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Bassmaster High School All-American Team Welcomes 12 New Members

Twelve extraordinary high school anglers from across the country have been selected as members of the exclusive 2019 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. The team will be invited to participate in a special tournament held in conjunction with the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department which will be held on Lake Fork this May.

April 18, 2019BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Twelve standout high school anglers have been selected as members of the exclusive Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

“We are proud to welcome an exceptional group of anglers to our 2019 class of High School All-Americans,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Each year we see competitive applications from across the country, and every one is so impressive. This class is made up of exceptional young fishermen who also excel in academics, conservation initiatives and community service.”

More than 400 applications nominating students in grades 10-12 were submitted from 35 states across the nation. Of these, 62 were chosen as Bassmaster All-State anglers. After reviewing tournament resumes, community service activities and recommendations from coaches and school officials, a panel of judges representing the sportfishing industry, media and conservation groups further narrowed the field to the Top 12 high school anglers in the country.

The team has been invited to participate in a special Bassmaster High School All-American Bass Tournament being held in conjunction with the 2019 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department event, a fan-favorite festival that will be held May 2-6 on Lake Fork, Texas. Each All-American angler will be paired with an Elite Series pro for the one-day derby to be held on a nearby fishery.

Congratulations to the following student athletes for being named to the 2019 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. Following are short biographies of the 2019 team members, listed alphabetically. (Judges only considered tournament records for the past 12 months.)

Tyler Cory, Amherst, Wis.

Cory, a junior at Amherst High School, has earned three wins in high school tournaments across the state of Wisconsin over the past 12 months, including an FLW High School Open on the Mississippi River. He also has an impressive five Top 5 finishes to add to his extensive list of tournament success.

Cory is also the founder and current president of his high school bass fishing team. In 2018, he was selected as a member of the Bassmaster High School All-State Team, and when asked what his fishing goals for the future were, his response was “to be named a Bassmaster High School All-American.”

“Perhaps most notable about Tyler Cory is his passion for fishing,” wrote Hannah Lynch, a physical education teacher at Amherst High School. “There are few people in this world with a solid passion and drive like Tyler has for fishing. He could not be a more deserving candidate and he will work extremely hard.”

Dylan Fogarty, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Fogarty, a junior at Cumberland Valley High School, has tallied an impressive four wins this tournament season, as well as six Top 5 finishes and three Top 20s in high school events. He has also been the angler of the year two years running for the Capital City Junior Bassmasters. Fogarty currently is serving as tournament director for his high school club and single handedly raised over $1,800 for the club to use for equipment, jerseys and tournament expenses.

Fogarty also participates in various conservation and community service efforts, including helping Conodoquinet Creek Association apply for the 2019 Pennsylvania Creek of the Year grant. He helped organize a “Hooked on Scouting” fishing event meant to help recruit new cub scouts and their families. At this event, he instructed young children in conservation practices and fishing techniques. For the past several years, he has also been a volunteer with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Kids Fishing Derby which gives a day of fishing to children who are affected by these illnesses.

“I’ve never met a person, young or old, with the passion for fishing that Dylan has,” wrote Robert Shaw, bass fishing club advisor at Cumberland Valley High School. “He was excited and prepared to start a bass fishing club at our high school. Dylan took the initiative, and on his own, created the club we have today. The club is now home to students who fish in tournaments, some who just fish for fun, and others who don’t fish much but want a safe and welcoming place to hang out with friends.”

Parker Guy, Ocilla, Ga.

A junior and member of the Irwin Bass Anglers, Guy has earned two wins over the past 12 months, including the Georgia B.A.S.S. Nation High School tournament on Lake Eufaula. Currently, Guy is ranked fifth in the angler of the year points standings for the Georgia B.A.S.S. Nation.

“As a coach, seeing Parker make the decision to focus all of his attention on fishing was a blow to our other athletic programs,” wrote Buddy Nobles, athletic director for Irwin County High School. “It is not every day you find a 6-foot, 8-inch athlete with impeccable character, God-given athletic ability and academic greatness. I sure would love to have him on the baseball mound or football field, but there is no doubt Parker’s destiny has always been on the water.”

Guy assisted the caretaker of a neighborhood lake, learning how to properly clean and care for the areas surrounding the lake, deal with beaver dam-building, creating fish habitat and maintaining the dam and other facilities. He has now taken over responsibility for monitoring and caring for the lake.

Luke Haymaker, Canal Fulton, Ohio

Haymaker has been a member of the PrimeTime Junior Bass Anglers club for the past five years, including three years in which he served as president. In the past 12 months, he claimed victory in two tournaments and finished in the Top 5 in three additional tournaments.

He was named the PrimeTime Junior Bass Angler of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Haymaker will be attending Kent State University in the fall, and he plans on joining the Kent State bass fishing team. He intends to study marketing in hopes of attaining a sales job in the bass fishing industry — if his original plan of becoming a Bassmaster Elite Series angler does not work out.

“With the love of the outdoors, Luke possesses a keen awareness of our need as sporting enthusiast to be conservation minded, and to protect God’s fragile ecosystem,” said Robert L. Davis, president of the North Coast Bass Anglers Association.

Brody Jacks, Benton, Ark.

A junior at Bauxite High School and president of his high school fishing team, Jacks has seen extensive tournament success over the past year. He has earned three wins, including an Arkansas High School Bassers Classic Championship, as well as four Top 5s and seven Top 20 finishes.

Jacks helped write a grant application to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. As a result, the club was awarded $1,000 from Gov. Asa Hutchinson to help purchase fishing supplies for students who would like to become part of the fishing club, but do not have the means to purchase gear.

“Besides helping to start the Bauxite High School fishing team, Brody serves in many other leadership positions,” wrote Jonathan Knight, the school’s assistant principal. “Somehow he still manages time to grow his small business, Osprey Fishing Tackle. And, in the past few months, he has been invited and accepted invitations to speak about high school fishing on the highest-rated morning show in Arkansas — KABX 103.7.”

Seth Moser, Maryville, Tenn.

A senior at Sequoyah High School, Moser has earned four wins, including a Southeast Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation high school event on Lake Chickamauga. He also has one Top 5 finish and six Top 20 finishes to his credit.

“Academically, (Moser) is in the top 1% of the senior class and has maintained that ranking all four years,” wrote Debi Tipton, principal at Sequoyah High School. “Not only does Seth get great grades, he also participates in many extracurricular activities. He personally raised over $16,000 over the course of four years for the Sequoyah High School Bass Team as well as completed 82 hours of community service.”

Moser also excels in leadership and scholastic achievements. He has been the recipient of multiple math and scholar awards; has been invited to the National Youth Leadership Conference for Medicine and Science; has served as the FCA president, senior class treasurer and high school bass team president. His goal is to lead his future college, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, to a national bass fishing championship title.

Wyatt Pazdro, Minooka, Ill.

Pazdro, a junior at Minooka Community High School, has an impressive four tournament wins over the past 12 months, as well as four Top 5 finishes. One of his wins was in the IHSA State Championship, where he was competing for the second time.

In addition to his tournament success, Pazdro has as extensive list of conservation projects and community service to his name. He has planted fish habitat in local ponds, helped clean the shores of the Des Plains River and participated in a DNR program to help Aux Sable Creek Farms, just to name a few.

“I have always known Wyatt to be a very dedicated fisherman,” said Kevin Gummerson, a social studies teacher at Minooka Community High School. “It was evident to me that fishing has been a big part of Wyatt’s life and has motivated him to do better in the classroom.”

Wes Rollo, Natchitoches, La.

A senior on the Natchitoches Central High bass fishing team, Rollo has overcome great obstacles to earn his tournament success on the water.

At the age of 12, Rollo was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. At the time, he was an up and coming pitcher with his baseball team and a cornerback on his middle school football team.

"Within 6 weeks," said his father, Jeff Rollo, "Wes was a skeletal 70 pounds and had little muscle mass. Chemotherapy treatments and other medications he had to take caused avascular necrosis (AVN), which can lead to bone death."

Wes, who had been fishing since age 2 and who practiced casting into a bucket at 4 years old, wouldn’t give up on fishing.

“Sometimes I had to carry him, sometimes he would sit in a chair,” said his father. “Every chance we got, I took him in the boat. When he was not physically able to get out of bed, he watched hours upon hours of (fishing) videos. It was what got him through those nearly 3 years of treatment.”

Wes learned in 2015 that the AVN condition had improved, instead of getting worse as expected. His doctor credited the turnaround to his activity fishing and balancing as he stood in a boat, Jeff Rollo said.

Off the water, the young angler has raised money and collected donations to cook dinner and provide Christmas gifts for St. Jude’s kids and their families at the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis. It was there that he chose two children to host for a fishing weekend in Louisiana, where he will take each child and his family fishing for a weekend.

Dalton Smith, Brandon, Miss.

Smith, a junior at Northwest Rankin High School, has earned five wins in high school tournaments, seven Top 5 finishes and 5 Top 20 finishes in the 2018-2019 tournament season. He is also a four-time TBF youth state champion and a TBF youth Central Division champion.

Smith has an extensive lineup of conservation projects as well as community service activities. He organized two fundraisers for the Wounded Warriors Project, worked to educate future anglers about giant salvinia on Ross Barnett Reservoir and takes peers and younger children in the community out to help them learn about fishing as a relaxing and rewarding way to spend time.

“Whenever opportunity lends itself, Dalton gives speeches, writes papers and creates art to bring awareness and help develop an interest in fishing among his peers,” wrote Mary Jane Cox, art department chairman at Northwest Rankin High School. “This is the second year Northwest Rankin High School has had a fishing team, and Dalton has been very active in recruiting students to be a part of this growing group.”

Tucker Smith, Shoal Creek, Ala.

A junior at Briarwood Christian School, Smith has two first-place finishes on his resume, including a win against a 200-boat field at the Bassmaster High School National Championship held on Kentucky Lake out of Paris, Tenn. Smith and his fishing partner, Grayson Morris, are also a part of the high school television show on Jimmy Houston Legends (JHL.TV) called Winning Edges — a show produced by high school students to present “hands on” educational and inspirational video content.

“When Tucker was in junior high school, he suffered a traumatic ‘tib fib’ leg fracture at
football practice,” wrote Jay Mathews, director of athletics and the bass fishing coach at Briarwood Christian School. “He was in a wheelchair for quite some time. Tucker decided to take this setback as a comeback and even fished from his wheelchair! He never complained throughout his recovery.”

Off the water, Smith has worked for King's Home Kampfire for the King event and has been a big part of managing a private lake in Louisville, Ala., for a number of years. This year, they will be adding fish habitat in addition to the baitfish stocked in 2018.

Jackson Swisher, Lake City, Fla.

Swisher, a junior at Columbia High School, has excelled both on and off the water in his high school career. In the past 12 months alone, Swisher has earned three first-place finishes, seven Top 5 finishes and six Top 20 finishes. He’s currently in first place for the Florida B.A.S.S. Nation Southern Series points standings.

When he’s not fishing competitively, Swisher volunteers at fundraising tournaments on the Suwannee River, including the Breast Cancer Awareness Association tournament and the Puzzle Pieces of North Florida Autism tournament. He also teaches pitching, casting and knot-tying skills to first-time anglers at the National Wild Turkey Federation Take A Kid Fishing Day.

“My three daughters (age 6, 7 and 9) expressed to me they wanted to learn about fishing,” wrote Thomas Hosford, principal at Columbia High School. “I spoke to Jackson … and he immediately asked when he could take them fishing. Over the next week, Jackson spent a couple of afternoons fishing with them at a nearby pond. I was amazed at his patience with them. You could see his passion for showing others, especially children, how to fish.

“When I think of an All-American, I think of someone who not only excels in his or her sport, but also in all walks of life. Jackson is the epitome of an All-American.”

James Willoughby, Gulfport, Miss.

With an outstanding five tournament wins over the past 12 months, Willoughby has demonstrated the fishing ability needed to qualify as a Bassmaster High School All-American. In addition to those five wins, he has also logged seven Top 5 finishes and 8 Top 20 finishes.

Willoughby organized the first fishing team at his high school and has been actively involved ever since. He is also very dedicated to his schoolwork and has not missed a day of school in the past four years. He has volunteered with special needs children, giving them the chance to be on the water and catch fish.

“James is an example of a good citizen who is committed to his role as a student, teammate and community member,” said Caitlin Holley, an english teacher at West Harrison High School. “He humbly demonstrates leadership skills daily, and his classmates are encouraged by his positive attitude and behavior.”

by AnglersChannel

The River Less Traveled

Vance McCullough - AnglersChannel.com

There are two reasons you’d find yourself alone in a bass tournament:

1) you are smarter than everyone else,

2) you are dumber than everyone else.

It turns out that Dylan Hays was the former during last week’s FLW Tour on Lake Cherokee when he turned his back on the smallmouth smash fest happening on the lower section of lake and ran up the Holston River to fish for largemouth. Though he finished 3^rd, at first he wasn’t so sure he’d made a smart move. “I was boat number 78 when we launched the first morning. When I went under the 25E bridge - the first bridge on the lake, it’s about halfway up - I was boat number 1.

“Nobody went up there. Not a soul. I said ‘Oh, Dylan, you’re probably screwing up’.

“And I fished the first seventy-five yards where I had a lot of bites in practice and I never got a bite. I thought ‘Dylan, you’re really screwing up bad.’

“Then I got my first bite. It weighed 4-6. It settled me in. My next bite was a 3-and-a-half. In my next hour I caught two keepers and then I caught a 4-11.

“Then I knew I had something special.

“The reason I chose to do that was because I just couldn’t get the smallmouth game going to be honest with you.”

Early the first day of practice Hays caught a 3 ½ -pounder up the lake. While it was not in the area he fished during competition, it gave him a clue. He thought he might bed fish and he marked a bunch of them, but that didn’t quite pan out.

“So, day 3 of practice I decided ‘I’ve got to figure out how to catch a bass.’ I pulled out a little swimbait and caught some smallmouth, 2-and-a-half-pounders, and I thought with a couple of bed fish I might put together a limit doing that, but it wasn’t the winning stuff.

“At 5 o’clock the last day of practice I went up the river; just took off.

“I pulled into the creek I ended up fishing in the tournament and it was like a different lake. I got bit, like, every other flip. Whether it was little ones or bream or whatever, it was something, just something. I liked it and thought ‘man, I want to come up here, but I haven’t caught any keepers yet’.

“I fished for twenty more minutes and caught a 4 ½ - pounder. The very next flip I shook off a big one. And like, five flips later I shook off another big one. I said, ‘well ok, the decision’s made right there’.”

Hays’ decision to fish the upper reaches of the lake nearly won him the tournament. “I should have made it happen. I lost the winner on Day 3. But four or five guys had the bites to win. But I did, for sure, have the bites to win.”

Hays weighed-in several 4-pounders during the event which made him the envy of most guys in the smallmouth camp. Lake Cherokee has an outstanding population of 3-pound brown bass, but 4-pounders are rare.

While he had half the lake to himself, Hays caught most of his weight throughout the week from one piece of shoreline. “Out of the seven 4-pound fish I weighed, six of them came off one bank. I also caught another six that weighed 3-plus off that bank. That’s over half my fish that I weighed in the tournament, off one stretch.”

What made that section of the creek so productive? “The channel wrapped around this point right there. All the big females I caught in that creek were sitting right there. You could get off that, to some steeper banks, and catch some but they would almost all be males, 2 ½ pounds or less.”

While he used the flipping approach - generally associated with heavy cover - to put a lure in front of fish, Hays says the magic was more about the structure of the bottom, less about the cover on it. “Contours. That’s all it was – contours. There were three or four laydowns on it, only one laydown that I caught fish out of. I caught two big ones out of it the first day and never had another bite on it all week. All the rest of them, I was just flipping the rocks. There might have been a log here or there but most of those fish were just sitting on the rock.”

Hays duplicated some of his magic on three other channel swings in the same creek. “I also caught a couple of 4-pounders and another 3-pounder fishing channel swings out on the main river with laydowns. I even had that to myself. I never ever had a boat in my way the whole week.”

Hays did most of his work with a homemade half-ounce jig, green pumpkin/brown, tipped with a Zoom Z Craw Jr in green pumpkin. “I also caught a couple the last day on a Zoom Big Salty Chunk on the back of that same jig.

“I weighed two fish on a Phancy Lures spinnerbait. Half-ounce, chartreuse and white with tandem blades. The wind literally blew, like, ten minutes one day and I picked the spinnerbait up and caught a 4-pounder. Then it blew, like, ten minutes another day and I picked it up and caught a 3 ½ -pounder on it. It never blew in there the whole rest of the tournament.”

Conditions called for fluorocarbon line. Hays opted for 20-lb Hi Seas. “That stuff is really, really strong. That was key because I was flipping rocks the whole time and that’s bad on your line.”

Video on FLWFishing.com shows the big, round bow of Hays’ rod as he sets the hook. He says that action was critical to success this week. “A 7’3” Falcon Cara swimbait rod. That rod is awesome to flip with.”

A 7:1 reel helped him keep up with feisty springtime bass.

Hays used his Costas to good advantage too. Late on the first day, when he boated his best bag of the week, he needed to cull a 15-incher. “I went and started checking some beds I had marked. I had six big ones marked and they were all gone. I went over one fish that was still there. It was a 3-pound smallmouth. I caught it sight fishing. The beds were really hard to see. I knew that wasn’t the deal, but it did give me one good fish the first day.”

Hays hopes to ride his newfound momentum to a Cup appearance. “I was the first person out of the cut for the Cup last year by two points. I really want to make the Cup. I just jumped from 72^ndin the points to 39^th. That’s huge for me.”

The top 40 pros get an invite to fish the Forrest Wood Cup in Hays’ home state of Arkansas.

“The Cup is on Lake Hamilton which is just down the road from me.”

Along the way to qualifying for the championship, Hays would like to win a Tour event. “I’ve been close 3 years in a row. This is my 3^rdTop 3 in 3 years. But you won’t hear me complain about 3^rdplace.”

Hays has seen Champlain, sight of the Tour finale. “I’ve fished it the last two years the same exact week we fish it this year. Not saying I’m going to do good. I’ve cut checks both times though. But I will not be intimidated by the lake like I was the first time I showed up there. That was the first time I ever saw big water in my life. I was just a freaking scared little kid. I didn’t know how to get around and I was just really intimidated. At least now I won’t have that factor going in.”

He pre-fished Chickamauga with mixed results. “I caught 6 pounds one day and 19 the next day. I’m comfortable there but I’m still nervous – I’m always nervous about ‘em. I ain’t ever sure I’m on ‘em wherever.”

Uncertainty didn’t hurt Hays this past week. He followed his gut to a $25,000 payday and a high finish. But still, it’s a razor’s edge between success and failure. “If I didn’t find those fish in that last hour of practice, I would’ve probably caught ten or twelve pounds a day and finished in the hundreds.”

But if Hays keeps listening to that little voice in his head . . .

Author Vance McCullough is an avid Outdoorsman and Football Coach from Jacksonville, Florida. You can Follow Vance here on Facebook or here on Instagram.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Gets Bad Boy Mowers for Stage Seven on Grand Lake

Bad Boy Mowers Becomes Title Sponsor of Grand Lake Stage Seven Event

TULSA, Okla. (April 18, 2019) - Major League Fishing® (MLF) announced today that Bad Boy Mowers is a new sponsor of the MLF Bass Pro Tour and that it will be the title sponsor of the series' 2019 Stage Seven event at Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, May 31 - June 5.

The maker of the popular line of zero-turn-radius mowers and other quality lawn care

equipment has interests common with Grand Lake and fishing in general, making the new relationship an especially good fit for all.

Bad Boy shares The Ozarks with Grand: its headquarters is located in the eastern part of the scenic region at Batesville, Arkansas, while Grand occupies the west side in Oklahoma. And Bad Boy shares in the lake's interest in reaching the wide and diverse MLF national audience that is known to be active outdoors enthusiasts.

"Our MLF audience, whether they're following us on the MLF NOW! live stream, personally attending Bass Pro Tour events, or watching our MLF programming on Outdoor Channel and other networks, is without doubt a group that loves the outdoors and being in it," said league President and CEO, Jim Wilburn. "Bad Boy is a great addition to our team of sponsors and I have no doubt that their brand and our fans will both benefit greatly from the interaction afforded through the entitled advertising and on-site activation efforts."

"We're excited to partner with the MLF Bass Pro Tour in its inaugural season and be the title sponsor of Stage Seven on Grand Lake," said Lennie Foree, Vice President of Marketing for Bad Boy Mowers. "Our customers, dealers and staff are sports fans and outdoorsmen, and aligning with MLF is the perfect connection to their passion. And we look forward to showcasing Bad Boy Mowers to MLF fans."

Bad Boy Mowers officials say its customers, dealers and staff are sports fans and outdoorsmen, and aligning with the MLF Bass Pro Tour is the perfect connection to their passion. (Click to enlarge/download)

The Bass Pro Tour is halfway through its 2019 season of eight qualifying events, called "Stages," with Stage Five up next and scheduled for Lewis Smith Lake at Cullman, Alabama, April 30 - May 5.

Bad Boy will make its MLF on-site debut during the Bass Pro Tour Stage Six fan activities at Missouri's Table Rock Lake, another Ozark destination, April 30 - May 5. The mower company's presence will then be heightened even more when the Bad Boy Stage Seven Grand Lake event follows afterwards at the end of May.

"The American spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation that powers Bad Boy Mowers is the same spirit that conceived and launched the MLF Bass Pro Tour. It's fantastic to welcome Bad Boy as a partner with MLF and showcase their brand to our growing millions of fans," said Chris Bork, Director, Sponsorship, MLF Bass Pro Tour.

As part of the sponsorship, the Bad Boy brand will be featured in TV commercials and digital graphics on MLF programming, and additionally spotlighted during the Stage Seven two-hour television show that will air on Discovery Channel in the fourth quarter of 2019, and repeat on Sportsman Channel in first and second quarters of 2020.

Bad Boy Mowers was started in 2002 and has grown from around 20 employees in the beginning, to more than 800 today. The company's operation in Arkansas spans more than 105 acres and has facilities totaling nearly one million square feet for the manufacturing of Bad Boy commercial grade and commercial-quality residential-grade zero-turn mowers.

For more information on Bad Boy Mowers, visit BadBoyMowers.com.

For more information on MLF, the Bass Pro Tour, and its anglers, rules and formats, visit www.majorleaguefishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Prespawn Bass Put Biggs In The Lead At Guntersville B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional

Texas angler James Biggs of Team Oklahoma took the lead on the first day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional held on Lake Guntersville out of Guntersville, Ala. Biggs brought 25 pounds, 4 ounces to the scales at Wednesday's weigh-in.

Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.

April 17, 2019

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — James Biggs of Euless, Texas, effectively employed an intercept strategy to catch a huge five-bass limit that weighed 25 pounds, 4 ounces for the opening-round lead at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional on Lake Guntersville.

With a 2-pound, 12-ounce margin over second place, the Texas boater built his game plan around seasonal patterns. Anglers reported finding fish in all three stages of the spawn, but Biggs believed his best opportunity would be found with the prespawn fish.

“I just found where they’re transitioning,” Biggs said. “We have a full moon coming and they’re heading to the banks. I found that stopping spot pretty close to where they’re heading.

“I fished the renowned Guntersville bridges, which make funneling points. These are just common-sense spots where the fish will stop on the way in, and stop on the way out.”

Biggs said he spent most of his time fishing bridge pilings and bottom structure in the deeper sections. Although he caught fish throughout different parts of the day, Biggs experienced a midday upturn.

“I think that was because (the TVA) started running some current,” he said.

Mobility, he said, was the key to his success. He knew the fish would be feeding heavily, so checking multiple spots proved essential.

“The morning bite wasn’t very good; I sat on one area for a while and caught a couple, but nothing great,” he said. “I made a move and was able to cull those fish out.

“I just started spot hopping the same type of stuff. It was more of a pattern than a location because it worked in multiple places.

True to the prespawn pattern, Biggs caught his fish on a mix of presentations. Swimbaits produced some of his bigger bites, but slowly dragging plastics along the bottom also added to his limit.

“We’re at Guntersville in April — fish your strength,” he said of the big lake’s famous spring bonanza. “This lake is so full of fish, you can catch them a bunch of different ways.”

Jeremy Montgomery of Overland Park, Kan., is in second place with 22-8. Anchoring his bag was a 6-5 and another kicker around 6. Three more in the 3-pound range bespoke a day of consistency.

Montgomery said he’s targeting grassy humps rising from about 7 to 8 feet of water down to 4 feet. His fish are either right on top of the hump or they’re on the edge of the grass.

“They’re coming to me, for sure,” Montgomery said of his postspawn staging areas. “I only hit three of the spots I found in practice, so I have a couple more that I left alone today. I got a limit really early, culled one at noon and then kind of laid off of them.”

Montgomery caught his fish on Senkos Texas rigged with a 1/8-ounce bullet weight, which helped the bait push through the grass. Popping the worm out of grass often triggered reaction bites.

Sawyer McMurphy of Long Beach, Miss., finished the first day in third place with 19-0. He was mostly targeting prespawn and postspawn fish, but late morning offered an opportunity to catch a bedded fish.

“I saw the bed in about 3 feet of water but I didn’t actually see the fish,” he said. “I flipped a beaver in there and she attacked the bait on the first cast.”

Josh Hilton of Clarksville, Ark., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 8-12.

Mike Szczechowski of Strafford, Mo., leads the nonboater division with 15-4. Paired with Biggs, he also benefited from the staging popularity of Guntersville bridges.

“I caught fish on the pilings and the points going underneath them,” Szczechowski said. “It was a mix of reaction baits and slower baits. Sometimes the bite was really fast, and sometimes it was really slow. We just did what we had to do to get bit, and reacted to where we fished.”

Szczechowski’s bag included a 6-5 kicker. He caught that one mid-morning.

(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Guntersville Lake, Guntersville AL.
2019 2019 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional 4/17-4/19

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

1. James Biggs Euless, TX (OK) 5 25-04 0
2. Jeremy Montgomery Overland Park, KS (KS) 5 22-08 0
3. Sawyer Mcmurphy Long Beach, MS (MS) 5 19-00 0
4. Larry Franks Jr. Wilsonville, AL (AL) 5 18-13 0
5. Howard Hartley Patterson, LA (LA) 5 18-09 0
6. Michael Bueche Pierre Part, LA (LA) 5 18-02 0
7. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI (WI) 5 18-01 0
8. Mike Wallis Hallsville, MO (MO) 5 17-12 0
9. David Schultz Wilmington, IL (IL) 4 17-12 0
10. Gary Schild Mundelein, IL (WI) 5 17-04 0
11. Don Douglas IV Hensley, AR (AR) 5 17-03 0
12. Jason Pittman Covington, LA (MS) 5 17-01 0
13. Kenneth Reed Bloomington, IN (IN) 5 16-15 0
14. Jim Clay Eagle Rock, MO (KS) 5 16-12 0
15. Matthew Mcclanahan Bloomington, IN (IN) 5 16-08 0
16. Michael Lebsack Duluth, MN (MN) 5 16-07 0
17. Douglas Hatcher Clarksville, AR (AR) 5 16-02 0
17. Trenton Pittman Covington, LA (MS) 5 16-02 0
19. Ed Bauer Mooresville, IN (IN) 5 15-15 0
20. Coby Carden Shelby, AL (AL) 5 15-14 0
21. Paul Willett Blue Eye, MO (MO) 5 15-13 0
22. Cole Burdeshaw NEWVILLE, AL (AL) 5 15-11 0
23. Nobuyuki Terajima Hermitage, TN (TN) 5 15-09 0
24. Bryan Trahan Orange, TX (TX) 5 15-07 0
25. Josh Hilton Clarksville, AR (AR) 4 15-05 0
26. Kris Bosley Amarillo, TX (TX) 5 15-03 0
27. Blake Betz Baton Rouge, LA (LA) 5 15-01 0
28. Blake Albertson BLOOMINGTON, IN (IN) 5 14-15 0
29. Jason Baird Gypsum, KS (KS) 5 14-05 0
29. Nick Prvonozac Warren, OH (OH) 5 14-05 0
31. Wells Kaiser Bernard, IA (IA) 5 14-04 0
32. Allan Reaves Pottsville, AR (AR) 5 14-04 0
33. Daniel Bowling Morgantown, IN (IN) 5 14-03 0
33. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK (OK) 5 14-03 0
35. Mike Perry Brownsville, TN (TN) 5 14-02 0
36. John Roth Lawrenceburg, IN (KY) 5 14-00 0
37. Gregory Glasser Saline, MI (MI) 5 13-14 0
38. Tom Kiefer Oak Grove, MN (MN) 5 13-11 0
39. Robert Paxton Jr Flower Mound, TX (TX) 5 13-08 0
40. Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA (IA) 5 13-06 0
40. Brock Enmeier Broken Arrow, OK (OK) 5 13-06 0
42. Corey Smith Perry, OK (OK) 5 13-05 0
43. Duane Pittman Prairieville, LA (LA) 5 13-04 0
44. Ted Prisbe Harsens Island, MI (MI 5 13-03 0
45. Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 5 13-00 0
46. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK (OK) 5 12-14 0
47. Sam Schlosser Gaylord, MI (MI) 5 12-12 0
47. Eric Silverstrim Indian Mound, TN (TN) 5 12-12 0
49. Mark Borchers Akron, IA (NE) 5 12-10 0
50. Jason Benjamin Lawrence, KS (KS) 5 12-09 0
51. Jeremy Tibben Stanton, IA (NE) 5 12-09 0
52. Brock Belik Orchard, NE (SD) 5 12-08 0
53. Yancey Hartzer Culbertson, NE (NE) 4 12-06 0
54. Chris Brokman Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 5 12-04 0
55. Robert Degraffenreid Oklahoma Cty, OK (OK) 4 12-04 0
56. Donald Roberts Bellville, OH (OH) 5 12-03 0
57. Josh Miller Roberts, WI (WI) 5 12-01 0
57. Eric Snow Clarksville, IN (KY) 5 12-01 0
59. Matt Pangrac Broken Arrow, OK (OK) 5 11-12 0
60. Cody Graff Glenvil, NE (NE) 5 11-08 0
60. Kent Mittelstaedt New Hope, MN (MN) 5 11-08 0
60. Tony Puelz Garnavillo, IA (IA) 5 11-08 0
63. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI (WI) 5 11-08 0
64. Keith Glasgow Guin, AL (AL) 4 11-08 0
65. Justin Barnes Monroeville, AL (AL) 5 11-06 0
66. Jim Barnette Decatur, AL (AL) 5 11-04 0
67. Dustin Drath Coon Valley, WI (WI) 4 11-04 0
68. Robert Huff Lancaster, KY (KY) 5 11-03 0
69. Jim Barczak Osceola, WI (WI) 5 11-02 0
70. Kyle Kiister Arma, KS (KS) 4 11-02 0
71. Marc Snyder St. Johns, MI (MI) 5 11-00 0
72. Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX (TX) 4 11-00 0
73. Nicholas King Tinley Park, IL (IL) 5 10-15 0
74. Ted Daniels St. Louis, MO (MO) 5 10-13 0
75. Richard Young Jr Melbourne, KY (KY) 4 10-13 0
76. Bret Fite Salina, OK (OK) 4 10-12 0
77. Josh Cruse Pocahontas, AR (AR) 3 10-11 0
78. Scott Brison Clarksville, TN (TN) 5 10-10 0
79. Tony Ardizzone Indianapolis, IN (IN) 4 10-08 0
80. Michael McAdams Cincinnati, OH (OH) 3 10-08 0
81. Jeremy Tenwalde Fort Jennings, OH (OH) 4 10-05 0
82. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA (LA) 3 10-04 0
83. Daniel Fabiano Maple Grove, MN (MN) 4 10-02 0
84. Tyler Ramsey Sand Springs, OK (OK) 5 10-01 0
85. Spenser Embry Lebanon, TN (TN) 3 10-01 0
86. Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD (SD) 5 09-13 0
87. Michael Moore Dover, TN (TN) 4 09-13 0
88. Matthew Robertson Kuttawa, KY (KY) 3 09-13 0
89. Robbie Ocmond Gonzales, LA (LA) 5 09-10 0
90. Mark Klemp Villa Park, IL (IL) 4 09-10 0
91. David Buchanan Abbeville, AL (AL) 3 09-09 0
91. Dean Harlan Ava, MO (MO) 3 09-09 0
93. Jeff Bostic Cassopolis, MI (MI) 5 09-05 0
94. Nick Coleman Kuttawa, KY (KY) 4 09-04 0
94. Brett Foret Houma, LA (LA) 4 09-04 0
96. Chad Housh Auburn, NE (NE) 5 09-03 0
97. Hoyt Akins Scott, AR (AR) 4 09-03 0
98. Garrett Cates Overland Park, KS (KS) 3 09-02 0
98. Monty Fralick Martin, SD (SD) 3 09-02 0
100. Chad Petrie McKinney, TX (TX) 5 09-01 0
101. Kyle Christopher Danville, KY (KY) 4 09-01 0
102. Henry Montney Clarkston, MI (MI) 3 08-15 0
103. Joshua Barr Louisville, OH (OH) 3 08-14 0
104. David Streich Mansfield, OH (OH) 4 08-12 0
105. Brooks Forsyth Hester, LA (LA) 4 08-10 0
105. Chong Vang Rosevile, MN (MN) 4 08-10 0
107. Tucker Pierce Hollister, MO (MO) 4 08-09 0
107. Eduardo Trevino South Elgin, IL (IL) 4 08-09 0
109. Tyler Shanle Green Bay, WI (WI) 5 08-08 0
110. Brian Martin La Vista, NE (NE) 3 08-06 0
111. Luke Jasper Lemont, IL (IL) 2 08-02 0
112. Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH (OH) 2 08-01 0
113. Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD (SD) 4 08-00 0
114. Mickey Lewis Huntingdon, TN (TN) 3 08-00 0
115. Michael Kazmierczak Lemont, IL (IL) 3 07-15 0
116. Rick Shock Victoria, TX (TX) 2 07-14 0
117. Chase Peek Belleville, AR (AR) 4 07-13 0
118. Aaron Ivy Washington, IN (IN) 3 07-13 0
119. Robert Thierry III Sugarland, TX (TX) 4 07-10 0
120. Steven Hatch Long Beach, MS (MS) 3 07-10 0
121. Caleb Prestenbach Thibodaux, LA (LA) 3 07-08 0
122. Gary Coffman Earlham, IA (IA) 3 07-08 0
123. Jared Miller Norman, OK (OK) 4 07-01 0
124. Joe Discerni Warren, OH (OH) 4 06-15 0
125. Duane Hanzlik Basehor, KS (NE) 3 06-15 0
126. Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN (MN) 2 06-12 0
127. Tom Enloe Tuscola, TX (TX) 3 06-11 0
128. Rodney Keel Bedford, IN (IN) 3 06-07 0
129. Darrell Campbell Alba, TX (TX) 3 06-06 0
130. Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA (LA) 3 06-05 0
131. Edward Schiller Wixom, MI (MI) 2 06-04 0
132. Bob Garman Center Point, IA (IA) 2 06-02 0
132. Stephen Noble Newport, KY (KY) 2 06-02 0
134. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL (IL) 3 06-01 0
135. Troy Kilgas Combined Locks, WI (WI) 2 06-00 0
135. Randy Miller Coal City, IL (IL) 2 06-00 0
137. Jay Ladner Perkinston, MS (MS) 3 05-15 0
138. Harry Heins Monona, IA (IA) 3 05-14 0
139. David Helming Celestine, IN (IN) 1 05-12 0
140. Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH (OH) 3 05-11 0
141. Calvin Davidson Plainfield, IN (IN) 3 05-10 0
142. Scott Tassi Arma, KS (KS) 3 05-09 0
143. Kenneth Schofield Canyon, MN (MN) 2 05-09 0
144. Aaron Carroll Rolla, MO (MO) 3 05-08 0
145. Jin Nguyen Kansas City, MO (MO) 3 05-05 0
146. Taylor Phillips East Tawas, MI (MI) 2 05-03 0
146. Chuck Steinbauer Baxter, MN (MN) 2 05-03 0
148. Justin Marbut Jacksonville, AL (AL) 2 05-02 0
149. Tony Devolder Moline, IL (IA) 3 05-00 0
150. Mark Floyd Blue Mountain, MS (MS) 2 04-13 0
151. Aaron Lehnen Middletown, MO (MO) 1 04-13 0
152. Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 3 04-11 0
153. Larry Carter Lucedale, MS (MS) 2 04-07 0
154. Lee Byrd Jr. Pell City, AL (AL) 2 04-06 0
154. Danny Carter Hernando, MS (MS) 2 04-06 0
154. David Cook Whitehouse, TN (TN) 2 04-06 0
154. Bill Mcquarrie Newaygo, MI (MI) 2 04-06 0
158. Rod Bunge Mechanicsville, IA (IA) 2 04-04 0
159. Cody Slygh Duluth, MN (MN) 1 04-04 0
160. Richard Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 2 04-00 0
160. Johnnie Neil Jr Warrensburg, MO (MO) 2 04-00 0
160. Corey Peterson Yankton, SD (SD) 2 04-00 0
163. Jon Harshbarger Kaufman, TX (TX) 2 03-15 0
164. Raymond Bartkowiak Villa Park, IL (IL) 2 03-14 0
165. Ryan Whitacre Chicago, IL (WI) 2 03-13 0
166. Justin Rowse O'Neill, NE (SD) 1 03-11 0
167. Destre Dedeaux Meadville, MS (MS) 2 03-09 0
168. Frank Wickham Jr New Hampton, IA (IA) 1 03-04 0
169. Mark Cooper Nicholasville, KY (KY) 1 02-15 0
170. Heston Fish Squires, MO (MO) 2 02-09 0
171. Steve Strope Orchard, NE (SD) 1 02-06 0
172. Rich Lindgren Lakeville, MN (MN) 1 02-03 0
172. Roger Peebles Atmore, AL (AL) 1 02-03 0
172. Bryce White McCall Creek, MS (MS) 1 02-03 0
175. Gary Bonnet Borden, IN (KY) 1 02-02 0
175. James Parsons Topeka, KS (KS) 1 02-02 0
177. Ralph Myhlhousen Grove, OK (NE) 1 02-01 0
177. Jimmy Pierce Medon, TN (TN) 1 02-01 0
179. David James Russellville, AR (AR) 1 02-00 0
180. Donald Pflumm Stilwell, KS (KS) 1 01-13 0
181. John Czajkoski Wilmington, IL (IL) 1 01-12 0
182. Fred Goy Williams Bay, WI (WI) 1 01-05 0
183. Ken Reagan Jenison, MI (MI) 1 01-04 0
184. Mark Brown Little Rock, AR (AR) 0 00-00 0
184. Brandon Garrison Gladstone, MO (KS) 0 00-00 0
184. Daniel Hamdorf Lowden, IA (IA) 0 00-00 0
184. Justin Heidinger Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
184. Allen Holt New Tazewell, TN (TN) 0 00-00 0
184. Brian Kregel Garnavillo, IA (IA) 0 00-00 0
184. Paul Kremers Clarksville, AR (AR) 0 00-00 0
184. Will Presley Jr Grove City, OH (OH) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 74 660 1765-04
----------------------------------
74 660 1765-04

