Myers and Chivas play it smart to take Day 2 lead at Redfish Cup Championship

Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas are leading after Day 2 of the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats on Winyah Bay with a two-day total of 20 pounds, 14 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 28,2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Efficiency and adjustment proved foundational for Fred Myers III of Panama City, Fla., and Cody Chivas of Indian Shores, Fla., who took over the Day 2 lead at the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay with a two-day total of 20 pounds, 14 ounces.
Myers and Chivas, the 2023 Redfish World Series champions, placed second on Day 1 with two fish for 8-8. The second round was more generous, with both anglers filling their two-fish limits and tallying a team total of four redfish that weighed 12-6.
The leaders edged Elite Redfish Series pros Travis Land and Jeremy Reeves by 1-1.
“We caught a lot of fish yesterday and only came in with two, so we were kinda scratching our heads,” Chivas said. “Today was just as tough. I caught two (keepers) back to back, then we went 2 1/2 hours with Fred on the bow and he did the same thing — boom-boom.”
The tournament format allows anglers to keep redfish measuring between 17 and 23 inches. Each angler can weigh up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team.
“We just have to do the same thing tomorrow,” Chivas said. “This fishery is actually very good; there’s a ton of fish here. We’ve caught more fish here the last two days than we did all year fishing Texas, Louisiana and Florida.”
The leaders returned to the same marsh island they fished on Day 1 and expanded their game to capitalize on both ends of the tide.
“The bite was a little slower this morning, but once the tide started to turn a little bit, we caught more of the bigger fish today,” Chivas said. “We really only had about one hour where we didn’t catch fish. The slot fish are just tough to come by.”
As Myers explained, securing two angler limits required him and Chivas to fish two different patterns.
“We had a deep-water bite and a shallow-water bite,” he said. “That was the key, in my opinion. Instead of wasting a lot of boat running time, we would just trolling motor over to the next bank.”
During the higher water period, Chivas caught his two keepers on a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp under a popping cork. When the water was lower, Myers got his two on a 4-inch Saltwater Assassin Elite Shiner swimbait rigged weedless on a 4/0, 3/16-ounce belly-weighted hook.
“We sat with the Power-Poles down the majority of the day, waiting for the tide to get right,” Myers said. “We just had fish coming to us.
“Tomorrow, we may not have the fish to win, but we learned a lot about the area, and I believe we can finally target some of those slot fish. The high-water bite, we’re just catching whatever will bite, but the shallow-water fish seem to fit that slot a little better.”
Chivas said he and Myers will start on the same water they’ve fished for two days. But if needed, they have a tempting backup.
“We have some fish in another area that may have been our best day of pre-fishing, but it’s a longer run,” Chivas said. “We haven’t done it because we’re catching fish (closer). The last couple of days, when it got slow, we’ll ask ourselves, ‘Do we make a move?’
“We were going to make a move this morning, but I’m glad we stayed.”
Myers agreed: “It’s hard to leave fish to find fish.”
Hailing from Sequin, Texas, and Orange, Texas, respectively, Land and Reeves placed fourth on Day 1 with a single 3-7 slot fish. The second round saw them step on the gas and sack up a team limit of four redfish that weighed 16-6 — the event’s heaviest bag — for a 19-13 total.
Land said he and Reeves fished the hard edge of oyster bars close to marsh grass. Targeting tidal drains was their main strategy.
Reeves caught his fish on Berkley Gulp! Shrimp and Paddle Tail Minnows on 1/4-ounce jigheads, while Land found success with a 5-inch Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait rigged weedless on a 1/4-ounce jighead.
“We made a small adjustment (in location), but we surely didn’t know what was there,” Reeves said. “We said, ‘Why don’t we go over there and try it,’ and we caught a bunch of fish.”
Land said the area he and Reeves transitioned to rewarded them with astounding action.
“I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time about a redfish tournament,” he said. “We left them biting. That spot is absolutely loaded; we were catching them right off the trolling motor.”
Dwayne Eschete, the Elite Redfish Series pro from Lake Jackson, Texas, and Drew Cook, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Cairo, Ga., placed third with 19-6. After topping the first day with the opening round’s only four-fish limit — 16-4 — they added one keeper Saturday that went 3-2.
Seeking to repeat the game plan that served them well in the opening round, Eschete and Cook struggled through a painfully slow day that saw their main spot fizzle.
“Fishing can be weird sometimes,” Eschete said. “We actually put eyes on fish today all around us and they just wouldn’t eat.
“Yesterday, we got the bites. Today, we caught maybe five or six fish and some big flounder. We just didn’t get the slot fish today. But tomorrow we’re going to go back and do the same thing we did today and yesterday, because tomorrow might be another day like Day 1.”
Transitioning to their second area, which produced one of their slot fish on Day 1, Eschete and Cook continued to struggle finding slot fish until Cook nabbed their one keeper about 5 minutes before they had to leave. That fish ate a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp on a 1/4-ounce jighead.
Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. ET at East Bay Public Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at Francis Marion Park at 3 p.m. Coverage will be simulcast on FS1 and Bassmaster.com beginning at 8 a.m.
The 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats is being hosted by Georgetown County, S.C.

