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Auburndale’s Maxwell Posts First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Toho

Sanford’s Westhelle Tops Co-Angler Division

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 10, 2025) – Boater Christopher Maxwell of Auburndale, Florida, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Toho. The tournament, hosted by Experience Kissimmee, was the second event of the season for the BFL Gator Division. Maxwell earned $4,541 for his victory.

A Toho local, Maxwell has been on the water a lot lately, including for another tournament last weekend, when he weighed in about 17 pounds.

“I didn’t get a big bite (in that tournament),” he said, “but I just did pretty much the same thing today. I had a little bit of a crowd today. I just fished around them and did the same thing. I got the lucky bites today. That’s all I can say.”

Maxwell spent the tournament fishing in Toho’s southern end. He fished pads and grass, intercepting postspawn fish as they left the beds before transitioning to deeper water. He caught his limit pitching a black and blue Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver.

“I didn’t catch many fish. I caught seven today,” Maxwell said. “They were just the right ones. I just stuck with what I was doing and moved slow because all the boats were coming around, and I just didn’t let myself get aggravated with it.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Christopher Maxwell, Auburndale, Fla., five bass, 23-15, $4,541
2nd:      George Kapiton, Inverness, Fla., five bass, 20-11, $2,270
3rd:       Connor Macdougall, Cape Coral, Fla., five bass, 20-6, $1,514
4th:        Chris Crow, Lake Placid, Fla., five bass, 18-10, $1,560 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:        Fred Chivington Jr., San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 18-9, $1,530
5th:        Austin Chism, Auburndale, Fla., five bass, 18-9, $870
7th:        Dylan Quilatan Windermere, Fla., five bass, 18-5, $757
8th:        John Kremer, Orange City, Fla., five bass, 17-9, $681
9th:        Cedric Perry, Trenton, Fla., five bass, 16-11, $605
10th:     Anthony Cilladi, Oviedo, Fla., five bass, 15-14, $530

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Fred Chivington Jr. of San Mateo, Florida, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $660.

Chris Westhelle of Sanford, Florida, won the co-angler division and $2,580 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 11 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Chris Westhelle, Sanford, Fla., three bass, 13-7, $2,580
2nd:      Zachary Bach, Bartow, Fla., three bass, 11-11, $1,127
3rd:       Leandro Saratt, Winter Garden, Fla., three bass, 11-1, $751
4th:        Brian Yusavage, Tamarac, Fla., three bass, 10-1, $488
4th:        Preston Williams, Tallahassee, Fla. three bass, 10-1, $488
6th:        Larry Austin, The Villages, Fla., three bass, 9-5, $413
7th:        Andrew Wiedmann, Titusville, Fla., three bass, 9-1, $376
8th:        Taylor Harris, Haines City, Fla., three bass, 8-13, $338
9th:        Robert Linthout, Cape Coral, Fla., three bass, 8-9, $300
10th:     Justin Hampton, Orlando, Fl., three bass, 8-6, $250
10th:     Kenneth Bivins, Orlando, Fla., three bass, 8-6, $250

Westhelle also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $327, catching a bass that weighed in at 9 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After two events, Dylan Quilatan of Windermere, Florida, now leads the Fishing Clash Gator Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 493 points, while James Sponaugle of Auburndale, Florida, leads the Fishing Clash Gator Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 473 points.

The next event for BFL Gator Division anglers will be held March 22, at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-18 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Li Time Batteries, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Tecumseh High School Wins MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Open on Grand Lake Presented by Columbia PFG

GROVE, Okla. (March 10, 2025) – The MLF High School Fishing team of Maddox Dickson and Alex Hurst, representing Tecumseh High School, brought four bass to the scale Saturday weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces to win the MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open at Grand Lake Presented by Columbia PFG in Grove, Oklahoma.

A field of 56 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which was hosted by the City of Grove. In MLF High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top five teams that advance to the 2025 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1st:        Tecumseh High School, Tecumseh, Okla. – Maddox Dickson and Alex Hurst, four bass, 8-3
2nd:       Westmoore High School, Oklahoma City, Okla. – Cale Compton and Adam Reed, three bass, 8-3
3rd:       Lee’s Summit High School, Lee’s Summit, Mo. – Nathan Meyer and Hunter Rushton, one bass, 5-13
4th:        Westside (Okla.) High School Hawg Hunters Fishing Club – Jeremiah Nichols and Jakob Williams, three bass, 5-7
5th:        Southwest Louisiana Legacy Fishing – Jackson and Carter Lanclos, two bass, 4-13

Rounding out the top 10 teams are:

6th:        Cherokee County (Oklahoma) Anglers – Carl Robbins and Logan Taulbee, one bass, 4-5
7th:        Camdenton High School, Camdenton, Mo. – Caston Embry and Kasen Uthe, two bass, 4-0
8th:        Inola High School, Inola, Okla. – Chance Lawrence and Eli Rogers, one bass, 3-14
9th:        Broken Arrow, Okla. – Maddox Houtman and Fin Kimura, one bass, 3-7
10th:     Camdenton High School, Camdenton, Mo. – Corbin Bailey and Kaden Messina, two bass, 3-1

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

MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing presented by Tackle Warehouse tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before March 29, 2025, advance teams to the 2025 National Championship. Tournaments held after March 29, 2025, advance teams to the 2026 National Championship.

The 2025 Abu Garcia High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals events will take place June 25-27, at Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. The High School Fishing National Champions each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2025 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota , WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Oldfield’s Marler Earns Second Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Table Rock Lake

Fayetteville’s McKee Tops Co-Angler Division

KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (March 10, 2025) – Boater Wyatt Marler of Oldfield, Missouri, caught a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Table Rock Lake . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Marler earned $11,000, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

Marler rolled into the Table Rock tournament straight from a multi-day event on Kentucky Lake. With no practice, he just went fishing.

“I just drove around until I found some birds diving,” he said. “I caught them on a 6th Sense Provoke jerkbait and a Damiki rig.”

Marler used forward-facing sonar to bird dog a school of fish busting bait and wasted little time assembling a tournament-winning limit. He only ran that pattern for about an hour and a half before working a few brush piles to finish out his day.

“It was pretty gnarly this morning,” he said. “I caught three 5s in the same place. For two weeks not being out here, I’ll take it.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Wyatt Marler, Oldfield, Mo., five bass, 21-13, $11,000 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:      Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 19-8, $2,000
3th:        Jacob Wade, Mountain Grove, Mo., five bass, 19-2, $1,334
4th:        Jacob Christeson, Theodosia, Mo., five bass, 18-8, $933
5th:        Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., five bass, 18-1, $1,340
6th:        Eric Olliverson, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 17-14, $733
7th:        Ben McCord, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, five bass, 17-13, $667
8th:        Jacob Bennett, Pea Ridge, Ark., five bass, 17-12, $600
9th:        Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., five bass, 17-9, $533
10th:     Derek Felton, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 17-0, $467

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $541.

Travis McKee of Fayetteville, Arkansas, won the co-angler division and $2,000 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 8 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Travis McKee, Fayetteville, Ark., three bass, 8-13, $2,000
2nd:       Dalton Brake, Mountain View, Mo., three bass, 8-12, $1,000
3rd:       Loyd Davis, Cape Fair, Mo., three bass, 8-6, $666
4th:        Kirk Short, St. Clair, Mo., three bass, 8-4, $467
5th:        Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., three bass, 7-12, $400
6th:        Khye Scoggins, Willard, Mo., three bass, 7-10, $350
6th:        Shay Hassell, Springfield, Mo., three bass, 7-10, $350
8th:        Bart Burford, Loose Creek, Mo., three bass, 7-8, $300
9th:        Rhett Hill, Fair Grove, Mo., three bass, 7-7, $250
9th:        Michael Adams, Springfield, Mo., two bass, 7-7, $250

Caleb Welch of Bolivar, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $270, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to winning the tournament, Wyatt Marler of Oldfield, Missouri, has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Travis McKee of Fayetteville, Arkansas, leads the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Ozark Division anglers will be held March 29, at Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

College Angler Berlinsky Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Chickamauga

Alabama’s Cook Tops Co-Angler Division

DAYTON, Tenn. (March 10, 2025) – Boater Tripp Berlinsky of St. Cloud, Florida, caught a five-bass limit weighing 32 pounds, 9 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Chickamauga. The tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Choo Choo Division. Berlinsky earned $3,794 for his victory.

As far as competitive fishing goes, Berlinsky stays pretty busy. He’s a member of the bass fishing team at the University of North Alabama. Plus, he competes in BFL and Toyota Series events. Spending all that time on the water paid off big time on Lake Chickamauga.

“I was planning on fishing the Toyota Series here on the 18th of March, and while I was practicing I was doing pretty good,” he said. “So I decided Thursday night to hop in the (BFL) tournament.”

He more than hopped. Berlinsky jumped in and immediately crushed a big bag of fish.

“It was the best day of my career,” he said. “In practice I just figured out that they were keying in on a certain area of current breaks on the main lake. I really just homed in on finding as many replicates of that as possible. In practice, I was catching some small ones, but Saturday I got in an area and I was just seeing a bunch of big ones. So I just hunkered down and hoped I could get five to bite, and I did.”

Using live sonar and an Alabama rig, Berlinsky went to town. He pulled in at 7:35 a.m. and caught a 4 1/2-pounder on his first cast. It got better from there. His first three keepers totaled about 12 pounds. Berlinsky followed up with a 10-pound, 2-ounce kicker. On the very next cast, he landed an 8-9.

“I had 32 pounds at 9 o’clock this morning,” he said.

After the morning flurry, Berlinsky caught a few more before leaving his primary area and bouncing around to a few other main-lake current breaks. He made a couple small culls to eventually get to his winning limit. Interestingly, Berlinsky estimates he saw about 300 bass on sonar during the day, adding to a memorable tournament all around.

“It was God’s doing for sure,” Berlinsky said. “He was looking out for me today.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Tripp Berlinsky, St. Cloud, Fla., five bass, 32-9, $3,794
2nd:      Broderick Luckey, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 28-12, $1,897
3rd:       Jackson Rollins, Town Creek, Ala., five bass, 25-13, $1,265
4th:        John-Dalton Miller, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 22-11, $1,380
5th:        Kevin Drake, Cleveland, Tenn., five bass, 20-14, $1,259 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th:        Lake Johnson, Trinity, Ala., five bass, 20-12, $696
7th:        Scott Towry, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., five bass, 20-8, $632
8th:        Mike Lowry, Hixson, Tenn., five bass, 19-15, $537
8th:        Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 19-15, $537
10th:     Chip Wammack, Muscle Shoals, Ala., five bass, 19-5, $443

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

John-Dalton Miller of Albertville, Alabama, caught a bass that weighed 11 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $495.

Brent Cook of Gardendale, Alabama, won the co-angler division and $1,897 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 2 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Brent Cook, Gardendale, Ala., three bass, 11-2, $1,897
2nd:      John Daniel, Waynesboro, Tenn., three bass, 10-5, $949
3rd:       Kevin McWithey, Flintville, Tenn., three bass, 10-3, $633
4th:        Tony Eckler, Lebanon, Tenn., three bass, 9-6, $443
5th:        Reagan Eldridge, Fayetteville, Tenn., three bass, 9-5, $379
6th:        Alex Roberts, Columbia, Tenn., three bass, 9-0, $332
6th:        Tyson Giesbrecht, Gurley, Ala., three bass, 9-0, $332
8th:        Chris Wade, Acworth, Ga., three bass, 8-15, $285
9th:        Mike Pewitt, Mount Juliet, Tenn., two bass, 8-7, $253
10th:     Chad Hill, Flemingsburg, Ky., two bass, 8-0, $221

Bradley Pruiett of Farragut, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $247, catching a bass that weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After two events, Mike Lowry of Hixson, Tennessee, now leads the Fishing Clash Choo Choo Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 491 points, while James Ramsey of Boaz, Alabama, leads the Fishing Clash Choo Choo Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 477 points.

The next event for BFL Choo Choo Division anglers will be held March 29, at Wheeler Lake out of Rogersville, Alabama. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Logan Martin Lake in Lincoln, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Georgia’s Partain Gets the Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Keowee

Simpsonville’s Gurkin Tops Co-Angler Division

SENECA, S.C. (March 10, 2025) – Boater Kerry Partain of Elberton, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds even Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Keowee. The tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Savannah River Division. Partain earned $3,505 for his victory.

The spawn is just getting going on Lake Keowee, and spawners would play a role in Partain’s victory. Just not right off the bat.

“I started out with (Lowrance) ActiveTarget, just catching some on a Zoom Winged Fluke on jigheads,” he said. “When I got to 12 pounds, I just left and started looking for some bedded fish. I caught a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass on a Zoom Fluke Stick wacky rigged. I saw two more after that, and I caught a few more on a shaky head with a Zoom Speed Craw.”

For his sonar fish, Partain prefers a more patient approach than many run-and-gun anglers have adopted. Instead of covering a ton of water, he sits tight in areas where he knows there are fish – in this case, an area where he’s been catching them the last few weeks – and waits for fish to funnel in and out. Whenever he sees the school, he throws on them. For the bedding fish, Partain benefitted from a fortunate “discovery.”

“I hung up on a dock, and I went up there to get it loose and saw it sitting there,” he said, referring to the 6-2 kicker he caught. “I would have never seen it. So I kind of backed off of it and kept throwing a few things in there, and it finally bit a Fluke Stick. It was kind of crazy. That was a gift for sure. Thank you, Lord.”

Reflecting on the win, Partain extended his gratitude to the team at 72 Marine Sales in Elberton, Georgia, which hooked up his lithium batteries last week in time for the tournament.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Kerry Partain, Elberton, Ga., five bass, 17-0, $3,505
2nd:      Chase Stewart, Laurens, S.C., five bass, 15-14, $1,901
2nd:      Furman (Joe) Thompson, Clayton, Ga., five bass, 15-14, $1,961 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th:        Lane Parker, Waleska, Ga., five bass, 15-13, $818
5th:        Logan Smith, Easley, S.C., five bass, 15-12, $701
6th:        Britt Myers Jr., Lake Wylie, S.C., five bass, 15-8, $643
7th:        Landon Lawson, Jonesborough, Tenn., five bass, 15-2, $584
8th:        Jody Holland, Clermont, Ga., five bass, 15-1, $526
9th:        John Micheal, Ortman Douglas, Ga., five bass, 14-15, $467
10th:     Flint Davis, Leesburg, Ga., five bass, 14-13, $409

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Partain caught a bass that weighed7 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $440.

Chase Gurkin of Simpsonville, South Carolina, won the co-angler division and $1,753 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Chase Gurkin, Simpsonville, S.C., three bass, 9-1, $1,753
2nd:      Rusty Odom, Simpsonville, S.C., three bass, 8-13, $876
3rd:       Clint Jackson, Six Mile, S.C., three bass, 8-4, $497
3rd:       Harold Grizzle, Gainesville, Ga., three bass, 8-4, $497
5th:        Dax Liner, Mineral Bluff, Ga., three bass, 8-2, $351
6th:        Don Meury, Marietta, S.C., three bass, 8-0, $306
6th:        Brandon Lawson, Union, S.C., three bass, 8-0, $406
8th:        Blane Holcombe, Inman, S.C., three bass, 7-15, $263
9th:        Gibson Huntley, Inman, S.C., three bass, 7-14, $234
10th:     Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C., three bass, 7-5, $204

Craig Monnin of Cumming, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $220, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After two events, Lane Parker of Waleska, Georgia, now leads the Fishing Clash Savannah River Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 490 points, while Rusty Odom of Simpsonville, South Carolina, leads the Fishing Clash Savannah River Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 497 points.

The next event for BFL Savannah River Division anglers will be held April 12, at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Virginia’s Trent Posts Fifth Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kerr Lake

Indiana’s Cornelius Tops Co-Angler Division

HENDERSON, N.C. (March 10, 2025) – Boater Tyler Trent of Nathalie, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake . The tournament, hosted by Vance County Tourism Development Authority, was the first event of the season for the BFL Piedmont Division. Trent earned $7,748, including the lucrative $5,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

Trent kept it pretty simple on Saturday. He used his best tool for Kerr Lake – experience.

“It’s been fishing off and on because the lake level got up so high, but it’s getting close to back down to normal level,” he said about Kerr Lake. “I basically just used past experience because it’s my home lake, and I was just able to run a lot of places and just happened to run across the right fish throughout the day.”

Trent figures he made close to 50 stops on Saturday, catching one or two here and there and hitting a variety of targets that he’s marked on his GPS over the years. His go-to lure was a homemade jig with a DNZ Products Agitator crawfish trailer.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., five bass, 21-10, $7,748 (includes $5,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:      Hunter Tibbetts, Centreville, Va., five bass, 19-14, $1,374
3rd:       Thomas Milton, Chester, Va., five bass, 19-8, $1,221
4th:        Shawn Hammack, Gasburg, Va., five bass, 17-12, $766
5th:        Bryson Peed, Clarksville, Va., five bass, 16-11, $550
6th:        Michael (Tony), Eskridge Delmar, Md., five bass, 15-8, $504
7th:        Adam Lester, Huddleston, Va., five bass, 15-7, $458
8th:        Rodney Sorrell, Stokesdale, N.C., five bass, 15-5, $412
9th:        Micah Mitten, Powhatan, Va., five bass, 14-12, $366
10th:     David Wright, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 14-11, $321

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Thomas Milton of Chester, Virginia, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $305.

Casey Cornelius of Indianapolis, Indiana, won the co-angler division and $1,374 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Casey Cornelius, Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 7-13, $1,374
2nd:      Derek Stanley, Fuquay Varina, N.C., three bass, 7-7, $687
3rd:       David Deciucis, Chester, Va., three bass, 6-10, $459
4th:        Dalton Marlow, Maiden, N.C., three bass, 6-4, $321
5th:        Collier Clemmons, Wilmington, N.C., two bass, 5-1, $275
6th:        Chad Liptrap, High Point, N.C., two bass, 4-15, $252
7th:        Steve Cannon, Wilkesboro, N.C., two bass, 4-8, $329
8th:        Kieran Packard, Oklahoma City, Okla., two bass, 4-5, $206
9th:        Dwayne Bingman, Julian, N.C., two bass, 3-14, $183
10th:     Morris Mustian, Oxford, N.C., one bass, 3-13, $312

Morris Mustian of Oxford, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $152, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to winning the tournament, Tyler Trent of Nathalie, Virginia, has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Piedmont Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Casey Cornelius of Indianapolis, Indiana, leads the Fishing Clash Piedmont Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Piedmont Division anglers will be held March 30, at Smith Mountain Lake in Huddleston, Virginia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-4 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Murray State College Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on Grand Lake Presented by Columbia PFG

GROVE, Okla. (March 10, 2025) – The Murray State College duo of Shaden Farley of Valliant, Oklahoma, and Sam Sutter of Bixby, Oklahoma, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Grand Lake Presented by Columbia PFG Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned the Aggies’ bass club $2,000 and a qualification into the 2025 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

There’s a cliché every fan of tournament bass fishing has heard a thousand times: When it’s your time, it’s your time. There may be no recent example as worthy of that phrase as Murray State College’s win at Grand Lake. From the very start, it looked like everything was going to go wrong. And then, just as quickly, it all went so right.

“We had a plan to run all the way south down there on the south end of Grand Lake,” said Sutter. “We had the fish found down there. We ended up running midway down there today, and we lost my trim. It got stuck all the way down. We had to fish what was in front of us the rest of the day. We probably had a quarter mile of bank in front of us, and that’s what we fished all day.”

“The key to it all was definitely that leading back there was just a little bitty cut right on the edge,” added Farley, “which would make a spawning pocket, and there were brush piles right out in front of that. And that’s what was holding them.”

When they first pulled up, the Aggies spotted one of the brush piles on live sonar, tossed an Alabama rig over it and two fish followed it up. Though they lost one of those fish right off the bat, they took it as a sign that there might be potential there. Once they expanded, Sutter and Farley were able to locate three key brush piles in 10 to 15 feet of water. Those brush piles produced four of the winning fish.

Sutter and Farley used YUM YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr. rigs with 1/16-ounce heads and a mix of Keitech swimbaits for their wires with hooks and small shad-colored swimbaits for their hookless teasers. The lightweight setup was perfect for staying over the top of the brush.

And to go back to the “if it’s your day” cliché, Farley and Sutter weren’t done yet. When they idled back to the ramp at the end of the day, they caught a last-minute keeper to seal up the win by flipping a Strike King Rage Craw in some dirty water by the ramp.

“God is good,” Sutter said. “Right as we sat down, I was just punching my rod box, asking why? Why is this happening? I had an all right practice, and I knew the bite was tough. And I was just asking myself why? I think we put our heads down, and the good Lord made it happen. When it’s your time, it’s your time.”

The top 10 teams finished:

1st: Murray State College – Shaden Farley, Valliant, Okla., and Sam Sutter, Bixby, Okla., five bass, 18-2, $2,000
2nd: Drury University – Jacob Longlois, Orange, Texas, and Seth Prather, Dallas, Texas, five bass, 16-8, $1,000
3rd: Drury University – David Derubertis, Frankfort, Ill., and Curt Ferguson, Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 14-8, $700
4th: McKendree University – Jaxson Freeman, Loda, Ill., and Jack Stephens, St. Louis, Mo., five bass, 14-3, $600
5th: University of Missouri – Brett Hurst, Helena, Mo., and Ty Nielsen, Wheaton, Ill., five bass, 13-15, $500
6th: Tarleton State - Stephenville – Dawson Lynch, Ben Wheeler, Texas, and Jared Mizell, Pearland, Texas, five bass, 13-10
7th: Wabash Valley College – Hunter Russell, Salem, Ill., and Richard Skiff, Edwardsville, Ill., five bass, 13-8
8th: Campbellsville University – Clay Oberman, Campbellsville, Ky., and Will Oberman, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 13-7
9th: Drury University – Clay Henderson, Purdy, Mo., and Brant Rowland, Little Suamico, Wis., five bass, 13-6
10th: McKendree University – Ryan Foster, Columbia, Ill., and Angelo Malek, Lake St. Louis, Mo., four bass, 12-14

The full list of National Championship qualifiers and complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Grand Lake was hosted by the City of Grove. The next tournament for MLF College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes, March 28 in Gilbertsville, Kentucky.

The 2025 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season features college teams from across the country competing in six regular-season open tournaments. The top 15 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2026 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota , WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Christie Conquers NPFL at Santee Cooper

Coming into the Strike King NPFL Stop One at Santee Cooper Lakes, estimates suggested that 75 pounds would be enough to claim victory. But Santee Cooper—and Lakes Marion and Moultrie—had other plans, delivering big bass throughout the event. Despite changing temperatures and high winds, Oklahoma’s Jason Christie set a new NPFL three-day weight record of 82 pounds, 12 ounces, surging from sixth place after Day Two to earn his first NPFL Shield and the $100,000 prize.

As the top ten lined up to weigh in, Caleb Kuphall briefly set a new NPFL three-day total weight record, but his time at the top was short-lived. Christie surged ahead with a massive 32-pound, 5-ounce bag on the final day, claiming the hot seat. The last angler to weigh in, Day Two leader Corey Casey, faced his toughest day of the tournament, managing just 15 pounds, 5 ounces. Despite tying Kuphall in total weight, Casey finished second due to the tiebreaker.

With several giants landed over three days, Harmon Davis claimed Big Bass honors with a 10-pound, 9-ounce lunker caught on Day One. Twenty-three anglers cracked the 20-pound mark on Championship Sunday, including North Carolina’s Josh Hook, who jumped to 40th place with his biggest bag of the week to secure the final check.

Christie Comes Roaring Back

Two “dirty thirty” bags were all Jason Christie needed to erase a slow Day Two and charge to victory. The Oklahoma pro stuck to his strengths, locking in a BOOYAH Covert Spinnerbait and going to work on Santee Cooper. He kicked off the tournament with 31 pounds, 6 ounces on Day One, followed by 19 pounds, 1 ounce on Day Two, before surging back to the top with a dominant 32-pound, 5-ounce bag on Sunday—the biggest limit of the day.

All week, Christie focused on cypress trees in Lake Marion, in a well-known area referred to as “The Brickyard.” Searching for the coldest water temperatures he could find, he keyed in on isolated trees in 2 to 5 feet of water.

“Throughout practice and during the tournament, I looked for the coolest water in the area because I didn't want my fish to leave and try to spawn,” said Christie. “Some parts of the lake were further along, but where I was focusing, the cooler water kept them positioned where I could catch them.”

Fishing just north of Eutaw Springs, he slow-rolled a ½-ounce BOOYAH Covert Single Colorado Blade spinnerbait, rotating between chartreuse/white/blue and chartreuse/white.

“I opted to fish the NPFL this season because I wanted to fish more,” he said on stage. “When I’m back home in Oklahoma, I don’t fish a whole lot, so this keeps me focused and hungry. Anytime you can get a victory, it’s special. When you do this long enough, you never know when it’s going to be the last one.”

SC Angler Casey Falls to Second

After increasing his weight from Day One to Day Two, changing conditions finally caught up with Day Two leader Corey Casey, as he struggled to find quality fish on Sunday. He kicked off the event on Friday with 27 pounds, 3 ounces, then called an audible on Day Two, relocating to land 30 pounds, 4 ounces. As the last angler to weigh in on the final day, his 15-pound, 9-ounce limit dropped him to second place—still a strong finish for Stop One of the 2025 NPFL Season.

On Day Two, strong winds forced Casey to abandon his main area and move to a more protected deep weed point. While he had confidence in the spot, he was surprised to find quality fish staging to spawn.

“I wanted to jump around and hit a few places where I could actually fish,” said Casey. “The first spot I got to had them. It was a one-cast spot, and that cast was producing 30 pounds—I definitely didn’t expect that.”

Still, Casey had a gut feeling that fishing the same spot back-to-back wouldn’t pan out, and he was right. He landed no keepers and moved on. Working his way back down the lake, he jumped between spots and slowly built a small limit. When the camera guy left at 2:00, it was game on—Casey caught his entire Day Three bag in short order.

“I salvaged the day,” he added. “And honestly, it’s nice to lose by almost ten pounds rather than making it close. Even if Christie hadn’t caught a big one late, he still would have edged me out. It was a phenomenal week, and to start the season like this at home is incredible.”

For Casey, competing at a high level on his home waters is more than just personal pride—it’s also a reflection of the knowledge he’s built as a full-time guide on Santee Cooper.

“I’m a guide on Santee Cooper—Corey Casey Guide Service—and this is my second year doing it,” he concluded. “I also have to thank my local sponsors for their support: Arrow Fencing LLC, Atlantis Heating & Air, Diamond Decorative Coatings, Kennedy's Grading, Excavation & Materials, New Haven Construction LLC, Phantom Outdoors - Tournament Grade Fishing Apparel, Riverland Services - Tree and Land Management, and Rodney Wrenn - Custom Wood Framed Metal Buildings.”

Top ten:

Jason Christie 82-12

Corey Casey 73-0

Caleb Kuphall 73-0

Bill Lowen 71-12

Hank Cherry 71-3

Patrick Walters 71-0

Keith Bardolf 68-12

Greg Hackney 67-13

Buck Mallory 67-12

Buddy Gross 67-4

by AnglersChannel

Orange’s Riley Harris Catches 30-Pound Limit on Final Day to Win MLF Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

BROOKELAND, Texas (March 9, 2025) – The final weigh-in of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division event at Sam Rayburn was one for the record books. Three different pros weighed over 30 pounds on the day, and nobody was safe on the leaderboard. Coming in with a big lead after two days, local pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, faltered on Day 3, and Riley Harris of Orange, Texas, surged to the top for his first MLF win.

Weighing bags in the mid-20s each of the first two days, Harris added 30 pounds, 9 ounces on Day 3 for an 82-10 total to earn the win. For the win, which was his first with MLF, Harris takes home $29,930 and a berth in the $200,000 Toyota Series Championship this fall.

The ideal tournament scenario for any angler is to find fish, and for more of them to show up every day. Often, it’s an impossible task – fish in the summer and winter are generally not flooding in or out of areas. Fishing fans might recall it happening a lot in May and June on Kentucky Lake during the heyday of ledge fishing, with weights going up day after day and leaders throwing back 3-pounders without weighing them because their expectations were set so high. This week at Rayburn, big fish were rolling into the shallows, routing along Texas drains, and Harris was right there to meet them.

“I think the inconsistent weather that has been happening in the past month has kinda made it hard for everybody to stay on them,” said Harris, who fishes both Rayburn and Toledo Bend frequently. “I knew this week they were coming into the spawning areas, and they hadn't seen a lot of baits. And, man, it was just absolutely electric.

“I knew they were coming to me the entire event, I knew that I didn't have to really go anywhere or go out, I just knew that I had to stay put, and they were just going to keep filtering in.”

Fishing from 5 feet to 15 feet deep, Harris was fishing typical Texas patterns, but with little to no company – which was not the case for many others in the event.

“I was just fishing the drains that were right there in spawning areas, they were just sitting in the bottom of the drains or up on the sides of them,” Harris explained. “I didn't have any time to find any cranking fish or anything, so I just had to mainly ‘Scope the grass and the drains that were right there in the spawning areas.”

For baits, Harris relied on a 6^th Sense Ozzie, a Neko-rigged 6^th Sense Divine Shakey Worm with a 1/10-ounce weight, and an umbrella rig with three 1/8-ounce heads and two ¼-ounce heads and 6^th Sense Divine Swimbaits.

Practice days this week leading up to the event were atrociously windy, and it almost seemed like having less practice was better. Coming in off events in Florida, Ebare and Lee Livesay both caught over 30 pounds on Day 1 with just slight hints of practice. Harris was in a similar boat, having lost his lower unit on the weekend.

“I was pretty much off the water ‘til Wednesday,” Harris said. “I got to get out there when it was blowing really hard, and I was able to run a couple areas that I had confidence in, and I saw some things. But I knew it was only a matter of time before they were going to push up like they did.”

Being perfectly in tune with the fishery isn’t new for Harris, especially this year – he and Luke Potter won a February Texas Team Trail event on Rayburn with 41-9. Some lost fish certainly could have derailed his victory, though – Day 2 featured two heartbreaking mishaps.

“It was just freak accidents,” he said. “That 10 straightened out my hook. And then the 8, I guess I just had a soft spot in my line, and it just broke as soon as I laid into her, and she was sitting there flopping on top of the water in front of me trying to throw it. In an event like this where literally everything matters, I thought I blew my chance for sure.”

Still, dropping 30 on the final day makes up for a lot, and Harris was thrilled with the win.

“I have dreamt of this moment literally my entire life,” said Harris. “It's really humbling because, I wanted to compete at the top, and I've been chasing this dream for years. And its finally just kind of all started to come together, and I've been able to put things together. It’s really humbling for sure, to see where we were and now where we're at.”

The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:

1st:        Riley Harris, Orange, Texas, 15 bass, 82-10, $29,930
2nd:       Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, 15 bass, 79-12, $11,404
3rd:       Dylan Thompson, Del Rio, Texas, 15 bass, 76-5, $8,829
4th:        Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas, 15 bass, 74-4, $7,358
5th:        Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 72-4, $6,622
6th:        Ryan Satterfield, Texarkana, Ark., 15 bass, 64-1, $6,886
7th:        Lee Livesay, Longview, Texas, 15 bass, 63-12, $5,650
8th:        Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 62-9, $4,415
9th:        Nick Kincaid, Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 60-14, $3,679
10th:     Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, 15 bass, 59-15, $3,443

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Chad Mrazek earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 10 pounds even, while tournament winner Riley Harris won Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass, weighing in a 9-pounder to earn the $500 award.

Phillip Hudnall of Bixby, Oklahoma, won the co-angler division Saturday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 34 pounds even. Hudnall earned the top co-angler prize package worth $34,050, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn finished:

1st:        Phillip Hudnall, Bixby, Okla., 13 bass, 34-0, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd:       Justin Swayze, Gurdon, Ark., 12 bass, 32-1, $3,766
3rd:       David Bozarth, Montgomery, Texas, 11 bass, 29-1, $3,013
4th:        Stephen Vogel, Muenster, Texas, 11 bass, 28-4, $2,636
5th:        Jacob Smith, McKinney, Texas, 13 bass, 27-9, $2,260
6th:        Elijah Soto, Inyokern, Calif., 13 bass, 27-1, $1,883
7th:        Errol Sigue, Jeanerette, La., nine bass, 26-0, $1,506
8th:        Sieg Kilby, Kilgore, Texas, 12 bass,25-3, $1,318
9th:        Mark King, Gurdon, Texas, 11 bass, 24-1, $1,130
10th:     Lawrence Lacour, Mabank, Texas, 12 bass, 23-15, $942

Co-angler John Warren of Shawnee, Oklahoma, earned the first Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of the event on Thursday with a 10-pound, 2-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Micheal Sharp of Calera, Oklahoma, who brought a 6-pound, 11-ounce largemouth bass to the scale.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Sam Rayburn Reservoir was hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce. It was the second of three regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division. The third and final event for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division regular season will be May 1-3 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2025 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and the Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2026. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2025 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 6-8 on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, and is hosted by the City of Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Drew Gill Wins MLF Bass Pro Tour PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King at Lake Murray

22-year-old pro catches 19 bass weighing 58-2 in Sunday’s Championship Round to earn top prize of $150,000

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 9, 2025) – The Championship Round of PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King at Lake Murray quickly turned into a microcosm of the past two years on the Bass Pro Tour (BPT): a one-on-one battle between Drew Gill and Jacob Wheeler for the top spot.

Gill and Wheeler have been arguably the two most dominant pros not just on the BPT but in all of professional bass fishing over the past two years, when Gill arrived on Major League Fishing’s top tour. Both have multiple national wins in that span. They finished first and second in the 2024 Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race and are now back in the top two spots in 2025.

So, perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the two employed virtually identical game plans on Lake Murray, using forward-facing sonar during Period 1 to rocket to the top of SCORETRACKER®, then skipping boat docks with Neko rigs for the rest of the day. They separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the first couple hours of the Championship Round, but neither angler ever built a comfortable lead over the other in the race for the $150,000 top prize.

Ultimately, despite a stressful third period that saw him fail to catch a scorable bass during the final 89 minutes, Gill prevailed. His total of 58 pounds, 2 ounces edged Wheeler by 2-3 – less than the average size of a scorable bass caught on Lake Murray this week.

Even though he spent the final hour convinced Wheeler was going to run him down, Gill came away with his second Bass Pro Tour victory in just 10 career events and his fourth win across BPT, Team Series and Tackle Warehouse Invitationals competition in the past 13 months.

“If you had told me, ‘Hey, last hour and a half, you’re not going to catch a bass. Do you think Wheeler is going to catch 4 pounds?’ I would have been like, ‘Absolutely, he is,’” Gill said with a chuckle. “And [the bite] just died for both of us.”

Gill rode an emotional roller coaster not just for the final period but the entire Championship Round. When he launched his boat Sunday morning, he admitted he didn’t like his chances of winning, as he figured the overcast, cool conditions would hurt his afternoon dock pattern.

“I knew the conditions were going to shoot my dock bite, and to be honest, I didn’t think I could do 45 (pounds) in the first period to make up for that,” the 22-year-old said.

While Gill’s prediction about a slower afternoon bite proved correct, he made up for it with his two greatest strengths – a well-thought-out, math-based strategy and his mastery of forward-facing sonar.

Gill used the first period each day to target bass that were chasing blueback herring in ditches. He fished deeper than most other anglers, catching his fish in 28 to 35 feet of water, where some related to stumps on the bottom and others suspended. He believes those bass weren’t getting as much pressure as the shallower populations other anglers targeted with forward-facing sonar, allowing him to fool a higher percentage of them into biting.

