staib, Wilmington, Del., 15 bass, 39-0, $1,330
6th:         Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., 14 bass, 38-7, $1,190
7th:         Zack Queeney, Atco, N.J., 14 bass, 37-0, $1,060

The remaining top 10 finished:

8th:         Matt McCluskey, Ashburn, Va., 15 bass, 36-11, $930
9th:         Seth Fricke, Oxford, Ohio, 14 bass, 34-12, $790
10th:       Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., 13 bass, 33-0, $660

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tanner Hampton of Bourbon, Indiana, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $350 for landing a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces, the biggest of the tournament.

Scott Standafer of Milford, Ohio, won the co-angler division Saturday after bringing a three-day total of eight bass weighing 23 pounds, 8 ounces, to the scale. Standafer earned the top co-angler award of a Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The top seven co-anglers who qualified for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:         Scott Standafer, Milford, Ohio, eight bass, 23-8, $33,500
2nd:        Eric Nelson, Gainesville, Va., seven bass, 19-13, $4,660
3rd:         Kyle Richardt, Middleboro, Mass., eight bass, 19-13, $1,660
4th:         Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., nine bass, 19-11, $1,095
5th:         Adam Oxendine, Pembroke, N.C., eight bass, 19-8, $840
6th:         Wesley Bruner, Middletown, Ohio, nine bass, 19-5, $595
7th:         Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., seven bass, 19-5, $530

The remaining top 10 finished:

8th:         Glenn Hall, Wellsville, N.Y., eight bass, 19-4, $465
9th:         Jordan Smith, Middletown, Ohio, nine bass, 18-14, $400
10th:       David Deciucis, Chester, Va., five bass, 12-12, $330

Adam Oxendine of Pembroke, North Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $175.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Mississippi’s Ellis Ekes Out Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Lake Eufaula

EUFAULA, Ala. (Oct. 12, 2026) – Boater Clayton Ellis of Saltillo, Mississippi, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 36 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Lake Eufaula. The tournament, hosted by Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, concluded Friday. For his win, Ellis won $57,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000 and a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus.

Severe weather resulting from Hurricane Isaias arrived in the Eufaula area late Friday night and continued through Saturday. As a result, the final day of the Lake Eufaula Regional was cancelled, according to BFL Tournament Director Leroy Hensley. Official results for the event were determined at the conclusion of the Day 2 weigh in.

The Lake Eufaula event served as the Regional championship for the BFL Choo Choo, Gator, Mississippi and South Carolina divisions. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in each division based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners. The top seven boaters and co-anglers at each regional and the Wild Card qualify for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American. The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each regional and the Wild Card at the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American qualify for the 2027 Toyota Series Championship. The 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American boater champion qualifies for REDCREST 2028.

“I found some areas in practice, and focused two and a half of my four practice days catching them shallow,” Ellis said. “When (my Livescope) is off I like to fish shallow. So, I really focused on that shallow bite for about 70% of my practice and that ended up being where the bulk of my weight came from.”

Ellis said he fished fast and hard on the lower end of Eufaula, then used his Livescope period to cull out smaller fish. He switched between a Dirty Jigs No-Jack Swim Jig when fishing shallow grass and skipped a Dirty Jigs flipping jig and a Strike King Denny Brauer jig when fishing around docks and wood. His ’Scope period bait of choice was a Hideup Coike Fullcast Creature Bait.

Ellis said he had 17 ½ pounds in the livewell before he turned his Livescope on Thursday, but it was slow going until the last 45 minutes of fishing, when he caught two 3-pounders. He left the area to save those fish for Saturday, the last day of the tournament. However, Saturday’s competition was cancelled, and Ellis returned to the area holding the 3-pounders on Friday.

“I smooth blistered them,” Ellis said. “I caught as many of them as I could catch. I’ve lost twice this year by ounces, so I really didn’t figure I would win. I just wanted to keep catching 3-pounders and make the All-American. I just kept ‘ouncing’ my way up.’”

Those ounces added up, and Ellis edged second place by only 1 ounce.

“Man, this feels great,” Ellis said. “I’ve been waiting on (a big win) all year. I led our Super Tournament after Day 1, and I let that one fall apart. I was trying to play hero ball and just overdid it. If I had just caught some 3-pounders and played it a little safer, it would have worked out a little better.”

The top seven boaters who qualified for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:         Clayton Ellis, Saltillo, Miss., 10 bass, 36-4, $57,000 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
2nd:        Dylan Quilatan, Windermere, Fla., 10 bass, 36-3, $8,800
3rd:         Taylor Parker, Lake View, Ala., 10 bass, 36-2, $2,950
4th:         Tracen Phillips, Lake Placid, Fla., 10 bass, 33-6, $1,770
5th:         Tanner Schultz, Lexington, S.C., 10 bass, 32-4, $1,180
6th:         Kennie Steverson, Umatilla, Fla., 10 bass, 31-8, $1,060
7th:         Hunter Davidson, Reform, Ala., 10 bass, 30-13, $940

The remaining top 10 finished:

8th:         Bryar Chambers, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 30-5, $820
9th:         Chandler Ray, Bainbridge, Ga., 10 bass, 29-9, $700
10th:       Lake Johnson, Trinity, Ala., 10 bass, 29-7, $940

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Lake Johnson of Trinity, Alabama, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $350 for landing a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, the biggest of the tournament.

Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee, won the co-angler division Friday after bringing a two-day total of six bass weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces, to the scale. Catalin earned the top co-angler award of a Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The top seven co-anglers who qualified for the 2027 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:         Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., six bass, 15-15, $33,500
2nd:        James Roye, Altamont, Tenn., six bass, 15-1, $4,350
3rd:        Thor Schwiegerath, Apopka, Fla., six bass, 15-0, $1,650
4th:         Mitchell Bond, Collins, Miss., six bass, 14-13, $885
5th:         Mike Tucker, Yalaha, Fla., six bass, 14-9, $590
6th:         Jason Ries, Columbia, S.C., six bass, 13-8, $530
7th:         Matthew Gunn, Lake Mary, Fla., six bass, 13-14, $470

The remaining top 10 finished:

8th:         Richard Bailey, Florence, Ala., five bass, 13-4, $410
9th:         Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., five bass, 13-0, $350
10th:       Marrell Deering, Rome, Ga., six bass, 13-0, $295

Thor Schwiegerath of Apopka, Florida, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $175.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Faulkner University Anglers McCraney & McKee Win AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open

San Antonio, TX (October 11, 2026) – The scales have closed, tournament competition has concluded, and prizes have been awarded for the 2026 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. This is the final major event of the fall for the 2026-27 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. The AFTCO Open saw over 300 teams from schools all over the nation descend upon Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR to compete in an event that featured 20 of the Top 25 ranked schools in the nation.

Grant McCraney & Parker McKee with Faulkner University entered today in 1st place after weighing in 18.18 pounds on the first day of tournament competition. Today, they managed to catch 16.30 pounds of Lake Dardanelle bass. Their two-day total of 34.38 pounds carried them to victory at the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. The pair from Alabama bested 2nd place by close to 2.50 pounds. The first place victory paid out over $8,000 in total. This includes $5,000 in cash courtesy of AFTCO, $1,000 Garmin credit, Rapala prize package, two Turtlebox Ranger speakers, two pair of Bajio sunglasses, two AFTCO Titan Landing Nets, as well as AFTCO backpacks, gloves, and pants. The duo also claimed the G2 Gemini Jerseys Contingency Bonus.

Finishing the event in 2nd was Dylan Sorrells & Mason Carden with the University of West Alabama. They entered today in 8th place after weighing 15.96 pounds on Day 1. Here on the final day, they brought in 16.07 pounds. That took their two-day total to 32.02 pounds. The 2nd place finish earned them $2,500 in cash courtesy of AFTCO, two pairs of Bajio sunglasses, Rapala prize package, AFTCO backpacks, gloves, and pants. The duo also took home the ACA Logo Contingency Bonus. All total, they earned close to $4,000 in prizes and contingencies.

The 3rd place team of Tyler Gentry & Brice Hudler from Texas A&M University made one of the biggest moves up in the standings here on the final day of the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open. Coming into today, they were in 52nd place with 12.65 pounds. Today, they managed to wrangle up 19.10 pounds. That was the largest limit weighed in this weekend, jumping  them close to 50 places to finish in 3rd. The two Texas A&M anglers were awarded $1,000 in cash courtesy of AFTCO, two pair Bajio sunglasses, Rapala prize package, AFTCO backpacks, gloves, and pants.

View the final tournament results here.

This weekend’s tournament at Lake Dardanelle was the ACA’s second double points event of the current season to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Carson-Newman University entered this weekend in 1st place overall and will maintain or even extend their lead in college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system. The team from Tennessee placed its two highest-finishing teams in the Top 6. The ACA will soon update the points standings and announce the latest rankings.

The event also featured extensive media coverage to include camera teams being on hand for the nationally televised series, live streaming, extensive social media coverage, and more.

The ACA would also like to thank the host site of Russellville, AR, along with the team at Lake Dardanelle State Park. It has been a great weekend, and they have worked to help make everyone feel welcome while visiting the area.

by AnglersChannel

Carson-Newman University Leads the Bass Pro Shops School of theYear presented by Abu Garcia

 

RUSSELLVILLE, AR (October 11, 2026) – Entering its second double points event of the season, the Association of Collegiate Anglers announces the latest points update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.  Hundreds of college fishing’s top teams have competed in close to a dozen different events during a busy fall stretch to the schedule.  This includes one National Championship level tournament, numerous majors, and several School-Run events.  With so many points being awarded so far, school bass fishing clubs and teams have started to separate themselves from the rest of the pack to earn a spot inside the coveted Top 25.

Carson-Newman leads the way early on with a season total of 13,905 points.  Sitting in 2nd overall is Emmanuel University with 11,380 points.  Having accumulated 10,405 points so far, Wabash Valley College rounds out the Top 3.

Carson-Newman entered this season by being ranked in 1st place for the ACA’s annual Pre-Season Poll.  To this point, they are living up to those pre-season expectations.  At each major college tournament contested so far, they have placed each of their two points earning teams inside of the Top 10.

Bassmaster College Series National Championship

4th – Nicholas Dellaporta & Drew Pitts

6th – Easton Drennon & Chase McCarter

Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley

3rd – Walker LaRue

7th – Zach Wade

MLF College Series – Kentucky Lake

2nd – Connor Crawford & Carter Cunningham

6th – Kaden Casey & Dakota van Weelden

MLF College Series – Lake Guntersville

1st – Zachary Knight & James Sumrell

5th – Trey Marco & Jake Rowlands

Those Top 10 finishes have helped the to amass a total of 13,905 points this season.  Carson-Newman leads 2nd place Emmanuel University by close to 2,500 points.  Carson-Newman is seeking to win its first-ever title as Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia this season.

Take a look at the Top 25 teams in this points update:

1) Carson-Newman University

2) Emmanuel University

3) Wabash Valley College

4) University of Montevallo

5) Tarleton State University

6) Campbellsville University

7) Blue Mountain Christian University

8) McKendree University

9) Troy University

10) LSU-Shreveport

11) University of North Alabama

12) Bethel University

13) Murray State University

14) Lander University

15) Auburn University

16) Bryan College

17) Drury University

18) University of Alabama

19) USC-Union

20) Tennessee Tech University

21) Adrian College

22) Oklahoma State University

23) East Texas Baptist University

24) Tennessee Wesleyan University

25) Stephen F. Austin

Click here to view the complete updated rankings.

This weekend, the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will mark the ACA’s second double points event of this current season.  1st place will award 2,000 points to the winner, and schools will be eligible to earn points for their two highest-finishing teams inside of the Top 200.  20 of the Top 25 will compete at Lake Dardanelle this weekend.

by AnglersChannel

Dominant performance leads Robison to Bassmaster College Classic Cup win at Wilson Lake

FLORENCE, Ala. — Largemouth bass define “opportunistic feeding,” and Brody Robison leveraged that truth to amass a three-day total of 58 pounds, 4 ounces and win the 2026 Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew’s at Wilson Lake.

After placing second on Day 1 with 16-14, the recent University of Montevallo graduate turned in a second-round limit of 21-10 and took over the lead. Championship Sunday saw Robison turn in the day’s heaviest bag — 19-12 — and edge Day 1 leader and his Montevallo teammate Peyton Sorrow by a margin of 4-7.

“It’s a mind-blowing experience; this is unreal,” Robison said. “This hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Robison and Sorrow qualified for this event, which included five other Bassmaster College Series standouts, by recording a wire-to-wire win in the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster College Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, Aug. 20-22 at Minnesota’s Leech Lake.

For his achievement, Robison earned a spot in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell.

Furthermore, the top prize package includes a Toyota Tundra and a fully-rigged Nitro Boat, both professionally wrapped in the winner’s school logo and colors for use at eligible 2027 events. Additionally, Robison received $7,500 in cash and paid entry into one 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender division of his choice.

“Man, fishing the Bassmaster Classic is definitely a lifelong dream of mine,” Robison said. “I’ve been watching the Classic since I was 7 or 8 years old. The ultimate goal as a bass fisherman is to make it onto that stage and to know I’ll be there in March is pretty crazy.”

After a mild opening round, Day 2 brought rainy, windy conditions as the diminished remnants of Hurricane Isaias moved through Alabama. Championship Sunday saw mostly sunny skies and moderate wind.

Robison returned to the primary pattern he fished the previous two days and caught his fish along bluff walls. He fished throughout the entire lake and targeted bluffs adjacent to 50 to 60 feet of water.

Noting that he caught most of his fish within 12 feet of the surface — likely due to lingering oxygen depletion in greater depths — Robison said he was very selective in where he focused his efforts.

“I was fishing current eddies on the bluff walls and some were only 5 yards long,” he said. “I think the fish were hanging on the bluffs in these current eddies and they would slide out to feed on bait whenever it was available.

“They wouldn’t ever chase the bait. They would stay in these eddies and wait for bait to come to them.”

Robison caught his fish with 6- and 6 1/2-inch minnow style baits on 3/16-ounce jig heads. He fished these baits on a 6-10 medium-light Abu Garcia Fantasista rod with an Abu Garcia Zenon 3000 reel spooled with Cast X-12 braided line. He used a 15-pound P-Line Tactical fluorocarbon leader.

In the interest of efficiency, he fished his baits fast to minimize the time-wasting hassle of dehooking the catfish that also liked his minnow.

Addressing what he considered the key to his success, Robison said: “I was able to move freely and not rely on anything; just moving with the conditions and the fish.

“I think our knowledge of the current was what separated Peyton and I from the field. I only had two stretches that I ran twice. Everything else, I was just running new water as the conditions would change.”

Robison, who won the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Division 2 Angler of the Year title, currently is competing in the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops Series. He said his college fishing experience has prepared him for the next stage of his career.

“Fishing with Peyton and my Montevallo teammates has made me the angler I am today,” Robison said. “It’s been a blessing to have been a part of this for five years. College fishing prepared me for the Opens and the EQs, so I wasn’t blindsided by the level of competition.

“Being a small-town redneck kid, I had no aspirations for college, but I’ve been able to travel the country, make friends from all four corners of the United States, see some crazy places and obtain an education as a backup plan. It’s been a true blessing and I’d recommend it to anybody.”

Sorrow’s second-place total was 53-13. On Day 1, he took the lead with 19-6 and slipped to second with a Day 2 bag that went 17-5. Day 3 saw Sorrow finish with a limit of 17-2.

Sorrow also caught his fish on bluffs with a jighead minnow. He used 1/8- and 3/16-ounce heads and found the latter played a strategic role.

“I was just trying to cast at them and get a reaction from the fish,” Sorrow said. “That would tell me if it was a bass, a catfish or a drum. I still caught plenty of catfish this week, but those heavier jig heads keyed me in to get a reaction really quick. If it wasn’t a bass, I’d keep moving it.”

Anderson Jones of Lander University placed third with 44-2. His daily weights were 13-4, 13-8 and 17-6.

Jones caught his fish on a Hideup Coike (urchin bait), a jighead minnow and a topwater bait.

Robison won the Big Bass award with a 5-1.

All of the action from the 2026 Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew's can be found on Bassmaster.com.

 

2026 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2026 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]

 

2026 Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew's 10/9-10/11
Wilson Lake, Florence  AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Brody Robison -                              University of Montevallo              0
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   21-10     Day 3: 5   19-12   Total:  15  58-04
2.  Peyton Sorrow -                              University of Montevallo              0
Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   17-05     Day 3: 5   17-02   Total:  15  53-13
3.  Anderson Jones -                             Lander University                     0
Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   13-08     Day 3: 5   17-06   Total:  15  44-02
4.  Ben Burns -                                  Stephen F Austin State Universit      0
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   16-09   Total:  15  43-10
5.  Scooter Ligon Jr -                           Emmanuel University                   0
Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   10-07     Day 3: 5   17-00   Total:  15  41-01
6.  Grant Pursifull -                            Stephen F Austin State Universit      0
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   13-05     Day 3: 5   13-09   Total:  15  40-01
7.  Logan Fisher -                               Emmanuel University                   0
Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 2   04-01     Day 3: 2   06-02   Total:   9  25-14
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1         7        35       106-06
2         6        32        92-15
3         6        32       107-08
----------------------------------
19        99       306-13

by AnglersChannel

Sorrow soars into lead in Bassmaster College Classic Cup at Wilson Lake

FLORENCE, Ala. — Peyton Sorrow had an ambitious objective, but exceeding that plan with a Day 1 limit of 19 pounds, 6 ounces put the recent University of Montevallo graduate atop the Day 1 leaderboard for the Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew’s at Wilson Lake.

Sorrow, who’s currently working on his MBA at the University of West Alabama, heads into Day 2 with a 2-pound, 8-ounce lead over fellow Montevallo angler Brody Robison, who partnered with Sorrow to notch a wire-to-wire win in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, Aug. 20-22 at Minnesota’s Leech Lake.

“My goal weight today was 18 pounds and I was able to have that early this morning,” said Sorrow, who had boxed a limit of about 16 by 7:45. “So that gave me a lot of confidence to look around for some more fish for the remainder of the tournament.”

Sorrow’s day started with a bang when a 4-7 smallmouth was the first to enter his livewell.

“That kinda set the tone for how today was gonna go,” Sorrow said. “I did have some missed opportunities on some that were much larger than that, but I can’t complain. With the bag I had, it was a fantastic start.

“I went to a place where I caught a couple and shook a couple big ones off (in practice). I caught that big smallmouth within the first five minutes of being there. It was on-script for what I was thinking.”

With two more days of competition ahead, Sorrow kept his details thin, but he said he focused on a 3-mile area he identified in practice. Rotating among several smaller spots within the general location, Sorrow focused on finding the obvious feeding areas.

“The spots had to have baitfish,” Sorrow said. “Depth didn’t really matter, the bank details didn’t matter; it just had to have baitfish.”

Sorrow reported catching all of his fish on one finesse bait. Success, he said, required very precise presentations.

Timing was also important and Sorrow believes he may have missed some of the key periods.

“Every day, the current has been ramping up an hour earlier, so I think that’s causing the fish and bait to move around more and become extremely nomadic,” he said. “A lot of the time windows when I knew fish were going to be in my areas were off a little bit.

“I’m almost wondering if maybe the fish were there, but they might have been there an hour earlier today. So I’m gonna keep that in mind going into tomorrow and the remainder of the tournament.”

Sorrow said he’s optimistic that he can return to his area and, hopefully, nab some of the quality bass that gave him the slip today.

“I did think I was going to leave there with more weight than what I caught today, but those fish had other plans and decided to go somewhere else,” he said. “So we’re going to spend tomorrow trying to relocate those fish because they’re the biggest ones by far that I saw throughout all of practice.

“A lot of my places from practice weren’t nearly as good as I thought they were going to be, but I was able to turn the day into another practice day and find some more fish after I’d caught a good bag.”

With Hurricane Isaias predicted to make landfall somewhere along the Eastern Alabama to Western Florida Panhandle coast tonight or early Saturday morning, Sorrow said he’ll likely need to upsize his finesse bait to account for more wind and dimmer conditions.

“Sometimes (weather) moves in and makes them go nuts and everyone catches 20 pounds, or it could be tough and everyone catches 10,” Sorrow said. “The most important thing will be keeping an open mind and taking all the signs you can get and letting those fish tell you where they are.”

Robison is in second place with 16-14. He said he’s eager to seeing what Wilson can produce over the next two days.

“A three-day shootout is all about consistency,” Robison said. “I’m looking forward to getting back out there because I think there’s the potential for a monster bag.”

Logan Fisher of Emmanuel University is in third place with 15-11. After enduring four hours without a bass in his boat, Fisher got on a good stretch from practice and quickly sacked up a solid limit.

Fisher holds the Big Bass lead with a 4-9.

Sorrow joins six other Bassmaster College Series standouts in a seven-angler field competing for a spot in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell.

Furthermore, the top prize package includes a Toyota Tundra and a fully-rigged Nitro Boat professionally wrapped in the winner’s school logo and colors for use at eligible 2027 events. Additionally, the winner will receive $7,500 in cash and paid entry into one Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender division of the winner’s choice.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Waterfront Marina & Dry Storage. The weigh-in will be held at the Hilda B Anderson Softball Stadium at 3:15 p.m.

 

LIVE coverage of the 2026 Bassmaster College Cup presented by Lew’s will air on Bassmaster.com Oct. 10-11 from 8-11 a.m. ET and noon-3 p.m. ET. Fans can follow all the action throughout the weekend on Bassmaster.com.

 

2026 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2026 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. announces 2027 Bassmaster College, High School andJunior Series schedules

B.A.S.S. announces 2027 Bassmaster College, High School and Junior Series schedules

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has announced the 2027 Bassmaster College, High School and Junior Series schedules, featuring tournaments on some of the nation's premier bass fisheries and providing young anglers with opportunities to compete on a national stage while developing their skills and gaining valuable tournament experience.

The 2027 season will feature six Bassmaster College Series events divided between the Lunkers Trail and Legends Trail, along with four events for the Bassmaster High School and Junior Series. The schedules will take student-athletes to fisheries across the country, from Florida's Harris Chain of Lakes to New York's Lake Champlain.

The Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops will once again feature two distinct trails, allowing collegiate anglers to compete against some of the nation's top student-athletes while representing their respective schools. The Lunkers Trail will visit Florida, Alabama and Oklahoma, while the Legends Trail will feature stops in Georgia, Tennessee and New York.

The Strike King Bassmaster High School Series and the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series will offer four events, beginning in Florida before traveling to Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee. These tournaments provide young anglers with opportunities to gain competitive experience, build relationships and develop a foundation for continued participation in competitive bass fishing.

"These schedules reflect our continued commitment to providing young anglers with opportunities to compete on outstanding fisheries while growing their passion for bass fishing," said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Tournament Manager for College, High School and Junior Series. "We've put together a great mix of destinations that will challenge our student-athletes and create memorable experiences for them and their families. Whether they're competing at the junior, high school or college level, our goal is to provide a competitive environment that helps them develop their skills, build confidence and take the next step in their fishing careers."

The 2027 Bassmaster College Series Lunkers Trail will begin Jan. 21-23 at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla., before heading to Smith Lake in Cullman, Ala., Feb. 24-25. The trail will conclude April 29-30 at Grand Lake O' the Cherokees in Grove, Okla.

The Legends Trail will open Jan. 28-29 at Clarks Hill Reservoir in Evans, Ga., before traveling to Watts Bar Reservoir in Spring City, Tenn., May 19-20. The trail will wrap up June 12-13 at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., where anglers will have the opportunity to compete on one of the nation's most renowned smallmouth bass fisheries.

"We're thrilled to welcome the B.A.S.S. College Series to the Adirondack Coast next June," said Alyssa Senecal, assistant director of tourism and marketing for the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau. "Lake Champlain has long been recognized as a world-class bass fishing destination, and there's something especially exciting about welcoming the next generation of anglers to experience it. Alongside our partners at the City of Plattsburgh, we're proud to host these student-athletes, their families and fans, and give them a taste of everything that makes fishing — and visiting — the Adirondack Coast so special."

The Bassmaster High School and Junior Series will kick off Jan. 17 at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla., followed by Smith Lake in Cullman, Ala., Feb. 28. The series will then travel to Bull Shoals Lake in Harrison, Ark., April 11, before concluding May 23 at Watts Bar Reservoir in Spring City, Tenn.

The Bull Shoals event will introduce young anglers and their families to one of Arkansas' most scenic fisheries, known for its clear water, diverse bass populations and picturesque Ozark Mountain setting.

"We're really excited to bring Bassmaster and these young anglers and their families to our area," said Richard Sciarra, director of sales for Explore Harrison. "An event like this is a great opportunity for us to showcase Harrison and Bull Shoals Lake to families coming in from all over, and we hope they get a chance to experience our community while they're here. Sugarloaf Harbor Marina has been a great partner in helping us put this together and we're excited to have them serve as our host site. We also couldn't do this without the support of our local sponsors, Hunting Legacy, Bank of 1889, All American Refrigeration and Insane Labz. We're proud to have local businesses step up and help us bring an event like this to Harrison, and we're looking forward to making it a great weekend for everyone involved."

Beyond the competition, the Bassmaster youth and college programs play an important role in introducing the next generation to tournament fishing, sportsmanship and conservation. The events also bring student-athletes, coaches, families and supporters to host communities, creating opportunities for local businesses and showcasing the recreational resources of each destination.

"One of the most rewarding aspects of these programs is watching young anglers progress through the different levels of competition," Cale said. "We have anglers who begin competing in our Junior Series, continue through high school and eventually represent their colleges on the national stage. These programs are about much more than catching fish. They're about building friendships, learning responsibility and creating opportunities that can last a lifetime."

The complete 2027 schedules are as follows:

2027 Bassmaster College Series Lunkers Trail schedule

  • Jan. 21-23 — Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
  • Feb. 24-25 — Smith Lake, Cullman, Ala.
  • April 29-30 — Grand Lake O' the Cherokees, Grove, Okla.

2027 Bassmaster College Series Legends Trail schedule

  • Jan. 28-29 — Clarks Hill Reservoir, Evans, Ga.
  • May 19-20 — Watts Bar Reservoir, Spring City, Tenn.
  • June 12-13 — Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

2027 Bassmaster High School and Junior Series schedule

  • Jan. 17 — Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
  • Feb. 28 — Smith Lake, Cullman, Ala.
  • April 11 — Bull Shoals Lake, Harrison, Ark.
  • May 23 — Watts Bar Reservoir, Spring City, Tenn.

Registration dates

  • Legends Trail — Oct. 20, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT
  • Lunkers Trail — Oct. 28, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT
  • College Series single-event entry — Nov. 11, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT
  • High School Series — Dec. 2, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT
  • Junior Series — Dec. 9, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT

For more information about the Bassmaster College, High School and Junior Series, visit Bassmaster.com.