2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship
presented by Skeeter Boats 10/27-10/29
Winyah Bay, Winyah Bay SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Fred Myers III - Cody Chivas 0
Day 1: 2 08-08 Day 2: 4 12-06 Total: 6 20-14
2. Travis Land - Jeremy Reeves 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 4 16-06 Total: 5 19-13
3. Drew Cook - Dwayne Eschete 0
Day 1: 4 16-04 Day 2: 1 03-02 Total: 5 19-06
4. Eddie Adams IV - Sean O'Connell 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 13-15 Total: 3 13-15
5. Pat Schlapper - Ben Powers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 11-08 Total: 3 11-08
6. Scott Canterbury - Krista Miller 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 2 07-14 Total: 3 10-05
7. Justin Atkins - Ryan Rickard 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 09-15 Total: 2 09-15
8. Jeff Mullett - Ken Mullett 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 2 06-13 Total: 2 05-13
9. Aaron Salazar - Ben Human 0
Day 1: 1 04-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 04-03
10. Gary Moreno - Tony Viator 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 1 9 33-13
2 2 21 81-15
----------------------------------
3 30 115-12


PATRICK WALTERS GRABS NPFL LEAD AT LAKE LANIER

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

With his biggest bag of the event on day two, Patrick Walters takes over the lead on Lake Lanier with a two-day total of 39 pounds, 14 ounces. He began the day in second place with a bag of 19 pounds, 13 ounces on day one, and his 20-pound, 1-ounce weight today gives him a 15-ounce lead going into the final day.

“It was a good day,” said Walters. “I found some new stuff this afternoon and ran a lot of new water today; I like what I saw, it was good.”

Dealing with changing conditions and finicky fish, he knows that being in the right rotation is key, and with added lake pressure today, and four events on the lake tomorrow, covering water and being efficient will make or break the day.

“I had to throw the kitchen sink today, and will be doing more of it tomorrow,” he said. “You have to keep moving and figure out if you can get some bites. If you’re in a bad rotation, it doesn’t take long to figure that out. You can tell when a spot looks really good and assume you may get a bite, but even when it doesn’t look good, they may still bite.

Will Harkins

Adding 18 pounds, 9 ounces on day two to his day one leading weight of 20 pounds, 6 ounces, Georgia pro Will Harkins goes into Showdown Saturday in second place with a two-day total of 38 pounds, 15 ounces. Despite great bags at the scales, the fishing on day two got tougher for Harkins.

“I only did the ‘Harky’ once today, it was slow overall,” laughed Harkins. “We still have one more day and a lot can happen, we will see. With several close calls in 2023, it would be amazing to get it done here on Lanier. This season, I circled this event; it was one of the reasons I signed up for this year,” he added.

Harkins was seen on live roaming around looking at live sonar, but his pattern is a bit more dialed than that. His bait of choice, which he chose not to go into detail on yet, is something he has confidence in to get some bigger more aggressive fish to commit.

“It’s just a small bait, nothing special, and it seems to be something that will trigger a bite,” he said. “I am around brush, but not necessarily fishing in it much. I am looking for groups of fish that are feeding up and willing to bite.”

With over 2000 waypoints on Lanier from the past, Harkins has no shortage of water to run, but with a big local derby scheduled for Showdown, getting into the right rotation could make or break his final day.

“If you have the right rotation, you are golden. If not, you can be in trouble,” he added. Tomorrow we will have more pressure and we have to see what the pressure does to the fish; anything can happen on the final day.”