“With a lake like Murray that has so many bass in it, your focal point when you’re using ‘Scope should always be bite percentage,” Gill explained. “You’re always going to be able to put a bait in front of a bass. You're not going to beat other people by putting a bait in front of more bass than they are. You’re going to beat other people by dialing your deal as best you can and ideally finding a population that other people aren’t pressuring. And I fished for them deeper than anybody else did this week.”

Wielding a 4-inch minnow on a 1/4-ounce jighead with a 1/0 hook, Gill used a pair of flurries to stack weight on SCORETRACKER® in a hurry. In one 37-minute window, he boated six bass totaling nearly 25 pounds. Then, toward the end of Period 1, he added four more for 11-8 within 23 minutes.

He credits a fortuitous break for the latter action: The overnight switch to daylight savings time put the field on the water an hour earlier than they’d fished the rest of the week, extending his bite window.

“(The bite) kind of went away around 9 a.m. all week,” Gill said. “But because of the time change, we got out there an hour earlier, and so that 9 a.m. became today’s 10 a.m. So, without the time change, I don’t win this tournament.”

Gill’s first-period total of 45-7 led Wheeler by 9-6 and put him nearly 27 pounds clear of everyone else. At that point, even though he wasn’t overly optimistic about skipping docks, he started to believe he could pull off the win.

“The two days when I needed to catch shallow fish, I caught like 17 pounds both days and shook them off the rest of the day,” Gill said. “I thought no way, even though the conditions were worse, do I catch any less than 20 pounds.”

The bass had other plans. After locking up his forward-facing sonar unit, Gill went more than 2 hours without boating a scorable bass. Meanwhile, Wheeler steadily added to his total. He passed Gill and built a lead of more than 6 pounds.

Finally, with less than 10 minutes left in Period 2, Gill connected with his most important bass of the day. Twice, he skipped his Big Bite Baits Nekorama, which he paired with a No. 1 straight-shank hook and 1/16-ounce Bass Pro Shops tungsten nail weight, under the same dock, got bit and failed to hook up. On the third try, he let the fish eat his bait a tad longer, then connected with a 5-1.

Not only did that fish close his deficit to one scorable bass, it gave him a clue about what sort of docks to look for – floating docks on round, shallow points, the more isolated the better.

“That 5-pounder was a real turning point in my day,” Gill said. “Because it kind of clued me in to the deal that allowed me to get a handful of bites, which was anywhere I had a little, round, shallow point. If there was a dock on the side of it and under it was like 4 to 7 feet, I knew it was going to be pretty high percentage. Of my five scorable bites I got the rest of the day, four of them were on that deal. … They wanted to be on that break, that depth break, anyways, and if you had that depth break occur right under a dock, it just kind of doubled the percentage of that dock having a fish.”

Armed with that information, Gill added three more bass for 7-10 early in the third period, not only retaking the lead but extending his advantage over Wheeler to more than 6 pounds. That included a 3-pounder that he somehow landed despite having his line wrapped around the motor of a docked boat and the dock’s ladder – another break that seemed to prove the oft-repeated fishing axiom that when it’s your time to win, it’s your time.

“I don’t land that fish, I don’t win this tournament,” Gill said. “Because of a couple very fortunate turns of events, we got it done.”

The fact that it was Wheeler, an eight-time winner on the Bass Pro Tour, chasing him down made Gill’s late lull even more stressful. Once he got the news that Wheeler had pulled within one bite with about 30 minutes left before lines out, Gill became convinced he needed to catch one more to ice the win.

In the end, holding off the No. 1-ranked angler in the world made this win even more memorable. Gill seems to be making a habit of winning in stressful fashion, as he had to weather a similarly slow final period in his first BPT victory, which came on the Chowan River last June.

“At Chowan, I got chased within a handful of pounds by Michael Neal, and this one, by Wheeler,” Gill said. “Those are two guys that I have tremendous respect for their fishing abilities, and they’re two guys that you don’t want to have chasing you. And it was something where I did not see that coming, and I was very gratified by the fact that I was able to hold my ground enough to steady this one out.”

Gill – who, as recently as January 2024 was competing in Abu Garcia College Fishing events – emphasized that any national-level win is special to him, no matter how it comes.

However, he acknowledged that he set out this season to prove that his success isn’t just a product of forward-facing sonar. Mission accomplished. On the Bass Pro Tour, where anglers can only utilize the technology for one of three periods each day, he’s finished seventh, 11th and first in three events. He sits second to Wheeler in the Angler of the Year standings, just six points back. Throw in a runner-up finish two weeks ago at an Invitationals event on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, where forward-facing sonar was banned on Day 2 of the three-day tournament, and Gill has left little doubt about his ability to catch them, no matter the circumstances.

“I will say, to come out here with the new format this year – and with some question marks spiraling – and to start the year with a seventh, an 11th and a win, I feel like is a statement that I was wanting to make to start the year, and it’s one that is made now,” Gill said. “Especially after the second at Kissimmee as well, not having it at all the second day of that tournament.

“It does mean something to me. But it’s no sweeter than a win any other way. … A win is a win, man, and it’s sweet either way.”

The top 10 pros at the PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 at Lake Murray Presented by Strike King finished:

1st:        Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 19 bass, 58-2, $150,000
2nd:       Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 20 bass, 55-15, $45,000
3rd:       Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 11 bass, 37-10, $35,000
4th:        Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 13 bass, 36-2, $30,000
5th:        Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 10 bass, 30-4, $25,000
6th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., nine bass, 27-4, $23,000
7th:        Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, seven bass, 24-6, $22,000
8th:        Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., seven bass, 23-3, $21,000
9th:        Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, seven bass, 19-8, $20,500
10th:     Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., seven bass, 18-10, $20,000

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 110 scorable bass weighing 331 pounds even caught by the final 10 pros on Sunday.

Pro Jeff Sprague of Wills Point, Texas, won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with a 6-pound largemouth that he caught on a crankbait in Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The four-day PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 at Lake Murray Presented by Strike King event was hosted by the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board and showcased 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $650,000, including a top payout of $150,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2026, the Bass Pro Tour championship.

Television coverage of the PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 at Lake Murray Presented by Strike King will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 4 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering on Sunday, Oct. 5. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2026 championship.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X , Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Corey Casey Takes Over NPFL Santee Cooper Lead

The South Carolina angler called an audible this morning to jump into the lead at the Strike King NPFL Stop One at Santee Cooper Lakes.

Through two days at the Strike King NPFL Stop One at Santee Cooper Lakes, South Carolina is delivering in a big way. The weather may be shifting, but the big fish are still biting. After two days of competition, South Carolina pro Corey Casey leads with a two-day total of 57 pounds, 7 ounces. Buck Mallory sits in second with 53 pounds, 15 ounces. And Skeeter Crosby holds third with 53 pounds, 10 ounces.

Changing conditions shook up the leaderboard, with anglers making moves on day two. Once again, over 19 competitors weighed in more than 20 pounds, with the final check cut (40th place) currently held by Ricky Robinson, who has 32 pounds, 11 ounces. The big fish of the tournament still belongs to Harmon Davis, who landed a massive 10-pound, 9-ounce Santee Cooper lunker on day one.

Casey Rockets Into Lead

South Carolina angler Corey Casey remained unfazed by the shifting weather between days one and two, opting to start in a completely new spot on Saturday. Looking to avoid the wind, his decision paid off as his “staging” area fired up, producing a 30-pound, 4-ounce bag. Coupled with his 27-pound, 3-ounce effort on Day One, Casey now holds a two-day total of 57 pounds, 7 ounces, giving him a 3-pound, 8-ounce lead heading into Championship Sunday.

He arrived at his backup water first thing in the morning, protected from the wind, dropped his Power-Poles, and got to work—quickly filling his limit and culling to his final weight before 10 a.m. His area, which features scattered vegetation and hard cover, is attracting bass moving in to spawn. Positioned slightly deeper than other anglers, his fish have remained unaffected by the cooler temperatures.

“There was nobody in there this morning, and I got after them, hardly having to move,” Casey said. “I caught most of them on reaction baits and a few on a worm. It’s very specific where they’re sitting—I had one cast that caught everything the same way.”

With another weather shift expected for Sunday, Casey remains confident, believing his area will be protected from the wind and still produce.

“I’m having an absolute blast out there. There isn’t anything better—unless they start biting a topwater,” he laughed. “I don’t know how tomorrow will go, but I’m excited. A lead is better than no lead, but this place changes fast, and these guys can catch them.”

Mallory Moves to Second

Unlike most of the field, Buck Mallory saw his water get cleaner and warmer on Day Two—a change that didn’t work in his favor. Struggling with missed fish and short strikes early, he quickly adjusted, switching colors on his Z-Man EVO ChatterBait, and saw an immediate difference. He “salvaged” his day, adding 22 pounds, 14 ounces and sits in second-place with a total weight of 53 pounds, 15 ounces.

“Today, the wind blew out my cooler, stained water, and it got really clean—it jumped from 51 to 57 degrees on me,” Mallory said. “On top of that, the water level dropped as the wind pushed it out. Yesterday, I got hung up a few times, but today I got hung up 18 times—it didn’t help. The cooler water temperature was key.”

With the wind expected to shift 180 degrees and cooler, cloudy conditions moving back in for Championship Sunday, the Michigan angler is optimistic that his fish will reset.

“I had, what, 23 pounds today? But in reality, I saw 27-plus pounds worth of fish bite and not get the bait,” he added. “They’re in there, and they want to eat—I know where the key spots are. Using Humminbird MEGA 360, I can see hard spots in the grass and stumps around me, so I know exactly where to cast. The weather should help me out tomorrow, and I’ve got a long day to make it happen.”

Crosby Jumps to Third

Managing fish over a three-day tournament is no easy task, but Skeeter Crosby has executed his game plan flawlessly. After two days, he sits in third place with a total weight of 53 pounds, 10 ounces, just 5 ounces behind Mallory. Originally planning to push hard on Day Two and fish his spot out, Crosby didn’t need to—he secured a hefty 29-pound limit early and was able to back off, saving fish for Championship Sunday.

He kicked off the event with 24-10 on Friday, then followed it up with a dominant 29-pound bag today. Fishing one main area with five or six key spots, Crosby has yet to touch all of his water after two days.

“Yesterday, I caught everything on one spot, and today I pulled up and fished that spot again,” he said. “I had my weight early, so I made a couple of extra casts just to see what would happen and caught two decent fish that didn’t help. After that, I decided to bail and go practice.”

Crosby hasn’t had much company aside from a few locals but remains tight-lipped about the details. He noted that he’s targeting offshore hard cover, locking down his Power-Poles, and making the same cast repeatedly without moving.

“I’m fishing one single bait, and every fish has come on that,” he added. “When it’s cold and windy, this area gets even better. The wind helped me today, and tomorrow looks like more of the same. The fish are still coming, and typically, there are fish on this spot all year long. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Top Ten:

Corey Casey 57-7

Buck Mallory 53-15

Skeeter Crosby 53-10

Patrick Walters 51-15

Buddy Gross 51-4

Jason Christie 50-7

Bill Lowen 50-4

Jordan Osborne 49-1

Chad Marler 48-0

Hank Cherry 47-9

by AnglersChannel

Aoki's consistency and decision making are keys for win at Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley

March 8, 2025

PARIS, Tenn. — Nothing was certain on the final day of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN.

But this much was true — Japan’s Yui Aoki, who led by more than 6 pounds when the day began, would have to stumble substantially to not win the tournament.

He didn’t stumble at all. In fact, he shined.

The 25-year-old Aoki finished the three-day tournament with a total of 66 pounds, 14 ounces, which was 3 ½ pounds more than his closest competitor in the field of 10 that survived Friday’s cut to Championship Saturday.

He sealed the deal with the second-heaviest bag on Day 3, a limit of three smallmouth and two largemouth bass that weighed 18-10. Coming into the tournament, many pundits predicted that the angler who caught a mix of the two would be hard to beat this week.

Aoki proved them right, collecting $50,305 cash with the victory. That was part of a $334,028 cash purse split among the Top 45 competitors in the field of 226 that began the derby on Thursday. Aoki also clinched a berth in the 2006 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour when it’s held next March 13-15 in Knoxville, Tenn., on the Tennessee River.

Though he doesn’t speak much English, the signs of happiness are a universal language. A wide smile spread across Aoki’s face when he closed Saturday’s weigh-in with a bang. He pumped his fists high into the air with delight and he posed for photos with fishing fans and fellow competitors gathered at Paris Landing State Park.

“This feels so good,” he said of his first B.A.S.S. win.

As for earning a trip to the Classic?

“A dream come true,” he acknowledged.

Aoki was fishing some 6,600 miles from his home in the Minamitsuru District of Japan, but he looked right at home on Kentucky Lake — the mammoth 160,000-plus-acre impoundment of the Tennessee River he was fishing for the very first time.

Perhaps what was most impressive about Aoki’s win was the consistency he showed on what can be quite the fickle fishery. It’s not uncommon for the best anglers in the world to catch a 25-pound sack one day, fall to 12 pounds fishing the very same spot the next day, only to catch 25 pounds again a day later.

Aoki defied that possibility, working instead with machine-like precision. He bagged 24 pounds of smallmouth bass on Day 1 of the tournament to put himself in second place, trailing only local ace Jordan Hartman and his 25-4 limit.

Then the weather changed, going from cold and clear on Thursday to overcast and blustery on Friday. Aoki didn’t flinch, returning to the main channel and bagging a 24-4 limit, with three of five fish in his creel being largemouths.

Aoki gave bass fishing fans more of the same clinical approach on Championship Saturday, and he didn’t make long runs to do it. Though he focused on flooded timber in a stretch of the main channel just north of Paris Landing for the first two days of the derby, he decided instead to fish the Big Sandy area just south of takeoff on Day 3.

Another sharp decision from the young angler.

“I had to expand my area, look for new (fish),” Aoki said, “It was windy, but it helped me today.”

He used a variety of swimbaits to hook his best catches on Kentucky Lake, most in white or smoke colors to mimic the threadfin shad which were thick throughout the reservoir this week. Aoki’s key lures included a Dstyle Virola Tail Swimbait 145 and a Dstyle Virola 4 or 5 rigged with a 3.5-gram jighead.

The win secured for Aoki valuable points in the Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers points race, too. He already finished 10^th in the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN in February and now has a first-place finish to his credit. Aoki is scheduled to compete in the final two Division 2 Bassmaster Opens this year — April 3-5 on Arkansas’ Norfork Lake and Aug. 14-16 on Minnesota’s Leech Lake.

The Top 50 anglers in both the Division 1 and Division 2 Open standings will qualify for the EQ Series which starts in September. The Top 10 anglers in that inaugural three-tournament competition will win invitations to compete in the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Rounding out the Top 10 anglers on Kentucky Lake, and furthering their cause to reach the EQ Series, are second, Illinois resident and McKendree University angler Ethan Fields, 63-5, $20,122; Kentucky Elite Series pro Matt Robertson, 56-3, $15,092; fourth, Kentucky’s Clint Knight, 56-0, $14,086; fifth, Kentucky’s Jordan Hartman, 55-9, $13,079; sixth, Tennessee’s Sam Hanggi, 53-5, $12,073; seventh, Alabama’s Laker Howell, 52-1, $11,067; eighth, Colorado’s Ty Faber, 49-6, $10,061; ninth, Georgia’s Tanner Hadden, 48-9; $10,061; and 10^th, Tennessee’s Miles Burghoff, 43-0; $10,061.

Nebraska’s BJ Miller won $750 and the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award for the 8-3 he caught on Day 1.

The City of Paris hosted the event.

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

About B.A.S.S.

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

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN 3/6-3/8
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 15 66-14 200 $50,305.00
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 24-04 Day 3: 5 18-10
2. Ethan Fields Breese, IL 15 63-05 199 $20,122.00
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 22-06
3. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 15 56-03 198 $15,092.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 24-05 Day 3: 5 17-11
4. Clint Knight Russellville, KY 14 56-00 197 $14,086.00
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 4 15-14 Day 3: 5 17-03
5. Jordan Hartman Benton, KY 15 55-09 196 $13,079.00
Day 1: 5 25-04 Day 2: 5 14-08 Day 3: 5 15-13
6. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 14 53-05 195 $12,073.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 4 13-00
7. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 13 52-01 194 $11,067.00
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 3 09-14
8. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 14 49-06 193 $10,061.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-05 Day 3: 4 11-05
9. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 13 48-09 192 $10,061.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 3 08-11
10. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 11 43-00 191 $10,061.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 25-06 Day 3: 1 02-15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Bj Miller Adams, NE 08-03 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 62 607 1993-00
2 46 482 1545-12
3 5 40 137-08
----------------------------------
113 1129 3676-04

by AnglersChannel

Becker Paces Field in Knockout Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King at Lake Murray

Final 10 anglers ready for Championship Sunday, heaviest one-day total earns top prize of $150,000

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 8, 2025) – As the final period of the Qualifying Round at PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King ticked away, Matt Becker couldn’t buy a bite. Across the last three hours of competition Friday, Becker never landed a Lake Murray bass – although he still managed to hold on to the final spot above the Elimination Line, topping two competitors by less than 1 pound to secure a spot in Saturday’s Knockout Round.

A new day brought zeroed weights, and Becker took full advantage. He caught fire early on Saturday, sprinting to the top of SCORETRACKER® with 10 bass totaling 30 pounds, 13 ounces during the first hour of competition. He then maintained the top spot for nearly the entire rest of the day, finishing with 44-10 on 15 scorable bass. That was just 11 ounces ahead of Jacob Wheeler, while Drew Gill and Alton Jones Jr. also finished within 2-2 of Becker’s total.

That quartet – all former Bass Pro Tour winners – will be joined by Qualifying Round victor Jeff Sprague as well as the rest of the top nine finishers from the Knockout Round in what’s shaping up to be a loaded Championship Round. Weights will once again zero, then the angler who can amass the most weight Sunday will take home $150,000.

Becker grew up in Pennsylvania, where he spent a lot of time on Lake Erie, and now lives on the Tennessee River. So, on paper, it doesn’t really make sense why he’s found so much success at Lake Murray. But the South Carolina impoundment has always treated him well.

Becker earned his first national win on the fishery at a Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event in 2021, then finished a solid 27th when the Bass Pro Tour visited in 2023 en route to winning the Angler of the Year title as a rookie. Now, he’s back in the Top 10 again. Multiple times Saturday, he remarked that Lake Murray is his favorite tournament venue in the country.

“I really can’t explain it,” Becker said. “I love clean water, and I guess it’s a blueback herring thing. I’ve always done well on herring lakes. But yeah, from the very first day I launched my boat on Murray, I just clicked with it and loved it.”

That past success helped bolster Becker’s confidence entering the Knockout Round despite his slow finish Friday. Like most of the field has all week, he opted to use his one allotted period with forward-facing sonar during Period 1. He returned to the same pocket where he caught four scorable bass the morning prior, and this time, he found the fish positioned shallower and feeding aggressively.

Using a jighead minnow, he boated 12 scorable bass for 36-6 during the opening period – more weight than he caught during either of the first two days of competition.

“I had the opportunity to have a similar morning yesterday, but I just missed them,” Becker explained. “I lost them; they weren’t eating the bait right. So, I knew the potential was there. I didn’t expect that this morning, but I knew I had to go back to that same zone and see if I could trick a few into biting, and it was fast and furious this morning. They were biting instead of following.”

With his forward-facing sonar turned off, Becker spent the rest of the day skipping a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko around boat docks. That became the dominant pattern across the field on a warm, sunny afternoon.

Becker added three scorable bass with his transducers turned off, including the first one he’s landed during the third period all week. He knows he’s going to need to do a better job of keeping up the pace during the latter two periods of the Championship Round if he hopes to add another Lake Murray trophy to his collection. Sprague sailed through the Qualifying Round, amassing the heaviest total of the field on each of the first two days (although it will be interesting to see if he can continue to ride his crankbait bite after no one in the field found consistent success with moving baits Saturday). Plus, Wheeler and Gill admitted they stopped trying to catch fish Saturday afternoon once they’d put a safe distance between themselves and the elimination line.

“I feel okay about the first period; I feel like I can survive,” Becker said. “But I don’t really feel like I’m on anything for the afternoon. I’ve got maybe two or three stretches of docks that I feel like I may be able to get a bite on again, but other than that, I really don’t know what I’m going to do yet. So, I’m going to have to think about it and maybe make a gametime adjustment.

“There’s definitely a couple areas I feel like I could have went to this afternoon had I needed to catch one. I was just kind of trying to explore and look at new stuff. But still, I wish I would have caught a few more.”

While cooler, cloudier conditions could hurt the bite a bit, Becker expects it to take at least 50 pounds to earn the win, possibly more than 60. That might seem like a tall task, but the fact that he has a spot in the final-day field means he has a shot, especially on his favorite lake.

“The weather is going to be different, so I really don’t know what the fish are going to do tomorrow,” he said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if it was a little bit tougher than today just given the weather we have coming through – the clouds and the cooler temperatures. I think it’s going to take somewhere in the 50- to 60-pound range to win. We’re going to have to figure something out to make that happen.”

The top nine pros from the Knockout Round that now advance to Championship Sunday on Lake Murray are:

1st:        Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 15 bass, 44-10
2nd:       Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 13 bass, 43-15
3rd:       Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 14 bass, 42-12
4th:        Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 13 bass, 42-8
5th:        Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 11 bass, 40-5
6th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 14 bass, 38-13
7th:        Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 12 bass, 38-8
8th:        Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 12 bass, 35-9
9th:        Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 11 bass, 34-6
*QR Winner: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas

Eliminated from competition are:

11th:     Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., nine bass, 31-11, $15,900
12th:     Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., nine bass, 29-3, $15,800
13th:     Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 28-1, $15,700
14th:     Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., nine bass, 23-4, $15,600
15th:     Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., seven bass, 22-10, $15,500
16th:     Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., eight bass, 22-5, $15,400
17th:     Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, seven bass, 21-3, $15,300
18th:     Colby Miller, Elmer, La., five bass, 14-1, $15,200
19th:     Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 11-10, $15,100
20th:     James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., three bass, 6-13, $15,000

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 187 scorable bass weighing 572 pounds, 3 ounces caught by the 19 pros on Saturday.

Pro Marshall Robinson won Saturday’s Berkley Big Bass Award, boating a 5-pound, 13-ounce largemouth in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round was complete, leader Jeff Sprague advanced directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. The anglers that finished 2nd through 20th competed in Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the top nine finishers now join Sprague in Sunday’s Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.

The final 10 anglers will launch at 7:15 a.m. ET Sunday from Dreher Island State Park, located at 3677 State Park Road in Prosperity. Sunday’s Championship festivities will be held at the State Park, beginning at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

On Sunday, March 9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit Dreher Island State Park for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, participate in casting contests, enter to win hourly giveaways, listen to live music and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel. The event also includes a meet and greet with Paw Patrol’s Skye and Marshall and a youth fishing derby. The Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

The PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 at Lake Murray Presented by Strike King is hosted by Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board and features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Pros Give Back to Lake Murray and Local Students During MLF Bass Pro Tour

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 7, 2025) – On Wednesday, March 5, professional anglers from the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour used their “off day” before PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 at Lake Murray to give back to the community in two meaningful ways: creating new fish habitat and improving bass fishing conditions in Lake Murray as a part of the Minn Kota Habitat Restoration Project Supported by Humminbird and Kubota and visiting with students at Piney Woods Elementary School.

In conjunction with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the Habitat Restoration event at Lake Murray brought together nine MLF pros, local volunteers and students from six bass fishing teams across the state Wednesday morning.

Despite a downpour that threatened to impede the event, the stormy weather didn’t dampen spirits as volunteers constructed nine MossBack Fish Habitat 40-inch Conservation Cubes, 12 MossBack Root Wads, and 15 MossBack Reed Mat structures, which were then deployed at three unique locations on Lake Murray. These newly created habitats will improve bass fishing conditions, which is a crucial part of the mission of the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) – to sustain healthy fish populations for future generations of anglers. MLF Bass Pro Tour pros in attendance included Justin Cooper, Gary Klein, Bobby Lane, Jeremy Lawyer, Skeet Reese, Mark Rose, Fred Roumbanis, Greg Vinson and David Walker.

Students from the USC Gamecock Bass Fishing team, Mid-Carolina Fishing Team, Chapin Youth Bassmasters, Aiken County Anglers, Eagle Eye Anglers and Gilbert Bass Anglers worked side-by-side with MLF pros and staff from the SCDNR to build and deploy the essential structures. Kubota tractors provided by Carolina Power Equipment helped transport the habitat materials, ensuring the project ran smoothly despite the challenging weather.

Thanks to MLF sponsors, numerous student volunteers walked away with exciting giveaway items, including Abu Garcia rods and reels, a signed MLF angler jersey, bait packs and MLF hats.

“We had a blast, and it was so cool to have all these bass teams show up – in the rain – to help us build these structures,” Reese said. “The students were excited to learn about conservation, and why it’s important to protect our fisheries. It was awesome to work alongside them to benefit the fishery and create some new honey holes for these anglers to fish in the future.”

The second half of the day saw MLF pros head to Piney Woods Elementary School in Chapin, where they met with excited fourth graders to discuss the importance of conservation and fishing. MLF pros Jared Lintner, Brent Chapman and Mark Daniels Jr., along with MLF Competition Official Brian Poppe, spoke to students about what it means to be a professional angler and shared their personal fishing stories. The students were eager to share fishing stories of their own and ask questions, and they were amused to learn that Poppe got to assess penalties and put the adult pros in “time out” for fish landing violations.

The pros also demonstrated how MLF works to protect fish populations, including how fish are weighed on the boat in the Bass Pro Tour and immediately returned to their natural habitats.

“We love being able to give back to the communities we visit on the Bass Pro Tour,” Lintner said. “The fourth graders at Piney Woods were so excited to meet professional anglers and learn about protecting our fisheries. Someone visited my class to talk about fishing 35 years ago, and I still remember it to this day. It’s great to have the opportunity to make that same kind of impact on these kids.”

As the Bass Pro Tour kicks off its third stage, hosted by the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board , the pros and community members involved in Wednesday’s events left a lasting legacy – not only enhancing the lake’s fishery but also inspiring young minds to value and protect the natural resources around them.

by AnglersChannel

Sprague Cruises to Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King at Lake Murray

Texas pro advances directly to Championship Sunday with two-day total of 36 bass weighing 122 pounds, 2nd through 20th advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 7, 2025) – During Day 1 of PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King on Lake Murray, pro Jeff Sprague of Wills Point, Texas, grabbed the lead early and finished nearly 9 pounds clear of the rest of the field. A day later, despite what should have been less favorable conditions and the fact that he didn’t really try to catch fish during the final period, he amassed even more weight.

That sums up just how special Sprague’s bite has been so far. The Texas pro added 18 scorable bass for 62 pounds, 3 ounces on Friday, bringing his total to 122 pounds even. That earned him the Qualifying Round win with ease, topping his nearest pursuer, Toyota pro Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Florida, by more than 30 pounds.

“This is what hooks people on bass fishing,” Sprague said. “This is what bass fishing is all about. It really has been a special bite no matter how it turns out, just being able to find what I found. … Genuinely, these are the type of conditions and events that come around only so very often, and it’s just a lot of fun.”

As a result, Sprague will skip Saturday’s Knockout Round and advance directly to the Championship Round. The rest of the Top 20 will advance to Saturday and compete for the remaining nine Championship Round berths.

Despite his strong performance on Day 1, Sprague was nervous as he took the water on Friday. Slick, calm conditions greeted the field rather than the strong wind that blew all day Thursday, and he worried that might hurt his shallow cranking bite while helping those anglers who started the day using forward-facing sonar.

It didn’t take long to assuage his concerns. Sprague returned to the area where he’d done most of his damage a day prior and boated nine bass totaling 33-11 in the first period. That included a 6-11, a 5-0 and a 4-9. By the end of the period, his lead had expanded to more than 13 pounds, discouraging anyone else from trying to track him down.

That confirmed the spots where Sprague has already caught fish are reloading. Just as important, he’s figured out a pattern for the type of habitat bass are using to stage, and as he found more areas that set up the same way, he continued to reel them in.

“I was really nervous this morning, to be honest with you, about whether or not they were going to bite with no wind at all,” Sprague said. “It was very glass calm. Had a few bites pretty quick, and that really set my lightbulb off, so I continued to kind of expand a little bit in the area where I was at. It’s a big area, but the fish aren’t everywhere. They’re pretty specific about what they want to be on. And when I find it, man, it’s special. They’re there, and they’re coming.”

Some of the fish Sprague landed in the afternoon essentially came by accident while he was checking out new water, including one that ate his crankbait as he was trying to pull it out of the water after time expired at the end of Period 2.

“I don’t know what I could have caught today had I continued, because I really laid up for the last 3, 3 1/2 hours and just looked,” he said. “But even then, I was able to catch some fish. So, I got a lot of things out of my mind today, and I got a lot of things in my mind today. It was a good learning day for both where (they are) and where they are not.”

Sprague is generally fishing fast, but one key to his success has been staying patient once he hooks a fish. He’s willing to play the bass for a minute or more rather than horsing them, a lesson he learned the hard way after losing several big ones on Day 1.

“Those fish are so heavy, and they’re so green right now,” Sprague explained. “Bigger fish have a harder mouth, and I’ve lost so many bass this week – and I’ve lost so many bass in my career, especially the bigger ones. And I’ve got them on light line, even though it’s a baitcaster, because the water is really clear. You just need to make every one count, so patience is your friend. You have to just do your thing and let the fish play itself out, and eventually they’ll get winded and just kind of come to you. It makes your life a lot easier, and you’re not getting hooks in your hand, either.”

Sprague isn’t worried about spending a day off the water. He’s committed to his pattern no matter what, and he thinks the upper-70s temperatures forecast for Saturday will only push more bass shallow.

His 14th career Bass Pro Tour Top 10 secured, his focus now is on finally landing his first tour-level win. Only pro Brent Ehrler has more Top-10 finishes in BPT competition without a victory. After so many close calls, Sprague didn’t want to get ahead of himself and talk too much about what it would mean to finally hoist a trophy, but he thinks this could be one of his best opportunities yet.

“I feel like I’ve been cursed for the past five years from getting one of these things closed out, if you want to know the truth,” he said. “I legitimately feel like I have an opportunity to make it happen here. I really do. Either way, it’s been an amazing week, and it’s just a lot of fun to catch these fish. But I do feel like I’m on the winning way to catch them.”

The top 20 pros that now advance in competition on Lake Murray are:

1st:        Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 36 bass, 122-0
2nd:       Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 28 bass, 90-6
3rd:       Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 27 bass, 89-1
4th:        Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 27 bass, 81-6
5th:        Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., 23 bass, 81-5
6th:        Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 26 bass, 80-5
7th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 28 bass, 79-15
8th:        Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 28 bass, 78-3
9th:        Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 23 bass, 76-6
10th:     Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 24 bass, 73-12
11th:     Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 26 bass, 73-5
12th:     Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 21 bass, 73-3
13th:     James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 23 bass, 68-14
14th:     Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 24 bass, 66-11
15th:     Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 21 bass, 63-8
16th:     Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 20 bass, 61-12
17th:     Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 20 bass, 60-13
18th:     Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 20 bass, 59-8
19th:     Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 19 bass, 59-0
20th:     Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 17 bass, 58-14

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 540 scorable bass weighing 1,661 pounds, 14 ounces caught by the 66 pros on Friday.

Friday’s Berkley Big Bass Award went to Erie, Pennsylvania pro Dave Lefebre, who caught a nice 7-pound, 8-ounce largemouth in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. With the two-day Qualifying Round now complete, Sprague advances directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. The anglers that finished 2nd through 20th advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the top nine anglers will join Sprague in Sunday’s Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.

Anglers will launch at 7:15 a.m. ET each day from Dreher Island State Park, located at 3677 State Park Road in Prosperity. Each day’s takeout will be held at the same location, beginning at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all four days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

On Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit Dreher Island State Park for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, participate in casting contests, enter to win hourly giveaways, listen to live music and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel each day. The event also includes a meet and greet with Paw Patrol’s Skye and Marshall and a youth fishing derby. The Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand both days to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

by AnglersChannel

Mixed bag of bass gives Aoki solid lead at Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley

March 7, 2025

PARIS, Tenn. — There’s no such thing as an insurmountable lead in a B.A.S.S. tournament, but Yui Aoki has put himself in a very enviable position after Day 2 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN.

Aoki, a 25-year-old native of Minamitsuru District in Japan, weighed a five-bass limit of 24 pounds, 4 ounces on Friday, which when paired with his 24-pound sack on Day 1, gives him a 48-4 total. That’s 6-1 more than Alabama’s Laker Howell, who’s in second place with 42-3.

Illinois’ Ethan Fields (40-15) and Tennessee’s Sam Hanggi (40-5) are the only other anglers in the field of 226 within 8 pounds of Aoki’s lead.

The 45-degree temperatures and bluebird skies that factored on Thursday gave way to dense cloud cover, occasional sprinkles of rain and steady winds of 10 to 15 mph on Friday. The change hardly bothered Aoki, who had nearly identical weights on the first two days of the three-day tournament.

The only noticeable difference was Aoki’s Friday bag contained three largemouth bass when Thursday’s had all smallmouths. Several pundits predicted catching a mix of bass would be the winning combination on this mammoth Kentucky/Barkley fishery, and Aoki is proving them right.

“I feel very good (about my chances of winning),” Aoki said. “Of course.”

The 6-pound lead gives him reason for confidence. Aoki is fishing flooded timber on the main channel of Kentucky Lake not far from Paris Landing, where daily takeoffs and weigh-ins are being held. He’s throwing a variety of 5- and 6-inch swimbaits (smoke, white) that mimic the shad in the lake, and he mixed in some dropshots on Friday, too.

“It was very windy, very hard to keep my bait on the fish,” he said of the Day 2 conditions. “This is my first time to fish the river channel system and it’s very different to me. But I like it very much.”

Howell, a 23-year-old from Guntersville, Ala., caught a limit of five smallmouth on Friday weighing 21-5. The young gun had only four keeper bass with less than hour of fishing time remaining, but he eventually completed his limit and gave himself the best chance (on paper, at least) of catching Aoki.

Howell was in 11^th place after Day 1 with 20-14 but fished his way into Friday’s Top 10 cut with another top-notch bag. His bait of choice has been a 4 1/2-inch paddle-tail swimbait (chartreuse/blue) on a Buckeye Lures J-Will jighead.

“The current was a little bit different today (with the south wind blowing), but things really did set up pretty much the same for me,” Howell said. “I got five bites again and the Good Lord allowed me to land all five of them.”

Howell said he’s targeting a spot that is loaded with shad.

“The birds are swooping down to eat the baitfish, flying off with shad in their mouth,” he said. “It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet spot, and If I can get to it again tomorrow, I think I’ll be good.

“The main thing is getting five bites,” he continued. “If I do, I think they’ll be about the same size as what I’ve had so far. They’re all 3- to 5-pounders that are set up in this particular spot.”

Rounding out the Top 10 anglers competing Saturday are fifth, Tennessee’s Miles Burghoff, 40-1; sixth, Georgia’s Tanner Hadden, 39-14; seventh, Kentucky’s Jordan Hartman, 39-12; eighth, Kentucky’s Clint Knight, 38-13; ninth, Kentucky Elite Series pro Matt Robertson, 38-8; and 10^th, Colorado’s Ty Faber, 38-1.

Nebraska’s BJ Miller maintained his lead for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with an 8-3 he hooked on Day 1. The angler with the heaviest bass will net an additional $750.

