AnglersChannel

Big Bass Tour results from Lake Guntersville!

Here are the leaders from this weekend's Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Tour event on Lake Guntersville:

Rank	Angler	Weight
1	CHRIS HOPSON	7.65
2	ERIC HILL	7.55
3	DON MORRIS	7.31
4	TIM BUCKNER	7.22
5	CORY BYRUM	7.18
6	JEREMIAH ARMSTRONG	7.07
7	BRANDEN ANDREWS	6.96
8	GENE BROOKS	6.73
9	JIM BURCH	6.71
10	REGAN GREEN	6.70

by AnglersChannel

Texas Team Trail Registration Opens November 1st!!!!!

Texas Team Trail Registration Opens November 1st!!!!! Click here for more details!

by AnglersChannel

DICKNEITE WINS COSTA FLW SERIES TOURNAMENT ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS

Missouri Boater Bests 155-boat Field to Earn Third Career Victory, $40K

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Oct. 14, 2017) – Boater Andre Dickneite of Freeburg, Missouri, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 15 pounds even to win the Costa FLW Series Central Division event on Lake of the Ozarks presented by Evinrude. Dickneite’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 48 pounds, 4 ounces, was enough to earn him the win by a 2-pound, 8-ounce margin and the first place prize of $40,000.

“I am on top of the world right now,” said Dickneite, who after two previous wins at the T-H Marine Bass Fishing League level earned his first win in the Costa FLW Series. “I did not think that I had enough to win today. I started the day in fourth place, and I thought that my weight would likely maintain my standing. But the other guys struggled, and now here I am.”

Dickneite said that he caught his fish throughout the week flipping a jig to docks. His main bait was a ½-ounce black and blue-colored V&M jig, trailered with a Strike King Rage Craw.

“The key for me was fishing the conditions that I was given,” Dickneite said. “I had one magic dock that I caught 2 keepers on each day, but other than that I was fishing different areas. I fished from the Hurricane Deck Bridge to up as far as Mossy Creek.”

Dickneite mentioned that every fish that he caught came flipping with the jig, except for today when he managed to catch three on a Texas-rigged red bug-colored Zoom Magnum Trick Worm.

“I caught 10 keepers on Thursday, then seven on Friday and seven more today. I didn’t throw the worm at all earlier this week, but it felt right to throw it today. I was fortunate to make the right decisions this week and I couldn’t be happier with how I ended up.”

The top 10 pros on Lake of the Ozarks were:

1^st: Andre Dickneite, Freeburg, Mo., 15 bass, 48-4, $40,000

2^nd: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 45-12, $15,700

3^rd: James Dill, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 15 bass, 45-12, $12,000

4^th: Costa pro Dylan Hays, Sheridan, Ark., 15 bass, 45-7, $10,100

5^th: Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., 15 bass, 44-4, $9,000

6^th: Shane Long, Willard, Mo., 15 bass, 44-3, $8,000

7^th: Casey Scanlon, Lake Ozark, Mo., 15 bass, 43-3, $7,000

8^th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 15 bass, 42-14, $6,000

9^th: Old Spice pro Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark., 15 bass, 40-11, $5,000

10^th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 11 bass, 34-15, $4,000

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

Cody Hahner of Wausau, Wisconsin, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces Friday to win the Boater Big Bass award of $300.

Steve Grizzle of Edwardsville, Illinois, won the Co-angler Division and a new Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude outboard motor. Grizzle earned his win with a three-day total catch of 11 bass weighing 27 pounds, 12 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers on Lake of the Ozarks were:

1^st: Steve Grizzle, Edwardsville, Ill., 11 bass, 27-12, Ranger Z175 w/90-horsepower Evinrude outboard + $5,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Alan Woodford, Winslow, Ind., 10 bass, 26-10, $5,100

3^rd: Robbie Bartoszek, Hampshire, Tenn., 12 bass, 26-3, $4,050

4^th: Tyrone Phillips, Little Rock, Ark., 11 bass, 25-12, $3,600

5^th: Josh Shirley, Cabot, Ark., eight bass, 24-12, $3,250

6^th: Sam Bremmerkamp, Joplin, Mo., 10 bass, 22-7, $2,500

7^th: Ray Larson, Springfield, Ill., seven bass, 20-13, $2,000

8^th: Roger Olson Jr., Eagle River, Wis., 10 bass, 20-9, $1,750

9^th: Scott Parsons, Rogers, Ark., 10 bass, 19-9, $1,500

10^th: Stan Harris, Searcy, Ark., seven bass, 17-5, $1,250

Shirley caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Thursday, a largemouth weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $200.

The Costa FLW Series on Lake of the Ozarks presented by Evinrude was hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. It was the third and final regular-season Central Division tournament of 2017. The next event for Costa FLW Series Central Division anglers will be the Costa FLW Series Championship, held Nov. 2-4 on Kentucky Lake in Paris, Tennessee, hosted by the Henry County Tourism Authority. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.

The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Costa FLW Series Championship.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

TH Marine Pro Roger Fitzpatrick takes a 1-ounce lead into FLW Costa Central Championship Saturday

October 13, 2017 by Jody White

The top 10 saw a lot of turnover on day two of the Costa FLW Series presented by Evinrude on Lake of the Ozarks, but Roger Fitzpatrick and James Dill both stayed steady to climb the leaderboard. In first place by an ounce, Fitzpatrick put 16 pounds, 15 ounces on the scale and boasts a 35-11 total. Weighing 17-13 on day two, Dill is just an ounce off the pace.

Fitzpatrick’s day one pattern

Top five patterns from day two

Complete results

Overall, the fishing was a bit tougher on the second day, but the shallow topwater bite that the Ozark region is known for played strong, and it seems all but certain that the majority of the eventual winner’s bass will fall for something that plops or buzzes.

Running roughly the same game plan he did on day one, Fitzpatrick got a lot fewer bites. On the first day he put perhaps 15 keepers in the boat – on day two he barely culled twice.

“Where I’m fishing, shallow, around those docks, those fish just got there,” says Fitzpatrick. “It’s kind of a pattern that happens every year about right now. I liken it to when fish get done with the spawn – you want to be fishing where they’re headed. But today was a struggle.”

Despite catching most of his weight shallow on top, Fitzpatrick has been adaptable. He says he caught his final keeper off a shallow brush pile on day two, and that he really only dialed in to the shallow topwater bite on the final day of practice.

“I’ve got a deal in my hip pocket,” says Fitzpatrick, who has a pair of T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL) wins on Lake of the Ozarks. “In the [BFL] Super tournament a few weeks ago I caught a limit off one spot both days, and I know they’re still there. It’s a good spot, and I’ve not been to it yet. There’s some quality fish there, and if it gets tough on me I may go in there. But I’m around some bigguns, and I’d like to get a couple of them.”

Whatever happens on the final day, it’s almost sure to be dramatic. Everyone in the top five is within 3 pounds of the lead, and it’d be no surprise to see any one of them bring in a big bag.

Top 10 pros

1. Roger Fitzpatrick – Eldon, Mo. – 35-11 (10)

2. James Dill – Sunrise Beach, Mo. – 35-10 (10)

3. James Watson – Lampe, Mo. – 33-15 (10)

4. Andre Dickneite – Freeburg, Mo. – 33-4 (10)

5. Casey Scanlon – Lake Ozark, Mo. – 32-15 (10)

6. Jeremy Lawyer – Sarcoxie, Mo. – 30-5 (10)

7. Dylan Hays – Sheridan, Ark. – 30-4 (10)

8. Greg Bohannan – Bentonville, Ark. – 30-1 (10)

9. Dennis Berhorst – Holts Summit, Mo. – 29-14 (10)

10. Shane Long – Willard, Mo. – 29-11 (10)

Complete results

Shirley takes co-angler lead

Josh Shirley of Cabot, Ark., moved into the lead on the co-angler side with four quality fish for 12-9. Also weighing four on day one, Shirley has an impressive 24-12 total in a tournament where fishing off the back isn’t easy.

“Yesterday I’d have liked to have my fifth, and it was the same thing today,” says Shirley, who has lost one potential keeper each day. “I did pretty much the same thing I did yesterday. It’s targeting certain areas and certain sides of docks. Following up on the co-angler side of things is hard to do, but it worked out quite well.”

Complete results

by AnglersChannel

Shawn Kowal Leads Final FLW Costa Event on Lake of Ozarks

October 12, 2017 by Jody White

Day one of the Costa FLW Series presented by Evinrude on Lake of the Ozarks turned into a beauty, and a strong group of pros got off to a good start. Shawn Kowal of Linn Creek, Mo., paces the field after day one with 19 pounds, 9 ounces – just 5 ounces ahead of Steve Floyd in second place. Kowal has eight top-10 finishes in FLW competition on Lake of the Ozarks, and he appears to be headed toward another one.

Top five patterns from day one

Complete results

Though a variety of patterns caught fish on day one, Kowal leaned on the venerable dock and brush bite that Lake of the Ozark always offers. He caught about 12 keepers on the day, mostly swimming a jig and tossing a worm, and says that 10 feet deep was his “magic” depth.

“It went pretty good, I caught a lot of a fish and didn’t really lose much,” says Kowal. “I laid off later in the day, but I was still catching them. The spots I wasn’t going to fish, I thought I’d go try ‘em, and I’d catch them there.”

Temperatures on day one started out in the 50s, rose into the 70s by weigh-in, and are projected to hit the mid-80s on Friday. Despite the variable weather, Kowal seems to have a decent handle on the fishing.

“It’s fishing okay, but the problem is the water temperature is 10 degrees too warm,” says the Lake of the Ozarks local. “It drops four or five degrees, and the bass start to think about chasing shad and then it comes right back up and they think it’s summer again. It’s fishing, you never know, But I think I can do it again. I don’t think they’re going to move, and if they move they aren’t going to go far.”

Kowal is currently sitting at 50^th in the points, and another decent day would put him in the Costa FLW Series Championship for sure. Another good day will have him fishing for a win.

Top 10 pros

1. Shawn Kowal – Linn Creek, Mo. – 19-9 (5)

2. Steve Floyd – Leesburg, Ohio – 19-4 (5)

3. Roger Fitzpatrick – Eldon, Mo. – 18-12 (5)

4. James Dill – Sunrise Beach, Mo. – 17-13 (5)

5. James Watson – Lampe, Mo. – 17-12 (5)

6. Andrew Dickneite – Freeburg, Mo. – 16-13 (5)

7. Jeremy Lawyer – Sarcoxie, Mo. – 16-5 (5)

8. Dayton Taylor – Beebe, Ark. – 16-2 (5)

9. Philip Rein – Troy, Mo. – 16-0 (5)

9. Payden Hibdon – Sunrise Beach, Mo. – 16-0

Complete results

Johnson heads up the co-anglers

Jeremy Johnson of Kansas City, Kan., caught a limit worth 15-6 to take the lead on the co-angler side.

“We started out in the mid-lake area, basically fishing docks today,” says Johnson, who finished fourth in the standings as a boater in the T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division. “In practice I hadn’t really caught anything on topwater, so I went straight to flippin’. Midday for about three or four hours it seemed we’d catch one here and one there, it wasn’t any big barrage, but it really died when the sun got up later in the day.”

Johnson says that slow baits around docks and brush did the trick, and says he caught eight keepers on the day.

Complete results

Tournament details

Format: All boaters and co-anglers will compete for two days. The top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on cumulative weight after two days of competition will advance to the third and final round, with the winner in each category determined by the heaviest cumulative three-day weight.

Takeoff Time: 7:00 a.m. CT

Takeoff Location: Public Beach #2, 711 Public Beach Road, Osage Beach, Mo.

Weigh-In Time: Days 1 and 2 at 3 p.m. CT; Day 3 at 4 p.m. CT

Weigh-In Location: Days 1 and 2 at Public Beach #2; Day 3 at Walmart 4252, Highway 54, Osage Beach, Mo.

Complete details

by AnglersChannel

Watch the Water Temps & Start Following the Bass!

Elite Series Pro, Justin Lucas with a nice Smith Lake Spotted Bass. - PC: Chris Brown

You hear it every autumn: ‘when the water cools, the bait migrates to the shallows, and the bass follow.’

Water temperature is dependent on other variables, such as the number of minutes each day the sun is able to warm the water. Air temperature will directly influence water surface temps.

So is water temperature actually the driving force behind the annual autumnal migration to the backs of creeks? Or does the phenomenon depend on photo periodization – the length of the days, which has been in decline since the summer solstice in late June. Following the fall equinox about 3 weeks ago, there are more minutes of darkness than daylight every 24 hours. This should pull water temps down. Right?

It has been hot all over the country lately. Heat index at our high school football practice this week has been over 100 degrees. The bank sign read ‘96’ at 5:30 PM the other day. We are in Florida, but only a few miles from the Georgia line.

So as I prepared tackle the other night I wondered how heat affects movements of bait and bass. I bounced the question to 3 top flight pros.

“I think of it as being similar to the spawn,” said Bassmaster Elite Series veteran Greg Vinson of Wetumpka, Alabama. “You’ve got some fish that make a move based on the weather, and some that go based on the clock, meaning the day length and maybe the moon phase.

“Up shallow we’re catching the early birds right now, but not the big concentrations. It seems like around here the shad and the fish are in limbo, kind of all over the place. Some are still on summer time patterns.”

Vinson expects things to change in a hurry. “Once we get a cold front, the shallow water will cool off first so that should trigger a big move.”

During the recent Open on Smith Lake Vinson had mixed results. The weather was hot prior to the tourney. “I found bait and bass piled in the back of one little creek. I caught 4 good fish out of there but I never found another creek with bait in the back of it.”

Bass tournament pioneer Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Florida has a wealth of experience to draw on when he speaks of annual fish movement.

“As the days start getting shorter the fish know what’s coming. They start heading that way. Temperatures fluctuate year to year and it does affect them, may delay them from moving shallow, but for the most part, they know it’s coming.

“I would start shallow first and work my way back out until I find them as opposed to doing it the other way around.”

Keith Combs recently won the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year tournament, although the AOY title went to Brandon Palaniuk. Still, the win over such a stout field is the latest example of Combs’ prowess on the water and his understanding of fish behavior. The Texas pro says things are a bit weird on his local waters now, but the fishing is great.

“Usually in the fall the lakes get murky and the fish get shallow. This year we’re still catching them deep, haven’t seen them move to the backs of creeks.

“There’s still a ton of hydrilla out deep and because of the hurricane, a lot of current. We’re still punching deep hydrilla.”

Combs points to a recent tourney that drew over 150 boats and took 29 lbs. to win, 28 for 2^nd, and featured 20 bags over 20 pounds. Rayburn is on fire!

Overall, it sounds like bass across the South are slow to make their move to the shallows this year, but once they go it should be ‘lights out’. Keep your eyes open and let us know what you see out there. Good luck this weekend!

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

by AnglersChannel

Lake Hartwell To Host World’s Top Amateur Anglers At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

Ryan Lavigne of Gonzales, La., won the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors last year on Lake Conroe with 58 pounds, 3 ounces. He’ll be back this year to defend his title on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell Oct. 19-21.

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

Oct. 12, 2017

ANDERSON, S.C. — Amateur bass anglers from the U.S. and nine foreign nations will compete next week on Lake Hartwell in a tournament that will be the ultimate test of their fishing skills.

The event is the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors. The competition is Oct. 19-21 with the tournament based in Anderson, S.C.

What began as an American sport has grown globally through the B.A.S.S. membership, and specifically through the club network known as the B.A.S.S. Nation. The qualifiers advanced through local, state and regional club tournaments to reach the championship.

Joining anglers from 47 states are those from Mexico, Japan, Australia, Portugal, Italy, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the province of Ontario and the Republic of South Africa.

Also on the qualifier list is the Paralyzed Veterans of America champion and defending championship winner Ryan Lavigne of Gonzales, La. The Ascension Area Anglers club member scouted the tournament fishery just prior to the official off-limits period that began in mid-September.

What Lavigne found could make this tournament a truly competitive event. Under normal autumn conditions the lake’s abundant population of spotted bass begins to form schools and feed on baitfish in shallow water. Bass concentrated in the creeks are much easier to locate and catch.

So far, unseasonably warm weather has prevented that initial migration of spotted bass from the main lake. During summer, the bass stay in deep water and are challenging to locate.

Lavigne said the spotted bass he found were somewhere in between the deep- and shallow-water areas.

“I didn’t make many casts and instead spent most of the time riding around looking for good areas,” he said. “I only stopped a few times to find out what size spotted bass were in the schools.”

The results were somewhat disappointing for Lavigne. He caught plenty of bass but not of the size to put him into contention to win.

“It could be very hit and miss,” he continued. “It might take a lot of running around to bring back a quality limit of spotted bass.”

Deep reservoirs like Hartwell are far away from Louisiana, where most of the bass fishing happens in shallow rivers, bayous and saltwater estuaries. Call Lavigne a hybrid of Cajun bass anglers. He likes fishing for bass in deep water and mastered the skill through his travels to B.A.S.S. Nation regional events.

“It will take a cold snap to get the fish moving because the water temperature was too warm during my trip,” he added. “But I do like fishing offshore and in deeper water more than anything else.”

The long-term weather forecast predicts daytime high temperatures in the mid-70s and nighttime lows in the 50s. That’s about 15 degrees cooler than current highs and lows.

The Top 3 anglers from the championship advance to the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The Classic is March 16-18 on Lake Hartwell.

The Top 3 anglers also earn paid entry fees in the division of their choosing for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, and use of a B.A.S.S. Nation’s Best Phoenix Boat package for one year.

The winner also receives the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy. A Skeeter ZX200 rigged with Yamaha SHO 200 outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics are part of the prize package. The winner also receives a berth in the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series, with $16,000 paid toward the entries.

The runner-up receives a Skeeter TZX190 and Yamaha SHO 150, rigged with the same accessories as the winner’s boat. The nonboater champion receives a Skeeter TZX190 package rigged with those same accessories, paid entries in an Opens division, and a Classic Marshal spot.

A Triton 189 TRX, Yamaha VF150LA and Triton standard equipment will go to the third-place angler.

Daily launch and takeoff time is 7:30 a.m. ET. The weigh-in begins at 3:45 p.m. Both events will be held at Green Pond Landing and Event Center in Anderson.

Bassmaster.com will provide extensive coverage of the tournament to include daily stories, videos and photo galleries.

The event will be hosted by Visit Anderson.

by AnglersChannel

Taylor Odom Lands an 11-pound Monster to Seal Victory in American Bass Anglers Area Championship on Pickwick!

ATHENS, Ala. – Taylor Odom won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series Area 2 Championship, held October 7-8 on Lake Pickwick. Running out of McFarland Park near Florence, AL the Ridgeland Mississippi angler started his day off with a bang. Just 15 minutes into the day he set the hook on a monster bass, landing it and anchoring his bag of 18.52 pounds to take home the guaranteed boater division prize of $10,000.00.

Day One brought us a picture-perfect morning for the National Anthem as the field took to the water shortly before 6:30. With the threat of Hurricane Nate approaching, the forecast continued to grow towards a threat of severe weather and ended the event a day early. Anglers were given a full day on Day One but Day Two was cancelled.
“This morning I definitely wasn’t expecting this. I got to my first spot and set the hook just 15 minutes later throwing a reaction bait. The fish came up and I nearly lost my composure. I knew she was big, but not that big! It is the largest fish I have landed not just in a tournament, but in my career,” said Odom. Taylors big bass hit the scales and weighed an astonishing 11.42 pounds. “I finished out my limit with some schooling fish and came in at the end of the day with her as my anchor. I didn’t find out until I got to the ramp that day 2 had been cancelled and that’s when I realized that one fish may have just done it for me.” Said Odom.

In second for the boaters, Tom O’Bryant of Cedar Grove, TN finished with a 5-fish limit of 14.54 pounds. The 2nd through 6th place finisher were separated by less than 5 ounces.

“I was catching mine on a jig today. I had a good spot and managed to pull 12 keepers culling 6 or 7 times but I left them around 11:00 saving some for tomorrow.” Said Tom. Not knowing we would be cut short by one day, mother nature changed plans for everyone this weekend.

Drew Boggs of Lebanon, TN took home 3rd place honors with a 5-fish limit for 14.49 pounds.

“I had a real tough practice the past couple days but I never found any keepers. I caught about 30 fish but never found anything to bring to the scales. I had a pattern that was catching fish but nowhere to take it. I ran into a creek this morning I had not been to yet and was able to catch them using the same technique. I caught six keepers today and did cull one time so it worked out.” Stated Drew.

In fourth, Kirby Weeden of Bartlett, TN came in with a solid bag for a 14.46 pound. Finishing 5th was Garrett Riles of Potts Camp, MS with pounds.

In the Co-Angler Division, Tyler Broome of Clinton, MS came in with a solid 3 fish limit of 10.03 pounds anchored by a 4.39 pound largemouth, to claim the first-place guaranteed check of $5000.00. Being this was Pickwick, there were many smallmouths that came across the scales as well, one of them just under 4 lbs.

“We made a long run close to the dam and caught 2 keepers early that morning. I wasn’t able to get any more bites but my boater was whacking em’. He caught his limit and decided to move, and that’s when I finally caught my third keeper, a smallmouth on a whopper plopper. It was the most aggressive top water strike I have ever had. What an awesome sight. That finished out my limit, but later in the day around 2:30 is when I caught the 4.39 lb. largemouth to cull up to my final weight.” Said Tyler. “It was a slow day but exciting.”

Taking second for the co-anglers, Mark Shane drove the 9 hours all the way from Indianapolis, IN to fish this event. Mark brought in three fish for 8.04 pounds anchored by a 3.54 pound largemouth.

“I had a wonderful time, and was paired with a great boater, that was able to put us on the fish. I caught a lot of fish, but just not the ones I needed. The fish were hitting top water, spooks, square bill crankbaits, and the old trusty brush hog. I think the tournament went wonderful, even though I was a little disappointed about Day Two being canceled. The tournament manager and crew did an awesome job, and I’m ready for next year,” said Shane.

JoJo Wash of Lyles, TN placed third among the co-anglers bringing a limit of 3 fish weighing 6.63 pounds.

“We were around fish most of the day, just hard to get keeper bites. I got my first keeper in the boat early. We were fishing deep and it was just tough to get the keepers. I did lose one that would have kept. Just as I set the hook my boater hooked up at the same time. I was closer to the net so I reached down for it thinking I would have to net both at the same time. Just then, mine jumped and threw the hook and my boaters fish ended up being a striper so neither one of us lucked out. I caught my 2nd keeper just 15 minutes before we had to be in, but that fish is what won me AOY.” Explained Walsh.

In fourth place among the co-anglers was Jim Decker of Burlington, KY with 6.59 pounds, and in 5th was Tom Ballowe of Eddyville, KY with 6.53 pounds. Tom also had big bass for the Co-Anglers weighing 4.65 pounds.

The week of April 1st through the 7th, 2018, the best anglers from across the nation will compete in the Ray Scott National Championship, slated for the Red River in Shreveport & Bossier City, LA.

For more information on this tournament, call Chris Wayand, tournament manager, at 256-230-5627 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.ramopenseries.com .

About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Truck Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

by AnglersChannel

Jerry Kotal wins $18,500.00 in Area 4 American Bass Anglers Championship on Lake Hartwell

ATHENS, Ala. – Jerry Kotal of Elberton Ga. won the Ram Truck Open Series area 4 championship held October 7th and 8th on Lake Hartwell. Running out of Green Pond Landing in Anderson, South Carolina, Jerry caught five bass on Day One weighing 17.06 pounds with a 4.69-pound kicker. On Day Two Jerry weighed in another five-bass limit weighing 13.64 pounds for a two-day weight of 30.70 pounds. For the boater division win Jerry took home a check for $10,000.00. Also, because Jerry is a Triton owner he collected an additional $7000.00 in Triton Gold monies and another $1500.00 in Mercury/Motorguide monies.

“I figure I caught around 35 fish for the two days,” said Kotal. “Almost all of the fish I caught were schooling fish. I caught most of my fish on an Ima Skimmer top water bait but I also caught some on a drop shot.”

In second for the boaters Ross Burns of Columbia, South Carolina weighed in two five bass limits with a total weight of 30.65 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 4.48-pound kicker fish. Burns collected $1075.00 for the effort.

“I ran a lot of different spots for two days catching a lot of fish,” said Burns. “Everything I weighed in were schooling fish that I caught on a Sammy.”

Jason Burroughs of Hodges, South Carolina placed third with two five bass limits that had a combined weight of 28.77 pounds. Burroughs took home a check for $875.00.

“I caught probably 35 fish in two days said Burroughs. Everything I weighed in were schooling fish that I caught on a spinnerbait and a top water bait.” said Burroughs.

In fourth place for the boaters Bo Price of Seneca, South Carolina weighed in two five bass limits with a total weight of 24.96 pounds and rounding out the top five boaters
Andy Wicker of Pomaria, South Carolina weighed in two five bass limits with a total weight of 24.54 pounds.

Louis Kraft of Salisbury North Carolina weighed in the biggest bass for the boaters at 4.90 pounds. Kraft took home $640.00 for the bass and because it was the biggest bass of the tournament, and he caught it on an ABU Garcia reel, Kraft also took home a new ABU Garcia SX spinning reel valued at $160.00.

In the Co-Angler Division Jonathan Carter of Greenville, South Carolina won with a total of six bass that weighed 13.82 pounds. He anchored his catch with a bass that weighed 3.24 pounds. He pocketed a check for $5000.00 for his win.
“I caught probably 20-25 fish on day one said Carter. Day two was tougher and I only caught around 10 fish. Everything I caught for both days came on a top water bait and a fluke,” said Carter.

Taking second for the co-anglers, Samuel Thomas of Lexington, North Carolina brought in a two-day limit of six bass that weighed 12.60 pounds. He anchored his catch with a bass that weighed 3.07 pounds. Thomas took home a check for $350.00.

“I caught three bass on day one on a top water bait and on day two I caught 4 bass all on a shaky-head,” said Thomas.

H Dean Chapman of Leesville, South Carolina placed third among the co-anglers with a two-day limit of six bass that weighed 11.50 pounds. He collected $300.00 for the effort.

“I probably caught 15 fish total for two days said Chapman. Day, one was a little tougher than day two. On day one I caught schooling fish on a swimbait. On day two they were off the banks and I caught them dragging a shaky-head,” said Chapman.

Dylan Ballard Of Cannon, Georgia finished fourth with a two-day weight of 11.34 pounds and rounding out the top five was Tony Hudson of Liberty, South Carolina with a two-day weight of 11.09 pounds.

The biggest bass for the co-anglers was weighed in by Ronnie Brown of Cherryville, North Carolina. The bass weighed in at 3.55 pounds, earning Brown $225.00

by AnglersChannel

Sorrell & Beck Squeak out the Win in the Anglers Choice Team Tournament Championship on Kerr Lake!

by AnglersChannel

RESCHEDULED YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FINALE SET FOR FORT GIBSON LAKE

WAGONER, Okla. (Oct. 3, 2017) – YETI FLW College Fishing is heading to Fort Gibson Lake on Oct. 14 for the third and final regular-season stop in the Southern Conference. The tournament was originally scheduled for early May, but was forced to be rescheduled due to flooding and dangerous water conditions. A full field of college fishing clubs will be competing for the top award of a $2,000 club scholarship and a berth into the 2018 College Fishing National Championship, which will be hosted on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana, next May.

“Fort Gibson is a good fishery and I think the college anglers will do well,” said FLW Tour pro Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, a six-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier who finished in 4^th place when the Costa FLW Series competed on Fort Gibson Lake in 2016. “There are a lot of 3 to 4 pound fish in it, and there are some good spotted bass as well.

“A good limit that I would feel very proud of is 15 pounds and up. However, I think the winning weight will likely be 18 to 22 pounds. It should be an exciting tournament for these college anglers.”

Anglers will take off from Taylors Ferry North Recreation Area in Wagoner, at 7:30 a.m. CDT Saturday. Weigh-in will be held at the launch ramp beginning at 3 p.m. Takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.

Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at FLWFishing.com.

Schools registered to compete in the Fort Gibson Lake tournament, which is hosted by the Wagoner Area Chamber of Commerce, include:

Arkansas Tech University – Philip Gottsponer, Morrilton, Ark., and Ethan Stokes, Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Colorado State University-Pueblo – Austin Miles, Durango, Colo., and Tyler Hassler, Fountain, Colo.

East Texas Baptist University – Colby Simmons and Brandon Barber, both of Legion Fields, Texas

East Texas Baptist University – Mason Beatty, Hallsville, Texas, and Dustin Pearcy, Marshall, Texas

East Texas Baptist University – Chad Poulsen, Bossier City, La., and Jared Penton, Grand Junction, Colo.

Harding University – Ethan Flowers, Dexter, Mo., and Cole Swede, Little Rock, Ark.

McMurry University – Chad Moore and Ryan Nevil, both of Mesquite, Texas

Rogers State University – Dillon Roberts, Claremore, Okla., and Kyle Clark, Oologah, Okla.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University – Chris Bradley, Thomas, Okla., and Andy Thurston, Noble, Okla.

Tarleton State University – Stetson Overton, Glen Rose, Texas, and Cason Kelly, Stephensville, Texas

West Texas A&M University – Hunter Hastings and Mason Moore, both of Canyon, Texas

University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff – Cody Salzmann, Dickeyville, Wis., and Kenneth Prince, White Hall, Ark.

FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship on the Red River, hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission & Red River Waterway Commission. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit FLWFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

by AnglersChannel

BARREN RIVER SET FOR T-H MARINE FLW BFL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

GLASGOW, Ky. (Oct. 10, 2017) – The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) is heading to the Barren River Oct. 19-21 for one of six BFL Regional Tournaments. The three-day event, presented by Lowrance, will feature the highest-ranked 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers from each of the Buckeye, Great Lakes, LBL, and Michigan BFL divisions.

The winning boater will receive a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and a check for $20,000, while the winning co-angler will receive a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard. The top six boaters and co-anglers at each regional will advance to one of the longest-running championships in bass fishing – the 2018 BFL All-American, which will be held May 31-June 2 on Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Barren River is expected to produce an excellent weekend of bass fishing for competitors. Anglers will likely be seen flipping jigs with grub trailers to shallow wood. Buzzbaits have also lured some notable bites in these areas, especially near log jams and laydowns. Frogs, Carolina-rigged soft-plastics, lipless crankbaits and drop-shot rigs could also see some action. A three-day cumulative of 15 bass nearing 49 pounds will likely be needed to take top honors in this tournament.

Anglers will take off from Port Oliver Recreation Area & Ramp, located at 4200 Barren River Dam Road in Scottsville, Kentucky, at 7 a.m. CDT each day. Weigh-ins on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 19-20, will be held at the park beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in, Oct. 21, will be held at Walmart located at 2345 Happy Valley Road in Glasgow, and will be begin at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The T-H Marine BFL Regional Tournament on the Barren River is hosted by the Glasgow-Barren County Tourist & Convention Commission.

The 2017 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2018 All-American will be held on Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, May 31-June 2 and is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier City Sports Commission and the Red River Waterway Commission. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

LAKE LANIER SET TO HOST T-H MARINE FLW BFL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY GENERAL TIRE

Bass Pro Shops in Lawrenceville to Feature Saturday’s Championship Weigh-In, Two Ranger Boats Up For Grabs

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Oct. 10, 2017) – The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) is coming to Lake Lanier, Oct. 19-21, for one of six BFL Regional Tournaments. The three-day event, presented by General Tire, will feature 400 of the nation’s top weekend anglers – 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers from each of the Gator, Savannah River, Shenandoah, and South Carolina BFL divisions.

Lake Lanier is expected to fish well for tournament anglers in this BFL Regional Tournament. Anglers will likely be seen targeting schooling bass near points and humps in major creek mouths. Crankbaits and topwater baits should be productive in these areas, especially in the early-morning hours. Swimbaits and flukes may also see a lot of action in this tournament. A three-day cumulative catch of 15 bass weighing 39 pounds should be enough to secure top honors.

Competitors will take off from Laurel Park, located at 3100 Old Cleveland Highway in Gainesville, at 7:30 a.m. EDT each day. Weigh-ins on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 19-20, will be held at the park beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in, Oct. 21, will be held at Bass Pro Shops located at 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and will begin at 4:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The T-H Marine BFL Regional Tournament on Lake Lanier is hosted by the Gainesville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING CENTRAL CONFERENCE FINALE ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Oct. 9, 2017) – The University of Wisconsin team of Turner Truttschel of Madison, Wisconsin, and Colin Steck of Waunakee, Wisconsin, won the YETI FLW College Fishing Central Conference tournament on the Mississippi River Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned the Badgers’ bass club $2,000 and a slot in the 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship, scheduled for May 30-June 2 on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The duo said they spent the tournament picking apart five different areas in Pool No. 9. They said the areas were far enough off of the main river to be considered backwaters, but still had current pushing through them.

“Four of the spots we fished had one or two bigger fish in them, and one had a big school,” said Steck, a freshman majoring in pre-med. “They had grass, rocks and weeds and were anywhere from 1 to 5 feet deep.”

Truttschel, a freshman majoring in pre-business, said the duo caught their first fish on a topwater bait, and the rest on a Brovarney Baits Silicon Swim Jig with either a grub or minnow-style trailer.

“We also lost a good fish at our first spot early on the topwater, but ended up catching it later in the day around 2:30 (p.m.) on the swim jig,” said Truttschel. “Overall we caught around 10 keepers and ended up weighing two smallmouth and three largemouth.”

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2018 College Fishing National Championship are:

1^st: University of Wisconsin – Turner Truttschel, Madison, Wis., and Colin Steck, Waunakee, Wis., five bass, 16-10, $2,000

2^nd: Winona State University – Wyatt Stout, Sauk City, Wis., and Tayler Stolpa, Winona, Minn. five bass, 15-11, $1,000

3^rd: University of Wisconsin – Alexander Lemke, De Pere, Wis., and Jacob Anderson, Princeton, Wis., five bass, 15-3, $900

4^th: University of Wisconsin-Stout – Gavin Hessler, Roberts, Wis., and Noah Lindus, Woodville, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $500

5^th: Saint Ambrose University – John Baumunk and Michael Wolthusen, Stickney, Ill., five bass, 14-14, $500

6^th: Southeast Missouri State – Nick Moore, Desoto, Mo., and Jacob Harris, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 14-9, $200

7^th: University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Grant Ehlenfeldt, New Richmond, Wis., and Brett Stanek, Elroy, Wis., five bass,14-2

8^th: Saint Charles Community College – Dale McCrackin and Gable Moeller, both of Lake Saint Louis, Mo., five bass, 14-1

9^th: University of Northern Iowa – Conner Hinckle and Jack Mauer, both of Cedar Falls, Iowa, five bass, 13-6

10^th: Central College – Cameron Timok, Pella, Iowa, and Dillon Peters, Urbandale, Iowa, five bass, 13-3

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

This YETI FLW College Fishing Central Conference tournament on the Mississippi River was hosted by the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Council, and was the third and final regular-season qualifying tournament for Central Conference anglers in 2017. The next YETI FLW College Fishing event will be the Southern Conference finale, scheduled for Oct. 14 on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma.

by AnglersChannel

RED RIVER TO HOST T-H MARINE FLW BFL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY QUAKER STATE

Bossier City’s Bass Pro Shops to Showcase Saturday’s Championship Weigh-In, Two Ranger Boats up for Grabs

SHREVEPORT, La. (Oct. 10, 2017) – The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) is set for a return to the Red River, Oct. 19-21, for one of six BFL Regional Tournaments. The three-day event, presented by Quaker State, is expected to feature 400 anglers – the top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers from each of the Arkie, Cowboy, Mississippi, and Okie BFL divisions.