Mike Corbishley

In the third-place spot going into the final day, Mike Corbishley added 14 pounds, 4 ounces on day two to his day one bag 17 pounds, 15 ounces. His two-day weight of 32 pounds, 3 ounces once again keeps him at the top of the leaderboard with an outside shot at victory.

“This one feels like Saginaw,” laughed Corbishley. “I am in third and 7-pounds back. It’s crazy, I can shoot for a second again. But in reality, I am in third and will not complain. I feel fortunate to have caught my weight today and the bite has been changing.”

As things change, and the weekend pressure starts to take effect, Corbishley knows he has to adjust on the final day to keep his position.

“It’s changing, and tomorrow I need to adapt. I will keep running as much as I can trying for a good bag. I am staring at my Lowrance and just running the Phoenix/Mercury to as many spots as I can.”

Trent Palmer

Sonar Pros pro Trent Palmer goes into Showdown Saturday in the fourth-place spot with a two-day total of 31 pounds, 10 ounces. Palmer started with 17 pounds, 10 ounces on day one, and added 14 pounds on a much tougher day two.

“This lake is all about timing and making good decisions, and I got into a bad rotation,” he said. “I have fished here for ten years and this is my least favorite time to fish the lake, but they are biting and my goal has now shifted, I want to get a good finish this week. I made the championship with my win (at Saginaw), now we’re just going for a good check.”

It’s no secret that ‘the house’ works together to break down water but when timing becomes so key, it’s easy to miss the window.

“I ran into those guys a few times today and could feel like I was behind on the spots,” he added. “Tomorrow I am going to swap a few things up and try to find some fresh fish. Today, my afternoon bite didn’t really pan out, but I still had some opportunities at fish that missed my plug. Hopefully tomorrow I can combine the limit fish with executing in the afternoon and see what happens.”

John Cox

Beginning the day in eighth with 15 pounds, 15 ounces on day one, Florida pro John Cox slides into the fifth-place spot with 15 pounds, 4 ounces on day two, and a total weight of 31 pounds, 3 ounces. Cox, the only angler at the top not relying on electronics, caught some late schooling fish today to salvage his day.

“I have been throwing the new Berkley Nessie, and the one bait they have been eating I skipped up to a dock this morning and broke it up,” laughed Cox. “I almost cried. I can get them to follow the Berkley CullShad, but they won’t commit.”

Cox was running back near the take-off this afternoon with an hour left to go and saw a school start busting bait. Within ten minutes he filled his limit and caught his day’s weight.

“I shut the engine off and fired up there while the boat was still moving and got bit,” he said. “They actually schooled there yesterday and I caught one, but today it saved me, and I am going to spend the day there tomorrow waiting for them to come up.”

Rest of the Best:
Todd Goade 30-11
Billy Hackworth 30-6
Ryan Satterfield 29-10
Reagan Nelson 28-9
Quentin Cappo 28-0