A total of $334,028 cash is being split among the Top 45 competitors in the Open, including $50,305 to the winner. Top anglers also will earn valuable points toward a berth in the inaugural Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers this fall.

Championship Saturday is scheduled to begin at 6:15 a.m. CT from Paris Landing State Park, with weigh-in set to start at 2:15 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will stream the final day’s action on Bassmaster.com and the Roku Sports Channel will air coverage from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ET and from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Stay up-to-date on all tournament coverage at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch/.

The City of Paris is hosting the event.

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

About B.A.S.S.

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN 3/6-3/8
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
Standings Day 2

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

1. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 10 48-04 200
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 24-04
2. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 10 42-03 199
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 21-05
3. Ethan Fields Breese, IL 10 40-15 198
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 20-03
4. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 40-05 197
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 21-07
5. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 10 40-01 196
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 25-06
6. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 10 39-14 195
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 19-11
7. Jordan Hartman Benton, KY 10 39-12 194
Day 1: 5 25-04 Day 2: 5 14-08
8. Clint Knight Russellville, KY 9 38-13 193
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 4 15-14
9. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 38-08 192
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 24-05
10. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 10 38-01 191
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-05
11. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 10 37-07 190
Day 1: 5 23-00 Day 2: 5 14-07
12. Rylan Hamlin Jackson, MI 10 36-15 189
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 19-14
13. Darold Gleason Leesville, LA 9 36-14 188
Day 1: 4 16-08 Day 2: 5 20-06
14. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 10 36-11 187
Day 1: 5 21-12 Day 2: 5 14-15
15. Brennan Flick West Monroe, LA 10 36-07 186
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 18-01
16. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 35-06 185
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 15-14
17. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 10 35-03 184
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 18-12
18. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 10 34-15 183
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 13-05
19. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 9 34-01 182
Day 1: 4 13-06 Day 2: 5 20-11
20. Cole Breeden Lebanon, MO 10 33-10 181
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 18-01
21. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 10 33-06 180
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 16-02
22. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 8 32-13 179
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 3 09-12
23. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 10 32-10 178
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 19-00
24. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 8 32-04 177
Day 1: 3 10-02 Day 2: 5 22-02
25. Cameron Mattison Benton, LA 9 32-01 176
Day 1: 4 12-12 Day 2: 5 19-05
26. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 8 31-13 175
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 3 08-14
27. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 31-13 174
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 16-14
28. Dillon Harrell New Caney, TX 10 31-06 173
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 15-02
29. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 8 31-00 172
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 3 07-10
30. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 8 30-14 171
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 3 12-03
31. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 9 30-13 170
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 21-15
32. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 8 30-09 169
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 3 13-09
33. Michael Corbishley Raleigh, NC 10 30-02 168
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 16-08
34. Evan Cox-VanVliet Loveland, CO 9 29-02 167
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 4 11-13
35. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 8 28-14 166
Day 1: 3 10-07 Day 2: 5 18-07
36. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 10 28-13 165
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 13-08
37. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 8 28-12 164
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 3 08-11
38. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 9 28-10 163
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 4 10-10
39. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 8 27-07 162
Day 1: 4 15-08 Day 2: 4 11-15
40. Trent Palmer Cumming, GA 8 26-14 161
Day 1: 3 11-08 Day 2: 5 15-06
41. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 9 26-14 160
Day 1: 4 11-15 Day 2: 5 14-15
42. Jay Nyce Rogers, AR 10 26-13 159
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 12-00
43. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 9 26-12 158
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 4 09-07
44. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 10 26-10 157
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 11-05
45. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 7 26-09 156
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 2 05-07
46. Michael Harlin Gravois Mills, MO 10 26-09 155
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-08
47. Lane Olson Forest Grove, OR 7 26-08 154
Day 1: 2 09-11 Day 2: 5 16-13
48. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 9 26-08 153
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 4 13-06
49. Riley Nielsen Salt Lake City, UT 8 26-03 152
Day 1: 3 10-04 Day 2: 5 15-15
50. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 8 25-15 151
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 3 08-10
51. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 7 25-13 150
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 2 06-07
52. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 9 25-12 149
Day 1: 4 11-06 Day 2: 5 14-06
53. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 9 25-11 148
Day 1: 4 09-15 Day 2: 5 15-12
54. Bailey Gay Union, KY 8 25-04 147
Day 1: 3 09-05 Day 2: 5 15-15
55. Tim Sprouse Clarksville, TN 9 25-04 146
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 4 11-00
56. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 9 24-09 145
Day 1: 4 09-12 Day 2: 5 14-13
57. Jonathan Pimentel Camdenton, MO 8 24-06 144
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 3 07-13
58. Matt Wieteha Port St Lucie, FL 9 24-06 143
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 5 14-05
59. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 7 24-05 142
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 2 06-13
60. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 9 23-15 141
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 4 11-08
61. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 8 23-12 140
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 5 16-10
62. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 8 23-06 139
Day 1: 4 11-04 Day 2: 4 12-02
63. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 23-05 138
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 11-01
64. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 10 23-02 137
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 13-02
65. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 8 23-01 136
Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 5 15-09
66. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 9 22-10 135
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 4 09-14
67. Tommy Wood Peregian Springs AUSTRA 7 22-08 134
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 2 05-02
68. Brandon Ackerson Afton, OK 7 22-05 133
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 2 06-01
69. Dave Parsons Yantis, TX 6 21-10 132
Day 1: 3 11-01 Day 2: 3 10-09
70. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 7 21-05 131
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 2 06-06
71. Jack York Emory, TX 6 20-14 130
Day 1: 3 11-11 Day 2: 3 09-03
72. Buddy Benson Dahlonega, GA 6 20-12 129
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 1 02-04
73. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 7 20-11 128
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 3 09-09
74. Bj Miller Adams, NE 6 20-10 127
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 1 02-02
75. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 7 20-06 126
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 2 07-09
76. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 7 20-04 125
Day 1: 4 09-05 Day 2: 3 10-15
77. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 7 20-01 124
Day 1: 3 09-02 Day 2: 4 10-15
78. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 6 19-13 123
Day 1: 4 14-12 Day 2: 2 05-01
79. John Murray Spring City, TN 7 19-05 122
Day 1: 3 08-09 Day 2: 4 10-12
80. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 6 19-00 121
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 1 02-02
81. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 5 18-12 120
Day 1: 2 09-15 Day 2: 3 08-13
82. Isaac Peavyhouse Monroe, TN 6 18-11 119
Day 1: 4 10-06 Day 2: 2 08-05
83. Brent Anderson Kingston Springs, TN 5 18-09 118
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
83. Dewayne French Mammoth Spring, AR 5 18-09 118
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 18-09
85. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 5 18-08 116
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
86. Seiji Kato Los Alamitos CA JAPAN 7 17-15 115
Day 1: 3 09-01 Day 2: 4 08-14
87. Evan Poroznik Nestleton Station Ontar 5 17-13 114
Day 1: 4 13-11 Day 2: 1 04-02
88. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 7 17-13 113
Day 1: 4 10-14 Day 2: 3 06-15
89. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 6 17-10 112
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 2 06-01
90. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 6 17-10 111
Day 1: 2 08-11 Day 2: 4 08-15
91. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 5 17-09 110
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 5 16-14 109
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
93. Jaden Parrish Liberty, TX 5 16-08 108
Day 1: 4 11-10 Day 2: 1 04-14
94. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 5 15-15 107
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 2 07-10
95. Matt Stefan Junction City, WI 5 15-14 106
Day 1: 4 11-13 Day 2: 1 04-01
96. Chris Whitson Louisville, TN 5 15-03 105
Day 1: 3 09-01 Day 2: 2 06-02
97. Jacob Welch Jefferson City, MO 5 15-02 104
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 4 12-00
98. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 14-15 103
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
99. Angel Rosario Kalamazoo, MI 5 14-15 102
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 4 12-05
100. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 5 14-11 101
Day 1: 2 07-05 Day 2: 3 07-06
101. Kane Weekley Davie, FL 5 14-07 100
Day 1: 2 06-10 Day 2: 3 07-13
102. Randy Millender Teague, TX 4 14-04 99
Day 1: 3 10-13 Day 2: 1 03-07
103. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 5 14-04 98
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 2 05-14
104. Matt Molitor Canton, IL 5 14-04 97
Day 1: 2 06-09 Day 2: 3 07-11
105. Brock Bila Republic, MO 5 14-03 96
Day 1: 4 11-10 Day 2: 1 02-09
106. Brian Post Janesville, WI 4 13-14 95
Day 1: 4 13-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
107. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 5 13-11 94
Day 1: 4 11-07 Day 2: 1 02-04
108. Drake Hemby Tallbot, TN 4 13-07 93
Day 1: 1 05-02 Day 2: 3 08-05
109. Rick Harris Jr Carlsbad, NM 5 13-04 92
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
110. Joseph Titus Bemidji, MN 4 13-03 91
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 2 08-15
111. Cole Lamb Russellville, AR 4 13-02 90
Day 1: 1 04-13 Day 2: 3 08-05
112. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 4 12-15 89
Day 1: 1 03-00 Day 2: 3 09-15
113. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 12-15 88
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 3 08-07
114. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 4 12-13 87
Day 1: 2 06-05 Day 2: 2 06-08
115. Jonathon VanDam Gobles, MI 3 12-12 86
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 2 09-11
116. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 4 12-08 85
Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 3 09-12
117. Caz Anderson Hayesville, NC 4 12-07 84
Day 1: 1 04-00 Day 2: 3 08-07
118. Sammy Burks Jr Joplin, MO 5 12-06 83
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
119. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 5 12-06 82
Day 1: 3 08-08 Day 2: 2 03-14
120. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 5 12-05 81
Day 1: 3 07-13 Day 2: 2 04-08
121. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 12-03 80
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
122. Jim Moynagh Outing, MN 3 12-03 79
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 12-03
123. Travis Ledford Tuttle, OK 3 12-02 78
Day 1: 3 12-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
124. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 4 11-15 77
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 2 06-06
125. Tyler Conde Chepachet, RI 4 11-14 76
Day 1: 1 04-07 Day 2: 3 07-07
126. Joey Teofilo Richmond Hill Ontario C 4 11-13 75
Day 1: 4 11-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
127. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 4 11-10 74
Day 1: 3 08-12 Day 2: 1 02-14
128. Keith Brashers Rogers, AR 4 11-08 73
Day 1: 4 11-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
129. Nate Caldwell Fort Collins, CO 3 11-05 72
Day 1: 3 11-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
130. Anthony Garcia Los Angeles, CA 4 11-05 71
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 1 03-14
131. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 4 11-05 70
Day 1: 2 06-02 Day 2: 2 05-03
132. Brooks Anderson Marietta, GA 3 11-04 69
Day 1: 1 04-02 Day 2: 2 07-02
133. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 4 11-03 68
Day 1: 2 06-07 Day 2: 2 04-12
134. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 3 10-13 67
Day 1: 3 10-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
135. Tomm

by AnglersChannel

CHRISTIAN OSTRANDER FISHES HIS WAY TO 2nd BAM PRO/AM VICTORY

Vinson Climbs His Way to Co Win

By Jody Only

La Grange, Calif. – As the only pro to break the 50-pound mark, Christian Ostrander of Turlock, Calif. over came an early a seven-pound Day One deficit, with his five-fish limit of 15.81 by adding a Day Two sack at 18.60 that boosted him not only into first place but to the top with a two-day total close to three-pounds over his nearest competitor.Ostrander maintained the number one position on Championship Sunday with a final day’s weight of 16.61, sealing the deal on his second BAM Pro/Am win with a three-day total of 51.07. His victory at the Don Pedro event earned $9,665.00.

“It feels killer,” he exclaimed. “But my main goal is to get AOY.”

Ostrander felt his difference-maker was the time and travel he put in during practice.

“I went to every section (of the lake) twice in practice, different times each day,” he explained. “Each day, I burned $165 in gas. I ran around a bunch. I checked each area at different times and that matters big time in the spring like this.”

Although many felt the event would be won with a swimbait, Ostrander’s time on the water sent him on a different route.

“This lake can be really good with big baits, but that can also mess your head up,” he explained. “I caught em all doin’ stuff I don’t normally do on this lake. It was definitely a tougher bite.”

Ostrander reported fishing a wacky dropshot and a weightless Yamamoto Senko, sprinkling in a light jerkbait.

“I caught ‘em all on a spinning rod,” he shared.

Ostrander hopes to ride the momentum of his win, as he is heading from weigh-in to the airport, off to another event.

“I’m hoppin’ on a plane tonight to Kentucky Lake,” he concluded.

Vinson Finds His Way to First for the Co-Anglers

Climbing the leaderboard each day of the competition, Thaddius Vinson moved from 6^th on Day One with 12.75 to 4^th on DayTwo adding 13.43 with a 4.18 Big Bass, and finally into the top-spot at close of scales on Championship Sunday with a tournament total of 40.29.

Vinson made his way from his hometown of Medford, Ore. to Pedro without any prior fishing experience at the lake.

“I came the night before the tournament and I just brought a few bags of worms I like to throw,” he shared.

He credited his pro draws for keeping him around good fish.“On Day One, it was a spot that was really convenient for a co-angler, and I got a pretty decent bag,” Vinson said.

He described his Day Two pro being focused on a “similar spot”.

“He knew I was doing well, he was a very accommodating pro, and kept me around fish,” he added. “I was able to catch ‘em pretty good on a worm moved and up to 4^th place.”

Conditions changed for Vinson on the final day and only long casts were productive.

“I was around ‘em pretty good, but I noticed the bigger ones weren’t biting near the boat for whatever reason,” he said.

Even though he repeated a 14-pound sack, Vinson didn’t think it would be enough to pull out the “W”.

“Being here, usually, everyday somebody catches a big one – a five or six-pounder; but nobody did, and I got pretty lucky to win,” he remarked.

Vinson attributed his weigh-fish to a green pumpkin/red FlickShake worm on a Neko-rig and a dropshot fished on a Dobyns Extreme 741 paired to a Daiwa Certate reel spooled with six-pound Seaguar Tatsu.

“Those are a couple baits that do good everywhere,” he commented. “You can them take to any lake. I didn’t think I would be able to compete for a win; but I thought I could use a dropshot and get some points. It ended up being the right bait.”

Vinson banked $3,750 as a BAM back seater.

The Best of The Rest - see all the results here

Pro Top-10

1 Christian Ostrander 15.86 18.60 16.61 51.07

2 Adam Deakin 22.12 09.42 17.58 49.12

3 Chad Sweitzer 14.67 16.49 17.20 48.36

4 Billy Hines 12.28 17.41 13.55 43.24

5 Nick Cloutier 12.24 17.67 12.90 42.81

6 Jason Crone 14.39 16.12 11.63 42.14

7 Brennan Osborn 13.74 15.49 12.62 41.85

8 AJ Azevedo 14.77 14.29 12.22 41.28

9 Alex Niapas 14.59 12.84 12.89 40.32

10 Matt Miley 16.161 1.2 11.92 39.28

Co Top-10

1 Thaddeus Vinson 12.75 13.43 14.11 40.29

2 Jodie White 13.59 11.24 11.54 36.37

3 Troy Mays 15.2 11.1 7.75 34.05

4 Curtis Thornhill 16.35 8.44 8.86 33.65

5 Ugene Downing 13.21 14.51 5.73 33.45

6 Jeffrey Slayter 12.22 1 4.06 6.68 32.96

7 Shawn Nash 9.98 12.12 32.22 10.12

8 Tommy Rice 15.156.98 9.56 31.69

9 Andy Stilly 18.08 4.03 9.03 31.14

10 Rocky Ward 10.04 13.33 7.53 30.9

The next BAM Pro/Am will blast off on May 30 at the California Delta. Registration is underway.

BAM Don Pedro Scholastic Series: High School & College Champions Crowned

High School Division

Kaiden Dinning secures his second High School Division win with an impressive 23.49-pound limit on Lake Don Pedro! As a two-time Scholastic Series Champion, Dinning is on track to become the first-ever BAM High School Angler of the Year, bringing him closer to earning a $100,000 scholarship to fish for the Simpson University Bass Team.

Right behind him, Tyler Peterson landed in second place with 21.85 pounds, including a 4.82-pound Big Fish. Noah Nguyen of the East County Student Anglers rounded out the Top 3, proving the high-level talent in this growing series.

The BAM High School Scholastic Series is a unique pilot program that allows high school anglers to compete from the back of the boat in BAM Pro/Am events. These young anglers fish the first two days of the Pro/Am, paired with a pro in a random draw, gaining invaluable experience while competing at a high level.

The next High School event takes place at the California Delta on May 30-31. With limited spots (max 15 anglers, based on event availability), now is the time to register!

Entry Fee: $100
Scholastic Membership Required: $35

College Division

Brayden Bishop & Payton Lyndall of Simpson University dominated Stop #2 of the BAM College Scholastic Series, securing victory with 14.87 pounds, including a 3.92-pound kicker.

Brandon Huse and Peter Khoury of the Chico State Bass Team have brought consistency to the table. Taking 2nd place at both Lake Shasta and Don Pedro, their knowledge and ability to break down new water is impressive. On the same note, our Lake Shasta Champion finished 3rd in this event with another quality bag and 3.85 Big Fish!

Jordan Harris and Fisher Perkins also cashed in, taking home the Tackle Warehouse Contingency prize.

With teams from across Northern California, the BAM College Series continues to grow into a premier platform for the next generation of competitive anglers. Unlike traditional college circuits, teams do not have to come from the same university, making it even more accessible.

The next College Series event will be held on the California Delta, with future stops planned in the Pacific Northwest.

Entry Fee: $155

Don't miss your chance to compete against the best young anglers and build your future in tournament fishing!

Trophies provided by Bridgford Outdoors

by AnglersChannel

Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Set To Induct Three In 2025 Class: Hopper, Lamb and Shakespeare Jr.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— For Immediate Release — The plaque wall at the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will see three new additions in 2025, a formidable trio that represents a cross section of industry pillars, including boat building, media, tournament organization and tackle innovation.

The Hall of Fame will welcome Randy Hopper, Craig Lamb and William Shakespeare Jr., who were selected from a diverse 20-person ballot by the Hall of Fame’s 30-member Selection Panel and living Hall of Fame inductees. A total of 81 ballots were distributed and 65 were returned, eclipsing last year’s total for most ballots submitted in a single year. The roster of Hall of Famers now stands at 103.

Hopper is an innovator whose fingerprints are all over various breakthrough developments in the design, construction and evolution of modern bass boats.

Lamb has spent the vast majority of his 40-plus year career behind the scenes in various media roles and on the B.A.S.S. tournament operations staff with the sum total of his invaluable contributions leading to his election.

Shakespeare’s contributions to sport fishing border on immeasurable with his development of the first level-wind reel in the late 1800s, ground-breaking lure inventions and the introduction of the world’s first fiberglass fishing rod in the 1940s.

The Class of 2025 will be honored later this year during Celebrate Bass Fishing Week, which will highlight the Hall’s 25th anniversary and culminate with the induction banquet on Sept. 25 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.

“It’s special to see the exceptional interest so many of the current Hall of Fame inductees have shown in selecting the new members of their club,” said Bass Fishing HOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “I can’t thank our Board and our nominations committee led by Neil Paul for all the volunteer hours they put in in administrating the process.

“I’ll look forward to our events during Celebrate Bass Fishing Week honoring Randy, Craig and Mr. Shakespeare, and also where we’ll be giving special recognition to those members of the Hall’s first induction class at the induction dinner.”

Hopper, who along with Lamb received the most first-place votes in the balloting, has been a driving and innovative force in the bass boat industry for more than 50 years. The Flippin, Ark., native worked side-by-side with company founder Forrest L. Wood in building and refining the standard-setting Ranger bass boats. He helped design and incorporate the first aerated livewell for a bass boat in 1973, paving the way for catch-and-release tournaments to become more common. Under Hopper’s direction, Ranger was the first boat brand to incorporate flotation foam that didn’t deplete ozone, and he also helped refine boat-building processes that drastically reduced other harmful emissions. Further, he was invaluable in the launch of FLW Outdoors, which advanced tournament fishing through higher payouts, innovative television coverage, engagement of non-endemic sponsors, wrapped boats and NASCAR-inspired uniforms. Hopper, along with other former Ranger colleagues, launched Vexus Boats eight years ago, and he continues to design and engineer new, state-of-the-sport fiberglass and aluminum models.

Lamb has been omnipresent on the bass fishing scene since the mid-1980s when he served as Wood’s “caddy” on the B.A.S.S. tournament trail. That gig allowed him to help in the production of “The Bassmasters” TV show, which aired to a nationwide cable audience on The Nashville Network. In 1986, when Dewey Kendrick replaced Harold Sharp as the tournament director, he tapped Lamb as his assistant, allowing the Tennessee native to witness and participate in some of the watershed moments on the sport’s historical timeline. Among them, he helped produce the made-for-television MegaBucks events that featured predetermined fishing areas, known as a hole course. He also helped manage the Western Division, which expanded B.A.S.S.’s reach beyond the Southeast and fueled the sport’s wider growth. He later served as TNN’s manager of Outdoor Programming and was instrumental in helping drive the launch and growth of Bassmaster’s web site in the digital age. He currently serves as a Senior Editor at B.A.S.S. and continues to coordinate tournament coverage while writing extensively.

Much like the works of his (unrelated) namesake playwright and poet did for literature, William Shakespeare Jr. left an everlasting mark on the sport of fishing through his innovation and marketing. Born in Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1869, Shakespeare’s achievements in product development put him in elite company. His first breakthrough innovation was incorporating a level-wind, traveling bracket into a casting reel that allowed fishing line to spread evenly across the spool as it was wound. It made casting baits less frustrating and more fun, and arguably did more for the fledgling sport of bass fishing than any other invention of its time. Additionally, Shakespeare’s manufacturing efforts spread into artificial lures, such as The Evolution, The Sure-Lure, The Shakespeare-Worden Bucktail Spinner and The Tournament Frog. By the late 1930s, Shakespeare had developed the Wondereel, which incorporated features that reduced backlash and improved drag performance. Shakespeare celebrated its 50th year in 1947 by securing the patent rights to the world’s first fiberglass fishing rod, the Howard Glastik Wonderod. The revolutionary rod made bamboo and steel rods virtually obsolete.

For more information about the Class of 2025 and other inductees, click here .

###

About the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF)

Celebrating its 25th year, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors, dedicated to celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport of bass fishing. The Hall’s inductees and historical memorabilia are showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri. For more information about the road to induction, the Hall’s impact on the community, or to get involved, visit www.BassFishingHOF.com.

or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Jeff Sprague Leads Early at MLF Bass Pro Tour PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King at Lake Murray

Texas pro catches 18 largemouth weighing 59-13 to lead after Day 1 on Lake Murray, full field to complete Qualifying Round Friday

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 6, 2025) – Cold, windy, post-frontal conditions might have chilled the bite a tad from what some anglers expected on Day 1 of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 Presented by Strike King . But Lake Murray’s healthy largemouth population still made its presence felt, with 21 of the 66 Bass Pro Tour anglers topping 30 pounds and doing so with a variety of techniques.

Bites seemed to come in flurries, and no one had a more prolific one than Jeff Sprague. The veteran Texan rocketed to the top of SCORETRACKER® when he stacked up nearly 40 pounds in a 90-minute span during Period 1. He maintained his lead for the rest of the day, totaling 59 pounds, 13 ounces on 18 scorable bass. That has him 9 pounds clear of Marshall Hughes in second. Brent Ehrler sits right behind Hughes with 49-15.

Lake Murray has been good to Sprague over the years. He finished 12th in the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup on the fishery and seventh when the Bass Pro Tour visited in 2023. Yet he admitted he didn’t take the water Thursday morning expecting to find himself leaving with the lead.

For one thing, Sprague heard the pre-tournament chatter about how many fish anglers were seeing during practice and figured the weights could get heavy in a hurry – especially for those anglers utilizing forward-facing sonar. He also didn’t hook many fish during practice, so he didn’t know just how productive his bank-oriented approach could be.

“The way I’m fishing, I would have potentially burned it up, burned fish that I don’t want to burn,” Sprague said. “So, once I figured out what they wanted to eat, I just kind of looked at the area and milled around and tried to find some other areas that set up similar to that.”

Turns out, while 45 anglers utilized forward-facing sonar during Period 1, Sprague outpaced all of them. He found several sweet spots in the same vicinity that produced multiple bass apiece. He totaled 42-1 during the opening frame, distancing himself from his nearest pursuer by more than 14 pounds.

“I had a starting area; I didn’t have a starting spot,” Sprague explained. “I was just fishing the conditions, and I knew where the fish were at. It’s just put the trolling motor down and go. Once you’re going, you could locate those fish in little groups on little turns and little rolls, then you’re able to Spot-Lock and make multiple casts and catch multiple fish off each one of those little special areas.”

From there, Sprague spent the rest of the day covering water and looking for more key spots. He turned his Lowrance ActiveTarget on during Period 2 but never deviated from winding around the shoreline.

While Sprague didn’t want to divulge many details about his technique of choice, he believes the groups of bass he found were fresh fish staging prior to the spawn. Quite a few anglers found the bass to be finicky, but Sprague said those that recently migrated from deeper water are willing to bite. He’s optimistic that more groups will move in, replenishing those areas as the tournament progresses.

“The fish are coming,” he said. “The fish are really starting to move in, to get there, and that’s the thing that’s the most intriguing. Guys are going to have to find the fish that are starting to move in and are fresh and haven’t been messed with at all.”

Sprague’s goal now is to finish atop the Qualifying Round standings, which would earn him a direct trip to Sunday’s Championship Round and his 14th career Bass Pro Tour Top 10. However, he did note that if he falls behind the pace Friday morning, he’s willing to ease off his best areas and spend the afternoon preparing for the Knockout Round.

“It’s great to get a strong start like that,” Sprague said. “It takes a little pressure off. But then it adds an additional pressure, because now you start to think about making it to the Championship Round if you’re able to put it together two days in a row and skip that Knockout Round. That’s kind of what we’ll shoot for in the morning. We’ll just see what the day gives us, and then we’ll make a decision on whether we lay into them and try to make that Championship or if we lay up and just go fish the Knockout Round and try to make it through that way.”

With seemingly infinite creek arms, coves and contour lines to explore, Lake Murray can be an intimidating place for a first timer. That learning curve is only exacerbated by the collective experience on the fishery for much of the Bass Pro Tour field and the fact that competitors had just two days of official practice.

Hughes addressed the challenge by picking one area to spend his entire first day of practice then another where he spent all of the second day. That seems to have paid off.

“It was like a maze trying to get around,” Hughes said of Murray. “It’s got all them little islands and pockets. I kind of picked an area the first day of practice and picked an area the second day of practice, and here we are.”

The BPT rookie found two distinct bites, one that he targeted during his lone period with forward-facing sonar and another that produced after he turned off his transducers. Fishing water protected from the wind, Hughes boated six bass for 19-5 while using his forward-facing sonar in Period 1. He then added 31-8 on 10 fish the rest of the day, bringing his total to 50-13.

Hughes actually expected the fish he targeted with forward-facing sonar to bite better. However, he was pleasantly surprised by his secondary pattern. He ended up using part of Period 3 to run new water and find more areas that set up the same way.

“I just kind of started hopping around,” Hughes said. “I had marked some different things in the lake that looked good, and I kind of figured one little pattern out, and I ran with it, and it turned out to be pretty good. I spent a lot of the last period idling around, looking for more of that, marking that kind of stuff.”

Hughes is optimistic that he can replicate his Day 1 success – although having never fished on Murray before, he admitted he’s not sure what to expect as conditions change. Like Sprague, his plan is to gauge where he stands midway through Day 2 and then decide whether to make a push for the Qualifying Round win.

“I’m going to see how tomorrow starts shaking out, and we’ll go from there,” he said.

The top 20 pros after Day 1 on Lake Murray are:

1st:          Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 18 bass, 59-13
2nd:        Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 16 bass, 50-13
3rd:        Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 17 bass, 49-15
4th:         Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 17 bass, 43-3
5th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 13 bass, 41-8
6th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 15 bass, 39-14
7th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 14 bass, 37-14
8th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 11 bass, 37-13
9th: Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 11 bass, 35-15
10th:      Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 11 bass, 35-15
11th:      Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 35-13
12th:      Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 11 bass, 34-3
13th:      Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 12 bass, 33-10
14th:      Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 10 bass, 33-7
15th:      Nick LeBrun, Bossier, La., 10 bass, 32-9
16th:      Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 11 bass, 32-9
17th:      Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., nine bass, 32-0
18th:      Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 11 bass, 31-11
19th:      Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., nine bass, 31-9
20th:      Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 30-15

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, earned the Day 1 Berkley Big Bass Award Thursday with a 7-pound, 4-ounce largemouth that he caught on a crankbait in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the pro with the highest two-day total advances directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers that finish 2nd through 20th will advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2026 championship.

by AnglersChannel

Hartman rides home-water knowledge to Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley

March 6, 2025

PARIS, Tenn. — The lead changed hands often on Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN.

But when Thursday’s weigh-in was complete, a local stick was in the pole position.

Jordan Hartman, who lives in Benton, Ky., on the north side of Kentucky Lake, caught a limit of five bass weighing 25 pounds, 4 ounces and seized the early lead in the three-day tournament. That haul gave him more than a 1-pound cushion on the field, consisting of 226 anglers from around the U.S. and several foreign countries.

Hartman said he fished in 10 to 15 areas on Thursday and had consistent bites throughout the day. The best was a monster smallmouth bass that weighed approximately 6 ½ pounds.

“That doesn’t happen often around here, but I’ll take it,” he said, laughing. “I’m ready to go.”

As well he should be, with his knowledge of the lake likely to help if Friday’s weather forecast proves true. Thursday featured cloudless skies and temperatures that stayed in the upper 40s. By sunrise on Friday, however, winds are expected to pick up, blowing consistently from 10-15 mph and with higher gusts.

Hartman isn’t fretting even though he’s fishing the main channel and not likely near cover.

“It all depends on what I see when I get to my first area tomorrow,” he said. “You can usually tell if things are gonna be on when you get there. If not, I’ll move.”

Hartman said Thursday’s best bites came in 10 to 15 feet of water, with chartreuse and blue minnows proving his best lures.

“It’s all current-related,” he said. “That’s the deal this week. The water is moving pretty good through here right now. It’s a little lower than I’d like, so I’m fishing a little deeper than I might this time of year ... And the water’s a little dirty. You have to get your bait on the fish. It’s not clear enough to keep the bait above them. You’ve got to put it to the cover, where they’re hiding.”

Japan’s Yui Aoki is in second place with a 24-pound limit. Though he’s fishing about 6,600 miles away from his hometown, he proved Thursday the ability to catch bass knows no geographic boundaries.

Like Hartman, the 25-year-old Aoki is fishing the main channel of Kentucky Lake for smallmouth bass, keying on timber in anywhere from 5 to 10 feet of water. He said he’s throwing a five-inch white swimbait and that his best fish came later in the day.

“I had 15 bites and caught 10 fish,” he said. “I had a limit by (noon), but the fish got bigger then.”

Andy Newcomb, of Camdenton, Missouri, is in third place with 23-6. He said he’s only fished Kentucky Lake once previously and that it was a complete failure.

Day 1 of this tournament, however, certainly was not.

“I weighed three largemouth and two smallmouth,” Newcomb said. “I wasn’t looking for one or the other in particular, but I was looking for areas where a lot of fish would be. On this lake they live together. That’s what I found, at least. I don’t know enough about the place to have specific spots to hit. I’m just looking around on the main river for current breaks. It worked today and hopefully we’ll get more of the same tomorrow.”

Rounding out the Top 5 on Day 1 of the derby are fourth, Missouri’s Brad Jelinek, 23-1; fifth, Alabama’s Fisher Anaya, 23-0. In all, 14 anglers weighed more than 20 pounds on Thursday.

Nebraska’s BJ Miller has the early lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with an 8-3 he hooked on Day 1. The angler with the heaviest bass after Saturday’s final weigh-in will win $750.

A total of $334,028 cash will be split among the Top 45 competitors in the Open, including $50,305 to the winner. Top anglers also will earn valuable points toward a berth in the inaugural Bassmaster Elite Qualifier Series this fall.

Day 2 of the Open is scheduled to begin Friday at 6:15 a.m. CT from Paris Landing State Park, with weigh-in set to start at 2:15 p.m. The full field will fish again Friday and the Top 10 anglers will fish on Championship Saturday.

Bassmaster LIVE will stream the final day’s action on Bassmaster.com and the Roku Sports Channel will air coverage from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. ET and from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Stay up-to-date on all tournament coverage at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch/.

The City of Paris is hosting the event.

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

About B.A.S.S.