A three-day cumulative total of 15 bass approaching the 36-pound mark will likely be needed to take top honors in this tournament. Anglers will likely be seen targeting submerged timber in the main-river channel or fishing drop-offs with frogs and crankbaits. Other competitors may opt for focusing on main-river rocks and sandbars with Carolina-rigged soft-plastics.

Anglers will take off from Red River South Marina, located at 250 Red River South Marina Road in Bossier City, Louisiana, at 7:30 a.m. CDT each day. Weigh-ins on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 19-20, will be held at the marina beginning at 3:30 p.m. Saturday’s final championship weigh-in, Oct. 21, will be held at Bass Pro Shops located at 100 Bass Pro Drive in Bossier City, and will be begin at 4:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The T-H Marine BFL Regional Tournament on the Red River is hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

MARTY SISK GOES WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT ON KENTUCKY LAKE

Ohio’s French Takes Home Co-angler Title

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 9, 2017) – Boater Marty Sisk of Evansville, Indiana, caught a three-day cumulative total of 15 bass weighing 51 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Regional event on Kentucky Lake presented by Evinrude. For his win, Sisk earned $65,200 including a new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and an automatic berth into the 2018 BFL All-American Championship.

Sisk said he primarily fished on the south end of the lake near New Johnsonville, Tenn. He said his bass were all caught in less than 2 feet of water.

“I went to the southern end of the lake because there’s a lot more shallow water than on the northern part of the lake,” said Sisk, who earned his fifth career-win in BFL competition. “I felt it would be a lot easier for me to find fish in shallow water.

“My best spot was a little point right off the main river. I had a little milk run of 10 or 12 spots, but that one spot was better than the others. That’s where I caught most of my big fish.”

Sisk said he used a Bone-colored Heddon Zara Spook to catch all of his fish throughout the week.

“The first day I only caught six fish, but they were all over 4 pounds. The second day the fish did a lot better,” said Sisk. “On Sunday I fished new water in Richland Creek because the wind was so bad. I only caught five small keepers, but they were enough to hold the lead.”

The top six boaters that qualified for the 2018 BFL All-American were:

1^st: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., 15 bass, 51-10, $65,200

2^nd: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-3, $10,100

3^rd: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 40-1, $5,000

4^th: Edward Gettys, Paris, Tenn., 12 bass, 38-6, $3,000

5^th: John Devries, Fishers, Ind., 12 bass, 36-5, $2,000

6^th: Justin Berger, Murray, Ky., 13 bass, 36-1, $1,800

Rounding out the top-10 boaters were:

7^th: Robert Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-7, $1,600

8^th: Doug Ruster, New Palestine, Ind., 12 bass, 35-5, $1,400

9^th: Casey O'Donnell, Langston, Ala., 12 bass, 35-0, $1,200

10^th: Leroy McDuffie, McLeansboro, Ill., 13 bass, 33-7, $2,000

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Billy French of Hamilton, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and a new Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard with a three-day cumulative catch of 12 bass weighing 41 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top six boaters that qualified for the 2018 BFL All-American were:

1^st: Billy French, Hamilton, Ohio, 12 bass, 41-15, $45,200

2^nd: James McWhorter, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 26-6, $5,000

3^rd: Brian Huber, Saint Charles, Mo., nine bass, 23-6, $2,500

4^th: Jason Papek, De Soto, Mo., six bass, 21-5, $1,500

5^th: Josh Ford, Connersville, Ind., 10 bass, 20-9, $1,000

6^th: Bobby Revalee, Connersville, Ind., six bass, 20-8, $900

Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers were:

7^th: Billy Gardner, Livingston, Tenn., six bass, 19-2, $800

8^th: Lawrence Spicher, Boonville, Ind., six bass, 17-15, $700

9^th: Ronnie Gill, Indianapolis, Ind., five bass, 16-9, $600

10^th: Matt Knox, Metamora, Ill., three bass, 13-13, $500

The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament on Kentucky Lake was hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

NITRO Partners With Texas Team Trail

TXTT anglers with chances to win NITRO boats and contingency prizes

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 9, 2017) - NITRO has joined as sponsor for the upcoming 2018 Texas Team Trail (TXTT) season. As part of the partnership, the TXTT will award a brand new fully rigged NITRO Z18 boat to the first-place finishers of two regular-season events. NITRO will also offer additional contingency prize money to qualifying anglers.

"NITRO is dedicated to providing anglers with pro-level fishing platforms to perform at the highest levels and the TXTT gives them an opportunity to showcase these high-performance products," said TXTT Tournament Director Mike Hastings. "Many of our anglers fish out of a NITRO boat and will enjoy the opportunity to pad their tournament winnings with NITRO's contingency program. We are pleased to welcome NITRO into the TXTT family."

The TXTT 2018 season consists of four regular-season events followed by a championship. First-place finishers of two regular-season events will be awarded a brand new fully rigged NITRO Z18. If the winning angler fished from an approved NITRO boat and is part of the NITRO Tournament Rewards program, the NITRO Z18 will be upgraded to a NITRO Z19. Additional payouts extend through 50^th place, with second through 30^th receiving a $250 cash bonus and 31^st through 50^threceiving $125.

"We are excited to be a part of the TXTT," said Rick Emmitt, Marketing Manager - Angler Programs/Pro Staff. "TXTT events are run by veteran industry professionals and have a reputation for putting together fun and exciting experiences for their competitors. TXTT features some of the best anglers from Texas and surrounding states and we are looking forward to showing our product to them in 2018."

The Texas Team Trail includes unprecedented television and media coverage, airing on the Pursuit Channel, Fox Sports Net, NBC Sports, Time Warner Sportsnet and the World Fishing Network.

Registration for the 2018 season will kick off on November 1. Anglers with questions or anyone interested in more details are encouraged to visit www.texasteamtrail.com or call 210-788-4143.

2018 TXTT scheduled events:

February 10 - Sam Rayburn

March 10 - Toledo Bend

April 14 - Amistad

May 5 - Ray Roberts

Championship

June 2-3 - Sam Rayburn

Texas Team Trail events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of these well-respected brands: Cabela's, Ranger Boats, Lucas Oil, RAM, Evinrude, Mercury, Minn Kota, Triton Boats, Power-Pole, NITRO, Lowrance, Protect the Harvest, Garmin, Valley Fashions, T-H Marine, Atlas, G-Juice, Powertex Group.

by AnglersChannel

Joel and Tracy Zalewski are the 2017 American Bass Anglers Couples Champions

Athens, AL - The final day of the 2017 American Couples Series National Championship hosted by American Bass Anglers, is in the books. Running out of Lakepoint Resort State Park in Eufaula, AL Joe Zalewski-Tracy Harp Zalewski of Nashville, TN took home the grand prize of $4000. The married couple fished in the Kentucky Lake division, they brought in a five-fish limit on Day One that weighed 9.93 pounds which put them in sixth place going into the final day. On day two, they brought in another five-fish limit that weighed 13.77 pounds which gave them an overall total weight of 23.70 pounds. They were able to anchor their win with a 3.12-pound bass for both days.

“The lake was fishing very tough and it was also very inconsistent on both days. We started fishing deep as the days got hotter. We mostly used crankbaits and big worms to catch our fish,” stated Joe. “We made a game plan coming into the tournament and stuck to it. We did not see anyone else fishing the tournament doing what we were doing. We really enjoyed fishing even though it was tough,” stated Tracy. She also added that her mother was smiling down on them.

Coming in second was the of Sean Capes-Kathy Capes. The married couple fishes in the Georgia division and lead the tournament after day one by catching a five-fish limit that weighed 14.33 pounds. On day two, they were not so lucky and was only able to bring in a four-fish bag that weighed 7.98 pounds. This gave them an overall total of 22.31 pounds. They anchored their bag with a 5.88-pound big bass and took home $800.

“It was tough fishing on both days, we used shallow crankbaits to catch most of our fish. We were able to catch a limit on day 1 and the wind shifted directions on us the second day and we were not able to get the last bite we needed to make a limit. We want to give a shout out to our directors Jeff and Amanda Maddox, they do an excellent job and put on great tournaments,” said Sean.

Placing third was Thomas and Melissa Bancroft. The married couple fished in the South Carolina Division and was in second after day one with a five-fish limit that weighed 11.91 pounds. On day two, they brought in another five-fish limit that weighed 9.50 pounds giving them an overall weight 21.41 pounds. They took home a check for $575 for their efforts.

“We used a Zoom floating orange magnum worm to catch some of our fish. We also used a spinner bait and an Ole Monster Tilapia Worm Texas rigging in about 4-16 feet of water. We were fishing creek channels on the Georgia side of the lake,” stated Thomas.

The 2017 Couples Angler of The Year team was John and Susan Mills of Leesville, SC. The married couple knew they were in the running for the title and was thrilled to take the honor.

“Two years ago, we lost AOY by one point, we knew we were up in points, but didn’t expect to take it so this is a wonderful surprise. We would like to thank our sponsors JC’S Outdoors and Yeti,” said John and Susan.

Allan Raines of Marianna, FL had the overall men’s big bass of the tournament, with a 5.82 pound largemouth he landed on Day One. He took home $325 for his catch.

“I caught my fish using a black trick worm, fishing in shallow grass right of the channel in the late afternoon,” said Raines.

Rhonda Ford of Cave Spring, GA had the overall women’s big bass of the tournament with a 4.12 pound largemouth that she brought in on Day one. She took home $325 for her fish.

“I was fishing a frog in shallow primrose grass, when I caught the big one, thanks to my partner Mike for putting us on them,” said Ford.

This event has been hosted by the Eufaula-Barbour Chamber of Commerce.

The 2018 ABA American Couples Series Championship will be held on September 16-21, 2018 at Lake Hartwell. The 2018 event is hosted by the Anderson County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

All ABA American Couples Series events involve a team format with each team composed of one man and one woman. Although many married couples compete together as teams, some teams consist of boyfriend and girlfriend combinations, parent-child combinations or just two friends. Contestants between 12 and 18 years old may participate with a parent’s written permission.

The top angling couples from across the nation earn the right to compete in the annual American Bass Anglers Couples Series National Championship tournament.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Ram Truck Open Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

American Bass Anglers, Inc. is supported by Ram Trucks, Triton Boats, Mercury Outboards, Carlisle Tires, GEICO, Berkley, Abu Garcia, T-H Marine, Livingston Lures, Best Western Hotels, Maui Jim, Power Pole, Simms, Garmin, and SiriusXM Marine Weather. American Bass Anglers, Inc. can be contacted at (256) 232-0406 or by visiting americanbassanglers.com

by AnglersChannel

Josh Butler and Jeb Tate Win 2017 Alabama Bass Trail Championship - Team Goes Wire-to-Wire at Logan Martin, Claim Phoenix Bass Boat as First Prize

by Dan O’Sullivan

October 7, 2017 – Pell City, Ala. – All of the talk leading up to the 2017 Alabama Bass Trail Championship at Logan Martin Lake said the fishing was “interesting.” With the varying temperatures the state of Alabama has received recently, the bass population on the Coosa River impoundment did not know whether they were supposed to be in summer or fall patterns.

According to pre-tournament chatter; neither did the field.

However, when a field of anglers that the Alabama Bass Trail serves arrives at a body of water, the reality of the situation is that no matter how tough it is, there are teams that will figure out how to catch the quality it takes to win.

The team that figured it out the best at the 2017 ABT Championship was Josh Butler and Jeb Tate. The pair; who claimed victory on Logan Martin during the inaugural season of the Alabama Bass Trail in 2014, ran to the tailrace of the Neely Henry dam both days and produced a two-day winning weight of 30.27 pounds to claim victory again.

Their wire-to-wire win earned the keys to the 2018 Phoenix 819, Garmin, T-H Marine package worth more than $43,000. On top of that, because they are registered members of the Phoenix bonus program, they earned an additional $7000 Phoenix Frist Flight bonus.

Butler and Tate said they committed to the tailrace and they caught all of their fish on a 3/8-ounce brown Santone Lures casting jig tipped with a Speed Craw trailer. “We had to commit to the dam because it was the only place we could catch the quality we needed to win,” they reported. “Each day was a grind. It took us until 1:00 on day one to get to our final limit, and almost 2:00 today, but to be sitting here having won this is amazing.”

The pair produced a 17.99-pound limit on the first day, and despite Alabama Power drawing the lake level down to make room for Hurricane Nate rains, the pair held serve on a very tough fishing day and placed 12.28 pounds on the scales at Pell City’s Lakeside Park to secure their Championship win. The emotional pair said that the win was a highlight for them. “This is a huge deal for us, to win against this field is not easy,” they said. “We really didn’t think we’d done enough as we were driving back, but to find out that everyone struggled, and we were able to hold on feels really good.”

Adam Bain and Kris Colley were one of the few teams to have improved over their first day performance. After weighing in just over 12 pounds on day one, the pair eclipsed 15 pounds on day two to bring their total weight to 28.22 pounds. That total was good enough to hold the lead for most of the day, until the day one leaders weighed in last.

They said the fished shallow jigs both days of the event. “We spent our first day chasing spotted bass around shallow rocks, but had to change as the water fell,” they said. “We caught a small largemouth on the outside edge of a grass bed today, then kind of went with that as we figured out that the falling water pulled the largemouth to the outside edge of the grass.”

They reported throwing 1/2-ounce Arkie style jigs with Zoom Chunks in a variety of colors to catch their fish. “Color really didn’t matter, we caught them on everything,” they said. “We really ran almost the whole lake today fishing the edge of every grass bed we could find, and that’s how it happened. Obviously, we would rather have had it be one place better, but as tough as it has been, we feel really good about our tournament.” Bain and Colley earned $5,000 for their efforts.

Josh Chapple and Paul Davis finished third in the event with 27.76 pounds, earning $4,000 in the process. They were followed in fourth by Kevin Phillips and Robert Medas with 27.41 pounds, who earned a $3,000 prize, and wrapping up the top five was the team of Ken and Greg Session who posted 27.40 pounds to earn $2,500. The big fish of the tournament was a 5.43-pound largemouth caught by eight place team Jimmy Miller and Mark Stillwell. The big largemouth anchored their 26.94-pound total, and earned them an additional $500 bonus.

The top 10 standings are below, for complete standings go to http://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/lml-results/

Place	Team	Weight	Big Fish	Winnings
1	Josh Butler / Jeb Tate	30.27		$43,000 Phoenix Boat $7,000 Phoenix First Flight
2	Adam Bain / Kris Colley	28.22		$5,000
3	Josh Chapple / Paul Davis	27.76		$4,000
4	Kevin Phillips / Robert Medas	27.41		$3,000
5	Ken Sessions / Greg Sessions	27.40		$2,500
6	Scott Ashley / Taylor Ashley	27.36		$2,000
7	Rickey Campbell / Trey Swindle	27.05		$1,800
8	Jimmy Miller / Mark Stillwell	26.94	5.43	$1,700
9	Nick Harris / Keith Phillips	26.81		$1,600
10	Wesley Sams / Jordan Wiggins	26.75	3.98	$1,400

The sponsors of the 2017 Alabama Bass Trail include; Bill Penney Toyota, Phoenix Bass Boats, GP8 Oxygen Water, Garmin, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Wind Creek Hospitality – Wetumpka, Wind Creek Hospitality – Montgomery, Alabama Tourism Department, SCA Performance, T-H Marine Supplies, Wedowee Marine, AFTCO, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Lew’s Fishing, Crossed Industries, YETI, E3 Apparel, TVA and Alabama Power.

For more information about Alabama Bass Trail, for complete tournament standings and the 2018 tournament schedule visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.

by AnglersChannel

FLW ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE, RULES, ENTRY DATES FOR 2018 YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING

MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 9, 2017) – FLW announced Monday the schedule, rules and entry dates for the 2018 YETI FLW College Fishing season, highlighted by the internationally televised College Fishing National Championship on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the fourth annual FLW College Fishing Open on Kentucky Lake.

Among the changes for 2018 is the addition of a BFL prize package for the runner-up of the College Fishing National Championship Fish-off. After the national champions are crowned on the Red River, the winning team will then compete against each other in a one-day fish-off in which the winner will receive entry into the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup. The runner-up will now receive free entry as a boater or co-angler into the BFL division of his or her choice.

“Every year it seems that FLW College Fishing gets a little bit bigger and a little bit better,” said Kevin Hunt, FLW College Fishing tournament director. “We’re excited to return to some familiar lakes in 2018 but also visit some new fisheries, like Lake Cayuga in New York and the Mississippi River in Wabasha, Minnesota. The extra incentive with the addition of the BFL prize package to the National Championship winner’s prize package will be extremely coveted by college anglers. We are looking forward to another tremendous season and excited to kick it off in January on Sam Rayburn.”

2018 FLW College Fishing Schedule:

FLW College Fishing OPEN

March 6-7 Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, Ky.

Central Conference

April 28 Kentucky/Barkley lakes Gilbertsville, Ky.
July 28 Mississippi River Wabasha, Minn.
Sept. 29 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.

Northern Conference

April 21 Smith Mountain Lake Huddleston, Va.
July 21 Lake Cayuga Seneca Falls, N.Y.
Sept. 8 Lake Erie Sandusky, Ohio

Southeastern Conference

Feb. 10 Lake Seminole Bainbridge, Ga.
March 3 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
May 5 Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn.

Southern Conference

Jan. 13 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Zavalla, Texas
April 7 Lake Texoma Pottsboro, Texas
Oct. 27 Ouachita River Monroe, La.

Western Conference

Feb. 10 Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
May 12 Clear Lake Lakeport, Calif.
Sept. 29 California Delta Bethel Island, Calif.

FLW College Fishing National Championship

May 31-June 1 Red River Bossier City/Shreveport, La.
June 2 – FISH-OFF TBA

Complete rules can be found online at FLWFishing.com.

Registration for the 2018 season opens Dec. 11, 2017, for teams from clubs represented in the 2017 FLW College Fishing National Championship. All other teams may register beginning Dec. 12, 2017. You can register at FLWFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000.

FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the following year’s FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats or 200 boats in the Open. The 2018 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship is on the Red River, May 31-June 2, and hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission & Red River Waterway Commission.

by AnglersChannel

Hometown Hero Sticks 'Em Good: Wiggins Wins Again - Special from Traditions Media, St. Croix Rods & Seaguar Line

St. Croix Rod bass pro Jesse Wiggins finds success in precise technique-specific rod matching to crack tough bass bites

Park Falls, WI (October 6, 2017): Call ‘em “naturals,” there are some anglers who just have a knack for finding and catching fish. One such angler is St. Croix Rod bass pro Jesse Wiggins, the 27-year-old Addison, Alabama native currently finishing out his rookie B.A.S.S. Elite season.

Pro bass fans and pundits quickly recognized the kid’s raw talent and outside-the-box fishing style. Consider his Bassmaster Southern Open win this past January on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes where he cranked and worked a shaky head deep when the field was either sight-fishing spawners or working grass.

Add a third place finish in his first Elite tournament on Cherokee Lake; 37th in the Toyota Angler of the Year standings; and his most recent win at Southern Open No. 3 on Alabama’s Smith Lake. All this culminates in triple-qualification for the upcoming Bassmaster Classic on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell.

But it’s not the first time Wiggins has demonstrated prowess on his hometown waters of Smith Lake in northern Alabama. In 2016, Wiggins climbed the leaderboard to edge out Jordan Lee and take tops in the 2016 Bassmaster Southern Open #2.

Image courtesy of B.A.S.S.

But despite his past success and extensive experience on the 21,000 acre lake, Wiggins says practice revealed it would be tough fishing this time ‘round.

“It’s been really hot, the water’s down, and there’s been a lot of fishing pressure,” says Wiggins. “But I knew I could still get some topwater bites early in the morning, then run up a creek for a few more bites later in the day. That’s what I did all three days.”

Besides a morning buzzbait routine, Wiggins kept a host of St. Croix rods rigged with shaky heads and square bills.

“Matching the right rod with the right bait is a big deal,” says Wiggins. “This is my first year with St. Croix and I’ve been blown away by the performance and the people. They’re really awesome rods, and they’ve got numerous models for every technique I can think of. I have some new rods in development with them, too. Pretty excited about that.”

Wiggins kept three primary set-ups on deck during the recent Smith Open, all matched specifically to how he fishes each bait. “I spend a lot of time refining the exact combo for each technique on each body of water. For Smith, it was a St. Croix AVID X for buzzbaits, St. Croix Legend Elite spinning for shaky head, and ‘Croix Legend Glass for crankin’.”

Realizing the devil’s in the details, here are the exact specs of his winning weaponry:

BUZZBAIT

Rod: St. Croix Avid X (AXC70MHF) 7' Medium Power, Moderate Action Casting Rod

Reel: Shimano Curado 70

Line: 50 lb. Seaguar Smackdown braid

Bait: 1/4-ounce Cumberland Pro Lures buzzbait w/Zoom Horny Toad (both in black and white)

“I was able to make accurate casts going down the bank, casting to isolated rock anywhere from right on the bank to 4’-5’. There was up to 10’ of water visibility,” says Wiggins.

SHAKY HEAD

Rod: St. Croix Legend Elite (ES70MHF) 7' Medium-Heavy Power, Fast Action Spinning Rod

Reel: Shimano Stradic CI4+ 2500

Line: 15 lb. Seaguar Smackdown braid w/ 10’ of 12 lb. InvisX fluorocarbon tied to the main line with a Modified Albright knot.

Bait: 3/16-ounce shaky head and Zoom Fluke Stick (green pumpkin)

“I fell in love with the Legend Elite from day one. It’s really sensitive and that’s key,” says Wiggins.

SQUARE BILL CRANKBAIT

Rod: St. Croix Legend Glass (LGC610MHM) 6'10" Medium Power, Moderate Action Casting Rod

Reel: Shimano Chronarch 6.4:1

Line: 12 lb. Seaguar InvisX fluorocarbon

Lure: Jenko Fishing CD15 Squared (flaming craw/spring craw)

“The St. Croix Legend Glass is the best crankbait rod I’ve ever had. The 6’10” is the perfect length for really accurate casts under limbs and dock cables. Plus, the way the rod loads, I never lost any fish. Really keeps hooks from coming out.”

PLAY BY PLAY

Day One started well for Wiggins, who culled a couple bass early on a buzzbait. But by 11 am he knew it was time to switch up. “It started playing out like I thought it might; we’re talking fishing for five or six good bites a day. I ran up a creek, caught two big ones on the Jenko square bill, then came back out of the creek and got one big one on a buzzbait off a shady bank right before weigh-in.”

He ended Day One with 15-2.

“Day 2 was an absolute grind. I didn’t catch any on the buzzbait. Lost a couple that short-bit it and then caught a couple on the shaky head with a Zoom Fluke Stick in green pumpkin and three on the square bill. I was feeling okay, but I knew I had missed some good opportunities in the morning and it would be an uphill climb. Still, I got a couple good bites off the same spots where I caught fish on the first day so I felt good going into the last day.”

On Day 3 Wiggins caught a couple keepers chasing bait off a deeper point and followed up with a four-pounder on a shaky head. “Then I ran up the creek and caught my last big one on a square bill from the exact same area I fished the first two days.”

Ultimately, Wiggins’ three-day 39-15 total eclipsed second place by five pounds plus and earned him over $50,000 in cash and prizes.

“I’ve wanted to fish professionally as long as I can remember and it’s still my dream, but I also realize it’s still just fishing. Working as a respiratory therapist at a hospital has taught me a lot about the more important things in life. I take my fishing seriously, and fish each tournament to win, but I feel humbled just to do what I do. The main thing is I‘ve learned to stay positive about everything. I enjoy the successes, but the journey is just as important.”

Following the win, Wiggins will return to picking up hospital shifts, as well start preparing for the first 2018 Bassmaster Open and his second Bassmaster Classic.

“I’m pretty excited to fish Hartwell. You’ve got blueback herring and both spotted bass and largemouths—pretty similar to my home lake. I’m anxious to get up there this winter and figure something out.”

This much is certain: Fans will be cheering for the new kid on the block, including the folks at the St. Croix factory in Park Falls, Wisconsin.

“Jesse Wiggins is a talented young angler with a great future ahead of him in pro bass fishing. In a very short time he’s proven he’s got what it takes. He’s also a great ambassador for our brand and a fantastic resource to help keep us on the front lines of what progressive young bass anglers are looking for in terms of rod design and application. We congratulate him on his most recent win and events ahead,” says Jesse Simpkins, Director of Marketing, St. Croix Rod.

by AnglersChannel

Elam’s Bassmaster Open Win Sends Iaconelli To The Bassmaster Classic

James Elam of Tulsa, Okla., wins the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open No. 3 held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Grove, Okla., with a three-day total weight of 36 pounds, 14 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

Oct. 7, 2017

GROVE, Okla. — Bassmaster Elite Series pro James Elam captured his second victory on Oklahoma waters by winning the season-ending Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

The Tulsa, Okla., angler finished with a three-day total of 36 pounds, 14 ounces to win the pro division top prize of a Skeeter ZX200, Yamaha SHO200, Skeeter tandem-axle Tuff-coated trailer with brakes, Minn Kota Fortrex 80F-US2 45-inch shaft trolling motor, Lowrance Elite Ti 7 dash and bow electronics and prop valued at $45,000, along with $8,491 in cash. Elam also won the 2015 Bassmaster Central Open at Fort Gibson.

Elam caught most of his keepers today on a Carolina-rigged green pumpkin plastic lizard and some on a Jackall Lures Pompadour topwater lure. “I fished a lot of stuff,” he said. “I caught them off of four places and they were all full-time shad places that were in the middepth range.” The spots were mostly flats with subtle breaks and brush. The fish were holding in two different ranges, either 5- to 7-feet deep or 10- to 15-feet deep.

“I caught fish all day, but only had the five keepers,” Elam said. The Oklahoma pro said he ran about the same patterns the first two days as well.

Elam was ecstatic about winning, but he couldn’t have been much happier with the outcome than veteran Elite pro Michael Iaconelli. By winning the Open, Elam double-qualified for the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods in March. That moved the cut line down one notch on the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points list, enabling Iaconelli to qualify for his 17th Classic in a row. His is currently the longest unbroken string of consecutive Classic qualifications on the Elite circuit.

Former Bassmaster Elite Series pro Casey Scanlon weighed in a 9-2 limit today to finish second in the pro division with 36-4. “I started off with three keepers in the first two hours and I got six or seven keeper bites,” he said. “But they just weren’t quality fish.”

Scanlon fished the same dock pattern as he did on Friday, when he caught a 15-15 limit. “I caught my biggest fish off a dock I hadn’t been to this week,” he said. “Early in the day I would start out fishing behind the docks with a jig and a tube, and then I would go a little deeper and focus on the sides and the fronts later on in the afternoon with a Luck-E-Strike Con-Man worm.”

Other anglers finishing in the Top 5 of the pro division were Masayuki Matsushita of Japan, 35-7; Toby Hartsell, Afton, Okla., 34-10; and Allan Nail, Sand Springs, Okla., 33-10.

Oklahoma City firefighter Steve Tennison won the co-angler division with 20-9. The Lexington, Okla., angler received the first-place prize of a $30,000 Nitro Z18, Mercury 150 Pro XS, Nitro single-axle trailer, Minn Kota Maxxum 70 24-volt trolling motor, Lowrance Hook 5X Pro electronics and prop. He caught most of his keepers on a Carolina-rigged Strike King Rage Tail Menace Grub.

Five anglers qualified for 2018 Elite Series by virtue of their point totals in the 2017 Central Opens. They are Roy Hawk of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., with 534 points; Harvey Horne of Bella Vista, Ark., with 530 points; Hartsell with 528 points; Randy Sullivan of Breckenridge, Texas, with 516 points; and Ray Hanselman of Del Rio, Texas, with 516 points.

The $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award on the pro side went to John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic qualifier for the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, who weighed in a 5-14 largemouth. Joe Gammell of Broken Arrow, Okla., caught a 5-pound largemouth to earn the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award on the co-angler side.

Elam also won the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $500 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.

Andy Ortega of Odessa, Texas, received the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $250 for finishing as the top pro on Day 2. Finishing as the Day 2 leader on the co-angler side, Will Major of Port Allen, La., received a Livingston Lures gift pack worth $250.

The final Central Open was sponsored by the City of Grove, Okla.

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Grand Lake 10/5-10/7
Grand Lake, Grove OK.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. James Elam Tulsa, OK 15 36-14 200 $53,265.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 13-02 Day 3: 5 08-15
2. Casey Scanlon Lenexa, KS 15 36-04 199 $18,443.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 15-15 Day 3: 5 09-02
3. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 15 35-07 198 $13,832.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 11-04
4. Toby Hartsell Afton, OK 13 34-10 197 $12,376.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 3 06-10 Day 3: 5 11-11
5. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 12 33-10 196 $10,799.00
Day 1: 4 10-06 Day 2: 5 16-12 Day 3: 3 06-08
6. Beau Branine Haysville, KS 14 32-03 195 $9,221.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 09-15 Day 3: 4 08-14
7. Roy Hawk Lk Havasu Cty, AZ 12 31-11 194 $7,765.00
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 15-07 Day 3: 2 04-08
8. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 12 31-05 193 $6,188.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 2 04-15
9. Andy Ortega Odessa, TX 10 28-06 192 $4,861.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 12-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
10. Jonathan Simon Orange, TX 10 27-07 191 $4,247.00
Day 1: 4 11-14 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 1 01-07
11. Dave Mansue Hemphill, TX 12 27-05 190 $3,883.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 2 03-01
12. Gary Clouse La Vergne, TN 10 26-02 189 $3,640.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 4 08-10 Day 3: 1 03-05
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
John Garrett Union City, TN 05-14 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 49 543 1210-06
2 25 387 864-10
3 4 35 73-10
----------------------------------
78 965 2148-10

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Grand Lake 10/5-10/7
Grand Lake, Grove OK.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 9 20-09 200 $30,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-15 Day 2: 3 05-05 Day 3: 3 06-05
2. Will Major Port Allen, LA 7 18-10 199 $5,945.00
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 3 06-12 Day 3: 1 03-10
3. Noel Allen Jr Brandon, MS 6 16-08 198 $4,489.00
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 1 04-11 Day 3: 2 04-11
4. Jody Hughes Gravois Mills, MO 6 16-03 197 $3,033.00
Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 1 02-09 Day 3: 2 06-00
5. Joe Lee Grand Prairie, TX 7 15-15 196 $2,791.00
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 2 04-02 Day 3: 2 04-01
6. Lonnie Miller Broken Arrow, OK 8 15-04 195 $2,669.00
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 05-15 Day 3: 2 03-03
7. Jimmy Charbonnet Saint Amant, LA 8 13-11 194 $2,548.00
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 05-06 Day 3: 2 03-06
8. Alan Quick Springfield, MO 6 13-09 193 $2,427.00
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 3 08-04 Day 3: 1 02-03
9. Brandon Orton Memphis, MO 4 11-14 192 $2,305.00
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 1 03-08 Day 3: 0 00-00
10. Aubrey Herlocker Winfield, KS 5 11-13 191 $2,063.00
Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 2 03-00 Day 3: 0 00-00
11. Matt Dobson Edmond, OK 5 11-02 190 $1,820.00
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 2 06-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
12. Blaine Sparks Denham Springs, LA 5 10-06 189 $1,699.00
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 06-04 Day 3: 0 00-00
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Joe Gammell Broken Arrow, OK 05-00 $250.00
----------------------------------

by AnglersChannel

Ortega Takes Over Lead At Bassmaster Open On Grand Lake

Andy Ortega of Odessa, Texas, takes the lead on the second day of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open No. 3 held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Grove, Okla., with a two-day total weight of 28 pounds, 6 ounces.

Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

Oct. 6, 2017

GROVE, Okla. — Two months ago Andy Ortega was competing in a high school world finals championship. Today, he is leading the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open finale at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

The 18-year-old Odessa, Texas, angler weighed in a five-bass limit of 12 pounds, 7 ounces to take over the lead in the pro division with 28-6. “I had a little bit less today, but yesterday I had more than I was expecting,” he said. “I was expecting to have 12 pounds and I ended up getting 15, which was a bonus and an awesome head start.”

“It was a lot of hard work today,” Ortega said. However, the teen angler is used to hard work after spending the last two months working 70 hours a week in the west Texas gas industry.

Ortega threw a topwater lure in an area receiving heavy fishing pressure and managed to catch three keepers by about 10 o’clock. “There were about eight boats fishing my area, but I watched every single one of them and none of them were catching fish,” he said.

Moving on to a new spot, Ortega completed his limit with a couple of squeakers. “They were little 1-pounders,” he said.

“So I had a gut feeling to go back to my primary area. I picked up one of my custom jigs that I make at home, and I ended up culling two times.”

The former Junior Bassmaster angler has a reputation for catching big bass. He once caught a 10-pounder that measured 28 1/2 inches and set a Texas state record for length.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro James Elam jumped into second place with 27-15 by catching a 13-2 limit today.

“The fishing was pretty consistent with how I caught them yesterday,” Elam said. “I just have to hunker down and look for more stuff.”

Today the Tulsa, Oka., pro relied on three lures to catch his fish in some of the same spots and other areas where he has caught bass in the past and some new spots.

The rest of the Top 5 pro division anglers include Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 27-3; Allan Nail, Sand Springs, Okla., 27-2; and Casey Scanlon, Lenexa, Kan., 27-2.

The pro anglers are not only vying for a berth in the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, which will be held on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell in March, but also a first-place prize package including a Skeeter ZX200 and tandem axle trailer powered by a Yamaha SHO200, and loaded with a Minn Kota Fortrex trolling motor and Lowrance electronics.

Ascension Bass Anglers club member Will Major of Port Allen, La., moved into first place in the co-angler division with 15 pounds. The 70-year-old retired BASF chemical company employee caught three keepers weighing 6-12 on the same lure he used on Thursday. He said the key to catching his keepers was his pro division partner allowed him to “fish his strength.”

The co-angler winner will receive a Nitro Z18 and trailer powered by a Mercury 150 Pro XS, and loaded with a Minn Kota Maxxum trolling motor and Lowrance electronics.

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic qualifier for the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, still leads in the pro division of the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with a 5-14 largemouth. The leader in the co-angler division of the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award is still Joe Gammell, Broken Arrow, Okla., with a 5-pound largemouth.

Championship Saturday’s takeoff will be held at 7 a.m. CT Wolf Creek Park, 963 N. 16th St., in Grove. The final weigh-in will move to the Bass Pro Shops at 101 Bass Pro Shop Drive in Broken Arrow and will begin at approximately at 4:30 p.m.

The event is hosted by the City of Grove, Okla.

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Shell Rotella, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Berkley, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Power-Pole

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, Shimano, T-H Marine, Advance Auto Parts

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 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), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 45 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, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

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Media Contact: JamieDay Matthews, 205-313-0945, [email protected] or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, [email protected]

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Grand Lake 10/5-10/7
Grand Lake, Grove OK.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Andy Ortega Odessa, TX 10 28-06 200 $250.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 12-07
2. James Elam Tulsa, OK 10 27-15 199
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 13-02
3. Roy Hawk Lk Havasu Cty, AZ 10 27-03 198
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 15-07
4. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 9 27-02 197
Day 1: 4 10-06 Day 2: 5 16-12
5. Casey Scanlon Lenexa, KS 10 27-02 196
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 15-15
6. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 10 26-06 195
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 12-12
7. Jonathan Simon Orange, TX 9 26-00 194
Day 1: 4 11-14 Day 2: 5 14-02
8. Dave Mansue Hemphill, TX 10 24-04 193
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 12-05
9. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 10 24-03 192
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-01
10. Beau Branine Haysville, KS 10 23-05 191
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 09-15
11. Toby Hartsell Afton, OK 8 22-15 190
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 3 06-10
12. Gary Clouse La Vergne, TN 9 22-13 189
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 4 08-10
13. Timmy Reneau Richland Springs, TX 8 22-11 188 $3,033.00
Day 1: 3 09-03 Day 2: 5 13-08
14. Jerod Hawkes Eagle Pass, TX 8 22-05 187 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 3 09-09
15. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 22-00 186 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 11-07
16. Tim Hickson Cleveland, OK 10 21-13 185 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-02
17. Theron Caldwell Colleyville, TX 10 21-11 184 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 09-13
18. Chris Torkleson Sand Springs, OK 10 21-08 183 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 09-11
19. Larry Puckett Decatur, TX 9 20-15 182 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 4 09-05
20. David Ryan Levasy, MO 9 20-08 181 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 4 10-01
21. William Walker Jena, LA 9 20-04 180 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 4 08-04
22. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 9 20-00 179 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 08-03
23. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 9 19-15 178 $3,033.00
Day 1: 4 09-01 Day 2: 5 10-14
24. Keith Surber Longview, TX 9 19-04 177 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 4 07-12
25. Thomas Canady Collinsville, OK 8 19-03 176 $3,033.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 3 05-00
26. Chris Babin Raceland, LA 8 19-03 175 $2,669.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 3 07-00
27. Jeff Avery El Dorado, AR 8 19-02 174 $2,669.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 3 06-05
28. Jason Reyes Huffman, TX 9 19-01 173 $2,669.00
Day 1: 4 09-04 Day 2: 5 09-13
29. B.J. Usie Houma, LA 8 19-00 172 $2,669.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 3 07-03
30. Brent Breznik Borger, TX 10 18-15 171 $2,669.00
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 09-10
31. Justin McClelland Rogers, AR 9 18-14 170 $2,305.00
Day 1: 4 08-00 Day 2: 5 10-14
32. Nick Diberardino Onalaska, TX 9 18-13 169 $2,305.00
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 4 08-00
33. Eric Porterfield Fort Gibson, OK 8 18-12 168 $2,305.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 3 07-01
34. Alex Finch Fate, TX 8 18-09 167 $2,305.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 3 05-07
35. Gary Riffle Paris, TX 9 18-06 166 $2,305.00
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 5 09-15
36. Darrel Robertson Jay, OK 10 18-06 165 $1,941.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 08-12
37. Cole Findley Forsyth, MO 7 18-00 164 $1,941.00
Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 4 09-03
38. Chris Laposta Neosho, MO 8 17-15 163 $1,941.00
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 3 07-13
39. Shonn Goodwin Moore, OK 8 17-07 162 $1,941.00
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 3 07-07
40. Jeff Dobson Bartlesville, OK 9 17-06 161 $1,941.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 4 07-14
41. Greg Vance Dubuque, IA 8 16-15 160
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 5 10-02
42. Matthew Loetscher Many, LA 8 16-15 159
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 5 08-14
43. Troy Orourke Natchitoches, LA 8 16-09 158
Day 1: 4 09-05 Day 2: 4 07-04
44. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 9 16-07 157
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 4 06-11
45. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 6 16-05 156
Day 1: 4 12-10 Day 2: 2 03-11
46. Patrick Touey Nipomo, CA 6 16-01 155
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 1 02-05
47. Eddy May Valley Center, KS 9 16-00 154
Day 1: 4 06-11 Day 2: 5 09-05
48. Brian Clark Haltom City, TX 7 15-15 153
Day 1: 4 06-07 Day 2: 3 09-08
49. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 7 15-13 152
Day 1: 4 07-08 Day 2: 3 08-05
50. Tim Reed Collinsville, OK 7 15-10 151
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 2 06-01
51. Tommy Martin Hemphill, TX 7 15-03 150
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 2 04-05
52. Ken Iyobe Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 8 15-01 149
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 3 05-12
53. Eddie Carper Valliant, OK 6 14-12 148
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 1 00-12
54. Garon Smith Olathe, KS 6 14-10 147
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 3 06-08
55. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 5 14-08 146
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 4 12-10
56. Ralph Myhlhousen Council Bluffs, IA 7 14-07 145
Day 1: 4 07-13 Day 2: 3 06-10
57. Pete Wenners Galena, MO 8 14-06 144
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 5 08-03
58. Ron Johnson Chandler, AZ 6 14-06 143
Day 1: 3 07-04 Day 2: 3 07-02
59. T-Roy Broussard Port Arthur, TX 6 14-05 142
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 1 03-01
60. Kenta Kimura Afton, OK 7 14-04 141
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 4 09-00
61. Josh Greer Carthage, MO 7 14-04 140
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 4 07-12
62. Marshall Hughes Port Neches, TX 7 14-00 139
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 4 09-01
63. Patrick Spencer Marana, AZ 8 13-15 138
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 3 05-11
64. Billy Smith Sr Willis, TX 6 13-13 137
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 2 05-06
65. Sam George Athens, AL 5 13-12 136
Day 1: 2 06-02 Day 2: 3 07-10
66. Luke Frazier Owasso, OK 6 13-08 135
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 1 01-13
67. Dustin Laber Greeley, CO 7 13-08 134
Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 4 08-05
68. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 7 13-08 133
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 4 07-00
69. Terry Luedtke Burton, TX 6 13-03 132
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 2 04-09
70. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 13-01 131
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
71. Rob Mcpheron Montgomery, TX 7 13-01 130
Day 1: 4 07-13 Day 2: 3 05-04
72. Darrell Lyons Hemphill, TX 7 13-00 129
Day 1: 4 07-07 Day 2: 3 05-09
73. Cody Compton Palisade, CO 5 12-15 128
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 2 07-07
74. Greg West Richardson, TX 6 12-14 127
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 1 03-06
75. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 4 12-12 126
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 1 05-12
76. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 7 12-09 125
Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 4 06-15
77. Matt Ells Mount Vernon, MO 5 12-08 124
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 4 10-06
78. Wade Leblanc Gonzales, LA 7 12-07 123
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 2 03-08
79. Tom Statler Kimberling City, MO 5 11-15 122
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 4 10-04
80. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 6 11-15 121
Day 1: 4 06-03 Day 2: 2 05-12
81. Ryan Lavigne Gonzales, LA 5 11-14 120
Day 1: 4 08-04 Day 2: 1 03-10
82. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 5 11-11 119
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
83. Chad Kallina Lago Vista, TX 5 11-10 118
Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 3 06-15
84. Mike McClelland Bentonville, AR 6 11-05 117
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 1 02-02
85. John Garrett Union City, TN 3 11-04 116
Day 1: 3 11-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
86. Kelly Power Cape Fair, MO 6 11-04 115
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 1 02-05
87. Dustin Wrona Tulsa, OK 5 11-03 114
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 3 05-10
88. Teb Jones Hattiesburg, MS 5 10-13 113
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 3 07-03
89. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 10-13 112
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 3 06-13
90. Ryan Wilbanks Wagoner, OK 5 10-09 111
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
91. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 10-08 110
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 2 03-12
92. Ryan Heavener Tulsa, OK 5 10-05 109
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 2 03-15
93. Gary Vining Morgan City, LA 4 10-02 108
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Jim Simpson Canyon, TX 5 10-02 107
Day 1: 4 07-08 Day 2: 1 02-10
95. Kylie Sparks Denham Spgs, LA 5 10-01 106
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 2 05-07
96. Larry Riffey Pratt, KS 4 10-01 105
Day 1: 2 04-14 Day 2: 2 05-03
97. Benjamin Jackson Monkey Island, OK 5 09-13 104
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 4 09-12 103
Day 1: 4 09-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
99. Terry Peacock Royse City, TX 5 09-12 102
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 2 05-05
100. Timothy Klinger Boulder City, NV 4 09-11 101
Day 1: 2 05-12 Day 2: 2 03-15
101. Ryan Otto Mayer, MN 3 09-10 100
Day 1: 2 07-10 Day 2: 1 02-00
102. Bruce Whitmire Channelview, TX 4 09-10 99
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 1 02-14
103. Edwin Pulda Jasper, TX 5 09-09 98
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 3 05-09
104. Stacey King Reeds Spring, MO 5 09-08 97
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 3 06-03
105. Cody Ryan Greaney Manchaca, TX 4 09-07 96
Day 1: 4 09-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
105. Jason Lieblong Conway, AR 4 09-07 96
Day 1: 4 09-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
107. Tim Wilcoxson Edgewood, TX 4 09-07 94
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 3 07-13
108. Travis Loyd Vienna, IL 5 09-07 93
Day 1: 4 07-08 Day 2: 1 01-15
109. Brooks Forsyth Hester, LA 5 09-06 92
Day 1: 4 07-07 Day 2: 1 01-15
110. Josh Bertrand San Tan Valley, AZ 4 09-04 91
Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 1 01-12
111. Branden Hollingshead Azle, TX 5 09-02 90
Day 1: 4 07-03 Day 2: 1 01-15
112. Dillon Statler Kimberling City, MO 4 08-14 89
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 08-14
113. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 4 08-12 88
Day 1: 4 08-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
114. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 4 08-11 87
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 1 02-01
115. Sammy Burks Jr Joplin, MO 3 08-10 86
Day 1: 3 08-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
116. Dewayne French Mammoth Spring, AR 4 08-08 85
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 2 03-14
117. Chris Berry Houston, TX 4 08-08 84
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 04-00
118. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 4 08-07 83
Day 1: 2 05-06 Day 2: 2 03-01
119. Bill Gaddis Vinita, OK 4 08-04 82
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 2 04-14
120. Ben King Garnett, KS 4 08-03 81
Day 1: 4 08-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
121. Johnny Nguyen Tucson, AZ 5 08-01 80
Day 1: 4 06-03 Day 2: 1 01-14
122. Greg Yates Oak Point, TX 4 07-15 79
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
123. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 3 07-14 78
Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
124. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 3 07-13 77
Day 1: 3 07-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
125. Justin Hurd Edmond, OK 4 07-13 76
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 1 02-02
126. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 4 07-10 75
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 3 06-00
127. Dylan Connell Marion, IL 5 07-10 74
Day 1: 4 05-12 Day 2: 1 01-14
128. Brandon Lee Ratcliff, AR 4 07-10 73
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 2 04-05
129. Jay Brainard Enid, OK 4 07-08 72
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 05-09
130. Drew Sloan Scurry, TX 3 07-04 71
Day 1: 1 03-09 Day 2: 2 03-11
131. Domonick Poullard Houston, TX 2 06-14 70
Day 1: 2 06-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
132. Ron Wells Claremore, OK 4 06-14 69
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 3 05-03
133. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 3 06-14 68
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 04-14
134. Ernie Stumpf III Frisco, TX 4 06-12 67
Day 1: 2 02-12 Day 2: 2 04-00
135. Brent Algeo Ozark, MO 3 06-09 66
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
136. Steven Nieto Houston, TX 3 06-04 65
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
137. Chad Smith Eau Galle, WI 3 06-04 64
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 2 03-13
138. Bob Fair Collinsville, OK 3 06-01 63
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
139. Ted Vaughan Maypearl, TX 3 06-00 62
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 1 01-08
140. Robert Bratton Owasso, OK 3 06-00 61
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 1 02-13
141. Tommy Durham Whitney, TX 3 05-14 60
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 1 02-04
142. Carl Svebek III Orange, TX 2 05-08 59
Day 1: 1 03-09 Day 2: 1 01-15
143. Jeffery Iacchei Pflugerville, TX 3 05-07 58
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
144. Chance Woodard Paris, TX 2 05-05 57
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-05
145. Bryan Trahan Orange, TX 2 05-03 56
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 1 02-12
146. Dylan Lyons Hemphill, TX 2 04-15 55
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 1 01-13
147. Randy Qualls Streetman, TX 3 04-15 54
Day 1: 2 02-10 Day 2: 1 02-05
148. Gary Hurd Bartlesville, OK 2 04-13 53
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
149. Doug Vahrenberg Higginsville, MO 3 04-11 52
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 2 03-04
150. Casey Bennett Gatesville, TX 2 04-06 51
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-06
151. Joel Mayfield Perkinston, MS 1 04-05 50
Day 1: 1 04-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
152. Wayne Murray Baton Rouge, LA 2 04-04 49
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
153. Dustin Reneau Mckinney, TX 2 03-14 48
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
154. Darrell Newman Bruceville, TX 2 03-13 47
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 1 01-12
155. Ted Pearce Jr Florence, MS 2 03-11 46
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
156. Josh Tidenberg Texico, NM 2 03-11 45
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 1 02-03
157. Chad Murray Vidalia, LA 2 03-09 44
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Justin Margraves Diana, TX 2 03-04 43
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Sean Arnold Jenks, OK 1 03-04 42
Day 1: 1 03-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
160. Matthew Delaney Pollock, LA 1 03-03 41
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-03
161. Bill McNutt Henry, IL 2 03-00 40
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-00
162. Bruce Parsons Arbela, MO 1 02-09 39
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
163. Mark Jenkins Ville Platte, LA 2 02-07 38
Day 1: 2 02-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
164. Scott Bonvillain Lake Charles, LA 2 02-03 37
Day 1: 2 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
165. Edgar Renteria Leon MEXICO 1 02-01 36
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
166. Ed Melton Houston, TX 1 01-15 35
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
167. Kyle Hall Rio Vista, TX 1 01-14 34
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
167. Yoshikazu Sato Katsushika-Ku JAPAN 1 01-14 34
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
169. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 1 01-11 32
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
170. RJ Chandler Jr. Vinton, LA 1 01-09 31
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-09
171. Justin Wojcik Bulverde, TX 1 01-06 30
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-06
172. David Boelkins Hubertus, WI 1 01-03 29
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Bobby Badarack Euless, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Kyle Bohannan Berryville, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Tyler Ellis Battlefield, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Chris Hart Bozeman, MT 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Greg Ingram Owasso, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Brian Mathis Northglenn, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Tommy Murray Bedford, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Jacob Parker Fort Worth, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Audie Prewitt Jr Benton, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Steve Sennikoff Forney, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 49 543 1210-06
2 25 387 864-10
----------------------------------
74 930 2075-00

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Grand Lake 10/5-10/7
Grand Lake, Grove OK.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Will Major Port Allen, LA 6 15-00 200
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 3 06-12
2. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 6 14-04 199
Day 1: 3 08-15 Day 2: 3 05-05
3. Lonnie Miller Broken Arrow, OK 6 12-01 198
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 05-15
4. Brandon Orton Memphis, MO 4 11-14 197
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 1 03-08
5. Joe Lee Grand Prairie, TX 5 11-14 196
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 2 04-02
6. Aubrey Herlocker Winfield, KS 5 11-13 195
Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 2 03-00
7. Noel Allen Jr Brandon, MS 4 11-13 194
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 1 04-11
8. Alan Quick Springfield, MO 5 11-06 193
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 3 08-04
9. Matt Dobson Edmond, OK 5 11-02 192
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 2 06-07
10. Blaine Sparks Denham Springs, LA 5 10-06 191
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 06-04
11. Jimmy Charbonnet Saint Amant, LA 6 10-05 190
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 05-06
12. Jody Hughes Gravois Mills, MO 4 10-03 189
Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 1 02-09
13. Doug Stuart Ramsey, MN 4 09-14 188 $1,456.00
Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 1 01-15
14. Alan Woodford Winslow, IN 5 09-14 187 $1,335.00
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 3 06-04
15. Matt Little Broken Arrow, OK 5 09-13 186 $1,213.00
Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 2 04-10
16. Scott Hill Saint Louis, MO 4 09-12 185 $1,092.00
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 07-13
17. Donny Murrell Sapulpa, OK 5 09-11 184 $849.00
Day 1: 2 04-12 Day 2: 3 04-15
18. Vince Drieling Denton, TX 4 09-10 183 $728.00
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 1 02-15
19. Stephen Mitchell Jonesville, LA 4 09-01 182 $728.00
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 1 02-12
20. Ivan Shouse II Tulsa, OK 3 08-13 181 $607.00
Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
21. Heath Guillotte Morgan City, LA 3 08-13 180 $516.00
Day 1: 2 06-03 Day 2: 1 02-10
22. Randall Jackson Broken Arrow, OK 4 08-11 179 $516.00
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 3 06-09
23. Dustin Keys Nevada, MO 5 08-11 178 $516.00
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 2 03-11
24. Mike Ketcher Bunch, OK 4 08-10 177 $516.00
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 1 02-11
25. Bo Rhodes Argyle, TX 4 08-05 176 $516.00
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 3 06-07
26. Brady Mataska Petrolia, TX 4 08-03 175 $516.00
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 1 02-07
27. Branson Phillips Broken Arrow, OK 3 08-02 174 $516.00
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
28. Joseph Czekala Homer Glen, IL 4 08-02 173 $516.00
Day 1: 1 00-14 Day 2: 3 07-04
29. Billy Eubanks Jr Bunch, OK 4 08-02 172 $516.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 1 02-09
30. Dusty Frank West Point, TX 3 08-01 171 $516.00
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 06-08
31. Mike Bennett Mustang, OK 4 08-00 170 $516.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 1 01-08
32. Chris Hudson Bixby, OK 4 07-14 169 $516.00
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 1 00-14
33. Rick Parker Kaufman, TX 4 07-14 168 $516.00
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 3 06-06
34. Brandon Clayton Dallas, TX 3 07-11 167 $516.00
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 2 06-00
35. Grant Holderman Clewiston, FL 4 07-10 166 $516.00
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 3 05-14
36. Danny Smith Benton, KS 4 07-07 165 $516.00
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 2 04-02
37. Garrett Atchley Waldron, AR 2 07-06 164 $516.00
Day 1: 1 04-01 Day 2: 1 03-05
38. Robert Prebeck Norwood, MO 3 07-05 163 $516.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 07-05
39. Bud Robinson Jr Carter, OK 3 07-05 162 $516.00
Day 1: 2 06-00 Day 2: 1 01-05
40. Jeffrey Nolte Shawnee, KS 3 07-00 161 $516.00
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 2 05-13
41. John Zeolla Oak Park, CA 4 06-12 160
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 2 03-08
42. Joe Nance Pearland, TX 3 06-10 159
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 2 03-08
43. Dwain Vogelpohl Cambridge, MN 3 06-08 158
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 04-03
44. Mark Alexander Rowlett, TX 3 06-07 157
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
45. Hideyuki Shimago Yasu-Shi JAPAN 3 06-07 156
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 1 01-13
46. Shea Breznik Borger, TX 3 06-05 155
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 1 02-08
47. Mike Michelson Altus, OK 3 06-03 154
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
48. Brian Dennis Poplar Bluff, MO 2 06-03 153
Day 1: 2 06-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
49. Guadalupe Nieto Jr Houston, TX 4 06-03 152
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 3 05-04
50. Rick Surguine Mount Juliet, TN 3 06-03 151
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 1 02-05
51. Clark Tingleaf Owasso, OK 2 06-02 150
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 1 04-06
52. Gary Clark Groveland, IL 3 05-15 149
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-15
53. Bill McCoun Amarillo, TX 3 05-15 148
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 04-06
54. Alden Keel Jr Perkinston, MS 2 05-13 147
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 1 03-05
55. Brandon Ackerson Afton, OK 3 05-11 146
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 2 04-00
56. Dakota Sparks Denham Springs, LA 3 05-11 145
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 1 01-12
57. Joe Lane Republic, MO 3 05-10 144
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 2 04-02
58. Jonathan Beason Sr Broken Arrow, OK 3 05-10 143
Day 1: 2 03-07 Day 2: 1 02-03
59. Tom Cowens Nixa, MO 2 05-10 142
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 1 03-03
60. John Hammersmith Branson, MO 3 05-09 141
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Michael Robinson Carter, OK 3 05-08 140
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
62. Theron Asbery Grove, OK 2 05-06 139
Day 1: 1 03-06 Day 2: 1 02-00
63. Tad Huff Green Forest, AR 3 05-05 138
Day 1: 2 02-14 Day 2: 1 02-07
64. Steven Baskins Owasso, OK 3 05-04 137
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-04
65. Jason Thompson Piedmont, OK 2 05-04 136
Day 1: 2 05-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
66. Michael Soliz Orange, TX 3 05-02 135
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 03-03
67. Rusty Cappo Prairieville, LA 2 05-01 134
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 1 03-03
68. Joe Gammell Broken Arrow, OK 1 05-00 133
Day 1: 1 05-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Jim Ford Magnolia, AR 2 05-00 132
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 1 03-10
70. Dustin Wellman DeRidder, LA 2 04-15 131
Day 1: 2 04-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
71. Larry Beauboeuf Bossier City, LA 3 04-15 130
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 2 03-03
71. Darrin Mallow Kansas, OK 3 04-15 130
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 2 03-03
73. Blake Canella Plaquemine, LA 2 04-14 128
Day 1: 2 04-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
74. Grant Fowler Rogers, AR 3 04-11 127
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 1 01-07
75. Stephen Delgado Lees Summit, MO 3 04-10 126
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 2 03-02
76. Randy Shuler Chesterfield, MO 2 04-10 125
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 1 02-14
77. Edgar Tellez Jr Monterrey, Nuevo Leon M 3 04-09 124
Day 1: 2 03-00 Day 2: 1 01-09
78. Chad Hamm Granbury, TX 2 04-07 123
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
78. Leroy Mcdonald Jr Blanchard, OK 2 04-07 123
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-07
78. Kyle Power Cape Fair, MO 2 04-07 123
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-07
81. Mike Silagi Tulsa, OK 1 04-07 120
Day 1: 1 04-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
82. Steve Foster Groveland, IL 2 04-07 119
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 1 02-10
83. Chance Arceneaux Lake Charles, LA 2 04-05 118
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 02-02
84. Mike Gilbreath Vian, OK 2 04-04 117
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
85. Dewayne Lewis Arlington, TX 2 04-03 116
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 1 01-13
86. John Horton Collinsville, OK 2 04-02 115
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
87. Gaten Wood Sharon, KS 2 04-02 114
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 1 01-10
88. Myron Bruffett Branson, MO 2 04-02 113
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 1 02-07
89. Robert Lovell West Monroe, LA 2 04-00 112
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-00
90. Scott Bunday Plano, TX 2 03-14 111
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
90. William Mcnutt II Bossier City, LA 2 03-14 111
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Charles Harp Bella Vista, AR 1 03-14 109
Day 1: 1 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
93. Brian Murphy Sulphur, LA 2 03-13 108
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Josh Chandler Jay, OK 2 03-11 107
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 01-08
95. Randy Baskins Owasso, OK 2 03-10 106
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
95. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 2 03-10 106
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-10
95. Keith Glasby Ovilla, TX 2 03-10 106
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Jimmy Thomas Stilwell, OK 2 03-10 103
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 1 01-14
99. Terry Owens Danville, AR 2 03-09 102
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
100. Jeremy Rhodes Greenwood, AR 1 03-06 101
Day 1: 1 03-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
101. Troy Enmeier Enid, OK 2 03-05 100
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-05
102. Brad Cryer Frisco, TX 1 03-05 99
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-05
103. David White Battlefield, MO 2 03-05 98
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 1 01-12
104. Jack Evans Bucklin, KS 2 03-03 97
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
105. Bobby Mccain Wheeler, TX 1 03-03 96
Day 1: 1 03-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
106. Calvin Balch Porter, TX 1 02-13 95
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-13
106. Ralph Heavener Jr Tulsa, OK 1 02-13 95
Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
108. Jesse Martin Edmond, OK 1 02-12 93
Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
108. Rudy Rudisill Bossier City, LA 1 02-12 93
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-12
110. Matthew Bierman Nashville, IL 1 02-10 91
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-10
111. Ben Blankenbeker Linn Creek, MO 1 02-06 90
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-06
111. Kenneth Ferree North Logan, UT 1 02-06 90
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
111. Jim Furr Hemphill, TX 1 02-06 90
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-06
114. Kent Dotson Jr Clever, MO 1 02-02 87
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-02
114. Michael Montgomery Cuba, MO 1 02-02 87
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-02
114. Keegan Stroud Fredericksburg, TX 1 02-02 87
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
117. Mark Powers Platteville, CO 1 02-01 84
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
118. Phil Henslee Arlington, TX 1 02-00 83
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
118. Kerry Trent Dodge City, KS 1 02-00 83
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
120. Logan Girardin Broken Bow, NE 1 01-14 81
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
121. Michael Francis Glenpool, OK 1 01-13 80
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
121. Danny Price Decatur, AR 1 01-13 80
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
121. Lenny Van Driel Blue Eye, MO 1 01-13 80
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-13
124. Chris Beverly Shepherd, TX 1 01-12 77
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
124. Joshua Kehret Woodbury, MN 1 01-12 77
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
124. Raymond Renfroe Bartlesville, OK 1 01-12 77
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
124. Brent Shimanek Fort Worth, TX 1 01-12 77
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
128. Michael Blanchard Baton Rouge, LA 1 01-11 73
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
128. Creighton Delgado Elgin, IL 1 01-11 73
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
128. Johnny Ramos Odessa, TX 1 01-11 73
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-11
131. John Connell Marion, IL 1 01-10 70
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 1 01-10 70
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. Richard Kiblinger Kansas City, KS 1 01-10 70
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. Kyle Loyd Vienna, IL 1 01-10 70
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. Joshua Ortego Ville Platte, LA 1 01-10 70
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. John Roberson Shreveport, LA 1 01-10 70
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-10
137. Vernon Cooksey Bossier City, LA 1 01-09 64
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
137. Jason Post Mckinney, TX 1 01-09 64
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
139. Brady Bressler Canyon, TX 1 01-08 62
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
140. Shane Cline Morton, IL 1 01-07 61
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
141. Christopher Edwards Dallas, TX 1 01-06 60
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-06
142. Jim Oconnell Jr Castle Rock, CO 1 01-05 59
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
142. Jeremy Powell Grain Valley, MO 1 01-05 59
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
142. Brandon Vaughan Azle, TX 1 01-05 59
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
145. Ronnie Weisinger Miami, OK 1 01-04 56
Day 1: 1 01-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
146. Bennie Anderson Grand Prairie, TX 2 00-00 55
Day 1: 2 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. David Arms Cache, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Alan Balch Waco, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Brandon Beaver Durant, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Adam Boyd Humble, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Jacob Brazda Rose Hill, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Jordan Burks Joplin, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Sam Chapman Norman, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Lance Deal Arlington, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Steve Duncan Amarillo, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Steven Gilliam Blanchard, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Matt Gnoth Sharon, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Doug Hainley Lake Lotawana, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Robert Hatchett Houston, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Michael Huffer Edom, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Mike Isaak Caryle, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Kevin Johns Eads, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Paul Keys III Nevada, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Chris Kobza Norman, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Trevor Kraker Andover, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Leonard Martinez Foss, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Ahmed Monib Richmond, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Joe Montalbano Broken Arrow, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Chris Nail Tulsa, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Jerry Riddle Jr Summit, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Jacob Roark Omaha, NE 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Kenneth Robinson Deridder, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Chad Ryan Lawton, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Rick Shannon Woodlawn, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Michael Shinstine Springdale, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Gary Spencer Auburn, CA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Garry Steiner Ochelata, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Gary Sullivan Woodson, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Marty Trent Dodge City, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Kevin Turner Sand Springs, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Mark White Tucson, AZ 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
182. Bobby "J" Nakatomi Sacramento, CA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 0 00-00

by AnglersChannel

Toby Hartsell Heads The Pack In Bassmaster Open At Grand Lake

Toby Hartsell of Afton, Okla., took the lead on the first day of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open No. 3 held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Grove, Okla., with 16 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

Oct. 5, 2017

GROVE, Okla. — Toby Hartsell relied on his home-waters advantage at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees to take the lead in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open finale.

The 46-year-old Afton, Okla., angler caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces despite struggling recently to catch bass on his home lake. “The fishing has been really bad," said Hartsell, the co-owner of an automated boat cover business. “It had gotten to the point where I couldn’t even catch five keepers. I could go out tomorrow and not catch a limit.”

Hartsell said he fished the last couple of weeks “quite a bit” but never could figure out a pattern. “I just went fishing today (relying) on past knowledge,” he said. “I was just hoping I could figure it out as the day went by.”

The local angler caught his keepers today on a topwater lure, plastic worm and jig. “It has been a problem catching a 4- or 5-pounder,” he said. “But I caught a 4-pounder today and then I filled it in with 3-pounders, and that made all the difference in the world.” Hartsell estimated he boated about 50 to 60 miles today to catch his limit.

Hartsell is also taking a run at qualifying for the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series. He was in 13th place in the Central Open points standings, and his opening-round performance jumped him into first place in the points standings with 531 points.

Eighteen-year-old Andy Ortega of Odessa, Texas, has been working 70 hours a week in the oil-and-gas industry in west Texas, which has limited his fishing time, but he practiced enough this week to put together a pattern and grab second place today with a 15-15 limit. “The fish have been moving a lot,” Ortega said. “I am finding them on main lake stuff and now the shad are in the backs of the creeks and the bass are following them, but the bigger bass are really scattered.”

Ortega caught bass on two different lures in practice but narrowed his selection down to one today. “I am sticking with what I think the bigger fish will be caught on,” he said.

Other pro division anglers in the Top 5 include Elite angler James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., third, 14-13; Thomas Canady, Collinsville, Okla., fourth, 14-3; and Gary Clouse, La Vergne, Tenn., also fourth, 14-3.

Forty-five-year-old Oklahoma City firefighter Steve Tennison took over the lead in the co-angler division with a three-bass limit weighing 8-15. “My pro (Ralph Myhlhousen) was great, and we fished my kind of fishing. We were able to have a lot of fun together,” Tennison said.

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic qualifier for the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, leads the pro division for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award after Day 1 with a 5-14 largemouth. Leading the nonboater division for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award after the first day is Joe Gammell of Broken Arrow, Okla., with a 5-pound largemouth.

Friday’s takeoff, weigh-in and the final-day launch will be held at Wolf Creek Park, 963 N. 16th St., in Grove. The final-day weigh-in will move to the Bass Pro Shops at 101 Bass Pro Drive in Broken Arrow.

The event is hosted by the City of Grove, Okla.