Eschete and Cook use day’s lone limit to take lead at Redfish Cup Championship

2023 Redfish Day 1 leaders.jpg
The all-star team of Drew Cook and Dwayne Eschete are leading after Day 1 of the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats on Winyah Bay with 16 pounds, 4 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 27, 2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — On a day marked by grueling leanness and treacherous tides, the all-star team of Elite Redfish Tour pro Dwayne Eschete and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Drew Cook executed perfectly and caught a four-fish limit of 16 pounds, 4 ounces to lead Day 1 of the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay.
The only team to catch their boat limit, Eschete and Cook topped second-place Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas by 7-12.
“The key to our area was deep water,” Cook said. “The fish could stay in there even when the tide dropped. We just had to know when to get out of there so we didn’t get stuck.
“We left them biting — that was so hard to do. But the tide was falling and we had to go.”
Eschete said marsh grass edges comprised their spot’s main habitat feature. As the morning’s high tide fell, the redfish pulled out of the cover and settled into a deeper trough adjacent to the vegetation. The leaders caught their fish on Berkley GULP! Shrimp on light jigheads.
“Once we got in there, it turned out really good because we probably caught 10 to 12 fish in that spot,” Eschete said. “The first fish we caught was our biggest one, so I was feeling pretty good.
“After that, Drew caught two fish back to back. Actually, he caught the second fish that we put in the boat while I was measuring the first fish. He caught his second fish, then the water started getting low and we were like, ‘Man, we need to get out of this creek.’”
After leaving their starting spot, the leaders found their fourth fish — Eschete’s second.
Tournament format allows anglers to keep redfish within South Carolina’s 17- to 23-inch slot limit. Each angler can weigh up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team.
Cook, who placed third at last year’s event alongside Kevin Akin, said he’s found several similarities between bass and redfish. However, for a bass pro accustomed to seeking five keepers with constant upgrading effort, this year’s tournament format has taken some adjustment.
“I think I caught my second fish at 10:30, so I was done; I just sat there,” Cook said. “That was so hard to do. Whenever we got to another area, I couldn’t stand it. I was just throwing out in the middle and I actually caught a 19-incher that would have helped. Had he caught that one, we would have come in.
“Luckily, on his last cast, Dwayne caught a 22-incher, so it all worked out perfectly. Hopefully, tomorrow, we can get into our area and be able to stay in there a little bit longer. Maybe we can catch our four really quickly, and then we’ll just come in and eat pizza at the dock.”
Hailing from Panama City, Fla., and Indian Shores, Fla., respectively, Myers and Chivas are in second place with a two-fish bag that went 8-8. Targeting a small marsh island, the anglers expected to find the fish in a series of small depressions, but they actually found them on the perimeter.
“Right off the bat this morning, we caught a 15-inch fish and that kind of gave us a clue that they were not in the middle,” Chivas said. “We made a couple of laps around that island and caught a couple more fish — one was just a little too big.
“Then we went down a bank, worked that for about a quarter mile and caught probably 20 fish.”
Berkley GULP! Shrimp under popping corks did much of their work, but when Myers and Chivas found fish feeding over shallow oyster bars, a Bass Assassin jerkbait rigged weedless on a weighted wide-gap hook allowed them to fish right across the snag-prone structure.
“We caught so many fish, just a lot of little fish — 13 to 15 inches,” Chivas said. “We caught a few that were oversized. Fred caught a fish today that was a little over 6 pounds and it was 23 1/4 inches.
“That could have changed our whole weekend for us. It would be easy to get down about that, but we were around a lot of fish. We just have to get on a little roll tomorrow. This place is tough, but we’re gonna keep grinding and hopefully, we can catch ‘em.”
Aaron Salazar and Ben Human of Corpus Christi, Texas, are in third place with one redfish that went 4-3. After starting at the upper end of tournament waters and working their way south with the tides, Salazar and Human caught several fish that did not measure but found their critical keeper in the last hour of their day within sight of the check-in.
“We were fishing a deep bank with some flats, so we wanted to come back to that at the end of the day,” Salazar said. “We’ve caught fish on high tide and low tide (near the weigh-in site).”
A Berkley GULP! Mantis Shrimp fished on a 1/8-ounce jighead produced that lone keeper for Salazar and Human.
South Carolina’s high tides and perilous outgoing cycles created timing challenges for anglers who had to quickly identify bite windows and adjust on the fly. Moreover, the falling water, plus numerous bars made of soft, sticky “pluff mud,” presented daunting navigational challenges.
Defending champions Eddie Adams of Metairie, La., and Sean O’Connell of Mandeville, La., ran aground on a muddy bar and missed the weigh-in. According to BassTrakk’s unofficial standings, Adams and O’Connell would have placed third with two fish that weighed 7 pounds.
IFA Redfish Tour standout Ryan Rickard of Wimauma, Fla., and Elite pro Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., suffered a similar fate, although they had no keepers for the day. (Rickard won the 2021 event and placed second in 2022, alongside Elite Chris Zaldain).
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. ET at East Bay Public Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at Francis Marion Park at 3 p.m. Coverage will be simulcast on FS1 and Bassmaster.com beginning at 8 a.m.

The 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats is being hosted by Georgetown County, S.C.

2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats 10/27-10/29
Winyah Bay, Winyah Bay SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Drew Cook - Dwayne Eschete 0
Day 1: 4 16-04 Total: 4 16-04
2. Fred Myers III - Cody Chivas 0
Day 1: 2 08-08 Total: 2 08-08
3. Aaron Salazar - Ben Human 0
Day 1: 1 04-03 Total: 1 04-03
4. Travis Land - Jeremy Reeves 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Total: 1 03-07
5. Scott Canterbury - Krista Miller 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
6. Eddie Adams IV - Sean O'Connell 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
6. Justin Atkins - Ryan Rickard 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
6. Gary Moreno - Tony Viator 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
6. Pat Schlapper - Ben Powers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
10. Jeff Mullett - Ken Mullett 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Total: 0 -1-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 1 9 33-13
----------------------------------
1 9 33-13