TEAM STANDINGS Day 1
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 OKLAHOMA 185-06
2 LOUISIANA 172-05
3 INDIANA 167-08
4 ALABAMA 165-15
5 KANSAS 148-08
6 TEXAS 147-03
7 NEBRASKA 147-01
8 ARKANSAS 146-07
9 OHIO 143-14
10 KENTUCKY 142-11
11 WISCONSIN 141-13
12 MISSISSIPPI 135-07
13 MISSOURI 135-02
14 MINNESOTA 134-15
15 TENNESSEE 132-15
16 IOWA 132-09
17 MICHIGAN 130-04
18 ILLINOIS 129-06
19 SOUTH DAKOTA 94-04

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Wells Kaiser Bernard, IA 5 14-04 0
2 Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA 5 13-06 0
3 Tony Puelz Garnavillo, IA 5 11-08 0
4 Gary Coffman Earlham, IA 3 07-08 0
5 Bob Garman Center Point, IA 2 06-02 0
6 Harry Heins Monona, IA 3 05-14 0
7 Tony Devolder Moline, IL 3 05-00 0
8 Rod Bunge Mechanicsville, IA 2 04-04 0
9 Frank Wickham Jr New Hampton, IA 1 03-04 0
10 Daniel Hamdorf Lowden, IA 0 00-00 0
10 Brian Kregel Garnavillo, IA 0 00-00 0

ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 David Schultz Wilmington, IL 4 17-12 0
2 Nicholas King Tinley Park, IL 5 10-15 0
3 Mark Klemp Villa Park, IL 4 09-10 0
4 Eduardo Trevino South Elgin, IL 4 08-09 0
5 Luke Jasper Lemont, IL 2 08-02 0
6 Michael Kazmierczak Lemont, IL 3 07-15 0
7 Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 3 06-01 0
8 Randy Miller Coal City, IL 2 06-00 0
9 Raymond Bartkowiak Villa Park, IL 2 03-14 0
10 John Czajkoski Wilmington, IL 1 01-12 0

INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kenneth Reed Bloomington, IN 5 16-15 0
2 Matthew Mcclanahan Bloomington, IN 5 16-08 0
3 Ed Bauer Mooresville, IN 5 15-15 0
4 Blake Albertson BLOOMINGTON, IN 5 14-15 0
5 Daniel Bowling Morgantown, IN 5 14-03 0
6 Tony Ardizzone Indianapolis, IN 4 10-08 0
7 Aaron Ivy Washington, IN 3 07-13 0
8 Rodney Keel Bedford, IN 3 06-07 0
9 David Helming Celestine, IN 1 05-12 0
10 Calvin Davidson Plainfield, IN 3 05-10 0

MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Gregory Glasser Saline, MI 5 13-14 0
2 Ted Prisbe Harsens Island, MI 5 13-03 0
3 Sam Schlosser Gaylord, MI 5 12-12 0
4 Marc Snyder St. Johns, MI 5 11-00 0
5 Jeff Bostic Cassopolis, MI 5 09-05 0
6 Henry Montney Clarkston, MI 3 08-15 0
7 Edward Schiller Wixom, MI 2 06-04 0
8 Taylor Phillips East Tawas, MI 2 05-03 0
9 Bill Mcquarrie Newaygo, MI 2 04-06 0
10 Ken Reagan Jenison, MI 1 01-04 0

MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Michael Lebsack Duluth, MN 5 16-07 0
2 Tom Kiefer Oak Grove, MN 5 13-11 0
3 Kent Mittelstaedt New Hope, MN 5 11-08 0
4 Daniel Fabiano Maple Grove, MN 4 10-02 0
5 Chong Vang Rosevile, MN 4 08-10 0
6 Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN 2 06-12 0
7 Kenneth Schofield Canyon, MN 2 05-09 0
8 Chuck Steinbauer Baxter, MN 2 05-03 0
9 Cody Slygh Duluth, MN 1 04-04 0
10 Rich Lindgren Lakeville, MN 1 02-03 0

OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Nick Prvonozac Warren, OH 5 14-05 0
2 Donald Roberts Bellville, OH 5 12-03 0
3 Michael McAdams Cincinnati, OH 3 10-08 0
4 Jeremy Tenwalde Fort Jennings, OH 4 10-05 0
5 Joshua Barr Louisville, OH 3 08-14 0
6 David Streich Mansfield, OH 4 08-12 0
7 Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH 2 08-01 0
8 Joe Discerni Warren, OH 4 06-15 0
9 Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH 3 05-11 0
10 Will Presley Jr Grove City, OH 0 00-00 0

SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD 5 13-00 0
2 Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 12-08 0
3 Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD 5 09-13 0
4 Monty Fralick Martin, SD 3 09-02 0
5 Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD 4 08-00 0
6 Richard Hladky Yankton, SD 2 04-00 0
6 Corey Peterson Yankton, SD 2 04-00 0
8 Justin Rowse O'Neill, NE 1 03-11 0
9 Steve Strope Orchard, NE 1 02-06 0
10 Justin Heidinger Sioux Falls, SD 0 00-00 0

WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 18-01 0
2 Gary Schild Mundelein, IL 5 17-04 0
3 Josh Miller Roberts, WI 5 12-01 0
4 Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 5 11-08 0
5 Dustin Drath Coon Valley, WI 4 11-04 0
6 Jim Barczak Osceola, WI 5 11-02 0
7 Tyler Shanle Green Bay, WI 5 08-08 0
8 Troy Kilgas Combined Locks, WI 2 06-00 0
9 Ryan Whitacre Chicago, IL 2 03-13 0
10 Fred Goy Williams Bay, WI 1 01-05 0

KANSAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeremy Montgomery Overland Park, KS 5 22-08 0
2 Jim Clay Eagle Rock, MO 5 16-12 0
3 Jason Baird Gypsum, KS 5 14-05 0
4 Jason Benjamin Lawrence, KS 5 12-09 0
5 Kyle Kiister Arma, KS 4 11-02 0
6 Garrett Cates Overland Park, KS 3 09-02 0
7 Scott Tassi Arma, KS 3 05-09 0
8 James Parsons Topeka, KS 1 02-02 0
9 Donald Pflumm Stilwell, KS 1 01-13 0
10 Brandon Garrison Gladstone, MO 0 00-00 0

OKLAHOMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 James Biggs Euless, TX 5 25-04 0
2 John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 14-03 0
3 Brock Enmeier Broken Arrow, OK 5 13-06 0
4 Corey Smith Perry, OK 5 13-05 0
5 Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 5 12-14 0
6 Robert Degraffenreid Oklahoma Cty, OK 4 12-04 0
7 Matt Pangrac Broken Arrow, OK 5 11-12 0
8 Bret Fite Salina, OK 4 10-12 0
9 Tyler Ramsey Sand Springs, OK 5 10-01 0
10 Jared Miller Norman, OK 4 07-01 0

LOUISIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Howard Hartley Patterson, LA 5 18-09 0
2 Michael Bueche Pierre Part, LA 5 18-02 0
3 Blake Betz Baton Rouge, LA 5 15-01 0
4 Duane Pittman Prairieville, LA 5 13-04 0
5 Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 3 10-04 0
6 Robbie Ocmond Gonzales, LA 5 09-10 0
7 Brett Foret Houma, LA 4 09-04 0
8 Brooks Forsyth Hester, LA 4 08-10 0
9 Caleb Prestenbach Thibodaux, LA 3 07-08 0
10 Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA 3 06-05 0

NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mark Borchers Akron, IA 5 12-10 0
2 Jeremy Tibben Stanton, IA 5 12-09 0
3 Yancey Hartzer Culbertson, NE 4 12-06 0
4 Chris Brokman Council Bluffs, IA 5 12-04 0
5 Cody Graff Glenvil, NE 5 11-08 0
6 Chad Housh Auburn, NE 5 09-03 0
7 Brian Martin La Vista, NE 3 08-06 0
8 Duane Hanzlik Basehor, KS 3 06-15 0
9 Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA 3 04-11 0
10 Ralph Myhlhousen Grove, OK 1 02-01 0

MISSOURI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mike Wallis Hallsville, MO 5 17-12 0
2 Paul Willett Blue Eye, MO 5 15-13 0
3 Ted Daniels St. Louis, MO 5 10-13 0
4 Dean Harlan Ava, MO 3 09-09 0
5 Tucker Pierce Hollister, MO 4 08-09 0
6 Aaron Carroll Rolla, MO 3 05-08 0
7 Jin Nguyen Kansas City, MO 3 05-05 0
8 Aaron Lehnen Middletown, MO 1 04-13 0
9 Johnnie Neil Jr Warrensburg, MO 2 04-00 0
10 Heston Fish Squires, MO 2 02-09 0

ARKANSAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Don Douglas IV Hensley, AR 5 17-03 0
2 Douglas Hatcher Clarksville, AR 5 16-02 0
3 Josh Hilton Clarksville, AR 4 15-05 0
4 Allan Reaves Pottsville, AR 5 14-04 0
5 Josh Cruse Pocahontas, AR 3 10-11 0
6 Hoyt Akins Scott, AR 4 09-03 0
7 Chase Peek Belleville, AR 4 07-13 0
8 David James Russellville, AR 1 02-00 0
9 Mark Brown Little Rock, AR 0 00-00 0
9 Paul Kremers Clarksville, AR 0 00-00 0

MISSISSIPPI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Sawyer Mcmurphy Long Beach, MS 5 19-00 0
2 Jason Pittman Covington, LA 5 17-01 0
3 Trenton Pittman Covington, LA 5 16-02 0
4 Steven Hatch Long Beach, MS 3 07-10 0
5 Jay Ladner Perkinston, MS 3 05-15 0
6 Mark Floyd Blue Mountain, MS 2 04-13 0
7 Larry Carter Lucedale, MS 2 04-07 0
8 Danny Carter Hernando, MS 2 04-06 0
9 Destre Dedeaux Meadville, MS 2 03-09 0
10 Bryce White McCall Creek, MS 1 02-03 0

TEXAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bryan Trahan Orange, TX 5 15-07 0
2 Kris Bosley Amarillo, TX 5 15-03 0
3 Robert Paxton Jr Flower Mound, TX 5 13-08 0
4 Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX 4 11-00 0
5 Chad Petrie McKinney, TX 5 09-01 0
6 Rick Shock Victoria, TX 2 07-14 0
7 Robert Thierry III Sugarland, TX 4 07-10 0
8 Tom Enloe Tuscola, TX 3 06-11 0
9 Darrell Campbell Alba, TX 3 06-06 0
10 Jon Harshbarger Kaufman, TX 2 03-15 0

ALABAMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Larry Franks Jr. Wilsonville, AL 5 18-13 0
2 Coby Carden Shelby, AL 5 15-14 0
3 Cole Burdeshaw NEWVILLE, AL 5 15-11 0
4 Keith Glasgow Guin, AL 4 11-08 0
5 Justin Barnes Monroeville, AL 5 11-06 0
6 Jim Barnette Decatur, AL 5 11-04 0
7 David Buchanan Abbeville, AL 3 09-09 0
8 Justin Marbut Jacksonville, AL 2 05-02 0
9 Lee Byrd Jr. Pell City, AL 2 04-06 0
10 Roger Peebles Atmore, AL 1 02-03 0

KENTUCKY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 John Roth Lawrenceburg, IN 5 14-00 0
2 Eric Snow Clarksville, IN 5 12-01 0
3 Robert Huff Lancaster, KY 5 11-03 0
4 Richard Young Jr Melbourne, KY 4 10-13 0
5 Matthew Robertson Kuttawa, KY 3 09-13 0
6 Nick Coleman Kuttawa, KY 4 09-04 0
7 Kyle Christopher Danville, KY 4 09-01 0
8 Stephen Noble Newport, KY 2 06-02 0
9 Mark Cooper Nicholasville, KY 1 02-15 0
10 Gary Bonnet Borden, IN 1 02-02 0

TENNESSEE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Nobuyuki Terajima Hermitage, TN 5 15-09 0
2 Mike Perry Brownsville, TN 5 14-02 0
3 Eric Silverstrim Indian Mound, TN 5 12-12 0
4 Scott Brison Clarksville, TN 5 10-10 0
5 Spenser Embry Lebanon, TN 3 10-01 0
6 Michael Moore Dover, TN 4 09-13 0
7 Mickey Lewis Huntingdon, TN 3 08-00 0
8 David Cook Whitehouse, TN 2 04-06 0
9 Jimmy Pierce Medon, TN 1 02-01 0
10 Allen Holt New Tazewell, TN 0 00-00 0

2019 2019 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional 4/17-4/19
Guntersville Lake, Guntersville AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Mike Szczechowski Strafford, MO (MO) 3 15-04 0
2. Howard Lee Hanvey Opelika, AL (AL) 3 12-06 0
3. Kelvin Grubbs Pryor, OK (OK) 3 11-15 0
3. Justin Hymel Norco, LA (LA) 3 11-15 0
5. Bryce Porter Raymore, MO (KS) 3 11-09 0
6. Chris Rhodes Eaton, IN (IN) 3 11-07 0
6. David Stafford Sanger, TX (TX) 3 11-07 0
8. Taylor Burgin Palo, ID (IA) 3 11-03 0
9. Greg Marcum Willisburg, KY (KY) 3 10-14 0
10. Barry Ward Louisville, KY (KY) 3 10-11 0
11. Justin Foster Bude, MS (MS) 3 10-05 0
12. Grant Hack Mount Gilead, OH (OH) 3 09-14 0
13. Brock Gullixon Lola, WI (WI) 3 09-13 0
13. Jacob Maloney Cedar Rapids, IA (IA) 3 09-13 0
13. Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH (OH) 3 09-13 0
16. James Boyett Mountain Home, AR (AR) 3 09-13 0
17. Allen Smith Knoxville, TN (TN) 3 09-12 0
18. Chandler Teems Leeds, AL (AL) 3 09-09 0
19. Keith Kissinger Crocker, MO (MO) 3 09-05 0
20. Doug Andrews Heber Springs, TN (MS) 3 09-03 0
21. Cody Womack Blanchard, OK (OK) 3 09-02 0
22. Brian Murphy Sulphur, LA (LA) 3 09-00 0
23. Timothy Cartwright Sand Springs, OK (OK) 3 08-14 0
24. Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH (OH) 3 08-12 0
25. Austin Pittman Maumelle, AR (AR) 3 08-12 0
26. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL (AL) 3 08-10 0
26. Jim Tomsovic Sparta, WI (WI) 3 08-10 0
28. Rick King Tinley Park, IL (IL) 3 08-09 0
29. Scott Blaesi Hershey, NE (NE) 3 08-07 0
30. Dan Posey Niles, MI (MI) 3 08-06 0
31. Mason Ferachi Walker, LA (LA) 3 08-05 0
32. Brent Dohse Neola, IA (NE) 2 08-04 0
33. Kyle Coffman Minbun, IA (IA) 3 08-02 0
34. Francis Beard Rainbow City, AL (AL) 2 08-02 0
35. Hunter Frederickson Redford, MI (MI) 3 08-01 0
35. Ira Lynn Adkins, TX (TX) 3 08-01 0
37. Jose Munoz McHenry , IL (WI) 3 08-00 0
37. Brian Reeves Clarksville, AR (AR) 3 08-00 0
39. Dominic Cavitt Pittsburg, KS (KS) 3 08-00 0
40. Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL (IL) 2 07-15 0
41. Brandon Logue Greenwood, NE (SD) 3 07-12 0
41. Donald Merryfield Des Moines, IA (IA) 3 07-12 0
43. Shawn Carter Evansville, IN (IN) 2 07-12 0
44. Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA (IA) 3 07-11 0
44. Zach Yarnes Lakeville, MN (MN) 3 07-11 0
46. Josh Olson Pepin, WI (WI) 3 07-11 0
47. Steve Brummer Rosemount, MN (MN) 3 07-09 0
47. Jordan Trainor Erin, TN (TN) 3 07-09 0
49. Bryan Adams Blair, NE (NE) 3 07-09 0
50. Christopher Curvin Piedmont, AL (AL) 2 07-07 0
51. Mike Casanova Frisco, TX (TX) 3 07-05 0
51. Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN (IN) 3 07-05 0
53. Bryan Mccarthy Columbia, MO (MO) 3 07-04 0
53. Jacob Pyzer North Platte, NE (NE) 3 07-04 0
53. Jeffrey Ray Canton, MS (MS) 3 07-04 0
56. Doug Shelton Casscoe, AR (AR) 2 07-00 0
57. Coy Baird Blakesburg, IA (IA) 3 06-15 0
57. AJ Mende Lincoln, NE (NE) 3 06-15 0
59. Paul Huse Omaha, NE (NE) 1 06-15 0
60. Zachary Webb Bella Vista, AR (AR) 3 06-13 0
61. Ryan Coppock Coweta, OK (OK) 3 06-12 0
62. Jacob Phillips Alamo, TN (TN) 2 06-12 0
63. Jamie Thibodaux Thibodaux, LA (LA) 2 06-10 0
64. Kourtney Funk Russell Springs, KY (KY 3 06-09 0
65. Charles Pustz Tinley Park, IL (IL) 3 06-09 0
66. Aaron Cherry KINSEY, AL (AL) 3 06-08 0
67. Alex Turner Hudson, OH (OH) 3 06-07 0
67. David Wheat Philadelphia, MS (MS) 3 06-07 0
67. Hunter Young Melbourne, KY (KY) 3 06-07 0
70. Dominic Floria Remer, MN (MN) 3 06-06 0
71. Peter Haire South St Paul, MN (MN) 3 06-04 0
71. Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH (OH) 3 06-04 0
71. Anthony Lenz Elk River, MN (MN) 3 06-04 0
74. Doug Castro Linden, TN (TN) 3 06-03 0
75. Peter Bruener Douglass, TX (TX) 3 06-01 0
75. Devin Pino Kansas City, KS (KS) 3 06-01 0
77. Lawrence Leonardi Clinton Township, MI (M 3 06-00 0
78. Brandon Burke Franklin, OH (OH) 3 05-15 0
79. Amy King Lafayette, IN (IN) 3 05-15 0
80. Lewis Decker III McGregor, TX (TX) 2 05-15 0
81. Austin Casteel Sulphur, LA (LA) 3 05-14 0
82. Curtis Hughes Greenwood, IN (IN) 2 05-14 0
83. Becker Lara Batavia, IL (IL) 3 05-12 0
83. Eric Quaglio Lexington, KY (KY) 3 05-12 0
85. Mike Coopersmith Wolverine Lake, MI (MI) 3 05-11 0
85. Tre' Gautreau Prairieville, LA (LA) 3 05-11 0
85. Earl Maines Richmond, KY (KY) 3 05-11 0
88. Jeff Lopez Downers Grove, IL (IL) 3 05-10 0
89. Bailey Madere Madisonville, LA (MS) 2 05-09 0
90. Todd Stiehl Winner, SD (SD) 3 05-08 0
91. Jason Kloepper Hastings, NE (NE) 2 05-08 0
92. John Jasper Lemont, IL (IL) 3 05-07 0
93. Tyler Wellman Tecumseh, OK (OK) 3 05-06 0
94. Lane Rue Armstrong Topeka, KS (KS) 2 05-05 0
95. Mack Hale III Cherryvale, KS (KS) 2 05-04 0
95. Dale Zedeck Lawton, MI (MI) 2 05-04 0
97. Justin Koput Lomira, WI (OH) 2 05-02 0
98. Aaron Baldridge Moore, OK (OK) 3 05-00 0
99. Dave Sellers Brandon, SD (SD) 1 04-15 0
100. Toby Steele Ten Mile, TN (TN) 1 04-14 0
101. Mark Matulka Olathe, KS (KS) 3 04-12 0
102. James Smotherman Hollister , MO (MO) 2 04-11 0
103. Aaron Jay Van Buren, AR (AR) 2 04-10 0
104. Lane Plagge Hamilton, OH (OH) 2 04-07 0
104. Will Poore New Tazewell, TN (TN) 2 04-07 0
106. Jeremy Creel Benton, AR (AR) 2 04-06 0
106. Kobie Koenig Cohassett, MN (MN) 2 04-06 0
108. Austin Bartholomew Keosauqua, IA (IA) 2 04-05 0
108. Scottie Davis Martinsville, IN (IN) 2 04-05 0
108. Nick Dumke Grand Rapids, MN (MN) 2 04-05 0
108. Tim Peterson Springfield, SD (SD) 2 04-05 0
112. Eric Howle Chelsea, AL (AL) 2 04-03 0
113. Bill Denniston Ottumwa, IA (MO) 2 04-02 0
113. Mike Hamaker Cicero, IN (IN) 2 04-02 0
115. Brandon Anthony Walker, LA (LA) 2 04-01 0
115. Jacob Bull Seymour, TN (TN) 2 04-01 0
117. Tim Trotter Greenwood, IN (IN) 2 03-14 0
118. Richard Bennett Ponchatoula, MS (MS) 2 03-12 0
118. Tom Hall Hicksville, OH (MI) 2 03-12 0
120. Michael Boggs II Wheelersburg, OH (KY) 1 03-12 0
120. Noah Daczewitz Sand Springs, OK (OK) 1 03-12 0
120. Kyle Torkelson Sand Springs, OK (KS) 1 03-12 0
123. Hunter Baird Gypsum, KS (KS) 1 03-11 0
124. Garett Guthrie Roselle, IL (IL) 2 03-10 0
124. Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 2 03-10 0
126. Paul Andorfer Albion , IN (MI) 2 03-09 0
126. Cecil Tubb Dike, TX (TX) 2 03-09 0
128. Scott Arflack Eddyville, KY (KY) 2 03-08 0
128. Chuck Gardner Monticello, MN (MN) 2 03-08 0
130. Darrel Blades Canyon, TX (TX) 2 03-07 0
131. Brian Wilson Bloomfield, IA (IA) 1 03-07 0
132. Alton Bridges Ripley, MS (MS) 2 03-06 0
133. Greg Mccain Russellville, AL (AL) 1 03-06 0
133. Johnnie Neil Sr Warrensburg, MO (MO) 1 03-06 0
135. Brock Bila Louisburg, KS (KS) 1 03-04 0
136. Tod Higby Lamar, AR (AR) 2 02-13 0
137. Tyler Cory Amherst , WI (WI) 1 02-13 0
137. Kaleb Lewis Hillsboro, MO (MO) 1 02-13 0
139. Steven Barry Galloway Franklinton, MS (MS) 2 02-12 0
140. Bryce Hauf Colome, SD (SD) 1 02-07 0
140. Alan Langlois Addis, LA (LA) 1 02-07 0
142. Erik Gaffron Maple Grove, MN (MN) 1 02-05 0
142. Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL (IL) 1 02-05 0
144. Dean Puckett Bloomington, IN (IN) 1 02-04 0
145. Brad Goeman Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 1 02-03 0
145. Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA (IA) 1 02-03 0
147. Austin Moore Washburn, IL (IL) 1 02-02 0
148. Bill Mayes Shelbyville, KY (KY) 1 02-01 0
149. William O'Donnell Rosemount, MN (MN) 1 02-00 0
150. Charles Sharp Huntington, TX (TX) 1 01-15 0
150. Scott Solomon Edwardsburg, MI (MI) 1 01-15 0
150. Nathan Stroup Willis, TX (TX) 1 01-15 0
150. Kelvin Young Guntersville, AL (TN) 1 01-15 0
154. Jose Palma Yukon, OK (OK) 1 01-14 0
154. Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 1 01-14 0
156. Colton Arnold Highlandville, MO (MO) 1 01-13 0
156. Charles Glorioso II Thibodaux, LA (LA) 1 01-13 0
156. John-Paul Hey Chicago, IL (WI) 1 01-13 0
156. Jerry McVey Stewartsville, MO (MO) 1 01-13 0
156. Jeffrey Mooter Midwest City, OK (OK) 1 01-13 0
161. Emile Gennaro Sr Wesson, MS (AR) 1 01-11 0
161. George Lewis Madison, MS (MS) 1 01-11 0
163. Terry Hall Grove City, OH (OH) 1 01-10 0
164. Alan Russell Davison, MI (MI) 1 01-08 0
165. Don Glick Zurich, KS (KS) 1 01-00 0
166. Mason Big Crow Pine Ridge, SD (SD) 1 00-15 0
167. Matt Marques Seneca, IL (IL) 1 00-13 0
167. Jarrett Robertson Kerrville, TX (TX) 1 00-13 0
169. Willie Allemand Lockport, LA (LA) 0 00-00 0
169. Jeremy Barbour Lucedale, MS (MS) 0 00-00 0
169. Dennis Cook Auburn, IN (MI) 0 00-00 0
169. Joel Cox Evansdale, IA (IA) 0 00-00 0
169. Brooke Galbraith Guin, AL (AL) 0 00-00 0
169. David Gatlin Gretna, NE (NE) 0 00-00 0
169. Jeffery Johnson Austin, IN (IN) 0 00-00 0
169. Richard Jordan Cecilia, KY (KY) 0 00-00 0
169. Troy Karafa Hebron, IL (WI) 0 00-00 0
169. Troy Lantz Ideal, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
169. Michael Mcgee Knoxville, TN (TN) 0 00-00 0
169. Mike Peschl Tyndall, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
169. Tucker Peschl Tyndall, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
169. Lacson Reid Eclectic, AL (AL) 0 00-00 0
169. Dan Richard Ishpeming, MI (WI) 0 00-00 0
169. Joseph Richardson Rolla , MO (MO) 0 00-00 0
169. Glen Shoemaker Cortland, NE (NE) 0 00-00 0
169. Andrew Sonnentag Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 0 00-00 0
169. Josh Thompson Jacksonville, AR (AR) 0 00-00 0
169. David Uskavitch Franklin, TN (TN) 0 00-00 0
169. Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH (OH) 0 00-00 0
169. Charles Williams Mannford, OK (OK) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 82 376 968-05
----------------------------------
82 376 968-05

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Taylor Burgin Palo, ID 3 11-03 0
2 Jacob Maloney Cedar Rapids, IA 3 09-13 0
3 Kyle Coffman Minbun, IA 3 08-02 0
4 Donald Merryfield Des Moines, IA 3 07-12 0
5 Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA 3 07-11 0
6 Coy Baird Blakesburg, IA 3 06-15 0
7 Austin Bartholomew Keosauqua, IA 2 04-05 0
8 Brian Wilson Bloomfield, IA 1 03-07 0
9 Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA 1 02-03 0
10 Joel Cox Evansdale, IA 0 00-00 0

ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Rick King Tinley Park, IL 3 08-09 0
2 Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL 2 07-15 0
3 Charles Pustz Tinley Park, IL 3 06-09 0
4 Becker Lara Batavia, IL 3 05-12 0
5 Jeff Lopez Downers Grove, IL 3 05-10 0
6 John Jasper Lemont, IL 3 05-07 0
7 Garett Guthrie Roselle, IL 2 03-10 0
8 Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL 1 02-05 0
9 Austin Moore Washburn, IL 1 02-02 0
10 Matt Marques Seneca, IL 1 00-13 0

INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Rhodes Eaton, IN 3 11-07 0
2 Shawn Carter Evansville, IN 2 07-12 0
3 Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN 3 07-05 0
4 Amy King Lafayette, IN 3 05-15 0
5 Curtis Hughes Greenwood, IN 2 05-14 0
6 Scottie Davis Martinsville, IN 2 04-05 0
7 Mike Hamaker Cicero, IN 2 04-02 0
8 Tim Trotter Greenwood, IN 2 03-14 0
9 Dean Puckett Bloomington, IN 1 02-04 0
10 Jeffery Johnson Austin, IN 0 00-00 0

MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dan Posey Niles, MI 3 08-06 0
2 Hunter Frederickson Redford, MI 3 08-01 0
3 Lawrence Leonardi Clinton Township, MI 3 06-00 0
4 Mike Coopersmith Wolverine Lake, MI 3 05-11 0
5 Dale Zedeck Lawton, MI 2 05-04 0
6 Tom Hall Hicksville, OH 2 03-12 0
7 Paul Andorfer Albion , IN 2 03-09 0
8 Scott Solomon Edwardsburg, MI 1 01-15 0
9 Alan Russell Davison, MI 1 01-08 0
10 Dennis Cook Auburn, IN 0 00-00 0

MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Zach Yarnes Lakeville, MN 3 07-11 0
2 Steve Brummer Rosemount, MN 3 07-09 0
3 Dominic Floria Remer, MN 3 06-06 0
4 Peter Haire South St Paul, MN 3 06-04 0
4 Anthony Lenz Elk River, MN 3 06-04 0
6 Kobie Koenig Cohassett, MN 2 04-06 0
7 Nick Dumke Grand Rapids, MN 2 04-05 0
8 Chuck Gardner Monticello, MN 2 03-08 0
9 Erik Gaffron Maple Grove, MN 1 02-05 0
10 William O'Donnell Rosemount, MN 1 02-00 0

OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Grant Hack Mount Gilead, OH 3 09-14 0
2 Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH 3 09-13 0
3 Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH 3 08-12 0
4 Alex Turner Hudson, OH 3 06-07 0
5 Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH 3 06-04 0
6 Brandon Burke Franklin, OH 3 05-15 0
7 Justin Koput Lomira, WI 2 05-02 0
8 Lane Plagge Hamilton, OH 2 04-07 0
9 Terry Hall Grove City, OH 1 01-10 0
10 Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH 0 00-00 0

SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brandon Logue Greenwood, NE 3 07-12 0
2 Todd Stiehl Winner, SD 3 05-08 0
3 Dave Sellers Brandon, SD 1 04-15 0
4 Tim Peterson Springfield, SD 2 04-05 0
5 Bryce Hauf Colome, SD 1 02-07 0
6 Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD 1 01-14 0
7 Mason Big Crow Pine Ridge, SD 1 00-15 0
8 Troy Lantz Ideal, SD 0 00-00 0
8 Mike Peschl Tyndall, SD 0 00-00 0
8 Tucker Peschl Tyndall, SD 0 00-00 0

WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brock Gullixon Lola, WI 3 09-13 0
2 Jim Tomsovic Sparta, WI 3 08-10 0
3 Jose Munoz McHenry , IL 3 08-00 0
4 Josh Olson Pepin, WI 3 07-11 0
5 Tyler Cory Amherst , WI 1 02-13 0
6 Brad Goeman Chippewa Falls, WI 1 02-03 0
7 John-Paul Hey Chicago, IL 1 01-13 0
8 Troy Karafa Hebron, IL 0 00-00 0
8 Dan Richard Ishpeming, MI 0 00-00 0
8 Andrew Sonnentag Chippewa Falls, WI 0 00-00 0

KANSAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bryce Porter Raymore, MO 3 11-09 0
2 Dominic Cavitt Pittsburg, KS 3 08-00 0
3 Devin Pino Kansas City, KS 3 06-01 0
4 Lane Rue Armstrong Topeka, KS 2 05-05 0
5 Mack Hale III Cherryvale, KS 2 05-04 0
6 Mark Matulka Olathe, KS 3 04-12 0
7 Kyle Torkelson Sand Springs, OK 1 03-12 0
8 Hunter Baird Gypsum, KS 1 03-11 0
9 Brock Bila Louisburg, KS 1 03-04 0
10 Don Glick Zurich, KS 1 01-00 0

OKLAHOMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kelvin Grubbs Pryor, OK 3 11-15 0
2 Cody Womack Blanchard, OK 3 09-02 0
3 Timothy Cartwright Sand Springs, OK 3 08-14 0
4 Ryan Coppock Coweta, OK 3 06-12 0
5 Tyler Wellman Tecumseh, OK 3 05-06 0
6 Aaron Baldridge Moore, OK 3 05-00 0
7 Noah Daczewitz Sand Springs, OK 1 03-12 0
8 Jose Palma Yukon, OK 1 01-14 0
9 Jeffrey Mooter Midwest City, OK 1 01-13 0
10 Charles Williams Mannford, OK 0 00-00 0

LOUISIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Justin Hymel Norco, LA 3 11-15 0
2 Brian Murphy Sulphur, LA 3 09-00 0
3 Mason Ferachi Walker, LA 3 08-05 0
4 Jamie Thibodaux Thibodaux, LA 2 06-10 0
5 Austin Casteel Sulphur, LA 3 05-14 0
6 Tre' Gautreau Prairieville, LA 3 05-11 0
7 Brandon Anthony Walker, LA 2 04-01 0
8 Alan Langlois Addis, LA 1 02-07 0
9 Charles Glorioso II Thibodaux, LA 1 01-13 0
10 Willie Allemand Lockport, LA 0 00-00 0

NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Scott Blaesi Hershey, NE 3 08-07 0
2 Brent Dohse Neola, IA 2 08-04 0
3 Bryan Adams Blair, NE 3 07-09 0
4 Jacob Pyzer North Platte, NE 3 07-04 0
5 AJ Mende Lincoln, NE 3 06-15 0
6 Paul Huse Omaha, NE 1 06-15 0
7 Jason Kloepper Hastings, NE 2 05-08 0
8 Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE 2 03-10 0
9 David Gatlin Gretna, NE 0 00-00 0
9 Glen Shoemaker Cortland, NE 0 00-00 0

MISSOURI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mike Szczechowski Strafford, MO 3 15-04 0
2 Keith Kissinger Crocker, MO 3 09-05 0
3 Bryan Mccarthy Columbia, MO 3 07-04 0
4 James Smotherman Hollister , MO 2 04-11 0
5 Bill Denniston Ottumwa, IA 2 04-02 0
6 Johnnie Neil Sr Warrensburg, MO 1 03-06 0
7 Kaleb Lewis Hillsboro, MO 1 02-13 0
8 Colton Arnold Highlandville, MO 1 01-13 0
8 Jerry McVey Stewartsville, MO 1 01-13 0
10 Joseph Richardson Rolla , MO 0 00-00 0

ARKANSAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 James Boyett Mountain Home, AR 3 09-13 0
2 Austin Pittman Maumelle, AR 3 08-12 0
3 Brian Reeves Clarksville, AR 3 08-00 0
4 Doug Shelton Casscoe, AR 2 07-00 0
5 Zachary Webb Bella Vista, AR 3 06-13 0
6 Aaron Jay Van Buren, AR 2 04-10 0
7 Jeremy Creel Benton, AR 2 04-06 0
8 Tod Higby Lamar, AR 2 02-13 0
9 Emile Gennaro Sr Wesson, MS 1 01-11 0
10 Josh Thompson Jacksonville, AR 0 00-00 0

MISSISSIPPI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Justin Foster Bude, MS 3 10-05 0
2 Doug Andrews Heber Springs, TN 3 09-03 0
3 Jeffrey Ray Canton, MS 3 07-04 0
4 David Wheat Philadelphia, MS 3 06-07 0
5 Bailey Madere Madisonville, LA 2 05-09 0
6 Richard Bennett Ponchatoula, MS 2 03-12 0
7 Alton Bridges Ripley, MS 2 03-06 0
8 Steven Barry Galloway Franklinton, MS 2 02-12 0
9 George Lewis Madison, MS 1 01-11 0
10 Jeremy Barbour Lucedale, MS 0 00-00 0

TEXAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 David Stafford Sanger, TX 3 11-07 0
2 Ira Lynn Adkins, TX 3 08-01 0
3 Mike Casanova Frisco, TX 3 07-05 0
4 Peter Bruener Douglass, TX 3 06-01 0
5 Lewis Decker III McGregor, TX 2 05-15 0
6 Cecil Tubb Dike, TX 2 03-09 0
7 Darrel Blades Canyon, TX 2 03-07 0
8 Charles Sharp Huntington, TX 1 01-15 0
8 Nathan Stroup Willis, TX 1 01-15 0
10 Jarrett Robertson Kerrville, TX 1 00-13 0

ALABAMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Howard Lee Hanvey Opelika, AL 3 12-06 0
2 Chandler Teems Leeds, AL 3 09-09 0
3 Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 3 08-10 0
4 Francis Beard Rainbow City, AL 2 08-02 0
5 Christopher Curvin Piedmont, AL 2 07-07 0
6 Aaron Cherry KINSEY, AL 3 06-08 0
7 Eric Howle Chelsea, AL 2 04-03 0
8 Greg Mccain Russellville, AL 1 03-06 0
9 Brooke Galbraith Guin, AL 0 00-00 0
9 Lacson Reid Eclectic, AL 0 00-00 0

KENTUCKY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Greg Marcum Willisburg, KY 3 10-14 0
2 Barry Ward Louisville, KY 3 10-11 0
3 Kourtney Funk Russell Springs, KY 3 06-09 0
4 Hunter Young Melbourne, KY 3 06-07 0
5 Eric Quaglio Lexington, KY 3 05-12 0
6 Earl Maines Richmond, KY 3 05-11 0
7 Michael Boggs II Wheelersburg, OH 1 03-12 0
8 Scott Arflack Eddyville, KY 2 03-08 0
9 Bill Mayes Shelbyville, KY 1 02-01 0
10 Richard Jordan Cecilia, KY 0 00-00 0

TENNESSEE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Allen Smith Knoxville, TN 3 09-12 0
2 Jordan Trainor Erin, TN 3 07-09 0
3 Jacob Phillips Alamo, TN 2 06-12 0
4 Doug Castro Linden, TN 3 06-03 0
5 Toby Steele Ten Mile, TN 1 04-14 0
6 Will Poore New Tazewell, TN 2 04-07 0
7 Jacob Bull Seymour, TN 2 04-01 0
8 Kelvin Young Guntersville, AL 1 01-15 0
9 Michael Mcgee Knoxville, TN 0 00-00 0
9 David Uskavitch Franklin, TN 0 00-00 0

by AnglersChannel

Lake Hartwell and Anderson County: “Where Champions Fish”

Anderson County, S.C. – Visit Anderson and Anderson County took a leap of faith when in 2016 they put financial support behind two young professional anglers and budding stars Brian Latimer of Belton and Brandon Cobb of Greenwood. In the past 45 days, that leap of faith has come full circle as Brian Latimer, and Brandon Cobb notched their first career wins on the FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series respectively. Anderson County and Visit Anderson will be highlighting wins by Latimer and Cobb as well as additional successes in a press conference to take place at Green Pond Landing on Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m.

Brian Latimer, who represents Green Pond Landing and Event Center on the FLW Tour, won his first professional tournament on Lake Seminole in Georgia back in March. Latimer, a native of Belton, has Green Pond Landing logos on his jersey and his boat and travels all over the country fishing the FLW Tour and serves as an ambassador for Anderson County, Green Pond Landing, and Lake Hartwell, his home fishery.

Brandon Cobb, who represents Visit Anderson in his first year on the Bassmaster Elite Series, won his first professional recently when the Bassmaster Elite Series competed on Lake Hartwell. Cobb, a native of Greenwood, carries the Visit Anderson branding on his jersey and boat and travels all over the country fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series and serves as an ambassador for Visit Anderson and Lake Hartwell, which Cobb refers to as his home fishery. Cobb went to college at nearby Clemson University and spent a lot of time on Lake Hartwell during college as he and a small group of friends are responsible for creating the bass fishing team at Clemson in 2008.

“We couldn’t be more proud of these two young men,” said Visit Anderson Executive Director Neil Paul. “They are outstanding anglers and professionals in their own right, but I wouldn’t trade the relationships and friendships that we have developed since we began working together. Brian and Brandon are tremendous anglers but even better people. I have often said, that the County and CVB took a chance on them when we decided to sponsor them on their professional journey, but more so they took a chance on us. It is a very unique and untapped partnership opportunity across the fishing industry. I was a young and naïve director at the time; but to the credit of these two young men, they saw a very supportive fishing community in Anderson County, a world-class facility in Green Pond Landing and a championship fishery in Lake Hartwell and they have been a great representative of what we’re trying to do here ever since. Through their successes and the visibility of our brands, we are now fielding calls each year from professional anglers wanting advice on how to approach their communities for partnership opportunities.”

For the press conference scheduled for Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m., Brian Latimer and Brandon Cobb will be available with their boats, jerseys and their trophies available for photos and interviews. Also, representatives of Anderson County and Visit Anderson will talk about these partnerships and share additional information regarding recent recognitions as well as sharing future event news for Green Pond Landing, Lake Hartwell, and Anderson County.

by AnglersChannel

A Week of Winners!

This week the boys welcome in first time Bassmaster Elite Series Winner Stetson Blaylock to break down Winyah bay for us. They also welcome in Strike King /Lews Pro Andrew Upshaw to talk about his wire-to-wire FLW Tour win on Cherokee lake in TN. Chris fields a letter from a listener about his recent rants and Jason brings his lucky charm, guest picker Kenneth back for another week in the U-Pick-em contest. The boys add a new hotline to the show and more, check it out!

To leave a text, opinion or question for the guys, you can call or message - 256-535-3217

by AnglersChannel

When Scroggins says it’s Easter

Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Terry “Big Show” Scroggins is a character. The Florida pro painted cars for 16 years in the family auto body biz, loves to pour his own soft plastic lures, build his own fishing rods, and grill meat for his buddies. Plus, he’s filled with a Tundra full of timely one-liners that will make you howl with laughter.

One of his best: “If I tell you it’s Easter, you’d better hide your eggs.”

Well, it’s Easter time. And Scroggins is dishing out non-negotiable truths about how to catch spawning bass about the same time Peter Cottontail comes hopping down the bunny trail.

Be aware and buy good eyewear

“The first step to catching bass around the spawn is taking time to know if the fish in your area are pre-spawn, spawn, or post-spawn. Around my house in Florida, bass start spawning in late January and February, but in New York it could be June. So you have to pay attention, and know if bass are actually on the beds or not,” says Scroggins.

“If you know for certain fish are spawning, then buy the best pair of polarized sunglasses you can afford, and look for beds in super shallow water in the backs of creeks, flat bays, and shallow pockets. But you need to realize not all beds look the same, based on the bottom substrate and water clarity. Some spawning beds look almost orange, while others can look tan or white, and some look nearly black,” says Scroggins.

Learn to trust spinning tackle

“If you’re fortunate to spy a big bass on a spawning bed, don’t assume you need 20-pound line and a baitcasting reel to catch her,” says Scroggins. “I catch 90% of my spawners with a spinning reel spooled with light line, and a 7-foot medium action rod from Mud Hole. Not only can you finesse the lure better on spinning tackle, but lighter line is less detectable to finicky spawners.”

These three lures are all you need

“A lot of times you have to offer a single spawning bass a variety of lures to make her bite. It’s crazy how the same fish will snub their nose at one lure, but turn and attack a different lure on the next cast,” he says. “If you have a tube, a wacky rigged 5” Senko, and a skinny 6” straight tail worm, there’s a really strong chance that fish will eat one of those three,” says the Toyota pro.

Scroggins will also tell you it’s almost Easter. So you’d better hide your eggs.

Author Alan McGuckin, Head PR Guru for Dynamic Sponsorships working with brands such as Quantum Fishing, Toyota USA, Carhartt and many more.

by AnglersChannel

Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest Could Be Tournament Of The Century Belt

Courtesy of BASS

EMORY, Texas — Everyone recognizes the shiny blue trophies that are presented to each of the nine winners of regular-season Bassmaster Elite Series events.

Likewise, all fans of professional bass fishing instantly know the hulking trophy that is awarded every year to the Bassmaster Classic champion.

But there’s one piece of B.A.S.S. hardware that isn't seen nearly as often.

Known as the Century Belt, it’s only awarded to anglers who catch more than 100 pounds of bass during a four-day Elite Series event — and it could be making a rare appearance soon.

The third annual Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is scheduled for May 2-6 on Lake Fork near Emory, Texas. That means some of the best bass anglers in the world will converge on a lake with a reputation for producing giant bass at just the right time on the calendar.

“To sit and think about the possibilities is really exciting,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We’ve never had a major B.A.S.S. event on Lake Fork. Now, we’ll be visiting in the spring — at the perfect time for giant bass to be caught.”

To put the possibilities into perspective, consider this:

In 2014, the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) — the predecessor to Texas Fest that included the top anglers from B.A.S.S. and the FLW Tour — was held on Lake Fork. Current Bassmaster Elite Series pro Keith Combs took first place with a gigantic winning weight of 110 pounds.

That was a three-day event that recorded the weights of only 15 fish.

Anglers will spend four days on the water at Texas Fest and record the weights of their 20 biggest fish. All fish will be weighed in the boat and immediately released.

“To get to 100 pounds in four days is a major accomplishment, and to do it in three is unheard of,” said Combs. “It’s nothing about the angler — it wasn’t about me when I did it there. It’s just a testament to the quality of fishing at Lake Fork.”

In the 10 years TTBC was held and the two years since its transition to Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest, the event has generated millions of dollars for TPWD’s youth fishing and urban outreach programs.

“We’re excited to head back to Lake Fork and be the official sponsor of the 2019 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest,” said Brent Hillyer, Gulf States Toyota’s senior vice president of marketing and vehicle supply. “There’s no better way to continue to benefit Texas Parks and Wildlife Department than by holding this competition at one of Texas’ most admired reservoirs.”

The Elite Series was formed in 2006, and Century Belts have only been awarded at nine events (out of more than 100 total). No angler has earned one of the belts since the 2013 Elite Series event on Falcon Lake when Combs (111-5), Rick Clunn (105-6) and John Crews (103-13) all topped the 100-pound mark.

Many believe Century Belts could be claimed again at Texas Fest because Lake Fork — a 27,000-acre impoundment on the Sabine River — has been intensely managed for giant bass since it was impounded in 1980.

Through 2018, Texas Parks and Wildlife has stocked nearly 14 million Florida-strain largemouth — and the bass have flourished in habitat that includes vast areas of standing timber, hydrilla, milfoil and duckweed.

To help the fish reach exceptional sizes, TPWD implemented a slot limit that protects all bass that measure between 16 and 24 inches. Anglers can keep up to five bass per day, but only one of them can be over 24 inches.

Those management efforts have created a fishery that has produced 30 of the 50 largest bass ever caught in Texas, including the current state record of 18.18 pounds, which was in 1992 by Barry St. Clair.

The slot limit won’t be a problem for the 75-angler Elite Series field since all bass will be immediately released — and the springtime conditions at Fork could lead to great things. The catch/weigh/release format made its debut at the first Toyota Texas Bass Classic, which was held on Lake Fork in 2007.

“Our Department is very proud of the fact that we helped create and rollout the nation’s first catch/weigh/immediate release tournament,” said Dave Terre, chief of Fisheries Management and Research for TPWD. “For the past 12 years, we’ve used them to showcase some of Texas’ best bass fisheries, including Lake Fork. The unique format emphasizes fish care, supports catch and release and honors our fisheries management goals. At Lake Fork, our goals are to produce big bass. We’re now delighted to have the opportunity to showcase this great fishery for the first time in a Bassmasters Elite Series event. We think four-day catch records could be broken.”

During that 2014 TTBC when Combs won with 110 pounds, he had one five-bass limit that weighed 42 pounds. That’s a little more than 3 pounds shy of the all-time B.A.S.S. record for largest single-day, five-bass limit.

The full field of Elite Series anglers will fish Thursday and Friday, May 2-3. Anglers will then take a break from competition on Saturday, May 4, for a special Fan Appreciation Day with festivities, including Bassmaster University seminars, the Bassmaster Outdoors Expo and the annual Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team Tournament. A highlight of the Expo will be the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Outdoor Adventure experience, including a catfish tank, wildlife viewing tent, fly casting and tying center, Texas State Fish Art exhibit, Toyota Sharelunker Trailer and many others.

The Top 35 Elite Series pros will resume competition on Sunday, May 5, and the Top 10 will compete on Championship Monday, May 6.

The tournament will feature a total payout of $1 million, with $100,000 going to the champion. A Toyota Tundra pickup truck will be awarded to the angler who weighs in the heaviest bass of the week.

“The Lake Fork Area Chamber of Commerce and our partners the Wood County Industrial Commission, Emory Tourism and Quitman EDC are excited to be hosting such an elite tournament such as the Bassmaster Elite Series,” said Michael Rogge, president of the Lake Fork Area COC. “This the first time in Lake Fork’s history to hold such a tournament. This event will show that major tournament organizations, such as Bassmaster, can hold events on a lake with restrictive size limits. Catch-and-release tournaments are becoming more popular, and this tournament will show the world that it can be done and exciting at the same time.”

The event will be covered in real time on Bassmaster LIVE, which streams on Bassmaster.com and the ESPN app, and it will be featured in a special episode of The Bassmasters television program to be aired later on ESPN2 and ESPN Classic.

In addition to the Lake Fork Chamber, the Wood County Industrial Commission, the Sabine River Authority, Quitman Economic Development Commission and Emory, TX Tourism are hosting the Texas Fest event.

by AnglersChannel

Carson Wins ABA Florida Open on Harris Chain with over 25 pounds!

ATHENS, Ala. – Keith Carson won the Bass Pro Shops Open Series Florida Central tournament, held April 13th on the Harris Chain. Running out of Hickory Point Recreational Facility in Tavares, FL the DeBary, FL angler caught five bass weighing 25.01 pounds anchored by an 8.62-pound big bass. For the Boater Division victory, Carson took home a check for $5500 for his win and an additional $890 for the big bass award.

“I caught my fish in Dora on a crankbait targeting points and brush piles.I was using a DT 10 and caught a few fish but lost a few good ones. I caught that big bass around 3:00pm near the bridge.” Carson said.

In a second-place tie for the boaters, Terry Oliver of Belleview, FL and John Kremer of Sanford, FL each landed a five-bass tournament limit going 18.95 pounds.

“I ran down to Lake Griffin on the north end near the river throwing swim-jigs and flipping. I caught most of my fish in shallow hydrilla. “Oliver said.

“I caught my fish in Lake Harris fishing deeper water. I fished clean today. “Kremer said

Finishing fourth, William Weil of Dover, FL landed a five-bass limit for 18.75 pounds. Fred Chivington of Welaka, FL rounded out the top five boaters with five bass at 18.54 pounds.

In the Co-Angler Division, Robert “Bobby” Taylor Jr of St Cloud, FL won with three bass going 15.22 pounds that included a 10.62-pound big bass. He pocketed a check for $1900 for his win and an additional $420 for the big bass.

“We were fishing this side of Lake Harris. My partner and I saw a big swirl and he tried to cast to the fish but didn’t get bit so he said I should cast over there. I threw my frog over where the fish swirled and it nailed my bait. That big bass came early in the day for me. It was the biggest bass I have ever caught. After the fish was in the livewell my hands were still shaking. “Taylor Jr said.

Taking second for the co-anglers, Uby Rosell of Davenport, FL brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 13.53 pounds.

“I caught my fish flipping worms and I caught my big fish on a jig under a dock.” Rosell said. “

Harvey “Buddy” Turner of Kissimmee, FL placed third among the co-anglers with three bass going 11.82 pounds.

“I caught my fish on Lake Dora dragging a worm. “Turner said.

In fourth place among the co-anglers, Jesus “Buck” Gutierrez of Haines City, FL brought in three bass for 11.15 pounds. Brandon Abston of Umatilla, FL finished in fifth place with three bass at 10.22 pounds.

Slated for June 8th, the next tournament will be held on the Kissimmee Chain out of Camp Mack, Guy Harvey Resort in Lake Wales, FL. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2020 Ray Scott Championship to be held at Lake Hartwell in April, 2020.

For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti, tournament manager, at 256-230-5632 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com

About the American Bass Anglers - American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler while offering an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and all their bass tournament trails visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

by AnglersChannel

Morrison Wins ABA Open on Neely Henry with 0ver 20 pound limit!

ATHENS, Ala. – Toby Morrison of Lyerly, GA won the Bass Pro Shops Open Series Alabama North tournament, held April 13th on Neely Henry. Running out of Coosa Landing in Gadsden, AL Morrison caught five bass weighing 20.13-pounds. Morrison also caught a beautiful 6.52-pound bass that took Big Bass for the boaters. For the Boater Division victory, Morrison took home a check for $5000 as well as a check for $630 for his big bass.

“I caught my fish on a horny toad and flipping a jig. I caught them about 4 or 5 miles upriver. I caught them all shallow. My lower unit went out on the way out this morning and I trolled the rest of the way there about another mile out. I trolled all the way back. I stayed in my area longer than I normally would have today because my lower unit was out, but it caused me to catch better fish.” Morrison said.

In second for the boaters, Gary Howington of Gadsden, AL landed a five-bass tournament limit going 19.89-pounds. He collected $1000 for his catch.

“I caught my fish in about 15 feet of water sitting on about 30 feet of water. I used a crankbait and fished upriver.” Howington said.

William Johnson of Glencoe, AL took third for the boaters with five bass going 18.02-pounds.

“I used a crankbait and caught them shallow. I also fished upriver.” Johnson said.

Finishing fourth, Dustin Seaborn of Guin, AL landed a five-bass limit for 17.11-pounds. Bradley Jones of Aragon, GA rounded out the top five boaters with five bass at 17.06-pounds.

In the Co-Angler Division, Garrett Brown of Trion, GA won with three bass going 9.55-pounds. Brown earned $1500 for his win.

“I caught my fish in about 10 to 20 foot of water. I was fishing upriver all day. I caught them on a dropshot, a shakey-head, and a spinnerbait.” Brown said.

Taking second for the co-anglers, Michael Jones of Rome, GA brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 8.02-pounds. Jones Boater was sick and he had to weigh in at 12:30p.m. a full 3 hours before his weigh in time!

“I fished super shallow and stayed around grass and woods. I fished down river in and out of cuts. I only used a Joey Jordan custom swim jig to catch my fish today.” Jones said.

Matt Cameron of Southside, AL placed third among the co-anglers with three bass going 7.76-pounds.

“I fished right on the bank and fished shallow like that all day. I fished in the first little area near the power plant but not sure what it’s called. I fished with a shakey head worm.” Cameron said.

In fourth place among the co-anglers, Vernon Miller of Manchester, GA brought in three bass for 7.23-pounds. Duanne McQueen of Hampton, GA finished in fifth place with three bass for 7.19-pounds.

Coming in seventh for co-anglers was Mark Pirkle of Cleveland, TN who caught 2 bass and the big bass for the co-anglers. He pocketed a check for $250 for his 4.60-pound big bass.

Slated for May 4th, the next tournament will be held on Lake Guntersville out of Goosepond Bait and Tackle in Scottsboro, AL. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2020 Ray Scott Championship to be held at Lake Hartwell in April, 2020.

For more information on this tournament, call Shelby McElyea, tournament manager, at 256-230-5633 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com

by AnglersChannel

VanDam looks for dogwoods, mimics nest robbers

Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Unless your favorite fishery is clearer than Sprite, you probably can’t see for sure if bass are actually on spawning beds. But Kevin VanDam says if you see dogwood trees blooming along the shoreline, you better start casting ultra shallow, because there’s a super high chance your local largemouth are making babies.

“I don’t care if you’re in Michigan, Missouri, or somewhere in between, I’ve always said if the dogwoods are blooming, then you can pretty much bet the bass are spawning,” says the Team Toyota angler.

Moon phase and water temp matter too

“Dogwoods are an easy indicator, but you need to pay attention to the moon phase and water temperature too, especially the moon phase,” says VanDam. “Water temps can fool you a little, because I’ve seen bass build beds in a pretty wide range of water temps. But if you have either a new moon or a full moon, like we’ve got coming later this week, and the dogwoods are blooming, you can count on bass spawning.”

The ideal “nursery” for largemouth

“You need to do a little map study and focus first on the shallowest and flattest creeks, pockets, coves, and bays on the northern shorelines. Most people know bass build their nests shallow, but the importance of pockets and creeks on the north side of the lake gets overlooked. And those are really key because they get blitzed by warm sun, and they’re protected from cold north winds,” he explains.

Three lures that will get a spawner’s attention

“Just about every lure I use when I know bass are on beds mimics bluegill, because bluegill and other small species of sunfish love to eat the eggs of largemouth. I call them ‘nest robbers’ – and obviously bass are trying to protect their eggs and fry, so they try to eat the small sunfish,” he says.

“If I was going to choose three lures to cast when the dogwoods are blooming it’d be a Strike King Caffeine Shad, a 4” Texas rigged Strike King Game Hawg, and a swim jig – and every one of them would be the colors of a small sunfish,” says VanDam.

He says he also likes to add a bit of chartreuse dye to the tips of the lures to help them resemble the lighter-colored fins of a sunfish. But mostly, at this time of year, VanDam’s eyes are always searching for pink or white dogwood trees.

by AnglersChannel

Wilson & Lamb Win Chattanooga Bass Association April Event with 22 pound limit!

Courtesy of CBA Facebook Page:

CHATTANOOGA (CBA INC.) – The veteran C.B.A. team of Eddie Wilson and Don Lamb caught a 5 bass limit weighing 22.23 pounds topping out the field of 120 anglers to win first place and $2,000.00 in the BoatLogix Chattanooga Bass Association event. This bass event was held April 13th, 2019 out of Chester Frost Boat Ramp.

Don said “Lake Chickamauga was being pounded by Major League Fishing and with several weekend tournaments scheduled we decided to lock thru to Nick-A-Jack Lake. When we got down river to our first location, there was one crappie boat in the whole area, it was a dream come true. The bass bit good all day and we caught them till we had to head back to Chickamauga, This will be a win we remember for a long time”.

The big bass of this event was caught by youth division angler Trey Randolph, a nice 7.05 pound large mouth bass. Tray was also the youth division winner.

All fish caught in this event were released back into Lake Chickamauga to be caught again and special thanks to the fishermen for taking such extra good care of their catches.

by AnglersChannel

Parker wins Big Bass Tour on Lake Norman with 7.34 Monster!

Congrats to Mark Parker on his win at Lake Norman this weekend! Mark's 7.34lb big bass topped the field and earned him the keys to the $45,000 Nitro Boats Z19 powered by Mercury Marine

by AnglersChannel

BRET GIFFORD & BILL STEARNS GET IT DONE ON CEDAR CREEK TAKE HOME OVER $4600

PL	ANGLER 1	ANGLER 2	FISH	BIG BASS	WEIGHT	PRIZE
1	BRET GIFFORD	BILL STEARNS	5	9.70	24.16	$4,000 + $420 Big Bass + $250 BIOBOR Bonus
2	DAVID CARLOCK	JAKE MCWHIRTER	5	5.33	21.13	$1,250
3	BYRON ALBRECHT	MIKE JOHNSON	5		19.11	$750
4	MICHAEL EDGETT	DUANE BYRD	5		17.25	$500
5	ANDY SALLEE	MARK CHILD	5	5.17	16.77	$400
6	JASON TRUITT	JOHNNY RAY	5		16.74	$300
7	DANIEL RAMSEY	JEREMY ZMOLIK	5		16.15
8	WESLEY PRICE	DAVID RUSH	5		16.30
9	JAMES SWANZY	KEVIN SEIBOLD	5		15.29
10	CODY MORRISON	WARREN KEPKE	5	4.74	15.23
11	JOEY MARTIN	GREG MEHAFFEY	5		15.00	Joey Martin - Shimano Loyalty Program Winner- Curado reel
12	RICK SCOTT	JODY HOLUBEK	5		14.99
13	JOSEPH WARE	ROGER CAMP	5		14.30	Joseph Ware-Shimano Loyalty Program Winner-Curado reel
14	CRAIG DOWIS	MARK HARMON	5		13.74
15	JJ KILLOUGH	LJ CASTILLO	5	4.59	13.11
16	RANDY KEATING	BRUCE ANDERSON	4		12.42
17	DAVID CROW	DEREK JACKSON	5		12.38
18	LARRY BENCH	HI HILLBURN	5		11.43
19	BRADLEY BRACEY	ERIC GARZA	5		11.24
20	MARK PARKER	RON SAUCEMAN	5		11.10
21	KERRY SLAUGHTER	LEE YOWELL	5		10.60
22	JOHNNY MATTHEWS	JEFF ARNOLD	4		10.20
23	MICHAEL NUGENT	EDWIN PULDA	3	6.40	8.95
24	BILL WALDSCHMIDT	JAY DAVIS	4		7.72
25	STEVEN DANIELS	JASON BRUNETT	3		7.58
26	BRADLEY STANDERTER	HAYDEN RODGES	2		4.84
27	MONTY EDGE	TERRANCE WOOTEN	1		4.79
28	JONATHAN GREIG	JOE PEREZ	3		4.72
29	SEAN TROTTER	ALLEN SEIGL	1		4.38
30	MICHAEL PEINADO(Y)	DAVID MAY
30	BUSTER JOHNSON	ZEB STRICKLAND
30	SHAWN TAMEZ	CRAIG CORDOVA
30	KYLE GOAD	KELLY GOAD
30	RAY SPEAR	BOBBY WALKER
30	KY MARTIN	CHRIS MOORE
30	KEVIN HATHAWAY	CODY LOWE
30	JAMES SEYMOUR	GARY MARTIN
30	BRANDON FERRELL	RANDY FERRELL
30	ROBERT MEGALLON	STEVE WHITE
30	TREY EPICH	CHUCK WARE
30	DOUG WILSON
30	BRETT TAYLOR	BRUCE TAYLOR

by AnglersChannel

APEX’S JOYCE WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OPENER ON KERR LAKE

Drakes Branch’s Toombs Wins Co-angler Division

HENDERSON, N.C. (April 15, 2019) – Boater Keith Joyce of Apex, North Carolina, caught five bass Saturday weighing 19 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the 2019 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Piedmont division tournament on Kerr Lake. Joyce earned $7,254 for his victory.

“I was just looking for isolated buck bushes in the back of spawning pockets as far as I could go,” said Joyce, who earned his first career win in BFL competition. “I think I caught 10 keepers total, fishing a shakey-head (rig) all day long. I did have one big fish that I weighed in that came on a buzzbait, but the rest of my keepers were on the shakey-head.”

Joyce said that he fished in the Nutbush area with a Hot Shot Lures Shakey-Head rig with a green-pumpkin KVD Fat Baby Finesse Worm and a white Hot Shot Lures buzzbait.

“It didn’t start off well – I had about 40 fish marked coming into the event, but we had bad thunderstorms and a lot of the creeks had mudslides running into them. So I just went back to the area that I had found the most fish in during practice, put the trolling motor down and just started fishing.”

.The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Keith Joyce, Apex, N.C., five bass, 19-5, $5,254 + $2,000 Ranger Cup

2^nd: Danny Haire, Yadkinville, N.C., five bass, 17-12, $2,052

3^rd: Jack Dice, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 17-11, $1,267

4^th: Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 17-9, $988

5^th: Keith Roberts, Hurt, Va., five bass, 17-5, $761

6^th: Todd Walters, Kernersville, N.C., five bass, 17-4, $1,202

7^th: Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 16-15, $934

8^th: Chris Dillow, Waynesboro, Va., five bass, 16-9, $571

9^th: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., five bass, 16-1, $507

10^th: Shane Burns, Durham, N.C., five bass, 15-15, $444

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Walters caught a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $505.