2026 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2026 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar

 

2026 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2026 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar

 

2026 Bassmaster Junior Series Title Sponsor: Tackle Warehouse

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Murray primed to shine in Kayak Series Championship

Murray primed to shine in Kayak Series ChampionshipBassmaster_Kayak_Newport_Native_4C.png

COLUMBIA, S.C. — An exciting new chapter begins as the first ever standalone Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft gets ready to kickoff at Lake Murray. The fall transition is underway in South Carolina and the potential for impressive numbers is on the table, according to Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops pro Cody Stahl.

“It is a full-blown fall pattern now. Water temperatures are starting to drop and so is the pressure on the lake,” the two-time Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender champion said. “The bass are starting to bite and bite well, especially when the weather is right. Even when the weather isn’t right there are quality bags to be had.”

Tournament days are scheduled for Oct. 15-17.  More than 110 anglers from across the country qualified for this event through either their Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Lowrance state trails or the six regional events held in 2026. The full field will compete the first two days while only the Top 50 will advance to the final day.

Anglers will launch from any approved public launch on Lake Murray and begin fishing at 7 a.m. ET. Anglers will essentially be able to fish from below the Greenwood Lake Dam on the Saluda River all the way to Lake Murray dam. Lines out is slated for 3 p.m. before anglers convene at JC Outdoors for a “weigh-in” at 4 p.m.

The Pro-Guide Batteries Angler of the Year race will also be decided at Lake Murray. Anglers earned points through the regional events, and their Championship finish will be added to the yearly total.

If the Santee Cooper Lakes didn’t exist, Lake Murray would be widely considered the best lake in the state of South Carolina and is certainly one of the best in the southeast. In fact, the Columbia area reservoir ranked fifth in the southeast region in Bassmaster Magazine’s 2026 Best Bass Lakes evaluation.

There are a stunning number of 4- to 6-pound largemouth in the lake right now, with plenty more in the 7 to 8 range. That is largely thanks to an impressive population of blueback herring and shad in the lake. With that said, it is hard to carry consistency from day to day as shown by recent visits to Murray by the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

According to Stahl, water temperatures are still in the low 80s across the lake but falling. Depending on how the days leading up to the tournament shake out, competitors could see water temps drop into the high 70s.

Stahl believes the field should not have to worry about the lake turning over yet, but recent tropical development could change that. Currently, lake management is in the process of dropping the lake to winter pool. If Tropical Storm Isaias develops as forecasted, heavy rain and cooler temperatures ahead of the first tournament day could potentially speed up the turnover process.

Lake Murray is so big, however, that there will be productive areas regardless.

As it stands, Stahl believes there will be plenty of patterns on the table. Plenty of largemouth are combing the shallows right now while some of the herring points are still productive as well. Not only that, Murray has strong hydrilla and eelgrass growth too, opening up yet more opportunities. Expect baits like a Berkley Choppo, Drift Walker and ‘Moeba to be important players.

“The shallow bite is really getting good. You can go down the bank and throw topwater. There are some bream eaters up for grabs. There are bass chasing bait balls. There are bass in all different stages doing lots of different things.”

Daily conditions will determine how good the bite will be across the fishery. Overcast and windy conditions are the best for getting consistent bites, and the lower end of the lake tends to shine when this happens. If it is calm and sunny, the bite gets stingier and the mid to upper end of the lake becomes more of a player.

The upper section of the river has a history of producing quality bass, but how good it will be is uncertain with the falling water.

“Murray is super dependent on the conditions all year long, even in the fall,” Stahl said. “If they have a couple days of overcast and wind, it is going to get nasty. It will be really good.”

Tennessee’s Ewing Minor leads the points race with 745 points followed by Pennsylvania’s Ryan Matylewicz in second with 736 points and North Carolina’s Wyatt Hammond in third with 733 points. Multi-time Angler of the Year Rus Snyders is fourth with 733 points and New Hampshire’s Jake Angulas is fifth with 722 points.

Bailey Eigbrett (718), Greg Polec (709), Jody Queen (708), Philip Backus (705) and Drew Gregory (697) round out the Top 10.

Full coverage of the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft will be available on Bassmaster.com every day with tournament recaps, photo galleries and video.

Capital City/Lake Murray Country is hosting the tournament.

2026 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Newport

2026 Bassmaster Kayak  Series Presenting Sponsor: Native Watercraft
2026 Bassmaster Kayak  Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Pro-Guide Batteries

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open to Be Held on Lake Dardanelle This Weekend Over 300 teams have registered to compete at Lake Dardanelle for over $30,000 in prizes and contingencies

SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 7, 2026) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers’ second major event of the fall is set to take place this upcoming weekend. The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will be contested on the fertile waters of Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR on October 10-11. Over 300 teams have registered to compete for their share of the more than $30,000 in prizes and contingencies up for grabs, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open is a no-entry-fee event that will provide free snack bags, meals, and more to anglers over the course of the weekend. A special thanks to ACA series partners for making this possible, including AFTCO the title sponsor of this event. AFTCO has stepped up in a huge way to support college anglers. This year’s tournament boasts a close to $10,000 increase in overall payout due to AFTCO’s contribution of cash and prizes. AFTCO representatives will be present at the angler meeting on Friday handing out free swag and promoting their discount program.

Anglers will also be able to participate in the AFTCO Bank Bag program throughout the weekend. Click here to read more. The Top 30 in the final event standings will receive a prize payout. Overall Big Bass will earn a new Power-Pole, and numerous exact places will be awarded. View the prize list at this link.

The playing field for this weekend’s event is Lake Dardanelle. This Arkansas River fishery has hosted this tournament numerous times and yields a lot of bites during the fall. Weather patterns are forecasted to remain stable and consistent throughout the remainder of the week. Anticipate anglers to find quality bites during practice and carry that over to the event. The ACA put together a lake preview last week. Read that article here.

This weekend’s tournament is also a double points event to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Schools will be able to earn points for their two highest-placing teams inside of the Top 200. 1st place will be awarded 2,000 points. 24 of the Top 25 ranked teams will compete at Lake Dardanelle, making this another stacked field that will showcase the best schools in the nation.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open will feature extensive coverage to include live stream of on-the-water tournament competition, live stream of weigh-in, live blog, content across social media, and more. The live blog will start on Friday and continue through the conclusion of the event. For both tournament days, live coverage from on the water will be streamed from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Weigh-in will also be live streamed each day. Keep up with all of the action across these platforms; website, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Outdoor Action.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) is a division of CarecoTV that was created over twenty years ago to facilitate growth, development, and provide structure within competitive collegiate bass fishing, with emphasis on competitive fishing events nationwide. The ACA created the original BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship which has now evolved into the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, which is now recognized as the longest-running consecutive collegiate bass fishing series in existence.  The ACA has also created various other programs such as the Collegiate School of the Year Rankings system, College Bass Fishing Open, Collegiate Big Bass Bash and the College Bass Fishing Springtime Slam.

The ACA lineup of major college fishing events includes a variety of nationwide tournaments that are multi-day tournaments, all of which are televised and streamed on several networks, as well as streamed on a variety of connected platforms allowing fans to follow anyway they choose on any device. These major events have no entry fees and no membership costs associated with them for the college anglers competing. The ACA also provides support to numerous schools operating regional events nationwide which is an effort to provide more opportunities to grow the exposure and awareness of college fishing.

The ACA owns the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, Bass Pro Shops School of Year presented by Abu Garcia program, and associated assets which is widely regarded as the most comprehensive and prestigious collegiate bass fishing title today.

Thanks in part to the large diversity of media exposure the ACA provides, the series boasts the largest amount of televised and streaming coverage of any collegiate fishing series. This includes a dedicated television series on numerous television networks and streaming platforms, as well as additional coverage of select events inside other programs.

This combination includes coverage from national and regional television networks as well as being streamed online on various apps and connected devices. You can also find coverage via video on demand online at any time of past events thanks to coverage on OutdoorActionTV.com and PursuitUp.com

For more information on the ACA or the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com.

For more information on CarecoTV, visit www.CarecoTV.com

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by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing Announces Official Rules, Entry Dates for 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech

Expanded Championship field, balanced forward-facing sonar format and direct advancement to REDCREST highlight 2027 program

BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 7, 2026) – Major League Fishing announced today the official rules and entry dates for the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech, setting the stage with a six-event schedule, the biggest payouts outside of the Bass Pro Tour and clear advancement opportunities to the sport’s highest levels.

Following an extremely successful 2026 season that brought renewed momentum to the Pro Circuit, the 2027 season will build on that foundation while introducing several notable updates. Among the biggest changes – the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship field will expand from 40 to 45 anglers, and three regular-season Stops will allow unrestricted forward-facing and 360-degree sonar while the other three Stops will prohibit the technology in both practice and competition.

Participation will also be focused on anglers committed to the complete six-Stop season. The field will be limited to 150 full-season pros, while Bass Pro Tour anglers will be permitted to compete in individual Stops without counting against that 150-pro field limit.

“We listened closely to our anglers throughout the season, and we believe the 2027 Pro Circuit offers anglers a really strong balance of opportunity and stability,” said Boyd Duckett, MLF President and CEO. “The goal is to continue building a circuit that anglers want to be a part of, where they know exactly what they are competing for and where a successful season can take them to the sport’s highest level. We saw a lot of positive momentum around the Pro Circuit this year, and we expect that to continue into 2027.”

The technology format will provide competitors with an even split across the six-event regular season. Forward-facing and 360-degree sonar use will be allowed at Lake Murray, Sam Rayburn Reservoir and the St. Lawrence River. The technology will not be permitted during practice or competition at Chickamauga Lake, Clarks Hill Lake or the Arkansas River.

The season-ending Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship at the James River will incorporate both formats – forward-facing and 360-degree sonar will not be permitted on Day 1 but will be allowed on Day 2. A coin flip will determine whether the technology is permitted on the final day of competition.

The Championship will feature the top 45 pros from the final Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit 7 Brew Angler of the Year (AOY) standings. Following two days of competition, the top 10 pros will advance to the final round, with the champion determined by cumulative weight across all three days.

Payouts will remain among the strongest in professional tournament fishing. At a 150-pro field, each regular-season Stop will feature $686,000 in payouts, including a guaranteed $100,000 first-place award regardless of field size. Qualified Phoenix Boat owners can earn the additional $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, bringing the potential winner’s total to $135,000. A minimum of $10,000 will be paid through one-third of the field.

The no-entry-fee Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship will showcase a purse of $447,000, including a guaranteed $100,000 to the champion and at least $5,000 to every angler in the field. The Phoenix MLF Bonus can again increase the champion’s total award to $135,000.

Seven anglers that compete on the 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit will also earn direct qualification to REDCREST 2028, MLF’s most prestigious event, with the winner of each of the six regular-season Stops and the Championship earning a berth. The top pro in the final 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit 7 Brew AOY standings will receive a Phoenix 819 ZXL powered by a 200-hp outboard valued at $58,195, and the top five pros in the final standings will advance to the 2028 Bass Pro Tour. If an angler is already qualified for the Bass Pro Tour through another avenue, the qualification will roll down to the next eligible angler in the Pro Circuit standings.

The top 100 pros in the final Angler of the Year standings will also requalify for the 2028 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit.

Qualified anglers have until 5 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, to secure their place in the 2027 field by entering all six Stops and paying their deposit. That initial group includes the top 100 pros from the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit AOY standings, qualifying anglers from the 2026 Toyota Series, the 2026 All-American Champion, the 2026 TBF National Championship boater-division winner, the highest-finishing pro from the International Division at the 2025 Toyota Series Championship and Bass Pro Tour pros who did not requalify for the 2027 Bass Pro Tour.

With only 150 full-season positions available, anglers outside the initial qualifying groups will receive entry opportunities beginning in November. Entries from 2027 Bass Pro Tour anglers will be accepted Monday, Nov. 2, followed by 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers not included among the initial qualifiers on Tuesday, Nov. 3 and the top 25 pros from each U.S. division of the 2026 Toyota Series on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Phoenix Boat owners may enter by phone beginning Thursday, Nov. 5. Any remaining positions will open to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 6. Priority for available positions will be determined by entry date and time.

Each regular-season Stop will feature the traditional five-bass weigh-in format, with the full field competing on the first two days. The top 50 anglers, or top third of the field, will advance to the final day, and the winner will be determined by cumulative three-day weight.

2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech Schedule:
Feb. 18-20*                                Stop 1 at Lake Murray | Columbia, S.C. | Dreher Island State Park
FFS/360                                       Hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism

March 5-7                                   Stop 2 at Chickamauga Lake | Hamilton County, Tenn. | Chester Frost Park
No FFS/360                                 Hosted by The Sports & Event Corporation and Bill Dance Signature Lakes

April 8-10*                                 Stop 3 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir | Brookeland, Texas | Umphrey Family Pavilion
FFS/360                                       Hosted by the Jasper County Development District

May 7-9                                        Stop 4 at Clarks Hill Lake | Appling, Ga. | Wildwood Park
No FFS/360                                 Hosted by Visit Columbia County Georgia

June 11-13                                 Stop 5 at Arkansas River | Muskogee, Okla. | Three Forks Harbor
No FFS/360                                 Hosted by Visit Muskogee

July 23-25                                   Stop 6 at St. Lawrence River | Massena, N.Y. | Massena Intake Boat Launch
FFS/360                                       Hosted by the Town of Massena

Sept. 10-12                                     Championship at the James River | Richmond, Va. | Osborne Landing
Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism
No FFS/360 Day 1, FFS/360 Day 2, Coin Flip For FFS/360 Day 3

* Thursday-Saturday event

The complete 2027 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech rules, schedule, payouts and entry information are available at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Anglers may enter online at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling MLF Membership Services at 270-252-1000.

Proud sponsors of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Coin flips set live-sonar designations for 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series and next two Classics

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The coin has spoken. B.A.S.S. revealed the live-sonar designations for all nine events of the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series during Tuesday’s live Bassmaster Coin Flip Show presented by Walls, setting the stage for another season that will challenge the world’s best anglers to compete both with and without the technology.

The show also determined the live-sonar format for the next two Bassmaster Classics. Live sonar will be permitted during the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour on Lake Hartwell, March 19-21, while the 2028 Bassmaster Classic will be contested without live sonar.

Under the 50/50 technology format introduced in 2026, a coin flip determines whether live sonar can be used at each Elite Series event. The format is designed to test the complete skill set of Elite anglers across a variety of fisheries and fishing styles.

The 2027 coin flips produced the following results:

LIVE SONAR

NO LIVE SONAR

Of all the results, perhaps none creates more intrigue than Lake St. Clair.

One of the premier smallmouth fisheries in the country, St. Clair has become synonymous with the electronics-driven techniques that have transformed modern smallmouth fishing. When the Elite Series returns to Macomb County Aug. 5-8, however, anglers will have to unlock the massive fishery without live sonar.

That could make the eighth event of the season — with Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points and Bassmaster Classic qualification increasingly important — one of the most fascinating tests of the 2027 Elite season.

“The first year of the 50/50 format showed us exactly what we hoped it would — that our anglers are incredibly versatile and that compelling competition can look very different from one tournament to the next,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Now we know what those challenges will look like in 2027. Lake St. Clair without live sonar immediately jumps off the schedule, but every one of these results creates a different strategic challenge. That unpredictability is part of what makes this format so interesting for both our anglers and our fans.”

The season begins with contrasting technology rules during back-to-back Florida events. Live sonar will be available Feb. 11-14 on Lake Okeechobee before anglers move to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Feb. 18-21, where the technology will not be permitted.

After the Bassmaster Classic, the Elite Series resumes April 8-11 on the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, without live sonar. Anglers will then have access to the technology April 22-25 on Lake Fork in Yantis, Texas.

Live sonar will again be prohibited May 6-9 on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga., before being permitted for consecutive events on Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina, May 20-23, and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in Columbus, Miss., June 17-20.

Following the summer break, anglers will face the no-live-sonar challenge on Lake St. Clair before live sonar returns for the Aug. 19-22 season finale on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis., where the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race will be decided.

For the first time, the Bassmaster Classic was included in the Coin Flip Show.

A single flip determined the live-sonar rules for the next two editions of the World Championship of Bass Fishing, ensuring that consecutive Classics will showcase both styles of competition.

The result means live sonar will be permitted at the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 on Lake Hartwell. Greenville, S.C., will host Classic festivities, with competition taking place on Hartwell and takeoffs from Green Pond Landing in Anderson.

The 2027 championship will mark the fifth time Lake Hartwell has hosted the Bassmaster Classic, more than any other fishery in Classic history.

The 2028 Bassmaster Classic will not permit live sonar, regardless of the fishery selected to host the championship. The destination for the 2028 Classic has not yet been announced.

The 50/50 technology format debuted during the 2026 Elite Series season and produced strong fan engagement across both types of competition. Lake Guntersville, where live sonar was not permitted, was the most-viewed Elite event of the regular season across B.A.S.S. digital platforms, while the live-sonar event on the St. Lawrence River ranked second.

The contrasting results reinforced the premise behind the format: Elite anglers must demonstrate the ability to locate and catch bass using the full spectrum of skills required at the highest level of the sport.

Fans can follow all nine 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series events and the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour through coverage on Bassmaster.com, including Bassmaster LIVE, real-time leaderboards, photo galleries and tournament analysis.

For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Mountain Dew, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

POWER PAY REWARDS MORE THAN A GREAT FINISH

For Tyler Nelson and Sawyer Reynolds, a third-place finish at the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster High School National
Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes on Kentucky Lake was already something they would remember for
the rest of their lives.

Fishing for Bandys High School out of Catawba, North Carolina, the young anglers put together a performance against some
of the best high-school teams in the country and finished on the podium at one of the biggest events in youth bass fishing.
But when the tournament was over, they discovered their third-place finish was worth even more than the hardware and
memories.

Because their boat was powered by a Yamaha outboard, Nelson and Reynolds also earned an additional $6,250 through
Yamaha’s Power Pay contingency program. For a high school fishing team, that kind of money makes a significant
difference. According to Tyler’s dad, Jeremy Nelson, the value of the program goes beyond a check at the end of a
tournament.

Jeremy coaches the Bandys High School fishing team and he sees the sport as an opportunity to teach young anglers
lessons that extend well beyond finding fish.

“I coach our high-school team, and I always try to get good people to come talk to the team,” Jeremy said. “Whether they are
an evangelist, a pro fisherman or a blue-collar worker. I'm trying to find anyway to make sure they gain life skills with
integrity.”

That philosophy is part of what makes high school fishing so meaningful. Tournament results matter, but not more so than
the lessons learned along the way. Preparation, responsibility, sportsmanship, perseverance and learning how to handle
both success and disappointment. For Jeremy, having reliable equipment is another part of that equation. The Yamaha
motor on their boat is something the family doesn't have to spend much time worrying about. They follow the recommended
maintenance schedule and then trust the outboard to do its job when it’s time to go fishing.

“We do our recommended maintenance on our Yamaha and outside of that, we put the key in it, and it cranks right up,”
Jeremy said. “We always have 100-percent confidence in the motor behind us. No matter what lake my son is fishing, I know
he'll be safe and taken care of with that Yamaha. To get extra money for trusting such a reliable motor is just incredible.”
That confidence becomes especially important for young anglers who spend long days on the water and travel from lake to
lake chasing tournament opportunities. When the goal is to catch fish, the last thing a team needs is uncertainty about
whether its outboard will perform when it matters most. For Nelson and Reynolds, that confidence helped carry them to a
third-place finish on Kentucky Lake.

Power Pay was created to reward anglers who choose Yamaha power and then perform at participating events. In this case,
the Bandys High School team’s podium finish translated into additional money. The Nelson family wasn't buying a Yamaha
because of a contingency check. They were already relying on the outboard because of its reputation for dependability and
the confidence it provides on the water. The Power Pay reward became an added benefit on top of something they already
valued.

On Kentucky Lake, Tyler Nelson and Sawyer Reynolds proved they could compete with the best high-school teams in the
country. With Power Pay, their Yamaha helped make sure there was a little more waiting for them when they stepped off the
water.

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster College Classic Cup field to face seasonal transition at Wilson Lake

Bassmaster College Classic Cup field to face seasonal transition at Wilson LakeClassicCup.transparentPNG.png

FLORENCE, Ala. — The path to bass fishing’s pinnacle event goes through Wilson Lake, as the newly rebranded Bassmaster College Classic Cup presented by Lew’s brings top competitors to this Tennessee River reservoir.

 

Competition days will be October 9-11 with daily takeoffs from Waterfront Marina & Dry Storage at 6:30 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at Hilda B Anderson Softball Stadium at 2:30 p.m.

 

Following several years of a bracket-style format, one outstanding Bassmaster College Series angler will earn a spot in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell through head-to-head competition.

 

B.A.S.S. College, High School and Youth Tournament Manager Glenn Cale said the invitational event is designed to elevate angler opportunity and showcase multi-day strategy.

 

“The new format is laid out to allow the college angler who competes with us for our two-day events the chance to make adjustments and figure out the lake,” Cale said. “A three-day total weight offers an opportunity for the angler to make a move up the leaderboard, but at the same time, they must manage their fish to hold up for three days.

 

“One of these seven college anglers will have a childhood dream become reality when the scales close on Championship Sunday and they punch their golden ticket to compete in the Bassmaster Classic and kick off their career’s next level. What a ride it will be!”

 

The 7-angler field comprises:

 

Bassmaster College Series National Champions Brody Robison & Peyton Sorrow of University of Montevallo.

 

Bassmaster College Series Team of the Year Ben Burns & Grant Pursifull of Stephen F. Austin State University.

 

Bassmaster College Series Lunkers Trail Team of the Year Anderson Jones of Lander University, who fished solo.

 

Bassmaster College Series Legends Trail third-place Team of the Year finishers, Scooter Ligon and Logan Fisher of Emmanuel University. (With Burns and Pursifull, and Robison and Sorrow finishing first and second in the Legends Trail, respectively, their double qualifications opened the door for Ligon and Fisher.)

 

Along with the Bassmaster Classic invitation, the event’s top finisher also will receive a Toyota Tundra and a fully-rigged Nitro Boat professionally wrapped in the winner’s school logo and colors for use at eligible 2027 events. The top prize package also includes $7,500 in cash and paid entry into one Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender division of the winner’s choice.

 

Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Florence, Ala., resident Justin Atkins said the college anglers will likely find Wilson teetering somewhere between late-summer and early fall patterns. Astronomical fall began at the autumnal equinox (day/night equal length), Sept. 22, but the year’s prolonged heat had Wilson’s water temperature in the mid- to upper 70s a week before the event.

 

“I feel like it will be a late-summer junk fishing deal where they could be everywhere,” Atkins said. “Fall mode usually takes water temperatures of 72 and lower, but if we get a cold snap where it doesn’t get above 75 during the day and it’s in the 40s at night, it could rapidly advance (the fall transition).

 

“The water’s really clean right now and I don’t foresee that changing. It’s the time of year when the ground is really hard. It would take a significant amount of rain to soften it and create a lot of runoff.”

 

The seventh in a 9-link chain of Tennessee River reservoirs, Wilson presents a lot of rocky, bluff banks, a handful of creeks and the Wheeler Dam tailrace. Common bass-friendly habitat features include points, docks, brush, grass and the rocks and current seams characteristic of tail waters.

 

Noting that he expects buzz baits and flipping to handle much of the bank action, Atkins points to swimbaits as his top choice for the tailrace. In his experience, that turbulent area below the Wheeler Dam offers the most concentrated potential this time of year, but with moderate current moving through the system, the opportunity has yet to fully ignite.

 

“In the fall, it’s not really cool enough to really push the fish up there and they’re not running enough water to (attract) a lot of fish from down the lake,” Atkins said. “Current draws them, so when they’re always running current, it gets a big population of fish stacked up there.

 

“But it seems that day to day in the early fall, the fish are a little more spread out.”

 

That being said, Atkins believes the event will see a few of Wilson’s top-end fish.

 

“I won’t be surprised if someone catches a 5- or 6-pound smallmouth. Wilson has a lot of 3 1/2 to 4 1/2-pounders and it has a lot of 5- and 6-pound largemouth, too.”

 

With a seasonal preference for big smallmouth, Atkins said he believes 15 to 17 pounds a day will be a competitive average, but he won’t be surprised to see a 20-pound bag. The key, he said, will be a well-managed game plan heavy on the flexibility requisite of this scattered time of year.

 

“I think the key will be staying open-minded,” he said. “A guy could get really dialed into at bite at the dam during practice when they’re running 50,000 (cubic feet per second) and then during the tournament, they’re only running 25,000, or they could be running 75.”

 

“This time of year, it’s all based on power generation; kinda what they need. That will change up the current seams, so you have to understand that they may not be on the same cast they were in practice.”

 

Taking all this into consideration, Atkins believes the winning angler will be the one that best integrates multiple opportunities. Time management will be essential to that premise.

 

“You have to able to pick the trolling motor up and go fish down the bank somewhere you got a couple bites in practice,” Atkins said. “Being able to know when to make a change and not being locked into one thing is going to be a big deal.

 

“I think the bank fishing is probably a little more consistent, but the way to win is always around current. So, the guy that knows how to mix a little bit of both in is probably going to be the guy that has the most consistent tournament.”

 

LIVE coverage of the 2026 Bassmaster College Cup presented by Lew’s will air on Bassmaster.com Oct. 10-11 from 8-11 a.m. ET and noon-3 p.m. ET. Fans can follow all the action throughout the weekend on Bassmaster.com.

 

2026 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2026 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Missouri’s Marler Executes Plan, Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Bull Shoals Lake

BULL SHOALS, Ark. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boater Wyatt Marler of Oldfield, Missouri, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 13 ounces to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Bull Shoals Lake. The tournament, hosted by the City of Bull Shoals, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Arkie Division. Marler earned $3,620 for his victory.

“In the morning I fished a XPS Chaos Shad on the bank from 7 to 9. That was my plan,” said Marler, who grew up an hour from Bull Shoals. “Then I would use an XPS Rock’n Shad and my three-hour (Garmin) LiveScope period to try to cull out everything I caught on the bank. Then I went back to the bank and ended the day again with the topwater.”

Marler stuck to the dam area and said he caught a lot of fish using both techniques, but the topwater fish he caught were “super skinny.” His LiveScope fish came in depths of 35 to 40 feet and were better quality fish.

Marler was so confident in his Sunday catch and performance over the two-day event that he didn’t fish the last three hours of competition Sunday to try to boost his co-angler’s weight and finish in the tournament.

“I put all of my rods up and let him fish,” Marler said. “This is my second time to win this event, and the second one feels really good.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Wyatt Marler, Oldfield, Mo., 10 bass, 33-13, $3,620
2nd:        Matt Baker, Glenwood, Ark., 10 bass, 32-5, $1,880
3rd:         Ryan Thompson, Seymour, Mo., 10 bass, 28-5, $1,010
4th:         Paul Combs, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 26-5, $1,340 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
5th:         Chris Huselton, Conway, Ark., 10 bass, 25-8, $720
6th:         Justin Howard, Austin, Ark., 10 bass, 25-4, $690
7th:         Dale Andrews, Jay, Okla., 10 bass, 25-3, $670
8th:         James Stricklin Jr., Fort Smith, Ark, eight bass, 23-1, $740
9th:         Jamey Black, Sheridan, Ark., 10 bass, 21-10, $610
10th:       Caleb Messinger, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 19-13, $580

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Keith Green of Hot Springs, Arkansas, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass worth $300.

