Lowen Leads Tight Race at Logan Martin
Big bites separate the field on Day One of NPFL Stop Four
Big bites made the difference on Day One of Stop Four of the National Professional Fishing League on Logan Martin Lake. While much of the field found numbers, separating from the pack required quality fish, and no one put together a better bag than veteran Bill Lowen. The Humminbird and Minn Kota pro brought 17 pounds, 14 ounces to the scales, anchored by a 4-pound largemouth, to take the overnight lead over a tightly packed leaderboard.
Greg Vinson sits in second after weighing 15 pounds, 10 ounces, finishing the day 2 pounds, 4 ounces behind Lowen. Troy Roder continued his strong rookie campaign with 15 pounds, 6 ounces to end the day in third. Andy Morgan and Gerald Swindle round out the top five with limits weighing 14-13 and 14-11, respectively, giving the event a veteran-heavy leaderboard heading into Day Two.
With weights expected to remain close throughout the week, one quality bite could be the difference between climbing into the lead or falling down the standings. Logan Martin has already proven that consistency will keep anglers in contention, but finding the right bites will ultimately determine who hoists the trophy on Saturday.
Queen Grabs Early AOY Advantage
Coming into Stop Four, which marks the start of the second half of the 2026 season, Oklahoma pro Zack Birge and North Carolina Pro KJ Queen shared the lead in the Work Sharp NPFL Angler of the Year race with 722 points each. South Carolina pro Brandon Cobb sat just one point back in third, setting up a tight battle at Logan Martin.
After Day One, the standings have already begun to shuffle. Queen turned in one of the better bags of the day, weighing 14-11, putting him in sixth and giving him the unofficial AOY lead heading into Day Two.
Cobb also positioned himself well, weighing 13-8 to sit in 21st. After starting just one point behind the leaders, his solid opening day unofficially moves him into second in the AOY race.
Birge, meanwhile, struggled to find the quality bites he was looking for in practice but managed to scrap together a 12-pound, 5-ounce limit. Sitting 40th after Day One, he unofficially falls to third in the standings with two days remaining.
Lowen Sticks to His Strengths
Coming into Stop Four, Indiana pro Bill Lowen was fighting a battle every professional angler goes through. 2026 has been a tougher season than he was used to, and he found himself trying to force his approach instead of fishing the way he was most comfortable. During practice, he decided to put the stubbornness aside and simply fish his strengths – and it worked.
“You know, today was just a fun day. One of those days I needed,” he said. “I’m having a less-than-average year, and I’m not used to it. I told myself I wasn’t going to fight things anymore and was just going to fish how I wanted to catch them. It just worked out today.”
Fishing both on and off the bank, Lowen used practice to locate a handful of productive areas around Logan Martin. He started on a couple of those places Thursday morning, including one he described as more of a community hole, and things came together much faster than he expected.
“It got good faster than I thought, and I got to rolling,” he said. “I caught a decent limit, then went practicing, using Humminbird LakeMaster to find what I was looking for in new places. In fact, I fished a few new places this afternoon and culled with some heavy fish. It was a fun day.”
Using his Humminbird XPLORE and LakeMaster mapping, Lowen was able to quickly identify similar water throughout the lake as he expanded his “pattern.” Instead of spending time searching, he could pull into a spot with confidence and get right back to fishing.
“I did have some folks around me this morning, but I feel like what I’m doing is a little more specific, and maybe that helped me get some bigger bites,” he said. “This afternoon, I could see some people around, but for the most part I was able to fish what I wanted. I’m just going to keep doing what I like to do, keep my head down, and fish.”
Day One Leaderboard
Bill Lowen 17-14
Greg Vinson 15-10
Troy Roder 15-6
Andy Morgan 14-13
Gerald Swindle 14-11
KJ Queen 14-11
Greg Hackney 14-10
Corey Casey 14-9
Derek Lehtonen 14-7
Brad Staley 14-7
Wesley Gore 14-3
Paul Browning 14-3
Buddy Gross 14-1
Stacey James 14-0
Darrell Davis 14-0
Ryan Satterfield 13-15
Tim Frederick 13-14
Hunter Sales 13-12
Mike Quinlin 13-12
Logan Latuso 13-11
Brandon Cobb 13-8
Shane Lineberger 13-3
Ray Hanselman 13-3
Scott Canterbury 13-2
Jason Meninger 13-1
Russ Lane 13-0
Josh Butler 12-15
Harmon Davis 12-15
Gary Adkins 12-13
Hank Cherry 12-13
JT Russell 12-11
Kyle Glasgow 12-11
Jon Canada 12-11
Todd Goade 12-9
Brad Whatley 12-9
Alton Wilhoit 12-9
David Williams 12-8
Jacob Powroznik 12-8
Todd Auten 12-8
Zack Birge 12-5
Scott Suggs 12-4
James Watson 12-3
Jason Burroughs 12-2
Timothy Reams 12-2
Matt Herren 12-1
Fred Roumbanis 12-1
Bill Day 12-0
Jason Wilson 12-0
Wes Logan 11-15
Brock Mosley 11-13
Drew Cook 11-12
Andrew Upshaw 11-11
John Cox (GA) 11-11
Christopher Whisenant 11-10
Gerald Spohrer 11-10
Chad Marler 11-9
Lavoyd Lemmond 11-8
Adam Savage 11-4
Chad Grigsby 11-4
Keith Bardolf 11-2
James Niggemeyer 11-1
Pete Ponds 11-1
Richard Cooper 11-0
Tim Cales 11-0
Quentin Cappo 10-14
Barron Adams 10-12
Jordan Osborne 10-11
Alex Davis 10-9
Cliff Crochet 10-7
Randall Tharp 10-6
J. Todd Tucker 10-6
Sean Alvarez 10-6
Mitchell Webb 10-4
Nick Brown 10-0
Chris Baker 10-0
T-Roy Broussard 9-15
John Cox (FL) 9-14
Darrel Robertson 9-14
Patrick Walters 9-13
Garrett Smith 9-11
Josh Hooks 9-11
Bob Behrle 9-10
Bo Collins 9-10
Jason Williamson 9-10
William Fletcher 9-10
Hunter Baughman 9-5
Ron Johnson 9-4
David Wootton 9-2
Dylan Freeze 9-2
Austin Garland 9-1
Dustin Williamson 8-15
Jared Lintner 8-12
Luke Clausen 8-12
Jamie Pierce 8-10
Timothy Wilson 8-9
Travis Jewell 8-8
Rickey Morris 8-7
Matthew McBee 8-7
Harry Moore 8-7
Dustin Reneau 8-6
Joey Bloom 7-13
Scott Wiley 7-11
Kevin Rogers 7-11
Chip Harrington 7-11
Josh Watkins 7-6
Michael Comeau 7-6
Charlie Apperson 6-14
Joseph Lineberry 6-11
Lendell Martin 6-6
Johnnie Adams 4-10
BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME AWARDS $24,000 IN FISHERY MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – June 24, 2026 – For the fourth consecutive year, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) has awarded scholarships through its Fishery Management Scholarship Program. Designed to support and encourage high school and college bass anglers pursuing careers in fisheries and natural resource management, the program reflects the Hall's commitment to preserving healthy fisheries, improving public access, and protecting the waters that sustain the sport of bass fishing.
This year, the Hall awarded six scholarships of $4,000 each, totaling $24,000 in educational assistance. The 2026 recipients are:
- Riley Cox – Oregon State University
• Joshua Goff – University of Nebraska
• Matthew Graff – North Carolina State University
• Cole Hubbard – Paul Smith's College
• Teague McClurg – Purdue University
• Levi Umland – University of Missouri
"The response to this program continues to be exceptional," said BFHOF President Bruce Stanton. "We have a dedicated Conservation and Education Committee, led by Board Member and Hall of Fame inductee Gene Gilliland, that gives great care to the selection process. These scholarships represent an investment in the future of our fisheries and the sport we all love. Healthy fisheries are essential to a healthy sport, and supporting these students aligns perfectly with the Hall's mission of celebrating, promoting, and preserving bass fishing."
The recipients are undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in university programs with declared majors or career goals in biology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, marine science, or closely related natural resource fields.
"Each year, our independent panel of judges is impressed by the caliber of applicants and their passion for fisheries conservation," said Gilliland. "These students represent the future stewards of our fisheries, and we're proud to help support their educational journey."
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame also extends its appreciation to the scholarship review panel, which includes Phil Morlock, former Director of Government Affairs for the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association; Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy for the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation; Ross Self, Chief of Inland Fisheries for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; and Dr. Mark Rogers, Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit Leader at Tennessee Tech University.
Funding for the Fishery Management Scholarship Program is made possible through the generous support of Hall of Fame inductees, professional anglers, bass fishing enthusiasts nationwide, participants in the Hall's annual online fundraising auctions, and numerous companies throughout the bass fishing industry. The BFHOF has now awarded nearly $100,000 in scholarships since the program began.
The Hall will announce details and application requirements for the 2027 Fishery Management Scholarship Program later this year.
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will honor its Class of 2026 during the annual induction ceremony on Sept. 24 at Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium, adjacent to the Bass Pro Shops flagship store in Springfield, Missouri. The Class of 2026 includes Takahiro Omori, Rick Pierce, Pam Martin-Wells, Don Iovino, and Mike Whitaker.
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About the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF)
Celebrating its 25th year, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors, dedicated to celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport of bass fishing. The Hall’s inductees and historical memorabilia are showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri. For more information about the road to induction, the Hall’s impact on the community, or to get involved, visit www.BassFishingHOF.com.
or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].
Costa Sunglasses Announces 3rd Annual Costa Bass Derby
In partnership with sporting goods retailer SCHEELS, Costa invites anglers to Grand Lake, Oklahoma to participate in its amateur-only bass tournament
JUPITER, Fla. – (JUNE 23, 2026) – Mark your calendars for the weekend of October 10-11, 2026, as the Costa Bass Derby returns to Grand Lake in northeast Oklahoma. Now in its third year, the popular team tournament once again welcomes amateur anglers from across the country to compete for an incredible $20,000 first-place prize.
The Costa Bass Derby is hosted in partnership with Tulsa SCHEELS and is an event both brands look forward to each year. Beyond big payouts, this event promises a memorable weekend celebrating bass fishing and Costa Sunglasses.
“The response to the Costa Bass derby the past two years has exceeded every expectation we had,” said Evan Russell, Costa Sunglasses' Head of Global Sports Marketing. “Seeing the growth from the inaugural tournament to more than 230 teams in year two, along with the atmosphere created by competing anglers and our partners, has us thrilled to bring the Costa Bass Derby back for a third year in 2026. We’re proud to continue building this event that rewards the bass fishing community, creates memories, and gives back to the waters that make our passions possible.”
Open to amateur teams only (see Rules), the tournament is highlighted by an incredible $20,000 first-place prize. Additionally, a $1,000 conservation donation will be made in the winning anglers’ names to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, where the funds will be used to directly benefit freshwater habitats and bass fishing.
Oklahoma natives Freddie Stopp and Rickey Hicks competed in the inaugural event and then won the derby in 2025. They are eager for another great experience this year.
“We always have a great time at the Costa Bass Derby,” Hicks said. “We’ve fished tournaments together for 20 years, and this is one of the very best events we’ve competed in. For Costa and SCHEELS to put this kind of tournament on for weekend anglers like us is incredible. Everything from the registration gift bags, pros like (Jason) Christie and Casey Ashley hanging out, and then the payouts… it’s all top notch.”
Along with the tournament on Grand Lake, Costa Sunglasses will be set up on Friday, October 10th at the Tulsa SCHEELS location with product displays, exclusive in-store promotions for tournament participants, product raffles, and insight on Costa’s latest frame and lens technology.
Additionally, on Saturday, October 10th, Costa will host a Tournament Registration at The Regatta on Grand. Here, anglers will pick up swag bags (valued at $200+ and guaranteed for the first 200 boats to register), be treated to dinner, live music, meet & greet with Costa pros before a brief rules meeting.
The tournament will launch from Wolf Creek Park in Grove, OK at safe light (7:00AM) on October 11th and weigh-in will begin at 3:00PM.
To register for Costa Bass Derby, visit https://www.costabassderby.com/. The tournament entry fee is $200 per team with 100% payback. Registration closes Friday, October 2nd and will be capped at 300 boats. Teams are limited to two anglers per boat, and at least one team member must own a pair of Costa Sunglasses to compete.
To check out Costa Sunglasses’ full collection of performance, lifestyle and optical eyewear, and learn more about its commitment to conservation, visit costasunglasses.com.
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Two Professional Anglers Named Head Coaches of Two Nationally Ranked College Fishing Teams
David Walker takes over at Campbellsville University, and Clent Davis is new Head Coach at University of Montevallo
SAN ANTONIO, TX (June 22, 2026) – The 2025-26 season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series recently concluded, and numerous teams are making headlines during the offseason. Two of college fishing’s perennial top contenders for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia each recently announced new head coaches to lead their programs.
Clent Davis takes over at the University of Montevallo, and David Walker is now the Head Coach at Campbellsville University.
“It’s great to see Clent Davis at the helm of Montevallo program that he helped to start many years ago and we’re also very excited to see where David Walker can take the Campbellsville program,” said Wade Middleton, President of CarecoTV and ACA Managing Director. “Both these anglers have shown interest for several years in working with college anglers and we’re expecting both programs to stay as some of the best in college fishing.”
Earlier this year, in late April, former professional angler Clent Davis was named Head Coach at the University of Montevallo. Close to 20 years ago, as a student at that time, Davis started the Montevallo fishing team. He graduated in 2009 and pursued a career as a professional angler for 14 years, where he amassed career earnings exceeding $1,000,000.
17 years since graduating from the University of Montevallo, Davis returns as the Head Coach at his alma mater. At the time of Davis’s hiring, Montevallo had won the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia in five consecutive seasons. Just one month into his stint as Head Coach, Montevallo wrapped up the 2025-26 campaign ranked number one to secure its sixth-straight title. Davis and the Falcons will enter this upcoming season looking to continue to re-write the history books for college fishing.
Campbellsville University also recently announced the hiring of a new Head Coach. Accomplished professional angler David Walker will now lead the Campbellsville University Bass Fishing Team.
Over a prestigious 30-year career, Walker’s accomplishments include numerous victories at the highest levels in the sport, as well as several Angler of the Year titles across various tournament trails.
As the new Head Coach at Campbellsville University, Walker is looking to develop the next generation of young anglers while building a championship culture, developing student-athletes on and off the water, creating meaningful relationships and more.
Campbellsville finished the 2025-26 campaign ranked 11th. The team from Campbellsville, KY has never won the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Walker will be looking to achieve that task as the new season gets underway.
To start a team or club at your school, follow this link.
Tournament Intel: Banks Shaw and the Oklahoma SWEEP!
We're back with episode two of Tournament Intel, our series with Bass365 breaking down a tournament win straight from the source — no script, no hindsight, just the angler walking through what actually happened.
This time it's Banks Shaw, who's walking away from Oklahoma with two wins in a month on two lakes he barely knew.
"Walking away from Oklahoma, being here a month with two wins, it's pretty special to me," Shaw said. He'd never fished Eufaula before this year. At Grand Lake, he'd only ever fished a muddy area near the ramp — nothing like the offshore schools that won him this one.
His approach to both: stay open and let the lake tell him what to do. "I just try to keep as much of an open mind as I possibly can, because you never know what to expect when you first show up to a fishery," he said. A fish off a brush pile, another off a dock — small clues that build into a pattern over the practice week. And when the fish move during the tournament itself, like they did at Grand Lake, Shaw trusts the same process to find them again.
There's a gut-feeling element to it too. "You'll just be running down the lake and you'll go past a spot and then all of a sudden you're like, hang on, I need to turn around and go back to it," he said. "Those are the decisions that sometimes make the difference."
Shaw breaks it all down below — how he studies a new lake, why a shad bait is always his first move, and what he looks for the second he idles up to any unfamiliar point.
Smithfield’s McCrickard Dominates Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at James River
Sutherland’s Williams Earns Win in Co-Angler Division
HENRICO, Va. (June 22, 2026) – Boater Michael McCrickard of Smithfield, Virginia, caught a total of five bass weighing 20 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the James River . The tournament, hosted by Richmond Region Tourism, was the third of five events of the season for the BFL Shenandoah Division. McCrickard earned $3,160 for his victory.
“I had a late boat number, so where I wanted to start was kind of out the window,” McCrickard said. “I had a good practice Tuesday in the (Chickahominy River) and had an even better practice Thursday up the James. I decided to make the run to the Chick, pulled up on a spot and on the third cast caught a 6-pounder.”
McCrickard relocated further upriver and within five minutes caught another bass that weighed 5-12. With two big ones in the livewell, McCrickard hit a dry spell until around 10 a.m. A 3-pounder broke the drought. McCrickard was targeting grasslines with a crankbait and a Yamamoto Senko. At high tide the grass was anywhere from two to six feet deep.
“Then we ran around like mad men and left the Chick at 11:45 and pulled into a creek on the lower end of the James,” McCrickard said. “I finished out my limit and headed back to the boat ramp at about 1 o’clock.
“I knew 13 pounds would get a check on the boater side and it would take 17 to 18 pounds to win,” McCrickard said. “And a third of the field wouldn’t catch a limit. It’s fishing pretty tough right now. I knew going into it to have a shot I was going to have to fish pretty clean. When I caught that 6-pounder early I wouldn’t say I was coasting, but I knew I had the big one out of the way.
“I’ve put a lot of time on that river the past couple of years trying to learn it,” McCrickard went on to say. “It felt really good to piece it all together and close it out.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Michael McCrickard, Smithfield, Va., five bass, 20-10, $3,160
2nd: Travis Lewis, Stanley, Va., five bass, 15-12, $1,600
3rd: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., five bass, 15-8, $1,170
4th: Eric Johnson, Partlow, Va., five bass, 15-7, $620
5th: Brian Langford, Petersburg, Va., five bass, 14-12, $550
6th: Christopher Wingfield, Richmond, Va., five bass, 14-1, $480
7th: Brian Laclair, Denton, Md., five bass, 13-10, $460
8th: Shawn Huwar, Ruther Glen, Va., five bass, 13-8, $430
8th: Ben Dalton, Bracey, Va., five bass, 13-8, $430
10th: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 13-4, $410
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
McCrickard also earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing his 6-pounder, worth $200.
Richard Williams of Sutherland, Virginia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,530 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., three bass, 10-14, $1,530
2nd: Larry Freeman Jr., La Crosse, Va., three bass, 9-2, $750
3rd: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., three bass, 8-10, $447
3rd: David Cole, Chester, Va., three bass, 8-10, $347
5th: Frank Daniels, Dover, Del., three bass, 7-12, $275
6th: Taylor Schmitt, North Chesterfield, Va., three bass, 7-9, $240
7th: Steven Lloyd, Summit Point, W.V., two bass, 7-2, $225
7th: Phil Thalheimer, Raleigh, N.C., three bass, 7-2, $225
9th: Pat Kendrick, Bumpass, Va., three bass, 7-1, $207
9th: Stephen Barr, Wilmington, N.C., one bass, 7-1, $307
Stephen Barr of Wilmington, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass worth $100.
After three events, Brian Laclair of Denton, Maryland, now leads the 7 Brew Shenandoah Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 728 points, while Richard Williams of Sutherland, Virginia, leads the Shenandoah Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 728 points.
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.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Gallatin’s Stout Edges Field for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Old Hickory Lake
Portland, Tennessee’s Payne Tops Co-Angler Division
MOUNT JULIET, Tenn. (June 22, 2026) – Boater Michael Stout of Gallatin, Tennessee, caught a total of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Old Hickory Lake. The tournament was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL Music City Division. Stout earned $2,960 for his victory.
“I really didn’t have a place to start, so I kind of just bounced around,” Stout said. “Most of my stuff was offshore. They started pulling current, and they weren’t supposed to, but it made the fish set up on a couple of key spots and I was able to catch them with (Garmin) LiveScope and without it. It was basically a big plug, worm and a football jig for me.”
Stout said he fished mid-lake to the bottom end of the lake and targeted current breaks on the main river in 6 to 12 feet of water. He attacked first with the crankbait and then switched to the more subtle baits to coax bites.
“Around 10 or 11 o’clock I felt like I had a shot at winning, but I felt that I was one fish short,” Stout said. “I had 17 pounds at 1:30 and I just happened to pull up on a hole and caught a 3½-pounder.
“It was a good day. Everything just kind of fell into place,” Stout went on to say. It’s an awesome feeling to win. It shows that all of the hard work you put in pays off. That’s the most rewarding thing to me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Michael Stout, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 18-2, $2,960
2nd: Angel Rosario, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 18-1, $1,700
3rd: Austin True, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 15-4, $1,195 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
3rd: Craig Gann, Castalian Springs, Tenn., five bass, 15-4, $695
5th: Sam Lashlee, Camden, Tenn., five bass, 13-12, $550
6th: Jayson Johnson, Smithville, Tenn., five bass, 13-8, $470
6th: Cole Petroff, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 13-8, $470
8th: Shane Oxford, Saint Meinrad, Ind., five bass, 13-3, $690
9th: Matthew Poss, Smithville, Tenn., five bass, 13-1, $420
10th: Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., five bass, 12-12, $560
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Angel Rosario of Kalamazoo, Michigan, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass worth $200.
Richard Payne of Portland, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,580 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 11 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Richard Payne, Portland, Tenn., three bass, 10-11, $1,580
2nd: David Marr, Cleveland, Tenn., three bass, 7-14, $750
3rd: Blake Whittaker, Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 7-9, $347
3rd: Tyrell Harmon, Hermitage, Tenn., three bass, 7-9, $347
5th: Jarrod White, Lebanon, Tenn., three bass, 7-3, $275
6th: Jeff Cave, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., three bass, 7-0, $340
7th: Redd Reynolds, Flintville, Tenn., three bass, 6-13, $230
8th: Ricky England, Sparta, Tenn., three bass, 6-12, $220
9th: Chris Seese, Ten Mile, Tenn., three bass, 6-9, $188
9th: David Dan, Lebanon, Tenn., three bass, 6-9, $188
9th: David Wiley, Greenbrier, Tenn., three bass, 6-9, $188
Richard Payne of Portland, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, tournament winner Michael Stout now leads the 7 Brew Music City Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 968 points, while David Wiley of Greenbrier, Tennessee, leads the Music City Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 952 points.
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.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Rockwood’s Pelfrey Notches 1-Ounce Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Cherokee Lake
Russellville’s Schultz Claims Win in Co-Angler Division
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (June 22, 2026) – Boater Dale Pelfrey of Rockwood, Tennessee, caught a total of five bass weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Cherokee Lake . The tournament, hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN, was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL Volunteer Division. Pelfrey earned $4,540, including a $2,500 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.
“I just put a flipping stick in my hand and went flipping all day,” Pelfrey said. “The early bite was really good for me. I think I had three for 10 pounds in the first 30 minutes, but I could have had 18 pounds. I just kept losing fish.”
Pelfrey said he caught seven keepers during the course of the day and may have lost twice as many bass.
“I don’t know what was going on with me today,” Pelfrey said. “I was sick about it all day.”
Pelfrey said he covered water from the takeoff site to the 25E bridge as the day progressed, but the bite slowed and he said he had only three bites in the last three hours of the tournament. Pelfrey said he was experimenting with a new bait, but didn’t want to divulge the name. He targeted multiple types of cover in 8 to 10 feet of water.
“I typically don’t fish like that,’ Pelfrey said. “It’s just something I got on in practice Friday, and it proved to be the right thing. And anything that matched that description … that’s what I ran.”
Despite the fish he lost during the tournament, Pelfrey said he remained optimistic about his chances.
“I knew I would be close,” Pelfrey said. “Typically, if you have 17 pounds, you’re pretty close. But I’ve been in tournaments where it only took 14 pounds. I knew I had a shot, but I also knew I had a shot to lose, as well.
“I’ve been on the wrong side of a win several times,” Pelfrey went on to say. “I have seven or eight second-place finishes, so I’ve had my share of close calls. It feels good to be on the right side of a 1-ounce difference.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Dale Pelfrey, Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 16-5, $4,540 (includes $2,500 Phoenix bonus)
2nd: Riley Faulkner, Jacksboro, Tenn., five bass, 16-4, $1,080
3rd: Justin McGaha, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 14-8, $700
4th: Canyon Padgett, Clinton, Tenn., five bass, 14-4, $500
5th: Matthew Rock, Bristol, Va., five bass, 13-15, $600
6th: Brian Vicchio, Gray, Tenn., five bass, 13-9, $400
7th: Kasey Hunley, Sharps Chapel, Tenn., five bass, 13-4, $390
8th: Gavin Clevenger, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 12-7, $380
9th: Spencer Peters, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 12-1, $370
10th: Greg McDavid, Piney Flats, Tenn., four bass, 11-13, $360
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
John Blanton of Salyersville, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass worth $200.
Dawson Schultz of Russellville, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,020 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 8 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Dawson Schultz, Russellville, Tenn., three bass, 8-12, $1,020
2nd: Adam Spivey, Jonesville, Va., three bass, 8-3, $590
3rd: Ryan Lee, Pound, Va., three bass, 7-4, $300
4th: Bud McKelvey, Knoxville, Tenn., two bass, 7-2, $350
5th: Corey Wilson, Weaverville, N.C., three bass, 6-8, $225
6th: Mark Thomas, Decatur, Tenn., three bass, 6-4, $200
7th: Kyle Coffin, Cookeville, Tenn., two bass, 5-15, $200
8th: Elijah Caudill, Rutledge, Tenn., three bass, 5-12, $190
9th: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., two bass, 5-7, $185
9th: Cody Stokes, Ooltewah, Tenn., two bass, 5-7, $185
Bud McKelvey of Knoxville, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, Justin McGaha of Knoxville, Tennessee, now leads the 7 Brew Volunteer Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 978 points, while Keith Gunsauls of Dandridge, Tennessee, leads the Volunteer Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 968 points.
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.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Dual Pro High Frequency Fishing: Drew Gill’s Urchin Tricks
When the bite gets tough during post-spawn, MLF Pro Angler Drew Gill knows exactly which bait to reach for: the Urchin/Coike. On a bluebird-sky day in late May on a small reservoir in Southern Indiana, Gill put the viral soft plastic to the test, and once again, it delivered.
Bright Skies, Warming Water, and a Bait That Keeps Producing
The conditions were about as classic post-spawn as it gets. The high temperature climbed to 88 degrees under cloudless, bluebird skies, with water temps sitting at 76 degrees. Bass were transitioning off bedding areas and relating tightly to cover and structure, exactly the scenario where the Urchin shines.
Gill has leaned on the Urchin heavily this season, and he’s not alone. The squid-like, tentacled soft plastic has become one of the most talked-about baits in bass fishing recently, and Gill credits its unique profile and slow rate of fall for its effectiveness. Rigged with a single hook and either a 1/32-ounce or 1/16-ounce nail weight tucked inside, the bait sinks slowly and nearly suspends on a tight line, a trait Gill says bass simply can’t ignore.
Fishing It Like a Glide Bait
Rather than treating the Urchin like a typical soft plastic, Gill fishes it more like a glide bait, on beefier line with a 2/0 hook, snapping it aggressively around laydowns and stumps to trigger reaction bites. That approach paid off almost immediately, with a fish smashing the bait right on top of a stump.
The real story of the day, though, was a group of suspended fish Gill couldn’t even see on his forward-facing sonar until the Urchin pulled them up off the bottom. By letting the school settle and re-group between bites instead of beating the spot to death, Gill managed to pick off several quality fish, including one nearing six pounds, out of a single school over the course of about ninety minutes.
By the end of the session, Gill had boated five solid bass plus a near-six-pounder, proof that the Coike Urchin continues to be a difference-maker in tough post-spawn conditions.
Click the video below to watch Drew Gill work the Coike Urchin in real time on Anglers Channel YouTube.
Banks Shaw Earns First Bass Pro Tour Win at Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota
Tennessee rookie comes from behind to catch 28 bass for 82-15 in final-day Championship Round and earn top prize of $125,000
GROVE, Okla. (June 21, 2026) – Virtually the entire Championship Round at Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota looked like a duel between Zack Birge and Dustin Connell , with Banks Shaw among the also-rans. Birge and Connell distanced themselves from the rest of the pack early and built an advantage of more than 20 pounds over the rest of their competition entering the third period. The two multi-time Bass Pro Tour winners swapped the top spot on SCORETRACKER® as they traded blows, with one of the two leading from the second minute after lines in until 16 minutes before lines out.
Then Shaw swooped in and stole the show, the Stage 6 trophy and the $125,000 paycheck that comes with it.
Putting together perhaps the best final period in Bass Pro Tour history, the 22-year-old phenom roared back from a nearly 30-pound deficit to claim his first BPT win going away. Shaw totaled 82 pounds, 15 ounces on 28 scorable bass to top Connell by 8-13. That earned the Tennessee pro his fourth MLF win of 2026 and the biggest triumph of his young career.
Change was the theme throughout this rare summertime visit to Grand. Anglers launched on Day 1 to find the lake more than 3 feet above full pool, and as the water dropped, the current, clarity and fish positioning all fluctuated.
As a result, everything from flipping flooded bushes to winding around water willow to cranking at all depths produced big days. But through it all, Shaw stuck to his gameplan running offshore schools.
Having grown up on Lake Chickamauga and spent hundreds of days on Lake Pickwick while attending the University of North Alabama, fishing for offshore groups during summer is right up Shaw’s alley. So, once he found a school early during practice, he went all-in, spending the rest of the two practice days scanning for more.
“I found one pretty quick into practice and based off how that school looked and what I caught, I knew that was 100% going to be the deal if I found more of them,” Shaw said. “And I just fully committed to it.”
Shaw used his offshore acumen to cruise through the first three days of competition. His bait arsenal included a Rapala DT 20 and a ¾-ounce football jig with a Rapala CrushCity Cleanup Craw as a trailer without forward-facing sonar, then a 3/16-ounce VMC RedLine tungsten ballhead with a medley of minnows (including a 5.25-inch CrushCity Freeloader) with the technology. He racked up 74-15 on Day 1, which gave him time to scout for more schools on Day 2. He then finished second in the Knockout Round, just a few ounces back of Ron Nelson.
Several other anglers who fished offshore started the event strong before ultimately faltering. Shaw believes the fact that he spent his entire practice plus some bonus time he earned himself during the Qualifying Round searching offshore gave him the ammo he needed to withstand the changing conditions.
“It just changed day by day on the places I had,” he explained. “Not saying I found new places each day, but I would catch them off a school one day and there would be a bunch in there, and then I would go back the next day and there wasn’t as many. Then I would go to a school where there wasn’t as many, and there would be more there. It was just kind of one of those deals that I had to fish everything to kind of figure out what areas I needed to focus on.”
Naturally, Sunday morning brought more change in the form of stormy, windy conditions. That hindered Shaw. He cracked 20 pounds by 9 a.m., but once the front arrived, he went more than 2 hours without adding another scorable bass. He mustered just three for 6-14 in Period 2. That put him 28-9 behind Birge – more than twice his weight to that point – entering the final frame.
Yet Shaw stayed positive. While the weather made fishing offshore difficult early in the day, he knew it would keep recreational traffic to a minimum in the afternoon. That would boost his efficiency during Period 3, when he planned to utilize his one period with forward-facing sonar.
Shaw visited a few spots without success to start the period. About 35 minutes in, he finally ignited a school and caught six for more than 16 pounds in the span of 13 minutes.
That trimmed Shaw’s deficit, but Birge and Connell (and Alton Jones Jr., for that matter) all added to their totals, too. Shaw then endured a 55-minute lull in which he caught just one scorable bass. With a little less than an hour before lines out, he still trailed Connell by 16-10.
That’s when he headed for the spot he’d been saving all event.
During practice, Shaw found a point on the lower end of the lake loaded with big bass. They weren’t easy to spot, though, sitting tight to the bottom among big rocks, so he felt confident no one else would pressure them.
“It was just a round point,” Shaw said. “The fish were just glued to the bottom in 25 feet of water, so they were super hard to see. You had to be straight off the bank from them and looking straight in and really close to them to be able to see the fish. That’s why a lot of other anglers missed them. I saw multiple other guys fishing it, and they just didn’t know they were there.”
From the time he found the school during practice, Shaw planned to save them until the Championship Round. He checked each day to make sure the fish were still there but refrained from catching any until Saturday afternoon. When he caught a pair of 4-pounders and saw a gaggle of other big blobs follow them off the bottom, he knew it had potential to be the winning spot.
“I knew what lived there and how it could go if it worked in my favor,” he said. “Each day, I kind of pulled up and checked on them to see if they were there still and just making sure that it was like it was in practice, and yesterday I pulled up because I kind of needed to, and I caught two 4s back to back, and there was still like 30 of them down there. I was like, ‘Yeah, this is a pretty good little spot.’”
The fireworks started quietly. Shaw boated a 2-7, then followed it with a 3-6. A cast or two later, he got the bite that took his comeback from “keep an eye on him” to “look out” – a 6-15 giant. That behemoth not only earned Berkley Big Bass honors for the day, it was the biggest caught all event by 12 ounces. It also vaulted Shaw past Birge into second place and cut his deficit to Connell in half – from 13-11 to 6-12.
Next came a 3-15. Then a 5-10 that finally gave him the lead he’d never relinquish. Then a 3-14 and a 2-2 in quick succession. At that point, Shaw let himself believe he’d actually pulled off the comeback.
“I still didn’t even think I could do it whenever I caught my 5-10 and took the lead,” he said. “Once I caught the 4 right after that, I had like a 5-pound lead, and I thought I had a really good chance.”
The only thing that stopped Shaw’s frenzy was the clock – he landed another 2-2 on his last cast, 10 seconds before lines out. In all, his winning flurry accounted for 30-7 in 37 minutes. His Period 3 total: 55-10 on 17 scorable bass.
Even as a 22-year-old BPT rookie, winning isn’t a new feeling for Shaw. His stats since taking his career national in 2025 are mind-boggling.
He’s won two Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit events and a Tackle Warehouse Invitationals event (including just a few weeks ago on Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula). He also won a Toyota Series event at Lake Okeechobee in January. He won the Angler of the Year title on the Invitationals circuit in record fashion last year, and he leads the points on Pro Circuit with one event left. Excluding college events (where he competed with a partner), Shaw has fished 28 MLF events since the start of the 2025 season and finished in the Top 10 in 23 of them.
But amid all that success, this win stands out.
For one thing, it’s rare for any angler to pull off a clutch comeback like Shaw’s, especially with $125,000 on the line. He couldn’t think of a similar experience from his young career. Knowing where he stood in real time thanks to SCORETRACKER® made the rally unlike anything else he’s experienced on the water.
“It felt different than any other win I’ve had, being out there on the water and it being that intense,” he said. “Like, the five-fish tournaments, a lot of them, I’ll think I won’t have it won, then I do. And I’m just kind of shocked when I get (to weigh-in). But it’s not as special as it is out there on the water, whenever you do it right then and there and you know. It’s pretty crazy.”
The caliber of anglers he beat made the win even more special. Shaw ran down the current Fishing Clash Angler of the Year leader (Birge) and the angler who had been, to this point, the best closer on tour with three REDCREST titles and seven Bass Pro Tour wins to show for it (Connell).
That earned him the red trophy that, even though Shaw had only fished five prior BPT events, he felt like he’d been overdue to hoist. Were it not for a boat fire that derailed his forward-facing sonar period at Stage 1 on Lake Guntersville, he might have been able to pull off a similar rally and run down winner Drew Gill . He also held the lead on the final day at Lake Hartwell and finished third at Beaver Lake.
“This is something that I’ve been thinking about all season since I’ve been so close,” he said. “I felt like it was going to happen a lot sooner, and for it to finally happen, it’s pretty special.”
While Birge fell just short of claiming his second career Bass Pro Tour victory in his home state, his third-place finish could loom large in the Angler of the Year race.
Birge arrived at Grand leading Jacob Wheeler by a single point, and he extended that advantage to 12 points entering the final event of the season. As a result, if Birge makes the Championship Round at Stage 7 on Lake Erie, he’s assured of dethroning Wheeler and winning his first career tour-level AOY crown.
The top 10 pros at Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota finished:
1st: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 28 bass, 82-15, $125,000
2nd: Dustin Connell, Deatsville, Ala., 28 bass, 74-2, $45,000
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 21 bass, 64-5, $35,000
4th: Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, 20 bass, 55-5, $30,000
5th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 18 bass, 46-2, $25,000
6th: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 11 bass, 31-4, $23,000
7th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 28-1, $22,000
8th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 27-8, $21,000
9th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., eight bass, 24-7, $20,500
10th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., eight bass, 20-11, $20,000
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 162 bass caught weighing 454 pounds, 12 ounces, caught by the final 10 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Sunday.
Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was earned by Shaw, who caught a 6-pound, 15-ounce largemouth in the third period on a jighead minnow. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau , the four-day tournament featured 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event.
The next event for Bass Pro Tour anglers will be Stage 7 at Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, August 6-9.
The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.
Television coverage of the Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 26 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram, Rumble 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.
Tennessee’s Hemby Holds on for Win at MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Dardanelle
Linn Creek’s Shawn Kowal Wins Toyota Series 7 Brew Plains Division Angler of the Year Title
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (June 21, 2026) – The final day of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division event on Lake Dardanelle was full of drama, and weigh-in for both competitions was very tense. On the pro side, Drake Hemby took the lead on Day 2 and was well on his way to a 20-pound average for the event. However, on Day 3, he only mustered 13 pounds, 14 ounces for a 54-11 total. Still, it was good enough for the win and to pocket $29,329 and lock in a spot at the Toyota Series Championship.
Narrowly finishing second, Evan Sutton tallied 54-5 over three days, while Drew Porto locked up third with 52-14. With the conclusion of the Plains Division season, Shawn Kowal took home 7 Brew Angler of the Year honors.
Hemby squeaks out the win
A former collegiate angler for Carson-Newman University, Hemby is no stranger to Dardanelle, and he’s had some close calls before. Come weigh-in, he thought he was headed for another near miss.
“I’m a little shocked, to be honest with you,” he said. “I didn’t think there was any way I was going to have enough.”
But he did, and combined with a recent Top 25 in the Toyota Series event at Eufaula, Hemby might be making some headway at a career on the water instead of fixing boats for Smoky Mountain H2O Sports.
“I really wanted to give it a shot; it’s been a dream of mine forever,” said Hemby. “I fished the Opens last year and got my teeth kicked in. I decided to go a different route this year, and I haven’t had the best year, but the past few events have been good. I feel like mentally, I’m a little bit over the hump. If it keeps going like this, I’ll keep trying.”
Diverse gameplan does the trick
With a good ‘Scope strategy and some good fish in the grass, Hemby did a little of everything on Dardanelle this week.
“I started out this morning on a place I found yesterday afternoon in the grass and caught a 9-pound limit, which was nice to take the pressure off a little bit,” he said. “Then we went and fished some stuff that my co-angler had. He’s from here, and he had a lot of confidence in it.”
Later in the morning, Hemby fired up his LiveScope.
“I turned my ‘Scope on, and it took me 2 1/2 hours of my ‘Scope period to get my first bite,” he said. “Then in the last 30 minutes, I caught three big ones and didn’t catch anything after that. I was fishing brush, stumps and little hard spots that I found in practice. It was pretty simple.”
The end result was by no means a huge weight total, but it proved just enough to get the win.
Shallow, Hemby used a 3/8-ounce Boogerman Buzzbait in white, which accounted for his kicker on Day 1. He also threw a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait JackHammer in golden shiner, and when he had his electronics lit up, he used a Hideup Coike Fullcast with an Owner Stinger treble and a 3/32-ounce weight. He threw everything on 20-pound Seaguar InvizX.
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Dardanelle finished:
1st: Drake Hemby, Brentwood, Tenn., 15 bass, 54-11, $29,329
2nd: Evan Sutton, Highland, Ill., 15 bass, 54-5, $11,365
3rd: Drew Porto, Greenbrier, Ark., 15 bass, 52-14, $8,799
4th: Wayne Dixon, Morrilton, Ark., 15 bass, 52-5, $7,332
5th: Jarred Thompson, Vilonia, Ark., 15 bass, 52-3, $7,099
6th: Hunter Baughman, Judsonia, Ark., 15 bass, 49-4, $5,866
7th: Mat Higby, Lamar, Ark., 15 bass, 48-12, $5,133
8th: Tripp Berlinsky, Saint Cloud, Fla., 15 bass, 48-8, $5,399 (includes $1,000 Phoenix Bonus)
9th: Jackson Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 15 bass, 48-7, $3,666
10th: Matt Tucker, Pottsville, Ark., 15 bass, 47-10, $2,933
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Zack Freeman of Russellville, Arkansas, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces, while Jarred Thompson of Vilonia, Arkansas, won Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces.
Dennis Young of Olathe, Kansas, won the co-angler division Saturday at Lake Dardanelle with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 35 pounds, 12 ounces. Young earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,550, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Dardanelle finished:
1st: Dennis Young, Olathe, Kansas, 12 bass, 35-12, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Randy Allen, Russellville, Arkansas, 11 bass, 34-5, $3,910
3rd: Robert Jacuzzi, Mount Ida, Ark., 14 bass, 33-10, $3,008
4th: James Edmonds, Hot Springs Village, Ark., 13 bass, 31-0, $2,732
5th: Mason Chambers, Galena, Mo., 13 bass, 29-14, $2,256
6th: Lawson Lewis, Knoxville, Ark., 12 bass, 29-6, $1,880
7th: Alan Bernicky, Dardanelle, Ark., 11 bass, 28-15, $1,604
8th: Blake Defoor, Waldron, Ark., 11 bass, 26-0, $1,316
9th: Dakota Ball, Connersville, Ind., 13 bass, 25-7, $1,128
10th: Freeland Peterson, Henley, Mo., 10 bass, 24-10, $940
Co-angler Randy Allen of Russellville, Arkansas, earned Thursday’s Berkley Big Bass co-angler award on Day 1 with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Mike Foelsch of O’Fallon, Missouri, who weighed in a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass.
With all three Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division now complete, pro Shawn Kowal of Linn Creek, Missouri, won the 7 Brew Plains Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 712 points, while Freeland Peterson Henley, Missouri, won the Plains Division Co-Angler of the Year race, with 760 points.
The three-day Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Dardanelle was hosted by the Russellville Tourism & Visitors Center. It was the third and final regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Plains Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be a Northern Division event, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Potomac River, June 25-27 in Marbury, Maryland. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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 Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets on 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.
Ron Nelson Tops Knockout Round at Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota
Michigan pro catches 21 bass for 63-8 to pace the field and advance, final 10 now set for Championship Sunday shootout for $125,000
GROVE, Okla. (June 20, 2026) – Oklahoma’s Grand Lake has produced bass in bunches for three days in a row at Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota , with anglers catching fish both ultra-shallow and offshore. The field has been fairly split between the two approaches throughout the event, but Michigan’s Ron Nelson used a blended strategy Saturday, working it to perfection to pace the field in the Knockout Round with 21 bass for 63 pounds, 8 ounces.
Nelson led throughout the second half of the day but briefly surrendered the top spot to Banks Shaw in the final moments, before landing a 2-1 clutch catch with less than a minute to go. Those two anglers, along with seven more, will join Qualifying Round winner Jake Lawrence to form the last 10 standing for Sunday’s Championship Round.
Nelson finished runner-up at Heavy Hitters in May and is hoping to keep the momentum rolling for one more day in Oklahoma. He’ll have to beat a stout field of offshore aces and shallow-water gurus, though, each with a chance to win on a quickly changing Grand Lake.
Nelson stayed close to the Wolf Creek takeoff each morning, focusing on shallow bushes. The area has produced a perfect storm of high-water levels and plenty of food, keeping the bass there through the first three days of competition.
“The mayfly hatch is going on, along with a little bit of a shad spawn and the water’s still up high enough that the bushes have a lot of fish coming to them,” Nelson said. “That bite is really strong in the first period, and a few of us are capitalizing on it, including a few others who advanced to the final day.”
Flipping a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver, Nelson said he was thrilled about his great day but knows it could have been even better.
“The fish are sitting high in the water column,” he said. “They’d come up and roll on it, and I missed several fish because of that. Most of it was just angler error.”
After the shallow bite slowed, Nelson shifted gears and targeted more offshore schools on what he described as a flat point, both with and without forward-facing sonar.
“When I had my forward-facing on, I could pan over there and see eight or 10 fish at a time, but it’s almost like blind fishing and casting even when it’s turned on,” he said. “The fish are sitting on the edge of the point, and they’ll cycle up and get on top of it, and you can catch them pretty quickly. I’ve been able to catch them with and without forward-facing sonar on a ChatterBait, Carolina rig, crankbait and an urchin, and the fish are all really fat, which tells me they have stabilized and are in their summer pattern after the postspawn.”
With two solid approaches in his pocket, Nelson said he is torn on which to use in the Championship Round.
“I’m really leaning towards starting on that ‘Scope area just because they’ll probably be chewing at low light, but I just can’t give up the chance to catch 10 or more scoreables first thing in the morning flipping bushes,” he said. “Once you miss that early window up shallow, it’s over, and those bushes have been beaten to death. If it’s not happening in the first hour, I’m pulling the plug and going to that flat point.”
Fresh off his recent Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit victory a little over two hours south on Lake Eufaula, red-hot Banks Shaw is keeping the momentum rolling in the Sooner State. The Bass Pro Tour rookie notched his third Top 10 of the year (along with several more on other MLF circuits) and did it with plenty of quality bass.
After opening the day with two bass over 5 pounds, Shaw added four more over the 4-pound mark. His best five fish totaled 24 pounds, 9 ounces, while his full-day haul of 20 bass weighed 62-2. The Tennessee pro said Grand Lake suits his style and feels a bit like home.
“I went into this tournament kind of hoping the fish would be grouped up offshore, and I found a school pretty quick in practice,” he said. “Right then, I was fully committed to it and looked for as many places as I could find. It feels just like the TVA out there. I love it, and I didn’t realize this lake was this fun. I was here for the Toyota Series Championship in the fall, and it was nothing like this.”
While it’s not far geographically from his most recent victory, Shaw said Grand is much different from Lake Eufaula.
“I caught them in a similar way, but on Eufaula it was all about isolated brush, and on Grand it’s schools of fish,” he said. “Grand also seems to have more numbers and bigger fish. I think if I can hit it right in the first period and then continue the momentum, I’ll have a good shot to contend for the win. I’m super excited to see how this one pans out.”
With Jacob Wheeler finishing the competition day in 13th place, Birge’s lead in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year will increase by at least four points. He came into the event a single point ahead of Wheeler and could extend his lead even more, depending on how he fares tomorrow.
Spencer Shuffield made big moves in the third period, finishing the day in 8th place with 17 bass for 47-13 thanks to a late-day flurry that saw four scoreables boated in the final 30 minutes.
The top nine pros that now advance to Championship Sunday on Grand Lake at Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota are:
1st: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 21 bass, 63-8
2nd: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 20 bass, 62-2
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 21 bass, 59-9
4th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 19 bass, 54-14
5th: Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, 17 bass, 54-10
6th: Dustin Connell, Deatsville, Ala., 18 bass, 52-4
7th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 19 bass, 51-8
8th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 17 bass, 47-13
9th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 16 bass, 46-14
*QR Winner: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn.
Eliminated from competition are:
10th: Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., 18 bass, 44-10, $15,900
11th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 16 bass, 43-0, $15,800
12th: Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., 12 bass, 41-15, $15,700
13th: Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn., 14 bass, 39-11, $15,600
14th: Dustin Smith, Trussville, Ala., 14 bass, 36-4, $15,500
15th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 12 bass, 32-12, $15,400
16th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 11 bass, 32-11, $15,300
17th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 11 bass, 31-4, $15,200
18th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 12 bass, 27-10, $15,100
19th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., nine bass, 25-9, $15,000
20th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., seven bass, 20-12, $15,000
21st: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., six bass, 20-8, $15,000
22nd: James Elam, Cleveland, Okla., five bass, 17-4, $15,000
23rd: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, six bass, 15-11, $15,000
24th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 15-4, $15,000
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 326 bass caught weighing 937 pounds, 15 ounces, caught by the 24 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Saturday.
Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was again earned by Jesse Wiggins of Logan, Alabama, who caught a 6-pound, 3-ounce largemouth in the first period throwing a crankbait. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau , the four-day tournament features 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event.
The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round was complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total – Jake Lawrence – advanced directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers who finished 2nd through 25th competed in Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the remaining anglers competed to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are again zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.
The final 10 anglers will arrive Sunday morning at 6:15 a.m. CT to Wolf Creek Park, located at 963 N. 16th St. in Grove, Oklahoma, with takeoff starting at 7:15 a.m. Anglers will return to Wolf Creek Park Sunday evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the action live on Championship Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com , the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
On Sunday, June 21, from 3 to 6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to Wolf Creek Park for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, participate in a free fishing derby and casting contest, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Live music with Morgan Rohrs begins at 4 p.m., followed by top-10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel.
The Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.
Television coverage of the Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 26 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram, Rumble 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.
Harlin’s adaptation yields redemptive win in Bassmaster Open at Upper Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Redemption came in a most unexpected manner for Michael Harlin, who overtook a local legend to win the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Upper Mississippi River presented by Battery Tender.
After placing 68th on Day 1 with 12-3, the pro from Osage Beach, Mo., added a second-round limit of 17-11 and rose to sixth. In the final round, Harlin added the day’s heaviest bag, 17-3, tallied a three-day total of 47-1 and edged La Crosse’s own Tom Monsoor, who had led for two days, by a pound and 3 ounces.
Rising 67 places from the opening round certainly qualified as redemption for Harlin, but winning the final Division II event had an even deeper meaning. Four months prior, a self-reported culling violation in the division opener at Sam Rayburn Reservoir disqualified his Day 1 weight and ultimately resulted in a 196th-place finish.
“After Rayburn, I couldn’t have felt much lower, it was a tough drive home,” said Harlin, who placed fifth in the second Division II event at Grand Lake. “I felt like, after that Rayburn, there was a chance something like this might happen, but I would have never guessed that it would be here.”
For his first Bassmaster win, Harlin collected the $43,628 top prize. He also received an invitation to fish the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 19-21 at Lake Hartwell.
Additionally, Harlin’s impressive comeback qualified him for the newly installed Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops Series. Anglers placing in the Top 50 in each of two divisions’ Angler of the Year race, plus the Top 35 in the Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender Overall Standings will advance to the “EQs.”
This stand-alone series will feature three events, spanning from September through November, to qualify anglers for the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. Harlin finished 40th in Division II standings.
With the event launching from Pool 8, tournament waters also included pools 7 and 9. Harlin spent most of his time in 7, but a slower first round required him to fill out his limit on grass beds back in Pool 8.
Harlin’s main focus was a shallow grassy area in the lower end of Lake Onalaska (Pool 7). That habitat delivered his big second-round bag, but he found Championship Saturday’s breezier conditions limited that option.
“I started on the grass patch that I caught them out of yesterday and the wind really messes that up; they don’t like the wind,” Harlin said. “I was throwing a frog in a really big grassmat and almost every fish that I caught showed itself first.
“I was seeing the fish and making a super-long bomb cast and trying to hit ’em right on the head and they were coming up and eating it. Today, that was not happening because the wind was boogering that up.”
With the game clock ticking, Harlin made a key decision around 11:30 and ran into a backwater area farther up Pool 7. That spot produced a 4-10 on Day 2, so he knew the area held game-changing potential.
“I was really worried about getting on pad with my cameraman in the boat because it’s super-shallow and the water has dropped,” Harlin said. “In practice, the fish were in the rice, but during the tournament, they couldn’t get there because it was too shallow, so they were just swimming around out in the middle.
“Something told me, in that wind, I’d be able to trick those fish. I pulled out a Fluke — I hadn’t caught one on it all week — and I caught three of the fish I weighed on it. I caught the other two on a Booyah Pad Crasher frog.”
Concerned about safely exiting the treacherously skinny area and having enough time to lock back to Pool 8, Harlin wrapped up about two hours before check-in and headed back to the tournament site at Veterans Freedom Park.
Interestingly, the low water conditions that plagued many with diminished habitat, actually benefitted Harlin’s efforts.
“I think the lower water helped me because they were getting more grouped up,” he said. “They couldn’t be as (scattered). I caught ’em where they had to be.”
Monsoor, who won last month’s Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation at Mississippi River presented by Lowrance started strong by leading Day 1 with a limit of 19-6 — the event’s heaviest bag. Day 2 yielded only four keepers for 12-1, but Monsoor maintained the lead by a 2-ounce margin.
Day 3 was a little more productive, with a limit for 14-7, but that Day-2 stumble was too much to overcome. Monsoor finished second with 45-14.
“Right now, the fish are in some sort of transition,” Monsoor said of the unsettled stage in which he found most of his fish. “They’re not where they’re supposed to be yet and that makes it tough for everybody.”
Monsoor caught most of his fish on his homemade 1/2-ounce swim jig with a homemade craw style trailer. He also caught fish on a swim jig with a homemade urchin style bait.
Ryan Michl of Newton, Ill., finished third with 45-13. His daily weights were 14-1 0, 15-6 and 15-13.
Fishing mostly in the Lake Onalaska region of Pool 7, Michl caught his fish by flipping grass with a Texas-rigged Berkley Flux Gill.
“Current was the key for me and you had to have some grass in the current,” Michl said. “A lot of times you’d see the (vegetation) shake and you’d set the hook. It was awesome.”
Alex Wetherell of Middletown, Conn., won the $500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 4-14.
Brody Robison of Dawson, Ala., won the Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender Division 2 Angler of the Year title with 749 points. Wyatt Burkhalter of Coker, Ala., finished in second with 738, followed by Zane Parker of Kingwood, Texas with 728, Brock Bila of Republic, Mo., with 725, and Yui Aoki of Minamitsurugun, Japan with 710.
Bila leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops standings with 1,225 points. Dillon Falardeau of Hixson, Tenn., is in second with 1,196, followed by Burkhalter with 1,146, Trey Schroeder of Theodosia, Mo., with 1,116, and Darold Gleason of Leesville, La., with 1,116.
Explore La Crosse hosted this event.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Div 2 Open 4 Mississippi River 6/18-6/20
Mississippi River, La Crosse WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Michael Harlin Osage Beach, MO 15 47-01 200 $43,628.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 17-03
2. Tom Monsoor La Crosse, WI 14 45-14 0 $17,451.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 4 12-01 Day 3: 5 14-07
3. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 15 45-13 199 $13,088.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 15-13
4. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 15 44-12 198 $12,716.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 13-01 Day 3: 5 14-05
5. Brock Bila Republic, MO 15 43-13 197 $11,343.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 5 13-13
6. Aiden Denzer La Crosse, WI 15 43-08 0 $10,471.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 13-11 Day 3: 5 12-03
7. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 15 43-05 196 $9,598.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 14-06
8. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 15 43-04 195 $8,726.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 14-04 Day 3: 5 14-10
9. Dylan Fogarty Mechanicsburg, PA 15 41-11 194 $8,726.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 13-09 Day 3: 5 13-01
10. Brent Shores Savannah, TN 15 40-02 193 $8,726.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 13-15 Day 3: 5 10-13
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BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 04-14 $500.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 133 830 2039-15
2 120 748 1745-09
3 10 50 140-10
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263 1628 3926-02
Lawrence Secures Championship Berth with Qualifying Round Win at Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota
Tennessee pro advances directly to Championship Round with two-day total of 50 bass weighing 154-9, 2nd through 25th advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round
GROVE, Okla. (June 19, 2026) – Jake Lawrence took to Grand Lake for the second day of qualifying at Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota torn about whether to catch all the weight he could in an effort to win the Qualifying Round, or scout for new spots in preparation for the weekend.
Turns out, he was able to do both.
After he built a big Day 1 lead, no one ever really challenged Lawrence’s spot atop SCORETRACKER®. He added 15 scorable bass weighing 42 pounds, 2 ounces on Friday, bringing his two-day total to 154-9. That topped Mark Rose and James Elam by more than 37 pounds, easily earning Lawrence an automatic trip to Sunday’s Championship Round, where he’ll look to win his second event in as many years on the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour.
Fishing his 16th career Bass Pro Tour event, Lawrence has often remarked how stressful the every-fish-counts format and live scoring can be. Friday was the first time he didn’t have to sweat over every bass that hit SCORETRACKER® – a nice change of pace, especially after a largely frustrating 2026 season.
“It was really nice for everybody to kind of lay up,” Lawrence said. “My strategy worked in the sense that I was able to get far enough ahead, stay far enough ahead to where it didn’t really make a whole lot of sense for anybody to try. So, it was one of the most stressless BPT days I’ve had.”
Elam used a strong first period to pull within 17 pounds, but Lawrence answered with four scorable bass totaling 11 pounds in the final 20 minutes of the frame. After that, no one really made an effort to run him down.
That allowed Lawrence to use the third period – when he elected to utilize forward-facing sonar – to look for new groups of offshore bass and revisit schools he’d located during practice. While he didn’t catch much during Period 3 (by design), Lawrence said he “felt like he gained a lot of knowledge.”
“I was able to hold off on my forward-facing period until the third just hoping I would have the freedom to go look around,” he explained. “And I did find one new group and kind of eliminated another group – spent a lot of time looking for one that I lost touch with, and I think I’m just going to kind of write that one off. I’ve got four or five groups that I really want to kind of focus in on.”
Then again, Lawrence knows that many of his pursuers got even more practice time Friday than he did. While that’s always valuable in BPT events and especially so for anglers scanning for offshore schools, Lawrence noted that Grand has been changing fast with high, dirty water flowing through the fishery, and he expects that to continue over the next two days. So, there’s no guarantee anything he (or anyone else) learned today will hold up come Sunday.
“There’s a lot of change going on,” he said. “It’s a major creek that I’ve really been living in the whole week, and it’s been really clean for Grand right now. And yesterday afternoon, things were changing in there – a lot of mud kind of blew in. I bet half the creek is muddy today. And so that is a little concerning. But it could change and clean up just as fast as it got muddy.”
Having already secured his first Top 10 of the regular season and put himself in a much better position to requalify for 2027, Lawrence can fish free of pressure on Championship Sunday. As is often the case in summertime, offshore events, he expects timing his rotation of spots to be key. Between his wealth of experience competing on the Tennessee River and beyond this time of year and his dominance so far on Grand, he should be as strong a candidate as any to take the $125,000 top prize.
“I’m really confident,” he said. “I know we’re going to go get some bites. It’s just a matter of timing. Getting one of those schools to yourself at the right moment is absolutely crucial in this, and somebody is going to do that once if not two or three times on Sunday. That’s going to be the determining factor in who wins the event.”
Aside from Lawrence, the rest of the Top 25 anglers will return to Grand with weights zeroed for Saturday’s Knockout Round. The top nine finishers there will join Lawrence in the Championship Round.
The race for the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title looks like it will come down to a one-on-one battle. Zack Birge entered Stage 6 with a one-point lead over Jacob Wheeler, and both anglers made the Knockout Round with ease. Meanwhile, the anglers who entered in third and fourth – Drew Gill and Justin Lucas – both missed the cut. Spencer Shuffield made the Knockout Round and still has an outside shot, but after arriving at Grand 34 points back of Birge, he would need a lot to break his way. Look for Wheeler and Birge to fight for every spot on SCORETRACKER® this weekend.
Five anglers moved from below the Lucas Oil Cut Line at the start of the day into the Top 25. Brent Ehrler put together the most dramatic rally. The California pro totaled 67 pounds even on 24 scorable bass – the best day of anyone in the field – to climb from 37th place at the start of the day to eighth. That marks his sixth made cut in eight BPT events on the year. Other anglers who rallied to make the Knockout Round were Jesse Wiggins, Todd Faircloth, Wesley Strader and Ron Nelson.
Since the Bass Pro Tour limited anglers to one period per day using forward-facing sonar prior to the start of the 2025 season, most pros have opted to use the technology during the first period regardless of the time of year or fishery. On Grand, however, the vast majority have opted to wait until Period 3. Thirty-two of the 51 anglers used forward-facing sonar in Period 3 on Friday after 36 did so on Thursday. Interestingly, it hasn’t seemed to boost catch rates. According to SCORETRACKER Insider™, just 26.4% of the total weight caught by the field has come with forward-facing sonar on and used.
The top 25 pros after Day 2 on Grand Lake are:
1st: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 50 bass, 154-9
2nd: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 36 bass, 117-9
3rd: James Elam, Cleveland, Okla., 36 bass, 117-3
4th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 41 bass, 114-6
5th: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 33 bass, 101-9
6th: Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, 37 bass, 100-5
7th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 39 bass, 99-9
8th: Brent Erhler, Redlands, Calif., 35 bass, 96-13
9th: Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., 33 bass, 95-14
10th: Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn., 32 bass, 95-1
11th: Dustin Connell, Deatsville, Ala., 35 bass, 93-12
12th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 31 bass, 92-4
13th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 32 bass, 90-11
14th: Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., 32 bass, 90-0
15th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 29 bass, 89-1
16th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 33 bass, 89-1
17th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 27 bass, 88-12
18th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 27 bass, 85-9
19th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 32 bass, 85-7
20th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 30 bass, 84-0
21st: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 31 bass, 83-4
22nd: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 27 bass, 80-6
23rd: Dustin Smith, Trussville, Ala., 29 bass, 79-14
24th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 29 bass, 79-0
25th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 28 bass, 77-10
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 589 bass caught weighing 1,652 pounds, 13 ounces, caught by the 51 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Friday.
Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was earned by Jesse Wiggins of Logan, Alabama, who caught a 5-pound, 12-ounce largemouth in the second period throwing a crankbait. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau , the four-day tournament features 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event.
The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. With the two-day Qualifying Round now complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total – Jake Lawrence – will advance directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers who finished 2nd through 25th now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.
Anglers will arrive each morning at 6:15 a.m. CT to Wolf Creek Park, located at 963 N. 16th St. in Grove, Oklahoma, with takeoff starting at 7:15 a.m. Anglers will return to Wolf Creek Park each evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the action live every day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com , the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 20-21, from 3 to 6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to Wolf Creek Park for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans each day, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, participate in a free fishing derby and casting contest, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Live music begins at 4 p.m., (Brad Hemphill on Saturday and Morgan Rohrs on Sunday) followed by top-10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day.
Student anglers from sixth grade through college are invited to join MLF pros at the free Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic on Saturday, June 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. The clinic will also be held at Wolf Creek Park, and offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from the BPT pros, gain hands-on fishing instruction and compete in the national MLF Casting Competition. For more information or to register for the Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.
Television coverage of the Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 26 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram, Rumble 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.
Monsoor grinds through slow day to maintain Bassmaster Open lead at Upper Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Usually, missing your daily limit means a lead lost, but not for Tom Monsoor. The La Crosse pro’s Day 2 bag held only four keepers, but that 12 pound, 1 ounce total gave him just enough to retain the lead at the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Upper Mississippi River presented by Battery Tender.
A Day 1 limit of 19-6 put Monsoor at the top of the leaderboard with a margin of 1-12 over fellow La Crosse resident Aiden Denzer. After the slimmer second-round results, Monsoor’s 31-7 total again leads Denzer, but by only 2 ounces.
“I can’t believe it, this was such a terrible day,” Monsoor chuckled. “I had only one fish at noon and I thought, ‘How can this happen?’
“This was the longest, hardest day. When you don’t catch fish, it’s hard. I am mentally worn out from not catching fish. I had four bites and that’s hard on a guy.”
Monsoor tried fishing the same areas that produced for him on Day 1, but that was largely a lesson in frustration. Catching an early keeper kindled his optimism, but hope soon succumbed to the day’s harsh reality.
“As soon as I pulled up to my first spot I caught one and I thought, ‘This is gonna be good,’” Monsoor said. “I didn’t get another bite until noon.”
Monsoor said the day’s bright, still conditions hurt his bite. Contrasting the first day’s cloudy, breezy complexion, Day 2’s makeup was nice for pleasure boaters, but pretty tough for anglers.
“It was too nice for what my fish wanted,” Monsoor said. “They like it when it’s cloudy and windy.”
Same as Day 1, Monsoor started in the upper end of Pool 8. When that proved mostly unproductive, he drove back down to the La Crosse area, but came up empty.
With one keeper getting lonely in his livewell and the clock ticking, Monsoor called an audible. Locking up, he caught his other three keepers in Lake Onalaska, the 7,600-acre reservoir at the lower end of Pool 7.
“I ran spots I haven’t even fished, just looking for a bite,” Monsoor said. “I got my biggest fish when I saw a spot and said, ‘I caught some there once.’ So I ran over there and got my biggest fish around 1.”
Throughout his day, Monsoor focused on grass edges. Repeating his Day 1 analysis, Monsoor said the fish are heading to certain areas for their summer patterns, but they have not completed their seasonal transition.
The key, he said, was intercepting fish on their way to summer habitat. There’s no lack of grassbeds in this region of the Mississippi River, but Monsoor said he was targeting the most fish-friendly spots.
“You can fish 100 of the same things and they’re not there, but then you’ll go to one and they’ll be there,” he said. “Clarity is the big thing and the best spots are usually on a corner or a point.
“I probably fished 40 spots today. I ran and ran and ran and ran. I even had a school of smallmouth and a school of largemouth that I was saving, but I never got a bite from either spot.”
Monsoor caught all of his fish on his homemade 1/2-ounce swim jig with a homemade craw style trailer. On Day 1, he also caught a keeper on a swim jig fitted with a homemade urchin style bait, but that setup did not fit today’s program.
“You gotta know there’s fish there to fish as slow as you have to fish (the urchin),” Monsoor said. “I fish a swim jig fast until I know where they are and then I slow down.”
Monsoor said he hopes to return to the plan that earned his Day 1 catch. He’s comfortable with his local knowledge, so there’s no need to diverge.
Denzer bolstered his Day 1 limit of 17-10 with a second-round bag that went 13-11. Tallying a two-day total of 31-5, he held his second-place position.
Denzer got off to a slow start and found himself with about 11 pounds by mid morning. Fortunately, about 30 minutes before he headed to check in, he caught a 3 3/4-pound kicker.
“I noticed more muddy water and more floating weeds today,” Denzer said. “I caught a lot of fish, but the size was not the same as yesterday.”
Denzer kept his bait details under wraps, but he said fishing slow was the key. He focused on points where current seams create feeding opportunities for largemouth and smallmouth.
Alex Wetherell of Middletown, Conn., is in third place with 30-7. His daily weights were 17-6 and 13-1.
“Today, I had a game plan and back-up plans and we started going into the whole back-up plan bag, just because it was a lot tougher than I had anticipated,” Wetherell said. “In a couple of the areas where I thought I could go and get a quick limit, I never got a single bite.
“A lot of guys hung around in Pool 8 that I didn’t see yesterday, so it was kinda hard to get on some of the stuff that I was banking on. But I got a limit and, mentally, I knew that was a big deal here.”
Wetherell caught his fish on a mix of soft plastics and crankbaits. His day ended with a couple of key bites that boosted his total.
Wetherell holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 4-14.
Brody Robison of Dawson, Ala., leads the Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender Division 2 standings with 749 points. Wyatt Burkhalter of Coker, Ala., is in second with 738, followed by Zane Parker of Kingwood, Texas with 728, Brock Bila of Republic, Mo., with 727, and Yui Aoki of Minamitsurugun, Japan with 710.
Bila leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers presented by Bass Pro Shops standings with 1,227 points. Dillon Falardeau of Hixson, Tenn., is in second with 1,196, followed by Burkhalter with 1,146, Trey Schroeder of Theodosia, Mo., with 1,116, and Darold Gleason of Leesville, La., with 1,116.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 2:30 p.m.
Explore La Crosse is hosting this event.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
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.
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Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Div 2 Open 4 Mississippi River 6/18-6/20
Mississippi River, La Crosse WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Tom Monsoor La Crosse, WI 9 31-07 0
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 4 12-01
2. Aiden Denzer La Crosse, WI 10 31-05 0
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 13-11
3. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 10 30-07 200
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 13-01
4. Brock Bila Republic, MO 10 30-00 199
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 14-03
5. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 10 30-00 198
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-06
6. Michael Harlin Osage Beach, MO 10 29-14 197
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-11
7. Brent Shores Savannah, TN 10 29-05 196
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 13-15
8. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 10 28-15 195
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-02
9. Dylan Fogarty Mechanicsburg, PA 10 28-10 194
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 13-09
10. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 10 28-10 193
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 14-04
11. Kevin Ruh Onalaska, WI 10 28-09 0 $7,853.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-02
12. Matt Stefan Junction City, WI 10 28-01 192 $6,108.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-10
13. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 10 27-15 191 $5,235.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 13-09
14. Brody Robison Dawson, AL 10 27-15 190 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 13-13
15. Kyle Von Ruden Stoddard, WI 10 27-14 0 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 11-13
16. Jeremy Lawyer Sarcoxie, MO 10 27-13 189 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 13-07
17. Reece Keeney Winneconne, WI 10 27-07 0 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 10-12
18. Mike Brueggen La Crosse, WI 10 27-06 0 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 13-08
19. Wyatt Burkhalter Coker, AL 10 26-15 188 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 13-15
20. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 10 26-13 187 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 13-00
21. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 10 26-12 186 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 12-13
22. Ryan Thompson Seymour, MO 10 26-11 185 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 14-00
23. John Branch Magnolia, KY 10 26-09 184 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 14-05
24. Kyle Seubert Chaseburg, WI 9 26-07 0 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 4 12-03
25. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 10 26-05 183 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 13-10
26. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 10 26-04 182 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 16-04
27. Rylan Hamlin Jackson, MI 10 26-04 181 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 14-12
28. Cameron Mattison Benton, LA 10 26-03 180 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-14
29. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 10 26-00 179 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 10-12
30. Hunter Litchfield Macomb, IL 10 25-13 0 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 12-04
31. Josh Pladies Lees Summit, MO 10 25-12 178 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 15-03
32. Nate Caldwell Fort Collins, CO 10 25-11 177 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 10-07
33. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 10 25-11 176 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 11-08
34. Eddie Carper Valliant, OK 10 25-11 175 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 12-06
35. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 10 25-10 174 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-05
36. Bailey Gay Union, KY 10 25-10 173 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 13-03
37. Harmon Marien Eagle River, WI 10 25-09 172 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-14
38. Brandyn Baum La Crosse, WI 9 25-08 0 $3,490.00
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 15-06
39. Casey Goode La Crosse, WI 10 25-07 0 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-04
40. Trace Freeman Northport, AL 10 25-06 171 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 10-11
41. Jacob Welch Roach, MO 10 25-06 170 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-02
42. Justin Yenter Stevens Point, WI 10 25-05 169 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 13-04
43. Joseph Hardy China Spring, TX 10 25-05 168 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-02
44. Nick Dumke Grand Rapids, MN 10 25-02 167 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 12-09
45. Sam Ausbrooks Loogootee, IN 10 25-01 166 $3,490.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 14-10
46. Fernando Lobato Sparta, WI 10 25-00 0
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 13-01
47. Lonnie Cochran Section, AL 10 25-00 165
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 12-12
48. Jeremiah Shaver Holmen, WI 10 24-15 0
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 14-15
49. Lane Stephens Owasso, OK 10 24-13 164
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 11-06
50. Zachary Ward Cabot, AR 10 24-13 163
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 13-05
51. Dylan Welton Middleville, MI 10 24-13 162
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 12-10
52. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 10 24-12 161
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 11-13
53. Dalton Head Moody, AL 9 24-10 160
Day 1: 4 07-10 Day 2: 5 17-00
54. Zane Parker Kingwood, TX 10 24-10 159
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 11-09
55. Cade Laufenberg Onalaska, WI 10 24-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 11-03
56. Seiji Kato Forney TX JAPAN 10 24-03 158
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-15
57. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 10 24-02 157
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 10-13
58. Evan Cox-VanVliet Loveland, CO 10 24-00 156
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-00
59. Jeremiah Kindy Benton, AR 10 23-15 155
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 13-04
60. Wesley Baxley Conroe, TX 10 23-15 154
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 12-02
61. Grant Neubauer Medford, WI 10 23-14 153
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 11-02
62. Devin Teigen Nelson, WI 10 23-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 10-07
63. Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA 10 23-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 10-11
64. Hunter Crossland San Angelo, TX 10 23-13 152
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 10-15
65. Gary Hall Wardville, OK 9 23-12 151
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 5 12-03
66. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 10 23-11 150
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 11-08
67. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 10 23-09 149
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 12-10
68. Nick Marsh White Lake, MI 9 23-07 148
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 4 08-06
69. Walker Krampitz Waseca, MN 10 23-06 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 12-08
70. Luke Kerstetter Seymour, TN 10 23-06 147
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 11-02
71. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 23-03 146
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 12-06
72. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 9 23-02 145
Day 1: 4 10-11 Day 2: 5 12-07
73. Garrett McWilliams Florence, MS 10 23-01 144
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 10-13
74. Darold Gleason Leesville, LA 10 23-01 143
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 12-03
75. Hayden Marbut Birmingham, AL 10 23-01 142
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 11-09
76. Marcus Livingston Augusta, WI 8 22-13 141
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 5 16-01
77. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 10 22-10 140
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 10-04
78. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 10 22-09 139
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 12-04
79. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 10 22-07 138
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 10-02
80. Scott Nielsen Murray, UT 10 22-07 137
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 11-00
81. Troy Sullivan Dillsboro, IN 10 22-04 0
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 5 13-04
82. Jason Horton Eucha, OK 10 22-04 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 10-11
83. Easton Lindus Woodville, WI 10 22-03 136
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 10-04
84. Anthony Garcia Los Angeles, CA 9 22-01 135
Day 1: 4 10-00 Day 2: 5 12-01
85. Brennan Flick West Monroe, LA 9 21-15 134
Day 1: 4 11-13 Day 2: 5 10-02
86. Kyle Palmer Elora, TN 10 21-12 133
Day 1: 5 07-07 Day 2: 5 14-05
87. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 10 21-11 132
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 11-06
88. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 10 21-10 131
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 11-00
89. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 9 21-09 130
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 09-12
90. Chris Johnson Farmington, AR 10 21-07 129
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 09-13
91. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 9 21-07 128
Day 1: 4 10-05 Day 2: 5 11-02
92. Wyatt Becker LaCrosse, WI 10 21-07 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-15
93. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 10 21-06 127
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 09-06
94. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 21-05 126
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 08-08
95. Jonathan Pimentel Camdenton, MO 10 21-05 125
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 09-12
96. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 10 21-04 124
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 11-14
97. Rick Harris Jr Carlsbad, NM 9 21-03 123
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 4 07-12
98. Colby Bryant Houston, TX 10 21-00 122
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 10-15
99. Steve Lee Minneapolis, MN 10 20-14 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 09-09
100. Ian Waterer East Selkirk CANADA 10 20-10 121
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 08-12
101. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 9 20-05 120
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 10-03
102. Tommy Parker Delano, MN 9 20-04 119
Day 1: 4 10-10 Day 2: 5 09-10
103. Nathan Reynolds Florence, AL 10 20-01 118
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 09-15
104. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 9 19-14 117
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 5 11-12
105. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 9 19-14 116
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 4 08-06
106. Riley Harris Orange, TX 10 19-12 115
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 07-07
107. Brandon Ackerson Afton, OK 9 19-11 114
Day 1: 4 07-04 Day 2: 5 12-07
108. Cole McAusland Tuscaloosa, AL 10 19-10 113
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 08-09
109. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 9 19-10 112
Day 1: 4 09-07 Day 2: 5 10-03
110. Nick Leblanc North Prairie, WI 8 19-09 0
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 3 06-00
111. Josh Cruse Pocahontas, AR 9 19-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 4 08-07
112. Tanner Visco Antioch, IL 9 19-05 111
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 4 09-05
113. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 9 19-03 110
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 07-06
114. Ken Day Kennewick, WA 9 19-01 109
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 4 07-13
115. Sho Egawa Osaka JAPAN 7 18-14 108
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 2 06-00
116. Wyatt Wisian Ardmore, OK 9 18-14 107
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 4 07-09
117. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 9 18-14 106
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 4 08-11
118. Clay Henderson Purdy, MO 8 18-13 105
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 3 05-11
119. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 10 18-13 104
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 06-05
120. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 10 18-12 103
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 06-00
121. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 9 18-11 102
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 4 07-06
122. Doug Chapin Tigerton, WI 8 18-11 101
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 5 11-05
123. David Boelkins Waukesha, WI 8 18-09 100
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 3 07-00
124. Andy Beloat Montgomery, TX 9 18-09 99
Day 1: 4 09-02 Day 2: 5 09-07
125. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 9 18-06 98
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 4 07-08
126. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 8 18-04 97
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 3 06-14
127. Jordan Hartman Benton, KY 8 18-03 96
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 3 06-09
128. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 7 18-02 95
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 5 12-10
129. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 8 18-01 94
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 3 06-07
130. Brian Fitzpatrick La Crosse, WI 7 18-00 93
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 2 04-01
131. Jack Webb Trempealeau, WI 8 17-13 0
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 5 12-09
132. Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA 8 17-12 0
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 5 09-10
133. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 9 17-08 92
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 4 07-12
134. Lucas Toliver Paw Paw, MI 8 17-05 91
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 3 05-02
135. Ethan Fields Carlyle, IL 8 17-03 90
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 5 09-13
136. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 7 16-14 0
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 4 08-12
137. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 8 16-05 89
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 3 05-15
138. Blake Schroeder Bullard, TX 6 16-00 88
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 1 02-09
139. Kurt Dove Del Rio, TX 8 16-00 87
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 4 08-01
140. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 7 15-11 86
Day 1: 4 10-00 Day 2: 3 05-11
141. Frank Mixon Abilene, TX 6 15-10 85
Day 1: 2 05-06 Day 2: 4 10-04
142. Peyton Harris Birmingham, AL 7 15-09 84
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 5 11-02
143. Tyler Smith Troup, TX 8 15-09 83
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 3 05-10
144. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 7 15-09 82
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 3 07-02
145. Nick Lawler Ava, MO 5 15-07 81
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
146. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 6 15-05 80
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 5 14-00
147. Glenn Walker Savage, MN 7 15-04 0
Day 1: 4 09-09 Day 2: 3 05-11
148. Dan Mohn Lansing, IA 5 15-02 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
149. Andrew Jones Trussville, AL 7 14-14 79
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 2 03-15
150. Jaron Burr Bowling Green, KY 7 14-13 78
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 2 04-05
151. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 7 14-11 77
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 2 05-08
152. Hugh Cosculluela Spring, TX 6 14-05 76
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 2 04-01
153. Brennan Berglund Guntersville, AL 7 14-04 75
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 2 05-02
154. Brian Post Janesville, WI 5 13-11 74
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
155. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 6 13-04 73
Day 1: 4 09-00 Day 2: 2 04-04
156. Ethen Preston Tower City, ND 6 13-04 0
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 3 07-01
157. Riley Nielsen Salt Lake City, UT 6 13-03 72
Day 1: 3 07-13 Day 2: 3 05-06
158. Cory Williams Greenville, KY 5 12-14 71
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 12-14
159. Jason Adams Guthrie, OK 5 12-12 70
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 12-12
160. Adam Hamann Prairie Du Chien, IA 5 12-05 69
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
161. Kristine Fischer Spring City, NE 5 12-03 68
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 2 04-03
162. Chris Bailey Eddy, TX 6 12-03 67
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 3 06-03
163. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 6 12-02 66
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 5 11-01
164. Tracy Mitchell Springfield, MO 4 11-12 65
Day 1: 4 11-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
165. TJ Edwards Jr Tremont, MS 5 11-11 64
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 2 05-07
166. Byron Hill Clermont, FL 10 11-06 63
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 00-00
167. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 5 11-04 62
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
167. Frank Scalish Mount Gilead, OH 5 11-04 62
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
169. Tim Sprouse Clarksville, TN 5 10-13 60
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
170. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 5 10-12 59
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
171. Josh Keeney Winneconne, WI 4 10-12 0
Day 1: 4 10-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
171. Tyler Wolf Creston, IA 4 10-12 58
Day 1: 4 10-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Bj Miller Adams, NE 6 10-11 57
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 5 08-06
174. Jack York Emory, TX 4 10-10 56
Day 1: 2 06-08 Day 2: 2 04-02
175. Lance Owen Greer, SC 4 10-09 55
Day 1: 2 06-13 Day 2: 2 03-12
176. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 8 10-09 54
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 5 04-08
177. Tyler Fitch Fall River, WI 5 10-08 53
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
178. Wade Denney Nampa, ID 3 09-07 52
Day 1: 2 07-06 Day 2: 1 02-01
179. Keegan Bollman Charles City, IA 5 09-02 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-02
180. John Engler III Vinton, IA 4 08-09 51
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
181. Steven Huegerich Bloomfield, IA 4 07-00 0
Day 1: 4 07-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
182. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 3 06-02 50
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
183. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 3 05-09 49
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 1 01-15
184. Cody Bertrand Dyer, IN 2 05-06 48
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 1 03-14
185. David Brand Dittmer, MO 2 05-02 47
Day 1: 2 05-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
186. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 2 04-06 46
Day 1: 2 04-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
187. James Chandler Liberty, TX 2 04-04 45
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
188. Jason Pruess Haysville, KS 2 04-02 44
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
189. Dylan Minch Stevens Point, WI 2 03-11 43
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
190. Darrell Ivey Lebanon, MO 1 03-01 42
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
191. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 1 02-00 41
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
192. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 1 02-00 40
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
193. Mikey Weems Hull, TX 1 01-15 39
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-15
194. Larry Peterson II Hammond, WI 1 01-08 38
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-08
195. James Campise Brookeland, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Lance Crawford Broken Bow, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Bryan Hoffman Andrews, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Matt Keezer Kirkland Quebec CANADA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Justin Latham Reelsville, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 133 830 2039-15
2 120 748 1745-09
------------------------------
253 1578 3785-08
Lawrence Tops 100 Pounds After Day 1 at MLF Bass Pro Tour Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota
Tennessee pro catches heaviest single-day total of the 2026 season with 35 bass weighing 112-7 to grab early lead
GROVE, Okla. (June 18, 2026) – Grand Lake has long served as a popular destination for tournaments at all levels, but rarely have top tours visited the Oklahoma fishery during the summertime.
If the rest of Major League Fishing’s (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota unfolds like Day 1, that seems likely to change.
Whether due to the conditions – high water, ample current and overcast, sometimes rainy skies – or simply the health of Grand Lake’s bass population, the Bass Pro Tour field smashed them on Thursday’s opening day of the Qualifying Round. Jake Lawrence amassed the heaviest single-day total of the 2026 season – 112 pounds, 7 ounces on 35 scorable bass – to top SCORETRACKER®. He was one of 14 anglers to eclipse 50 pounds, and the field accounted for a whopping 93 bass over 4 pounds.
While a wide range of areas and techniques produced, four anglers known for their Tennessee River ledge prowess used their offshore skills to lead the way. Jacob Wheeler sits second with 91-0 on 31 scorable bass. Mark Rose is 3-7 back of Wheeler in third, and Banks Shaw rounds out the top four with 74-15.
A longtime angler and former guide on Kentucky Lake, Lawrence’s favorite scenario in fishing is when bass group up offshore during summer. So, even though Grand Lake doesn’t have prototypical Tennessee River ledges, he knew this had the potential to be a wheelhouse event.
“This is what it’s all about,” he said. “I long for the days that they turn their nose and head offshore. When the schedule came out this year, of every event that we had, this was by far the one that I was looking the most forward to.”
Still, it took a while for Lawrence to find his footing. He caught just five scorable bass for 14-0 in Period 1. An hour into Period 2, he’d slipped beneath the Lucas Oil Cut Line. But Lawrence stayed positive, knowing he could make up ground in a hurry once he found the right school.
“I have a ton of experience fishing offshore this time of year, and I know sometimes it takes a little while for those fish to get grouped up, and generally the last hour is your best hour,” he said. “So, with each hour passing, I knew there was more and more of a chance for them to group up and get together.”
Make up ground he did. During the final 90 minutes of Period 2, Lawrence boated 17 scorable bass for nearly 60 pounds, all off the same point. He said he never went more than two or three casts without catching a fish. That heater vaulted him all the way to second place. A few minutes into Period 3, he took the lead and never looked back.
Lawrence is optimistic that he’ll be able to catch some more weight off that spot the rest of the way, but he admitted he “beat it up” Thursday. The good news is he found another school that he hardly pressured.
“I had one school that I went and checked the last 20 minutes,” he said. “I actually didn’t use my ‘Scope period until the last period, and with 20, 30 minutes left, I wanted to go over there and just kind of take a peek, look, and they were there. So, we’ve got some other places to hunt and peck around.”
Lawrence thinks he and the other TVA veterans at the top of the leaderboard had so much success on Grand because of their ample experience fishing offshore during the summer and – more important – finding those schools.
“To be honest with you, it wasn’t super easy to find them this week,” he said. “It’s actually really difficult to get them to show up on Side Imaging. So, you had to slow yourself way, way down as far as looking. Normally, I’m running at a million miles per hour, looking around, and this week, you had to really take your time and not get in a hurry. You could overlook them really easily.”
Throughout the afternoon, viewers on MLFNOW! heard Lawrence say he wanted to stack up as much weight as possible to discourage anyone else from chasing him down in the race to win the Qualifying Round, which comes with an automatic trip to the Championship Round. He still wants to cement his spot in the Top 10, but Lawrence isn’t necessarily planning to fish all-out on Friday. He said he’ll fish hard for a period or so, then use SCORETRACKER® to assess whether he should continue catching fish or transition into practice mode.
Lawrence noted that winning the Qualifying Round usually hinders an angler’s chances of winning the event. But in this case, he doesn’t think his offshore schools will move and giving them a day to rest might help the bite. More importantly, after a challenging season to this point, he needs a strong finish to ensure he will requalify for the Bass Pro Tour in 2027.
“It’s certainly a huge relief when you get that auto berth and you’re kind of locked in there for the Championship Round,” he said. “Typically, that’s not necessarily a good thing in terms of trying to win the event, but the one exception to that is offshore. When they’re grouped up and staying offshore, generally they’re not moving a lot. So, this is one that you could do that, and it be a benefit – give those fish a day to regroup, maybe not get really beat on.”
Since MLF reinstated the automatic Championship Round berth for the Qualifying Round winner at the start of the 2025 Bass Pro Tour season, only three times has a pro won both the Qualifying Round and the event. Reigning REDCREST champion Jacob Wheeler has accounted for two of those.
So, clearly, Wheeler’s not opposed to skipping the Knockout Round – especially considering he’s in the midst of a heated Fishing Clash Angler of the Year battle, having entered Stage 6 one point back of Zack Birge (who is in sixth place after Day 1). Yet after a blistering Period 1 Thursday, in which he racked up 58-11 and topped SCORETRACKER®, Wheeler decided to lay off his best stretch and scout new water.
“I was able to catch them quick, and basically I just went practicing after that,” Wheeler said. “I wasn’t trying to win the round. I made some rotations on my primary stuff to get a general understanding of what’s good and what’s not, and then I left them alone. So, I think that was the goal.”
Wheeler explained that, at that point, he didn’t feel like he’d found enough productive places to keep up the pace on Day 2. So, he didn’t want to burn his best spot only to potentially miss out on the Qualifying Round win and enter Saturday’s Knockout Round with no options. Should he find himself still in contention toward the end of Friday, he’s not ruling out making a run at Lawrence.
“I didn’t have enough, and then you go to blitzing everything you have, and you don’t win the round, now you put yourself in a really bad position,” he said. “So, I think I have enough right now to make the Top 10, and if I can have more, then I can make potentially a push at the (Qualifying Round) win.”
Wheeler sampled a bit of everything Grand has to offer Thursday, but like many in the Top 10, he did most of his damage with various crankbaits. He’s not ready to commit to that pattern or his best spot quite yet though. Between fluctuating water conditions and fishing pressure, he thinks this event could be particularly dynamic over the next three days.
“I think it’ll change,” he said. “Water’s dropping, I just don’t know how much it’s going to continue to drop. It’s hard to say what’s going to happen.
The top 25 pros after Day 1 on Grand Lake are:
1st: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 35 bass, 112-7
2nd: Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn., 30 bass, 91-0
3rd: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 26 bass, 87-9
4th: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 24 bass, 74-15
5th: James Elam, Cleveland, Okla., 22 bass, 74-1
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 22 bass, 65-15
7th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 19 bass, 63-15
8th: Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, 23 bass, 63-5
9th: Dustin Connell, Deatsville, Ala., 24 bass, 62-8
10th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 24 bass, 61-11
11th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 20 bass, 59-13
12th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 21 bass, 59-9
13th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 17 bass, 55-11
14th: Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., 18 bass, 50-0
15th: Nick Hatfield, Afton, Tenn., 15 bass, 47-15
16th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 17 bass, 46-15
17th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 14 bass, 46-3
18th: Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., 17 bass, 45-1
19th: Nick LeBrun, Benton, La., 16 bass, 43-11
20th: Dustin Smith, Trussville, Ala., 16 bass, 43-10
21st: Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., 15 bass, 43-9
22nd: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 43-2
23rd: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 16 bass, 42-3
24th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 14 bass, 41-9
25th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 14 bass, 41-2
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 752 bass caught weighing 2,179 pounds, 2 ounces, caught by the 51 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Thursday.
Thursday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was earned by Mark Rose of Wynne, Arkansas, who caught a 6-pound, 3-ounce largemouth in the second period throwing a crankbait. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau , the four-day tournament features 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event.
The full field of anglers compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total will advance directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers who finish 2nd through 25th will advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.
Anglers will arrive each morning at 6:15 a.m. CT to Wolf Creek Park, located at 963 N. 16th St. in Grove, Oklahoma, with takeoff starting at 7:15 a.m. Anglers will return to Wolf Creek Park each evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the action live on all four days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com , the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 20-21, from 3 to 6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to Wolf Creek Park for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans each day, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, participate in a free fishing derby and casting contest, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Live music begins at 4 p.m., (Brad Hemphill on Saturday and Morgan Rohrs on Sunday) followed by top-10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day.
Student anglers from sixth grade through college are invited to join MLF pros at the free Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic on Saturday, June 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. The clinic will also be held at Wolf Creek Park, and offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from the BPT pros, gain hands-on fishing instruction and compete in the national MLF Casting Competition. For more information or to register for the Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.
Television coverage of the Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 26 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram, Rumble 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.
Monsoor intercepts transitioning fish for Bassmaster Open lead at Upper Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Tom Monsoor’s fish aren’t where they’re gonna be, but they’re on the way. Intercepting them en route delivered a Day 1 limit of 19 pounds, 6 ounces, which leads the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Upper Mississippi River presented by Battery Tender.
“The (bass) just got done eating the bedding sunfish,” said Monsoor, the La Crosse pro that won last month’s Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Upper Mississippi River presented by Lowrance. “Being a local, I know where some are gonna go and they weren’t there.
“I thought, ‘Man, this is gonna be a bummer,’ but where I didn’t think I was gonna get ’em I did get ’em. They’re in transition right now. A few of them started to get to a couple of spots. Hopefully, there will be more coming.”
Monsoor said his practice did not leave him with high expectations, so he was pleasantly surprised by what the tournament’s opening round produced.
“I didn’t think I was going to do good at all; I was hoping I’d catch a limit,” Monsoor said. “During practice, you catch one fish in a spot and you leave, so you don’t know what’s there. I went back today and caught a couple of nice ones in each spot.”
Following Wednesday’s rainy conditions, Day 1 dawned with a cloudy, dreary look that yielded to partly sunny skies by midday. Monsoor said the day’s complexion did not impact his productivity. In his view, it was all about seasonal movements.
With the event launching out of Pool 8, tournament waters also include pools 7 and 9. Monsoor committed his time to the local pool and fished grass edges.
Renowned for his swim jig prowess, Monsoor put that reaction bait to work and caught all but one of his fish that way. Monsoor also caught one of the fish he weighed on an urchin style bait.
“In practice, I caught my biggest fish on an urchin, so I had to throw it,” Monsoor said. “I caught a 3-10 on it today.”
With this round tentacled bait literally dominating the 2026 bass tournament scene, Monsoor’s old-school mindset had him resisting this bait phenomenon as long as possible.
He finally relented and started making his own urchins — but he fishes them his way.
“I fished the urchin on my swim jig without a skirt,” Monsoor said. “It’s perfect; it has a weight, it has a hook, and it has a keeper. I have some old swim jigs with a Gamakatsu EWG hook that’s extra long and it’s perfect for big urchins.”
Looking ahead to Day 2, Monsoor said he’s planning to repeat his Day 1 game plan, but he’s making no assumptions.
“Today was a fun day, but tomorrow, you can’t expect that again,” he said. “I’ll just go fishing and see what happens.”
Aiden Denzer, also of La Crosse, is in second place with 17-10. After experiencing what he described as the best practice he’s ever had on these waters, Denzer got his business handled in short order.
“I caught (my weight) in an hour and a half and then I went prefishing the rest of the day,” Denzer said of his limit that comprised three smallmouth and two largemouth.
Trusting his local knowledge, Denzer remained in Pool 8. With a keen understanding of the river’s dynamics, he said targeting an area with significant current flow was the key to minimizing the impact of a low, muddy river.
“I fished slow with bottom baits,” Denzer said. “I think they’re in a weird stage right now where they’re trying to get on shad, but they’re still on crawfish. I’m just trying to match the hatch.”
Anchoring his bag with a 4-pounder, Denzer said he’s hopeful that the area he found can carry him through the event’s final day.
“I tried to save some for tomorrow and Saturday,” Denzer said of his decision to lay off his fish after securing what he felt was a strong first-round limit. “I hope I can do it again tomorrow. Smallmouth tend to move a lot here.”
Alex Wetherell of Middletown, Conn., is in third place with 17-6. After his best practice spot failed to produce today, Wetherell rotated through several of his options and pieced together a solid performance.
“I tried to balance saving some stuff for tomorrow and having enough for today,” Wetherell said. “Around 9 a.m. I didn’t have a fish, so I ran everything else and thankfully, I got some good bites. I had a 4-pound, 14-ounce largemouth and a 4-pound smallmouth.
“I stayed in Pool 8 and ran probably 20 different spots. On one spot, I was able to get four to five fish, but for the most part, I’m looking for one good bite on each spot.”
Wetherell said he fished a mix of mats, rock and laydowns. His bait selection included soft plastics and crankbaits.
Wetherell holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 4-14.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 2:30 p.m.
Explore La Crosse is hosting this event.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
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.
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Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Div 2 Open 4 Mississippi River 6/18-6/20
Mississippi River, La Crosse WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Tom Monsoor La Crosse, WI 5 19-06 0
Day 1: 5 19-06
2. Aiden Denzer La Crosse, WI 5 17-10 0
Day 1: 5 17-10
3. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 17-06 200
Day 1: 5 17-06
4. Reece Keeney Winneconne, WI 5 16-11 0
Day 1: 5 16-11
5. Kyle Von Ruden Stoddard, WI 5 16-01 0
Day 1: 5 16-01
6. Brock Bila Republic, MO 5 15-13 199
Day 1: 5 15-13
7. Nick Lawler Ava, MO 5 15-07 198
Day 1: 5 15-07
7. Matt Stefan Junction City, WI 5 15-07 198
Day 1: 5 15-07
9. Brent Shores Savannah, TN 5 15-06 196
Day 1: 5 15-06
10. Nate Caldwell Fort Collins, CO 5 15-04 195
Day 1: 5 15-04
10. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 15-04 195
Day 1: 5 15-04
12. Dan Mohn Lansing, IA 5 15-02 0
Day 1: 5 15-02
13. Dylan Fogarty Mechanicsburg, PA 5 15-01 193
Day 1: 5 15-01
13. Nick Marsh White Lake, MI 5 15-01 193
Day 1: 5 15-01
15. Trace Freeman Northport, AL 5 14-11 191
Day 1: 5 14-11
16. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 5 14-10 190
Day 1: 5 14-10
17. Kevin Ruh Onalaska, WI 5 14-07 0
Day 1: 5 14-07
18. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 5 14-06 189
Day 1: 5 14-06
18. Jeremy Lawyer Sarcoxie, MO 5 14-06 189
Day 1: 5 14-06
18. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 5 14-06 189
Day 1: 5 14-06
21. Kyle Seubert Chaseburg, WI 5 14-04 0
Day 1: 5 14-04
22. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 5 14-03 186
Day 1: 5 14-03
23. Brody Robison Dawson, AL 5 14-02 185
Day 1: 5 14-02
24. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 5 13-15 184
Day 1: 5 13-15
24. Brian Fitzpatrick La Crosse, WI 5 13-15 184
Day 1: 5 13-15
26. Mike Brueggen La Crosse, WI 5 13-14 0
Day 1: 5 13-14
27. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 13-13 182
Day 1: 5 13-13
27. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 5 13-13 182
Day 1: 5 13-13
29. Brian Post Janesville, WI 5 13-11 180
Day 1: 5 13-11
30. Nick Leblanc North Prairie, WI 5 13-09 0
Day 1: 5 13-09
30. Hunter Litchfield Macomb, IL 5 13-09 0
Day 1: 5 13-09
32. Rick Harris Jr Carlsbad, NM 5 13-07 179
Day 1: 5 13-07
32. Blake Schroeder Bullard, TX 5 13-07 179
Day 1: 5 13-07
32. Lane Stephens Owasso, OK 5 13-07 179
Day 1: 5 13-07
35. Devin Teigen Nelson, WI 5 13-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-06
36. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 5 13-05 176
Day 1: 5 13-05
36. Eddie Carper Valliant, OK 5 13-05 176
Day 1: 5 13-05
38. Jacob Welch Roach, MO 5 13-04 174
Day 1: 5 13-04
39. Joseph Hardy China Spring, TX 5 13-03 173
Day 1: 5 13-03
39. Cade Laufenberg Onalaska, WI 5 13-03 0
Day 1: 5 13-03
41. Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA 5 13-02 0
Day 1: 5 13-02
41. Clay Henderson Purdy, MO 5 13-02 172
Day 1: 5 13-02
43. Zane Parker Kingwood, TX 5 13-01 171
Day 1: 5 13-01
44. Wyatt Burkhalter Coker, AL 5 13-00 170
Day 1: 5 13-00
44. Evan Cox-VanVliet Loveland, CO 5 13-00 170
Day 1: 5 13-00
46. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 5 12-15 168
Day 1: 5 12-15
47. Hunter Crossland San Angelo, TX 5 12-14 167
Day 1: 5 12-14
47. Sho Egawa Osaka JAPAN 5 12-14 167
Day 1: 5 12-14
49. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 12-13 165
Day 1: 5 12-13
50. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 5 12-12 164
Day 1: 5 12-12
50. Grant Neubauer Medford, WI 5 12-12 164
Day 1: 5 12-12
52. Harmon Marien Eagle River, WI 5 12-11 162
Day 1: 5 12-11
52. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 5 12-11 162
Day 1: 5 12-11
52. Ryan Thompson Seymour, MO 5 12-11 162
Day 1: 5 12-11
55. Nick Dumke Grand Rapids, MN 5 12-09 159
Day 1: 5 12-09
56. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 5 12-08 158
Day 1: 5 12-08
57. Bailey Gay Union, KY 5 12-07 157
Day 1: 5 12-07
58. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 12-06 156
Day 1: 5 12-06
59. Adam Hamann Prairie Du Chien, IA 5 12-05 155
Day 1: 5 12-05
59. Riley Harris Orange, TX 5 12-05 155
Day 1: 5 12-05
59. Cameron Mattison Benton, LA 5 12-05 155
Day 1: 5 12-05
59. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 5 12-05 155
Day 1: 5 12-05
59. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 5 12-05 155
Day 1: 5 12-05
64. John Branch Magnolia, KY 5 12-04 150
Day 1: 5 12-04
64. Lonnie Cochran Section, AL 5 12-04 150
Day 1: 5 12-04
64. Luke Kerstetter Seymour, TN 5 12-04 150
Day 1: 5 12-04
64. Garrett McWilliams Florence, MS 5 12-04 150
Day 1: 5 12-04
68. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 5 12-03 146
Day 1: 5 12-03
68. Michael Harlin Osage Beach, MO 5 12-03 146
Day 1: 5 12-03
68. Lucas Toliver Paw Paw, MI 5 12-03 146
Day 1: 5 12-03
68. Dylan Welton Middleville, MI 5 12-03 146
Day 1: 5 12-03
72. Justin Yenter Stevens Point, WI 5 12-01 142
Day 1: 5 12-01
73. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 12-00 141
Day 1: 5 12-00
74. Easton Lindus Woodville, WI 5 11-15 140
Day 1: 5 11-15
74. Fernando Lobato Sparta, WI 5 11-15 0
Day 1: 5 11-15
76. Ian Waterer East Selkirk CANADA 5 11-14 139
Day 1: 5 11-14
77. Wesley Baxley Conroe, TX 5 11-13 138
Day 1: 5 11-13
77. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 5 11-13 138
Day 1: 5 11-13
77. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 5 11-13 138
Day 1: 5 11-13
80. Brennan Flick West Monroe, LA 4 11-13 135
Day 1: 4 11-13
81. Tracy Mitchell Springfield, MO 4 11-12 134
Day 1: 4 11-12
82. Jordan Hartman Benton, KY 5 11-10 133
Day 1: 5 11-10
82. Chris Johnson Farmington, AR 5 11-10 133
Day 1: 5 11-10
82. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 5 11-10 133
Day 1: 5 11-10
85. David Boelkins Waukesha, WI 5 11-09 130
Day 1: 5 11-09
85. Jason Horton Eucha, OK 5 11-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-09
85. Jonathan Pimentel Camdenton, MO 5 11-09 130
Day 1: 5 11-09
88. Gary Hall Wardville, OK 4 11-09 128
Day 1: 4 11-09
89. Rylan Hamlin Jackson, MI 5 11-08 127
Day 1: 5 11-08
89. Hayden Marbut Birmingham, AL 5 11-08 127
Day 1: 5 11-08
89. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 5 11-08 127
Day 1: 5 11-08
89. Zachary Ward Cabot, AR 5 11-08 127
Day 1: 5 11-08
93. Scott Nielsen Murray, UT 5 11-07 123
Day 1: 5 11-07
94. Byron Hill Clermont, FL 5 11-06 122
Day 1: 5 11-06
94. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 11-06 122
Day 1: 5 11-06
96. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 11-05 120
Day 1: 5 11-05
96. Steve Lee Minneapolis, MN 5 11-05 0
Day 1: 5 11-05
96. Wyatt Wisian Ardmore, OK 5 11-05 120
Day 1: 5 11-05
99. Ken Day Kennewick, WA 5 11-04 118
Day 1: 5 11-04
99. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 5 11-04 118
Day 1: 5 11-04
99. Seiji Kato Forney TX JAPAN 5 11-04 118
Day 1: 5 11-04
99. Frank Scalish Mount Gilead, OH 5 11-04 118
Day 1: 5 11-04
103. Casey Goode La Crosse, WI 5 11-03 0
Day 1: 5 11-03
104. Josh Cruse Pocahontas, AR 5 11-02 0
Day 1: 5 11-02
105. Cole McAusland Tuscaloosa, AL 5 11-01 114
Day 1: 5 11-01
106. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 5 10-15 113
Day 1: 5 10-15
106. Andrew Jones Trussville, AL 5 10-15 113
Day 1: 5 10-15
108. Darold Gleason Leesville, LA 5 10-14 111
Day 1: 5 10-14
108. Walker Krampitz Waseca, MN 5 10-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-14
108. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 5 10-14 111
Day 1: 5 10-14
111. Tim Sprouse Clarksville, TN 5 10-13 109
Day 1: 5 10-13
111. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 10-13 109
Day 1: 5 10-13
113. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 5 10-12 107
Day 1: 5 10-12
114. Josh Keeney Winneconne, WI 4 10-12 0
Day 1: 4 10-12
114. Tyler Wolf Creston, IA 4 10-12 106
Day 1: 4 10-12
116. Jeremiah Kindy Benton, AR 5 10-11 105
Day 1: 5 10-11
117. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 4 10-11 104
Day 1: 4 10-11
118. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 10-10 103
Day 1: 5 10-10
119. Tommy Parker Delano, MN 4 10-10 102
Day 1: 4 10-10
120. Josh Pladies Lees Summit, MO 5 10-09 101
Day 1: 5 10-09
121. Wyatt Becker LaCrosse, WI 5 10-08 0
Day 1: 5 10-08
121. Jaron Burr Bowling Green, KY 5 10-08 100
Day 1: 5 10-08
121. Tyler Fitch Fall River, WI 5 10-08 100
Day 1: 5 10-08
124. Sam Ausbrooks Loogootee, IN 5 10-07 98
Day 1: 5 10-07
125. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 5 10-06 97
Day 1: 5 10-06
126. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 5 10-05 96
Day 1: 5 10-05
126. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 5 10-05 96
Day 1: 5 10-05
128. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 4 10-05 94
Day 1: 4 10-05
129. Hugh Cosculluela Spring, TX 4 10-04 93
Day 1: 4 10-04
130. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 5 10-03 92
Day 1: 5 10-03
131. Nathan Reynolds Florence, AL 5 10-02 91
Day 1: 5 10-02
132. Brandyn Baum La Crosse, WI 4 10-02 0
Day 1: 4 10-02
132. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 4 10-02 90
Day 1: 4 10-02
134. Colby Bryant Houston, TX 5 10-01 89
Day 1: 5 10-01
135. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 5 10-00 88
Day 1: 5 10-00
135. Jeremiah Shaver Holmen, WI 5 10-00 0
Day 1: 5 10-00
135. Tanner Visco Antioch, IL 5 10-00 88
Day 1: 5 10-00
138. Anthony Garcia Los Angeles, CA 4 10-00 86
Day 1: 4 10-00
138. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 4 10-00 86
Day 1: 4 10-00
140. Tyler Smith Troup, TX 5 09-15 84
Day 1: 5 09-15
141. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 09-12 83
Day 1: 5 09-12
142. Glenn Walker Savage, MN 4 09-09 0
Day 1: 4 09-09
143. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 4 09-07 82
Day 1: 4 09-07
144. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 5 09-06 81
Day 1: 5 09-06
145. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 5 09-03 80
Day 1: 5 09-03
146. Brennan Berglund Guntersville, AL 5 09-02 79
Day 1: 5 09-02
147. Andy Beloat Montgomery, TX 4 09-02 78
Day 1: 4 09-02
148. Troy Sullivan Dillsboro, IN 5 09-00 0
Day 1: 5 09-00
149. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 4 09-00 77
Day 1: 4 09-00
150. John Engler III Vinton, IA 4 08-09 76
Day 1: 4 08-09
151. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 4 08-07 75
Day 1: 4 08-07
152. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 4 08-02 74
Day 1: 4 08-02
153. Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA 3 08-02 0
Day 1: 3 08-02
153. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 3 08-02 0
Day 1: 3 08-02
155. Kristine Fischer Spring City, NE 3 08-00 73
Day 1: 3 08-00
156. Kurt Dove Del Rio, TX 4 07-15 72
Day 1: 4 07-15
157. Riley Nielsen Salt Lake City, UT 3 07-13 71
Day 1: 3 07-13
158. Dalton Head Moody, AL 4 07-10 70
Day 1: 4 07-10
159. Kyle Palmer Elora, TN 5 07-07 69
Day 1: 5 07-07
160. Doug Chapin Tigerton, WI 3 07-06 68
Day 1: 3 07-06
160. Ethan Fields Carlyle, IL 3 07-06 68
Day 1: 3 07-06
162. Wade Denney Nampa, ID 2 07-06 66
Day 1: 2 07-06
163. Brandon Ackerson Afton, OK 4 07-04 65
Day 1: 4 07-04
164. Steven Huegerich Bloomfield, IA 4 07-00 0
Day 1: 4 07-00
165. Lance Owen Greer, SC 2 06-13 64
Day 1: 2 06-13
166. Marcus Livingston Augusta, WI 3 06-12 63
Day 1: 3 06-12
167. Jack York Emory, TX 2 06-08 62
Day 1: 2 06-08
168. TJ Edwards Jr Tremont, MS 3 06-04 61
Day 1: 3 06-04
169. Ethen Preston Tower City, ND 3 06-03 0
Day 1: 3 06-03
170. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 3 06-02 60
Day 1: 3 06-02
171. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 3 06-01 59
Day 1: 3 06-01
172. Chris Bailey Eddy, TX 3 06-00 58
Day 1: 3 06-00
173. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 2 05-08 57
Day 1: 2 05-08
174. Frank Mixon Abilene, TX 2 05-06 56
Day 1: 2 05-06
175. Jack Webb Trempealeau, WI 3 05-04 0
Day 1: 3 05-04
176. David Brand Dittmer, MO 2 05-02 55
Day 1: 2 05-02
177. Peyton Harris Birmingham, AL 2 04-07 54
Day 1: 2 04-07
178. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 2 04-06 53
Day 1: 2 04-06
179. James Chandler Liberty, TX 2 04-04 52
Day 1: 2 04-04
180. Jason Pruess Haysville, KS 2 04-02 51
Day 1: 2 04-02
181. Dylan Minch Stevens Point, WI 2 03-11 50
Day 1: 2 03-11
182. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 2 03-10 49
Day 1: 2 03-10
183. Darrell Ivey Lebanon, MO 1 03-01 48
Day 1: 1 03-01
184. Bj Miller Adams, NE 1 02-05 47
Day 1: 1 02-05
185. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 1 02-00 46
Day 1: 1 02-00
186. Cody Bertrand Dyer, IN 1 01-08 45
Day 1: 1 01-08
187. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 1 01-05 44
Day 1: 1 01-05
188. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 1 01-01 43
Day 1: 1 01-01
189. Jason Adams Guthrie, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Keegan Bollman Charles City, IA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. James Campise Brookeland, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Lance Crawford Broken Bow, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Bryan Hoffman Andrews, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Matt Keezer Kirkland Quebec CANADA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Justin Latham Reelsville, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Larry Peterson II Hammond, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Mikey Weems Hull, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
189. Cory Williams Greenville, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 133 830 2039-15
------------------------------
133 830 2039-15
Major League Fishing’s REDCREST Returns to Birmingham in 2027 on Logan Martin Lake
Bass Pro Tour’s biggest event heads back to Alabama with $300,000 top prize on the line
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (June 18, 2026) – Major League Fishing announced today that Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2027, the Bass Pro Tour Championship and the world championship of professional bass fishing, will take place April 16-18, 2027, on Logan Martin Lake near Birmingham, Alabama.
The prestigious event, hosted by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, will showcase 40 of the top bass-fishing professionals in the world competing for the REDCREST Championship trophy and a $300,000 top prize. The tournament will launch from Lincoln’s Landing in Lincoln, Alabama. In addition to the tournament, the MLF Outdoor Sports Expo will be held at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) in Birmingham.
REDCREST 2027 will mark the championship’s return to Birmingham following the successful 2024 event on Lay Lake, but this time the Bass Pro Tour’s biggest event will shift to Logan Martin Lake, a renowned Coosa River fishery known for its healthy populations of spotted bass and largemouth bass. The combination of Logan Martin Lake and the Birmingham area offers REDCREST a fresh tournament setting in one of the country’s most passionate bass-fishing regions.
The competition will feature MLF’s catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with every fish tracked in real time via the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. On-the-water action will be streamed live all three days on MLFNOW! via MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble, giving fans around the world a front-row seat as the sport’s best anglers battle for one of professional fishing’s most coveted titles.
The MLF Outdoor Sports Expo will give fishing and outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to visit booths and vendors showcasing the latest in fishing, boating, hunting, camping and more. Fans on site will have the opportunity to take part in sponsor experiences, family-friendly activities, pro angler appearances and the live watch-party atmosphere that has become a signature part of REDCREST week.
“REDCREST belongs on fisheries and in communities that can handle the biggest stage in professional bass fishing, and Birmingham and Logan Martin Lake check every box,” said Boyd Duckett, MLF president and CEO. “The Coosa River is one of the great tournament systems in the country, and Logan Martin will challenge our anglers in all the right ways. When you combine that fishery with Birmingham’s proven support for major events, REDCREST 2027 has the makings of a tremendous championship.”
"We are excited to welcome REDCREST back to Greater Birmingham in 2027," said Dan Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau. "From the exceptional fishing on Logan Martin Lake to the REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo at the BJCC, this event brings together competition, entertainment and community in a way that showcases the very best of our region. We look forward to hosting anglers and fans from across the country and delivering an unforgettable experience.”
Logan Martin Lake has hosted 16 MLF and FLW events, including the 2004 and 2006 Forrest Wood Cup championships won by Luke Clausen and Brent Ehrler, respectively. The 2027 championship will add another major moment to MLF’s long history in Alabama, where world-class fisheries, proven host communities and passionate fans have helped create some of the sport’s most memorable events. Ehrler, who remains inside the REDCREST qualification line with two events remaining in the 2026 Bass Pro Tour season, could have the opportunity to return to Logan Martin more than two decades after his career-defining championship victory.
Previous REDCREST champions include Jacob Wheeler (2026), three-time winner Dustin Connell (2025, 2024, 2021), Bryan Thrift (2023), Bobby Lane (2022) and Edwin Evers (2019).
The 2027 field will include the top 28 Bass Pro Tour anglers based on 2026 Fishing Clash Angler of the Year standings, and REDCREST 2026 Champion Jacob Wheeler. The event will also feature the winner of each 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop (Drew Gill, Aaron Yavorsky, Banks Shaw and Carter Nutt, with one event remaining), the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Champion, the 2026 Toyota Series Champion, 2026 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champion Jack Story, the highest finishing member of the College Fishing National Champions team (either Matthew Knopp or Logan Russell) at the 2026 Toyota Series Championship, and the winner of the MLF International Boater Division at the 2026 Toyota Series Championship.
Additional details regarding Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2027, including Outdoor Sports Expo details, fan activities, livestream coverage and community events, will be announced at a later date.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour and REDCREST 2027 include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram , Rumble 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.
Jacob Wall talks urchins and chicken on eve of MLF event on Grand Lake
Vexus® pro Jacob Wall grew up in Southern Oregon, and fished collegiately for the Oregon Ducks before turning full-time angler and moving to Lake Guntersville, AL. He’s a deep thinker, a good soul, and a proud new daddy to young daughter, Macie.
We caught up with him on the eve of the Major League Fishing event that begins Thursday on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake to talk high muddy water, food, family, lures and more.
Q: What’s going to be your biggest challenge this week on Grand Lake?
Wall: Adverse conditions. We don’t see this kind of high, muddy, debris filled water on Guntersville very often.
Q: What excites you most about this week?
Wall: I’d say the fact that I feel like I’m a pretty good summer largemouth angler. I feel like I understand how to catch ‘em at this time of year pretty well.
Q: What’s the best thing you’ve had to eat since arriving at Grand Lake?
Wall: Probably this cold, left over, chicken I’m holding that Alan McGuckin from Vexus® grilled and shared with me. I mean, in another day it’s probably gonna be too dry, but right now, it’s really good. (laughs)
Q: What three lures can fans expect you to lean on most this week?
Wall: A deep-diving Strike King 6XD crankbait, the crazy popular, new urchin style bait, and a ChatterBait.
Q: How does an accomplished forward-facing sonar angler like you use that technology in water that’s this high and muddy?
Wall: I don’t use it when it’s this dirty, because you mostly see debris, gar, carp and whatever, but finding groups of bass with it in these conditions is pretty tough.
Tournament Intel: Jason Christie & The Pasquotank Elite
We're starting something new today: Tournament Intel, a series we are building with Bass365 to break down a tournament win straight from the source — no script, no hindsight or heavy edits, just the angler walking through what actually happened.
First episode goes to Jason Christie, fresh off a week where he weighed 19 bass and missed a limit only once. Eighteen of those fish came on what he called a "spike ball" — a bait he'd caught exactly two fish on before the tournament even started. Tune in to learn more about the Hideup Coike, or "Urchin" Craze that is sweeping bass fishing!
"It's a confidence deal," Christie said. "Most of the tournaments I've won have come on one bait all week. I think that's just me getting confidence in something and then figuring out how to catch them."
The setup: a 7'2" Falcon Cara swim jig rod with a fast — meaning limber — tip, 22-pound Sunline Shooter, and an SPRO MG baitcaster at 8.1:1. The soft tip did the work. It let fish load up on the bait mid-retrieve instead of getting ripped off it.
The fish that mattered most wasn't even on the spike ball. Christie idled across the lake, spotted something sitting over a brush pile, and fired a spook — same bait, same color he'd thrown at the Arkansas River. That bite is what convinced him he could win.
Watch the full breakdown below. More Tournament Intel episodes are coming from Anglers Channel and Bass365.
Mayflies, snakes, and big bass in the bushes greet Carson at Grand Lake, OK
The parking lot at highly popular Wolf Creek boat ramp on Grand Lake is partially flooded, and Vexus® pro Keith Carson of Florida couldn’t be happier. The shoreline willow trees and bushes have roughly three extra feet of water on them, and everything from mayflies to snakes and big bass appear equally as grateful as Carson for the newfound aquatic habitat.
Carson is pumped!
The Florida pro says he’s loving these conditions that have been tremendously rare or non-existent on previous trips he’s made here, and thoughts of pitching Berkley craws and creature baits all day is reason to be excited for Thursday’s first day of competition. Carson favors 40-pound Berkley X5 braided line for such jungle warfare and plans to spend most of his time in a couple major creeks and bays, rather than run all over the 46,000-acre reservoir.
The biggest challenge?
Knowing that the Grand River Dam Authority will likely begin lowering reservoir levels pretty quickly, the 39-year old former commercial painter and UPS driver can only hope there will still be plenty of ‘flooded’ habitat by the derby’s conclusion, and that popular areas where he plans to fish don’t get hammered by other competitors.
What’s in the cooler of his aluminum Vexus® AVX 2100?
You’ll find few pros who harbor more unique food and drink items in their boat coolers than Carson, so we always have fun asking what he is carrying in the hold-ice-for-days cooler of his AVX 2100.
This week is no exception. Homemade cookies, his favorite baker, Shaylee made from flour she milled herself, bananas that carry zero superstition with Carson, and peach flavored Fresca his roommate Anthony Gagliardi got him hooked on, highlight the unique culinary lineup.
This one will be a fun one to watch – they’ll be a lot of 2 to 5-pound largemouth caught, no doubt – and you can be certain Carson will be right up in Northeast Oklahoma’s aquatic jungle with all the other critters, occasionally eating a homemade cookie from Shaylee to fuel his excitement.
Bajío's New Temples of Change Collection Turns Sunglasses Into Conservation Action
Created with Captains For Clean Water, the limited-edition release supports their mission to advance Everglades restoration through every purchase
New Smyrna Beach, FL (June 16, 2026) – Bajío Sunglasses has partnered with Captains For Clean Water on its latest Temples of Change collaboration, a limited-edition collection designed to support Everglades restoration and the fisheries, communities, and outdoor traditions that depend on clean water. Through the collection, $20 from every frame sold will be donated to Captains For Clean Water, giving anglers and outdoor enthusiasts a direct way to support the waters they fish, boat, and explore.
Temples of Change is Bajío's ongoing collaboration series that supports organizations working to protect the shallows, fisheries, and outdoor traditions that bring people together. Each release features artwork inspired by a partner's mission, with a portion of proceeds helping fund conservation eff orts on the water.
The collection features two exclusive frame designs inspired by the waters and species that make clean water worth protecting. The Sigs frames feature Captains For Clean Water's signature rope and knot design paired with the signature Bajío laurel on the outer temple in a matte finish. The Stiltsville frames showcase a bold tarpon illustration on the outer temple in a black gloss finish, celebrating one of the iconic species that depends on healthy waterways and thriving fisheries.
"Protecting clean water isn't just good for fish—it's critical for the communities, cultures, and outdoor experiences that depend on it," said Al Perkinson, Founder of Bajio. "Captains For Clean Water has been doing important work to support Everglades restoration and protect the future of our fisheries for years, and we're proud to partner with them on a collaboration that gives our customers an opportunity to be part of that eff ort."
Founded by fishing guides during South Florida's 2016 water crisis, Captains For Clean Water has become one of the most influential voices supporting Everglades restoration and clean water advocacy. Through education, outreach, and policy engagement, the organization works to protect the fisheries, communities, and ecosystems that depend on healthy water.
"America's Everglades is one of the most important ecosystems in the world, and its restoration depends on people who are willing to get involved," said Captain Daniel Andrews, Co-Founder and CEO of Captains For Clean Water. "What makes this partnership special is that it gives people a tangible way to support that work. Through Temples of Change, Bajío has found a creative way to connect the stories, species, and waters we care about with conservation action that helps protect them."
Only 600 frames will be produced as part of the limited-edition collection, with 300 Sigs frames and 300 Stiltsville frames available. Frames are offered with either poly or glass lenses and retail for $219 and $269 respectively. Available in readers, prescription, and non-prescription options, the collection launches June 18, 2026, and will be available at https://bajiosunglasses.com/pages/temples-of-change while supplies last.
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About Captains For Clean Water: Captains For Clean Water is a Florida-based 501(c)3 grassroots nonprofit on a mission to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems for the use and enjoyment of all. Founded in 2016 by fi shing guides, CFCW has united the outdoor industry, business community, and concerned citizens at the forefront of the fi ght for clean water—the lifeblood of Florida’s economy and $85.9 billion tourism industry. Learn more at captainsforcleanwater.org.
B.A.S.S., Pro Football Hall of Fame announce landmark partnership, Celebrity Pro-Am Tournament on St. Lawrence River
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced today a landmark partnership that will bring together two of America's most passionate sports communities for a unique celebration of competition, camaraderie and outdoor recreation.
The organizations will host the inaugural Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, on the world-renowned St. Lawrence River in Clayton, N.Y. The event will pair Pro Football Hall of Fame members with Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series anglers for a one-day tournament showcasing the skills, personalities and competitive spirit of some of the greatest athletes in sports.
The celebrity Pro-Am will be accompanied by a free fan expo and afternoon weigh-in celebration, giving fans unprecedented access to Hall of Fame football legends and the world's best bass anglers.
The partnership will extend beyond the Pro-Am tournament itself. B.A.S.S. will have a major presence during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in Canton, Ohio, Aug. 5-9, 2026, where Bassmaster will host fan engagement activities and introduce football fans to the sport of bass fishing during the annual Hall of Fame celebration.
The partnership represents a natural connection between two organizations built on tradition, excellence and a passionate fan base. While one honors the legends of professional football and the other serves as the worldwide authority on bass fishing, both organizations share a commitment to preserving their heritage while introducing new generations to their respective sports.
"This partnership brings together two iconic organizations that represent excellence at the highest level of competition," said Phillip Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of B.A.S.S. "The Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players and moments in football history, while B.A.S.S. showcases the very best anglers in the world. Bringing those athletes together on the St. Lawrence River creates an extraordinary opportunity to engage fans, celebrate the outdoors and create memories that will last a lifetime."
Johnson said the event is designed to highlight the similarities between elite anglers and professional football players, including preparation, discipline, mental toughness and the ability to perform under pressure.
"Many Hall of Fame players are passionate anglers, and many of our Elite Series competitors are lifelong football fans," Johnson said. "This event allows both groups to share their competitive spirit while introducing fans to a truly unique experience. Whether you're a football fan, a fishing fan or both, this will be a special day on one of the greatest fisheries in the world."
The collaboration will begin in Canton during Enshrinement Week festivities and culminate later in the month at the St. Lawrence River, creating multiple opportunities for football and fishing fans to interact with Hall of Fame legends and Bassmaster Elite Series competitors.
"We're excited to connect with fans during Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week and then bring that excitement to Clayton for the Pro-Am event," Johnson said. "This partnership creates a unique bridge between two passionate sports communities and showcases the values that unite great athletes regardless of their field of competition."
The following Hall of Famers are scheduled to participate in the Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am are Rondé Barber, Robert Brazile, Cris Carter, Rickey Jackson, Calvin Johnson, Steve Largent, Kevin Mawae, Randy Moss, John Randle, Warren Sapp, Joe Thomas and Kellen Winslow.
“I am excited to launch this event, uniting Hall of Famers and Elite anglers from Bassmaster for an experience that will create memories on and off the water,” said Moss, whose ability to reel in big catches as a wide receiver on the field landed him in the Hall of Fame.
The St. Lawrence River provides a fitting backdrop for the inaugural event. Widely regarded as one of the premier bass fisheries in the world, the fishery has become synonymous with record-setting catches and dramatic Bassmaster Elite Series competition. The river's healthy smallmouth bass population and breathtaking scenery attract anglers from across North America and have helped establish Clayton and Jefferson County as one of competitive fishing's most celebrated destinations.
During the celebrity Pro-Am, each Hall of Fame member will be paired with a Bassmaster Elite Series professional for a day of fishing on the St. Lawrence River. Teams will compete for bragging rights while fans follow the action through event coverage and on-site activities.
Fans attending the Bassmaster Elite Series event in Clayton will also have the opportunity to meet participating Hall of Fame members during a special autograph session scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 30, at the Bassmaster Elite Series Expo. The event will allow football and fishing fans to interact with Hall of Fame legends before they compete alongside Bassmaster Elite Series anglers in the Pro-Am tournament the following day.
Following the competition, anglers and Hall of Fame members will return to downtown Clayton for a public weigh-in ceremony where fans can celebrate the day's catches and interact with participants. The event will culminate in a special awards presentation recognizing the top-performing teams.
In addition to the tournament itself, a fan expo will feature exhibits, sponsor activations, interactive displays and opportunities for attendees to meet both Hall of Fame members and Bassmaster Elite Series anglers. The weekend's activities will include the Hall of Fame autograph session on Aug. 30 and culminate with the celebrity Pro-Am weigh-in and awards presentation on Aug. 31. Organizers expect the event to draw football fans, fishing enthusiasts and families from throughout the Northeast and beyond.
The partnership reflects both organizations' commitment to promoting outdoor recreation and creating meaningful experiences for fans. It also provides an opportunity to showcase the St. Lawrence River region to a national audience while generating tourism and economic activity for the local community.
Additional announcements regarding participating Hall of Fame members, Bassmaster Elite Series anglers, event programming, sponsor partners and fan activities will be released in the coming months.
The inaugural Bassmaster Randy Moss Pro Football Hall of Fame Pro-Am is expected to become one of the most distinctive events on the sports calendar, bringing together legendary football careers and elite fishing talent in a celebration of competition, sportsmanship and the outdoors.
For more information about B.A.S.S. and the Bassmaster Elite Series, visit Bassmaster.com.
About The Pro Football Hall Of Fame
Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Greatest of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence Together.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service.
Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience an inspirational, interactive museum that chronicles America’s most popular sport. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall’s Mission.
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.
NOISE: KEVIN VANDAM ON FISHING’S BRIGHT FUTURE
By Walker Smith, Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
If you spend enough time on social media these days, it’s easy to think bass fishing is caught in a constant debate. Between forward-facing sonar, new lure trends, tournament formats, electronics and rule changes, it can seem overwhelming and even disappointing at times. The conversations can get loud and opinions turn into arguments. If you only paid attention to those discussions, you might think the sport is more divided than ever.
But according to legendary angler Kevin VanDam, that perception doesn’t match what he sees on the water. In fact, he believes the future of fishing is incredibly bright.
“People are getting out and fishing,” VanDam said. “The most positive thing I’ve seen recently is the trend of young anglers and teens getting into the sport. The technology, no doubt, is a big reason for it.”
For someone who has spent decades at the highest level of competitive fishing, VanDam has witnessed nearly every major change the sport has gone through. He has seen the evolution of bass boats, electronics, rods, reels and tackle. He has competed through multiple generations of anglers and watched fishing grow from a niche pastime into a mainstream outdoor activity enjoyed by millions.
Through all those changes, one thing has remained constant: people simply love to fish. That reality becomes much easier to see when you step away from a phone screen and spend time around boat ramps, marinas and lakes across the country.
The excitement of a child catching a bluegill, a father and daughter sharing a morning on the water, friends learning a new lake together and families creating memories that will last a lifetime. These moments rarely make headlines, but they represent the very heart of fishing.
“Fishing is such an incredible way for families to spend time together,” VanDam said. “You cannot get that time back. You’re able to forget about all the problems in the world and all the drama going on.”
That ability to disconnect may be one of fishing’s greatest strengths. Modern life moves fast and news cycles never seem to stop. Our phones buzz constantly. Yet somehow, the moment a boat leaves the dock, things always slow down. A sunrise over calm water has a way of putting life into perspective. A cast toward a shoreline can quiet a busy mind. Hours spent searching for fish often become some of the most meaningful hours spent with friends and family. VanDam believes that enduring quality is a big reason why fishing continues to attract new participants every year.
“Fishing will always be a beautiful still point in a very turbulent world,” the Team Toyota pro said.
That perspective has become especially evident during the summer months. As schools let out and vacation season arrives, lakes across the country begin filling with families looking to spend time together outdoors. In VanDam’s home state of Michigan, he sees it happen every year.
“Going into the summer months, I’ve seen so many instances of this,” VanDam said. “So many people are coming up to my home state of Michigan to fish with their kids now that they’re out of school.”
Those observations resonate with him because they remind him of his own childhood. Long before tournament victories, television shows and a Hall of Fame career, VanDam was simply a young angler spending time on the water with his family. Some of his favorite memories still come from those early adventures.
“When I was a kid, my dad would take us on an annual spring trip down to lakes like Eufaula and Bull Shoals,” VanDam said. “That wasn’t common at all back then, but I am so thankful for those fun trips. Now, a lot of folks are doing it, and it truly makes my heart happy.”
Experiences like those often create lifelong anglers. A family fishing trip can spark a passion that lasts for decades. One memorable weekend on the water can lead to a lifetime of outdoor pursuits, conservation efforts and shared traditions passed from one generation to the next. That’s another reason VanDam remains optimistic about where fishing is headed.
The influx of younger anglers isn’t just good for tournament participation or fishing-related businesses. It’s good for the overall health of both the sport and society. Young anglers bring energy, curiosity and enthusiasm. They embrace learning opportunities and often become ambassadors who introduce their friends and families to fishing.
Technology has certainly played a role in attracting the next generation, but VanDam believes the fundamentals remain unchanged. The goal is still to learn, explore and enjoy the process.
“To aspiring anglers, I’d tell them to fish as many different lakes as possible,” VanDam said. “That’s how you learn the craft the best you can.”
There is wisdom in that advice because every lake teaches something different. One body of water might improve an angler’s understanding of shallow cover. Another might reveal the importance of offshore structure. Different fisheries expose anglers to new species, seasonal patterns and environmental conditions. He believes those lessons add up over time. More importantly, they create experiences and memories that can’t be replicated anywhere else.
VanDam’s own career was built on a relentless desire to learn. That mindset helped him become one of the most accomplished anglers the sport has ever seen. Today, however, he finds himself in a different chapter. While his competitive accomplishments are firmly established, his focus has increasingly shifted toward helping others enjoy fishing more than ever before.
“My job is to make everyone have a better experience on the water,” VanDam said. “When you’re a tournament angler, you’re a little guarded naturally about information. Now, in this second chapter of my career, I’m giving up all the juice. That’s how I make a living. I educate people on new baits, seasonal patterns and things like that.”
That willingness to share knowledge reflects a broader trend happening throughout fishing. Information is more accessible than ever, and educational content reaches anglers instantly. Newcomers can accelerate their learning curve through videos, articles and on-the-water instruction.
Rather than viewing those developments negatively, VanDam sees them as opportunities. The easier it becomes for people to learn, the more likely they are to stay engaged with the sport. When more people discover fishing, everyone benefits.
The next time social media debates begin dominating the conversation, VanDam encourages anglers to remember what really matters like families spending time together, kids catching fish, friends making memories and new anglers discovering a lifelong passion. Those moments continue happening every single day across the country, far away from online arguments and endless comment sections.
That’s the real story of fishing and according to KVD, it’s a story worth celebrating. Regardless of changing technology, evolving techniques or the latest trends, fishing remains one of the few activities capable of bringing people together, slowing life down and creating memories that last forever. That’s a future anyone can feel good about.
MLF Toyota Series Northern Division Readies for Season Opener at Potomac River
MARBURY, Md. (June 16, 2026) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Northern Division will launch its first event of the season next week, June 25-27, at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Potomac River.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
A fantastic tidal fishery, the Potomac River is in good shape ahead of the event, and the historic river nearly always puts out a good tournament. With grass and hard cover to fish, anglers will have plenty of good options to put fish in the boat.
For anglers still looking to make the Toyota Series Championship, either by regular points or the Wild Card Division, the Northern Division season represents a great chance to do so. Between the Potomac, the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain, there’s a lot of meat left on the fishing season.
When it comes to the Potomac River, one of the best things about it is that it constantly changes. Year to year, different grass beds hold populations of fish, and a waypoint is never guaranteed to stay good for long. This year, as is the case every year, anglers will need to roll with the punches.
“This year there’s not a lot of grass,” pro Joseph Thompson of Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, said. “The community areas are not going to hold boats like they used to. The river is going to fish a lot bigger, in the sense that people are probably going to be running all over, having to do a little bit of everything.”
With less grass and maybe fewer places to really camp in, anglers who are adept at running the tide could have an advantage.
“There’s less milfoil, it’s just eelgrass and hydrilla,” Thompson said. “I think you’re going to see people bouncing around. The good news is, it’s a perfect tide, the way I look at the tide. I think that’s a good thing.”
As for weights, Thompson thinks that things will be about standard for the Potomac, with a winning weight around 50 pounds or perhaps a little more.
At the Potomac, there’s a 100% chance that ChatterBaits and swim jigs will play, and the staples are pretty well-known by now.
“It’s going to be your standard stuff,” Thompson said. “A lot of topwater baits in play, but being versatile is going to be key to get through three days.”
Of course, the Potomac is a fairly pressured body of water, so don’t overlook the outliers. Finesse in the form of a drop-shot or a weightless Yamamoto Senko is always a winner, and there should be a place for Coike-style baits as well.
Anglers will take off each day at 6 a.m. ET, launching from Smallwood State Park, located at 2750 Sweden Point Road in Marbury. Weigh-ins will also take place at the state park, starting at 2 p.m. daily. Fans are invited to attend in person and can also stay connected by following the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily updates on MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, plus $5,000 cash.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 in their division’s Angler of the Year standings will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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 Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets on 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.
Tough transitional season facing Bassmaster Open at Upper Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jay Przekurat believes current levels will bear a determining impact on the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Upper Mississippi River presented by Battery Tender. It’s a tough time of year, but this habitat-rich fishery has a knack for cranking out good bags, so the Wisconsin native holds an optimistic outlook.
Competition days will be June 18-20 with daily takeoffs from Veterans Freedom Park at 6:30 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 2:30 p.m.
Wisconsin received record-breaking rainfall in April, but despite that spring soaker, precipitation in the La Crosse area has slowed considerably. Summer officially begins June 21, but daytime highs have already started punching into the upper 80s.
“We had one flood earlier in April, but ever since then, it’s gotten really warm up in the North Country and we have not had much rain,” Przekurat said. “The river’s low and we could definitely use some rain to get these fish out of the postspawn mood.
“When it’s low, they don’t really change what they do, it’s just really spread out. It’s harder to find bigger concentrations of fish when the water gets low because they don’t have those current places to group up in and they’re not as easy to target.”
The week prior to the event will bring strong rain chances and a slight cool down, but the long-range picture drys out and warms up for tournament week. Nevertheless, anglers have plenty of opportunity to track down fish transitioning from their postspawn to summer patterns.
Bryan Schmitt, who won the 2022 Bassmaster Elite at La Crosse, five years after topping an FLW Tour event at this fishery, said site selection will be critical in these tough conditions. His strategy would start by considering areas from which late spring fish would be coming.
“For June on the Mississippi River, I’m looking for areas where numbers of fish could have spawned, so areas blocked from the river current,” Schmitt said. “Then I’m looking for the vegetation that’s the farthest out from those spawning areas.
“I’m looking for clean water and the best habitat I can find. That means the best grass, the most grass.”
Przekurat adds this: “The key is finding the concentrations of fish. That’s the whole key to La Crosse every time; just figuring out what area of the river they’re using. Obviously, they’re gonna be going into their summertime stuff in the backwaters, but if you can intercept them on their way there, that’s the key to unlocking the potential of catching those 3- to 4-pounders.”
Tournament boundaries include Mississippi River pools 7, 8, and 9. The tournament runs out of Pool 8, which includes the massive backwaters of Lake Onalaska, but competition days will likely see anglers locking up and downriver. Throughout tournament waters, Schmitt expects what he calls “very traditional Mississippi River techniques.”
“You’re definitely going to see topwaters, frogs, poppers, buzzbaits, swim jigs and ChatterBaits,” he said. “You’ll also see light flipping with Texas-rigged baits an 1/4- to 3/8-ounce weights. If I was fishing, I would have a swim jig and frog tied on and I’d cover as much water as I could.”
While smallmouth and largemouth swim these waters, Przekurat’s looking for the latter to dominate. Largemouth tend to bulk up quicker after the spring cycle, but tournament weigh-ins will likely see a few smallmouth.
“Guys are gonna catch some decent smallmouth, but they seem to run a little thin just because they’re pretty postspawn this time of year and it takes a while for them to fill back out,” Przekurat said. “Wing dams will be a good way to catch a good smallmouth this time of year if we get enough current. They’ll also start to feed on sand bars and sand drops in the backwaters, so topwaters are a good way to target them.
“The guy that figures out the largemouth is probably gonna be the guy that will run away with the tournament, or have a shot to win. This time of year, the largemouth weigh more than the smallmouth and they may be grouped up by the time the tournament starts.
From his experience, Przekurat believes anglers will need 15-16 pounds a day to make the top-10 cut. He’s estimating that the winner will have 17 a day.
“On this fishery, 3-pounders are good and a top-10 is never out of the question if you’re catching 3-pounders,” Przekurat said. “I think you’ll see maybe a 5-pounder or two, but it’s just that time of year when they’re not at their full potential.
“I think you’ll see a fair amount of 4-pound fish but to hit a 5-pounder, it’s gonna take a pretty special fish. He’s gonna have to be pretty fed up already for summer.”
Explore La Crosse is hosting this event.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
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.
Pascagoula’s Williams Earns Victory at Second Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Columbus Pool
Caledonia’s Wade Picks Up Victory in Co-Angler Division
COLUMBUS, Miss. (June 15, 2026) – Boater Josh Williams of Pascagoula, Mississippi, caught a five-bass limit Sunday weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the second MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Columbus Pool . Sunday’s event was the second of a back-to-back BFL weekend on the Columbus Pool, and the fourth of five regular-season events for the BFL Mississippi Division. Williams earned $2,420 for his victory.
Williams said Sunday’s event on the Columbus Pool was another hot, tough day, and the weights reflected it. To get his day started, he locked down and worked his way into a creek, where he was able to catch enough spotted bass to build the foundation of his limit.
“It was hot,” Williams said. “We went in the creek and caught some spots, and then just went looking for a big fish.”
That bigger bite ultimately came on a white Strike King spinnerbait with gold blades and a white twin-tail trailer. Williams said there was nothing particularly special about the bait, but it produced the key fish he needed, including the bass that earned him Big Bass honors.
“I found one that rolled up on a spinnerbait and got her in the boat,” Williams said.
Williams also mixed in a buzzbait to add to his catch, but the spinnerbait bite proved to be the difference-maker. The win marked the first BFL victory of his career.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Josh Williams, Pascagoula, Miss., five bass, 14-13, $2,420
2nd: John Anderson, Bay Springs, Miss., five bass, 13-1, $1,160
3rd: Hunter Davidson, Reform, Ala., five bass, 13-0, $630
4th: Clayton Ellis, Saltillo, Miss., five bass, 12-6, $530
5th: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., five bass, 12-3, $470
6th: Samuel Fish, Chelsea, Ala., five bass, 11-11, $920 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
7th: Ryan Lecompte, Picayune, Miss., five bass, 11-10, $510
8th: Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 11-7, $390
9th: Jonathan Goodman, Ethelsville, Ala., five bass, 11-4, $380
10th: Clint Pegg, Caledonia, Miss., five bass, 10-5, $335
10th: Dakota Shaw, Millport, Ala., five bass, 10-5, $335
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Williams also earned the $200 Berkley Big Bass Boater award with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass.
Mark Wade of Caledonia, Mississippi, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,160 Sunday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 6 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Mark Wade, Caledonia, Miss., three bass, 6-14, $1,160
2nd: Thomas Alexander, Austin, Ark., three bass, 6-9, $580
3rd: Reggie Thornton, Columbus, Miss., three bass, 6-0, $315
4th: Troy Ladner, Bay Saint Louis, Miss., three bass, 5-11, $365
5th: Ray Higginbotham, Brooksville, Miss., one bass, 5-5, $335
6th: Jeffery Reece, Guys, Tenn., three bass, 5-3, $210
7th: Jason Swanner, Olive Branch, Miss., two bass, 5-0, $210
8th: Christopher Beach, Brookhaven, Miss., three bass, 4-15, $195
9th: Liam Hylander, Nesbit, Miss., three bass, 4-11, $190
10th: Kevin Culpepper, Seminary, Miss., two bass, 4-9, $185
Ray Higginbotham of Brooksville, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a bass weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces to earn the $100 prize.
After four events, boater Clint Pegg of Caledonia, Mississippi, now leads the 7 Brew Mississippi Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 711 points, while Reggie Thornton of Columbus, Mississippi, leads the Mississippi Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 724 points.
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 one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Onalaska’s Ruh Earns Third Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Wolf River Chain
Waterloo’s Swanson Wins Co-Angler Division
WINNECONNE, Wis. (June 15, 2026) – Boater Kevin Ruh of Onalaska, Wisconsin, caught a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Wolf River Chain . The tournament was the third of five events of the season for the BFL Great Lakes Division. Ruh earned $4,910 for his victory, including a $2,500 MLF Phoenix contingency bonus.
Ruh said the key to his third career BFL victory was staying flexible and making the most of his limited practice window. He spent two days on the Wolf River Chain the previous weekend, then had just a six-hour window Friday to fine-tune his plan. While he didn’t feel completely dialed in, Ruh said he found enough “samples and clues” to know where he wanted to spend his time.
“I wasn’t super dialed in,” Ruh said. “I had some samples and some clues in one spot. I thought I could get on some good fish late in the day, and I just junk-fished my way through the morning.”
Ruh relied on a mix of history and instinct to build his limit, catching his fish from four different areas without the use of forward-facing sonar. He said he did not have his graph on the boat during the event, forcing him to rely on traditional fishing and decision-making throughout the day. After getting a couple of fish in the boat, he continued making adjustments and pieced together a mixed bag.
Ruh said his biggest decision came late in the day, when increasing wind nearly kept him from returning to his best big-fish area. Ruh ultimately decided to make the move anyway, knowing that spot gave him his best chance to win.
When he arrived, the fish had shifted about 50 yards from where they had been the previous weekend. Once he relocated them, Ruh upgraded multiple times, including a final half-pound improvement near the end of the day that helped seal the victory.
“I wasn’t even going to go do my big-fish area because it got so windy,” Ruh said. “I decided, ‘Why not try to win the tournament?’ Those are the biggest fish, and I still had time.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Kevin Ruh, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 15-8, $4,910 (includes $2,500 Phoenix Bonus)
2nd: Rick Bosshard, Hartland, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $1,250
3rd: Tyler Fitch, Fall River, Wis., five bass, 14-15, $870
4th: Geoff Williams, New London, Wis., five bass, 14-8, $550
5th: Luke Shrader, Monticello, Ky., five bass, 13-9, $590
6th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 13-7, $430
7th: Casey Goode, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 13-5, $415
7th: Wyatt Becker, West Salem, Wis., five bass, 13-5, $415
9th: Reid Runkel, Silver Lake, Wis., five bass, 13-0, $385
9th: Noah Lindus, Woodville, Mich., five bass, 13-0, $385
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Tyler Fitch of Fall River, Wisconsin, earned the $200 Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass.
Jason Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,255 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 6 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, three bass, 10-6, $1,305
2nd: Nick Kramersmeier, Johnston, Iowa, three bass, 8-14, $625
3rd: Pat Herolt, Citrus Springs, Fla., three bass, 8-13, $335
4th: Shaun Hansen, Spring Grove, Minn., three bass, 8-9, $275
5th: Giarley Gonzalez, Big Bend, Wis., three bass, 8-6, $245
6th: Gage Griffin, Lake Forest, Ill., three bass, 8-4, $215
7th: Adam Beckwith, Madison, Wis., three bass, 8-1, $210
7th: Matthew Vang, Milwaukee, Wis., three bass, 7-14, $205
9th: Todd Earnest, Ham Lake, Minn., three bass, 7-12, $195
9th: Logan Kurth, Pound, Wis., three bass, 7-12, $195
Swanson also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a bass weighing 5 pounds even to earn the $100 prize.
After three events, boater Wyatt Becker of West Salem, Wisconsin, now leads the 7 Brew Great Lakes Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 738 points, while Jason Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, leads the Great Lakes Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 737 points.
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.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Alpharetta’s Bates Earns Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Clarks Hill Lake
Inman’s Huntley Wins Co-Angler Division
APPLING, Ga. (June 15, 2026) – Boater William Bates of Alpharetta, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Clarks Hill Lake . The tournament, hosted by Visit Columbia County Georgia, was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL South Carolina Division. Bates earned $9,510 for his victory, including the lucrative MLF Phoenix contingency bonus.
Bates said he entered the event looking for a rebound after a disappointing final day at the All-American just three weeks ago, and Clarks Hill Lake gave him the opportunity to do just that. His original plan was to save his allotted forward-facing sonar time for later in the day when the wind was forecast to increase, but conditions changed that strategy almost immediately.
“I was kind of running around a little bit in the morning, and I was like, ‘Man, the wind’s blowing a little harder than I thought it was,’” Bates said. “So I turned on my (Humminbird)MEGA Live 2 probably about 7 o’clock, and by about 8:15, I had a limit of 3-pounders.”
Bates estimated that he caught around eight fish during that early stretch, including three keepers around the 3-pound mark and two others that went about 2 pounds apiece. He targeted brush-pile fish with a chrome IMA Skimmer, then shut off his sonar and shifted shallow for the rest of the day. Once shallow, Bates used his Minn Kota Raptors to hold position and pick apart bream beds with a SPRO Bronzeye Frog in a bluegill color.
The shallow bite didn’t produce many fish, but it produced the right ones. Bates said he only caught three bass while fishing shallow, but all three were big, and they ultimately proved to be the difference in his 3-ounce victory. He also credited his co-angler, Reed McClinton, for several key net jobs that helped seal the win.
“Reed made some of the most amazing net jobs I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Bates said. “I’m completely serious – on his belly, sprawled out, fully extended, scooping fish up that I wouldn’t have landed otherwise. I wish we would have had a GoPro on him. He was awesome.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: William Bates, Alpharetta, Ga., five bass, 18-5, $9,510 (includes $7,000 Phoenix Bonus)
2nd: Jason Burroughs, Hodges, S.C., five bass, 18-2, $1,400
3rd: Joey Phegley, Graniteville, S.C., five bass, 16-0, $670
3rd: Darren Ashley, Calhoun Falls, S.C., five bass, 15-12, $550
5th: Riley Nuessle, Aiken, S.C., five bass, 15-2, $490
6th: Joshua Rockefeller, Harlem, Ga., five bass, 14-10, $625
6th: Logan Buttolph, Doswell, Va., five bass, 14-10, $425
8th: Hampton Rowland, Appling, Ga., five bass, 14-8, $410
9th: Kyle Brown, Seneca, S.C., five bass, 14-5, $385
9th: Mitchell Wheeler, Jasper, Ga., five bass, 14-5, $385
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Joshua Rockefeller of Harlem, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass worth $200.
Todd Huntley of Inman, South Carolina, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,255 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., three bass, 10-12, $1,255
2nd: Joe Smith, Sardis, Ga., three bass, 10-10, $725
3rd: Carter Jefferies, Charleston, S.C., three bass, 9-3, $335
4th: Jerry Neuner, Rutherfordton, N.C., three bass, 8-13, $275
5th: Mark Garrett, Lyman, S.C., three bass, 8-0, $245
6th: Trevor Huneycutt, Whitmire, S.C., three bass, 7-13, $215
7th: Michael Smith, Belton, S.C., three bass, 7-9, $210
8th: Kate Hough, Prosperity, S.C., three bass, 7-7, $205
9th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., three bass, 7-3, $200
10th: Mark Schumacher, Cumming, Ga., three bass, 6-12, $190
Joe Smith of Sardis, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, Logan Buttolph of Doswell, Virginia, now leads the 7 Brew South Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 960 points, while Todd Huntley of Inman, South Carolina, leads the South Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 973 points.
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 one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Alabama’s Windham Picks Up First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Columbus Pool
Tennessee’s Reece Earns Co-Angler Division Victory
COLUMBUS, Miss. (June 15, 2026) – Boater Yancy Windham of Reform, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Columbus Pool . Saturday’s tournament was the first of a back-to-back BFL weekend on the Columbus Pool, and the third of five regular-season events for the BFL Mississippi Division. Windham earned $2,410 for his victory.
Windham said he kept his approach simple on a hot, tough day on the Columbus Pool, opting to stay in the same pool rather than lock through. From there, he leaned on a variety of homemade baits and put together a steady grind that produced his first career BFL victory.
“I caught them on a variety of lures,” Windham said. “I caught them on homemade spinnerbaits and homemade jigs and some homemade plastic. Pretty much just grinding all day. It was tough.”
The spinnerbait produced the bulk of his weigh-in fish, accounting for three of the bass he brought to the scale. Windham also caught two key fish on a homemade jig and added another keeper on a homemade soft-plastic bait, giving him the kind of versatility needed to stay productive throughout the day.
Windham said he would not be fishing the second event of the back-to-back weekend on Sunday, despite picking up the win Saturday.
“I’m a pastor,” Windham said. “I’ll be back home at church, preaching tomorrow.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Yancy Windham, Reform, Ala., five bass, 16-1, $2,410
2nd: Brandon Bolton, West Point, Miss., five bass, 13-12, $1,250
3rd: David Dupler, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 13-0, $870
4th: Kyle Shaw, Millport, Ala., five bass, 11-9, $520
4th: Jesse Steadham, Byram, Miss., five bass, 11-9, $520
6th: Ryan Lecompte, Picayune, Miss., five bass, 11-5, $1,030 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
7th: John Anderson, Bay Springs, Miss., five bass, 11-0, $420
8th: Tim Fox, Meridian, Miss., five bass, 10-14, $660
9th: Randy Craft, Seminary, Miss., five bass, 10-11, $390
10th: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., five bass, 10-7, $380
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
David Dupler of Columbus, Mississippi, earned the $200 Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass.
Jeffery Reece of Guys, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,205 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 7 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Jeffery Reece, Guys, Tenn., three bass, 7-12, $1,205
2nd: Sank Payton, Bay Springs, Miss., two bass, 7-3, $725
3rd: Cole Smith, Millport, Ala., three bass, 6-13, $335
4th: James Moffitt, Louisville, Miss., two bass, 6-12, $275
5th: Thomas Alexander, Austin, Ark., three bass, 6-0, $230
5th: Reggie Thornton, Columbus, Miss., three bass, 6-0, $230
7th: Jay Criddle, Flora, Miss., three bass, 5-14, $210
8th: Marian Hall, Hattiesburg, Miss., three bass, 5-9, $205
9th: Mitchell Bond, Collins, Miss., three bass, 5-8, $195
9th: Austin Conn, Cordova, Tenn., three bass, 5-8, $195
Sank Payton of Bay Springs, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a bass weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces to earn the $100 prize.
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 one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
NPFL Stop 6 Moving to Lake Dardanelle
Vinton, Ohio—The season finale of the National Professional Fishing League’s 2026 season will be relocated from Lake George in New York to Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas due to logistical issues at Lake George. The City of Russellville, Arkansas will host the three-day event which will run from September 16-18, 2026.
“This decision was made solely because of the logistical changes that impacted our ability to execute the event as planned,” explained NPFL President Brad Fuller. “Despite significant efforts by both the City of Lake George and event organizers to work through emerging logistical challenges, the parties were ultimately unable to resolve the remaining operational shortfalls necessary to execute the event as planned.
“We’re grateful that the City of Russellville has been so supportive and has stepped in to host the final event of our season,” Fuller added. “We look forward to working with the City of Lake George on a future event.”
Lake Dardanelle is a 34,300-acre reservoir on the Arkansas River impounded in 1969. It is renowned for its natural beauty and excellent largemouth and spotted bass fishing.
Competition days will be Wednesday through Friday, September 16-18. Practice days will be Sunday through Tuesday, September 13-15.
As the final event—Stop 6—of the NPFL 2026 season, the tournament will ultimately determine not only the Work Sharp Angler of the Year winner, but also the majority of qualifiers for the 2027 NPFL Championship on Lake Mitchell hosted by Chilton County and the City of Clanton, Alabama.
About the National Professional Fishing League
The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.
Media Contact: Ken Duke — (407) 574-1898 or [email protected].
Social Media Contact: Maddy Fuller — (850) 293-6200 or [email protected]
BAM Potholes Pro-Am Predictions Registration Ends Today
Pothole Predictions with Justin Campbell
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Campbell’s game plan sounded simple: trolling motor down – cover water.
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One dock, one new trick carry Christie to victory at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — At no point did Jason Christie think he was going to win the Maxam Bassmaster Elite Series at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound. That is until he held the trophy over his head.
The Dry Creek, Okla., pro caught a four-day total weighing 92 pounds, 7 ounces, outlasting Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Fisher Anaya and Ohio native Hunter Shryock for his second victory of the 2026 season. That total weight was done with only 19 bass after he fell short of a limit on Day 2.
“Even today, I thought my luck was going to run out,” Christie said. “I could go up there tomorrow and not catch one. It was so random where I was catching them.”
This marks Christie’s 10th B.A.S.S., joining Kevin VanDam, Rick Clunn, Denny Brauer, Larry Nixon and Roland Martin as the only anglers to win double-digit Bassmaster events. Seven of those victories are Elite Series wins, two are Opens victories and last but not least a Bassmaster Classic.
All of that was done in 139 events.
“They’ve all been surprising,” Christie said. “Whenever I have a good practice, I usually don’t catch them. Practice here was not good. I just really had to keep my bait wet. I didn’t even catch a limit one day.”
Christie made the trek up to the Chowan River every day of the tournament, staying in the front half of the river so he only had to get gas once. Most of the bass were located 2 feet under the surface in 6 or 7 feet of water. As hard as he tried, he could never find a consistent pattern to run. He caught bass off cypress trees, laydowns and stumps, but nothing stayed consistent.
One dock, however, saved his tournament. Fellow competitor David Mullins told Christie about that dock after Day 2, and Christie caught over 28 pounds off that one dock between Semifinal Saturday and Championship Sunday.
“It is the best dock I have ever fished. It took care of me yesterday and today. Without that, I wouldn’t be standing here.” Christie said. “It was something about the current. When I would pull up there would be baitfish jumping out of the water.”
After Day 3, Christie remarked he had a new arrow in his arsenal. That bait was an unnamed urchin-style bait in watermelon he purchased at a Scheel’s event several weeks ago. He doesn’t know the name, but it carried him all week on the Chowan.
“I’m 100 percent serious when I say I don’t know the name of them,” he said. “I bought one, tried it at home and caught two bass on it. I had to work an event at Scheels, and I bought three or four there. I won (using) that one.”
He rigged it on a 2/0 Trokar Frog Hook, which he felt improved his hook-up ratio, and added light drop shot weight to help it sink. A Falcon Swim Jig rod paired with a Spro Jason Christie Elite MG reel and 22-pound Sunline Shooter was his primary setup.
A Booyah One Knocker Spook also produced on key keeper.
Forward-facing sonar was part of his strategy, but only to locate cover and structure elements.
Christie enjoyed his best start of the tournament on Championship Sunday. After starting on a set of cypress trees to let the other anglers settle in, he ran to the dock and cracked three bass weighing over 20 pounds, including an 8-pounder, in a 10-minute span. He proceeded to land two more 4-pounders to fill out the day, one on a cypress tree and another on an offshore spot.
“I pulled up, caught a big one. I went two (dock) poles down and caught another big one. I sat there and caught another good one. Then I caught a 3 1/2 out in front of it. I went from hunting and pecking to catch a limit to catching four really quick. It made my decision to leave early easier.
Not knowing how much time it would take to get across the Sound, Christie left around noon and returned to the Pasquotank River two hours before check-in. He said those two hours felt like an entire tournament day.
“I felt like I had a better chance of winning by getting back to weigh-in with my bass alive than rushing and killing my fish or getting stuck out there,” he said.
Anaya notched his first runner-up finish as an Elite Series pro, catching 18 bass that weighed 87-1. The Alabama pro caught just three bass weighing 9-7 on the first tournament day, but rallied to catch 26-9 on the second day and 26-12 on Semifinal Saturday before adding 24-5 on Championship Sunday.
He anchored his final limit with a 9-9, the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament.
“I don’t know how I’m feeling. Not good,” Anaya said. “The first day bit me in the rear end. I didn’t even have to catch much, but I didn’t catch anything. It was a heck of a comeback though. I almost pulled it off.”
The Chowan River was also his playing field. There, he searched for isolated hard targets 250 or so yards off the bank that he felt were holding very late spawners. Stumps were plentiful, and those stumps had to be tall, while thick brush also held big largemouth.
He tossed a 6 1/2-inch Rapala CrushCity Freeloader paired with an 1/8-ounce jighead and a dark colored urchin-style bait most of the week.
Shryock earned his second career third place finish with a total of 86-10. The Ohio native stayed in the Top 10 all week long, catching limits weighing 19-6, 20-9, 16-8 and 30-3, the only 30-pound bag of the week.
“It was a great week,” he said. “I went a long way to fish one creek and it provided each day. Today, I had 20 pounds early on and had the time to go throw (a glidebait).”
The five-time Classic qualifier utilized a two-pronged approach in the Chowan River. To start his day, he would run to one of the creeks branching off the main river and target largemouth around shallow cover with a Berkley Moeba.
Later in the day, he ran out to the main river channel and tossed a Berkley Chop Block around flooded brush. On Championship Sunday, he landed a 7-pounder and an 8-pounder out of one brushpile on back-to-back casts on the Chop Block.
“Even after those two bass, I knew I needed another 8- to 10-pounder to win the event,” he said. “I felt like I capitalized the best I could.”
Anaya’s 9-9 earned him the $3,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament bonus while Christie (9-7), Cliff Pace (8-9) and Luke Palmer (8-14) earned $1,000 each for their daily big bass.
Shryock earned the $2,000 bonus for catching the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament.
Christie claimed the $4,000 Toyota Bonus Bucks contingency for highest-placing eligible angler while Anaya earned $3,000 as the second-place angler.
Christie also won the $2,500 Yamaha Power Pay contingency award for the highest-placing eligible angler. Missouri’s Cody Huff earned the $1,500 second-place award.
Carbondale, Ill., pro Trey McKinney reclaimed the lead in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 554 points. Canadian pro Cory Johnston is second with 538 points while Georgia’s Drew Cook is third with 537 points. Tennesseans Cole Sands and John Garrett round out the Top 5 with 533 points and 525 points respectively. South Carolina’s Brandon Cobb is sixth with 515 points; Minnesota’s Bob Downey is seventh with 504 points; Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat is eighth with 494 points; Alabama’s Kyle Welcher is ninth with 485 points; and Georgia’s Caleb Hudson is 10th with 480 points.
Hudson leads the Pro-Guide Batteries Elite Series Rookie of the Year race followed by Anaya in second with 472 points and Pake South in third with 405 points.
Visit Elizabeth City hosted this tournament.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Maxam Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound 6/11-6/14
Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound , Elizabeth City NC.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 19 92-07 101 $101,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 4 15-08 Day 3: 5 26-14 Day 4: 5 26-00
2. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 18 87-01 100 $23,000.00
Day 1: 3 09-07 Day 2: 5 26-09 Day 3: 5 26-12 Day 4: 5 24-05
3. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 20 86-10 99 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 16-08 Day 4: 5 30-03
4. Cody Huff Ava, MO 20 85-00 98 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 22-15 Day 4: 5 21-07
5. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 20 82-04 97 $11,750.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 25-14 Day 4: 5 17-00
6. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 19 78-03 96 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-08 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 20-04 Day 4: 4 15-11
7. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 20 77-09 95 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 25-08 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 20-01 Day 4: 5 16-14
8. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 20 76-08 94 $10,300.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 20-01 Day 3: 5 15-14 Day 4: 5 18-10
9. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 20 71-15 93 $10,200.00
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 16-05 Day 4: 5 16-08
10. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 20 67-05 92 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 5 19-09 Day 4: 5 11-14
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 08-14 $1,000.00
2 Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 08-09 $1,000.00
3 Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 09-07 $1,000.00
4 Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 09-09 $1,000.00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 09-09 $2,000.00
RAPALA CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG
Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 30-03 $2,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 62 410 1224-12
2 76 443 1336-09
3 39 214 749-13
4 9 49 198-08
------------------------------
186 1116 3509-10
Sallisaw’s Copeland Rallies for Win at MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Arkansas River
Bokoshe’s Chris Jones Earns Toyota Series 7 Brew Southwestern Division Angler of the Year Title
MUSKOGEE, Okla. (June 13, 2026) – As is so often the case on river fisheries, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division event on the Arkansas River came down to local knowledge in the end. Catching the second-biggest bag of the event, pro Rodney Copeland of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, moved up from fifth to first to earn $25,465 and his first career MLF win.
Weighing 16 pounds on the final day, Copeland totaled 40-13 to earn the trophy. In second, Devin Freeman weighed 39-1, and Chris Jones tallied 37-7 for third and also took home 7 Brew Angler of the Year for the Southwestern Division. Levi Thibodaux had the lead going into the final day, but only weighed three fish on Day 3 and dropped down to fourth.
Retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Copeland took the opportunity to make a foray into the Toyota Series, and once he got in his wheelhouse, it paid off handsomely.
“I’m super excited, it was a bucket list to just fish these Toyotas and try to be competitive,” Copeland said. “At the end of the day, to have a fifth place at Grand and turn around and win here, I couldn’t have written the script any better.”
With the Toyota Series event coming to his home river, Copeland blocked off time to go all-in on it. Leaving out in fifth place, less than 3 pounds off the lead, he at least had a chance on the final day.
“I’ll be honest, when I left this morning, I told myself if I could catch 15½ pounds I would have a chance,” he said. “I hadn’t done that, so, it was setting the bar high, but I knew in my mind I had a chance. On the way back, I didn’t know how much I had. I knew I was around it, but when they hit the scales was the first time, I knew.”
Copeland fished in his wheelhouse every day, locking down to Kerr and throwing a BOOYAH Poppin’ Pad Crasher, a BOOYAH Pad Crasher and a BOOYAH Mobster Swim Jig . He used a 5/16-ounce jig, and went with shad colors in cleaner water or sunnier conditions, and black and blue in dirtier water or darker conditions.
“I thought it could be won from any pool, and all three pools were competitive this week,” Copeland said. “But my home court advantage was to go to Kerr. I practiced the Muskogee Pool as well, but when I pulled out on Day 1, I knew I had to go to Kerr to catch ‘em. Day 1, I was a little bit discouraged, but after looking at everyone else’s weights, I knew I wasn’t out of it and decided to make the run again.”
Copeland had to make adjustments every day, as the current was rolling, and overnight storms after Day 1 further impacted the conditions.
“I had about five places I rotated, and it was all grass and pads,” he said. “Some areas were a little dirtier, some were a little cleaner. The conditions changed every day – not just water clarity, but the overall environment.”
The ability to adapt with those conditions set him apart, and he was one of three very local anglers to make the Top 5 by the end of the event.
“I knew when we left this morning, the guys who fish this river the most would have a big advantage,” he said. “We knew what would clean up, what was going to get dirty, and that’s what we did all week.”
In the end, with a big final day, that recipe was exactly what it took to win on the river.
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Arkansas River finished:
1st: Rodney Copeland, Sallisaw, Okla., 15 bass, 40-13, $25,465
2nd: Devin Freeman, Coweta, Okla., 15 bass, 39-1, $9,868
3rd: Chris Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., 15 bass, 37-7, $7,639
4th: Levi Thibodaux, Thibodaux, La., 13 bass, 36-4, $6,366
5th: Jeff Clark, Van Buren, Ark., 13 bass, 35-13, $6,480
6th: Walt Stevens, Bernice, La., 14 bass, 34-9, $5,093
7th: Seth Kelm, Canyon Lake, Texas, 14 bass, 34-8, $4,456
8th: Denton Cooper, Smithville, Texas, 15 bass, 34-7, $4,820 (includes $1,000 Phoenix Bonus)
9th: Dale Hightower, Mannford, Okla., 13 bass, 31-10, $3,183
10th: Bradley Sullivan, Shawnee, Okla., 14 bass, 31-6, $2,546
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Cody Ross of Jefferson, Texas, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces, while Jeff Clark of Van Buren, Arkansas, won Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces.
Lonnie Miller of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, won the co-angler division Saturday at the Arkansas River with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 27 pounds, 10 ounces. Miller earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,550, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Arkansas River finished:
1st: Lonnie Miller, Broken Arrow, Okla., 12 bass, 27-10, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: James Edmonds, Hot Springs Village, Ark., nine bass, 23-7, $3,455
3rd: Mark King, Gurdon, Ark., nine bass, 23-3, $2,794
4th: Brett Brumnett, Wagoner, Okla., 10 bass, 22-8, $2,313
5th: Demarcus Armstrong, Pittsburg, Texas, eight bass, 19-14, $1,983
6th: Robert Jacuzzi, Mount Ida, Ark., eight bass, 18-14, $1,652
7th: Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., seven bass, 18-9, $1,422
8th: Ryan Bowman, Seneca, S.C., eight bass, 17-3, $1,157
9th: Robert Chavers, Knoxville, Ark., six bass, 16-11, $991
10th: Eugene Kane, Seattle, Wash., seven bass, 16-10, $826
Co-angler Mark King of Gurdon, Arkansas, earned Thursday’s Berkley Big Bass co-angler award on Day 1 with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to James Edmonds of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, who weighed in a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass.
With all three Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division now complete, pro Chris Jones of Bokoshe, Oklahoma, won the 7 Brew Plains Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 764 points, while Robert Chavers of Knoxville, Arkansas, won the Plains Division Co-Angler of the Year race, also with 762 points.
The three-day Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at the Arkansas River was hosted by Visit Muskogee. It was the third and final regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be a Plains Division event, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Dardanelle, June 18-20 in Russellville, Arkansas. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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 Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets on 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.
Christie rebounds on Semifinal Saturday to claim lead at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Jason Christie can’t believe he is leading the 2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound.
The nine-time B.A.S.S. champion entered this tournament just trying to get plenty of points to stay inside the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour cutline. Instead, Christie is out in front with a three-day total of 66 pounds, 7 ounces with the opportunity to claim his second blue trophy of the 2026 season.
“(I'm) Absolutely shocked. This tournament was all about getting points for the Classic,” the 2022 Classic champion said. “Missing it two years in a row, and the next one being at Hartwell, it wouldn’t be a cool Hartwell Classic if I wasn’t there.”
Remarkably, he leads this tournament after falling one bass short of a limit on Day 2. After opening the tournament with 24-1, Christie only brought four bass weighing 15-8 to the scales Day 2. Then, the Oklahoma pro cracked 26-14 on Semifinal Saturday, the second biggest bag of the day.
He anchored that limit with a 9-7 largemouth that took over Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament.
“I sure needed that bite. Kudos to (David) Mullins. He told me about that spot. It was a one cast thing, I made the cast and caught it. One day I’ll return the favor.”
The numbers look good on paper, but the fishing is hard. Christie has only received six to seven bites every day. Two of the three days, he has executed on all of those bites.
“If I get a bite, I’ll fish the next 500 yards and not get anything,” he remarked. “If you get a bite, you might as well pick up the trolling motor and run a mile. I don’t know why, because you see bass swimming around. I don’t know if it is the way they set up or what.
“It is so random that it's almost a pattern.”
Christie is making the long run west to target largemouth stationed on isolated hard cover targets anywhere between 6 inches of water and 8 feet of water. Current is king across the system, and while the water may be 10 feet deep, a lot of the bass are up in 2 feet of water.
On Semifinal Saturday, the current picked up considerably in the Chowan, so much so that Christie noticed distinct current seams.
“The one thing about current is, the water is about the same in any section of the column. That water rolls and for some reason, they want to be up high. Yesterday it was slick. It was ripping today.”
As far as bait selection is concerned, Christie quipped, “The Indian’s got a new arrow.”
Around noon, Christie only had three bass in the livewell. With time ticking down before he had to make the long run back to Elizabeth City, he caught two quality bass, that 9-7 and another 5, that lifted him to his total weight.
“I told Jake (Latendresse) I felt like I was going to catch some before I left,” he said. “Literally in the next 15 to 20 minutes I caught two big ones.”
After plenty of pre-tournament hype about the potential for 30- to 35-pound stringers, the biggest limit of the tournament is over 27 pounds. Christie believes that will change on Championship Sunday.
“I think guys will push it,” he said. “I’ve been back an hour early every day and the bite is better later in the day. I’m shocked there hasn’t been a 30-pound bag. It’s just time. If we had more time … oh my goodness.”
Drew Cook, meanwhile, rocketed up to second place with a total of 65-4. The Georgia pro was remarkably consistent the first two days, catching back-to-back 19-11 limits before catching 25-14 on Semifinal Saturday. It’s a tournament Cook did not see unfolding like it has.
“It was a tough practice, but I caught some big ones. You have to account for a billion things in this deal. It has been a fortunate week. I ran there and ran back. It sounds simple, but that is a huge deal here.”
The seven-time Classic qualifier is targeting isolated hard cover in shallow water. Most of the time, Cook is catching them blind casting a Neko-rig and a HideUp Coike to stumps and wood around the bank and just off the bank.
“It seems like you just have to go and keep going,” he said. “Every one of them I caught yesterday were blind casting. Today, a lot of them were off the bank. This morning, they were around overhanging trees. Somewhere around 10 o’clock, they moved away from that.”
As the wind kicked up and started moving water out of the river, the bite improved.
“It seems like the later I’m over there, the better,” Cook said. “It is a catch 22, because you never know what the run back is going to be like. Today, I thought it was going to take forever. I gave myself two hours to get back and I had an hour to kill when I got back.”
Missouri’s Cody Huff moved into third with a total of 63-9. Huff opened the tournament by catching 23-1 before landing limits weighing 17-9 and 22-15.
Huff has hunkered down in the Roanoke River looking for isolated targets to throw his Bass Pro Shops Urchin X at. Most of his bites have come between 5 and 10 feet of water. He added a lot of the bass he is catching are late postspawners.
His first bite of Day 3 was a 5-pounder, which set the tone for a productive day. He reached the 20-pound mark around mid-morning, which allowed him to practice for a decent portion of the afternoon.
“It is one of those deals where you could catch all 2-pounders or all 6-pounders,” Huff said.
Christie earned a $1,000 bonus for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day.
Kyle Welcher caught 27-10 on Semifinal Saturday, claiming the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament in the process.
Lee Livesay earned the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency for accurate reporting.
Carbondale, Ill., pro Trey McKinney reclaimed the lead in the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 554 points. Cook is second with 540 points while Canadian pro Cory Johnston is third with 538 points. Tennesseans Cole Sands and John Garrett round out the Top 5 with 533 points and 525 points respectively. South Carolina’s Brandon Cobb is sixth with 515 points; Minnesota’s Bob Downey is seventh with 504 points; Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat is eighth with 494 points; Alabama’s Kyle Welcher is ninth with 485 points; and Georgia’s Caleb Hudson is 10th with 480 points.
Hudson leads the Pro-Guide Batteries Elite Series Rookie of the Year race followed by Fisher Anaya in second with 470 points and Pake South in third with 405 points.
The Top 10 pros will launch from Waterfront Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The winner will earn the $100,000 first-place prize as well as a coveted blue trophy.
Bassmaster LIVE will begin at 8 a.m. ET on FS1 and continue until 12:30 p.m. LIVE will move to Bassmaster.com at 1:30 p.m. and continue until weigh-in time at 3. The weigh-in will also be streamed on the website.
The Elizabeth City Hooked on the Harbor Festival will be held in conjunction with the final two days of the Elite Series event. A number of local vendors and food trucks will be showcased at Waterfront Park from Noon to 5 p.m.
Visit Elizabeth City is hosting the tournament.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Maxam Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound 6/11-6/14
Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound , Elizabeth City NC.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 14 66-07 101 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 4 15-08 Day 3: 5 26-14
2. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 65-04 100
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 25-14
3. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 63-09 99
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 22-15
4. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 13 62-12 98
Day 1: 3 09-07 Day 2: 5 26-09 Day 3: 5 26-12
5. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 62-08 97
Day 1: 5 23-08 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 20-04
6. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 15 60-11 96
Day 1: 5 25-08 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 20-01
7. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 15 57-14 95
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 20-01 Day 3: 5 15-14
8. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 56-07 94
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 16-08
9. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 15 55-07 93
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 16-05
10. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 15 55-07 92
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 5 19-09
11. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 15 55-03 91 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 19-12
12. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 15 55-00 90 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 5 17-07
13. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 14 54-11 89 $7,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-11 Day 2: 5 23-12 Day 3: 5 19-04
14. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 14 54-02 88 $7,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-00 Day 2: 5 14-08 Day 3: 5 27-10
15. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 15 54-00 87 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 18-07 Day 3: 5 18-03
16. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 13 53-11 86 $6,500.00
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 5 27-08 Day 3: 5 21-02
17. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 15 53-09 85 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 21-04 Day 3: 5 14-14
18. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 15 52-14 84 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 24-00
19. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 12 52-00 83 $6,500.00
Day 1: 2 12-02 Day 2: 5 15-12 Day 3: 5 24-02
20. John Garrett Union City, TN 14 51-11 82 $6,500.00
Day 1: 4 13-06 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 20-14
21. Bryan New Leesville, SC 15 51-11 81 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 5 19-07
22. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 15 51-06 80 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 11-00 Day 3: 5 21-10
23. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 15 50-14 79 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 14-05
24. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 15 49-06 78 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 19-03
25. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 47-12 77 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 12-09
26. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 12 47-11 76 $5,500.00
Day 1: 2 09-15 Day 2: 5 24-01 Day 3: 5 13-11
27. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 15 47-07 75 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 11-13
28. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 15 44-15 74 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 11-03 Day 3: 5 14-14
29. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 15 44-15 73 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 14-13 Day 3: 5 12-04
30. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 15 44-12 72 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 13-11 Day 3: 5 18-05
31. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 12 44-10 71 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 4 08-13 Day 3: 3 11-13
32. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 43-09 70 $5,500.00
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 5 21-04 Day 3: 2 12-09
33. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 43-01 69 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day 3: 5 11-08
34. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 14 43-01 68 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 13-10 Day 3: 4 11-07
35. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 15 42-15 67 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 13-02 Day 3: 5 12-11
36. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 12 42-08 66 $5,500.00
Day 1: 3 13-02 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 4 16-03
37. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 42-02 65 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 5 10-10
38. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 15 41-15 64 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 12-13 Day 3: 5 12-15
39. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 41-14 63 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 10-13 Day 3: 5 15-10
40. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 14 41-00 62 $5,500.00
Day 1: 4 16-04 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 10-05
41. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 15 40-12 61 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 13-00
42. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 13 39-06 60 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 3 07-05 Day 3: 5 09-12
43. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 12 38-14 59 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 24-10 Day 3: 2 06-00
44. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 12 38-02 58 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 2 04-09
45. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 35-07 57 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 10-04 Day 3: 5 08-15
46. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 9 32-00 56 $5,500.00
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 5 21-13 Day 3: 1 01-14
47. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 11 30-01 55 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 15-15 Day 3: 1 03-11
48. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 29-07 54 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 0 00-00
49. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 28-00 53 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 0 00-00
50. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 26-08 52 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 0 00-00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 08-14 $1,000.00
2 Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 08-09 $1,000.00
3 Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 09-07 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 62 410 1224-12
2 76 443 1336-09
3 39 214 749-13
------------------------------
177 1067 3311-02
Simple approach helps Blaylock take the Day 2 lead at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Stetson Blaylock has never liked vast tidal fisheries like the Albemarle Sound. Success seems to find him anyway.
The Arkansas pro leads the 2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound with a two-day total of 42 pounds, 4 ounces. Blaylock added 18-12 to his 23-8 Day 1 limit to take a 4-ounce advantage over Alabama’s Wesley Gore heading into Semifinal Saturday.
“Anytime you are in contention, it is a good thing. But you want to be in contention with bass you know are getting better, and I’m not sure if they are getting better. I have a lot of decisions to make before takeoff, but I’m in a good spot.”
Fishing was noticeably better across the system on Friday. Multiple bags over 24 pounds hit the scales, including one limit over 26 and another over 27 pounds.
Blaylock’s first Elite Series victory came at Winyah Bay in 2019, another coastal system along the Carolina coast. In that tournament, he was able to focus on one tactic most of the tournament. So far this week, the six-time Classic qualifier has been able to lock in on a pattern once again.
“I keep saying I don’t like these types of fisheries because there are so many things you can do,” Blaylock said. “There’s going to be someone tomorrow who scraps their plan, does something different and catches a big stringer. That is something I struggle with. At Winyah Bay, I was able to stay in one area all four days. That’s what has been best for me, not running around.”
One area far from takeoff in Elizabeth City has produced the bulk of Blaylock’s limit. With higher salinity across the system, Blaylock has tried to find the freshest water possible. Along with a good population of bass, there’s a plethora of baitfish in the area as well.
“It is a well-kept area,” he explained. “The trick here right now is finding fresh water. I’m going way way back in this river, and I feel the further back you get, the better opportunity you have to catch a big fish.”
He’s tossed one bait around cypress trees and other wood cover, utilizing his Lowrance ActiveTarget XL around 50 percent of the time. Most of the time, Blaylock can see the bass on his FFS before making the cast.
“I’m throwing at targets. I’ll use ActiveTarget when I need to see under logs and around the sides of cypress trees. But a lot of them are just fishing. That is a good thing when you can get bites just by fishing.”
Once he landed his Day 1 weight, Blaylock knew he had no choice but to make the long run back to his best area. He said he got more bites in the area, but the bigger bites were much harder to come by. Once he arrived, he caught several 3-pounders before rounding out his limit with 4 1/2 pounders.
“I got more bites, which is a good sign,” Blaylock said. “If everything goes perfectly, I think I can catch 30 pounds.”
Blaylock doesn’t have a true backup plan, which makes the dilemma of what to do on Semifinal Saturday even more difficult. Either way, Blaylock knows points are at a premium.
“I want to win just like the next guy, but this time of year, Top 10s are huge. If I can catch 17 or 18 pounds and stay inside the Top 10, it’d be fine.
“If I go somewhere else, it’s going to be totally new water.”
Gore, meanwhile, caught 20-1 on Day 2 to increase his two-day total to 42-0. He anchored his bag with an 8-pounder he said has had the body of a 10- or 11-pounder. The third-year pro has stayed in the Pasquotank River. In fact, he has only burned 5 gallons of gas.
“I practiced for 2 1/2 days here. I’m trying to optimize fishing time. I knew I needed a good tournament this week. It hasn’t been my year. This week, I bet on myself and it has worked out the last few days.”
Gore has targeted horizontal targets all week long in crowded sections of the Pasquotank. While there is plenty of pressure in the region, he feels he is doing something differently than other competitors.
“I’m not catching a whole lot of them,” Gore said. “I catch 2 or 3 pounders or great big ones.”
A drop shot and a HideUp Coike are his two most productive baits, but figuring out which one the bass wants to eat takes some time.
“I’ve seen it where they didn’t want to feed up and I had to throw a drop shot. Then there’s other times they want to feed up,” Gore said. “I read the bass, and unfortunately you have to mess a few up before figuring out what the right thing is. It can change. This morning they were wanting to feed down on the drop shot and then a light switch flipped. I came back through those places and caught them on a Coike.”
The water dropped 8 inches in his area today, and the bass moved out to the deeper ends of the horizontal targets. If it drops anymore, Gore isn’t sure the bass will stay put.
Day 1 leader Chris Zaldain dropped to third with a two-day total weighing 40-10. The California native caught 25-8 on the first day of the tournament but only landed 15-2 on Day 2. A 4-pounder in the afternoon saved his day.
A lack of current, he feels, was responsible for a slower swimbait bite.
“After two days of a southwest wind, the current is totally backed up,” he said. “Being a California Delta guy, I know exactly when high tide and low tide are. This place is a totally different beast. The wind dictates what the water is doing.”
Zaldain has been tossing a 5-inch Bass Mafia Daingerous Swimbait around bridges and docks in the Pasquotank River. That swimbait matches the menhaden swimming around those pieces of cover.
Tomorrow, the wind is supposed to blow from the north, a welcome shift for Zaldain.
“When I found those fish, the wind was blowing out of the north, and it was almost too easy,” he said. “So, the wind switch is exactly what I need.”
Mississippi’s Cliff Pace caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, an 8-9 largemouth that lifted him into the Day 3 cut. Oklahoma’s Luke Palmer holds the overall Phoenix Boats Big Bass, an 8-14 he caught on Day 1.
JT Thompkins caught the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament on Day 2, a 27-8 stringer.
Carbondale, Ill., pro Trey McKinney reclaimed the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year lead with 548 points. Tennessee’s Cole Sands is second with 545 points while Canadian pro Cory Johnston is third with 537 points. Drew Cook is fourth with 535 points and Brandon Cobb is fifth with 521 points.
The Top 50 anglers will launch from Waterfront Park in Elizabeth City beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. At the end of Semifinal Saturday, the Top 10 anglers will advance to Championship Sunday and compete for the $100,000 first-place prize and a blue trophy.
Bassmaster LIVE will begin at 8 a.m. ET on FS1 on Semifinal Saturday and continue until 12:30 p.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com at 1:30 p.m. Live weigh-ins will be streamed on Bassmaster.com each day at 3 p.m.
The Elizabeth City Hooked on the Harbor Festival will be held in conjunction with the final two days of the Elite Series event. A number of local vendors and food trucks will be showcased at Waterfront Park from Noon to 5 p.m.
Visit Elizabeth City is hosting the tournament.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Maxam Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound 6/11-6/14
Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound , Elizabeth City NC.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 42-04 101
Day 1: 5 23-08 Day 2: 5 18-12
2. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 42-00 100
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 20-01
3. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 10 40-10 99
Day 1: 5 25-08 Day 2: 5 15-02
4. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 40-10 98
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 17-09
5. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 39-15 97
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 20-09
6. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 9 39-09 96
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 4 15-08
7. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 39-06 95
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 19-11
8. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 39-02 94
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 5 16-11
9. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 38-11 93
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 21-04
10. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 37-09 92
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 14-03
11. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 10 36-09 91
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 17-09
12. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 8 36-00 90
Day 1: 3 09-07 Day 2: 5 26-09
13. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 10 35-14 89
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 19-05
14. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 35-13 88
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 18-07
15. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 35-10 87
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 14-11
16. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 9 35-07 86
Day 1: 4 11-11 Day 2: 5 23-12
17. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 35-07 85
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 21-05
18. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 35-03 84
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 18-06
19. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 7 34-00 83
Day 1: 2 09-15 Day 2: 5 24-01
20. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 10 33-09 82
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 15-13
21. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 10 32-14 81
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 24-10
22. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 9 32-13 80
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 4 08-13
23. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 10 32-11 79
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 14-13
24. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 8 32-09 78
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 5 27-08
25. Bryan New Leesville, SC 10 32-04 77
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 19-05
26. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 10 31-10 76
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 13-10
27. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 31-09 75
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 19-00
28. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 31-08 74
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 11-14
29. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 8 31-00 73
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 5 21-04
30. John Garrett Union City, TN 9 30-13 72
Day 1: 4 13-06 Day 2: 5 17-07
31. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 9 30-11 71
Day 1: 4 16-04 Day 2: 5 14-07
32. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 10 30-04 70
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 13-02
33. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 30-03 69
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 19-04
34. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 8 30-02 68
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 5 21-13
35. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 30-01 67
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 11-03
36. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 29-12 66
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 11-00
37. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 8 29-10 65
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 3 07-05
38. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 29-07 64
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 12-06
39. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 29-00 63
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 12-13
40. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 10 28-14 62 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 19-06
41. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 28-00 61
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 16-05
42. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 7 27-14 60
Day 1: 2 12-02 Day 2: 5 15-12
43. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 10 27-12 59
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 12-15
44. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 26-08 58
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 16-09
45. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 26-08 57
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 10-04
46. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 9 26-08 56
Day 1: 4 12-00 Day 2: 5 14-08
47. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 10 26-07 55
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 13-11
48. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 26-06 54
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 15-15
49. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 8 26-05 53
Day 1: 3 13-02 Day 2: 5 13-03
50. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 26-04 52
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 10-13
51. John Cox Debary, FL 10 26-04 51
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 13-02
52. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 10 25-09 50
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 12-11
53. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 9 25-08 49
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 4 15-13
54. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 25-03 48
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 15-11
55. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 10 25-03 47
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 14-13
56. Jacob Foutz Philadelphia, TN 10 24-11 46
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 12-03
57. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 9 24-09 45
Day 1: 4 12-15 Day 2: 5 11-10
58. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 24-05 44
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 11-11
59. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 7 24-03 43
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 5 19-15
60. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 10 24-02 42
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 13-02
61. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 23-15 41
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 11-08
62. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 23-12 40
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 10-11
63. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 23-11 39
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 11-12
64. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 9 23-00 38
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 4 07-11
65. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 22-13 37
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 5 14-05
66. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 9 22-13 36
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 5 14-03
67. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 8 22-09 35
Day 1: 3 09-05 Day 2: 5 13-04
68. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 8 22-04 34
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 5 15-05
69. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 9 22-01 33
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 4 07-14
70. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 7 22-00 32
Day 1: 2 06-02 Day 2: 5 15-14
71. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 9 22-00 31
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 5 15-04
72. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 6 21-15 30
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 1 01-08
73. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 8 21-14 29
Day 1: 3 09-03 Day 2: 5 12-11
74. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 8 21-10 28
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 3 10-08
75. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 8 19-12 27
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 14-07
76. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 9 19-10 26
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 4 07-15
77. Austin Cranford Oklahoma City, OK 8 19-01 25
Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 5 11-07
78. Beau Browning Hot Springs, AR 7 18-15 24
Day 1: 2 06-08 Day 2: 5 12-07
79. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 8 18-05 23
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 5 13-05
80. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 9 18-05 22
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 4 09-08
81. Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 5 18-02 21 $1,000.00
Day 1: 3 12-03 Day 2: 2 05-15
82. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 9 17-15 20
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 5 09-13
83. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 10 16-13 19
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 5 09-15
84. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 5 16-09 18
Day 1: 2 02-14 Day 2: 3 13-11
85. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 16-09 17
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 08-05
86. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 6 15-05 16
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 3 09-08
87. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 7 15-04 15
Day 1: 2 04-06 Day 2: 5 10-14
88. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 9 14-15 14
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 4 06-01
89. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 6 14-07 13
Day 1: 3 09-13 Day 2: 3 04-10
90. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 9 14-02 12
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 4 05-05
91. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 6 13-15 11
Day 1: 4 09-13 Day 2: 2 04-02
92. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 13-06 10
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 13-06
93. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 5 12-11 9
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 2 06-05
94. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 3 11-07 8
Day 1: 2 09-15 Day 2: 1 01-08
95. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 5 10-07 7
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 2 03-05
96. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 08-07 6
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
97. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 07-06 5
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 07-06
98. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 2 04-04 4
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-04
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 08-14 $1,000.00
2 Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 08-09 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 62 410 1224-12
2 76 443 1336-09
------------------------------
138 853 2561-05
Effective practice strategy leads Zaldain to the lead on Day 1 at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Live by the sword, die by the sword. Chris Zaldain plays the game often, and on Day 1 of the Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound, the veteran mastered the sword.
The Californian turned Texan caught 25 pounds, 8 ounces to take the Day 1 lead on the massive eastern North Carolina waterway. Zaldain will carry a 1-7 advantage over second-place Jason Christie and a 1-8 advantage over third-place Justin Hamner.
Big numbers were expected ahead of this tournament, the seventh of the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season. While 11 bags over 20 pounds hit the scales, no angler approached the pace that Kyle Welcher set during the 2025 season.
A true summer tournament is something Zaldain really looked forward to, especially after finishing dead last at Santee Cooper a few weeks prior. Air temperatures have been well over 90 degrees this week and water temperatures are in the 80s.
“I had no preconceived notions. I didn’t force anything. I let the fish tell me what was going on,” the nine-time Classic qualifier said.
It has been drier than normal this spring and early summer throughout the region, and salinity has increased throughout the system as a result. Finding clean, fresh water was at the center of his meticulous practice strategy.
“I paid very close attention to what the wind was doing,” Zaldain explained. “I used the Deep Dive app to help with that. The other thing I use in that app is the streamflow feature. It shows you where the cleanest, freshest water is coming in. I was able to spend my practice time there.”
He started in one of the several rivers that connect to the Albemarle Sound and got bit. He moved to the next river and got bit doing essentially the same thing. At that point, he knew he could run it anywhere.
“I purposely stayed out of the river I knew I was going to go to and worked on my pattern in other rivers,” Zaldain said. “Fishing big lines, big rods and catching big fish.”
On Day 1 he started fast, landing a limit weighing about 13 pounds, including one of his five 5-pounders. In total, Zaldain landed over 15 bass and culled up to his total weight throughout the day.
One specific type of cover has been most productive and reading the way water was moving around those targets and finding baitfish were key to his success.
“I didn’t stare at my graph at all today,” Zaldain said. “It is a super summertime pattern. I know when I’m going to get a bite.”
Although part of the same system, all the rivers in the Albemarle Sound are very different. With that said, Zaldain was surprised he could run his pattern across multiple rivers.
“Every river has different salinity and cover,” he said. “I knew by the third river that this was rock solid. I could go anywhere.”
Christie, meanwhile, caught 24-1 and anchored his bag with an 8-12 largemouth. The Oklahoma pro made a long-run, and only had six keeper bites, but those six bites were the quality he needed to make the miles worth it.
“I got two things going. It wasn’t easy, but I learned a lot today,” he said. “I fished way away from takeoff the first two days of practice, then came here the last day of practice and only had two keeper bites. I knew I needed to make the run no matter what.”
The 2022 Bassmaster Classic champion utilized three different baits throughout his day. What he felt was his primary pattern did not produce on Day 1, but he is going to keep both patterns honest.
The potential is there for 30-pound bags, but a lack of fishing time and weather have limited that potential so far.
It took Hamner well over an hour to get to his starting spot, but when he arrived, the bass were biting. The Alabama native landed 24-0 to finish the day in third-place. Hamner found the area during the afternoon hours of the final practice day, and Day 1 was just what he had hoped for.
“It was way better (yesterday) than it was today,” he said. “It was hot and heavy for a minute. I caught a 7-pounder and the amount I saw that were that size is incredible.”
The 2024 Classic champion has the two-mile stretch all to himself, and one bait triggered all of his bites.
“It has something to do with the saltwater pushing back in these creeks further than normal,” he said. “It really congregates these fish. When you land on them, it is pretty insane. I didn’t know the quality was that good.
“I’d be shocked if (those bass) went away.”
Oklahoma’s Luke Palmer caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, an 8-14 largemouth.
The full field of 98 anglers will launch from Waterfront Park in Elizabeth City beginning at 6:30 a.m. and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The field will be cut to the Top 50 anglers following the Day 2 weigh-in and the Top 10 anglers will advance to Championship Sunday.
Bassmaster LIVE will begin at 8 a.m. ET and continue through 3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com and the ROKU Sports Channel. FS1 will take the reins on Semifinal Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com at 1:30 p.m. Live weigh-ins will be streamed on Bassmaster.com each day at 3 p.m.
The Elizabeth City Hooked on the Harbor Festival will be held in conjunction with the final two days of the Elite Series event. A number of local vendors and food trucks will be showcased at Waterfront Park from Noon to 5 p.m.
Visit Elizabeth City is hosting the tournament.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
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, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Maxam Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound 6/11-6/14
Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound , Elizabeth City NC.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 5 25-08 101
Day 1: 5 25-08
2. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 24-01 100
Day 1: 5 24-01
3. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 24-00 99
Day 1: 5 24-00
4. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 23-08 98
Day 1: 5 23-08
5. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 23-06 97
Day 1: 5 23-06
6. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 23-01 96
Day 1: 5 23-01
7. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 22-07 95
Day 1: 5 22-07
8. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 5 22-05 94
Day 1: 5 22-05
9. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 21-15 93
Day 1: 5 21-15
10. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 20-15 92
Day 1: 5 20-15
11. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 20-07 91
Day 1: 5 20-07
12. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 19-11 90
Day 1: 5 19-11
13. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 19-10 89
Day 1: 5 19-10
14. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 19-06 88
Day 1: 5 19-06
15. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 5 19-00 87
Day 1: 5 19-00
16. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 18-14 86
Day 1: 5 18-14
17. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 18-12 85
Day 1: 5 18-12
18. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 18-00 84
Day 1: 5 18-00
19. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 5 17-14 83
Day 1: 5 17-14
20. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 5 17-12 82
Day 1: 5 17-12
21. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 17-07 81
Day 1: 5 17-07
22. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 17-06 80
Day 1: 5 17-06
23. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 5 17-02 79
Day 1: 5 17-02
24. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 17-01 78
Day 1: 5 17-01
25. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 16-13 77
Day 1: 5 16-13
26. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 5 16-09 76
Day 1: 5 16-09
27. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 16-04 75
Day 1: 5 16-04
28. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 4 16-04 74
Day 1: 4 16-04
29. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 16-03 73
Day 1: 5 16-03
30. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 15-07 72
Day 1: 5 15-07
31. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 15-05 71
Day 1: 5 15-05
32. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 14-13 70
Day 1: 5 14-13
33. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 14-03 69
Day 1: 5 14-03
34. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 14-02 68
Day 1: 5 14-02
35. John Garrett Union City, TN 4 13-06 67
Day 1: 4 13-06
36. John Cox Debary, FL 5 13-02 66
Day 1: 5 13-02
37. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 3 13-02 65
Day 1: 3 13-02
38. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 13-01 64
Day 1: 5 13-01
39. Bryan New Leesville, SC 5 12-15 63
Day 1: 5 12-15
40. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 4 12-15 62
Day 1: 4 12-15
41. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 5 12-14 61
Day 1: 5 12-14
42. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 5 12-12 60
Day 1: 5 12-12
43. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 12-10 59
Day 1: 5 12-10
44. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 12-09 58
Day 1: 5 12-09
45. Jacob Foutz Philadelphia, TN 5 12-08 57
Day 1: 5 12-08
46. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 12-07 56
Day 1: 5 12-07
47. Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 3 12-03 55 $1,000.00
Day 1: 3 12-03
48. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 2 12-02 54
Day 1: 2 12-02
49. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 4 12-00 53
Day 1: 4 12-00
50. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 11-15 52
Day 1: 5 11-15
51. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 11-11 51
Day 1: 5 11-11
51. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 11-11 51
Day 1: 5 11-11
53. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 4 11-11 49
Day 1: 4 11-11
54. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 11-02 48
Day 1: 5 11-02
55. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 5 11-00 47
Day 1: 5 11-00
56. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 10-15 46
Day 1: 5 10-15
57. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 5 10-07 45
Day 1: 5 10-07
58. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 5 10-06 44
Day 1: 5 10-06
59. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 09-15 43
Day 1: 5 09-15
60. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 2 09-15 42
Day 1: 2 09-15
60. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 2 09-15 42
Day 1: 2 09-15
62. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 4 09-13 40
Day 1: 4 09-13
63. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 3 09-13 39
Day 1: 3 09-13
64. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 3 09-12 38
Day 1: 3 09-12
65. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 09-11 37
Day 1: 5 09-11
66. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 09-08 36
Day 1: 5 09-08
66. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 09-08 36
Day 1: 5 09-08
68. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 3 09-07 34
Day 1: 3 09-07
69. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 3 09-05 33
Day 1: 3 09-05
70. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 3 09-03 32
Day 1: 3 09-03
71. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 08-14 31
Day 1: 5 08-14
72. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 08-13 30
Day 1: 5 08-13
73. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 08-13 29
Day 1: 5 08-13
74. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 4 08-10 28
Day 1: 4 08-10
75. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 08-08 27
Day 1: 5 08-08
76. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 08-07 26
Day 1: 5 08-07
77. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 3 08-05 25
Day 1: 3 08-05
78. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 5 08-04 24
Day 1: 5 08-04
78. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 08-04 24
Day 1: 5 08-04
80. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 4 08-02 22
Day 1: 4 08-02
81. Austin Cranford Oklahoma City, OK 3 07-10 21
Day 1: 3 07-10
82. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 3 07-02 20
Day 1: 3 07-02
83. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 3 06-15 19
Day 1: 3 06-15
84. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 06-14 18
Day 1: 5 06-14
85. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 4 06-12 17
Day 1: 4 06-12
86. Beau Browning Hot Springs, AR 2 06-08 16
Day 1: 2 06-08
87. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 3 06-06 15
Day 1: 3 06-06
88. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 2 06-02 14
Day 1: 2 06-02
89. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 3 05-13 13
Day 1: 3 05-13
90. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 3 05-05 12
Day 1: 3 05-05
91. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 3 05-01 11
Day 1: 3 05-01
92. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 3 05-00 10
Day 1: 3 05-00
93. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 2 04-06 9
Day 1: 2 04-06
94. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 2 04-04 8
Day 1: 2 04-04
95. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 2 02-14 7
Day 1: 2 02-14
96. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
96. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
96. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 08-14 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 62 410 1224-12
------------------------------
62 410 1224-12
Recent NPFL Winner Alex Davis Is Already Locked In for the Ultimate Angler Championship
AC Exclusive / Photo Credit: NPFL
The returning Guntersville competitor previews the fall’s biggest bass fishing event — and what a $500,000 payout actually demands.
There are bass tournaments. And then there is the Ultimate Angler Championship.
The second annual UAC returns to Lake Guntersville, Alabama, September 27 through October 3 — and if last year was any indication, the fishing world is going to be paying attention. Organized by Unified Pros and backed by the State of Alabama, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the City of Scottsboro, this thing isn’t built like anything else on the calendar. Two hundred anglers. One of the most productive bass fisheries in the country. A $500,000 first-place payout, and that’s not a typo!
When we set out to get a real read on what this event demands, Alex Davis was the first call we made. He fished the inaugural UAC on Guntersville last year, has already punched his ticket back for 2026, and spends roughly 225 days a year on that lake as a fishing guide. If he doesn’t know what September looks like on Guntersville, nobody does.
Davis is also the kind of source who doesn’t deal in generalities. He just won the Work Sharp NPFL Stop 3 on Lay Lake — three days, 51-10, $100,000 — so his read on competitive fishing is current.
“Guntersville is such a grass-dominated lake,” Davis told us, “that it really does change year to year. Places there was thick grass last year may not have it this year. Likewise, the grass seems to be way ahead this year and we’re seeing it in places and amounts we haven’t seen in a while.”
That matters to every angler making plans right now. Guntersville rewards preparation and punishes assumptions.
“A lot of guys that fished this event last year will be surprised when they go back to visit some of the same productive areas,” he said. “A lot has changed.”
The weights won’t be forgiving. Davis expects contenders to average around four pounds per fish per day, with at least one big day in the mix to separate the field. September on Guntersville still fishes more like summer than fall — topwater, frogs, grass-oriented presentations. The lake is loaded with bass in the 3-pound class. The anglers cashing checks will be the ones putting together quality.
One element that sets the UAC apart from most major events: forward-facing sonar is banned from competition. In a sport increasingly defined by FFS, the Ultimate Angler Championship asks anglers to go find fish the old way. Davis has FFS on his guide boat and knows what it does — but his most valued piece of electronics isn’t FFS at all. It’s his Humminbird/Lakemaster mapping and traditional 2D sonar, which is legal in the event. He says it shows him everything he needs to see and lets him position the boat the right way. The rest is fishing.
His NPFL win — same FFS restriction — backed that up in a big way.
“You know you can still cast around and catch a bass,” Davis said. “We’ve got lots of great baits and techniques that have worked for 20 years, and they STILL DO!”
The ban shapes the entire character of the event. It opens the door for anglers whose strengths are pattern fishing and instinct over screen-reading. That’s not a small thing.
Here’s what matters if you’re thinking about your own shot at Guntersville in September: you can qualify.
The UAC field is filled through competitive events, and those events are happening right now. Davis punched two tickets last year — one through the Alabama Bass Trail ABT 100, one through the Ultimate Angler Virtual Qualifier. Different formats, both legitimate paths into the field.
The catch is membership. To qualify through most affiliated events, you’ll need to be a Unified Pro member. At many of these events, the highest finishing Unified Pro member earns a spot in the UAC field. If you’re not a member yet, that’s step one.
A full list of qualifying events lives at theultimateangler.org. If you’re ready to register now, the entry point is right here.
The window is open. Guntersville is fishing well. The first-place check is half a million dollars.
Building Better Rods with Big Show Scroggins
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships / Photos: MLF
For more than two decades, Major League Fishing pro Terry “Big Show” Scroggins has built a reputation as one of the most respected anglers in professional bass fishing. The Team Toyota pro has accumulated nearly $2.5 million in winnings throughout his career and is widely accepted as one of the good guys of the sport. Scroggins is also known for his affinity as a tackle and equipment tinkerer, searching for every possible advantage on and off the water.
Many of those advantages aren’t found in a tackle store rack or online retailer. Scroggins notably produces many of the soft plastic lures he competes with at home or in the back of his Tundra while on the road. And since 2019, Scroggins has custom built every rod he’s landed a bass with on the BPT or Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit.
For Scroggins, rod building started as a pursuit of performance rather than a hobby, but over time he’s formed a partnership with Florida based company Mud Hole Custom Tackle. Using MHX rod blanks and components from Mud Hole, Scroggins can customize his equipment and create rods tailored precisely to his needs and the way he fishes.
“There are so many advantages to building your own rods,” Scroggins said. “You get to choose your own components like the handle, the reel seat, thread color and guides. This process alone will teach you so much about the specifics and how each component affects the overall build. Each element is optimized to you and how you fish.
“The finished product will be more durable than store bought rods, too, especially the guides. But in my mind the biggest benefit to custom building rods is you can check the spine on the blank. This ensures your rod is balanced and the guides are in the right spot when your rod loads up on a hook set or you make a cast. I’m not exaggerating when I say over 50% of the name-brand rods I check at tackle stores are off spine.”
For those who aren’t mechanically inclined, some of Scroggins’ vocabulary may sound intimidating. But part of Big Show’s charm is that whether he’s talking about rod building, the nuances or flipping, or how to grill a ribeye, he doesn’t overcomplicate things.
For example, after sampling and tinkering with dozens of rod blanks Scroggins has found a few that he relies on and employs across a wide array of techniques. The DS822 is a spinning rod blank from Mud Hole, Scroggins explained the “DS” stands for ‘drop shot’. The “82” stands for 82-inches, or 6-feet 10-inches long. Lastly the “2” describes the power of the rod. The DS822 is a two-power rod, whereas the DS821 is a one-power rod so slightly lighter in the tip.
Scroggins employs his homemade DS822’s for nearly every finesse and spinning rod application he uses on tour. Whether he’s throwing a drop shot, shakey head, floating worm, jighead minnow, or spy bait he uses that same rod blank. In fact, Scroggins has become so fond of that blank that he uses it for select casting rod applications, too.
Big Show fits the 6-foot 10-inch rod blank with casting guides and says it’s the perfect rod for small topwaters like prop baits, jerkbaits, or small squarebills.
“A fishing pole is a fishing pole,” Scroggins offered. “Mud Hole offers recommendations, which is good input, but if a rod blank is optimized for one technique that doesn’t mean that’s all it’s good for. I hadn’t heard of anyone using a spinning rod blank for a casting rod, but I’ve caught hundreds of bigguns now on that DS822 both spinning and casting. If it ain’t broke, there’s no need to fix it!”
Scroggins’ time-tested wisdom and down-to-earth nature help the Florida native cut through the noise in many facets of life, rod building included. He may have a brainchild that drifts away from the everyday norms, but each creation is born from real-world experience and time on the water.
Whether he is pouring soft plastics from a mold the fish have never seen before or using a spinning rod blank to build a casting rod Scroggins is not afraid to do things his own way when he feels it gives him an advantage.
“It’s bass fishing, y’all, don’t be afraid to think outside the box sometimes,” Scroggins said with a smile. “Half the products we have in our boats were born from bass fisherman tinkering with things or tweaking an existing product to make it better. That’s what led me to building my own rods and it’s something I enjoy more every year.”
Nominations now open for 2026 class of Bassmaster High School All-Americans
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. is now accepting nominations for the most exceptional high school bass anglers in the country for the annual Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team.
B.A.S.S. is celebrating the 12th year of the selection of the team, which recognizes the 12 most outstanding high school
Applications for the team will be accepted today through September 16.
To be considered, a student must be nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students currently enrolled in grades 10 through 12 with a current grade point average of 2.5 or higher are eligible.
Judges will select up to two student anglers in each state. These All-State Fishing Team members will become semifinalists in the selection of the 12-member Bassmaster High School All-
“These anglers are proving that success extends far beyond tournament results,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager of the College, High School and
All nominees for the All-American team must be B.A.S.S. members. The online membership form provides multiple membership options.
Notices have been sent to youth fishing directors of the B.A.S.S. Nation and other organizations, as well as leaders of state high school fishing programs. Adults can nominate students by filling out an online form here. Nominations must be submitted before midnight on June 9. Please send all questions to [email protected].
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
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.
New-look Lake Dardanelle Primed for MLF Toyota Series Plains Division Finale
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (June 9, 2026) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats will wrap up the 2026 Plains Division season next week with its third and final regular-season tournament, June 18-20, at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Arkansas – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Dardanelle.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Russellville Tourism & Visitors Center, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
It’s been three years since Lake Dardanelle appeared on the Toyota Series schedule, and when the Arkansas River impoundment returns to host the final event of the Plains Division season, it might as well be a brand-new fishery.
Grass has taken hold throughout the lake, changing the complexion of the fishery. As a result, the playing field should fish much bigger, and the weights should follow suit.
Boater Kirk Smith of Edmond, Oklahoma, won’t be in the field for this event due to his son’s high school graduation. But with two career wins – including a Toyota Series triumph in May 2021 – and three other top-10 finishes on Lake Dardanelle, Smith knows the fishery well. He emphasized that the recent grass growth has changed the lake. Most notably, a venue that used to fish small suddenly has entire new areas in play.
“I feel strongly that a whole new area of the lake that hasn’t shown promise in the last five or 10 years could very easily be a player this year,” Smith said. “Just because it’s a new lake with the grass growing in places that it hasn’t grown in 15 or 20 years. So, there could be areas of the lake that show out that haven’t shown out in many, many years. It’s going to be a very unusual tournament from that standpoint.”
Smith expects that grass to be a major player in this event, with lots of bass using it as they transition from spawning to summertime patterns. However, the weather and water level could change that.
“If the long spring hangs on, then I believe the grass will be an enormous player,” he said. “If the summer hits hard and fast, then there might be a transition of fish that leave the grass and go out to some of their offshore, summer-type holding areas. But if I was showing up tomorrow, I’d stick in the grass, for sure.”
That said, the transitional time of year should make for a diverse event. Smith thinks some anglers could lean heavily on their three allotted hours with forward-facing sonar, while others will fare well without ever turning it on. Assuming the water doesn’t rise – always a possibility on the riverine fishery – both power and finesse tactics should play.
Were he fishing this event, Smith said he would start in the grass until he put a solid limit in the boat, then move to offshore areas and utilize forward-facing sonar. Dardanelle isn’t exactly the Tennessee River when it comes to big, offshore schools of bass, and the sweet spots can be hard to find. But Smith said that’s a good way to catch a kicker.
“Some of those fish are going to be out there, but you might fish three hours and only get one bite,” he said. “But that one bite might be the one that’s going to push you over the top.”
Smith expects an Arkansas River staple – the swim jig – to put a lot of fish in the boat at this event.
“The (Booyah) Mobster swim jig is going to be an absolute player in this deal, without a doubt,” he said.
Topwater offerings like buzzbaits, frogs and walking baits could be productive, too, especially if the water rises. There’s always a place for flipping and pitching on Dardanelle. And Smith couldn’t discount the possibility of someone finding success with an urchin-style bait given their nationwide dominance in recent weeks.
In each of the past two Toyota Series events on Dardanelle (2023 and 2021), only one angler has topped the 50-pound mark. Smith expects that number to increase at this event, predicting the winning weight will fall in the 56- to 58-pound range.
He thinks we’ll see a few 20-pound bags hit the scales. The challenge will be backing it up across all three days. Even with Dardanelle fishing bigger than it has in years past, he still believes fish management will be the biggest key to victory.
“The 90-10 rule applies to that lake probably more than any other place I’ve ever been,” Smith said. “So, when you find the right area, you’re going to need to manage your fish.
“There’s going to be guys that have 50-yard stretches of water where they’re going to catch the majority of their fish. And you cannot just sit there and wear a groove in that if you want to be competitive.”
Anglers will take off each day at 6 a.m. CT, launching from Lake Dardanelle State Park, located at 2428 Marina Road in Russellville. Weigh-ins will also take place at the state park, starting at 2 p.m. daily. Fans are invited to attend in person and can also stay connected by following the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily updates on MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, plus $5,000 cash.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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 Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets on 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.
Bassmaster Elite Series Event Earns North Carolina Main Street Award
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. announced that the Bassmaster Elite Series event held in Elizabeth City, N.C., was honored with a 2025 North Carolina Main Street Award for Best Downtown Special Event or Event Series. The award recognized the community's "Bassmaster Elite Series — Hooked on the Harbor" initiative, which centered around the 2025 Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound.
The award was presented March 11 during the North Carolina Main Street Awards Ceremony in New Bern by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The annual awards program recognizes outstanding projects and initiatives that strengthen downtown districts through economic vitality, promotion, design and organization. Elizabeth City was one of 13 communities statewide recognized for excellence in downtown revitalization.
"We are honored that the Bassmaster Elite Series event helped earn this recognition for Elizabeth City," said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. "Our events are designed to showcase world-class bass fishing while creating meaningful economic impact for our host communities. Elizabeth City embraced the Bassmaster Elite Series, and this award reflects the tremendous partnership between local leaders, businesses, volunteers and B.A.S.S."
The 2025 Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound brought the sport's top professional anglers to northeastern North Carolina and drew fans to Elizabeth City's downtown waterfront district for daily weigh-ins and festivities.
The award-winning "Hooked on the Harbor" campaign highlighted the city's waterfront, downtown businesses and local attractions while leveraging the national exposure generated by the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
B.A.S.S. will return to Elizabeth City June 11-14 for the Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River and Albemarle Sound. Daily takeoffs will be held at Waterfront Park, with afternoon weigh-ins and Bassmaster Outdoors Expo activities taking place in downtown Elizabeth City. The event will feature the world's best bass anglers competing on one of the nation's most unique fisheries while generating tourism and economic activity throughout the region.
"We look forward to returning to Elizabeth City in 2026," Anderson said. "The community's enthusiasm, hospitality and commitment to creating a memorable experience for anglers and fans make it an outstanding destination for the Bassmaster Elite Series."
For more information about the Bassmaster Elite Series, visit Bassmaster.com.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
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.
Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees Readies for MLF Bass Pro Tour Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota
51 pro anglers to compete on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, competition live all four days at MajorLeagueFishing.com
GROVE, Okla. (June 9, 2026) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour (BPT) will make its return to Grand Lake next week, June 18-21, as Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota brings the league’s high-intensity, every-fish-counts format back to Oklahoma.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau , t he four-day tournament will feature 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event. Competition will unfold under MLF’s catch, weigh, immediate-release format, where every bass over the 2-pound minimum counts and SCORETRACKER® – the MLF live leaderboard – keeps the pressure on throughout the day.
“We host many tournaments each year, but having the best of the best come to our city and lake is truly something special,” said Brent Malone, Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau Director. “It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase our amazing fishery and the natural beauty that makes Grove a top destination for anglers. We’re also super excited to show off our brand-new, 50,000-square-foot Expo Center located right in the heart of Wolf Creek Park. This state-of-the-art facility is a game changer for our community, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience it during this premier event.”
The field heading to Grand Lake brings together a blend of the Bass Pro Tour’s most accomplished veterans and current title contenders, led by reigning Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year and REDCREST 2026 champion Jacob Wheeler and three-time REDCREST champion Dustin Connell. Proven winners and fan favorites like Edwin Evers, Ott DeFoe and Zack Birge continue to anchor the roster, while Grand Lake’s history adds another compelling layer to the competition. Oklahoma’s Birge enters the event as the most decorated Grand Lake winner in the field with two career victories on the fishery, while Bobby Lane and Mark Daniels Jr. each own notable tournament wins there as well.
While Grand Lake has hosted more than 120 MLF tournaments through the years, Zenni Stage 6 Presented by Toyota marks only the second time the Bass Pro Tour has visited the fishery. Grand Lake previously hosted the 2022 REDCREST championship, where Lane claimed the $300,000 top prize, and over half the field – 28 of the 51 pros competing next week – fished in that event. With SCORETRACKER® and the BPT’s catch, weigh and immediate-release format once again in play, pros will have the opportunity to revisit one of Oklahoma’s premier bass fisheries and see how it has evolved since REDCREST was last contested there.
Talala, Oklahoma, pro Edwin Evers said he believes Grand Lake is setting up to showcase its reputation as one of the nation's premier bass fisheries when the Bass Pro Tour arrives next week.
“Over the last 10 years, Grand has been one of the best lakes in the country,” Evers said. “It's going to be a great tournament. I think we're hitting it perfectly. We haven't had any monster floods, and the lake looks like it's going to be fishing really good.”
Evers said one of Grand Lake's defining characteristics is the diversity of patterns available to competitors. With water levels currently sitting at the base of shoreline willow trees and favorable conditions across the fishery, anglers are expected to have a wide range of options.
“The lake's going to be wide open,” Evers explained. “Anglers will have the opportunity to fish shallow or out deep and really fish their strengths.”
If water levels rise even slightly, Evers said shallow-water anglers could find success targeting bushes, willow trees, laydowns and rock banks in the upper reaches of the lake. Power-fishing techniques such as spinnerbaits, swim jigs, vibrating jigs and buzzbaits are also all expected to play a key role.
“You can basically just pick your favorite power-fishing technique, put it in your hand and go,” Evers said.
Grand Lake's offshore bite should also remain a major factor. Evers said he expects anglers targeting deeper fish to rely on traditional staples such as crankbaits, minnows, Carolina rigs and football jigs. He also believes forward-facing sonar will play an important role, despite the Bass Pro Tour's one-period sonar restriction.
As for weights, Evers anticipates a highly productive event from top to bottom. He estimates anglers may need nearly 50 pounds per day to survive the elimination rounds, while the leaders could eclipse the century mark on their best days.
“I expect a lot of fish to be caught,” Evers said. “I think you're going to see more than 100 pounds a day on the top end of things.”
For Evers, the event also offers the added benefit of competing close to home. Grand Lake sits just over an hour from his residence, providing a welcome break from the extensive travel that typically accompanies a Bass Pro Tour season.
“I’m just super excited to be competing close to the house,” Evers said. “It's been a nice year for us on the BPT, not having to travel far, and now we're going to have one that's within about an hour of the house, which is exciting.”
Anglers will arrive each morning at 6:15 a.m. CT to Wolf Creek Park, located at 963 N. 16th St. in Grove, Oklahoma, with takeoff starting at 7:15 a.m. Anglers will return to Wolf Creek Park each evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 20-21, from 3 to 6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to Wolf Creek Park for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans each day, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, participate in a free fishing derby and casting contest, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Live music begins at 4 p.m., (Brad Hemphill on Saturday and Morgan Rohrs on Sunday) followed by top-10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day.
Student anglers from sixth grade through college are invited to join MLF pros at the free Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic on Saturday, June 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. The clinic will also be held at Wolf Creek Park, and offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from the BPT pros, gain hands-on fishing instruction and compete in the national MLF Casting Competition. For more information or to register for the Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.
The full field of anglers will compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the Qualifying Round is complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total will advance directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers who finish 2nd through 25th will advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the action live on all four days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
Television coverage of the Zenni Stage 6 at Grand Lake Presented by Toyota will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 26 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram, Rumble 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.
Utica’s Hedges Beats Brushpiles for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes
Mount Washington’s Hamilton Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (June 8, 2026) – Boater Zach Hedges of Utica, Kentucky, caught a three-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lake . The tournament, hosted by Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Hedges earned $2,590 for his victory.
Hedges, who is only 19 years old, began his morning using his Garmin LiveScope for the first three hours of the day to target schooling bass. He headed south toward Paris Landing to what he thought would be his most promising school and landed 12 pounds in his first hour of fishing.
“I ran some more schools after that and even after my LiveScope period hoping I could pick up one or two more,” Hedges said. “But that never happened. So, I went back to my starting school and caught one that went almost 4 pounds and that one put me at 13 pounds.”
Hedges said he targeted the schools on ledges with a spoon as well as a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a shaky-head rig. His method produced around 30 keepers during the day, but Hedges said he wasn’t confident in his chances for a win.
“I figured I was going to be the first or second guy out of reach of winning it,” Hedges said. “I really thought it would take more than 13 pounds. This just feels amazing – feels really good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Zach Hedges, Utica, Ky., three bass, 13-1, $2,590
2nd: Jon Fatheree, Grantsburg, Ill., three bass, 12-10, $1,530
3rd: Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 12-9, $700
4th: Brad Galbreath, Ashland City, Tenn., three bass, 11-12, $570
5th: Cody Santel, Benton, Ky., three bass, 11-9, $610
6th: Toby Corn, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 11-5, $450
7th: Noah Morgan, Russellville, Ky., three bass, 11-3, $430
8th: Sam Lashlee, Camden, Tenn., three bass, 11-0, $420
9th: Ryan Kirkpatrick, Benton, Ky., three bass, 10-11, $400
10th: Damon Brown, Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 10-4, $390
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Jon Fatheree of Grantsburg, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass worth $200.
Kristin Hamilton of Mount Washington, Kentucky, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,295 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Kristin Hamilton, Mount Washington, Ky., three bass, 10-14, $1,295
2nd: Daniel Nolen, Lexington, Tenn., three bass, 9-9, $665
3rd: Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., three bass, 9-2, $400
4th: Brian Huber, St. Charles, Mo., three bass, 8-2, $285
5th: Joey Cambron, Morganfield, Ky., three bass, 7-13, $255
6th: Jaren Frick, Boaz, Ky., three bass, 7-9, $225
7th: Owen Ray, Spring City, Tenn., three bass, 7-8, $220
8th: Josh Mileur, Murphysboro, Ill., three bass, 7-0, $210
9th: Corey Green, Paducah, Ky., three bass, 6-14, $200
10th: Micah Walker, Murphysboro, Ill., three bass, 6-11, $195
Michael League of Sparta, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, Noah Morgan of Russellville, Kentucky, now leads the 7 Brew LBL Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 989 points, while Marcus Mann of Benton, Kentucky, leads the LBL Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 964 points.
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 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Newton’s Smith Dominates at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at High Rock Lake
Gastonia’s Lee Wins in Co-Angler Division
SALISBURY, N.C. (June 8, 2026) – Boater Jacob Smith of Newton, North Carolina, caught a total of five bass weighing 24 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on High Rock Lake . The tournament was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. Smith earned $2,590 for his victory.
The High Rock Lake tournament was the first BFL event for Smith to fish, and he said his history with High Rock hadn't been very successful. But he didn’t let that stop him from competing.
“I’m not super familiar with High Rock Lake,” Smith said. “I have fished it a few times, maybe six times, and I’ve never really done super well there, but I was able to put a little something together last weekend in a tournament. They were doing what they were doing the weekend before, and I was able to catch them.
“I made a short run first thing to my first spot, but somebody was already there, but I guess it was kind of a blessing, because I went to my next spot, sat down and caught a 4-8 on my first cast,” Smith went on to say. “I was like, ‘Heck, yeah.’
Smith said he used a newly released 20mm Queen Tackle Porcupine Ball rigged on a 2/0 Ryugi Talisman hook as a Jika Rig to target points and docks. He hopped the rig along the bottom to entice bass to strike. Smith said the docks were loaded with bass during the midday hours.
Smith added the early morning bite was best for him in the Abbott’s Creek and Flat Swamp Creek areas of High Rock, and the action slowed considerably for him as the day progressed.
“Once I was able to turn my (Garmin) LiveScope on, I was able to cull out a few times, and that’s how I ended up with what I had.” Smith said.
Smith said he was confident in the weight in his livewell, and the lack of afternoon action made for a long day.
“Any time you catch them early in the morning it just leads to a super-long day,” Smith laughed. “I was ready to weigh in. I came in 30 minutes early because I was like, ‘I just can’t do it anymore.’ The good Lord blessed me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Jacob Smith, Newton, N.C., five bass, 24-11, $2,590
2nd: Ron Rousseau, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 19-13, $1,330
3rd: Shane Lineberger, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 19-6, $1,200 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
4th: Jason Barnes, Concord, N.C., five bass, 19-3, $820
5th: Brandon Eggers, North Wilkesboro, N.C., five bass, 19-2, $510
6th: Conrad Manuel, Pilot Mountain, N.C., five bass, 18-3, $450
7th: Robert Walser, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 17-6, $680
8th: Kaden Buchmann, Troutman, N.C., five bass, 16-12, $420
9th: Ben Robertson, Walnut Cove, N.C., five bass, 15-9, $400
10th: Kevin Chandler, New London, N.C., five bass, 15-5, $390
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Tommy Jones of Salisbury, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass, worth $200.
Mark Lee of Gastonia, North Carolina, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,345 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Mark Lee, Gastonia, N.C., three bass, 13-13, $1,345
2nd: Jean Lacerte, Elm City, N.C., three bass, 11-5, $665
3rd: Thomas McDermott, Madison, N.C., three bass, 10-12, $350
4th: Justin Bach, Kannapolis, N.C., three bass, 9-1, $270
4th: Adam Oxendine, Pembroke, N.C., three bass, 9-1, $270
6th: Wayne Smelser, Wytheville, Va., three bass, 9-0, $325
7th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., three bass, 8-15, $220
8th: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., three bass, 8-12, $210
9th: Bart Hill, Clemmons, N.C., three bass, 8-10, $200
10th: Charles Wood, Thomasville, N.C., three bass, 8-9, $195
Wayne Smelser of Wytheville, Virginia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, now leads the 7 Brew North Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 966 points, while Thomas Pennell III of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, leads the North Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 970 points.
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 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
St. Louis’ Fitzpatrick Earns Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Truman Lake Presented by Precision Sonar
shland’s Bradford Tops Co-Angler Division
WARSAW, Mo. (June 8, 2026) – Boater Chase Fitzpatrick of St. Louis, Missouri, caught a total of five bass weighing 20 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Truman Lake Presented by Precision Sonar . The tournament was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Fitzpatrick earned $2,590 for his victory.
Fitzpatrick said he used knowledge from a previous event on Truman Lake to set his tournament strategy, and he focused on fishing in the Tebo Arm of the lake.
“In the BFL last year at Truman, I caught 6-pounders late in the day that kind of clued me into something that I could maybe try this year,” Fitzpatrick said. “And when I got to the tournament waters on Thursday to practice, that’s what I committed to. I was able to find a patch of trees that had fish on them, and I caught a 6- and a 4-pounder there in practice.
“I didn’t really know what to expect going into tournament day, but I was able to get the right kind of bites and land them,” Fitzpatrick went on to say. “Fishing those trees can be kind of dangerous at times.”
Fitzpatrick said he focused on combing through the trees by flipping a Zoom Brush Hog with a ¼-ounce weight and just let the bait make its way through the tree limbs. The submerged trees ranged in depths from 5 feet to 25 feet, but Fitzpatrick pointed out the “money depth” was around 15 feet. He added he culled only three times during the day.
“I had 16½ pounds at the end of my (Garmin) LiveScope period,” Fitzpatrick said. “I had one of my 6-pounders in the boat by the end of my LiveScope period, and I knew I had a chance (at a win) with that, but I thought I needed one more big one to really solidify my chances at a win.”
Fitzpatrick got his second 6-pounder later in the day and secured the BFL win.
“It was a blessed day,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve always wanted to hold up one of those silver fish trophies one day, so yeah, this felt really good. I have a lot of room to learn and grow, so I’m trying to learn from the great anglers that are around me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Chase Fitzpatrick, St. Louis, Mo., five bass, 20-6, $2,590
2nd: Shawn Kowal, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 16-7, $1,330
3rd: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., five bass, 16-4, $700
4th: Kenny Sloan, Gaylord, Kan., five bass, 16-3, $570
5th: Randy Blaukat, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 16-0, $510
6th: Kyle Alsop, Overland Park, Kan., five bass, 15-10, $950 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
7th: Ryan Stagner, Robertsville, Mo., five bass, 15-5, $430
8th: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 14-11, $420
9th: Les Brandenburg, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 14-9, $400
10th: Chad Allison, Carl Junction, Mo., five bass, 14-8, $390
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Keith Pearson of Lenexa, Kansas, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $200.
Roy Bradford of Ashland, Missouri, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,295 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Roy Bradford, Ashland, Mo., three bass, 10-3, $1,295
2nd: Spencer Martinez, Wichita, Kans., three bass, 9-12, $715
3rd: Josh Falter, Dixon, Mo., three bass, 8-12, $317
3rd: Shawn Lindsay, Lebanon, Mo., three bass, 8-12, $317
5th: Matt Zimmerly, Hillsboro, Mo., three bass, 8-8, $255
6th: Jeff Anderson, St. Louis, Mo., three bass, 8-7, $225
7th: Derek Vahey, Columbia, Mo., three bass, 8-0, $220
8th: Greg Lundquist, Independence, Mo., three bass, 7-13, $210
9th: Donnie Agnew, Farmington, Mo., two bass, 7-12, $300
10th: Alan Quick, Springfield, Mo., three bass, 7-7, $195
Donnie Agnew of Farmington, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, Shawn Kowal of Linn Creek, Missouri, now leads the 7 Brew Ozark Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 961 points, while Josh Falter of Dixon, Missouri, leads the Ozark Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 942 points.
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 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Georgia’s Parker Guy Holds Off Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Eufaula Presented by Suzuki Marine
Warner Robins’ McNear Wins Co-Angler Division
EUFAULA, Ala. (June 8, 2026) – Boater Parker Guy of Ocilla, Georgia, caught a total of five bass weighing 22 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Eufaula Presented by Suzuki Marine . The tournament, hosted by Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL Bulldog Division. Guy earned $4,100 for his victory.
“I started out fishing shallow throwing a buzzbait, a swim jig and a frog,” said Guy, who focused his efforts mainly mid-lake on his home water of Lake Eufaula. “I was just mixing it up, and I caught a couple of my key fish doing that. I did that for an hour and let the sun get up good, because I knew I had a lot of brushpiles I wanted to fish when I turned my (Garmin) LiveScope on.”
When Guy utilized his LiveScope, he began running from brushpile to brushpile in 6 to 12 feet of water. Guy said a jerkbait was very productive for him, and he had 18½ pounds of fish early in the morning.
“I had 2 minutes left in my LiveScope period, and I caught a 6¼-pounder that pretty much sealed the deal for me,” Guy said. “I had a 2½-pounder in the box I needed to get rid of before my LiveScope period ended. I got lucky and caught that big one. Once I got up to 22 pounds I knew I had a shot at winning.
“This is only the third BFL I’ve ever fished, and this feels great,” said Guy, who cut his teeth fishing competitively as a member of the Emmanuel University College Fishing team.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Parker Guy, Ocilla, Ga., five bass, 22-1, $4,100
2nd: Justin Barnes, Elaville, Ga., five bass, 19-6, $2,000
3rd: Todd Beaver, Richland, Ga., five bass, 18-9, $1,400 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
3rd: Avery Padgett, Alba, Ala., five bass, 18-9, $900
5th: Ryan Barnes, Elaville, Ga., five bass, 17-13, $700
6th: Jamie Fountain, East Dublin, Ga., five bass, 17-2, $600
7th: Kyle Sellers, Lumpkin, Ga., five bass, 16-12, $575
8th: Brad Stalnaker, Eatonton, Ga., five bass, 16-7, $550
9th: Mike Cavender, Phenix City, Ala., five bass, 16-4, $525
10th: Chase Clarke, Virginia Beach, Va., five bass, 15-5, $500
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Andrew Cochran of Smithville, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass worth $200.
Robert McNear of Warner Robins, Georgia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $2,100 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Robert McNear, Warner Robins, Ga., three bass, 11-13, $2,100
2nd: Dave Parker, Hahira, Ga., three bass, 9-1, $1,000
3rd: William Cowart, Danielsville, Ga., three bass, 7-13, $500
4th: Mark Black, Selma, Ala., three bass, 7-11, $400
5th: Korby Friday, Elizabeth, La., three bass, 7-9, $350
6th: Bobby Otto, Lumpkin, Ga., three bass, 7-7, $300
7th: James Griffin, Pelham, Ga., two bass, 7-3, $290
8th: Wayne Hancock, Cumming, Ga., three bass, 7-0, $267
8th: Bodie Lachina, Freeport, Fla., two bass, 7-0, $267
10th: Robert Holliday, White Plains, Ga., three bass, 6-6, $250
Robert McNear of Warner Robins, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 6-pound, 15-ounce bass worth $100.
After four events, John Duvall of Madison, Georgia, now leads the 7 Brew Bulldog Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 928 points, while Dennis McGouirk of Carrollton, Georgia, leads the Bulldog Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 894 points.
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 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
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, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound set for dynamic Elite Series return
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Could the 2026 Maxam Tire Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound be even better than the record-setting 2025 event? Local tournament angler and guide Matt Greschak believes it could definitely match those standards, albeit in a much different fashion.
“The way it is setting up, it is going to be good. There will be big weights caught again,” Greschak, who runs Avery’s Guide Service, said. “If someone brings back 35 pounds one day, I won’t be surprised and another bass over 10 pounds will be weighed in, I think.
“Someone should get a (Century) belt, if not a couple people.”
Tournament days are set for June 11-14. Waterfront Park in Elizabeth City will host daily takeoffs starting at 6:30 a.m. ET and weigh-ins at 3 p.m. The full field of 98 pros will compete the first two days of the tournament before the field is cut to 50 anglers on Semifinal Saturday. The Top 10 anglers will then compete on Championship Sunday for a chance at $100,000 and a coveted blue trophy.
The Albemarle Sound is an overwhelmingly large fishery with multiple freshwater river branches flowing into it. Although coastal, and brackish in the Sound itself, it does not experience tidal influence like Winyah Bay or Chesapeake Bay does. Water levels are all wind and rain driven.
The area has experienced an unusually dry spring, and as a result, some of that brackish water has made its way further up the rivers than normal.
In its maiden voyage to Elizabeth City, the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series added new chapters to the record book. Alabama’s Kyle Welcher stayed close to takeoff in the Pasquotank River and caught 118 pounds, 12 ounces of spawning largemouth during the four days of competition, beating second-place Brandon Lester by a historic 45-7 margin.
“He caught 13 bass over 7 pounds,” Greschak recalled. “That was a good thing for the area. So many more people have been coming to fish. It gave it the exposure the city was looking for.”
Seasonally, things will be much different this time, but the quality of bass is still off the charts. Summer is setting in, and over the past few weeks, it has taken 34 pounds, 28 pounds and 32 pounds to win three local events the last several weeks. One of those was won by Turtelbox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender pro Ryan Lachniet.
Those were won in the Chowan River and Perquimans River to the west of takeoff. Those two rivers, and the Roanoke River to the far southwest are where Greschak expects most of the top finishers to find their bass.
“Everything to the west of Elizabeth City has been playing (this year). The Chowan has been putting them out and the Perquimans has been fishing really well.” the North Carolinian said. “The North River towards the Outer Banks hasn’t been as good and the Alligator River has been fishing tough too.”
As it stands, the wind forecast is favorable, with winds out of the west at 5 to 10 mph. That could change, but those conditions make for a more manageable run across the Sound than anglers experienced in 2025.
Forward-facing technology is allowed in this tournament, which is a big deal Greschak added. Finding isolated offshore hard spots and wood cover will be a primary pattern and has resulted in many big bags over the past several years. Shad and herring drive the western bite while bluegill and crawfish are the primary forage towards the east.
“The Chowan and the Roanoke have drains in them that pour fresh water in constantly,” Greschak explained. “That helps keep the salinity lower, and the bass do better in those conditions. River herring are also in the Chowan like nowhere else.”
Urchin-style baits like the Hideup Coike and jighead minnows will play a big role in this pattern as well as jerkbaits, big swimbaits and glidebaits.
A shallow water flipping and frogging bite in lily pad fields will also present itself, although the low water in the Roanoke River will limit the high-end potential of that bite in that river.
“The river doesn’t have a lot of current right now. It is still good, but a lot of the lily pad fields I thought would be good are kind of dry right now,” Greschak said. “You’ll still see guys catch them on a frog, but I don’t think that will be the winning deal.”
The Pasquotank where Welcher won in 2025 still has winning potential as well, but Greschak notes that the area has received a lot of fishing pressure over the past year, which will make it harder to replicate success.
Canadian pro Cory Johnston leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 483 points followed by Illinois pro Trey McKinney in second with 463 points and Texas pro Dakota Ebare in third with 455 points. Tennessee’s Cole Sands is fourth with 454 points; South Carolina’s Brandon Cobb is fifth with 446 points; Tennessee’s John Garrett is sixth with 443 points; Georgia’s Drew Cook is seventh with 440 points; Georgia’s Caleb Hudson is eighth with 430 points; Minnesota’s Bob Downey is ninth with 426 points and Alabama’s Justin Atkins is 10th with 411 points.
Hudson leads the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race followed by Alabama’s Fisher Anaya in second with 372 points and Texas’s Pake South in third with 322 points. Tennessee’s Tristan McCormick (306) and Kentucky’s Matt Messer (233) round out the Top 5.
Live coverage of the 2026 Maxam Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound will be available starting June 11 and 12 at 8 a.m. ET on Bassmaster.com and the Roku Sports Channel through 3 p.m. ET. FS1 takes the reins on June 13 and 14 starting at 8 a.m. ET and will carry coverage through 12:30 p.m. Live will resume on Bassmaster.com beginning at 1:30 p.m. and continue until weigh-in the final two days.
Weigh-ins will be streamed live on Bassmaster.com each day starting at 3 p.m. ET.
The Elizabeth City Hooked on the Harbor Festival will be held in conjunction with the final two days of the Elite Series event. A number of local vendors and food trucks will be showcased at Waterfront Park from Noon to 5 p.m.
Visit Elizabeth City is hosting the tournament.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
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.
Banks Shaw Wins Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 on Lake Eufaula Presented by K&N Filters
EUFAULA, Okla. (June 7, 2026) – Starting the final day of Stop 5 Presented by K&N Filters in third place, Banks Shaw looked like the odds-on favorite to win. While Cal Lane and Drew Boggs had the edge by weight and place, environmental factors well outside their control didn’t look good. The deluge of rain on Day 2 affected all the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech pros, but Lane and Boggs were fishing shallow, well up a creek that rose higher and flowed faster by the minute.
On the main lake and fishing for more stable fish, Shaw didn’t have those same concerns. After sacking up 20 pounds, 6 ounces to jump into contention on Day 2, he followed up with an even 18 pounds on Day 3 for a 52-10 total and the win. Also walloping them on Day 3, Dylan Nutt moved up to finish second with 51-12 for the second event in a row, and Lane and Boggs fell to third and fourth, respectively.
For the win, which was his second Pro Circuit win of the season, Shaw pocketed $100,000. He also moved into the 7 Brew Angler of the Year lead, and with a 13-point edge over Ryan Lachniet, he’ll look to go back-to-back. The winner of the Invitationals Angler of the Year in 2025, Shaw stands a great chance to close it out when the Pro Circuit regular season finishes up at Lake Champlain in July.
Shaw better every time out
In 2025, it was possible to find chinks in Shaw’s armor if you used a magnifying glass, and this year on the Bass Pro Tour, he’s looked mortal several times. But fishing for five, especially when the fish are headed toward a summer pattern, Shaw is very hard to handle. This week at Eufaula (a lake he’d never fished before), he showed off all his skills yet again.
Shaw weighed two fish without the aid of forward-facing sonar: one on Day 1 and one big one on Day 3. He buoyed his weights with a shad spawn.
“I committed the entire [morning] to a shad spawn,” he said. “I was catching some good ones off a gizzard spawn. I committed to a Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer Baby Jack in golden shiner, with a 4.25 Rapala CrushCity Freeloader in gizzard shad.
“It was isolated rockpiles; it seemed like if I could find rock in an area where there wasn’t a lot of rock, it was a guarantee,” he added. “I didn’t realize it was a gizzard shad spawn until the first day of the tournament – I caught them there really good the last day of practice. Then, the first day, gizzards were following me to the boat and bumping my ChatterBait pretty much every cast.”
Shaw and a lot of the other top anglers who ran a sonar-heavy gameplan saved their three hours until later in the morning, or even the afternoon in some cases. It was the right strategy for the week, but it was also a little nerve-racking if the morning wasn’t going well.
“It was definitely a key player,” Shaw explained. “I was able to catch a few fish each day to settle me down. This place changes so much; you can stumble and not catch a limit even when you’re around them.”
Once Shaw fired up his sonar, he fished brush in Longtown and near the dam, staying pretty deep on brush and using a 3/16-ounce VMC Redline Tungsten Swimbait Jighead with a 5 3/4-inch Rapala CrushCity Freeloader in green shad. He threw his minnow on a 6-foot, 10-inch, medium-light 13 Fishing Myth, with 8-pound-test Sufix 832 braid and a 14-pound-test Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon leader.
“I stayed out a little deeper than most guys,” Shaw detailed. “I caught some fish in 15 foot, but a lot of them were out in 20 foot – they weren’t even there in practice. I weighed eight fish over the last two days running new water.
“You could pull up to a brush pile and most people would see all the crappie and everything and not really see the bass. But if you slowed down and dissected everything, the bass would be sitting somewhere around them.”
Using his forward-facing sonar time later in the day was key for Shaw, but he also was able to gamble a little more effectively than some. All three days, he fished both Longtown and the Porum area during his sonar period.
“After fishing the BPT, a 20-minute run doesn’t bother me much anymore,” he said. “That’s what I did at Wheeler. I’ll take a gamble. A lot of guys think they need to stay in the same area, because three hours isn’t a lot. After fishing the BPT, having to catch so many in two and a half hours, if I know I could run a good ways and get around fish that are biting or not going to be pressured, I’m going to do it.”
Going for it all at Champlain
With three major wins under his belt already this year and three Top 10s on the BPT, he’s in the midst of another incredible year. In this one, after a tough Day 1, Shaw never laid up and got the win because of it.
“I feel a lot better now than I was feeling after the first day,” he said. “I made the call today to make a 20-minute run during my forward-facing period, and it definitely worked out. I ran way down the lake and I caught 4-pounder and a 3-pounder and definitely sealed the deal.”
He’s also pretty excited about what is next, and he’s already contemplating a pre-practice run up the Champlain.
“To be going into the next event in the lead for AOY with two wins under my belt already, the pressure is going to be on these guys,” he said. “They’re going to have to run me down. I’m going to be as consistent as I can be, and I love it up there. I couldn’t describe the feeling to go back-to-back for Angler of the Year, and to win two tournaments – it’d be pretty special.”
The top 20 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 5 on Lake Eufaula Presented by K&N Filters finished:
1st: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 52-10, $100,000
2nd: Dylan Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass, 51-12, $23,000
3rd: Cal Lane, Grant, Ala., 15 bass, 51-7, $18,700
4th: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., 15 bass, 50-10, $17,000
5th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 50-9, $16,100
6th: Tripp Berlinsky, St. Cloud, Fla., 15 bass, 49-7, $15,200
7th: Ryan Lachniet, Gum Spring, Va., 15 bass, 48-14, $14,400
8th: Riley Nielsen, Murray, Utah, 15 bass, 47-13, $13,500
9th: Connor Jacob, Peoria, Ill., 15 bass, 46-0, $12,600
10th: Austin Pemberton, Tuscola, Texas, 15 bass, 45-12, $11,800
11th: Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., 15 bass, 45-1, $10,000
12th: Levi Thibodaux, Thibodaux, La., 15 bass, 44-13, $10,000
13th: Ty Faber, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 15 bass, 44-6, $10,000
14th: Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., 15 bass, 44-4, $10,000
15th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 44-1, $10,000
16th: Bobby Bakewell, Orlando, Fla., 15 bass, 43-0, $10,000
17th: Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., 15 bass, 42-9, $10,000
18th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 15 bass, 42-2, $10,000
19th: Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., 15 bass, 42-2, $10,000
20th: Will Harkins, Blairsville, Ga., 15 bass, 41-6, $10,000
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 174 bass weighing 486 pounds, 5 ounces caught by the final 43 pros Sunday. The catch included 29 five-bass limits.
The full field of pros competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top third of the field – 43 pros in this event – based on their two-day cumulative weight, advanced to the final round on Championship Sunday. The winner was determined by heaviest cumulative weight from all three days and awarded the grand prize of up to $135,000.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech Stop 5 on Lake Eufaula Presented by K&N Filters will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 4 on Vice TV.
The 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech features a field of up to 150 professional anglers competing across six tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.8 million and valuable 7 Brew Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for the Pro Circuit Championship, set for Sept. 18-20 on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour – the sport’s premier circuit.
The next event for the 2026 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech is Stop 6 at Lake Champlain, July 24-26 in Plattsburgh, New York.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 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, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, 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.
Matthew Brannon has monster final day to win Kayak Series event at Clear Lake
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Matthew Brannon said not much went right for him on Day 1 of the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Clear Lake presented by Native Watercraft. And still, he entered the second and final day of the tournament in second place.
Then everything went right for Brannon on Sunday, and he left all competitors in his wake.
Brannon, a 49-year-old Santa Rosa, Calif., resident, measured five bass on Sunday for a remarkable 108.5 inches. That gave him a two-day catch of 10 bass totaling 207.75 inches which was plenty enough to blow past Day 1 leader Simon Her, who finished second with 197.5 inches. No other angler in the field of 76 finished within 14 inches of Brannon on legendary Clear Lake.
Brannon earned $4,500 for the win, his first Bassmaster victory.
“I absolutely smashed them for four days when I came up for practice,” Brannon said. “But the weather deteriorated on Saturday. I wanted to go south on the lake, but the wind was gusting up to 33 miles per hour down there and the waves were about 3 or 4 feet at the ramp I was going to use. It looked like the ocean.
“But this is my home water and I knew I could go out of Lakeport, which is mid-lake, and be in the lee side of the wind,” he continued. “But it was cold at daybreak, about 48 degrees, and I was looking for shade lines around docks. Because it was overcast early and I struggled getting fish in the boat. When the sun came out, I started catching. I was somewhat happy with 99 inches, but then I saw Simon was putting on a clinic and I thought I might have gave up the tournament.”
When he saw Sunday morning was sunny and calm, Brannon decided to make a bold move.
“The wind report said it would be pretty mild out there till 11 o’clock, so I decided to cross the lake,” he said. “No one was able to get over there yesterday, so I knew the fish would be fresh. The first fish I caught was 22 1/2 inches. (A camera boat) came by and I told him ‘From now until the end, it’s gonna’ be on fire.’”
It most certainly was.
Brannon fished a series of five docks on the east side of 44,000-acre Clear Lake, each that held multiple bass. He used a Hag’s Prickly Pear 19mm creature bait in Hag Pumpkin color to catch all of his fish, and he only had two rods in his kayak this week. Brannon said having less gear made it possible for him to slip underneath the dock walkways, maximizing his efficiency as he navigated the shoreline.
“I had two that weighed over 8 pounds, and the 19 3/4-inch fish I had weighed 6-8,” he said. “The five fish I kept weighed between 36 and 37 pounds, total. They were all filled with (threadfin) shad. They’re all gorging. There’s more bait in the lake than locals have seen in a long time, maybe ever.”
Brannon said the urchin bait he used is new to bass on Clear Lake, and he believes that’s the overwhelming reason bass have been attacking it.
“When we first started shaking a minnow out here, the bass would hit it with reckless abandon,” he said. “You can’t do that anymore. You have to coax them in. The urchin is what the minnow used to be. They immediately come up on it. You can’t just hang it there, though. You give them a look at it, and pop it, moving it away from them. They have a hard time resisting it when you do that.”
Brannon is a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, serving currently as a Senior Chief Electronics Technician. With the incredible productivity of Clear Lake just more than an hour from his home, it’s no wonder he’s petitioned to stay more than half of his military career in coastal California.
“I do two things,” he said, “and that’s fish for bass and hunt for ducks. And both of them are pretty incredible here.”
The Top 5 anglers in the derby earned a spot in the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft. That event is scheduled for Oct. 14-16 on South Carolina’s Lake Murray.
The Top 7 finishers at Clear Lake also collected cash winnings. Behind Brannon and Her are third, Oregon’s Brandon Hua, 193 inches, $1,800; fourth, California’s Aaron Hart, 182.25, $1,500; fifth, Utah’s Caymen Rasmussen, 182, $1,200; sixth, California’s Solwazi Allah, 181.5, $1,000; and seventh, California’s Dang Xiong, 174.25, $800.
A full list of results from the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Clear Lake presented by Native Watercraft can be found here.
Her caught the big bass of the event — a 23.5 inch largemouth he hooked on Day 2, good for an additional $500 prize. That hefty bass helped him shake a rough morning and claw his way back to a podium finish.
Jackson Family Wines and Trimyc Mechanical, Inc. hosted the tournament.
2026 Bassmaster Kayak Series
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.