Tony Toombs of Drakes Branch, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $2,057 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Tony Toombs, Drakes Branch, Va., five bass, 15-12, $2,057

2^nd: Thomas Sesco, Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $910

3^rd: Bruce Pettiford, Roxboro, N.C., five bass, 14-14, $607

4^th: Vincent Payne, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 14-7, $625

5^th: Dexter Andrews, King George, Va., five bass, 13-3, $414

6^th: Brian LaClair, Denton, Md., five bass, 13-1, $334

7^th: Gray Hackney, Burlington, N.C., five bass, 13-0, $303

8^th: Cornell Badra, Clarksburg, Md., five bass, 12-13, $273

9^th: Robert Jarrett, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 12-7, $243

10^th: Rich Knisely, Disputanta, Va., four bass, 12-6, $212

Toombs also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $237.

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 2019 BFL All-American will be held May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism and the Commissioners of Charles County. 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.

by AnglersChannel

DALLAS’ SMITH WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON TOLEDO BEND

Deport’s Nichols Wins Co-angler Division

MANY, La. (April 15, 2019) – Boater Ken Smith of Dallas, Texas, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the 2019 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Cowboy division tournament on Toledo Bend. Smith earned $8,303 for his victory.

Due to a shortage of co-angler participants, Smith had to fish in a boater-on-boater format and was paired with River Lee of Nacogdoches, Texas. It was a successful day on the water for the duo, as Smith won the event while Lee finished the event in 12^th place and won $431.

“I had fish down by the dam, but he had fish closer so we decided to start on his fish and work our way south,” said Smith, who earned his second career victory in BFL competition. “We were fishing in my boat, but we never made it to my fish. Our first spot – which River suggested – we caught five keepers, back and forth, and we never left the area. In fairness, the place we fished is a community hole, but I certainly want to give River credit for putting us on the winning fish.”

Smith said that he caught around a dozen keepers throughout the day flipping a Baby Bass-colored Yamamoto Senko on a Lew’s Custom Lite rod and reel combo with 20-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon.

“The fish were up in the grass as opposed to being on the edge,” Smith said. “Around 11 (a.m.) I caught the big one (7-14) and then a 6-pounder. In 15 minutes I went from 12 pounds to 21 pounds.

“The key was fishing up in the viney bank grass,” Smith went on to say. “There were a lot of guys in the area fishing frogs and topwaters and we were coming in right behind them and catching them way up in the grass.”

.The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Ken Smith, Dallas, Texas, five bass, 21-12, $6,303 + $2,000 Ranger Cup

2^nd: Cole Stewart, Hemphill, Texas, five bass, 20-13, $2,232

3^rd: Zack Fogle, White Oak, Texas, five bass, 20-1, $1,489

4^th: Philip Crelia, Center, Texas, five bass, 19-3, $1,141

5^th: Paul Wilson, Converse, La., five bass, 17-15, $893

6^th: Glen Freeman, Zwolle, La., five bass, 17-7, $818

7^th: Josh Champagne, Breaux Bridge, La., five bass, 17-5, $744

8^th: Nick Abshire, Sulphur, La., five bass, 17-4, $632

8^th: Cody Pitt, Many, La., five bass, 17-4, $632

10^th: Matthew Armand, Hessmer, La., five bass, 15-14, $521

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Smith’s 7-pound, 14-ounce bass was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $640.

Lat Nichols of Deport, Texas, won the Co-angler Division and $2,357 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Lat Nichols, Deport, Texas, five bass, 15-14, $2,357

2^nd: Julio Garza, Houston, Texas, five bass, 13-6, $1,129

3^rd: Joey Tuminello, Lafayette, La., five bass, 13-2, $717

4^th: James Callaghan, De Berry, Texas, five bass, 11-10, $503

5^th: Brent Cooper, The Woodlands, Texas, five bass, 11-4, $431

6^th: Richard Hooter, Natchitoches, La., four bass, 11-3, $396

7^th: Rodney Harris, Texarkana, Ark., five bass, 10-3, $360

8^th: Jeff Grubbs Jr., Kemah, Texas, three bass, 10-2, $779

9^th: Cannon Rush, Grand Prairie, Texas, five bass, 10-0, $288

10^th: Dillon Roberts, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 9-9, $252

Grubbs Jr. caught the largest 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 $305.

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.

by AnglersChannel

LITTLE ROCK’S CLARK WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON LAKE HAMILTON PRESENTED BY GEARED

Hot Springs’ Sutton Wins Co-angler Division

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (April 15, 2019) – Boater Randall Clark of Little Rock, Arkansas, caught a five-bass limit Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Arkie division event on Lake Hamilton presented by Geared. Clark earned $3,901 for his efforts.

Clark said that he fished for spawning fish mid-lake, targeting 15 specific bass that he had found during his practice period on Friday and saved for the tournament. He was able to put three of those marks in the boat, including the big bass of the tournament at 6 pounds, 3 ounces. He added a couple of more keepers from the same areas to fill out his limit.

“I tried a bunch of stuff – I had 10 rods on my deck – but I couldn’t get bit on anything other than a Texas-rigged black Yamamoto Senko,” Clark said. “The pollen had really darkened the water up. It had color – almost muddy – but it wasn’t muddy, it was the pollen.

“Really, the key for me winning was catching the big fish,” Clark continued. “You couldn’t see them, but I was blind casting to the areas that I knew that they were in. During my practice on Friday I had shook that fish off, and I knew right where it was. It was my second stop during the tournament and I put her in the boat within five minutes of getting there.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Randall Clark, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 15-11, $3,901

2^nd: Lance Pyle, Sherwood, Ark., five bass, 14-3, $1,733

3^rd: Garry Sutton, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 13-11, $1,155

4^th: Chase Mitchell, Umpire, Ark., five bass, 13-8, $809

5^th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 13-2, $835

5^th: Shannon Pierce, Rison, Ark., five bass, 13-2, $1,135

5^th: Josh Ray, Alexander, Ark., five bass, 13-2, $835

8^th: Ben Blaschke, Roland, Okla., five bass, 12-10, $620

9^th: Cody Kemp, Donaldson, Ark., five bass, 12-9, $462

10^th: Chris Darby, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 12-8, $404

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Clark’s big fish of the day was a 6-pound, 3-ounce largemouth bass, which also was the tournament’s biggest bass of the day and also earned him the Boater Big Bass award of $435.

Ethan Sutton of Hot Springs, Arkansas, won the Co-angler Division and $1,950 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Ethan Sutton, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 13-8, $1,950

2^nd: Robert Bogard Jr., Conway, Ark., five bass, 11-8, $866

3^rd: Andrew Wooley, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 11-2, $577

4^th: Cody McEntire, Walnut Ridge, Ark., five bass, 9-12, $504

4^th: Randy Bridges, Quitman, Ark., five bass, 9-8, $347

6^th: Jody Jones, Harvey, Ark., five bass, 9-4, $353

7^th: John McCullar, Benton, Ark., five bass, 9-4, $303

8^th: Matt Russell, Prairie Grove, Ark., four bass, 9-3, $260

9^th: Tony Reynolds, Austin, Ark., five bass, 9-1, $231

10^th: Stan Cullipher, Malvern, Ark., five bass, 8-12, $202

Sutton also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $217.

by AnglersChannel

MACON’S LANIER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON LAKE SINCLAIR

Mineral Bluff’s Liner Wins Co-angler Division

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (April 15, 2019) – Boater Justin Lanier of Macon, Georgia, caught five bass Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the 2019 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bulldog division tournament on Lake Sinclair. Lanier earned $4,399 for his victory.

“I have been fishing Lake Sinclair for several years, but a lot of the guys in this tournament have much more experience than I do,” said Lanier, who earned his first career victory in BFL competition. “The key for me was making the right decisions as far as where I was fishing and my timing.”

Although Lanier wanted to remain tight-lipped about the specifics of his win, he did say that he was fishing mid-lake, targeting docks and seawalls with a spinnerbait.

“I was keying in on the baitfish – shad,” Lanier said. “The bite was a little better in the morning, but I ended up with nine or 10 keepers throughout the day.”

Lanier said he threw his spinnerbait on a custom spinnerbait rod with an Abu Garcia REVO reel and 17-pound-test monofilament line.

.The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Justin Lanier, Macon, Ga., five bass, 18-1, $4,399

2^nd: Kip Carter, Mansfield, Ga., five bass, 17-13, $2,750

3^rd: Jason Smith, Dawson, Ga., five bass, 15-12, $1,398

4^th: John Duvall, Madison, Ga., five bass, 15-9, $980

5^th: Clabion Johns, Covington, Ga., five bass, 15-3, $840

6^th: Matt Baty, Bainbridge, Ga., five bass, 14-8, $770

7^th: Max Gresham, Valdosta, Ga., five bass, 13-3, $665

7^th: Mike Cleveland, Monticello, Ga., five bass, 13-3, $957

9^th: Justin Durham, Bishop, Ga., five bass, 13-1, $560

10^th: Lee Nunnally, Social Circle, Ga., five bass, 12-14, $490

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Cleveland and Michael Meason of Senoia, Georgia both caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces, so both split the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $585.

Dax Liner of Mineral Bluff, Georgia, won the Co-angler Division and $2,119 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Dax Liner, Mineral Bluff, Ga., five bass, 11-7, $2,119

2^nd: Early Whitaker, Iron City, Ga., five bass, 9-13, $1,009

3^rd: Spencer Sato, Warner Robins, Ga., five bass, 9-11, $675

4^th: March Glenn, Decatur, Ga., four bass, 9-0, $793

5^th: Marty Everson, Leesburg, Ga., four bass, 8-12, $404

6^th: Blake Yarbrough, Fitzgerald, Ga., five bass, 8-6, $370

7^th: Wesley Bennett, Monroe, Ga., five bass, 7-14, $336

8^th: Mark Denney, Bonaire, Ga., five bass, 7-12, $303

9^th: Jody Ward, Dothan, Ala., three bass, 7-9, $252

9^th: Kenneth Cash, Jefferson, Ga., five bass, 7-9, $252

Glenn caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $272.

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.

by AnglersChannel

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and B.A.S.S. Join Forces to Support Military Families through Operation Homefront Partnership

B.A.S.S. and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store announce a partnership to support military families through Operation Homefront. The partnership includes special membership pricing and B.A.S.S.-branded merchandise at select Cracker Barrel locations.
Image Provided by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

April 15, 2019

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store are teaming up to support military families through a special partnership that benefits Operation Homefront this spring. At participating locations, Cracker Barrel guests are invited to purchase specially priced $12 annual B.A.S.S. memberships for a limited time (regularly priced at $30). Each purchase will lead to a $2 donation to Operation Homefront in support of its mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families. Guests can also purchase B.A.S.S.-branded shirts, caps and Tervis tumblers from Cracker Barrel locations through August 26, 2019 while supplies last.

Founded in 2002, Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization that provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles.

“In addition to the Military Appreciation Days that are part of every Bassmaster Classic and Bassmaster Elite Series event we conduct, we are always looking for ways to express our gratitude toward members of the military and their families,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We are excited to be able to partner with Cracker Barrel to do even more.

“In addition to the new members who take advantage of this offer, I’m confident our 510,000 B.A.S.S. members nationwide will want to support Operation Homefront, as well.”

“Supporting military families is incredibly important to us at Cracker Barrel,” said Cracker Barrel Manager of Corporate Citizenship Sloane Lucas. “We are excited to partner with B.A.S.S. to help further our efforts and make an even greater impact for America’s military and their families.”

From April 28 through August 26, 2019, Cracker Barrel guests can purchase a $2 card from participating Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations, which can be applied toward the purchase of a special $12 membership with B.A.S.S. while supplies last. For each card purchased at Cracker Barrel, $2 will be donated to Operation Homefront. Included with each B.A.S.S. membership is a subscription to Bassmaster Magazine, tournament eligibility, a B.A.S.S. tackle bag, and discounts from select partners. Guests who purchase the $2 card at Cracker Barrel will receive instructions on how to complete the purchase.

To launch the partnership, B.A.S.S. will host a month-long daily giveaway throughout May with a grand prize of a one-day fishing trip with Bassmaster Elite Series angler Keith Combs. The Texas fisherman, a standout veteran pro in Bassmaster competition, holds the world record for the heaviest winning catch in a three-day bass tournament. Daily sweepstakes winners will receive a $100 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® gift card. Enter up to once a day throughout May for a chance to win the random daily drawing.

About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) shares warm welcomes and friendly service while offering guests quality homestyle food and unique shopping – all at a fair price. By creating a world filled with hospitality and charm through an experience that combines dining and shopping, guests are cared for like family. Established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., Cracker Barrel and its affiliates operate over 650 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations in 45 states and own the fast-casual Holler and Dash® restaurants. For more information about the company, visit crackerbarrel.com.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 510,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, BassPro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

by AnglersChannel

MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING CENTRAL CONFERENCE OPENER ON LAKE CUMBERLAND PRESENTED BY COSTA

BURNSIDE, Ky. (April 13, 2019) – The Murray State University duo of Hunter McKinley of Murray, Kentucky, and Brendan Bingham of Louisville, Kentucky, won the YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Cumberland presented by Costa Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 8 ounces. The victory earned the Racer’s bass club $2,400 and a slot in the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship.

The duo said that they caught a combined mix of largemouth and smallmouth – 20 to 30 throughout the day – bringing a five-bass limit to the scale consisting of two smallmouth and three largemouth. They credited shad-colored Keitech swimbaits as the key bait for their smallmouth and flipping a green-pumpkin with blue flake and orange-colored Bruiser Baits Crazy Craw for their largemouth.

“It’s nice to be ending my College Fishing career with a win,” said McKinley, a senior graduating in May with a degree in advertising. “We were planning on targeting largemouth, but we started out on smallmouth in the morning hoping for a bonus big bite and we got one. We were fishing on the river near Jamestown until 9:30 or 10 (a.m.) then we switched to flipping for largemouth. We caught 10 to 15 keepers flipping the Crazy Craw – including another nice smallmouth.”

“It was an awesome day – there was at least two or three times that we were both hooked up, back-to-back,” said Bingham, a sophomore majoring in Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “We were mainly targeting laydowns on transition banks. We stayed in one spot – Pumpkin Creek, up by the Jamestown Marina – for most of the day. Our river smallmouth spot was near there as well.

“I think our key for the day was picking up the flipping sticks when the sun came out,” McKinley went on to say. “We made the right decision and it was great to get the win on a really fun day of fishing.”

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2020 College Fishing National Championship are:

1^st: Murray State University – Hunter McKinley, Murray, Ky., and Brendan Bingham, Louisville, Ky., five bass, 19-8, $2,400

2^nd: Campbellsville University – Nick Ratliff, Vine Grove, Ky., and Bradley Dunagan, Monticello, Ky., five bass, 19-7, $1,250

3^rd: Eastern Kentucky University – Blake Riley, Henderson, Ky., and Corey Elliott, London, Ky., five bass, 17-13, $500

4^th: McKendree University – Nathan Doty, Decatur, Ill., and Jacob Louis, Pinckneyville, Ill., five bass, 17-3, $500

5^th: Eastern Kentucky University – Kyler Petrey, Richmond, Ky., and Jeffrey Ruber, Dry Ridge, Ky., five bass, 17-1, $500

6^th: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse – Gage Griffin, Lake Forest, Ill., and Colby Wolff, Shiwano, Wis., five bass, 16-1

7^th: Southern Illinois University – Mason Bishop, Tunnel Hill, Ill., and Kyle Kreger, Du Bois, Ill., five bass, 15-9

8^th: Campbellsville University – Adam Carman, Berea, Ky., and Hunter Grant Adams, Campbellsville, Ky., five bass, 14-13

9^th: Bellarmine University – Andrew Kuebler, Louisville, Ky., and Zack Ruhland, Fort Mitchell, Ky., five bass, 14-5

10^th: Georgetown College – Hunter Osborne, Irvine, Ky., and Samuel Clark, Danville, Ky., five bass, 14-1

Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.

The YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Cumberland presented by Costa was hosted by the Burnside Tourism Commission. It was the first of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Central Conference anglers. The next event for FLW College Fishing anglers will be the Northern Conference opener, April 26 at Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, Virginia.

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 Potomac River and Marbury, Maryland, will play host to the 2019 FLW College Fishing National Championship, June 4-6, 2019.

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.

by AnglersChannel

BJ Carothers & Thomas Wells win over $20,000 on a tough Lake Belton with 20.09 lbs

Place

BJ CAROTHERS
GATESVILLE , TX

THOMAS WELLS JR
TEMPLE , TX

6.64

20.09

$20000.00 + $200 Sure-Lfe Bonus

ADAM GLAZENER
SALADO , TX

TY BUTLER
KILLEEN , TX

18.58

$3000.00 + $3000 Skeeter Bonus Cash+$250 Lowrance

GARY WEIMER
LEANDER , TX

JEREMIAH WAFFORD
CEDAR PARK , TX

18.55

$2000.00

MATT HILL
JONESTOWN , TX

BARRY MOTT
LIBERTY HILL , TX

17.63

$1200.00

TODD IVINS
BOERNE , TX

BILLY MCCRARY II
TEMPLE , TX

17.16

$1050.00 + Sportsmans Auto Network Bonus

JASON METZGAR
CHINA SPRING , TX

BRANDON GEESLIN
WACO , TX

15.97

$1040.00

TRAVIS MEYER
BELTON , TX

15.67

$1030.00

JOHN KAPALDO
BUDA , TX

JACOB KAPALDO
KYLE , TX

6.90

15.61

$1020.00

BLAKE ARAPIS
BURNET , TX

CHARLES WILSON JR
BRIGGS , TX

15.40

$1010.00

DAVID SHUSTER
GEORGETOWN , TX

CHARLES GERHART
SALADO , TX

15.34

$1000.00

DAVID SCHWERTNER
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

DAVID RIDLEY III
WACO , TX

15.29

$1000.00

GARRETT SHEPPERD
GEORGETOWN , TX

GREGORY SHEPPERD
GEORGETOWN , TX

14.68

$1000.00

CLAYTON HELDT
VICTORIA , TX

CHAD KALLINA
LAGO VISTA , TX

6.81

14.38

$1000.00

KEITH HONEYCUTT
TEMPLE , TX

SAM JONES
ROGERS , TX

14.30

$950.00

SHAWN TAYLOR
ABILENE , TX

JEREMY EASTERWOOD
ABILENE , TX

5.65

14.19

$900.00

GARRETT KOSLAN
AUSTIN , TX

ERIC CRUMLEY
LEANDER , TX

14.07

$850.00

BILL GUZMAN
AUSTIN , TX

TIM STEWART
AUSTIN , TX

14.01

$800.00

SKYLER CAROTHERS
GATESVILLE , TX

CANYON CAROTHERS
GATESVILLE , TX

13.69

$800.00

JAMES BEAUCHAMP
SUNRISE BEACH , TX

BRENNAN FERTIG
BAY CITY , TX

6.96

13.61

$800.00 + $500.00 Big Bass

ROBERT PRESCOTT
SEQUIN , TX

DEVIN GIBSON
GONZALES , TX

6.36

13.10

$800.00

STEVE MAGNELIA
AUSTIN , TX

MICHAEL TENNANT
PFLUGERVILLE , TX

13.08

$800.00

DUSTIN BARFIELD
BELTON , TX

NATHAN MATTHEWS
TROY , TX

13.05

TOM GUIDRY
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX

JR BRIANT
KINGSLAND , TX

13.05

ROY STEGER
BELTON , TX

CHET SUTTON
SALADO , TX

13.00

RICKY PIERCE
THORNDALE , TX

RHETT PIERCE
THORNDALE , TX

5.60

12.79

WILLIAM VICKERS
SALADO , TX

BILLY HIRSCHMANN
BELTON , TX

12.78

BRANDON DAY
BROWNWOOD , TX

CADE WILSON
EARLY , TX

12.51

PHILLIP MASSOLETTI
BURNET , TX

CHARLES MEREDITH
DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX

12.45

CHARLIE GANTENBEIN
SALADO , TX

WENDY RANDOLPH
SALADO , TX

12.33

KELLEY MAULDIN
COPPELL , TX

MIKE GROUNDS
MARBLE FALLS , TX

12.32

DEAN ALEXANDER
JONESTOWN , TX

THOMAS MARTENS
JONESTOWN , TX

12.27

CHRIS GOODMAN
STEPHENVILLE , TX

JOSH MURPHREE
RISING STAR , TX

12.22

RANDY GROUNDS
HORSESHOE BAY , TX

LEE BEUERSHAUSEN
MARBLE FALLS , TX

12.21

RONALD SISK
RIO VISTA , TX

KENNETH FULLER JR
RIO VISTA , TX

12.12

DALE READ
LEANDER , TX

JIM SUNVISON
GEORGETOWN , TX

12.11

JOHNNY HOMANN
KYLE , TX

JAY HESS
LOCKHART , TX

12.10

DAMON ROSS
GEORGETOWN , TX

DYLAN ROSS
LEXINGTON , TX

11.91

DANIEL BARNES
BELTON , TX

ADRIAN BARNES
BELTON , TX

11.86

DERICK KUYRKENDALL
BERGHEIM , TX

FORREST WILSON
SPRING BRANCH , TX

11.86

GARRETT HENNIG
BELTON , TX

BRANDON MCQUEEN
TEMPLE , TX

11.79

MARK BIONDI SR
BURLESON , TX

MARK BIONDI JR
BURLESON , TX

11.59

KEVIN MASON
COLDSPRING , TX

BUD PRUITT
HOUSTON , TX

11.24

CRIS TATUM
BELTON , TX

JUSTIN TATUM
BELTON , TX

11.21

LEONARD PHILIPP
BASTROP , TX

HUNTER ARTHUR
BASTROP , TX

11.19

TYLER LAWHORN
TEMPLE , TX

GRAYSON HONEYCUTT
TEMPLE , TX

11.17

CHARLES WHITED
SAN MARCOS , TX

TREY GROCE
DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX

11.10

TYLER TORWICK
AUSTIN , TX

BRYAN SCOTT
LIBERTY HILL , TX

4.56

11.00

LANCE DILLARD
LLANO , TX

BLAKE DILLARD
LLANO , TX

10.99

TULLY WILLIAMS
GATESVILLE , TX

PAT WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX

10.96

COLT DIETZ
AUSTIN , TX

CHRIS STUDINGER
SAN ANTONIO , TX

10.84

BRIAN MATER
AUSTIN , TX

PHILLIP WARREN
AUSTIN , TX

10.81

ANDREW WHITEHEAD
PFLUGERVILLE , TX

MICKEY SANDERS
SPICEWOOD , TX

10.70

TIM MABRAY
BELTON , TX

ED COLE
BELTON , TX

10.69

KENNETH CUMMINS
PAIGE , TX

JIMMY CHAPMAN
HUTTO , TX

10.56

WILLIAM BLAINE
SAN ANGELO , TX

DUSTIN WALTON
ABILENE , TX

10.56

MICHAEL WALDROP
AUSTIN , TX

JARROD SANDERS
AUSTIN , TX

10.49

REX WHEELER
BELTON , TX

BRUCE DAVIS
KEMPNER , TX

10.40

MIKE RICHARDSON
THORNDALE , TX

ZACH BROWN
GEORGETOWN , TX

10.32

ANTHONY GARCIA
ROUND ROCK , TX

ERIC GARCIA
STANLEY , NM

10.30

JEFFERY HUNTER
UNIVERSAL CITY , TX

KENNETH WITEK
STOCKDALE , TX

10.22

DAVID CHILES
WACO , TX

PAT NUNLEY
WACO , TX

10.13

RYAN WARREN
GATESVILLE , TX

JASON DERRICK
VALLEY MILLS , TX

10.05

RAY TOMASITS
LEANDER , TX

CARY LAUDADIO
AUSTIN , TX

6.01

10.03

THOMAS WEIMER
ROUND ROCK , TX

BRANDON JONES
ROUND ROCK , TX

9.98

MATT CANNON
TROY , TX

JARED SIEGELER
BELTON , TX

9.90

JASON GALLAS
BLANCO , TX

KEN PARKER
BOERNE , TX

9.78

KEVIN UNGER
SMITHVILLE , TX

TIM GOETZ
SMITHVILLE , TX

9.75

MIKE HARMAN
BASTROP , TX

BRIAN HUGHES
TAYLOR , TX

9.70

ANTHONY SKOUBY
CIBOLO , TX

JASON WILLIAMS
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX

9.69

TYLER SMART
GATESVILLE , TX

WADE KEY
GATESVILLE , TX

9.67

CLAYTON FRENCH
LAMPASAS , TX

KELLY HUDSON
LAMPASAS , TX

9.66

SCOTT MEADS
KILLEEN , TX

TOM GRIDLEY
WIMBERLEY , TX

9.62

BRANDON BRAY
MARBLE FALLS , TX

JOE BRAY
MARBLE FALLS , TX

9.50

AJ HALL
BROWNWOOD , TX

AUDWIN HALL
BROWNWOOD , TX

9.48

KELVIN HOGG
ARLINGTON , TX

BRIAN ROUSSEL
ARLINGTON , TX

9.46

JOHN RILEY
KILLEEN , TX

ANDY FOULKROD
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

9.44

CLINT BROWN
AUSTIN , TX

BLAINE BUTLER
CEDAR PARK , TX

9.40

JAMES SCOGIN
AUSTIN , TX

ROLAND LOERA
AUSTIN , TX

9.39

BILL LEE
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

MICHELLE LEE
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

9.26

ALLEN SHELTON
FARMERS BRANCH , TX

BRAD DRAKE
IRVING , TX

9.22

SHAWN USCHAN
KILLEEN , TX

MATTHEW KEEN
COPPERAS COVE , TX

9.19

JAY STIDHAM
WACO , TX

9.14

COLE TEMPLE
KELLER , TX

JOSH BENSEMA
WILLIS , TX

9.11

WILLIAM BRUNSON
LIBERTY HILL , TX

DANIEL EMBLEM
KILLEEN , TX

9.11

STERLING MARTIN
BEEVILLE , TX

COURTNEY BEHREND
COMFORT , TX

9.00

MICHAEL VASQUEZ
TEMPLE , TX

KENNY ROBERTSON
BRUCEVILLE , TX

8.95

SEAN EVANS
KILLEEN , TX

RODNEY THOMPSON
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

8.94

JOSH LASSETER
BUCHANAN DAM , TX

DON KING
BUCHANAN DAM , TX

8.88

RONALD GOERDEL
HUNTSVILLE , TX

JOHN GILBERT JR
LEANDER , TX

8.84

JAMES CANTWELL
KINGSLAND , TX

TOM CANTWELL
LAGRANGE , TX

8.83

TERRY ADAIR
ALVIN , TX

CHAD ADAIR
ALVIN , TX

8.78

CLIFF BROWN
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

8.74

JASON BUCHANAN
BURNET , TX

TERRY KIRCUS
BURNET , TX

8.55

MIKE PICKWELL
DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX

JOE COLE
AUSTIN , TX

8.51

DUSTIN GRICE
VALLEY MILLS , TX

JOHNNY GRICE
EARLY , TX

8.47

MICHAEL BRISENO
ELGIN , TX

LUCAS LARSON
HUTTO , TX

8.44

DARRELL WUENSCHE
THRALL , TX

SAM MORROW
AUSTIN , TX

8.35

ROBERT MIKES
SHINER , TX

MARKUS ELDER
NEW WAVERLY , TX

8.32

CODY GREANEY
MANCHACA , TX

ROBERT ROARK
THE WOODLANDS , TX

8.27

100

BRET STAFFORD
BELTON , TX

DANNY LANGLEY
BELTON , TX

8.08

101

GLEN DERKS II
LIBERTY HILL , TX

BRYAN SIMPSON
LIBERTY HILL , TX

8.04

102

RANDY HIBLER
MARBLE FALLS , TX

RANDALL CHRISTIAN
TOW , TX

7.97

103

AYDEN REEDY
SPRING BRANCH , TX

RUSTY REEDY
SPRING BRANCH , TX

7.61

104

LINO GUTTIRREZ
COTTONWOOD WOOD SHORES , TX

RUBEN RIBERA
MARBLE FALLS , TX

7.54

104

WESTON BROWN
HOUSTON , TX

DAVID DOONAN
CALDWELL , TX

7.54

106

RUSSELL WHITE
BASTROP , TX

BRIAN CRAWFORD
RED ROCK , TX

7.44

107

JOHN WALSH
LEANDER , TX

JEFF JENKINS
LEANDER , TX

7.42

108

TOMMY MARTINEZ
DEVINE , TX

ARMANDO MARTINEZ
DEVINE , TX

7.40

109

JACK MEREDITH
BELTON , TX

STEVEN BREAZEALE
AUSTIN , TX

7.21

110

PATRICK ANDERSON
BUDA , TX

DOUG HAMILTON
LAKEWAY , TX

6.95

111

GERARD RUMSEY
AUSTIN , TX

EDWARD RUMSEY
BURNET , TX

5.85

112

TONY FERDINANDO
SPICEWOOD , TX

SHANE LOGAN
BUDA , TX

5.68

113

RYAN FAIN
SPRING BRANCH , TX

GEORGE DELOACH
BOERNE , TX

5.58

114

DAVID OVERCASH
WEST , TX

ROGER FRIELDS
WACO , TX

5.41

115

WILLIAM DANKERT
SALADO , TX

TYLER DANKERT
SALADO , TX

5.36

116

GARRETT GOETTEE
TOMBALL , TX

HUGH KELLER
HOUSTON , TX

5.14

117

DAVID RUTHERFORD
ARTESIA , NM

CURTIS PENNINGTON
ARTESIA , NM

4.98

118

CHARLES PURSELL
AUSTIN , TX

MATTHEW PURYEAR
AUSTIN , TX

4.35

119

ROBERT MIERAS
COPPERAS COVE , TX

JOHNNY WIERZBICKI
MOODY , TX

4.10

120

CHANS MARTIN
FAIR OAKS RANCH , TX

CHASE MEIER
COMFORT , TX

3.26

121

TROY LOWERY
BROWNWOOD , TX

TOMMY MORENO
NEED INFO

2.12

122

TRAVIS GERGELY
SEGUIN , TX

BLAINE MURNAHAN
NEW BRAUNSFELS , TX

0.00

122

RONNY MAYNARD
GEORGETOWN , TX

JOHN HALLEY
KILLEEN , TX

0.00

122

GERALD MUELLER JR
PFLUGERVILLE , TX

GENE FUESSEL
AUSTIN , TX

0.00

122

WILLIAM FESLER
LAMPASAS , TX

DAVID LAINE
HORSESHOE BAY , TX

0.00

122

DONNIE ONEAL
PFLUGERVILLE , TX

MAELSTROM KIEWIET
AUSTIN , TX

0.00

122

SHAWN MARKGRAF
BURNET , TX

TRENT BLAKE
BURNET , TX

0.00

122

CHRIS WOEHL
CEDAR PARK , TX

CHRIS CLEMENTS
ROUND ROCK , TX

0.00

122

ROGER SARAIBA
LEANDER , TX

LOUIE BRUNO
PFLUGERVILLE , TX

0.00

122

ANTHONY GOODSON
DRIFTWOOD , TX

MICAH KIRKHART
MARTINDALE , TX

0.00

122

MICHAEL HETTICK
CORPUS CHRISTI , TX

KAPPY ALLEN
ROBSTOWN , TX

0.00

122

TIM RENEAU
RICHLAND SPINGS , TX

JUDY RENEAU
RICHLAND SPRINGS , TX

0.00

122

ADAM MIRANDA
BROWNWOOD , TX

ROGER SOTO
BROWNWOOD , TX

0.00

122

JASON COSTINE
MONTGOMERY , TX

KATHLEEN COSTINE
MONTGOMERY , TX

0.00

122

DAREN SEBEK
TEMPLE , TX

CHANCE SEBEK
BELTON , TX

0.00

122

JACOB BRYANT
SALADO , TX

KYLE HEPP
GEORGETOWN , TX

0.00

122

TYSON PATRICK
MIDLAND , TX

SHANE PATRICK
SPRINGDALE , AR

0.00

122

WAYNE ORENDER JR
PFLUGERVILLE , TX

BRAD STEWART
HUTTO , TX

0.00

122

BENNY BYERS
TEMPLE , TX

BENJAMIN BYERS
BELTON , TX

0.00

122

RANDY BUTLER
BELTON , TX

TERRY BUTLER
BELTON , TX

0.00

122

WALTER KILPATRICK
KILLEEN , TX

DAVID KIPP
NOLANVILLE , TX

0.00

122

MICHAEL MALCIK
BELTON , TX

PAUL ELLIS
WACO , TX

0.00

122

STEPHEN SHEPHERD
SEGUIN , TX

CLAYTON SHEPHERD
BELTON , TX

0.00

122

LUIS GUZMAN
KEMPNER , TX

ANIBAL GUZMAN
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX

0.00

122

CHARLES HICE
BURNET , TX

0.00

122

JEREMY ANZVALDA
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX

JASON RANFT
NEW BRAUNSFELS , TX

0.00

122

JAMES HESTER
SALADO , TX

NEAL CHILDERS
CYPRESS , TX

0.00

122

BILLY FORD
BELTON , TX

WILLIAM LYNCH
BELTON , TX

0.00

122

TRAVIS DAUGHERTY
BURNET , TX

TRAVIS COCKERHAM
BARTLETT , TX

0.00

122

CALVIN BALCH
PORTER , TX

FLOYD BALCH
WACO , TX

0.00

122

ERIC WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX

ZANE WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX

0.00

122

HUDSON CARLTON
LIBERTY HILL , TX

FRED CATES SR
ROCKDALE , TX

0.00

122

DWAYNE KINLEY
AUSTIN , TX

LEVAR JENKINS
AUSTIN , TX

0.00

122

JOHN PRICE
LA GRANGE , TX

DUSTY FRANK
WEST POINT , TX

0.00

122

GERALD POBORIL
TEMPLE , TX

JACK POWE
KEMPNER , TX

0.00

122

KAEL WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX

SHELLY WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX

0.00

122

JASON RIEDEL
ALEDO , TX

DANIEL HERRING
WATUAGA , TX

0.00

by AnglersChannel

FLOYD CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL WINS 2019 BASS PRO SHOPS FLW HIGH SCHOOL FISHING LAKE CUMBERLAND OPEN

BURNSIDE, Ky. (April 14, 2019) – The Floyd Central High School duo of Zach Rose of Prestonsburg, Kentucky, and Cameron Crider of Dwale, Kentucky, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces to win the 2019 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Cumberland Open.