Blake Defoor of Waldron, Arkansas, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,860 Sunday after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Blake Defoor, Waldron, Ark., five bass, 12-6, $1,860
2nd:        Herbert Kimbrough, North Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 12-3, $940
3rd:         Eian Odle, Willow Springs, Mo., five bass, 12-0, $505
4th:         Ron Knight, Hot Springs Village, Ark., four bass, 11-7, $420
5th:         David Blankinship, Cushing, Okla., four bass, 9-12, $360
6th:         Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., four bass, 8-15, $345
7th:         Adam O’Connell, Mount Vernon, Ark., four bass, 8-3, $340
8th:         Aaron McGuire, Monticello, Ark., three bass, 7-10, $320
9th:         Lee Early, Conway, Ark., three bass, 7-0, $460
10th:       Steve Lee, Benton, Ark., three bass, 6-12, $290

Lee Early of Conway, Arkansas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 3-pound, 6-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Matt Baker of Glenwood, Arkansas, won the 7 Brew Arkie Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,364 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Alan Bernicky of Dardanelle, Arkansas, won the Arkie Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,341 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

New Palestine’s Ruster Rides Spinnerbait to Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Ohio River at Tanners Creek

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boater Doug Ruster of New Palestine, Indiana, caught a total of eight bass weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Ohio River at Tanners Creek. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Hoosier Division. Ruster earned $4,450 for his victory.

Ruster’s approach to the tournament was simple - do what he knows how to do and what he knows works. In this case, that meant throwing a spinnerbait shallow.

“I targeted shallow laydowns with a spinnerbait and a spinnerbait only,” Ruster said.

“The first day was really, really good,” Ruster went on to say. “I always fish shallow - usually flat creeks on the Ohio River, and I caught them all on the spinnerbait. They were biting really good. I probably caught 25 keepers. The water was down, but it was great.

Conditions changed for the second day of the tournament, but Ruster’s approach did not.

“The second day, the water had come up drastically and it basically shut my bite off,” Ruster said. “I didn’t have any fish at 12:30.”

Ruster caught a small keeper then moved to a new location and caught another small keeper, then at 2 o’clock he hooked one that weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces.

“I’ve won a lot of money on a spinnerbait on the Ohio River over the last 20 years,” Ruster said. “Today I thought about changing it up a little bit, but I said, ‘You know what? Stick with what you’re good at.’

“I’ve finished second three times in the two-day Super Tournaments and second twice in regular BFL events there, and that just sticks in my mind,” Ruster said. “This is my favorite tournament of the year, and it ended up working out for me today. It feels great.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Doug Ruster, New Palestine, Ind., eight bass, 19-6, $4,450
2nd:        Scott Bateman, Jasper, Ind., 10 bass, 17-8, $2,260
3rd:         Tim Adams, Burlington, Ky., 10 bass, 16-13, $1,160
4th:         Rob Flowers, West Harrison, Ind., eight bass, 15-11, $1,440 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
5th:         Lucas McDaniel, Fortville, Ind., seven bass, 14-3, $1,100
6th:         Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., eight bass, 14-0, $760
7th:         Frank McClain, Scottsburg, Ind., eight bass, 13-3, $720
8th:         Tony Collins, Dayton, Ohio, seven bass, 11-10, $690
9th:         Chris Malas, Cincinnati, Ohio, eight bass, 11-10, $750
10th:       Laine Bull, Cincinnati, Ohio, eight bass, 11-7, $610

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Lucas McDaniel of Fortville, Indiana, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass worth $300.

Ronnie Getz of Strunk, Kentucky, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $2,225 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds even.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          Ronnie Getz, Strunk, Ky., six bass, 9-0, $2,225
2nd:        Tim Edwards, Underwood, Ind., five bass, 8-10, $1,180
3rd:         Dale Walton, Greenwood, Ind., four bass, 7-1, $580
4th:         Bruce Deyoung, Dyer, Ind., two bass, 6-1, $620
5th:         Tony Burke, Bloomington, Ind., five bass, 5-15, $400
6th:         Jordan Atwell, Ruston, La., three bass, 5-11, $380
7th:         Gary Baker, Vallonia, Ind., four bass, 5-4, $360
8th:         Jeremy Johnson, Austin, Ind., two bass, 5-4, $345
9th:         Bill Zimmerman, Shelburn, Ind., four bass, 5-3, $330
10th:       Cayman Wilhelmus, Boonville, Ind., four bass, 5-2, $305

Bruce Deyoung of Dyer, Indiana, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Chris Wilkinson of Farmersburg, Indiana, won the 7 Brew Hoosier Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,316 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Rob Campbell of Martinsville, Indiana, won the Hoosier Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,264 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Illinois’ Meisenhelter Gets Surprise Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boater Grant Meisenhelter of Decatur, Illinois, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 13 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes. The tournament, hosted by Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Meisenhelter earned $2,540 for his victory.

“I had a couple of schools of fish that I planned on starting out with, and on the first day I showed up to one of them and there was triple the amount of fish there than had been there in practice,” Meisenhelter said. “I was so excited, but I only caught two there and then they shut off.”

Meisenhelter said he then turned on his Garmin LiveScope for his three-hour period and picked up two more, running “isolated stuff” and a fifth bass throwing a shallow crankbait.

“I kind of just ran all over, doing whatever I could,” Meisenhelter said. “I knew I just needed to get five keepers, and I’d probably make the Day 2 cut.”

Meisenhelter said during his LiveScope period he primarily used a minnow and a Hideup Coike to entice strikes, and his fishing locations ranged from the dam to Paris Landing State Park. While cloud cover dominated Day 1, the sky cleared on Sunday and the bite became tough for Meisenhelter.

“On Day 2 I caught just one in my school, then ran all my other stuff,” Meisenhelter continued. “Then I ’Scoped three out of some isolated brush and stumps, but it took me all day. I finally caught my fifth one on a Carolina rig.”

“Finding that school of fish kind of boosted my confidence each morning,” Meisenhelter went on to say. “Being able to roll up there and catch a solid keeper to start the day off without my ’Scope was key. I had planned on catching all five each day without the ’Scope, but that didn’t work out, so I was grateful to find that one school that I could get at least one or two to fire for me.”

Meisenhelter figured if he could catch at least 17 pounds on Day 1, he would be in a good spot to have a chance at a strong finish on Day 2. He finished Day 1 with a weight of 17-3. A smaller limit of 12-10 on the second day brought a dark cloud over Meisenhelter’s confidence.

“I thought sure I was going to drop down five or six places," Meisenhelter said. “I was expecting everybody else to catch them.

“I was shocked,” Meisenhelter said when he was proclaimed the tournament winner. “It never crossed my mind I was going to win with only 12 pounds in my livewell. I was just glad to have five fish. I just was not getting the bites I thought I needed on Sunday.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Grant Meisenhelter, Decatur, Ill., 10 bass, 29-13, $2,540
2nd:        Justin Berger, Murray, Ky., six bass, 25-3, $1,500
3rd:        Clint Knight, Russellville, Ky., eight bass, 24-4, $1,330 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
4th:         Stephen Barga, Benton, Ky., seven bass, 20-1, $720
5th:         Ron Peckenpaugh, Louisville, Ky., seven bass, 16-12, $640
6th:         Sam Lashlee, Camden, Tenn., four bass, 15-11, $920
7th:         Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., six bass, 14-13, $600
8th:         Dustin Vaal, Farmington, Ky., four bass, 10-2, $580
9th:         Scott McWaters, Clarksville, Tenn., four bass, 10-2
10th:       Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn., three bass, 9-15

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Sam Lashlee of Camden, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass worth $300.

Stan Evans of Newburgh, Indiana, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,270 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          Stan Evans, Newburgh, Ind., six bass, 15-9, $1,270
2nd:        Brady Kendall, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 19-13, $700
3rd:         Adam Lucas, Cade Girardeau, Mo., three bass, 8-15, $565
4th:         Gary Huber II, St. Charles, Mo., four bass, 8-15, $410
5th:         Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., four bass, 8-0, $320
6th:         Wayne Miller, Morgantown, Ky., three bass, 7-3, $305
6th:         Marty Gorrell, Russellville, Ky., three bass, 7-3, $305
8th:         Ben Wade, South Fulton, Tenn., three bass, 5-12, $290
9th:         Kim Sapetti, Chatham, Ill., two bass, 4-9
10th:       Kenneth Heckel, Santa Claus, Ind., two bass, 4-6

Adam Lucas of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 3-pound, 14-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Noah Morgan of Russellville, Kentucky, won the 7 Brew LBL Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,352 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Matt Chumbler of Carbondale, Illinois, won the LBL Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,330 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Heflin’s Walton Edges Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Mitchell

CLANTON, Ala. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boater Chris Walton of Heflin, Alabama, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 11 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Mitchell . The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Walton earned $3,920 for his victory.

Walton said the tournament marked only the second time he had been to Lake Mitchell and he really didn’t know what to expect. So, he hit the water during practice to see what information he could gather about the fishery.

“I rode around for a couple of hours Friday, but didn’t find anything I liked,” Walton said. “I was fishing shallow; junk fishing like I like to do. I went to the Lay Dam and fished in the current and caught a couple of good ones on topwater. I said, ‘Well, I’m going to run up here tomorrow and give it all I’ve got in the current.’”

Walton did just that first thing Saturday morning, and caught two largemouth that weighed more than five pounds on a Heddon Zara Spook. Walton said that most of his fish during the tournament came on the Spook. He ended the first day with a bag good enough to lead going into Day 2.

“On Day 2 I told my co-angler, ‘There are enough fish (at the dam) that we could both have two good limits,’” Walton said. “It was going to be hero or zero up there. It was not easy to get bit on the topwater.

“We went up there and threw a Spook from daylight until weigh-in and hoped for the best, and we got lucky and squeaked it out,” Walton added.

Walton said he had a feeling he was going to come up short and figured he would instead place second or third.

“This was pretty cool,” Walton said. “This is my first year to fish the BFLs, and I wanted to win one of them. So, it’s pretty cool to win a Super Tournament on a lake that I had the least amount of experience on.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Chris Walton, Heflin, Ala., 10 bass, 28-11, $3,920
2nd:      Michael Smith, Andalusia, Ala., 10 bass, 28-3, $2,480 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
3rd:       Colton Trotter, Dothan, Ala., 10 bass, 27-2, $1,010
4th:        Will Davis, Sylacauga, Ala., 10 bass, 27-1, $840
5th:        Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., 10 bass, 26-15, $720
6th:        Dylan Sorrells, Dallas, Texas, 10 bass, 26-9, $690
7th:        Brady McCormick, Harpersville, Ala., 10 bass, 25-15, $670
8th:        Matthew Bennett, Eclectic, Ala., 10 bass, 25-10, $640
9th:        James Willoughby, Gulfport, Miss., 10 bass, 25-3, $610
10th:     Jason Nixon, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 25-2, $580

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tournament winner Walton earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass worth $300.

Colton Jennings of Moody, Alabama, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,860 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 14 ounces even.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Colton Jennings, Moody, Ala., six bass, 12-14, $1,860
2nd:      Stephen Mickle, Pell City, Ala., six bass, 12-8, $940
3rd:       Rodney Graham, Childersburg, Ala., six bass, 12-2, $505
4th:        Alvin Shirey, Talladega, Ala., six bass, 10-13, $420
5th:        Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., six bass, 10-7, $360
6th:        Jacob Hays, Marbury, Ala., six bass, 10-6, $345
7th:        Larry Chadwick, Phenix City, Ala., six bass, 9-8, $340
8th:        Steve Watson, Dadeville, Ala., six bass, 9-3, $320
9th:        Stanley Mickle, Pell City, Ala., six bass, 9-0, $310
10th:     Scott Noles, Woodland, Ala., five bass, 7-4, $290

Christopher Dennis of Wetumpka, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 3-pound, 4-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Michael Smith, Andalusia, Alabama, won the 7 Brew Bama Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,312 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Alabama, won the Bama Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,335 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Livingston’s Reagan Claims First BFL Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Dale Hollow Lake Presented by Precision Sonar

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boater Rex Reagan of Livingston, Tennessee, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 38 pounds, 5 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake Presented by Precision Sonar . The tournament, hosted by Star Point Resort, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. Reagan earned $3,080 for his victory.

“I didn’t get a chance to practice, so I just fished off of history and went to where I have always caught them,” the 18-year-old Reagan said. “I knew I was going to (Garmin Live)’Scope for the first three hours, and I pulled up on a place where I figured there would be fish – there had been fish there every time for the past three or four years.

“I caught a 4½-pounder, and then another 4½-pounder pretty quick,” Reagan went on to say. “Then I caught three more over 3 pounds and it put me where I needed to be in a pretty short period of time.”

Reagan’s bait of choice during his LiveScope period was a Rapala Crush City Freeloader. He also added a few fish on a spinnerbait upriver, but his main money bait was the Freeloader.

Reagan caught five bass pretty quickly on Day 2, then added a 4-pounder that culled a smaller fish to put him at 18-13 for the day. He had an idea that a win was a possibility, but didn’t get his hopes up.

“Anything is possible and there’s some big fish swimming out there,” Reagan said. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if someone had come in with 20 or 21 pounds.

“I haven’t fished many BFLs,” Reagan added. “I’m always fishing high school tournaments. But I wanted to win a BFL, and it feels great to get one. Now I just want number 2.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Rex Reagan, Livingston, Tenn., 10 bass, 38-5, $3,080
2nd:      Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-6, $1,790
3rd:       Lucas Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-4, $920
4th:        Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-14, $770
5th:        Garret Moon, Albany, Ky., 10 bass, 30-7, $680
6th:        Randy Alexander, London, Ky., 10 bass, 28-1, $650
7th:        Bryan Drury, Harrodsburg, Ky., eight bass, 27-11, $930
8th:        Tanner Smith, London, Ky., 10 bass, 27-8, $600
9th:        Jerry Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., eight bass, 21-12, $580
10th:     Matthew Smith, Richmond, Ky., eight bass, 20-11, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Bryan Drury of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass worth $300.

Tanner Holguin of Knoxville, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,540 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Tanner Holguin, Knoxville, Tenn., six bass, 16-14, $1,540
2nd:      Wesley Bruner, Middletown, Ohio, six bass, 16-4, $820
3rd:       Michael Anderson, Knoxville, Tenn., six bass, 14-12, $460
4th:        Ricky England, Sparta, Tenn., four bass, 13-15, $385
5th:        Phil Williams Jr., Jamestown, Ky., five bass, 11-10, $340
6th:        Tommy Pritchard, Bargersville, Ind., three bass, 10-11, $525
7th:        Matthew Billings, Cookeville, Tenn., four bass, 9-11, $320
8th:        Jeanelle Smith, Byrdstown, Tenn., three bass, 7-12, $300
9th:        Travis Nelson, Wartburg, Tenn., three bass, 7-6, $290
10th:     Chris Rushing, Gamaliel, Ky., three bass, 7-5, $280

Tommy Pritchard of Bargersville, Indiana, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Timothy Wacker of Clinton, Tennessee, won the 7 Brew Mountain Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,315 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Kendall Parnell of Monticello, Kentucky, won the Mountain Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,330 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Georgia’s Rooke Gets Home-Water Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Boater Reed Rooke of Dawsonville, Georgia, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds even to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell . The tournament, hosted by Visit Anderson, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Savannah River Division. Rooke earned $3,580 for his victory.

“The first day I started up shallow in the morning trying to find a big bite,” Rooke said. “I never found it, so I turned my (Garmin) LiveScope around 9 o’clock and capitalized on that period throwing an Evergreen OB Popper.”

Rooke said after his LiveScope period ended he returned to the bank and fished shallow the rest of the day and was able to upgrade with his biggest fish of the day throwing a Berkley Choppo. He also caught fish shallow on a Hideup Coiki Fullcast Creature Bait.

“On Day 2 I started my day using my ’Scope throwing the Evergreen Popper on suspended fish chasing blueback herring,” Rooke said. “I caught about 15 pounds doing that. After that I stayed shallow the rest of the day with my trolling motor on high and was able to cull up twice using the Choppo on shallow, hard-clay banks and points.”

Rooke said at 10 o’clock Sunday morning he had about 15 pounds in the livewell and felt very optimistic about his  chance at winning. A few hours later his winning moment was reality.

“This feels amazing,” Rooke said. “I practiced almost every day this week and have put a lot of time and hard work in on Lake Hartwell. It’s my home lake. I’m on it all the time.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Reed Rooke, Dawsonville, Ga., 10 bass, 34-0, $3,580
2nd:      Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 10 bass, 32-4, $2,440 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
3rd:       Lucas Murphy, West Columbia, S.C., 10 bass, 28-5, $1,170
4th:        Kaden Buchmann, Troutman, N.C., 10 bass, 26-15, $770
5th:        Chase Gurkin, Simpsonville, S.C., 10 bass, 25-9, $680
6th:        Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C., 10 bass, 24-4, $650
7th:        Joseph Tucci, Salem, S.C., 10 bass, 24-3, $630
8th:        Darren Ashley, Calhoun Falls, S.C, 10 bass, 24-2, $600
9th:        Hunter Eubanks, Landrum, S.C., 10 bass, 23-9, $580
10th:     Michael Smith, Irmo, S.C., 10 bass, 18-12, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $300.

Arlie Caudill of Grovetown, Georgia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,690 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds even.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Arlie Caudill, Grovetown, Ga., six bass, 17-0, $1,690
2nd:      Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., six bass, 15-11, $870
3rd:       Adam Johnson, Duluth, Ga., six bass, 15-4, $460
4th:        Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., six bass, 12-15, $385
5th:        Corey Veal, Royston, Ga., six bass, 12-6, $340
6th:        James Akins, Cumming, Ga., six bass, 11-14, $325
7th:        John Kinard, Moore, S.C., six bass, 11-12, $320
8th:        Brian Nappier, Huntersville, N.C., six bass, 11-5, $300
9th:        Brennan Gunther, Johns Island, S.C., three bass, 8-4, $290
10th:     Chuck Bagwell, Laurens, S.C., four bass, 8-0, $380

Arlie Caudill of Grovetown, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Tim Watson of Lavonia, Georgia, won the 7 Brew Savannah River Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,333 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Benjie Winkler of Cleveland, Georgia, won the Savannah River Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,326 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Announces Chickamauga Lake and Dayton, Tennessee as Location for 2026 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Wild Card Tournament

DAYTON, Tenn. (Oct. 5, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Chickamauga Lake and Dayton, Tennessee, has been selected to host the 2026 Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Wild Card tournament, which will take place Nov. 13-14. The two-day event, hosted by Fish Dayton North/Rhea County Department of Tourism, will launch from the new Fish Dayton North launch ramp.

In order to be eligible to fish the Wild Card tournament, anglers must have entered all five events within a Phoenix BFL division during the 2026 season, fished at least two of them, and are not already advancing to the All-American via a previous qualification.

Anglers will take off from the Fish Dayton North launch ramp, located at 8055 Old Washington Highway in Dayton, at 7:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Weigh-ins will be held at the State Park both days beginning at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the takeoffs and weigh-ins, as well as follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The full field competes both days at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Wild Card, with winners determined by the heaviest two-day catch. The top seven boaters and top seven co-anglers will advance to the 2027 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American, held on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, June 5-7, 2027, and hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

There will be no off-limits period prior to the pretournament meeting for the Wild Card. No contestant may be on tournament waters for the purpose of locating bass or potential fishing waters after the start of the pretournament meeting except during tournament hours.

Entry for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Wild Card at Chickamauga Lake opens Monday, Oct. 5 at 8 a.m. CT and runs through Thursday, Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. CT. Anglers can enter by phone at 270.252.1000.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

World Bass Enterprises Launches The Champions Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing

Free-to-play game gives fishing fans chance to build their dream team and compete for fishing and hunting experiences valued at up to $6,000

EASTLAND, Texas (Oct. 5, 2026) – World Bass Enterprises announced today the launch of The Champions Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing, giving fishing fans another way to follow the action and test their knowledge of the anglers competing in The Champions on Old Hickory Lake outside of Nashville, Tennessee, Oct. 29-31. The event will bring together 60 of the world’s top professional anglers to compete for a record-setting $3.25 million dollar purse, including $1.25 million for the winner – the largest payout in bass fishing history.

The free-to-play fantasy game opens Oct. 5 and challenges participants to assemble a 10-angler team they believe will produce the highest combined cumulative weight during The Champions. Players will select five anglers from each of two designated flights and compete against fellow fishing fans for three prize packages provided by World Bass Enterprises.

Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, will serve as presenting sponsor of the game, continuing its support of innovative opportunities that bring fishing fans closer to the sport and its competitors.

“We’re excited to work with Major League Fishing to add another interactive element to The Champions,” said Brian Bird, CEO and Owner of World Bass Enterprises. “Fantasy sports are a huge part of how fans follow their favorite teams and athletes, and fishing lends itself perfectly to that experience. MLF understands better than anyone how passionate fishing fans are and how much they enjoy following anglers, studying tournaments and making their own picks. Their support helps us bring that experience to fans in a fun new way.”

To play, participants can visit The Champions Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing beginning Oct. 5 and create a free Fantasy Fishing account. Players will then select a team of 10 anglers, choosing five from Flight 1 (Stars) and five from Flight 2 (Stripes), with the two flights representing the sport’s two professional leagues. Selections will lock at takeoff on the opening day of competition.

Each player’s score will be based on the combined cumulative weight caught by the 10 anglers on his or her fantasy team throughout the tournament. Players will also answer a tiebreaker question predicting the total single-day weight caught by the tournament-winning angler on the final day of competition.

Fans can follow their fantasy selections and all of the action from The Champions through WBE’s pay-per-view livestream. Coverage begins Wednesday, Oct. 28, with Media Day and opening ceremonies and continues through Sunday, Nov. 1, featuring all three days of tournament competition, live boat cameras, weigh-ins, replays and highlights, plus exclusive coverage of the Sunday Pro-Am. For complete livestream details and to purchase a PPV pass, visit WorldBassEnterprises.com/ppv.

“Anything that gives fishing fans another reason to follow the anglers, learn their strengths and stay engaged with a tournament throughout the competition is good for our sport,” said MLF Co-Founder, President and CEO Boyd Duckett. “We’re proud to support World Bass Enterprises and The Champions to help introduce another interactive experience for fishing fans. Partnerships like this create more opportunities to showcase professional anglers and continue growing the audience for professional bass fishing.”

Three fantasy players will earn prize packages from World Bass Enterprises:

  • First place: A two-day trophy bass fishing experience with Dalton Smith on O.H. Ivie Lake, plus a $1,000 prepaid gift card – an approximate retail value of $6,000.
  • Second place: A whitetail buck hunting experience at the WBE Ranch in Texas, plus a $1,000 prepaid gift card – an approximate retail value of $5,000.
  • Third place: A turkey hunting experience at the WBE Ranch in Texas, plus a $1,000 prepaid gift card – an approximate retail value of $4,000.

The Champions 2026 Fantasy Fishing Game Presented by Major League Fishing is free to play. Eligible participants must be legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States or District of Columbia, age 18 or older and the age of majority in their state of residence. The game is designed as a skill-based competition and may not be used for any form of gambling.

Fantasy team selections open at 12:01 p.m. ET Oct. 5 and remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 28. Players may change their selections prior to the lock time.

For complete game details, registration and official rules, visit WorldBassEnterprises.com. For the latest news and information on Major League Fishing, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

About World Bass Enterprises “The Champions”
“The Champions” tournament, hosted by World Bass Enterprises, will feature 60 of the world’s top anglers competing for a record-breaking purse of more than $3 million, including a $1.25 million payout to the winning angler - the biggest monetary prize ever awarded to a winner of a bass fishing tournament.

by AnglersChannel

Nick LeBrun Wins the 2026 Ultimate Angler World Championship on Lake Guntersville

LeBrun weighs 28-2 in the rain and comes from 10th place to win $500,000. “This is like winning five tournaments in one day.”

SCOTTSBORO, AL (Oct. 3, 2026) — Nick LeBrun weighed 28 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday and won the 2026 Ultimate Angler World Championship, presented by Unified Pros, on Lake Guntersville. His three-day total was 69 pounds, 2 ounces. First place pays $500,000.

“I used to tell people that if you can win about every five years, you’ll stay relevant,” LeBrun said. “Well, this is like winning five tournaments in one day. I can’t even describe it. It means everything to my family. It means everything to my sponsors, and I’ll never forget it.”

LeBrun started the final day in 10th place with 41-0, 6 pounds, 13 ounces behind leader Bryan Schmitt. He won by 1 pound, 10 ounces. The Louisiana pro has won on this lake before, at a Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event in May 2022.

He almost didn’t get the chance. On Friday he threw a blade off his prop about 10 miles up the river. His marshal trolled the boat about three miles to a ramp while LeBrun caught a ride back to his truck for the spare.

“Always have a spare prop in the boat, not your truck,” LeBrun said. “We lost about an hour and 20 minutes of fishing time. I was kind of bummed. But we got out there, we had a longer day, fortunately, and caught 22 and got us in position in 10th, and I was close enough to the lead where I knew I had a chance.”

Saturday’s rain did the rest. LeBrun was throwing a Frog Factory Ribbit Top Toad, a hollow body frog, around pads and grass mats.

“When the rain started, the big ones in my area got really stupid,” LeBrun said. “They started busting through pads, grass mats, everything to get that frog. I caught a couple 6-pounders almost back to back, and that got the momentum train rolling.”

On stage, LeBrun credited his faith. “In 2018, everything changed for me,” he said. “Jesus Christ made me new, and he gave me a future and joy and purpose and hope. All glory to him for sure.”

Schmitt led after Day 2 and finished second with 67-8. He weighed 19-11 Saturday. Buddy Benson was third after Day 2 and stayed there, finishing with 64-8. Ron Nelson came from outside the top 12 to take fourth with 62-12. Cory Johnston started the day in second and finished fifth with 62-4.

Kyle Welcher was sixth with 61-3, Cal Lane was seventh with 60-11, Kevin Atkinson was eighth with 60-8, Tyler Rivet was ninth with 60-7 and Bobby Lane Sr. was 10th with 59-7. One pound, 12 ounces separated sixth from 10th. Day 1 leader Buddy Gross finished 16th with 57-1.

Each day's Big Bass paid $10,000. Ron Nelson won it Saturday with a 7-pound, 3-ounce largemouth. Anthony Goggins had the next biggest at 6-13. Chris Lane won Day 1 with an 8-15. Chad Mrazek won Day 2 with a 9-pounder, the biggest bass of the tournament, and finished 19th with 56-3.

The championship started Thursday with 200 anglers, and the top 50 fished Saturday. The total payout was more than $1 million.

Full results are at Fishing Chaos.

The week closed Saturday night at Goose Pond Colony with the Bass Tracker Classic XL boat giveaway, the championship awards and a free concert headlined by Hannah Dasher.

For more information, visit theultimateangler.org.

About The Ultimate Angler

The Ultimate Angler is the world championship bass fishing tournament, held on Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala. Top professional, collegiate, regional, and amateur anglers qualify through sanctioned events to compete for more than $1 million in prizes. The week also includes the Outdoor Expo, live entertainment, conservation programs, and family activities.

by AnglersChannel

Emory, Texas Announced as Location for MLF’s Starlink Team Series B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by MillerTech

EMORY, Texas (Oct. 2, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Emory, Texas, will be the host location for the third event of the 2026 Starlink Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops season – the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by MillerTech, Sunday, Nov. 15, through Friday, Nov. 20.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by MillerTech is hosted by Rains County and will take place over six days. In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols all fishable waters within 60 miles of Emory, Texas, are now off limits to competing anglers.  The competition waters for each day are top-secret and only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. The MLFNOW!® live broadcast begins on the water at 9 a.m. CT.

The Starlink Team Series features four Cup events in 2026 – the Patriot, Heritage, Challenge and Summit Cups – each showcasing 12 two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers competing for a share of $560,000 in prize money across all four events.

All six days of competition will stream live on MLFNOW!®, offering fans a front-row seat to every hookset, decision and adjustment as teams explore new fisheries and adapt in real time. The final hour of each day of competition will be broadcast live from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET on RFD-TV, and each event will also be featured in a series of six original, two-hour episodes set to premiere on Outdoor Channel in the first quarter of 2027.

The 12 teams that will compete in the Challenge Cup in Emory, Texas, Nov. 15-20 are:

Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark.

Team BUBBA:
Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas
Alton Jones Sr., Lorena, Texas

Team Ferguson:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C.

Team Knighten Industries:
Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.

Team Kubota:
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.

Team Lowrance:
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Team Lucas Oil:
Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn.
Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn.

Team MillerTech:
Dustin Connell, Deatsville, Ala.
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.

Team O’Reilly Auto Parts:
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas

Team OFF! Deep Woods:
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.

Team Star brite:
Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
Colby Miller, Elmer, La.

Team YETI:
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
Fletcher Shryock, Cleveland, Tenn.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition. MLFNOW!® is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and Rumble.

Proud sponsors of the MLF Starlink Team Series include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Bass Force, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF!® Deep Woods® Repellents, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Starlink, Toyota, YETI, Yuengling and Zenni.

For complete details and updated information on the MLF Starlink Team Series, 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Bryan Schmitt Leads the Ultimate Angler World Championship After Day 2

Schmitt has 47-13 and a 2-13 lead over Cory Johnston. Chad Mrazek's 9-pounder takes Day 2 Big Bass. Top 50 fish Saturday.

SCOTTSBORO, Al (Oct. 2, 2026) — Bryan Schmitt caught 25 pounds, 15 ounces Friday and now leads the 2026 Ultimate Angler World Championship, presented by Unified Pros, on Lake Guntersville. He has 47 pounds, 13 ounces through two days.

Schmitt was tied for seventh after Day 1 with 21-14. He goes into Saturday with a lead of 2 pounds, 13 ounces. The field was cut to the top 50 after Friday's weigh-in, and those 50 anglers fish the final day.

Cory Johnston is second with 45-0. He weighed 23-1 Friday after 21-15 on Day 1. Buddy Benson is third with 42-15, Andrew Ready is fourth with 42-11 and Matthew Robertson is fifth with 42-4.

It is tight behind them. Less than two pounds separates third from 10th. Kyle Kaser is sixth with 41-6, Kevin Atkinson is seventh with 41-5, Kyle Welcher is eighth with 41-3, Jacob Wheeler is ninth with 41-1 and Nick LeBrun is 10th with 41-0. Justin Lucas was third after Day 1 and is now 11th with 40-10. Takahiro Omori is 12th with 40-8. Day 1 leader Buddy Gross is no longer in the top 12.

Chad Mrazek caught the biggest bass of the tournament Friday, a 9-pound largemouth worth $10,000 for Day 2 Big Bass. Keith Carson had the next biggest at 6-15, and Benson had a 6-6. Chris Lane won Day 1 Big Bass on Thursday with an 8-15.

First place pays $500,000. The total payout is more than $1 million.

Full standings are at Fishing Chaos.

Championship Saturday

Saturday, Oct. 3: The 50 finalists take off at 7 a.m. from Goose Pond Colony. The Ultimate Angler Expo opens at 9 a.m. The final weigh-in starts at 2:30 p.m. After the weigh-in comes the Bass Tracker Classic XL boat giveaway, the championship awards and the crowning of the 2026 Ultimate Angler World Champion. A free concert closes the night with Micah & The Front Porch Pickers, Freebird – Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute, and headliner Hannah Dasher.

The Expo and the concert are free and open to the public.

For more information, visit theultimateangler.org.

About The Ultimate Angler

The Ultimate Angler is the world championship bass fishing tournament, held on Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala. Top professional, collegiate, regional, and amateur anglers qualify through sanctioned events to compete for more than $1 million in prizes. The week also includes the Outdoor Expo, live entertainment, conservation programs, and family activities.

by AnglersChannel

Buddy Gross Leads Day 1 of the Ultimate Angler World Championship on Lake Guntersville

Chris Lane sits eight ounces back and holds Day 1 Big Bass at 8-15; top 10 separated by two pounds heading into Friday's cut

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Oct. 1, 2026) — Buddy Gross weighed 23 pounds, 8 ounces Thursday to take the Day 1 lead at the 2026 Ultimate Angler World Championship, presented by Unified Pros, on Lake Guntersville.

Gross, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Chickamauga, Ga., is fishing close to home. He calls the Tennessee River his home water, lists offshore fishing as his strength, and names Guntersville as his favorite place to fish. He has two Elite Series wins, at Lake Eufaula in his rookie season and at the Harris Chain in 2022, along with two FLW Tour titles.

His lead is eight ounces. Chris Lane is second with 23-0, and Justin Lucas is third with 22-12. RJ Sanger holds fourth at 22-4, while Cory Johnston and Ed Oilar are tied for fifth at 21-15.

Lane also weighed the biggest fish of the day at Goose Pond Colony, an 8-pound, 15-ounce largemouth that leads Day 1 Big Bass and its $10,000 payout. Sanger was next with an 8-5.

Ten anglers weighed 21-8 or better, which puts the entire top 10 within two pounds of Gross. Bryan Schmitt and Trey Swindle are tied for seventh at 21-14, followed by Chad Hall at 21-9 and Andrew Loberg at 21-8. Jacob Wheeler and Cade Law are tied for 11th at 21-7.

The 200-angler field is competing for more than $1 million in payouts, including $500,000 for first place.

Full Day 1 standings are available at Fishing Chaos.

Remaining Schedule

Friday, Oct. 2: Championship Day 2 takeoff is 7 a.m. from Goose Pond Colony. Student Conservation Day activities and the Ultimate Angler Expo both start at 9 a.m. The Day 2 weigh-in begins at 2:30 p.m., and finalists will be announced at 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 3: Finalists take off at 7 a.m. The Expo opens at 9 a.m., and the final weigh-in begins at 2:30 p.m. The Bass Tracker Classic XL boat giveaway announcement follows the weigh-in, along with championship awards and the crowning of the 2026 Ultimate Angler World Champion. A free concert closes the night with Micah & The Front Porch Pickers, Freebird – Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute, and headliner Hannah Dasher.

The Ultimate Angler Expo and concert are free and open to the public.

About the Ultimate Angler World Championship

Hosted by Unified Pros, the Ultimate Angler World Championship brings together 200 of the top professional and amateur anglers from across the country to compete on Lake Guntersville. The event combines elite competition with conservation initiatives, youth education programs, and community engagement while highlighting Scottsboro and Jackson County as premier outdoor destinations.

Media Contact:

Lori Waller

Event Director, Ultimate Angler World Championship

256-934-9330

www.TheUltimateAngler.org

by AnglersChannel

Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender unveils 2027 schedule

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender schedule, featuring eight tournaments across two divisions and a diverse lineup of fisheries stretching from Florida to Michigan.

The Bassmaster Opens have long served as a proving ground for aspiring professional anglers, providing competitors a pathway toward the highest levels of tournament bass fishing. The 2027 schedule will test anglers across a variety of fisheries, from Southern reservoirs and grass-filled lakes to Northern smallmouth waters. The Opens will once again provide competitors a route toward the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops and ultimately the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

Division 1 Schedule

  • Jan. 28-30 — Harris Chain of Lakes (Leesburg, Fla.)
  • April 1-3 — Lake Guntersville (Scottsboro, Ala.) *
  • May 26-28 — Douglas Lake (Dandridge, Tenn.)
  • Aug. 26-28 — Oneida Lake (Syracuse, N.Y.) *

Division 2 Schedule

  • Jan. 14-16 — Sam Rayburn Reservoir (Brookeland, Texas)
  • Feb. 25-27 — Lay Lake (Columbiana, Ala.) *
  • April 29-May 1 — Table Rock Lake (Branson, Mo.)
  • June 23-25 — St. Marys River (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) *

*Forward-facing live sonar will be permitted at these events.

Forward-facing live sonar will again be permitted at select Bassmaster Opens in 2027, with two tournaments in each division allowing the technology. Lake Guntersville and Oneida Lake will permit FFS in Division 1, while Lay Lake and the St. Marys River will permit FFS in Division 2. The approach continues the format used in 2026, when B.A.S.S. designated two FFS events in each division.

“Each year, we work to build a Bassmaster Opens schedule that challenges anglers on different types of fisheries while giving them the opportunity to demonstrate the versatility it takes to compete at the next level,” said Phillip Johnson, B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer. “The 2027 schedule accomplishes that with a tremendous mix of venues from the South to the North. These events will test anglers in very different ways throughout the season, and we’re excited to visit communities that understand the value and excitement a Bassmaster tournament brings.”

A significant competition update for 2027 will also affect how anglers prepare for each event. The off-limits period will now begin 10 days before the start of Official Practice. The updated rule will create a consistent preparation window for competitors leading into each Bassmaster Opens tournament.

The schedule begins early with Division 2 visiting Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas, Jan. 14-16. Division 1 gets underway two weeks later, Jan. 28-30, on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla.

Spring competition will take anglers to several proven tournament destinations. Division 2 visits Lay Lake in Columbiana, Ala., Feb. 25-27 before Division 1 heads to Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala., April 1-3. Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo., follows April 29-May 1, while Division 1 competitors will take on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tenn., May 26-28.

The schedule turns north for its final two events, including a historic first for B.A.S.S. The June 23-25 event on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., will mark the first time B.A.S.S. has held a tournament on the St. Marys River. The Division 2 season finale will give Opens anglers an opportunity to compete on the expansive Northern fishery and target the smallmouth bass for which the region is known.

“We are thrilled to welcome B.A.S.S. to Sault Ste. Marie for the first time and showcase everything the St. Marys River has to offer,” said Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This is an incredibly beautiful and unique fishery, and we’re excited for the anglers, fans and viewers around the world to experience it. Our community is eager to embrace this event and make everyone feel at home. We look forward to an unforgettable week of competition and showing the Bassmaster family what makes Sault Ste. Marie such a special destination.”

Division 1 will close the 2027 regular season Aug. 26-28 on Oneida Lake in Syracuse, N.Y. The event will give anglers one final opportunity to make their move in the standings on a fishery offering both largemouth and smallmouth bass opportunities.

The stakes will be high throughout the 2027 season, with multiple paths available for anglers to advance to the 2027 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops. The Top 50 anglers in the points standings from each division, along with the Top 35 anglers in the overall Bassmaster Opens points standings, will qualify for the EQs.

Tournament winners will also earn an automatic berth into the 2027 EQs, provided they compete in all four tournaments within a division. Those winners will also earn a berth in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, provided they meet the full-division participation requirement. The 2027 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops schedule will be announced at a later date.

The Bassmaster Opens have a proven history of providing anglers with opportunities to advance their professional careers. Opens champions and top competitors have gone on to earn Elite Series berths and compete on the sport’s biggest stage, the Bassmaster Classic. In 2026, the Opens qualification structure also rewarded anglers competing across a full division and provided multiple avenues for competitors to advance to the EQs.

Registration for the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender will open at 9 a.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Details will be available on Bassmaster.com.

Additional information regarding registration, qualification procedures, payouts, Official Practice and competition rules for the 2027 Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender will be available on Bassmaster.com.

2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Turtlebox

2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: Battery Tender

2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Previewing Lake Dardanelle Ahead of the Upcoming AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open

SAN ANTONIO, TX (September 29, 2026) – As the fall semester rolls along and the first cold fronts make their way slowly southward, the Association of Collegiate Anglers is gearing up for its second major event of the 2026-27 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.

The AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open is set to take place at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR on October 10-11, 2026. The no-entry-fee, nationally televised event will award well over $30,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The close to $10,000 increase in payout from 2025 to 2026 is thanks in large part to AFTCO providing additional cash and prizes to this year’s payout.

In this article, we will highlight Lake Dardanelle, the playing field for this ACA major event.

For close to 10 years now, the ACA has contested the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle during the fall of the year. Located along the Arkansas River in central Arkansas, Lake Dardanelle boasts just over 34,000 acres of water. Spanning many miles from dam to dam, Lake Dardanelle is littered with many creeks and bayous up and down the river. The banks are littered with wood cover, lily pads, rocks, and different types of vegetation.

Leading up to the event, the central region of Arkansas is forecasted to receive some rain and undergo a decent cool down. In recent days, high temperatures in the Russellville area are climbing to the upper 80’s and low 90’s. At the end of this week, rain is projected to impact the area. That rain will also bring with it cooler temperatures. During tournament week, most daily highs are projected to be in the upper 70’s.

Being that Lake Dardanelle is a river fishery, significant rainfall at the end of this week could have an impact on the water levels and clarity. This, in turn, would also impact fishing. Fresh water moving into the Arkansas River would cause the fish to spread out and seek cleaner water.

In year’s past, finding stable, cleaner water has been the name of the game. When teams are able to find these types of areas, they can zero in on a pattern and get a lot of bites. When referencing cleaner water, we are talking about places that have clearer water, offering better visibility than the main river and surrounding creek arms. Slowing down with soft plastics in such scenarios will give anglers the ability to target specific cover and give them a better chance of placing their bait in front of a bass.

Vegetation is also a key player at Lake Dardanelle. Last year, the amount of vegetation found across the fishery had increased. It was also evident that the bass were located in the vegetation, as many boats were seen fishing around it. The vegetation provides cover for many baitfish and prey that bass would feed on. Working a topwater frog or punching a soft plastic bait are effective ways for anglers to target bass in vegetation.

Rock can also be found in abundance up and down this Arkansas River impoundment. This comes in the form of two types, riprap, and natural rock. Riprap can be found along the many highway and railroad bridges back in the creeks. Natural rocks are located along the main river channel and in the creeks. This includes bluff banks. Those bluff banks provide great transition areas as these bass move to feed up for the fall. Soft plastics and a variety of moving baits can get bites in these areas.

At the 2025 AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open, the two-day total winning weight was 33.77 pounds. Six teams amassed a two-day total weight eclipsing the 30-pound mark. A national professional level tournament was also recently contested at Lake Dardanelle. The three-day winning weight for that tournament was just over 52 pounds. Look for the weights to continue to be strong this year. For anglers to target a Top 10 overall finish, they will likely need to average 15 pounds or better each day.

by AnglersChannel

Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Inducts Five New Members, Honors Bill Dance with Lifetime Achievement Award

Iovino, Martin-Wells, Omori, Pierce and Whitaker Enshrined During Annual Induction Ceremony

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Sept. 25, 2026) – The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame welcomed five new members Thursday evening during its annual induction ceremony at the White River Conference Center, celebrating the achievements and lasting contributions of some of the sport's most influential figures.

The Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 includes legendary finesse fishing pioneer Don Iovino, tournament trailblazer Pam Martin-Wells, international bass fishing icon Takahiro Omori, boat manufacturing innovator Rick Pierce, and tournament organization visionary Mike Whitaker.

The ceremony drew a sold-out crowd that included 20 current Hall of Fame members, industry leaders, sponsors and bass fishing enthusiasts from across the country.

In addition to recognizing the 2026 induction class, the Hall of Fame presented the Ray Murski Lifetime Achievement Award to Hall of Famer Bill Dance for his extraordinary impact on the sport as a competitor, educator, promoter and ambassador.

"Tonight's inductees represent the very best of bass fishing and have left a lasting mark on our sport through innovation, leadership, competition and service," said Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Board President Bruce Stanton. "Their accomplishments have inspired generations of anglers and helped shape bass fishing into what it is today."

The Hall of Fame also announced that more than $150,000 was raised through its annual Celebrate Bass Fishing Week auction and related fundraising efforts. Proceeds will support enhancements to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame exhibit within Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium, as well as the organization's scholarship and conservation grant programs.

"We continue to be amazed by the support of the bass fishing community," Stanton said. "Our banquet sold out, our auction was another tremendous success, and the generosity of anglers and industry partners continues to help us preserve and celebrate the history of our sport."

Class of 2026 Honorees

Don Iovino

Widely regarded as the father of finesse fishing, Iovino revolutionized bass fishing in deep, clear reservoirs throughout Southern California. His pioneering techniques, hand-poured worm designs and innovative approach to light-line fishing helped transform the sport and influenced generations of anglers nationwide.

Unable to attend due to health concerns, Iovino was represented by his daughter, Patty Welzel, who shared remarks highlighting his lifelong passion for fishing and a heartfelt tribute to his late wife, Darlene.

Pam Martin-Wells

A groundbreaking competitor and mentor, Martin-Wells built one of the most accomplished résumés in women's bass fishing. She captured more than 30 tournament victories and 10 Angler of the Year titles, and in 2010 became the first and only woman to qualify for the final day of the Bassmaster Classic.

Martin-Wells, who passed away in 2025 following a battle with ovarian cancer, was remembered not only for her achievements on the water but also for her impact as an educator, mentor and collegiate fishing coach.

Takahiro Omori

After moving from Japan to pursue his dream of becoming a professional bass angler, Omori established himself as one of the sport's most influential competitors. His victory at the 2004 Bassmaster Classic made him the first international angler to win the event and helped open doors for anglers from around the world. He also gave the bass fishing world the phrase “I knew it!” after a last-minute flurry of catches clinched the Classic win.

"Coming from Japan, I had no connections here, no friends, no money and no sponsors," Omori said. "To be here today is unbelievable. I fully committed, believed in myself and put everything into it. That's what 'I knew it' really means."

Omori remains an active competitor on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour and earlier this year became the circuit's oldest tournament winner.

Rick Pierce

As a driving force behind Bass Cat Boats, Pierce helped build one of the most respected brands in the bass boat industry. His innovations in boat design, product development and customer service established standards that continue to influence manufacturers throughout the industry.

"Most of what I do comes from heart and passion," Pierce said. "It is very humbling to stand here among the legends of the sport."

Pierce credited his late father, Bass Cat founder Ron Pierce, for providing the foundation of his success and reaffirmed his commitment to continuing his work in the industry.

"I'm not done yet," Pierce said. "I'm going to keep rolling. I have a passion to go on."

Mike Whitaker

Whitaker transformed competitive bass fishing through the creation of Operation Bass, which later evolved into FLW Outdoors, ultimately becoming one of the largest tournament organizations in the world.

Under Whitaker's leadership, Operation Bass grew to conduct more than 150 events annually while helping launch countless fishing careers and providing opportunities for everyday anglers to compete.

"To have my name placed alongside the people who built and shaped this great sport is an honor that my family and I will forever cherish," Whitaker said. "I am deeply grateful.”

Dance Receives Lifetime Achievement Honor

One of the most recognizable figures in fishing history, Bill Dance became the fourth recipient of the Ray Murski Lifetime Achievement Award, joining previous honorees Ray Scott, Johnny Morris and Rick Clunn.

Stanton praised Dance's enduring influence and popularity throughout the fishing community.

“When you go to a Bassmaster Classic or ICAST or a Bass Pro Shops grand opening, to find Bill Dance you just look for the long line of people,” Stanton said in introducing Dance. “It’s usually an hour to an hour and a half that people stand in line, to this day, to meet the 86-year-old man with the ‘T’ cap because they love him. And he loves them back. It’s something not a lot of people can say in our sport or any sport.”

Accepting the award, Dance reflected on his longtime friendship with Ray Murski and expressed gratitude for receiving an honor bearing his name.

"Ray was a man of integrity, generosity and character," Dance said. "He truly loved this sport and the people in it. I was fortunate to call him my friend.”

Looking Ahead

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will announce details of its 2027 nomination process in the coming weeks. The 2027 induction ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2027, at Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri.

 

 

by AnglersChannel

Missouri’s Boehle Claims Title Despite Adversity at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Grand Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine

GROVE, Okla. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Boater Adam Boehle of Warrenton, Missouri, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 13 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Grand Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine. The tournament, hosted by the City of Grove, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Okie Division. Boehle earned $13,100, including a $7,000 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

Trolling motor battery issues plagued Boehle during the tournament, and he limped along Saturday after starting the day with a 10 percent battery charge. It didn’t faze him too badly, however, as he caught 10 keepers, all on a jig, to head into Day 2 with the lead after weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce.

“On Day 2 I got my trolling motor batteries to 30 percent overnight,” Boehle said. “I caught one on a topwater early and then went fishing the jig the rest of the day and caught probably 15 keepers.”

Boehle said he fished the jig from 2 to 20 feet deep from Wolf Creek Park to the dam and fished “a little bit of everything,” including docks, brush and rocks.

“I practiced on Friday and found a couple of spots I had confidence in; I just didn’t know the size of fish I could catch,” Boehle said. “And with the trolling motor issues I didn’t even know if I’d be fishing Sunday.

“My favorite time of year to fish is fall. I’ve been trying to win a fall Super Tournament for 10 years,” Boehle went on to say. “I always fall short. I just led the Ozark Division Super Tournament the first day and fell short, so it’s nice to finally get the tournament win that I have been chasing for the last 10 years.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Adam Boehle, Warrenton, Mo., 10 bass, 32-13, $13,100 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:        Lane Stephens, Owasso, Okla., 10 bass, 31-15, $3,000
3rd:         Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 31-13, $1,500
4th:         Brett Stearnes, Carthage, Mo., 10 bass, 31-8, $1,200
5th:         Crawford Brantley, Grove, Okla., 10 bass, 31-6, $1,000
6th:         T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., 10 bass, 31-0, $950
7th:         Chase Washburn, Shawnee, Okla., 10 bass, 30-15, $900
8th:         Preston Cook, Miami, Okla., 10 bass, 30-11, $850
9th:         Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla., 10 bass, 29-13, $950
10th:       Brad Cook, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 29-7, $750

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Cade Smith of McAlester, Oklahoma, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass worth $300.

Thad Hewitt of Delaware, Oklahoma, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $3,300 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 19 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          Thad Hewitt, Delaware, Okla., six bass, 19-15, $3,300
2nd:        Connor Richmond, Cleveland, Okla., six bass, 19-10, $1,500
3rd:         Patrick Weir, Park Hill, Okla., six bass, 19-2, $750
4th:         Gene Chandler, Bluejacket, Okla., six bass, 18-15, $600
5th:         Dylan Johnson, Miami, Okla., six bass, 18-3, $500
6th:         Blake Wilson, Benton, Ark., six bass, 18-0, $475
7th:         Russell Malone, Grove, Okla., six bass, 16-12, $600
8th:         Ron McCorkell, Miami, Okla., six bass, 16-5, $425
9th:         Wesley Bissett, Broken Arrow, Okla., six bass, 15-11, $400
10th:       Blake Defoor, Waldron, Ark., six bass, 15-9, $375

Russell Malone of Grove, Oklahoma, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Trenton Underwood of Pocola, Oklahoma, won the 7 Brew Okie Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,290 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Thad Hewitt of Delaware, Oklahoma, won the Okie Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,322 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Onalaska’s Laufenberg Uses Home-Water Knowledge to Win Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Mississippi River-Prairie du Chien

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Boater Cade Laufenberg of Onalaska, Wisconsin, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 4 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Great Lakes Division. Laufenberg earned $5,580, including a $2,500 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

According to Laufenberg, heavy rains the week before the tournament dumped up to six inches of rain locally, which caused one of the tributaries upriver of Prairie du Chien to blow out mud and, as a result, turn the water in Pool 9 to mud.

“I had seen the scenario before and knew what I needed to do to capitalize on it,” Laufenberg said. “Early in the week of practice you couldn’t get a bite, because they were covered in mud. But as the water started to stabilize and clear up a little bit, the fish really started biting. I knew in that scenario I needed to throw moving baits with a lot of vibration and bright color to get a reaction bite in that dirty water.

“I had a really good practice day Friday,” Laufenberg went on to say. “Everywhere I went I was catching fish.”

Laufenberg locked up to Pool 9 both days of the tournament and said he relied on two spots for his fish. He would fish one, then let it rest while he fished the other and alternate back and forth. He turned to a Summer Sexy Shad Strike King KVD 1.0 HC Squarebill crankbait as well as a ¾-ounce Chartreuse Baitfish Strike King Red Eye Shad to trigger strikes.

“I was fishing around a lot of large shad, so I liked the bigger size and profile of the Red Eye Shad, and sometimes you had to make a cast across the current, so having a bigger bait would help you keep it close to the bottom where the fish were positioned in the current. And you would come through that sand, and when you came to a drop or ditch the bait was at their eye level and it dropped right into their face and they reacted. They ate it.

“With that, I lost a lot of fish because sometimes you don’t get a good hook into them on a reaction bite, but ultimately, getting more bites was the deal in the end.”

Laufenberg said he caught his largest fish and multiple 3-pound largemouth on a 5-inch Pearl Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too Soft Jerkbait.

Laufenberg entered the tournament with expectations of winning because he knew the muddy water would hurt other competitors’ chances and he had faced the same scenario before and was prepared for it.

“There were signs Friday that continued throughout the tournament that made it seem like it was meant to be,” Laufenberg said. “It was just super poetic. I had been so close to winning the Super Tournament so many times and never been able to do it. It just felt like I had to get this one because it was the last one to get.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Cade Laufenberg, Onalaska, Wis., 10 bass, 34-4, $5,580 (includes $2,500 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:        Jason Eastman, Waterloo, Iowa, 10 bass, 30-15, $1,640
3rd:         Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 29-11, $920
4th:         Josh Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, 10 bass, 29-5, $770
5th:         Casey Goode, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 28-15, $980
6th:         Chris Welch, Fall River, Wis., 10 bass, 26-0, $650
7th:         Dalton Christoffer, Lansing, Iowa, nine bass, 23-11, $630
8th:         Brian Fitzpatrick, La Crosse, Wis., eight bass, 19-13, $850
9th:         Clayton Reitz, Morton, Ill., seven bass, 18-8, $580
10th:       Zach Williamson, Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 13-5, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Casey Goode of La Crosse, Wisconsin, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass worth $300.

Shaun Hansen of Spring Grove, Minnesota, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,690 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds, 6 ounces.


The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          Shaun Hansen, Spring Grove, Minn., six bass, 17-6, $1,690
2nd:         Darrin Wood, Rochester, Minn., six bass, 16-4, $820
3rd:         Art Gneuhs, Plainfield, Ill., six bass, 15-8, $460
4th:         Clint Goodwin, La Crescent, Minn., six bass, 14-6, $385
5th:         Jessie Pollard, Whitehall, Wis., six bass, 14-5, $340
6th:         Blake Miller, Cedar Falls, Iowa, five bass, 12-15, $375
7th:         Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, six bass, 12-2, $320
8th:         Brian Brecka, Alma, Wis., five bass, 10-13, $300
9th:         Wesley Pigeon, Randolph, Wis., three bass, 6-15, $290
10th:       Jeff Mairet, Oskaloosa, Iowa, three bass, 5-8, $380

Hansen also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wisconsin, won the 7 Brew Great Lakes Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,342 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Jason Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, won the Great Lakes Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,345 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Kentucky’s Knight Dominates Field in Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Old Hickory Lake

MOUNT JULIET, Tenn. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Boater Clint Knight of Russellville, Kentucky, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 8 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Old Hickory Lake . The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Music City Division. Knight earned $10,920, including a $7,000 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

Knight said he hadn’t been on Old Hickory Lake in 15 years but wanted to fish the tournament for a chance to compete on his home waters of Kentucky-Barkley Lake in the BFL Regional.

“The first time I ever put a waypoint on this lake was during practice Friday before the tournament,” Knight said. “I was just hoping for the best. I tried the whole (Garmin LiveScope) deal and thought I could fish this lake like Lake Barkley, but no.

“I figured if I could just cover more water than everyone else that eventually I’d run into five (keepers),” Knight went on to say. “I just had to make sure I took advantage of my opportunities. If I got a bite, I had to make sure I landed it.”

Knight ran to backs of pockets in the early hours of the tournament days to catch one or two bass in hydrilla on flats, then switched to isolated visible targets on the edge of the river channel. After the sun got up, Knight positioned his boat in 10 to 12 feet of water as opposed to his early-morning shallow approach.

Nine of Knight’s 10 weigh fish came on a bladed jig, but he didn’t attribute the bait to his success.

“I think it was mainly me just covering more water,” Knight said. “Yesterday I put the trolling motor in the water at 7:10 and trolled for almost four hours straight with it on 100 percent. There wasn’t really any rhyme or reason. It was mainly just fall junk fishing.

“I knew I could have a shot if I caught 8 to 10 pounds on Sunday,” Knight went on to say. “I’m just so happy to qualify for the Kentucky-Barkley Lake Regional. I knew it was a long shot to hop in this tournament and win, but it happened!”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Clint Knight, Russellville, Ky., 10 bass, 30-8, $10,920 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:      Sam Lashlee, Camden, Tenn., 10 bass, 22-5, $1,880
3rd:       Jayson Johnson, Smithville, Tenn., seven bass, 21-11, $1,010
4th:        Brandon Edel, Hendersonville, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-10, $840
5th:        William Merrick, Wartrace, Tenn., nine bass, 20-10, $720
6th:        Michael Stout, Gallatin, Tenn., seven bass, 20-3, $690
7th:        Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-6, $670
8th:        Adam Wagner, Cookeville, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-2, $640
9th:        Stacey Edwards, Milton, Ky., eight bass, 16-12, $610
10th:     Kelly Woodruff, Portland, Tenn., seven bass, 14-13, $580

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tournament winner Knight earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $300.

Sam Lemons of Philadelphia, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,810 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 11 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Sam Lemons, Philadelphia, Tenn., six bass, 10-11, $1,810
2nd:      Tommy Pritchard, Bargersville, Ind., six bass, 10-9, $990
3rd:       Jojo Walsh, Lyles, Tenn., four bass, 9-14, $605
4th:        Roderick Green, Columbia, Tenn., five bass, 8-13, $420
5th:        Jeremy Young, Smithville, Tenn., four bass, 7-14, $360
6th:        Austin Downs, Burna, Ky., four bass, 7-12, $345
7th:        Joe Cornelius, Corinth, Miss., four bass, 7-11, $340
8th:        Richard Payne, Portland, Tenn., three bass, 6-6, $470
9th:        Barry Brooks, Lafayette, Tenn., three bass, 6-2, $310
10th:     Cole Panick, Nolensville, Tenn., three bass, 6-0, $290

Richard Payne of Portland, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 3-pound, 10-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Michael Stout of Gallatin, Tennessee, won the 7 Brew Music City Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,338 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while David Wiley of Greenbrier, Tennessee, won the Music City Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,307 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Dawsonville’s Seabolt Notches Home-Water Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Lanier Presented by Precision Sonar

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Boater Hayden Seabolt of Dawsonville, Georgia, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 8 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Lanier Presented by Precision Sonar. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Bulldog Division. Seabolt earned $4,830 for his victory.

“The final day of practice I found a pretty good place that I thought had the winning fish on it,” said Seabolt, who lives on Lake Lanier. “I was really looking forward to my three hours of (Garmin) LiveScope. Saturday morning. I just burned down the bank with a topwater until around 11 and used my ’Scope until 2 both days.”

Seabolt focused his efforts in mid- to south waters of Lanier and said his topwater bait of choice was a Berkley Choppo targeting rocky banks or pieces of wood – anything that looked fishy. The Choppo produced a limit both mornings of competition. Seabolt said he ended up culling out that limit later during the LiveScope period fishing deep throwing a minnow.

Seabolt used his LiveScope period to focus on the ends of long points with a Berkley Lab Series Minnow with Berkley X5 8-pound-test braided line.

“I was really excited after yesterday and figured I could win,” Seabolt said. “I was expecting to catch more weight today, but I guess it was tough on everybody. Having 16 pounds today I thought I was going to get beat, but I guess it all worked out.

“I’ve seen my buddies win this tournament a couple of times, and I’ve always wanted to win it,” Seabolt said. “I worked pretty hard for this one this week, and I’m pretty excited about it.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Hayden Seabolt, Dawsonville, Ga., 10 bass, 37-8, $4,830
2nd:        Dylan Akins, Flowery Branch, Ga., 10 bass, 36-10, $2,690
3rd:         Jack Story, Atlanta, Ga., 10 bass, 34-5, $1,220
4th:         William Bates, Alpharetta, Ga., 10 bass, 33-5, $1,490 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
5th:         John Duvall, Madison, Ga., 10 bass, 33-1, $830
6th:         Randall Woodham, Buckhead, Ga., 10 bass, 31-5, $790
7th:         Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 10 bass, 31-3, $750
8th:         Brad Stalnaker, Eatonton, Ga., 10 bass, 30-3, $710
9th:         Lane Parker, Waleska, Ga., 10 bass, 30-1, $670
10th:       Mitchell Wheeler, Jasper, Ga., 10 bass, 28-5, $630

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Dylan Akins of Flowery Branch, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass worth $300.

Adam Johnson of Duluth, Georgia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $2,365 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          Adam Johnson, Duluth, Ga., six bass, 17-1, $2,365
2nd:        Richard Causey, Perry, Ga., six bass, 15-13, $1,195
3rd:         Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., six bass, 14-7, $610
4th:         Dennis McGouirk, Carrollton, Ga., five bass, 14-6, $495
5th:         Ben Waldrop, Woodland, Ga., six bass, 13-6, $415
6th:         Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C., five bass, 12-10, $395
7th:         Wyatt Harmon, Carrollton, Ga., five bass, 12-8, $380
8th:         Robert Holliday, White Plains, Ga., three bass, 10-12, $555
9th:         Tony Stevens, Monroe, Ga., five bass, 10-6, $440
10th:       Scott Williams, Canton, Ga., three bass, 9-9, $315

Robert Holliday of White Plains, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater John Duvall of Madison, Georgia, won the 7 Brew Bulldog Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,299 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Richard Causey of Perry, Georgia, won the Bulldog Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,268 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Highland’s Schrumpf Gaps Field for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Rend Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine

WHITTINGTON, Ill. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Boater Colby Schrumpf of Highland, Illinois, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 9 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Rend Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine. The tournament, hosted by Seasons Lodge at Rend Lake, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Illini Division. Schrumpf earned $11,500, including a $7,000 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

“We had an east wind the last two days and I knew it was going to be a tough event,” Scrumpf said. “I strategized going into it that I was going to cover as much productive water as I could, fishing as fast as I could, and present my bait to as many fish as I could.”

Schrumpf’s plan worked out pretty well on the first day of the tournament, as he carried the lead into the second day. When he found areas with bigger fish, he spent more time there to make sure he had fully optimized his chances for success, with different baits and angles of attack.

Schrumpf said he targeted bass in 2½ to 6 feet of water near Gun Creek throughout the tournament. Saturday’s baitfish activity had fish schooling on flats, but Sunday showed very little baitfish activity. Schrumpf relied on a square-bill crankbait, a downsized bladed jig and a Texas-rigged worm when he encountered a laydown or rock he wanted to spend a little more time on.

“It was pretty much the same scenario, today,” Schrumpf said. “But even tougher conditions. There was very little wind until this afternoon. So, I just stayed where I thought there would be a high population of fish.

“It wasn’t until Sunday afternoon that I started catching a reasonable amount of fish,” Schrumpf continued. “The wind started blowing a little bit and got those fish a little more active.”

Schrumpf said he felt confident in his efforts after the first day of competition but knew he couldn’t put a win in his pocket after just one day.

“I was really concerned about the four boats right behind me after Saturday,” Schrumpf said. “If I didn’t get the bigger bites they could have easily caught up to me. I felt like I could catch a limit, but they were right behind me.

“I caught a really good one first thing in the morning – 5½ pounds – but didn’t catch another keeper until 11:30,” Schrumpf went on to say. “After I caught that second keeper, I got some confidence again and settled in and realized most likely I was just a couple of bites away from winning. Once I had the thought in my head I had three more hours to catch just a few more fish, I felt pretty confident.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., 10 bass, 28-9, $11,500 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:        Jeremy Mull, Pawnee, Ill., nine bass, 25-6, $2,010
3rd:         Adam Brookman, Bonnie, Ill., nine bass, 20-5, $1,060
4th:         Keith Bailey, Simpson, Ill., eight bass, 19-3, $870
5th:         Jeff Atchison, Ina, Ill., seven bass, 16-11, $750
6th:         Toby Corn, Paducah, Ky., seven bass, 16-5, $720
7th:         Matthew Warren, Benton, Ill., six bass, 15-14, $680
8th:         Eugene Martin, Mount Vernon, Ill., six bass, 14-15, $650
9th:         Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 12-6, $620
10th:       Greg Mullins, Mount Vernon, Ill., six bass, 11-10, $590

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Michael Black of Toledo, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $300.

David Workman of Harrisburg, Illinois, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,950 Sunday after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds even.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          David Workman, Harrisburg, Ill., five bass, 16-0, $1,950
2nd:        Amanda Black, Toledo, Ill., six bass, 13-14, $1,055
3rd:         Dale Renth, Mascoutah, Ill., six bass, 13-10, $530
4th:         Brian Huber, St. Charles, Mo., five bass, 13-3, $585
5th:         Ryan Murphy, Paris, Ill., five bass, 10-14, $375
6th:         Jameson Smith, Mt. Vernon, Ill., five bass, 10-11, $360
7th:         Elmo Rogers, Albion, Ill., four bass, 8-8, $340
8th:         Thomas Duke, Pana, Ill., three bass, 8-5, $425
9th:         David Keefer, Charleston, Ill., four bass, 7-7, $310
10th:       Gage Smith, Shelbyville, Ill., three bass, 7-3, $295

Brian Huber of St. Charles, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Jeremy Mull of Pawnee, Illinois, won the 7 Brew Illini Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,358 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Gage Elder of Decatur, Illinois, won the Illini Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,319 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Concord’s Barnes Claims Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Gaston

LITTLETON, N.C. (Sept. 28, 2026) – Boater Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Gaston . The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. Barnes earned $10,880, including a $7,000 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

Barnes said he hadn’t been to Lake Gaston in 15 years and didn’t know what to expect.

“I didn’t have a stellar practice,” Barnes said. “So I decided to just find an area with some good-looking water and just settle in there.

“Saturday started out real slow,” Barnes went on to say. “I caught my first fish around 10 o’clock, but it progressed from there, and I ended up catching one that went 7-2 that afternoon.”

Barnes threw a topwater bait for shallow fish in the mornings. He said a spinnerbait was also particularly effective on Saturday, while a buzzbait and jig were the preferred bait on Sunday.

Barnes said Sunday started off a little better for him, as he had three good keepers in the boat by 8:30. He kept grinding in the mid- to lower-lake area and finished out a limit.

“My main objective was just to catch a decent limit,” Barnes said. “I don’t have a history on Gaston, so I was just trying to do the best I could. Sometimes when you go into an event you think it might set up in your favor. This one was not necessarily setting up in my favor, due to my lack of knowledge there.

“Today when I caught my fifth fish, I weighed them and the scale said 15 pounds,” Barnes went on to say. “I started running some numbers in my head and thought, ‘I need to catch one more good one.’ But it worked out.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Jason Barnes, Concord, N.C., 10 bass, 37-13, $10,880 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:      Evan White, Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 10 bass, 34-14, $1,640
3rd:       Logan Anderson, Sherrills Ford, N.C., 10 bass, 33-1, $1,020
4th:        Blake Richardson, Littleton, N.C., 10 bass, 32-8, $770
5th:        Chad Sims, Lancaster, S.C., 10 bass, 30-7, $680
6th:        James Joyner, Jarratt, Va., 10 bass, 30-0, $650
7th:        Ryan Harrell, Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 10 bass, 29-2, $630
8th:        Rodney Bell, Salisbury, N.C., 10 bass, 24-10, $600
9th:        Steve Michaels, Garner, N.C., 10 bass, 24-6, $580
10th:     Keith Roberts, Hurt, Va., seven bass, 18-11, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tournament winner Barnes earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 2-ounce bass worth $300.

Landon Dorman of White Bluff, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,540 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Landon Dorman, White Bluff, Tenn., six bass, 16-15, $1,540
2nd:      Robert Green, Sedalia, N.C., six bass, 16-3, $920
3rd:       Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., five bass, 15-14, $610
4th:        Larry Freeman Jr., La Crosse, Va., six bass, 15-10, $435
5th:        Shaquille Freeman, Farmville, Va., five bass, 14-15, $340
6th:        John Richardson, Winston-Salem, N.C., six bass, 14-10, $325
7th:        Douglas Washburn, Bracey, Va., five bass, 14-0, $320
8th:        Mark Lee, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 13-5, $300
9th:        Wesley Trotter, Monroe, N.C., five bass, 12-9, $290
10th:     Jim Freeland, Youngsville, N.C., four bass, 11-2, $280

Thomas Pennell III of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, won the 7 Brew North Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,341 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Thomas Pennell III of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, won the North Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,343 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Hoover’s Spain Park High School Wins Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open on Lake Guntersville Presented by Columbia PFG

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 28, 2026) – The High School Fishing team of James Monson and Greyson Price, representing Spain Park High School of Hoover, Alabama, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 1 ounce to win the MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open on Lake Guntersville Presented by Columbia PFG in Guntersville, Alabama.

The no-entry fee tournament was hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports. In MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing competition, the top 10% of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top six teams that now advance to the 2027 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1st:         Spain Park High School, Hoover, Ala. – James Monson and Greyson Price, five bass, 20-1
2nd:       St. Amant High School, St. Amant, La. – Barritt Babin and Hunter Lambert, five bass, 19-9
3rd:        Heard County High School, Franklin, Ga. – Colby Senn and Ellis Turner, five bass, 18-9
4th:         Forsythe Central High School, Cumming, Ga. – Christian Giampietro and Joshua Woodcock, five bass, 18-7
5th:         DAR Patriots Fishing Club, Grant, Ala. – Ethan Edwards and James Morrison, five bass, 18-5
6th:         Mortimer Jordan High School, Kimberly, Ala. – Parker McCoy and Blaze Sullivan, five bass, 16-8                          

Rounding out the Top 10 teams were:

7th:         Mary Persons High School, Forsythe, Ga. – Grayson Dorsey and Leighton Hamrick, five bass, 16-4
8th:         North Forsythe High School, Cumming, Ga. – Colton Hitchcock and James Pierce, four bass, 14-12
9th:         Grissom High School, Huntsville, Ala. – Jacob McKinnon and Parker Salvail, five bass, 14-7
10th:      Guntersville High School Bass Club, Guntersville, Ala. – Oliver Skidmore and Hudson Skidmore, five bass, 14-5

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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% of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Columbia PFG, Epic Baits, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Carson-Newman University Edges Field at Columbia PFG College Fishing Tournament on Lake Guntersville Presented by Jenko Fishing

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 28, 2026) – The Carson-Newman University duo of Zachary Knight of Gallatin, Tennessee, and James Sumrell of Hixson, Tennessee, won the MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Lake Guntersville Presented by Jenko Fishing Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 12 ounces. The victory earned the Eagles’ bass club $2,000 and a qualification into the 2027 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“We had a pretty rough practice,” Sumrell said. “The majority of the time we spent idling offshore looking for late summer schools on shell beds. We also spent a lot of time ‘scoping creek channels looking for roamers. It was pretty hard to catch big fish, so at the end of practice we switched to fishing the grass and found a magical 30-yard stretch that the bigger bass were using.”

Knight said on the morning of the tournament the team found eight boats fishing the matted grass they wanted to target.

“We just kind of fished around them,” Knight said. “For like an hour and a half it was catching one every five minutes. We just got the right bites we needed.”

Knight said the team relied on a MF Bluegill-colored Berkley Swamp Lord Frog to catch their tournament weight. The team had 12 bites during the day, hooked up with eight of those fish and culled three times.

“It’s really hard when you’re fishing a frog to get them all in the boat,” Knight said. “That’s just part of frog fishing.”

Knight went on to say that instead of fishing the edges of the matted grass, the Carson-Newman team got “up in it.”

“I think that’s what made the difference,” Knight said. “The fish had seen so many frogs in that area.”

The Carson-Newman juniors were some of the first to weigh in and had to sit and watch every bag behind them come to the scale, and the potential to steal the lead.

“It was pretty stressful,” Knight went on to say. “Me and James have worked really hard for this, and to pull it off means the world to us. Hopefully we’ll keep the ball rolling and get a few more wins.”

The top 10 teams finished:

1st: Carson-Newman University – Zachary Knight, Gallatin, Tenn., and James Sumrell, Hixson, Tenn., five bass, 24-12, $2,000
2nd: East Texas Baptist University – Sutton Donald, Hallsville, Texas, and Kanyon Russom, Winnsboro, Texas, five bass, 24-1, $1,000
3rd: Wabash Valley College – Blake Locey, Wheeler, Ill., and Thomas Newman, five bass, 23-13, $700
4th: Emmanuel University – Michael Gammons, North Charleston, S.C., and Easton Morrow, Plant City, Fla., five bass, 23-7, $600
5th: Carson-Newman University – Trey Marco, Morrisville, Penn., and Jake Rowlands, Dalton, Penn., five bass, 23-3, $500
6th: University of West Alabama – Cole Martin and Griffin Ralph, both of Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 21-14
7th: Drury University – Brody Thoele and Ethan Thoele, both of Sigel, Ill., five bass, 21-13
8th: Centre College –Samuel Bracken Castle, Barbourville, Ky., and Colin Wise, Harrodsburg, Ky., five bass, 21-12
9th: LSU – Hinesley Bryant, Greenwell Springs, La., and Tyler Covington, Denham Springs, La., five bass, 21-10
10th: University of Montevallo – Cole Edwards, Grant, Ala., and Brody Mitchell, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 21-6

Complete results for the entire field, along with the full list of National Championship Qualifier teams can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Lake Guntersville was presented by Jenko Fishing and hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports. The next tournament for MLF College Fishing anglers will be the Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Cherokee Lake, Oct. 23 in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

The 2026 MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia season features college teams from across the country competing in six regular-season open tournaments, plus the Columbia PFG College Fishing Heavy Hitters all-star event. The top 15 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2027 Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia National Championship.

Proud sponsors of MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Columbia PFG, Epic Baits, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Caldwell and Young Claim Inaugural NPFL Military Classic

North Carolina’s Jamey Caldwell and Tommy Young finish with 33-1 over three days to win the inaugural
NPFL Military Classic on Douglas Lake.

The inaugural NPFL Military Classic wrapped up Friday on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee, with
North Carolina anglers Jamey Caldwell and Tommy Young of Team 1 Minute Out taking home the
victory. Hosted by Jefferson County and the State of Tennessee, the three-day event brought military
members, veterans and their families together for competition, fellowship and time on the water, with
100 percent of entry fees paid back to the top-finishing teams.

The only team to weigh in a double-digit bag all three days, Caldwell and Young were the model of
consistency throughout the week. They weighed 10-9 on Day One, 11-6 on Day Two and 11-2 on the
final day for a three-day total of 33-1. They edged Sensor to Shooter by just 8 ounces after the runner-
up team closed with its best bag of the week, 11-14, to finish with 32-9. Sensor to Shooter also claimed
the event’s Big Fish honors with a 4-3 bass.

J N J steadily improved each day, going from 9-9 on Day One to 10-13 on Day Two before finishing with
11-7 for a three-day total of 31-13 and third place. Warrior Fishing finished fourth with 30-9, anchored
by an 11-12 opening-day bag, while Team Ammo rounded out the Top 5 with 30 pounds even after
improving each day with bags of 9-5, 10-1 and 10-10.

Team 1 Minute Out Cranks Out Victory

Coming into the event, Jamey Caldwell and Tommy Young had a plan. That plan included looking back
through the Rolodex and finding everything they could remember about Douglas Lake with the water at
winter pool. Living only five hours from Douglas, Caldwell made many trips to the lake while fishing
professionally at different levels. Back then, he remembered recording cover and structure with a
camcorder and tape recorder.

“Back then, I marked structure during the winter pool with a tape recorder,” he laughed. “I have some
history here, and all of that was in play this time of year. Tommy and I had two main areas we wanted to
check: one being Muddy Creek, one of the best creeks in the lake. The other was a stretch of the river
we’ve done well on before.”

Right away in practice, the duo located schools of bass positioned on offshore ledges in around 20 feet
of water. The only problem was figuring out how to make them bite. With the pressure TVA reservoirs
receive throughout the year, the bass were conditioned to being fished for. It was on to Plan B.
“We love cranking and knew that was going to be a good pattern this week, but that Muddy Creek area
was super pressured, despite the fish still being there,” Caldwell said. “We headed up the river and started looking around. It didn’t take long to find some schools on flats and points, a hair shallower
around 15 feet.”

On Day One, the team decided to focus its efforts shallow in the morning, fishing topwater and trying to
get a limit. With the crankbait bite better in the afternoon, having fish in the boat would take some of
the pressure off when it was time to move offshore.

“We got a small limit early, around 11 or so, and then went cranking,” added Young. “Once we got to
our area, we ended up culling everything pretty quickly. Really, that was the plan over the first two days.
On Day Two, we broke out a big squarebill, looking for bigger bites, and Jamey ended up catching one
that really helped us take the lead and put us in position for the final day.”

“I have a bait I love for catching big fish,” said Caldwell. “A Strike King 8.0, a huge squarebill, and I can
get it down deep. We caught our kicker on Day Two, giving us a boost. On the final day, we scrapped the
shallow bite and started on the offshore schools.”

When they arrived upriver on the final day, the schools were not there, and things started a little slower.
Caldwell knew better than to assume the worst, and the duo started graphing and idling around looking
for bass. Moving shallower, it didn’t take long to find them set up on adjacent ledges. It was time to get
to work.

“Once we figured out they were on the shallower ledges in the morning, it was game on,” said Young.
“Sitting in about 8 feet, we started catching fish and caught them pretty good. We averaged double
digits each day, and our under fish seemed to be a bit fatter than other teams. The quality was higher
and the pressure seemed less upriver on those secondary ledges, and it was just a great week of
fishing.”

Military Classic Comes to Fruition

The event had been the brainchild of the NPFL’s Brad Fuller for a while. When Caldwell and Fuller got to
talking, knowing what he did about the NPFL, it was an easy decision for Caldwell to jump at the
opportunity to be involved.

“I didn’t know Brad extremely well, but we had worked together a little in the past,” said Caldwell. “My
background in fishing and working in the industry like I do, it was an easy decision to get involved when
Brad called and asked me to help out. A lot of my friends fish the NPFL, and all I have heard for several
years was how great it was. I knew if the NPFL was behind the Military Event, it was going to be a home
run.”

Caldwell has fished professionally for a long time, at every level and with several different trails. While
he has yet to join the NPFL due to work and travel conflicts, it was only a matter of time before he saw
the “League” in action.

“Anglers tell me all the time, this trail is legit and it’s run like no other,” he said. “They do a killer job for
their anglers, and their dedication to doing what is right for the field really shows. I got to be a part of
this Military Event in a small way, but the NPFL crew really knocked this out of the park, and it was easy
to see why everyone is a huge fan. I am already looking forward to next year and making this event even
bigger.”

Final Leaderboard
1 Minute Out 33-1
Sensor to Shooter 32-9
J N J 31-13
Warrior Fishing 30-9
Team Ammo 30-0
SHADY J SLAYERS 28-15
Team Lookout 28-9
Drinnon / Coleman 27-11
WEST VIRGINIA FMO 27-9
Ardis / Bowman 27-8
The Hawgzilla Gorillaz 27-7
Ft Stewart Brothers 27-2
TK and Mike 26-6
Allman / Howard 26-5
Old Dawgs 25-14
Grumpy O'l Bassers 25-14
Hog Snatchers 25-13
Bass Cat one 25-10
Trash Panda 25-10
GorillaSquad 25-7
ARMY BASS ANGLERS 25-6
Hopkins / Matthews 25-2
Hoosier bait company 24-15
Jarrett/Underwood 24-10
Dave & Woody 24-2
Vyborny / Vyborny 24-1
Bass Ackwards 23-15
Bishop / Powell 23-14
Stines-Poggenpohl 23-12
BushWookie Fishing 23-10
Root / Jena 23-6
OneCast Fishing 23-5
Gabriel and Thomas Burns 22-14
O’Rourke/Brewer 22-13

Geaux Time 22-12
Travis & Mike 21-10
Lemley / Clark 21-1
ChrisCurt VA Fishing 21-1
Quandt & Woods 20-9
Barnett / Torres 20-9
Schnupp / Falin 20-0
Schneider / Payne 20-0
Semper Gumby 19-15
Special Operations Bass Anglers Team 2 19-15
Schmidt / Landt 19-10
Out of Office 19-7
S.C Bassassins 19-1
B&K 18-12
Proctor 18-12
Bro Get The Net 18-8
Bass Bandits 18-6
48th IBCT 17-11
908 AMXS 16-15
Essayon Pirates 16-11
Jumpmaster 16-9
Fierce / Christoper 16-8
Commons / Phillips 15-13
Special Operations Bass Angler 1 15-13
Fuhgahwe 15-10
J&D 15-10
W.A. New Steel 15-4
Jolly Green 15-3
Weekend Warriors 15-1
Team CenTex 14-12
NAVY Tail Chasers 14-9
Cory 14-3
TNT Fishing 14-3
Bible/Mitchell 13-14
PERKINS / Cherry 13-6
Bradley / Canale 13-3
Appalachian Hog Snatchers 13-1
Capps / Hewitt 13-0
Big Stix 12-13
One Source Fishing 10-0
T&B Leone 8-15

Findley / Harmon 8-5
Bait Odyssey 7-14
Fishing With A Veteran 7-4
A&D Fishing 6-10
Team Gaines 4-15
Thomas / Thomas 2-13
Hull/Samples 1-12

 

by AnglersChannel

Hayden Lee Hunts Down First Pro Win at BAM Don Pedro

LA GRANGE, Calif.– Hayden Lee of Angels Camp, came to Lake Don Pedro for the BAM Pro-Am West’s third and final stop of 2026 with the goal of making the season’s year-end Tournament of Champions. Stacking up daily limits of 21.19, 16.35 and 15.07, Lee finished with 52.61, more than four-pounds over his nearest competitor claiming victory at the event hosted in partnership with Lake Don Pedro, Chicken Ranch Casino Resort, Tackle Warehouse and conservation sponsor Fisherman’s Warehouse.

“Trying to figure out how to catch keepers was the main thing to make myself make the TOC and it was so tough, I just went to the big baits,” said Lee.

The California pro covered water from the bank to 130-feet deep, finding fish grouped in mixed sizes but rarely finding enough willing to bite from one place to stay put.

“I thought I was going to be able to rope ’em on couple spots and that did not happen,” he shared. “I guess from the boat pressure. I had to pull in and catch one and I would have to bounce.”

That constant search ultimately became the defining feature of his tournament.

“I wasn’t fishing, I was hunting ’em,” he said. “I wouldn’t have done what I did without the LiveScope.”

Crediting a flutter spoon and a deep crankbait for all of Lee’s bites. He focused on the details of his presentation which included 20-pound-test line in open water and 25-pound-test when around structure.

“On an old Shimano Curado 300 reel,” he said. “The green ones – can’t get em anymore.”

Lee found the now discontinued Shimano reel’s 5.1:1 gear ratio to be a critical factor in his presentation. He had the reel paired to a Dobyns 805 punch rod.

The event marked the first pro tournament win for Lee. He was awarded a new Mercury-powered Vexus 1880 for the accomplishment.

Beaty’s Deep Dropshot Delivers Second

Luke Beaty of Martinez, Calif
Second place finisher Luke Beaty of Martinez Calif

Luke Beaty of Martinez, Calif., ended Day One in third with 19.54 pounds. Adding 13.66 on Day Two moved him into second. On Championship Sunday, he weighed 15.14 for an event total of 48.34, securing the runner-up position in the season-ending draw-partner tournament.

Beaty found his better-quality fish deep but getting them into the boat required following their movement well beyond that depth.

“I was seeing the fish in 40-feet, casting my dropshot at ’em, and they were following it down another 20-feet,” he said.

Every one of Beaty’s bigger fish came on the dropshot, a presentation he found during pre-practice and committed to throughout the event. Electronics played an equally important role in putting those fish in the boat.

“Every fish I caught, I was looking at ’em,” he said.

Beaty hopped points in search of his targets, although the bass themselves weren’t necessarily relating to anything he could identify on the bottom. The bigger challenge was putting five together. Despite finishing second with nearly 50 pounds, he didn’t complete a limit before 2 p.m. on any of the three competition days.

His dropshot featured a 5/16-ounce weight and a six-inch Plum Berry Roboworm fished on a Dobyns Champion XP with a Shimano spinning reel and Seaguar braided line.

“I dunno, I just picked up a pink worm and it started working,” Beaty said.

His finish earned a $5,000 payday.

Fernandes Follows Fish Deep

Third place Troy Fernandes of Santa Maria
Third place Troy Fernandes of Santa Maria

Troy Fernandes of Santa Maria caught the biggest bag of the event on Day One with 21.86 pounds. His Day Two limit of 10.65 and Championship Sunday weight of 11.54 gave the California pro a three-day total of 44.05 and a third-place finish.

“It was a grind today had two little ones in the morning and fished for big ones all day,” he said. “We only caught four and one of em was a six-pounder. Sometimes that’s how it goes”

Fernandes targeted points and banks along with rockpile edges in deeper water. He identified the falling water level as his biggest challenge.

“That pushed ’em deeper,” he explained. “Before I was catchin ’em in 2- to 3-feet of water. And they were easy to catch when you found one. It got tough. They got deep. I was taken that thing down to 50-foot sometimes.”

Fernandes’ six-pounder on the final day came from new water in a pocket he described as “largemouthy.”

“I ran a new pocket,” he said. “Lucky there was one sittin’ up high – up shallow – just how it was in practice and lucky that one bit because a lot of the other ones don’t”

Hideup Coike Fullcast Creature Bait in Watermelon
Hideup Coike Fullcast Creature Bait

The six-pounder fell for a pink salmon Coike fished on an iROD 753 with 20-pound P-Line Tactical.

“It was on a B10 stinger with a dropshot weight through it,”

Fernandes reeled in $2,525.00 for his time on the water.

Thornhill Adapts His Way to Co-Angler Championship

Curtis Thornhill of Denair, Calif
Co Angler Champion Curtis Thornhill of Denair Calif

Curtis Thornhill of Denair, Calif. closed out the final day on Pedro with 5.11, pushing his three-day total to 26.65 and claiming the co-angler crown from the back of the same boat that carried pro champion Hayden Lee.

“Amazing,” he said. “It is nice to win. Overall I couldn’t ask for more.”

Fishing behind different pros each day forced Thornhill to continually adjust his approach.

“The first couple days, I was able to drag things on the bottom and slow down,” he said. “The weather was ideal for a dropshot off the back or a shakey head. So that worked out for me.”

Championship Sunday presented a different challenge alongside Lee.

“Hayden is a helluva fisherman, but he has a little bit different style that doesn’t fit my style from the back of the boat,” Thornhill said. “I dealt with it and adapted, and when we got into some shallower water, I dumped something on the bottom and pulled out a fish.”

An early topwater fish also contributed to his final-day weight, but across three days, one presentation proved the most dependable.

“If I looked at one type of fishing that worked, it was a dropshot,” he said.

Thornhill fished his dropshot on a 7’6″ medium-fast Dobyns Champion with 10-pound braid married to an 8-pound fluorocarbon leader. He opted for a 1/2-ounce weight to get into position and an assortment of Roboworms.

“That sucker would just travel real quick down, and that got me in front of the fish,” he said.

There was no magic color. In fact, Thornhill burned through the Roboworm selection on Championship Sunday without catching two fish on the same one.

“Sometimes you gotta throw the kitchen sink, and that’s what I did.”

For Thornhill, the victory came on especially familiar water. He has fished Don Pedro for 30 years, and his championship run earned him $4,450, including a $450 Big Fish payout.

REST OF THE BEST

PRO

1 Hayden Lee Angels Camp, CA 52.61 BOAT- $40k VALUE $580.00

2 Luke Beaty Martinez, CA 48.34 $5,250.00

3 Troy Fernandes Santa Maria, CA 44.05 $2,525.00

4 Logan Huntze Discovery Bay, CA 43.62 $2,045.00

5 Carty Shoen Phoenix, AZ 42.57 $1,770.00

6 Cory Kerber Madera, CA 40.60 $1,612.00

7 Mike Alvarez Clovis, CA 39.64 $1,522.00

8 Nate Couchman Denair, CA 39.07 $1,470.00

9 Aiden Grad Pasco, WA 37.24 $1,440.00

10 Mark Mello Elk Grove, CA 31.73 $1,923.00

CO

1 Curtis Thornhill Denair, CA 26.65 $4,450.00

2 Ronnie Orbaker Madera, CA 22.06 $1,800.00

3 Will Wyman Brentwood, CA 22.02 $1,483.00

4 Andrew Richter Rocklin, CA 20.57 $1,134.00

5 Rick Smith Frazier Park, CA 20.54 $964.00

6 Aaron Kint Fremont, CA 20.37 $980.00

7 John Vangsoulatda Stockton, CA 19.39 $839.00

8 Troy Diatte Salinas, CA 19.29 $819.00

9 J.D. Madden Brentwood, CA 16.94 $1,259.00

10 Jeff Karceski Fresno, CA 14.34 $805.00

by AnglersChannel

Buchmann remains atop Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake

Nitro EQ Main.pngMOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. — The second round of competition required more persistence and offered less reward, but Kayden Buchmann managed to maintain his lead on Day 2 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Day 1 saw the pro from Troutman, N.C., take the top spot with a limit of 16 pounds, 7 ounces. Adding a second-round bag that went 14 even, Buchmann tallied 30-7.

“Every day is different out here,” Buchmann said. “I caught mine completely different today than I did yesterday, for the most part.”

Same as yesterday, Buchmann started his day looking for pockets with deer near the bank. In his experience, wildlife activity indicates an undisturbed area, as the animals will scatter when boats move in to fish.

“I spent the first couple of hours looking for deer and I caught two pretty good ones in a pocket where I saw some deer in the back,” he said. “It got slow for a couple hours, so I switched it up and just started grinding.

“At the time, I had four fish for 6 or 7 pounds. I started catching a couple more and I caught a good one and had a couple more really good bites that I didn’t catch.”

Buchmann kept his details guarded, but he noted that a distinct change in his tactics created the opportunities he needed. His change, he said, was a direct result of trial and error.

“I noticed what I wanted to do was not working at all and I completely scrapped that and fished the way I really like to back home and tried to survive for the most part,” Buchmann said.

While he ended up fishing some new areas today, Buchmann gave his better Day 1 spots another chance to produce.

“I tried to fish around big ones, and where I had caught them pretty decently yesterday, they were all little and they weren’t biting as good,” Buchmann said. “I have no idea why that changed. We can’t use (forward facing sonar) this week, so you just have to fish where you think they’re gonna be.

“I just have to figure it out again tomorrow. That’s all it comes down to.”

On Day 1, Buchmann led Mike McClelland by only 2 ounces. Today, he expanded his lead to 14 ounces over Colby Bryant, who rocked the weigh-ins with a 19-pound, 11-ounce limit — the largest bag of the event, so far.

“He’s gonna have to catch 19 again,” Buchmann said of his final-round mindset. “I’m not gonna take the hammer up, that’s for sure.”

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Bryant is in second place with 29-9. After placing 50th on Day 1 with 9-14, he made the biggest move of the day by climbing 48 spots.

Anchoring his bag with a 5-7, Bryant said today’s boat order allowed him to capitalize on an opportunity that had eluded him a day earlier.

“I found this school in practice, but things didn’t work out the right way,” he said. “I knew that being a late boat number yesterday, I wasn’t gonna get there in that early bite window.

“This morning, I pulled up and in about 30 minutes, it went down. It was an awesome day.”

Bryant got a look at his spot toward the end of Day 1 and he noticed that baitfish had moved into the area. This clued him in to the strategy that delivered Day 2 fireworks.

“After (the Day 1 weigh-ins), I went home and tied on a big crankbait that dives 25 plus feet and this morning was a magical 30 minutes,” Bryant said. “After that, I piddled around, scouted and looked, but I haven’t found anything like it.”

Bryant’s spot was a deep, offshore rock formation in the lake’s southern end. As he explained, the spot’s layout favored a feeding zone.

“The way this point sets up, it has a big saddle and they like to sit down in this saddle,” Bryant said. “A lot of the points in this lake have rocks on the edges, this one has rocks on the top, so that seems to be holding them a little better.

“I had seven different schools in practice and this was the only one that stayed. I was sitting in 28 feet and throwing to the top of it, which was in 18 to 19 feet.”

Predictably, Bryant said he’ll return to his spot on Day 3 and get all he can get.

“I’m gonna burn it down,” he said. “Tomorrow, there will only be 10 boats, so I’ll be able to get there early again and hopefully, I can get them fired up and see what we can make happen.”

Brennan Flick of West Monroe, La., remained in third place with 29-7. Bolstering his Day 1 limit of 15-14 with today’s weight of 13-9, Flick said he again glued himself to the only spot he has. Today, he said, was a test of patience.

“I sat in the same spot I sat in yesterday, for the entire day and made the same cast the entire day and never got a bite until about 12:30,” Flick said. “I didn’t have anything else to do.

“Today, the bait scattered out, so I guess they didn’t line up with the bait being scattered all over the flat. They didn’t set up to where I could get them fired up. I don’t think I got my fifth one until like 2:30.”

Flick said he caught his fish dragging, but when the football jig that produced yesterday’s weight failed to deliver, he switched to a Carolina rig with a 1-ounce weight and a Zoom Brush Hog.

Bryant holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 5-7.

A field of 134 competitors took to this White River impoundment for the first of three “EQ” events, also including Toledo Bend (Oct. 21-23) and Lake Guntersville (Nov. 11-13). After the final event, the Top 10 anglers in EQ points standings will qualify to fish the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

The Top 10 anglers will fish in Friday’s championship round.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for Buzzard Roost Boat Dock at 7 a.m. CT. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3 p.m.

Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com. Bassmaster LIVE will be available on Friday, Sept. 25 from 8-11 a.m. ET and Noon-3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com and Roku Sports Channel.

This event is being hosted by the City of Mountain Home, Arkansas.

 

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Title Sponsor: Nitro Boats

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Platinum Sponsors: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

 

2026 Nitro Boats Elite Qualifier Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops 9/23-9/25
Lake Norfork, Mountain Home  AR.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Kaden Buchmann         Troutman, NC            10  30-07   95
Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   14-00
2.  Colby Bryant           Houston, TX             10  29-09   94
Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   19-11
3.  Brennan Flick          West Monroe, LA         10  29-07   93
Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   13-09
4.  Mike McClelland        Blue Eye, MO            10  26-14   92
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   10-09
5.  Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA           10  26-12   91
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   15-06
6.  Noah Winslow           Naugatuck, CT           10  26-11   90
Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   12-13
7.  Nathan Reynolds        Nashville, TN           10  26-11   89
Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   13-02
8.  Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA          10  26-06   88
Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   12-03
9.  Bryson Osteen          Live Oak, FL            10  25-07   87
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-00
10. Cody Abbott            Woodruff, SC            10  25-07   86
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   11-15
11. Cody Ross              Livingston, TX          10  24-14   85   $8,390.00
Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   11-04
12. Brody Robison          Dawson, AL              10  24-12   84   $8,390.00
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   10-04
13. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC        10  24-11   83   $8,390.00
Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   12-11
14. Beau Browning          Hot Springs, AR         10  24-04   82   $8,390.00
Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   12-02
15. Chase Clarke           Opelika, AL             10  24-03   81   $8,390.00
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   13-08
16. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        10  23-05   80   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   10-02
17. Garrett Smith          Mount Holly, NC         10  23-05   79   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   11-02
18. Andy Newcomb           Camdenton, MO           10  22-12   78   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 5   11-03
19. Trey Schroeder         Theodosia, MO           10  22-08   77   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   13-14
20. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO               10  22-08   76   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   09-01
21. Kollin Crawford        Broken Bow, OK          10  22-05   75   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   09-05
22. Peyton Harris          Birmingham, AL          10  22-03   74   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   09-11
23. Grae Buck              Green Lane, PA          10  21-14   73   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   10-09
24. Tripp Berlinsky        Florence, AL            10  21-13   72   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   08-02     Day 2: 5   13-11
25. Jonathon VanDam        Gobles, MI              10  21-09   71   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   11-06
26. Fred Roumbanis         Russellville, AR        10  21-03   70   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   10-02
27. Jaron Burr             Bowling Green, KY       10  20-13   69   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   09-02
28. Dalton Head            Moody, AL               10  20-13   68   $5,034.00
Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 5   10-07
29. John Cox               Debary, FL              10  20-11    0   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   10-11
30. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT          10  20-10   67   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   11-11
31. CJ Maddux              Birmingham, AL          10  20-09   66   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   11-12
32. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN          10  20-07   65   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   08-04
33. Brad Jelinek           Lincoln, MO             10  20-06   64   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   09-10
34. Brooks Anderson        Marietta, GA            10  20-04   63   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   08-12
35. Trent Palmer           Cumming, GA             10  20-03   62   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   10-14
36. Bailey Gay             Union, KY               10  20-02   61   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   08-02
37. Hugh Cosculluela       Magnolia, TX            10  19-15   60   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 5   12-02
38. Jeremiah Kindy         Benton, AR              10  19-13   59   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   08-15
39. Brock Bila             Nixa, MO                10  19-12   58   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   10-06
40. Luke Palmer            Atoka, OK               10  19-07    0   $4,195.00
Day 1: 5   08-01     Day 2: 5   11-06
41. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI        10  19-07   57
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   10-01
42. Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK             10  19-07   56
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   09-08
43. Lucas Lindsay          Auburn , AL             10  19-06   55
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   08-04
44. Derek Rodriguez Jr.    Okemos, MI              10  19-00   54
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   08-07
45. Cameron Mattison       Benton, LA              10  18-14   53
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   08-03
46. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA            9  18-09   52
Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 4   08-03
47. Evan White             Roanoke Rapids, NC      10  18-09   51
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   09-13
48. Ryan Salzman           Huntsville, AL          10  18-06   50
Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   08-12
49. Matt Stefan            Junction City, WI       10  18-05   49
Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   09-13
50. Rylan Hamlin           Jackson, MI             10  18-04   48
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   06-14
51. Michael Corbishley     Wake Forest, NC         10  18-00   47
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   09-04
52. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               9  17-14   46
Day 1: 4   06-07     Day 2: 5   11-07
53. Lucas Murphy           West Columbia, MI       10  17-14   45
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   06-09
54. Yui Aoki               Minamitsurugun JAPAN    10  17-13   44
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   07-09
55. Connor Jacob           Peoria, IL              10  17-12   43
Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   06-05
56. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL        10  17-12    0
Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 5   07-11
57. Nathan Quince          Imperial, PA            10  17-12   42
Day 1: 5   08-03     Day 2: 5   09-09
58. Chris Miller           Spirit Lake, IA          8  17-11   41
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 3   06-06
59. Ryan Broughman         Corapeake, NC            8  17-10   40
Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 5   10-11
60. Easton Lindus          Woodville, WI           10  17-08   39
Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 5   07-03
61. Tanner Hadden          Appling, GA             10  17-08   38
Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   07-14
62. Harmon Marien          Eagle River, WI         10  17-07   37
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   07-03
63. Dillon Falardeau       Hixson, TN              10  17-07   36
Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   10-00
64. Aaron Yavorsky         Palm Harbor, FL         10  17-07   35
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   07-08
65. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH          10  17-07   34
Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   08-09
66. Colden Baker           Ridgeway, SC            10  17-02   33
Day 1: 5   07-05     Day 2: 5   09-13
67. Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY           10  17-02   32
Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   08-10
68. Brady Vernon           Sterrett, AL            10  17-01   31
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-07
69. Garrett McWilliams     Florence, MS            10  17-00   30
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-06
70. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO      10  16-15   29
Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 5   10-13
71. Billy Gilbert          Hamburg, NY             10  16-14   28
Day 1: 5   08-01     Day 2: 5   08-13
72. Joe Wieberg            Freeburg, MO             8  16-13   27
Day 1: 3   05-01     Day 2: 5   11-12
73. Blake Milligan         Nashville, TN            8  16-13   26
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 3   08-07
74. Erik Brztowski         Lemont, IL              10  16-11   25
Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   07-02
75. Zach Goutremout        Chaumont, NY            10  16-10   24
Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 5   06-08
76. Brian Hatfield         Spring City, TN          8  16-07   23
Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 5   10-09
77. Chase Carey            Hoschton, GA            10  16-07   22
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 5   07-06
78. Jeremy Lawyer          Sarcoxie, MO            10  16-07   21
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   07-08
79. Michael Harlin         Osage Beach, MO         10  16-06   20
Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 5   07-15
80. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          8  16-05   19
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 3   04-06
81. Rick Harris Jr         Carlsbad, NM             9  16-05   18
Day 1: 4   06-02     Day 2: 5   10-03
82. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI              10  16-05   17
Day 1: 5   06-13     Day 2: 5   09-08
83. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                10  16-05   16
Day 1: 5   07-09     Day 2: 5   08-12
84. Riley Nielsen          Salt Lake City, UT      10  16-02   15
Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   06-08
85. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI         10  15-12   14
Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 5   06-09
86. Wyatt Marler           Oldfield, MO             8  15-10   13
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 5   08-02
87. Jace Lindsay           Beckville, TX            8  15-07   12
Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 5   09-09
88. Jacob Welch            Roach, MO               10  15-07   11
Day 1: 5   06-09     Day 2: 5   08-14
89. Jordan Hartman         Benton, KY               8  15-06   10
Day 1: 5   09-02     Day 2: 3   06-04
90. Seiji Kato             Outsu JAPAN              8  15-04    9
Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 3   06-13
91. Chris Johnson          Farmington, AR           9  15-03    8
Day 1: 4   08-09     Day 2: 5   06-10
92. Alex Heintze           Denham Springs, LA       9  15-02    7
Day 1: 4   07-01     Day 2: 5   08-01
93. Willie Mcmullen        Covington, GA           10  15-02    6
Day 1: 5   07-06     Day 2: 5   07-12
94. Buddy Benson           Dahlonega, GA           10  14-15    5
Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 5   06-08
95. Wesley Baxley          Conroe, TX               8  14-15    4
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 3   06-15
96. Yukihiro Sawamura      Harker Heights, TX      10  14-10    3
Day 1: 5   06-04     Day 2: 5   08-06
97. TJ Edwards Jr          Tremont, MS              8  14-07    2
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 3   05-07
98. Hunter Crossland       San Angelo, TX           7  14-06    1
Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 4   09-02
99. Wyatt Burkhalter       Coker, AL                8  14-05    0
Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 3   04-02
100. Brian Post             Janesville, WI           8  13-13    0
Day 1: 3   04-10     Day 2: 5   09-03
101. Freddy  Palmer         Estill Springs, TN       7  13-12    0
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 2   02-06
102. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              9  13-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 4   05-01
103. Andrew Jones           Trussville, AL           7  13-11    0
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 5   10-00
104. Jake Maddux            Alpharetta, GA           8  13-11    0
Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 5   07-15
105. Blake Capps            Muskogee, OK             9  13-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-01     Day 2: 5   07-09
106. Ethan Fields           Carlyle, IL              8  13-07    0
Day 1: 3   05-05     Day 2: 5   08-02
107. Darold Gleason         Leesville, LA           10  13-06    0
Day 1: 5   06-05     Day 2: 5   07-01
108. Anthony Garcia         Los Angeles, CA          9  13-03    0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 4   05-03
109. Ryan Michl             Newton, IL               8  13-02    0
Day 1: 3   03-12     Day 2: 5   09-06
110. Jeremy Radford         Huntly, VA               7  12-15    0
Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 5   08-15
111. Lonnie Cochran         Section, AL              7  12-14    0
Day 1: 5   07-09     Day 2: 2   05-05
112. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  12-11    0
Day 1: 3   08-13     Day 2: 2   03-14
113. Blaine Bunney          Claremore, OK            8  12-11    0
Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 5   08-06
114. Ryan Thompson          Seymour, MO              5  12-10    0
Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 2   06-01
115. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI               8  12-01    0
Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 3   04-04
116. Chris Hellebuyck       White Lake, MI           8  12-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-09     Day 2: 3   04-07
117. Doug Chapin            Tigerton, WI             7  11-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 2   03-06
118. Dylan Nutt             Nashville, TN            7  11-09    0
Day 1: 2   03-00     Day 2: 5   08-09
119. Dylan Fogarty          Mechanicsburg, PA        6  11-09    0
Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 4   07-09
120. John Branch            Magnolia, KY             7  10-11    0
Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 2   03-09
121. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN       5  10-10    0
Day 1: 2   05-10     Day 2: 3   05-00
122. Justin Kimmel          Athens, GA               6  10-03    0
Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 5   08-04
123. Riley Harris           Orange, TX               5  10-02    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   10-02
124. Sam Hanggi             Knoxville, TN            7  09-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-05     Day 2: 2   03-08
125. Grant Neubauer         Medford, WI              5  09-10    0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 2   02-09
126. Colt Blanton           Piketon, OH              4  08-10    0
Day 1: 2   05-02     Day 2: 2   03-08
127. Tyler Conde            Chepachet, RI            5  08-09    0
Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
128. Laker Howell           Guntersville, AL         4  07-06    0
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 1   02-13
129. Cole McAusland         Tuscaloosa, AL           4  07-04    0
Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 1   02-05
130.  Zac Ridenhour         Salisbury, NC            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 4   05-07
131. Niko Romero            Coldspring, TX           4  06-12    0
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 2   03-01
132. Colton Trotter         Dothan, AL               4  06-12    0
Day 1: 2   03-08     Day 2: 2   03-04
133. Emil Wagner            Marietta, GA             5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
134. Lucas Toliver          Paw Paw, MI              4  04-08    0
Day 1: 4   04-08     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       101       595      1179-00
2       101       586      1124-07
----------------------------------
202      1181      2303-07

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. continues 50/50 technology format for 2027 Elite Series

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Following a successful debut that delivered compelling competition and strong fan engagement, B.A.S.S. announced today that the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series will continue using the same forward-facing live sonar structure introduced in 2026.

The 2027 season will again feature a split between tournaments in which live sonar is permitted and tournaments where live sonar is not allowed. A coin flip will determine the technology designation for each tournament on the 2027 schedule. The results will be revealed live during the Bassmaster Coin Flip Show on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. CT.

In additional news, for the first time ever, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic will also be included in the Coin Flip Show. The 2027 Classic field will be the first composed entirely of anglers who qualified under the 50/50 technology rule, making it a natural extension to apply the same format to the World Championship of Bass Fishing. One coin flip will determine the live-sonar rules for the next two Classics: If the 2027 Classic is designated a non-live-sonar event, the 2028 Classic will allow live sonar, and vice-versa. This ensures consecutive Classics will showcase both styles of competition.

“The first season of the 50/50 format showed us that great competition is not defined by a particular style of fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Our anglers were challenged to demonstrate their versatility, and our fans embraced the opportunity to watch and learn from both forms of competition. Continuing the format in 2027 allows us to celebrate innovation while preserving the broad range of skills that has always defined the Bassmaster Elite Series. With the success of this structure in the Elites and because it is how our 2027 Classic contenders qualified, it was a natural fit to continue the framework and allow a coin flip to determine the format for the 2027 Classic.”

The 2026 season produced record-setting audience engagement and demonstrated the appeal of both sides of the format. Lake Guntersville, where live sonar was not permitted, was the most-viewed Elite event of the regular season, generating more than 21 million minutes viewed across B.A.S.S. digital platforms. The season finale at the St. Lawrence River, where live sonar was permitted, ranked second with more than 20 million minutes viewed.

The two events could hardly have been more different in setting, species and strategy, but fans responded enthusiastically to both. Guntersville highlighted traditional decision-making, shallow-water instincts and the ability to adapt as conditions changed. The St. Lawrence showcased the precision, boat control and interpretation of electronics utilized to locate and catch roaming smallmouth.

Together, the results reinforced the purpose of the 50/50 format: to test the complete skill set of the world’s best bass anglers while giving fans access to a wider variety of strategies and educational content.

“Fans loved both tournaments and learned from both events,” Anderson said. “That is exactly what we hoped this structure would accomplish. It created different challenges for our anglers without diminishing the excitement of the competition.”

The 2027 schedule is positioned to deliver an equally diverse test. From the vegetation and heavyweight largemouth of Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to the current-driven fisheries of the Sabine and Mississippi rivers, the season will challenge anglers across dramatically different environments. Stops at Lake Fork, Lake Seminole, Santee Cooper Lakes and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway will add more opportunities for traditional and technology-driven approaches, while Lake St. Clair will provide a late-season smallmouth test.

Regardless of which events fall on either side of the format, the 2027 Elite Series will once again reward adaptability, decision-making and execution while giving fans two distinct ways to experience — and learn from — the highest level of professional bass fishing.

Be sure to tune in to the live Coin Flip Show on Bassmaster.com, 10 am CT on Oct. 6.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Mountain Dew, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Fothergill Overcomes Hospital Stay to Earn Classic Berth and Toyota Bonus Bucks

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Long before the tournament began, Easton Fothergill knew the 2026 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River was not going to be a normal derby. Fothergill entered the event in 40th place in the angler of the year standings, right on the bubble to qualify for his 4th consecutive Bassmaster Classic.
Easton knew he needed to perform; there was just one major problem.
When official practice began on the massive St. Lawrence River fishery, Fothergill was in a hospital bed in Watertown, New York. He was a long way from home and even farther from feeling healthy enough to fish.
Fothergill spent almost his entire practice in the hospital with a severe case of rhabdomyolysis. His focus shifted from finding giant smallmouth to simply getting healthy enough to compete. Yet somehow, the 24-year-old bass fishing phenom ended his week with a top ten finish, a spot in the 2027 Classic, and an extra $4,000 check from Toyota Bonus Bucks.
After ending the Lake Champlain Elite with a disappointing 95th place finish, Fothergill elected to spend the next week on Champlain figuring out where he went wrong.
The analytically minded young pro went back through areas he fished during the event, this time able to use his forward-facing sonar to learn more about his target areas and the schools of bass using them. Champlain was a no-FFS tournament for the Elite field and Fothergill wisely wanted to use all the tools available to him to improve following the event.
“It was really informative going back through areas using Livescope after the tournament concluded on Champlain,” Fothergill explained. “I did the same thing on Santee Cooper, which was another no FFS event, after that tournament ended earlier this year. I basically fished a lake with no FFS for a week, and then immediately fished the same lake and areas with the technology. It was mind blowing, and I felt like I learned more in these exercises than if I was just scoping the whole time.”
Fothergill’s determination to get better in all aspects of his craft is commendable, but it was during this extra effort that he set himself up for a dramatic season finale.
According to the young pro, he didn’t do a good job with his nutrition or hydrating during his solo time on Lake Champlain. His dehydration eventually got so bad that he was forced to lean on a slew of Elite Series peers and their families like Carl Jocumsen, Justin Atkins, Stephen Browning, and Bassmaster photographer Chase Sansom to get him off the water and some much needed help.
“I was dangerously dehydrated,” Fothergill said. “I was puking and, it may sound dramatic, but I couldn’t even walk really. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew it was serious enough that my body was shutting down.”
The silver lining is that the same youth that led to poor hydration and nutritional choices over the course of a few days at Lake Champlain, allowed Fothergill to bounce back quickly and completely in an upstate New York hospital.
Easton, who was still battling lingering symptoms, was able to spend about half a day of practice bouncing in the waves of Lake Ontario and the 1,000 Islands area. Fothergill entered the tournament with considerably less information than his fellow competitors, but he steadily climbed the leaderboard as the tournament played out.
Fothergill weighed just under 24-pounds on day one, nearly 26-pounds on day two, and rocketed into 6th place at the end of the third day of competition with a 28-pound limit that included a 7-pound, 15-ounce smallmouth behemoth; the biggest smallie the Minnesota native had ever caught.

Easton ultimately finished the event in 10th place, secured his berth in the 2027 Classic and concluded another successful season competing at the highest level of bass fishing. His goal was accomplished and his health scare the weekend prior would have been a distant memory if not for the appreciation Easton felt for so many of his peers who helped him out of a tough spot.
“So many people dropped what they were doing to help me,” Fothergill said. “Even though the tournament ended up having lots of high points, that’s what I will remember most about this event. The help I received that I could have never asked for. It was super moving and made me realize just how lucky I am to have so many great people around me. From my family to my girlfriend, to our B.A.S.S. fishing family… it’s really special.”
Fothergill earned a little extra icing on top of his season-ending cake when he learned he was the highest finishing Toyota Bonus Bucks angler in the field, adding a $4,000 payday to his bottom line. Easton’s 2023 Tundra finished the season with over 140,000 miles on it and a lot of stories to tell, as this was the truck he purchased after his year as the Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket Champion.
Fothergill plans to trade in his Tundra for a newer model this offseason, but this particular tow vehicle has been a staple in the young pro’s career.
“That truck has been really good to me,” Fothergill said with a smile. “I won two Bassmaster Opens while practically living out of that thing in 2023. Then I bought it and shortly thereafter won the 2024 Classic. I’ve won a lot of Bonus Bucks because of that thing, too. I am going to miss it but am looking forward to making memories with my new one.”
Toyota Bonus Bucks is completely free to register for, and the program pays out on over 600 bass and walleye tournaments for anglers of all levels. Sign up today or learn more at: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/.

by AnglersChannel

Buchmann takes slim lead in Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake

Nitro EQ Main.pngMOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. — Kaden Buchmann spent a lot of time looking for deer today, but the Troutman, N.C., pro was not distracted from the task at hand. Actually, spotting whitetails helped him sack up the limit of 16 pounds, 7 ounces that leads Day 1 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.
A field of 134 competitors took to this White River impoundment for the first of three “EQ” events, also including Toledo Bend (Oct. 21-23) and Lake Guntersville (Nov. 11-13). After the final event, the Top 10 anglers in EQ points standings will qualify to fish the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
Heading into Day 2 with a 2-ounce lead over Mike McClelland, Buchmann attributed his success to strictly targeting big-fish areas. In some instances, that meant spots that resembled places where he had caught good ones on other lakes.
Elsewhere, he focused on areas that had not been disturbed. His biggest clue — deer.
“I was looking for places that didn’t look like there had been anyone on there in a while,” Buchman said. “I looked for deer on the bank today for the first couple of hours. Deer were a pretty good indicator of whether a boat had been in there or not.
“I weighed two or three fish off of places where I was like, ‘Nobody’s been in here, I know that for a fact.’ If I saw 15 deer in a pocket, I’d say, ‘I’m getting bit here.’”
Noting that the largest deer he spotted was a 9-point buck, Buchmann’s top bass was a 4 1/2-pounder.
“There were definitely hot periods, but those were usually when I’d hit the areas where I knew I’d catch fish,” Buchmann said. “Most of the day, I spent swinging for big ones and I got one of them today. I’ll see if I can get a couple more tomorrow.”
Following several weeks of daytime highs reaching into the upper 90s to 100 degrees, a mild cold front moved through the region just in time for the tournament’s start. A cooler morning brought upper 50s, with daytime highs in the mid 80’s.
“I think the colder weather changed it,” Buchmann said of the lake’s moodiness. “It was hot in practice, so maybe some guys got keyed in on some stuff when it was hotter.
“For me, it was just fishing the conditions.”
Buchmann said he stayed on the move today and fished about 3/4 of Norfork Lake. Never parking on an unproductive spot for too long kept him in the hunt for active fish.
“I can’t tell you how many spots I hit today,” Buchmann said. “My trolling motor is about dead, if that tells you anything.”
True to the seasonal transition, Buchmann described a junk fishing routine that produced his day’s weight.
“It was a little bit of everything — an urchin, a jig, buzz bait, topwater,” Buchmann said. “Cycling through the stuff is efficient enough for me. I jumped around and did different things.”
As far as technique, Buchmann called speed his best friend today. Covering water was top priority, so he maintained a discerning eye.
“It depended on how good a spot looked to me,” he said. “If I pulled up and it didn’t look right, I’d move on. A lot of what of I fished today was stuff I didn’t fish in practice. If it looked right, I’d fish it.”
Buchmann said he intends to repeat his plan on Day 2. He’s confident that his approach is sustainable, but he knows he’ll likely need to look for more deer.
“It may or may not work out again tomorrow, but I don’t think it can happen in the exact places I fished today,” he said. “You never know. This time of year, it’s hot and you just have to fish to water.”
Hailing from Blue Eye, Mo., McClelland is in second place with 16-5. With a lot of history on this lake, McClelland got off to a quick start, but then he endured a midday drought that forced him to make a decision that salvaged his day.
Essentially, McClelland spent his day chasing windward banks and throwing a SPRO reaction bait. After devoting most of his time to clean water areas, he ended his day in a more stained area that enabled him to fill his limit.
“I got very fortunate to catch a 5-pounder on my first spot, but I only had three fish at 2:30,” McClelland said. “It was a testing time at that point, so I made a pretty good run and shut down and caught one that was a 1-2 and that gave me four, then I caught another one about 2 pounds shortly thereafter.
“I was running in and there was one spot I wanted to hit. I made one throw on it and culled with one about 2 1/4. I was very blessed today.”
Brennan Flick of West Monroe, La., is in third place with 15-14. Even with the cooling weather, the water’s still warm and Flick decided to conclude his day about an hour early and bring his fish to the tournament’s larger, oxygenated holding tanks.
“Ounces are gonna be a big deal here, so we don’t want to lose any fish,” Flick said. “Today, I didn’t know if I was going to have anything to weigh, so I left it up to God and let Him do His thing.”
Flick said he had a busy morning and caught his limit by about 9 a.m. He finished his day’s weight by 10.
Flick mostly fished deep and caught his fish on a mix of reaction baits and slower presentations. With this event prohibiting the use of forward facing sonar, Flick targeted high probability areas.
“I was just getting in areas that they’re likely to travel and waiting for one to get there,” he said.
Kollin Crawford of Broken Bow, Okla., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 5-2.
Thursday’s takeoff is scheduled for Buzzard Roost Boat Dock at 7 a.m. CT. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3 p.m.

 

Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com. Bassmaster LIVE will be available on Friday, Sept. 25 from 8-11 a.m. ET and Noon-3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com and Roku Sports Channel.

 

This event is being hosted by the City of Mountain Home, Arkansas.

 

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Title Sponsor: Nitro Boats

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Platinum Sponsors: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, mpascal@bassmaster.com

 

2026 Nitro Boats Elite Qualifier Norfork Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops 9/23-9/25
Lake Norfork, Mountain Home  AR.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Kaden Buchmann         Troutman, NC             5  16-07   95
Day 1: 5   16-07
2.  Mike McClelland        Blue Eye, MO             5  16-05   94
Day 1: 5   16-05
3.  Brennan Flick          West Monroe, LA          5  15-14   93
Day 1: 5   15-14
4.  Brody Robison          Dawson, AL               5  14-08   92
Day 1: 5   14-08
5.  Bryson Osteen          Live Oak, FL             5  14-07   91
Day 1: 5   14-07
6.  Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA           5  14-03   90
Day 1: 5   14-03
7.  Noah Winslow           Naugatuck, CT            5  13-14   89
Day 1: 5   13-14
8.  Cody Ross              Livingston, TX           5  13-10   88
Day 1: 5   13-10
9.  Nathan Reynolds        Nashville, TN            5  13-09   87
Day 1: 5   13-09
10. Cody Abbott            Woodruff, SC             5  13-08   86
Day 1: 5   13-08
11. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO                5  13-07   85
Day 1: 5   13-07
12. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO         5  13-03   84
Day 1: 5   13-03
13. Kollin Crawford        Broken Bow, OK           5  13-00   83
Day 1: 5   13-00
14. Peyton Harris          Birmingham, AL           5  12-08   82
Day 1: 5   12-08
15. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN           5  12-03   81
Day 1: 5   12-03
15. Garrett Smith          Mount Holly, NC          5  12-03   81
Day 1: 5   12-03
17. Beau Browning          Hot Springs, AR          5  12-02   79
Day 1: 5   12-02
18. Bailey Gay             Union, KY                5  12-00   78
Day 1: 5   12-00
18. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC         5  12-00   78
Day 1: 5   12-00
20. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          5  11-15   76
Day 1: 5   11-15
21. Jaron Burr             Bowling Green, KY        5  11-11   75
Day 1: 5   11-11
22. Andy Newcomb           Camdenton, MO            5  11-09   74
Day 1: 5   11-09
23. Brooks Anderson        Marietta, GA             5  11-08   73
Day 1: 5   11-08
24. Connor Jacob           Peoria, IL               5  11-07   72
Day 1: 5   11-07
25. Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA            5  11-06   71
Day 1: 5   11-06
25. Rylan Hamlin           Jackson, MI              5  11-06   71
Day 1: 5   11-06
25. Freddy  Palmer         Estill Springs, TN       5  11-06   71
Day 1: 5   11-06
28. Grae Buck              Green Lane, PA           5  11-05   68
Day 1: 5   11-05
28. Chris Miller           Spirit Lake, IA          5  11-05   68
Day 1: 5   11-05
28. Lucas Murphy           West Columbia, MI        5  11-05   68
Day 1: 5   11-05
31. Lucas Lindsay          Auburn , AL              5  11-02   65
Day 1: 5   11-02
32. Fred Roumbanis         Russellville, AR         5  11-01   64
Day 1: 5   11-01
33. Jeremiah Kindy         Benton, AR               5  10-14   63
Day 1: 5   10-14
34. Brad Jelinek           Lincoln, MO              5  10-12   62
Day 1: 5   10-12
35. Chase Clarke           Opelika, AL              5  10-11   61
Day 1: 5   10-11
35. Cameron Mattison       Benton, LA               5  10-11   61
Day 1: 5   10-11
37. Derek Rodriguez Jr.    Okemos, MI               5  10-09   59
Day 1: 5   10-09
38. Dalton Head            Moody, AL                5  10-06   58
Day 1: 5   10-06
38. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA            5  10-06   58
Day 1: 5   10-06
40. Easton Lindus          Woodville, WI            5  10-05   56
Day 1: 5   10-05
41. Yui Aoki               Minamitsurugun JAPAN     5  10-04   55
Day 1: 5   10-04
41. Harmon Marien          Eagle River, WI          5  10-04   55
Day 1: 5   10-04
43. Wyatt Burkhalter       Coker, AL                5  10-03   53
Day 1: 5   10-03
43. Jonathon VanDam        Gobles, MI               5  10-03   53
Day 1: 5   10-03
45. Zach Goutremout        Chaumont, NY             5  10-02   51
Day 1: 5   10-02
46. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL         5  10-01   50
Day 1: 5   10-01
47. John Cox               Debary, FL               5  10-00   49
Day 1: 5   10-00
48. Aaron Yavorsky         Palm Harbor, FL          5  09-15   48
Day 1: 5   09-15
49. Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK              5  09-15   47
Day 1: 5   09-15
50. Colby Bryant           Houston, TX              5  09-14   46
Day 1: 5   09-14
51. Riley Nielsen          Salt Lake City, UT       5  09-10   45
Day 1: 5   09-10
52. Tanner Hadden          Appling, GA              5  09-10   44
Day 1: 5   09-10
52. Ryan Salzman           Huntsville, AL           5  09-10   44
Day 1: 5   09-10
54. Erik Brztowski         Lemont, IL               5  09-09   42
Day 1: 5   09-09
55. Brock Bila             Nixa, MO                 5  09-06   41
Day 1: 5   09-06
55. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI         5  09-06   41
Day 1: 5   09-06
57. Trent Palmer           Cumming, GA              5  09-05   39
Day 1: 5   09-05
58. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI          5  09-03   38
Day 1: 5   09-03
59. Jordan Hartman         Benton, KY               5  09-02   37
Day 1: 5   09-02
60. Chase Carey            Hoschton, GA             5  09-01   36
Day 1: 5   09-01
61. TJ Edwards Jr          Tremont, MS              5  09-00   35
Day 1: 5   09-00
62. Jeremy Lawyer          Sarcoxie, MO             5  08-15   34
Day 1: 5   08-15
62. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT           5  08-15   34
Day 1: 5   08-15
64. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           5  08-14   32
Day 1: 5   08-14
65. CJ Maddux              Birmingham, AL           5  08-13   31
Day 1: 5   08-13
66. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              3  08-13   30
Day 1: 3   08-13
67. Michael Corbishley     Wake Forest, NC          5  08-12   29
Day 1: 5   08-12
67. Evan White             Roanoke Rapids, NC       5  08-12   29
Day 1: 5   08-12
69. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              5  08-11   27
Day 1: 5   08-11
70. Garrett McWilliams     Florence, MS             5  08-10   26
Day 1: 5   08-10
70. Trey Schroeder         Theodosia, MO            5  08-10   26
Day 1: 5   08-10
72. Brady Vernon           Sterrett, AL             5  08-10   24
Day 1: 5   08-10
73. Tyler Conde            Chepachet, RI            5  08-09   23
Day 1: 5   08-09
74. Chris Johnson          Farmington, AR           4  08-09   22
Day 1: 4   08-09
75. Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY            5  08-08   21
Day 1: 5   08-08
76. Matt Stefan            Junction City, WI        5  08-08   20
Day 1: 5   08-08
77. Buddy Benson           Dahlonega, GA            5  08-07   19
Day 1: 5   08-07
77. Doug Chapin            Tigerton, WI             5  08-07   19
Day 1: 5   08-07
77. Michael Harlin         Osage Beach, MO          5  08-07   19
Day 1: 5   08-07
77. Seiji Kato             Outsu JAPAN              5  08-07   19
Day 1: 5   08-07
81. Blake Milligan         Nashville, TN            5  08-06   15
Day 1: 5   08-06
82. Nathan Quince          Imperial, PA             5  08-03   14
Day 1: 5   08-03
83. Tripp Berlinsky        Florence, AL             5  08-02   13
Day 1: 5   08-02
84. Billy Gilbert          Hamburg, NY              5  08-01   12
Day 1: 5   08-01
84. Luke Palmer            Atoka, OK                5  08-01   12
Day 1: 5   08-01
86. Wesley Baxley          Conroe, TX               5  08-00   10
Day 1: 5   08-00
86. Anthony Garcia         Los Angeles, CA          5  08-00   10
Day 1: 5   08-00
88. Hugh Cosculluela       Magnolia, TX             5  07-13    8
Day 1: 5   07-13
88. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI               5  07-13    8
Day 1: 5   07-13
90. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                 5  07-09    6
Day 1: 5   07-09
90. Lonnie Cochran         Section, AL              5  07-09    6
Day 1: 5   07-09
90. Chris Hellebuyck       White Lake, MI           5  07-09    6
Day 1: 5   07-09
93. Wyatt Marler           Oldfield, MO             3  07-08    3
Day 1: 3   07-08
94. Dillon Falardeau       Hixson, TN               5  07-07    2
Day 1: 5   07-07
95. Willie Mcmullen        Covington, GA            5  07-06    1
Day 1: 5   07-06
96. Colden Baker           Ridgeway, SC             5  07-05    0
Day 1: 5   07-05
97. John Branch            Magnolia, KY             5  07-02    0
Day 1: 5   07-02
98. Alex Heintze           Denham Springs, LA       4  07-01    0
Day 1: 4   07-01
99. Grant Neubauer         Medford, WI              3  07-01    0
Day 1: 3   07-01
100. Ryan Broughman         Corapeake, NC            3  06-15    0
Day 1: 3   06-15
101. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI               5  06-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-13
102. Emil Wagner            Marietta, GA             5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
103. Jacob Welch            Roach, MO                5  06-09    0
Day 1: 5   06-09
104. Ryan Thompson          Seymour, MO              3  06-09    0
Day 1: 3   06-09
105. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               4  06-07    0
Day 1: 4   06-07
106. Darold Gleason         Leesville, LA            5  06-05    0
Day 1: 5   06-05
106. Sam Hanggi             Knoxville, TN            5  06-05    0
Day 1: 5   06-05
108. Yukihiro Sawamura      Harker Heights, TX       5  06-04    0
Day 1: 5   06-04
109. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO       5  06-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-02
110. Rick Harris Jr         Carlsbad, NM             4  06-02    0
Day 1: 4   06-02
111. Blake Capps            Muskogee, OK             4  06-01    0
Day 1: 4   06-01
112. Jace Lindsay           Beckville, TX            3  05-14    0
Day 1: 3   05-14
113. Brian Hatfield         Spring City, TN          3  05-14    0
Day 1: 3   05-14
114. Jake Maddux            Alpharetta, GA           3  05-12    0
Day 1: 3   05-12
115. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN       2  05-10    0
Day 1: 2   05-10
116. Ethan Fields           Carlyle, IL              3  05-05    0
Day 1: 3   05-05
117. Hunter Crossland       San Angelo, TX           3  05-04    0
Day 1: 3   05-04
118. Colt Blanton           Piketon, OH              2  05-02    0
Day 1: 2   05-02
119. Joe Wieberg            Freeburg, MO             3  05-01    0
Day 1: 3   05-01
120. Cole McAusland         Tuscaloosa, AL           3  04-15    0
Day 1: 3   04-15
121. Brian Post             Janesville, WI           3  04-10    0
Day 1: 3   04-10
122. Laker Howell           Guntersville, AL         3  04-09    0
Day 1: 3   04-09
123. Lucas Toliver          Paw Paw, MI              4  04-08    0
Day 1: 4   04-08
124. Blaine Bunney          Claremore, OK            3  04-05    0
Day 1: 3   04-05
125. Dylan Fogarty          Mechanicsburg, PA        2  04-00    0
Day 1: 2   04-00
125. Jeremy Radford         Huntly, VA               2  04-00    0
Day 1: 2   04-00
127. Ryan Michl             Newton, IL               3  03-12    0
Day 1: 3   03-12
128. Andrew Jones           Trussville, AL           2  03-11    0
Day 1: 2   03-11
128. Niko Romero            Coldspring, TX           2  03-11    0
Day 1: 2   03-11
130. Colton Trotter         Dothan, AL               2  03-08    0
Day 1: 2   03-08
131. Dylan Nutt             Nashville, TN            2  03-00    0
Day 1: 2   03-00
132. Justin Kimmel          Athens, GA               1  01-15    0
Day 1: 1   01-15
133.  Zac Ridenhour         Salisbury, NC            1  01-09    0
Day 1: 1   01-09
134. Riley Harris           Orange, TX               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       101       595      1179-00
----------------------------------
101       595      1179-00

by AnglersChannel

Murray State University Wins Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia Tournament on Kentucky Lake

BUCHANAN, Tenn. (Sept. 23, 2026) – The Murray State University duo of Mark Bixler of Murray, Kentucky, and Drew Morgan of Noblesville, Indiana, won the MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Kentucky Lake Tuesday with a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned the club $2,000 and qualification into the 2027 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

Bixler said the opportunity to compete on their home waters of Kentucky Lake was one he and Morgan knew they couldn't pass up. When a schedule change moved the MLF College Fishing event to Kentucky Lake, the two immediately made plans to compete in what would be their final regular-season college tournament.

"We were texting each other immediately, saying, 'We have to fish that,'" said Bixler. "Being that it was our last regular-season college event, it was on our home pond, and we were able to walk away with the win, I could not ask for a better college event to win."

The duo entered the tournament with plenty of confidence after spending the previous weekend competing in the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash on Kentucky Lake, which Bixler said served as an extended practice session.

Although they hadn't connected with the caliber of fish needed to contend for the Big Bass Bash title, the numbers from that event were encouraging. The teammates knew they could put together a solid limit, but finding one big bite would likely determine whether they could contend for the win.

With storms approaching and temperatures dropping, conditions that concerned some competitors played right into their hands.

"There was a weather system moving in, so we knew it was going to be a good day," said Bixler. "We anticipated we would be able to get around that 17- to 19-pound mark pretty easily, but ultimately, it was just going to come down to whether we could catch at least one really big one."

Their winning strategy was what Bixler described as "calculated junk fishing." Rather than relying on one productive area or pattern, the pair covered water efficiently, targeting isolated stumps, brush and rock piles. With fall bass scattered throughout the lake and fishing pressure accumulated over the summer, Bixler said the key was maximizing the number of new fish they could reach throughout the day.

Their primary weapon was an old-school spinnerbait, a presentation they had dialed in a week before the tournament.

"A lot of people might have thought I was joking when I said on stage that we caught them on a spinnerbait, but I wasn't," said Bixler. "There's the minnow craze and everything right now, and the fish have seen a lot of that, so they're super pressured to it. When they're in that fall funk, it can be hard to get them to eat some of those baits."

Once they established the spinnerbait bite, the challenge became trusting the pattern and committing to it throughout the tournament. Instead of slowing down or abandoning their approach, they continued running fresh cover and putting the bait in front of as many fish as possible.

For the teammates, the victory was a fitting conclusion to their regular-season college careers and a memorable accomplishment for their university's fishing program. With the 2027 Columbia PFG College Fishing National Championship still ahead, the Kentucky Lake win provided one final regular-season highlight on the waters they know best.

"Winning that event was absolutely amazing," said Bixler. "It's the biggest win I think we've had from our team in a long time. To be able to do that as kind of our last hurrah before the national championship, we couldn't ask for a better tournament."

The top 10 teams finished:

1st: Murray State University – Mark Bixler, Murray, Ky., and Drew Morgan, Noblesville, Ind., five bass, 21-2, $2,000
2nd: Carson-Newman University – Connor Crawford, Crawfordville, Fla., and Carter Cunningham, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 20-12, $1,000
3rd: Troy University – Ryder Krueger, Myakka City, Fla., and Tristan Whittaker, Troy, Ala., five bass, 19-15, $700
4th: Bethel University – Evan McCloud, Union City, Tenn., and Caleb Neu, Johnston, Iowa, five bass, 19-7, $600
5th: University of West Alabama – Mason Carden, Shelby, Ala., and Dylan Sorrells, Dallas, Texas, five bass, 19-4, $500
6th: Murray State University – Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., and Grant Meisenhelter, Decatur, Ill., five bass, 18-7
7th: Carson-Newman University – Kaden Casey, Clarksville, Tenn., and Dakota van Weelden, Burnettsville, Ind., five bass, 17-13
8th: University of West Alabama – Cooper McDonald, Dahlonega, Ga., and Hayden Seabolt, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 17-10
9th: Tarleton State University – Bryce Atkinson, Marble Falls, Texas, and Jacob Renelt, Cedar Park, Texas, five bass, 17-4
10th: Wabash Valley College – Lane Argo, Edinburg, Ill., and Kyson Bradley, Newton, Ill., five bass, 16-9

Complete results for the entire field, along with the full list of National Championship Qualifier teams can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Kentucky Lake was hosted by the Paris-Henry County Industrial Committee. The next tournament for MLF College Fishing anglers will be the Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Lake Guntersville Presented by Jenko Fishing, Sept. 25 in Guntersville, Alabama.

The 2026 MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia season features college teams from across the country competing in six regular-season open tournaments, plus the Columbia PFG College Fishing Heavy Hitters all-star event. The top 15 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2027 Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia National Championship.

Proud sponsors of MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Columbia PFG, Epic Baits, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Sunline Pro Takahiro Omori Special

Torrance, CA-  In celebration of Takahiro Omori’s induction into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Sunline America is releasing a highly limited edition of its iconic Shooter fluorocarbon line. Only 80 spools of this special edition line will be produced, each featuring Omori’s signature in gold as a tribute to his historic career and contributions to bass fishing. All proceeds from the sale of these spools is being donated to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

The release commemorates a milestone that is significant for both Omori and Sunline. Omori is the first Japanese angler inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, recognizing a career that spans more than three decades and includes nearly $3 million in combined B.A.S.S. and MLF/FLW earnings.

“Takahiro was a true pioneer for Japanese anglers who came to the United States to compete at the highest level,” said Yoshinori Mitani, President of Sunline America. “He came to America at a time when there was very little support for international anglers, particularly those who did not speak English, and he built an incredible career through determination and hard work. To see him inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame as the first Japanese angler is a tremendous honor for us at Sunline. This special edition of Shooter is our way of celebrating that achievement with the proceeds from the sales going to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame”

Omori’s most celebrated accomplishment came in 2004, when he won the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Wylie in South Carolina, becoming the first non-U.S. professional angler to win the sport’s premier championship. His victory helped establish a new path for international anglers pursuing careers in American professional bass fishing.

Beyond his Classic title, Omori has won seven times with B.A.S.S., qualified for 12 Bassmaster Classics, and recorded major victories across FLW and Major League Fishing.

The limited-edition Shooter reflects the long-standing relationship between Omori and Sunline and celebrates an angler whose influence extends well beyond his tournament record.

With only 80 spools produced, the special edition Sunline Shooter is a rare collector’s piece honoring one of the most influential international anglers in the history of professional bass fishing.

Sunline maintains a top share in the line market in Japan, where it was founded, and exports its line to more than 40 countries worldwide. Sunline America is a subsidiary of Sunline Japan and is responsible for distribution and marketing in North American markets. For more information, please visit http://www.sunlineamerica.comTop of Form

 

by AnglersChannel

132 anglers set to compete in 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The road to the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series enters its final stretch this week as 132 anglers prepare to compete in the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops, a three-event postseason that will determine the next group of anglers to advance to bass fishing’s highest level.

The 2026 EQ field features a mix of rising stars, veteran professionals and accomplished anglers from across the country and Japan, all pursuing one of 10 invitations to the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. The roster was assembled through several qualification pathways, including the Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender and the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and the reigning Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour champion.

The three-event season begins Sept. 23-25 on Norfork Lake in Mountain Home, Arkansas, before moving to Toledo Bend Reservoir in Many, Louisiana, Oct. 21-23. The postseason concludes Nov. 11-13 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama. The diverse schedule moves competitors from a deep, clear Ozarks reservoir to the sprawling waters of Toledo Bend before finishing on one of the Tennessee River’s most celebrated bass fisheries.

“This field represents exactly what the Elite Qualifiers were created to showcase — talented anglers who have earned the opportunity to compete head-to-head with a place on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series at stake,” said Hank Weldon, B.A.S.S. Executive Director of Tournaments. “Over three events, they’re going to have to prove they can adapt to very different fisheries, changing fall conditions and the added pressure that comes with knowing every fish matters. With only 10 Elite Series invitations available, consistency will be critical from the first day at Norfork through the final weigh-in at Guntersville.”

Adding another layer to the postseason will be the use of forward-facing sonar. The 2026 EQ format was established with one tournament allowing forward-facing sonar, one prohibiting its use and the status of the final event determined by a coin flip. The results have produced a schedule that will require competitors to demonstrate their abilities with and without the technology.

Forward-facing sonar will not be permitted at Norfork Lake, while anglers will be allowed to use forward-facing sonar at Toledo Bend Reservoir. The coin flip for the season finale resulted in forward-facing sonar also being prohibited at Lake Guntersville.

That balance could make versatility particularly important during the three-event sprint. Norfork’s clear water and current drought conditions will open the season Sept. 23-25, with daily takeoffs scheduled for 7 a.m. CT from Buzzard Roost Boat Dock and weigh-ins at the same location at 3 p.m. Toledo Bend follows Oct. 21-23, bringing competitors to a massive reservoir known for hydrilla, submerged timber and trophy largemouth before Lake Guntersville provides the final test Nov. 11-13.

The EQs were introduced as a postseason-style pathway to the Elite Series, requiring anglers to carry their performance from the Opens into three additional high-pressure tournaments. At the conclusion of the Lake Guntersville event, the Top 10 anglers in the EQ standings will receive invitations to compete on the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

The complete 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops roster follows:

2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops roster

Cody Abbott — Woodruff, S.C.
Brooks Anderson — Marietta, Ga.
Yui Aoki — Minamitsurugun, Japan
Ty Austin — Rush, N.Y.
Colden Baker — Ridgeway, S.C.
Wesley Baxley — Conroe, Texas
Chris Beaudrie — Princeton, Ky.
Buddy Benson — Dahlonega, Ga.
Tripp Berlinsky — Florence, Ala.
Brock Bila — Republic, Mo.
Colt Blanton — Piketon, Ohio
John Branch — Magnolia, Ky.
Ryan Broughman — Corapeake, N.C.
Beau Browning — Hot Springs, Ark.
Stephen Browning — Hot Springs, Ark.
Erik Brztowski — Lemont, Ill.
Kaden Buchmann — Troutman, N.C.
Grae Buck — Green Lane, Pa.
Blaine Bunney — Claremore, Okla.
Wyatt Burkhalter — Coker, Ala.
Jaron Burr — Bowling Green, Ky.
Colby Bryant — Houston, Texas
Nate Caldwell — Fort Collins, Colo.
Blake Capps — Muskogee, Okla.
Chase Carey — Hoschton, Ga.
Doug Chapin — Tigerton, Wis.
Chase Clarke — Virginia Beach, Va.
Lonnie Cochran — Section, Ala.
Tyler Conde — Chepachet, R.I.
Michael Corbishley — Wake Forest, N.C.
Hugh Cosculluela — Magnolia, Texas
Kollin Crawford — Broken Bow, Okla.
Hunter Crossland — San Angelo, Texas
John Cox — DeBary, Fla.
Jack Dice — Lynchburg, Va.
TJ Edwards Jr. — Tremont, Miss.
Ty Faber — Pagosa Springs, Colo.
Dillon Falardeau — Hixson, Tenn.
Ethan Fields — Carlyle, Ill.
Brennan Flick — West Monroe, La.
Dylan Fogarty — Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Anthony Garcia — Los Angeles, Calif.
Bailey Gay — Union, Ky.
Billy Gilbert — Hamburg, N.Y.
Darold Gleason — Leesville, La.
Zach Goutremout — Chaumont, N.Y.
Tanner Hadden — Appling, Ga.
Rylan Hamlin — Jackson, Mich.
Sam Hanggi — Knoxville, Tenn.
Michael Harlin — Osage Beach, Mo.
Peyton Harris — Birmingham, Ala.
Rick Harris Jr. — Carlsbad, N.M.
Riley Harris — Orange, Texas
Charlie Hartley — Grove City, Ohio
Jordan Hartman — Benton, Ky.
Brian Hatfield — Spring City, Tenn.
Dalton Head — Moody, Ala.
Alex Heintze — Denham Springs, La.
Chris Hellebuyck — White Lake, Mich.
Brett Hite — Phoenix, Ariz.
Laker Howell — Guntersville, Ala.
Randy Howell — Guntersville, Ala.
Connor Jacob — Guntersville, Ala.
Brad Jelinek — Lincoln, Mo.
Chris Johnson — Farmington, Ark.
Andrew Jones — Trussville, Ala.
Seiji Kato — Outsu, Japan
Jonathan Kelley — Old Forge, Pa.
Kenta Kimura — Afton, Okla.
Justin Kimmel — Athens, Ga.
Jeremiah Kindy — Benton, Ark.
Jeremy Lawyer — Sarcoxie, Mo.
Easton Lindus — Woodville, Wis.
Jace Lindsay — Beckville, Texas
Lucas Lindsay — Auburn, Ala.
CJ Maddux — Birmingham, Ala.
Jake Maddux — Alpharetta, Ga.
Harmon Marien — Eagle River, Wis.
Wyatt Marler — Oldfield, Mo.
Cameron Mattison — Benton, La.
Cole McAusland — Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Mike McClelland — Blue Eye, Mo.
Garrett McWilliams — Florence, Miss.
Willie Mcmullen — Covington, Ga.
Mark Menendez — Paducah, Ky.
Ryan Michl — Newton, Ill.
Chris Miller — Spirit Lake, Iowa
Blake Milligan — Nashville, Tenn.
Matt Mosby — Dryden, Mich.
Lucas Murphy — West Columbia, S.C.
Grant Neubauer — Medford, Wis.
Andy Newcomb — Camdenton, Mo.
Riley Nielsen — Salt Lake City, Utah
Dylan Nutt — Nashville, Tenn.
Bryson Osteen — Live Oak, Fla.
Freddy Palmer — Estill Springs, Tenn.
Luke Palmer — Atoka, Okla.
Trent Palmer — Cumming, Ga.
Matt Pangrac — Shawnee, Okla.
Garrett Paquette — Canton, Mich.
Chad Pipkens — DeWitt, Mich.
Brian Post — Janesville, Wis.
Nathan Quince — Imperial, Pa.
Jeremy Radford — Huntly, Va.
Adam Rasmussen — Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Nathan Reynolds — Nashville, Tenn.
Zac Ridenhour — Salisbury, N.C.
Brody Robison — Dawson, Ala.
Derek Rodriguez Jr. — Okemos, Mich.
Niko Romero — Coldspring, Texas
Cody Ross — Livingston, Texas
Fred Roumbanis — Russellville, Ark.
Ryan Salzman — Huntsville, Ala.
Yukihiro Sawamura — Harker Heights, Texas
Casey Scanlon — Eldon, Mo.
Trey Schroeder — Theodosia, Mo.
Garrett Smith — Mount Holly, N.C.
Cody Stahl — Barnesville, Ga.
Matt Stefan — Junction City, Wis.
Jacob Thompkins — Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Bo Thomas — Edwardsburg, Mich.
Ryan Thompson — Seymour, Mo.
Lucas Toliver — Paw Paw, Mich.
Colton Trotter — Dothan, Ala.
Jonathon VanDam — Gobles, Mich.
Brady Vernon — Sterrett, Ala.
Jacob Welch — Roach, Mo.
Alex Wetherell — Middletown, Conn.
Evan White — Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
Joe Wieberg — Freeburg, Mo.
Noah Winslow — Naugatuck, Conn.
Aaron Yavorsky — Palm Harbor, Fla.

For more information and complete coverage of the 2026 Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit Bassmaster.com.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Title Sponsor: Nitro Boats

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Platinum Sponsors: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

 

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 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, 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, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Ohio’s Burton Edges Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at the Detroit River

Indiana’s Spandau Wins Co-Angler Division

TRENTON, Mich. (Sept. 21, 2026) – Boater Wilson Burton of Findlay, Ohio, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 46 pounds, 10 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Detroit River. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Michigan Division Presented by 3rd Deck Brewing Company. Burton earned $6,120, including a $2,500 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

“I went out Thursday and found five locations with mega schools on them,” Burton said. “I was like, ‘Man, this is crazy.’ There were some big fish in that community hole.

“Tournament time comes and somebody is in my first spot, somebody is in my second spot, and soon it’s 10 o’clock and I don’t have a fish,” Burton went on to say. “So, I decided to go and isolate myself from everybody else on some structure on North Shore.”

Burton relocated and found the fishing to be “lights out.” He wanted to turn on his Garmin LiveScope, but didn’t because the fish were biting so well.

“I finally turned LiveScope on at 10:45 and caught four or five good ones for about 21 pounds,” Burton said. “So, I went around with the ’Scope for a little bit just looking for fish that were hitting bait balls.”

His technique produced around 100 bass during the course of the two-day event. Burton said he threw an Alabama rig in practice, but bass weren’t taking it during the tournament, so he went to a Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too soft jerkbait on a ball head “scooted” on the bottom.

“I caught a few that way and then made a couple of culls in the mouth of the river,” Burton said. “The biggest key was just getting away from everybody.”

“On Day 2 I had 20 pounds by 8:30 and I thought, ‘I do have a chance at this,’” Burton went on to say. “I’ve been fishing these events quite a while. I fished the first College event on the Detroit River and we took fifth for Ohio University. And to come out now and win the last BFL event in this format on the Detroit River – it’s crazy.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Wilson Burton, Findlay, Ohio, 10 bass, 46-10, $6,120 (includes $2,500 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:        Jesse Hickman, Waynesville, Ohio, 10 bass, 46-4, $2,130
3rd:         Josh Kolodzaike, Ypsilanti, Mich., 10 bass, 43-8, $1,010
4th:         Trevor Jancasz, White Pigeon, Mich., 10 bass, 42-15, $840
5th:         Cody Kelley, Plainwell, Mich., 10 bass, 42-12, $720
6th:         Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., 10 bass, 41-15, $690
7th:         Aaron Jagdfeld, Rochester, Mich., 10 bass, 41-14, $670
8th:         Matthew Davis, Morenci, Mich., 10 bass, 41-13, $640
9th:         Angel Rosario, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 39-8, $610
10th:       Julian Sweet, Flint, Mich., 10 bass, 38-13, $880

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Julian Sweet of Flint, Michigan, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass worth $300.

Thomas Spandau of Franklin, Indiana, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,810 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 26 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Thomas Spandau, Franklin, Ind., six bass, 26-7, $1,810
2nd:        Tommy Pritchard, Bargersville, Ind., six bass, 25-8, $990
3rd:         Dan Beach, Clarkston, Mich., six bass, 25-5, $580
4th:         Joseph Nega, Chicago, Ill., six bass, 25-1, $420
5th:         Brandon Smith, Mason, Ohio, six bass, 24-8, $360
6th:         Rosario Murello, Greenwood, Ind., six bass, 23-9, $345
7th:         Mikey Vanvleet, Battle Creek, Mich., five bass, 23-2, $340
8th:         Caleb Edgerton, Dayton, Ohio, six bass, 22-9, $420
9th:         Drew Simon, Risingsun, Ohio, six bass, 22-4, $310
10th:       Daniel Dumais, Trenton, Mich., six bass, 22-1, $290

Joey Miller of Reading, Michigan, and Dan Beach of Clarkston, Michigan, split the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $150 after landing a pair of 5-pound, 7-ounce bass.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Michigan, won the 7 Brew Michigan Division Presented by 3rd Deck Brewing Company Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,354 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Mike Mueller of Delaware, Ohio, won the Michigan Division Presented by 3rd Deck Brewing Company Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,333 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for the 2027 BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Henagar’s Morgan Uses Home-Water Knowledge to Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Guntersville

Alabama’s Wiggins Claims Co-Angler Division

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Sept. 21, 2026) – Boater Shawn Morgan of Henagar, Alabama, caught 10 bass weighing 45 pounds, 14 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Guntersville. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Choo Choo Division. Morgan earned $6,000 for his victory.

“I just went fishing,” Morgan said. “I’m a local and been fishing Guntersville my whole life. I knew fishing has been tough, but I knew where the fish were. They’d been in the same place for a month. There were 4- and 5-pounders all in there.”

Morgan said he stayed in the same upriver spot above the B.B. Comer bridge for most of the tournament. He targeted bait and the fish that chased the bait and caught his bass in 10 to 17 feet of water.

“I’d see bait on the top and catch fish underneath them,” Morgan said. “The smaller fish would come up schooling, but the big ones would stay underneath. I’d just throw a (Z-Man) ChatterBait and flutter it around. I used my (Garmin) LiveScope just to see where they were sitting. They were just moving around feeding.

“That deal produced all day long,” Morgan went on to say. “On Day 2 my co-angler culled twice around 1:30.”

Morgan said on Day 1 he had 20 pounds in the boat by 8:30 a.m. He thought he was onto a winning pattern, and his confidence soared.

“On Day 2 I went back to my spot and pulled up, and we had it to ourselves,” Morgan said. “There was nobody around. I had gotten chills running up the river. I just had a feeling, you know?

“I started casting around and bam, a keeper,” Morgan went on to say. “I cast around and bam, another keeper. I knew I had left them biting the day before. I was pretty sure they would still be there, and I was right.”

The 40-year-old Morgan said he had fished a lot in his 20s but it took a back seat to raising two daughters. Now he is enjoying a time in life he can fish competitively.

“I told myself I am going to make a run at it and see what I could do,” Morgan said.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Shawn Morgan, Henegar, Ala., 10 bass, 45-14, $6,000
2nd:        Zeke Gossett, Pell City, Ala., 10 bass, 41-9, $3,300
3rd:         Phillip Dutra, Arab, Ala., 10 bass, 41-2, $1,500
4th:         Seth Davis, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 38-6, $1,200
5th:         Logan Dyer, Cleveland, Ala., 10 bass, 37-9, $1,500 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
6th:         Scott Towry, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-13, $1,050
7th:         Sam Morgan, Coalmont, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-11, $900
8th:         Brian Carroll, Glencoe, Ala, nine bass, 35-6, $850
9th:         Mark Chevrier, Grant, Ala., 10 bass, 35-3, $800
10th:       Nick Cupps, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 10 bass, 35-3, $750

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Zeke Gossett of Pell City, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $300.

Randy Wiggins of Birmingham, Alabama, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $3,000 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 24 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., six bass, 24-7, $3,000
2nd:        Nick Inzio, Murfreesboro, Tenn., six bass, 19-11, $1,500
3rd:         Dalynn Teeftaller, Waynesboro, Tenn., six bass, 19-2, $750
4th:         Benton Peoples, Bardstown, Ky., six bass, 18-4, $600
5th:         Jeff Fiely, Scottsboro, Ala., six bass, 18-4, $500
6th:         Gary Meredith II, Decatur, Ala., six bass, 17-12, $475
7th:         Shane Overly, Brentwood, Tenn., five bass, 16-12, $450
8th:         Kenneth Palmer, Lenoir City, Tenn., six bass, 16-9, $425
9th:         Jonathan Majors, Chelsea, Ala., five bass, 16-5, $400
10th:       Willie Collins, Soddy Daisy, Tenn., five bass, 15-11, $375

Larry McNeil of Meridianville, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Logan Dyer of Cleveland, Alabama, won the 7 Brew Choo Choo Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,290 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Shane Browder of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, won the Choo Choo Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,241 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for the 2027 BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Seymour’s Kerstetter Claims Title at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Watts Bar Lake

Ohio’s Hammel Wins Co-Angler Division

SPRING CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 21, 2026) – Boater Luke Kerstetter of Seymour, Tennessee, caught a total of nine bass weighing 29 pounds, 4 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Watts Bar Lake. The tournament, hosted by the Rhea County Department of Tourism - Fish Spring City, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Volunteer Division. Kerstetter earned $3,110 for his victory.

“Day 1 I caught them the first two hours on a (Z-Man Evergreen Chatterbait) Jack Hammer, Kerstetter said. “I caught two 6-pounders in about an hour. I went practicing the rest of the day to find something for Day 2 and caught a couple of fish but didn’t cull anything out.”

Kerstetter started the second day of competition on the spot he started Day 1 and caught two bass in the first two hours after making two passes. He said he just “went fishing” for the rest of the day and was able to come up with two more bass in the Spring Creek area.

Kerstetter said he was targeting schooling gizzard shad in 8-foot grass ditches.

“There were some threadfin shad present as well, but the two big ones I caught were really filled out, and they were definitely eating gizzard shad,” Kerstetter said.

Kerstetter said his hopes for a win in the tournament soared early on the first day.

“After the first two hours I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got a good bag and I’ve got to start thinking about finding more water and trying to figure something else out, because the fishing was just so tough.”

Kerstetter said he purposefully went to new water he had never fished before so he could approach the water with an unbiased outlook. His strategy paid off.

“Man, this win feels good,” Kerstetter said. “It’s been a lot of long days and hard work, for sure. I’ve lived down here for about three years. I moved down from Wisconsin to chase the dream. I fish Fort Loudon a lot and can attribute my success on Watts Bar to the experience I’ve gotten from Loudon.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Luke Kerstetter, Seymour, Tenn., nine bass, 29-4, $3,110
2nd:        John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-8, $2,020 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
3rd:         Zachary Francis, Abingdon, Va., 10 bass, 26-0, $1,120
4th:         T.J. Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-12, $740
5th:         Riley Faulkner, Jacksboro, Tenn., nine bass, 23-7, $660
6th:         Tim Smiley, White Pine, Tenn., eight bass, 20-15, $640
7th:         Jerry Monroe, Athens, Tenn., eight bass, 19-8, $610
8th:         Matthew Rock, Bristol, Va., nine bass, 18-10, $590
9th:         Billy Joe Wheat, Rockwood, Tenn., nine bass, 17-7, $570
10th:       Derrick Blake, Rockwood, Tenn., four bass, 9-10

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tournament winner Kerstetter also earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass worth $300.

Kujo Hammel of Massillon, Ohio, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,455 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Kujo Hammel, Massillon, Ohio, six bass, 13-15, $1,455
2nd:        Isaac Mueller, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 10-12, $760
3rd:         Adam Spivey, Jonesville, Va., five bass, 10-12, $435
4th:         Jerry Wright, Bland, Va., four bass, 8-13, $370
5th:         Clinton Harrison, Georgetown, Tenn., two bass, 7-6, $480
6th:         Shaun Godsey, Decatur, Tenn., three bass, 7-4, $320
7th:         Jermaine Shephard, Knoxville, Tenn., three bass, 6-10, $310
8th:         Gordon Benedict, Cookeville, Tenn., two bass, 5-13, $295
9th:         Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., three bass, 5-9, $290
10th:       Steve Oullette, Knoxville, Tenn., two bass, 3-13

Clinton Harrison of Georgetown, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Justin McGaha of Knoxville, Tennessee, won the 7 Brew Volunteer Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,341 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Clinton Harrison of Georgetown, Tennessee, won the Volunteer Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,337 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for the 2027 BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

Pennsylvania’s Kauffman Claims Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Chesapeake Bay

NORTH EAST, Md. (Sept. 21, 2026) – Boater Josh Kauffman of Marysville, Pennsylvania, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 13 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Chesapeake Bay. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Northeast Division Presented by 3rd Deck Brewing Company. Kauffman earned $3,180 for his victory.

“I started off this tournament by dropping my truck keys in the water and my boat drifting away because my Power Poles were not anchored to the bottom like I thought they were,” Kauffman said. “So, I had to go swimming to get the boat. Day 1 was wild, but I had to keep cool and keep calm, and I went out and caught about 16 pounds pretty quickly in about two hours.

“The Chesapeake Bay is fishing extremely tough, and it’s hard to get a bite out there,” Kauffman continued. “So, that was a great morning, way better than I thought it was going to be.”

Kauffman left his morning spot and ran to a secondary grass pattern he had and managed another seven or eight keepers, culling up to 17 pounds by noon. He spent the rest of the first day looking for bass for his Day 2 on Sunday.

Kauffman said his baits were classic “junk” fishing – a swim jig, bladed jig and Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm in grass, a crankbait on points in the morning and a spinnerbait on Day 2 when conditions got overcast and windy.

Kauffman started Day 2 on rocky points, but caught only one 2½-pounder and lost a couple of fish. He relocated to his grassy area but didn’t feel confident.

“The grass held true and I ended up catching six keepers out there, including a 5½-pounder late in the day,” Kauffman said. “When I caught that one I thought, ‘That was probably the one that got me over the hump.’

“A lot of hard work went into practicing there,” Kauffman said. “I wasn’t sure how it would go, but it sort of just developed throughout the two days. I never felt that I found anything special, but it’s been fishing so tough there and the grass just turned out to be pretty magical. My co-angler and I had three 5½-pounders out of this one spot. For the Chesapeake and this time of year, that’s pretty nuts.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Josh Kauffman, Marysville, Penn., 10 bass, 33-10, $3,180
2nd:        Richard Leadbeater, North East, Md., 10 bass, 28-11, $1,640
3rd:         Michael Piccolo, Croydon, Penn., 10 bass, 28-6, $920
4th:         Andrew Heivly, Spring City, Penn., 10 bass, 27-9, $770
5th:         Michael Sentore, Gloucester City, N.J., 10 bass, 26-6, $680
6th:         Frank Ruggieri, Gibbstown, N.J., seven bass, 22-12, $650
7th:         Stephan Sirochman, Earleville, Md., eight bass, 22-12, $630
8th:         John Rinkers, Swarthmore, Penn., eight bass, 22-7, $600
9th:         John Duarte, Middle River, Md., seven bass, 19-7, $1,230 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
10th:       Jackson Staib, Wilmington, Del., seven bass, 18-14, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Jared Wolf of East Berlin, Pennsylvania, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass worth $300.

Michael Duarte of Baltimore, Maryland, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,540 Sunday after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Michael Duarte, Baltimore, Md., six bass, 17-7, $1,540
2nd:        Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Penn., four bass, 16-4, $970
3rd:        Greg Darling, Magnolia, Del., six bass, 14-12, $460
4th:         Chris Hutchinson, Sewell, N.J., five bass, 13-10, $385
5th:         Lamar Spade, Saylorsburg, Penn., five bass, 13-2, $340
6th:         Kirk Mann, Hampstead, Md., five bass, 12-13, $325
7th:         Luke Dixon, Ridgely, Md., four bass, 9-14, $320
8th:         Eric Reynolds, Bloomingburg, N.Y., three bass, 8-8, $300
9th:         James Boyce, Massena, N.Y., three bass, 6-10, $290
10th:       Jared Burrows, Butler, Penn., two bass, 4-12, $280

Michael Bahnweg of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass worth $150.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Joseph Thompson of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, won the 7 Brew Northeast Division Presented by 3rd Deck Brewing Company Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,307 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Lamar Spade of Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, won the Northeast Division Presented by 3rd Deck Brewing Company Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,270 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for the 2027 BFL All-American. The 2027 BFL All-American will take place June 5-7, at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by Experience Kissimmee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL 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, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, 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 20 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.

by AnglersChannel

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