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Grand Lake 10/5-10/7
Grand Lake, Grove OK.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Toby Hartsell Afton, OK 5 16-05 200
Day 1: 5 16-05
2. Andy Ortega Odessa, TX 5 15-15 199
Day 1: 5 15-15
3. James Elam Tulsa, OK 5 14-13 198
Day 1: 5 14-13
4. Thomas Canady Collinsville, OK 5 14-03 197
Day 1: 5 14-03
4. Gary Clouse La Vergne, TN 5 14-03 197
Day 1: 5 14-03
6. Eddie Carper Valliant, OK 5 14-00 195
Day 1: 5 14-00
7. Patrick Touey Nipomo, CA 5 13-12 194
Day 1: 5 13-12
8. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 13-10 193
Day 1: 5 13-10
9. Beau Branine Haysville, KS 5 13-06 192
Day 1: 5 13-06
10. Alex Finch Fate, TX 5 13-02 191
Day 1: 5 13-02
10. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 5 13-02 191
Day 1: 5 13-02
12. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 13-01 189
Day 1: 5 13-01
13. Jeff Avery El Dorado, AR 5 12-13 188
Day 1: 5 12-13
14. Jerod Hawkes Eagle Pass, TX 5 12-12 187
Day 1: 5 12-12
15. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 4 12-10 186
Day 1: 4 12-10
16. Chris Babin Raceland, LA 5 12-03 185
Day 1: 5 12-03
17. William Walker Jena, LA 5 12-00 184
Day 1: 5 12-00
18. Dave Mansue Hemphill, TX 5 11-15 183
Day 1: 5 11-15
19. Theron Caldwell Colleyville, TX 5 11-14 182
Day 1: 5 11-14
20. Jonathan Simon Orange, TX 4 11-14 181
Day 1: 4 11-14
21. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 11-13 180
Day 1: 5 11-13
21. Chris Torkleson Sand Springs, OK 5 11-13 180
Day 1: 5 11-13
21. B.J. Usie Houma, LA 5 11-13 180
Day 1: 5 11-13
24. Roy Hawk Lk Havasu Cty, AZ 5 11-12 177
Day 1: 5 11-12
25. Luke Frazier Owasso, OK 5 11-11 176
Day 1: 5 11-11
25. Tim Hickson Cleveland, OK 5 11-11 176
Day 1: 5 11-11
25. Eric Porterfield Fort Gibson, OK 5 11-11 176
Day 1: 5 11-11
25. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 5 11-11 176
Day 1: 5 11-11
29. Larry Puckett Decatur, TX 5 11-10 172
Day 1: 5 11-10
30. Keith Surber Longview, TX 5 11-08 171
Day 1: 5 11-08
31. T-Roy Broussard Port Arthur, TX 5 11-04 170
Day 1: 5 11-04
32. John Garrett Union City, TN 3 11-04 169
Day 1: 3 11-04
33. Casey Scanlon Lenexa, KS 5 11-03 168
Day 1: 5 11-03
34. Tommy Martin Hemphill, TX 5 10-14 167
Day 1: 5 10-14
35. Nick Diberardino Onalaska, TX 5 10-13 166
Day 1: 5 10-13
36. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 10-09 165
Day 1: 5 10-09
36. Ryan Wilbanks Wagoner, OK 5 10-09 165
Day 1: 5 10-09
38. David Ryan Levasy, MO 5 10-07 163
Day 1: 5 10-07
39. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 4 10-06 162
Day 1: 4 10-06
40. Chris Laposta Neosho, MO 5 10-02 161
Day 1: 5 10-02
41. Gary Vining Morgan City, LA 4 10-02 160
Day 1: 4 10-02
42. Shonn Goodwin Moore, OK 5 10-00 159
Day 1: 5 10-00
43. Benjamin Jackson Monkey Island, OK 5 09-13 158
Day 1: 5 09-13
44. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 09-12 157
Day 1: 5 09-12
45. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 4 09-12 156
Day 1: 4 09-12
46. Darrel Robertson Jay, OK 5 09-10 155
Day 1: 5 09-10
47. Tim Reed Collinsville, OK 5 09-09 154
Day 1: 5 09-09
48. Jeff Dobson Bartlesville, OK 5 09-08 153
Day 1: 5 09-08
48. Greg West Richardson, TX 5 09-08 153
Day 1: 5 09-08
50. Cody Ryan Greaney Manchaca, TX 4 09-07 151
Day 1: 4 09-07
50. Jason Lieblong Conway, AR 4 09-07 151
Day 1: 4 09-07
52. Brent Breznik Borger, TX 5 09-05 149
Day 1: 5 09-05
52. Ken Iyobe Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 5 09-05 149
Day 1: 5 09-05
54. Troy Orourke Natchitoches, LA 4 09-05 147
Day 1: 4 09-05
55. Jason Reyes Huffman, TX 4 09-04 146
Day 1: 4 09-04
56. Mike McClelland Bentonville, AR 5 09-03 145
Day 1: 5 09-03
57. Timmy Reneau Richland Springs, TX 3 09-03 144
Day 1: 3 09-03
58. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 4 09-01 143
Day 1: 4 09-01
59. Wade Leblanc Gonzales, LA 5 08-15 142
Day 1: 5 08-15
59. Kelly Power Cape Fair, MO 5 08-15 142
Day 1: 5 08-15
61. Cole Findley Forsyth, MO 3 08-13 140
Day 1: 3 08-13
62. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 4 08-12 139
Day 1: 4 08-12
63. Terry Luedtke Burton, TX 4 08-10 138
Day 1: 4 08-10
64. Sammy Burks Jr Joplin, MO 3 08-10 137
Day 1: 3 08-10
65. Gary Riffle Paris, TX 4 08-07 136
Day 1: 4 08-07
65. Billy Smith Sr Willis, TX 4 08-07 136
Day 1: 4 08-07
67. Patrick Spencer Marana, AZ 5 08-04 134
Day 1: 5 08-04
68. Ryan Lavigne Gonzales, LA 4 08-04 133
Day 1: 4 08-04
69. Ben King Garnett, KS 4 08-03 132
Day 1: 4 08-03
70. Garon Smith Olathe, KS 3 08-02 131
Day 1: 3 08-02
71. Matthew Loetscher Many, LA 3 08-01 130
Day 1: 3 08-01
72. Justin McClelland Rogers, AR 4 08-00 129
Day 1: 4 08-00
73. Greg Yates Oak Point, TX 4 07-15 128
Day 1: 4 07-15
74. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 3 07-14 127
Day 1: 3 07-14
75. Rob Mcpheron Montgomery, TX 4 07-13 126
Day 1: 4 07-13
75. Ralph Myhlhousen Council Bluffs, IA 4 07-13 126
Day 1: 4 07-13
77. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 3 07-13 124
Day 1: 3 07-13
78. Ryan Otto Mayer, MN 2 07-10 123
Day 1: 2 07-10
79. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 4 07-08 122
Day 1: 4 07-08
79. Travis Loyd Vienna, IL 4 07-08 122
Day 1: 4 07-08
79. Jim Simpson Canyon, TX 4 07-08 122
Day 1: 4 07-08
82. Josh Bertrand San Tan Valley, AZ 3 07-08 119
Day 1: 3 07-08
83. Brooks Forsyth Hester, LA 4 07-07 118
Day 1: 4 07-07
83. Darrell Lyons Hemphill, TX 4 07-07 118
Day 1: 4 07-07
85. Ron Johnson Chandler, AZ 3 07-04 116
Day 1: 3 07-04
86. Branden Hollingshead Azle, TX 4 07-03 115
Day 1: 4 07-03
87. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 3 07-00 114
Day 1: 3 07-00
88. Domonick Poullard Houston, TX 2 06-14 113
Day 1: 2 06-14
89. Greg Vance Dubuque, IA 3 06-13 112
Day 1: 3 06-13
90. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 3 06-12 111
Day 1: 3 06-12
90. Bruce Whitmire Channelview, TX 3 06-12 111
Day 1: 3 06-12
92. Eddy May Valley Center, KS 4 06-11 109
Day 1: 4 06-11
93. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 3 06-10 108
Day 1: 3 06-10
94. Brent Algeo Ozark, MO 3 06-09 107
Day 1: 3 06-09
95. Josh Greer Carthage, MO 3 06-08 106
Day 1: 3 06-08
95. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 3 06-08 106
Day 1: 3 06-08
97. Brian Clark Haltom City, TX 4 06-07 104
Day 1: 4 06-07
98. Ryan Heavener Tulsa, OK 3 06-06 103
Day 1: 3 06-06
99. Steven Nieto Houston, TX 3 06-04 102
Day 1: 3 06-04
100. Johnny Nguyen Tucson, AZ 4 06-03 101
Day 1: 4 06-03
100. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 4 06-03 101
Day 1: 4 06-03
102. Pete Wenners Galena, MO 3 06-03 99
Day 1: 3 06-03
103. Sam George Athens, AL 2 06-02 98
Day 1: 2 06-02
104. Bob Fair Collinsville, OK 3 06-01 97
Day 1: 3 06-01
105. Dylan Connell Marion, IL 4 05-12 96
Day 1: 4 05-12
106. Timothy Klinger Boulder City, NV 2 05-12 95
Day 1: 2 05-12
107. Justin Hurd Edmond, OK 3 05-11 94
Day 1: 3 05-11
108. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 3 05-10 93
Day 1: 3 05-10
109. Dustin Wrona Tulsa, OK 2 05-09 92
Day 1: 2 05-09
110. Cody Compton Palisade, CO 3 05-08 91
Day 1: 3 05-08
111. Jeffery Iacchei Pflugerville, TX 3 05-07 90
Day 1: 3 05-07
112. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 2 05-06 89
Day 1: 2 05-06
113. Kenta Kimura Afton, OK 3 05-04 88
Day 1: 3 05-04
114. Dustin Laber Greeley, CO 3 05-03 87
Day 1: 3 05-03
115. Marshall Hughes Port Neches, TX 3 04-15 86
Day 1: 3 04-15
116. Larry Riffey Pratt, KS 2 04-14 85
Day 1: 2 04-14
117. Gary Hurd Bartlesville, OK 2 04-13 84
Day 1: 2 04-13
118. Chad Kallina Lago Vista, TX 2 04-11 83
Day 1: 2 04-11
119. Kylie Sparks Denham Spgs, LA 3 04-10 82
Day 1: 3 04-10
120. Dewayne French Mammoth Spring, AR 2 04-10 81
Day 1: 2 04-10
121. Chris Berry Houston, TX 2 04-08 80
Day 1: 2 04-08
121. Ted Vaughan Maypearl, TX 2 04-08 80
Day 1: 2 04-08
123. Terry Peacock Royse City, TX 3 04-07 78
Day 1: 3 04-07
124. Joel Mayfield Perkinston, MS 1 04-05 77
Day 1: 1 04-05
125. Wayne Murray Baton Rouge, LA 2 04-04 76
Day 1: 2 04-04
126. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 2 04-00 75
Day 1: 2 04-00
126. Edwin Pulda Jasper, TX 2 04-00 75
Day 1: 2 04-00
128. Dustin Reneau Mckinney, TX 2 03-14 73
Day 1: 2 03-14
129. Ted Pearce Jr Florence, MS 2 03-11 72
Day 1: 2 03-11
130. Tommy Durham Whitney, TX 2 03-10 71
Day 1: 2 03-10
130. Teb Jones Hattiesburg, MS 2 03-10 71
Day 1: 2 03-10
132. Chad Murray Vidalia, LA 2 03-09 69
Day 1: 2 03-09
133. Drew Sloan Scurry, TX 1 03-09 68
Day 1: 1 03-09
133. Carl Svebek III Orange, TX 1 03-09 68
Day 1: 1 03-09
135. Bill Gaddis Vinita, OK 2 03-06 66
Day 1: 2 03-06
136. Stacey King Reeds Spring, MO 2 03-05 65
Day 1: 2 03-05
136. Brandon Lee Ratcliff, AR 2 03-05 65
Day 1: 2 03-05
138. Justin Margraves Diana, TX 2 03-04 63
Day 1: 2 03-04
139. Sean Arnold Jenks, OK 1 03-04 62
Day 1: 1 03-04
140. Robert Bratton Owasso, OK 2 03-03 61
Day 1: 2 03-03
141. Dylan Lyons Hemphill, TX 1 03-02 60
Day 1: 1 03-02
142. Ernie Stumpf III Frisco, TX 2 02-12 59
Day 1: 2 02-12
143. Randy Qualls Streetman, TX 2 02-10 58
Day 1: 2 02-10
144. Bruce Parsons Arbela, MO 1 02-09 57
Day 1: 1 02-09
145. Mark Jenkins Ville Platte, LA 2 02-07 56
Day 1: 2 02-07
146. Chad Smith Eau Galle, WI 1 02-07 55
Day 1: 1 02-07
146. Bryan Trahan Orange, TX 1 02-07 55
Day 1: 1 02-07
148. Scott Bonvillain Lake Charles, LA 2 02-03 53
Day 1: 2 02-03
149. Matt Ells Mount Vernon, MO 1 02-02 52
Day 1: 1 02-02
150. Darrell Newman Bruceville, TX 1 02-01 51
Day 1: 1 02-01
151. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 1 02-00 50
Day 1: 1 02-00
152. Jay Brainard Enid, OK 1 01-15 49
Day 1: 1 01-15
152. Ed Melton Houston, TX 1 01-15 49
Day 1: 1 01-15
154. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 1 01-14 47
Day 1: 1 01-14
154. Kyle Hall Rio Vista, TX 1 01-14 47
Day 1: 1 01-14
156. Rick Pierce Mountain Home, AR 1 01-11 45
Day 1: 1 01-11
156. Tom Statler Kimberling City, MO 1 01-11 45
Day 1: 1 01-11
156. Ron Wells Claremore, OK 1 01-11 45
Day 1: 1 01-11
159. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 1 01-10 42
Day 1: 1 01-10
159. Tim Wilcoxson Edgewood, TX 1 01-10 42
Day 1: 1 01-10
161. Josh Tidenberg Texico, NM 1 01-08 40
Day 1: 1 01-08
162. Doug Vahrenberg Higginsville, MO 1 01-07 39
Day 1: 1 01-07
163. David Boelkins Hubertus, WI 1 01-03 38
Day 1: 1 01-03
164. Bobby Badarack Euless, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Casey Bennett Gatesville, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Kyle Bohannan Berryville, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. RJ Chandler Jr. Vinton, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Matthew Delaney Pollock, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Tyler Ellis Battlefield, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Chris Hart Bozeman, MT 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Greg Ingram Owasso, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Brian Mathis Northglenn, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Bill McNutt Henry, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Tommy Murray Bedford, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Jacob Parker Fort Worth, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Audie Prewitt Jr Benton, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Edgar Renteria Leon MEXICO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Yoshikazu Sato Katsushika-Ku JAPAN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Steve Sennikoff Forney, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Dillon Statler Kimberling City, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Justin Wojcik Bulverde, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
164. Chance Woodard Paris, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 49 543 1210-06
----------------------------------
49 543 1210-06

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open Grand Lake 10/5-10/7
Grand Lake, Grove OK.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 3 08-15 200
Day 1: 3 08-15
2. Ivan Shouse II Tulsa, OK 3 08-13 199
Day 1: 3 08-13
3. Aubrey Herlocker Winfield, KS 3 08-13 198
Day 1: 3 08-13
4. Brandon Orton Memphis, MO 3 08-06 197
Day 1: 3 08-06
5. Will Major Port Allen, LA 3 08-04 196
Day 1: 3 08-04
6. Branson Phillips Broken Arrow, OK 3 08-02 195
Day 1: 3 08-02
7. Doug Stuart Ramsey, MN 3 07-15 194
Day 1: 3 07-15
8. Joe Lee Grand Prairie, TX 3 07-12 193
Day 1: 3 07-12
9. Jody Hughes Gravois Mills, MO 3 07-10 192
Day 1: 3 07-10
10. Noel Allen Jr Brandon, MS 3 07-02 191
Day 1: 3 07-02
11. Chris Hudson Bixby, OK 3 07-00 190
Day 1: 3 07-00
12. Vince Drieling Denton, TX 3 06-11 189
Day 1: 3 06-11
13. Mike Bennett Mustang, OK 3 06-08 188
Day 1: 3 06-08
14. Mark Alexander Rowlett, TX 3 06-07 187
Day 1: 3 06-07
15. Stephen Mitchell Jonesville, LA 3 06-05 186
Day 1: 3 06-05
16. Mike Michelson Altus, OK 3 06-03 185
Day 1: 3 06-03
17. Brian Dennis Poplar Bluff, MO 2 06-03 184
Day 1: 2 06-03
17. Heath Guillotte Morgan City, LA 2 06-03 184
Day 1: 2 06-03
19. Lonnie Miller Broken Arrow, OK 3 06-02 182
Day 1: 3 06-02
20. Bud Robinson Jr Carter, OK 2 06-00 181
Day 1: 2 06-00
21. Mike Ketcher Bunch, OK 3 05-15 180
Day 1: 3 05-15
22. Brady Mataska Petrolia, TX 3 05-12 179
Day 1: 3 05-12
23. Billy Eubanks Jr Bunch, OK 3 05-09 178
Day 1: 3 05-09
23. John Hammersmith Branson, MO 3 05-09 178
Day 1: 3 05-09
25. Michael Robinson Carter, OK 3 05-08 176
Day 1: 3 05-08
26. Jason Thompson Piedmont, OK 2 05-04 175
Day 1: 2 05-04
27. Matt Little Broken Arrow, OK 3 05-03 174
Day 1: 3 05-03
28. Dustin Keys Nevada, MO 3 05-00 173
Day 1: 3 05-00
29. Joe Gammell Broken Arrow, OK 1 05-00 172
Day 1: 1 05-00
30. Jimmy Charbonnet Saint Amant, LA 3 04-15 171
Day 1: 3 04-15
31. Dustin Wellman DeRidder, LA 2 04-15 170
Day 1: 2 04-15
32. Blake Canella Plaquemine, LA 2 04-14 169
Day 1: 2 04-14
33. Donny Murrell Sapulpa, OK 2 04-12 168
Day 1: 2 04-12
34. Matt Dobson Edmond, OK 3 04-11 167
Day 1: 3 04-11
35. Hideyuki Shimago Yasu-Shi JAPAN 2 04-10 166
Day 1: 2 04-10
36. Chad Hamm Granbury, TX 2 04-07 165
Day 1: 2 04-07
37. Mike Silagi Tulsa, OK 1 04-07 164
Day 1: 1 04-07
38. Mike Gilbreath Vian, OK 2 04-04 163
Day 1: 2 04-04
39. John Horton Collinsville, OK 2 04-02 162
Day 1: 2 04-02
39. Blaine Sparks Denham Springs, LA 2 04-02 162
Day 1: 2 04-02
41. Garrett Atchley Waldron, AR 1 04-01 160
Day 1: 1 04-01
42. Dakota Sparks Denham Springs, LA 2 03-15 159
Day 1: 2 03-15
43. Scott Bunday Plano, TX 2 03-14 158
Day 1: 2 03-14
43. William Mcnutt II Bossier City, LA 2 03-14 158
Day 1: 2 03-14
43. Rick Surguine Mount Juliet, TN 2 03-14 158
Day 1: 2 03-14
46. Charles Harp Bella Vista, AR 1 03-14 155
Day 1: 1 03-14
47. Shea Breznik Borger, TX 2 03-13 154
Day 1: 2 03-13
47. Brian Murphy Sulphur, LA 2 03-13 154
Day 1: 2 03-13
49. Randy Baskins Owasso, OK 2 03-10 152
Day 1: 2 03-10
49. Keith Glasby Ovilla, TX 2 03-10 152
Day 1: 2 03-10
49. Alan Woodford Winslow, IN 2 03-10 152
Day 1: 2 03-10
52. Terry Owens Danville, AR 2 03-09 149
Day 1: 2 03-09
53. Jonathan Beason Sr Broken Arrow, OK 2 03-07 148
Day 1: 2 03-07
54. Theron Asbery Grove, OK 1 03-06 147
Day 1: 1 03-06
54. Jeremy Rhodes Greenwood, AR 1 03-06 147
Day 1: 1 03-06
56. Danny Smith Benton, KS 2 03-05 145
Day 1: 2 03-05
57. Grant Fowler Rogers, AR 2 03-04 144
Day 1: 2 03-04
57. John Zeolla Oak Park, CA 2 03-04 144
Day 1: 2 03-04
59. Jack Evans Bucklin, KS 2 03-03 142
Day 1: 2 03-03
60. Bobby Mccain Wheeler, TX 1 03-03 141
Day 1: 1 03-03
61. Alan Quick Springfield, MO 2 03-02 140
Day 1: 2 03-02
62. Joe Nance Pearland, TX 1 03-02 139
Day 1: 1 03-02
63. Edgar Tellez Jr Monterrey, Nuevo Leon M 2 03-00 138
Day 1: 2 03-00
64. Tad Huff Green Forest, AR 2 02-14 137
Day 1: 2 02-14
65. Ralph Heavener Jr Tulsa, OK 1 02-13 136
Day 1: 1 02-13
66. Jesse Martin Edmond, OK 1 02-12 135
Day 1: 1 02-12
67. Alden Keel Jr Perkinston, MS 1 02-08 134
Day 1: 1 02-08
67. Gaten Wood Sharon, KS 1 02-08 134
Day 1: 1 02-08
69. Tom Cowens Nixa, MO 1 02-07 132
Day 1: 1 02-07
70. Kenneth Ferree North Logan, UT 1 02-06 131
Day 1: 1 02-06
70. Dewayne Lewis Arlington, TX 1 02-06 131
Day 1: 1 02-06
72. Dwain Vogelpohl Cambridge, MN 1 02-05 129
Day 1: 1 02-05
73. Chance Arceneaux Lake Charles, LA 1 02-03 128
Day 1: 1 02-03
73. Josh Chandler Jay, OK 1 02-03 128
Day 1: 1 02-03
75. Randall Jackson Broken Arrow, OK 1 02-02 126
Day 1: 1 02-02
75. Keegan Stroud Fredericksburg, TX 1 02-02 126
Day 1: 1 02-02
77. Mark Powers Platteville, CO 1 02-01 124
Day 1: 1 02-01
78. Scott Hill Saint Louis, MO 1 01-15 123
Day 1: 1 01-15
78. Michael Soliz Orange, TX 1 01-15 123
Day 1: 1 01-15
80. Rusty Cappo Prairieville, LA 1 01-14 121
Day 1: 1 01-14
80. Logan Girardin Broken Bow, NE 1 01-14 121
Day 1: 1 01-14
80. Bo Rhodes Argyle, TX 1 01-14 121
Day 1: 1 01-14
83. Steve Foster Groveland, IL 1 01-13 118
Day 1: 1 01-13
83. Michael Francis Glenpool, OK 1 01-13 118
Day 1: 1 01-13
83. Danny Price Decatur, AR 1 01-13 118
Day 1: 1 01-13
86. Larry Beauboeuf Bossier City, LA 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Chris Beverly Shepherd, TX 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Grant Holderman Clewiston, FL 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Joshua Kehret Woodbury, MN 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Darrin Mallow Kansas, OK 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Raymond Renfroe Bartlesville, OK 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Brent Shimanek Fort Worth, TX 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Randy Shuler Chesterfield, MO 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Jimmy Thomas Stilwell, OK 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
86. Clark Tingleaf Owasso, OK 1 01-12 115
Day 1: 1 01-12
96. Brandon Ackerson Afton, OK 1 01-11 105
Day 1: 1 01-11
96. Michael Blanchard Baton Rouge, LA 1 01-11 105
Day 1: 1 01-11
96. Myron Bruffett Branson, MO 1 01-11 105
Day 1: 1 01-11
96. Brandon Clayton Dallas, TX 1 01-11 105
Day 1: 1 01-11
96. Creighton Delgado Elgin, IL 1 01-11 105
Day 1: 1 01-11
101. John Connell Marion, IL 1 01-10 100
Day 1: 1 01-10
101. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 1 01-10 100
Day 1: 1 01-10
101. Richard Kiblinger Kansas City, KS 1 01-10 100
Day 1: 1 01-10
101. Kyle Loyd Vienna, IL 1 01-10 100
Day 1: 1 01-10
101. Joshua Ortego Ville Platte, LA 1 01-10 100
Day 1: 1 01-10
106. Vernon Cooksey Bossier City, LA 1 01-09 95
Day 1: 1 01-09
106. Dusty Frank West Point, TX 1 01-09 95
Day 1: 1 01-09
106. Bill McCoun Amarillo, TX 1 01-09 95
Day 1: 1 01-09
106. Jason Post Mckinney, TX 1 01-09 95
Day 1: 1 01-09
106. David White Battlefield, MO 1 01-09 95
Day 1: 1 01-09
111. Brady Bressler Canyon, TX 1 01-08 90
Day 1: 1 01-08
111. Stephen Delgado Lees Summit, MO 1 01-08 90
Day 1: 1 01-08
111. Joe Lane Republic, MO 1 01-08 90
Day 1: 1 01-08
111. Rick Parker Kaufman, TX 1 01-08 90
Day 1: 1 01-08
115. Shane Cline Morton, IL 1 01-07 86
Day 1: 1 01-07
116. Jim Ford Magnolia, AR 1 01-06 85
Day 1: 1 01-06
117. Jim Oconnell Jr Castle Rock, CO 1 01-05 84
Day 1: 1 01-05
117. Jeremy Powell Grain Valley, MO 1 01-05 84
Day 1: 1 01-05
117. Brandon Vaughan Azle, TX 1 01-05 84
Day 1: 1 01-05
120. Ronnie Weisinger Miami, OK 1 01-04 81
Day 1: 1 01-04
121. Jeffrey Nolte Shawnee, KS 1 01-03 80
Day 1: 1 01-03
122. Guadalupe Nieto Jr Houston, TX 1 00-15 79
Day 1: 1 00-15
123. Joseph Czekala Homer Glen, IL 1 00-14 78
Day 1: 1 00-14
124. Bennie Anderson Grand Prairie, TX 2 00-00 77
Day 1: 2 00-00
125. David Arms Cache, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Alan Balch Waco, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Calvin Balch Porter, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Steven Baskins Owasso, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Brandon Beaver Durant, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Matthew Bierman Nashville, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Ben Blankenbeker Linn Creek, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Adam Boyd Humble, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Jacob Brazda Rose Hill, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Jordan Burks Joplin, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Sam Chapman Norman, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Gary Clark Groveland, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Brad Cryer Frisco, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Lance Deal Arlington, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Kent Dotson Jr Clever, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Steve Duncan Amarillo, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Christopher Edwards Dallas, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Troy Enmeier Enid, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Jim Furr Hemphill, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Steven Gilliam Blanchard, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Matt Gnoth Sharon, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Doug Hainley Lake Lotawana, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Robert Hatchett Houston, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Phil Henslee Arlington, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Michael Huffer Edom, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Mike Isaak Caryle, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Kevin Johns Eads, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Paul Keys III Nevada, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Chris Kobza Norman, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Trevor Kraker Andover, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Robert Lovell West Monroe, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Leonard Martinez Foss, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Leroy Mcdonald Jr Blanchard, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Ahmed Monib Richmond, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Joe Montalbano Broken Arrow, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Michael Montgomery Cuba, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Chris Nail Tulsa, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Kyle Power Cape Fair, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Robert Prebeck Norwood, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Johnny Ramos Odessa, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Jerry Riddle Jr Summit, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Jacob Roark Omaha, NE 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. John Roberson Shreveport, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Kenneth Robinson Deridder, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Rudy Rudisill Bossier City, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Chad Ryan Lawton, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Rick Shannon Woodlawn, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Michael Shinstine Springdale, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Gary Spencer Auburn, CA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Garry Steiner Ochelata, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Gary Sullivan Woodson, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Marty Trent Dodge City, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Kerry Trent Dodge City, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Kevin Turner Sand Springs, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Lenny Van Driel Blue Eye, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
125. Mark White Tucson, AZ 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
182. Bobby "J" Nakatomi Sacramento, CA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00

by AnglersChannel

BASS CAT PRO JESSE WIGGINS TRIPLE-QUALIFIES FOR 2018 BASSMASTER CLASSIC

MOUNTAIN HOME, AR (October 4, 2017) – The 2017 Bassmaster Tournament Trail was dominated by youth from start to finish, with Millennials winning both the Bassmaster Classic and the Angler of the Year award, but no other pro – veteran or newcomer – matched the achievement of Alabama rookie Jesse Wiggins, who triple-qualified for the 2018 Bassmaster Classic. Wiggins, who will turn 28 on October 11^th, accomplished that feat by winning the first and last Southern Opens of the year, and squeezing in a 37^th place finish in the Elite Series points race in betweeen. He finished in the money in six regular season Elite events plus the Angler of the Year Championship.

Making his feat all-the-more incredible by winning the season-opening Southern Open on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, Wiggins qualified for the 2018 Classic before he’d even fished the 2017 Classic. With 21 B.A.S.S. tournaments under his belt, he has finished in the money on 16 occasions, with three wins. He also had a 3^rd place finish in his inaugural Elite Series tournament, on Tennessee’s Cherokee Lake.

“My main goal was to make the Classic through the points in my rookie year,” Wiggins said. “A lot of people would like to be in my position, but I’m still striving to get better.”

In addition to being his first year on tour, it was also his first year with Bass Cat, and he achieved his goals in a 2017 Puma FTD with a Honda four-stroke outboard on the transom. The pair presented a turnkey, essentially fail proof combination, as Wiggins said that despite experiencing substantial rough water, he “never had to go to the service yard or take a wrench to it.”

The Puma FTD also gave him the confidence to make long runs through rough water, not only on southern reservoirs like Ross Barnett, but also on big northern lakes and rivers the likes of which he had not previously experienced.

“I realized really quickly how dry it is in rough water,” Wiggins explained. “Other people were talking about taking three or four waves over the bow at a time, and I never speared one. At St. Clair there was a boat running the troughs of the waves and I blew right by him going right through them and I didn’t have to worry about my Marshal at all. Things like that happened a couple of times during the year. I know that it’s hard for companies to take a chance on a rookie, but I’m very thankful that Bass Cat let me be a part of the team.”

“We are really pleased that Jesse reached out to David Kilgore, who connected us,” said Bass Cat President Rick Pierce. “These are all great guys we have. We’ve been fortunate. Obviously he’s young, but at this pace he has a long career ahead of him.”

By winning the final Southern Open of the year, again on Smith Lake, Wiggins helped another Alabama Bass Cat pro, Steve Kennedy, who until then was the first man outside of the Classic cut. Kennedy’s no rookie, with eight Classics and over $1.6 million in B.A.S.S. winnings to his credit, but it was likewise his first year in a Bass Cat, and he made good use of it by earning his third Elite Series win, this time at Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas. Because of his own solid fishing and the boost from Wiggins, he’ll head to his ninth Classic looking to improve upon his 2^nd place finish from this past March.

“To have him put Steve Kennedy over the line and into the Classic, that’s just the icing on the cake that shows how valuable Jesse can be to our team,” Pierce concluded.

by AnglersChannel

FLW ANNOUNCES 2018 T-H MARINE BFL SCHEDULE, RULES

MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 5, 2017) – FLW announced Thursday the schedule, rules and payouts for the 2018 T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL), which includes 128 tournaments in 24 divisions offering more than $8.1 million in awards, including as much as $120,000 to the winning boater and $60,000 to the winning co-angler in the nationally-televised BFL All-American, plus advancement to the Forrest Wood Cup for a shot at winning the world championship of bass fishing.

Among the key changes for the BFL in 2018 is the addition of all-new Angler and Co-Angler of the Year payouts, with cash awards for the top three boaters and co-anglers in each division. The Angler of the Year in each division now receives $3,000 with $2,000 going to second and $1,000 to third. The Co-angler of the Year in each division now receives $1,500 with $1,000 going to second and $500 to third.

Entry fees have increased slightly from $230 to $250 per qualifier for boaters and from $115 to $125 per qualifier for co-anglers. Super Tournament entry fees increased from $345 to $350 for boaters and will remain $175 for co-anglers.

After positive feedback from BFL anglers, last year’s implementation of the new “Win and You are In” format that automatically qualifies the winners of each of the 96 one-day qualifying tournaments and 24 two-day super tournaments to one of six no-entry-fee regional championships along with the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division based on point standings will remain.

Each regional championship features a guaranteed payout that includes $20,000 and a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower outboard for the winning boater and a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower outboard for the winning co-angler. Regional payouts include $10,000 for second and $5,000 for third on the boater side and $5,000 for second and $2,500 for third on the co-angler side.

"Participation in the BFL this season has been record-breaking, and we expect even more anglers to join the BFL ranks in 2017,” said T-H Marine BFL tournament director Daniel Fennel. " BFL anglers are the lifeblood of FLW and we take great pride in offering the very best opportunities for everyday working people to experience bass fishing in a professional tournament setting with a clear pathway for advancement to the sport’s highest levels.”

For the complete 2018 BFL schedule, rules and payouts, visit FLWFishing.com.

The BFL is the nation’s largest and most rewarding weekend bass-fishing circuit. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division and tournament winners also receive priority entry into the 2019 Costa FLW Series while All-American champions may advance directly to the FLW Tour, the world’s top professional bass-fishing circuit.

Anglers can register for the 2018 season at FLWFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000 on the dates listed below:

November 13, 2017 – Hoosier, Michigan, Music City and Volunteer
November 14, 2017 – Bulldog, Cowboy, Great Lakes, Illini and Mississippi
November 15, 2017 – Bama, Buckeye, Choo Choo, Mountain and Ozark
November 16, 2017 – Arkie, LBL, North Carolina, Northeast and Okie
November 17, 2017 – Gator, Piedmont, Savannah River, Shenandoah and South Carolina

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

Anderson Media Nets ‘Prize Catch,’ Becomes Majority Owner Of B.A.S.S.

Oct. 4, 2017

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Anderson Media Corp., a 100-year-old family business founded in Alabama, has acquired a majority interest in B.A.S.S., LLC, the world’s largest fishing organization, the company announced today.

Anderson Media has been an investor in B.A.S.S. for several years. It increased its share of the company Tuesday, and, in a statement released today, it promised “business as usual” for B.A.S.S., which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year.

The company will continue to operate with Bruce Akin as CEO and the current owners involved in the business.

Chase Anderson, a fourth generation shareholder of the Anderson Companies and director of Anderson Media and B.A.S.S., and an avid outdoorsman, will join B.A.S.S. fulltime.

“This will provide seamless continuity for B.A.S.S. and those connected with it,” said Anderson. “For the fishing professionals, the loyal sponsors and advertisers and, most importantly, the millions of people nationwide who love this sport, things will both remain as they are and continue to improve.”

B.A.S.S. headquarters will remain in Birmingham, and JM Outdoors, its television and video production arm, will continue to operate out of Little Rock, Ark.

“During the past several years as an investor in B.A.S.S., we have had a chance to get to know B.A.S.S. and the bass fishing industry, and we feel so strongly about B.A.S.S. and the industry that we decided to acquire a controlling interest in B.A.S.S.,” Anderson added. “We are excited about the long-term growth potential for the B.A.S.S. business.”

“The family-owned Anderson Companies share the same roots and principles as B.A.S.S. and will provide new opportunities for growth thanks to their internet marketing, consumer products brand representation and retail services experience,” Akin said. “They are dedicated to the same objectives that have guided the previous B.A.S.S. owners, Don Logan, Jerry McKinnis and Jim Copeland. When they bought B.A.S.S. in 2010, they were intent upon strengthening the company and growing the sport of bass fishing, and they’ve been successful. Anderson Media plans to continue to build upon those achievements.”

“The Anderson companies have a century of business expertise, particularly in marketing,” said Anderson. “We believe we can apply that expertise in ways that will help B.A.S.S. and the sport itself grow and prosper.”

Logan, who has been a friend and business associate of the Anderson family for more than 30 years, believes B.A.S.S. is in good hands. “They have a long-term strategy to help the companies they acquire achieve their full potential,” he said. “They do business like we do.”

Founded in 1917 in Florence, Ala., as a corner bookstore and newsstand, the Anderson Companies are now a diverse global organization. The largest Anderson Media owned company is Anderson Merchandisers which specializes in brand representation, marketing and retail services. It is one of only five designated in-store preferred service providers for Walmart. Other Anderson family-owned companies include internet sales and marketing companies naturalhealthyconcepts.com and magazines.com, marketing distributor TNT Fireworks, the nation’s largest consumer fireworks brand, and retailers Books A Million, 2nd & Charles, and Yogurt Mountain.

B.A.S.S. has industry-leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website Bassmaster.com and television programming (The Bassmasters on ESPN2). Its Bassmaster Elite Series is the premier bass tournament circuit in the world, and the annual Bassmaster Classic is widely considered the “Super Bowl of bass fishing.” B.A.S.S. was founded in 1968 by Ray Scott of Montgomery, Ala., regarded by many as the father of modern bass fishing.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 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), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 45 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, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Series presented by Magellan Outdoors, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

by AnglersChannel

2018 American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series Schedules Announced

October 2, 2017

Athens, AL. American Bass Anglers announced today the 2018 Ram Truck Open Series schedules with 81 tournaments in 18 divisions, in a Pro/Am style format. The series offers a guaranteed $5,000 minimum to the first place to Boaters at all one-day events and at the two-day Area Championships a guaranteed $10,000 minimum for first place Boater and $5,000 for first place Co-Anglers. At the end of the season, qualified anglers will advance to the 2019 Ray Scott Championship, named after the legend Ray Scott who started modern day bass tournaments.

One new division will be introduced in 2018, South Texas. Texas anglers can now compete on Lake Conroe in the same region as South-East Texas. These two divisions will compete on Toledo Bend in late September at the Area 6 Championship.

Each division will hold four one-day qualifying events and anglers who compete in three or more events in their home division will division will qualify to enter the two-day Area Championship.

Area Championships are held on a lake that both divisions compete on, a local but neutral lake, or in some cases the location will be flipped between the two divisions within their area annually. The locations are selected to level the playing field as much as possible for the anglers while reducing travel. At Area Championships the full field competes both days which gives all anglers a much better opportunity at qualifying for the Ray Scott Championship.

Entry fees for Divisional one-day events are $200 for Boaters and $100 for Co-Anglers. The two-day Area Championships entry fee is $300 for Boaters and $150 for Co-Anglers. The Ray Scott Championship has no entry fee.

To advance to the Area Championship anglers must have fished as either a Boater in three one-day events or a Co-Angler in three one-day events or a combination of four one-day events within their region.

Each division will advance anglers to the Ray Scott Championship. The top ten (10) Boaters and top ten (10) Co-Anglers from each division by points after the Area Championship will advance. The top five (5) Boaters and top five (5) Co-Anglers at the Area Championship by place of finish, who do not advance by divisional points, will also advance. Divisional points are awarded to each angler who competes in events within a division including the Area Championship.

The top angler (Boater and Co-Angler) by points from each division, after the Area Championship, will be awarded Divisional Angler of the Year. Divisional Anglers of the Year will have their 2019 entry fee (Boaters - $1,100, Co-Anglers $550) waived for the division of their choice. Total points accumulated from four one-day events within a division plus Area championship determines the Divisional Angler of the Year.

Boaters are always guaranteed use of their boats at all events. Co-Anglers registering as a package entry will receive priority entry into each event in that division. Co-Anglers can guarantee their spot in an event by “linking” with a registered Boater.

More information can be viewed on the RamOpenSeries.com website including payouts, schedules, and additional information.

Registration will open at 8 AM CST October 20, 2017, on the RamOpenSeries.com website or by calling 256-232-0406.

Boater and Co-Angler Package Registrations from October 20 through December 1, 2017, will each receive special incentives.

2018 Schedules

Division	Dates	Lake	Launch Ramp

Area 1
North Alabama	02/03	Guntersville	Goose Pond
	03/17	Wheeler	Joe Wheeler State Park
	04/28	Neely Henry	Coosa Landing
	06/09	Weiss	Leesburg Landing

Mississippi	03/03	Columbus Pool	Columbus Marina
	04/14	Ross Barnett	Tommys Trading Post
	05/05	Ross Barnett	Tommys Trading Post
	08/18	Pickwick	JP Coleman State Park

Championship	09/08-09	Pickwick	McFarland Park

Area 2
Kentucky/TN	03/10	Kentucky	Moors Resort
	04/14	Kentucky	Paris Landing State Park
	06/23	Kentucky	Kentucky Dam Marina
	08/25	Kentucky	Paris Landing State Park

Central Tennessee	02/24	Center Hill	Ragland Bottom
	03/24	Percy Priest	Fate Sanders
	05/05	Old Hickory	Sanders Ferry
	06/16	Old Hickory	Sanders Ferry

Championship	10/13-14	Kentucky	Paris Landing State Park

Area 3
South Alabama	02/03	Eufaula	Lakepoint Resort State Park
	04/21	Martin	Wind Creek State Park
	05/19	Jordan	Bonners Landing
	06/16	Logan Martin	Lakeside Park

Geogia	02/10	Eufaula	Lakepoint Resort State Park
	03/10	Seminole	Reynolds Landing (Big Jims)
	04/28	Sinclair	Little River Park
	06/09	Oconee	Sugar Creek Marina

Championship	10/13-14	Eufaula	Lakepoint Resort State Park

Area 4
North Carolina	02/10	Norman	Pinnacle
	03/24	Hickory	Wittenburg
	04/28	Kerr	Nutbush
	05/19	High Rock	Tamarac Marina

South Carolina	01/27	Keowee	South Cove County Park
	02/17	Murray	Dreher Island State Park
	04/21	Hartwell	Green Pond
	06/09	Clark's Hill	Dorn Facility

Championship	10/13-14	Norman	Blythe Landing

Area 5
Florida Central	01/20	Toho	Lakefront Park
	02/24	Kissimmee Chain	Camp Mack
	03/17	Harris Chain	Hickory Point Recreation Facility
	05/05	Toho	Lakefront Park

Florida South	01/13	Okeechobee	Roland Martin Marina & Resort
	02/17	Okeechobee	Scott Driver
	03/24	Okeechobee	Scott Driver
	05/12	Okeechobee	Roland Martin Marina & Resort

Championship	09/29-30	Kissimmee Chain	Camp Mack

Area 6
Southeast Texas	02/24	Sam Rayburn	Umphrey Pavillion
	04/28	Sam Rayburn	Umphrey Pavillion
	06/09	Sam Rayburn	Umphrey Pavillion
	09/15	Sam Rayburn	Umphrey Pavillion

South Texas	03/17	Lake Conroe	Lakeview Marina
	05/19	Lake Conroe	Lakeview Marina
	06/23	Lake Conroe	Lakeview Marina
	08/25	Lake Conroe	Lakeview Marina

Championship	10/20-21	Toledo Bend	Cypress Bend Park

Area 7
Texas Central	02/03	Cedar Creek	Log Cabin
	03/24	Lake Palestine	Villages Marina
	06/30	Lake of the Pines	Johnson Creek
	09/08	Toledo Bend	Cypress Bend

Oklahoma	03/10	Arkansas River	Three Forks Harbor
	04/21	Eufaula	South Cove
	05/12	Grand Lake	Wolf Creek
	06/16	Ft Gibson	Taylor's Ferry North

Championship	10/06-07	Lake Texoma	Highport Marina

Area 8
Virginia	02/24	Kerr	Nutbush
	04/14	Gaston	Holly Grove Marina
	06/23	Kerr	Nutbush
	08/11	Gaston	Holly Grove Marina

Maryland	03/31	Potomac	Smallwood
	04/21	Chesapeake Bay	Anchor Boats Marina
	05/12	Potomac	Smallwood
	06/02	Chesapeake Bay	Anchor Boats Marina

Championship	09/22-23	Kerr	Nutbush

Area 9
Ohio	05/12	Indian	Moundwood State Park
	06/02	St. Mary's	West Bank
	07/14	Ohio River/ Tanner's Creek	Lawrenceburg City Ramp
	08/04	Ohio River/Maysville	Maysville River Park

New York	06/16	Lake Champlain	Ticonderoga
	07/07	Cayuga	Union Springs
	07/21	1000 Islands	French Creek Marina
	08/18	Lake Champlain	Plattsburgh

Championship	09/15-16	Chautauqua	Mayville Park

To learn more about the Ram Trucks Open Series, visit www.RamOpenSeries.com

by AnglersChannel

KENTUCKY LAKE TO HOST T-H MARINE FLW BFL REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Sept. 26, 2017) – The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) is heading to Kentucky Lake Oct. 5-7 for the first of six BFL Regional Tournaments. The three-day event, presented by Evinrude, will feature the top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers from each of the Hoosier, Illini, Mountain, and Ozark BFL divisions.

Kentucky Lake last hosted a BFL Regional Tournament in 2016 when Chris Aswegan of Tiffin, Iowa, took top honors with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 47 pounds, 4 ounces. Aswegan targeted bass on a shallow flat 50 miles south of Gilbertsville, and cited a shad-colored Heddon Zara Spook topwater as his most productive bait.

Anglers in this year’s event can expect another excellent weekend of bass fishing. Local fishing reports indicate water temperatures still being found in the low 80s and a strong topwater bite, especially targeting schooling fish near main-lake bars and shallow cover. Throwing spinnerbaits and crankbaits near wood will likely be a good bet. For others, flipping jigs and worms to brush piles will be the deal.

Anglers will take off from Moors Resort & Marina, located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville at 7 a.m. CDT each day. Weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. each day. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The T-H Marine BFL Regional Tournament on Kentucky Lake is hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

FLW ANNOUNCES RULES, ENTRY DATES FOR 2018 COSTA FLW SERIES

MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 3, 2017) – FLW announced Tuesday the Costa FLW Series rules, entry fees and payouts for the 2018 season. The season will again consist of three events in each of the five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the no-entry-fee Costa FLW Series Championship to be held on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.

The changes to the 2018 Costa FLW Series are highlighted by the addition of all-new Strike King Angler and Co-Angler of the Year payouts, with cash awards for the top five pros and co-anglers in each division. The Angler of the Year in each division now receives $5,000 with $4,000 going to second, $3,000 to third, $2,500 to fourth and $2,000 to fifth. The Co-angler of the Year now receives $2,000 with $1,500 going to second, $1,250 to third, $1,000 to fourth and $800 to fifth. Entry fees for the Costa FLW Series will slightly increase – $100 per event at $1,700 per tournament for pros and $25 per event at $575 per tournament for co-anglers.

Costa FLW Series payouts will remain the same for 2018. Each qualifying tournament pays as much as $85,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200 HP outboard, to the winning pro and $32,000, including a Ranger Z175 with a 90 HP outboard, to the winning co-angler based on a 150-boat field. As the number of participants increases, so do the awards. At the maximum field size of 250 boats, the payout jumps to $105,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200 HP outboard, for the winning pro and $34,500, including a Ranger Z175 with a 90 HP outboard, for the winning co-angler. The depth of the payout also grows with participation, from 40 places paid at 150 boats to 67 places paid at 250 boats.

“A Costa FLW Series win is one of the most sought-after titles in bass fishing,” said FLW Series tournament director Ron Lappin. “No other circuit offers anglers from coast to coast better payouts for a lower entry fee. Add FLW’s extensive media coverage to the mix along with advancement to the FLW Tour, and it’s easy to see why the FLW Series continues to set participation records.”

The top 40 pros and co-anglers who fished all three qualifiers in each U.S. division advance to the no-entry-fee FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower outboard in the pro division. The second-place championship pro earns $25,000 followed by $20,000 for third and $15,000 for fourth. The winning co-angler at the championship earns as much as $32,000, including a Ranger Z175, while the second-place championship co-angler earns $12,500 followed by $10,000 for third and $7,500 for fourth.

The highest finishing pro from each of the five U.S. FLW Series divisions and the FLW Series International division based on final results at the 2018 FLW Series Championship will qualify for the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup. Six FLW Series pros will advance to the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The top 15 pros and co-anglers from each division receive priority entry into the 2019 FLW Tour, the world’s top professional bass-fishing circuit.

Complete rules can be found online at FLWFishing.com.

Registration for the 2018 Costa FLW Series season is open for the top 40 pros and co-anglers from each division of the 2017 FLW Series, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2017 Bass Fishing League (BFL), plus the winner of each 2017 BFL tournament. These anglers have until Nov. 6, 2017, to secure their priority entry. Ranger boat owners and sponsor entries may register beginning Nov. 7, 2017. Anglers who fished a full division of the 2017 FLW Series or 2017 BFL can register Nov. 8, 2017, followed by TBF members Nov. 9, 2017. All other entries will be accepted beginning Nov. 10, 2017. Qualified anglers can register by calling 270.252.1000 or online at FLWFishing.com.

2018 Costa FLW Series Payouts:

Qualifying Event Payout:

Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup

1 $40,000 Ranger Z518C Ranger Z175 $5,000

with 200 HP outboard with 90 HP outboard

2 15,500 5,000

3 12,000 4,000

4 10,000 3,500

5 9,000 3,000

6 8,000 2,500

7 7,000 2,000

8 6,000 1,750

9 5,000 1,500

10 4,000 1,250

11 3,750 1,000

12 3,500 1,000

13 3,000 1,000

14 3,000 1,000

15 3,000 1,000

16-20 3,000 800

21-25 2,750 700

26-30 2,500 600

31-40 2,000 500

Big Bass: Day 1 300 200

Big Bass: Day 2 300 200

Entry Fee $1,700 $575

*Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament.

Costa FLW Series Championship:

Place Pro Ranger Cup Co-angler Ranger Cup

1 $50,000 Ranger Z518C Ranger Z175 $5,000

with 200 HP outboard with 90 HP outboard

2 25,000 $5,000 12,500

3 20,000 3,500 10,000

4 15,000 2,000 7,500

5 10,000 1,000 5,000

6 8,000 4,000

7 7,000 3,500

8 6,000 3,000

9 5,000 2,500

10 4,500 2,000

11-15 4,000 1,500

16-20 3,500 1,000

21-25 3,000 900

26-30 2,500 800

31-40 2,000 700

*Payback is based on the number of paid entries in qualifying tournaments.

Strike King Angler of the Year and Co-angler of the Year
Place Pro Co-angler
1 $5,000 $2,000

2 4,000 1,500

3 3,000 1,250

4 2,500 1,000

5 2,000 800

For details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Central Open On Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees Will Decide Season Points Title

The final Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open will be held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees out of Grove, Okla., Oct. 5-7. Anglers will be vying for a berth in the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

Sept. 28, 2017

GROVE, Okla. — It’s a rare occasion when Arizona pro Josh Bertrand gets to fish an event with little or no pressure.

But that’s where he finds himself as he prepares for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open scheduled for Oct. 5-7 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

A regular on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bertrand finished 29th in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, securing his berth in the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. Although he currently leads the Central Opens division standings, he feels no pressure to win at Grand or even to have a strong showing to guarantee his spot on next year’s Elite Series.

He just plans to have fun and learn — and he thinks that approach could be good for a lake that is still transitioning into fall.

“We’re in such an oddball, tough time of year,” Bertrand said. “If you are worrying about trying to get a high finish, it could be a really challenging event. I don’t live in Oklahoma, so I can’t say for sure. But I would imagine the fish probably haven’t made it into their fall patterns yet.”

That means they’ll likely be scattered — and multiple patterns could come into play.

“If you’re right in the middle of a season, whether it’s summer, fall, winter or spring, you might have 95 to 100 percent of the fish in that pattern — right there in the areas you expect them to be,” Bertrand said. “Right now, let’s say for instance you have a third of the fish in a summer pattern, a third of them in the fall pattern and a third of them transitioning. You’re just flat-out fishing for fewer fish, no matter what you’re doing.”

Arkansas angler Mike McClelland is in a similar situation to Bertrand’s. Since he won the first Central Open on Table Rock Lake and finished 22nd in the second Central Open on the Sabine River, he needs only to show up at Grand Lake to officially earn a Classic berth.

As of 1 p.m. Thursday, McClelland and his wife, Stacy, were already parked near Grand in their motorhome — and like Bertrand, he agreed it could be a tough transitional event.

“I know everybody gets excited about fall fishing,” said McClelland, whose 28-year-old son Justin is also fishing the tournament. “But when you’re dealing with one of these midland, highland reservoirs, historically, the last couple of weeks of September and the first week or two in October have been really tough.”

Bertrand’s only previous experience on Grand Lake was a 35th-place finish during the 2016 Bassmaster Classic — an early-March event that Oklahoma angler Edwin Evers won with a combination of largemouth and smallmouth caught around shallow cover in river current. McClelland actually won an Elite Series event on Grand in 2006, but he says his experience is limited there as well.

“There’s probably some added pressure on me because people consider me one of the so-called experts on this lake,” McClelland said. “I have definitely spent some time on Grand. But when it comes to this time of year, it’s like I’ve never fished it at all.

“I expect fish to be caught from just a few feet deep all the way out to as deep as they’re ever caught on Grand.”

The winner will earn a Classic berth — provided he’s not already qualified and has already fished the two previous Central Opens. The tournament’s pro division winner will also receive a Skeeter ZX200 powered by a Yamaha SHO200 outboard, while the co-angler winner earns a Nitro Z18 powered by a Mercury 150 Pro XS.

The final Central Open standings will also determine five invitations for the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series. Behind Bertrand in the current standings are Randy Sullivan of Breckenridge, Texas; Drew Sloan of Scurry, Texas; Chad Morgenthaler of Reeds Spring, Mo.; and McClelland.

Since Bertrand, Morgenthaler and McClelland may requalify for the Elite Series, Chance Woodard of Paris, Texas; Roy Hawk of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; and Lee Livesay of Longview, Texas — the anglers who currently rank sixth, seventh and eighth — are also in good position to qualify. Former Elite Series pro Charlie Hartley of Grove City, Ohio, who failed to requalify for the Elite Series after the 2015 season, is in ninth place with a chance to requalify if he has a strong performance.

Daily takeoffs will be at 7 a.m. CT from Wolf Creek Park, and weigh-ins for Days 1 and 2 will be held back at the park at 3 p.m. The Day 3 weigh-in will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow, Okla.

The event is hosted by the City of Grove, Okla.

by AnglersChannel

2017 CUP CHAMP ATKINS WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL MISSISSIPPI DIVISION FINALE ON ROSS BARNETT RESERVOIR

Tennessee’s Utley Wins Co-angler Title

BRANDON, Miss. (Oct. 2, 2017) – Reigning Forrest Wood Cup Champion Justin Atkins of Florence, Alabama, added to his stellar 2017 campaign Sunday, winning the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mississippi Division tournament on Ross Barnett Reservoir with a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 6 ounces. Atkins was awarded $7,646 for his victory.

Atkins said he spent the tournament on the lower end of the lake targeting offshore fish. He said he caught the majority of his fish throughout the weekend using a 10-inch black Berkley Power Worm.

“I had one big school that was 10- to 14-feet deep,” said Atkins, who had seven prior top-10 finishes in BFL competition. “That’s where’d I’d start each morning to get a limit.”

Atkins said he moved to shallower brush piles around 10:30 a.m. each day.

“My Humminbird electronics helped me locate the brush piles and which of them were holding fish,” said Atkins. “I could also see the subtle changes on the bottom. I’ve never owned a unit that you could see fish that shallow.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 24-6, $5,646 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Teddy Cranford, Seminary, Miss., 10 bass, 24-5, $2,823

3^rd: Dan Love, Pearl, Miss., seven bass, 20-0, $1,816

4^th: Shannon Denson, Brandon, Miss., 10 bass, 19-10, $1,271

5^th: Marty Torrence, Crystal Springs, Miss., nine bass, 19-6, $1,089

6^th: Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., seven bass, 18-10, $998

7^th: Darrell Hunter, Lena, Miss., seven bass, 18-8, $908

8^th: Bobby McDill, Raleigh, Miss., seven bass, 18-3, $817

9^th: Chris Wooten, West Point, Miss., seven bass, 17-4, $1,074

10^th: Timmy Smith, Petal, Miss., eight bass, 17-4, $635

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Larry Savell of Brandon, Mississippi, caught a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the Boater Big Bass award of $348.

Hunter Utley of Cordova, Tennessee, caught a two-day total of eight bass weighing 19 pounds even to win the Co-angler Division and $3,272.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Hunter Utley, Cordova, Tenn., eight bass, 19-0, $3,272

2^nd: Mike Allen, Crystal Springs, Miss., eight bass , 16-15, $1,411

3^rd: Jason Mitchell, Hamilton, Miss., six bass, 13-5, $908

4^th: Ray Higginbotham, Brooksville, Miss., six bass, 10-12, $635

5^th: Kevin Culpepper, Seminary, Miss., four bass, 10-8, $545

6^th: Charles Conn, Pearl, Miss., six bass, 10-0, $499

7^th: Mike Hall, Purvis, Miss., four bass, 9-13, $454

8^th: Bobby Murphy, Florence, Miss., five bass, 9-13, $408

9^th: Jimmy Tisdale, Ellisville, Miss., five bass, 9-4, $363

10^th: Lance Jackson, Starkville, Miss., three bass, 9-2, $318

Utley also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $349.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional Championship on the Red River in Bossier City, Louisiana. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

Kevin VanDam’s Three Favorite Lures for Fall

Kevin VanDam loves football, archery season for whitetail deer, and thoughts of bass binging on baitfish. And those are just three good reasons the 7-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year calls autumn his favorite time of year.

“Oh yea, there’s no doubt life is good this time of year,” says VanDam. And football is a large part of October’s goodness for he and his treasured family.

“Of course I love my home state Detroit Lions, but I maintain a friendship with Willie Young, an avid angler and pass rush specialist for the Chicago Bears, who used to play for Detroit,” he says.

“Plus, my twin sons Jackson and Nicholas are in college at Grand Valley State University. Their football team owns the highest winning percentage in college football history, and we were recently on campus for Family Weekend when the Lakers won 49 to 0,” says the ever-competitive VanDam.

But fall is certainly not only about football for the VanDams. They have long had a healthy appetite for whitetail deer hunting, and October 1^st kicks off the start of Michigan’s archery season that they treasure in much the same way bass covet baitfish during the calendar’s fourth quarter.

“Fall is all about the bait, and in a lot of reservoirs that’s going to involve bass keying on shad in major creek arms of the reservoir,” says VanDam. “That pattern is talked about constantly, and it’s true, but not every quality bass follows bait to the back of a creek -- there’s still plenty of good fish eating bait on flat, shallow, points along the main lake too.”

No surprise then, all three lures pro bass fishing’s greatest angler chose as his favorites for fall are shad imitators.

His starting line-up includes a squarebill crankbait, a topwater walking bait, and a jerkbait. And just as importantly as what lures he specified … is knowing where and when to use them … and what equipment he matches them to.

Squarebill crankbait – He chooses his namesake KVD 1.5 from Strike King and says, “It’s just such an efficient bait because the bass are moving shallow, and they’ll bite it in just about any color of water,” says VanDam.

“The dream scenario for a squarebill at this time of year is a rocky creek channel swing in the back of a major tributary, with shad active near the surface of the water,” he adds.

While some pros speed up to faster gear ratio reels in autumn, VanDam remains faithful to the same 5.3:1 ratio from Quantum that he cranked up Bassmaster Classic and Angler of the Year titles with during his illustrious career.

“With the larger spool and line capacity on the new Smoke HD reel, I’m still picking up plenty of line to maintain a good speed,” explains VanDam, who pairs it with a forgiving 7’ 0” TourKVD cranking rod.

Topwater Walking Lure – If ever there was a prime time for topwater lures – it’s now, and VanDam says lures like Strike King’s Sexy Dawg have magnetic qualities.

“A topwater like the 4.5” Sexy Dawg has incredible drawing power. You can attract bass from far away to come bite it in clear to stained water, as long as there’s not too much wave action on the surface,” says VanDam.

VanDam uses a higher speed 7.3:1 reel for this lure, and prefers 50-pound braided line. “Braid is so much easier to get the lure to walk, plus you get better hook-ups when they bite,” he explains.

Jerkbait – Kevin VanDam and jerkbaits go together like October and falling leaves, and he says that few lures search-out bass on shallow, flat, main lake, secondary points like this one.

“Again, not every bass in the lake swims to the back of a creek in search of shad at this time of year,” emphasizes the 4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion. “There are plenty of quality fish to be caught on the shallower flat points on the main lake too. And by keeping your boat in about 10-feet of water, and casting up there to four or five feet of water on those types of points, can be an awesome way to catch ‘em at this time of the year,” emphasizes the 4-time Bassmaster Classic Champion.

VanDam emphasizes the need for a quality reel capable of making long smooth casts for jerkbaits, and currently relies on Quantum’s new Smoke S3 in a 6.1:1 spooled with 12-pound fluorocarbon.

From first downs to falling leaves, autumn is indeed an awesome time of the year to catch bass chomping on baitfish, especially with three lures chosen by Kevin VanDam arrowed squarely into your bass fishing knowledge base.

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

by AnglersChannel

KEITH ESTES WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL SHENANDOAH DIVISION FINALE ON JAMES RIVER

Wytheville’s Sayers Claims Co-angler Title

HENRICO, Va. (Oct. 2, 2017) – Boater Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Virginia, weighed a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds even to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division tournament on the James River. For his efforts, Estes received $4,101.

Estes said he concentrated on an array of creeks at the mouth of the Chickahominy River, near Jamestown. He targeted bass near trees and submerged wood in the 3- to 5-foot range.

“The main thing with tidal fisheries is that you have to pick whether you’re going to run the incoming or outgoing tide,” said Estes, who clinched his first career win in FLW competition. “Normally I like to fish the outgoing tide, but it was a very small window later in the day so I decided to run the incoming tide.”

Estes said a Blue Fleck-colored Berkley Power Worm caught the most fish, while crankbaits produced the big bites.

“I was fortunate to find fish in practice that I could save for Sunday,” said Estes.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., 10 bass, 28-0, $4,101

2^nd: Brian LaClair, Denton, Md., 10 bass, 26-14, $1,951

3^rd: Ben Reynolds, Callands, Va., 10 bass, 26-13, $1,301

4^th: Wayne Dorman, Louisa, Va., 10 bass, 26-4, $910

5^th: Mike Morris, Dover, Del., 10 bass, 25-12, $780

6^th: Steven Wiseman, Bryans Road, Md., 10 bass, 25-6, $815

7^th: Zachary Whitt, Newport News, Va., 10 bass, 24-7, $650

8^th: Donald Estes, Richmond, Va., 10 bass, 21-7, $585

9^th: Shaun Hunter, Mount Airy, N.C., nine bass, 18-2, $520

10^th: Derek Brown, Charlottesville, Va., eight bass, 17-1, $455

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Dennis Middleton of Madison Heights, Virginia, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds even – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the Boater Big Bass award of $420.

Jonathan Sayers of Wytheville, Virginia, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the Co-angler Division and $2,151.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Jonathan Sayers, Wytheville, Va., 10 bass, 19-10, $2,151

2^nd: Ronald Fulwider, Moneta, Va., eight bass, 17-10, $975

3^rd: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., nine bass, 15-15, $699

4^th: David Kennedy, Woodbridge, Va., nine bass, 15-14, $455

5^th: Kenny Main, Colonial Heights, Va., eight bass, 13-15, $390

6^th: Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., seven bass, 13-9, $358

7^th: Travis Garrett, Charlottesville, Va., seven bass, 11-3, $325

8^th: William Lane, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 10-6, $293

9^th: Chris Whittaker, Waverly, Va., six bass, 10-1, $260

10^th: Nelson Bailey, Virginia Beach, Va., five bass, 9-6, $228

Dick Allen of Sumerduck, Virginia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $210.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING TOURNAMENT AT CLEAR LAKE

LAKEPORT, Calif. (Oct. 3, 2017) – The University of Oregon duo of Ryan Habenicht and Daniel Marshall, both of Eugene, Oregon, won the YETI FLW College Fishing Western Conference tournament at Clear Lake Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned the Ducks bass club $2,000 and the team will now advance to compete at the 2018 FLW College Fishing National Championship, scheduled for May 30-June 2 on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana.

It was the second Western Conference victory of the season for Habenicht, who won the Lake Havasu tournament in February despite fishing the two-man team event solo. Marshall was registered to compete alongside Habenicht in that event but was unable to join his partner in Arizona due to travel issues. It was also the second-consecutive year that the duo from Oregon has won the annual FLW College Fishing event on Clear Lake, joining Chico State as the only two-time winners on the fishery.

“I grew up fishing this lake and I feel like I’m usually in tune with what’s going on here,” said Habenicht, a senior business major. “We had an unbelievable practice and I thought we were going to crush them. Then the tournament rolls around and three hours into the day, we’ve got no bites. We had to scramble.”

Around 11 a.m. the duo finally got their first bite of the day off of a point – a 7-pounder – on a (bluegill) Z-Man Custom ChatterBait.

“Every fish that we caught in the tournament was not a spot that we practiced in and was on a different lure,” Habenicht said. “We ended up catching about 15 to 20 fish between 11 and 1:30. The 7-pounder was our biggest, but the best lure for us was a (Frenzy Baits) Wack-A-Sack jig with a 3-inch shad-colored (Reaction Innovations) Smallie Beaver.

“The key for us was figuring out that we needed to slow way down. Traditionally, we like to fish extremely fast. But the lake was fishing tough and we had to make multiple casts sometimes. At one point it took 11 casts to catch a fish off of a dock.”

The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2018 College Fishing National Championship are:

1^st: University of Oregon – Ryan Habenicht and Daniel Marshall, both of Eugene, Oregon, five bass, 18-15, $2,000

2^nd: California State University-East Bay – Yuan Liu, Hayward, Calif., and Herbert Rounds, Oakley, Calif., five bass, 16-4, $1,000

3^rd: California Polytechnic State University – Johan Eide, San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Colton Farquer, Oakdale, Calif., five bass, 15-2, $500

4^th: California Polytechnic State University – Patrick Ellis, San Diego, Calif., and Sam Morita, Sebastopol, Calif., five bass, 14-6, $500

5^th: California State University-Chico – Travis Gonsalves, Modesto, Calif., and Thoma Avilla, Escalon, Calif., five bass, 13-3, $900

6^th: Oregon State University – Biagio Capp, Discovery Bay, Calif., and Joseph Billmaier, San Jose, Calif., five bass, 13-1

7^th: California State University-Chico – Cole Lauchland, Chico, Calif., and Logan Schwab, Davis, Calif., five bass, 12-13, $200

8^th: California State University-Chico – Nicolas Fortino, Chico, Calif., and Mason Van Wagoner, San Jose, Calif., five bass, 11-15

9^th: California State University-Chico – Austin Crane and David Griswold, both of Oroville, Calif., five bass, 11-13, $200

10^th: California State University-Chico – Tyler Firebaugh, Danville, Calif., and Chad Sweitzer, Chico, Calif., five bass, 11-9

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

This YETI FLW College Fishing Western Conference event at Clear Lake was hosted by the Konocti Vista Casino Resort & Marina and was the third and final regular-season qualifying tournament for Western Conference anglers in 2017. The next YETI FLW College Fishing event will be a Central Conference tournament, scheduled for Oct. 7 on the Mississippi River in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

by AnglersChannel

Scott Jones & Dustin Cauthon Win Arkansas Bass Trail Championship in the Arkansas River!!

by AnglersChannel

MCMULLEN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL SOUTH CAROLINA DIVISION FINALE ON LAKE WYLIE

Gaston’s Wingate Nabs Co-angler Title

ROCK HILL, S.C. (Oct. 2, 2017) – Boater Willie McMullen of Oxford, Georgia, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) South Carolina Division tournament on Lake Wylie with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 3 ounces. For his win, McMullen pocketed $5,082.

“I caught everything fairly shallow from isolated wood and docks,” said McMullen, who earned his first career-win in FLW competition. “I spent the tournament in the South Fork Catawba River arm and was able to catch seven keepers on Saturday and nine on Sunday.”

McMullen estimated that 12 of his bass bit a white Z-Man ChatterBait while the other four preferred a black Picasso Din R Bel Buzzbait or a June Bug-colored Zoom Dead Ringer Worm.

“I had a little milk run and hit the same stuff each day,” said McMullen. “Everything came from less than 3 feet of water. The water level actually dropped throughout the weekend, which both helped and hurt me. It isolated targets to where I could pick apart areas without fan casting, but it also dried out some spots by Sunday.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Willie McMullen, Oxford, Ga., 10 bass, 26-3, $5,082

2^nd: Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., 10 bass, 23-8, $2,541

3^rd: Timmy Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C., nine bass, 22-8, $1,925

4^th: Mel Long, Hampton, S.C., 10 bass, 21-11, $1,139

5^th: Chuck Howard, Elloree, S.C., 10 bass, 20-15, $976

6^th: Ron Brown, Santee, S.C., 10 bass, 20-13, $895

7^th: Nathan Webber, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 20-6, $814

8^th: Shane Lineberger , Lincolnton, N.C., nine bass, 20-3, $732

9^th: Bryan New, Belmont, N.C., nine bass, 19-9, $651

10^th: Cole Huskins, Mount Holly, N.C., 10 bass, 18-15, $570

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

John Haas of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, caught a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the Boater Big Bass award of $600.

Mark Wingate of Gaston, South Carolina, caught a two-day total of seven bass weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the Co-angler Division and $2,634.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Mark Wingate, Gaston, S.C., seven bass, 16-4, $2,634

2^nd: Jared Upchurch, Lugoff, S.C., seven bass, 14-6, $1,217

3^rd: Tommy Floyd, Coward, S.C., seven bass, 14-1, $813

4^th: Marcus Leech, Gastonia, N.C., seven bass, 13-7, $568

5^th: Thomas Robbins, Jackson, S.C., eight bass, 13-2, $537

6^th: Brandon Jeffcoat, Columbia, S.C., seven bass, 11-14, $446

7^th: Terry Carteret, Charlotte, N.C., four bass, 10-13, $406

8^th: Charles Wood, Thomasville, N.C., four bass, 10-12, $657

9^th: Tristen Trull, Mount Holly, N.C., six bass, 10-8, $325

10^th: Terry Coleman, Sumter, S.C., four bass, 9-5, $284

Wood caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 4 pounds, 12 ounces – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $292.

The T-H Marine FLW BFL South Carolina Division tournament on Lake Wylie was hosted by the Rock Hill/York County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

FREEMAN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BFL COWBOY DIVISION FINALE ON TOLEDO BEND LAKE

Texas’ Shelton Takes Co-angler Title

MANY, La. (Oct. 2, 2017) – Boater Glen Freeman of Zwolle, Louisiana, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Cowboy Division tournament on Toledo Bend Lake Sunday with a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 11 ounces. For his efforts, Freeman took home $8,074.

“I fished offshore ridges, just above the Pendleton Bridge, in 15 to 20 feet of water,” said Freeman, who notched his ninth career win on Toledo Bend in BFL competition. “The main thing for me this weekend was timing. They’d bite early in some spots one day, and the next day they’d bite late in those spots. You had to be in the right place at the right time.”

Freeman said he rotated between two lures to catch his fish – a Red Bug-colored Texas-rigged Double Z Lures Magnum-T Worm and a Mister Twister worm. He said he caught seven keepers Saturday and around 10 on Sunday.

“It was a lot of basic, offshore, old-fashioned Texas-rig worm fishing out there,” said Freeman.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Glen Freeman, Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 37-11, $6,074 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Albert Collins, Nacogdoches, Texas, 10 bass, 36-7, $3,037

3^rd: Nick Lebrun, Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 32-7, $1,957

4^th: Randy Deaver, Blanchard, La., 10 bass, 30-13, $1,371

5^th: Charles DuBroc, Hessmer, La., nine bass, 29-4, $1,865

6^th: Darold Gleason, Many, La., 10 bass, 28-3, $1,077

7^th: Kyle Guidry, Opelousas, La., nine bass, 25-10, $979

8^th: Kevin Jeane, Natchitoches, La., 10 bass, 25-7, $881

9^th: Brian Martin, Hemphill, Texas, 10 bass, 24-15, $783

10^th: Philip Crelia, Center, Texas, 10 bass, 24-10, $685

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Stephen Reitzell of Colfax, Louisiana, caught an 8-pound, 9-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the Boater Big Bass award of $390.

Justin Shelton of Kemp, Texas, caught a two-day total of eight bass weighing 27 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the Co-angler Division and $3,037.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Justin Shelton, Kemp, Texas, eight bass, 27-7, $3,037

2^nd: David Kayda, Huffman, Texas, five bass, 21-12, $1,518

3^rd: Charles Dellard, Burleson, Texas, nine bass, 21-0, $979

4^th: Russell Lewis, Pineville, La., 10 bass, 20-8, $685

5^th: Cedric Jackson, Sicily Island, La., five bass, 17-9, $587

6^th: Doug Estep, Baton Rouge, La., eight bass, 14-4, $538

7^th: Gary Medley, Vidor, Texas, six bass, 14-0, $489

8^th: Logan Slaughter, Dallas, Texas, seven bass, 13-15, $441

9^th: Dwayne Dennis, Colmesneil, Texas, five bass, 13-15, $392

10^th: Alexander Phillips, Bossier, La., seven bass, 13-0, $343

Tim Woodard of Rosepine, Louisiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounces – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $390.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

DAVIS WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE CHOO CHOO DIVISION FINALE ON LAKE GUNTERSVILLE PRESENTED BY MUD HOLE CUSTOM TACKLE

Dawson’s Harcrow Nabs Co-angler Title

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Oct. 2, 2017) – FLW Tour pro Alex Davis of Albertville, Alabama, weighed a two-day cumulative of 10 bass totaling 34 pounds, 9 ounces to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Choo Choo Division tournament on Lake Guntersville presented by Mud Hole Custom Tackle. For his win, Davis pocketed $7,704.

“On Saturday I caught 20 keepers – it was a great day,” said Davis, who earned his third career-victory in BFL competition. “My heaviest came from a 20-yard stretch that had hollow milfoil surrounded by hydrilla. It was near shore and ended up being the area that carried me through the tournament.”

Davis said 8 of 10 fish that he weighed in were caught on a black Jackall Kaera Frog.

“I started out at the stretch Sunday, but wasn’t able to put anything in the boat,” said Davis. “After letting the area rest, I returned and caught two keepers including a 5-pounder using a (black and blue) Jackall Archelon.”

Following those fish, Davis said he was forced to leave his area due to large waves.

“I went to a spot where I had gotten couple of bites in practice, but when I got there, my trolling motor cable broke,” said Davis. “I spent the rest of the day putting my Power-Poles down, fishing and then moving the boat with my outboard. Luckily, I was in an area that didn’t really need a trolling motor to be productive.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 34-9, $5,704 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd: Blake Hall, Hartselle, Ala., 10 bass, 34-2, $2,752

3^rd: Douglas Webster, Pinson, Ala., 10 bass, 33-9, $1,935

4^th: Lealand Johnson, Arab, Ala., 10 bass, 32-6, $1,584

5^th: Triston Crowder, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-1, $1,101

6^th: Dennis Barnes, Boaz, Ala., nine bass, 28-5, $1,009

7^th: John Davenport, Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 27-14, $917

8^th: James Smith, Huntsville, Ala., nine bass, 27-10, $826

9^th: James Stoler, Decatur, Ala., seven bass, 22-11, $734

10^th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., nine bass, 21-15, $642

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Pat Kelly of Guntersville, Alabama, caught a bass weighing 7 pounds even – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the Boater Big Bass award of $705.

Chris Harcrow of Dawson, Alabama, caught a two-day total of eight bass weighing 22 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the Co-angler Division and $2,635.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st: Chris Harcrow, Dawson, Al a., eight bass, 22-5, $2,635

2^nd: Stephen Barday, Acworth, Ga., eight bass, 21-0, $1,317

3^rd: Danny Moss, Glencoe, Ala., six bass, 20-7, $1,217

4^th: Corey Williams, Lenoir City, Tenn., six bass, 19-4, $715

5^th: Lee Graves, Southside, Ala., eight bass, 18-15, $527

6^th: Dan Basham, Taylorsville, Ky., six bass, 16-7, $533

7^th: Dennis Sandoval, Decatur, Ala., five bass, 13-10, $439

8^th: Randy Hill, Athens, Ala., five bass, 11-10, $395

9^th: David Perron, Dayton, Tenn., four bass, 11-0, $351

10^th: Chris Walters, Dayton, Tenn., four bass, 10-15, $307

Moss caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $337.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 12-14 BFL Regional Championship on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Alabama. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

by AnglersChannel

FLW ANNOUNCES KENTUCKY/BARKLEY LAKES AS 2017 T-H MARINE BFL WILD CARD VENUE

MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 2, 2017) – FLW announced today that the 2017 T-H Marine BFL Wild Card tournament will take place on Kentucky and Barkley lakes, Nov. 10-11. The previously reported date of Oct. 27-28 was changed due to a scheduling conflict. The event will launch from the Kentucky Dam Marina, located at 466 Marina Drive in Gilbertsville, Kentucky.

In order to be eligible to fish the no-entry-fee BFL Wild Card tournament, anglers must have entered all five events within a BFL division during the 2017 season and fished at least two of them. In addition, anglers who have already qualified for a BFL regional are ineligible.

During the BFL Wild Card tournament, the full field competes both days, with winners determined by the heaviest two-day catch. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers will advance to the 2018 T-H Marine BFL All-American, held on Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana, May 31-June 2, hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier City Sports Commission and the Red River Waterway Commission.

An optional pot is available to anglers who elect to participate at the BFL Wild Card tournament. Entry fees for the optional pot will be $230 for boaters and $115 for co-anglers, with the top 20 percent of anglers who elect to participate in the optional pot receiving checks. There will be no official practice period or off-limits period prior to the pretournament meeting for the Wild Card. No contestant may be on tournament waters for the purpose of locating bass or potential fishing waters after the start of the pretournament meeting except during tournament hours.

Entry for the BFL Wild Card is now open and runs through Thursday, November 9, 2017, at 6 p.m. Central time. You may enter by phone on or before Wednesday, November 8, at 270.252.1000. Entries on November 9 will be taken onsite at the pretournament meeting at the Kentucky Dam Marina. The 2017 T-H Marine BFL Wild Card tournament is being hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The 2017 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.

by AnglersChannel

Browning & Wagoner Win Bradly Roy's 5th Annual High School Open on Herrington Lake!

Lancaster, KY – Bradley Roy’s 5^th Annual High School Open was held on Saturday, September 30^th on Herrington Lake. A record field of 94 teams from 29 different schools competed for two spots in the 2018 Bassmaster High School National Championship.

The team of Steven Browning and Noah Wagoner of Garrard County won the event with 5 bass weighing 12.83. They were followed closely by the team of Jordan Smallwood and Evan Fields of Collins/Shelby with 12.78. The runner-up team also had the Big Bass of the event with a 4.87 largemouth.

The team of Browning & Wagoner caught their fish on jigs in deep brush piles while Smallwood and Fields caught over 50 fish on topwaters and crankbaits.

The winning team received plaques, custom rod building kits from Mud Hole Custom Tackle, rod blanks from MHX Rods, and baits from Cabin Creek Bait Co. and D&L Tackle. The two top teams also received entry into the aforementioned Bassmaster High School National Championship.

Registration was held Friday night at Angler’s Outpost & Marine in Lancaster, KY with First Southern National Bank feeding the crowd. The teams were addressed by Hank Patton with USA Cares, Stacie Walker of Prym1, Nick Sosby of Snap Fundraising, and Tommy Hall of Campbellsville College. Tournament information was provided to the teams and coaches by Anthony and Bradley Roy.

The event was held out of Chimney Rock Marina on Herrington Lake, a 2,335-acre lake situated in Mercer, Garrard, and Boyle Counties. It was the fourth year the event was held on the fishery. Roy announced the fishery would be the site of the 2018 event as well with a probable date of October 6^th.

Event supporters included; Angler’s Outpost & Marine, Mud Hole Custom Tackle, MHX Rods, First Southern National Bank, Cabin Creek Bait Co., D&L Tackle, USA Cares, Whitetail Heaven Outfitters, Prym1, Shimano, The Leash, Triton Boats, and Mercury Marine.

by AnglersChannel

Andy Lake Wins AFT D-96 Clarks Hill Event with over 13 Pounds!!

Group photo from left to right: 1st place and ALX Rod Big Fish Winner Andy Lake of Batesburg, SC / 2nd place Tracy Webb of Elberton, Ga. / 3rd place Jonathon Webb of Elberton, Ga. / 4th place Steve Christie of Gray Court, SC / 5th place Bill Cain of Greenwood, SC. / 6th place Joey Miller of Waterloo, SC.

The day started out at 55 degrees and was at 75 degrees by the 3 pm weigh-in. Sunny bluebird skies with the wind out of the NE at 15 to 25 mph. Clarks Hill Lake is at 8 feet below full pool and falling with surface temp in the mid to high 70s.

There were 26 anglers fishing this Division 96 1-day qualifier tournament out of the Dorn Facility near McCormick, SC.

First place, Andy Lake had 5 fish weighing 13.80 pounds that was anchored by the tournament big fish of 5.91 pounds. That fish puts Andy in the lead for the 2018 Season ALX Rod Big Fish. Andy caught all his fish on soft plastics fishing brush piles on the middle part of the lake. His big fish came on a plastic worm in 12 feet of water. The combined payback for first place and big fish gave Andy $770.

Tracy Webb was second with 5 fish weighing 11.45 pounds. Tracy took home $539 for second place and first place in the option pot.

Jonathon Webb took third place with 4 fish weighing 10.88 pounds. He had a kicker fish of 5.23 pounds and won $237 for third place and second place in the option pot.

Fourth place was Steve Christie of Gray Court, SC. Steve had 5 fish weighing 10.70 pounds. Steve fished the middle part of the lake and caught his fish on crankbaits. Steve won $108 for his fourth place finish.

The next D-96 tournament for the 2018 season is November 12, 2017 on Lake Murray out of Dreher Island State Park near Prosperity, SC.

Here’s how we finished:

Angler	# Fish	Big Bass	Penalty	Total Wt.	Points	Payout
1	Andy Lake	5	5.91	13.8	200	$770
2	Tracy Webb	5	11.45	199	$539
3	Jonathon Webb	4	5.23	10.88	198	$237
4	Steve Christie	5	10.7	197	$108
5	Bill Cain	5	4	10.45	196	ALX Hat
6	Joey Miller	5	10.29	195	Level Hat
7	Mark Abbott	5	9.77	194	$0
8	George Berry	5	0.5	9.45	193	$0
9	Kevin Bragg	5	9.15	192	$0
10	Paul Smith	4	3.95	8.83	191	$0
11	Jay Treon	5	7.9	190	$0
12	Don Kneece	5	0.5	7.29	189	$0
13	Eddie Temples	5	7.22	188	$0
14	Kirk Fowler	3	7.14	187	$0
15	Russell Clark	3	3.25	6.95	186	$0
16	Daniel Howell	5	6.82	185	$0
17	Randy Ables	5	0.5	5.9	184	$0
18	Allen Murray	4	0.5	5.79	183	$0
19	Paul Tickerhoof	5	5.69	182	$0
20	Phil Morris	4	5.26	181	$0
21	James Satterwhite	2	4.8	180	$0
22	Roger Farr	4	3.85	179	$0
23	Kevin Fulmer	2	2.6	178	$0
24	Wesley Bray	2	2.19	177	$0
25	Patrick Hobson	0	0	$50	$0
25	James Pinson	0	0	$50	$0

D-96 Angler of the Year Leaders for 2018 Season:

Joey Miller – 769 points

Jay Treon – 757 points

Don Kneece – 755 points

ALX Rod Big Fish Leader for 2018 Season:

Kevin Fulmer – 5.13 pounds Clarks Hill Lake, October 1, 2017

ALX Rods Big Fish Award for the 2018 Season (New ALX IKOS Series Rod for Season Big Fish Winner www.alxrods.com)

Level Performance Rods Big Sack Leader for 2018 Season:

Kevin Fulmer – 19.50 pounds Lake Murray, August 20, 2017

Andy Lake won a Level Rod at the drawing at the August 20^th Murray weigh-in.

Up Coming Tournaments:

Open Series Oct. 7-8, 2017 Hartwell Green Pond

D-26 Oct. 15, 2017 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park (2018 Season)

D-25 Oct. 22, 2017 Hartwell Green Pond

SC Couples Nov. 4, 2017 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility

D-96 Nov. 12, 2017 Murray Dreher Island State Park

D-25 Nov. 19, 2017 Russell Hwy 72 Ramp

D-26 Nov. 19, 2017 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park

D-96 Dec. 3, 2017 Greenwood Greenwood State Park

D-26 Dec. 10, 2017 Clarks Hill Wildwood Park

D-25 Dec. 17, 2017 Clarks Hill Dorn Facility

AFT 2017 National Championship was announced to be on the Ouachita River in Monroe La. for October 2017

(AFT 2018 National Championship location and date are to be announced in October.)

by AnglersChannel

Bryant Smith goes Wire-to-Wire for Clear Lake Costa Win!

September 30, 2017

by David A. Brown - FLW Outdoors

Bryant Smith had finally had his fill of getting beat because of the way he likes to fish and decided to do something about it. That “something” was a key bait change that led the Castro Valley, Calif., resident to his first pro victory with a three-day total of 53 pounds, 15 ounces in the Costa FLW Series Western Division event presented by Evinrude.

Smith’s day-two pattern

Complete results

First, the relevant background: The Clear Lake we saw this week was a far cry from the Clear Lake of years past. Aggressive herbicide efforts have left this gem of Northern California nearly devoid of the hydrilla that would normally flourish throughout the lake. Without the water filtration and oxygen emissions that subaquatic vegetation provides, Clear Lake is presently in a slump.

There’s plenty of bait and several quality fish were caught; however, the massive sacks that fall tournaments usually produce were largely absent. Smith knew this would be the case, and while he’s stubbornly endured tough events unwilling to let go of his aggressive preference, he wisely shifted gears and played a different game this time; one that left him with an 8-6 margin of victory.

“I’m usually the guy who throws reaction baits a lot — I’ll throw squarebills, I’ll throw ChatterBaits, I’ll flip,” Smith says. “I’ve gotten my butt kicked so many times by guys slowing down and throwing Senkos. I put that one rod in my hand and pitched to every dock piling that was in front of me.”

Indeed, Smith wacky rigged a 5-inch green pumpkin/watermelon Yamamoto Senko on a 3/0 Decoy Big Bite Finesse Worm20 hook, stuck a 3/32-ounce nail weight in the tail and spent the entire tournament flinging that Neko rig around docks of every size.

“It was very specific; you had to hit the pilings with the bait,” Smith says.

Smith spent at least half of each day in the Redbud arm on the lake’s lower end. Later in the day, he’d transition to docks in the Lakeport area at the upper end. In both regions, he worked areas where massive bait aggregations typically prompt the bass’ fall transitions.

Inconsistent weather has that autumn move delayed, but Smith says he felt confident he could pick off enough fish if he kept moving and fished each dock efficiently. The plan paid off with a day-one limit of 20-15 to have him leading the pack. Smith followed with 20-8 and retained the top spot on day two. A slim final round yielded only 12-8, but those first two days provided a numeric advantage more than sufficient to seal the deal.

“That was crucial; having that lead helped me relax and just fish today,” Smith says.

Statistics often help paint the picture, so here are a few that help frame Smith’s accomplishment:

He was the only angler in the tournament to break 20 pounds.
He weighed over 20 pounds twice.
His day-two lead of 6-3 was equal to the gap between second and 10th place.
His day-three margin of victory was more than 2 pounds greater than the gap between second and 10th place.

This is Smith’s second FLW win (his first came when he topped the co-angler division in the 2011 Western Division event on Lake Shasta) and seventh top-10 finish. His career winnings have now been bumped to over $137,000 thanks to his combined winnings of over $76,000 this week.

Smith now looks to carry this momentum into the Costa FLW Series Championship in a month on Kentucky Lake where he will be making his third appearance to the big show.

Top 10 pros:

1. Bryant Smith – Castro Valley, Calif. – 53-15 - $31,471 and a Ranger Z518 with 200 hp Evinrude

2. Clayton Eslick – Gilroy, Calif. – 45-9 - $12,140

3. Jimmy Reese – Witter Springs, Calif. – 44-7 - $9,321

4. Kyle Grover – Trabuco Canyon, Calif. – 43-11 - $7,768

5. Ken Mah – Elk Grove, Calif. – 43-9 - $6,991

6. Wayne Breazeale – Kelseyville, Calif. – 43-9 - $6,214

7. Clayton Meyer – Henderson, Nev. – 41-13 - $5,437

8. Travis Huckaby – Modesto, Calif. – 41-4 - $4,661

9. Richard Dobyns – Marysville, Calif. – 41-1 - $3,884

10. Gerry Johnson – Modesto, Calif. – 39-5 - $3,107

by AnglersChannel

Jesse Wiggins Wins Bassmaster Open On Smith Lake, His Second Of The Season

Jesse Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., won the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open No. 3 held on Smith Lake out of Jasper, Ala., with a three-day total weight of 39 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Thomas Allen/B.A.S.S.

Sept. 30, 2017

LEEDS, Ala. — When Jesse Wiggins moved to the top of the leaderboard on Friday after Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open No. 3, he told the crowd that “two-thirds of the work is done.”

Today in the final round of the tournament, Wiggins finished the job.

Wiggins slammed the door on the 11 other competitors who survived the cut to 12 on Smith Lake here in north-central Alabama. He weighed a five-bass limit of 13 pounds, 8 ounces today to give him a three-day total of 39-15.

That was more than enough to earn the 27-year-old Wiggins his second win in three Southern Open tournaments of the season (the first Southern Open on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes in January marked his earlier win).

But this victory was especially sweet because it earned the Cullman, Ala., native the rare honor of “triple qualifying” for the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, which will be held on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell in March.

Technically, he qualified for the next Classic by winning Opens on both the Harris Chain and on Smith Lake. But Wiggins also finished 37th in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings during his rookie season on the Elite Series, which alone would have been good enough to punch his ticket to the 2018 Classic.

“This is what I dream about every time I go bass fishing,” Wiggins said to a weigh-in crowd that included dozens of family members and friends. “I wanted to win so bad, and now that it’s here, I’m speechless. I just love bass fishing.

“But I really want to hold that trophy,” he said, as he hoisted the Southern Open championship hardware.

Wiggins has fished on Smith since his childhood. He has a deep knowledge of the sometimes-fickle 21,000-acre reservoir and he put it to good use this week.

While many of the 175 pros in the field struggled to even catch a fish during the first two days of competition, Wiggins was steady. He boated a five-bass limit on Thursday that weighed 15-2 and put him only 2 ounces out of first place. Wiggins caught another limit of 11-5 on Friday, and that gave him a 2 1/2-pound edge on the field heading into the final day of competition.

Wiggins’ local smarts were really on display today, as he was one of only four anglers to catch a limit. The others (Justin Lucas, Kyle Monti and Brandon Lester) didn’t have enough weight to vault into the pole position, though Lester did make a move from 12th on Friday to third overall.

Wiggins still won the tournament by more than 5 pounds.

Unseasonably warm temperatures in the low 90s on Thursday and mid to upper 80s on both Friday and today, had some anglers fishing offshore ledges for suspended bass. Wiggins, however, pounded Smith’s shorelines with buzzbaits and worms and looked like a seasoned veteran doing so.

“I started with a black and white Horny Toad first thing in the morning going down the banks and would catch a couple key fish on that,” Wiggins said. “And then in the evenings I would throw a worm; a Shaky Head (green pumpkin) with a Zoom Fluke stick on it around docks. I also threw a Jenko CD Squared some on rocky banks and another unnamed 1.5 crankbait on rocky banks.”

Wiggins said that would have been his usual game plan given the weather conditions on Smith this week. Being on familiar water allowed him to fish more relaxed this week and let instinct guide him.

Still, anytime he competes, Wiggins pushes himself.

“I don’t ever relax because I always want to win,” Wiggins said. “But it was great to have this tournament on Smith. I know the place. I’ve been fortunate.”

The win netted him more than $7,000 in prize money, plus a Skeeter ZX200 and Yamaha SHO 200 boat/motor package for total winnings of more than $50,000.

He also claimed Saturday’s Livingston Lures Day 2 Leader Award of $250 for being the top finishing pro Friday. Finishing as the Day 2 leader on the co-angler side, Todd Lee of Jasper received a Livingston Lures gift pack worth $250.

Brent Crow of Hartselle, Ala., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award on the pro side with a 5-6 largemouth he caught on Thursday. Charles Fochtman of Moneta, Va., weighed in a 4-13 spotted bass to earn the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award on the co-angler side.

Rick Morris of Gaston, Va., won the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $500 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.

Five anglers qualified for 2018 Elite Series by virtue of their point totals in the 2017 Southern Opens. They are Kyle Monti, Hunter Shryock, Bill Weidler, Morris and Shin Fukae. Justin Lucas and Marty Robinson were among the Top 5 in Southern Opens points, but are already qualified for the Elite Series.

Benjie Seaborn of Guin, Ala., won the co-angler division. He boated a three-bass limit that weighed 10-10 (the heaviest co-angler bag of the week) and that gave him a three-day total of 20-15. Seaborn, who fished with Morris today, earned a Triton 179 TrX boat and Mercury 115 ELPT 4-stroke motor with the win.

The tournament was hosted by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake 9/28-9/30
Smith Lake, Jasper AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 15 39-15 200 $52,717.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 11-05 Day 3: 5 13-08
2. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 14 34-14 199 $18,233.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 11-08 Day 3: 4 10-14
3. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 14 33-07 198 $13,300.00
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 5 11-04 Day 3: 5 12-08
4. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 15 31-15 197 $11,900.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 09-02
5. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 15 30-07 196 $10,383.00
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 10-09 Day 3: 5 08-13
6. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 13 29-12 195 $8,867.00
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 4 08-05
7. Shin Fukae Palestine TX JAPAN 12 29-04 194 $7,467.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 4 08-01 Day 3: 3 05-15
8. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 12 29-01 193 $5,950.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 3 07-09 Day 3: 4 07-13
9. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 11 28-15 192 $4,433.00
Day 1: 3 10-00 Day 2: 5 13-07 Day 3: 3 05-08
10. David Kilgore Jasper, AL 12 28-08 191 $4,083.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 09-06 Day 3: 2 06-06
11. John Hunter Jr Shelbyville, KY 13 27-14 190 $3,733.00
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 10-02 Day 3: 3 06-14
12. Greg Pugh Cullman, AL 11 24-10 189 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 1 01-08
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Brent Crow Hartselle, AL 05-06 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 28 400 843-06
2 21 347 774-10
3 4 44 97-02
----------------------------------
53 791 1715-02

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake 9/28-9/30
Smith Lake, Jasper AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Benjie Seaborn Guin, AL 7 20-15 200 $30,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 1 02-02 Day 3: 3 10-10
2. Kent Biggs Morristown, TN 8 15-06 199 $5,717.00
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 2 04-07 Day 3: 3 05-09
3. Chris Farmer Mathews, AL 7 14-08 198 $4,317.00
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 05-15 Day 3: 1 03-03
4. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 5 13-04 197 $2,917.00
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 3 07-11 Day 3: 0 00-00
5. Michael Vice Rossville, IL 6 12-13 196 $2,683.00
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 3 06-09 Day 3: 1 02-04
6. Carlton Tipp Grand Bay, AL 6 12-11 195 $2,567.00
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 2 04-06 Day 3: 1 01-11
7. Mark Wethington Liberty, KY 6 11-01 194 $2,450.00
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 3 05-06 Day 3: 1 01-15
8. Mark Bartosch Clarksville, TN 4 10-08 193 $2,333.00
Day 1: 1 02-15 Day 2: 2 05-10 Day 3: 1 01-15
9. Curtis Hall II Battle Creek, MI 4 10-06 192 $2,217.00
Day 1: 1 03-08 Day 2: 3 06-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
10. Chuck Thurlow Auburn, AL 3 09-06 191 $1,983.00
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 2 06-12 Day 3: 0 00-00
11. Ricky Congero Windermere, FL 4 08-15 190 $1,750.00
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 1 02-11 Day 3: 0 00-00
12. Chad Viator Wilsonville, AL 4 08-09 189 $1,633.00
Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 2 03-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Charles Fochtman Moneta, VA 04-15 $250.00
---------------------------------------------

by AnglersChannel

Elite Series Pro Wiggins Takes Lead At Bassmaster Southern Open On Smith Lake

Jesse Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., takes the lead on the second day of the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open No. 3 held on Smith Lake out of Jasper, Ala., with a two-day total weight of 26 pounds, 7 ounces.
Photo by Thomas Allen/B.A.S.S.

Sept. 29, 2017

JASPER, Ala. — “Two-thirds of the work is done.”

That’s what Jesse Wiggins told the crowd Friday during the second round of competition at the final Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Smith Lake.

Now the 27-year-old pro of Cullman, Ala., needs to finish strong to win yet another Opens tournament — and this one is on his home lake, to boot.

Wiggins, who just finished his rookie season on the Bassmaster Elite Series, jumped to the top of the leaderboard Friday with a five-bass limit that weighed 11 pounds, 5 ounces. His two-day total of 26-7 gave him almost a 2 1/2-pound lead over Rick Morris, who is second among the 12 anglers who survived the cut to fish Saturday.

The winner of the tournament will clinch a berth in the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, but Wiggins has already secured a spot in next year’s “Super Bowl of professional bass fishing.” He won the first Southern Open of the season on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, which he admitted took the pressure off him this week.

“It really did make things easier for me,” said Wiggins. “I’ve already qualified for the Classic, but I’m greedy. I always want to win, especially if there’s money on the line.”

And there is. Not only will the Southern Open winner earn a generous cash prize, but there’s also a Skeeter boat/Yamaha motor package up for grabs. The grand total in cash and prizes is valued at more than $50,000.

“Hopefully I’m in position to win,” Wiggins said. “It’s going to be close, but I’ve got a chance.”

While some other leading anglers are fishing suspended bass offshore, Wiggins said he’s fishing structure along shorelines. He said he’s labored for every catch he’s had, as unseasonably warm temperatures have made getting bites difficult.

Wiggins said he had only four bass with an hour left to fish, but he changed locations and hooked two keepers in the final minutes of Friday’s competition. He likely would have survived the Top 12 cut without those catches, but the extra weight propelled him into the top spot.

Wiggins is used to winning on Smith. He’s been a force in local tournaments here for years, and he proved his mettle against other pros last year when he won a Southern Open on the lake to qualify for the 2017 Bassmaster Classic. His knowledge here, despite his youth, is practically unprecedented.

“We had a cool snap in August and the water temperature dropped about five degrees then,” Wiggins said. “They started biting, but then it warmed up again and they stopped. But I tell people the main reason they stop biting on Smith Lake is because of all of this boat pressure. That’s why I fish for fish that people can’t buzz over.”

When the tournament wraps Saturday, the Top 5 anglers in the Southern Open points standings will earn invitations to compete in next year’s Bassmaster Elite Series.

On the co-angler side, Todd Lee of Jasper takes the lead with a two-day total of 13-4.

Brent Crow of Hartselle, Ala., maintains the lead in the pro division for the Phoenix Big Bass Award with a 5-6 largemouth. Leading the nonboater division for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award is Charles Fochtman of Moneta, Va., with a 4-15 spotted bass.

The event will conclude Saturday with a 6:30 a.m. takeoff at Smith Lake Dam Access . The final weigh-in will take place at the Bass Pro Shops location in Leeds, Ala., beginning at 3:45 p.m.

The tournament is being hosted by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce.

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Power-Pole, Shell Rotella, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Berkley

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: T-H Marine, Advance Auto Parts, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, Shimano

Media Contact: JamieDay Matthews, 205-313-0945, [email protected] or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, [email protected]

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake 9/28-9/30
Smith Lake, Jasper AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 10 26-07 200 $250.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 11-05
2. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 10 24-00 199
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 11-08
3. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 8 23-07 198
Day 1: 3 10-00 Day 2: 5 13-07
4. Shin Fukae Palestine TX JAPAN 9 23-05 197
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 4 08-01
5. Greg Pugh Cullman, AL 10 23-02 196
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 13-08
6. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 10 22-13 195
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 12-15
7. David Kilgore Jasper, AL 10 22-02 194
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 09-06
8. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 21-10 193
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 10-09
9. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 9 21-07 192
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 5 13-08
10. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 8 21-04 191
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 3 07-09
11. John Hunter Jr Shelbyville, KY 10 21-00 190
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 10-02
12. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 9 20-15 189
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 5 11-04
13. Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 9 20-10 188 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 4 12-05
14. Jordan Wiggins Cullman, AL 9 20-04 187 $2,917.00
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 5 11-10
15. Josh Douglas Mound, MN 9 20-03 186 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 4 10-11
16. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 9 20-03 185 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 4 09-09
17. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 8 19-09 184 $2,917.00
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 5 14-01
18. Wes Logan Springville, AL 8 19-09 183 $2,917.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 5 13-01
19. Gary Isgrigg Mt Washington, KY 9 19-09 182 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 4 09-09
20. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 8 18-14 181 $2,917.00
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 5 13-10
21. Jamie Butler Jasper, AL 9 18-11 180 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 4 08-03
22. Ken Iyobe Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 10 18-04 179 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 08-10
23. Brent Long Iron Station, NC 8 18-02 178 $2,917.00
Day 1: 4 10-11 Day 2: 4 07-07
24. Steven Priest New Lexington, OH 8 17-15 177 $2,917.00
Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 5 12-05
25. Brian Morris Cullman, AL 7 17-09 176 $2,917.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 2 05-02
26. Kyle Fox Lakeland, FL 8 17-08 175 $2,567.00
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 4 09-15
27. Neil Davis Clermont, FL 7 17-02 174 $2,567.00
Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 4 09-03
28. Jeff Holland Winter Springs, FL 8 17-00 173 $2,567.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 3 07-02
29. Michael Reid Brookville, OH 7 16-14 172 $2,567.00
Day 1: 2 04-15 Day 2: 5 11-15
30. Al Farace Jr Hunt Valley, MD 9 16-13 171 $2,567.00
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 4 08-12
31. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 7 16-12 170 $2,217.00
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 3 08-13
32. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 7 16-04 169 $2,217.00
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 4 09-14
33. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 7 16-01 168 $2,217.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 2 03-05
34. Jennings Earnest Guin, AL 7 15-15 167 $2,217.00
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 5 11-11
35. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 8 15-12 166 $2,217.00
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 5 09-05
36. Deron Patrick Cullman, AL 6 15-08 165 $1,867.00
Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 3 07-14
37. Michael Murphy Lexington, SC 7 15-07 164 $1,867.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 2 03-01
38. Cody Harrison Tuscumbia, AL 8 15-05 163 $1,867.00
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 4 08-09
39. Miles Burghoff Santa Cruz, CA 6 15-02 162 $1,867.00
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 2 06-08
40. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 6 14-08 161 $1,867.00
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 3 07-03
41. Garrett Riles Potts Camp, MS 7 14-07 160
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 2 03-10
42. Johnny McCombs Morris, AL 7 14-04 0
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 4 07-14
43. Kenny Johnson Moreland, GA 6 14-01 158
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 1 03-07
44. Michael Johnson Talking Rock, GA 6 14-01 157
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 3 07-02
45. Blake Nick Trussville, AL 8 14-00 156
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 3 05-11
46. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 5 13-14 155
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
47. Kameron Harbin Abbeville, SC 7 13-10 154
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 3 06-12
48. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 6 13-06 153
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 3 07-05
49. Eric Conant Lakeland, FL 6 12-15 152
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 3 07-00
50. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 6 12-14 151
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 4 08-12
51. Arnie Lane Lakeland, FL 6 12-14 150
Day 1: 4 07-11 Day 2: 2 05-03
52. Cody Detweiler Orlando, FL 7 12-13 149
Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 4 07-10
53. Brent Crow Hartselle, AL 5 12-13 148
Day 1: 2 07-01 Day 2: 3 05-12
54. Jimmy Johnson Holmen, WI 6 12-06 147
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 5 09-14
55. Darrell Pons Gainesville, FL 6 11-14 146
Day 1: 4 08-13 Day 2: 2 03-01
56. Josh Aaron Dora, AL 5 11-14 145
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 07-12
57. Rex Chambers Baileyton, AL 6 11-13 144
Day 1: 4 07-10 Day 2: 2 04-03
58. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 11-12 143
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
59. Brad Webb Hampton, VA 6 11-12 142
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 5 09-15
60. David Fritts Lexington, NC 4 11-11 141
Day 1: 4 11-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Hensley Powell Whitwell, TN 6 11-10 140
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 1 01-13
62. Brandon Card Knoxville, TN 6 11-08 139
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 1 02-00
63. William Smith Birmingham, AL 5 11-07 138
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
64. Jon Canada Pelham, AL 6 11-04 137
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 4 07-09
65. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 7 11-02 136
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 3 04-04
66. Jayme Rampey Liberty, SC 4 10-15 135
Day 1: 4 10-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
67. Roland Martin Naples, FL 5 10-08 134
Day 1: 4 07-06 Day 2: 1 03-02
68. Rick Harris San Angelo, TX 5 10-08 133
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 3 06-15
69. Clayton Batts Lizella, GA 4 10-05 132
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 1 04-08
70. Kazuki Kitajima Orlando, FL 5 10-04 131
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 2 03-15
71. Stephen Mui Bartlett, IL 6 10-02 130
Day 1: 4 06-13 Day 2: 2 03-05
72. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 10-00 129
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 3 06-05
73. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 5 09-15 128
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 3 05-14
74. Joey Spradley Gloverville, SC 5 09-12 127
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 3 06-06
75. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 5 09-11 126
Day 1: 4 06-08 Day 2: 1 03-03
76. Jade Keeton Killen, AL 5 09-10 125
Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 1 01-14
77. Terry Segraves Kissimmee, FL 4 09-09 124
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 2 04-08
78. Matt Lee Guntersville, AL 5 09-04 123
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 2 04-02
79. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 4 09-04 122
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 2 04-07
80. Brian Elder Locust Grove, GA 4 09-00 121
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 2 05-08
81. David Hudson Jasper, AL 4 08-14 120
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
82. Brian Rufty Berea, KY 4 08-13 119
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 3 06-12
83. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 3 08-13 118
Day 1: 2 05-14 Day 2: 1 02-15
84. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 4 08-12 117
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 3 06-14
85. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 4 08-10 116
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 06-11
86. Scott Mcgehee Madison, MS 3 08-10 115
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 1 03-03
87. Todd Murray Prarrieville, LA 4 08-09 114
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 2 04-06
88. Tim Arnold Cullman, AL 3 08-06 113
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-06
89. Charlie Evans Berea, KY 5 08-00 112
Day 1: 4 06-04 Day 2: 1 01-12
90. Derek Hudnall Baton Rouge, LA 4 07-14 111
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 2 03-05
91. Brian Hatfield Spring City, TN 4 07-13 110
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 3 06-04
92. Chaz Carrington Virginia Beach, VA 3 07-12 109
Day 1: 2 05-02 Day 2: 1 02-10
93. Kyle Schutta Forest Lake, MN 4 07-07 108
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 07-07
94. Carl Svebek III Orange, TX 3 07-07 107
Day 1: 2 05-12 Day 2: 1 01-11
95. Preston Johnson Rice Lake, WI 4 07-06 106
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 3 05-04
96. Johnny Patterson Grant, AL 4 07-05 105
Day 1: 4 07-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
97. Jeff Fellows Orlando, FL 3 07-05 104
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Larry Giamanco Pierre Part, LA 3 07-05 103
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 2 05-10
99. Allen Mcreath Cullman, AL 4 07-03 102
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 07-03
100. Ronald Ryals Jr Live Oak, FL 3 06-14 101
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 04-09
101. Hunter Eubanks Inman, SC 4 06-12 100
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 1 01-14
102. Sam George Athens, AL 3 06-11 99
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 1 02-12
103. B.J. Usie Houma, LA 4 06-11 98
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 2 03-08
104. Tyler Ellis Battlefield, MO 3 06-10 97
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-10
105. Yoan Alvarez Miami, FL 3 06-10 96
Day 1: 2 04-15 Day 2: 1 01-11
106. Ryan Davidson Branchland, WV 3 06-06 95
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-06
107. Jimmy Mason Rogersville, AL 3 06-05 94
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
108. Brad Knight Lancing, TN 3 06-01 93
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 2 03-11
109. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 3 06-00 92
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
110. Mitch Liss Saint Cloud, FL 3 05-15 91
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 04-06
111. Seiji Kato Shiga JAPAN 3 05-13 90
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 1 01-15
111. William Shipes II Williston, SC 3 05-13 90
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 1 01-15
113. Dustin Neat Dunnville, KY 3 05-12 88
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-12
114. Teb Jones Hattiesburg, MS 3 05-11 87
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 2 04-01
115. Jeff Bunch Nacogdoches, TX 2 05-11 86
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 03-08
116. Wayne Hauser Jr Mooresville, NC 3 05-09 85
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-09
117. Chris Blanchette Irmo, SC 3 05-01 84
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-01
118. MJ Vihnanek Jr Walnut Hill, FL 3 05-01 83
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 2 03-11
119. Jeff Mathews Maitland, FL 2 04-14 82
Day 1: 2 04-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
120. James Swindle Parrish, AL 3 04-14 81
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 1 01-11
121. Larry Gaines Valparaiso, FL 3 04-12 80
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 1 01-10
122. Chris Hensley Marbury, AL 3 04-06 79
Day 1: 1 00-09 Day 2: 2 03-13
123. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 2 04-05 78
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 1 03-00
124. Bill Cooper Ashland City, TN 2 04-04 77
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 1 02-07
125. Stan Gunter Saluda, SC 2 04-04 76
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 02-05
126. Garrett Rocamora Lithia, FL 2 04-04 75
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 1 02-04
127. Jimmy Charbonnet Saint Amant, LA 2 04-03 74
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 1 02-06
128. Rich Howes Oviedo, FL 2 04-00 73
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
129. John Cox Debary, FL 2 03-14 72
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
129. Eric Gilchrist Plaquemine, LA 2 03-14 72
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 2 03-13 70
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
132. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 2 03-11 69
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-11
133. Steven Kellam Dry Ridge, KY 2 03-10 68
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 1 01-13
134. Michael Neal Dayton, TN 2 03-09 67
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
135. Ed Stiefel Jr. Lake Worth, FL 1 03-08 66
Day 1: 1 03-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
136. Ryan Hoover Valrico, FL 2 03-08 65
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 01-09
137. Grant Galloway Houlka, MS 2 03-05 64
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 1 01-08
138. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 2 03-03 63
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
139. Sandy Melvin Boca Grande, FL 2 03-03 62
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 1 01-13
140. Steve Barnes Harrison, TN 2 03-02 61
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
141. Eric Panzironi Longwood, FL 1 03-01 60
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
142. Jerome Baird Williamsburg, KY 1 02-12 59
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-12
142. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 1 02-12 59
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-12
144. Blaine Partee Oviedo, FL 2 02-11 57
Day 1: 2 02-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
145. Ed Stiefel Mahwah, NJ 2 02-08 56
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 2 03-08
146. Brent Bonadona Port Allen, LA 1 02-06 55
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
146. Richard Burgreen Athens, AL 1 02-06 55
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
148. Marty Nester Mount Airy, NC 1 02-01 53
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
149. Shaw Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 1 02-00 52
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
150. Jeffrey Clark Hoover, AL 1 01-12 51
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-12
150. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 1 01-12 51
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
152. David Cornelius Apison, TN 1 01-11 49
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
152. Joseph Sancho New Windsor, NY 1 01-11 49
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
154. John Brazzell Winter Garden, FL 1 01-10 47
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
155. Jon Englund Farwell, MN 1 01-08 46
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
155. Luke Estel Murphysboro, IL 1 01-08 46
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
155. Hunter Parra Houma, LA 1 01-08 46
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 1 00-14 43
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
159. Scott Bonvillain Dequincy, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Christiana Bradley Goldvein, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Jeffrey Brooks Boca Raton, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Erik Crawford Hayden, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Kyle Glasgow Guin, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Chad Hazel Quinton, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Eric Johnson Millis, MA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Vernon Kemp Umatilla, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Scott Luster Prattville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. John Paulk Counce, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. John Pollard Eclectic, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Kenny Sammons Pinetta, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Johnathon Seaborn Guin, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Rick Shannon Woodlawn, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
159. Tom Stark III Angola, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 28 400 843-06
2 21 347 774-10
----------------------------------
49 747 1618-00

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake 9/28-9/30
Smith Lake, Jasper AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 5 13-04 200
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 3 07-11
2. Chris Farmer Mathews, AL 6 11-05 199
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 05-15
3. Carlton Tipp Grand Bay, AL 5 11-00 198
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 2 04-06
4. Michael Vice Rossville, IL 5 10-09 197
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 3 06-09
5. Curtis Hall II Battle Creek, MI 4 10-06 196
Day 1: 1 03-08 Day 2: 3 06-14
6. Benjie Seaborn Guin, AL 4 10-05 195
Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 1 02-02
7. Kent Biggs Morristown, TN 5 09-13 194
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 2 04-07
8. Chuck Thurlow Auburn, AL 3 09-06 193
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 2 06-12
9. Mark Wethington Liberty, KY 5 09-02 192
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 3 05-06
10. Ricky Congero Windermere, FL 4 08-15 191
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 1 02-11
11. Mark Bartosch Clarksville, TN 3 08-09 190
Day 1: 1 02-15 Day 2: 2 05-10
12. Chad Viator Wilsonville, AL 4 08-09 189
Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 2 03-14
13. Beecher Strunk Somerset, KY 4 08-05 188 $1,400.00
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 1 02-05
14. Fred Rigdon Belleview, FL 3 08-04 187 $1,283.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-04
15. Sawyer Adams Richmond, KY 4 08-03 186 $1,167.00
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 1 02-01
16. Phillip Lovett Florence, AL 4 07-15 185 $1,050.00
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 3 04-13
17. Jerrod Albright Kissimmee, FL 5 07-14 184 $817.00
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 2 03-01
18. Daniel Kendrick Chatsworth, GA 2 07-14 183 $700.00
Day 1: 1 04-11 Day 2: 1 03-03
19. Jason Fontenot Lake Charles, LA 3 07-11 182 $700.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 07-11
20. Shane Douglas Albany, GA 4 07-09 181 $583.00
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 1 02-03
21. Don Harvey Franklin, TN 4 07-08 180 $496.00
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 03-00
22. Ronald Young Lake Wales, FL 4 07-07 179 $496.00
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 3 05-09
23. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 3 07-04 178 $496.00
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 1 03-04
24. Michael Norris Mountain Brk, AL 2 06-12 177 $496.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-12
25. Gary Hall Delbarton, WV 2 06-11 176 $496.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-11
26. Buck Hilliard Peachtree City, GA 3 06-11 175 $496.00
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 2 04-04
27. Bradley Sterner Manchester, PA 3 06-10 174 $496.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-10
28. Steven Roosen Charlotte, NC 3 06-10 173 $496.00
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 2 04-12
29. Luke Patterson Middleburg, KY 3 06-07 172 $496.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-07
30. Mike Spears Jasper, AL 2 06-06 171 $496.00
Day 1: 2 06-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
31. Bill Hunter Murfreesboro, TN 3 06-02 170 $496.00
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 1 01-08
32. Johnathan Crossland Chapin, SC 3 06-02 169 $496.00
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 2 04-04
33. Hermilo Salgado Artemus, KY 3 06-01 168 $496.00
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
34. Scott Saucer Frisco City, AL 3 05-15 167 $496.00
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
35. Slaton Jemison Mathews, AL 4 05-12 166 $496.00
Day 1: 2 02-13 Day 2: 2 02-15
36. Terry Proctor Pensacola, FL 3 05-11 165 $496.00
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 1 01-14
37. Tony Sears Dahlonega, GA 3 05-10 164 $496.00
Day 1: 2 03-07 Day 2: 1 02-03
38. Chad Smith Holly Pond, AL 2 05-08 163 $496.00
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
39. Rodrigo Cruz Clermont, FL 2 05-07 162 $496.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-07
40. Curtis King Plaquemine, LA 3 05-03 161 $496.00
Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
41. Barry Stalcup Marble, NC 3 05-02 160
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 1 01-07
42. Charles Fochtman Moneta, VA 1 04-15 159
Day 1: 1 04-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
43. James Simmons Houma, LA 2 04-09 158
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 1 03-01
44. Scap Cicero Wetumpka, AL 2 04-06 157
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-06
44. Michael Scalise Port Allen, LA 2 04-06 157
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-06
46. Jody White Gilbertsville, KY 2 04-06 155
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 1 01-12
47. Jim Sulcer Jr Athens, AL 2 04-05 154
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 1 01-10
48. Radney Atchison Prattville, AL 2 04-04 153
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 02-05
49. Bert Cooper Huntsville, TN 2 04-03 152
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
50. Thomas Brewbaker Nashville, TN 2 04-03 151
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 1 02-01
51. Steven Dyer Louisville, TN 2 04-02 150
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 1 01-13
52. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 2 04-01 149
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 01-14
53. Greg Neal Arley, AL 2 04-00 148
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
53. Alan Woodford Winslow, IN 2 04-00 148
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
55. Blaine Freeman Dadeville, AL 2 04-00 146
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 1 02-08
56. Stephen Griffing Port Charlotte, FL 2 03-15 145
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-15
57. Greg O'Neal Winchester, TN 2 03-12 144
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
57. Geoff Percival Lincoln, AL 2 03-12 144
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
59. Brett Hobson Clermont, FL 2 03-09 142
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 01-10
60. Evan Rice Shalimar, FL 2 03-06 141
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 1 01-15
61. Chad Smith Minnetonka, MN 2 03-05 140
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 1 01-15
62. Brandon Bolton West Point, MS 2 03-04 139
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-04
63. Caleb Keith Beaufort, SC 2 03-04 138
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 1 01-13
64. Jon Oliver Russellville, AL 2 03-04 137
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 1 01-12
65. Billy Watson III Murfreesboro, TN 2 03-04 136
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 1 01-11
66. Travis Warthen Saint Gabriel, LA 2 03-01 135
Day 1: 2 03-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
67. Jeff Keever Decatur, GA 1 02-13 134
Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
68. Travis Dehart Greenville, SC 1 02-10 133
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
68. Mike Duke Summerville, GA 1 02-10 133
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
70. Blake Barrett Logan, AL 1 02-09 131
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
70. Johnny Bigger II Spring Hill, FL 1 02-09 131
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-09
72. John Goebel Lumberton, TX 1 02-06 129
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
72. Chandler Sickafoose Dora, AL 1 02-06 129
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
74. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 1 02-05 127
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. Kraig Carmickle Orlando, FL 1 02-04 126
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. Roy Hurst Jr Birmingham, AL 1 02-04 126
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. Kenneth Shumate Elkin, NC 1 02-04 126
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. David Welch Birmingham, AL 1 02-04 126
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
79. Colby Harrison Brilliant, AL 1 02-03 122
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-03
79. Doug Logan Springville, AL 1 02-03 122
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
81. Scott Byrd Ocklawaha, FL 1 02-02 120
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
81. Zach Clark Newnan, GA 1 02-02 120
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-02
83. William Gaston Sylacauga, AL 1 02-01 118
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
83. Bruce Griffin Jasper, AL 1 02-01 118
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
83. Benny Widerman Deltona, FL 1 02-01 118
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
86. Greg Mauldin Archdale, NC 1 02-01 115
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
87. Jimmy Lee Jasper, AL 1 02-00 114
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
87. Drew Osborn Maryville, TN 1 02-00 114
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
89. Cale Beck Petersburg, IN 1 01-15 112
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-15
89. Tim Patterson Chattanooga, TN 1 01-15 112
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-15
89. Ross Spina Vestavia, AL 1 01-15 112
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Michael Benson Cullman, AL 1 01-14 109
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
92. Phillip Lee Eustis, FL 1 01-14 109
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 1 01-14 109
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
95. Mitchell Gowen Decatur, AL 1 01-13 106
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-13
95. Jennifer Nevans Dayton, TN 1 01-13 106
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
95. Jesse Windsor Orlando, FL 1 01-13 106
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-13
98. David Earnest Oakman, AL 1 01-12 103
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 1 01-12 103
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Edward Ruth Jasper, AL 1 01-12 103
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-12
101. Richard Arnold Owens Cross Roads, AL 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
101. William Holley Addis, LA 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-11
101. Eulon Lee Jr. Eclectic, AL 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
101. Jeremy Maye Windsor, VA 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
101. Trevor Prichard Knoxville, TN 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-11
101. Don Ramsey Orlando, FL 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
101. Marvin Stith Jr. Piscataway, NJ 1 01-11 100
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
108. Eric Simpson Lakeland, GA 1 01-10 93
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 1 02-10
109. Mike Entile Aurora, IL 1 01-10 92
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
109. Marc Melancon Livingston, LA 1 01-10 92
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
109. Roger Shiflett Hayden, AL 1 01-10 92
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
109. Tucker Weidler Helena, AL 1 01-10 92
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
109. Jay West Canton, GA 1 01-10 92
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
114. David Chamberlain Keasbey, NJ 1 01-09 87
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
114. Joe Moore Kissimmee, FL 1 01-09 87
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
114. Jenny Sander Byron, GA 1 01-09 87
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
114. Thomas Warren Bolingbrook, IL 1 01-09 87
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-09
118. George Beville Jr Apex, NC 1 01-09 83
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
119. David Booth Erin, TN 1 01-08 82
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-08
119. David Ottman Terry, MS 1 01-08 82
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-08
121. Luke Glasgow Guin, AL 1 01-07 80
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
121. Keith Raney Tullahoma, TN 1 01-07 80
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
123. Miriam Donohoo San Mateo, FL 1 01-07 78
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
124. Donnie Aderholt Haleyville, AL 1 00-11 77
Day 1: 1 00-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
125. Douglas Vierling Gulfport, MS 1 00-09 76
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 1 01-09
126. Rodney Anderson Young Harris, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Charles Anderson Rocky Face, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Glenn Bailey Temple Terrace, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Clayton Barnes Milton, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Joshua Bauer Random Lake, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Lee Black Moulton, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Justin Braswell Winter Haven, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Bill Bruce Hendersonville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Curt Clark Bentonville, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Wesley Dennis Anniston, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Charlie Eisert Pomona, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Michael Florio Cartersville, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Garrett Geouge Lanexa, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Meredith Havird Chappells, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Robert Holcomb Longwood, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Kyle Jenkins Groton, CT 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Brian Jones Fayetteville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Zach Kirby Shelbyville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Tim Lollar Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Bill Mandikas Tampa, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Barry Maner Trinity, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Larry Maring Minneola, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Marc Marsh Prosperity, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Lee McClendon Jr Trussville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Steve Moeller Waterloo, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Bill Mogan Mobile, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Blake Oswalt Jasper, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Jason Patterson Markle, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Pete Patterson Kingsport, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Tyler Pendergrass Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Daniel Phillips Lawrenceville, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Anthony Plescia III Pearl River, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. JJ Polak Covington, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Charles Poland Denham Springs, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Jeff Prisza Camden, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Michael Rench Armuchee, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Scott Rice Cobden, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Landon Rich Owens Cross Roads, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Rodger Riddle Moulton, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Ken Sharkey Spring Lake, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Gregory Spitzer Jr Pensacola, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Bobby Stalcup Murphy, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Clayton Stoering Waterville, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Rick Surguine Mount Juliet, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Rodney Tapp Inman, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Derek Taylor Montgomery, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Christian Thompson Lake City, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Ronald Wiggins II Palatka, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Tom Wilkins Alexandria, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Tyler Woolcott Port Orange, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00

by AnglersChannel

Ryan Ingram Takes Home $10K in American Bass Anglers Area 3 Championship on Eufaula!

Ryan Ingram won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series Area 3 Championship tournament, held September 23^RD & 24^TH, 2017 on Lake Eufaula. Running out of Lakepoint Resort State Park in Eufaula, Ryan caught five bass on day one weighing 23.10 pounds including a 6.90-poind kicker. On day two, Ingram weighed in another five-bass limit that weighed 17.12 pounds and that sealed the deal for his victory by almost a five-pound margin with a total weight of 40.22 pounds. For the Boater Division victory, Ingram took home a check for $10,000 for his win and an additional $750 for Big Bass.

“On day one, I thought I could catch about 15 to 16 pounds but I had two big bites, just random bites. I caught most of my fish on a crankbait and the 6.90-pound big bass on a one-ounce StrikeZone Lure Ledgebuster spinnerbait. I caught most of my fish mid-lake on day one and on day two, I fished all the way to the dam on the lower end of the lake.” Ingram said.

In second for the boaters, Dustin Wood of Eufaula, AL landed two five-bass tournament limits totaling 35.52 pounds. He collected $1300 for his catch.

“I caught my fish on day one also on a StrikeZone Lure Ledgebuster spinnerbait and a StrikeZone Lure Ledgebuster Sling Blade spinnerbait with a few modifications I made to it. I caught a few cranking on day one. On day two, I had to slow down and I caught my fish dragging a football jig and scraped by with what I got. Just got lucky.” Wood said.

Anthony Goggins of Clanton, AL placed third for the boaters with two five-bass tournament limits totaling 32.99 pounds. He earned $900 for his catch.

“I caught my fish shallow early and then went off-shore later in the day trying to catch a big one. I lost two good fish on day one and one-really good fish on day two that would have helped me.” Goggins said.

In fourth place among the boaters, Chandler Ray of Arlington, GA brought in two five-bass limits totaling 29.75 pounds. Ken Greene of Lumpkin, GA finished in fifth place with two five-bass limits totaling 27.16 pounds.

In the Co-Angler Division, Richard Hudson of Ramer, AL won with a total of five bass that weighed 15.54 pounds with a 5.94-pound kicker that was caught on day two. He pocketed a check for $5,000 for his win and $210 for the big bass.

“I was fishing a frog from daylight until weigh-in both days, and I’m tired of looking at one. I want to thank my day one boater for giving me that frog and I caught every fish I weighed in on that frog. We fished around mid-lake both days fishing Lilly pads in the morning and grass in the afternoon.” Hudson said.

Taking second for the co-anglers, Robert Enke of Columbus, GA brought in two three-bass limits totaling 13.34 pounds. He collected $350 for the effort.

“I fished clean both days and I caught my fish on a shaky-head and a jig.” Enke said. “

Sam Fish of Alexander City, AL placed third among the co-anglers with two three-bass limits totaling 13.12 pounds. He earned $300 for his catch.

“I caught my fish on day one Carolina-rigging shallow points backed off the Lilly pads. We probably caught 75 fish but they just weren’t the quality fish that we needed for this event. On day two, I drew out with a boater that was fishing Lilly pads with frogs and buzz baits. I had five bites today and caught every fish that bit. I had one fish that was deceased, so Robert (Enke) got a little more money than I did. I do want to thank Boyd Duckett and Duckett Fishing, they sponsor me and I recommend them for anyone that wants a good rod to go frog fishing.” Fish said.

In fourth place among the co-anglers, Barry Jones of Verbena, AL brought in two three- bass limits totaling 11.31 pounds. Hunter DuBose of Andalusia, AL finished in fifth place with two three-bass limits totaling 10.99 pounds.

The next tournament will be the Ray Scott Championship. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2018 Ray Scott Championship to be held on the Red River near Shreveport, Louisiana.

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

American Bass Anglers, Inc. is supported by Ram Trucks, Triton Boats, Mercury Outboards, Carlisle Tires, GEICO, Berkley, Abu Garcia, T-H Marine, Livingston Lures, Best Western Hotels, Maui Jim, Power Pole, Simms, Garmin, Divide-It, and SiriusXM Marine Weather. American Bass Anglers, Inc. can be contacted at (256) 232-0406 or by visiting americanbassanglers.com

by AnglersChannel

Bryant Smith Drops 20 pounds on the Scales to Lead Day 1 of FLW Costa Series Western Event

September 28, 2017 by David A. Brown

With all the head nodding and shaking from anglers in disbelief of the bite, you’d think Konocti Vista Casino Resort & Marina was hosting a bobble head convention. But despite Clear Lake’s supremely challenging conditions, Bryant Smith of Castro Valley, Calif., caught a limit of 20 pounds, 15 ounces and took the early lead at the final Costa FLW Series Western Division event presented by Evinrude.

Indeed, the weigh-in saw plenty of long faces; but despite the limitations of widespread aquatic weed eradication, funky water clarity and a recent fish kill, this western rock star still holds good numbers of bass and a high percentage of quality fish. For Smith, the key was a blend of presentation patience and area ambition.

“I fished slow; as fast as I could,” Smith says. “I made as many casts as I could, but I was still fishing a slow bait. I was covering water and hoping I drop one on a fish’s head.”

Noting a day-long bout with inconsistency, Smith says he caught his fish in a variety of depths and habitat features.

“I’d catch one out of 2 feet, I’d catch one out of 10 feet, I’d catch one out of 12,” he says.

Smith didn’t divulge specifics on his bait selection, but he did note that it was, essentially, a finesse technique. Much of his fishing took place around shallow cover, so he fished with 15-pound fluorocarbon.

“When I get bites around the docks, I need to get them out,” Smith says of his beefed-up finesse technique. “I’ve never fished like that. I’ve fished here a lot, but I’ve never fished the way I had to fish today. It’s really tough for me, but I know the quality is there.”

Smith points to efficiency as a key element of his performance. The fish showed little aggression today and even those that fed were not chasing baits.

“You had to make so many casts and the bait literally has to drop on their head,” Smith says.

Running the entire lake today, Smith says he did his best to hit as many of his familiar spots as possible.

“I was just hitting the key areas that I know hold fish and making as many casts as possible,” Smith says. “I kinda just went down the bank. I have a lot of history on this lake and I know where they should be this time of year; I just had to slow down to catch them.”

In terms of when he caught his fish, Smith says he saw periods of quality and periods of quantity.

“In the morning, I got all my better bites,” he says. “I got more bites in the afternoon, but my quality was better in the morning. I’d been catching a couple of good ones in the afternoon. That’s when I went by them and that’s when they ate.”

Top 10 pros:

1. Bryant Smith – Castro Valley, Calif. – 20-15 (5)

2. Clayton Eslick – Gilroy, Calif. – 19-12 (5)

3. Kyle Grover – Trabuco Canyon, Calif. – 19-1 (5)

4. Richard Dobyns – Marysvillle, Calif. – 18-1 (5)

5. Jimmy Reese – Witter Springs, Calif. – 16-7 (5)

6. Carl Limbrick Jr. – Bonita, Calif. – 15-12 (5)

6. Rusty Salewske – Alpine, Calif. – 15-12 (5)

8. Billy Hines – Vacaville, Calif. – 15-11 (5)

9. Greg Huey – McMinnville, Ore. – 14-15 (5)

9. Brett Leber – Dixon, Calif. – 14-15 (5)

Prepared Farage tops co-anglers

He practiced north, he practiced south and the diverse range of scenarios and presentations with which Jack Farage of Discovery Bay, Calif., became familiar proved indispensable in his taking the co-angler lead with a limit of 18-9.

“I only had one day of practice, so I fished both ends (of Clear Lake) from daylight ’til dark,” he says. “It took me so long to figure out how to catch them on the north end and it took me so long to figure out how to catch them on the south end. But once I did, I could catch them pretty good.”

Noting that his north and south end tactics varied significantly, Farage says he mixed up his presentations with drop-shots, squarebill crankbaits and vibrating jigs.

“I could get bit in the tules with a ChatterBait,” Farage says. “On the rocks, it was the squarebill and when we stopped moving, I’d pull out the drop-shot and a jig.”

Positioning, Farage says, is critical right now. While he observed a lot of anglers fishing close to the tules, he found his better bites away from the cover in deeper adjacent water.

by AnglersChannel

Fukae Grabs Lead In Warm Conditions At Bassmaster Southern Open On Smith Lake

Shin Fukae of Palestine, Texas, takes the lead on the first day of the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open No. 3 held on Smith Lake out of Jasper, Ala., with 15 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

Sept. 28, 2017

JASPER, Ala. — Many anglers predicted the bass would be tightlipped in temperatures that climbed into the low 90s during Thursday’s first round of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Smith Lake.

They were right.

But a handful of the 175 pros still managed to boat nice bags, including Shin Fukae who led the way with a five-bass limit that weighed 15 pounds, 4 ounces.

The Japanese-born pro, who now lives in Texas, said he didn’t fare well during practice on the 21,000-acre fishery, but that changed when competition began. His bag was anchored by a 4-15 bass that tied for the second largest of the day.

“(Practice was) bad, bad, bad,” Fukae said. “But I found two good spots, and I went to one spot the last two days. I don’t know if I’ll keep catching, but I was catching today.”

For Fukae, it was an important start to the final Southern Open of the season.

The angler who is victorious here this week will earn a spot in the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods scheduled for March on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell. Even if Fukae doesn’t win, a good showing could earn him a spot in the Top 5 of the overall Southern Opens standings.

The anglers who occupy those Top 5 spots will qualify to fish in the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Jesse Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., who fished his rookie season on the Elite Series this year, isn’t fighting for a Classic berth because he already won the season’s first Southern Open on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes to lock up his spot.

Instead, he’s fishing for a generous cash prize, as well as a Skeeter boat/Yamaha motor package that would accompany yet another Opens victory for the pro.

Wiggins is in second place after Thursday with a limit that weighed 15-2. He’s already proven he can win big tournaments on his home lake — he won the 2016 Southern Open on Smith Lake to gain a spot in the 2017 Bassmaster Classic — and another win here would further cement his bragging rights on the reservoir.

“I actually had more weight today than I thought I did,” Wiggins said. “This lake is awesome and we saw that last April. We’re waiting on the weather that would really turn this place on, but I’m happy with the start today. One-third of the work is done.”

Besides Fukae, Lucas Ragusa of Gonzales, La., was the only non-Alabama angler to crack the Top 5, and he too had a 4-15 bass in his bag. Ragusa’s Day 1 total of 13-14 put him in third place.

Defending Classic champion Jordan Lee lives in nearby Guntersville, Ala., and fishes Smith often. The experience paid off as he caught 13-11 to land in fourth place.

David Kilgore lives even closer to Smith Lake than Wiggins or Lee. The Jasper, Ala., resident is tied for fifth place with Helena, Ala., pro Bill Weidler. Both caught 12-12 limits.

Benjie Seaborn of Guin, Ala., is leading the co-angler division with a three-bass limit that weighed 8-3.

Brent Crow of Hartselle, Ala., leads the pro division for the Phoenix Big Bass Award after the first day of competition with a 5-6 largemouth. Leading the nonboater division for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award is Charles Fochtman of Moneta, Va., with a 4-15 spotted bass.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Smith Lake Dam Access. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 2:30 p.m.

The event is hosted by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce.

Smith Lake, Jasper AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Shin Fukae Palestine TX JAPAN 5 15-04 200
Day 1: 5 15-04
2. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 5 15-02 199
Day 1: 5 15-02
3. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 5 13-14 198
Day 1: 5 13-14
4. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 5 13-11 197
Day 1: 5 13-11
5. David Kilgore Jasper, AL 5 12-12 196
Day 1: 5 12-12
5. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 12-12 196
Day 1: 5 12-12
7. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 12-08 194
Day 1: 5 12-08
8. Brian Morris Cullman, AL 5 12-07 193
Day 1: 5 12-07
9. Michael Murphy Lexington, SC 5 12-06 192
Day 1: 5 12-06
10. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 11-12 191
Day 1: 5 11-12
11. David Fritts Lexington, NC 4 11-11 190
Day 1: 4 11-11
12. William Smith Birmingham, AL 5 11-07 189
Day 1: 5 11-07
13. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 11-01 188
Day 1: 5 11-01
14. Jayme Rampey Liberty, SC 4 10-15 187
Day 1: 4 10-15
15. John Hunter Jr Shelbyville, KY 5 10-14 186
Day 1: 5 10-14
16. Garrett Riles Potts Camp, MS 5 10-13 185
Day 1: 5 10-13
17. Brent Long Iron Station, NC 4 10-11 184
Day 1: 4 10-11
18. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 5 10-10 183
Day 1: 5 10-10
19. Kenny Johnson Moreland, GA 5 10-10 182
Day 1: 5 10-10
20. Jamie Butler Jasper, AL 5 10-08 181
Day 1: 5 10-08
21. Gary Isgrigg Mt Washington, KY 5 10-00 180
Day 1: 5 10-00
22. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 3 10-00 179
Day 1: 3 10-00
23. Jeff Holland Winter Springs, FL 5 09-14 178
Day 1: 5 09-14
23. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 5 09-14 178
Day 1: 5 09-14
25. Hensley Powell Whitwell, TN 5 09-13 176
Day 1: 5 09-13
26. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 4 09-11 175
Day 1: 4 09-11
27. Greg Pugh Cullman, AL 5 09-10 174
Day 1: 5 09-10
28. Ken Iyobe Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 5 09-10 173
Day 1: 5 09-10
29. Brandon Card Knoxville, TN 5 09-08 172
Day 1: 5 09-08
29. Josh Douglas Mound, MN 5 09-08 172
Day 1: 5 09-08
31. Darrell Pons Gainesville, FL 4 08-13 170
Day 1: 4 08-13
32. Miles Burghoff Santa Cruz, CA 4 08-10 169
Day 1: 4 08-10
32. Jordan Wiggins Cullman, AL 4 08-10 169
Day 1: 4 08-10
34. Blake Nick Trussville, AL 5 08-05 167
Day 1: 5 08-05
34. Wesley Strader Spring City, TN 5 08-05 167
Day 1: 5 08-05
36. Al Farace Jr Hunt Valley, MD 5 08-01 165
Day 1: 5 08-01
37. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 4 07-15 164
Day 1: 4 07-15
37. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 4 07-15 164
Day 1: 4 07-15
39. Neil Davis Clermont, FL 3 07-15 162
Day 1: 3 07-15
40. Jade Keeton Killen, AL 4 07-12 161
Day 1: 4 07-12
41. Arnie Lane Lakeland, FL 4 07-11 160
Day 1: 4 07-11
42. Rex Chambers Baileyton, AL 4 07-10 159
Day 1: 4 07-10
43. Deron Patrick Cullman, AL 3 07-10 158
Day 1: 3 07-10
44. Kyle Fox Lakeland, FL 4 07-09 157
Day 1: 4 07-09
45. Roland Martin Naples, FL 4 07-06 156
Day 1: 4 07-06
46. Johnny Patterson Grant, AL 4 07-05 155
Day 1: 4 07-05
47. Jeff Fellows Orlando, FL 3 07-05 154
Day 1: 3 07-05
47. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 3 07-05 154
Day 1: 3 07-05
49. Brent Crow Hartselle, AL 2 07-01 152
Day 1: 2 07-01
50. David Hudson Jasper, AL 3 07-00 151
Day 1: 3 07-00
51. Michael Johnson Talking Rock, GA 3 06-15 150
Day 1: 3 06-15
52. Kameron Harbin Abbeville, SC 4 06-14 149
Day 1: 4 06-14
53. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 4 06-14 148
Day 1: 4 06-14
54. Stephen Mui Bartlett, IL 4 06-13 147
Day 1: 4 06-13
55. Cody Harrison Tuscumbia, AL 4 06-12 146
Day 1: 4 06-12
56. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 4 06-08 145
Day 1: 4 06-08
57. Wes Logan Springville, AL 3 06-08 144
Day 1: 3 06-08
58. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 3 06-07 143
Day 1: 3 06-07
59. Johnny McCombs Morris, AL 3 06-06 0
Day 1: 3 06-06
59. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 3 06-06 141
Day 1: 3 06-06
61. Kazuki Kitajima Orlando, FL 3 06-05 140
Day 1: 3 06-05
61. Jimmy Mason Rogersville, AL 3 06-05 140
Day 1: 3 06-05
63. Charlie Evans Berea, KY 4 06-04 138
Day 1: 4 06-04
64. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 3 06-01 137
Day 1: 3 06-01
65. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 3 06-00 136
Day 1: 3 06-00
66. Eric Conant Lakeland, FL 3 05-15 135
Day 1: 3 05-15
67. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 2 05-14 134
Day 1: 2 05-14
68. Clayton Batts Lizella, GA 3 05-13 133
Day 1: 3 05-13
69. Carl Svebek III Orange, TX 2 05-12 132
Day 1: 2 05-12
70. Steven Priest New Lexington, OH 3 05-10 131
Day 1: 3 05-10
71. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 3 05-08 130
Day 1: 3 05-08
72. Scott Mcgehee Madison, MS 2 05-07 129
Day 1: 2 05-07
73. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 3 05-04 128
Day 1: 3 05-04
74. Cody Detweiler Orlando, FL 3 05-03 127
Day 1: 3 05-03
75. Matt Lee Guntersville, AL 3 05-02 126
Day 1: 3 05-02
76. Chaz Carrington Virginia Beach, VA 2 05-02 125
Day 1: 2 05-02
77. Terry Segraves Kissimmee, FL 2 05-01 124
Day 1: 2 05-01
78. Yoan Alvarez Miami, FL 2 04-15 123
Day 1: 2 04-15
78. Michael Reid Brookville, OH 2 04-15 123
Day 1: 2 04-15
80. Hunter Eubanks Inman, SC 3 04-14 121
Day 1: 3 04-14
81. Jeff Mathews Maitland, FL 2 04-14 120
Day 1: 2 04-14
82. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 2 04-13 119
Day 1: 2 04-13
83. Derek Hudnall Baton Rouge, LA 2 04-09 118
Day 1: 2 04-09
84. Jennings Earnest Guin, AL 2 04-04 117
Day 1: 2 04-04
85. Todd Murray Prarrieville, LA 2 04-03 116
Day 1: 2 04-03
86. Josh Aaron Dora, AL 2 04-02 115
Day 1: 2 04-02
86. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 2 04-02 115
Day 1: 2 04-02
88. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 2 04-01 113
Day 1: 2 04-01
89. Rich Howes Oviedo, FL 2 04-00 112
Day 1: 2 04-00
90. Sam George Athens, AL 2 03-15 111
Day 1: 2 03-15
91. John Cox Debary, FL 2 03-14 110
Day 1: 2 03-14
91. Eric Gilchrist Plaquemine, LA 2 03-14 110
Day 1: 2 03-14
91. Seiji Kato Shiga JAPAN 2 03-14 110
Day 1: 2 03-14
91. William Shipes II Williston, SC 2 03-14 110
Day 1: 2 03-14
95. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 2 03-13 106
Day 1: 2 03-13
96. Jon Canada Pelham, AL 2 03-11 105
Day 1: 2 03-11
96. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 2 03-11 105
Day 1: 2 03-11
98. Rick Harris San Angelo, TX 2 03-09 103
Day 1: 2 03-09
98. Michael Neal Dayton, TN 2 03-09 103
Day 1: 2 03-09
100. Brian Elder Locust Grove, GA 2 03-08 101
Day 1: 2 03-08
101. Ed Stiefel Jr. Lake Worth, FL 1 03-08 100
Day 1: 1 03-08
102. Joey Spradley Gloverville, SC 2 03-06 99
Day 1: 2 03-06
103. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 2 03-03 98
Day 1: 2 03-03
103. James Swindle Parrish, AL 2 03-03 98
Day 1: 2 03-03
103. B.J. Usie Houma, LA 2 03-03 98
Day 1: 2 03-03
106. Steve Barnes Harrison, TN 2 03-02 95
Day 1: 2 03-02
106. Larry Gaines Valparaiso, FL 2 03-02 95
Day 1: 2 03-02
108. Eric Panzironi Longwood, FL 1 03-01 93
Day 1: 1 03-01
109. Blaine Partee Oviedo, FL 2 02-11 92
Day 1: 2 02-11
110. Jimmy Johnson Holmen, WI 1 02-08 91
Day 1: 1 02-08
111. Brent Bonadona Port Allen, LA 1 02-06 90
Day 1: 1 02-06
111. Richard Burgreen Athens, AL 1 02-06 90
Day 1: 1 02-06
111. Brad Knight Lancing, TN 1 02-06 90
Day 1: 1 02-06
114. Ronald Ryals Jr Live Oak, FL 1 02-05 87
Day 1: 1 02-05
115. Jeff Bunch Nacogdoches, TX 1 02-03 86
Day 1: 1 02-03
116. Preston Johnson Rice Lake, WI 1 02-02 85
Day 1: 1 02-02
117. Marty Nester Mount Airy, NC 1 02-01 84
Day 1: 1 02-01
117. Brian Rufty Berea, KY 1 02-01 84
Day 1: 1 02-01
119. Shaw Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 1 02-00 82
Day 1: 1 02-00
119. Garrett Rocamora Lithia, FL 1 02-00 82
Day 1: 1 02-00
121. Stan Gunter Saluda, SC 1 01-15 80
Day 1: 1 01-15
121. Ryan Hoover Valrico, FL 1 01-15 80
Day 1: 1 01-15
121. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 1 01-15 80
Day 1: 1 01-15
124. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 1 01-14 77
Day 1: 1 01-14
125. Jimmy Charbonnet Saint Amant, LA 1 01-13 76
Day 1: 1 01-13
125. Bill Cooper Ashland City, TN 1 01-13 76
Day 1: 1 01-13
125. Grant Galloway Houlka, MS 1 01-13 76
Day 1: 1 01-13
125. Steven Kellam Dry Ridge, KY 1 01-13 76
Day 1: 1 01-13
125. Brad Webb Hampton, VA 1 01-13 76
Day 1: 1 01-13
130. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 1 01-12 71
Day 1: 1 01-12
131. David Cornelius Apison, TN 1 01-11 70
Day 1: 1 01-11
131. Larry Giamanco Pierre Part, LA 1 01-11 70
Day 1: 1 01-11
131. Joseph Sancho New Windsor, NY 1 01-11 70
Day 1: 1 01-11
134. John Brazzell Winter Garden, FL 1 01-10 67
Day 1: 1 01-10
134. Teb Jones Hattiesburg, MS 1 01-10 67
Day 1: 1 01-10
136. Brian Hatfield Spring City, TN 1 01-09 65
Day 1: 1 01-09
136. Mitch Liss Saint Cloud, FL 1 01-09 65
Day 1: 1 01-09
138. Jon Englund Farwell, MN 1 01-08 63
Day 1: 1 01-08
138. Luke Estel Murphysboro, IL 1 01-08 63
Day 1: 1 01-08
138. Hunter Parra Houma, LA 1 01-08 63
Day 1: 1 01-08
141. Sandy Melvin Boca Grande, FL 1 01-06 60
Day 1: 1 01-06
141. MJ Vihnanek Jr Walnut Hill, FL 1 01-06 60
Day 1: 1 01-06
143. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 1 01-05 58
Day 1: 1 01-05
144. Chris Hensley Marbury, AL 1 00-09 57
Day 1: 1 00-09
145. Tim Arnold Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Jerome Baird Williamsburg, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Chris Blanchette Irmo, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Scott Bonvillain Dequincy, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Christiana Bradley Goldvein, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Jeffrey Brooks Boca Raton, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Jeffrey Clark Hoover, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Erik Crawford Hayden, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Ryan Davidson Branchland, WV 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Tyler Ellis Battlefield, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Kyle Glasgow Guin, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Wayne Hauser Jr Mooresville, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Chad Hazel Quinton, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Eric Johnson Millis, MA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Vernon Kemp Umatilla, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Scott Luster Prattville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Allen Mcreath Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Dustin Neat Dunnville, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. John Paulk Counce, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. John Pollard Eclectic, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Kenny Sammons Pinetta, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Kyle Schutta Forest Lake, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Johnathon Seaborn Guin, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Rick Shannon Woodlawn, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
145. Tom Stark III Angola, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
174. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
174. Ed Stiefel Mahwah, NJ 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 28 400 843-06
----------------------------------
28 400 843-06

2017 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake 9/28-9/30
Smith Lake, Jasper AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Benjie Seaborn Guin, AL 3 08-03 200
Day 1: 3 08-03
2. Carlton Tipp Grand Bay, AL 3 06-10 199
Day 1: 3 06-10
3. Mike Spears Jasper, AL 2 06-06 198
Day 1: 2 06-06
4. Ricky Congero Windermere, FL 3 06-04 197
Day 1: 3 06-04
5. Sawyer Adams Richmond, KY 3 06-02 196
Day 1: 3 06-02
6. Hermilo Salgado Artemus, KY 3 06-01 195
Day 1: 3 06-01
7. Beecher Strunk Somerset, KY 3 06-00 194
Day 1: 3 06-00
8. Scott Saucer Frisco City, AL 3 05-15 193
Day 1: 3 05-15
9. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 2 05-09 192
Day 1: 2 05-09
10. Chad Smith Holly Pond, AL 2 05-08 191
Day 1: 2 05-08
11. Kent Biggs Morristown, TN 3 05-06 190
Day 1: 3 05-06
11. Shane Douglas Albany, GA 3 05-06 190
Day 1: 3 05-06
11. Chris Farmer Mathews, AL 3 05-06 190
Day 1: 3 05-06
14. Curtis King Plaquemine, LA 3 05-03 187
Day 1: 3 05-03
15. Charles Fochtman Moneta, VA 1 04-15 186
Day 1: 1 04-15
16. Jerrod Albright Kissimmee, FL 3 04-13 185
Day 1: 3 04-13
17. Chad Viator Wilsonville, AL 2 04-11 184
Day 1: 2 04-11
18. Daniel Kendrick Chatsworth, GA 1 04-11 183
Day 1: 1 04-11
19. Bill Hunter Murfreesboro, TN 2 04-10 182
Day 1: 2 04-10
20. Don Harvey Franklin, TN 2 04-08 181
Day 1: 2 04-08
21. Bert Cooper Huntsville, TN 2 04-03 180
Day 1: 2 04-03
22. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 2 04-00 179
Day 1: 2 04-00
22. Greg Neal Arley, AL 2 04-00 179
Day 1: 2 04-00
22. Michael Vice Rossville, IL 2 04-00 179
Day 1: 2 04-00
22. Alan Woodford Winslow, IN 2 04-00 179
Day 1: 2 04-00
26. Terry Proctor Pensacola, FL 2 03-13 175
Day 1: 2 03-13
27. Greg O'Neal Winchester, TN 2 03-12 174
Day 1: 2 03-12
27. Geoff Percival Lincoln, AL 2 03-12 174
Day 1: 2 03-12
27. Mark Wethington Liberty, KY 2 03-12 174
Day 1: 2 03-12
30. Barry Stalcup Marble, NC 2 03-11 171
Day 1: 2 03-11
31. Curtis Hall II Battle Creek, MI 1 03-08 170
Day 1: 1 03-08
32. Tony Sears Dahlonega, GA 2 03-07 169
Day 1: 2 03-07
33. Phillip Lovett Florence, AL 1 03-02 168
Day 1: 1 03-02
34. Travis Warthen Saint Gabriel, LA 2 03-01 167
Day 1: 2 03-01
35. Mark Bartosch Clarksville, TN 1 02-15 166
Day 1: 1 02-15
36. Slaton Jemison Mathews, AL 2 02-13 165
Day 1: 2 02-13
37. Jeff Keever Decatur, GA 1 02-13 164
Day 1: 1 02-13
38. Jim Sulcer Jr Athens, AL 1 02-11 163
Day 1: 1 02-11
39. Travis Dehart Greenville, SC 1 02-10 162
Day 1: 1 02-10
39. Mike Duke Summerville, GA 1 02-10 162
Day 1: 1 02-10
39. Chuck Thurlow Auburn, AL 1 02-10 162
Day 1: 1 02-10
39. Jody White Gilbertsville, KY 1 02-10 162
Day 1: 1 02-10
43. Blake Barrett Logan, AL 1 02-09 158
Day 1: 1 02-09
44. Buck Hilliard Peachtree City, GA 1 02-07 157
Day 1: 1 02-07
45. John Goebel Lumberton, TX 1 02-06 156
Day 1: 1 02-06
45. Chandler Sickafoose Dora, AL 1 02-06 156
Day 1: 1 02-06
47. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 1 02-05 154
Day 1: 1 02-05
47. Steven Dyer Louisville, TN 1 02-05 154
Day 1: 1 02-05
49. Kraig Carmickle Orlando, FL 1 02-04 152
Day 1: 1 02-04
49. Roy Hurst Jr Birmingham, AL 1 02-04 152
Day 1: 1 02-04
49. Kenneth Shumate Elkin, NC 1 02-04 152
Day 1: 1 02-04
49. David Welch Birmingham, AL 1 02-04 152
Day 1: 1 02-04
53. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 1 02-03 148
Day 1: 1 02-03
53. Doug Logan Springville, AL 1 02-03 148
Day 1: 1 02-03
55. Thomas Brewbaker Nashville, TN 1 02-02 146
Day 1: 1 02-02
55. Scott Byrd Ocklawaha, FL 1 02-02 146
Day 1: 1 02-02
57. William Gaston Sylacauga, AL 1 02-01 144
Day 1: 1 02-01
57. Benny Widerman Deltona, FL 1 02-01 144
Day 1: 1 02-01
59. Drew Osborn Maryville, TN 1 02-00 142
Day 1: 1 02-00
60. Radney Atchison Prattville, AL 1 01-15 141
Day 1: 1 01-15
60. Brett Hobson Clermont, FL 1 01-15 141
Day 1: 1 01-15
60. Ross Spina Vestavia, AL 1 01-15 141
Day 1: 1 01-15
63. Johnathan Crossland Chapin, SC 1 01-14 138
Day 1: 1 01-14
63. Phillip Lee Eustis, FL 1 01-14 138
Day 1: 1 01-14
63. Steven Roosen Charlotte, NC 1 01-14 138
Day 1: 1 01-14
63. Ronald Young Lake Wales, FL 1 01-14 138
Day 1: 1 01-14
67. Jennifer Nevans Dayton, TN 1 01-13 134
Day 1: 1 01-13
68. David Earnest Oakman, AL 1 01-12 133
Day 1: 1 01-12
68. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 1 01-12 133
Day 1: 1 01-12
70. Richard Arnold Owens Cross Roads, AL 1 01-11 131
Day 1: 1 01-11
70. Eulon Lee Jr. Eclectic, AL 1 01-11 131
Day 1: 1 01-11
70. Jeremy Maye Windsor, VA 1 01-11 131
Day 1: 1 01-11
70. Don Ramsey Orlando, FL 1 01-11 131
Day 1: 1 01-11
70. Marvin Stith Jr. Piscataway, NJ 1 01-11 131
Day 1: 1 01-11
75. Mike Entile Aurora, IL 1 01-10 126
Day 1: 1 01-10
75. Marc Melancon Livingston, LA 1 01-10 126
Day 1: 1 01-10
75. Roger Shiflett Hayden, AL 1 01-10 126
Day 1: 1 01-10
75. Tucker Weidler Helena, AL 1 01-10 126
Day 1: 1 01-10
75. Jay West Canton, GA 1 01-10 126
Day 1: 1 01-10
80. David Chamberlain Keasbey, NJ 1 01-09 121
Day 1: 1 01-09
80. Joe Moore Kissimmee, FL 1 01-09 121
Day 1: 1 01-09
80. Jenny Sander Byron, GA 1 01-09 121
Day 1: 1 01-09
80. Billy Watson III Murfreesboro, TN 1 01-09 121
Day 1: 1 01-09
84. George Beville Jr Apex, NC 1 01-09 117
Day 1: 1 01-09
85. Blaine Freeman Dadeville, AL 1 01-08 116
Day 1: 1 01-08
85. Jon Oliver Russellville, AL 1 01-08 116
Day 1: 1 01-08
85. James Simmons Houma, LA 1 01-08 116
Day 1: 1 01-08
88. Luke Glasgow Guin, AL 1 01-07 113
Day 1: 1 01-07
88. Caleb Keith Beaufort, SC 1 01-07 113
Day 1: 1 01-07
88. Keith Raney Tullahoma, TN 1 01-07 113
Day 1: 1 01-07
88. Evan Rice Shalimar, FL 1 01-07 113
Day 1: 1 01-07
92. Miriam Donohoo San Mateo, FL 1 01-07 109
Day 1: 1 01-07
93. Chad Smith Minnetonka, MN 1 01-06 108
Day 1: 1 01-06
94. Donnie Aderholt Haleyville, AL 1 00-11 107
Day 1: 1 00-11
95. Rodney Anderson Young Harris, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Charles Anderson Rocky Face, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Glenn Bailey Temple Terrace, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Clayton Barnes Milton, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Joshua Bauer Random Lake, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Cale Beck Petersburg, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Michael Benson Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Johnny Bigger II Spring Hill, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Lee Black Moulton, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Brandon Bolton West Point, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. David Booth Erin, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Justin Braswell Winter Haven, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Bill Bruce Hendersonville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Scap Cicero Wetumpka, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Zach Clark Newnan, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Curt Clark Bentonville, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Rodrigo Cruz Clermont, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Wesley Dennis Anniston, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Charlie Eisert Pomona, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Michael Florio Cartersville, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Jason Fontenot Lake Charles, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Garrett Geouge Lanexa, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Mitchell Gowen Decatur, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Bruce Griffin Jasper, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Stephen Griffing Port Charlotte, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Gary Hall Delbarton, WV 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Colby Harrison Brilliant, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Meredith Havird Chappells, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Robert Holcomb Longwood, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. William Holley Addis, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Kyle Jenkins Groton, CT 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Brian Jones Fayetteville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Zach Kirby Shelbyville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Jimmy Lee Jasper, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Tim Lollar Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Bill Mandikas Tampa, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Barry Maner Trinity, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Larry Maring Minneola, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Marc Marsh Prosperity, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Greg Mauldin Archdale, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Lee McClendon Jr Trussville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Steve Moeller Waterloo, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Bill Mogan Mobile, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Michael Norris Mountain Brk, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Blake Oswalt Jasper, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. David Ottman Terry, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Luke Patterson Middleburg, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Tim Patterson Chattanooga, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Jason Patterson Markle, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Pete Patterson Kingsport, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Tyler Pendergrass Cullman, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Daniel Phillips Lawrenceville, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Anthony Plescia III Pearl River, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. JJ Polak Covington, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Charles Poland Denham Springs, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Trevor Prichard Knoxville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Jeff Prisza Camden, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Michael Rench Armuchee, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Scott Rice Cobden, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Landon Rich Owens Cross Roads, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Rodger Riddle Moulton, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Fred Rigdon Belleview, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Edward Ruth Jasper, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Michael Scalise Port Allen, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Ken Sharkey Spring Lake, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Gregory Spitzer Jr Pensacola, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Bobby Stalcup Murphy, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Bradley Sterner Manchester, PA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Clayton Stoering Waterville, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Rick Surguine Mount Juliet, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Rodney Tapp Inman, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Derek Taylor Montgomery, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Christian Thompson Lake City, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Thomas Warren Bolingbrook, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Ronald Wiggins II Palatka, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Tom Wilkins Alexandria, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Jesse Windsor Orlando, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
95. Tyler Woolcott Port Orange, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
174. Eric Simpson Lakeland, GA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
174. Douglas Vierling Gulfport, MS 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00

by AnglersChannel

Nick LeBrun Wins ABA Ram Truck Open Area 6 Championship!

ATHENS, Ala. – Nick LeBrun won the American Bass Anglers Ram Truck Open Series Area 6 Championship, held September 23rd and 24th at Toledo Bend Reservoir. Running out of Cypress Bend Park near Many, LA, Nick still fresh off his win from Sam Rayburn just a couple weeks earlier was able to put together 2 solid days and bring in 2 limits for a total of 34.37 lbs, taking home the guaranteed boater division prize of $10,000.00.

Day 1 brought a picture-perfect morning for the National Anthem and a very calm day. Not a ripple on the lake until 30 minutes before weigh in which for Toledo Bend is a very rare occasion. The weather was great all weekend, but fishing conditions made the bite very tough for most leading up to the first day and throughout the tournament. Some anglers did get the big bites as 2 fish over 8 lbs were caught, and many more over 5 lbs were brought to the scales.

Day one closed out with Lebrun sitting towards the top of the field with a solid catch of 16.48 lbs. When the scales closed at the end of day 2, he had taken the lead and held back the rest of the field for the victory.

“This morning I definitely wasn’t expecting this. I lost a good one right off the bat and it deflated me pretty quickly. I figured I was fishing for a top 20 at that point. This place is so tough right now you have got to make every bite count and get them in the boat. I have to take my hat off to all these guys though. This field is so competitive, it really pushes you to your limit and makes you stay on top of your game. This was a great event.” LeBrun said.

In second for the boaters, Ryan Pinkston of Center, TX finished less than 1 lb. behind the leader with 2 limits of fish for 33.65 lbs.

“I fished structure, deep structure. I say deep but it was really about 10-15 feet. I had 10 rods on the deck all weekend and today, all my fish came on different baits than yesterday. It was a grind and we put something together. You just had to keep your head down but it took all day to get them.” Said Ryan

Albert Collins of Nacogdoches, TX took third for the boaters weighing a 5 fish limit each day for a 2-day total of 32.91. Albert was also the highest finishing Triton Gold member and will be receiving his bonus from Triton Boats.

“I came over a week before last and spent a couple days without a bite. I just went out fishing and found a couple spots that had some so I beat them to death and was fortunate enough to catch what I did.” Stated Collins.

In fourth, Logan Sheerer of Karnack, TX came in with 2 solid bags for a total of 29.79 lbs. Finishing 5th was Terry Peacock of Royse City, TX with 28.72 lbs.
Logan also weighed in a beautiful 8.03 lb. Big Bass on day 1 that held up for the boater division for the weekend. Logan pocketed $480.00 for that fish.

In the Co-Angler Division, Robert Moffett of Silsbee, TX came from the middle of the pack on day 2 with a great bag of fish for 11.97 lbs to propel him to the top with a 2-day total of 17.74 lbs to take over and hold the lead. Robert earned the $5000.00 guaranteed first place prize.

“Thank you! This is great. Well, the first day we went north and it went well, I just didn’t get the big bite but today I did. My boater ran south today and I caught her on my 2nd bite. (6.57 lbs) I culled a couple times and everything worked out great. I couldn’t be happier.” said Robert.

Taking second for the co-anglers, Robert Royal of Vidor, TX came in with his 2nd 3-fish limit of 10.07 to land himself a 2-day total of 17.53 lbs. Just ounces behind the leader his catch secured him the 2nd place finish.

“The first day we went south and flipped grass all day. Today we went North and threw a frog. I had 5 keepers. 2 different techniques and the only common thing was the grass. I fished in both spots and both were successful.” Robert stated.

Chris Pearson of Marthaville, LA placed third among the co-anglers. Landing only 4 fish over both days for 16.56 lbs, Chris was getting the bites he needed and one fish was really good. 8.01 lbs and captured the big bass of the tournament for the coanglers.

“I only had 4 keepers to bring in over the weekend and every one of them was on a different bait. I had the just one bite today at it was the big fish. I caught her on the 3rd cast this morning about 10 minutes into the day.” Explained Pearson.

In fourth place among the co-anglers, Rondell Joseph of Pearland, TX brought in five fish over the 2 days for a total of 15.47 lbs. Jeremy Phillips of Nacogdoches, TX finished in fifth place with four bass (2-day total) for 12.95 lbs.

The week of April 1st through the 7th, 2018, the best anglers from across the nation will compete in the Ray Scott National Championship, slated for the Red River in Shreveport & Bossier City, LA.

For more information on this tournament, call Chris Wayand, tournament manager, at 256-230-5627 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.ramopenseries.com .

American Bass Anglers, Inc. is supported by Ram Trucks, Triton Boats, Mercury Outboards, Carlisle Tires, GEICO, Berkley, Abu Garcia, T-H Marine, Livingston Lures, Best Western Hotels, Maui Jim, Power Pole, Simms, Garmin, Divide-It, and SiriusXM Marine Weather. American Bass Anglers, Inc. can be contacted at (256) 232-0406 or by visiting americanbassanglers.com

by AnglersChannel

Palanuik Talks AOY and his Incredible 2017 Elite Series Journey

“I still don’t even know if has sunk in yet,” said Brandon Palaniuk a few days after winning the 2017 Bassmaster angler of the Year title.

“I’ve been so busy since it happened I haven’t sat and thought about it. I didn’t know what to expect, but it was a different feeling than what I have felt, really, in anything else. You want to win something so bad and then as it gets closer and closer you just want it that much more and then all of a sudden, in an instant, its real. It’s in your hand. The competitive side of me is like ‘ok, I accomplished that, let’s go get the next one’ but at the same time I want to make the most of this one. I want to enjoy it. I want to remember it and do as much as I can with it to, one, better my career and, two, hopefully better the sport.”

On the final morning of the AOY Championship tourney Palaniuk fished through a slow bite. Surely doubts arose in his mind. Right? “No. I was actually surprisingly calm.

“I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I was going to catch them. I was at ease with it; felt good about it and at 10:30 I even looked at my camera guy and told him ‘man, I should be freaking out right now’. I had one bass in the livewell and wasn’t even that worried. I wasn’t stressed out about it, I wasn’t in a panic.

“I just felt like at some point in the day it was going to happen.

“Next thing you know, like, 15 minutes later, I pull up to a rock proceed to catch 12 fish off of it. And that’s pretty much what did it for me. Then I went to another spot and caught two 4-and-a-half-pounders on back-to-back drops.

“That quick it just changes.”

During the AOY tourney Palaniuk caught all of his weigh-in fish on a smoke/purple Zoom Super Fluke on a dropshot rig.

Across his award-winning season he relied heavily on 3 lures: swim jig, 3/8 or ½ oz., white, black and chartreuse with a white Zoom Super Speed Craw on the back. “I caught fish on that everywhere.” A Storm Arashi Top Walker. And, “Pretty much the entire northern swing I caught fish on a Zoom Z Drop on a dropshot.”

The road to success is littered with bumps and potholes. Palaniuk experienced on early on in the 2017 season. “Okeechobee. Finishing 105^th and battling back from that to get in a position to win Angler of the Year.”

Palaniuk could have felt sorry for himself after the disappointment at the ‘Big O’. But . . .

“I had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder.

“Going from a Top 12 at Cherokee to bombing at Okeechobee – I felt like I went from having a really good shot at making a run at Angler of the Year to essentially having to start my climb all the way over.”

Climb he did. The summit of Palaniuk’s season was the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest on Lake Sam Rayburn in May, which he won with a total weight of 93 pounds, 12 ounces. “It was just a super fun week. I really enjoyed it.

“And that also automatically qualified me for the Classic. So, I didn’t really change the way I was fishing after that, but there was also a part of me that knew, no matter what happened the rest of the year, that weight was lifted off my chest. 2018 Classic – qualified. Now you’re focused on catching as many fish as you can.”

Palaniuk never wants to know where he stands in the points. The reason for this dovetails with the reason for his free-swinging attitude following an automatic Classic berth. “For some guys, it’s a motivator to know where they stand in the points. For me, I feel like if I know where I’m at in the points my decision-making process is different, somewhere in the back of my mind. If I have no idea, the points essentially become irrelevant and all of my decision-making process is based on catching the 5 biggest fish I can each day, which is what everyone should do anyway. But that’s easier said than done.”

Decision-making is a key element in good tournament fishing. Palaniuk recounts his best decision this season. “Toledo Bend, on day 3 of the tournament I just completely abandoned where I had been fishing the first 2 days and started in a completely new area that I hadn’t fished yet in the tournament. It ended up carrying me to a Top 12. I felt like I really made the right adjustment in that one.”

109 of the top pros in America set out to win the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title this season. What separated Palaniuk from the rest? “I fished with a super open mind. I tried to fish based 100% on current conditions.”

Palaniuk enjoys as much family support as any angler on tour. His sponsors have also been loyal to him, a point not lost on the 29-year old pro. “It’s a personal win for me but it’s also a win for my team and that includes my sponsors, all the people that believed in me before I ever even made my first cast in the Elite Series. I will always have a special place in my heart for those kind of people that took a chance on me.

“Skeeter and Yamaha have been with me from day 1 and Rigid has been with me since my 2^nd year on Tour – my title sponsor for 5 years now which is big for a non-endemic company to stick with me that long and have faith in me.

“I’ve been with Buck Knives, Storm, Rapala, VMC, even my buddy Scott at ProCise Outdoors – we’ve kind of grown and built that into something together.”

So what does a young guy do with the type of money Palaniuk has earned this year? “Been looking at possibly building a new house for me and Tiffany. I’ll be smart with it, invest it back into my video projects, use it wisely where it will end up making more money down the road.”

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

by AnglersChannel

Moore & Wilson Walk Away With the Win in Texas Tournament Zone Championship on Rayburn - Win $30,000

PL	ANGLER 1	ANGLER 2	DAY 1 FISH	DAY 1 BIG BASS	DAY 1 WT	DAY 2 FISH	DAY 2 BIG BASS	DAY 2 WT	TOTAL FISH	TOTAL WT	PRIZE
1	HAROLD MOORE	KRIS WILSON	5		25.34	5		24.38	10	49.72	$30,000
2	KEITH WHITE	CHRIS MCCALL	5		20.85	5		20.99	10	41.84	$5,000
3	DEAN GOLMAN	JAYSON KISSELBURG	5		15.63	5		23.08	10	38.71	$2,500
4	PATRICK STARNES	SCOTT BAILEY	5		20.21	5		17.91	10	38.12	$1,500
5	KY MARTIN	E.K. WATTS	5		15.00	5	7.42	20.96	10	35.96	$1,000
6	DARRELL WUENSCHE	DONNIE O'NEAL	5	7.01	20.25	5		13.51	10	33.76	$900
7	DAVID STIDHAM	GERALD POBORIL	5	8.12	18.81	5		14.94	10	33.75	$800
8	JASON BUCHANAN	TERRY KIRCUS	5		13.04	5		20.35	10	33.39	$700
9	JAMES NITSCHKE	JASON BONDS	5		16.18	5		16.60	10	32.78	$600
10	JARRETT LATTA	BRIAN LOWRANCE	5		15.37	5	7.57	17.37	10	32.74	$550
11	GARY MARTIN	DON BROWN	5		13.73	5		18.78	10	32.51	$500
12	ALLEN GASS	CHRIS BAKER	5		14.01	5		17.07	10	31.08	$450
13	RICK BARNDS	MATT STEELE	5		18.34	5		12.27	10	30.61	$400
14	JOHNNY RAY	JASON TRUITT	5		17.44	5		13.03	10	30.47	$350
15	CHRIS BERTELSON	THOMAS HOWE	5		15.76	5		14.42	10	30.18	$300
16	JASON STAFFORD		5		12.48	5		17.56	10	30.04	$300
17	KENNETH FAIRLY	JUSTIN WISIAN	5		15.72	5		13.78	10	29.50	$300
18	WES BENNETT	STEVEN NIETO	5	7.64	15.90	5		13.53	10	29.43
19	WADE MEHAFFEY	MARK LEATHERMAN	5	5.52	16.02	5		12.69	10	28.71
19	BRANDON BRAY	JOE BRAY	5		17.07	4		11.64	9	28.71
21	MARTI WILLIAMS	DEAN SKINNER	5		15.86	5		12.73	10	28.59
22	WARREN KEPKE	RICH LEWIS	5	7.07	18.82	5		9.69	10	28.51
23	JAMES ROBERTS	DON GORDON	5		14.99	5		13.43	10	28.42
24	BRANDON DICKENSON	BRENT BROUSSARD	5		14.62	5		13.63	10	28.25
25	GARY FRIEDEL	JACOB FROESE (Y)	5	6.42	16.69	5		11.13	10	27.82
26	RYAN WARREN	JASON DERRICK	5		16.32	5		11.24	10	27.56
27	LANDON GLASS	MANDI GLASS	5		12.27	5		15.11	10	27.38
28	SHANE KUEHN	ANDY WHITEHEAD	5		13.80	5		13.44	10	27.24
29	BRIAN BRANDON	KAYDEN TANNER (Y)	5		9.55	5		17.52	10	27.07
30	JESSE FRY	SCOTT LANDON	4	8.78	15.44	5		11.52	9	26.96	$1,480 BIG BASS + $500 BIOBOR BONUS
31	WAYNE ALBERTHAL	JAMES WHITE	5		14.28	5		12.50	10	26.78
32	LINO GUTIERREZ	RUBEN RIBERA	5		10.86	5		15.71	10	26.57
33	ADRIAN BARNES	DANIEL BARNES	5		13.53	5		12.75	10	26.28
34	DUANE GEORGE	CODY BARCHENGER	5		13.02	5		12.87	10	25.89
35	JAMES COTTINGHAM	TERRY ROBERTS	4		10.70	5		15.15	9	25.85
36	JOSH RHODES	CHRIS STUDINGER	5		12.59	5		13.23	10	25.82
37	MIKE CEARLEY	PAUL SHERRILL III	5		13.40	5		12.20	10	25.60
38	RYAN COHLMEYER	DARREN HEAVNER	5		14.22	5		11.37	10	25.59
39	SHELBY FLOYD	JEFF DOUGLAS	5		12.85	5		12.62	10	25.47
40	MICHAEL EDGETT	JASON DELFRAISSE	5		12.78	5		12.66	10	25.44
41	BARRY MOTT	MATT HILL	5		13.82	5		11.37	10	25.19
42	LEE BEUERSHAUSEN	RANDY GROUNDS	5		15.59	3		9.33	8	24.92
43	CHRISTOPHER WASHINGTON	JARRID HOHENSEE	5		12.18	5		12.69	10	24.87
44	CHRIS CONNER	JARED SMITH	5		12.09	5		12.49	10	24.58
45	TOMMY DURHAM	MIKE DURHAM	5		14.70	5		9.66	10	24.36
46	JUSTIN HUMMEL	LEONARD DEBRASKA	5	7.06	18.75	4		5.56	9	24.31
47	DANIEL ABERNATHY	JACKIE IKONEN	5		10.56	5		13.61	10	24.17
48	MARK RIBERA	ANTHONY RIBERA	5		12.21	5		11.92	10	24.13
49	RICK SCHEEN	MIKE HARMAN	2		5.03	5		18.74	7	23.77
50	CHARLES WHITED	RICK SCOTT	4		9.10	5		14.52	9	23.62	SHIMANO ZODIAS ROD
51	COREY SCHNAUTZ	RAYMOND CALK	5		12.47	5		11.03	10	23.50
52	KELLY MAULDIN	MARCUS SAMANIEGO	5		12.84	5		10.29	10	23.13
53	BRENT SMITH	TAMMY SMITH	5		10.07	5		12.97	10	23.04
54	DANNY HUGHES	DARRELL PRCIN	2		9.82	5		13.17	7	22.99
55	JASON BRUNETT	STEVEN DANIELS	5		11.08	5		11.87	10	22.95
56	SAM MORROW	STEPHEN HARDING	5		15.02	3		7.86	8	22.88
57	JOHNNY UNERFUSSER	RON SAUCEMAN	5		13.72	4		8.74	9	22.46
58	LOWELL BENNETT	LANDEN BENNETT (Y)	5		10.99	5		11.06	10	22.05
59	KEN WILKINS	RICHIE LAND	5		11.09	5		10.93	10	22.02
60	TERRY HALL	LYNN PIERCE	5		11.61	5		10.29	10	21.90
61	DEAN ALEXANDER	TOM MARTENS	3		6.46	5		15.28	8	21.74
62	DALE READ	JEFF PITRUCHA	5		9.60	5		12.08	10	21.68
63	KEVIN BRYANT	COY GREATHOUSE	5		15.08	3		6.59	8	21.67
64	LANCE WENMOHS	DIXON WENMOHS	5		13.73	4		7.88	9	21.61
65	PHIL WARREN	BRIAN MATER	5		10.89	5		10.18	10	21.07
66	KENNETH CUMMINS	TIM DIXON	5		10.95	5		10.04	10	20.99
67	MARK BENNETT	CASEY BENNETT	5		9.80	5		10.82	10	20.62
68	WES JOHANNESSEN	CALEB WESTBROOK	5		8.58	5		11.93	10	20.51	SHIMANO CITICA REEL
69	DAVID LANDRY	KELVIN MILAM	3		7.32	5		13.15	8	20.47
70	CHRIS BAILEY	CASEY GARCIA	3		6.54	5		13.83	8	20.37
71	DAMON ROSS	DONNIE ROSS	5		10.49	5		9.74	10	20.23
72	MATT RUSSELL	DEAN JONES	3		4.20	5		15.80	8	20.00
73	DAN CLAWSON	BILL HARMAN	5		11.17	5		8.71	10	19.88
74	GREG SHEPPERD	GARRETT SHEPPERD	3		8.05	5		11.00	8	19.05
75	LEONARD PHILLIP	HUNTER ARTHUR	5		12.30	3		6.73	8	19.03
76	LUKE BASEY	DAVID FULLER	5		7.53	3		11.29	8	18.82
77	PAT GRIMM	JACK MORSE	5		6.85	5		11.86	10	18.71
78	SCOTT SMITH	LANCE RAY	5		11.01	5		7.34	10	18.35
79	DYLAN LOOZE	JOE LOOZE	3		4.95	5		12.97	8	17.92
80	THOMAS STEVENS	JASON STEVENS	5		7.75	5		8.30	10	16.05
81	CRAIG BULLOCK	DAVID BARATZ	5		11.79	1		4.06	6	15.85
82	JOEY KIRKLAND	LUPE CONTRERAS	1		5.47	5		9.73	6	15.20
83	DUSTIN TRIMUAR	GARY SHARP	3		6.39	4		8.67	7	15.06
84	MICHAEL WALDROP	JARROD SANDERS	4		11.41	2		3.26	6	14.67	SHIMANO ZODIAS ROD
85	CODY COX	ROBERT YOUNG	5		13.84				5	13.84
86	TONY FERDINANDO	RANDY VAUGHAN	5		13.82				5	13.82
87	RONNIE MATHIS	DON SCHUETZE	5		13.50				5	13.50
88	LANDAN WARE		5		13.29				5	13.29
89	BO BARNETT	BRIAN FENNELL	5		12.65				5	12.65
90	SHAWN TAMEZ	CRAIG CORDOVA	5		12.10				5	12.10
91	VINCENT NEAL	KYLE ROWE	5		11.32				5	11.32
92	LLOYD WALKER	TIM CLINE	5		11.28				5	11.28
93	RANDALL CHRISTIAN		5		10.80				5	10.80
94	CODY MORRISON	STEPHEN MORRISON	5		10.65				5	10.65
95	BILLY MCCRARY II	TODD IVINS	3		10.50				3	10.50
96	BOBBY AMIDON	MICHAEL ROBERTS	5		10.42				5	10.42
97	JASON WILLIAMS	ANTHONY SKOUBY	5		10.18				5	10.18
98	GEORGE ESCAMILLA	BRANDON KITCHENS	5		10.04				5	10.04
99	BRYAN RICHARDS	MAT KEVIL	5		9.94				5	9.94
100	GARY RIGGS	DAVID STIDHAM	5		9.89				5	9.89
101	BRYAN COTTER	DAVID TOWNSEND	4		9.82				4	9.82
102	ROB WILSON	ROB MEDDERS	4		9.50				4	9.50
103	TRAVIS MCCOLLOUGH	BOBBY WILSON	2		4.39	3		5.09	5	9.48
104	RANDALL KRAMER	ANTHONY KEANE	3		9.31				3	9.31
105	BILL WALDSCHMIDT	JAY DAVIS	3		5.65	1		3.54	4	9.19
106	NATHAN BOWERS (Y)	DENNIS BOWERS	4		9.17				4	9.17
107	KEVIN DRITSCHLER	TYLER DRITSCHLER	3		5.11	2		3.89	5	9.00
108	KEITH IVY	TIM KISOR	5		8.92				5	8.92
109	GARY BROOKS	LYNNE BROOKS	2		4.68	2		4.16	4	8.84
110	BOBBY RODRIGUEZ	KYLE FORD	5		8.35				5	8.35
111	JOHN WARD	DERON MUELLER	3		8.24				3	8.24
112	GRANT GOODNER	JAMES GOODNER	5		7.61				5	7.61
113	DUSTIN SMITH	GREG STEVENS	5		7.58				5	7.58
114	CHRIS WOEHL		4		6.82				4	6.82
115	GARY JOHNSON	ANIBAL GUZMAN	5		6.44				5	6.44
116	STEVE VAN MEETEREN	CINDY VAN MEETEREN	2		3.28	2		2.99	4	6.27
117	LOGAN CLARK	MIKE CLARK	3		6.25				3	6.25
118	LORNE DORNAK	JAMES LYNN	4		6.20				4	6.20
119	BRYAN KING	JOHNNY WIERZBICKI	3		6.08				3	6.08
120	MIKE GROUNDS	BOB BURTNER	3		5.94				3	5.94
121	NORM WILSON JR	NORM WILSON SR	3		5.84				3	5.84
122	HI HILLBURN	LARRY BENCH	3		5.68				3	5.68
123	DANIEL KURTZ	DANIEL WILLIS	4		5.55				4	5.55
124	DAVID REID	ROBBIE THORSTEINSON	1		4.68				1	4.68
125	TONY THOMPSON	ROSS WRIGHT	3		4.40				3	4.40
126	BRENT TREDEMEYER	KEITH HEINRICH	3		4.39				3	4.39
127	DAVID DOUGLASS	TOMMY MILLS	2		3.94				2	3.94
128	JAKE MASSEY	JAKE SADLER	2		3.42				2	3.42
129	KYLE GOAD	KELLY GOAD	2		3.08				2	3.08
130	JOE RUTHERFORD	ANDREW RUTHERFORD	2		2.81				2	2.81
131	CRAIG UROFSKY		2		2.20				2	2.20
132	JAMES MOORE	GROVER CHAMBLISS	1		1.80				1	1.80
133	DENIS SCHMEDTHORST	LANCE ROBELIA
133	CHARLES DORTCH	STEVEN HILL
133	FRED CATES	TEARLE CATES
133	JACK CULBREATH	DARREL ROUTON
133	ANDY TISCHLER	ADAM WYBORNY
133	GLENN RUCKEL	SCOTT ROSS
133	DAVID SAPPINGTON	CLIFTON WATTERS
133	MARK MAYNARD	MICHAEL BUTLER
133	JOHN MILLS	DAVID ACHILLES
133	TODD CASTLEDINE	RUSSEL CECIL
133	WILL CURLEE	HUNTER VETTER
133	HUGH KILMAN	DUSTY ATKINSON
133	BRUCE DAVIS	CHAD THIEL									SHIMANO CASITAS REEL
133	TULLY WILLIAMS	JOE ANDERSON
133	RORY HAECKER	DAVID PELATA
133	ROB TROUTT	BOB PRESCOTT

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