A field of 161 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from General Burnside Island State Park in Burnside. The tournament was hosted by the Burnside Tourism Commission. In FLW and The Bass Federation (TBF) High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top 16 teams on Lake Cumberland that advanced to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship were:

1st: Floyd Central High School, Langley, Ky. – Zach Rose, Prestonsburg, Ky., and Cameron Crider, Dwale, Ky., five bass, 16-10

2nd: McCracken County High School, McCracken County, Ky. – James Harper Burkeen and Austin Braboy, both of Paducah, Ky., five bass, 16-0

3rd: Russell County High School, Russell Springs, Ky. – Jesse York, Russell Springs, Ky., and Kyle Roy, Jamestown, Ky., five bass, 13-13

4th: Larue County High School, Hodgenville, Ky. – Wyatt Pearman, Hodgenville, Ky., and Evan Morris, Buffalo, Ky., five bass, 13-9

5th: Lake Cumberland Bass Club, Somerset, Ky. – Blake Stringer and Ragan Burton, both of Somerset, Ky., five bass, 13-9

6th: Russell County High School, Russell Springs, Ky. – Dylan Stringer, Jamestown, Ky., and Branson Campbell, Russell Springs, Ky., four bass, 12-13

7th: Garrard County High School, Garrard County, Ky. – Will Oberman and Clay Oberman, both of Lancaster, Ky., four bass, 12-8

8th: Spencer County High School, Taylorsville, Ky. – Dillon Stallings and Clayton Rountree, both of Taylorsville, Ky., five bass, 12-6

9th: Bethlehem High School, Bardstown, Ky. – Will Johnson, Cox’s Creek, Ky., and Elijah Peake, Bardstown, Ky., five bass, 12-6

10th: McCracken County High School, McCracken County, Ky. – Hunter Valerius and Sarah Moorehead, both of Paducah, Ky., three bass, 11-15

11th: Bath County High School, Owingsville, Ky. – Jacob Conyers and Spencer Pergrem, both of Owingsville, Ky., five bass, 11-13

12th: Somerset High School, Somerset, Ky. – Matthew Gosser and Mason Ellnor, both of Somerset, Ky., five bass, 11-12

13th: Cornerstone Christian Academy, Shelbyville, Ky. – Doug Jesse, Shelbyville, Ky., and Jake Thornbury, Finchville, Ky., four bass, 11-12

14th: East Jessamine High School, Nicholasville, Ky. – Ridge Rutledge and Jacob Wielgus, both of Nicholasville, Ky., five bass, 11-9

15th: Madison Southern High School, Berea, Ky. – Kurtis Blair and Cody Blair, both of Berea, Ky., five bass, 11-5

16th: Madison High School, Marshall, N.C. – Bailey Merrill and Trevor Thorpe, both of Marshall, N.C., four bass, 11-5

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

The 2019 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Cumberland Open was a two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12, open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF) affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of each Challenge, Open, and state championship field will advance to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship on a body of water that has yet to be revealed. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2019 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. At the 2018 World Finals more than $150,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.

Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.

About FLW

FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2019 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW and their partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and Spain. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

OKLAHOMA’S UPSHAW LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS FLW TOUR ON CHEROKEE LAKE

Oklahoma pro tops the 164-angler field at the FLW Tour on Cherokee Lake, earns $100,000

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (April 14, 2019) – Pro Andrew Upshaw of Tulsa, Oklahoma, won the FLW Tour at the Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance after catching five bass Sunday weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces. Upshaw’s four-day cumulative total of 20 bass weighing 67 pounds, 10 ounces, was enough to edge second-place pro Grae Buck of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, by 1 pound, 2 ounces, at the event that featured 164 of the world’s top bass anglers. For his win – the first of his FLW Tour career – Upshaw earned $100,000.

“This week was phenomenal – there’s no other way to describe it,” a visibly emotional Upshaw said on the FLW Tour weigh-in stage Sunday afternoon. “Through practice, I knew I was on something special, but I didn’t know just how special.”

Upshaw’s week on the water primarily involved targeting spawning bass. Early on, he said he lured bites with a drop-shot rig, using a green-pumpkin-colored Strike King KVD Drop-Shot Half Shell with a 1/8-ounce weight, but ended up switching after breaking it off 30 minutes into day one of competition. He proceeded to pick up a 4-inch, wacky-rigged Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Ocho of the same color and went to work putting together consistent limits around mid-lake islands. He said he preferred 10-pound-test Seaguar Smackdown braid line with a 6-pound InvisX fluorocarbon leader.

“These fish stay around these islands all year long – they don’t leave,” said Upshaw. “I caught some on banks, but all my big ones came on islands. I wanted to be around the deepest water and the steepest banks. It had to have boulders out in front, and more importantly, the bank had to have somewhat of a turn in it. It didn’t have to have a cove, but just a turn – those smallmouth were spawning in them. There was just enough [curve] to get them out of the current where they could spawn.

“I took the Ocho and pitched it behind those boulders because that’s where they were spawning,” continued Upshaw. “Everybody was casting out in front and in the cracks, but they were actually behind the boulders the entire time. Anybody throwing a weighted bait, whether it was a Ned rig or a shaky-head, wasn’t able to effectively fish it because it was dropping so fast. By pitching that very, very light-weight Ocho around, I was able to get the fish that no one else was fishing for.”

On Championship Sunday, Upshaw slipped and surrendered the lead for a significant period of time, but after a last-minute stop at a secondary area he’d been saving – two points a quarter-mile from takeoff – the Oklahoma pro made two culls that would end up putting him over the top.

“Off to the side of one of the points there was a rock pile – it had isolated boulders and only big ones were moving up on it,” said Upshaw. “I caught a 3½-pounder and one that weighed about 2½ pounds to cull out two small fish.”

Upshaw caught his final two fish using a 3.25-inch, Ghost Shad-colored Strike King Rage Swimmer on a ¼-ounce jighead.

The top 10 pros on Cherokee Lake finished:

1^st: Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 20 bass, 67-10, $100,000

2^nd: Grae Buck, Harleysville, Pa., 20 bass, 66-8, $30,200

3^rd: Dylan Hays, El Dorado, Ark., 20 bass, 65-12, $25,100

4^th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 20 bass, 65-11, $20,000

5^th: Andy Young, Isle, Minn., 20 bass, 64-0, $19,000

6^th: Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., 20 bass, 63-1, $18,000

7^th: Tim Cales, Sandstone, W. Va., 20 bass, 62-8, $17,000

8^th: Derrick Snavely, Piney Flats, Tenn., 20 bass, 61-9, $16,000

9^th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 20 bass, 61-4, $15,000

10^th: Tim Frederick, Leesburg, Fla., 20 bass, 60-12, $14,000

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 146 pounds, 14 ounces, caught by pros Sunday. All of the final 10 pros were able to bring five-bass limits to the scale.

Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance will premiere in 2019. The exact air-date will be announced soon. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show airs each Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST and is broadcast to more than 63 million cable, satellite and telecommunications households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean on the World Fishing Network (WFN), the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance is more than $860,000. The tournament is hosted by the Economic Development Alliance, Jefferson County. The next event for FLW Tour anglers will be the FLW Tour at Lake Chickamauga presented by Evinrude, in Dayton, Tennessee, May 2-5. The tournament will be hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 164 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continued competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 9-11 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Andy Morgan Claims Hometown Win on Lake Chickamauga at Bass Pro Tour Econo Lodge Stage Four presented by Winn Grips

DAYTON, Tenn. (April 14, 2019) - From the moment he announced his intention to compete on the Major League Fishing® (MLF) Bass Pro Tour, Tennessee pro Andy Morgan was tabbed by his fellow competitors as an angler to watch. Based on both his exceptional 23-year career and his catch-every-fish-that-swims fishing style, Morgan came into the season as a near-universal pick by his contemporaries to take home one of the eight regular-season Bass Pro Tour trophies.

It turns out that Morgan's first Bass Pro Tour trophy didn't have far to travel: 7.1 miles from Lake Chickamauga to the trophy room in his home in Dayton.

Fishing a lake that he grew up on - and finishing the day in a pocket that he and his dad have won "a number of April tournaments in over the years" - Morgan weighed in 34 Lake Chickamauga largemouth for 80-0 pounds to run away with the Championship Round of the Econo Lodge Stage Four presented by Winn Grips.

"I wanted to win one more tournament on Chickamauga," Morgan admitted. "I can't explain how hard it is to win an event at this level, and I can't explain just how bad I wanted to win right here in front of my family and friends - I wanted it bad. It means the world to me to be able to come out here on this lake where I won my first tournament when I was 15, fish against this bunch of guys, and get that trophy. I'm awful proud of it."

Jared Lintner finished second with 60-7, Todd Faircloth was third with 59-5, Jacob Powroznik was fourth with 54-4 and Mike Iaconelli completed the Top 5 with 54-2.

Morgan Committed to One Spot Early

Morgan fished Championship Sunday as one would expect a seasoned veteran to work his home fishery, committing his entire championship round to a long backwater north of Dayton that locals refer to as "The Branch". Morgan woke up on Championship Sunday, looked at the weather forecast calling for heavy morning rain and afternoon winds, and knew immediately that he had an outstanding chance for a big day in two sloughs inside "The Branch".

"As soon as I saw the weather, I knew that I wasn't going to leave that area all day," Morgan confirmed. "I was going to fish it all day long and figure it out, because I thought it had the best population of fish to work on. I knew it could all go down right in those two sloughs, and that I needed to just stay put and be patient."

Morgan's patience paid off. The Favorite Fishing pro worked his way around two areas he refers to as "Back Slough" and "Bus Slough" with a jig and Zoom Super Salt Plus Z Craw, a lipless crankbait and a vibrating jig, picking up 11 fish apiece in the first and second periods to claim and hold a 7-1 lead heading into the final period.

Jared Lintner, who spent a good part of his day sight fishing, had crept to within 2 pounds of Morgan midway through Period 2 and had located one spawner that he identified as "a double-digit fish." But while Lintner added 11 fish to his SCORETRACKER™ total through the final 2 ½ hours of competition, eight of those were under 2 pounds; Morgan, meanwhile, connected with his two biggest fish of the day - a 5-7 and a 6-9 - and a 4-4 to gradually open up his lead.

"I had no other competitors in my area and the weather kept the local traffic out, so I had the whole place to myself," Morgan said. "I've had some pretty special days on Chickamauga - I won my first Angler of the Year title on this lake - but today was the one day in my whole career where the deck was stacked for me to win."

MLF pro Andy Morgan spent Championship Sunday in familiar waters - two sloughs that he knew well from years of fishing on home-lake Chickamauga - and it earned him the Bass Pro Tour Stage Four trophy. (Photo by Garrick Dixon. Click to enlarge/download.)

Morgan finished the week with 224-8, a record for weight caught in a Bass Pro Tour event. He and Lintner's 106 fish caught is also a record.

Lintner Made a Run at It

Lintner made things interesting through the first two periods, catching solid numbers of 1- to 3-pound males in an area in Soddy Creek that had been fished heavily throughout the week. The Aftco pro made a serious run at Morgan's lead in the second period with a series of 3-pounders, but ultimately couldn't convince a couple of big females to bite.

"I didn't know if that area would replenish, or if the ones that were in there would bite again, but the winning fish were in that area," Lintner said. "I saw a couple of fresh big ones that I thought were going to go, but they just weren't ready to bite."

Bass Pro Tour Stage Four By the Numbers

Total Weight 7,415 pounds, 9 ounces

Total Fish 3,829 fish

5-plus pounds 74 fish

6-plus pounds 36 fish

7-plus pounds 17 fish

Records Broken

Total Event Weight 7,415 pounds, 9 ounces

Total Event Fish Caught 3,829

Most Overall Weight 224 pounds, 8 (Andy Morgan)

Most Fish Caught 106 (Jared Lintner & Andy Morgan)

Two-Day Weight 105 pounds, 6 ounces (Zack Birge)

by AnglersChannel

Blaylock Holds On To Win Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Winyah Bay

Stetson Blaylock celebrates winning the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay with his family after weighing a four-day total of 50 pounds, 15 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

April 14, 2019

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Stetson Blaylock came to the Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay with one goal in mind: don’t finish last.He accomplished that goal — and then some.

The third-year Elite Series pro from Arkansas tallied a four-day total of 50 pounds, 15 ounces and earned a victory that was unexpected, to say the least. He capped the win with a Championship Sunday limit of five bass that weighed 9-3.

“I came here with the intentions of ‘Don’t ruin your season; don’t come here and finish dead last,’” said Blaylock, who earned $100,000 for the victory. “When I found my area, I knew it had fish, so I thought I’d get out of here with a Top 35 and roll on to the next one. I didn’t know it had winning potential at all.

“I look back at every bass I lost this week and think ‘Gosh, I should’ve caught that one.’ Today, I had one good one that jumped off that would have been another 2 pounds. When that kind of stuff happens, you’re not supposed to win, but when it’s your time, you can’t do anything wrong.”

Time management was essential throughout the week. While many of his competitors ran 100-plus miles to fish various areas of the Cooper River, Blaylock earned his first blue trophy by staying in a pond off the Waccamaw River, about 18 minutes from takeoff at Georgetown’s Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex.

Lined with overhanging trees, the area held deeper water and sprouted a few tributary canals. Here, Blaylock placed 11th on Day 1 with 11-6, rose to sixth the next day with 12-7 and surged into the Day 3 lead by sacking up a limit of 17-15, the tournament’s heaviest bag.

Today, Blaylock faced a tougher bite, but his 9-3 was enough to hold off a dramatic charge by second-place angler Scott Canterbury, who finished just 9 ounces behind Blaylock.

“I’ve never been here before, so I went to where I knew there were some fish,” Blaylock said. “That gave me the entire day to fish.”

Coming off a second-place finish in last week’s Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell, Blaylock not only carried over the positive momentum, he also stuck with the same selection of lures. His primary bait was a 5-inch green pumpkin YUM Dinger stickworm with a 1/32-ounce nail weight and a Gamakatsu G-Finesse Dropshot Hook tucked under an O-ring.

Blaylock used this rig for skipping under tree limbs, a technique that accounted for most of his bites. He also caught a keeper on a P-70 Pop-R — and when he found bed fish, he pitched a white YUM Christie Craw on a 3/0 hook and a 7/16-ounce weight.

“Going out this morning with the chance to win, all day it seemed like I had given it away,” Blaylock said. “I figured I’d finish sixth or seventh with the way I lost so many and fished so poorly today. But it all comes down to those key fish you get in the box.

“Winning an event like this is everything to a fisherman. The money’s nice, but the trophy is what it’s all about.”

In second place, Canterbury’s ambitious venture was pure Bassmaster LIVE gold, as a long run up the Cooper yielded a limit of 16-2 — the day’s heaviest catch — and gave him a total weight of 50-6. Motoring well past where other competitors fished, the Alabama angler, who started the day in eighth place, made a key bait change that produced 10 pounds in two bites — a 6- and a 4-pounder — within 30 minutes.

“I went up there yesterday and I was only going to fish about an hour just to get away from everybody, because I struggled so bad the second day,” Canterbury said. “When I got up there yesterday I caught a 2-pounder and then a 5-pounder 10-minutes later, so I ended up staying in that area.

“Today, I went up there and threw the same Dirty Jigs swim jig I threw yesterday and couldn’t get them to bite it. I hadn’t thrown a buzzbait all week. But today, with muddy water and overcast weather, it just felt like a buzzbait day. I caught every one of my fish on that bait.”

Earlier in the day, Canterbury took advantage of the morning’s high water to fish around spawning areas. When the outgoing tide started draining the areas, he moved outside to the main creek channel and caught his fish on points of vegetation out of the main current.

“It’s all about making those adjustments and today, I made some good ones,” he said.

In third place, Canadian Cory Johnston also fished the Cooper River, but he focused on the expansive flats that once served as rice fields. In practice, he had marked several key areas with hydrilla clumps and isolated hard-bottom spots.

Targeting these spawning sites was his plan, but the day’s conditions were not favorable.

“The water was clear, but with cloudy skies, I couldn’t see the beds and the clear spots and that hurt me,” Johnston said. “I could get my bait in the area, but I wasn’t able to specifically throw it on a bed, so I had to blind cast.”

Johnston added a limit of 9-1 and finished with 49-5. He caught his fish on a wacky-rigged green pumpkin stickbait and a homemade swim jig with a Strike King Rage Craw trailer.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Jason Williamson with 46-3 and John Crews with 46-2.

Williamson won the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with a 6-10 largemouth.

Williamson and Crews were also the two highest finishing anglers eligible for Toyota Bonus Bucks. Williamson finished fourth and added $3,000 to his purse, while Crews finished fifth earning a $2,000 bonus.

South Carolina rookie Patrick Walters claimed the lead in both the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year and the DICK`S Sporting Goods Rookie of Year race, after four events, earning $1,000 for AOY and $500 for ROY.

                         2019 Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay 4/11-4/14
                                  Winyah Bay, Georgetown  SC.
                                (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1.  Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              20  50-15  100 $100,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   12-07     Day 3: 5   17-15     Day 4: 5   09-03
2.  Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           20  50-06   99  $25,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   07-01     Day 3: 5   15-04     Day 4: 5   16-02
3.  Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            20  49-05   98  $20,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   11-12     Day 3: 5   17-06     Day 4: 5   09-01
4.  Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             20  46-03   97  $16,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   08-11     Day 3: 5   10-13     Day 4: 5   11-00
5.  John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               20  46-02   96  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   08-15     Day 3: 5   15-09     Day 4: 5   09-13
6.  Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                20  45-03   95  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   15-04     Day 4: 5   08-09
7.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         20  44-00   94  $16,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   10-00     Day 3: 5   12-08     Day 4: 5   10-04
8.  Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            20  42-09   93  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   12-06     Day 3: 5   09-05     Day 4: 5   06-12
9.  Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL           20  41-04   92  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   09-09     Day 4: 5   07-06
10. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          17  40-13   91  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   09-02     Day 3: 5   16-06     Day 4: 2   02-07
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
     Jason Williamson         Wagener, SC         06-10      $1,500.00

by AnglersChannel

Jacob Powroznik Aiming for Back-To-Back Wins After Knockout Round Victory

DAYTON, Tenn. (April 13, 2019) - Almost as soon as he drove away from Raleigh, North Carolina - a Bass Pro Tour trophy riding shotgun in his Toyota Tundra - Major League Fishing® (MLF) pro Jacob Powroznik was already talking about how much he likes to fish Lake Chickamauga. The Virginia pro, who won Stage Three in Raleigh just two weeks ago, has competed on this impoundment of the Tennessee River multiple times and identifies it as one of his favorite fisheries.

In Saturday's Knockout Round of the Econo Lodge Stage Four presented by Evinrude, Powroznik showed why. After hovering around the middle of the Top 10 for the majority of the first two periods, Powroznik connected with 10 fish for 20-15 in the final period to finish first in the round with 67-14 on the day.

"I love throwing a wacky worm, I love bed fishing, I love fishing while they're spawning, and that's what's going on here right now," said Powroznik. "It would be hard for me to win a five-fish event doing what I'm doing right now, but in our format, you get to go out and catch as many bass as you possibly can. That suits my style of fishing right now. I've seen some big ones - they're just 'cranky' right now - but those 2- to 3-pounders are biting really good right now, and I'm just fine with that."

Powroznik will be joined in Sunday's Championship Round of 10 by: Todd Faircloth (63-12), Mike Iaconelli (59-8), Brandon Palaniuk (56-15), Andy Morgan (56-3), Luke Clausen (53-10), Keith Poche (52-3), Jared Lintner (52-1), Edwin Evers (50-15) and Michael Neal (49-11).

Today's weights will be wiped clean as the finalists start the Championship Round with a zero score.

Final-Period Knockout Drama

The final 2 ½ hours of competition saw several dramatic stories play out, none more so than Iaconelli's. The Berkley pro entered the third period in 24th place - well out of contention for a Top 10 spot - but then connected with nine fish for 23-5 in the final 30 minutes on a squarebill to catapult him to third place.

"It's not a magic spot, I don't have a magic bait, it wasn't something I did or changed, it wasn't dumb luck, it was just timing," Iaconelli said. "It was just a place where they started to pull up on and started to feed, and I happened to fish it at just the right time. I've been doing this for 22, 23 years professionally, and that was the most magical 20 minutes of my tournament career."

On the other end of the spectrum, local pro Michael Neal was left to agonize after the "lines out" call as he waited for the official final results to post to SCORETRACKER™. Neal, who started the day on fire with nearly 30 pounds, caught two fish in the final 13 minutes and then clung to a Top 10 spot as Terry Scroggins and Casey Ashley fell less than 2 pounds behind him in the standings.

"I had confidence that if I kept moving through my areas, I'd find one that had some fish pulled up on it and ready to eat," Neal said. "It was just a matter of keeping my head up, keep fishing and keep throwing my confidence baits that I've been throwing all week."

Championship Veterans vs. First-Timers

Neal is one of four anglers who have competed previously in Bass Pro Tour Championship Sunday. Powroznik won Stage Three, Lintner finished third in Stage One Kissimmee (Florida). Evers is the only angler to qualify for all four championship finals.

On the flipside, six of the Championship 10 will fish their first-ever Bass Pro Tour final round on Sunday: Faircloth, Iaconelli, Palaniuk, Morgan, Clausen and Poche.

"I've spent a lot of time trying different things and thinking I'd find some 'golden ticket', but this is all about getting out there and grinding away until I got something done," said Clausen, a Bassmaster Classic and Forrest Wood Cup champion. "I'm happy to finally get to a Championship Round, I think this lake is setting up for a big-fish day tomorrow."

Records Continue to Fall on Chickamauga

The first three Championship Rounds of the 2019 Bass Pro Tour have been competitive by all measures, but with records being written and rewritten all week on Chickamauga, this Sunday's final round shapes up to be the most explosive to date. Nine of the 10 anglers competing have posted at least one 50-plus-pound day this week, and the fishery has kicked out 1,687 scorable largemouth for 3,138 pounds in the past three days alone.

MLF pro Jared Lintner finished the Knockout Round in 8th, with this 8-10 being the kicker in his today's total of 52-1.

(Click to enlarge / download)

When, Where & How to Watch

Competition begins on Championship Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET, with live, official scoring available via SCORETRACKER™ on MajorLeagueFishing.com and on the MLF app. The MLF NOW! Live Stream starts at 10 a.m. ET, with live, on-the-water coverage and analysis provided by Chad McKee, JT Kenney, Marty Stone and Natalie Dillon until lines out at 3:30 p.m. The Berkley Postgame Show - hosted by Steven "Lurch" Scott - will start at 5 p.m. daily.

The Day's Results

To see all results from the Knockout Round, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com and click " Results."

by AnglersChannel

UPSHAW LEADS FIELD INTO FINAL DAY OF FLW TOUR ON CHEROKEE LAK

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (April 13, 2019) – Pro Andrew Upshaw of Tulsa, Oklahoma, maintained his lead Saturday at the FLW Tour at the Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance after catching five bass weighing 16 pounds even. Upshaw’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 52-4 will lead the final 10 pros into the fourth and final day of the event, where he and his peers will cast for a top prize of up to $125,000.

After starting the day in eight place, Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, made a leap up the leaderboard with a limit weighing 17-6 to sit within striking distance of Upshaw in second place with a three-day cumulative total of 50-10, while Dylan Hays of El Dorado, Arkansas, sits in third with 50 pounds, 1 ounce. The stage is set for an exciting final day of competition with only 4 pounds, 15 ounces, separating 10^th place from first.

Upshaw said he spent the day targeting main-lake spawning fish, a pattern he’s followed all week. He said his day started out slower than his first two mornings, which he admitted threw him off mentally.

“I pulled up to where I wanted to start and I caught a non-keeper immediately, and that’s only my second non-keeper of the week,” said Upshaw, who is seeking his first career victory in FLW Tour competition. “Then, a few minutes later, I caught another non-keeper, then another, and it really started spinning me out a little bit. Not necessarily the missed fish. But when you’re just catching little, little ones, it threw me off a little bit.

“Once I caught my first couple of decent ones, I kind of got this calming feeling,” Upshaw continued. “I really focused and got a little talkative – I got to where I was having fun. I caught a 4-pounder and I was really having fun – I know how big 4-pounders are going to be here.”

Upshaw said his plan for Championship Sunday is to try and eliminate the slow morning by going for a limit at a secondary area he’s been saving.

“What I’m trying to do is get that stress off of my back. I can pull up to this spot, and maybe not catch a bunch of fish, but I feel like I can catch two, three, maybe a limit fairly quick,” said Upshaw. “It’s actually a bigger area. It’s reloading and it’s got a ton of fish in it.”

The Oklahoma pro went on to say that he’s definitely feeling the pressure to finish strong after leading the event for three days, but with his secondary area set to potentially ease the stress of getting an initial limit, he has confidence that he can find his groove once again.

“As far as nerves go, I’ve dealt with high-stress situations before. Not just in tournament fishing, but in other sports like football and basketball and everything like that. Tomorrow I get to go have fun and I’ve got my family here to calm me down, so everything should be fine.”

The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition Sunday on Cherokee Lake are:

1^st: Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 15 bass, 52-4

2^nd: Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., 15 bass, 50-10

3^rd: Dylan Hays, El Dorado, Ark., 15 bass, 50-1

4^th: Grae Buck, Harleysville, Pa., 15 bass, 49-4

5^th: Andy Young, Isle, Minn., 15 bass, 49-0

6^th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 15 bass, 48-13

7^th: Tim Frederick, Leesburg, Fla., 15 bass, 48-3

8^th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 15 bass, 48-3

9^th: Derrick Snavely, Piney Flats, Tenn., 15 bass, 48-2

10^th: Tim Cales, Sandstone, W. Va., 15 bass, 47-5

Finishing 11^th through 30^th are:

11^th: Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., 15 bass, 47-4, $12,000

12^th: Polaris pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 47-2, $12,000

13^th: J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga., 15 bass, 46-14, $12,000

14^th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 46-11, $12,000

15^th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 46-11, $12,000

16^th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 46-9, $11,500

17^th: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 15 bass, 46-8, $11,500

18^th: Dakota Ebare, Denham Springs, La., 15 bass, 46-4, $11,500

19^th: Berkley pro Joey Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., 15 bass, 45-14, $11,500

20^th: Johnny McCombs, Morris, Ala., 15 bass, 45-14, $11,500

21^st: Kerry Milner, Bono, Ark., 15 bass, 45-12, $10,500

22^nd: Josh Douglas, Isle, Minn., 15 bass, 45-7, $10,500

23^rd: A.J. Slegona, Pine Bush, N.Y., 15 bass, 45-6, $10,500

24^th: Jon Englund, Farwell, Minn., 15 bass, 44-13, $10,500

25^th: Yamamoto Baits pro Larry Nixon, Quitman, Ark., 15 bass, 43-5, $10,500

26^th: Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 42-14, $10,500

27^th: Jason Meninger, Saint Augustine, Fla., 15 bass, 42-14, $10,500

28^th: Evan Barnes, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 42-10, $10,500

29^th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 15 bass, 42-10, $10,500

30^th: Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., 15 bass, 42-1, $10,500

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Overall, there were 150 bass weighing 436 pounds, 13 ounces, caught by pros Saturday. All 30 pros were able to bring five-bass limits to the scale.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 164 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Saturday. Now, only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance is more than $860,000. The tournament is hosted by the Economic Development Alliance, Jefferson County.

Anglers will take off for the final day of competition at 7 a.m. EST Sunday from the TVA Dam Boat Launch, located at 2805 N. Highway 92, in Jefferson City. Sunday’s Championship weigh-in will be held near the launch beginning at 4 p.m.

In conjunction with the weigh-ins, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the TVA Dam Boat Launch from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, as well as learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air on Sunday, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros. Host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pro Todd Hollowell to break down the extended action from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

by AnglersChannel

Stetson Blaylock's Big Day Delivers Lead In Bassmaster Elite At Winyah Bay

Stetson Blaylock takes the lead on Day 3 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay with a three-day total of 41 pounds, 12 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

April 13, 2019

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Committing his day to a deeper pocket off the Waccamaw River, Arkansas angler Stetson Blaylock caught the largest five-bass limit of the week, weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces, and took over the lead at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay with a three-day total of 41-12.

Blaylock said his selected area provided bass with a comfortable habitat beyond the spawn. He admitted he started the day concerned that he was running out of fish, but his persistence was rewarded with a day of steady productivity.

“I really thought that it was drying up, and I was almost to the point of thinking, ‘Okay, I’m going to end up catching five 12-inchers and wherever it happens, it happens,’” Blaylock said. “I caught that first big one — a 4-pounder at 9:50 — and that let me know that things were happening there that I wasn’t aware of.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that (the pocket) is so deep out in the middle, those fish have an opportunity to keep moving up and keep moving up. I don’t think you can fish it out.”

Blaylock caught his fish by flipping a Texas-rigged YUM Christie Craw and skipping a wacky-rigged YUM Dinger. He added a nail weight to the latter for a strategic presentation.

“I think that’s the difference between me and a lot of the guys; everyone’s probably throwing weightless wacky rigs, but it seems that putting that nail weight in it gets it down faster and maybe triggers a strike or two that a slow fall won’t,” he said.

Tides proved critical in two aspects of Blaylock’s success. First, the morning’s falling tide facilitated his skipping presentations by creating an increasingly wider gap between the water’s surface and overhanging limbs. Toward the end of his day, rising water ushered bedding female bass back into a catchable position.

Blaylock’s biggest bass, a 5-pounder, had dropped nearly out of sight when he spotted the bed during low water. Returning when there was more water over the spot allowed him to tempt his day-maker.

While most of the field again made the long run south from the takeoff spot to the Cooper River, Blaylock said he refused to let thoughts of what others might be doing distract him or diminish his confidence.

“These fisheries can hurt you and burn you so bad that I try not to worry about what’s going on and try to concentrate on the next bite,” he said “That first big one I caught surprised me. I had already thoroughly fished that area the first two days, and she was just sitting up there fresh and ready to go. That means there are more fish in there than I’d thought.”

Noting that fellow angler Koby Kreiger had also fished the same area, Blaylock said he’s comfortable returning to the spot for the final round.

“I don’t know if it will be easy to catch five big ones again, but the opportunity is there,” he said. “I’m past worrying about it. I’m just going to go in there and fish like I’m the only guy in there and hope I can get five more good bites.”

In second place, Canadian Cory Johnston ran to the Cooper River and found the day’s second largest bag, a limit of 17-6 that gave him a total weight of 40-4. Noting that he threw reaction baits and soft plastics, Johnston said he quickly dialed into what the bass were doing, and he was happy to discover that more bass are moving into the areas each day.

“Today, I feel that a lot more big fish have moved in. I probably caught 25 fish today,” he said. “We had a good tide today and not a lot of wind, so it was a ‘true’ tide, and that really helped. It’s a big area but there are three specific spots within the area. They’re hard-bottom spots, and there are a lot of fish on them.”

In third place, Alabama’s Clent Davis also had his biggest day of the week. His Day 3 limit of 16-6 gave him a total weight of 38-6. Fishing in the Waccamaw River, Davis fished reeds and trees on high tide and switched to arrowhead pads during low tide.

“I fished a Nichols Saber swim jig in the shad spawn color with a white Mister Twister Buzz Bug trailer all day,” Davis said. “I just have a lot of confidence in that bait. The last time we were here, I caught a pretty good bag on it. I’ve caught 15 keepers on it every day.”

Rounding out the Top 5 are Koby Kreiger with 36-10 and John Crews with 36-5.

Crews caught a 6-7 today to anchor his catch, but Jason Williamson of Wagener, S.C., leads the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with a 6-10 he caught in the first round of competition.

Takeoff on Championship Sunday will be at 7 a.m. ET out of Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex, and the final weigh-in is scheduled at the same location beginning at 3:15 p.m.

                    2019 Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay 4/11-4/14
                             Winyah Bay, Georgetown  SC.
                           (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              15  41-12  100
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   12-07     Day 3: 5   17-15
2.  Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            15  40-04   99
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   11-12     Day 3: 5   17-06
3.  Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          15  38-06   98
  Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   09-02     Day 3: 5   16-06
4.  Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                15  36-10   97
  Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   15-04
5.  John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               15  36-05   96
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   08-15     Day 3: 5   15-09
6.  Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            15  35-13   95
  Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   12-06     Day 3: 5   09-05
7.  Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             15  35-03   94
  Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   08-11     Day 3: 5   10-13
8.  Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           15  34-04   93
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   07-01     Day 3: 5   15-04
9.  Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL           15  33-14   92
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   09-09
10. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         15  33-12   91
  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   10-00     Day 3: 5   12-08
11. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          15  33-04   90  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   12-02
12. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          14  32-06   89  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   13-15     Day 3: 4   05-03
13. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        15  31-15   88  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 5   11-15     Day 3: 5   10-05
14. Rob Digh               Denver, NC              15  31-14   87  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   11-01     Day 3: 5   11-00
15. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC            15  31-13   86  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   10-00     Day 3: 5   10-15
16. Lee Livesay            Gladewater, TX          15  31-08   85  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   17-03     Day 3: 5   06-10
17. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            15  31-02   84  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   10-08     Day 3: 5   10-11
18. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            15  30-14   83  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   12-01     Day 3: 5   09-03
19. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              15  30-12   82  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   10-06     Day 3: 5   08-00
20. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             14  30-06   81  $10,000.00
  Day 1: 4   07-05     Day 2: 5   11-11     Day 3: 5   11-06
21. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL              12  30-05   80   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 4   08-10     Day 2: 5   14-10     Day 3: 3   07-01
22. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             15  29-15   79   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   11-01     Day 3: 5   10-04
23. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             15  29-14   78   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   09-10     Day 3: 5   09-11
24. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             15  29-09   77   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   07-08     Day 3: 5   11-08
25. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH       10  29-02   76   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 3   08-01     Day 3: 2   05-09
26. Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA 15  29-00   75   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 5   13-04     Day 3: 5   08-11
27. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX              15  28-06   74   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   07-07     Day 3: 5   08-14
28. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  28-06   73   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   08-00     Day 3: 5   09-15
29. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI              12  28-00   72   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 2   05-07     Day 3: 5   10-01
30. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN           14  27-02   71   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   08-06     Day 3: 4   09-03
31. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK            14  26-05   70   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   09-02     Day 3: 4   07-14
32. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY              15  25-15   69   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-06     Day 2: 5   11-09     Day 3: 5   07-00
33. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             15  24-04   68   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   07-05     Day 3: 5   06-04
34. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        12  22-08   67   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-05     Day 2: 5   12-12     Day 3: 2   02-07
35. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           6  18-11   66   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 1   03-01     Day 2: 5   15-10     Day 3: 0   00-00

by AnglersChannel

Birge Breaks 100 Pounds, Heavy Hitters Advance to Knockout Round on Chickamauga

MLF pro Zack Birge became the first competitor in Bass Pro Tour history to break the 100-pound mark, building his
two-day Shotgun/Elimination total to a record 105-6. (

DAYTON, Tenn. (April 12, 2019) - At the end of four rounds of competition in the Major League Fishing® (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Econo Lodge Stage Four Presented by Winn Grips, we're all done asking "Just how good is Lake Chickamauga?" The answer is best expressed in numbers: 105-6; 11 over 80; 748; 1,400.