AC Extra - Costa Compete & Conserve

Winning CASH and protecting BASS!  Now that is something we support.  Check out this AnglersChannel.com Extra, featuring a Costa Compete and Conserve highlight with B.A.S.S. National Conservation Director, Gene Gilliland.  Over $72,000 and counting has been awarded to conservation efforts across the country on behalf of Costa anglers.  Anglers choose from a list of projects, including: American Rivers, Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Friends of Reservoirs, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation.  It's as simple as - Own Costa Sunglasses - Register at Compete & Conserve - Win - Donate.  Time to #seewhatsoutthere


THE NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FISHING LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 2024 SCHEDULE

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

WILKESVILLE, OH (OCTOBER 26, 2023) — The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) announces its 2024 season that kicks off in early February with a stop in Alabama at Lake Logan Martin. The schedule brings anglers to new venues as well as some constants for the NPFL.

With stops ranging from Alabama to South Carolina, and Tennessee to Michigan and Florida, as well as a trip to the Midwest, the League is excited to continue to expand its reach in the fishing industry.

Said Brad Fuller, President of the NPFL. “We dedicated tremendous effort to preserving the essence and identity of The National Professional Fishing League in our 2024 schedule. This is a truly diverse schedule that covers the full spectrum of bass fishing throughout the entire year and the angler who secures the title of Angler of the Year will undoubtedly prove themselves as the most consistently well-rounded contender on our circuit. We’re thrilled to revisit some of the cherished stops from our history while also exploring exciting new venues. It’s of utmost importance that we leverage our schedule to continually expand the League’s brand and introduce ‘The League’ to bass havens around the country.”

Stop number one kicks off in February on Alabama’s Lake Logan Martin where the anglers get the season started on the Coosa River. The 49-mile playing field features over 26 square miles of Spotted and Largemouth bass-filled waters.

Following stop one, the 2024 season pauses briefly for the 2023 NPFL championship. Lake Amistad and the City of Del Rio, Texas, play host to the top anglers from the 2023 Progressive Angler of the Year race on March 7-9. With a $200,000 total purse and a $100,000 first-place prize, the event in Texas will make for a fun tournament.

“The City of Del Rio, Texas is excited to host the quantity and quality of people coming in with the NPFL Championship next spring,” said Blanca Larson, Executive Director of Explore Del Rio Amistad Oasis. “In addition to the financial impact on the local economy, we look forward to the NPFL showcasing all that Del Rio has to offer, on and off the water. We are excited to showcase the value of coming to Del Rio, TX to fish historic Lake Amistad.”

After the 2023 NPFL championship in March, the season resumes, and the anglers return to Anderson, South Carolina for stop number two, and the second trip to Lake Hartwell for ‘The League,’ on May 16 through 18. In 2022, Drew Six took the victory with a three-day total of 51 pounds, 5 ounces, edging out Patrick Walters who weighed 46 pounds, 14 ounces.

“We are thrilled to welcome the NPFL back to Anderson County’s Green Pond Landing and Lake Hartwell! The leadership of Anderson County has provided us with the necessary resources to bring high-level events to our facilities that create an economic impact in our community, and the NPFL delivers,” said Neil Paul, TMP, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “From their Angler Roundtables, their Community Spotlights, and their Community Service Projects, they go above and beyond in leaving their mark on a host community, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to welcome them back to Anderson County in 2024!”

From South Carolina, stop three brings the anglers and their families back to the Tennessee River and Pickwick Lake. The City of Counce, Tennessee plays host July 11 – 13, and this marks the third trip to the Tennessee River in four seasons. In 2021, Brandon Perkins took the victory with 55 pounds, 11 ounces. To begin this season, Perkins also took a win on Pickwick with a total of 66 pounds, 3 ounces.

For stop four, the league returns to the North to Bay City, Michigan, and the big water of Lake Huron, on August 29 – 31. This will mark the third consecutive trip to Bay City for the NPFL with Gary Adkins taking the victory in 2022 with 51 pounds, 13 ounces, and this season, Trent Palmer claimed the victory with 62 pounds, 12 ounces.

“Bay City is excited to welcome back The National Professional Fishing League in 2024,” said Ed Clements, Bay City Fishing Committee. “The end of August should provide an excellent event for competitors and fans; weights should be close and the winner will come right down to the wire. