SCHROEDER WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON KENTUCKY LAKE
Co-angler Title Goes to Paducah’s Konas
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2019) – Boater Billy Schroeder of Paducah, Kentucky, brought a two-day total of seven bass to the scale Sunday weighing 22 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) LBL Division super-tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. Schroeder earned $6,122 for his efforts.
Fishing in his 200th tournament with FLW, Schroeder said he primarily fished brush piles with a 9/16-ounce green-pumpkin jig with a Zoom Salty Pro Chunk.
“It was sheer knowledge of the lake that allowed me to win,” said Schroeder, who earned his sixth career victory. “I started out on Saturday trying to get something established, so it took me a couple of hours to figure it out. I tried topwater around some stumps and rock. For some reason these fish aren’t on stumps right now, I guess the water hasn’t cooled down enough. They’ll get on stumps in the next two or three weeks, but I never had a single bite on stumps. Once I started fishing those brush piles I started getting bites. I probably fished 20 on Saturday and 30 or 40 on Sunday, and I still had more I could have fished.”
Plagued by lost fish on Saturday, Schroeder turned it around in a big way on Sunday. Starting off with a fish on a bone-colored Evergreen Shower Blow topwater bait, he turned to the brush piles the rest of the day.
“It’s old-school fishing. It’s the way I like to fish, and it’s the way I’ve been fishing all my life,” said Schroeder. “Once I got in the meat of the brush pile I kept my jig in them as long as I could, and if I didn’t get bit I went on to the next one.
“At 10:20 on Sunday I had two fish and I made a decision to go south of Paris,” Schroeder said. “As I was running I came by some buoys and saw the current was pulling pretty hard. So, as I ran toward Paris I actually changed my location and started fishing some brush piles out in the lake, and I was glad I did, because I caught two on the first one I stopped on and two on the next one.”
Schroeder said he never fished south of Kenlake on Saturday, and primarily fished brush piles in the bays on the first day. Though he fished deeper piles on both days, Schroeder said that brush in about 12 feet was the best.
“It’s been a while since I won one,” said Schroeder of his win. “I think it’s time on the water that’s killing me, because my fishing on Saturday was really, really rusty. If I’d have been fishing four days a week like when I was winning a lot I might have done even better.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Billy Schroeder, Paducah, Ky., seven bass, 22-12, $6,122
2nd: Daniel Johnson, Lebanon, Tenn., eight bass, 21-0, $2,511
3rd: Tommy Williams, Shepherdsville, Ky. nine bass, 19-11, $1,374
4th: Larry Bailey, Paducah, Ky., seven bass, 19-7, $1,112
5th: Harry Barber, Earlington, Ky., six bass, 18-1, $824
6th: Daniel Langton, Haubstadt, Ind., six bass, 17-1, $756
7th: Eric Sanders, Lexington, Ky., six bass, 16-13, $787
8th: Stu Moyer, Indianapolis, Ind., six bass, 14-11, $918
9th: Keith Amerson, Bethel Springs, Tenn., six bass, 14-2, $550
10th: Daniel Sepeck, West Union, Ohio, six bass, 13-0, $481
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Scott McGlinchey of Dexter, Kentucky, caught a 7-pound, 2-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $457.
Paducah, Kentucky’s Jim Konas won the Co-angler Division and $2,061 Sunday after catching a two-day total of five bass weighing 14 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Jim Konas, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 14-1, $2,061
2nd: Aaron Grainger, Bloomfield, Mo., four bass, 13-0, $1,031
3rd: Alan Scott, Shelbyville, Ind., five bass, 12-9, $686
4th: Barry Gunter, Trafalger, Ind., four bass, 12-8, $681
5th: Bill Wasden, Paris, Tenn., four bass, 10-7, $462
6th: Gary Huber II, Saint Charles, Mo., three bass, 9-4, $378
7th: Paul McBride, Vienna, Ill., two bass, 8-4, $573
8th: Charles Richardson III, Dyersburg, Tenn., three bass, 7-15, $309
9th: Chad Sellars, Henderson, Ky., two bass, 5-14, $275
10th: Ed Daniell, West Frankfort, Ill., two bass, 5-6 $240
McBride caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $229.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Guntersville presented by Mercury Marine in Guntersville, Alabama. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
JOHN MURRAY WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON WATTS BAR LAKE
Washburn’s Crooke Wins Co-angler Division
ROCKWOOD, Tenn. (Sept. 16, 2019) – Boater John Murray of Spring City, Tennessee, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 28 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Volunteer Division super-tournament on Watts Bar Lake Sunday. Murray earned $7,334 for his efforts.
“I fished in the lower end of the lake, main-lake near the dam,” said Murray, a West Coast fishing legend who has accumulated more than $1.2 million dollars in career earnings as a professional angler. “I felt pretty good about this tournament, because I had a good shallow-water pattern and also a couple of deep areas for when the weather cleared up and got sunny.
“Saturday was awesome – I think I caught around 15 to 20 keepers,” Murray continued. “Both my co-angler and I had great days – he ended up winning as well. Sunday was tough, though. I only boated five keepers, and my co-angler only boated two. Luckily, it was enough for us to both get the wins.”
Murray said that of the 10 fish that he weighed in, seven – including his big ones – came from his shallow-water pattern while three came from out deep. Murray threw a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer with a clear-sparkle-colored shad-shaped fluke-type bait while fishing shallow and drop-shotted a red bug-colored Gene Larew TattleTail Worm out deep.
“The key was having my deep spots for when the sun got up,” Murray said. “A couple of the deep areas were loaded up, and I was able to find them using my Garmin electronics to key in on the right spots.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-11, $5,334 + $2,000 Ranger Cup
2nd: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-1, $2,667
3rd: Lance Doughty, Sweetwater, Tenn., nine bass, 24-12, $1,444
4th: Tyler Meredith, Oliver Springs, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-0, $1,111
5th: Jonathan Bowling, Harriman, Tenn., nine bass, 23-0, $1,117
6th: Derek Lehtonen, Woodruff, S.C., nine bass, 21-12, $795
7th: Joseph Tallent, Madisonville, Tenn., eight bass, 21-0, $1,217
8th: Alex Hester, Crossville, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-8, $650
9th: Tee Watkins, East Point, Ky., seven bass, 16-15, $728
10th: Archie Wilson Jr., Corryton, Tenn., nine bass, 16-9, $506
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tallent caught a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $495.
Curtis Crooke of Washburn, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $2,312 Sunday after catching a two-day total of seven bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Curtis Crooke, Washburn, Tenn., seven bass, 16-7, $2,312
2nd: Marty Barnes, Crossville, Tenn., six bass, 14-11, $1,181
3rd: William Kissinger, Knoxville, Tenn., four bass, 11-15, $963
4th: Eric Moore, Union, Ky., four bass, 10-1, $505
5th: Brandon Harris, Spring City, Tenn., six bass, 9-15, $482
6th: Brandon Garrison, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 9-5, $396
7th: Bill King, Greenback, Tenn., seven bass, 9-3, $360
8th: Chris Frazier, Gate City, Va., five bass, 8-15, $324
9th: Larry Brumett Jr., Bristol, Tenn., four bass, 8-8, $388
10th: Tom Godsey, Chickamauga, Ga., four bass, 6-6, $252
Kissinger caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $240.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell presented by Navionics in Seneca, South Carolina. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
LEARY WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON LAKE GUNTERSVILLE PRESENTED BY CORTLAND LINE
Anniston’s Corbett Wins Co-angler Division
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 16, 2019) – Local angler Jim Leary of Guntersville, Alabama, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 37 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Choo Choo Division super-tournament on Lake Guntersville presented by Cortland Line Sunday. Leary earned $5,869 for his efforts.
Leary spent most of his time on Day One fishing grass mats in the mid-section of the lake, between South Sauty Creek and Goose Pond.
“I knew I couldn’t win the tournament on Day One, but I could lose it,” said Leary who earned his first career victory. “The first day was tough, but I was able to frog and flip up 16 pounds, 9 ounces to keep myself in the game.”
“On Day Two I started out flipping deeper, submerged grass. That is where I caught my biggest fish of the tournament – a 7- or 8-pounder,” Leary continued. “Right after catching the big one, I caught another 5-pounder in the same grass patch.”
Leary said the grass mats he targeted were not as dependent on current as some of the other popular areas further up the lake.
“The TVA was only pulling 12,000 (cubic feet per second) on Day Two so I went to my spots where I knew the fish didn’t need the current to turn on,” he said.
Leary’s frog of choice over the weekend was a Castaic Boyd Duckett BD Frog. When the Guntersville guide needed to get deep in the grass, he opted for a NetBait Paca Craw with a 1¼-ounce tungsten weight.
“The Paca Craw was a little bit tougher to punch the mat with, but once I got it through, I could yo-yo the bait seven or eight times and the fish would eat,” Leary said.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jim Leary, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 37-12, $5,869
2nd: Charles Hemm, Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 33-5, $2,634
3rd: Casey Martin, Brownsboro, Ala., 10 bass, 33-1, $1,623
4th: Marshall Deakins, Dunlap, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-9, $1,236
5th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 31-2, $974
6th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., 10 bass, 27-12, $893
7th: Randall Allen, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 10 bass, 27-7, $811
8th: Justin Wallace, Scottsboro, Ala., eight bass, 27-2, $730
9th: Daniel Whitaker, Phil Campbell, Ala., 10 bass, 26-11, $649
10th: Kenny Everette, Villa Rica, Ga., 10 bass, 23-13, $568
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Fletcher Shryrock of Dennison, Ohio, caught a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $585.
Anniston, Alabama's Marcus Corbett won the Co-angler Division and $2,684 Sunday after catching a two-day total of nine bass weighing 22 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Marcus Corbett, Anniston, Ala., nine bass, 22-10, $2,684
2nd: Ethan Wheeler, Mayfield, Ky., nine bass, 21-11, $1,367
3rd: Cameron Gatlin, Chattanooga, Tenn., nine bass, 21-6, $1,105
4th: Richard Lucia, Buford, Ga., nine bass, 21-5, $568
5th: Mark Lyons, Marion, Ind., 10 bass, 21-0, $487
6th: Chase Owens, Athens, Ala., eight bass, 20-12, $446
7th: Matt Hardy, Guntown, Miss., nine bass, 18-15, $406
8th: Steven Jacques, Addison, Ala., seven bass, 16-15, $365
9th: Bruce Stanley, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 15-11, $325
10th: Jacob Gardner, Arab, Ala., eight bass, 14-8, $284
Cameron Gatlin caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $292.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
SEAL WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT AT 1000 ISLANDS
Baltimore’s Duarte Wins Co-angler Division
CLAYTON, N.Y. (Sept. 16, 2019) – Boater Zackery Seal of Findley Lake, New York, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 44 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Northeast Division super-tournament at the 1000 Islands Sunday. Seal earned $6,066 for his efforts. The Northeast Division is presented by Gajo Baits.
“It was the same deal both days,” said Seal, who earned the first BFL win of his career. “The first day the wind was blowing right out of the southwest, and there were 6- to 8-footers where I was fishing, so it made it real hard to stay on them. The second day the wind laid down and it was absolutely perfect.”
Seal said he fished in the St. Lawrence River both days, and on Day Two he and co-angler Michael Duarte both caught more than 22 pounds and moved up from second place for the win.
“It was just standard stuff – I was fishing from 20 to 40 feet around rocks, and I found an area that had some big ones,” said Seal. “I only lost one fish both days, so that was good. Those smallmouths get your heart pumping when they show themselves and then turn and go right back down.”
Seal said he caught all his fish on a drop-shot rig with a green pumpkin-colored Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm, straight 8-pound-test fluorocarbon line and ½- and 3/8-ounce weights.
“This is my first win, it was awesome,” said Seal. “I hadn’t fished tournaments in quite a while, and I’m starting to get back into it a bit. I just love going up there, and I caught ‘em both days. The second day we just crushed them. As we went on through the day and started catching those big ones you start thinking about it, and then being on stage and watching the scales settle – it was awesome.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Zackery Seal, Findley Lake, N.Y., 10 bass, 44-4, $6,066
2nd: Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 10 bass, 44-3, $3,233
3rd: Ronald Penders Jr., Rochester, N.Y., 10 bass, 39-15, $2,424
4th: Joseph Fonzi, Gasport, N.Y., 10 bass, 39-14, $1,415
5th: Dean Meckes, Clayton, N.Y., 10 bass, 39-2, $1,213
6th: Brian Bylotas, Scott Township, Penn., 10 bass, 39-1, $1,362
7th: Kyle Hall, Rio Vista, Texas, 10 bass, 38-5, $1,011
8th: Brett Holmes, Hudson, N.Y., 10 bass, 38-2, $910
9th: Evan Luta, Bradford, N.Y., 10 bass, 38-1, $1,641
10th: Brad Elwood, Clear Spring, Md., 10 bass, 37-15, $708
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Luta caught a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $832.
Baltimore, Maryland’s Michael Duarte won the Co-angler Division and $3,133 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 45 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Michael Duarte, Baltimore, Md., 10 bass, 45-5, $3,133
2nd: Jim Buehler, Montoursville, Penn., 10 bass, 39-1, $1,567
3rd: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., 10 bass, 38-15, $1,160
4th: Ted Kephart, Philipsburg, Penn., 10 bass, 38-2, $708
5th: Kyle Schmidt, Monticello, N.Y., 10 bass, 34-5, $607
6th: Kyle Richardt, Raleigh, N.C., 10 bass, 30-8, $556
7th: Phillip Manning, Bellefonte, Penn., 10 bass, 29-7, $506
8th: Calvin Schwenk, Schwenksville, Penn., 10 bass, 28-12, $455
9th: Scott Weaver Jr., Reading, Penn., 10 bass, 27-4, $404
10th: Michael Seamon, Tully, N.Y., 10 bass, 26-8, $454
Joseph Murphy of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds even. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $416.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
ELROD WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON JAMES RIVER
Chester’s Deciucis Wins Co-angler Division
HENRICO, Va. (Sept. 16, 2019) – Boater Bryan Elrod of Mechanicsville, Virginia, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 29 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division super-tournament on the James River Sunday. Elrod earned $3,542 for his efforts.
“I started each morning making the 45-minute run down to Chickahominy Creek, then I’d work my way back up with the low tide,” said Elrod, who earned his fifth career BFL victory – third this season. “I was flipping a green-pumpkin Zoom Brush Hog and throwing a 4- to 6-foot diving crankbait around wood. I probably caught around 7 or 8 keepers each day.”
Elrod said that of the 10 fish that he brought to the scale, five came on the Brush Hog and five came on the unnamed crankbait.
“I was just rotating the baits, throwing them in the same areas,” Elrod said. “I think there were two keys to my victory. One was my Evinrude outboard. I made a long run on both days and it ran efficiently and flawlessly – a huge weight off of your shoulders when we’re on the water. I also think that my local knowledge of the river was key. With the tides, you have to be in the right area at the right time and I knew what I was looking for.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., 10 bass, 29-7, $3,542
2nd: Wesley Farmer, New Kent, Va., 10 bass, 26-13, $1,821
3rd: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., 10 bass, 26-8, $1,578
4th: Rob Uzzle, Hampton, Va., 10 bass, 25-14, $902
5th: Richard Owen, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 25-2, $648
6th: Brandon Stapleton, Temperanceville, Va., 10 bass, 24-2, $594
7th: Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., 10 bass, 22-12, $540
8th: Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., five bass, 11-15
9th: Joe Pautler, Catonsville, Md., five bass, 11-7
10th: Stephen Miller, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 11-7
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Uzzle caught a 4-pound, 7-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $146.
Chester, Virginia’s Davis Deciucis won the Co-angler Division and $1,621 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 22 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 22-15, $1,621
2nd: Jamie Newton, Falls Church, Va., 10 bass, 20-4, $957
3rd: Brandt Thompson, Richmond, Va., nine bass, 17-4, $791
4th: Patrick Lambert, Woodbridge, Va., five bass, 13-13, $478
5th: Danny Crickenberger, Charlottesville, Va., seven bass, 12-7, $324
6th: Gregory Chuhta, Germantown, Md., six bass, 9-13, $297
7th: Anthony Shanz, Selbyville, Del., five bass, 9-6, $320
8th: David Barlow, Disputanta, Va., three bass, 6-11
9th: Dillon Reid, Ashland, Va., two bass, 6-4
10th: Rob Hilliard, Vinton, Va., four bass, 6-3
Newton caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $146.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
FITZPATRICK WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS
Ballwin’s Saffle Wins Co-angler Division
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 16, 2019) – Boater Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 36 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division presented by Bassing Bob super-tournament on Lake of the Ozarks Sunday. For his victory, Fitzpatrick earned $6,891 for his efforts.
“My home is in the Gravois arm, so I like to fish on the north shore,” said Fitzpatrick, who earned his seventh career BFL victory. “I had two different patterns going – I’d fish docks in the morning with a black and blue jig, then later in the day I’d move out to the ledges.
“The deeper ledge fish were the key,” Fitzpatrick said. “They were bigger, but they didn’t bite in the morning – it had to be later in the day. It also takes heavy boat traffic for me to catch them, so I had to be patient and not go to the ledge fish too soon. Those morning docks ended up giving me some very key fish.”
Fitzpatrick said his key bait was a black-and-blue-colored Omega Pro Mega Structure jig tipped with a BioSpawn VileBug, as he weighed in nine of his 10 keepers on the jig. He also weighed in one keeper on a white Berkley Choppo that came on a seawall.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 36-3, $6,891
2nd: Lawson Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., 10 bass, 31-9, $3,345
3rd: Donovan Hensley, Nixa, Mo., 10 bass, 30-11, $2,329
4th: Marcus Sykora, Osage Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 29-10, $1,561
5th: Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., 10 bass, 29-2, $1,338
6th: Kirk Smith, Edmond, Okla., 10 bass, 28-4, $1,227
7th: Rob Bueltmann, Osage Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 27-4, $1,115
8th: Andre Dickneite, Freeburg, Mo., nine bass, 26-4, $1,004
9th: Tom Silber, Labadie, Mo., 10 bass, 26-3, $892
10th: Shonn Goodwin, Moore, Okla., 10 bass, 25-15, $1,031
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Chuck Austin of Saint Peters, Missouri, caught a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $960.
Dillon Saffle of Ballwin, Missouri won the Co-angler Division and $3,545 Sunday after catching a two-day total of six bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Dillon Saffle, Ballwin, Mo., six bass, 15-13, $3,545
2nd: Bill Amis, Shawnee, Kan., five bass, 14-8, $1,673
3rd: Paul Davis, Battlefield, Mo., five bass, 14-7, $1,166
4th: Paul Jung, Cuba, Mo., six bass, 14-4, $781
5th: Joe Tucker, Osceola, Mo., seven bass, 14-4, $819
6th: Ray Larson, Springfield, Ill., four bass, 13-6, $613
7th: Ryan Hopping, Lake Saint Louis, Mo., four bass, 13-6, $558
8th: Scott Parsons, Rogers, Ark., seven bass, 13-3, $502
9th: Vi Nguyen, Pevely, Mo., five bass, 12-12, $446
10th: Brandon Hecker, Camdenton, Mo., four bass, 12-8, $870
Hecker caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $480.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 24-26 BFL Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Local experts preview Lake Tenkiller Elite Series
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Former Bassmaster Elite Series competitor Chip Porché began fishing Lake Tenkiller with his dad at age 8. He now works for Tulsa-based Dynamic Sponsorships, and continues to fish Tenkiller regularly. Recent high school national bass fishing champ Jeremy Tolle is now a Carhartt College Series angler from nearby Northeastern State. Tolle’s family has had cabins on Tenkiller since the 1970s, and Jeremy estimates he fishes there 100 days a year.
And then there’s local boy Cooper Hall. He has lived his entire life in the Ozark terrain that surrounds the gorgeous reservoir. Hall was once neighbors with Tenkiller resident and top pro Jason Christie, and fishes Tenkiller 120 days a year.
These three relatively young bucks share an exceptional in-depth knowledge of Tenkiller, and they were excited to offer their take on what fans and Bassmaster Elite Series pros can expect this week on the Eastern Oklahoma reservoir that was impounded 66 years ago.
Q: Lake Tenkiller is one of the greatest smallmouth fisheries in Oklahoma. What percentage of all the bass weighed-in during the Elite Series this week do you think will be smallmouth?
Porché:35%
Tolle:20%
Hall:40%
Q: This tournament features a rare and challenging 16” minimum length limit for largemouth and smallmouth. How challenging will it be to catch a 5-bass limit each day with a rather lofty minimum length rule?
Porché:It’s for sure tough to catch five that big in September on Tenkiller. Let’s just say they’ll be a ton of 15” fish caught and thrown back that never see the weigh in.
Tolle:There will be lots of 14 and 15” caught, but 16-inch fish are definitely tougher to catch here at this time of year.
Hall:To be honest, I’m so used the 16” minimum here; it’s no big deal. But I’ll say this; it forces you to utilize patterns that target bigger fish.
Q: Tenkiller was 20 to 30 feet above normal pool throughout much of the summer, but it’s finally dropped rapidly to near normal. How will the drastic change in water levels affect this tournament?
Porché:It will make this week better, because the water was so high that fishing pressure was very limited most of this summer. Plus, it’s added a healthy stain to a normally pretty clear reservoir.
Tolle:The falling water will keep the deep water summer patterns more in play, rather than spreading the fish out in flooded shoreline bushes.
Hall:The falling water creates current and that makes smallmouth chew! Plus, the high water took a ton of fishing pressure off this lake most of the summer.
Q: Tenkiller is 35 miles long, but it’s upper portion is very river like, compared to the mostly Ozark Mountain looking reservoir that comprises most of it’s 13,000 surface acres. How much will the upper river-like portion play a factor this week?
Porché:There will be fish caught in the river for sure, but I think the guy who wins will have productive areas from the river all the way down to the dam.
Tolle:I’ll guess that two of the Top 10 anglers will catch most of their weight in the river this week.
Hall:There’s fewer fish up in the river, but the quality size sure lives up there. So if you get the right five bites in the river, it could be magical.
Q: Name two lures you wouldn’t leave the official launch ramp at Chicken Creek without this week?
Porche:Whopper Plopper, and a ¾ ounce football jig.
Tolle:Zoom redbug trick worm, and a 10” blue fleck worm.
Hall:Pop R, and a ½ ounce green pumpkin football jig.
Q: How much weight will an Elite Series pro need to average each day this week to make Sunday’s Top 10 championship round?
Porché:11 or 12 pounds per day.
Tolle:I’d say 15 or 16 pounds a day to make the Top 10.
Hall:I’ll say 14 pounds a day for a Top 10.
Wisconsin Angler Bob Downey Secures Bassmaster Classic Berth With Open Win At Grand
| Wisconsin angler Bob Downey wins the 2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Grand Lake with a three-day total of 48 pounds, 9 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
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Kimura Maintains Lead On Day 2 At Bassmaster Central Open On Grand Lake
| Angler Kenta Kimura of Osaka, Japan is leading on Day 2 of the 2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Grand Lake with 34 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
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AC Rookie Podcast with Elite Series Rookie Patrick Walters!
This week Jason catches back up with Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year Contender Patrick Walters as he prepares for the final regular season Elite Series event in Oklahoma.
Kimura Tops 20-Pound Mark, Takes Lead In Bassmaster Central Open At Grand Lake
| Angler Kenta Kimura of Osaka, Japan is leading on Day 1 of the 2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Grand Lake with 20 pounds, 6 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
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Bassmaster Elite Series 2020 Schedule Puts Emphasis On Big Bass Fisheries
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Early Action Puts Hogan In Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Event On Sebago Lake
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100th Episode Celebration Featuring 2020 Classic Qualifier Grae Buck!
Its a special week here on the AC Insider as the boys and the Circus celebrate their 100th Episode by welcoming in your 2020 Classic Qualifier and Bass Opens Champ Grae Buck! Things get interesting as the U-pick em points race tightens up and more! Check it out!
Grand Lake Set For Next Basspro.com Central Open Stop
GROVE, Okla. — Darold Gleason’s predicting a wide-open playing field with plenty of options, but challenging conditions, for the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open, Sept. 12-14 on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake.
Gleason, the Louisiana pro who won the division opener on Toledo Bend in late February, has been practicing on Grand for about 10 days. He reports a consistent swelter with calm, stable weather that appears to be the precursor for the tournament week.
“It’s going to be a grinder,” Gleason said. “It’s been really, really hot in Oklahoma with daytime temperatures in the mid-90’s and the heat index around 100. There hasn’t been much wind or clouds and it kinda looks like that will continue. The long-range forecasts I’ve seen don’t show any kind of front.
“They’ve had a ton of rain this year, like everywhere else has and I think we’re finally getting to the point where that’s going to lay off and the lake’s going to stabilize.”
On that note, let’s look at the tournament waters.
Lake Profile
• Proper name: Grand Lake of the Cherokees
• The 1940 completion of the Pensacola Dam on the lower Neosho River (aka Grand River) completed this 46,500-acre reservoir located in the Ozark foothills.
• With 460 miles of shoreline and an average depth of about 36 feet, Grand Lake is operated by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA).
• Lake complexion comprises rocky shorelines, marinas/docks, bridges, points, riprap and scattered laydowns. Prominent arms include the Elk River, Neosho River, Wolf Creek, Honey Creek, Horse Creek and Drowning Creek.
• At one week before the tournament, Grand lake stands about 2.23 feet above the seasonal conservation pool level of 743.
“Clarity’s fair; it’s not superclear but it’s fine,” Gleason said. “You can see 1 1/2 to 2 feet in most places. I would like to see some wind to stir things up. A lot of the bait’s suspended and the fish are roaming, so if we get some sustained wind, which I haven’t seen any of, I think that will corral some shad on the bank and put the fish in more of a feeding mode.”
How They’ll Fish
“The fish are in a fall transition and I think the biggest thing will be adjusting each day to what the fish are doing,” Gleason said. “You may be catching them a certain way in practice, but if we get a little wind blowing in a different direction, or if we get a little cloud cover, it’s going to be all about dropping what you’re doing and making those changes. I think the key to success will be staying on your toes.”
Predicting what he termed a “junker’s delight,” Gleason explains that mid-September will see a mix of fish clinging to summer patterns, while others embrace the inevitable seasonal shift.
“It doesn’t seem that any one technique really stands out, so you can kind of do what you want to do,” Gleason said. “You’ll have some guys fishing docks, but even that is versatile. The lake has docks in 5 feet and it has docks in 40 feet. The way the fish are scattered, there are a few on all of them.”
Come tournament time, the bait selection is likely to include just about anything from shallow topwaters, to shaky heads, to deep cranking and dragging big worms. That being said, Gleason points out that his highest confidence is with those Grand Lake docks.
“Unless someone finds a honey hole out deep and just grinds on it, I think if a guy figures out a little dock pattern in a couple different creeks, that’s going to be the stand-out deal,” Gleason said.
Sticking It Out
Whatever competitors pursue, Gleason said performance will require patience and perseverance.
“I think you have to put your head down, keep the trolling motor on, cover a lot of areas and when you get a little something going, just run with it,” he said. “It seems like there are little bite windows each day where you’ll get three or four in an hour and then you’ll go four or five hours without a bite.
“I feel like you’re going to have to capitalize whenever that bite’s happening. You’re going to have to make hay while it’s happening.”
Gleason said he’s looking for about 13 to 14 pounds a day to make the final round cut. For a winning total, he can see it taking 47 to 48.
“This is such a great lake and it has a lot of fish in it,” Gleason said. “Someone’s always going to catch ‘em.”
Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau is the local host for this event.
YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING NORTHERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT ON LAKE ERIE
SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 9, 2019) – The Youngstown State University duo of Jeffrey Jardine of Niles, Ohio, and Mike Soots of McDonald, Ohio, won the YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Erie with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds even. The victory earned the Penguins’ bass club $2,000 and a slot in the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
“It was a pretty slow morning – we only had two smallmouth bass in the livewell by noon,” said Soots, a senior majoring in criminal justice. “Around 12:15, with two hours left in the day, we made a move back to a shoal that we had fished that morning – near Kelly Island – and it was on. I reeled in a 5-pound smallmouth and as I was unhooking it, Jeff got into a 4½-pounder. We caught three good ones within 20 minutes.”
“We had talked about scrapping the shoals and moving back into Sandusky Bay, but we made the decision to have patience and just grind it out on the shoals – we knew we were going to hero or zero – and I am so glad we stuck with it,” added Jardine, a senior majoring in business administration.
The duo fished two main baits to catch the majority of their fish – Soots a Ned Rig and Jardine a drop-shot rig. Soots’ Ned rig setup was a New Money-colored Z-Man TRD, while Jardine used a green-pumpkin-sky-colored Verbinator Baits Little Donkey stickbait on his drop-shot rig.
“We ended up catching seven or eight keepers throughout the day, and if it had been a sheepshead tournament we would have won that, too,” joked Soots. “I must have caught around 20 sheepshead throughout the day.”
“Mike and I work really well together as a team, and I think that is crucial to do well in these events,” Jardine went on to say. “We had so many problems that we had to overcome – our front graph stopped working, our trolling motor wasn’t working great, and I was hobbling around with a broken foot. It’s nice to have a teammate that works with me and I am comfortable with.”
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2020 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Youngstown State University – Jeffrey Jardine, Niles, Ohio, and Mike Soots, McDonald, Ohio, five bass, 22-0, $2,000
2nd: Ohio State University – Colton Lindsey, Raymond, Ohio, and Allex Conner, Delaware, Ohio, five bass, 20-3, $1,000
3rd: Adrian College – Ryan Sharnas, Davison, Mich., and Chase Serafin, White Lake, Mich., five bass, 20-1, $1,150
4th: Adrian College – Collin Torrey, Coldwater, Mich., and Jacob Emery, Brownstown, Mich., five bass, 18-3, $500
5th: Bowling Green State University – Jamesen Simion, Saline, Mich., and Cameron Wilt, Alvada, Ohio, five bass, 16-14, $500
6th: Youngstown State University – Cody Allen, Cortland, Ohio, and Brandon Freer, Youngstown, Ohio, five bass, 16-10, $450
7th: Radford University – Joshua Greenburg, Montpelier, Va., and Christopher Butler, Radford, Va., five bass, 16-4
8th: California University of Pennsylvania – Colton Higgins, Waynesburg, Pa., and Eric Freeman, Schuylkill Haven, Pa., five bass, 16-0
9th: University of Akron – Jonathan Harter, Norton, Ohio, and Josh Kelly, Cortland, Ohio, five bass, 15-14
10th: Adrian College – Carter Ball, Noblesville, Ind., and Micah Hutchinson Jr., Pittsford, Mich., five bass, 15-8
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Erie was hosted by the City of Sandusky. It was the third and final regular-season qualifying tournament for Northern Conference anglers. The next event for FLW College Fishing anglers will be a Southern conference event – the YETI FLW College Fishing tournament on the Arkansas River presented by Bass Pro Shops, Sept. 20 in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship, scheduled for Feb. 26-28 on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
SHADOWENS WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON GRAND LAKE
Co-Angler Title Goes to Oklahoma City’s Bradford
GROVE, Okla. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Boater Mark Shadowens of Kiefer, Oklahoma, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Okie Division tournament on Grand Lake Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 3 ounces. For his finish, Shadowens pocketed $5,704.
Shadowens said he caught nine of the 10 fish he weighed on a green pumpkin-colored Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a 5/16-ounce homemade wobblehead.
“I was fishing boat docks in 5 to 10 feet of water in the Horse Creek arm of the lake,” said Shadowens, who notched his first career win in FLW competition. “I had two areas that were about 50 yards apiece, and I just rotated back and forth between them for two days.
“I caught fish on the backs of the docks and I caught them on the front of them,” continued Shadowens. “I caught six keepers each day – about a bite every hour. It was just kind of random where they were sitting. It didn’t matter the time of day.”
Shadowens said he weighed all largemouth, including one he caught on a ½-ounce custom brown jig with a 3½-inch green pumpkin Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer.
My [7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy] Falcon BuCoo [SR Casting] rod was a big part of my catch. The bite was pretty subtle and it helped me feel them and get them in the boat.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mark Shadowens, Kiefer, Okla., 10 bass, 29-3, $5,704
2nd: Joel Baker, Talala, Okla., 10 bass, 28-0, $2,852
3rd: Shonn Goodwin, Moore, Okla., 10 bass, 27-10, $2,085
4th: Ed Barton, Vian, Okla., 10 bass, 27-4, $1,284
5th: Steven McLarty, Broken Arrow, Okla., eight bass, 26-12, $1,806
6th: Thomas Canady, Collinsville, Okla., 10 bass, 25-13, $1,159
7th: John Shore, Owasso, Okla., 10 bass, 24-5, $917
8th: Trevis Unger, Towanda, Kan., 10 bass, 22-11, $826
9th: Mick Fenn, Grove, Okla., nine bass, 22-6, $734
10th: James Marsh, Thomas, Okla., 10 bass, 22-4, $642
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
McLarty caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $705.
Bryant Bradford of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, won the Co-angler Division and $3,102 Sunday after catching a two-day total of eight bass weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Bryant Bradford, Oklahoma City, Okla., eight bass, 21-5, $3,102
2nd: Steve Bradfield, Claremore, Okla., seven bass, 20-1, $1,376
3rd: Bryan Schuster, Oklahoma City, Okla., eight bass, 18-0, $1,068
4th: Blayke Haggard, Gans, Okla., eight bass, 17-13, $642
5th: Harold Frazier, Okmulgee, Okla., seven bass , 16-3, $550
6th: Steven Whitaker, Sallisaw, Okla., six bass, 16-0, $505
7th: Matthew Palesano, Chickasha, Okla., six bass, 15-14, $459
8th: Cord Colwell, Pryor, Okla., six bass, 15-10, $413
9th: Nathan Colwell, Pryor, Okla., six bass, 14-9, $367
10th: Jonathan Jones, Grain Valley, Mo., four bass, 13-4, $321
Scott Suver of South Greenfield, Missouri, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 7 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $352.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee, presented by Evinrude. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
HAWKINS WINS TWO-DAY T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE
Maryland’s Gardner Wins Co-angler Division
HUDDLESTON, Va. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Boater Rick Hawkins of Roanoke, Virginia, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 31 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the two-day T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Piedmont Division super-tournament on Smith Mountain Lake. Hawkins earned $4,682 for his efforts.
“I chose to fish the Roanoke arm the first day and the Blackwater arm the second day,” said Hawkins, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “However, it was the same pattern – finding baitfish that were relating to structure in that 20-foot-range and throwing crankbaits.”
Hawkins said that he used a variety of crankbaits to catch his fish throughout the weekend – Rapala DT14 and DT20s, a Strike King 6XD and a 6th Sense Cloud 9. He said he stuck mainly with shad-colored baits – lots of grays, silvers and whites.
“I landed six keeper bites each day,” Hawkins continued. “However, I did have a couple come off that would have helped me. The key was relating the baitfish to the cover at the right depth. If there were baitfish but no cover, there was no fish. If there was cover but no baitfish, there was no fish. I also made around 1000 casts each day. I just kept plugging – so many casts and only six bites a day.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Rick Hawkins, Roanoke, Va., 10 bass, 31-10, $4,682
2nd: Chris Dillow, Waynesboro, Va., 10 bass, 31-10, $2,341
3rd: Bryan Humphreys, Lewisburg, W. Va., nine bass, 28-14, $1,562
4th: Rick Tilley, Moneta, Va., 10 bass, 28-5, $1,092
5th: Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., 10 bass, 28-5, $936
6th: Trevis Towe, Daleville, Va., 10 bass, 25-13, $858
7th: Jack Dice, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 24-6, $1,030
8th: Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., 10 bass, 23-15, $1,002
9th: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., 10 bass, 23-12, $974
10th: Keith Roberts, Hurt, Va., 10 bass, 22-1, $646
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tommy Little of Chester, Virginia, caught a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the event’s Boater Big Bass award of $562.
Jessup, Maryland’s Cort Gardner won the Co-angler Division and $2,622 Sunday after catching a two-day total of six bass weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Cort Gardner, Jessup, Md., six bass, 20-7, $2,622
2nd: Brian LaClair, Denton, Md., eight bass, 19-1, $1,170
3rd: Sergio Render, Christianburg, Va., seven bass, 17-5, $783
4th: Mark Blankenship, Christianburg, Va., seven bass, 17-5, $546
5th: Timothy Kinder, Manassas, Va., six bass, 12-3, $668
6th: Andre Wynn, Windsor Mill, Md., four bass, 11-15, $429
7th: William Lane, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 11-12, $390
8th: Chris Moore, Mechanicsville, Va., six bass, 11-9, $401
9th: Josh Nixon, Evington, Va., four bass, 9-13, $312
10th: Joshua Long, Hardy, Va., two bass, 8-10, $273
Gardner also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds even. The catch earned him the event’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $281.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and You
HUMBARD WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON CHEROKEE LAKE
Kentucky’s Sydnor Claims Co-Angler Win
MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Boater Bill Humbard of New Market, Tennessee, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mountain Division tournament on Cherokee Lake Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 9 ounces. For his efforts on the water, Humbard took home $6,337.
Humbard said he spent the tournament on the lower end of the lake, fishing around the Cherokee Dam, the islands and some secondary points.
“I concentrated on scattered brush before moving out to the islands and the deep points to fish big boulders and drops,” said Humbard, who earned his fourth win on Cherokee Lake in BFL competition. “I was sitting in 44 feet of water and throwing into 25 feet – most of them came from 25 to 34 feet this weekend.
“I started off the morning Saturday using a topwater bait and a crankbait, and then as the day went on I switched to a shaky-head rig,” said Humbard, “I finished off my limit with a keeper smallmouth on a brown ¼-ounce homemade jig with a [green pumpkin-colored] Zoom Super Chunk Jr. I ended up catching 14 keepers Saturday.”
Humbard said he used a Bone-colored Heddon Zara Spook Jr. and a ¾-ounce blue and chartreuse-colored Spro John Crews Little John DD Crankbait. On his shaky-head rig, he said he preferred a Watermelon Candy Red Zoom Mag Finesse Worm. On Sunday, Humbard said conditions changed drastically after the water level dropped 2 inches from Saturday. He still managed to weigh four largemouth and one spotted bass.
“I went down to my area and my topwater and crankbait fish weren’t there. I threw the shaky-head for about 45 minutes with no luck. Everything had changed – the shad, the fish position, everything – so I switched things up,” said Humbard. “I scanned around on my [Garmin] Panoptix and noticed the fish from Saturday were in the brush piles, but suspended up about a foot off of the bottom. I got my Carolina rig out, tied on a 4-foot leader, and put on a chartreuse and pumpkin [Zoom] Baby Brush Hog and finished out a limit. Those five keepers were all I caught Sunday.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Bill Humbard, New Market, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-9, $6,337
2nd: Adam Wagner, Cookeville, Tenn., nine bass, 25-12, $2,669
3rd: Hunter Sales, Blaine, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-0, $1,712
4th: Eric Moore, Union, Ky., 10 bass, 21-11, $1,199
5th: Freddy Adkins, East Bernstadt, Ky., 10 bass, 21-0, $1,277
6th: Dwight Fox, Gainesboro, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-2, $1,092
7th: Chris Gerrein, Villa Hills, Ky., nine bass, 19-14, $856
8th: Pat Eichmann, Nancy, Ky., nine bass, 19-13, $771
9th: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., 19-5, $685
10th: Kevin Edwards, Knoxville, Tenn., eight bass, 19-1, $599
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Bennie Mutter of Glasgow, Kentucky, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $322.
Jonathan Sydnor of Canmer, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $2,641 Sunday after catching a two-day total of four bass weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Jonathan Sydnor, Canmer, Ky., four bass, 12-14, $2,641
2nd: Tracy Helton, London, Ky., five bass, 10-12, $1,220
3rd: Brandon Lawson, Union, S.C., five bass, 10-6, $864
4th: Kevin King, Byrdstown, Tenn., six bass, 9-12, $570
5th: Allen Neal, Whitley City, Ky., three bass, 7-15, $488
6th: Audie Aultman, Knoxville, Tenn., three bass, 7-8, $597
7th: David Carey, Harrodsburg, Ky., three bass, 7-7, $407
8th: Jimmy Rhodus, Versailles, Ky., four bass, 7-3, $366
9th: Nathan Adams, Murray, Ky., three bass, 7-0, $325
10th: William Woods, Bowling Green, Ky., two bass, 6-5, $585
Woods caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $300.
The tournament was hosted by the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, presented by Mercury. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
SMITH WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON LAKE SHELBYVILLE
Paris’ Murphy Grabs Co-Angler Win
SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Boater Bradley Smith of Saint Jacob, Illinois, took home the win at the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Illini Division tournament on Lake Shelbyville Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 7 ounces. For his win, Smith pocketed $7,310.
“I took off each morning with one rod on the deck,” said Smith, who notched his first win as a boater in BFL competition. “I was pitching to shallow wood, mid-lake. I fished a 3-mile section, anywhere from 2 to 10 feet of water. The first day was sunny, with no wind. The second day we had clouds and rain. I was pretty worried the wood pattern wouldn’t hold up but it ended up working out.”
Smith said he flipped a Texas-rigged, green pumpkin-colored Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver with a 3/8-ounce Strike King Tour Grade tungsten weight.
“The fish were in transition from summer to fall patterns – the bites were hard to come by,” said Smith. “It was sporadic each day. I was able to get a lot in practice that I ended up shaking off. Fortunately, a lot of those fish bit during the tournament.”
Smith said he caught five keepers Saturday and seven on Sunday.
“The best anglers in Illinois compete in this division, so to get a win – especially at a two-day event – was pretty special for me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Bradley Smith, Saint Jacob, Ill., 10 bass, 23-7, $5,310 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Daniel Nussmeyer, Cisne, Ill., eight bass, 22-15, $2,155
3rd: Andrew Harper, Shelbyville, Ill., 10 bass, 20-5, $1,669
4th: Jeremy Mull, Pawnee, Ill., nine bass, 19-2, $1,209
5th: John Wright, Windsor, Ill., eight bass, 18-12, $822
6th: Garrett McDowell, Mattoon, Ill., nine bass, 17-4, $754
7th: Bobby McMullin, Pevely, Mo., eight bass, 16-15, $685
8th: Travis Wilson, La Harpe, Ill., four bass, 14-2, $1,059
9th: James Williams, Neoga, Ill., seven bass, 12-8, $548
10th: Chad Diedrich, Nashville, Ill., seven bass, 12-2, $480
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Wilson caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $442.
Ryan Murphy of Paris, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division and $2,055 Sunday after catching a two-day total of seven bass weighing 21 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Ryan Murphy, Paris, Ill., seven bass , 21-15, $2,055
2nd: Dave Dobill, Royalton, Ill., eight bass, 14-10, $1,028
3rd: Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., six bass, 11-13, $884
4th: Drew Coleman, Jackson, Mo., four bass, 9-14, $480
5th: Ryan Fancher, Olney, Ill., five bass, 8-15, $461
6th: Mike Swetland, Tamaroa, Ill., three bass, 7-9, $527
7th: Eugene Kim, Lindenhurst, Ill., three bass, 6-4, $343
8th: Dillon Saffle, Ballwin, Mo., two bass, 6-3, $308
9th: Jeff Kirby, Philo, Ill., two bass, 4-15, $274
10th: Ross Davis, St. Elmo, Ill., one bass, 4-13, $461
Davis caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $221.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 24-26 BFL Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
WILLIAMS WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON LAKE DARDANELLE PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Co-angler Win Goes to Little Rock’s Pinter
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Boater Charles Williams of Clarksville, Arkansas, won this weekend’s T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Arkie Division tournament on Lake Dardanelle presented by Navionics after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 9 ounces. For his efforts, Williams took home $4,868.
Williams said he spent each day of the tournament up the Arkansas River, in the Spadra area of the lake.
“I worked along main-lake points that had some good current on them. It seemed like the channel swings were the best,” said Williams, who earned his first career win in FLW competition. “I was flipping rock and laydown wood – wood that was in the current. It held the bigger fish. If you could find a point that had laydown logs on it, there seemed to always be big fish on them.”
Williams said he flipped a black and blue flake-colored Big Bite Baits Dean Rojas Fighting Frog with a ¼-ounce weight on 25-pound-test Seaguar Flippin’ Fluorocarbon line. He said he also weighed some off of a ½-ounce white and chartreuse Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer with a 3½-inch chartreuse and pearl Lake Fork Tackle Live Magic Shad trailer, and a Crack-colored Lucky Craft LC DRS square-billed crankbait. His rod and reel setup was a 7-foot, 8-inch Denali N3 Extra Heavy Flippin’ Rod with a Daiwa Tatula reel set to a 7:3:1 gear ratio.
“I ran to the back of some pockets Saturday in the same area and mainly fished blowholes. If it had a creek channel coming out, that was good,” said Williams.
On Sunday, Williams stuck with his main-lake pattern and was able to catch a limit by 8:30 a.m. Sitting on around 12 pounds of fish, he said he was able to cull up to 17 pounds with the help of a 4-pounder that he caught with an hour left in competition.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Charles Williams, Clarksville, Ark., 10 bass, 35-9, $4,868
2nd: Mike Rhinehart, Delaware, Ark., 10 bass, 31-6, $2,334
3rd: Erick Hurst, Clarksville, Ark., 10 bass, 30-10, $1,557
4th: Chip Hawkins, Little Rock, Ark., 10 bass, 29-5, $1,189
5th: Josh Hilton, Clarksville, Ark., 10 bass, 25-14, $934
6th: Wayne Dixon, Morrilton, Ark., 10 bass, 25-14, $856
7th: Samuel Hutson, Benton, Ark., eight bass, 23-11, $1,325
8th: Cade Alsbury, Gentry, Ark., 10 bass, 23-10, $700
9th: Ben Blaschke, Roland, Okla., 10 bass, 23-7, $872
10th: Brandon Lee, Ratcliff, Ark., 10 bass, 23-2, $545
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Hutson caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $547.
Eric Pinter of Little Rock, Arkansas, won the Co-angler Division and $2,608 Sunday after catching a two-day total of nine bass weighing 20 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Eric Pinter, Little Rock, Ark., nine bass, 20-5, $2,608
2nd: Matt Russell, Prairie Grove, Ark., eight bass, 18-2, $1,167
3rd; Derrick Damon, Clarksville, Ark., seven bass, 12-6, $779
4th: Andrew Wooley, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 11-14, $645
5th: Jody Jones, Harvey, Ark., seven bass, 11-7, $517
6th: Tony Smith, Bryant, Ark., six bass, 11-0, $578
7th: Matthew Inman, White Hall, Ark., six bass, 10-15, $389
8th: Trent Jones, Springdale, Ark., four bass, 10-4, $350
9th: Keith Gardner, Waldo, Ark., five bass, 10-3, $311
10th: Ethan Sutton, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 9-6, $272
Pinter also caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 10 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $274.
The tournament was hosted by Russellville Advertising and Promotions.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 24-26 BFL Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
LOBATO WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT LA CROSSE
Illinois’ Agpalza Takes Co-Angler Division
LA CROSSE, Wis. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Boater Fernando Lobato of Sparta, Wisconsin, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division tournament on the Mississippi River at La Crosse Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 2 ounces. Lobato earned $5,316 for his win.
Lobato said he caught his fish over the weekend on the upper end of Pool No. 8. He got an early limit Saturday working a Bone-colored Heddon Zara Spook around scattered eelgrass. Looking to upgrade, he switched to a 3/8-ounce black and blue-colored Kureiji flipping jig with a Sapphire Blue Zoom Super Chunk trailer, which he threw around wood in 10 to 12 feet of water, specifically in deep holes next to grass flats.
On Sunday, Lobato couldn’t get the topwater bite going, so he opted for a Banana Shad Kureiji Mississippi swimming jig, which he worked in the same grass as Saturday.
“I got a limit, but it was small,” said Lobato, who logged his first win in FLW competition. “I upgraded a couple of times dragging the [Kureiji] flipping jig in the holes. At about 10 [a.m.], I switched to a shad-colored [Strike King] 5XD crankbait and caught two big fish away from the wood, a little deeper. I think they were preparing for the weather to cool down.”
Lobato said he managed to catch 30-plus keepers each day, weighing in all largemouth.
“Catching fish on the swimjig Sunday was key for me because I knew everything had changed. I think the weather was cooling off and they’re not used to it yet.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Fernando Lobato, Sparta, Wis., 10 bass, 31-2, $5,316
2nd: Cade Laufenberg, Goodview, Minn., 10 bass, 29-5, $2,858
3rd: Kyler Chelminiak, Sullivan, Wis., 10 bass, 29-0, $2,074
4th: Travis Brueggen, Cashton, Wis., 10 bass, 28-3, $1,240
5th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 28-2, $1,746
6th: Brandon Gann, Sparta, Wis., 10 bass, 27-4, $975
7th: Glenn Walker, Savage, Minn., 10 bass, 26-5, $886
8th: Douglas Chapin, Green Bay, Wis., 10 bass, 26-4, $797
9th: Anthony Getchell, Menominee, Mich., 10 bass, 26-1, $709
10th: Kevin Johnson, Sparta, Wis., 10 bass, 25-14, $620
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Travis Seitzinger of Avon, South Dakota, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $333.
Jason Agpalza of Rock Island, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division and $2,758 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 8 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Jason Agpalza, Rock Island, Ill., 10 bass, 25-8, $2,758
2nd: Kristian Dus, Chicago, Ill., 10 bass, 20-13, $1,479
3rd: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., nine bass, 20-11, $1,036
4th: Jessie Pollard, Whitehall, Wis., 10 bass, 18-13, $620
5th: Brent Schroeder, Caledonia, Minn., eight bass, 17-9, $532
6th: Jeff Pfeffer, Isanti, Minn., eight bass , 17-6, $487
7th: Rick Ragner, La Crosse, Wis., eight bass, 17-6, $443
8th: Paul Ambrose, La Crosse, Wis., eight bass, 16-12, $399
9th: Jeremy Parker, Batavia, Ill., eight bass, 15-12, $354
10th: Troy Karafa, Hebron, Ill., seven bass, 15-8, $310
Mark Persson of Otsego, Minnesota, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $334.
The tournament was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee, presented by Evinrude. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
HARRIS CHAIN OF LAKES ANNOUNCED AS LOCATION OF 2020 YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Nation’s Top Collegiate Bass Anglers to Visit Lake County for Three-Day Tournament at Venetian Gardens
LEESBURG, Fla. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes will host the 2020 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship. The tournament, set for Feb. 26-28, will showcase the top collegiate anglers from across the nation.
While the Harris Chain of Lakes has hosted multiple FLW events over the years, the YETI FLW College Fishing circuit has never visited the fishery.
“I can’t think of a better place to be bass fishing than Florida in February,” said Kevin Hunt, Director of Tournament Operations for YETI FLW College Fishing. “The Harris Chain of Lakes always kicks out impressive weights when we’re in town and we couldn’t be more excited to have the sport’s next generation of stars compete on one of the top fisheries in the country.”
The championship event, hosted by Lake County, Florida, will launch from the Venetian Gardens’ Ski Beach, located at 201 E. Lake Harris Drive in Leesburg.
“We are excited to welcome the FLW College Fishing National Championship to Lake County and Leesburg,” said Lake County Commissioner Tim Sullivan. “The abundant Harris Chain of Lakes, in particular, has increasingly become a destination for major fishing tournaments such as this one, which will bring the country’s top collegiate bass anglers to our great county. We wish them a successful event and encourage them to take some time to enjoy all that Lake County has to offer, and discover why we are ‘Real Florida, Real Close.’”
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season events, along with the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open advance to the 2020 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship.
The complete schedule and rules for the 2020 YETI FLW College Fishing season will be announced this fall. The full schedule and rules will be posted online at FLWFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Danny Cross & Derrick Shoffit win the 2019 Anglers Quest Team Championship
Courtesy of Barbara Long - Anglers Quest Tournament Director
First I would like to Congratulate Tommy Hill & Bubba Frazier for winning Anglers of the Year !!! they will receive Free entries to all 8 of the 2020 AQ Rayburn Team Tournaments.
The Team of Danny Cross & derrick Shoffit won the 2019 Anglers Quest Team Championship against just 13 other teams. They had a two day total of 36.27 lbs. Danny and Derrick reported fishing out of a Phoenix Boat powered by Mercury. They said that they fished on the north end of the lake in 4-5 feet of water on soft plastics and crank baits. Danny and Derrick took home $4,160.00 for their weekend on the water. Danny & Derrick would like to thank their lovely wives Vallie & Jeanie for all their support.
Robert Davis and Alan Moore came in second place with their two day total weight of 33.61 lbs. Robert & Alan Reported fishing out of a BassCat powered by Mercury. These guys fished mid lake and caught almost all their fish on Big worms in grass and a few deep on crank baits, but mostly all came from the grass. Robert & Alan took home $1,650.00 for their 2 days on the water.
I would like to thank all of you guys that choose to fish with Anglers Quest. We are not the biggest tournament series out there, but I can promise you that myself and Ms. Kathy appreciate each and every one of you.
I’d like to thank all of the Anglers Quest Sponsors; Crawford Technical Services Inc.; Superior Paint Works; Our newest Sponsor Dales Water Wells ; Custom Built Awards; Lake Houston Marina; Cunninghams Kickapoo Bait & Tackle, LakeView RV Grocery & Motel ; Stowaway Marina ; Denali Rods and Larry the Lizard Baits. Without these businesses and their products and services, Anglers Quest would not be….Any time you have a chance to use these Sponsors, please do….. So A BIG shout out to all these Sponsors. Also for Ms. Kathy DeSpain for all her help and the sweets she bakes that we all enjoy. Let her know she is appreciated also…..
Buck Triumphs At Eastern Open On Oneida, Earns Berth For 2020 Bassmaster Classic
| Grae Buck of Harleysville, Pa., secures his spot in the 2020 Bassmaster Classic with his win at the 2019 Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open at Oneida Lake with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
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Buck Bags 17-12 And Leads Day 1 at Bassmaster Eastern Open On Oneida Lake
| Grae Buck of Harleyville, Pa., bagged 17 pounds, 12 ounces of brown bass to take the lead on Day 1 of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on Oneida Lake.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
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"Consistency is the key to success"
This week Jason welcomes in current Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year points leader Drew Cook into the AC Rookie studio to talk about his rookie season on the Elite Series and his current points standing heading into the final two Elite Series events.
Bassmaster Elite Series Event Moved From Fort Gibson To Lake Tenkiller
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials announced Thursday that the Bassmaster Elite Series event scheduled for Sept. 19-22 on Fort Gibson Lake will instead be held on Lake Tenkiller.
The lakes are located just 40 miles apart in Oklahoma, and Cherokee Casino Tahlequah will still serve as the host for what is to be the final regular-season Elite Series event of the year.
When the 2019 schedule was first announced, the event was scheduled at Fort Gibson for May 16-19. Heavy rain and flash flooding in the region forced its postponement and ultimately forced the change to a different venue.
“The ongoing high water at Fort Gibson Lake and the uncertainty of dam repairs downstream at Webber Falls really left us no choice,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We certainly made every effort to hold the event on Fort Gibson Lake, but the conditions just wouldn’t allow it.”
B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon, who notified the 75 Elite Series anglers of the change by email Thursday afternoon, said it was imperative to complete a full schedule of nine regular-season events. Leaving Fort Gibson as the tournament venue would have created a greater risk for cancellation.
“Anglers have been working hard all year, jockeying for position in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings,” Weldon said. “They’ve been promised nine events and then the Angler of the Year Championship, and we want to make every effort as an organization to make sure all of those events are held.”
The tournament will determine the final order of the Angler of the Year standings, with only the Top 50 anglers advancing to the AOY Championship scheduled for Sept. 28-Oct. 1 on Michigan’s Lake St. Clair.
Takeoffs at Lake Tenkiller will be held at 7 a.m. CT from Chicken Creek Point Public Use Area in Cookson, Okla., and weigh-ins on Days 1 and 2 will also be held in the same area. Weigh-ins on Days 3 and 4 will move to Cherokee Casino Tahlequah at 4 p.m.
Due to the no-information rule governing all Elite Series events, the venue went off-limits the moment the anglers were notified of the change.
This will be B.A.S.S.’s first visit to the 12,900-acre fishery for a major event
Alabama Bass Trail Announces Multi-Year Sponsorship Renewal with Phoenix Bass Boats
Decatur, Ala. (September 3, 2019) – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) Tournament Series, considered the largest team trail tournament fishing organization outside of Texas, announced the renewal of its partnership with Phoenix Bass Boats in which the bass boat company will continue to serve as title sponsor for five additional years. 2020 will mark the seventh year the two organizations have partnered.
Per the terms of the extension, Phoenix Bass Boats will retain title sponsorship of the ABT Tournament Series. In addition to the title sponsorship, Phoenix Bass Boats will continue to be seen across the ABT’s various media platforms including www.alabamabasstrail.org, the ABT social media channels and will receive prominent exposure at all ABT Tournament Series events. Phoenix Bass Boats’ involvement with the ABT began in 2014 as the official bass boat sponsor.
"Having Phoenix Bass Boats renew with the Alabama Bass Trail for a third time and extend the term to five years is affirmation that the job we are doing is working,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson. “Their commitment to the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series, from a financial stance to the strength of their brand, lends tremendous stability for our trail. We are honored to partner with the great people at Phoenix and look forward to the next five years.”
Headquartered in Winchester, Tenn., Phoenix Bass Boats was established in 2007. The headquarters are located in a modern 125,000 square foot facility on 10 acres and offer 11 models of boats ranging in size from 18 feet 6 inches to 21 feet 6 inches in length. For more information, visit www.phoenixbassboats.com.
“We are excited to continue our relationship with the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series for the next five years. Sponsorship of the ABT Tournament Series is a good fit for Phoenix as we both work feverishly to grow the sport of fishing and to further enhance the angler experience,” said Phoenix Bass Boats President Gary Clouse.
Returning for the seventh season, the team-style tournament series is held on eleven different lakes of the Alabama Bass Trail beginning February 22, 2020, with the championship tournament to be held on October 23-24, 2020. Each regular season tournament features a $10,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 40 places totaling over $47,000. Anglers in the no entry fee championship will be competing for over $100,000 in cash, including a $50,000 first place prize and top bragging rights for the year, and there is a $5,000 bonus cash prize for Angler of the Year and $2,500 for runner-up Angler of the Year. According to Donaldson, over $580,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded when the ABT Tournament Series wraps up its season in 2020.
For more information on the ABT or the Tournament Series, visit www.alabamabasstrail.orgor call Kay Donaldson at 855.9FISHAL.
Fishing, Football and Frazier!!
This week the boys welcome in Elite Series Champ Micah Frazier to break down his St Lawrence River Win a few weeks ago and they get his take on AOY and the final regular season Elite Series event in Oklahoma. The "B" Team, aka The Circus joins the show for the Progressive Bass Wrap and Costa Countdown and CB throws in a few football picks for this weeks U-Pick-em Contest
B.A.S.S. Debuts Roku Channel Featuring Tournament Coverage And Tips From Top Anglers
September 4, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S., the world’s largest fishing organization, has debuted a free Roku channel offering more than 1,000 videos ranging from coverage of the 2019 Bassmaster Classic and past Bassmaster Elite Series events to quick tips from pro anglers.
“Our goal was to make it easy for dedicated B.A.S.S. fans to find tips that improve their fishing as well as coverage of events to feed their passion for the sport,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “With an astounding 28,882 hours of our programming already streamed via Roku, it’s clear that we are filling a need among outdoor enthusiasts.”
As part of their long-term vision for the channel, B.A.S.S. will be developing additional video content in conjunction with pro anglers.
Since its soft launch in March, the free channel has been installed 15,530 times. To watch the Bassmaster Channel, users simply search the Roku streaming channel list and add Bassmaster to their own device.
Roku is the largest video streaming distribution platform in the U.S., with more than 27 million active accounts.
The Bassmaster Roku channel is just one avenue for fans to enjoy how-to videos and entertaining content dedicated to the pursuit of trophy bass. The Bassmasters, currently entering its 35th season, covers the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series and its 10-event national tour. Original shows will continue to air on ESPN2 and ESPN Classic, as they have for 20 years, and avid fishing enthusiasts can find live coverage of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and College Classic Bracket on ESPNU. Live coverage of Elite Series events can be found streaming on ESPN3.
Additionally, B.A.S.S. and Pursuit Channel signed a multiyear agreement to air coverage of the Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic, which contributed to a 21 percent increase in reach among viewers 25-54.
Anglers Will Find Bass In Fall Transition At Bassmaster Eastern Open On Oneida Lake
| The Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Opens circuit will visit New York's Oneida Lake September 5-7.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
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PRADCO ACQUIRES GENE LAREW LURES - VAULTS INTO CRAPPIE CATEGORY WITH BOBBY GARLAND CRAPPIE BAITS
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Bruce Stanton (left), Vice President and General Manager of PRADCO's fishing division, and Chris Lindenberg, owner of Gene Larew Lures, celebrate with a handshake PRADCO Outdoor Brands acquisition of Lindenberg's Oklahoma lure company that includes Gene Larew, Bobby Garland Crappie Baits and Crappie Pro.
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names - Larew and Garland - to our already historic lineup of fishing brands," said PRADCO's Bruce Stanton, Vice President and General Manager of the fishing division. "In addition to growing our bass offerings with Larew and jumping right to the top of the crappie bait category with Garland, we're also getting a wealth of manufacturing experience, industry knowledge and fishing expertise that fully complement the things we do that put us at the top in this industry. We're excited!"
All About Glass
Luke Estel
How many rods do you own? 5, 10, 20, or more? I would guess the average local tournament angler carries at least 10 rods. Each rod has a purpose. We have spinning rods for shakey heads, worm rods, and flipping sticks. What I have found is that most fishermen do not have the right crankbait rods yet they throw crankbaits several times throughout the season. They often use a seven foot medium graphite rod and call it good.
When I was younger, I became obsessed with crankbaits. I watched Bassmaster and read articles about crankbait gurus like David Fritts and tried to emulate them. At the time I could not afford a Fritts Cranking Rod but my dad had an old glass rod that I had redone that would work just the same. It was heavy, yet I still caught fish on it without losing very many.
As the years went by I purchased more glass rods and found that glass was the only way to go. They look different, feel different, and they are only suitable for doing one thing. Throwing a crankbait.
Fast forward to last year when my partner Chopper and I fished the Anglers Choice Classic on Lake Guntersville. We were throwing Strike King Red Eye Shads and KVD 1.5s all day. I had several glass rods rigged up with different colors of crankbaits. Throughout the two day competition we boated an estimated fifty fish. What is even more amazing than our two day total of 52 pounds was the fact that we never lost a fish! That’s right, we caught that many fish without ever losing one. The reason was simple. Glass. The glass rod flexes unlike any other rod on the market. The parabolic bend is was makes it unique and that is why you do not lose fish near as much throwing a crankbait versus a traditional graphite rod.
Everyone knows how to throw a crankbait and more times than not you here of fishermen at the weigh in talking about all the fish they had hooked up on a crankbait and the came off. If I had to guess, they weren’t using a glass rod. From Red Eyes to 6XDs, a glass rod should be an essential part of your arsenal. If you carry ten rods, and you throw crankbaits, a minimum of two should be glass. I know they are not a multi-purpose rod but they can make the difference in cashing a check or coming in empty handed.
There is a natural tendency to set the hook when a fish strikes the bait. Since the glass rod is more flexible, it naturally gives causing the fish to get the bait in his mouth instead of ripping the hooks out. They also improve casting distance due to their slingshot like ability. This allows for further casts and is crucial when throwing larger crankbaits.
There are several rod companies that make these specialized rods. Quantum KVD cranking rods, Power Tackle rods, St. Croix, Lews, and my favorite, Tigerrodz. These are just a few. If you are looking for more than one crankbait rod I suggest you get two sizes. A 7’3” for smaller crankbaits an a 7’6” plus rod for larger baits.
Trust me, starting out it will feel much different than your normal rods. They may even be slightly heavier also. They may feel flimsy without much back bone but I assure you they work. Once you learn how to use them you will have wished you had them a long time ago. Good luck and happy cranking.
Mathew Scotch wins Kayak Bass Fishing Toledo Bend event!
| Rk | Angler | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
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88.00" | |||||||||
| #2 |
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86.75" | |||||||||
| #3 |
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80.00" | |||||||||
| #4 |
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79.25" | |||||||||
| #5 |
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78.75" | |||||||||
| #6 |
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78.25" | |||||||||
| #7 |
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75.75" | |||||||||
| #8 |
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75.00" | |||||||||
| #9 |
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73.50" | |||||||||
| #10 |
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72.25" | |||||||||
| #11 |
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59.25" | |||||||||
| #12 |
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59.00" | |||||||||
| #13 |
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57.50" | |||||||||
| #14 |
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57.00" | |||||||||
| #15 |
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55.25" | |||||||||
| #16 |
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54.75" | |||||||||
| #17 |
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48.50" | |||||||||
| #18 |
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46.25" | |||||||||
| #19 |
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45.50" | |||||||||
| #20 |
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43.75" | |||||||||
| #21 |
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43.00" | |||||||||
| #22 |
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42.50" | |||||||||
| #23 |
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41.25" | |||||||||
| #24 |
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38.75" | |||||||||
| #25 |
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29.50" | |||||||||
| #26 |
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27.75" | |||||||||
| #27 |
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27.50" | |||||||||
| #28 |
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27.25" | |||||||||
| #29 |
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26.50" | |||||||||
| #30 |
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26.50" | |||||||||
| #31 |
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25.25" | |||||||||
| #32 |
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13.50" | |||||||||
| #33 |
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12.50" | |||||||||
| #34 |
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0.01" | |||||||||
| #35 |
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
| #46 |
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0" | |||||||||
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0" | |||||||||
| #48 |
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0" | |||||||||
Huff Defeats Bethel Teammate, Earns Bassmaster Classic Berth
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AC Insider Podcast - A Night of Champions!
This week the boys welcome in two-time Elite Series Winner Jamie Hartman to the show to discuss his Cayuga beat down and then they welcome in FLW Cup Champ Bryan Thrift to talk all things Cup Champ and how he's adapting to the title, "Champion".
Tackle HD signs on to sponsor Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Angler James Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Clair, Mo., August 1, 2019 – REP Outdoor Group, LLC and Tackle HD announced, effective August 1, it has signed on to sponsor MLF Bass Pro Tour Angler James Watson.
Tackle HD, a REP Outdoor Group company, produces and markets the original Hi-Def Craw, Hellgrammite, Mega-Mite, and Stealth jigheads.
“Establishing a relationship with James Watson is truly ‘Worldwide’for our company,” said Troy Nogosek, President of REP Outdoor Group, LLC. “After being invited to James’ home, extending four hours of his personal time, talking business, laughing at stories and talking about new opportunities, it confirmed what I already knew – Our company and James were a great match. Along with Aaron Click, our brand manager, and Ben Hill our marketing director, there is no shortage of energy to elevate our brand. The team at Tackle HD are all fans of JMFW Worldwide and we are all completely thrilled to be associated with the James Watson brand.”
After getting to know Ben, Aaron and Troy, James knew it was a no brainer to work with Tackle HD. “I was impressed with their business model, ideas, attitude and will to succeed in this industry. I am excited to get my hands on their newly innovated high definition baits they have and are currently working on.”
About James Watson
James “JMFW WORLDWIDE” Watson, is known for his quick wit and knack for jokes on the water. The real-estate mogul has used his success in residential real estate sales to fuel his passion for fishing. As a self-made angler and former United States Army Drill Sergeant he equally enjoys balancing the competition and the business sides of the bass community.
His 2013 season was the start of his career as a professional angler. Although his venture began later than some, James has accomplished many feats since he began at age 38.
From a B.A.S.S Open win to the Bassmaster Classic, Watson promotes fishing on a WORLDWIDE level. Additionally, James has qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup and the Texas Toyota Bass Classic during his duration fishing the FLW Tour, FLW Costa Series, BASS Opens, P.A.A. and Major League Fishing. He has also competed as a member of the US Bass Team in the Black Bass Championships in 2017 in South Africa and 2018 in Mexico. Bringing home the gold medal with the team in 2018.
In 2018, he received the Forrest L. Wood Sportsmanship and Community Leadership Award per his involvement in FLW Community Outreach.
He prides himself on his personality, often gaining him media attention, which positively promotes his sponsors. All eyes are watching where James “WORLDWIDE” Watson will go with his professional fishing career.
You can find James fishing Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour, FLW Costa’s and attending charity events when it fits his schedule.
Follow along with James Watson and his partnership with Tackle HD to see all the excitement the year will bring:
Facebook: James Watson Professional Angler
Instagram: @therealjameswatson
Twitter: @JamesWatsonFish
YouTube: JMFW Worldwide
SANDUSKY READIES FOR WEEKEND OF FLW YOUTH BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS
YETI FLW College Fishing tournament set for Friday, Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Open tournament to follow Saturday
SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 27, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) is set to visit northern Ohio next week, Sept. 6-7, with the YETI FLW College Fishing tournament at Lake Erie and the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open at Lake Erie presented by Costa. The tournaments, hosted by the City of Sandusky, will showcase some of the top young anglers from across the region competing for cash and prizes and angling for their chance to advance to the FLW College Fishing National Championship and High School Fishing National Championship events.
“There is going to be a lot of fish schooled up out deep, and it will take a lot of idling to find them, but once they find them, they’re going to catch a ton of fish,” said third-year FLW Tour pro Grae Buck of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, a former College Fishing angler who competed for Penn State University. “The fish tend to group up by size – you’ll find a school of 2½- to 3-pounders, then move around and find a school of 4- to 5-pounders. The key to winning these tournaments will be finding that bigger class of fish.”
Buck predicted that the event would be won and the overwhelming majority of clubs would weigh in with a limit of smallmouth bass, but did say that there could be a few largemouth brought to the scales, especially if the wind becomes a factor and anglers choose to stick to Sandusky Bay. He said that drop-shot rigs will be the primary lure of choice for tournament competitors.
“They’re going to be dropping anything that mimics a goby or perch,” Buck said. “A lot of green-pumpkin colors, maybe something with a pearl belly. If I was fishing this tournament, I’d be using a Cornerstone Shimmy Shot.
“My advice would be to look for the deep rock humps – 20 to 40 foot range – and that’s where the goby and crawfish will be,” Buck went on to say. “I think it’ll take a limit weighing 22 to 23 pounds to win.”
The college anglers will kick off competition on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7 a.m. EDT at the Shelby Street Public Boat Launch, located at 101 Shelby St., in Sandusky. The weigh-in will be held at the park on Friday at 3:30 p.m. The high school anglers will then compete on Saturday, Sept. 7, launching at 7 a.m. from the park and weighing in at 3:30 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public, and will be streamed live online at FLWFishing.com.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
The Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any FLW and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school clubs. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2020 High School Fishing National Championship. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing and the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Johnson Wins Guntersville Open Bass Tournament with over 14 pounds!
1st: Lealand Johnson - 14.50
2nd: Tony Tidwell/ Konner Tidwell- 12.38
3rd: Marshall Deakins/ Bryan Gregory- 12.26
4th: Ian Hudson/ Jerry Garcia- 10.22
Big fish: Lealand - 5.46
Winnings this week:
1st: $450.00
2nd: $270.00
3rd: $180.00
4th: (2) $10.00 gift card to waterfront
BF: $225.00
Iaconelli’s tiny buzzbait trick
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
A little fishing trick Mike Iaconelli learned 25 years ago as a young angler in the Top Rod Bassmasters Club in Southern New Jersey had a huge hand in his run at the $300,000 top prize in the recent MLF Redcrest Championship in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“A guy in our Top Rod Bass Club named Dave Borodziuk was the first guy I can remember throwing the tiny buzz over grass and hammering them on it. Anytime the milfoil grass is matted over, with just an inch or two of water over it, that tiny buzzbait is wicked,” says Iaconelli.
When he says “tiny” -- he means it. Like equal in weight to a small pile of paperclips at just 1/8-ounce. But it’s perfectly sized to be effective for a lot of reasons.
“When the grass is that close to the surface you can’t get a popper with treble hooks on its belly to come through the grass without getting snagged, but that little 1/8 ounce buzz rides so high, it never gets snagged,” he explains.
In addition to being snag free, “Ike” also loves the ultra small size for creating a stealthy presentation when fishing for bass that are pressured – especially in super shallow water.
“The area where I caught them on the tiny buzz during the REDCREST Knockout round was in the Black River. It was only about 8 acres, and it was super shallow, like only two feet deep, but loaded with milfoil. And man it was full of life … from gar to bluegill, and obviously a ton of shad and small bass too,” he explains.
To further the subtleness of his approach, Iaconelli also gave careful strategic thought to the blade and skirt color of the little buzz.
“I wanted the silver blade to resemble the shad, but I wanted a black skirt that was a little tougher for them to get a good look at. I think that made them react and crush it, rather than follow it and shy away from it like white or chartreuse might have lead them to do,” he explains.
One drawback to the super lightweight lure is casting it can be like trying to launch a potato chip in a windstorm. So “Ike” throws it on a spinning rod -- a sight seldom seen with pros throwing buzzers. Heavier 3/8 and ½ ounce buzzbaits are nearly always paired with baitcasting equipment.
But in this case, a spinning rod and reel makes sense and works way better for casting the lightweight skirted assassin into the wind. Iaconelli uses 10-lb Berkley X5 straight braid with no fluorocarbon or monofilament leader.
“I’ll be honest, I tried a little bigger ¼ ounce buzzbait earlier in the week, but I just kept telling myself I needed something even smaller and more stealthy, especially where the milfoil was flooded so close to the surface,” reflects Iaconelli.
His intuition was spot on. His decision to tie on a tiny secret weapon he learned about in a local bass club in his early 20s proved big enough for a top finish this past week, and a shot at $300,000.
Ondras Wins ABA AFT D39 Two Day Event
Tom Ondras of New Lenox, IL, won the Bass Pro Shops American Fishing Tour D39 championship presented by American Bass Anglers. Launching from the Savanna Marina near Savanna, IL Tom brought back a five-fish limit both days for a total weight of 26.44-lbs.
Second place was claimed Brian Sopko of Saint Anne, IL with a five-fish limit both days for a total weight of 24.32-lbs. Brain also laid claim to big bass for day-one with a nice 4.05-lb lunker, it held strong a day two giving him the largest fish of the tournament.
Coming in Third Place was Michael Koening of Channahon, Il with a five-fish limit on both days for a total weight of 21.89-lbs.
Scott James of Wilmington, IL took fourth place with a total weight of 19.43-lbs. Rounding out the top five was Gregg Buda of New Lenox, IL with a total weight of 18.11-lbs.
The AOY race was too close to call going into the start of the event with a few guys in striking range of the title. Day one's results tightened the race even closer with Gregg Buda's placing in the standings over Scott James. Day 2 brought a rain delay which changed the fishing, and Scott's mechanical breakdown early on made it a shown down at the scales.
Scott James is crowned D39 Angler of the Year. And because of the great turn out we had during the year our region was awarded the 2nd spot in the ABA National AOY tournament in October on Lake George, Eufaula AL so Gregg Buda will be competing for the title and a brand new fully equipped Triton boat as well! Congratulations to both men on a great season!
Thanks to all the guys who participated this year in Division 39 and especially to the 15 who came out and fished the championship. Be on the lookout for the 2020 schedule shortly. For more information on this event or division please contact local director Mike Koenig at 708-514-7258
TROMBLY WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON DETROIT RIVER
Marine City’s Jacques Grabs Co-Angler Win
TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 26, 2019) – Boater Mike Trombly of Belleville, Michigan, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament on the Detroit River Saturday after catching five bass weighing 24 pounds, 13 ounces. For his day on the water, Trombly took home $4,545.
“I fished the north shore of Lake Erie – everything came from 24 to 28 feet,” said Trombly, who earned his eighth career win in FLW competition – all launching out of the Detroit River. “I used shad-style baits – all of the fish that I weighed in came from drop-shot rigs.”
Trombly said he used a few different baits on his drop-shot rigs – a Zoom Fluke, a Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too Soft Jerkbait and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Minnow. He also rotated in a Lure Craft Big D darter-style bait, adding that everything he used was in shad-style colors.
“I had to soak it through the rock piles and breaks I was fishing to get the fish to bite,” said Trombly. “They were finicky – we had a strong northeast wind and the current ran the opposite, moving from west to east. You had to play the current to get them to strike. It was all about presentation.”
Trombly said he caught around 10 keepers throughout the day – all smallmouth. He credited his G. Loomis [IMX822S DSR IMX] Dropshot Spinning Rod and Shimano STRADIC CI4+ reel as being key components of his day.
“With the amount of current I was fishing, at those depths, the sensitivity really made an impact on my catch – I could feel the bites.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mike Trombly, Belleville, Mich., five bass, 24-13, $4,545
2nd: Brett Haake, Shorewood, Ill., five bass, 24-11, $1,973
3rd: Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, five bass, 24-1, $1,731
4th: John Devries, Fishers, Ind., five bass, 21-7, $1,077
5th: Pat Upthagrove, Monroe, Mich., five bass, 21-6, $709
6th: Andrew Gaul, Saint Clair Shores, Mich., five bass, 20-7, $650
7th: Ross Parsons, Williamston, Mich., five bass, 20-1, $591
8th: David Reault, Livonia, Mich., five bass, 20-0, $532
9th: Troy Stokes, Brownstown, Mich., five bass, 19-14, $443
9th: Heath Wagner, Angola, Ind., five bass, 19-14, $443
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Gary Solomon of Clinton Township, Michigan, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $445.
Erik Jacques of Marine City, Michigan, won the Co-angler Division and $1,973 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 25 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Erik Jacques, Marine City, Mich., five bass, 25-9, $1,973
2nd: Brian Kich, Berea, Ohio, five bass, 18-13, $936
3rd: Zach Laupp, Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 18-12, $591
4th: Jeffrey Thomson, Birmingham, Mich., five bass, 18-8, $414
5th: Darwin Griva, Hamilton, Ind., five bass, 18-3, $355
6th: Mike Eldridge, Blairsville, Pa., five bass, 17-2, $325
7th: Craig Fanning, Elwood, Ill., five bass, 16-8, $295
8th: Bill Dodge, Laingsburg, Mich., five bass, 16-7, $266
9th: Robert Busby, Fenton, Mich., five bass, 16-6, $236
10th: Andy Fryer, Westerville, Ohio, five bass, 16-3, $357
Neil Heisler of Plymouth, Michigan, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $222.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee, presented by Evinrude. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Adams & Prince win Chattanooga Bass Association Derby with over 27 pounds!
1. Barron Adams/Trevor Prince 27.63- $2000.00
2. Jayme Copenhaver/Adam Dysart 25.83- $500.00
3. Logan Kokoszka/Justin Vaughn 22.90- $350.00
4. Kevin Drake/Cory Vetten 22.04- $250.00
5. David Craft/Stoney Johnson 21.92- $150.00+ BF:9.53- $690.00=$840.00
6. Victore Rowe/Tim Harrison 21.44- $150.00
7. Jim Cofer/Matt Wendorf 19.87- $150.00
8. Josh Wofford/Bruce Wofford 19.30- $150.00
9. Kyle Welcher/Hunter Haynes 19.30- $150.00
10. Nathan Schlie/ Ben Schlie 18.60- $150.00
11. Brian Wilson/Tom Brindle 17.85- $150.00
12. Brent Hayes/Dave Hix 17.76- $150.00
Evers 63 bass blitz nets Toyota Bonus Bucks
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Longtime Toyota owner and Bonus Bucks member, Edwin Evers was once a college football defensive back, and the 63 bass catch fest he brought to the MLF Redcrest Championship Sunday was an all-out blitz that netted not only a $300,000 first place prize, but also $7,500 in Toyota Bonus Bucks.
The numbers on the paychecks are solidly quantified, but Evers has actually lost count of the number of Toyota Tundras he’s purchased over the years. Comically, he’s pretty certain he’s bought five, but he says it might be six.
Whatever the case, aside from all the Bonus Bucks money he’s won over the years, he’s also grateful for the horsepower, safety, and stopping power his Tundras provide.
“What I love most about a Toyota Tundra is what I call “the go and the stop” – that 381- horsepower engine has a ton of towing power, but a Tundra also has huge oversized brakes to stop 4,000 pounds of boat and motor, plus no tellin’ how much weight in fishing tackle and other equipment I’m carrying,” says Evers.
“Everybody thinks about towing power when they’re buying a truck, but you really need to think about whether the truck you’re buying has the braking system necessary to stop what you’re towing in a safe way,” advises Evers.
The clinic Evers put on with a Chatterbait on the Upper Mississippi was strong enough to wear out a portable scale. But you don’t have to be a Major League Fishing champion, or catch 63 bass in one day to cash in on Toyota Bonus Bucks.
You just have to own or lease a 2015 or newer Toyota Truck, sign up free for Bonus Bucks, and be the highest finishing registered participant in one of the dozens of tournaments supported by the Program.
To learn more, please visit www.toyotafishing.com, or call (918) 742-6424 and ask for Kendell or Chip and they will help you get signed-up.
Sicotte & Sicotte Win US Anglers Choice Yooper Derby with over 16 pounds!
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Moslak & Lake win PA Fishers of Men Event on Erie with over 17 pounds!
| Place | Team | Members | # Fish | Big Fish | Gross | Penalty | Net Wt | Points | |
| 1 | 19394 | Jim Moslak Jeremy Lake |
5 | 4.26 | 17.82 | 0 | 17.82 | 150 | |
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| 2 | 24885 | Justin Lonchar Rick Fiola |
5 | 3.89 | 17.28 | 0 | 17.28 | 149 | |
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| 3 | 24887 | William Morlock Adam Morlock |
2 | 3.57 | 6.81 | 0 | 6.81 | 148 | |
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| 4 | 22984 | Stacy Worth Hugh Worth |
3 | 0 | 6.81 | 0 | 6.81 | 197 | |
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| 5 | 23439 | Greg Settnek Collin Settnek |
1 | 3.85 | 3.85 | 0 | 3.85 | 196 | |
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| 6 | 24716 | John Naugle | 1 | 3.76 | 3.76 | 0 | 3.76 | 195 | |
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| 7 | 24886 | Vince Humenay Dustin Dennis |
2 | 0 | 3.71 | 0 | 3.71 | 194 | |
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| 8 | 22992 | Thomas Harden William Brown |
1 | 2.63 | 2.63 | 0 | 2.63 | 193 | |
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| 9 | 24720 | James Walters Richard Nearhoof |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 192 | |
Evers Runs Away with REDCREST at Upper Mississippi River
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MLF pro Edwin Evers caps off a great Bass Pro Tour inaugural year with the REDCREST win today to accompany his Points Champion trophy won at the end of the regular season. (Photo by Josh Gassmann)
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LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 25, 2019) - Before the start of the REDCREST Presented by Venmo, there may have been a debate about who is currently the most feared angler on tour. But now there's no doubt.
It's been a good year for Edwin Evers: Stage Two Champion, Bass Pro Tour Points Champion, and now REDCREST Champion. He took home $300,000 for his win today and can add that to the $193,600 he won during the season; no matter how you look at it, it's been an excellent year.
Today, it was Evers, and then everybody else. His weight total of 85-06 was 15-pounds more than the combined totals of the second and third place anglers.
Edwin Evers was the big story today, and rightfully so.
Evers Dominates
Evers started the Championship Round with a bang and was out in front for nearly every minute today. Greg Hackney made a push towards him during Period 2, but Evers was just getting started and turned it into a runaway victory.
His Period 3 flurry of 28 fish in 45 minutes sealed the deal with an exclamation point. In the third period alone, Evers caught 34 bass for a total of 48-08. That alone would have been enough to claim the win today.
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Evers put on a bass-catching clinic in the championship round today, keeping his official and cameraman busy,for the top score to claim the REDCREST championship. (Photo by Garrick Dixon)
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He was catching them so fast that his MLF official had a growing backlog of SCORETRACKER® entries. Once all of the anglers were notified of his nearly 40-pound jump when the system caught up, it came down to a battle for second, third and fourth places.
Evers did his damage in a backwater area with current flowing and bass feeding on shad. He had fished this area in previous tour-level events but was never able to secure a victory.
"What an amazing day. I was so excited to catch them where I caught them," he said. "I'm so thankful I did it now because it was such a bigger stage." Evers believes that if he had won previously, it would have exposed the area to more fishing pressure, and today's win might not have happened.
"The main deal was that backwater being loaded with fish," he said. He pitched a Berkley Pit Boss to shallow laydowns and a vibrating jig with a Berkley Powerbait The Deal as a trailer to current relating bass.
Hackney a Distant Second
Greg Hackney had a solid day of fishing with 22 bass for 40-07 and was the only angler to seriously challenge Evers today as he got within five pounds during Period 2.
"I caught some fish today but never found a group of them; they were all single fish. I knew the guy who wins would be the one who finds a school of them," said Hackney.
Like the rest of the field, Hackney was impressed with what Evers was able to accomplish this year.
"He's in the zone, and he's made all the right decisions this year. All great fisherman get on a roll where it seems like the fish are looking for them and they can't do anything wrong," he added.
Vinson Caps Off a Solid Week
Greg Vinson was fourth after the Elimination Round and then led his group's Knockout Round. Today, he ended up third during the Championship Round on Pool 7. All in all, it was a great week, and he was near the top of the standings all week long.
This fact isn't lost on Vinson who was satisfied with his finish. "I'm pleased with how the week went. I have some good tournament history here, but I feel I made the right decision to fish the Black River to catch enough to make it to today," he said.
He had limited experience on Pool 7 before today. "I'm proud that I put enough together to finish 3rd against this group of guys," said Vinson.
His daily total was 20 bass for 29-06.
Daily Winners
Championship Round daily awards were:
* The Berkley Big Bass of the day was Greg Hackney's 3-08 largemouth.
* Edwin Evers won the Berkley Catch Count award with 63 bass on the day.
* Evers' 85-06 earned him the Phoenix Boats Daily Leader award.
https://majorleaguefishing.com/event/redcrest-bass-pro-tour-championship-la-crosse-wi/results/