Zack Birge ended Elimination Round 2 on Friday with 105 pounds, 6 ounces of combined weight from his two rounds, a new Bass Pro Tour record. Eleven anglers competing today in Group B had two-day totals over 80 pounds. And the 40-man field put 748 bass on SCORETRACKER™ for 1,400 pounds.

Birge Blisters the Elimination Record

Birge became the first competitor in Bass Pro Tour history to break the 100-pound mark in Elimination Round competition, connecting with 28 Tennessee River largemouth for 54-2 on the day, building his two-day Shotgun/Elimination total to a record 105-6. The Oklahoma pro maintained a steady pace with a vibrating jig with a Googan Baits Krackin Craw trailer from the moment lines went in, weighing nine fish in Period 1, six in Period 2, and then adding 13 fish for 22-2 in the final period.

"Once I got to where I thought 100 pounds was attainable, I really wanted to break that 100-pound mark," Birge admitted. "I'm excited to go right back out and fish again, I feel like I can go catch a bunch of them. I haven't even gone to a dozen places I found in practice that set up the same way as what I fished today."

Top 11 All Over 80 Pounds

Local pro Andy Morgan was matter-of-fact about his 31-pound performance in the Shotgun Round, which brought him into competition on Friday in 21st place ("Middle-of-the-road at best," Morgan said). But Morgan was one of the anglers who got busy early on Chickamauga, putting 18 fish on SCORETRACKER™ for 47-14 in the first two periods and finishing with 56-13 to bring his two-day total to 88-5.

Davis, Powroznik and Roumbanis did even better. Davis piled up 64-15 on the day, Powroznik added 60-14 on 32 fish, and Roumbanis boosted his two-day total with 58-11. Those three were part of an 11-angler group that finished the Elimination Round with 80-plus pounds.

"This is by far the best day I've had on the Bass Pro Tour," Roumbanis said. "I'm starting to get the confidence of running around and fishing the entire day instead of period to period. That has helped me to fish more free and not get locked in on one certain deal. I probably had 15 rods on my deck today and moved through a bunch of them with confidence."

MLF Pro Fred Roumbanis finished the Group B Elimination Round in the No. 2 spot with 94-12; his 58-11 weight

today was anchored by this 5-12 largemouth. (Click to enlarge/download)

Weights Back to Zero for Knockout Round

One thing that we've learned this week on Lake Chickamauga is that any standard that was set in the previous three stages of the 2019 Bass Pro Tour season is moot. It took 49 pounds to win the Knockout Rounds at both Kissimmee (Florida) and Raleigh (North Carolina), and 38 pounds for Boyd Duckett to claim the top knockout spot on Lake Conroe (Texas).

So far, there have been 15 single-day weights of 49 pounds or better recorded on SCORETRACKER this week on Chickamauga, and the two-day Shotgun/Elimination weight record has been broken two days in a row.

"I keep waiting for the weights to fall off at some point, but we just keep catching them better and better," said Fletcher Shryock, who racked up 86-7 in two rounds. "We're catching the numbers, but what this fishery hasn't showcased yet is the big ones. We're catching this much weight and we're still not seeing the 8s, 9s and 10s. I guess that's the quote of the day: Lake Chickamauga is fishing really good, but could be ever better. And that's insane."

When, Where & How to Watch

Competition begins Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET, with live, official scoring available via SCORETRACKER on MajorLeagueFishing.com and on the MLF app. The MLF NOW! Live Stream starts at 10 a.m. ET, with live, on-the-water coverage and analysis provided by Chad McKee, JT Kenney, Marty Stone and Natalie Dillon until lines out at 3:30 p.m. The Berkley Postgame Show - hosted by Steven "Lurch" Scott - will start at 5 p.m. daily.

The Day's Results

To see all results from the Elimination Round, and to keep up with cumulative results throughout the week, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com and click "Results."

by AnglersChannel

UPSHAW HOLDS LEAD AT FLW TOUR ON CHEROKEE LAKE

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (April 12, 2019) – Pro Andrew Upshaw of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is still on top at the FLW Tour at the Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance after catching five bass weighing 17 pounds, 14 ounces. Upshaw’s two-day total of 36-4 will lead the final 30 pros into the third day of the event, with pro Dylan Hays of El Dorado, Arkansas, in second with 34-8 and Lowrance pro Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, right on his heels in third with 34-5. With weights this close together, there is sure to be some movement on the leaderboard heading into Championship Sunday, when the final 10 pros will take the water with their sights set on the top award of up to $125,000.

“I actually started right where I caught my last big one yesterday. I went through the exact same spot and I caught a 4½- and a 2¾-pounder,” said Upshaw, who is fishing in his eighth season on the FLW Tour. “There was enough boats around me that I figured I better stay in there and catch my limit, so I went ahead and caught a limit of 2½-pounders and the one big one.

“After that I just started running new water – places where I’d had bites in practice,” continued Upshaw. “The first place I pulled up to I caught a 3, and then the next spot I caught a 3½, a 3 and a 3¼ – it was a day. I hit two new places today and I still have about 15 other spots I haven’t even touched.”

Upshaw said he caught more keepers Friday than he did Thursday, and again brought all smallmouth to the weigh-in stage.

“I wasn’t sure I could catch what I caught today. I was pretty certain I could catch 16 [pounds] and I got lucky with that big one this morning,” said Upshaw. “A 4½-pounder is a big deal here. These guys are catching 3-pounders and a lot of them, but catching a 4-pounder is really hard, and today I was just fortunate enough to do it.”

Heading into the weekend, Upshaw said he has a couple of options for catching fish.

“I did figure out something late in the day today. I just started practicing – trying to figure out a way I could catch them completely different than what I have been doing and I was able to catch about 14 pounds doing that,” said Upshaw. “I could run around and catch them – and not spawners – which was nice. But, I’m not really worried about that for tomorrow. That’s more of a day four kind of thing. Overall, I can’t complain about today – it was a great day.”

The top 30 pros that made the cut and will fish Saturday on Cherokee Lake are:

1^st: Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 36-4

2^nd: Dylan Hays, El Dorado, Ark., 10 bass, 34-8

3^rd: Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., 10 bass, 34-5

4^th: Grae Buck, Harleysville, Pa., 10 bass, 34-0

5^th: Tim Frederick, Leesburg, Fla., 10 bass, 33-9

6^th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 33-9

7^th: Lowrance pro Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., 10 bass, 33-7

8^th: Yamamoto baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 33-4

9^th: Derrick Snavely, Piney Flats, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-14

10^th: Berkley pro Joey Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., 10 bass, 32-7

11^th: Andy Young, Isle, Minn., 10 bass, 32-3

12^th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 32-3

13^th: Kerry Milner, Bono, Ark., 10 bass, 32-2

14^th: J. Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga., 10 bass, 31-12

15^th: Polaris pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 31-11

16^th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 10 bass, 31-10

17^th: Johnny McCombs, Morris, Ala., 10 bass, 31-5

18^th: Jon Englund, Farwell, Minn., 10 bass, 31-3

19^th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 10 bass, 31-2

20^th: Tim Cales, Sandstone, W. Va., 10 bass, 31-2

21^st: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 30-14

22^nd: Dakota Ebare, Denham Springs, La., 10 bass, 30-12

23^rd: Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 30-12

24^th: Josh Douglas, Isle, Minn., 10 bass, 30-11

25^th: Evan Barnes, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 30-11

26^th: A.J. Slegona, Pine Bush, N.Y., 10 bass, 30-4

27^th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 10 bass, 30-3

28^th: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 30-2

29^th: Jason Meninger, Saint Augustine, Fla., 10 bass, 29-14

30^th: Yamamoto Baits pro Larry Nixon, Quitman, Ark., 10 bass, 29-12

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Hensley Powell of Whitwell, Tennessee, earned the $500 Big Bass award Friday after bringing a bass to the scale weighing 5 pounds even – the heaviest fish of the day.

Overall there were 786 bass weighing 2,120 pounds, 13 ounces, caught by 162 pros Friday. The catch included 147 five-bass limits.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 164 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight now advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance is more than $860,000. The tournament is hosted by the Economic Development Alliance, Jefferson County.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. EST Saturday and Sunday from the TVA Dam Boat Launch, located at 2805 N. Highway 92, in Jefferson City. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins will be held near the launch beginning at 4 p.m.

In conjunction with the weigh-ins, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the TVA Dam Boat Launch from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, as well as learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the TVA Dam Boat Launch on Saturday, from Noon-2 p.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to anyone under the age of 18 and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1^st and 2^nd place anglers that catch the most fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air on Saturday and Sunday, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pro Todd Hollowell to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

by AnglersChannel

Long Run Produces Lead For Lowen At Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite At Winyah Bay

Bill Lowen takes the lead on Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay with a two-day total of 27 pounds, 3 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

April 12, 2019

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Self-proclaimed river rat Bill Lowen found himself right at home in the Cooper River Friday and leveraged his current-born insights to catch a limit of bass weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces and take the lead on Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay.After catching 13-4 during Thursday’s opening round, Lowen has a two-day weight of 27-3.

Lowen, who grew up fishing the Ohio River, made a nearly 100-mile run south and avoided the broad rice fields that have seen significant traffic this week. Instead, he targeted a 3/4-mile stretch where he focused on creek channels with marsh drains and current that helped optimize his bite.

“Yesterday, they were on the deep channel swings; today they were on the shallow swings,” Lowen said. “It’s either going to be one or the other. You just have to figure it out fast enough which one they’re on. And tidal fish are notorious for — if that’s what they’re doing — every single one of them is doing it.

“It seems like those two hours before the low tide is the real deal. I saw a lot of 2 1/2-pounders in practice, and I haven’t seen very many of those in the tournament, so they’re still hiding in there somewhere.”

With the tide falling upon his arrival, Lowen started catching fish almost immediately. His fortune shifted significantly around 11 a.m. ET when he caught a 5-pounder.

A spinnerbait produced all of his bites. Lowen said presentation speed and covering just the right amounts of water were the keys to his success.

“You have to fish thorough, but you have to fish fast to cover water in that four-hour timeframe (available fishing time after accounting for round-trip travel and fuel stop),” he said. “Some of the guys in the area, I feel, are fishing too fast. They want my spinnerbait up high in the water column and they want it slow.

“If I burn it along, I won’t get a bite. But if I just fish it slow and float it around that grass, they’ll flush it like a toilet bowl. After making that long run, you get over there and for the first hour you almost have to make yourself slow down because you’re going so fast. As soon as I started slowing down is when I started catching them.”

Notably, Lowen cut his day short to allow for the long return and any complications from the increasingly windy weather. The time cushion proved beneficial for Lowen and his Xpress Boats teammate Harvey Horne, who ran out of gas and needed a ride to the weigh-in.

Horne had bounced back from a dismal opening round — one bass for just 1-16 — by catching 15-10 Friday and desperately needed to weigh his fish and gain valuable points in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.

“He was telling me to go on and go, but I wasn’t going to leave him,” Lowen said. “I put him and his fish in my boat and we came in early.”

In second place, Oklahoma angler Luke Palmer added 12-6 to his Day 1 bag of 14-2 and gained one spot with his total weight of 26-8. He ran to the Cooper River and returned to the same spot he fished on Day 1.

Again, slow presentations with soft plastics produced his bites.

“The spot is in a canal and it’s just a ridge with hydrilla that has 4 feet of water on one side and 7 on the other,” Palmer said. “I’m still trying to figure if fish I’m on are coming or going.

“This may be a spot they’re hitting on their way out of the creek. We still have fish spawning because I caught one off a bed today. Hopefully, that ridge will reload and I can get one more day out of it. If I can get lucky and catch 12 pounds out of it, I’d be tickled to death. I’d lay up and go fish another area on the final day, but I’m going to swing on them tomorrow.”

In third place, Lee Livesay made a big move from 44th place on Day 1 by catching 17-3 and pushing his two-day weight to 24-14. The Texas angler ran to the Cooper River and targeted alligator grass and hyacinth inside the hydrilla lines — a scenario many were overlooking.

Two different reaction baits produced his fish.

“There are some guys catching them out of hydrilla, but the bigger ones are suspended under the mats of gator grass and hyacinth,” Livesay said. “There might be 8 to 9 feet of depth where the mats are, and the bass are 6 inches underneath them. The winning fish are in there because I’m seeing them every day.

“I had a bunch of big ones miss my bait (Thursday). I should have had 20 pounds, but they were missing it. Today, I had three big ones eat it.”

Rounding out the Top 5 are Jason Williamson with 24-6 and Jesse Tacoronte with 24-5.

Florida angler Koby Kreiger leads the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award competition with a 6-8 largemouth.

Daily takeoffs will occur at 7 a.m. ET out of Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex, and weigh-ins are scheduled at the same location beginning at 3:15 p.m. ET each day.

                      2019 Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay 4/11-4/14
                              Winyah Bay, Georgetown  SC.
                           (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  27-03  100
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   13-15
2.  Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  26-08   99
  Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   12-06
3.  Lee Livesay            Gladewater, TX          10  24-14   98
  Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   17-03
4.  Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             10  24-06   97
  Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   08-11
5.  Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL           10  24-05   96
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   13-07
6.  Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  23-13   95
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   12-07
7.  Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        8  23-09   94
  Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 3   08-01
8.  Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               9  23-04   93
  Day 1: 4   08-10     Day 2: 5   14-10
9.  Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA            10  22-14   92
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   11-12
10. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  22-12   91
  Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   10-06
11. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  22-00   90
  Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   09-02
12. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  21-11   89
  Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   12-01
13. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  21-10   88
  Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 5   11-15
14. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                10  21-06   87
  Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   12-11
15. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         10  21-04   86
  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   10-00
16. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA          10  21-02   85
  Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   13-07
17. Rob Digh               Denver, NC              10  20-14   84
  Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   11-01
18. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC            10  20-14   83
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   10-00
19. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  20-12   82
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   08-15
20. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  20-07   81
  Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   10-08
21. Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA 10  20-05   80
  Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 5   13-04
22. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             10  20-03   79
  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   09-10
23. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        10  20-01   78
  Day 1: 5   07-05     Day 2: 5   12-12
24. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  19-11   77
  Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   11-01
25. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX              10  19-08   76
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   07-07
26. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL           10  19-00   75
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   07-01
27. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC              9  19-00   74
  Day 1: 4   07-05     Day 2: 5   11-11
28. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY              10  18-15   73
  Day 1: 5   07-06     Day 2: 5   11-09
29. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           6  18-11   72
  Day 1: 1   03-01     Day 2: 5   15-10
30. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  18-07   71
  Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   08-00
31. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK            10  18-07   70
  Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   09-02
32. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  18-01   69
  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   07-08
33. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             10  18-00   68
  Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   07-05
34. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               7  17-15   67
  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 2   05-07
35. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN           10  17-15   66
  Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   08-06
36. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  17-09   65   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   08-00
37. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  17-07   64   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   08-02
38. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  17-07   63   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   08-10
39. Drew Cook              Midway, FL               9  17-06   62   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 4   09-01
40. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  17-06   61   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   08-08
41. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  17-04   60   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   07-05
42. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              10  17-04   59   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   09-09
43. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  17-04   58   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   08-05
44. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          6  17-00   57   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 1   01-06     Day 2: 5   15-10
45. Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ            9  17-00   56   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 4   05-15
46. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  16-12   55   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-02
47. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA              10  16-10   54   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-02     Day 2: 5   08-08
48. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA             10  16-09   53   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   08-01
49. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            10  16-06   52   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-04     Day 2: 5   10-02
50. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA 10  15-15   51   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-11     Day 2: 5   09-04
51. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  7  15-14   50   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 5   11-14
52. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX              10  15-13   49   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   08-06
53. Derek Hudnall          Baton Rouge, LA         10  15-06   48   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-15     Day 2: 5   08-07
54. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA        10  15-02   47   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-05     Day 2: 5   08-13
55. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            9  15-00   46   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 4   05-03
56. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX        10  14-13   45   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 5   08-06
57. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          8  14-12   44   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   05-13     Day 2: 4   08-15
58. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             10  14-12   43   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-09     Day 2: 5   08-03
59. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10  14-11   42   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 5   06-14
60. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO         9  14-01   41   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 4   06-15
61. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           10  13-15   40   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 5   05-08
62. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             10  13-10   39   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-03     Day 2: 5   07-07
63. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            9  13-10   38   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-15     Day 2: 4   06-11
64. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          10  13-09   37   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-03     Day 2: 5   05-06
65. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          10  13-04   36   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-08     Day 2: 5   06-12
66. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         9  13-00   35   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   04-11     Day 2: 5   08-05
67. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA         10  12-12   34   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   06-03     Day 2: 5   06-09
68. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA          9  11-09   33   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   07-02     Day 2: 4   04-07
69. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN           6  10-03   32   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 4   05-10
70. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR         7  09-10   31   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   05-12     Day 2: 2   03-14
71. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA             5  09-09   30   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   09-09
72. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               7  09-06   29   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   06-01     Day 2: 3   03-05
73. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           5  07-07   28   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 3   04-04
74. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           3  05-01   27   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 2   03-08
75. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               3  04-05   26   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 0   00-00

by AnglersChannel

Gill’s Bold New Product Pushes Design Innovation to Create the Most Breathable System to Date

100% Water Tested: For Complete Protection For All Adventures, On and Off, the Water

Buford, GA (April 11, 2019) – Trusted as one of the world’s leading marine clothing brands for over 40 years, Gill is proud of their brand new product addition to their wet weather collection: the Fusion System. The multifunction jacket and bibs offer unparalleled protection for anyone taking on the toughest conditions in or around the water. The Fusion System takes the best of product development and rigorous testing to create a stylish and watertight combination for any sporting activity on the water, especially fishing.

The products also incorporate a number of clever innovations and are finished in black-graphite and a bold tango flair, Gill’s signature color for its latest season. The Fusion System has the highest level of breathability across Gill’s S119 range with its use of specially developed 3-layer lightweight, waterproof and breathable fabric.

Summarizing the newest product addition to the Gill family, alongside the brand’s new creative vision, Matt Clark, Head of Product Development concluded: “At Gill, we want to create the best technical apparel designed and engineered for a perfect balance of performance and protection on and around the water. Boats are moving faster and anglers are more critical of apparel than ever before and how we design and develop products is reflecting this—customers are demanding that our product is lighter but still durable, with a focus on fishing. Since 2002, we have developed our own unique fabrics to offer flexibility in product development and ensure the best protection, comfort and fit.”

“We test to destruction and we endeavor to give the product a good lifetime—and we are very proud of the results. We know our customers have trusted Gill for a long time and we are excited to see their reaction to the new Fusion performance and style.”

The head-to-toe Fusion System is an essential item for any active outdoor wardrobe – and now those seeking style and guaranteed protection can tap into Gill’s world class fabric technology and product innovation. The Fusion jacket and bibs are available in sizes S – XXL in Black / Graphite and Tango / Graphite.

To learn more about Gill’s fishing rainwear and additional apparel, visit www.gillfishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Martens Pours it On; Lucas, Wiggins, Elam Escape Elimination on Lake Chickamauga

DAYTON, Tenn. (April 11, 2019) - As has become the standard for the Major League Fishing® (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Elimination Rounds, you didn't have to look far to find a multitude of storylines on Day 3 of the Econo Lodge Stage Four Presented by Evinrude.

Aaron Martens gave notice that he's onto a strong pattern on Lake Chickamauga, and is going to be a handful for the rest of the competition as he finished atop the 40 Group A anglers who competed in today's Elimination Round. And joining him in the 20 moving on to Saturday's Knockout Round are three anglers - Justin Lucas, Jesse Wiggins and James Elam - who had not previously advanced past an Elimination Round.

The way Chickamauga is producing scorable bass this week, all Group A and Group B Elimination Rounds' survivors are likely to find squeezing into the Top 20 at the end of Knockout may be harder than it ever has been.

Martens Makes the Most of His Day

Martens picked up where he left off in the Shotgun Round, weighing in 13-5 in the first hour of competition, and connecting with a 7-pound, 6-ouncer. That fish was the anchor of his 36-13 weight for the day, and helped Martens to 94-0 overall in the Shotgun and Elimination Rounds.

That weight surpassed the previous Elimination weight record of 93-4 set by Kelly Jordon at the Stage Three event in Raleigh, North Carolina, and gave the Alabama pro enough of a security blanket that he could mix up his patterns, and survey some of his best spots ahead of the Knockout Round.

"I had some time to check my best spot today, and there are some big ones there," Martens admitted. "I don't know if any of the guys in the other round have fished it, but I've had it to myself the whole time I've fished it. It's just one of the few areas I'm fishing that really has something to it. It's a good spot, I hope nobody else finds it."

Lucas, Wiggins, Elam Advance

Coming into Stage Four, Lucas, Wiggins and Elam had not made it out of the Elimination Rounds. Lucas was the last man out in his Elimination day on Texas' Lake Conroe, but all three anglers had found themselves outside the Top 40 in the three previous Bass Pro Tour events leading up to Stage Four.

In the Thursday fishing though, all three finished well above the Elimination Line: Lucas weighed in 36-13 for a combined weight of 87-10 (fifth), Wiggins added 37-7 to boost his two-day total to 84-4 (ninth), and Elam caught 28-13 for a total Elimination weight of 75-3 (14th).

"Chickamauga fishes a lot like Guntersville this time of year, so it's familiar to me from living in northern Alabama and fishing Guntersville the past several years," Lucas said. "I just feel comfortable. I've caught almost everything this week on a spinning rod. Those first couple of events were out of my element a little bit: shallow pre-spawn largemouth just isn't my thing.

"That's always kinda been an Achilles heel of my fishing, but when I get out of that phase and can throw swimbaits and topwaters and fish with a spinning rod, that's what I like to do."

Justin Lucas fished his way into his first Knockout Round of the season.

The Second Elimination Battle Begins

With the first half of the Knockout Round now set, the 40 anglers from Group B get their next shot at Chickamauga Friday for the second Elimination Round of Stage Four. They can expect some weather: The National Weather Service is calling for sustained winds of 20 mph and rain on Thursday night, and possible thunderstorms throughout competition.

That's likely of little consequence to Cliff Crochet, who posted 69-9 in his Shotgun Round, spent the final two periods of that day running new water, and barring an epic meltdown, is probably comfortably safe from elimination. Ditto the five other anglers (Edwin Evers, Zack Birge, Fletcher Shryock, Michael Neal and Gary Klein) who weighed 47 pounds or more on Day 1.

Neal, for one, is nonplussed about more rain.

"I don't know if it'll really matter much," said the Chickamauga veteran. "More rain isn't going to change the conditions much more than it did the last day of practice, things should mostly stay the same. It's not going to affect what I'm doing"

Expect the anxiety to be much higher in the middle of SCORETRACKER™, where the battle to escape elimination is tightly bunched as usual. But unlike previous elimination days, where big movement has been the norm in the first three events, Chickamauga's prolific productivity may make it tougher to climb up from the bottom of the 40-man standings.

"We had so much movement inside the Top 20 (on Wednesday), but even after all that, we only had one guy fall out and one guy sneak in," said MLF NOW! analyst Marty Stone. "If you think you can just duplicate your day from the Shotgun Round and be safe, guess again - you're going to get left behind. If you're below Jacob Wheeler (in 20th), you'll probably need to have a great day to get inside that Elimination Line."

Looking Ahead to Knockout Saturday

The Top 20 anglers from each of the two Elimination groups will advance to a 40-angler Knockout Round on Saturday - weights will be zeroed, making the Knockout a one-day scramble. The Top 10 anglers in the Knockout Round will advance to the Championship Round on Sunday, April 14.

When, Where & How to Watch

Competition begins daily at 7:30 a.m. ET, with live, official scoring available via SCORETRACKER on MajorLeagueFishing.com and on the MLF app. The MLF NOW! Live Stream starts at 10 a.m. ET, with live, on-the-water coverage and analysis provided by Chad McKee, JT Kenney, Marty Stone and Natalie Dillon until lines out at 3:30 p.m. The Berkley Postgame Show - hosted by Steven "Lurch" Scott - will start at 5 p.m. daily.

The Day's Results

To see all results from today's Elimination Round, and to keep up with cumulative results throughout the week, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com and click "Results."

Angler	Day 1	Day 2	Total Weight	Day 1	Day 2	Total # Fish	Avg Weight	Largest Fish
1st	Aaron Martens	57 - 03	36 - 13	94 - 00	18	17	35	2 - 11	7 - 06
2nd	Jordan Lee	55 - 08	34 - 05	89 - 13	24	16	40	2 - 04	5 - 03
3rd	Keith Poche	49 - 02	39 - 14	89 - 00	30	17	47	1 - 16	7 - 08
4th	Stephen Browning	48 - 01	39 - 15	88 - 00	25	18	43	2 - 01	6 - 00
5th	Justin Lucas	50 - 10	36 - 13	87 - 07	24	19	43	2 - 00	4 - 09
6th	Dave Lefebre	59 - 14	25 - 11	85 - 09	34	15	49	1 - 12	3 - 03
7th	Casey Ashley	42 - 04	43 - 04	85 - 08	25	24	49	1 - 12	3 - 02
8th	Terry Scroggins	45 - 14	38 - 08	84 - 06	25	21	46	1 - 13	5 - 04
9th	Jesse Wiggins	46 - 13	37 - 07	84 - 04	22	20	42	2 - 00	3 - 06
10th	Brandon Palaniuk	54 - 12	29 - 07	84 - 03	26	13	39	2 - 03	5 - 07
11th	Randy Howell	43 - 13	38 - 14	82 - 11	22	15	37	2 - 05	7 - 03
12th	Jeff Sprague	39 - 12	41 - 13	81 - 09	17	21	38	2 - 03	4 - 04
13th	Bradley Roy	46 - 12	30 - 06	77 - 02	22	17	39	1 - 15	4 - 01
14th	James Elam	46 - 06	28 - 13	75 - 03	27	17	44	1 - 11	2 - 15
15th	Bobby Lane	33 - 01	42 - 02	75 - 03	15	26	41	1 - 15	2 - 11
16th	David Walker	37 - 10	36 - 14	74 - 08	17	18	35	2 - 02	4 - 13
17th	Greg Hackney	34 - 11	39 - 01	73 - 12	14	19	33	2 - 04	6 - 04
18th	Dustin Connell	34 - 08	39 - 02	73 - 10	16	22	38	1 - 16	4 - 08
19th	Chris Lane	35 - 11	37 - 14	73 - 09	17	20	37	2 - 00	4 - 13
20th	Mark Rose	53 - 08	19 - 07	72 - 15	31	11	42	1 - 12	4 - 00
21st	Cliff Pace	38 - 03	27 - 06	65 - 09	21	16	37	1 - 12	2 - 13
22nd	Roy Hawk	25 - 09	37 - 14	63 - 07	15	20	35	1 - 13	3 - 03
23rd	Jeff Kriet	32 - 14	28 - 07	61 - 05	17	14	31	1 - 16	4 - 03
24th	Ott DeFoe	34 - 02	26 - 10	60 - 12	18	16	34	1 - 12	3 - 00
25th	Dean Rojas	36 - 14	22 - 12	59 - 10	18	11	29	2 - 01	4 - 09
26th	Scott Suggs	22 - 02	36 - 13	58 - 15	12	18	30	1 - 15	3 - 15
27th	Brent Chapman	27 - 13	26 - 12	54 - 09	13	12	25	2 - 03	4 - 08
28th	Ish Monroe	31 - 05	20 - 05	51 - 10	13	8	21	2 - 08	5 - 00
29th	Skeet Reese	19 - 08	29 - 10	49 - 02	8	21	29	1 - 15	2 - 10
30th	Takahiro Omori	13 - 06	35 - 10	49 - 00	8	18	26	1 - 13	4 - 08
31st	Jonathon VanDam	22 - 10	24 - 13	47 - 07	17	12	29	1 - 11	5 - 05
32nd	Timmy Horton	28 - 11	15 - 11	44 - 06	14	6	20	2 - 05	5 - 10
33rd	Gerald Spohrer	22 - 05	19 - 13	42 - 02	13	8	21	2 - 02	6 - 00
34th	Brett Hite	17 - 13	23 - 03	41 - 00	10	11	21	1 - 15	4 - 13
35th	Britt Myers	27 - 12	12 - 06	40 - 02	14	9	23	1 - 11	1 - 14
36th	Mike McClelland	13 - 14	21 - 15	35 - 13	6	12	18	2 - 01	3 - 10
37th	Russ Lane	14 - 15	19 - 15	34 - 14	7	9	16	2 - 03	5 - 02
38th	Matt Lee	20 - 08	13 - 13	34 - 05	12	9	21	1 - 10	2 - 10
39th	Marty Robinson	18 - 00	13 - 02	31 - 02	11	5	16	2 - 02	4 - 10
40th	Shaw Grigsby	12 - 13	16 - 03	29 - 00	7	7	14	2 - 01	4 - 0

by AnglersChannel

Tyler Rivet - Work Your Way Up

Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

If you are a young angler with aspirations to fish at the next level but you’re not real sure which route to take to get there, look no further than Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie Tyler Rivet. Rivet grew up fishing in the back of the boat in local clubs near his home in Raceland, LA before attending Nicholls State University for a college education.

There, Rivet joined the bass fishing club and began an extremely fruitful college fishing career, qualifying for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Championship every year he competed. It had always been a childhood dream, but the success and the platform Rivet found fishing in Carhartt College B.A.S.S events was what propelled him to pursue becoming a professional fisherman.

The B.A.S.S. platform provided a myriad of opportunities, so Rivet registered for the Bassmaster Opens and began competing at the next level. Taking his share of licks while cashing two checks a year during his first two Bassmaster Opens campaigns, just enough to keep him financially able to continue chasing his dream. In 2018, Rivet set the hook on that dream when he qualified for the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series through the Bass Pro Shops Central Opens.

While that may sound easy enough in two paragraphs of a 600 word article, you can be sure Rivet’s path was filled with lots of long days, late nights, bumps in the road, and a boatload of hard work. But with the support of his family and those closest to him, Rivet kept the faith and kept his head down until he found success.

This week at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite on Winyah Bay, Rivet is coming off his first top 20 finish as an Elite Series angler. The south Louisiana angler finished last week’s Lake Hartwell event in 18^thplace and earned himself his first $10,000 check of his career. While he isn’t satisfied with anything but 1^stplace, Rivet knows last week was a big milestone and respects the anglers he fishes against.

“The level of competition on the Elites is definitely a step up,” admitted Rivet. “No one slacks off at this level, you have to bring 5 big ones to the scales every single day. At the college or opens level, you could get by with having one “decent” day in a multi-day tournament, but not against these guys. You’ve got to catch ‘em.”

Rivet is trying to keep the momentum rolling this week on Winyah Bay, and he put himself in great position to do so after the day 1 weigh-in concluded. He caught five bass that weighed 9-lbs 15-ounces today and had to drive 194.2 miles in his Phoenix Boat to catch them. His day one efforts have him tied in 21^stplace and he is ready to do whatever is necessary tomorrow to improve his position.

It doesn’t take long when talking to Rivet to feel his competitive nature and understand he isn’t satisfied with anything but his best. When asked what kind of advice, or words of wisdom he had for aspiring anglers wanting to get to where he is now, Rivet had this to say.

“You just gotta work your way up,” Rivet said with a smile. “Don’t skip steps trying to get to the top of the ladder, and be willing to put in the work to get to where you want to be. This may not be the best advice, but you have to be willing to gamble a little bit to make it to the next step sometimes. You’ll never go anywhere if you just sit still. Trust your gut and do your best.”

With that kind of work ethic and perspective, this 24-year old Elite Series Rookie won’t be going anywhere for a long time.

by AnglersChannel

Strike King / Lew's Pro Andrew Upshaw Leads Day 1 of FLW event on Cherokee

Oklahoma pro brings 18-pound limit to the FLW Tour weigh-in stage, grabs early lead on Cherokee Lake

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (April 11, 2019) – Pro Andrew Upshaw of Tulsa, Oklahoma, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces to lead the field after day one of the FLW Tour at the Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance. Right behind Upshaw in second place is pro Dylan Hays of El Dorado, Arkansas, with 17-13 and Tim Frederick of Leesburg, Florida, in third with 17-4. The full field of 164 professionals, who are casting for a top award of up to $125,000, will continue competition into day two, with just the top 30 fishing Saturday and the final 10 competing Sunday.

“I started in an area that I’d thought there’d be a lot of boats, but there were only two of us when I got there. It’s a big area, and both of us caught quite a few fish out of there,” said Upshaw, a former YETI FLW College Fishing angler who is a two-time FLW Cup qualifier. “I had 14 or 15 pounds early – within the 45 minutes to an hour or so. I made a couple of quick moves and caught two big ones that I’d marked and shook off in practice.

“I caught a lot of 3-pounders and that’s why, around 10 [a.m.], I just laid off of them completely,” continued Upshaw. “I was catching too many 3s and I knew how crucial 3-pounders would be in this tournament.”

Upshaw said he caught approximately 28 keepers Thursday – which included some largemouth – but ended up weighing a limit of smallmouth.