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN 3/6-3/8
Kentucky Lake, Paris TN.
Standings Day 1

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

1. Jordan Hartman Benton, KY 5 25-04 200
Day 1: 5 25-04
2. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 5 24-00 199
Day 1: 5 24-00
3. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 5 23-06 198
Day 1: 5 23-06
4. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 5 23-01 197
Day 1: 5 23-01
5. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 5 23-00 196
Day 1: 5 23-00
6. Clint Knight Russellville, KY 5 22-15 195
Day 1: 5 22-15
6. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 5 22-15 195
Day 1: 5 22-15
8. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 5 21-12 193
Day 1: 5 21-12
9. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 21-10 192
Day 1: 5 21-10
10. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 5 21-02 191
Day 1: 5 21-02
11. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 5 20-14 190
Day 1: 5 20-14
12. Ethan Fields Breese, IL 5 20-12 189
Day 1: 5 20-12
13. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 5 20-03 188
Day 1: 5 20-03
14. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 5 20-01 187
Day 1: 5 20-01
15. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 19-08 186
Day 1: 5 19-08
16. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 5 19-06 185
Day 1: 5 19-06
17. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 18-14 184
Day 1: 5 18-14
18. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 5 18-11 183
Day 1: 5 18-11
19. Brent Anderson Kingston Springs, TN 5 18-09 182
Day 1: 5 18-09
20. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 5 18-08 181
Day 1: 5 18-08
20. Buddy Benson Dahlonega, GA 5 18-08 181
Day 1: 5 18-08
20. Bj Miller Adams, NE 5 18-08 181
Day 1: 5 18-08
23. Brennan Flick West Monroe, LA 5 18-06 178
Day 1: 5 18-06
24. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 18-00 177
Day 1: 5 18-00
25. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 17-12 176
Day 1: 5 17-12
26. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 5 17-09 175
Day 1: 5 17-09
27. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 5 17-08 174
Day 1: 5 17-08
28. Tommy Wood Peregian Springs AUSTRA 5 17-06 173
Day 1: 5 17-06
29. Evan Cox-VanVliet Loveland, CO 5 17-05 172
Day 1: 5 17-05
29. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 17-05 172
Day 1: 5 17-05
29. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 17-05 172
Day 1: 5 17-05
32. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 5 17-04 169
Day 1: 5 17-04
33. Rylan Hamlin Jackson, MI 5 17-01 168
Day 1: 5 17-01
34. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 5 17-00 167
Day 1: 5 17-00
35. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 5 16-14 166
Day 1: 5 16-14
35. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 5 16-14 166
Day 1: 5 16-14
37. Jonathan Pimentel Camdenton, MO 5 16-09 164
Day 1: 5 16-09
38. Darold Gleason Leesville, LA 4 16-08 163
Day 1: 4 16-08
39. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 5 16-07 162
Day 1: 5 16-07
40. Brandon Ackerson Afton, OK 5 16-04 161
Day 1: 5 16-04
40. Dillon Harrell New Caney, TX 5 16-04 161
Day 1: 5 16-04
42. Michael Harlin Gravois Mills, MO 5 16-01 159
Day 1: 5 16-01
43. Cole Breeden Lebanon, MO 5 15-09 158
Day 1: 5 15-09
44. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 4 15-08 157
Day 1: 4 15-08
45. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 5 15-05 156
Day 1: 5 15-05
45. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 5 15-05 156
Day 1: 5 15-05
47. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 5 14-15 154
Day 1: 5 14-15
47. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 14-15 154
Day 1: 5 14-15
47. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-15 154
Day 1: 5 14-15
50. Jay Nyce Rogers, AR 5 14-13 151
Day 1: 5 14-13
51. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 4 14-12 150
Day 1: 4 14-12
52. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 5 14-11 149
Day 1: 5 14-11
53. Tim Sprouse Clarksville, TN 5 14-04 148
Day 1: 5 14-04
54. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 14-03 147
Day 1: 5 14-03
55. Brian Post Janesville, WI 4 13-14 146
Day 1: 4 13-14
56. Evan Poroznik Nestleton Station Ontar 4 13-11 145
Day 1: 4 13-11
57. Michael Corbishley Raleigh, NC 5 13-10 144
Day 1: 5 13-10
57. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 5 13-10 144
Day 1: 5 13-10
59. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 4 13-06 142
Day 1: 4 13-06
60. Rick Harris Jr Carlsbad, NM 5 13-04 141
Day 1: 5 13-04
61. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 5 13-02 140
Day 1: 5 13-02
62. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 12-13 139
Day 1: 5 12-13
63. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 5 12-12 138
Day 1: 5 12-12
64. Cameron Mattison Benton, LA 4 12-12 137
Day 1: 4 12-12
65. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 12-07 136
Day 1: 5 12-07
66. Sammy Burks Jr Joplin, MO 5 12-06 135
Day 1: 5 12-06
67. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 12-04 134
Day 1: 5 12-04
68. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 12-03 133
Day 1: 5 12-03
69. Travis Ledford Tuttle, OK 3 12-02 132
Day 1: 3 12-02
70. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 4 11-15 131
Day 1: 4 11-15
71. Matt Stefan Junction City, WI 4 11-13 130
Day 1: 4 11-13
71. Joey Teofilo Richmond Hill Ontario C 4 11-13 130
Day 1: 4 11-13
73. Jack York Emory, TX 3 11-11 128
Day 1: 3 11-11
74. Brock Bila Republic, MO 4 11-10 127
Day 1: 4 11-10
74. Jaden Parrish Liberty, TX 4 11-10 127
Day 1: 4 11-10
76. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 4 11-09 125
Day 1: 4 11-09
77. Keith Brashers Rogers, AR 4 11-08 124
Day 1: 4 11-08
78. Trent Palmer Cumming, GA 3 11-08 123
Day 1: 3 11-08
79. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 4 11-07 122
Day 1: 4 11-07
80. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 4 11-06 121
Day 1: 4 11-06
81. Nate Caldwell Fort Collins, CO 3 11-05 120
Day 1: 3 11-05
82. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 4 11-04 119
Day 1: 4 11-04
83. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 4 11-02 118
Day 1: 4 11-02
84. Dave Parsons Yantis, TX 3 11-01 117
Day 1: 3 11-01
85. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 4 10-14 116
Day 1: 4 10-14
86. Randy Millender Teague, TX 3 10-13 115
Day 1: 3 10-13
86. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 3 10-13 115
Day 1: 3 10-13
88. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 3 10-07 113
Day 1: 3 10-07
89. Isaac Peavyhouse Monroe, TN 4 10-06 112
Day 1: 4 10-06
90. Riley Nielsen Salt Lake City, UT 3 10-04 111
Day 1: 3 10-04
91. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 3 10-02 110
Day 1: 3 10-02
92. Matt Wieteha Port St Lucie, FL 4 10-01 109
Day 1: 4 10-01
93. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 10-00 108
Day 1: 5 10-00
94. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 4 09-15 107
Day 1: 4 09-15
95. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 2 09-15 106
Day 1: 2 09-15
96. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 4 09-12 105
Day 1: 4 09-12
97. Lane Olson Forest Grove, OR 2 09-11 104
Day 1: 2 09-11
98. Tommy Durham Whitney, TX 4 09-10 103
Day 1: 4 09-10
99. Matthew Kennedy Littlefork, MN 3 09-10 102
Day 1: 3 09-10
100. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 4 09-05 101
Day 1: 4 09-05
101. Bailey Gay Union, KY 3 09-05 100
Day 1: 3 09-05
102. Evan Barnes Dardanelle, AR 2 09-05 99
Day 1: 2 09-05
103. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 2 09-04 98
Day 1: 2 09-04
104. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 3 09-02 97
Day 1: 3 09-02
105. Seiji Kato Los Alamitos CA JAPAN 3 09-01 96
Day 1: 3 09-01
105. Chris Whitson Louisville, TN 3 09-01 96
Day 1: 3 09-01
107. Joe Lucarelli Benton, NH 3 08-15 94
Day 1: 3 08-15
108. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 4 08-14 93
Day 1: 4 08-14
109. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 3 08-12 92
Day 1: 3 08-12
109. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 3 08-12 92
Day 1: 3 08-12
111. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 2 08-12 90
Day 1: 2 08-12
112. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 2 08-11 89
Day 1: 2 08-11
113. Tommy Dickerson Orange, TX 3 08-10 88
Day 1: 3 08-10
114. John Murray Spring City, TN 3 08-09 87
Day 1: 3 08-09
115. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 3 08-08 86
Day 1: 3 08-08
116. Timothy Matt Lake Village, IN 3 08-07 85
Day 1: 3 08-07
117. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 3 08-06 84
Day 1: 3 08-06
118. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 3 08-05 83
Day 1: 3 08-05
119. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 3 07-13 82
Day 1: 3 07-13
120. Chase Carey Hoschton, GA 2 07-13 81
Day 1: 2 07-13
121. Christian Nash Allons, TN 2 07-10 80
Day 1: 2 07-10
122. Ron Johnson Skanee, MI 3 07-09 79
Day 1: 3 07-09
123. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 3 07-08 78
Day 1: 3 07-08
124. Anthony Garcia Los Angeles, CA 3 07-07 77
Day 1: 3 07-07
125. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 2 07-05 76
Day 1: 2 07-05
126. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 3 07-02 75
Day 1: 3 07-02
127. Kane Weekley Davie, FL 2 06-10 74
Day 1: 2 06-10
128. John Hammersmith Branson, MO 3 06-09 73
Day 1: 3 06-09
129. Matt Molitor Canton, IL 2 06-09 72
Day 1: 2 06-09
130. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 2 06-07 71
Day 1: 2 06-07
131. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 2 06-05 70
Day 1: 2 06-05
132. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 2 06-02 69
Day 1: 2 06-02
133. Joey Punko Broomfield, CO 1 05-10 68
Day 1: 1 05-10
134. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 2 05-09 67
Day 1: 2 05-09
134. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 2 05-09 67
Day 1: 2 05-09
136. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 2 05-07 65
Day 1: 2 05-07
137. Brandon Hightower Edgerton, KS 2 05-06 64
Day 1: 2 05-06
138. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 1 05-06 63
Day 1: 1 05-06
139. Tommy Parker Delano, MN 2 05-05 62
Day 1: 2 05-05
140. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 1 05-05 61
Day 1: 1 05-05
141. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 1 05-03 60
Day 1: 1 05-03
142. Drake Hemby Tallbot, TN 1 05-02 59
Day 1: 1 05-02
143. Easton Lindus Woodville, WI 2 05-00 58
Day 1: 2 05-00
144. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 2 04-15 57
Day 1: 2 04-15
145. Curt Mcguire Jr Buchanan, TN 2 04-14 56
Day 1: 2 04-14
146. Derek Sandlin Mount Ida, AR 2 04-13 55
Day 1: 2 04-13
147. Cole Lamb Russellville, AR 1 04-13 54
Day 1: 1 04-13
147. Dustin Reneau Mckinney, TX 1 04-13 54
Day 1: 1 04-13
149. Johno Roberts Golden, CO 2 04-12 52
Day 1: 2 04-12
150. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 2 04-08 51
Day 1: 2 04-08
150. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 2 04-08 51
Day 1: 2 04-08
152. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 1 04-08 49
Day 1: 1 04-08
153. Josh Gauthier Petawawa CANADA 2 04-07 48
Day 1: 2 04-07
154. Tyler Conde Chepachet, RI 1 04-07 47
Day 1: 1 04-07
155. Robert Davenport Brooksville, FL 2 04-06 46
Day 1: 2 04-06
156. Trent Holloway Groesbeck, TX 1 04-05 45
Day 1: 1 04-05
156. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 1 04-05 45
Day 1: 1 04-05
158. Joseph Titus Bemidji, MN 2 04-04 43
Day 1: 2 04-04
159. Ian Waterer East Selkirk CANADA 2 04-03 42
Day 1: 2 04-03
160. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 1 04-03 41
Day 1: 1 04-03
161. Brooks Anderson Marietta, GA 1 04-02 40
Day 1: 1 04-02
162. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 1 04-01 39
Day 1: 1 04-01
162. Troy O'Rourke Bentonville, AR 1 04-01 39
Day 1: 1 04-01
164. Caz Anderson Hayesville, NC 1 04-00 37
Day 1: 1 04-00
165. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 1 03-13 36
Day 1: 1 03-13
166. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 1 03-06 35
Day 1: 1 03-06
167. Ryan Thompson Seymour, MO 1 03-05 34
Day 1: 1 03-05
168. Neal Gilmore Magnolia, TX 1 03-04 33
Day 1: 1 03-04
169. Jacob Welch Jefferson City, MO 1 03-02 32
Day 1: 1 03-02
170. Jonathon VanDam Gobles, MI 1 03-01 31
Day 1: 1 03-01
171. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 1 03-00 30
Day 1: 1 03-00
172. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 1 02-15 29
Day 1: 1 02-15
172. Wade Werner II Portland, TN 1 02-15 29
Day 1: 1 02-15
174. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 1 02-12 27
Day 1: 1 02-12
174. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 1 02-12 27
Day 1: 1 02-12
176. Ken Day Kennewick, WA 1 02-11 25
Day 1: 1 02-11
176. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-11 25
Day 1: 1 02-11
178. Mark Condron Murfreesboro, TN 1 02-10 23
Day 1: 1 02-10
178. Angel Rosario Kalamazoo, MI 1 02-10 23
Day 1: 1 02-10
180. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 1 02-09 21
Day 1: 1 02-09
180. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 1 02-09 21
Day 1: 1 02-09
182. David Boelkins Waukesha, WI 1 02-07 19
Day 1: 1 02-07
182. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 1 02-07 19
Day 1: 1 02-07
182. Blake Schroeder Bullard, TX 1 02-07 19
Day 1: 1 02-07
185. Josh Pladies Belton, MO 1 02-06 16
Day 1: 1 02-06
186. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 1 02-05 15
Day 1: 1 02-05
186. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 1 02-05 15
Day 1: 1 02-05
188. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 1 02-03 13
Day 1: 1 02-03
189. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 1 02-01 12
Day 1: 1 02-01
189. Jacob Policka Twin Lake, MI 1 02-01 12
Day 1: 1 02-01
191. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 1 01-15 10
Day 1: 1 01-15
192. Shannon Abbott Louisville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Ryan Bass Royse city, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Drew Boggs Lebanon, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Tripp Bowman Princeton, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Wyatt Burkhalter Coker, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Kaden Casey Clarksville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Douglas Chapin Tigerton, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Connor Cunningham Springfield , MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Dewayne French Mammoth Spring, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Darrell Ivey Lebanon, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Jacob Lang Bullard, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Jason Lieblong Conway, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Eli Lubbehusen Huntingburg, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Jim Moynagh Outing, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Brian Neal Big Lake, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Kara Pasma Golden Valley, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Forrest Reasons Big Rock, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Brent Shores Savannah, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Jeremy Simmons Warsaw, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Kirk Stickler Eden, UT 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Tim Tyndell Mineola, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
192. Wyatt Wisian Ardmore, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 62 607 1993-00
----------------------------------
62 607 1993-00

by AnglersChannel

Palaniuk Gets Paid with Yamaha Power Pay

Bassmaster Elite Series pro cashes in with popular contingency program.

What a weekend it was in The Sunshine State.

With a multitude of environmental factors at play, Yamaha pro Brandon Palaniuk managed to catch 95 pounds, 4 ounces in the 2025 Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee enroute to winning his sixth coveted Elites Series trophy.

Once regarded as a young gun, the now-veteran fisherman has worked tirelessly to establish himself as a highly regarded professional angler and as skill would have it, the man just simply has “it.” When he pulls up to a tournament, his competition gets a bit more nervous. He is one of the best in the world, on and off the water.

He’s a force with whom to be reckoned and one of the several factors instrumental to his success has been the outboard motor at his back, a decision he made over 15 years ago.

Throughout Palaniuk’s career, he’s trusted a Yamaha outboard. You can accredit it to several different reason but when it all comes out in the wash, the reliability has been a major factor.

While long runs are often part of the game when it comes to high-level tournaments, that wasn’t the case on Lake Okeechobee for Palaniuk. Reliability reigned and he was able to fish until the very last minute because of the confidence he had in his Yamaha 250-horsepower V MAX SHO.

“I wasn’t traveling long distances, but I was running up a river,” Palaniuk said. “I was purposefully cautious throughout my morning runs because the crappie anglers were everywhere. They have every right to be there just like me, so I had to make sure I wasn’t messing them up because I know they want to have a fun day of fishing. I had to be very careful and respectful. But after that very short run, I was pretty much putting the trolling motor down and fishing all day long. After I had loaded my Skeeter livewells, I’d come straight back to the launch at the end of the day and weigh my fish.”

This strategy worked flawlessly and was made plain by the confidence in his outboard motor. Palaniuk knew that he could fish to the very last second of each competition day because when he turned the key, he knew his SHO would fire and provide the performance he has come to expect.

“When you sit in that seat and you’re looking for a last-minute cull it’s essential you have the confidence in your outboard to make those moves,” Palaniuk said. “I’m a man of conviction and I have run a Yamaha for the entirety of my professional bass-fishing career. When you sit down into that driver’s seat to check out another nearby area or run back to the boat ramp, you have to know that your outboard is going to do what you need it to do.”

On top of his win, Palaniuk earned an additional $4,000 check from the Yamaha Power Pay program for being the highest finishing angler running an eligible Yamaha motor. He has long been sold on the performance, dependability and fuel mileage of these outboards… the Power Pay bonus is the icing on the cake.

Thankfully you don’t have to be a full-time pro like Palaniuk to benefit from your Yamaha. There are hundreds of collegiate, amateur and semi-pro tournament trails sanctioned by Power Pay. But you do have to make sure you are registered to be eligible. It’s free to register and anglers don’t have to place first in their tournament to cash in on the Power Pay money. To learn more, please visit https://yamahapowerpay.com/.

by AnglersChannel

Cold Mornings be Danged, Scroggins Has a Plan

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Team Toyota pro Terry Scroggins looks to battle cold morning temperatures on Lake Murray this week.

With millions in earnings over his storied career, Team Toyota pro Terry Scroggins is looking forward to a slugfest at Lake Murray this week. While the Florida pro is most comfortable flipping and pitching shallow vegetation, the rapidly warming water temperatures have him thinking about several different strategies.

“I think this is going to be a mainly pre-spawn deal, to be honest,” Scroggins said. “There are a bunch of fish pulling up shallow right now. At the start of practice, the water temperature was 49 degrees but the last I saw it was 56 degrees. That is a huge change when you think about the behavior of a largemouth bass. It has been super cold throughout the mornings, but I think once that water warms up in the afternoon, the bite is going to go crazy.”

Lake Murray has been recently known as a big-bass factory. Its propensity for big bass comes in a variety of ways and the local weights have been extremely impressive. 20-plus bags for a five-fish limit are a normal thing on Lake Murray and it has Scroggins excited for what may be to come.

“It just seems like they always bite here,” Scroggins said. “They just bite all the time. Whether they’re shallow or deep, they live here. With the weather getting right and everything getting warmer, I’d bet you my bottom dollar that the fish will be chomping. Whether you like to beat the bank or chase offshore fish, I truly believe everyone will have a chance to catch ‘em doing what they like to do most.”

The bottom-end of the fishery tends to hold the most vegetation right now. While you might think a Florida-based angler like Scroggins would be most comfortable fishing shallow grass, he is keeping an open mind, and all options are fair game.

“This event could be won in a variety of ways,” Scroggins said. “You could crank, throw a topwater plug or pitch grass and it wouldn’t surprise me whatsoever. The world is waking up and it just seems like the bass are biting just about anything you throw at ‘em. Those cold mornings are a little bit of a booger but once the sun warms up that water, you’re good as gold and everything seems to start getting active.”

The Team Toyota pro has had a mixed practice which means several different strategies have produced bites and coming off his solid Harris Chain performance, he is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming event.

“This lake is really good,” Scroggins said. “And I mean that. This is a super-good fishery, and the bass are really getting right with the springtime feel in the air. But the biggest key is going to be figuring out quality from quantity. There are a lot of small buck bass up there right now but as you know, we’re not in the business of that. I have to find the big females. There will be some giants biting somewhere.”

This is, or can be, a magical time of year. Big females that have been deep all year are moving shallow to do their yearly duty and you can bet that Scroggins will be waiting to intercept them.

by AnglersChannel

Expect a springtime slugfest at first B.A.S.S. Nation event of the season

March 5, 2025

FLORENCE, Ala. — If you ask Jimmy Washam, Pickwick Lake is as healthy as it has been in a while. It has taken 30 pounds to win almost every winter tournament the Tennessee pro has fished there this year. A 20-pound bag didn’t even land anglers in the Top 10.

That is good news for anglers competing in the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Pickwick Lake presented by Lowrance.

“The average size of the bass is as good as I’ve seen it in the 20-plus years I’ve fished the lake,” the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN pro said. “I’ve heard a lot of grumbling and people talking about (how) the numbers in the lake are struggling, and to me that is absolutely not the case. It is as healthy as it has ever been. The population of threadfin and gizzards is unbelievable too.”

Tournament days are scheduled for March 12-14 in Florence, Ala. Pickwick as well as Wilson Lake will be inbounds. Competitors will launch from McFarland Park each day starting at 7 a.m. and will return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The top finishers will earn a spot in the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance, to be held on the Upper Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis., Oct. 22-25.

Pickwick Lake has been one of the top destinations in the Southeast for some time now. The Tennessee River reservoir has hosted every level of competition B.A.S.S. has to offer, from the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft all the way up to the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.

The last time it hosted an event during the spring, Bill Lowen claimed his first Elite Series title after heavy rains brought the lake level up in 2021. What spring rains do to the reservoir will be the X factor, Washam said. If stable conditions prevail, however, Washam expects prespawn largemouth and smallmouth to be feasting.

“March is one of my favorite months for big fish. The only hiccup you have is the weather is changing. But if things line up, it could be the best time to be on Pickwick. You’ll have a lot of staging female largemouth that are deciding that it is time to feed up and make the transition to the spawning areas.”

For smallmouth, Washam expects the Wilson Dam tailrace to be a popular area. Depending on the conditions, the brown fish could be in all stages of the spawn.

Washam believes good bags of green fish can be caught anywhere on the lake, from the Wilson Dam to the Pickwick Dam. Main-lake and secondary points as well as gravel bars will hold bass this time of year. Largemouth that move shallow will hang around any type of hard cover like laydowns, stumps and rock.

Isolated grassbeds could also come into play, although Washam said the grass coverage on Pickwick was not as impressive this past year as it usually is.

“I don’t think the grass will be as significant as what people [suspect],” he said.

A lipless bait like a Profound Outdoors Azuma Shaker Z will be a popular choice for anglers, Washam said, as well as a crankbait, a jighead minnow and a jerkbait.

Visit Florence is hosting the tournament.

2025 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury

2025 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance

2025 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Lippert joins as presenting sponsor of Progressive Bassmaster Classic Tailgate

March 5, 2025

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. is proud to announce the return of the Progressive Bassmaster Classic Tailgate and the addition of Lippert, a leading supplier of premium RV, towing and marine products designed to enhance your outdoor recreation adventures, as the Tailgate experience’s presenting sponsor.

The Progressive Bassmaster Classic Tailgate presented by Lippert will take place in conjunction with the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour and will include an experiential activation including cornhole and ladder ball games, product giveaways and caricature artists Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 23, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The crown jewel of the Tailgate will be the stage of the Bassmaster LIVE set, featuring host Tommy Sanders, who will be broadcasting live as the Classic contenders compete on nearby Lake Ray Roberts for the Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic Trophy.

“We’re excited for Lippert to come on board as presenting sponsor of the Bassmaster Classic Tailgate,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “Bass fishing fans from all over will be experiencing the best in recreational vehicle products and accessories in an exciting and fun atmosphere designed to showcase Lippert’s broad lineup of ... what else? Essential tailgating gear for RV, camping and water sports enthusiasts!”

Lippert will follow up their Classic participation by signing on as the presenting sponsor of a regular-season Elite event. With this sponsorship, Lippert is reinforcing its commitment to the outdoor and fishing communities. As a premier outdoor brand serving the RV, marine and automotive industries, Lippert continues to innovate and support those who live life on the water and the road.

“The Bassmaster Classic is the pinnacle event for fishing and outdoor enthusiasts, and we’re honored to be the presenting sponsor (of the Tailgate),” said Lippert Chief Marketing Officer Jarod Lippert. “At Lippert, we’re committed to delivering premium products that enhance every aspect of the outdoor experience — whether that’s on the water, on the road or at the campsite. With CURT and Lewmar alongside us, we’re excited to connect with attendees and showcase how our brands support their adventures and way of life.”

Joining Lippert at the Progressive Bassmaster Classic Tailgate presented by Lippert are CURT, a leader in towing solutions, and Lewmar, a trusted name in marine anchoring and docking systems. Together, these brands will showcase products that enhance the outdoor lifestyle, from seamless towing experiences to premium marine equipment. Attendees can engage with the Lippert family of brands and explore the innovations designed to support their passions.

About LCI Industries

LCI Industries (NYSE: LCII), through its Lippert subsidiary, is a global leader in supplying engineered components to the outdoor recreation and transportation markets. We believe our innovative culture, advanced manufacturing capabilities and dedication to enhancing the customer experience have established Lippert as a reliable partner for both OEM and aftermarket customers. For more information, visit lippert.com.

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Garmin introduces new Force Pro trolling motor

Next-gen Force Pro combines legendary power with superior anchor lock performance, innovative reverse thrust control and more to maximize anglers’ time on the water

OLATHE, Kan./March 5, 2025/PR Newswire — Garmin (NYSE: GRMN), the world’s most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, today announced Force^® Pro – a brushless trolling motor engineered with extreme power and Garmin’s most precise GPS positioning technology. It gives anglers everything they love about Force, now with multi-band GPS for superior anchor lock performance and a built-in GT56UHD, Garmin’s latest and most powerful Ultra High-Definition scanning transducer. Force Pro also adds reverse thrust capability which adds another dimension of control, useful for anglers slowing the boat or backing up through tight quarters, like creeks or dock slips.

“Garmin Force has quickly become a trusted name in trolling motors for professional and recreational anglers all over the world. By adding premium features like our most advanced positioning technology with fishing-friendly enhancements like reverse thrust, we’re excited to offer anglers a trolling motor that’s second to none and continue to grow our presence in this market.”

–Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing

See why Garmin pro anglers are fishing behind the Force Pro at the 2025 Bassmaster Classic—the world’s most renowned bass fishing tournament.

“After running the Force Pro, I can tell you that it’s everything I want in a trolling motor and more. The anchor lock and reverse thrust features are true game changers.”

–Jason Christie, former Bassmaster Classic Champion and Garmin Pro Angler

Legendary power and reverse thrust capability

Force Pro features a brushless motor that uses a high-efficiency propeller to produce 100 pounds of thrust¹. It can move anglers quickly from one dock or brush pile to the next, standing up to high winds and strong currents along the way. Now with reverse thrust control, anglers can quickly shift into reverse to control their boat without spinning the motor around. It’s whisper quiet, too, so the fish are less likely to notice. Thanks to its extreme efficiency, anglers can count on Force Pro to last all day while maintaining its power with minimal sonar interference.

Outstanding anchor lock performance

Utilizing multi-band GPS signal reception and an integrated heading sensor, Force Pro delivers superior performance when in anchor lock or while following a route or heading hold, allowing anglers to position their boat more precisely near brush piles, schools of fish, channel breaks and more.

Force Pro is optimized for anchor lock—with the push of a button, anglers can automatically position the boat where they want to be. In calm conditions, the new reverse thrust feature can reduce steering activity and noise levels. In rough waters or windy conditions, Force Pro utilizes the full range of its powerful brushless motor to deliver superior anchor lock performance.

Fish with Force

Force Pro offers built-in sonar integration with an included GT56UHD, Garmin’s premium all-in-one scanning transducer that delivers Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar along with CHIRP traditional sonar for brilliant image clarity of structure and fish below and to the sides of the boat.
Wireless integration with Garmin chartplotters allows anglers to create routes, patterns and tracks for the trolling motor to follow while they fish.
Connect Force Pro to a compatible Garmin smartwatch to control steering, anchor lock and more, right from the wrist.
Anglers can fish in low light and know at-a-glance what direction they’re headed thanks to the lighted indicator on the trolling motor shaft cap.
With the included foot pedal or wireless remote, anglers can control of the Force Pro with Garmin’s simple point-and-go gesture steering.
Rugged and durable, all Force Pro components—including the sturdy composite shaft and reinforced pull cable—are built to endure hard marine environments with advanced corrosion and saltwater protection.
Add an optional LiveScope^™ transducer for award-winning live sonar; Force Pro is designed for easy installation of the full line of LiveScope live sonar transducers.

The Force Pro trolling motor is debuting at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas, March 21-23, where it will be on display in booth #512. It’s available now with a scissor-style mount, built-in GT56UHD transducer and choice of 50- or 57-inch shaft lengths for $3999.99 and $4099.99, respectively. A weedless and high-efficiency propeller are also included and can be easily swapped as needed. The Force Pro is backed by a 3-year limited warranty and a lifetime limited warranty on the shaft, along with support through an ever-increasing servicing dealer network.

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionized life for anglers, sailors, mariners and boat enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing the most innovative, highest quality, and easiest to use marine electronics the industry has ever known, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. For the tenth consecutive year, Garmin was named the Manufacturer of the Year by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminfishhunt on social, or follow the Garmin blog.

¹In compliance with ISO standard 13342 for forward thrust only.

###

About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin and Force are registered trademarks and LiveScope is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at www.garmin.com/en-US/company/investors/earnings/. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

MEDIA CONTACT: Carly Hysell // 913-397-8200 // [email protected]

by AnglersChannel

NPFL Cancels Day 1 at Santee Cooper

SANTEE, S.C. — The National Professional Fishing League has canceled Day 1 of the Strike King NPFL Stop One at Santee Cooper Lakes due to unsafe weather conditions. The bass tournament was scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 6, but will now start on Friday, March 7, and run through Sunday, March 9.

The decision was made after tournament officials reviewed reports from the National Weather Service and other sources calling for high winds on Thursday coming from directions that make for unsafe boating conditions.

“Our commitment is to the safety and well-being of our anglers,” said NPFL president Brad Fuller. “Here at the Santee Cooper lakes, wind velocity and direction can combine to create dangerous conditions. This is a legendary fishery and part of the reason for that is the amount of cover and structure in the water. Boat traffic must stay within certain lanes to be safe, and high winds from certain directions can wreak havoc. We will not subject our anglers to that. Instead, we anticipate that the tournament will begin on Friday and run through Sunday.”

Weigh-ins will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET at the John C. Land Boat Ramp in Summerton, South Carolina, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and can be viewed online at the NPFL website (TheNationalProfessionalFishingLeague.com) and on YouTube. A live band and food trucks are scheduled to be on site where fans can meet and talk with the pros.

Livestream coverage of the event with Luke Dunkin and Fat Cat Newton will be available online on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET.

About the National Professional Fishing League

The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.

Media Contact: Ken Duke — (407) 574-1898 or [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Lake Hartwell Ready for Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki Marine

ANDERSON, S.C. (March 5, 2025) – The second Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of 2025 is set to launch on Lake Hartwell next week, March 14-16 – the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki Marine.

The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Anderson, will feature a field of pro anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000. Anglers will take to the water to catch their five biggest bass each day, and the winner will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative total.

“We’re very excited to have the Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Invitational at Green Pond Landing, Lake Hartwell, and Anderson County,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “The leadership of Anderson County has given us a world-class facility in Green Pond Landing and the resources to host championship level events such as the Major League Fishing platform. The Invitational represents another first-time event in our community, and we are looking forward to sharing our brand of hospitality to the anglers, their families, sponsors, the staff and the fishing fans that will enjoy this event in our community.”

Lake Hartwell and Green Pond Landing is a familiar tournament destination for competing anglers – the fishery has host hosted numerous major events over the years – including the 2020 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American – and the world-class facilities offer a scenic showcase with the amphitheater-style weigh-in seating and the scenic backdrop of the beautiful lake. This event marks the first time since 2016 that a professional-level MLF event with the five-fish weigh-in format will be held at Green Pond Landing.

“Based on the extreme weather patterns I’ve seen, with lows in the 30s and highs hitting the 70s, I suspect this will likely be a pre-spawn tournament,” said Invitationals pro Kyle Cortiana, who has 14 career top-10 finishes in MLF competition. “The fish will be plump and heavy, staging in typical areas like brush piles, laydowns, and docks to warm up and feed. This event is going to be all about figuring out where they’re setting up and capitalizing on those opportunities.”

Cortiana plans to have several baits tied on to target both Lake Hartwell’s big spotted bass and its healthy population of largemouth bass.

“I’ll have a bottom-dragging bait, like a Carolina rig or a big football jig, to drag on the hard rocky bottoms,” Cortiana said. “Lots of guys are going to be looking at them with their electronics, so the forward-facing sonar baits will be big – any sort of minnow. And I also think finesse baits will play – a shaky-head rig with a Yum Finesse Worm is always strong at Lake Hartwell, and I think we could see some on a Ned rig, like the Yum Dinger . It’s hard to explain why it works so well, but it catches both big spots and largemouth there.”

When it comes to weights, Cortiana believes consistency will be key for a strong finish.

“I think 18 to 21 pounds a day will keep you in contention,” he noted. “If the weather stays consistent, we could see some impressive limits. There are definitely five, six, seven-pound-plus largemouth in there, so it’s going to be exciting to see how it unfolds.”

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from Green Pond Landing, located at 470 Green Pond Road in Anderson, South Carolina. Weigh-ins will be held at the landing and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $4.3 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for the Invitationals Championship, set for Sept. 5-7 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, and a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour – the sport’s premier circuit.

In Tackle Warehouse Invitationals competition, the full field compete in the two-day opening round on Days 1 and 2 in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at Lake Hartwell Presented by Suzuki Marine will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight.

Forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar is limited to only days 1 and 3 of competition. No forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar will be allowed on day 2 of competition.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at Lake Hartwell Presented by Suzuki Marine will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 11 on CBS Sports Network.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Bubba, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitationals updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Elevating Performance with Costa Fly Line and Brandon Cyr

Captain Brandon Cyr embodies the relentless pursuit of the perfect catch. As a seventh-generation Florida Keys “Conch” (native) and expert fly-fishing guide, his life revolves around the water—where precision, clarity, and endurance are everything. Cyr needs his gear to keep up with the demands of his craft, which is why he relies on Fly Line, Costa’s latest performance style designed to take on the elements with confidence.

Driven by a passion for inspiring the next generation of fishermen, he shares his knowledge and love for the sport—not just with his clients but with his own son and daughter—ensuring they, and future anglers, develop the same deep respect and appreciation for the ocean that has shaped his life.

“Being a Costa Pro is about more than just pushing my limits on the water—it’s about passing down my knowledge and passion to the next generation of anglers,” shares Brandon Cyr. “I want to inspire young anglers to respect the ocean, master their craft, and chase their personal bests. It’s not only about protecting what’s out there, but sustaining the guiding industry too, so people can continue to experience these special ecosystems.”

Inspired by Brandon’s relentless pursuit of success, Costa launches Fly Line, a signature performance frame with a modernized look. Drawing inspiration from the best-selling Reefton frame, it features an 8-base wrap for full coverage and shielding against sun and wind. Double-injected Hydrolite™ on the nose and retainer-ready temple tips provide a secure, all-day fit—keeping anglers focused on their next big catch.

Equipped with Costa’s 580® lens technology, Fly Line is available in Costa’s new Rose 580G lens, enhancing color contrast to sharpen details on the water. Joining Rose Gradient and Rose-Based Gold Mirror in the Costa lens lineup, the 100% polarized lens delivers the same visual experience with a distinct aesthetic.

“Since day one, Costa has been driven by a simple mission—helping people deepen their connection to the water,” says Robbie LaBelle, Global Vice President of Marketing. “Brandon Cyr is the definition of water-obsessed—living, breathing, and protecting the ecosystem that fuels his passion. His vision for inspiring the next generation aligns with Costa’s commitment to those who love the water. We’re proud to back him with the best performance tech so he can keep leading, inspiring, and pushing what’s possible.”

Passionate about bonefish, tarpon, and permit, Cyr is a proud supporter of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) and Vice President of the Board of Directors for Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA), aiding in efforts to protect the fisheries and habitats that make the Keys unique. As one of BTT’s longest-standing sponsors, Costa has supported Project Permit, a decade-long conservation effort in collaboration with LKGA. Brandon started his guiding career with the help of a local scholarship, and is now giving back to the same community through a mentorship program in partnership with LKGA and Costa, helping to support aspiring fishing guides.

Reflecting its ongoing commitment to the Keys, Costa actively continues support of LKGA through grassroots events and tournaments, ensuring a future for both the sport and the environment for generations to come."

Costa Fly Line with Rose 580G is available now at CostaDelMar.com, Dick’s Sporting Goods Stores, and local Costa retailers.

About Costa Sunglasses

As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lenses, Costa combines superior lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability. Costa has made the highest quality, best-performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983, and now its product portfolio includes optical frames. Costa’s growing cult-brand status ties directly to its purpose to provide high-quality products with a focus on sustainability and conservation as the company works hard to protect the waters it calls home. From the use of sustainable and water-friendly materials to its Kick Plastic® initiative, #OneCoast efforts and meaningful partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram at @CostaSunglasses.

by AnglersChannel

AFTCO Walleye Throwdown

SANTA ANA, Ca., and Akaska, SD March 4, 2025 –

Walleye anglers have a great chance to get free AFTCO fishing apparel and win big money this July while fishing on the famous Lake Oahe. AFTCO in conjunction with the South Dakota Walleye Classic is excited to announce the AFTCO Walleye Throwdown to take place July 26 and 27 in Akaska, South Dakota. The South Dakota Walleye Classic has a long history as a successful event, but this year features an exciting new format. One fish could win you $10,000. This year the biggest walleye weighed in during the 2-days wins $10,000. It gets better on top of that there are eight bi-hourly payouts during the event for additional cash prizes. Each day of competition there are four bi-hourly weigh ins and each of those periods has the payouts listed below. Registered anglers are eligible to win the grand prize and multiple bi-hourly weigh ins for a single-entry fee. South Dakota rules and regulations apply for length and daily limits. See the full rules info here. If the chance for big cash prizes was not enough, every angler that enters the event receives a $200 swag pack of AFTCO fishing clothing just for entering. Get the value of your entry fee back automatically just for entering. Anglers must be entered by June 30, 2025, to be eligible for swag pack. Check in for the event is July 25 at the Akaska Community Center in Akaska, SD from noon to 7pm. Register for the event online here.

Anglers of all skill levels are welcome to enter and have a chance to win cash prizes in the bi-hourly weigh ins. You can fish alone or with family and friends, each competing angler must be entered to weigh fish. This is a great format for casual anglers to serious competitors and for boats of all types with a chance to win $10,000.

For more information, see the event page here now.

About AFTCO

Family owned and operated, the American Fishing Tackle Company (AFTCO) represents unparalleled quality, performance, and reliability when it counts most. Worn across the globe, AFTCO's fishing clothing and fishing rain gear is designed to handle the harshest elements. Whether you are a tournament bass angler looking to stay dry in a late fall downpour or an offshore weekend warrior seeking protection from the sun's harmful UV rays, AFTCO keeps you fishing comfortably.

AFTCO reflects a legacy of firsts. From former company Chairman Milt Shedd's pioneering conservation achievements, to the invention of the roller guide and the introduction of the world's first pair of true fishing shorts, AFTCO provides conservation leadership and innovative products proven to deliver performance on the water. Our passion for the outdoors goes beyond our product offering because of an unwavering commitment to help protect our fishing resources and angler rights. Through our 10% Pledge to Protect and Conserve, your purchase of any AFTCO product directly supports conservation initiatives.

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. announces return of Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by GSM Outdoors

March 4, 2025

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. announced today that GSM Outdoors will again be partnering with the worldwide authority on bass fishing to present the 2025 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo to be held in conjunction with the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour March 21-23 in Fort Worth, Texas, with competition to be held on Lake Ray Roberts. Recognized as fishing’s biggest consumer show, the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by GSM Outdoors annually draws more than 200 exhibitors from around the world.

“Of all the events and promotions that we have been part of since the inception of the fishing division of GSM Outdoors, there’s no doubt that our sponsorship of the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo gives us the greatest return on investment,” said Senior Vice President of GSM Fishing Crispin Powley. “Being able to interact face to face with the greatest fans on earth at the biggest stage our sport has ever known is invaluable to our efforts of promoting our brands.”

“We are excited to continue this partnership with GSM Outdoors,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “GSM Outdoors’ family of brands are a big part of the outdoor lifestyle our fans live daily, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have them and thousands of fans join us to celebrate the greatest week in professional bass fishing.”

The Bassmaster Classic is sportfishing’s most iconic event, and fans were paying attention at the 2024 Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Okla. The world championship of bass fishing exploded on social media, setting records for impressions (22 million), video views (6.5 million) and engagements (2.2 million). Fans also streamed 28 million minutes of content across Bassmaster LIVE digital platforms, and live coverage on FOX and FS1 reached 3.8 million viewers across the two days of coverage on those networks. Alongside those massive digital numbers, over 47,000 fans attended Classic Week festivities, with most making a stop at the Outdoors Expo.

About GSM Outdoors

Few American outdoor companies enjoy a mutually respected relationship with their customers that span over five generations. GSM Outdoors is among those few! For over 70 years, the GSM family of brands has been helping passionate hunters, shooters, knife enthusiasts and anglers succeed through innovation and the manufacture of high-quality, reliable products that continue to prove themselves in the field, on the range and on the water. GSM Outdoors continues to leverage the latest technology and provide customers with the best products on the market. Tradition, heritage and loyalty to outdoor enthusiasts of generations past and generations to come ... that’s the GSM Outdoors guarantee!

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Travel Tuesday - How to Get the Most out of Attending a Bassmaster Classic

By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast

In the summer of 1990 I was home on summer break from college and while I’d subscribed to Bassmaster for several years, I’d never attended a professional tournament – or any tournament for that matter. When I read in the newspaper about the Bassmaster Classic in Richmond, Virginia, I decided to drive a couple of hours down the highway on my day off from work. At the event, I experienced the thrill of watching Rick Clunn weigh in a massive Day Three bag to claim his fourth Classic title.

While I became heavily involved in tournament fishing a few years later, I didn’t attend another Classic until 2004, when I obtained a media credential and had my mind absolutely blown by Aaron Martens. I’ve now attended a total of five Classics as a member of the independent media, and 11 working for the mothership at B.A.S.S. themselves. Including the Richmond jaunt, that’s a total of 17.

Of course, my view of the Classic is atypical – I rarely get to visit the Expo, which is open to the public, while I always “get” to go to Media Day, which is not. I’ve had the thrill of being the person closest to the winner when he caught the winning fish on several occasions, and I’ve also frozen my ass off in single digit temperatures. The pros greatly outweigh the cons.

I do believe that every red-blooded fan of the sport should attend at least one Classic. It’s our Super Bowl and Woodstock rolled into one. For one snapshot in time, a (usually) mid-sized city becomes entirely consumed by the relatively fringe sport of bass fishing. If you’re going to go, here are a few things to consider:

Where to Stay

Much about your decision of where to stay depends not only on your budget, but on which city is hosting the event. In some venues, like New Orleans, all three elements – the blast-off, the weigh-in and the Expo – are fairly close together. In others, they’re spread out. In my opinion, it pays to stay closest to the portion of the event where you’ll spend the most time. If you want to be on the water, stay on the water. If you want to go to the Expo for the longest periods of time, stay as close as you can to that building. Ideally the Expo and Weigh-In are close enough together that if you stay between them you can walk to both. To me that’s worth the extra bucks.

Of course, if you’re bringing a boat to watch from the water, that alters your options – the high-rise right next to the weigh-in or expo center will likely not be conducive to storing your fiberglass beauty, let alone charging the batteries.

Other Tips for L-I-V-I-N

If you’re staying close to any of the tournament venues, particularly in a cluster of hotels, and you want to eat somewhere in particular (BASS usually publishes a pretty good rundown of the host city’s options), make a reservation. Not unlike the Final Four, the best places are going to be packed with fishing fans, and unless you’re willing to wait a long time or get shut out, get your name in early (especially if you have a large group).

If you don’t already have the Uber app on your phone, put it on and familiarize yourself with it before you get to town. If your vehicle is parked at the hotel or in a pay lot, sometimes it’s just easier to leave it there and hop from attraction to attraction for a few bucks.

The Expo

Because I so infrequently get to visit the Expo, it’s kind of my dream, a perceived Candyland of new bassing gear and exceptional deals. Based on what I have seen and heard, I know that it tends to get really crowded, really fast. If you are at the first day of the Classic, I’d recommend going then. No matter which day you go, get there early, so you have time to get through the booths before they’re jam-packed with fishing freaks. If you’re really smart about it, consult the floor plan (usually on the Bassmaster website) before going, so you can hit your most critical booths first.

If you see Classic deals advertised on social media, or see something that you MUST have at the show, don’t wait on it too long. There likely won’t be any better deals on the final day – if anything, they’re more likely to be out of stock. Most booths will take credit cards, but it never hurts to have some cash, too.

If you’re going to be shopping for a bass boat in the near future, this may be the absolute best time to check out the different models, as you can expect all of the major manufacturers to be there.

One final note: On Sunday most if not all of the anglers who missed the cut to Day Three will be working for their sponsors at the show. Be sure not to ask them questions like, “Why aren’t you fishing today?”

The Weigh-In

Like the Expo, entrance to the Bassmaster Classic weigh-in is free.

The weigh-in is a well-orchestrated show, although it can sometimes seem to drag on for a while. That’s only fair – these guys have worked hard to get to the Big Show and deserve some stage time. For many of them, it is the highlight of their fishing career. The show itself is usually preceded by some musical acts and occasionally by gimmicks like t-shirt cannons and the like. Those by themselves aren’t really compelling to me, but I would stress that it’s important to get to the event early. Not only does that ensure that you will get a seat (especially on Day Three) but also that you’re likely to get a good seat. Watching from the nosebleeds is still exciting, but it’s not quite as good as being up close and personal.

Going to Blast Off

Watching the anglers blast off is easier in a place like New Orleans or Greenville than someplace like Grand Lake or Conroe or Guntersville where the ramp is over an hour from the weigh-in. Usually there is not much parking nearby, but there will be shuttles from dedicated lots. Like everything else, get there early. More importantly, wear seasonally-appropriate clothing and shoes that you can walk in easily on all types of terrain. At Grand in 2013 and Hartwell in 2015, temperatures were in the teens or lower, yet plenty of fans still showed up in the morning. I’m sure some of them were miserable because of poor wardrobe choices.

Also, while it’s cool to wave a sign or loudly cheer on your favorite angler or anglers, try not to distract the pros. This is their workplace, on what is possibly the biggest day of their career. If they head back to the truck or to the Porta-Potty, it’s ok to wish them well (not while they’re in the Porta-Potty) but leave it at that.

Observing from the Water

As someone who has watched a whole bunch of Classics from the water, it’s a bit hypocritical of me to say this, but I’d recommend that you avoid it at all costs. You can get more from BASS Live than you can from watching one angler. In fairness, I will admit that you can now watch BASS Live from the water so it’s not an either-or proposition.

I understand the desire of fishing fanatics and especially locals to get out there to watch the pros and learn. If that’s what you’re going to do, it’s a simple matter of the golden rule – treat them the way you’d want to be treated if you were fishing for immortality.

That starts with launching away from the action. If you suspect that one of the best areas is 20 miles up the lake, launch there and wait for them to trickle in. That way not only do you avoid the clusterfuck around the take-off, making yourself and others safer, but you save gas, wear-and-tear. You also don’t have to try to follow a 75mph rocket in freezing cold temperatures.

Once you’re on the pros, most spectators have learned to be self-policing. I believe that the few who continue to violate the basic unwritten rules simply don’t know them. Start by staying a fair distance away from the angler. Of course, a “fair distance” is situational. What that means on the Three Rivers of Pittsburgh might be different than at Guntersville. Try to anticipate all of the different ways the angler will fish – in/out of a cove, down a grass line, under a bridge, etc. – and stay out of those zones. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. Furthermore, turn off your electronics to keep them from pinging. Power Pole down if you can. It’s ok to yell words of encouragement, but nothing more: don’t break their concentration or otherwise distract them. Perhaps most importantly, don’t yell out any fishing information or advice, and certainly don’t tell them what Bass Trakk is showing.

When the angler you’re watching goes to leave, give them ample space to idle or run out of the crowd, as appropriate. If you want to follow them, take your time. I know that you want to show that you have the fastest boat on the lake, but you don’t need to get in their propwash to do it. You’ll likely be able to tell where they are from a mile behind.

I hope this goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. Once an angler leaves the area it’s not cool to fish there. In fact, it’s not cool to drive over and graph it and possibly disrupt the fish, either. Save that for another day.

Finally, bring plenty of drinks and snacks and more-than-adequate clothing, along with charging cords for your electronics. The days out there can go on a long time, and they seem longer when sitting than when you’re actually fishing.

by AnglersChannel

Albany’s Sinclair Wins Sunday’s Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Dale Hollow Lake

Ohio’s Edgerton Tops Co-Angler Division

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 3, 2025) – Boater Lee Sinclair of Albany, Kentucky, caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces, Sunday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake. The tournament, hosted by Star Point Resort, was the first event of the season for the BFL Music City Division. Sinclair earned $2,890 for his victory.

Sinclair had a very successful weekend on the Kentucky-Tennessee border reservoir. He finished ninth in Saturday’s BFL Mountain Division tournament, which was also held on Dale Hollow, with a 17-pound, 7-ounce limit. Then he increased his weight to 20-3 on Sunday to get the win in the Music City Division opener.

“It’s kind of just the same deal,” Sinclair said, referring to his tournament tactics on Sunday compared to Saturday. “I just got some better key bites today than I did yesterday.

“They were eating a lot better early in the morning,” he added. “I caught three first thing, and then the other two I weighed in, they came later in the day. I had the bag that I weighed in at 12 o’clock or so. It seemed like the middle of the day it got real tough.”

Sinclair used forward-facing sonar to find fish suspended from 15 to 30 feet deep. He said the fish were tough to trigger into biting, so he countered by playing the numbers game – finding and casting to as many fish as possible throughout the day.

He caught most of his keepers from four primary areas where he has history on the lake, and he weighed in a limit comprised entirely of largemouth bass.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., five bass, 20-3, $2,890
2nd:       Gavin Cloutier, Jonesborough, Tenn., five bass, 18-15, $1,945 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd:       Branden Grubb, Lily, Ky., five bass, 18-11, $964
4th:        Cody Mackie, McMinnville, Tenn., five bass, 18-8, $674
5th:        Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 18-5, $554
5th:        Colt Blanton, Piketon, Ohio, five bass, 18-5, $554
7th:        Blake Smith, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 17-3, $482
8th:        Michael Kennedy, Monroe, Tenn., five bass, 16-10, $433
9th:        Bryce McDonald, Paintsville, Ky., five bass, 16-7, $385
10th:     Rex Reagan, Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 16-6, $337

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Hunter Bouldin of McMinnville, Tennessee, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 6 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $330.

Caleb Edgerton of Dayton, Ohio, won the co-angler division and $2,010 Sunday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 2 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Caleb Edgerton, Dayton, Ohio, three bass, 9-2, $2,010
2nd:       Tommy Pritchard, Bargersville, Ind., three bass, 8-11, $722
3rd:       Kade Oliver, Muncie, Ind., two bass, 7-7, $480
4th:        Ryan Shriber, Franklin, Tenn., three bass, 7-1, $337
5th:        Paul Vicars, Bowling Green, Ky., two bass, 6-14, $289
6th:        Tim McKeel, Sale Creek, Tenn., three bass, 6-1, $265
7th:        James Proffitt, Celina, Tenn., two bass, 5-9, $241
8th:        Wayne Crouch, Jamestown, Tenn., two bass, 4-10, $217
9th:        Tyrell Harmon, Hermitage, Tenn., two bass, 4-8, $193
10th:     Timothy Ernst, Winchester, Ky., one bass, 4-7, $169

Edgerton also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $165, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to earning the win, Lee Sinclair of Albany, Kentucky, has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Music City Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Caleb Edgerton of Dayton, Ohio, leads the Fishing Clash Music City Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Music City Division anglers will be held March 23, at Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Nashville Angler Nutt Finds the Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Pickwick Lake

Tennessee’s Walsh Tops Co-Angler Division

IUKA, Miss. (March 3, 2025) – Boater Carter Nutt of Nashville, Tennessee, caught a five-bass limit weighing 29 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Pickwick Lake. The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Mississippi Division. Nutt earned $3,792 for his victory.

Nutt’s win at Pickwick is a great example of adapting when an initial plan doesn’t work out. His strategy going into the event was to try to catch a couple quality bass from connected Bay Springs in the morning, then run back to Pickwick Lake to target bigger bites. Nutt said Pickwick was tough in practice, and while he caught some quality fish there, he didn’t catch many. Bay Springs was supposed to get him started strong, but things didn’t go to plan first thing Saturday morning. Thankfully, it not only worked out, but Nutt also caught an 8-plus-pounder on the way to a massive limit.

“It was tough on me to start off with,” Nutt said. “I made a long run over to Bay Springs, and I didn’t catch jack over there. I caught two like 2 3/4 (pounders). I ran back to Pickwick at 10:30 and hit a couple little magical places and caught 29 pounds’ worth. It was a slow grind, but I made it happen.”

It was three spots that produced Nutt’s winning fish – all current breaks. He said there’s a ton of current in the system, and the fish are setting up on main-lake breaks to get out of the flow. Once he found the fish on forward-facing sonar, Nutt caught most of his keepers using a Damiki rig or an Alabama rig.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Carter Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 29-7, $3,792
2nd:      Chandler Howell, Guntown, Miss., five bass, 27-2, $1,689
3rd:       Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., five bass, 25-8, $1,128
4th:       Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 25-7, $788
5th:       Sam Ausbrooks, Loogootee, Ind., five bass, 25-2, $675
6th:       Trent Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., five bass, 24-12, $1,119 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th:        Corban Knight, Somerville, Tenn., five bass, 24-3, $563
8th:       Harbor Lovin, New Concord, Ky., five bass, 23-10, $507
9th:       Nate Latham, Town Creek, Ala., five bass, 23-8, $450
10th:     Blake Bullock, Seminary, Miss., five bass, 23-7, $394

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Nutt also caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $415.

William Walsh of Bon Aqua, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and $1,689 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        William Walsh, Bon Aqua, Tenn., three bass, 13-9, $1,689
2nd:      Matthew Cooper, Brooksville, Miss, three bass, 13-1, $844
3rd:       Tim Rampaul, Dickson, Tenn., two bass, 11-7, $871
4th:        Nathan Whitehead, Muscle Shoals, Ala., three bass, 11-5, $394
5th:        Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three bass, 10-8, $338
6th:        Chris Coates, Bethpage, Tenn., three bass, 10-0, $310
7th:        Cy Matlock, Crump, Tenn., two bass, 9-3, $281
8th:        Richard Baker, Jackson, Tenn., two bass, 8-8, $253
9th:        Kris McCarter, Pheba, Miss, two bass, 8-6, $211
9th:        Caleb Bass, Columbia, Miss., two bass, 8-6, $211

Tim Rampaul of Dickson, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $207, catching a bass that weighed in at 8 pounds, 4 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to earning the win, Carter Nutt of Nashville, Tennessee, has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Mississippi Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while William Walsh of Bon Aqua, Tennessee, leads the Fishing Clash Mississippi Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Mississippi Division anglers will be held April 12, at Pickwick Lake in Iuka, Mississippi. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes out of Paris, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Alexander City’s Reaves Posts Second Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lay Lake

Tuscaloosa’s Appleby Tops Co-Angler Division

COLUMBIANA, Ala. (March 3, 2025) – Boater Brent Reaves of Alexander City, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lay Lake. The tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Reaves earned $3,756 for his victory.

“We had a local tournament a couple weeks ago, back when it was warmer, and me and my partner fished that,” Reaves said. “We saw some good fish; some 3-pounders and maybe a couple 4s, back in a pocket called Dry Branch. It’s right north of Beeswax (Landing), where we launched from.”

In that local tournament, Reaves said the fish were just cruising, but seeing them gave him a starting point. They were also in a pocket that was protected from the brisk north wind, which he believes is one of the key reasons why he was able to find some bedding bass in the area during the BFL event.

“It’s got a bunch of grass in the back, some hydrilla, some milfoil grass, and we found some fish back there that ended up being on bed,” Reaves added. “There were a couple 3-pounders I caught on bed with a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Lizard with a 1/8-ounce head on it.”

By about 11 o’clock, Reaves had a limit of spawners for about 12 1/2 pounds. Then he switched things up and ran a pattern that had worked in practice the day before. He swam a white jig with a white Strike King Rage Craw trailer. The color and the flapping action of the trailer helped the jig stand out in dirty water.

“With about 45 minutes left in the tournament, I got on a little stretch of grass where I caught a 3. That put me at 14 1/2,” Reaves said. “I told my co-angler, if I could just catch a 5-pounder I’d be in the hunt. Right when I said that, I set the hook on a 5 1/2-pounder at the edge of the grass on the white swim jig. I got it in the boat, and five casts later I caught a 4-pounder about 20 feet from where I caught that 5 1/2.”

Those three final keepers were the only bass that Reaves managed to catch from 11:30 until check-in time, but it was enough to get the job done.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Brent Reaves, Alexander City, Ala., five bass, 20-10, $3,756
2nd:       Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., five bass, 20-3, $2,368
3rd:       Bobby McCaa, Selma, Ala., five bass, 19-12, $1,753 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th:        Adam Bain, Pell City, Ala., five bass, 19-10, $876
5th:        Ronnie McDonough, Birmingham, Ala., five bass, 18-12, $751
6th:        Allan Glasgow, Foley, Ala., five bass, 18-3, $689
7th:        Kris Colley, Ragland, Ala., five bass, 17-10, $626
8th:        Evan Robbins, Florala, Ala., five bass, 17-9, $563
9th:        Joe Minor, Clanton, Ala., five bass, 16-5, $501
10th:     James Willoughby, Gulfport, Miss., five bass, 16-4, $438

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Blake Davenport of Jemison, Alabama, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $490.

Edward Appleby of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, won the co-angler division and $1,878 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Edward Appleby, Tuscaloosa, Ala., three bass, 11-1, $1,878
2nd:       Roger Veracoechea, Birmingham, Ala., three bass, 10-6, $939
3rd:       James Wampol, Wetumpka, Ala., three bass, 9-10, $627
4th:        Marty Colley, Ashville, Ala., two bass, 9-4, $438
5th:        Tom Nelson, Tuscaloosa, Ala., three bass, 9-0, $376
6th:        Elijah Clark, Alabaster, Ala., three bass, 8-4, $344
7th:        Larry Chastain, Laurel, Miss., three bass, 8-1, $313
8th:        Danny Pinho Jr., Bay Minette, Ala., two bass, 7-9, $282
9th:        Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., two bass, 7-6, $250
10th:     William Chadick, Auburn, Ala., two bass, 7-1, $219

Samuel Rowlin of Montgomery, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $245, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 10 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After two events, Kris Colley of Ragland, Alabama, now leads the Fishing Clash Bama Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 486 points, while Randy Wiggins of Birmingham, Alabama, leads the Fishing Clash Bama Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 482 points.

The next event for BFL Bama Division anglers will be held May 3, at Lake Demopolis out of Demopolis, Alabama. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Logan Martin Lake in Lincoln, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Kentucky’s McDonald Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Mountain Division Opener on Dale Hollow Lake

Kentucky’s Carter Tops Co-Angler Division

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 3, 2025) – Boater Bryce McDonald of Paintsville, Kentucky, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake. The tournament, hosted by Star Point Marina & Resort, was the first event of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. McDonald earned $3,679 for his victory.

McDonald started the day throwing an Alabama rig around grass to put together a limit. At about 10 a.m., he made a move.

“The water cleared up up the river a little bit, and I ended up scoping them in a few pockets up there with an Alabama rig and a (Missile Baits) Spunk Shad in frosted purple,” he said. “(They were in) pockets they move up into in springtime. The ones I caught were 10, 15 feet suspended. They were probably in 25 foot of water.”

Upriver, McDonald was able to cull out four of his initial keepers while putting together a final limit that included one smallmouth over 21 inches and four quality largemouths.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Bryce McDonald, Paintsville, Ky., five bass, 19-4, $3,679
2nd:      Jake Mattingly, Stanford, Ky., five bass, 18-14, $1,840
3rd:       Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., five bass, 18-10, $1,725 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th:        Lucas Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 18-6, $859
5th:        Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 18-1, $705
5th:        Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 18-1, $705
7th:        Cole Logsdon, Brownsville, Ky., five bass, 17-12, $613
8th:        Colt Blanton, Piketon, Ohio, five bass, 17-10, $552
9th:        Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., five bass, 17-7, $491
10th:     Blake Smith, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 17-2, $429

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

James Duffy of Livingston, Tennessee, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $480.

Ben Carter of Lancaster, Kentucky, won the co-angler division and $1,840 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Ben Carter, Lancaster, Ky., three bass, 9-6, $1,840
2nd:      Doug Back, Jackson, Ky., three bass, 8-11, $920
3rd:       Dustin Forrest, Knob Lick, Ky., three bass, 8-9, $612
4th:        Robert Jones, Whitley City, Ky., three bass, 8-1, $429
5th:        Scott Bateman, Jasper, Ind., three bass, 7-13, $368
6th:        Shane Bowman, Caryville, Tenn., three bass, 7-8, $337
7th:        Parker Burgess, Granville, Tenn., three bass, 6-2, $307
8th:        Allen Neal, Whitley City, Ky., two bass, 5-15, $516
9th:        Caleb Edgerton Dayton, Ohio, three bass, 5-12, $345
10th:     James Maynard, Marysville, Ohio, two bass, 5-6, $215

Allen Neal of Whitley City, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $240, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 5 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to winning the event, Bryce McDonald of Paintsville, Kentucky, also has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Mountain Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Ben Carter of Lancaster, Kentucky, leads the Fishing Clash Mountain Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Mountain Division anglers will be held March 22, at Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

17-Year-Old Cooper McDonald Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Lanier

Leesburg’s Rudd Tops Co-Angler Division

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (March 3, 2025) – Boater Cooper McDonald of Dahlonega, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Lanier. The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Bulldog Division. McDonald earned $3,963 for his victory.

Winning a BFL event is a big accomplishment for any angler. But for Cooper McDonald, claiming victory at the Bulldog Division opener was absolutely huge. That’s because Cooper is just 17 years old, and this was his first-ever BFL event.

“It feels great,” said the Lumpkin County High junior. “It’s a lot of time on the water. It feels good for it to pay off.”

Indeed, McDonald is putting in the work – a lot of it fishing with his dad, Chris, as well as competing locally or in Abu Garcia MLF High School Fishing tournaments, which he first got into while in the 7th grade.

“My dad, he started taking me when I was real young, and I just kind of grew into the sport,” Cooper said. “I always had to be around it and always had to fish as much as possible, and I kind of just worked my way up.”

All that time on the water has given Cooper a good foundation of knowledge on Lake Lanier. In fact, this isn’t his first win at Lanier this season.

“Me and my buddy, we won a really big tournament like three weeks ago on Lanier with 25 pounds, and 24 was second,” Cooper said. “It was crazy. I was expecting the same thing (weights) today.

“I kind of just figured out a shallow bite. In my opinion, the bigger fish live shallow. I was targeting them with just a regular old Gary Yamamoto green pumpkin Senko on a Neko rig. Kind of just throwing it on their head, and they’d swim down there and eat it.”

Fishing “shallow” is relative. Cooper found his fish from 20 feet deep to the bank at a time when he said many anglers are catching them in more than 100 feet of water.

He primarily used forward-facing sonar to spot boulders and other types of rock, then cast over those targets.

“Sometimes you’ll see them (the fish) glow, and sometimes you won’t even know there’s one there and there’ll be 10 that pop out,” he said, referring to what he saw on his sonar screen. “I run as many places as possible – probably 35. I would just rotate through those places and hit them all multiple times throughout the day. You definitely have to let them rest a little before you hit them again or they aren’t going to bite.”

Winning at Lanier against a great group of local hammers is an exciting start to a young career. Cooper hopes to keep up the momentum as he finishes high school and prepares to step up to the Abu Garcia MLF College Fishing level. For now, he’s got his first BFL trophy to display with pride.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Cooper McDonald, Dahlonega, Ga., five bass, 21-14 $3,963
2nd:      Tommy Kelley, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 20-6, $1,981
3rd:       Michael Wilder, Lizella, Ga., five bass, 20-2, $1,857
4th:        Dylan Akins, Flowery Branch, Ga., five bass, 19-10, $925
5th:        Freeman Edwards, Buford, Ga., five bass, 19-7, $1,293 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th:        Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga., five bass,19-4, $727
7th:        Flint Davis, Leesburg, Ga., five bass, 19-0, $627
7th:        Logan Parker, Ballground, Ga., five bass, 19-0, $627
9th:        Hayden Seabolt, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 18-15, $528
10th:     Brooks Anderson, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 18-12, $462

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Michael Wilder of Lizella, Georgia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $535.

Michael Rudd of Leesburg, Georgia, won the co-angler division and $2,248 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Michael Rudd, Leesburg, Ga., three bass, 14-12, $2,248
2nd:       Ben Brisbois, Jefferson, Ga., three bass, 10-7, $991
3rd:       Harold Grizzle, Gainesville, Ga., three bass, 9-5, $662
4th:        Daniel Paulin, Smyrna, Ga., three bass, 9-3, $462
5th:       Grayson Hall, Cullowhee, N.C., three bass, 9-2, $396
6th:       Richard Causey, Perry, Ga., three bass, 8-13, $363
7th:        Daniel Arnberg, Auburn, Ala., three bass, 8-9, $330
8th:        David Gibson, Atlanta, Ga., three bass, 8-8, $297
9th:        Tyler Mangum, Canton, Ga., three bass, 8-7, $264
10th:     John Kennedy, Statham, Ga., three bass, 8-5, $231

Rudd also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $267, catching a bass that weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to earning the win, Cooper McDonald of Dahlonega, Georgia, also has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Bulldog Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Michael Rudd of Leesburg, Georgia, leads the Fishing Clash Bulldog Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Bulldog Division anglers will be held March 29, at Lake Oconee out of Buckhead, Georgia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

by AnglersChannel

Troutman’s Buchmann Earns First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Norman

Farley, Williams Tie for Top Spot in Co-Angler Division

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (March 3, 2025) – Boater Kaden Buchmann of Troutman, North Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Norman . The tournament, hosted by Visit Lake Norman, Visit Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, was the first event of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. Buchmann earned $4,684 for his victory.

Buchmann spent all winter fishing Lake Norman. So he was well prepared for Saturday’s BFL event.

“It’s my home lake, so I know a lot of the high-percentage places for big fish,” he said. “I pretty much ran as many high-percentage places as I could in the wind, because it was blowing – at least in the later part of the day. I never tried to fish for a limit to just barely cull. I was always fishing for the win.”

According to Buchmann, there was never a particular lure, pattern or area that worked best. He junk-fished all day, running from spot to spot over a 10-mile stretch of the lake. He caught them on a variety of lures, including a Muffin Top Jig and a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer.

In his limit, McDonald had a 5 1/2-pound largemouth that really helped his cause, and that wasn’t the only kicker that propelled him to the top.

“I don’t think I had a bass until probably 10 o’clock,” McDonald added. “I kind of made a little switch when the sun got up and just kind of ran with it; kind of just followed what the lake told me. I caught a 4 1/2 when the wind really got hard. It was a 4 1/2-pound spot, and I caught it about 30 minutes before check-in.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Kaden Buchmann, Troutman, N.C., five bass, 19-6, $4,684
2nd:      Colby Cotterill, Alpharetta, Ga., five bass, 18-10, $2,059
3rd:       Brian Morgan, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 17-1, $1,374
4th:        Chris Goodwin, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 16-14, $1,461 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:        Jake Monti, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 15-12, $824
6th:        Michael Wilson, Burnsville, N.C., five bass, 15-3, $755
7th:        Isaac Ledford, Dallas, N.C., five bass, 15-0, $686
8th:        Chad Sims, Lancaster, S.C., five bass, 14-14, $618
9th:        Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 14-9, $514
9th:        Mitch Drew, Gold Hill, N.C., five bass, 14-9, $514

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Buchmann caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $565.

Kevin Farley of Landrum, South Carolina, and Jonathan Williams of Marshville, North Carolina, tied for the win in the Strike King co-angler division Saturday, after each bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 8 pounds, 5 ounces. Farley and Williams both pocketed $1,517.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Kevin Farley, Landrum, S.C., three bass, 8-5, $1,517
1st:        Jonathan Williams, Marshville, N.C., three bass, 8-5, $1,517
3th:        Robert Derrick Jr., Charlotte, N.C., three bass, 8-1, $951
4th:        Alex Moss, Lambsburg, Va., three bass, 7-9, $416
4th:        Mekye Barnes, Knightdale, N.C., three bass, 7-9, $516
4th:        Dalton Marlow, Maiden, N.C., three bass, 7-9, $416
7th:        Casey Cornelius, Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 7-7, $320
7th:        Mohammad Alshamali, Durham, N.C., three bass, 7-7, $320
9th:        Travis Ruff, Connelly Springs, N.C., three bass, 7-1, $270
10th:     Hunter Alexander, China Grove, N.C., three bass, 6-13, $236

Robert Derrick Jr. of Charlotte, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $277, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 5 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

In addition to earning the win, Kaden Buchmann of Troutman, North Carolina, has the early lead in the Fishing Clash North Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while Kevin Farley of Landrum, South Carolina, and Jonathan Williams of Marshville, North Carolina, share the lead in the Fishing Clash North Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 250 points apiece.

The next event for BFL North Carolina Division anglers will be held March 22, at Lake Wylie in York, South Carolina. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

by AnglersChannel

Florida Staple Hits Big with Toyota Bonus Bucks

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships / Photo: Blake McLane

Toyota Bonus Bucks member and stalwart of Florida bass fishing dominates Stage 2 on the Harris Chain of Lakes.

If you’ve been a follower of professional bass fishing for any length of time, you know February in Florida is a special time of year. The weather is getting warmer in that area of the country and with even a subtle warm front, the bass fishing action can turn from ice cold to red hot in a New York minute.

While many of us may be bundled up and wishing of warmer days, Florida native Bobby Lane is right at home in the Sunshine state this time of year.

Something particularly interesting is Lane’s differentiation from the field when it comes to bass fishing tournament history. When someone is familiar with a particular body of water, we refer to that as “history.” This knowledge can often hinder your game plan because it causes you to fish memories instead of current conditions but sure enough, the shallow-water specialist earned the win from fishing a surprising amount of history.

“History is everything for me in Florida,” Lane said. “I have spent the last three or four-years learning Lake Apopka on the Harris Chain because I knew one day it would pay off. There was a bunch of talk about a fish kill on that particular lake but by gosh, there’s where I ended up winning the tournament. I started out practice fishing canals and they weren’t any good. But at one point, I figured I was five minutes from Apopka so I might as well go check it out. I put my Power-Poles down and had six bites before I lifted them and I’ll tell you, two of those bites were great big ones.”

Along with his first regular season Bass Pro Tour win, Lane earned an additional $3,000 check from Toyota Bonus Bucks for being the highest finishing pro hauling his boat with a Toyota tow vehicle. “Big Fish” Bobby Lane has owned multiple Tundras over the years and has logged thousands of miles towing with them. Similarly, Lane had to log miles on his Yamaha Outboard at the Harris Chain enroute to his win. With the Harris Chain being such an expansive body of water, Lane had to check every bit of history he had on the fishery throughout practice.

“I will live and die by a flipping stick when it’s the right time,” Lane said. “And this event set up to be the right time. You wouldn’t believe how many big bass there were in the shallow water. It was a tough tournament for a lot of the guys, but I connected with the fish at the end of the first day of competition and it was something I’ll never forget.”

Although Bobby Lane isn’t an old man by any means, he has earned the utmost respect of any and everyone when it comes to fishing less than a few feet of water. If the bass are in the shallow water, you can just about guarantee he’ll be at the top of the leaderboard.

“This was just one of those special events,” Lane said. “When it’s your time, you can’t stop it and thank the Good Lord, it was my time. I’m glad I listened to my gut and decided to check Apopka. I am so thankful for that decision.”

by AnglersChannel

Deep spotted bass carry Story and Putnam to victory at Bassmaster High School Series at Smith Lake

March 2, 2025

CULLMAN, Ala. — Jack Story and Roper Putnam from the Clarks Hill High School Fishing Team utilized skill sets from their home lakes to catch five spotted bass weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces and win the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Smith Lake.

The victory at Smith Lake caps off an impressive two-week run for the Georgia duo. The weekend prior, Putnam and Story won two events on Lake Lanier, including a Georgia B.A.S.S. Nation tournament.

“This feels awesome,” Putnam said. “Last year we finished second at Clarks Hill, and it means a whole lot to come back and win this one.”

Thomas Tumbull and Caleb Miller from Evangel Christian School finished second with 15-4 and Bryson Osment and Lohgan Gosnell from the Byrnes High School Fishing Club finished third with 14-14.

The 236 high school teams overcame a chilly start to the morning to land 60 limits and over 1,250 pounds of bass, although 61 teams unfortunately did not catch a keeper bass.

Story spends much of his fishing time on Lanier while Putnam lives closer to Clarks Hill. But the combined knowledge of those two blueback herring fisheries helped the duo decipher the Alabama reservoir.

“(We) caught 24.73 pounds in that tournament at Lanier last weekend and did the same exact thing today on Smith Lake,” Story said.

“It is very similar,” Putnam added. “There are a lot of deep fish, a lot of spotted bass. It is what both of us really love to do.”

Putnam and Story spent their tournament targeting spotted bass that were chasing schools of blueback herring. Two zones in the water column were most productive: 10 to 15 feet of water and 45 to 55 feet of water. They rigged a 5-inch Zoom Winged Fluke on a ¼-ounce Greenfish Tackle Bad Little Shad jighead.

“It didn’t fall too fast and didn’t fall too slow,” Putnam explained. “If you throw a lighter head it takes too long to get down there, and if you throw a heavier head they don’t react as well.”

The duo enjoyed a productive practice, catching 14 pounds per day. Putnam said they felt confident they could do well enough to qualify for the 2025 Strike King Bassmaster National Championship, but weren’t sure they could get enough quality bites to win.

While they filled a limit early on, Story said they didn’t generate their better bites until later in the day when the wind picked up and the sun was higher in the sky.

“It went well,” he said. “Once the sun got up, the deep fish started acting right and we started catching them.”

Late in the day, Story landed a 3 ½-pound spotted bass that vaulted them over the 16-pound mark. That was when Putnam said he believed they had a legitimate shot to win the tournament.

“We decided then to get back up the river and closer to the ramp,” he said.

The duo will now set their sights on the 2025 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship at Clarks Hill, a body of water they are very familiar with.

“I’m going to put in a lot of time out there (in the coming months),” Putnam said. “It is going to be a good one.”

The Triangle Bass Club’s Jesse and Fisher Lancaster landed the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 4-8 that anchored their 13-5 10th-place stringer.

Visit Cullman hosted the tournament.

2025 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2025 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2025 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Smith Lake 3/2-3/2
Smith Lake, Cullman AL.
Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Jack Story - Roper Putnam Clarks Hill Hs Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 16-12 Total: 5 16-12
2. Thomas Turnbull - Caleb Miller Evangel Christian School 0
Day 1: 5 15-04 Total: 5 15-04
3. Bryson Osment - Lohgan Gosnell Byrnes High School Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 5 14-14 Total: 5 14-14
4. Corbin Bornstein - Thomas James Lipscomb Academy 0
Day 1: 5 14-08 Total: 5 14-08
5. Presley Lannom - Trevor Sanford Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
6. Barrett Newton - Landon Krauss Upperman High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
6. Owen Satterwhite - Nate Campbell Ldhs Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
8. Lake Johnson - Beau England Alabama Bass Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Total: 5 13-08
9. Carter Cunningham - Landon Glander Dawson County High Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 5 13-07 Total: 5 13-07
10. Jesse Lancaster - Fisher Lancaster Triangle Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 13-05 Total: 5 13-05
11. Seth Lash - Sawyer Lash Mortimer Jordan Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Total: 5 13-03
12. Gavin Seewald - Judson Touchstone Hoover High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Total: 5 13-01
13. Cooper Moon - Cartersville Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
14. Matthew Johnson - Tripp Tamasi III Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-12 Total: 5 12-12
15. Parker Batts - Brody Jones Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 12-09 Total: 5 12-09
16. Hayden Barnett - Camdyn Cranfill Kingston Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Total: 5 12-08
17. Miles Allen - Ethan Roths Saint Xavier High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Total: 5 12-07
18. Zac Arnold - Ross Clark Good Hope Fishing Team - AL 0
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
19. Cason Ewing - Cullman High School Hs 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
19. Mason Martin - East Limestone High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
21. Bo Brodrick - Skylar Magnarella Clarke Central High School Bass 0
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
21. Harrison Hobbs - Cade Speligene Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
23. Andrew Terry - Dchs Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Total: 5 11-12
24. Caston Carden - Sawyer Sheffield Shelby County 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Total: 5 11-05
25. Hoyt Nicely - Connor Bower Hartley's Hawgs Ii 0
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
26. Mason Taylor - Wesley Kent Dekalb Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 11-01 Total: 5 11-01
27. Connor Racine - Brady LeMarbe Dexter High School Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 Total: 5 11-00
28. Tucker Oakes - Batavia High School - IL 0
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
28. Ethan Carr - Wyatt Dillard Hayden High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
28. Jaxon Ward - Kai Graham Salem Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
31. Jack Kennedy - Brentley West Mulberry Bassmasters Jr Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
31. Evin Moore - Bridger Jones Haywood Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
33. Max Flatten - Sam Spies Glacial Lakes High School Bass F 0
Day 1: 4 10-14 Total: 4 10-14
34. Dominick Andux - Bridget Mathis Dixie Co Bass Masters High Schoo 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
34. Drake Walls - Cole Henderson Bainbridge High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
36. Carter Pjesky - JD McBroom Off The Hook High School Bassmas 0
Day 1: 5 10-11 Total: 5 10-11
37. Max Himmel - Catholic High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 4 10-11 Total: 4 10-11
38. Andrew Kunz - Justin McGee Bibb Country 0
Day 1: 5 10-09 Total: 5 10-09
38. Cutler Wooten - Peyton McAndrew Sml Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-09 Total: 5 10-09
40. Brody Brinson - Greer Gammon Mt Juliet Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
40. Michael Harris - Noah Unland Mt Juliet Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
40. Tanner Mason - Kaden Randles DAR High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
43. Parker Bilbrey - Tyler Thompson Monterey Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
43. Mason Carden - Shelby County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
45. TJ Murray - Brack Robertson Meigs County High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Total: 5 10-06
45. Colton Trotter - Paxton Trotter Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Total: 5 10-06
47. Caleb Godson - Asher Ready North Augusta High School Fishin 0
Day 1: 5 10-04 Total: 5 10-04
48. RJ Sanger IV - Bobby Lane III Lcs Viking Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Total: 5 10-03
49. Tijs Groenewoud - Grant Thomas Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 4 10-01 Total: 4 10-01
49. Zachary Stall - Lakes Community High School 0
Day 1: 4 10-01 Total: 4 10-01
51. Jordan Houston - Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-00 Total: 5 10-00
52. Ethan Edwards - Patrick Buchanan Dar Patriots Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 09-15 Total: 5 09-15
53. Blair Sinks - Peyton Jones Warren County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
54. Alex Barrett - Davis Ray Fayetteville High School 0
Day 1: 5 09-10 Total: 5 09-10
55. Mya Russell - 0
Day 1: 5 09-09 Total: 5 09-09
56. Wyatt Smith - Major Qualls Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Total: 5 09-07
57. Landon Myers - Wilson Shepherd Alcoa Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 09-04 Total: 5 09-04
58. Brooks Putnam - Daylin Doak Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 09-03 Total: 5 09-03
58. Drew Turnbull - Jeremiah Day Evangel Christian School 0
Day 1: 5 09-03 Total: 5 09-03
60. Jerry Rouyea - Cade Fontenot St. Amant High Bass Club 0
Day 1: 4 09-03 Total: 4 09-03
61. Owen Wiggins - Bill Gaines Cartersville Fishing 0
Day 1: 4 09-02 Total: 4 09-02
62. Cole Drawdy - Plant City Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
62. Jacob Holt - Hayden Spears Warren Co High School Pioneer An 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
64. Dylan Sorrells - Andrew Waters Hp Bass Team 0
Day 1: 4 08-15 Total: 4 08-15
65. Trevor Allen - Brody Allen Lake And Trail Usa Youth Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 08-14 Total: 5 08-14
66. Phillip Becknell-Dodson - Micah Mayes Burgin Independent - KY 0
Day 1: 4 08-13 Total: 4 08-13
67. Murphy Childers - Ryder Colee Brewer High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 08-12 Total: 3 08-12
68. Kiptyn Mumma - David Beard Jr Lee Scott Academy 0
Day 1: 4 08-10 Total: 4 08-10
69. Cooper Rouse - Ryker Reed D'iberville Hs Warrior Bass Nati 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Total: 5 08-09
70. Jaxson Beard - Anderson Mesplay Pendleton High School Fishing Te 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Total: 4 08-09
71. Alex Smith - Bryson Wade Saraland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 08-05 Total: 4 08-05
72. William Kelly - Bryce Matas 901 High School Bass Club 0
Day 1: 3 08-05 Total: 3 08-05
73. Peyton Mixon - Aiden Castleberry Alabama Bass Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Total: 5 08-04
74. Kaden Dorman - Owen Nepple Iowa Youth Fishing League High S 0
Day 1: 4 08-04 Total: 4 08-04
75. Braxton Strickland - William Olaire Gardendale High School 0
Day 1: 4 08-03 Total: 4 08-03
76. Connor Kennedy - Brennan Enfinger Bainbridge High School Bass Cats 0
Day 1: 4 07-14 Total: 4 07-14
77. Jacob Baugh - Brody Berninger Skyline Vikings Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 07-13 Total: 4 07-13
77. Landon Gabby - Kolby Baker Marion High School Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 4 07-13 Total: 4 07-13
77. Carson Holbert - Eagleton Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 07-13 Total: 4 07-13
80. Presley Carter - Logan Rawlings East Limestone 0
Day 1: 4 07-12 Total: 4 07-12
81. Konner Allen - Carter Pigg Hardin County Tiger Bass Club 0
Day 1: 3 07-11 Total: 3 07-11
82. Doyce Beard - Cooper Rouse Auburn High School 0
Day 1: 4 07-09 Total: 4 07-09
82. Sam Hayes - Samuel Kiger Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 4 07-09 Total: 4 07-09
84. Eli Dix - Cole Mitchell Grissom Hs Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 07-07 Total: 4 07-07
84. Tate Turner - Hoover High School 0
Day 1: 4 07-07 Total: 4 07-07
86. Tristan Stewart - DJ Johnson Mt. Pleasant Junior Bass Team - 0
Day 1: 4 07-05 Total: 4 07-05
87. Jackson Crawford - Wyatt Reynolds Liberty County Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 07-05 Total: 3 07-05
88. Walker LaRue - Jackie Hatfield Tennessee BASS Nation Team Trail 0
Day 1: 3 07-03 Total: 3 07-03
88. Brady McCormick - Andrew McCormick Briarwood Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 07-03 Total: 3 07-03
90. Elijah Coleman - Will Dombroskas Montgomery County High School Ba 0
Day 1: 4 07-00 Total: 4 07-00
91. Parker Jones - Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 3 07-00 Total: 3 07-00
92. PJ Mortenson III - Noah Mazzarisi Oregon Panthers 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Total: 3 06-12
92. Hudson Windham - Tripp Corry Capital City High School Bass Hu 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Total: 3 06-12
94. Gracie Marion - Sumner County Bass Team 0
Day 1: 2 06-12 Total: 2 06-12
95. Camp Gunter - Joseph Sperling Chiles High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 06-10 Total: 3 06-10
96. Tucker Larrance - Jaxson Pierce Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 06-06 Total: 3 06-06
97. Bradford Van Demark II - Elias Hitson Eagleville Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 3 06-01 Total: 3 06-01
98. Thomason Thomason - Clayton Schwieterman Guntersville Youth bass club 0
Day 1: 2 06-00 Total: 2 06-00
99. Logan Cargle - Cole Mcdaniel Tift County High School - GA 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Total: 3 05-14
99. Hank Mcillwain - Hunter Davis Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Total: 3 05-14
101. Logan Allen - Marco Galando Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing 0
Day 1: 2 05-14 Total: 2 05-14
102. Aubrey Madison - Julie Reeves Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 05-11 Total: 2 05-11
103. Carson Falk - Trey Blackmon III Capital City High School Bass Hu 0
Day 1: 3 05-10 Total: 3 05-10
103. Brodie Gibson - Kolbie Gibson Knight Fishing Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 05-10 Total: 3 05-10
103. Parker McCoy - Blaze Sullivan Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 05-10 Total: 3 05-10
106. Joshua Burows - Brylee Williams Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 05-08 Total: 3 05-08
106. Sadler Harrison - Athens Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 05-08 Total: 3 05-08
108. Kayson Richards - Coop Boling Creekview Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 05-04 Total: 3 05-04
109. Ryan Narancich - Eli Boutros Page High School 0
Day 1: 2 05-04 Total: 2 05-04
110. Connor Strachan - Bryant High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-03 Total: 3 05-03
111. Cayden Smith - Skyline Vikings Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
111. Justin Waggener - Eli Pauley Burgin Bulldogs Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
113. Ethan McBrayer - Preston Howard Briarwood High School 0
Day 1: 2 05-02 Total: 2 05-02
113. Mason Mullins - Soddy Daisy High School 0
Day 1: 2 05-02 Total: 2 05-02
115. Statum Relford - Will Hasty Stewarts Creeks Hs Bass 0
Day 1: 3 05-00 Total: 3 05-00
116. Gavin Peterson - Fairview Junior High Bass Team 0
Day 1: 2 04-15 Total: 2 04-15
117. Blalock Eskew - Ellis Turner Heard County High School - GA 0
Day 1: 2 04-14 Total: 2 04-14
118. Bo Pearson - Blaine Davis Liberty County Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 04-10 Total: 2 04-10
119. Hunter Gore - Jayden Fitzgerald Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 4 04-09 Total: 4 04-09
120. Brody Ensminger - Drew Mayers Central High School 0
Day 1: 2 04-09 Total: 2 04-09
120. Daniel Ruhe - Michael Duvall Black Swamp High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 2 04-09 Total: 2 04-09
122. Sarah Parker - Asher Wheat Petal High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-08 Total: 3 04-08
122. Hollis Rose - Grant Arnold Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 04-08 Total: 3 04-08
124. Jay Tucker Pearson - Lucas Blair Fairview 0
Day 1: 2 04-04 Total: 2 04-04
124. Reiston Ratchford - Lawson Gamble Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 2 04-04 Total: 2 04-04
126. Brayden Tisdale - Reece Kilian Emerald Coast Youth Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 04-03 Total: 2 04-03
127. Joseph Abercrombie - Elliott Dalee Saraland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
127. Ethan Tatum - Eastin Hopkins Burgin Bulldogs Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
127. Jamison Watson - Aaron Price Mt Juliet Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
130. Dakota Van Weelden - Collin Mitchell Twin Lakes Fishing 0
Day 1: 2 04-00 Total: 2 04-00
131. Jacob Hicks - Colton Hall Sml Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 03-14 Total: 2 03-14
131. Danil Williams - Easton Bibbings Mt Juliet Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 03-14 Total: 2 03-14
133. Jp Toney - James Hines Warren Co High School Pioneer An 0
Day 1: 1 03-13 Total: 1 03-13
134. Jackson Padgett - Dawson Barnett Benjamin Russell Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 03-12 Total: 2 03-12
135. Jack Dowdy - Wyatt Galbraith Lowndes High School Lip Rippers 0
Day 1: 2 03-10 Total: 2 03-10
135. Cole Hutson - Carter Buchanan Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 2 03-10 Total: 2 03-10
137. Knox Jones - Rock Fulton IV Briarwood High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-09 Total: 2 03-09
138. Mitchell Boles - Nixon Melton Clay County Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 03-08 Total: 2 03-08
139. Will Smith III - Lane Melancon Teurlings Rebel Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 03-06 Total: 2 03-06
140. Noah Loxley - Cameron Brown Rc Fishing 0
Day 1: 1 03-06 Total: 1 03-06
141. Thomas Newman - Cayden Ryman Frederick County Hs Bass Wrangle 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Total: 2 03-05
142. Dylan Fulk - Levi Ochs Richland County High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-15 Total: 1 02-15
143. Alex Townsend - Drew Hardin Benton County Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Total: 1 02-14
144. Cooper Lobek - Colten Starnes Salem Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-12 Total: 1 02-12
145. Connor Watts - Devin Martin Rehobeth High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-09 Total: 1 02-09
146. Faith Burks - Allie Reagan Clay County Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-08 Total: 1 02-08
147. Elijah Ambrose - Jarren Crowder Hs Potomac River Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
147. Connor Beach - Nathan Phillips Liberty County Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
147. Griffin Sheets - John Hicks Sml Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
147. Caden Stevens - Hunter Crittenden Fchs Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
151. Brody Teller - Will Anderson Sumner County Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-06 Total: 1 02-06
152. Emma Griffieth - Megan Robinson George Rogers Clark Hs 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
152. Olevir Johnson - Rhett Shirrell Oldham Co High School Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
152. Jaxen White - Christopher Trobaugh Clay County Anglers - TN 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
155. Parker Allen - Nicholas Williamson Buckhorn Bass Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
156. Quinn Barbee - Andrew Miller Southeastern Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
156. Gavin Burnett - Justin Ackel Sulphur Fishing Team - Sulphur H 0
Day 1: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
156. Colby Onderdonk - Collin Robinson Saraland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
159. Luke Merriam - Will Norman Mountain Brook Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Total: 1 02-00
160. Cody Burns - Brooklyn Burns Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
160. John Parker Deal - Vin Radetic Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
160. Jake Leonard - Andrew Heath Evangel Christian School 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
163. Annie Lassiter - Jacob Willis Upperman High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
163. Brayden Rives - Simon Stafford Evangel Christian School 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
165. Matthew Adams - Heaven Davis Blue Ridge Tiger Fishing 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
165. Caleb Moore - Dean Austin Off The Hook IL Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
165. Talon Stone - Gage Lee Benton County Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
165. Anderson Thrower - John Paul Nelson Vestavia Hills Rebel Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
165. Landon Vaughn - Will Taylor Pendleton High School Fishing Te 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
170. Connor Crawford - Brody Beam Liberty County Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Total: 1 01-12
170. Jack Pickett - Luke Baugh Skyline Vikings Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Total: 1 01-12
172. Landon Boshell - Colt Canterberry 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
172. Lucas Hodge - Zane Barthelemy Salem Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
172. Layton Mcdill - Conner Lanham Baldwin County High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
175. Marshall Avery - Dagan Brumfield Mountain Brook Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Nathan Bennett - Brady Biles Seminole Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Riley Bragg - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Landon Brazier - Austin Fulghum Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Jacob Burkhead - Benton Panther Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Evan Bush - Cason Thomas Lowndes High School Lip Rippers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. JonBrady Buttram - Owen Darden Fayetteville High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Gray Chapman IV - Logan West Satsuma High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Luke Childs - Conner Luft Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. William Collins - Soddy Daisy Jr High 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Wyatt Crow - Seth Golin Lipscomb Academy 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Jackson Edenfield - Hunter Harris Chiles High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Eli Ellege - Aidan Ellege Warrior Hs Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Micah Foy - Dante Graham Highlands County Anglers Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. MacLane Fritts - Reid Chapman Campbell County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Tyler Godwin - Gunner Love Bainbridge High School Bass Cats 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Zayden Graham - Hayden 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Levi Grubbs - Gunnar Rhodus Lincoln County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Tanner Hamilton - Bray Gilman Mid Florida Youth Anglers - FL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Nolan Hamm - William Gimpel Lincoln County High School - KY 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Gavin Harwood - Will Boldt Chiles High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Garrett Johnson - LB Mitchell II The Kings Academy Juniors 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Jacob Johnson - Karson Peterman Rehobeth High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Shae Kaelin - Haley Kaelin Oldham Co High School Bass Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Nick Keith Jr. - Jagger Wells Munford High School Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Kaeden Kirby - Chase Hallings Lipscomb Academy 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Cash Kirkpatrick - Riley Kitchens Petal High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Ethan Long - Dillyn Dill Shelby County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Brock Lovering - Dallas Hurd 863 Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Brennan Maljian - Rob West Eagleville Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Emerson Martin - Drake Shobe Mortimer Jordan Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Charlie Mathis - Trace Byrd Dixie County High School - FL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Caleb Mccord - Arkansas Youth Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Cora Beth Mccrary - Nathan Parker Tift Co Blue Devil Bass Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Noah Mentz - Logan Mentz Knight Fishing Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Silas Miller - Logan Collier Good Hope Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Porter Morrison - Harrison Kirkpatrick Catholic High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Breanna Nutt - Wyatt Lancaster Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Wallace Rampey - Lowndes High School Lip Rippers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Evan Ray - Bryson Harrison Straughn High School Fishing Tea 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Jace Reyes - Jesse Crain Livingston Parish Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Eli Richards - Walker Kaiser Tift Co Blue Devil Bass Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Brayden Rivest - Grace Olsen Off the Hook Jr Bassmasters - IL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Lane Roddy - Colton Myers Gallatin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Landon Rousseau - Dalton Adkins Skyline Vikings Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Tanner Russell - Daniel Lowhorn Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Eli Schwieker - Landon Stegall Hewitt Trussville High School - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Brody Shepherd - Rehobeth High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Braxton Smith - Bruce Arnold Rehobeth High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Everett Smith - Mason Martinez Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Josiah Smith - Isaac Borum Warrior Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. James Stevens - Bo Jack Michigan A1 Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. David Stockard - Nathan Alexander Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Kaden Tuttle - Gage Gardner Munford High School Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Trent VanDam - Wyatt Carr Reeths-Puffer High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Sawyer Walters - Logan Quattlebaum Geneva Panthers Bass Fishing Tea 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Cameron Waters - Caydan Waters Mid Florida Youth Anglers Hs 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Conner Watts - Bode Childers Lincoln County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Logan Williams - Eli Stiles Gallatin High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Dusty Wix - Gavin Jones Capital City Junior Bass Hunters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Kyle Wood - Bradley Merritt Central Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
175. Claire Yearkey - Jeffrey McWaters Benjamin Russell Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Jesse Lancaster Belhaven, NC 04-08 $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 60 569 1250-10
----------------------------------
60 569 1250-10

by AnglersChannel

Palaniuk claims sixth Bassmaster Elite win at Lake Okeechobee

March 2, 2025

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — The gift that kept on giving finally stopped giving. Thankfully, that gift had given enough for Brandon Palaniuk to cruise across the finish line with a four-day total of 95 pounds, 4 ounces in the Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.

“It’s so crazy how things happen for a reason,” Palaniuk said of a slow day that tested his resolve. “This morning, me and (seventh-place Greg DiPalma) were fishing next to one another and I watched him lose several big ones. I hate that and I love it, at the same time.

“I don’t wish that upon anyone, but if he would have caught those, I would have been sweating bullets. I could not get a bite, and then I just kept sticking with it and picking off one here and there.”

Starting strong with a third-place, first-round limit of 23-7, the pro from Rathdrum, Idaho, moved into the Day 2 lead by sacking up 34-10 — his personal best and the heaviest bag weighed in a Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee. That feat sent Palaniuk into Day 3 with a 9-12 lead over Day 1 leader DiPalma.

On Semifinal Saturday, the fish shied from the previous days’ pressure. Enduring a few painful losses and a close call that sent a big crankbait colliding with his face (no serious injury), Palaniuk caught 23 pounds and expanded his lead to an 18-3 advantage over Day 1 leader Greg DiPalma.

Palaniuk, a two-time Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year, endured a stingy Day 4 and sealed the deal with a final-round limit of 14-3. Edging John Garrett by 15-13 — the fourth-largest winning margin in Bassmaster Elite history and Palaniuk’s second double-digit win (also his first Elite win at Bull Shoals, 2012) — he collected the $102,000 top prize and his sixth blue trophy.

All week, Palaniuk has camped in a small stretch of the C-41A Canal, which flows southeast from Lake Istokpoga. The key location was a ridge with an adjacent trench passing between the high spot and the riprap bank.

“I think the biggest thing was this spot had deep water and spawning areas nearby and it allowed those fish to funnel through and replenish every day,” Palaniuk said. “The structure set up right for them to position and funnel into there.

“In the back of that trough was a flat that came off the bank. That created an area where those big females could get sun, and there was tons of bait that they could feed on.”

The final round started slowly for Palaniuk, as the early afternoon found him with only four fish for less than 10 pounds. Losing a key fish sent him huddling to his deck, but Palaniuk recomposed himself, got back to work and ended his day with a 5 1/2-pounder that crushed his Clutch The Boss glidebait.

After the first day’s weigh-in, Palaniuk noted that he cycled through a wide array of baits to determine what would trigger the fish. As the week went on, he dialed in a few key performers, including the Megabass Kanata jerkbait, a prototype Megabass crankbait and the hulking Megabass Big M 4.0.

He also caught fish on a KGB glidebait, a Neko-rigged green-pumpkin Zoom Magnum Finesse Worm, and an XZone Lures Muscle Back Craw punched through a hyacinth mat.

Reviewing this week’s accomplishment, Palaniuk said marking a half dozen Elite victories has stoked his fire for future achievement.

“We’re not done yet,” Palaniuk said. “I’m 15 years into it; I figure I have at least that many more. I feel like we’re just getting started.”

Hailing from Union City, Tenn., Garrett finished second with 79-7. After tying Chris Zaldain for 62nd place on Day 1 with 10-8, Garrett bolted into 12th place with a Day 2 limit of 22-7.

Adding 23-3 on Semifinal Saturday, Garrett rose to fourth before closing the event with a final limit of 23-5. Coming off a fourth-place finish at last week’s FXR Pro Fish Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River, Garrett anchored his Day 4 bag with a 7-4.

“This Florida swing has been absolutely unbelievable,” Garrett said. “Most of the time when I’m in Florida I take a righthand turn, and I was supposed to take a left, but every decision I’ve made the past two weeks has been the right one.”

Garrett fished a black and blue Strike King Hack Attack Swim Jig with a Strike King Rage Scounbug trailer and a Texas-rigged black and blue Strike King Rage Bug. He used the former in shallow water to locate aggressive fish, while the latter handled his flipping duties in deeper spots.

Kyoya Fujita of Yamanashi, Japan, took third with 77-4. His daily weights were 18-0, 11-15, 25-13 and 21-8.

Fujita did most of his work in the Rim Canal. On Day 4, he stayed east of the Taylor Creek area.

“I fished the canal because I practiced in the lake and everything had changed (from his previous visit in 2023),” Fujita said. “I found my fish on Livescope and fished a jighead minnow with a Jackall Driftfry and Deps Sakamata Shad.

David Gaston of Sylacauga, Ala., won the $2,000 award for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with an 11-8. Gaston’s catch is the largest fish caught at Lake Okeechobee in Bassmaster Elite history. That fish also ranks as the 10^th-biggest and the 75th double-digit bass in Elite Series history.

Bernie Schultz of Gainesville, Fla., won the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency award. Garrett won the $1,000 award for leading the Progressive Angler of the Year standings.

Palaniuk won the $2,000 Rapala Crush City Monster Bag award for his Day 2 limit of 34-10.

Garrett leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 204 points. John Cox of Debary, Fla., is in second with 191, followed by Gaston with 183, Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., with 182 and Will Davis Jr of Sylacauga, Ala., with 182.

Evan Kung of Pickering, Canada, leads the Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year standings with 143 points.

Davis Jr also took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while DiPalma earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Palaniuk earned an additional $4,000 while Garrett claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant. Fujita and Gaston both earned $1,000 for being the third- and fourth-highest placing entrant, respectively.

Visit Florida hosted the event.

2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Consistent Breeden Earns Victory at MLF Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 2, 2025) – The only man to catch a limit three days in a row, it’s fitting that pro Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Missouri, took the win in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division event at Lake of the Ozarks . Weighing bags in the low teens every day, Breeden managed 13 pounds, 7 ounces on the final day and totaled 40-13 win on a week that featured incredibly tough fishing.

For the win, which is his second at the Toyota Series level, the young Missouri pro takes home $33,727, which will doubtless bolster his bank account amid the start of a busy tournament season. The win also automatically qualifies him for the Toyota Series Championship, which will be held in the fall on Grand Lake, where Breeden won the 2021 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship.

Finishing second with a 39-1 total, pro Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri, blasted 20-11 on the final day to move up from 11th place. Another Lake of the Ozarks stalwart, pro Brad Jelinek, of Lincoln, Missouri, finished third with 37-5.

A master with his forward-facing sonar, it was no surprise to see Breeden in the hunt this week. But, as the weights proved, simply pointing a transducer at a fish didn’t put it in the boat. Plenty of pros talked about fish blowing through umbrella rigs and never getting hooked or fish biting a jerkbait or jig and still getting off. Add in frigid water and a major shad kill (think pizzas steadily falling from the sky), and the fishing was extremely tough.

On the pro side of the event, anglers with full control of the boat and armed with all the best gear struggled. A stunning 43 pros double zeroed, failing to bring a keeper bass to weigh-in across two days of fishing. That list included some real luminaries, both locally and nationally – Dennis Berhorst, Casey Martin, Eric Olliverson and even the great Rick Clunn couldn’t catch one.

All told, it makes the fact that Breeden caught five every day seem pretty monumental, even though it’s ordinarily the bare minimum for tournament fishing. According to Breeden, even in practice, he was clicking with the lake at an above-average level.

“I practiced for three half days, and on my third day, I started finding fish, and I didn’t catch very many, but I was seeing groups of a lot of fish,” he said. “Like 10 to 30 bass on a spot, which was just crazy. So, I actually felt pretty good, because I had been talking to a lot of people that were talking about how tough it was, and nobody was really catching any bass. So, I actually did feel good going to the tournament – not for winning purposes, but maybe just making a check or a Top 10.”

The key for Breeden was fishing a lot of new water that fit the pattern he increasingly dialed as the event went on.

“The way I started finding fish was kind of on flat, secondary points,” he said. “And then in the tournament, I ran a mixture looking for new stuff, of flat secondary points and creeks or a real flat bank or a pocket in a creek. That’s the kind of stuff I was running – just looking for brush and looking for fish on the brush.

“I know there were fish on other stuff, too, but that was just a good way for me to find numbers of fish,” he outlined. “And I think that was the important thing – throwing in front of as many as possible. Because, if you talk to anybody in the Top 10, they found a ton of fish also, but it was almost impossible to get them to bite.”

Fishing brush in 12- to 18-feet, Breeden did the vast majority of his work with a jerkbait.

The key bait was either a Berkley Stunna 112+1 or a Berkley Stunna 112 in a worn out Table Rock colorway. For both baits, he used a 6-foot, 10-inch, medium-light Abu Garcia Fantasista X paired with an 8.3:1 Abu Garcia Zenon MG-X and 10-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon.

Per Breeden, most of the bass would be near the bottom of the piles, and he needed to coax them into a feeding scenario.

“Most of them were on the bottom or close to the bottom,” he said. “Every now and then, there’d be one up in the top of the pile. But if there was a lot of fish there, most of them would be on the bottom, and then one or two would be high. And then it seemed like if there was a lot of fish there and I could throw my jerkbait in there for the first time, then if I got the attention of one, the whole school would come up. That was when I started catching them, whenever I could get the attention of all of them. Because usually the first one or two or three to come up to it wouldn’t eat it; it would be one that comes up from behind and gets to it.”

Getting the fish in the mood to feed required the perfect bait and the perfect presentation. A challenge considering the windy conditions, Breeden had to use all his wiles to put the bait where it needed to be.

“A lot of times I would be fishing it 15 foot deep, trying to get it down there,” he explained. “I had to make really long casts and just let my line sink. So, every cast was several minutes. And you couldn’t throw a weighted jerkbait, because they were moving so slow that if you threw a weighted jerkbait, it would sink past them by the time they really got to it or wanted to eat it. So, you really needed a suspending jerkbait, but you needed to let your line sink so that it would get deep enough to the fish. It was just a kind of a painful way to fish.”

On Day 3, Breeden added another wintertime trick into the rotation – a float ‘n’ fly. Using a homemade jig with bucktail and feathers on a 1/8-ounce Picasso head with a slip bobber, Breeden actually nabbed the key 5-pounder that gave him the win.

“I didn’t throw it all week because I was just trying to be efficient with my time,” Breeden said. “But today, I knew that I was going back to stuff that I had caught fish on and where I saw some bigger fish. So, I wanted something that would hopefully generate a bite.”

Essentially casting it out and letting it sit above the brush until a fish got interested, Breeden watched his 5-pounder eat on ‘Scope while his co-angler watched the bobber go down.

“I’m watching on LiveScope, and there’s so much slack in your line between the fish and your rod because the bobber is floating 15-foot above the fish,” he said. “So, the 5-pounder I caught today, I saw her eat it, but I didn’t feel it. And I just kept reeling, and finally, it got tight. But my co-angler said that my bobber was down for several seconds before I pulled into it.”

While Breeden seems to have a real knack for Grand Lake, as many Ozark anglers do, he hasn’t previously considered himself to be a favorite at Lake of the Ozarks.

“These guys here, they always catch them, and they catch big ones,” he said. “And I don’t know how they do it, but they do it pretty consistently. So, I pretty much did what I always do at Lake of the Ozarks, which is catch 13 pounds a day and take my check and go home. This one was just a bigger check.”

Now, he’s earned a big win on a historic fishery in maybe one of the toughest tournaments ever held there.

“Finally getting a big win against the competition that we have here just feels amazing,” Breeden said. “It’s a great start to the year, and obviously, I can use that as momentum. And, man, I’m fishing so many tournaments this year that my bank account was looking a little thin.”

The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks finished:

1st:        Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 15 bass, 40-13, $33,727
2nd:       Andy Newcomb, Camdenton, Mo., 14 bass, 39-1, $14,069 (includes $1,000 Phoenix Bonus)
3rd:       Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 13 bass, 37-5, $10,118
4th:        Adam Boehle, Warrenton, Mo., 10 bass, 36-12, $8,432
5th:        Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., 11 bass, 35-7, $7,589
6th:        Jordan Hirt, Council Bluff, Iowa, 12 bass, 34-14, $6,745
7th:        Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 13 bass, 33-11, $5,902
8th:        Justin Luetkemeyer, Osage Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 32-1, $5,559
9th:        Nathen Luce, Claremore, Okla., 11 bass, 30-12, $4,216
10th:     Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 11 bass, 28-10, $3,373

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Justin Luetkemeyer of Osage Beach, Missouri, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces. On Friday, pro Austin Culbertson of Moberly, Missouri, caught a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass and earned the $500 award.

Mark Sloan of Harrison, Arkansas, won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of five bass weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces. Sloan earned the top co-angler prize package worth $34,050, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks finished:

1st:        Mark Sloan, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 16-15, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd:       Dan Bowman, Osage Beach, Mo., seven bass, 15-0, $4,301
3rd:       Drew Boehle, Saint Charles, Mo., five bass, 12-3, $3,441
4th:        Douglas Guidorzi, Fenton, Mo., five bass, 12-1, $3,011
5th:        Alan Bernicky, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 10-8, $2,581
6th:        Todd Adamitis, Glen Carbon, Ill., three bass, 8-9, $2,151
7th:        Ryan Steinhoff, Beaulah, Colo., four bass, 8-9, $1,720
8th:        Anthony Scoma, Spring Hill, Kan., three bass, 7-13, $1,505
9th:        Robert Hunt, Ozark, Mo., three bass, 7-8, $1,290
10th:     Ken Coats, Tulsa, Okla., four bass, 7-7, $1,075

Co-angler Clayton Hale of Grove, Oklahoma, earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to tournament winner Mark Sloan, who brought a 5-pound, 11-ounce largemouth bass to the scale.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake of the Ozarks was hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. It was the first of three regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Plains
Division. The next event for the Toyota Series Plains Division will be April 8-10 on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Palaniuk builds huge lead in Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee

March 1, 2025

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — Compared to Friday’s phenomenal performance, Brandon Palaniuk had a slow Day 3. However, his previous heroics, paired with a solid third-round effort kept the Rathdrum, Idaho, angler atop the standings for the Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee with a three-day total of 81 pounds, 1 ounce.

Palaniuk, a five-time Progressive Bassmaster Elite winner and two-time Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year, placed third on Day 1 with 23-7. A day later, he electrified the weigh-in by catching 34-10 — his personal best and the heaviest bag weighed in a Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.

Carrying a lead of 9-12 into Semifinal Saturday, Palaniuk caught 23 pounds and expanded his lead to an incredible 18-3 advantage over Day 1 leader Greg DiPalma. He’s making no assumptions, but Palaniuk acknowledged a notable comparison to his first Elite Series trophy.

“What an unreal week it’s been,” Palaniuk said. “The very first Elite Series event I won (Bull Shoals Lake, 2012), they were dropping the water. It had dropped 7 feet in like two weeks, and I caught them on a deep crankbait.

“The water has been dropping here for almost seven weeks and I’m catching a lot of them on a crankbait. The irony in that is incredible.”

Palaniuk committed his day to the same spot he’s camped in since the start. Palaniuk’s running north of the takeoff site and fishing a canal off the Kissimmee River where a dam spillway creates feeding opportunities.

After catching his Day 2 megasack on aggressive moving baits, a slower third round saw him integrate a Neko-rigged green pumpkin Zoom Magnum Finesse Worm into his rotation. This, along with a Megabass Kanata jerkbait and a prototype Megabass crankbait produced his third day’s limit.

“I think pressuring the area for three days affected the fish,” Palaniuk said. “Three of us (also DiPalma and Tim Dube) beat on it pretty hard. I had some other opportunities; I just didn’t execute. I had one little window where I got them biting, but I just had too many missed opportunities.”

Explaining the obvious injury to his lower lip, Palaniuk pointed out another correlation to his first Elite win. During that Bull Shoals event, Palaniuk got a hook stuck in his finger and required an ER visit for removal.

Around 11 a.m. today he hastily scooped a fish that was barely hooked, and the awkward moment left the fish temporarily pinned to his face.

“One treble hook got stuck in my lip and one got stuck in my face,” Palaniuk said. “I had to take my face gaiter off and cut holes in it to get the treble hooks out. It was a little bit of a train wreck today.

“The hook in my lip wasn’t past the barb, so it popped right out. When the fish came up, she was one thrash from throwing the hook. I couldn’t stand that, so I’ll take a punch in the face.”

Palaniuk said he’ll devote his final day to the canal, but he’ll integrate lessons from his first three days. While he has moved throughout the canal, the key area is a high spot where fish move up to feed.

“Every day the wind has changed, so I’ve tried to adjust my angle,” Palaniuk said. “The biggest thing I’ve found is not blowing up on top of them.

“They’re not that deep, so they feel the boat presence. You’ll see them moving around, but they won’t bite, and they won’t set up correctly if you’re blowing up on top of them.”

Hailing from Millville, N.J., DiPalma opened with a Day 1 limit of 29-12, added 18-9 in the second round and earned his final-round berth with a Day 3 bag that went 14-9. For three days, he has started in the same canal as Palaniuk, but days 2 and 3 saw him include a spot 24 miles south into his game plan.

“I started in the canal today, got two keepers and then I ran to the same spot on the lake’s southwest side,” DiPalma said. “I literally put that fifth fish in the boat, and I said, ‘We’re going back.’

“I spent more time running than I did fishing today. As soon as I got back to the canal, I had maybe 20-30 minutes and I ended up catching a 6- or 7-pounder, which pretty much anchored my entire bag.”

DiPalma said his strategy centered on his final-round objective.

“I thought to myself, ‘It’s pretty important to make the Top 10, so I need a limit to, at least, make the Top 10,” he said. “I made the call to play it safe and then I went up there (to the canal) and got rewarded.”

David Gaston of Sylacauga, Ala., is in third place with 60-3. His daily weights were 14-11, 23-14 and 21-10.

Gaston has spent his time in the Indian Prairie Canal, where he’s mostly targeting prespawn fish that are coming out of the deeper channel and positioning along the riprap bank.

“You have to stick with that place all day, because there are a lot of big fish coming,” Gaston said. “Everything has been on a 1/2-ounce Chatterbait in the black/blue and golden shiner colors with a boot tail or minnow-style trailer.

“I can catch them on a wacky rig, a Texas-rigged worm and sometimes a frog, but a Chatterbait is the only thing I can keep in my hand and get them to bite on the bank, or out there in 3-4 feet of water. I can cover the whole place and comb it over.”

Gaston said the key to his presentation is to keep his bait low and grinding it along the rocks.

Gaston is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with an 11-8. Gaston’s catch is the largest fish caught at Lake Okeechobee in Bassmaster Elite history. That fish also ranks as the 10th biggest and the 75th double-digit bass in Elite Series history

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 202 points. John Cox of Debary, Fla., is in second with 191, followed by Gaston with 186, Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., with 182, and Wes Logan of Springville, Ala., with 182.

Evan Kung of Pickering, Canada, leads the Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year standings with 143 points.

Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at C. Scott Driver Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.

Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Sunday from 8-10 a.m. Stay up-to-date on all tournament coverage at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch/.

Visit Florida is hosting the event.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 256-424-2390, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee 2/27-3/2
Lake Okeechobee, Okeechobee FL.
Standings Day 3

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

1. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 81-01 104
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 34-10 Day 3: 5 23-00
2. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 62-14 103 $500.00
Day 1: 5 29-12 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 14-09
3. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 15 60-03 102 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 23-14 Day 3: 5 21-10
4. John Garrett Union City, TN 15 56-02 101
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 22-07 Day 3: 5 23-03
5. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 15 55-12 100
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 25-13
6. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 15 53-06 99
Day 1: 5 26-02 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 5 14-01
7. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 15 51-07 98
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 21-13 Day 3: 5 17-11
8. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 15 50-03 97
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 17-07
9. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 14 50-00 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 20-12 Day 3: 4 15-12
10. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 15 49-03 95
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 13-12
11. John Cox Debary, FL 15 49-00 94 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 25-04 Day 3: 5 11-06
12. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 15 48-11 93 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 5 19-02
13. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 15 48-10 92 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 21-04 Day 3: 5 16-13
14. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 48-04 91 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 07-04 Day 3: 5 23-04
15. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 15 47-14 90 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 16-09
16. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 15 47-09 89 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 25-12 Day 3: 5 08-13
17. Wes Logan Springville, AL 15 46-12 88 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 17-13
18. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 46-06 87 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 18-07 Day 3: 5 14-03
19. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 15 45-02 86 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 15-08
20. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 15 44-02 85 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 10-05 Day 3: 5 20-00
21. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 44-02 84 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 13-11 Day 3: 5 10-08
22. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 43-10 83 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 14-01
23. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 15 43-04 82 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 12-01
24. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 43-03 81 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 09-06 Day 3: 5 13-01
25. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 15 43-03 80 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 12-14 Day 3: 5 16-05
26. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 15 42-11 79 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 15-12
27. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 41-02 78 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 20-14 Day 3: 5 11-03
28. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 15 41-01 77 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 08-12 Day 3: 5 12-02
29. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 40-12 76 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 10-15 Day 3: 5 16-08
30. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 15 40-04 75 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 07-08 Day 3: 5 15-08
31. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 15 40-02 74 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 10-02 Day 3: 5 13-07
32. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 15 39-11 73 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 15-14
33. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 39-02 72 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 09-07
34. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 15 38-15 71 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 11-13 Day 3: 5 09-12
35. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 38-08 70 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 10-10 Day 3: 5 11-03
36. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 13 37-05 69 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 3 04-10 Day 3: 5 12-12
37. Bryan New Leesville, SC 13 37-03 68 $5,500.00
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 12-10
38. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 11 37-03 67 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 4 14-13 Day 3: 2 04-03
39. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 13 37-01 66 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 3 08-10 Day 3: 5 09-00
40. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 36-15 65 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 13-09 Day 3: 5 08-08
41. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 15 36-11 64 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 13-07 Day 3: 5 08-12
42. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 15 36-02 63 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 5 06-09
43. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 36-01 62 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 11-03
44. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 35-02 61 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 11-08
45. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 33-09 60 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 13-00 Day 3: 5 08-14
46. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 14 33-07 59 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 12-13 Day 3: 4 09-05
47. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 33-03 58 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 12-01 Day 3: 5 07-07
48. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 32-08 57 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 10-12 Day 3: 5 06-13
49. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 31-08 56 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 10-07 Day 3: 5 07-06
50. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 15 30-14 55 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 07-08
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 08-10 $500.00
1 Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 08-10 $500.00
2 David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 11-08 $1,000.00
3 Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 07-11 $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 93 498 1261-13
2 95 497 1253-05
3 47 245 679-07
----------------------------------
235 1240 3194-09

by AnglersChannel

Palaniuk’s record-setting day pushes him to Lake Okeechobee lead

Feb. 28, 2025

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — Big Florida bass are notorious for making you wait for their feeding windows. Brandon Palaniuk knows the game, and his patience paid huge dividends with a phenomenal day that moved him atop the leaderboard for the Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee with a two-day total of 58 pounds, 1 ounce.

Palaniuk, the five-time Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series winner and two-time Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year from Rathdrum, Idaho, placed third on Day 1 with 23-7. Following a 90-minute Day 2 fog delay, Palaniuk returned to the canal spillway he fished a day earlier and sacked up 34-10 — his personal best and the heaviest bag weighed in a Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee.

Palaniuk heads into Semifinal Saturday with a lead of 9-12 over Day 1 leader Greg DiPalma.

“This is the most epic day I’ve ever had — pure insanity,” Palaniuk said. “I caught seven bass today.”

Palaniuk’s mega sack comprised two bass over 9 pounds, along with a 7 1/2, a 4-0, and one nearly 3 1/2.

“It was an absolute incredible day,” Palaniuk said. “It’s not like I caught a bunch. I had seven bites all day; I just had the right ones. All week I’ve been saying, ‘High hopes, low expectations.’

“That’s kinda carried me through, and I may live and die by that this week. Tomorrow, it’ll be the same thing. I’m in an area that has big ones, but it depends on if they show up or not.”

Returning to a Day 1 hotspot is nothing new, but Palaniuk’s tale defined persistence and confidence. Repeating the first day’s scenario, Palaniuk shared a key stretch with DiPalma, Will Davis Jr and Tim Dube.

The difference — a much slower start. Palaniuk caught a 4-pounder at 9 a.m. on a Megabass Kanata jerkbait, but the next two hours were lean.

Late morning found Palaniuk’s neighbors exploring other sections of the spillway canal and ultimately relocating, but he was too impressed with what he saw on his sonar screen. All alone when the late-morning light switch flipped, Palaniuk amassed the majority of his weight in about an hour and a half.

“Patience was a big thing,” Palaniuk said. “I knew I was inside the (Top 50) cut and I didn’t have anything else on this body of water that compared to that.

“I think having as tough of a practice as I did made it easier to stay. What else am I gonna do? I stuck it out and I was able to cycle through baits and figure out some different things that I didn’t figure out yesterday.”

On a day when many anglers opted for slower, coaxing techniques, Palaniuk stepped on the gas and challenged the fish to catch his moving baits. Going big and bold, he also caught fish on a prototype Megabass crankbait and a Megabass Big M 4.0.

Coming off the worst season of his professional career, in which he missed the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour cut, Palaniuk said this week’s success has brought much-needed encouragement.

“The thing I’ve learned in life is that a lot of my greatest moments come after my hardest times,” said Palaniuk. “The hardest times are usually followed by the greatest moments if you’re willing to push through.

“When I won my first Angler of the Year title in 2017, I finished 105th on (Lake Okeechobee), so to have the first two days that I’ve had now is pretty special. There’s definitely a little fire to make it happen this week.”

DiPalma, who hails from Millville, N.J., is in second place with 48-5. After topping the Day 1 standings with 29-12 — the event’s second largest bag — he added a Day 2 bag of 18-9.

DiPalma caught a 5-pounder on the spillway spot around 10 a.m. and, after enduring a dry spell, he relocated to a spot on the lake’s southwest side. Targeting hyacinth mats, he flipped a Texas-rigged Senko with a 1/4-ounce weight.

“Around 12:30, I had hardly anything, and I decided to make a 30-mile run and I caught (most of my weight),” DiPalma said. “I decided, ‘It’s really important to get a limit.’

“It’s funny, the area I ran to, all I caught in practice was 12-inchers, but today, every one I caught was 3 to 3 1/2 pounds. It’s like the females pulled in. I’m super excited to have what I had, but tomorrow, I’m digging in and locking down in that area.”

Davis, of Sylacauga, Ala., is in third place with 39-5. His daily weights were 26-2 and 13-3.

After catching only a 2-pound, 4-ounce bass on the spillway spot, Davis left and fished a creek mouth not far from his starting area. On that second location, Davis caught two of his keepers on a swim jig and a jerkbait.

Returning to the spillway around 1 p.m., he added three more keepers — two on a jerkbait and one on a large crankbait. Looking ahead to Day 3, Davis said he may look at other areas of the spillway, but he may leave the main spot to Palaniuk.

“If I had caught 20 pounds there today, it would be different, but I’m going to respect the leaders,” he said. “If the roles were reversed, they would do the same for me.”

David Gaston of Sylacauga, Ala., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with an 11-8. Gaston’s catch is the largest fish caught at Lake Okeechobee in Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series history. That fish also ranks as the 10th biggest and the 75th double-digit bass in Elite Series history.

John Cox of Debary, Fla., leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 196 points. John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., is in second with 194, followed by Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., with 190, Gaston with 184 and Davis with 183.

Beau Browning of Hot Springs National Park, Ark., leads the Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year standings with 152 points.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at C. Scott Driver Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.

Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday from 8-11 a.m. and Sunday from 8-10 a.m. Stay up-to-date on all tournament coverage at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch/.

Visit Florida is hosting the event.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 256-424-2390, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee 2/27-3/2
Lake Okeechobee, Okeechobee FL.
Standings Day 2

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

1. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 58-01 104
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 34-10
2. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 48-05 103 $500.00
Day 1: 5 29-12 Day 2: 5 18-09
3. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 39-05 102
Day 1: 5 26-02 Day 2: 5 13-03
4. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 10 38-12 101
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 25-12
5. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 38-09 100 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 23-14
6. John Cox Debary, FL 10 37-10 99
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 25-04
7. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 35-07 98
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 14-07
8. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 34-04 97
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 20-12
9. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 33-12 96
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 21-13
10. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 33-10 95
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 13-11
11. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 9 33-00 94
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 4 14-13
12. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 32-15 93
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 22-07
13. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 32-12 92
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 19-01
14. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 32-03 91
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 18-07
15. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 10 31-13 90
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 21-04
16. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 31-05 89
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 16-15
17. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 31-03 88
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 17-04
18. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 30-02 87
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 09-06
19. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 29-15 86
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 20-14
20. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 29-15 85
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 11-15
21. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 29-11 84
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 12-15
22. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 10 29-10 83
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 21-07
23. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 29-09 82
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 19-13
24. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 29-09 81
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 12-12
25. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 10 29-09 80
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 14-05
26. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 10 29-03 79
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 11-13
27. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 10 28-15 78
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 08-12
28. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 28-15 77
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 13-12
29. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 28-07 76
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 13-09
30. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 8 28-01 75
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 3 08-10
31. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 27-15 74
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 13-07
32. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 27-05 73 $500.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 10-10
33. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 26-15 72
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 12-00
34. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 26-14 71
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 12-14
35. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 26-11 70
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 10-02
36. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 25-12 69
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 12-01
37. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 25-11 68
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 10-12
38. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 25-00 67
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 07-04
39. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 24-14 66
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 12-04
40. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 10 24-12 65
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 07-08
41. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 24-11 64
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 13-00
42. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 8 24-09 63
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 3 04-10
43. Bryan New Leesville, SC 8 24-09 62
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 5 18-09
44. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 24-04 61
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 10-15
45. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 10 24-02 60
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 10-05
46. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 24-02 59
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 10-07
47. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 24-02 58
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 12-13
48. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 23-13 57
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 11-15
49. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 23-10 56
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 14-02
50. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 23-06 55
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 14-07
51. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 10 23-06 54
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 09-15
52. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 23-05 53
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 10-02
53. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 23-04 52
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 09-03
54. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 10 22-12 51
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 13-14
55. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 10 22-12 50
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 11-01
56. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 10 22-11 49
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 08-12
57. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 10 22-09 48
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 11-04
58. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 22-04 47
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 13-02
59. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 22-02 46
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 12-06
60. Ben Milliken Omaha, NE 10 21-15 45
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 08-09
61. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 10 21-15 44
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 09-07
62. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 21-14 43
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 12-04
63. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 10 21-07 42
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 08-06
64. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 21-05 41
Day 1: 5 05-07 Day 2: 5 15-14
65. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 8 21-05 40
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 3 08-03
66. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 21-03 39
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 09-13
67. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 21-00 38
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 08-05
68. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 20-14 37
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 10-14
69. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 9 20-12 36
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 4 07-00
70. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 20-11 35
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 10-15
71. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 20-10 34
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 12-04
72. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 20-09 33
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 10-09
73. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 9 20-08 32
Day 1: 4 06-13 Day 2: 5 13-11
74. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 20-07 31
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 08-14
75. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 20-06 30
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 09-06
76. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 20-04 29
Day 1: 5 05-04 Day 2: 5 15-00
77. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 20-03 28
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 10-09
78. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 19-15 27
Day 1: 5 07-07 Day 2: 5 12-08
79. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 19-13 26
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 07-10
80. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 19-03 25
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 09-01
81. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10 19-00 24
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 09-03
82. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 18-15 23
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 09-01
83. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 9 18-11 22
Day 1: 4 05-07 Day 2: 5 13-04
84. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 18-11 21
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 10-01
85. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 9 18-04 20
Day 1: 4 11-07 Day 2: 5 06-13
86. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 18-02 19
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 08-12
87. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 17-15 18
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 09-12
88. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 9 17-13 17
Day 1: 4 07-06 Day 2: 5 10-07
89. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 17-13 16
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 07-08
90. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 16-13 15
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 08-03
91. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 16-10 14
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 5 09-06
92. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 16-08 13
Day 1: 5 07-07 Day 2: 5 09-01
93. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 16-07 12
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 07-12
94. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 8 16-00 11
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 5 10-00
95. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 15-15 10
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 06-02
96. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 8 15-08 9
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 5 10-09
97. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 15-08 8
Day 1: 5 06-01 Day 2: 5 09-07
98. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 9 15-04 7
Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 5 07-08
99. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 8 14-15 6
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 3 02-14
100. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 14-09 5
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 5 06-01
101. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 9 13-15 4
Day 1: 4 05-15 Day 2: 5 08-00
102. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 7 13-02 3
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 2 02-10
103. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 08-10 $500.00
1 Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 08-10 $500.00
2 David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 11-08 $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 93 498 1261-13
2 95 497 1253-05
----------------------------------
188 995 2515-02

by AnglersChannel

Key adjustment leads to victory for Milam and Dubose at Smith Lake

Feb. 27, 2025

CULLMAN, Ala. — Using lessons learned in their home state of Georgia, Daylon Milam and James Dubose from the University of Montevallo claimed the victory at the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Smith Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a two-day total weighing 29 pounds, 14 ounces.

Milam and Dubose opened the tournament in 23rd place with 13-13 before rocketing up the leaderboard with 16-1 on Day 2. They edged out Stephen F. Austin’s Ben Burns and Grant Pursifull and their Montevallo teammates Brody Robison and Peyton Sorrow by 9 ounces.

“I’ve been watching Bassmaster all of my life, and to hold one of these trophies is something like I’ve never felt before,” Dubose said.

It is the sophomore duo’s second Top 15 finish of the year, adding this victory to their 13^th-place finish at Lake Okeechobee at the end of January.

“You have to have a lot go right (to win),” Milam said. “It was just our day, I guess.”

Smith Lake served as the second stop of the Lunkers Trail season, and anglers took advantage of the warming trend that spread over the southeast this week. In total, 293 limits were brought to the scales and over 4,200 pounds of bass were weighed in over two days.

Neither Milam nor Dubose had ever fished Smith Lake before this week's tournament, but their experiences fishing blueback herring lakes in their home state — notably Lake Lanier — helped them grasp what was happening on the Black River impoundment.

The Montevallo duo discovered their best area the first day of practice — a ¼-mile long stretch of docks in a creek they felt had the best water clarity. Docks with baitfish tended to produce the better-quality bass.

“There were a lot of people around us, but they weren’t doing the same thing we were,” Milam explained. “A lot of teams were out in the middle, and we felt like a lot of the bass were staging on the docks. The water temperature is rising, and we felt like they were staging and waiting for it to warm up a little more so they could go up and spawn.”

On the first day of the tournament, they caught the majority of their prespawn spotted bass by slowly rolling a 3.8 Keitech swimbait rigged on a ¼-ounce jighead by the floating docks. On Day 2, the bass would not touch the swimbait, so they began throwing brown ¼-ounce Spot Sticker casting jigs paired with a Spot Sticker Twin Tail grub trailer.

“It was important to use a ¼-ounce so it would fall slowly around the docks,” Milam added.

Dubose and Milam started Day 2 strong, filling out a solid limit by 9 a.m. While they weren’t catching many quality bass, Milam said they were confident they would eventually run into some bigger bass. Sure enough, they pulled up to one particular dock and saw three bass under it using their forward-facing sonar.

“I skipped my jig under there and the biggest bass of the group ate it,” Milam said. “That ended up being a 4.60 spotted bass.”

The duo searched for one more big bite the rest of the day, and around 2:30 p.m., they landed another 3 ½-pounder that gave them what they needed to seal the win.

“We really felt like we were one fish short,” Dubose said. “We were really nervous, though. We knew the weights were going to be tight and we knew we needed a little luck on our side to pull it off.”

Hailing from east Texas, Burns and Pursifull landed bags of 14-8 and 14-13 to finish in second place with a two-day total of 29-5. They anchored their Day 2 bag with a 4-pound spotted bass. The Stephen F. Austin team also finished fourth at the first event in the Lunkers Trail season at the Harris Chain of Lakes, putting them in position to secure the Team of the Year in the division.

“We didn’t have a good practice at all. We caught maybe seven or eight keepers,” Burns explained. “We came out a lot better than we thought we were going to, for sure. Since we did good at the Harris Chain, we are sitting up there for TOY now. It’s a pretty good finish.”

While Smith Lake looks much different than their home lakes of Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend, Burns and Pursifull were able to utilize several of their favorite techniques this week. Using their forward-facing sonar, they targeted spotted bass setting up along main-lake breaks.

A 6th Sense Ozzie in the gizzard shad color rigged on either a ¼- or ½-ounce tungsten jighead produced the bulk of their catch.

“We tried to throw at as many bass as we could,” Burns said. “There would be wolfpacks that we could see in 20 feet of water, and then there were some floaters in 8 to 12 feet of water.”

Robison and Sorrow also finished the tournament with 29-5, landing bags of 14-13 and 14-8 respectively.

“It didn’t go as planned,” Sorrow said. “We fished by the seat of our pants and went with the flow. We didn’t stress when our fish disappeared. We sat back, put our heads together and just went fishing.”

After a productive practice fishing flat banks with shaky heads and jigs, the Montevallo duo was forced to move offshore during the tournament where they targeted spotted bass in ditches and drains. The most productive drains had a flat spot in the middle where the bass would set up. The ditches with baitfish ended up being the most productive.

Sorrow and Robison rotated through three different baits depending on how deep the bass were. A 4-inch or 5-inch Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ paired with a ½-ounce or ¾-ounce Queen Tackle Live Sonar tungsten jighead produced several key bites. A Neko-rigged Yamamoto Sensei Worm and a Zoom Trick Worm rigged on a ¼-ounce shaky head secured several bigger bites as well.

Tyler Chmelar and Kase Kramer from Tarleton State University caught the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 5-9 spotted bass that anchored their Day 1 bag.

The Top 10% of the field punched their tickets to the 2025 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, details of which will be announced at a later date.

New for 2025, the top two highest-finishing teams in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series Bass Pro Shops Team of the Year race as well as each team that stands atop the rankings in the Legends and Lunkers divisions of the College Series will receive the exclusive honor of being named a Bassmaster College All-American. The All-Americans will be honored on the biggest stage in bass fishing, the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

Visit Cullman hosted the tournament.

2025 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2025 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2025 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2025 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 256-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

2025 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Smith Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops 2/26-2/27
Smith Lake, Cullman AL.
Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Daylon Milam - James Dubose University of Montevallo 250
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 16-01 Total: 10 29-14
2. Ben Burns - Grant Pursifull Stephen F Austin State Universit 249
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 14-13 Total: 10 29-05
2. Brody Robison - Peyton Sorrow University of Montevallo 249
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 29-05
4. John Michael Ortman - Max Heaton Emmanuel College 247
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-04 Total: 10 29-00
5. Garrett Smith - Andrew Blanton Lander University 246
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 14-00 Total: 10 28-13
6. Anderson Jones - Lander University 245
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 11-14 Total: 10 28-08
7. Harrison Terry - Jordan Hampton Bethel University 244
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 13-09 Total: 10 27-13
8. Connor Green - Peter West Faulkner University 243
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 15-14 Total: 10 27-09
9. Connor Hall - Carson Belville McKendree University 242
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 15-11 Total: 10 27-09
10. Nick Dumke - Connor Bell University of Montevallo 241
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 14-12 Total: 10 27-09
11. Cole Hadlock - Jackson Kulijof Murray State University 240
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 27-09
12. Wyatt Pearman - Ridge Rutledge Campbellsville University 239
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 13-08 Total: 10 27-08
13. Trace Antunes III - Garrett Ring University of Montevallo 238
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 13-05 Total: 10 27-06
14. Adrian Urso - Corbin Templon Murray State University 237
Day 1: 4 09-05 Day 2: 5 17-12 Total: 9 27-01
15. Jeff Giffen - Cooper Gilroy University of Alabama 236
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 14-00 Total: 10 27-01
16. Jaxson Freeman - Evan Sutton McKendree University 235
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 12-09 Total: 10 27-00
17. Michael Markham - Kolby Angell University of Montevallo 234
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 13-14 Total: 10 27-00
18. Brendin Simich - Benjamin Travis Auburn University 233
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 11-12 Total: 10 26-14
19. Christian Moore - Tarleton State University 232
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 12-12 Total: 10 26-13
20. Braden Cox - Cameron Smith Ohio State University 231
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 26-11
21. Ethan Fields - McKendree University 230
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 11-08 Total: 10 26-10
22. Peyton Harris - Dalton Head University of Montevallo 229
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 11-12 Total: 10 26-09
23. Reece Keeney - Brantley Anders Kentucky Christian University 228
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 10 26-08
24. Tucker McCoy - Skipper Stallings University Of Montevallo 227
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 11-15 Total: 10 26-07
25. Levi Kohl - Grant Meisenhelter Murray State University 226
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 13-08 Total: 10 26-06
26. Ryan Lachniet - Carter Doren Campbellsville University 225
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 12-09 Total: 10 26-03
27. Karsten Raney - Brayson Claunch Campbellsville University 224
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-14 Total: 10 26-02
28. Carty Shoen - Tyler Swan Auburn University 223
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 12-15 Total: 10 26-01
29. Brett Hill - Brayden Hoehn Campbellsville University 222
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 13-09 Total: 10 26-00
30. Cameron Dials - Ethan Burnette Kentucky Christian University 221
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 11-10 Total: 10 25-15
31. Kyle Hopping - Kai Barnett McKendree University 220
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-10 Total: 10 25-14
32. Cody Domingos - Jackson Paden University of Tennessee 219
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 15-05 Total: 10 25-13
33. Tyler Leachman - Murray State University 218
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-09 Total: 10 25-12
34. Matthew Wilson - Gus Dietrich University of Alabama 217
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 25-12
35. Scooter Ligon Jr - Levi Seagraves Emmanuel College 216
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 12-05 Total: 10 25-10
36. Brock Blazier - Colby Joseph Campbellsville University 215
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 10 25-06
37. Braxon Hightower - Luke Wenger Dallas Baptist University 214
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 11-14 Total: 10 25-06
38. Corey Morris - Brayden Mercer East Texas Baptist University 213
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 13-13 Total: 10 25-03
39. Coleman Stewart - Keenan Stewart Campbellsville University 212
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 12-05 Total: 10 25-03
40. Brice Hudler - Roy Crush IV Texas A&M University 211
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 12-11 Total: 10 25-03
41. Bryant Martin - William Tew LSU - Shreveport 210
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 13-02 Total: 10 25-02
42. Austin Denmark - Matthew Bennett Faulkner University 209
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-07 Total: 10 25-02
43. Brett Jolley Jr. - Carson Stevens East Texas Baptist University 208
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 10 25-01
44. Charlie Wright - Logan Plueger University of Montevallo 207
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 13-10 Total: 10 25-00
45. Maxwell Trotter - Chase Logue McKendree University 206
Day 1: 4 08-13 Day 2: 5 16-01 Total: 9 24-14
46. Tyler Morris - Hunter Hamilton LSU - Shreveport 205
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 10-14 Total: 10 24-14
47. Matthew Dettling - Mason Thompson University of Tennessee 204
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 10-07 Total: 10 24-12
48. Brogan Gregg - Tyler Conrad Wabash Valley College 203
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 24-07
49. Syler Prince - Parker Stalvey St Johns River State College 202
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 10-00 Total: 10 24-06
50. Mason Kornegay - Miller Dowling University of Montevallo 201
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 14-11 Total: 10 24-05
51. Clayton Greer - Aiden Larson Georgia College 200
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 13-05 Total: 10 24-05
52. Hunter Keller - Wes Smith II Catawba Valley Community College 199
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 10-02 Total: 10 24-04
53. Dalton Phelps - Peyton Rose Wabash Valley College 198
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-11 Total: 10 24-01
53. Triston Richardson - Johnny Hudson Jr LSU - Shreveport 198
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-11 Total: 10 24-01
55. Evan Fields - Noah Dabney Campbellsville University 196
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-00 Total: 10 24-00
56. Lane Pohlman - Gabe Amburgey Campbellsville University 195
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 12-04 Total: 10 24-00
57. Trent Gilmore - Jack Alexander University of Montevallo 194
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 09-15 Total: 10 23-14
58. Lane Stephens - Jack Stephens McKendree University 193
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 10-13 Total: 10 23-13
59. Jake Peck - Luke Wyle Auburn University 192
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 12-15 Total: 10 23-13
60. Will Oberman - Clay Oberman Campbellsville University 191
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 10-00 Total: 10 23-12
61. Will Baker - Hayden Cooper Moltow State Community College 190
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 11-08 Total: 10 23-10
62. Ryan Doel - Missouri State University 189
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 11-01 Total: 10 23-09
63. Parker Lambert - Will Hammond Lander University 188
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 11-01 Total: 10 23-08
64. Caleb Neu - Anthony Cicero IV Bethel University 187
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 11-09 Total: 10 23-07
65. Grant McCraney - Faulkner University 186
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 10-11 Total: 10 23-04
66. Allen Powe - Jonathan Combs Campbellsville University 185
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 12-04 Total: 10 23-04
67. Jackson Smith - Ely Hagans Bethel University 184
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 10 23-04
68. Wilson York - Matthew Tucker JC Calhoun Community College 183
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 10-09 Total: 10 23-01
69. Xander Patton - Stephen Brooks Emmanuel College 182
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 13-04 Total: 10 23-00
70. Hunter Russell - Richard Skiff Wabash Valley College 181
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 11-04 Total: 10 23-00
71. Logan East - Victor Alford Tennessee Wesleyan University 180
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 10-05 Total: 10 22-14
72. Easton Bouma - Zachary Ward Drury University 179
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 10-13 Total: 10 22-14
73. Noah Wright - Bennett Matheny University of Alabama 178
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 11-01 Total: 10 22-14
74. Fisher Britt - Carson Yero University of Montevallo 177
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 11-10 Total: 10 22-14
75. Blair Erickson - Jackson Pontius University of Montevallo 176
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 10-01 Total: 10 22-12
76. Alex Wood - Joe Williams Missouri State University 175
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 10-06 Total: 10 22-12
77. Bryce Kindell - Oklahoma State University 174
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 10-06 Total: 10 22-11
78. Sam Semper - Sonny Mann Tarleton State University 173
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 10-09 Total: 10 22-11
79. Jack Carroll - Tucker Dottley Bethel University 172
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 11-15 Total: 10 22-08
80. Jack Gano - Cole Muenzer Southwestern Michigan College 171
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 12-00 Total: 10 22-06
81. Brayden Stoker - Tucker Kendall Tarleton State University 170
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 11-09 Total: 10 22-06
82. Tyler Chmelar - Kase Kramer Tarleton State University 169
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 3 07-02 Total: 8 22-03
83. Brooks Parker - Briggs Alavezos University of Montevallo 168
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 4 07-13 Total: 9 22-02
84. Carter Smith - Ross Deters Wabash Valley College 167
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 11-08 Total: 10 21-13
85. Walker Griffith - Brady Mccamy Snead State Community College 166
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 11-06 Total: 10 21-13
86. Logan Greeno - Matthew Nichols University of Nebraska 165
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 11-12 Total: 10 21-12
87. Blair Cox - Grant Simmons Missouri State University 164
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 10-00 Total: 10 21-09
88. Noah Trant - Evan Howe Northwestern State University 163
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 10-02 Total: 10 21-06
89. Brennan Berglund - Colton White University of Montevallo 162
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 5 14-09 Total: 8 21-05
90. Caden Pearson - Ty Leak Wabash Valley College 161
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 11-03 Total: 10 21-05
91. Gage Starks - Jack Thompson Murray State University 160
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-13 Total: 10 21-05
92. Wes Kinard - Sam Hatcher University of Alabama 159
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 12-07 Total: 10 21-04
93. Bryson Dotson - Christian Misciagna Tennessee Wesleyan University 158
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 11-05 Total: 10 21-04
94. Connor Dunn - Caden Denny Texas A&M University 157
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 09-10 Total: 10 21-01
95. Braden Lankford - Tityn Miller Murray State College 156
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 10-01 Total: 10 21-00
96. Colten Drawdy - Hunter Shelton Bethel University 155
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 11-08 Total: 10 20-15
97. Sam Ausbrooks - Eli Jaime Wabash Valley College 154
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 08-11 Total: 10 20-14
98. Tyler Madden - Kyle Knoll Auburn University 153
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 10-05 Total: 10 20-14
99. Jase White - Brady Horton Drury University 152
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 11-10 Total: 10 20-12
100. Colby Carrier - Justin Frey Bethel University 151
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 10-15 Total: 10 20-10
101. Hilary Sue Martin - Jack Wilson University of Alabama 150
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 09-08 Total: 10 20-09
102. Trey McMeen - Dylan Armstrong East Texas Baptist University 149
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 4 07-14 Total: 9 20-03
103. Barrett Bennefield - Mason Mccormick LSU - Shreveport 148
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 4 10-03 Total: 9 20-03
104. Shaden Farley - Sam Sutter Murray State College 147
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 4 08-03 Total: 9 19-14
105. Alex Avery - Christian Bales Murray State University 146
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 08-14 Total: 10 19-12
106. Parker Womack - Zayne Niziol Dallas Baptist University 145
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 4 07-12 Total: 9 19-08
107. Cole Pickett - Dawson Cowden Northwestern State University 144
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 11-03 Total: 10 19-08
108. Nathan Preston - Evan Conn Auburn University 143
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 10-06 Total: 10 19-08
109. Ryan Foster - Colton Hill McKendree University 142
Day 1: 4 06-15 Day 2: 5 12-08 Total: 9 19-07
110. Jack Dill - Luca Palermo Clemson University 141
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 09-11 Total: 10 19-07
111. Hunter Sandschafer - Connor Becker Wabash Valley College 140
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 09-06 Total: 10 19-06
112. Stone Smith - Drake Wadsworth Northwestern State University 139
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 09-13 Total: 10 19-06
113. Malcolm Patton II - Jordan Brewer Auburn University 138
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 10-04 Total: 10 19-03
114. Paul Baker - Chandler Cook Auburn University 137
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 08-12 Total: 10 19-00
115. Mason George - Carter Maples Snead State Community College 136
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 09-08 Total: 10 18-12
116. Levi Thibodaux - Miles Smith LSU - Shreveport 135
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 5 12-06 Total: 8 18-10
117. Patrick Monahan - Caleb White Murray State University 134
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 5 12-00 Total: 8 18-07
118. Coleman Bingham - Bethel University 133
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 08-02 Total: 10 18-05
119. Connor Foreman - Joe Krejci Texas A&M University 132
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 5 12-05 Total: 8 18-04
120. Clay Henderson - Brant Rowland Drury University 131
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 3 06-07 Total: 8 18-04
121. Ian Carter - Nevan Osburn LSU - Shreveport 130
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 4 06-13 Total: 9 18-04
122. Christian Boyd - Luke Ray Shelton State Community College 129
Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 5 10-11 Total: 8 18-03
123. Jonathan Fitch - Joe Bob Burchett Kentucky Christian University 128
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 4 07-12 Total: 9 18-03
124. Nathan Finch - Parker Mckee Faulkner University 127
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 09-11 Total: 10 18-02
125. Sawyer Williams - Bethel University 126
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 5 11-10 Total: 8 17-15
126. Michael Gammons - Colby Elliott Emmanuel College 125
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 5 12-11 Total: 7 17-12
127. Stone Grove - Bethel University 124
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 5 09-13 Total: 9 17-12
128. Stone Robertson - Carter Martin University of Tennessee 123
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 5 12-09 Total: 8 17-11
129. Andrew Oswalt - Evan Mabrey University of Montevallo 122
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 5 10-05 Total: 8 17-10
130. Easton Booth - Wesley Garner Enterprise State Community Colle 121
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 3 06-08 Total: 8 17-08
131. Zach Pocos - Tucker Siminak McKendree University 120
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 4 08-04 Total: 9 17-08
132. Dustin Michek - Josh Morrow University of Wisconsin - Platte 119
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 3 06-05 Total: 8 17-07
133. Michael Canonica - Seth Proctor University of Tennessee 118
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 2 04-14 Total: 7 17-06
134. Emerson Petty - Jaxon Humphrey Tennessee Wesleyan University 117
Day 1: 3 07-11 Day 2: 5 09-11 Total: 8 17-06
135. Archer Smith - Nathan Kallstrand Murray State University 116
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 3 05-03 Total: 8 17-05
136. Hayes Pate - Garrett Sullivan Faulkner University 115
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 2 05-01 Total: 7 17-01
137. Reece Knight - Sean Baugh Snead State Community College 114
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 5 08-15 Total: 9 17-01
138. Landon Robbins - Will Eriksson University of Tennessee 113
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 3 05-07 Total: 8 17-00
139. Kaden Raichel - Luke Davis University of Montevallo 112
Day 1: 4 11-03 Day 2: 2 05-12 Total: 6 16-15
140. Dawson Hendrix - Henry Fleddermann McKendree University 111
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 3 07-05 Total: 8 16-15
141. Cade Lipham - Caleb Coleman Drury University 110
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 4 07-15 Total: 9 16-15
142. Jacob Highley - Kentucky Christian University 109
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 3 06-14 Total: 8 16-11
143. Andrew Sell - Missouri State University 108
Day 1: 4 06-11 Day 2: 5 09-15 Total: 9 16-10
144. Aaron McGill - Trey Woliver University of Tennessee 107
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 4 07-04 Total: 9 16-10
145. Breckett Long - Cooper Mayes Texas A&M University 106
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 3 06-02 Total: 8 16-07
146. Michael Raymer - Grayden Scibilia Bethel University 105
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 5 11-06 Total: 8 16-06
147. Cade Smith - Axel Pierce Murray State College 104
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 3 05-08 Total: 8 16-06
148. Mark Bixler - Ty Reynolds Murray State University 103
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 3 05-12 Total: 8 16-05
149. Karson Denton - Hayden Hurst Tarleton State University 102
Day 1: 4 06-15 Day 2: 5 09-05 Total: 9 16-04
150. Dawson Lynch - John Mizell Tarleton State University 101
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 10-12 Total: 8 16-01
151. Wesley Macdonald - Mississippi State University 100
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 5 09-08 Total: 8 16-01
152. Trevor Alexander - Fletch Titus Missouri State University 99
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 5 09-02 Total: 9 16-00
153. Camden Kozikoski - Dayne Kobriger Drury University 98
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 2 04-12 Total: 7 15-14
154. Atlan Pfluger - Cade Johnson Texas A&M University 97
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 3 05-13 Total: 8 15-08
155. Grant Gale - Tarleton State University 96
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 3 05-06 Total: 8 15-07
156. Alex Standerfer - Dustin Swafford Catawba Valley Community College 95
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 2 03-13 Total: 7 15-05
157. Logan Ware - Conner Pickens Southwestern Michigan College 94
Day 1: 4 11-07 Day 2: 2 03-14 Total: 6 15-05
158. Caden Cardoza - Greyson Brock University of Tennessee 93
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 5 11-04 Total: 7 15-04
159. Luke Rokavec - Braden Fairbanks Campbellsville University 92
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 2 05-00 Total: 7 15-03
160. Trevor Johnston - Ashton Hehr Texas A&M University 91
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 5 11-11 Total: 7 15-00
161. Dillan Mcglothern - Nick Claussen Webber International 90
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 5 10-00 Total: 8 14-15
162. Noah Lieberman - Jacob Hiebsch Missouri State University 89
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 3 04-10 Total: 8 14-14
163. Hayden Short - Dylan Mcgee Kentucky Christian University 88
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 5 11-05 Total: 7 14-11
164. Ben Puckett - Collin Foley Mississippi State University 87
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 5 13-02 Total: 6 14-10
165. Grant Harris - Tyler Eggers Catawba Valley Community College 86
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 3 04-15 Total: 8 14-08
166. Joshua Roberts - Braylin Lewis Faulkner University 85
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 3 05-09 Total: 8 14-07
167. Ethan Powell - Aidan Casey Texas A&M University 84
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 4 07-10 Total: 8 14-06
168. David Gummow - Coleman Self Bethel University 83
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 1 01-15 Total: 6 14-02
169. Cole Edwards - Brody Mitchell University of Montevallo 82
Day 1: 2 05-00 Day 2: 4 09-01 Total: 6 14-01
170. Caleb Johnston - Colin Cosenza Northwestern State University 81
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 1 01-08 Total: 6 13-11
171. Nathan Fideldy - Noah Wells Drury University 80
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 2 03-03 Total: 7 13-11
172. Matthew Parrish - Drew Moss Auburn University 79
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 5 11-05 Total: 6 13-10
173. Cody Tiemann - Luke Salvail JC Calhoun Community College 78
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 2 03-08 Total: 7 13-08
174. Willem Van Der Heijden - Jack Middlebrook Tarleton State University 77
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 2 03-09 Total: 7 13-06
175. Delaney Platt - Ryan Olsen Wabash Valley College 76
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 2 03-12 Total: 7 12-15
176. Jeffrey Jones - Nickolas Illobre Bethel University 75
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 4 08-14 Total: 6 12-13
177. Kyle Smith - Kentucky Christian University 74
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 1 01-11 Total: 6 12-11
178. Zane Stroman - Dylan Benson East Texas Baptist University 73
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 5 10-06 Total: 6 12-05
179. Gavin Robinson - Bennett Mcbride Tarleton State University 72
Day 1: 4 07-01 Day 2: 3 05-00 Total: 7 12-01
180. Tyler Dubois - Joseph Senn Bethel University 71
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
181. Luke Iles - Hunter Greer III Northwestern State University 70
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 4 08-02 Total: 6 11-13
182. Nathan Baldwin - Thomas Avery University of Alabama 69
Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 2 04-01 Total: 6 11-13
183. Evan Mccormick - Cole Sampson McKendree University 68
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 11-12 Total: 5 11-12
184. Will Gordon - Will Burch Murray State University 67
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 3 06-04 Total: 6 11-12
185. Luke Bennett - Tarleton State University 66
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 3 05-05 Total: 6 11-11
186. Ryan Pero - Tucker Evans Stephen F Austin State Universit 65
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 11-10
187. Wilson Bennett - Luke Abston Auburn University 64
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 5 09-09 Total: 6 11-06
188. Josh Richardson - Nathan Vahle University of Nebraska 63
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 1 01-12 Total: 6 11-04
189. Braci Ault - Brody Ault Purdue University 62
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 2 05-13 Total: 5 10-12
190. Dillon Robertshaw - Jake Mantovani Missouri State University 61
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 10-09
191. Will Boyd Jr - Florida Gateway College 60
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 3 08-00 Total: 4 10-08
192. Max Newkirk - Murray State University 59
Day 1: 5 00-00 Day 2: 5 10-06 Total: 10 10-06
193. Jordan Bezold - Joe Bezold Northern Kentucky University 58
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 10-06 Total: 5 10-06
194. Isaac Patrick - Braylon Carden Catawba Valley Community College 57
Day 1: 4 08-15 Day 2: 1 01-05 Total: 5 10-04
195. Hunter Stuart - Ryan Rhodes Tarleton State University 56
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 3 06-13 Total: 5 10-03
196. Palmer Parrish - Clemson University 55
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
197. Harmon Marien - Mason Darling McKendree University 54
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 09-12
198. Caden Bunney - Ryan Mizee Oklahoma State University 53
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 1 03-14 Total: 4 09-04
199. Colton Odom - William Gully Auburn University 52
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-02 Total: 5 09-02
200. Parker Welch - Angelo Malek McKendree University 51
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 2 03-10 Total: 5 09-02
201. Jackson Wyatt - Tyler Gentry Texas A&M University 50
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 09-00
202. Luka Strepacki - Hampton Smith Jr. University of Tennessee 49
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 4 07-04 Total: 5 09-00
203. Anna Kay - Briley Mills Emmanuel College 48
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 1 02-08 Total: 4 08-13
204. Carson Owen - Dylan Reed Murray State College 47
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 08-09 Total: 4 08-09
205. Landon O'Connor - Stephen F Austin State Universit 46
Day 1: 3 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 08-09
206. Carson Floyd - Jarred Bodine Snead State Community College 45
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 2 04-07 Total: 4 08-01
207. Aiden Hamblin - Tarleton State University 44
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 2 03-15 Total: 4 07-15
208. Mason Lyons - Logan Howarter Kentucky Christian University 43
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 03-05 Total: 4 07-13
209. Colby Ullery - Matthew Poss Faulkner University 42
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 1 01-08 Total: 4 07-12
210. Hayden Peck - Tennessee Wesleyan University 41
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 1 02-05 Total: 4 07-11
211. Turner Barksdale - Jared Walters Shelton State Community College 40
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 3 05-12 Total: 4 07-08
212. James Broderick - Camden Romero Mississippi State University 39
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 1 01-09 Total: 4 07-07
213. Hunter Nipper - Reese Wade Shelton State Community College 38
Day 1: 1 03-09 Day 2: 2 03-13 Total: 3 07-06
214. Peyton Bryant - Brezlyn Hightower Murray State College 37
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 2 03-09 Total: 4 07-05
215. Anderson Keim - Adam Hyder Clemson University 36
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 1 02-15 Total: 3 06-12
216. Skyler Stevens - Brier Hardy Faulkner University 35
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 1 02-12 Total: 3 06-05
217. Parker Phillips - Mac Bowman Auburn University 34
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 1 01-13 Total: 3 06-04
218. Logan Carter - Caleb Martinez Motlow State Community College 33
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 2 03-14 Total: 3 05-15
219. Cooper Crowell - Sam Taylor Stephen F Austin State Universit 32
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 05-13
220. Braydon Kelley - Noah Parrish East Texas Baptist University 31
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 03-13 Total: 3 05-12
221. Peter Bourgeois - Joseph Brown Dallas Baptist University 30
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 1 01-07 Total: 3 05-11
222. Zach Thompson - John Whetter Oklahoma State University 29
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-09 Total: 3 05-09
223. Logan Clark - Hunter Stuckey East Texas Baptist University 28
Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 1 02-06 Total: 2 05-03
224. Jack Clancy - Samuel Spraberry University of Tennessee 27
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 04-13
225. Hampton Shull - Lander University 26
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 04-09
226. Will Hadley - Blayne Leeman Kentucky Christian University 25
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 04-04
227. Adam Barinowski - John Ingram Georgia College 24
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 03-14
228. Avery Merrow - Mason Stidwill Southwestern Michigan College 23
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 1 02-03 Total: 2 03-09
229. Jacob Webb - Cabe Mackey Catawba Valley Community College 22
Day 1: 2 02-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 02-14
230. Mitch Johnson - Kentucky Christian University 21
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 02-03
231. Trenton Underwood - Lane Grogan Northeastern State University 20
Day 1: 2 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 01-15
232. Ty Kreis - University of Nebraska 19
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-13
232. Matthew Qualich - Liam Bonnett McKendree University 19
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-13
234. Garrett Huddleston - Riley Voltz Auburn University 17
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-12
235. Wyatt Loving - Kenny Price Stephen F Austin State Universit 16
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-10
235. Colin Oldfield - Southwestern Michigan College 16
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-10
237. Elizabeth Eastman - Ethan Powell Auburn University 14
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-09
237. Reagan Mills - Luke Wilson Auburn University 14
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
239. Farren Todd III - Brady Cornwell Northeastern State University 12
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-08
240. Tyler Gunter - Mason Sills Catawba Valley Community College 11
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-03
241. Fisher Edwards - Drew Bates Georgia College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Chris Fallon - Briar Dodson University of Montevallo 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Pete Johnson - Tanner Wolf Southwestern Michigan College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Dalton Langner - Charlie Pennington University of Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Kaden Mueck - Stephen F Austin State Universit 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Jordan Simpson - Jacob Keller University of Florida 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Grason Turnbull IV - Robert Montgomery Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Elijah Walker - Thomas Skelton Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Reese Walters - Connor Amberger University of Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Will Weischwill - Cade Dornburg Texas A&M University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
241. Michael Zanglin - Carter Stambelos Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Tyler Chmelar Stephenville, TX 05-09 $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 151 949 2148-07
2 142 902 2052-06
----------------------------------
293 1851 4200-13

by AnglersChannel

Key spot delivers DiPalma’s lead in Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee

Feb. 27, 2025

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — Greg DiPalma of Millville, N.J., believes Lake Okeechobee may be one of the nation’s least-explored bass fisheries, but he did his best to change that by sacking up a limit of 29 pounds, 12 ounces to lead Day 1 of the Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite at this Florida powerhouse.

Fishing an atypical area that he found during practice, DiPalma heads into Day 2 with a lead of 3-10 over Will Davis Jr.

“Me and Will were sitting side-by-side, which was pretty special,” DiPalma said. “There were four of us in one area and we all had (big) bags.

“It was an absolutely incredible day. To be leading one of these, to be honest with you, it’s about time! It feels good. It’s gonna feel really good if I can maintain it.”

As DiPalma explained, recent years have seen high water levels choke out much of the Lake Okeechobee vegetation that once created vast bass habitat. With the obvious targets heavily pressured, he knew he needed to find something unique.

“This is probably the most unlocked lake in the country, to be honest with you, because everybody beats the bank here and nobody really goes out in the lake and looks for anything,” DiPalma said. “I think there are key areas in this lake if you can find them, and that was one of them.

“There’s not a lot of contour where we’re fishing, and this is the only area that has a little high spot where they can pull up and feed. I’m guessing maybe that’s part of it. It does have some current flowing through there — not a lot, just a little bit at times.”

DiPalma said his key area has the dingy water tone common to much of the lake. The high point rose to about 4 feet from surrounding depths of 10.

“The key was working together with the other anglers,” DiPalma said. “We just laughed and giggled and caught fish all day.”

Noting that he leaned on a trio of baits to amass his leading weight, DiPalma said he’s eager to give his spot another shot on Day 2.

“There’s definitely some fish in the area; I just hope they stay where they’re at so I can catch them again tomorrow,” DiPalma said.

Hailing from Sylacauga, Ala., Davis is in second place with 26-2. The spot he shared with DiPalma, as well as third-place Brandon Palaniuk, comprised the ideal coming-and-going scenario.

“There’s a lot of hyacinth mats and deep water close to it,” Davis said. “It was just the perfect storm; it was a postspawn/prespawn-type place. There’s a lot of bait in the area.

“There’s more fish around, but they got really educated with (several) of us jacking on them. We might pull up there tomorrow and not get a bite, but if we do, I think the quality is there, and I think we’re going to do good.”

Davis said he threw a mix of moving baits and slower presentations. He caught keepers on both styles.

Looking ahead to Day 2, Davis said he’s comfortable again sharing water with his fellow competitors. In his view, the proximity enhanced the experience.

“It was a blessed day; there was a couple of us fishing around one another and we worked really well together,” Davis said. “It was one of those days you dream about. It was awesome to catch those Okeechobee giants.”

Palaniuk, who makes his home in Rathdrum, Idaho, is in third place with 23-7. In his opinion, the day’s shared productivity was a pleasant surprise.

“It was pretty obvious that we all knew what was going on, but I don’t think any of us knew what was there,” Palaniuk said. “Each one of us caught a big one there in practice and then left. Today, we go to show what it was capable of, but it’s not lights-out.

“I had six bites, Greg might’ve had seven or eight and Will had like seven. It seemed like one guy would get a hot hand.”

Describing a junk-fishing scenario that required each of the neighboring anglers to rotate through several different baits, Palaniuk said he caught his fish on four different baits. Combining camaraderie with competition fueled the necessary cooperation.

“The thing that I’ve learned over the past 15 years is (sharing a spot requires) communication,” Palaniuk said. “The fish catches were special, but being able to work with fellow competitors was pretty amazing.”

DiPalma and Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., share the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors, each with bass weighing 8-10.

Jay Przekurat of Plover, Wis., leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 194 points. Patrick Walters of Eutawville, S.C., is in second with 186, followed by Davis with 184, Shane LeHew of Catawba, N.C., with 180, and 2024 Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year Chris Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, with 179.

Evan Kung of Pickering, Canada, leads the Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year standings with 156 points.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at C. Scott Driver Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.

Visit Florida is hosting the event.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

BMP Peace of Mind, Irregularities

Palaniuk Touts Peace of Mind and Irregularities

Team Toyota pro is looking to capitalize on specific irregularities in the 2025 Champion Power Equipment Bassmaster Elite on Lake Okeechobee.

The Florida swing is absolutely wild for Bassmaster Elite pros. With rapidly warming temperatures on the horizon and presumably a bunch of bass flocking to the shallows to spawn, Team Toyota pro Brandon Palaniuk is trying his best to take all three phases of the spawn into account this week on Lake Okeechobee.

One may think the bass would be on bed this time of year but according to Palaniuk, that may not be the case.

“This is not even close to bed fishing right now, in my mind,” Palaniuk said. “If you’re fishing in Florida in February, you have a mix of all three phases of the spawn and you need to be ready for all of them. If you land on the right group or wave of fish, you can right in a hurry. But I don’t think it’s going to turn out that way in this event.”

Largemouth bass in this part of the world do things very differently than bass located in other states. Normally, you’d expect to see bass moving into pockets and coves by following contour lines; it’s almost like a rest stop along the highway. But when it comes to giant Florida bass, they’ll use grass lines and edges almost as some sort of contour and travel route.

“The largemouth in Florida tend to get very particular about where they like to set up,” Palaniuk said. “It can be a tiny depth change or something of the sort, but they get really focused on very key areas. It can be depth changes, bottom composition or even the specific type of grass. This is a huge lake and finding these key areas and nuances is extremely important.”

While you’d expect for these largemouth to be fairly predictable in nature, Palaniuk warns against this line of thinking. Many anglers would think you could go through massive spawning flats with fast-moving baits, but he is a little hesitant about that strategy.

“You’d think that fast-moving reaction baits would be a big deal when it comes to locating fish but throughout all of my experience, that’s not usually the case,” Palaniuk said. “These Florida bass don’t always try to chase down a bait, especially during the spawn, so it can make for a challenging practice. While it makes sense efficiency-wise to throw moving baits during the practice period, sometimes you have to follow your gut and just pitch and flip around in order to locate the fish and get quality bites. I think that’s what makes Florida more challenging than other many other states and fisheries we visit.”

Irregularities in vegetation are a big part of Palaniuk’s bass-fishing plan. Just as bass might follow depth contours in other lakes, Okeechobee bass tend to follow small edge changes in vegetation.

“I’m looking for one type of grass that might be different than the others,” Palaniuk said. “So, if I’m in a pad field, I might look for eel grass or something different. If that vegetation line makes a turn, point or a pocket, I’m all about it. All of those characteristics make for an outstanding ambush point and a bass can suck itself in and ambush unsuspecting prey. They’re opportunistic feeders and want to use the least amount of energy possible to get their next meal.”

The correct mentality also proves to be a major aspect of Palaniuk’s game. He has long-been known as someone who’s a steadfast mental warrior. This doesn’t and has not changed with his approach to this tournament.

“When it comes to competing as this level, a giant difference can come in the form of your mental game and confidence,” Palaniuk said. “For me personally, I’m all about peace of mind and the fact that I’m towing my boat behind a Toyota Tundra, I’m absolutely positive that I won’t have any distractions throughout the season. Your boat needs to be right, your tow vehicle… everything has to be working perfectly. While I’m trying to catch these finicky Florida fish, I need as few distractions as possible.”

Will Palaniuk crack the Okeechobee code? We will see but one thing is for certain: He’ll be fishing irregularities in vegetation and trying his best to slow down and methodically fish for those big female Florida largemouth.

by AnglersChannel

Introducing the ELEMENT z2 – The Most Affordable American-Made Rod

Sanford, NC—Cashion Rods is proud to announce the launch of the highly anticipated ELEMENT z2 Series, available in both freshwater and saltwater lines.

At Cashion Rods, we believe every angler should experience the pride of fishing with gear that’s not only expertly crafted but also American-made. That’s why Cashion is excited to unveil the ELEMENT z2 Series. With a retail price of $129.95, the ELEMENT z2 was designed to introduce everyone to American performance at an unbeatable price point.

The ELEMENT z2 Series is the most affordable American-made rod on the market.

“With the ELEMENT z2, you’re not just purchasing a rod—you’re connecting with the American craftsmen who create it,” says Dr. Matthew Cashion, Founder and CEO. “We invite you to join the Cashion community and experience the difference of fishing with equipment made by people you can meet, follow, and trust.”

The ELEMENT z2 Series features the revolutionary new CRzm carbon matte rod blank—a true innovation in American made fishing performance. Designed with the working man in mind, the ELEMENT z2 looks like the rod you grew up fishing with your dad or grandpa but offers a perfect balance of durability, sensitivity, and innovation, all at an accessible price point.

Our engineering team took on the challenge of creating a rod that could endure the rigors of everyday fishing while delivering the superior performance anglers expect from Cashion. The result is the CRzm —a blank that features Raw Finish Protection (RFP). This unique technology uses an epoxy matrix (EM) to protect and encapsulate the carbon fibers, dissipating energy from impacts and making the CRzm more impact-resistant and durable than ever before. The CRzm is designed to take the abuse of riding in truck beds waiting for quitting time so you can hit the local honey hole.

The Cashion ELEMENT z2 Series has been meticulously upgraded with cutting-edge features to provide you with the ultimate fishing experience—and it’s now backed by a 3-year warranty, giving you confidence with every cast. The addition of the CRzm carbon matte blank and K-frame style casting guides not only enhances the rod’s durability and performance, but also strengthens its resilience against wear and tear, allowing Cashion Rods to confidently extend the warranty for three full years. Fish with confidence, knowing your investment is protected and that your rod is built to last.

The bass centric freshwater lineup of ELEMENT z2 includes a wide variety of technique-specific models for various fishing styles such as BFS (Bait Finesse Systems), Frog, Drop Shot, Worm & Jig, Cranking, and the ever popular Multi-Purpose.

The saltwater range of ELEMENT z2 Inshore rods are built to thrive in harsh marine environments and includes rods purpose-built models for speckled trout, redfish, and flounder. These rods feature corrosion-resistant components, the strength to handle powerful saltwater species, and are backed by Cashion’s unmatched warranty to prove it.

“It was no small task when we set out to develop the most affordable American-made rod that also meets the standards of full-time saltwater guides and tournament bass fishermen,” says Cashion’s Sales Manager Ben Choate. “but by utilizing improved materials, better components, and fine tuning our already successful ELEMENT line we have managed to do just that.”

Proudly Made in the USA

What sets the ELEMENT z2 Series apart is that every blank and rod is built in Cashion’s own facility in Sanford, NC. This level of in-house production allows Cashion Rods to maintain strict quality control, ensuring each rod meets the company’s high standards for performance and durability.
“Our American-made approach is key to delivering a rod that anglers can trust,” said Dr. Cashion. “We control every step of the process, from sourcing American made composite materials to the final touches. This gives us the ability to bring an extremely competitive rod to market while staying true to our core values.”
Cashion Rods has a long-standing reputation for producing scientifically superior rods that offer technique-specific precision without sacrificing comfort. The ELEMENT z2 Series continues this tradition, offering ergonomic design and lightweight construction for all-day fishing comfort.

About Cashion Rods

Cashion Rods is dedicated to building superior fishing rods in America with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Founded by Dr. Matthew Cashion, a PhD in chemistry with concentration in polymer science, Cashion Rods leverages advanced technologies and American ingenuity to create rods that are both scientifically superior and competitively priced. Based in Sanford, NC, Cashion Rods continues to push the boundaries of innovation while staying true to its roots as a proudly American-made brand.

by AnglersChannel

Will B-Card break out blades again at The Big O?

Witnessing Vexus pro Brandon Card catch 20-pounds last week on a spinnerbait during the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the St. Johns River was about as rare as a bald eagle sighting. Not quite sasquatch rare, but the lure that was once bass fishing’s crescent wrench tool has become sadly underutilized the past two decades.

So, we talked to the 38-year-old about all-things-spinnerbaits, and whether he planned to bust out the blades again this week in Florida at the Elite Series event on Okeechobee, where he finished third in 2023.

Q: Did you have any spinnerbait heroes as a teenager?

Card: All of them! KVD, Jay Yelas, Rick Clunn, Ken Cook and Jimmy Houston, to name a few.

Q: What’s the key to being a great spinnerbait angler?

Card: Realize that windy days are your friend, and heavier spinnerbaits worked at slower speeds often outperform lighter spinnerbaits retrieved too quickly.

I like the ½ ounce Advantage Bait willowleaf spinnerbaits that feature a unique Extreme Flash Technology on the blades, and I reel them on a 7.4:1 reel. My retrieve is slow and steady on a 7’ 3” medium heavy iROD to keep them a bit deeper in the water column, versus a lighter 3/8-ounce bait.

Q: Why didn’t you throw a ChatterBait at the St. Johns instead?

Card: I had a ChatterBait tied on, but on the first cast with a spinnerbait I caught a good one, and I never caught a bass last week on a ChatterBait, so I stayed loyal to the spinnerbait.

Q: How much weight will a guy need to catch each day to make a Top 10 at Okeechobee?

Card: You’d still better have 16 or 17-pounds a day, but the lake is almost totally void of vegetation right now, and a lot dirtier compared to 2023 when I finished third.

Q: And so, the obvious question to round things out, will you break out the spinnerbait again this week?

Card: There’s a chance (laughs) but I honestly don’t think it will play a huge role because of the type of cover and habitat I’m focusing on.

by AnglersChannel

Run-and-gun strategy lifts Jones to lead at Smith Lake

Feb. 26, 2025

CULLMAN, Ala. — Lander University’s Anderson Jones worked a run-and-gun strategy to perfection on Day 1 of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Smith Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Anchoring his bag with a 5 1/4-pound spotted bass, the senior from Greenville, S.C., collected a five-bass limit of 16 pounds, 10 ounces to take the Day 1 lead. Jones holds a 1-8 advantage over McKendree University’s Ethan Fields and the Auburn University team of Brendin Simich and Benjamin Travis, who are tied for second with 15-2.

“It was a great day,” Jones said. “I didn’t get many bites, but when I did, they were the right ones. That is all that matters.”

The field of 250 college teams enjoyed warm and breezy conditions on Day 1 of the two-day derby and made the most of it. With the high temperature reaching 77 degrees, 151 limits and over 2,148 pounds of bass hit the scales. Cooler conditions are expected on Day 2, with highs only expected to reach the mid-60s.

While Smith Lake is much deeper than the blueback herring lakes in South Carolina like Lake Hartwell, Jones has employed a similar strategy so far this week. Using four different baits so far, he has found spotted bass staging in shallow pockets off the main river channel. The majority of his bites came between 3 and 8 feet of water.

By the end of the day, Jones estimated he fished 30 different areas with varying degrees of water clarity. In the cleaner water, he found the spotted bass were targeting shad, while in the dirtier water finding good cover was more important.

“I had to fish a lot of new water today,” he said. “A lot of new docks and a lot of new rock. Herring fishing is so spot-oriented. You have to do milk runs throughout the lake.”

Jones started the day strong, landing 14 pounds by 10 a.m., including the big spotted bass that anchored his bag. That bass came from 3 feet of water, and initially Jones thought it might be a striper.

“I (quickly) realized it was a bass and knew it was a good one,” Jones said. “Seeing it come up to the surface, stuff started to get real right there. I got that one in the boat and then caught a couple more to get to a solid place.”

From there, Jones was able to make some small culls before landing a 3-pounder with 20 minutes left to go in his fishing day.

After practice, Jones wasn’t sure he could even reach the 14-pound mark, so he is not sure what to expect on Day 2, either. He is hoping his milk run will continue to pay off with better-than-average bass.

Tyler Chmelar and Dalton Head from Tarleton State University anchored their 15-1 Day 1 bag with a 5-9 spotted bass, which currently leads the Big Bass of the Tournament race.

The full field will launch from Smith Lake Park in Cullman beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in starting at 2:30 p.m. The Top 10 percent of the field will punch their ticket to the College Series National Championship, details of which will be announced at a later date. Teams also earned points towards the Legends Trail points race.

Visit Cullman is hosting the tournament.

2025 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2025 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2025 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley could see ‘absolutely perfect’ water conditions

Feb. 26, 2025

PARIS, Tenn. — John Garrett finished fourth in the FXR Pro Fish Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River, but he wasn’t surprised when, an hour later, he was asked to shift his attention instead to the upcoming Division 2 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN back home on the Tennessee/Kentucky border.

The Open will be held March 6-8 and Garrett, who hails from Union City, Tenn., cut his teeth on those fisheries just east of his hometown. He then honed his game during routine practices and tournaments there when competing for nearby Bethel University.

And if Garrett’s instinct is correct, the 231 anglers entered in the Open have reason to be excited.

“That’s probably going to be one of the best tournaments of the season,” the 29-year-old pro said. “There should be absolutely perfect water conditions because we’ve had just inches and inches of rain, which makes the water a little dirty but also gets the current flowing.

“And that’s a combination that makes the fish want to eat their own tails,” he added, his voice rising at the prospect of promising catches. “It will be absurd, the number of 15- to 18-pound bags you’re gonna see caught.”

Garrett isn’t fishing in the Open, but said if he was, he’d go with what’s worked for him before to boat the best bass on Lake Barkley or Kentucky Lake.

“I’d go old-school, cranking a Rat-L-Trap in the main-river current,” he said. “(Underwater) drops will be huge players, I’m sure. You can ’Scope out in the current and find fish or tuck into a creek pocket throwing to moving water. There’ll probably be a healthy portion of smallmouth weighed, maybe 50%. But if you’re looking to win, I think you’ll need to mix in four or five largemouth to have a chance.”

There certainly is no lack of space for competitors to explore. Kentucky Lake is a 160,000-acre impoundment of the Tennessee River, making it the seventh-largest man-made lake in the U.S. Lake Barkley, which runs parallel and is connected to Kentucky Lake via a canal at the north (Kentucky) end of both lakes, provides an additional 58,000 acres.

That tremendous expanse of water, not to mention historically solid largemouth and smallmouth populations, has lured B.A.S.S. through the years. The last visit, for the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship on Kentucky Lake in December, saw the team portion of the event won by Noah Morgan and Clint Knight, who caught 47 pounds, 5 ounces over the course of two days.

Garrett said it’ll take a similar daily haul to win the Open tournament. And, of course, this isn’t a team event, so the burden of production is placed squarely on the shoulders of individual anglers.

“Over three days, you’ll need about 23 pounds per day to win it,” Garrett said. “But this will be different than that December tournament. That was strictly a deep-water ’Scoping deal. There will be a lot more shallow-water bites this time. And the water will have some color with how much is moving through the TVA right now.

“And, it’ll definitely still be prespawn,” Garrett added. “Kentucky Lake has a later spawn than any (Southern) lake because it gets all the cooler water dumped into it from other lakes above it.”

The St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN will begin with daily takeoffs at 6:15 a.m. CT from Paris Landing State Park. Daily weigh-ins are scheduled for 2:15 p.m. CT and will be held back at the park. The full field will compete the first two days of the event, with the Top 10 anglers fishing on Championship Saturday.

Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com. Stay up-to-date on all tournament coverage at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch/.

The City of Paris is hosting the event.

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

About B.A.S.S.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing Signs O’Reilly Auto Parts as Official Sponsor in Expanded Partnership

Automotive aftermarket leader to increase brand presence across all MLF events, including title sponsorship of Bass Pro Tour Stage 4 in Chattanooga

BENTON, Ky. (Feb. 26, 2025) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today an expanded sponsorship with O’Reilly Auto Parts for the 2025 season, with the automotive aftermarket leader now serving as an Official Sponsor across all MLF circuits. O’Reilly Auto Parts will have a prominent brand presence at every Bass Pro Tour and MLF5 event throughout the year, including a marquee role as title sponsor of Stage 4 of the Bass Pro Tour, May 1-4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“Our expanded partnership with Major League Fishing is a natural fit as we continue to engage with passionate outdoor and fishing enthusiasts across the country,” said Hugo Sanchez, Vice President of Advertising and Marketing for O’Reilly Auto Parts. “From trucks and trailers to marine and outdoor equipment, O’Reilly Auto Parts is proud to be a trusted source for everything anglers need to stay on the road and on the water. We’re thrilled to support the incredible competition that brings fans closer to the sport they love.”

The agreement provides O’Reilly Auto Parts significant brand exposure on the MLFNOW! livestream and across all MLF platforms. It includes digital content at MajorLeagueFishing.com and a strong brand presence at live events and on-site activations that bring the brand directly to fans. As the title sponsor of Bass Pro Tour Stage 4, O’Reilly Auto Parts will play a central role in one of the most anticipated stops of the season, further strengthening its connection to the fishing community.

“We are excited to build on our strong relationship with O’Reilly Auto Parts and welcome them as an Official Sponsor of Major League Fishing,” said Kathy Fennel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of MLF. “Their commitment to supporting anglers at every level is a strong demonstration of their support for our sport, and we are proud to showcase their brand throughout the 2025 season.”

Fans can catch live coverage of all Bass Pro Tour events, including O’Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4, and a range of MLF5 events on MLFNOW! via MajorLeagueFishing.com, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), Rumble and the new Game & Fish TV channel on Samsung TV Plus. Additional television coverage will air on CBS, Discovery, Discovery+, Discovery GO, Animal Planet, Outdoor Channel and VICE as part of MLF’s national broadcast schedule.

To learn more about O’Reilly Auto Parts and its full range of automotive, marine, and outdoor products, visit OReillyAuto.com. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

About O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.
Since 1957, O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. has grown from a family-owned business into a leader in the automotive replacement parts industry. With over 6,100 stores across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada, O’Reilly Auto Parts provides professional service, expert knowledge, and quality products to both professional service providers and do-it-yourself customers. For more information, visit OReillyAuto.com.

by AnglersChannel

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