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

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

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.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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 12th 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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.

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 24-26 BFL Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9th:          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.

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:       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 Boat Truck Angler 1 Angler 2 Fish Big Bass Wt. Prize Amt.
1 BJ CAROTHERS
GATESVILLE , TX		 THOMAS WELLS JR
TEMPLE , TX		 5 6.64 20.09
$20000.00 + $200 Sure-Lfe Bonus
2 ADAM GLAZENER
SALADO , TX		 TY BUTLER
KILLEEN , TX		 5 0 18.58
$3000.00 + $3000 Skeeter Bonus Cash+$250 Lowrance
3 GARY WEIMER
LEANDER , TX		 JEREMIAH WAFFORD
CEDAR PARK , TX		 5 0 18.55
$2000.00
4 MATT HILL
JONESTOWN , TX		 BARRY MOTT
LIBERTY HILL , TX		 5 0 17.63
$1200.00
5 TODD IVINS
BOERNE , TX		 BILLY MCCRARY II
TEMPLE , TX		 5 0 17.16
$1050.00 + Sportsmans Auto Network Bonus
6 JASON METZGAR
CHINA SPRING , TX		 BRANDON GEESLIN
WACO , TX		 5 0 15.97
$1040.00
7 TRAVIS MEYER
BELTON , TX		 5 0 15.67
$1030.00
8 JOHN KAPALDO
BUDA , TX		 JACOB KAPALDO
KYLE , TX		 5 6.90 15.61
$1020.00
9 BLAKE ARAPIS
BURNET , TX		 CHARLES WILSON JR
BRIGGS , TX		 5 0 15.40
$1010.00
10 DAVID SHUSTER
GEORGETOWN , TX		 CHARLES GERHART
SALADO , TX		 5 0 15.34
$1000.00
11 DAVID SCHWERTNER
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 DAVID RIDLEY III
WACO , TX		 5 0 15.29
$1000.00
12 GARRETT SHEPPERD
GEORGETOWN , TX		 GREGORY SHEPPERD
GEORGETOWN , TX		 5 0 14.68
$1000.00
13 CLAYTON HELDT
VICTORIA , TX		 CHAD KALLINA
LAGO VISTA , TX		 5 6.81 14.38
$1000.00
14 KEITH HONEYCUTT
TEMPLE , TX		 SAM JONES
ROGERS , TX		 5 0 14.30
$950.00
15 SHAWN TAYLOR
ABILENE , TX		 JEREMY EASTERWOOD
ABILENE , TX		 5 5.65 14.19
$900.00
16 GARRETT KOSLAN
AUSTIN , TX		 ERIC CRUMLEY
LEANDER , TX		 5 0 14.07
$850.00
17 BILL GUZMAN
AUSTIN , TX		 TIM STEWART
AUSTIN , TX		 5 0 14.01
$800.00
18 SKYLER CAROTHERS
GATESVILLE , TX		 CANYON CAROTHERS
GATESVILLE , TX		 5 0 13.69
$800.00
19 JAMES BEAUCHAMP
SUNRISE BEACH , TX		 BRENNAN FERTIG
BAY CITY , TX		 5 6.96 13.61
$800.00 + $500.00 Big Bass
20 ROBERT PRESCOTT
SEQUIN , TX		 DEVIN GIBSON
GONZALES , TX		 5 6.36 13.10
$800.00
21 STEVE MAGNELIA
AUSTIN , TX		 MICHAEL TENNANT
PFLUGERVILLE , TX		 5 0 13.08
$800.00
22 DUSTIN BARFIELD
BELTON , TX		 NATHAN MATTHEWS
TROY , TX		 5 0 13.05
22 TOM GUIDRY
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX		 JR BRIANT
KINGSLAND , TX		 5 0 13.05
24 ROY STEGER
BELTON , TX		 CHET SUTTON
SALADO , TX		 5 0 13.00
25 RICKY PIERCE
THORNDALE , TX		 RHETT PIERCE
THORNDALE , TX		 5 5.60 12.79
26 WILLIAM VICKERS
SALADO , TX		 BILLY HIRSCHMANN
BELTON , TX		 5 0 12.78
27 BRANDON DAY
BROWNWOOD , TX		 CADE WILSON
EARLY , TX		 5 0 12.51
28 PHILLIP MASSOLETTI
BURNET , TX		 CHARLES MEREDITH
DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX		 5 0 12.45
29 CHARLIE GANTENBEIN
SALADO , TX		 WENDY RANDOLPH
SALADO , TX		 5 0 12.33
30 KELLEY MAULDIN
COPPELL , TX		 MIKE GROUNDS
MARBLE FALLS , TX		 5 0 12.32
31 DEAN ALEXANDER
JONESTOWN , TX		 THOMAS MARTENS
JONESTOWN , TX		 5 0 12.27
32 CHRIS GOODMAN
STEPHENVILLE , TX		 JOSH MURPHREE
RISING STAR , TX		 5 0 12.22
33 RANDY GROUNDS
HORSESHOE BAY , TX		 LEE BEUERSHAUSEN
MARBLE FALLS , TX		 5 0 12.21
34 RONALD SISK
RIO VISTA , TX		 KENNETH FULLER JR
RIO VISTA , TX		 5 0 12.12
35 DALE READ
LEANDER , TX		 JIM SUNVISON
GEORGETOWN , TX		 5 0 12.11
36 JOHNNY HOMANN
KYLE , TX		 JAY HESS
LOCKHART , TX		 5 0 12.10
37 DAMON ROSS
GEORGETOWN , TX		 DYLAN ROSS
LEXINGTON , TX		 5 0 11.91
38 DANIEL BARNES
BELTON , TX		 ADRIAN BARNES
BELTON , TX		 5 0 11.86
38 DERICK KUYRKENDALL
BERGHEIM , TX		 FORREST WILSON
SPRING BRANCH , TX		 5 0 11.86
40 GARRETT HENNIG
BELTON , TX		 BRANDON MCQUEEN
TEMPLE , TX		 5 0 11.79
41 MARK BIONDI SR
BURLESON , TX		 MARK BIONDI JR
BURLESON , TX		 5 0 11.59
42 KEVIN MASON
COLDSPRING , TX		 BUD PRUITT
HOUSTON , TX		 5 0 11.24
43 CRIS TATUM
BELTON , TX		 JUSTIN TATUM
BELTON , TX		 5 0 11.21
44 LEONARD PHILIPP
BASTROP , TX		 HUNTER ARTHUR
BASTROP , TX		 5 0 11.19
45 TYLER LAWHORN
TEMPLE , TX		 GRAYSON HONEYCUTT
TEMPLE , TX		 5 0 11.17
46 CHARLES WHITED
SAN MARCOS , TX		 TREY GROCE
DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX		 5 0 11.10
47 TYLER TORWICK
AUSTIN , TX		 BRYAN SCOTT
LIBERTY HILL , TX		 5 4.56 11.00
48 LANCE DILLARD
LLANO , TX		 BLAKE DILLARD
LLANO , TX		 5 0 10.99
49 TULLY WILLIAMS
GATESVILLE , TX		 PAT WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX		 5 0 10.96
50 COLT DIETZ
AUSTIN , TX		 CHRIS STUDINGER
SAN ANTONIO , TX		 5 0 10.84
51 BRIAN MATER
AUSTIN , TX		 PHILLIP WARREN
AUSTIN , TX		 5 0 10.81
52 ANDREW WHITEHEAD
PFLUGERVILLE , TX		 MICKEY SANDERS
SPICEWOOD , TX		 5 0 10.70
53 TIM MABRAY
BELTON , TX		 ED COLE
BELTON , TX		 5 0 10.69
54 KENNETH CUMMINS
PAIGE , TX		 JIMMY CHAPMAN
HUTTO , TX		 5 0 10.56
54 WILLIAM BLAINE
SAN ANGELO , TX		 DUSTIN WALTON
ABILENE , TX		 5 0 10.56
56 MICHAEL WALDROP
AUSTIN , TX		 JARROD SANDERS
AUSTIN , TX		 5 0 10.49
57 REX WHEELER
BELTON , TX		 BRUCE DAVIS
KEMPNER , TX		 5 0 10.40
58 MIKE RICHARDSON
THORNDALE , TX		 ZACH BROWN
GEORGETOWN , TX		 5 0 10.32
59 ANTHONY GARCIA
ROUND ROCK , TX		 ERIC GARCIA
STANLEY , NM		 5 0 10.30
60 JEFFERY HUNTER
UNIVERSAL CITY , TX		 KENNETH WITEK
STOCKDALE , TX		 5 0 10.22
61 DAVID CHILES
WACO , TX		 PAT NUNLEY
WACO , TX		 5 0 10.13
62 RYAN WARREN
GATESVILLE , TX		 JASON DERRICK
VALLEY MILLS , TX		 5 0 10.05
63 RAY TOMASITS
LEANDER , TX		 CARY LAUDADIO
AUSTIN , TX		 4 6.01 10.03
64 THOMAS WEIMER
ROUND ROCK , TX		 BRANDON JONES
ROUND ROCK , TX		 5 0 9.98
65 MATT CANNON
TROY , TX		 JARED SIEGELER
BELTON , TX		 5 0 9.90
66 JASON GALLAS
BLANCO , TX		 KEN PARKER
BOERNE , TX		 5 0 9.78
67 KEVIN UNGER
SMITHVILLE , TX		 TIM GOETZ
SMITHVILLE , TX		 5 0 9.75
68 MIKE HARMAN
BASTROP , TX		 BRIAN HUGHES
TAYLOR , TX		 5 0 9.70
69 ANTHONY SKOUBY
CIBOLO , TX		 JASON WILLIAMS
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX		 5 0 9.69
70 TYLER SMART
GATESVILLE , TX		 WADE KEY
GATESVILLE , TX		 5 0 9.67
71 CLAYTON FRENCH
LAMPASAS , TX		 KELLY HUDSON
LAMPASAS , TX		 5 0 9.66
72 SCOTT MEADS
KILLEEN , TX		 TOM GRIDLEY
WIMBERLEY , TX		 5 0 9.62
73 BRANDON BRAY
MARBLE FALLS , TX		 JOE BRAY
MARBLE FALLS , TX		 5 0 9.50
74 AJ HALL
BROWNWOOD , TX		 AUDWIN HALL
BROWNWOOD , TX		 5 0 9.48
75 KELVIN HOGG
ARLINGTON , TX		 BRIAN ROUSSEL
ARLINGTON , TX		 5 0 9.46
76 JOHN RILEY
KILLEEN , TX		 ANDY FOULKROD
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 5 0 9.44
77 CLINT BROWN
AUSTIN , TX		 BLAINE BUTLER
CEDAR PARK , TX		 5 0 9.40
78 JAMES SCOGIN
AUSTIN , TX		 ROLAND LOERA
AUSTIN , TX		 5 0 9.39
79 BILL LEE
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 MICHELLE LEE
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 5 0 9.26
80 ALLEN SHELTON
FARMERS BRANCH , TX		 BRAD DRAKE
IRVING , TX		 5 0 9.22
81 SHAWN USCHAN
KILLEEN , TX		 MATTHEW KEEN
COPPERAS COVE , TX		 5 0 9.19
82 JAY STIDHAM
WACO , TX		 5 0 9.14
83 COLE TEMPLE
KELLER , TX		 JOSH BENSEMA
WILLIS , TX		 4 0 9.11
83 WILLIAM BRUNSON
LIBERTY HILL , TX		 DANIEL EMBLEM
KILLEEN , TX		 5 0 9.11
85 STERLING MARTIN
BEEVILLE , TX		 COURTNEY BEHREND
COMFORT , TX		 5 0 9.00
86 MICHAEL VASQUEZ
TEMPLE , TX		 KENNY ROBERTSON
BRUCEVILLE , TX		 5 0 8.95
87 SEAN EVANS
KILLEEN , TX		 RODNEY THOMPSON
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 4 0 8.94
88 JOSH LASSETER
BUCHANAN DAM , TX		 DON KING
BUCHANAN DAM , TX		 5 0 8.88
89 RONALD GOERDEL
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 JOHN GILBERT JR
LEANDER , TX		 5 0 8.84
90 JAMES CANTWELL
KINGSLAND , TX		 TOM CANTWELL
LAGRANGE , TX		 5 0 8.83
91 TERRY ADAIR
ALVIN , TX		 CHAD ADAIR
ALVIN , TX		 5 0 8.78
92 CLIFF BROWN
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 5 0 8.74
93 JASON BUCHANAN
BURNET , TX		 TERRY KIRCUS
BURNET , TX		 5 0 8.55
94 MIKE PICKWELL
DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX		 JOE COLE
AUSTIN , TX		 5 0 8.51
95 DUSTIN GRICE
VALLEY MILLS , TX		 JOHNNY GRICE
EARLY , TX		 5 0 8.47
96 MICHAEL BRISENO
ELGIN , TX		 LUCAS LARSON
HUTTO , TX		 5 0 8.44
97 DARRELL WUENSCHE
THRALL , TX		 SAM MORROW
AUSTIN , TX		 3 0 8.35
98 ROBERT MIKES
SHINER , TX		 MARKUS ELDER
NEW WAVERLY , TX		 5 0 8.32
99 CODY GREANEY
MANCHACA , TX		 ROBERT ROARK
THE WOODLANDS , TX		 5 0 8.27
100 BRET STAFFORD
BELTON , TX		 DANNY LANGLEY
BELTON , TX		 5 0 8.08
101 GLEN DERKS II
LIBERTY HILL , TX		 BRYAN SIMPSON
LIBERTY HILL , TX		 5 0 8.04
102 RANDY HIBLER
MARBLE FALLS , TX		 RANDALL CHRISTIAN
TOW , TX		 5 0 7.97
103 AYDEN REEDY
SPRING BRANCH , TX		 RUSTY REEDY
SPRING BRANCH , TX		 5 0 7.61
104 LINO GUTTIRREZ
COTTONWOOD WOOD SHORES , TX		 RUBEN RIBERA
MARBLE FALLS , TX		 5 0 7.54
104 WESTON BROWN
HOUSTON , TX		 DAVID DOONAN
CALDWELL , TX		 5 0 7.54
106 RUSSELL WHITE
BASTROP , TX		 BRIAN CRAWFORD
RED ROCK , TX		 4 0 7.44
107 JOHN WALSH
LEANDER , TX		 JEFF JENKINS
LEANDER , TX		 5 0 7.42
108 TOMMY MARTINEZ
DEVINE , TX		 ARMANDO MARTINEZ
DEVINE , TX		 4 0 7.40
109 JACK MEREDITH
BELTON , TX		 STEVEN BREAZEALE
AUSTIN , TX		 4 0 7.21
110 PATRICK ANDERSON
BUDA , TX		 DOUG HAMILTON
LAKEWAY , TX		 4 0 6.95
111 GERARD RUMSEY
AUSTIN , TX		 EDWARD RUMSEY
BURNET , TX		 4 0 5.85
112 TONY FERDINANDO
SPICEWOOD , TX		 SHANE LOGAN
BUDA , TX		 4 0 5.68
113 RYAN FAIN
SPRING BRANCH , TX		 GEORGE DELOACH
BOERNE , TX		 2 0 5.58
114 DAVID OVERCASH
WEST , TX		 ROGER FRIELDS
WACO , TX		 3 0 5.41
115 WILLIAM DANKERT
SALADO , TX		 TYLER DANKERT
SALADO , TX		 2 0 5.36
116 GARRETT GOETTEE
TOMBALL , TX		 HUGH KELLER
HOUSTON , TX		 3 0 5.14
117 DAVID RUTHERFORD
ARTESIA , NM		 CURTIS PENNINGTON
ARTESIA , NM		 3 0 4.98
118 CHARLES PURSELL
AUSTIN , TX		 MATTHEW PURYEAR
AUSTIN , TX		 3 0 4.35
119 ROBERT MIERAS
COPPERAS COVE , TX		 JOHNNY WIERZBICKI
MOODY , TX		 2 0 4.10
120 CHANS MARTIN
FAIR OAKS RANCH , TX		 CHASE MEIER
COMFORT , TX		 2 0 3.26
121 TROY LOWERY
BROWNWOOD , TX		 TOMMY MORENO
NEED INFO		 1 0 2.12
122 TRAVIS GERGELY
SEGUIN , TX		 BLAINE MURNAHAN
NEW BRAUNSFELS , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 RONNY MAYNARD
GEORGETOWN , TX		 JOHN HALLEY
KILLEEN , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 GERALD MUELLER JR
PFLUGERVILLE , TX		 GENE FUESSEL
AUSTIN , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 WILLIAM FESLER
LAMPASAS , TX		 DAVID LAINE
HORSESHOE BAY , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 DONNIE ONEAL
PFLUGERVILLE , TX		 MAELSTROM KIEWIET
AUSTIN , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 SHAWN MARKGRAF
BURNET , TX		 TRENT BLAKE
BURNET , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 CHRIS WOEHL
CEDAR PARK , TX		 CHRIS CLEMENTS
ROUND ROCK , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 ROGER SARAIBA
LEANDER , TX		 LOUIE BRUNO
PFLUGERVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 ANTHONY GOODSON
DRIFTWOOD , TX		 MICAH KIRKHART
MARTINDALE , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 MICHAEL HETTICK
CORPUS CHRISTI , TX		 KAPPY ALLEN
ROBSTOWN , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 TIM RENEAU
RICHLAND SPINGS , TX		 JUDY RENEAU
RICHLAND SPRINGS , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 ADAM MIRANDA
BROWNWOOD , TX		 ROGER SOTO
BROWNWOOD , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 JASON COSTINE
MONTGOMERY , TX		 KATHLEEN COSTINE
MONTGOMERY , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 DAREN SEBEK
TEMPLE , TX		 CHANCE SEBEK
BELTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 JACOB BRYANT
SALADO , TX		 KYLE HEPP
GEORGETOWN , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 TYSON PATRICK
MIDLAND , TX		 SHANE PATRICK
SPRINGDALE , AR		 0 0 0.00
122 WAYNE ORENDER JR
PFLUGERVILLE , TX		 BRAD STEWART
HUTTO , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 BENNY BYERS
TEMPLE , TX		 BENJAMIN BYERS
BELTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 RANDY BUTLER
BELTON , TX		 TERRY BUTLER
BELTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 WALTER KILPATRICK
KILLEEN , TX		 DAVID KIPP
NOLANVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 MICHAEL MALCIK
BELTON , TX		 PAUL ELLIS
WACO , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 STEPHEN SHEPHERD
SEGUIN , TX		 CLAYTON SHEPHERD
BELTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 LUIS GUZMAN
KEMPNER , TX		 ANIBAL GUZMAN
HARKER HEIGHTS , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 CHARLES HICE
BURNET , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 JEREMY ANZVALDA
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX		 JASON RANFT
NEW BRAUNSFELS , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 JAMES HESTER
SALADO , TX		 NEAL CHILDERS
CYPRESS , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 BILLY FORD
BELTON , TX		 WILLIAM LYNCH
BELTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 TRAVIS DAUGHERTY
BURNET , TX		 TRAVIS COCKERHAM
BARTLETT , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 CALVIN BALCH
PORTER , TX		 FLOYD BALCH
WACO , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 ERIC WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX		 ZANE WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 HUDSON CARLTON
LIBERTY HILL , TX		 FRED CATES SR
ROCKDALE , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 DWAYNE KINLEY
AUSTIN , TX		 LEVAR JENKINS
AUSTIN , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 JOHN PRICE
LA GRANGE , TX		 DUSTY FRANK
WEST POINT , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 GERALD POBORIL
TEMPLE , TX		 JACK POWE
KEMPNER , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 KAEL WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX		 SHELLY WASHBURN
GATESVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
122 JASON RIEDEL
ALEDO , TX		 DANIEL HERRING
WATUAGA , TX		 0 0 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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 10th 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Finishing 11th through 30th are:

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30th:        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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30th:        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.

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.

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 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the most fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

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 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.

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

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."

 

 

 

Place 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 18thplace and earned himself his first $10,000 check of his career. While he isn’t satisfied with anything but 1stplace, 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 21stplace 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10th:        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.

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.

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 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the most fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

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 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.

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.

 

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.

 

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

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)

 

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

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 50thanniversary 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 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.

 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 
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 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:

1st:           University of Louisiana-Monroe – Connor Nimrod, Monroe, La., and Morgan Jalaldin, West Monroe, La., five bass, 18-15, $2,000

2nd:          Tarleton State University – Reagan Nelson and Cody Rayburn, both of Athens, Texas, five bass, 18-9, $1,400

3rd:          Texas A&M University – Garrison Thomas, Keller, Texas, and Tyler Anderson, Austin, Texas, five bass, 18-4, $500

4th:           Oklahoma State University – Dexter Flick, Stillwater, Okla., and Cameron Simmons, Owasso, Okla., five bass, 18-1, $900

5th:           Tulsa Community College – Garrett James, Sand Springs, Okla., and Garrett McCrackin, Jennings, Okla., five bass, 17-4, $500

6th:           Angelo State University – Lance Culak, San Angelo, Texas, and Steven Armstrong, Brownwood, Texas, five bass, 17-3

7th:           East Texas Baptist University – Brett Clark, Center, Texas, and Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 16-13

8th:           Texas State University – Conner Iselt, Georgetown, Texas, and Josh Soroka, Arlington, Texas, five bass, 15-5

9th:           University of Oklahoma – Drew Fazzino, The Woodlands, Texas, and Charles Vang, Norman, Okla., five bass, 14-10

10th:        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.

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

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:

1st:          R.J. DeGrandcourt, Clarksville, Va., five bass, 18-7, $2,585

2nd:         Ben Dalton, Keeling, Va., five bass, 16-5, $1,175

3rd:          Travis Lugar, McGaheysville, Va., five bass, 15-9, $784

4th:          Jack Dice, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 15-0, $759

4th:          Thomas Svec, Chesapeake, Va., five bass, 15-0, $509

6th:          Curtis Talbott, Forest, Va., five bass, 14-15, $631

7th:          Michael Delvisco, Dandridge, Tenn., five bass, 14-1, $392

8th:          Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., five bass, 13-11, $752

9th:          Rick Hawkins, Roanoke, Va., five bass, 13-10, $313

10th:        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:

1st:          Kyle Richardt, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 12-7, $1,175

2nd:         Trey Grow, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 11-6, $587

3rd:          Louis Britos, Disputanta, Va., five bass, 10-10, $393

4th:          Jamie Newton, Falls Church, Va., four bass, 10-9, $254

4th:          Timothy Kinder, Manassas, Va., five bass, 10-9, $354

6th:          Brandt Thompson , Richmond, Va., five bass, 10-7, $215

7th:          Gregory Chuhta, Germantown, Md., five bass, 10-5, $196

8th:          Danny Crickenberger, Charlottesville, Va., four bass, 10-0, $293

9th:          Billy Brown, Dahlgren, Va., five bass, 9-13, $157

10th:        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.

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

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:

1st:          Brad Benfield, Cornelia, Ga., five bass, 14-15, $2,977

2nd:         Derrick Bridges, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 14-7, $1,489

3rd:          Carl Zoellner, Highlands, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $992

4th:          Sean Skey, Sumter, S.C., five bass, 13-8, $895

5th:          Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-2, $845

6th:          Jeremy Strong, Elberton, Ga., five bass, 12-15, $846

7th:          Justin Raines, Easley, S.C., five bass, 12-14, $596

8th:          Joe Eubanks, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 12-5, $447

9th:          Baylor Ronemus, Clarkesville, Ga., five bass, 12-2, $397

10th:        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:

1st:          Stephen Waldon, Ellenwood, Ga., five bass     15-1, $1,839

2nd:         Corey Bryson, Mount Airy, Ga., five bass, 13-6, $744

3rd:          Roger Coggins, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 11-7, $497

4th:          Keith Horton, Anderson, S.C., four bass, 10-2, $347

5th:          Eric Cerny, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 10-0, $298

6th:          Bill Hawkins, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 9-13, $323

7th:          Keith Lewis, Franklin, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $235

7th:          Tucker Souther, Brevard, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $235

9th:          Mark Johnson, Martinez, Ga., five bass, 9-9, $198

10th:        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.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 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

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:

1st:          Trent Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., five bass, 20-3, $4,394

2nd:         Don Perkins, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 19-12, $2,397

3rd:          Taurian Parks, Yazoo City, Miss., five bass, 19-7, $1,564

4th:          Todd Rackley, Sheffield, Ala., five bass, 19-4, $1,025

5th:          Blake Daugherty, Batesville, Miss., five bass, 18-9, $879

6th:          Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., four bass, 18-2, $1,985

7th:          Mitch Mitchell, Muscle Shoals, Ala., five bass, 18-1, $695

7th:          Jade Keeton, Florence, Ala., five bass, 18-1, $695

9th:          Jeff Suratt, Leoma, Tenn., five bass, 17-15, $736

10th:        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:

1st:          Thomas Sawyer, Byhalia, Miss., five bass, 19-9, $2,512

2nd:         John Swords, Collierville, Tenn., five bass, 15-2, $1,098

3rd:          Kevin Crutcher, Collierville, Tenn., four bass, 13-11, $733

4th:          George Welch, Hernando, Miss., five bass, 12-11, $513

5th:          Richard Baker, Jackson, Tenn., five bass, 12-10, $439

6th:          Larry Stewart Jr., Clinton, Miss., four bass, 11-12, $603

7th:          Zach Smith, Ripley, Miss., three bass, 10-10, $366

8th:          Jimmy Tisdale, Ellisville, Miss., four bass, 10-2, $330

9th:          Ryan LeCompte, Picayune, Miss., four bass, 9-10, $343

10th:        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.

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

HUDSON, PUGH AND GREGORY TIE FOR T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE WIN ON LEWIS SMITH LAKE

Stephenson Claims Co-Angler Title

JASPER, Ala. (April 8, 2019) – Boaters David Hudson of Jasper, Alabama, and Greg Pugh and Dexton Gregory, both of Cullman, Alabama, ended up in a three-way tie for the win at the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Choo Choo Division tournament on Lewis Smith Lake after each bringing five bass weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce, to the scale. After contingency awards, Hudson earned $3,001, with Gregory taking home $2,801 and Pugh $2,501.

Gregory and Pugh said they caught their bass sight-fishing. Gregory caught his fish from Rock Creek – both largemouth and spotted bass.

“I had a few largemouth I found first thing [in the morning]. After that I went and got some spotted bass that I actually found on Friday during practice,” said Gregory, who earned his first in win FLW competition. “The largemouth were on little flats in the backs of pockets in 1 to 3 feet of water, while the spots were keyed in on certain rocks in 5 to 7 feet of water. I ended up catching 15 keepers throughout the day.”

Gregory said he flipped a white ½-ounce custom jig with a white Zoom Super Chunk trailer for his largemouth, while his spotted bass ate a 1/8-ounce shaky-head rig with a Bold Bluegill-colored Strike King KVD Fat Baby Finesse Worm.

Pugh, who earned his second career victory in BFL competition, primarily fished mid-lake, catching bass on jerkbaits, topwaters, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and Hawg Caller jigs. All of the fish that he weighed in came via sight-fishing, though.

Hudson worked in Ryan Creek and on the main lake and said he caught approximately 50 fish throughout the day.

“The other two [Gregory and Pugh] were sight-fishing, but I just fished, with most of my bites coming from 8 to 10 feet of water,” said Hudson, who earned his first career victory as a boater in FLW competition. “They could’ve been spawning, but I couldn’t see them – I didn’t try to. All of my fish were spotted bass, and I think that the Gamma 6-pound-test fluorocarbon line is what made the difference for me. The water in the area was so clear, and when I started using it I had a lot more bites.”

Hudson said his baits of choice were wacky-rigged Watermelon Seed- and green-pumpkin-colored Yamamoto Senkos and a shaky-head rig with a Payback-colored Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          David Hudson, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 15-1, $3,001

1st:          Greg Pugh, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 15-1, $2,501

1st:          Dexton Gregory, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 15-1, $2,801

4th:          Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., five bass, 14-10, $979

5th:          David Milsaps, Ranger, Ga ., five bass, 14-9, $1,053

6th:          Randall Allen, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., five bass, 14-5, $690

7th:          Jackie Flack, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 14-3, $628

8th:          James Swindle, Parrish, Ala., five bass, 13-15, $565

9th:          Justin Blalock, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 13-10, $502

10th:        Kyle Glasgow, Guin, Ala., five bass, 13-4, $439

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Chad Aaron of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, caught a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $500.

Justin Stephenson of Jasper, Alabama, won the Co-angler Division and $1,873 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Justin Stephenson, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 15-5, $1,873

2nd:         Cameron Gatlin, Chattanooga, Tenn., five bass, 15-4, $936

3rd:          Daniel Swartz, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 14-3, $591

4th:          Randy Hill, Athens, Ala., five bass, 13-6, $564

5th:          William Ryan, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 12-9, $355

6th:          Hayden Obarr, Gurley, Ala., five bass, 12-6, $325

7th:          Donnie Gamble, Bessemer, Ala., five bass, 11-14, $295

8th:          Richard Lucia, Buford, Ga., five bass, 11-10, $266

9th:          Hank Golden, Tallassee, Ala., five bass, 11-4, $336

10th:        David Marr, Cleveland, Tenn., five bass, 10-13, $207

Matthew Spears of Jasper caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 3 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $222.

The tournament was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce Walker County.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.

The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 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

VINITA HIGH SCHOOL WINS 2019 BASS PRO SHOPS FLW HIGH SCHOOL FISHING LAKE TEXOMA OPEN

DENISON, Texas (April 8, 2019) – The Vinita High School duo of Tyler Lake and Jessie Woodward, both of Vinita, Oklahoma, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 22 pounds, 11 ounces to win the 2019 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Texoma Open.

A field of 26 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from Highport Marina in Pottsboro. The tournament was hosted by the Denison Area Chamber of Commerce. In FLW and TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

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

1st:       Vinita High School, Vinita, Okla. – Tyler Lake and Jesse Woodward, both of Vinita, Okla., five bass, 22-11

2nd:     Norman North High School, Norman, Okla. – Hunter Meadows and Cameron Meadows, both of Midwest City, Okla., five bass, 19-1

Rounding out the top 10 were:

3rd:      Tushka High School, Tushka, Okla. – Seth Daniel and Sam Kennedy, both of Atoka, Okla., five bass, 16-4

4th:      Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Okla. – Reese David and Mack Taylor, both of Sand Springs, Okla., five bass, 14-6

5th:      Mannford High School, Mannford, Okla. – Todd McKinley, Mannford, Okla., and Cole Kilpatrick, Yale, Okla., five bass, 13-3

6th:      Broken Arrow High School, Broken Arrow, Okla. – Michael Reiss and Max Klein, both of Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 12-7

7th:      Queen City High School, Queen City, Texas – Rylan Donaldson, Queen City, Texas, and Carson Dillinger, Bloomberg, Texas, five bass, 11-14

8th:      Westmoore High School, Oklahoma City, Okla. – Joshua Smith, Oklahoma City, Okla., and Colton White, Moore, Okla., five bass, 11-9

9th:      Queen City High School, Queen City, Texas – Ryan Ream and Dylan Benson, both of Atlanta, Texas, five bass, 11-0

10th:    Calvary Baptist Academy, Shreveport, La. – Mark Andrew Trant and Noah Trant, both of Bossier City, La., five bass, 10-15

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

The 2019 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Texoma 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.

by AnglersChannel

Bedding Bass Will Likely Be Key During Bassmaster Elite At Winyah Bay

When the Bassmaster Elite Series visited Winyah Bay in 2016, the crowds were among the best ever for the trail. The Elite Series visits again this week.                                                                                               Photo by Gary Tramontina/B.A.S.S.
April 8, 2019

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Even though conditions are setting up well for the spawn to play a role during the upcoming Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay, traditional sight fishing tactics may not be the only option for the 75-angler field.
Competition days will be Thursday through Sunday, with takeoffs each day at 7 a.m. ET from Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex and weigh-ins back at the complex at 3:20 p.m. The winning angler will receive $100,000, while the entire field fights for valuable points in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.

South Carolina pro Patrick Walters said bedding fish may be hard to see during higher tides — and that will force them to rely on unseen beds they located when the tide was low.

“I think it’ll be a 50-50 mixture of prespawn and spawning bass,” said Walters, a 24-year-old Elite Series rookie from Summerville, S.C. “There will be a good bit of spawning going on; we’re going to have warm temperatures all the way through the tournament.

“The tidal fluctuation can make them a lot easier to catch at certain times and at other times, you can’t even see them. So, it’s going to be important to know where the fish are and to be able to navigate the body of water.”

Bass on tidal fisheries instinctively know to establish their spawning nests below the low-tide line to ensure their spots aren’t drained dry by the outgoing cycle. That being said, a bed in clear visibility during low tide may completely disappear when an incoming tide stacks another couple feet of water over the fish.

The East Coast’s fourth-largest estuary, in terms of discharge rate, Winyah Bay is fed by the Waccamaw, Pee Dee, Black, Sampit and Santee rivers. The Cooper River offers a distant, yet doable option via the long Intracoastal Waterway run south to Charleston.

Walters said wood will likely be the dominant shallow cover, although the Cooper River is known to have grass and some of the other rivers have lily pads.

“In some of the rivers, the fish can really tuck into the wood and get away from you,” he said. “And some fish will be on more accessible pieces of wood.”

Walters said he expects pitching and flipping tactics to be more common in Winyah Bay and its main rivers, while reaction baits such as spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, square bill crankbaits and bladed jigs will likely be popular in the Cooper. It’s unlikely that a single bait will consistently produce throughout this diverse and expansive estuary, but diligence and attention will reveal the sustainable patterns.

“Each river is going to have its own bite going on,” Walters said. “It’s just a matter of figuring out which river you want to fish and what the bite is at that time.

“Geography, habitat and probably temperature will determine a lot of that. A lot of the rivers have just recently become stable, while some have been stable for a longer time. That makes a big difference in where the fish will spawn.”

When the Elite Series last visited Winyah Bay in 2016, it took a four-day total of 56 pounds, 3 ounces to win and 43-9 to make the Top 10 cut. Walters said he’s expecting a more generous Winyah Bay this year.

“I’d say to win it’s going to take 16 to 17 pounds a day and 13 to 14 a day to make the Top 10,” he said. “A 6-to 7-pounder is considered a good one here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone caught an 8.

“I think we’ll see a 20-pound bag, but it’s going to be a matter of holding on. The thing about tidal fisheries is that they change every day and the key is being able to adapt every day to these changes.”

The full field will fish the first two days before cutting to the Top 35 for the semifinal round on Saturday. Only the Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Elite Expo will be held at Carroll Ashmore Campbell Marine Complex, giving fans a chance to enjoy demo rides with Nitro, Skeeter and Triton boats, prize giveaways from Toyota and Academy Sports + Outdoors, the Berkley/Abu Garcia Experience trailer, kids activities and more.

Fans will be able to meet the Elite Series pros from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Angler Alley, with chances for autographs and photos. The pros will also conducts seminars on tackle and techniques.

On Sunday from 1-3:30 p.m., the Bassmaster LIVE Watch Party will give fans a chance to watch the tournament action as it unfolds — and they could get a chance to be a part of the show.

The Winyah Bay Heritage Festival will be held in conjunction with the tournament, featuring the South Carolina Duck Calling Championships, retriever trials and free concerts by Collin Raye from 6-9 p.m. Friday and Jason Michael Carroll from 6-9 p.m. Saturday. Both concerts will be held at Francis Marion Park.

by AnglersChannel

FLW AND GENERAL TIRE ANNOUNCE EXTENSION OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP

Premier Tire Brand Renews with Fishing Organization, Named Title Sponsor of 2019 BFL All-American

MINNEAPOLIS (April 8, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Continental AG today announced an extension of their global partnership that continues to showcase and promote the General Tire brand, the “Official Tire” of FLW. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

General Tire, which first became an official sponsor of FLW in 2016, will maintain a significant presence at more than 200 tournaments across multiple FLW circuits, including the FLW Tour, the Costa FLW Series, the T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL), YETI FLW College Fishing and the Bass Pro Shops High School Fishing Opens. Per terms of the agreement, General Tire has also been named as the presenting sponsor of the prestigious 2019 T-H Marine BFL All-American, held May 30-June 1 on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland.

“Entering their fourth season as an FLW sponsor, General Tire has been extremely creative and effective in maximizing our relationship by developing campaigns that fully engage FLW fans, members and anglers, both on and off the water,” FLW President of Marketing Trish Blake said. “Being named the title sponsor of one of our most prestigious events – the BFL All-American – ensures that the General Tire brand will remain highly visible to our fans and anglers. We are pleased to announce this extension and look forward to continuing our collaboration with such a highly regarded partner.”

“We are very excited to continue our longstanding partnership with FLW,” said Travis Roffler, Director of Marketing, Continental Tire. “Fishing has continued to be a great fit for the General Tire brand, as we embody an outdoor lifestyle that usually requires trucks and the right kind of tires to get you where you need to go. We’re looking forward to continue to engage with FLW fans and anglers in 2019 and beyond.”

General Tire will receive exposure across multiple FLW media platforms including its website, social media outlets, FLW Bass Fishing magazine, the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, and on-site activation at all FLW-sanctioned tournaments and Outdoor Expos.

As part of the sponsorship agreement, General Tire will begin offering a contingency award program for all boaters and co-anglers competing in the two-day T-H Marine BFL Super Tournaments and the 2019 BFL All-American. To participate, an angler must be the owner of a vehicle and/or boat trailer used at the tournament that is running on General Tire tires and have a General Tire decal displayed on the vehicle and/or boat. The highest-finishing boater and co-angler that meet contingency requirements at each T-H Marine BFL Super Tournament and the All-American will receive a $200 Visa gift card.

All contingency payouts will be administered by FLW, allowing for immediate payouts at each tournament. Updated details and terms of the program will be posted at FLWFishing.com.

For more information on General Tire or to locate an authorized General Tire dealer near you, please visit GeneralTire.com. For complete details and updated information about FLW, visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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.

About General Tire
For over 100 years General Tire has offered a complete quality line of ultra-high performance, passenger, light truck, off-road and commercial tires to meet all your needs. General Tire is a proud supporter of ARCA, Best in the Desert Racing Series, Major League Fishing, Fishing League Worldwide, King of the Cage, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Late Model Dirt Series, Pro Pulling League, Modified Series, Drag Boat Racing Series and ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series, Petty’s Garage, Expedition Overland, FreestyleMx.com Tour, Zero One Odyssey and Spec Tire of JeepSpeed. Team GT supports athletes: CJ Hutchins, Jim Beaver, Jeff Proctor, Chase Motorsports, Camburg Racing, Stan Shelton, Ryan Beat, Skeet Reese, Edwin Evers, Mark Rose, Ott DeFoe, Andy Montgomery, James Watson, Alton Jones Jr., John Crews, Britt Myers and Bill McDonald.

by AnglersChannel

Meet Mike Elsea, Your 2019 KBF National Champion!

Vance McCullough

 

Mike Elsea was dialed-in. The results prove it. With a 3-day total of 288.75 inches and a winning margin of 16 inches against a field of 461 competitors, his was the most dominant performance ever in a Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship, or any major kayak tournament for that matter.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it,” said Elsea even after the long ride home to Indiana with the big check for $73,000 beside him.

“I caught my first bass of the tournament on a spinnerbait,” said Elsea, “but after that, I couldn’t get bit on a moving lure. I had to slowly drag a lure tight to the base of a cypress tree – try to peel the bark off of it and get hung up in order to get a bite.”

In a sea of sameness that confounded other anglers, Elsea differentiated the key trees among Caddo Lake’s countless flooded cypress. He could call his shot so well that he would just pedal to the next target and, often as not, catch a bass. “It got to a point where I would just close my eyes, because everything looks so similar with all the trees, and I would open them and say ‘oh, over there, that tree is off by itself’. And it might be 400 yards away, but I would go there and, half the time, I’d catch a fish. Depth didn’t really matter. I caught fish in 3 feet of water and I caught a fish in 8 feet of water, but the tree had to be isolated.”

If he sounds like a hardcore tourney angler, there’s good reason: Elsea has fished the pro division of the Bassmaster Opens and FLW Costa Series. He even fished the first BassFest on Chickamauga a few years back, narrowly missing a shot to fish the final day when he lost a 5-pounder at the boat and finished 11thin the wildcard elimination round. The Top 10 advanced.

Elsea expects that background to pay off now. “When you get your butt kicked 9 times out of 10 it’s going to make you better. Fishing at that level made me better. It made me more versatile. I learned different techniques, learned about finding fish. I’m taking that with me to the kayak tour.”

So how did he go from competing at a very high level in a motorboat to fishing from a ‘yak? “I kind of went through a rough period in my life. I got rid of my boat. I wasn’t able to fish much for a little over year.

“I wasn’t a real happy person to be around, to be honest. I wasn’t happy with myself and I’m sure I didn’t make very many people happy at that time either.”

A friend showed Elsea a new way to enjoy the same sport of bass fishing that he had enjoyed competitively since age 16. “A good friend of mine, year before last, kept sending me pictures. He’d gone and gotten himself a kayak and was sending me texts and pictures of all the fun he was having. I wanted to get back on the water, so I went and bought little cheapo kayak to get out there and it was fun.”

That was the beginning. As Elsea dove further down the rabbit hole, he decided to go ‘all in’ with the fastest growing outdoor activity in America. “I did some more research, was looking into this whole kayak fishing thing and couldn’t believe how big it was. There are tournaments and national championships. I thought, ‘this is cool’. With the competitive nature that I have, I looked into getting a real fishing kayak.”

Elsea found his ‘real fishing kayak’ the first time he laid eyes on the Native Watercraft 10.5 Titan with a Propel Drive. “I loved the idea of a pedal drive so I can move while I fish at the same time. The Titan is really wide so it’s real stable – I stand up most of the time.”

Elsea qualified for the biggest stage in the kayak kingdom by fishing close-to-home state challenges. “That’s really all I did. I wanted to start small. I started fishing the state challenges and qualified for this year’s National Championship through that and low and behold, I went out and won that thing,” chuckled the new champ.

“The phone hasn’t quit ringing. I have to do a podcast later tonight. Chad Hoover wanted me to stay behind and film an episode of his YouTube show, Kayak Bass Fishing, with him. We had a great time and caught some really nice fish.”

When not catching fish, Elsea is still handling animals. “I work with pigs on a commercial hog operation. I deliver babies most of the time, and give shots and vaccines, take care of the sick and things like that.

“On top of that, I’m also a fitness trainer. I’ve been that for almost 20 years now. I work 14 hours a day on average between the two jobs. Hopefully that will change here pretty soon.”

Elsea is one fitness trainer who has no problem with his clients eating pork. “Pork is a good thing to eat. One in every 4 pigs born here in the US ends up overseas so we not only feed our community around here but we’re actually feeding the world and that’s a good feeling.”

Elsea resides in the Indianapolis area. What does he consider his ‘home water’? “Indiana has a bunch of small lakes. But no matter what direction I go, I have to drive at least an hour to hit water. That stinks,” he laughed.

He mentioned a couple of nearby reservoirs and then pivoted away, “but I grew up in the northern part of the state and there’s a lot of natural lakes up there. If I have the preference and the opportunity, I’ll make the 2-hour drive to go fish some of those northern lakes. All those lakes, I feel like, are my backyard in a sense and some of them have some toads in them, I mean, some really nice fish.”

The need to choose his water wisely followed Elsea from Indiana to Louisiana where there were more lakes than ever for championship participants to pick from.

“I qualified in May or June, so I started my research on that area 9 months ago. I looked up every article I could possibly find on Cross Lake, on Lake Bistineau, Caddo Lake, the Red River. Most of my homework was done on a computer, looking up fishing reports and articles and looking at Google Earth and YouTube videos – I can’t tell you how many hours of YouTube I watched just trying to find something, anything. Getting live views of the area . . .

“and it still didn’t do it justice when I got there. I was overwhelmed by the number of trees. Like ‘holy smokes’ how am I going to do this?

“The general consensus is that most of the big tournaments in that area, the multi-lake tournaments, are won on Caddo Lake. And that lake is 25,000 acres and it fishes twice that. It fishes huge. You’ve got 10-bazillion trees and you’ve got bayous that go back until you’re who-knows-where. Especially in a kayak because you can get so much further back in that stuff than you can in a boat so you’ve got that much more water available to you.”

Elsea addressed one of tournament angling’s dirty little secrets. There are no rules against collecting information from others prior to KBF competition as opposed to say, the Bassmaster Elite Series, so he is absolutely clean, but most don’t have the guts to talk about this:

“I’m not going to lie. Part of this game is trying to get some local intel. Anybody can do that just by getting on a fishing forum and making a friend. I did that and got a little bit of help, at least as far as narrowing it down to which lake, because of all that water. Running around to try to hit every body of water like a chicken with my head cut of was, I knew, going to be time wasted.

“I put all my eggs in one basket and fished where big fish live.”

He prefers to catch ‘em on topwaters as well as anyone but Elsea had to drag bottom in order to top the leaderboard in Louisiana.

“I was bouncing between a SinkER Swim Tackle jig – SinkER Swim is a small company in New York. He makes hand-tied custom jigs, good friend of mine. I used one of his jigs and tipped it with a beaver-style trailer – and I was alternating between the jig and just a straight up Texas-rigged creature bait, again such as a Sweet Beaver or a Strike King Rodent.

“The key was getting that bait as close to the base of the tree as I could. I was more or less dragging that bait around the base of the trees, trying to get it hung up. I couldn’t hop it; couldn’t work it like you normally would. I just dead-sticked it. Once that thing got hung up on a root ball or cypress knee, the line would swim off. That’s how I got my bites.”

“They were in all 3 stages. Some were going in, some were on beds and some had already spawned, had beat up, bloody tails while others didn’t have a mark on them.”

Elsea notes that bass in cypress lakes often spend their entire lives on a single big, isolated tree with no need to leave for long. “They stage there, they spawn there, and they recuperate there. It’s a good ambush point.

“Those bigger trees were the key for me in finding those bigger bites.”

Elsea was driven through three days of fierce fishing by a stinging mistake on Day 1. “I had a 20-incher jump off the board while I was trying to take the picture. It ate at me. It still bothers me. I hate making mistakes like that. I was just sick about it the whole time.”

The lost fish reminded Elsea of the 5-pounder that he lost during that BassFest years ago which cost him $10,000 and a shot at the finals.

No matter how many we catch, it’s always the fish we lose that stick with us forever.

“It’s just another example of something that you don’t ever forget.”

Fitzgerald Rods did the heavy lifting and Lew’s reels handled the 15-lb Seaguar fluorocarbon Elsea relied on while peeling the bark off numerous cypress trees around the bayou.

A Bioenno Power lithium battery powered Elsea’s Power-Pole Micro. “That was a staple. It helped me huge on that last day. After the storm blew through it got up to 25 or 30 miles per hour.” Not only did the pole keep him in position to fish slowly, but it helped him to not get blown “a mile away while” fighting fish.

Elsea is big on a new tungsten weight manufacturer “Titan Tungsten. They’re a new company but they’re just exploding. They make the highest quality tungsten I have ever seen. They’ve just come out with their Pro Series weight which has the weight stamped right on there.”

He used a tiny 1/8-ounce version. “Until that wind kicked up on that last day, in the last hour and I had to go to a ¼-ounce weight.”

Precision was critical. “I absolutely had to drag it. If I hopped it, I wouldn’t get bit. If I was 6 inches out from that tree, I was not going to get bit. I had to get hung on the bark.”

As dialed-in as Elsea was, Divine intervention still played a role.

“That last hour, I’ve got to give all the glory to God because He blessed me on that deal. One-hundred percent. Those fish were there, I culled 4 out of my 5 fish in that last hour. It was insane.”

Elsea sees a bright future for competitive kayak anglers, especially now that FLW Fishing has partnered with KBF to host a couple of tournaments this year. “I think it is a huge opportunity. I’m excited about it. I’m planning on at least fishing the first one and, hopefully, making it to the 2ndone.

“The sport of kayak bass fishing - this is just my 2ndyear in it - I didn’t know that it was as big as it is, and it’s getting bigger by the minute. I think the partnership with FLW could take it to one more level.

“I want to do everything I can to help grow the sport, help get more people involved because this thing just changed my life.”

What’s next for Elsea? He has a web site in the works. It will be called MikeElseaFishing.com. You can also search the tagline: Blessed Beyond Measure. YouTube channel is coming too. For now, people can follow Elsea on Facebook and Instagram, just search ‘Mike Elsea’. Either way, keep an eye on our sport’s newest ambassador.

“This ride is just beginning.”

 

Full Results can be found HERE

 

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

Redington & McClendon Win Bass Champs event won Sam Rayburn with over 21 pounds!!!

Place Boat Truck Angler 1 Angler 2 Fish Big Bass Wt. Prize Amt.
1 DAVE REDINGTON
SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX		 CHAD MCCLENDON
GRAPEVINE , TX		 5 7.80 21.99
$20000.00 + $400 Power Pole+$250 Lowrance
2 ADAM DUNN
HOUSTON , TX		 JOSHUA WARE
NEW CANEY , TX		 5 0 21.83
$5250.00
3 MATTHEW DELANEY
POLLOCK , LA		 MATTHEW NUGENT
DRY PRONG , LA		 5 0 21.14
$4250.00
4 BRADLEY HILLEBRANDT
RAGLEY , LA		 JORDAN BREAUX
SULPHUR , LA		 5 0 20.44
$3250.00
5 BRANDON MOODY
APPLE SPRINGS , TX		 JESSE MOODY
APPLE SPRINGS , TX		 5 0 20.29
$2650.00 + $2650 Skeeter Bonus Cash
6 CHAD KEMP
BRIDGE CITY , TX		 BRENT KEMP
ORANGE , TX		 5 0 19.76
$2250.00
7 MATT MORRIS
SHREVEPORT , LA		 BILLY GASTON
SHREVEPORT , TX		 5 7.96 19.60
$1500.00
8 TODD NEWMAN
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 SHANNON HALE
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 5 0 19.11
$1400.00
9 MICHAEL LAFLEUR
ORANGEFIELD , TX		 JOHN DICKERSON
ORANGE , TX		 5 7.96 18.98
$1300.00
10 JASON FONTENOT
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 NICK ABSHIRE
SULPHUR , LA		 5 7.81 18.94
$1200.00
11 JACOB JOHNSON
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 SHANE CORMIER
RAGLEY , LA		 5 0 18.77
$1100.00
12 KURTICE FLOYD
NEWTON , TX		 GREG LEBLANC
NEDERLAND , TX		 5 6.93 18.49
$1090.00
13 TEDDY CLOIDE
VIDOR , TX		 WESLEY DAWSON
CHESTER , TX		 5 0 18.33
$1080.00
14 WILL CARSTENS
ALEXANDRIA , LA		 ROSS BRYANT
ALEXANDRIA , LA		 5 0 18.31
$1070.00
15 EASTON HEIGLEY
BROOKELAND , TX		 BLAKE SCHROEDER
WHITEHOUSE , TX		 5 8.39 18.24
$1060.00
16 RIVER LEE
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 HUNTER MUNCRIEF
PINELAND , TX		 5 0 18.03
$1050.00
17 RUSTY CLARK
SAM RAYBURN , TX		 CORY RAMBO
ORANGE , TX		 5 0 17.86
$1040.00
18 LANCE DUFF
LUMBERTON , TX		 COLE COSTLOW
LIBERTY , TX		 5 0 17.59
$1030.00
19 STEVEN HANNA
BEAUMONT , TX		 ANTHONY BAKER
BEAUMONT , TX		 5 0 17.58
$1020.00
20 DOUG MCCAIN
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 MASON MCCAIN
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 5 0 17.18
$1010.00
21 JOHNNY VINES
GROVES , TX		 SHANNON PRICE
PORT ARTHUR , TX		 5 0 17.17
$1000.00
22 MASON GUIN
DECATUR , TX		 CAMERON LAFLEUR
BRIDGE CITY , TX		 5 0 17.15
$1000.00
23 LEN FAIRBANKS
LIVINGSTON , TX		 REID FAIRBANKS
KYLE , TX		 5 0 16.83
$1000.00
24 JOHN MADDOX
LUFKIN , TX		 JEFFERY WISE
LUFKIN , TX		 5 0 16.76
$1000.00
25 PHILLIP CRELIA
CENTER , TX		 TJ GOODWYN
CENTER , TX		 5 0 16.69
$1000.00
26 JOSEPH CHILDERS
SULPHUR , LA		 DARREN YOUNGBLOOD
SULPHUR , LA		 5 0 16.57
$1000.00
27 MIKE TAYLOR
JASPER , TX		 RANDY DEARMAN
ONALASKA , TX		 5 0 16.37
$1000.00
28 BOB VOTE
KINGWOOD , TX		 ANDY VOTE
KINGWOOD , TX		 5 0 16.35
$1000.00
29 GERALD MITCHELL
JENA , LA		 JASON LEBRUN
CHOUDRANT , LA		 5 0 16.18
$1000.00
30 RICKY BLANKINSHIP
HOMER , LA		 DAVID CURTIS
BROOKLAND , TX		 5 0 15.79
$1000.00
30 MARSHALL HUGHES
HEMPHILL , TX		 DANIEL METREYEON
BEAUMONT , TX		 5 0 15.79
$1000.00
32 JASON MOOREHEAD
JASPER , TX		 TY MOOREHEAD
JASPER , TX		 5 0 15.51
$1000.00
33 JAMES BLYTHE JR
ELM GROVE , LA		 EDDIE MORGAN
BOSSIER CITY , LA		 5 0 15.45
$1000.00
34 JONATHAN SIMON
ORANGE , TX		 COREY STANLEY
ORANGE , TX		 5 0 15.44
35 EDWARD LACOSTE
HEMPHILL , TX		 CHRIS NEWMAN
HEMPHILL , TX		 5 0 15.35
36 SEAN MECHE
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 RODNEY OWENS
RAGLEY , LA		 5 0 15.33
37 ALLEN SHELTON
FARMERS BRANCH , TX		 STRIDER BROWNING
GUN BARREL CITY , TX		 5 0 15.31
38 MALCOLM FRANKS
FLORIEN , LA		 RONNIE BLAND
BURKEVILLE , TX		 5 0 15.21
39 JOSHUA SIKES
PINEVILLE , LA		 SAMUEL CANOE
GEORGETOWN , LA		 5 0 14.93
40 GARY ALLEN
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 5 0 14.91
41 HAROLD BLYTHE
ZAVALLA , TX		 BREYER ABSHIRE
KIRBYVILLE , TX		 5 0 14.86
42 COLE STEWART
HEMPHILL , TX		 BRANDON BAKER
HEMPHILL , TX		 5 0 14.80
43 CLYDE GLENN
BELTON , TX		 STEPHEN PHILLIPS JR
BEAUMONT , TX		 5 0 14.77
44 KEVIN BURKS
KOUNTZE , TX		 JASON GATES
KOUNTZE , TX		 5 0 14.75
45 SHELBY SHAW
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 ZAC CLARK
CENTER , TX		 5 0 14.62
46 ROY GEESEY
CROWLEY , LA		 CHARLES ANZALONE
CROWLEY , LA		 4 8.01 14.55
47 COLE BREWER
LEESVILLE , LA		 ROB RICHARDS
SPRING , TX		 5 0 14.47
48 GARY MCDONALD
CENTER , TX		 CLARENCE DENBY
ETOILE , TX		 5 0 14.36
49 CHARLIE BROWN III
FLINT , TX		 MATTHEW MCCLELLAN
TYLER , TX		 5 0 14.31
50 RANDY HANNA
ZAVALLA , TX		 JASON DEW
PINELAND , TX		 5 0 14.30
51 SAMMY CHRISTIAN
LUMBERTON , TX		 ALLAN SHIVERS
JASPER , TX		 5 0 14.20
51 BLAKE ISTRE
ORANGE , TX		 CHRIS MCCLAIN
DEWEYVILLE , TX		 5 0 14.20
53 WILLIAM WALKER
JENA , LA		 BUBBA NUGENT
POLLOCK , LA		 5 0 14.18
54 THOMAS DECLET JR
THIBODAUX , LA		 THOMAS DECLET SR
HEMPHILL , TX		 5 0 14.10
55 LARRY DEAN
HUMBLE , TX		 SHANA DEAN
HUMBLE , TX		 5 0 14.01
56 JEFF HOLDER
BOSSIER CITY , LA		 TERRY BURGHART
SHREVEPORT , LA		 5 0 13.82
57 BRYAN CARETHERS
SILSBEE , TX		 JUSTIN HOLMES
LUMBERTON , TX		 5 0 13.79
58 DONNIE PICKARD
BRIDGE CITY , TX		 ALAN ASHBY
ORANGE , TX		 5 0 13.74
59 CLIFFORD MCCARTY
LONGVIEW , TX		 BOBBY GUY
TEXARKANA , TX		 5 0 13.58
60 ERIC HUNT
BUNA , TX		 STEVEN MOORHEAD
JASPER , TX		 5 0 13.57
61 JASON BONDS
LUFKIN , TX		 JAMES NITSCHKE
WILLIS , TX		 5 0 13.54
62 BRAD DEAL
SPRING , TX		 JOHN DUNCAN
HOUSTON , TX		 5 0 13.43
62 KENNY COBB
HODGE , LA		 BOBBY LOGAN
COUSHATTA , LA		 5 0 13.43
64 DAVID MORTON
LUFKIN , TX		 JOHN MOREHEAD
HUNTINGTON , TX		 5 0 13.39
65 CHRIS BERRY
HOUSTON , TX		 KYLE GUIDRY
OPELOUSAS , LA		 5 0 13.25
66 JASON LAWSON
CORRIGAN , TX		 MASON MOODY
CORRIGAN , TX		 5 0 13.24
67 MARTIN ELSHOUT
ABITA SPRINGS , LA		 MARK PRICE
RUSTON , LA		 5 0 13.20
68 PAT CASCIO
BROOKELAND , TX		 RAY LASSIEGNE
MARRERO , LA		 5 0 13.04
69 MICHAEL RISINGER
WEST MONROE , LA		 SONTUS MITCHELL
RUSTON , LA		 5 0 12.93
70 JOHN HIGHTOWER
BROOKELAND , TX		 JERRY DUBOSE
KIRBYVILLE , TX		 5 0 12.80
71 AUSTIN MILAM
PORT NECHES , TX		 KOLTON CLARK
NEDERLAND , TX		 5 0 12.74
72 JORDAN WOOD
LUMBERTON , TX		 CAMERON ROANE
BEAUMONT , TX		 5 0 12.72
73 TRAVIS SIGNORIN
WILLIS , TX		 BOB SIGNORIN
OAKHURST , TX		 5 0 12.67
74 SAM HUCKABEE
SHREVEPORT , LA		 ROBERT CHAMBERLAIN
SHREVEPORT , LA		 5 0 12.65
75 MIKE EDWARDS
JASPER , TX		 JAMES MUFFLER
KARNACK , TX		 5 0 12.57
75 KURT HAGGARD
ORANGE , TX		 DEREK TORFORIS
VIDOR , TX		 5 0 12.57
77 KEVIN MASON
COLDSPRING , TX		 BUD PRUITT
HOUSTON , TX		 5 0 12.45
78 JOHN BURLESON
LOVELADY , TX		 RODNEY SALMON
CROCKETT , TX		 5 0 12.37
79 MIKE MELANCON
NEDERLAND , TX		 JESSE FLOYD
NEDERLAND , TX		 5 0 12.27
79 KURT LUKER
CLEVELAND , TX		 RICHIE THORNTON
SPLENDORA , TX		 5 0 12.27
81 MIKE SOLIZ
ORANGE , TX		 EDDIE CHOATE
BEAUMONT , TX		 5 0 12.24
81 CHANCE ARCENEAUX
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 DWIGHT ABSHIRE
SANTA FE , TX		 5 0 12.24
83 RICHARD MORRIS
TRINITY , TX		 BRIAN KING
TIMPSON , TX		 5 0 12.16
84 SCOTT BARNETT
MANSFIELD , TX		 MARK CHILD
ARLINGTON , TX		 5 0 12.13
85 ROBERT HOWARD
CYPRESS , TX		 DANIEL HOWARD
CYPRESS , TX		 5 0 11.89
85 TED PRIESING
DALLAS , TX		 VIRGIL CHANEY
JASPER , TX		 5 0 11.89
87 CHRIS EAVES
HUMBLE , TX		 LORI EAVES
WOODLANDS , TX		 5 0 11.83
88 TOBY JONES
STONEWALL , LA		 CARL JONES
DAYTON , TX		 5 0 11.76
89 IVAN DAIGS
RUSTON , LA		 RANDY BRANCH
RUSTON , LA		 5 0 11.60
90 COREY HARMON
PORT NECHES , TX		 JESSE JOHNSON
PORT NECHES , TX		 5 0 11.38
91 GEORGE GLASS
DERRIDER , LA		 TRENT MANUEL
ORANGE , TX		 5 0 11.25
92 BRANNON MIRE
YOUNGSVILLE , LA		 ERIC ARNOLD
LAFAYETTE , LA		 5 0 11.23
93 DEREK MONG
MANY , LA		 TAMMY MONG
MANY , LA		 5 0 11.22
94 STEVE BELLON
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 TONY COBURN
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 5 0 11.19
94 CRAIG MASSEY
HOUSTON , TX		 SCOTT HOLIFIELD
GRAND BAY , AL		 5 0 11.19
96 TIM WILCOXSON
ROCKWALL , TX		 TIM WILCOXSON
EDGEWOOD , TX		 2 8.89 11.01
$1000.00 Big Bass
97 MIKE PETROVIC
ALVIN , TX		 MARK PERRY
ALBA , TX		 5 0 11.00
98 LAMARCUS MCCRAY
HOUSTON , TX		 JAMES ROZELL
HOUSTON , TX		 5 0 10.91
99 SEAN GOODSON
ALBA , TX		 BILL SWEETEN
YANTIS , TX		 5 0 10.86
100 LARRY BENEFIELD
HUFFMAN , TX		 JIMMY ROZELL JR
PORTER , TX		 5 0 10.59
101 HAYWOOD WALLACE
HUFFMAN , TX		 STUART WALLACE
ADDIS , LA		 5 0 10.14
102 JOSEPH LAFLEUR
ORANGE , TX		 ROWDY SLAUGHTER
BROOKELAND , TX		 5 0 9.76
103 ALEX STEWART
GOLDONNA , LA		 BRAYDEN STEWART
GOLDONNA , LA		 5 0 9.75
104 SHAWN OQUINN
LAVERNIA , TX		 KURT HANKS
CARLYSS , LA		 5 0 9.46
105 STUART VILLIEN
DUSON , LA		 KIPP THERIOT
YOUNGSVILLE , LA		 5 0 9.43
106 JOHN GRIMM
MAGNOLIA , TX		 TIM MAGER
MAGNOLIA , TX		 5 0 9.32
107 ROBERT HORN
MILAM , TX		 PHILLIP SMITH
BROOKELAND , TX		 5 0 9.28
108 ANDREW FATERKOWSKI
MONTGOMERY , TX		 BILLY DRIGGERS
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 5 0 9.25
109 ROBBY JONES
ORANGE , TX		 PAUL WOODS
BUNA , TX		 3 0 9.00
110 DON DICKERSON
PINEVILLE , LA		 JASON FOUNTAIN
PINEVILLE , LA		 5 0 8.68
111 WARREN CONNER
MAGNOLIA , TX		 MIKE HANKS
HEMPHILL , TX		 4 0 8.56
112 JAMES COLE
SPRINGHILL , LA		 5 0 8.55
113 TERRY LUEDTKE
BURTON , TX		 DOYLE REEVES
BURTON , TX		 4 0 7.93
114 JASON MANNERS
CLEVELAND , TX		 JORDAN MANNERS
CLEVELAND , TX		 5 0 7.65
115 JACK TINDEL III
ORANGE , TX		 DALTON SOLIZ
ORANGE , TX		 5 0 7.30
116 KEVIN IZZI
SMITHVILLE , TX		 CHRISTOPHER IZZI
SMITHVILLE , TX		 4 0 6.21
117 HARLAN DUBOIS
WINNFIELD , LA		 CHRIS JOLLY
DOWNSVILLE , LA		 2 0 5.31
118 DEAN COLEMAN
HUMBLE , TX		 SUZANNA COLEMAN
HUMBLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CULLEN NEWMAN
KOUNTZE , TX		 JOSH ALLIEN
KOUNTZE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 STEPHEN NEWELL
SHREVEPORT , TX		 CHRISTINE NEWELL
SHREVEPORT , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CHRISTOPHER ATWELL
POLLUCK , LA		 JUSTIN CROOKS
COLFAX , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 DARRELL REEVES
RAGLEY , LA		 JASON FRUGE
HOUSTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 SHANNON FRICK
HEMPHILL , TX		 GARY FRICK
HEMPHILL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 ED MELTON
HOUSTON , TX		 HENRY TROTTY
KOUNTZE , TX		 0 0 0.00
$500 Conservation Bonus
118 ROBERT GLENDE
KIRBYVILLE , TX		 JASON BURT
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CLINT BATES
HAUGHTON , LA		 DAEGAN BATES
HAUGHTON , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 ERIC LEGER
MAMOU , LA		 TODD FEUCHT
VILLE PLATTE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 ROBERT LAIRD JR
GOODRICH , TX		 MOLLY LAIRD
GOODRICH , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 PERRY HOOKS
DOUGLASS , TX		 KENNY JONES
ETOILE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BRADLEY PAGE
FRIENDSWOOD , TX		 JOHN SCOTT
FRIENDSWOOD , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 WYATT FRANKENS
CORRIGAN , TX		 CODY BARCHENGER
TAYLOR , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JERRY HAYES
SUGARLAND , TX		 CHANDLER HAYES
SUGARLAND , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 MIKE GARRETT
HOUSTON , TX		 BRYAN LANDERS
BROOKELAND , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 PHIL MARKS
DALLAS , TX		 BRET STAFFORD
TEMPLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 SCOOTER CLARK
CENTER , TX		 RYAN PINKSTON
CENTER , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 HAROLD ALLEN
SHELBYVILLE , TX		 MATT LOETSCHER
MANY , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 STEVE DILLARD
LUFKIN , TX		 DANNY CROSS
LUFKIN , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JUSTIN MORTON
ETOILE , TX		 JAMES JARED
ETOILE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 RICHARD DRAPER
HOUSTON , TX		 MATTHEW DRAPER
HOUSTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 COY RIGGINS
HUTTO , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 LORIN LIVELY
MONTGOMERY , TX		 STEVEN CAIN
MONTGOMERY , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DAVID BOWLEY JR
LUFKIN , TX		 BILLY BOWLEY
TOMBALL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 RALPH DUPUY
GROVES , TX		 BRYANT RODRIGUES
PORT NECHES , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 LINDY HADLEY
BROOKELAND , TX		 GREG GREEN
LUMBERTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 GREG GILLUM
PLANO , TX		 CLIFFORD TIMPSON
DENISON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 MICHAEL WILLIFORD
LIVINGSTON , TX		 JOEY MARTIN 0 0 0.00
118 KELLY OWENS
CROWLEY , LA		 BRENT BROUSSARD
ROSENBERG , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DANNY BENNETT
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 NEIL CLEMENTS
PASADENA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 MARC WOOLEMS
JASPER , TX		 JASON HANKS
PINELAND , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JERRY MASON
RAGLEY , LA		 AARON SAMMONS
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DEWAYNE REESE
DIBOLL , TX		 JOHN COX
LUFKIN , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JASON GLENDE
CYPRESS , TX		 TYLER BEARDEN
TOMBALL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JOSH DUNAWAY
SULPHUR , LA		 GARRET THOMPSON
IOWA , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 LARRY COTTEN
HUFFMAN , TX		 RODNEY DOTSON
BROOKELAND , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BOBBY SHOEMAKE JR
CROCKETT , TX		 DAVID DRISKELL
CROCKETT , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JOHN SCOTT III
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 JODY NORSWORTHY
JASPER , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 KEVIN WOLFORD
ORANGE , TX		 SHANE PREJEAN
ORANGE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BILLY WOLCOTT
WOODVILLE , TX		 JAMES SEALE
JASPER , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JAMES DISLER
LEANDER , TX		 DAVID DISLER
CONROE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 KEN SMITH
RICHARDSON , TX		 KEVIN LASYONE
DRY PRONG , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CLINT WADE
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 STACY SPRIGGS
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CLOYS WARREN JR
RED ROCK , TX		 WILLIAM SPILLER
BASTROP , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 TED ODELL
BUNA , TX		 TRACE ODELL
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BRANDON PICOU
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 ANDREW DELANO
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CODY ERICKSON
HUNTSVILLE , TX		 RICHARD SCHAUBERT
CONROE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JOHN BURTON
NEDERLAND , TX		 MICHAEL DORSEY
ORANGE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 WILLIAM MESSER
TIMPSON , TX		 CHRISTOPHER BEVERLY
SHEPHERD , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 SETH HAUSMAN
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 TYLER HAM
ROCKWALL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 ARCHIE DORE II
NATCHITOCHES , LA		 ANDY BARNES
NATCHITOCHES , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 JUSTIN SOWELL
SILSBEE , TX		 DAVID GORE
KOUNTZE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 KERRY CAMPBELL
GOODRICH , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CODY JORDAN
HEMPHILL , TX		 CODY CLARK
HERMPHILL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BRANDON THRASH
DOWNSVILLE , LA		 MICHAEL WOLFF
MONROE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CHARLES HUMPHREY
NEW CANEY , TX		 BEN SMITH
NEW CANEY , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JASON WILLIAMS
NEDERLAND , TX		 RYAN ROSS
PORT NECHES , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DOUGLAS SCHYSM
RAGLEY , LA		 CHRIS GALLENDER
VILLAGE MILLS , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JESSE RAWLS
BROWNSBORO , TX		 DANIEL COX
BROWNSBORO , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 ERIC WILSON
MARSHALL , TX		 HOWARD WILSON
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CHRIS HUEBEL
NEDERLAND , TX		 DON GOULD
MAURICEVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 NATHAN BYRD
MIDLOTHIAN , TX		 JOE BYRD
SPRING , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CJ NICHOLS
ALEXANDRIA , LA		 RAY BECK
BROOKELANDL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 SCOTTY VILLINES
PONCA , AR		 RUSSELL LEWIS
PINEVILLE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 KRIS WILSON
MONTGOMERY , TX		 BRYAN LOHR
LUMBERTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DANIEL HICKMAN
HUNTINGTON , TX		 DUSTIN ALEXANDER
HOCKLEY , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BENJI DUMAS
MINDEN , LA		 JIMMY DUCK III
CENTER , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 DENNIS COURTNEY
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 JERRY CHILDRESS
SULPHUR , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CLAY DARDEAU
RAGLEY , LA		 CRAIG BEAN
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 JASON MCRAE
HENDERSON , TX		 TRAVIS MARTIN
HENDERSON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 TOMMY WOODARD
CONROE , TX		 CHRIS JACOBUS
LONGVIEW , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CHRISTOPHER GORDON
CLARENCE , LA		 DENNIS MORGAN II
NATCHITOCHES , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 JAMES PRUITT
HOUSTON , TX		 RICK JOHNSON
CONROE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JERREL PRINGLE
HEMPHILL , TX		 KEITH KEELE
TENAHA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BRANDON VAUGHAN
AZLE , TX		 BOBBY BADARACK
FT WORTH , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 TOMMY SHELTON
MONTGOMERY , TX		 TRAVIS STEWART
NEED INFO		 0 0 0.00
118 CHRIS CLEMENS
LUFKIN , TX		 DALLAS COLE
LEESVILLE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 GARY REPPOND
ZAVALLA , TX		 CURTIS SMITH
LUFKIN , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 WAYNE TRIANA JR
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 CARY WALKER
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 COLTON BOLES
LUFKIN , TX		 BUD BOLES
POLLOK , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CHAD PRIMOS
SHREVEPORT , LA		 BRIAN HEADRICK
DEBERRY , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CLAYTON BOULWARE
ZAVALLA , TX		 ALBERT COLLINS
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JOE MAZZURCO
LUFKIN , TX		 JASON GRIFFIN
CONROE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 LARRY WEPPLER
HOUSTON , TX		 DENNIS FIKES
HOUSTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DANNY LASHLEY
BOYCE , LA		 MICHAEL IVEY
OTIS , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 RANDY QUALLS
STREETMAN , TX		 MIKE METCALF
JASPER , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DON BRINSON
WACO , TX		 DAVID BATTREALL
TEMPLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 SHANE BARNES
MIDWAY , TX		 MATTHEW BENEFIELD
HUFFMAN , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 STEVE WOODIE
SOUR LAKE , TX		 FOYCE WINN
VIDOR , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BEN SOUTH
JASPER , TX		 BRYAN SOUTH
JASPER , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CASEY BURLEIGH
ORANGE , TX		 JOSH RODGERS
BEAUMONT , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BOBBY VICE
GROVES , TX		 RICKY GUY
HUMBLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JARRETT LATTA
CEDAR PARK , TX		 BRIAN LOWRANCE
NACOGDOCHES , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 GENE BAGLEY
BEAUMONT , TX		 MITCH STEPHENSON
BEAUMONT , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 VIC COOPER
SHELBYVILLE , TX		 JASON WELLS
CENTER , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JOEY POHL
CARMINE , TX		 JODY POHL
CYPRESS , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 TROY WILLIAMSON
SHEPHERD , TX		 CHARLES WOODDELL
NEED INFO		 0 0 0.00
118 STEVEN SHAFER
CLEVELAND , TX		 KENT WILLIAMS
LA PORTE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 GREG OSTERTAG
MT VERNON , TX		 BRENT EDWARDS
MIDLOTHIAN , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 KEVIN WALKER JR
BUNA , TX		 JEFF BRIDGES
LUMBERTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DAMON CHILDRESS
ORANGE , TX		 ROBERT CRUSE
LUMBERTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 ROGER JOHNSON JR
VIDOR , TX		 KIRK LELEUX
KIRBYVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 COLT DEAR
BUNA , TX		 ASHLEY ADAMS
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JOHN ILES
LUFKIN , TX		 BRIAN SHOOK
CHINA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 RONNIE GUNTER
LILLIE , LA		 JERRY THOMPSON
MANY , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 PHILIP HANKS
BUNA , TX		 RODNEY SAMMONS
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CHARLES HICKMAN
HUNTINGTON , TX		 TERRY HICKMAN
KINGWOOD , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 LUCAS RAGUSA
GONZALES , LA		 BLAKE CANELLA
PLAQUEMINE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 RANDY BROUSSARD
HACKBERRY , LA		 RICHIE KOONCE
WESTLAKE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 DOUG PERKINS
PORTER , TX		 BRAD HENSLEY
CLEVELAND , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 STUART WELCH
ORANGE , TX		 WESLEY MURDOCK
VIDOR , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 JEREMY LEMMONS
TOMBALL , TX		 CODY NICHOLSON
ANDERSON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 LANCE SCOTT
BROOKELAND , TX		 KEVIN BOLTON
WILLIS , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BILL DAIGLE
LAFAYETTE , LA		 ANDRE CHAPMAN
CHURCH POINT , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 OSCAR LANGELE JR
MANY , LA		 JAMES CAMPISE
ORANGE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 ANTHONY GUIDRY
KAPLAN , LA		 ZACHARY GUIDRY
KAPLAN , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CALVIN JOHNSTON
KINGWOOD , TX		 THOMAS BEENE
SHREVEPORT , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CADE DURIO
LAKE CHARLES , LA		 JOHN DURIO
HEMPHILL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 DUANE PITTMAN
PRAIRIEVILLE , LA		 ZACHARY GAGNARD
MANY , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 TREY MORGAN
GOLDONNA , LA		 JOHN CANERDAY
CALVIN , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 BUDDY BUMSTEAD
KOUNTZE , TX		 DANNY CHERRY
KIRBYVILLE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 ANDRE MARTIN
LENA , LA		 GLEN FREEMAN
ZWOLLE , LA		 0 0 0.00
118 CLINT WEST
BEAUMONT , TX		 NATHAN PRINE
BUNA , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 MICHAEL ROGER
SCOTT , IA		 JOSH WILLIAMS
NEWCASTLE , OK		 0 0 0.00
118 MIKE ATCHLEY
MOSCOW , TX		 PAUL SHIRLEY
LEGGETT , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 TED PATE
ALEXANDRIA , LA		 VINCENT NEAL
CALDWELL , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 AARON FREEMAN
THE WOODLANDS , TX		 BEN MATSUBU
MILAM , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 CHRISTOPHER WADE
CANTON , TX		 ARCHIE WADE
CANTON , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 KEITH HAWKINS
LAKE PROVIDENCE , LA		 J. DUCK HAWKINS
IRVING , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 MALCOLM WILLIAMS
BRONSON , TX		 STEVE WILSON
FREDERICKSBURG , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 SHAWN VERINSKY
LUMBERTON , TX		 BLAKE COLE
ORANGE , TX		 0 0 0.00
118 BRANDON DAVIDSON
LITTLE ELM , TX		 JIM FURR
HEMPHILL , TX		 0 0 0.00

by AnglersChannel

Mike Sutherland Wins Big Bass Tour Table Rock event with a 9.02 Table Rock Monster!!!!!

Congratulations to Mike Sutherland on his win at Table Rock Lake! Mike's 9.02lb giant topped a record field at the 10th annual KVD Big Bass Classic and earned him the keys to the $45,000 Nitro Boats Z19 powered by Mercury Marine!

 

Top Weights:

by AnglersChannel

Bryan New Wins American Bass Anglers Ray Scott Championship!!

Stoute Claims Co-Angler Title

Courtesy of American Bass Anglers

By John N. Felsher

ATHENS, Ala. – After three straight days at the head of the pack, Bryan D. New won the Boater Division in the 2019 Ray Scott Championship, held April 4-7 on Walter F. George Reservoir near Eufaula, Ala.

The Belmont, N.C. angler finished the four-day tournament with a perfect catch of 20 bass weighing 98.70 pounds. An 8.80-pound bucketmouth he caught on Day 3 also took top honors in the tournament big bass competition. For the victory, New won $50,000 in cash plus a new 21TRX Triton boat equipped with a 250-horsepower Mercury Pro XS outboard motor.

During each off the four days of fishing at Walter F. George Reservoir, better known as Lake Eufaula, New landed five-bass tournament limits. New’s Day 3 catch of 26.03 pounds was one of only two bags exceeding 26 pounds caught in the event. New placed second on Day 1 with 25.69 pounds, but took the lead the following day with a 25.61-pound bag and never relinquished it. He capped off his winning effort with 21.37 pounds on the final day to seal the victory by more than eight pounds.

“On the first day, my co-angler was reeling in a jig and a big bass blew up on it,” New revealed. “I picked up a white Greenfish Tackle swim jig with a Rage craw trailer on it and caught some pretty good fish. I also caught some good fish in the tournament on Greenfish Tackle Creeper Head Jig tipped with an Ol’ Monster worm. I probably fished more than 150 places on the lake. On the final day, it was a grind.”

In second for the boaters, Scott Montgomery, a local favorite from Eufaula, Ala., also finished with four straight five-bass tournament limits. He moved up one place from Day 3 with a 23.68-pound bag that gave him a total of 90.65 pounds including a 6.82-pound lunker. Montgomery stayed in the top six each day with earlier catches of 24.63, 22.00 and 20.34 pounds.

“On the first day, I had a really good day fishing brush offshore,” Montgomery explained. “I started culling 4-pounders. The next day was so tough I could hardly get a bite. On the third day, I went to the bank with a swim jig and caught a good bag. We returned to that spot that last day and I didn’t get a bite. I didn’t have a keeper until about 9 a.m. on the final day. I finally went back to running brush. My go-to baits all week were a Davis Bait swim jig with a Big Bite prototype trailer and a jig with a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog.”

Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala. also moved up one spot on the last day to finish third with 20 bass going 89.45 pounds topped by a 6.52-pounder. He weighed in 25.55 pounds, the biggest bag on the final day, to add to his other weights of 24.69, 23.94 and 15.27 pounds to stay in the top five throughout the competition.

“On the first two days, I caught my fish out on the river cranking,” Ingram said. “During the next two days, I caught all my fish on a 1-ounce Ledgebuster willow-leaf spinnerbait. I was fishing brush on ledges. The ledges were in about 20 to 22 feet of water with the brush up at about 10 to 12 feet deep.”

Trevor Fitzgerald of Belleview, Fla. jumped from sixth place take fourth on the final day with a 23.80-pound catch. An 8.42-pounder helped him make the leap. Fitzgerald finished with a perfect 20 bass limit weighing 84.66 pounds. He also brought in catches weighing 22.31, 13.13 and 25.42 pounds.

Completing the top five boaters, Chandler A. Ray of Edsion, Ga. finished with 20 bass and 84.48 pounds including a 6.90-pound kicker. He stayed in the top eight throughout the tournament with catches of 22.86, 24.03 and 14.29 pounds. On the final day, he brought in 23.30 pounds.

In the Co-Angler Division, Jeremy S. Stoute of Crestview, Fla. won the championship with seven bass weighing 32.87 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 7.24-pounder that also won the Co-Angler Division lunker title. For winning the championship, Stoute took home $25,000 in cash plus a new 19TRX Triton boat powered by a 225-horsepower Mercury Pro XS outboard motor.

Fishing with Montgomery on the final day, Stoute caught one fish weighing 5.51 pounds, big enough to lift him from third place to the title. On the first day, Stoute landed one 1.21-pound bass, putting him at 169th place out of 195 competitors in the division. He made up for it on the second day with a 16.85-pound catch that vaulted him up 162 notches into seventh place. He landed 9.30 pounds on Day 3 to move into third.

“I almost went home after the first day because I only had one small fish,” Stoute remarked. “I caught one on the last day too, but it was the one I needed. I got to watch a clinic today watching Scott Montgomery fish. It was awesome!”

Tim L. Blanton of Climax, Ga. finished second among the co-anglers with a perfect four consecutive three-bass division limits to give him a total of 32.51 pounds. On the final day, he brought in 11.43 pounds with 6.71-pound kicker, the largest catch by any co-angler that day. That bag allowed him to move up from 14th place to less than six ounces from championship. On the other three days, he landed bags weighing 6.53, 7.00 and 7.55 pounds.

“All four days, we went all the way down almost to the dam,” Blanton said. “For the first two days, we fished Carolina rigs. On the last two days, we fished crankbaits around humps and ridges in four to 10 feet of water. I caught a lot of fish during the first two days, but not as many on the last two days. I lost about a 3-pounder on the second day and that hurt.”

Just three ounces behind, Durward Henderson of Titus, Ala. finished third with nine bass at 32.33 pounds. Catching 4.82 pounds on the final day, he dropped one position. He landed other catches of 12.87, 12.24 and 2.40 pounds with a 5-pound kicker.

“We ran piles in six to 16 feet of water,” Henderson said. “I threw a jig all day. The lake is in good shape. With the way it’s fished in the past two or three years and the stringers of fish coming in, it’s should be on the top of any list of bass lakes across the nation.”

Catching four consecutive three-bass division limits, Kevin Shrader of Valley Head, Ala. advanced every day of the competition. He finished fourth with 12 bass going 30.54 pounds. He moved up one spot on the final day with 6.65 pounds. In all, he also brought in bags weighing 8.17, 6.15 and 9.57 pounds,

Jim C. English of Gordon, Ala. rounded out the top five co-anglers by finishing with 10 bass and 29.84 pounds including a 5.87-pound kicker. He brought in catches weighing 8.03, 9.31, 10.49 and 2.01 pounds.

The Ray Scott Championship tournament culminated another season in the American Bass Anglers Open Series. Nearly 200 anglers in each division fished the event, each one earning a shot at the title by advancing through 18 divisions and nine area championships.

 

 

Full Results:

by AnglersChannel

Cobb Puts Finishing Touches On Wire-To-Wire Victory In Bassmaster Elite At Lake Hartwell

South Carolina's Brandon Cobb goes wire-to-wire in the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell with a four-day total of 72 pounds, 4 ounces.

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

April 7, 2019

ANDERSON, S.C. — Many anglers have led the first three rounds of a Bassmaster Elite Series event, only to have the title slip through their hands on the final day.

More times than not, pressure was the culprit.

But if South Carolina pro Brandon Cobb felt pressure a single time during this week’s Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell, he certainly hid it well.

Cobb, who lives in nearby Greenwood, S.C., took the lead on Day 1 of the event and never relinquished it, slamming the door on his first Elite Series victory with a final-day catch of 16 pounds, 14 ounces on Championship Sunday. His four-day winning weight of 72-4 earned him a $100,000 paycheck and the iconic blue trophy that goes to every Elite Series winner.

“Staying calm definitely made the difference for me,” said Cobb, who stayed at his own house and made the 50-minute drive to Lake Hartwell each day. “I don’t do well if I get flustered. I start running around a lot, and it just doesn’t go well for me.

“Being on my home lake helped, too. I literally never ran out of places where I felt like I was going to catch one.”

Cobb caught 19-9, 17-8, 18-5 and 16-14 in four days — and he did most of his damage with two baits. He used a green pumpkin Zoom Fluke Stick when he was moving through shallow areas where he thought spawning beds were present and a 1/8-ounce Greenfish Tackle shaky head with a green pumpkin Zoom Trick Worm when he was stopped, fishing for bass he could actually see on bed.

“I was going down spawning areas throwing that Fluke Stick at anything that even looked like a bed, hoping to catch them before I got there,” Cobb said. “If the fish didn’t bite before I got up there, I’d Power-Pole down, pick up a shaky head with a Trick Worm and fish for him until I caught him.”

Unlike many anglers who were forced to devote large chunks of time to a single bedding fish throughout the week, Cobb caught his bedding bass quickly — and that helped him make the most of his time on the water.

“Probably 10 minutes was about the longest I spent on one fish this week,” said Cobb, who was fishing just his 14th major event with B.A.S.S. “Today, I caught three fish off one bed, and that probably took me about 15 minutes.

“I think I only saw two fish this week that I didn’t catch, and that’s because they were spawning, rolling together — and you can’t do anything with them when they’re doing that.”

Though it’s Cobb’s first season on the Elite Series, the 29-year-old pro is not considered a rookie because he won more than $400,000 in 105 events with FLW Fishing. He won two BFL events with FLW, but never managed to claim a Tour-level championship.

“Basically, everything went exactly the way I wanted it to go this week,” Cobb said. “I don’t think I lost a single fish all week — and if I did lose one, I caught it again in just a few minutes.

“I’ve been so close so many times to winning tournaments like this and just never quite been able to put it together. But it all came together this week.”

Though Cobb struggled early Sunday morning while trying to exploit a blueback herring spawn that has just begun on Lake Hartwell, he said he always knew he could go and catch a good limit of bass doing the same things he’d been doing all week.

Once he finally started putting bass in the boat, his victory seemed like a foregone conclusion. His closest competition came from Arkansas pro Stetson Blaylock who finished second with 68-11. Georgia pro Micah Frazier finished third with 63-6 and Florida angler Drew Cook took fourth with 63-4.

Cook’s performance was enough to put him in first place in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings and the race for DICK’S Sporting Goods Rookie of the Year.

Blaylock took home the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award worth $1,500 with a 5-15 largemouth he caught during Saturday’s semifinal round.

Florida rookie Drew Cook claimed the lead in both the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year and the DICK`S Sporting Goods Rookie of Year race, after three events, earning $1,000 for AOY and $500 for ROY. Cook's impressive rookie campaign includes three Top 20 finishes, including a fourth place finish at Lake Hartwell. The highest-scoring rookie at the end of the 10-event Elite season will collect the $10,000 ROY prize.

The two highest finishing anglers eligible for Toyota Bonus Bucks were Jamie Hartman and Chad Pipkens. Hartman finished 8th and added $3,000 to his purse, while Pipkens finished 9th earning a $2,000 bonus.

2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors:  Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Skeeter Boats, Talon, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Berkley

2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Carhartt, Lowrance, Mossy Oak Fishing, T-H Marine, Academy Sports + Outdoors

2019 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell Host Sponsor: Visit Anderson

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 Open 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.

-30-
Media Contact: Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, [email protected] | Gettys Brannon, 864-490-7864, [email protected]

                          2019 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell 4/4-4/7
                                   Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
                                 (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1.  Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           20  72-04  100 $100,000.00
  Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   17-08     Day 3: 5   18-05     Day 4: 5   16-14   
2.  Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              20  68-11   99  $26,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   16-13     Day 3: 5   19-03     Day 4: 5   19-01   
3.  Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              20  63-06   98  $20,000.00
  Day 1: 5   17-09     Day 2: 5   18-03     Day 3: 5   14-00     Day 4: 5   13-10   
4.  Drew Cook              Midway, FL              20  63-04   97  $16,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   20-06     Day 3: 5   14-13     Day 4: 5   13-13   
5.  Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             20  61-15   96  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   13-06     Day 3: 5   19-08     Day 4: 5   14-07   
6.  Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             20  61-10   95  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   15-09     Day 3: 5   17-00     Day 4: 5   16-00   
7.  Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          20  60-15   94  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   18-03     Day 3: 5   14-14     Day 4: 5   11-14   
8.  Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             20  59-06   93  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   16-03     Day 3: 5   16-04     Day 4: 5   13-00   
9.  Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             20  58-02   92  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   15-03     Day 3: 5   16-01     Day 4: 5   12-04   
10. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          20  56-08   91  $15,000.00
  Day 1: 5   17-09     Day 2: 5   13-15     Day 3: 5   14-11     Day 4: 5   10-05   
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
     Stetson Blaylock         Benton, AR          05-15      $1,500.00

by AnglersChannel

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