“I was fishing slow and just focusing on fish that were possibly on a bed, as well as staging fish in a couple of places,” said Upshaw. “I’m looking for a harder bottom.”

The Oklahoma pro went on to say that he doesn’t have a bait that’s producing better than the rest, saying he pretty much junk-fished his way to the lead today.

“I fell in love with this lake the first hour of practice, and ever since then I just kind of rolled with it. It really reminds me of a lake I grew up fishing - Lake Texoma –on the border of Texas and Oklahoma. How the fish set up is so similar, and they spawn on a lot of the exact same stuff.”

The top 10 boaters after day one on Cherokee Lake are:

1^st: Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 18-6

2^nd: Dylan Hays, El Dorado, Ark., five bass, 17-13

3^rd: Tim Frederick, Leesburg, Fla., five bass, 17-4

3^rd: Lowrance pro Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn., five bass, 17-4

5^th: Andy Young, Isle, Minn., five bass, 17-2

5^th: Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, five bass, 17-2

7^th: Johnny McCombs, Morris, Ala., five bass, 17-1

8^th: Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 17-0

9^th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., five bass, 16-12

10^th: Buddy Gross, Chickamauga, Ga., five bass, 16-9

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Christopher Brasher of Longview, Texas, earned Thursday’s $500 Big Bass award after bringing a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass to the scale – the largest fish of the day.

Overall there were 781 bass weighing 2,064 pounds, 8 ounces, caught by 163 pros Thursday. The catch included 143 five-bass limits.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 164 pro anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance is more than $860,000. The tournament is hosted by the Economic Development Alliance, Jefferson County.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. EST Friday through Sunday from the TVA Dam Boat Launch, located at 2805 N. Highway 92, in Jefferson City. Friday’s weigh-in will be held near the launch beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins will also be held near the launch, but will begin at 4 p.m.

In conjunction with the weigh-ins, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the TVA Dam Boat Launch from 2 to 6 p.m. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, as well as learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the TVA Dam Boat Launch on Saturday, April 13, from Noon-2 p.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to anyone under the age of 18 and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1^st and 2^nd place anglers that catch the most fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air on Days Three and Four of the event, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pro Todd Hollowell to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

PLACE	ANGLER	CITY/STATE	DAY 1 WT (Fish)	DAY 1&2 WT (Fish)	DAY 1-3 WT (Fish)	DAY 1-4 WT (Fish)	WINNINGS
1	ANDREW UPSHAW	TULSA, OK	18 - 6 (5)	18 - 6 (5)	18 - 6 (5)	18 - 6 (5)
2	DYLAN HAYS	EL DORADO, AR	17 - 13 (5)	17 - 13 (5)	17 - 13 (5)	17 - 13 (5)
3	TIM FREDERICK	LEESBURG, FL	17 - 4 (5)	17 - 4 (5)	17 - 4 (5)	17 - 4 (5)
3	AUSTIN FELIX	EDEN PRAIRIE, MN	17 - 4 (5)	17 - 4 (5)	17 - 4 (5)	17 - 4 (5)
5	ANDY YOUNG	ISLE, MN	17 - 2 (5)	17 - 2 (5)	17 - 2 (5)	17 - 2 (5)
5	JASON REYES	HUFFMAN, TX	17 - 2 (5)	17 - 2 (5)	17 - 2 (5)	17 - 2 (5)
7	JOHNNY MCCOMBS	MORRIS, AL	17 - 1 (5)	17 - 1 (5)	17 - 1 (5)	17 - 1 (5)
8	TOM MONSOOR	LA CROSSE, WI	17 - 0 (5)	17 - 0 (5)	17 - 0 (5)	17 - 0 (5)
9	RON NELSON	BERRIEN SPRINGS, MI	16 - 12 (5)	16 - 12 (5)	16 - 12 (5)	16 - 12 (5)
10	BUDDY GROSS	CHICKAMAUGA, GA	16 - 9 (5)	16 - 9 (5)	16 - 9 (5)	16 - 9 (5)
11	DERRICK SNAVELY	PINEY FLATS, TN	16 - 8 (5)	16 - 8 (5)	16 - 8 (5)	16 - 8 (5)
11	SCOTT MARTIN	CLEWISTON, FL	16 - 8 (5)	16 - 8 (5)	16 - 8 (5)	16 - 8 (5)
13	GRAE BUCK	HARLEYSVILLE, PA	16 - 6 (5)	16 - 6 (5)	16 - 6 (5)	16 - 6 (5)
14	MATT BECKER	FINLEYVILLE, PA	16 - 4 (5)	16 - 4 (5)	16 - 4 (5)	16 - 4 (5)
15	COREY NEECE	BRISTOL, TN	15 - 14 (5)	15 - 14 (5)	15 - 14 (5)	15 - 14 (5)
15	KERRY MILNER	BONO, AR	15 - 14 (5)	15 - 14 (5)	15 - 14 (5)	15 - 14 (5)
17	KYLE WEISENBURGER	OTTAWA, OH	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)
17	MATTHEW STEFAN	JUNCTION CITY, WI	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)
17	MARTY LAWRENCE	MESA, AZ	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)	15 - 13 (5)
20	EVAN BARNES	HOT SPRINGS, AR	15 - 12 (5)	15 - 12 (5)	15 - 12 (5)	15 - 12 (5)
21	DAVID DUDLEY	LYNCHBURG, VA	15 - 11 (5)	15 - 11 (5)	15 - 11 (5)	15 - 11 (5)
22	CODY MURRAY	NAMPA, ID	15 - 9 (5)	15 - 9 (5)	15 - 9 (5)	15 - 9 (5)
22	JOEY CIFUENTES	CLINTON, AR	15 - 9 (5)	15 - 9 (5)	15 - 9 (5)	15 - 9 (5)
24	TIM CALES	SANDSTONE, WV	15 - 8 (5)	15 - 8 (5)	15 - 8 (5)	15 - 8 (5)
25	MATT REED	MADISONVILLE, TX	15 - 7 (5)	15 - 7 (5)	15 - 7 (5)	15 - 7 (5)
25	MILES BURGHOFF	HIXSON, TN	15 - 7 (5)	15 - 7 (5)	15 - 7 (5)	15 - 7 (5)
27	JEREMY LAWYER	SARCOXIE, MO	15 - 6 (5)	15 - 6 (5)	15 - 6 (5)	15 - 6 (5)
27	BRANDON MCMILLAN	CLEWISTON, FL	15 - 6 (5)	15 - 6 (5)	15 - 6 (5)	15 - 6 (5)
29	MARK FISHER	WAUCONDA, IL	15 - 5 (5)	15 - 5 (5)	15 - 5 (5)	15 - 5 (5)
30	AJ SLEGONA	PINE BUSH, NY	15 - 3 (5)	15 - 3 (5)	15 - 3 (5)	15 - 3 (5)
30	CHRISTOPHER BRASHER	LONGVIEW, TX	15 - 3 (5)	15 - 3 (5)	15 - 3 (5)	15 - 3 (5)	$500
32	RANDY DESPINO	COLFAX, LA	15 - 2 (5)	15 - 2 (5)	15 - 2 (5)	15 - 2 (5)
33	MATT GREENBLATT	PORT ST LUCIE, FL	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)
33	REX HUFF	CORBIN, KY	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)
33	DARYL BIRON	SOUTH WINDSOR, CT	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)	15 - 0 (5)
36	BRADFORD BEAVERS	SUMMERVILLE, SC	14 - 15 (5)	14 - 15 (5)	14 - 15 (5)	14 - 15 (5)
36	JORDAN OSBORNE	LONGVIEW, TX	14 - 15 (5)	14 - 15 (5)	14 - 15 (5)	14 - 15 (5)
38	JAMES NIGGEMEYER	VAN, TX	14 - 14 (5)	14 - 14 (5)	14 - 14 (5)	14 - 14 (5)
38	ALEX DAVIS	ALBERTVILLE, AL	14 - 14 (5)	14 - 14 (5)	14 - 14 (5)	14 - 14 (5)
40	J TODD TUCKER	MOULTRIE, GA	14 - 12 (5)	14 - 12 (5)	14 - 12 (5)	14 - 12 (5)
41	JASON MENINGER	SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL	14 - 11 (5)	14 - 11 (5)	14 - 11 (5)	14 - 11 (5)
41	TIM MALONE	KODAK, TN	14 - 11 (5)	14 - 11 (5)	14 - 11 (5)	14 - 11 (5)
43	BRAXTON SETZER	MONTGOMERY, AL	14 - 9 (5)	14 - 9 (5)	14 - 9 (5)	14 - 9 (5)
43	BRYAN THRIFT	SHELBY, NC	14 - 9 (5)	14 - 9 (5)	14 - 9 (5)	14 - 9 (5)
45	JOSH DOUGLAS	ISLE, MN	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)
45	MILES HOWE	SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)
45	DARRELL DAVIS	DOVER, FL	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)	14 - 8 (5)
48	BRIAN LATIMER	BELTON, SC	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)
48	LARRY NIXON	QUITMAN, AR	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)
48	JASON ABRAM	PINEY FLATS, TN	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)
48	ROBERT CASE	POINT, TX	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)	14 - 7 (5)
52	JOSHUA WEAVER	MACON, GA	14 - 6 (5)	14 - 6 (5)	14 - 6 (5)	14 - 6 (5)
52	DARREL ROBERTSON	JAY, OK	14 - 6 (5)	14 - 6 (5)	14 - 6 (5)	14 - 6 (5)
54	KEVIN FINLEY	PHOENIX, AZ	14 - 4 (5)	14 - 4 (5)	14 - 4 (5)	14 - 4 (5)
55	JOHN HUNTER	SHELBYVILLE, KY	14 - 3 (5)	14 - 3 (5)	14 - 3 (5)	14 - 3 (5)
55	TOM REDINGTON	ROYSE CITY, TX	14 - 3 (5)	14 - 3 (5)	14 - 3 (5)	14 - 3 (5)
57	ZELL ROWLAND	MONTGOMERY, TX	14 - 1 (5)	14 - 1 (5)	14 - 1 (5)	14 - 1 (5)
57	TIMMY THOMPKINS	MYRTLE BEACH, SC	14 - 1 (5)	14 - 1 (5)	14 - 1 (5)	14 - 1 (5)
59	KURT MITCHELL	MILFORD, DE	14 - 0 (5)	14 - 0 (5)	14 - 0 (5)	14 - 0 (5)
59	BOB MORIN	SEYMOUR, TN	14 - 0 (5)	14 - 0 (5)	14 - 0 (5)	14 - 0 (5)
61	SHELDON COLLINGS	GROVE, OK	13 - 15 (5)	13 - 15 (5)	13 - 15 (5)	13 - 15 (5)
62	AUSTIN WILSON	CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA	13 - 14 (5)	13 - 14 (5)	13 - 14 (5)	13 - 14 (5)
63	MICHAEL MATTHEE	CENTURION, GP	13 - 13 (5)	13 - 13 (5)	13 - 13 (5)	13 - 13 (5)
63	JOHN COX	DEBARY, FL	13 - 13 (5)	13 - 13 (5)	13 - 13 (5)	13 - 13 (5)
65	KURT DOVE	DEL RIO, TX	13 - 12 (5)	13 - 12 (5)	13 - 12 (5)	13 - 12 (5)
65	JAMIE HORTON	CENTERVILLE, AL	13 - 12 (5)	13 - 12 (5)	13 - 12 (5)	13 - 12 (5)
67	CODY HAHNER	WAUSAU, WI	13 - 10 (5)	13 - 10 (5)	13 - 10 (5)	13 - 10 (5)
67	KYLE CORTIANA	COWETA, OK	13 - 10 (5)	13 - 10 (5)	13 - 10 (5)	13 - 10 (5)
69	JON ENGLUND	FARWELL, MN	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)
69	JIM MOYNAGH	CARVER, MN	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)
69	DAKOTA EBARE	DENHAM SPRINGS, LA	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)	13 - 9 (5)
72	TERRY BOLTON	BENTON, KY	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)
72	GREG BOHANNAN	BENTONVILLE, AR	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)
72	SCOTT ASHMORE	BROKEN ARROW, OK	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)	13 - 7 (5)
75	NICK GAINEY	CHARLESTON, SC	13 - 6 (5)	13 - 6 (5)	13 - 6 (5)	13 - 6 (5)
75	JOEL WILLERT	PRIOR LAKE, MN	13 - 6 (5)	13 - 6 (5)	13 - 6 (5)	13 - 6 (5)
77	CHRIS WHITSON	LOUISVILLE, TN	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)
77	CHAD WARREN	SAND SPRINGS, OK	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)
77	ANDY WICKER	POMARIA, SC	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)	13 - 4 (5)
80	MIKE SURMAN	BOCA RATON, FL	13 - 2 (5)	13 - 2 (5)	13 - 2 (5)	13 - 2 (5)
80	JEFF DOBSON	BARTLESVILLE, OK	13 - 2 (5)	13 - 2 (5)	13 - 2 (5)	13 - 2 (5)
82	JIM TUTT	LONGVIEW, TX	13 - 1 (5)	13 - 1 (5)	13 - 1 (5)	13 - 1 (5)
83	BRYAN SCHMITT	DEALE, MD	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)
83	GLENN CHAPPELEAR	ACWORTH, GA	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)
83	JARED MCMILLAN	BELLE GLADE, FL	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)
83	CHAD RANDLES	ELKHORN, NE	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)
83	PETE PONDS	MADISON, MS	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)	13 - 0 (5)
88	BRAD KNIGHT	LANCING, TN	12 - 15 (5)	12 - 15 (5)	12 - 15 (5)	12 - 15 (5)
89	RANDY BLAUKAT	JOPLIN, MO	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)
89	JACOB WALL	JACKSONVILLE, OR	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)
89	BILL MCDONALD	GREENWOOD, IN	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)	12 - 14 (5)
92	CODY KELLEY	CONWAY, AR	12 - 13 (5)	12 - 13 (5)	12 - 13 (5)	12 - 13 (5)
93	BILLY MCCAGHREN	MAYFLOWER, AR	12 - 12 (5)	12 - 12 (5)	12 - 12 (5)	12 - 12 (5)
94	BARRY WILSON	BIRMINGHAM, AL	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)
94	WADE STRELIC	ALPINE, CA	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)
94	CHAD GRIGSBY	MAPLE GROVE, MN	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)
94	COLBY SCHRUMPF	HIGHLAND, IL	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)	12 - 10 (5)
98	JOHN VOYLES	PETERSBURG, IN	12 - 9 (5)	12 - 9 (5)	12 - 9 (5)	12 - 9 (5)
99	CHRIS MCCALL	PALMER, TX	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)
99	CAPT BLAKE SMITH	LAKELAND, FL	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)
99	TYLER WOOLCOTT	PORT ORANGE, FL	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)	12 - 8 (5)
102	RAMIE COLSON JR	CADIZ, KY	12 - 5 (5)	12 - 5 (5)	12 - 5 (5)	12 - 5 (5)
103	BRANDON MOSLEY	CHOCTAW, OK	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)
103	LUKE DUNKIN	LAWRENCEBURG, TN	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)
103	RUSSELL CECIL	WILLIS, TX	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)	12 - 4 (5)
106	JONATHAN CANADA	HELENA, AL	12 - 3 (5)	12 - 3 (5)	12 - 3 (5)	12 - 3 (5)
106	CLAYTON BATTS	BUTLER, GA	12 - 3 (5)	12 - 3 (5)	12 - 3 (5)	12 - 3 (5)
108	CHARLIE EVANS	BEREA, KY	12 - 2 (5)	12 - 2 (5)	12 - 2 (5)	12 - 2 (5)
108	SHAWN MURPHY	NICHOLASVILLE, KY	12 - 2 (5)	12 - 2 (5)	12 - 2 (5)	12 - 2 (5)
110	TONY DUMITRAS	WINSTON, GA	12 - 1 (5)	12 - 1 (5)	12 - 1 (5)	12 - 1 (5)
111	BRANT GRIMM	CHURCH HILL, TN	12 - 0 (5)	12 - 0 (5)	12 - 0 (5)	12 - 0 (5)
112	CURTIS RICHARDSON	BELLEVILLE, ON	11 - 15 (5)	11 - 15 (5)	11 - 15 (5)	11 - 15 (5)
113	JASON CHRISTY	DADEVILLE, AL	11 - 14 (5)	11 - 14 (5)	11 - 14 (5)	11 - 14 (5)
114	BILLY HINES	VACAVILLE, CA	11 - 13 (5)	11 - 13 (5)	11 - 13 (5)	11 - 13 (5)
114	AARON BRITT	YUBA CITY, CA	11 - 13 (5)	11 - 13 (5)	11 - 13 (5)	11 - 13 (5)
116	NICK LEBRUN	BOSSIER CITY, LA	11 - 10 (5)	11 - 10 (5)	11 - 10 (5)	11 - 10 (5)
116	REX JAEGER	HAMILTON, OH	11 - 10 (5)	11 - 10 (5)	11 - 10 (5)	11 - 10 (5)
118	BAILEY BOUTRIES	DAPHNE, AL	11 - 9 (5)	11 - 9 (5)	11 - 9 (5)	11 - 9 (5)
118	TODD CASTLEDINE	NACOGDOCHES, TX	11 - 9 (5)	11 - 9 (5)	11 - 9 (5)	11 - 9 (5)
120	RICHARD LOWITZKI	HAMPSHIRE, IL	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)
120	TYLER STEWART	WEST MONROE, LA	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)
120	DAVID WOOTTON	COLLIERVILLE, TN	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)
120	DAVID WILLIAMS	MAIDEN, NC	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)	11 - 7 (5)
124	ROBERT BEHRLE	HOOVER, AL	11 - 6 (5)	11 - 6 (5)	11 - 6 (5)	11 - 6 (5)
124	BRADLEY HALLMAN	NORMAN, OK	11 - 6 (5)	11 - 6 (5)	11 - 6 (5)	11 - 6 (5)
126	SCOTT WILEY	BAY MINETTE, AL	11 - 5 (5)	11 - 5 (5)	11 - 5 (5)	11 - 5 (5)
127	ALTON WILHOIT	NOBLE, OK	11 - 2 (5)	11 - 2 (5)	11 - 2 (5)	11 - 2 (5)
127	BRADLEY DORTCH	ATMORE, AL	11 - 2 (5)	11 - 2 (5)	11 - 2 (5)	11 - 2 (5)
129	CHRIS NEAU	NEW ORLEANS, LA	11 - 1 (5)	11 - 1 (5)	11 - 1 (5)	11 - 1 (5)
130	JIM JONES	BIG BEND, WI	10 - 12 (5)	10 - 12 (5)	10 - 12 (5)	10 - 12 (5)
131	JOSEPH WEBSTER	WINFIELD, AL	10 - 8 (5)	10 - 8 (5)	10 - 8 (5)	10 - 8 (5)
132	ERIC JACKSON	WALLING, TN	10 - 7 (4)	10 - 7 (4)	10 - 7 (4)	10 - 7 (4)
133	RYAN CHANDLER	HEBRON, IN	10 - 4 (5)	10 - 4 (5)	10 - 4 (5)	10 - 4 (5)
133	HENSLEY POWELL	WHITWELL, TN	10 - 4 (5)	10 - 4 (5)	10 - 4 (5)	10 - 4 (5)
135	CLARK REEHM	ELM GROVE, LA	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)
135	WES LOGAN	SPRINGVILLE, AL	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)
135	JIMMY REESE	WITTER SPRINGS, CA	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)	10 - 2 (5)
138	LENDELL MARTIN JR	NACOGDOCHES, TX	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)
138	TROY MORROW	EASTANOLLEE, GA	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)
138	CASEY SCANLON	LAKE OZARK, MO	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)	10 - 1 (5)
141	MATT WITTEKIEND	ANGLETON, TX	9 - 13 (5)	9 - 13 (5)	9 - 13 (5)	9 - 13 (5)
142	JIMMY HOUSTON	COOKSON, OK	9 - 7 (4)	9 - 7 (4)	9 - 7 (4)	9 - 7 (4)
143	CHARLIE INGRAM	CENTERVILLE, TN	8 - 14 (5)	8 - 14 (5)	8 - 14 (5)	8 - 14 (5)
144	ROB KILBY	HOT SPRINGS, AR	8 - 7 (4)	8 - 7 (4)	8 - 7 (4)	8 - 7 (4)
145	DICKY NEWBERRY	HOUSTON, TX	8 - 5 (5)	8 - 5 (5)	8 - 5 (5)	8 - 5 (5)
146	TROY RODER	BROOKELAND, TX	8 - 3 (4)	8 - 3 (4)	8 - 3 (4)	8 - 3 (4)
147	CHARLES SIM	NEPEAN, ON	8 - 2 (4)	8 - 2 (4)	8 - 2 (4)	8 - 2 (4)
148	HUNTER FREEMAN	MONROE, LA	8 - 0 (4)	8 - 0 (4)	8 - 0 (4)	8 - 0 (4)
149	CHUCK MEDLEY	OWENS CROSS ROADS, AL	7 - 11 (4)	7 - 11 (4)	7 - 11 (4)	7 - 11 (4)
150	RYAN SALZMAN	HUNTSVILLE, AL	7 - 9 (4)	7 - 9 (4)	7 - 9 (4)	7 - 9 (4)
151	CHUCK STRATTON	CHAFFEE, MO	7 - 5 (3)	7 - 5 (3)	7 - 5 (3)	7 - 5 (3)
152	CHIP HARRINGTON	OLATHE, KS	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)
152	RON FARROW	ROCK HILL, SC	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)
152	BILL HUTCHISON	BESSEMER, AL	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)	7 - 3 (3)
155	HARRY MOORE	VALLEY, AL	6 - 14 (3)	6 - 14 (3)	6 - 14 (3)	6 - 14 (3)
156	TOMMY DICKERSON	ORANGE, TX	6 - 11 (3)	6 - 11 (3)	6 - 11 (3)	6 - 11 (3)
156	DEREK FULPS	BROKEN ARROW, OK	6 - 11 (3)	6 - 11 (3)	6 - 11 (3)	6 - 11 (3)
158	DAVID GASTON	SYLACAUGA, AL	6 - 6 (4)	6 - 6 (4)	6 - 6 (4)	6 - 6 (4)
158	JIMMY BREWER	MARSHALL, TX	6 - 6 (3)	6 - 6 (3)	6 - 6 (3)	6 - 6 (3)
160	RUSTY TRANCYGIER	HAHIRA, GA	5 - 12 (3)	5 - 12 (3)	5 - 12 (3)	5 - 12 (3)
161	RANDY ALLEN	GILLIAM, LA	3 - 2 (2)	3 - 2 (2)	3 - 2 (2)	3 - 2 (2)
162	CRAIG ROZEMA	SIMPSONVILLE, SC	2 - 10 (5)	2 - 10 (5)	2 - 10 (5)	2 - 10 (5)
163	SAM GEORGE	ATHENS, AL	1 - 5 (1)	1 - 5 (1)	1 - 5 (1)	1 - 5 (1)
	DREW RATLEY	SHREVEPORT, LA	0 - 0 (0)	0 - 0 (0)	0 - 0 (0)	0 - 0 (0)

by AnglersChannel

Jason Williamson Takes First-Round Lead In Bassmaster Elite At Winyah Bay

South Carolina's Jason Williamson leads Day 1 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite At Winyah Bay with 15 pounds, 11 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

April 11, 2019

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Forgoing a long run to the presumed big-bass “promised land” of the Cooper River, South Carolina’s Jason Williamson remained close to the takeoff site and found the right bites to amass a five-bass limit of 15 pounds, 11 ounces which leads Day 1 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay.While over half the field committed to a hour-plus run south along the Intracoastal Waterway, through Charleston Harbor and into the Cooper River and surrounding waterways, Williamson stayed in the Waccamaw River and played his time-management strategy to perfection. Essential to his plan was a thorough and persistent approach.

“A lot of guys are running the bank and flipping. You have some fish that are spawning supershallow. You have some postspawners that are done. And you have some that haven’t spawned yet,” Williamson said. “What I’m doing is trying to get the best of all three worlds in one area.

“I’m fishing shallow, I’m backing out and fishing deeper and I’m doing some midrange stuff too. A lot of guys are buzzing through an area, catching what’s aggressive and then going. I caught what was aggressive, then I backed out and got a few more bites. Adjusting throughout the day was key for me today.”

Williamson threw a mix of flipping baits, topwaters and finesse baits. The right area, he said, was one with greater depth than surrounding backwater spots. This allows the fish comfortable postspawn habitat, which keeps them in the area longer.

“Some of these backwaters have 12 to 15 feet of depth, and those fish move up and down with the tide; they adjust throughout the day,” Williamson said. “I was able to move with them in one area.”

The area Williamson fished had a mix of lily pads, docks, wood and some rock. This diversity ensured significant forage to hold quality fish.

Williamson’s catch included a 6-10 largemouth that leads the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award competition. BASSTrakk had reflected a 5-pounder on his catch record, but Williamson admits the thrill of the moment caused him to underestimate.

“I caught her this morning pretty early and I was so excited I put her in the livewell and didn’t really realize she was that big,” Williamson said. “I thought she was 5- to 5 1/2 pounds, so it was a pleasant surprise.

“You look at the weights here through history and you think ‘I don’t know if it’s possible to catch that kind of weight fishing where I’m fishing. But after today, I have a lot more confidence that there are some bigger fish that live here than I thought.”

In second place, Hunter Shryock also stayed local, committing his day to the Santee River and securing a limit that weighed 15-8. He caught his bass by flipping a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss around cypress trees.

The problem he faced was recent releases from Santee Cooper Lakes pushed a tremendous amount of water into the river and raised the level about 3 feet since his last day of practice. This eliminated many of his spots, but he was able to dial in one viable area.

“The good thing about this one area is that the higher water has the fish penned into one spot where I can reach them,” Shryock said. “If the water gets much higher, it will push them too far into the (shoreline cover), and I won’t be able to reach them. I might end up running to the Cooper River tomorrow.”

In third place, Luke Palmer made the run to the Cooper River and returned with a limit that weighed 14-2. Palmer is using an undisclosed mix of reaction baits and slower presentations. For him, the day’s stiff east wind created a challenge for his preferred game plan.

“I wish the tide would have gone out a little more than it did,” he said. “I really like for the tide to come on out and get down that drain so I can pinpoint them a lot easier. I’m staying in drains with hydrilla, and that’s the difference.”

Rounding out the Top 5 are Indiana pro Bill Lowen with 13-4 and Alabamian Clent Davis with 12-14.

The tournament will resume Friday with takeoff at 7 a.m. ET from Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex. Weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3:15 p.m.

Only the Top 35 anglers will advance after Friday’s second round.

                      2019 Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay 4/11-4/14
                               Winyah Bay, Georgetown  SC.
                            (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              5  15-11  100
  Day 1: 5   15-11
2.  Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        5  15-08   99
  Day 1: 5   15-08
3.  Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK             5  14-02   98
  Day 1: 5   14-02
4.  Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  13-04   97
  Day 1: 5   13-04
5.  Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           5  12-14   96
  Day 1: 5   12-14
6.  Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               5  12-08   95
  Day 1: 5   12-08
7.  Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               5  12-06   94
  Day 1: 5   12-06
8.  Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               5  12-01   93
  Day 1: 5   12-01
9.  Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            5  11-15   92
  Day 1: 5   11-15
10. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  11-13   91
  Day 1: 5   11-13
11. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  11-06   90
  Day 1: 5   11-06
12. Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC          5  11-04   89
  Day 1: 5   11-04
13. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA             5  11-02   88
  Day 1: 5   11-02
14. Greg DiPalma           Millville, NJ            5  11-01   87
  Day 1: 5   11-01
15. Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL            5  10-14   86
  Day 1: 5   10-14
15. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC             5  10-14   86
  Day 1: 5   10-14
17. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              5  10-11   84
  Day 1: 5   10-11
18. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              5  10-09   83
  Day 1: 5   10-09
18. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  10-09   83
  Day 1: 5   10-09
20. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  10-07   81
  Day 1: 5   10-07
21. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           5  09-15   80
  Day 1: 5   09-15
21. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA             5  09-15   80
  Day 1: 5   09-15
23. Rob Digh               Denver, NC               5  09-13   78
  Day 1: 5   09-13
23. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            5  09-13   78
  Day 1: 5   09-13
25. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  09-11   76
  Day 1: 5   09-11
26. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  09-10   75
  Day 1: 5   09-10
27. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN            5  09-09   74
  Day 1: 5   09-09
27. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            5  09-09   74
  Day 1: 5   09-09
29. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL          5  09-05   72
  Day 1: 5   09-05
29. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK             5  09-05   72
  Day 1: 5   09-05
31. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC               5  08-15   70
  Day 1: 5   08-15
32. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL            5  08-14   69
  Day 1: 5   08-14
33. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           5  08-13   68
  Day 1: 5   08-13
34. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 5  08-11   67
  Day 1: 5   08-11
35. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  08-10   66
  Day 1: 5   08-10
35. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  08-10   66
  Day 1: 5   08-10
37. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               4  08-10   64
  Day 1: 4   08-10
38. Randy Pierson          Oakdale, CA              5  08-08   63
  Day 1: 5   08-08
39. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC            5  08-07   62
  Day 1: 5   08-07
40. Drew Cook              Midway, FL               5  08-05   61
  Day 1: 5   08-05
41. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           5  08-03   60
  Day 1: 5   08-03
42. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA               5  08-02   59
  Day 1: 5   08-02
43. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA  5  07-13   58
  Day 1: 5   07-13
44. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               5  07-11   57
  Day 1: 5   07-11
44. Lee Livesay            Gladewater, TX           5  07-11   57
  Day 1: 5   07-11
44. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           5  07-11   57
  Day 1: 5   07-11
47. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               5  07-07   54
  Day 1: 5   07-07
48. Mike Huff              Corbin, KY               5  07-06   53
  Day 1: 5   07-06
49. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  07-05   52
  Day 1: 5   07-05
50. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC              4  07-05   51
  Day 1: 4   07-05
51. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA          5  07-02   50
  Day 1: 5   07-02
51. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO         5  07-02   50
  Day 1: 5   07-02
53. Chris Johnston         Peterborough Ontario CA  5  07-01   48
  Day 1: 5   07-01
54. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            5  06-15   47
  Day 1: 5   06-15
54. Derek Hudnall          Baton Rouge, LA          5  06-15   47
  Day 1: 5   06-15
56. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA  5  06-11   45
  Day 1: 5   06-11
57. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              5  06-09   44
  Day 1: 5   06-09
58. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           5  06-08   43
  Day 1: 5   06-08
59. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX         5  06-07   42
  Day 1: 5   06-07
60. Quentin Cappo          Prairieville, LA         5  06-05   41
  Day 1: 5   06-05
61. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             5  06-04   40
  Day 1: 5   06-04
62. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          5  06-03   39
  Day 1: 5   06-03
62. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI              5  06-03   39
  Day 1: 5   06-03
64. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               4  06-01   37
  Day 1: 4   06-01
65. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          4  05-13   36
  Day 1: 4   05-13
66. Jay Yelas              Lincoln City, OR         5  05-12   35
  Day 1: 5   05-12
67. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         4  04-11   34
  Day 1: 4   04-11
68. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN           2  04-09   33
  Day 1: 2   04-09
69. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               3  04-05   32
  Day 1: 3   04-05
70. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  2  04-00   31
  Day 1: 2   04-00
71. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           2  03-03   30
  Day 1: 2   03-03
72. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           1  03-01   29
  Day 1: 1   03-01
73. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           1  01-09   28
  Day 1: 1   01-09
74. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          1  01-06   27
  Day 1: 1   01-06
75. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00

by AnglersChannel

Over 41 Pound limit leads Day 1 of WON Bass California Open on Clear Lake

Courtesy of WONews.com

Noy Vilaysane and AAA Ryan Furno crush records with 41.76-pound day 1 at the California Open

Crushing. That’s the only way to describe what Pro Division angler Noy Vilasayne and his AAA Ryan Furno did in lapping the field on Day 1 of the WON BASS California Open with an astounding 41.76-pound limit.

Vilaysane’s Big Fish weighed 11.74 pounds, but every fish in his combined limit was a chunk. Consider, the per fish average was over 8 pounds!

Tournament Director Billy Egan said the Vilaysane-Furno limit was the largest he’s weighed in the ten years he’s run tournaments for WON BASS.

Terry McKnight, fish reporter for the Lake County Record Bee said he’s covered and run tournaments at Clear Lake since 1986 and never seen the like and opined that Vilaysane’s 41.76 pounds could be a single day lake tournament record.

McKnight said Vilaysane told him he caught his fish in deep water while using swimbaits. He further said Vilaysane said he couldn’t believe it when he hooked into his 11.74-pound Big Fish.

Pro Sean Wayman and AAA Nick Klein sit in second with 27.30 pounds, normally an outstanding Clear Lake day, but one that was overshadowed on Day 1. Wayman’s limit was backstopped by a 9.01-pound Big Fish, good for third Pro Big Fish on the day.

Pro Mike Iloski and AAA Kevin Quach are in third after Day 1 with 26.91 pounds. Iloski scored second Pro Big Fish with his 10.24-pound largemouth. That’s two fish over 10 pounds on Day 1 if you’re counting. Clear Lake gives up the goods.

AAA Big Fish of the day went to Justin Taylor Bolen (09.80 pounds), Kevin Quach (7.11 pounds), and Aaron Riggs.

Competitors fished under bluebird skies and the forecast high winds never materialized in the northern portion of the lake, but some who fished south of The Narrows said it was windy.

by AnglersChannel

Official Statement from FLW Regarding Irwin Jacobs

The following statement was issued today, Thursday April 11, 2019, by FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel and the FLW Organization.

Statement from Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations:

Yesterday was a difficult day for the FLW family and the entire sport of professional bass fishing. Mr. Jacobs did so much for our organization and truly had a revolutionary impact on the industry throughout his time as owner of FLW. He cared deeply about the anglers and staff, and he gave all of us the unwavering support needed to be successful. I remain humbled and honored for the leadership opportunity he provided me. His sincerity and kindness extended not only to me but to all families of this organization. It was a privilege to know and work for Mr. Jacobs and his impact on our organization as well as our sport will continue on. My thoughts and prayers are with Trish and the entire Jacobs Family during this time.

Official Statement from FLW:

It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of FLW Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Irwin Jacobs and his loving wife, Alexandra. We as an organization are devastated by this loss and remember the leadership and passion with which Mr. Jacobs led our organization. We ask the bass fishing community to keep the Jacobs family in your thoughts and prayers during this time.

All FLW tournaments and operations will proceed as scheduled.

by AnglersChannel

Hard work the core of Matt Lee in baseball and bass

Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Major League Fishing pro Matt Lee is the son of a Carhartt wearing man who may just be the sweetest natured, hardest working veterinarian in Alabama. So it’s no surprise that hard work has also been the common thread of his son’s current success as a competitive angler, and previously as a 2-time Alabama High School State Champion baseball player as a Cullman Bearcat.

“Our pitching staff probably wasn’t the best in the state at Cullman, and we weren’t near as big physically as some teams, but we worked harder than everybody else,” says the now 30-year old Lee, as he reflects on the 2007 State Champion Bearcats.

“Baseball was something I absolutely loved from the time I was in tee-ball. But at 5’ 7” and 150 pounds in high school, I wasn’t nearly as gifted as my good friend Josh Rutledge who played for the Crimson Tide and then the Colorado Rockies, or our pitcher Caleb Clay who could throw 94 mph and got drafted in the first round by the Red Sox,” says Lee.

Lee graduated from Cullman High with a 3.96 GPA, scored an impressive 29 on the ACT, and eventually earned a degree in engineering from Auburn where he became a national champion in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. But it was pure dedication and hustle that allowed him to be a key contributor at second base on the same starting line-up as future big leaguers like Clay and Rutledge.

“Fishing became my competitive outlet when my baseball career ended, and just like baseball, I may not be the most naturally gifted angler on tour. So I have to work extra hard to stay competitive against the best bass fishermen in the world,” admits Lee.

“Trust me, life as a pro angler can be a physical and mental grind. But I love it. And the cool thing about fishing is through hard work I can be successful. The fish don’t care how big I am or how fast I can throw a baseball,” he smiles.

With a dugout full of Top 20 finishes to his credit, a Carhartt Bassmaster College Series title, and two Bassmaster Classic qualifications, obviously the hard work is paying off in a manner to make all who know him proud, including a particular hard working veterinarian in Cullman, Alabama.

by AnglersChannel

Crochet's First-Period Maelstrom Propels Him to Shotgun Round Win

DAYTON, Tenn. (April 10, 2019) - In the five-decade history of organized bass-fishing competition, there have been very few 2 ½-hour displays of fish-catching proficiency the likes of which Major League Fishing® (MLF) pro Cliff Crochet put on this morning on Lake Chickamauga.

Fishing in the Group B Shotgun Round of the Bass Pro Tour Econo Lodge Stage Four Presented by Winn Grips, Crochet caught his first scorable bass - a 5-plus-pounder - 12 minutes into the competition, and then went on a spree that saw the Louisiana pro stack 65 pounds, 11 ounces of Tennessee River largemouth onto SCORETRACKER by the end of Period 1.

Crochet's 31-fish, 65-plus-pound maelstrom of hookups in Period 1 was more than the daily total weights of 18 of the 19 round winners so far in the 2019 Bass Pro Tour schedule.

"I didn't know that was going to happen," Crochet joked as he waited for the Berkley Postgame Show to start. "I caught four fish in the first little flurry, and I thought that was a good start to the day. Worst-case scenario, I could grind and have a decent day. I hit the second flurry and had enough sense to realize what was going on.

"I really tried to focus on good technique: from casting to hookset to fighting them to weighing them. I didn't know how long it was going to last, but I knew I needed to cover as much ground (on SCORETRACKER™) as I could."

Crochet finished the day with 34 fish for 69-6, at one time opening up a 30-pound lead before backing off and spending most of the second and third periods scouting for new water for his Elimination Round on Friday.

Another Heavy Day on Chickamauga

While Crochet's cushion on the rest of the field was virtually insurmountable after the first period, a large percentage of the other 39 Group B anglers competing had strong days as well: Edwin Evers finished second with 55-2, Zack Birge was third with 51-4. In all, 17 anglers put 37 pounds or more on SCORETRACKER during the day.

The field accounted for 1,312 pounds on the day, including six fish over 7 pounds.

MLF pro Andy Morgan knows home-lake Chickamauga isn't finished in showing of its wealth of big bass. Because of that, it is unlikely any angler will try coasting his way through Elimination Rounds into the Knockout Round. (Photo by Josh Gassmann. Click to enlarge/download)

On to Elimination Rounds

The 40 anglers from Group A return to Chickamauga Thursday for the first Elimination Round of Stage Four. The leading edge of a storm front will bring 10- to 20-mph winds out of the south, which will create some change from the nice conditions of the first two days of fishing.

Dave Lefebre heads into that round with the comfort of the 59-14 he caught in his Shotgun Round, followed by five other anglers who landed 50 pounds or more. But unlike some previous Elimination Rounds - where the Top 10 could take their foot off the gas and "practice" during the day - the proliferation of fish catches (combined with the simmering potential for more 8-plus-pound giants to show up on beds) will likely keep most of the field focused on the task at hand.

"These guys flat need to catch fish in the Elimination Round, there's not much room to cruise," said MLF NOW! analyst Marty Stone.

Looking Ahead

Group B will fish the second Elimination Round on Friday. The Top 20 anglers from each of the two Elimination groups will advance to a 40-angler Knockout Round on Saturday - weights will be zeroed, making the Knockout a one-day scramble. The Top 10 anglers in the Knockout Round will advance to the Championship Round on Sunday, April 14.

Where, When, How to Watch

Competition begins daily at 7:30 a.m. ET, with live, official scoring available via SCORETRACKER on MajorLeagueFishing.com and on the MLF app. The MLF NOW! live stream starts at 10 a.m. ET, with live, on-the-water coverage and analysis provided by Chad McKee, JT Kenney, Marty Stone and Natalie Dillon until lines out at 3:30 p.m. The Berkley Postgame Show - hosted by Steven "Lurch" Scott - will start at 5 p.m. daily.

Final Standings - Shotgun Round 2

For Shotgun Round standings and to keep up with cumulative results throughout the week, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com and click "Results."

by AnglersChannel

Updated - FLW CEO Irwin Jacobs and Wife Found Dead in Minnesota Mansion

4.11.19 updated report by the Star Tribune:

Irwin Jacobs, wife Alexandra dead in murder-suicide, close friend says

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that FLW founder and CEO was found dead along with his Wife in their suburban Minneapolis home Wednesday morning.

Police are investigating the deaths in Jacobs’ home. A police dispatcher reported Wednesday morning that two people were “found unconscious, possibly DOA [dead on arrival],” and were in a bed with a handgun on the bed as well, the Star Tribune reported.

by AnglersChannel

Swindle: Don’t forget about The Possum

Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Most bass fishing fans know Gerald Swindle for his world-class comedy and angling skills. What they may not know is Swindle has a deep love of lyrics, mostly country music lyrics. Hence he’s quick to parallel spinnerbaits, arguably the greatest bass fishing lure of all time, to country music legend George “The Possum” Jones.

“Just like lures, there are so many new songs released every year it’s easy to get caught up in the new stuff and forget about the proven classics like “He Stopped Loving Her Today”,” says Swindle. “That’s why anytime we start talking about spinnerbaits, I say “Don’t forget about The Possum, fellas.” – because to me, a spinnerbait is a whole lot like George Jones.”

In 1998, Swindle was struggling a bit financially, splitting time between pro tournaments and a job he hated as a house framer, when he rode a spinnerbait through the high waters of Beaver Lake, Arkansas to a $150,000 FLW victory and put down his hammer for good.

“That win launched my career, and I haven’t stopped loving a spinnerbait since,” smiles Swindle. “People think the pros stopped throwing spinnerbaits the last decade, but that’s not necessarily true. Fact is, we were using spinnerbaits to find fish in practice, but when the pressure was on to go catch five fat ones in the derby, we’d switch to a big swimbait or something else.”

“To be honest the new Major League Fishing format has revitalized the spinnerbait. I’ve had two different tackle manufacturers tell me that recently. In MLF, you’re just trying to generate keeper bites, not necessarily fishing for giants, and there ain’t many lures in history that get more bites than a spinnerbait,” says the Team Toyota angler.

Chatterbaits and Spinnerbaits are first cousins

Some anglers might ask how the now highly popular Chatterbait fits into Swindle’s spinnerbait mix. It’s simple. He says they’re in the same family. It’s just a matter of habitat and weather conditions as to which one he throws, and it’s a pretty elementary formula. If there’s rocks, wood, and wind … he’ll likely throw a spinnerbait. If there’s aquatic vegetation, and a lack of wind, he’ll choose a Chatterbait.

Rod, reel, line, and lure weight

“People would be shocked to know how simple I keep my spinnerbait and chatterbait fishing,” says Swindle. “I throw a 5/16 ounce spinnerbait with a Colorado-Indiana blade combo 90-percent of the time. And for Chatterbaits, I always throw a ½ ounce to keep the lure down in the water column a little better,” he explains. “I throw ‘em both on 16-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon spooled on a Quantum Smoke 7.3:1 reel. My trailer for each is a Zoom Boot Tail.”

“The 7’ 2” medium heavy rod I use is a $99 Quantum G-Force, and it’s critical to success with bladed baits, because the biggest mistake most anglers make is using a rod that’s too stiff or too limber with this category of lures. That rod has the perfect combination of tip and backbone,” emphasizes Swindle.

The success Swindle has had since putting down the framing hammer 21 years ago ranks amazingly high in the 50-year history of professional bass fishing – and a whole lot of his accolades can be traced back to spinnerbaits.

“I’d argue a spinnerbait is the most versatile lure ever,” says Swindle. “Don’t make it complicated, folks. Don’t forget about The Possum.”

“He stopped loving her today. They placed a wreath upon his door.And soon they'll carry him away. He stopped loving her today.” George “The Possum” Jones (1980)

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. Agrees To Associate Sponsorship With Joe Gibbs Racing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 10, 2019

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announces today that it has entered into an agreement with Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) to serve as an associate sponsor on its No. 19 Toyota Camry driven by Martin Truex, Jr.

“B.A.S.S. is thrilled to enter into this partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and the Bass Pro Shops No. 19 car,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “As an avid outdoorsman and fisherman, Martin Truex, Jr. is a great fit as an ambassador for our sport. This partnership also amplifies our common partnerships with Toyota and Bass Pro Shops. Most importantly, in a year where we are celebrating the fans of B.A.S.S., it connects our organization with racing fans who are also fans of fishing.”

B.A.S.S. is the world’s largest fishing organization with a growing membership that has now reached 510,000. A media-and-events company that celebrated its 50^thanniversary last year, B.A.S.S. conducts the world’s most prestigious professional bass fishing tournaments and reaches millions of fans each month through its flagship magazine, Bassmaster, Bassmaster.com, and the highly rated The Bassmasters television program.

“It’s great to have B.A.S.S. come on board as an associate sponsor with our No. 19 Toyota Camry,” said Martin Truex, Jr. “It’s no secret that I love fishing so this is obviously a great fit. B.A.S.S. has done a lot to advance the sport and I look forward to working with them and through their partnerships with Toyota and Bass Pro Shops.”

About Joe Gibbs Racing:
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR with four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams, three NASCAR Xfinity Series teams and a driver development program. Its 2019 driver lineup will consist of Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, and Martin Truex, Jr. in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Meanwhile Christopher Bell and Brandon Jones will each run fulltime in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019, joining Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Riley Herbst, and Harrison Burton all of whom will run partial schedules. In addition, Herbst and Ty Gibbs will share duties behind the wheel of JGR’s ARCA Series entry. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs — a three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning four Cup Series championships, and five Xfinity Series owner’s championships along with more than 300 NASCAR races, including four Brickyard 400s and three Daytona 500s.

by AnglersChannel

"Three's A Crowd"

This week Jason and Chris dive into the subject of all 3 major tours having events on the same week and how that will work for you, the fans of the sport. They also welcome in Special guest Bryan New, The ABA Ray Scott Championship Winner to hear about his journey as a Co-Angler to now a Pro. Jason sneaks in a "Special Guest" for the weekly "Pick-em" contests and he throws Chris and David quite the curveball. Check it all out right here on the AC Insider Podcast!

by AnglersChannel

Lefebre's Afternoon Flurry on Lake Chickamauga Powers Him to Shotgun Round Win at Bass Pro Tour Econo Lodge Stage Four Presented by Winn Grips

Courtesy of MLF BPT

DAYTON, Tenn. (April 9, 2019) - The small town of Dayton, Tenn., has put a stamp on the game of tournament bass fishing with its hashtag "#BassTownUSA".

As competition came to a close in Major League Fishing® (MLF) Shotgun Round 1 of the Bass Pro Tour Econo Lodge Stage Four Presented by Winn Grips - and Top 5 anglers Dave Lefebre, Aaron Martens, Jordan Lee, Brandon Palaniuk and Bark Rose breathed a sigh of relief - it became clear that that hashtag is not hype.

Emerging from a flurry of afternoon lead changes, 705 scorable bass caught, and several anglers jockeying up and down inside the SCORETRACKER™ Top 10, Lefebre racked up 34 fish for 59 pounds, 14 ounces to claim the top spot in Group A competition on Lake Chickamauga.

"My average weight would have been a lot higher if I could get them in the boat," Lefebre admitted. "I'm doing something that's a little bit different than what the others are doing in the area that I'm in and it's generating some big bites. I lost 4-5 of them, one was a 6 pounder and I tried to swing it. The opportunity to get a good sack is there."

Martens finished second on the day with 57-3, Lee was third with 55-8, Palaniuk was fourth with 54-12 and Rose rounded out the Top 5 with 53-8.

Lefebre Pours it on Late

Martens entered the final period in the lead, thanks to a steady bite on a vibrating jig. That bite tailed off noticeably in Period 3: while Martens caught some quality fish (two 4s and a 3), he managed only four scorable bass in the final 2 ½ hours of competition.

Lefebre, meanwhile, poured it on, putting 16 of his 34 scorable fish on SCORETRACKER in Period 3 and leapfrogging Lee, Rose and Martens with 23-15 in the period.

"My option A was blown out and I couldn't go there, so it was all plan B today," Lefebre said. "I kind of panicked this morning when I saw my water I wanted to fish (was blown out), and just made a real quick decision to keep running when others were already fishing."

Another Heavyweight Shotgun Round

The overall catch weight for the Group A field of 40 anglers was astounding: 1,396 pounds of bass. Six anglers recorded 50 pounds or more - one more than the first Shotgun Round slugfest at Stage Three Raleigh - and 14 caught 42-plus pounds.

MLF pro Bobby Lane was one of several anglers to catch a Chickamauga bass in the 5 to 7 pound range in

Shotgun Round 1 today, but consensus is that some double digit bass will show before the week's end.

(Click to enlarge/download)

"There seem to be more fish coming into my areas, and I hope that continues into the rest of the week," said Palaniuk, who added just over 13 pounds in the final 30 minutes of competition. "I came into this ready to play numbers. I had fished the same area most of the first two periods, and then decided to make a run in the last 30 minutes - I was fortunate to catch an almost-5 ½ and got a lot of 1- and 2-pound bites. For me, the big key was making an area change in the final period."

Group B Up Next on Chickamauga

The 40 anglers in Group B will take their shots at Chickamauga on Wednesday in Shotgun Round 2. With weather and water stabilizing after Monday's deluge - and the number of spawning females on beds increasing by the hour - Group B is set up for a potential influx of the kind of behemoths that Chickamauga is known for.

"There were some good fish caught today - some 6s and 7s - but those ol' big ones are just about to show up," said Dayton native Andy Morgan, who fishes tomorrow in Group B. "It's getting warmer, and these fish are looking to spawn. We haven't seen the 10s yet, but we will by the end of the week."

Looking Ahead to the Week

The entire field will carry their Shotgun Round weights into Elimination Rounds on Thursday and Friday. The Top 20 anglers from each of those Elimination groups will advance to a 40-angler Knockout Round on Saturday - weights will be zeroed, making the Knockout a one-day scramble. The Top 10 anglers in the Knockout Round will advance to the Championship Round on Sunday, April 14.

How, When, Where to Watch

Final Standings - Shotgun Round 1

For Group A Shotgun Round standings and to keep up with cumulative results throughout the week, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com and click "Results."

Group A

Place	Angler	Total Weight	Total # Fish	Avg Weight	Largest Fish
1st	Dave Lefebre	59 - 14	34	1 - 12	3 - 06
2nd	Aaron Martens	57 - 03	18	3 - 03	7 - 07
3rd	Jordan Lee	55 - 08	24	2 - 05	5 - 09
4th	Brandon Palaniuk	54 - 12	26	2 - 02	5 - 05
5th	Mark Rose	53 - 08	31	1 - 12	5 - 01
6th	Justin Lucas	50 - 10	24	2 - 02	5 - 08
7th	Keith Poche	49 - 02	30	1 - 10	3 - 00
8th	Stephen Browning	48 - 01	25	1 - 15	3 - 12
9th	Jesse Wiggins	46 - 13	22	2 - 02	6 - 07
10th	Bradley Roy	46 - 12	22	2 - 02	3 - 13
11th	James Elam	46 - 06	27	1 - 12	2 - 13
12th	Terry Scroggins	45 - 14	25	1 - 13	7 - 09
13th	Randy Howell	43 - 13	22	1 - 16	4 - 00
14th	Casey Ashley	42 - 04	25	1 - 11	3 - 13
15th	Jeff Sprague	39 - 12	17	2 - 05	4 - 03
16th	Cliff Pace	38 - 03	21	1 - 13	3 - 14
17th	David Walker	37 - 10	17	2 - 03	6 - 06
18th	Dean Rojas	36 - 14	18	2 - 01	3 - 15
19th	Chris Lane	35 - 11	17	2 - 02	3 - 06
20th	Greg Hackney	34 - 11	14	2 - 08	5 - 05
21st	Dustin Connell	34 - 08	16	2 - 03	7 - 01
22nd	Ott DeFoe	34 - 02	18	1 - 14	4 - 06
23rd	Bobby Lane	33 - 01	15	2 - 03	7 - 06
24th	Jeff Kriet	32 - 14	17	1 - 15	2 - 14
25th	Ish Monroe	31 - 05	13	2 - 07	5 - 06
26th	Timmy Horton	28 - 11	14	2 - 01	5 - 06
27th	Brent Chapman	27 - 13	13	2 - 02	3 - 14
28th	Britt Myers	27 - 12	14	1 - 16	3 - 10
29th	Roy Hawk	25 - 09	15	1 - 11	2 - 13
30th	Jonathon VanDam	22 - 10	17	1 - 05	1 - 12
31st	Gerald Spohrer	22 - 05	13	1 - 12	3 - 11
32nd	Scott Suggs	22 - 02	12	1 - 13	4 - 00
33rd	Matt Lee	20 - 08	12	1 - 11	2 - 13
34th	Skeet Reese	19 - 08	8	2 - 07	4 - 06
35th	Marty Robinson	18 - 00	11	1 - 10	2 - 04
36th	Brett Hite	17 - 13	10	1 - 12	4 - 09
37th	Russ Lane	14 - 15	7	2 - 02	2 - 12
38th	Mike McClelland	13 - 14	6	2 - 05	3 - 11
39th	Takahiro Omori	13 - 06	8	1 - 11	2 - 14
40th	Shaw Grigsby	12 - 13	7	1 - 13	2 - 07

by AnglersChannel

2019 BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE DAVY HITEHONORED BY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE SENATE

ANDERSON, S.C. – For Immediate Release – 4.8.19 – This past weekend, on the same stage where current Bassmaster Elite Series pros were weighing in for their Lake Hartwell tournament, 2019 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee Davy Hite was surprised by the South Carolina state Senate with a resolution honoring his career.

Jay West, a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, acting on behalf of the resolution’s sponsors, South Carolina state Senators Michael Gambrell and Floyd Nicholson, made clear that Hite was being honored not just for his angling exploits, which include the 1999 Bassmaster Classic title, the 1998 Forrest Wood Cup, and the 1997 and 2002 Bassmaster Angler of the Year awards. He certainly cited those achievements as a driving force in Hite’s influence, but added that his prior career in the National Guard, his subsequent career as a broadcaster and his role a consummate steward of our natural resources also justified this recognition. (to view the presentation – visit this link:http://bit.ly/HiteHonor)

Hite attended his first Bassmaster Classic as a spectator in 1996 and had a dream “just to maybe qualify for one.” Instead, he visited the Classic stage 14 times during a career that earned him nearly $2 million in B.A.S.S. winnings alone.

“When you get to fish for a living, and now get to talk about fishing for a living, it’s a great thing,” Hite said onstage.

He will be formally added to the rolls of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame at its annual induction dinner at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Mo., being held on Thursday, September 19, 2019. Information on event and table sponsorships, dinner seats and tickets for a special VIP unveiling reception, along with details about the Hall and its mission of ‘celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing’ is available at www.BassFishingHOF.com, or by contacting BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA-MONROE WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT ON LAKE TEXOMA

Link to photo of winning team University of Louisiana-Monroe

DENISON, Texas (April 9, 2019) – The University of Louisiana-Monroe (ULM) duo of Connor Nimrod of Monroe, Louisiana, and Morgan Jalaldin of West Monroe, Louisiana, won the YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Texoma presented by Bass Pro Shops last weekend with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned the Warhawk’s bass club $2,000 and a slot in the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship.

“Winning was definitely unexpected after the start that we had,” said Nimrod, a freshman at ULM majoring in business marketing. “It was very foggy, and takeoff was delayed until around 10:30. We were boat No. 92, and when we got to the arm of the lake that we wanted to fish there was already 30 to 40 boats fishing there.”

“We watched guy catch a 5-pounder from a dock that we knew was there and we had to move,” said Jalaldin, a fresman majoring in nursing. “We abandoned our pattern completely and decided to make a move to a new area.”

“We decided to change up altogether and ran 25 minutes to a completely different spot mid-lake that we had found in practice,” Nimrod said. “We weren’t really planning to go there during the tournament, but I’m glad that we did.”

The duo described their winning area as a pea gravel bank that had isolated, broken-off bushes in 2- to 4-feet of water. They managed to catch 7 or 8 keepers in their fog-shortened day, all coming on Ned rigs. They fished Z-Man TRD Crawz and BioSpawn ExoSticks that they cut in half on their Ned Rig setups, and credited their long practices and patience as the key to their victory.

“I think the key was really buckling down in practice,” Jalaldin said. “We had never fished here before, but we were out there for three full days, sunrise to sunset, to practice and learn the lake.

“We were able to catch every fish in that area by really slowing down and fishing very thoroughly,” Nimrod went on to say.

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2020 College Fishing National Championship are:

1^st: University of Louisiana-Monroe – Connor Nimrod, Monroe, La., and Morgan Jalaldin, West Monroe, La., five bass, 18-15, $2,000

2^nd: Tarleton State University – Reagan Nelson and Cody Rayburn, both of Athens, Texas, five bass, 18-9, $1,400

3^rd: Texas A&M University – Garrison Thomas, Keller, Texas, and Tyler Anderson, Austin, Texas, five bass, 18-4, $500

4^th: Oklahoma State University – Dexter Flick, Stillwater, Okla., and Cameron Simmons, Owasso, Okla., five bass, 18-1, $900

5^th: Tulsa Community College – Garrett James, Sand Springs, Okla., and Garrett McCrackin, Jennings, Okla., five bass, 17-4, $500

6^th: Angelo State University – Lance Culak, San Angelo, Texas, and Steven Armstrong, Brownwood, Texas, five bass, 17-3

7^th: East Texas Baptist University – Brett Clark, Center, Texas, and Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 16-13

8^th: Texas State University – Conner Iselt, Georgetown, Texas, and Josh Soroka, Arlington, Texas, five bass, 15-5

9^th: University of Oklahoma – Drew Fazzino, The Woodlands, Texas, and Charles Vang, Norman, Okla., five bass, 14-10

10^th: Louisiana Tech University – Andrew Harp, Linden, Texas, and Christopher Gaudin, Tickfaw, La., five bass, 14-9

Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.

The YETI FLW College Fishing event on Lake Texoma presented by Bass Pro Shops was hosted by the Denison Area Chamber of Commerce. It was the second of three regular-season qualifying tournament for Southern Conference anglers. The next event for FLW College Fishing anglers will be the Central Conference opener, April 12 at Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky.

by AnglersChannel

Hartman hauls home Toyota Bonus Bucks

Alan Mcguckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Jamie Hartman loves his current job as a “part-time truck driver” far more than the 10-years he spent hauling paper products around Central New York near his home waters of Oneida Lake.

Now, as a full time Bassmaster Elite Series pro, Hartman still drives a truck 40,000 miles a year, but it’s a Toyota Tundra, not an 18-wheeler, and pro angling is actually his full time profession.

“Let me be honest, there was absolutely nothing great about being a truck driver except they agreed to give me all the time off I needed to go fishing. Which pretty much meant if I wasn’t driving truck, I wasn’t getting paid,” says Hartman, who loves the towing power of his Tundra.

Hartman made one of the most daring and documented career moves in modern day pro angling history when he resigned his trucking job, put everything he owned in a storage facility, and went all-in on a career as a Bassmaster pro.

Things are working out just fine.

He’s won prize money in 75-percent of the B.A.S.S. tournaments he’s fished, and just cashed-in on Toyota Bonus Bucks for his 8th place finish at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Hartwell. Because like all Bonus Bucks sanctioned events – you don’t have to win the tournament to win the Bonus Bucks, you simply have to be the highest finishing registered participant.

You also don’t have to be a pro to cash in on Toyota Bonus Bucks. You just have to drive a 2015 or newer Toyota Truck, sign up Free for Bonus Bucks, and like Hartman, be the highest finishing registered participant in one of the dozens of local and regional tournaments supported by the program.

To learn more, please visit www.toyotafishing.com, or call (918) 742-6424 and ask for Kendell or Jarrett and they will help you get signed-up.

by AnglersChannel

CLARKSVILLE’S DEGRANDCOURT WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OPENER ON KERR LAKE

Raleigh’s Richardt Claims Co-Angler Title

HENDERSON, N.C. (April 8, 2019) – Boater R.J. DeGrandcourt of Clarksville, Virginia, caught five bass Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division opener on Kerr Lake. For his catch, DeGrandcourt took home $2,585.

According to post-tournament reports, DeGrandcourt caught his bass fishing flats on the upper end of the lake with a Bomber Speed Shad crankbait.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: R.J. DeGrandcourt, Clarksville, Va., five bass, 18-7, $2,585

2^nd: Ben Dalton, Keeling, Va., five bass, 16-5, $1,175

3^rd: Travis Lugar, McGaheysville, Va., five bass, 15-9, $784

4^th: Jack Dice, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 15-0, $759

4^th: Thomas Svec, Chesapeake, Va., five bass, 15-0, $509

6^th: Curtis Talbott, Forest, Va., five bass, 14-15, $631

7^th: Michael Delvisco, Dandridge, Tenn., five bass, 14-1, $392

8^th: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., five bass, 13-11, $752

9^th: Rick Hawkins, Roanoke, Va., five bass, 13-10, $313

10^th: Craig Wright, Rustburg, Va., four bass, 13-1, $150

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

DeGrandcourt also caught a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $235.

Kyle Richardt of Raleigh, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,175 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Kyle Richardt, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 12-7, $1,175

2^nd: Trey Grow, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 11-6, $587

3^rd: Louis Britos, Disputanta, Va., five bass, 10-10, $393

4^th: Jamie Newton, Falls Church, Va., four bass, 10-9, $254

4^th: Timothy Kinder, Manassas, Va., five bass, 10-9, $354

6^th: Brandt Thompson , Richmond, Va., five bass, 10-7, $215

7^th: Gregory Chuhta, Germantown, Md., five bass, 10-5, $196

8^th: Danny Crickenberger, Charlottesville, Va., four bass, 10-0, $293

9^th: Billy Brown, Dahlgren, Va., five bass, 9-13, $157

10^th: Al Berkley, Madison Heights, Va., five bass, 9-12, $50

Crickenberger caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $117.

The tournament was hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority.

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 Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina, presented by Navionics. 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.

by AnglersChannel

CORNELIA’S BENFIELD WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON LAKE HARTWELL

Ellenwood’s Waldon Claims Co-Angler Title

LAVONIA, Ga. (April 8, 2019) – Boater Brad Benfield of Cornelia, Georgia, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Savannah River Division tournament on Lake Hartwell with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces. For his day on the water, Benfield took home $2,977.

Benfield said he sight-fished for bass on the lower end of the lake near the dam on the Georgia side. He said he targeted main-lake pockets, and had about 20 different pockets at his disposal.

“The fish were kind of behind the grass that had been on the bank before the lake had come up – I think its dogfennel grass – in 2 feet or less of water,” said Benfield, who grabbed his first win in FLW competition. “I probably caught eight keepers. It was slow until midday, but when it warmed about 1:30 [p.m.] until weigh-in is when I caught most of them.”

Benfield said he used two different baits – a 5-inch, Texas-rigged Pumpkin Chartreuse-colored Zoom Lizard with a ¼-ounce tungsten sinker weight and a 3/8-ounce, green-pumpkin-colored 706 Fishing Lures shaky-head rig with a Watermelon Candy-colored Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw.

“I just flipped to the beds to get them agitated,” said Benfield. “All the fish I weighed were largemouth. I did catch a couple spotted bass, but culled those out.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Brad Benfield, Cornelia, Ga., five bass, 14-15, $2,977

2^nd: Derrick Bridges, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 14-7, $1,489

3^rd: Carl Zoellner, Highlands, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $992

4^th: Sean Skey, Sumter, S.C., five bass, 13-8, $895

5^th: Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-2, $845

6^th: Jeremy Strong, Elberton, Ga., five bass, 12-15, $846

7^th: Justin Raines, Easley, S.C., five bass, 12-14, $596

8^th: Joe Eubanks, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 12-5, $447

9^th: Baylor Ronemus, Clarkesville, Ga., five bass, 12-2, $397

10^th: Justin Singleton, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 11-15, $347

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Michael Molenaar of Grovetown, Georgia, caught a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $340.

Stephen Waldon of Ellenwood, Georgia, won the Co-angler Division and $1,839 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Stephen Waldon, Ellenwood, Ga., five bass 15-1, $1,839

2^nd: Corey Bryson, Mount Airy, Ga., five bass, 13-6, $744

3^rd: Roger Coggins, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 11-7, $497

4^th: Keith Horton, Anderson, S.C., four bass, 10-2, $347

5^th: Eric Cerny, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 10-0, $298

6^th: Bill Hawkins, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 9-13, $323

7^th: Keith Lewis, Franklin, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $235

7^th: Tucker Souther, Brevard, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $235

9^th: Mark Johnson, Martinez, Ga., five bass, 9-9, $198

10^th: Nathan McClure, Hiawassee, Ga., five bass, 9-8, $174

Mario Hill of Thomson, Georgia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $170.

The tournament was hosted by Tugaloo State Park.

by AnglersChannel

TENNESSEE’S SURATT WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON PICKWICK LAKE

Co-Angler Title Goes to Byhalia’s Sawyer

IUKA, Miss. (April 8, 2019) – Boater Trent Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, brought five bass to the weigh-in stage Saturday totaling 20 pounds, 3 ounces, to earn the win and $4,394 at the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mississippi Division tournament on Pickwick Lake.

“I was on the upper end of the lake, just below Wilson Dam, targeting chunk rock in 4 to 7 feet of water where smallmouth and largemouth like to get in and bed,” said Suratt, who notched his first career win in FLW competition. “I stayed in one area all day – it was pretty much a flat on the main river that was probably 100 by 100 yards in size.

“I caught five keepers – three smallmouth and two largemouth,” continued Suratt. “I had two fish at 11 [a.m.] and three more between 11 and 1 [p.m.]. It was a midday bite – that’s how it’s been the last couple of weeks. They haven’t come up to feed to feed until 11 or noon.”

Suratt said he caught his fish on shaky-head rigs with a 5-inch, green-pumpkin-colored Yum Dinger. He used 10-pound-test Yo-Zuri braided line with an 8-pound-test Sunline Super FC Sniper fluorocarbon leader and a 7-foot, 3-inch Fitzgerald Stunner HD Medium-Heavy Spinning Rod.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Trent Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., five bass, 20-3, $4,394

2^nd: Don Perkins, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 19-12, $2,397

3^rd: Taurian Parks, Yazoo City, Miss., five bass, 19-7, $1,564

4^th: Todd Rackley, Sheffield, Ala., five bass, 19-4, $1,025

5^th: Blake Daugherty, Batesville, Miss., five bass, 18-9, $879

6^th: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., four bass, 18-2, $1,985

7^th: Mitch Mitchell, Muscle Shoals, Ala., five bass, 18-1, $695

7^th: Jade Keeton, Florence, Ala., five bass, 18-1, $695

9^th: Jeff Suratt, Leoma, Tenn., five bass, 17-15, $736

10^th: Heath Gilmore, Meridian, Miss., five bass, 17-11, $513

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Atkins caught a 9-pound, 2-ouncer – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $630.

Thomas Sawyer of Byhalia, Mississippi, won the Co-angler Division and $2,512 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Thomas Sawyer, Byhalia, Miss., five bass, 19-9, $2,512

2^nd: John Swords, Collierville, Tenn., five bass, 15-2, $1,098

3^rd: Kevin Crutcher, Collierville, Tenn., four bass, 13-11, $733

4^th: George Welch, Hernando, Miss., five bass, 12-11, $513

5^th: Richard Baker, Jackson, Tenn., five bass, 12-10, $439

6^th: Larry Stewart Jr., Clinton, Miss., four bass, 11-12, $603

7^th: Zach Smith, Ripley, Miss., three bass, 10-10, $366

8^th: Jimmy Tisdale, Ellisville, Miss., four bass, 10-2, $330

9^th: Ryan LeCompte, Picayune, Miss., four bass, 9-10, $343

10^th: Don White, Columbus, Miss., three bass, 9-6, $406

Sawyer also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $315.

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.

by AnglersChannel

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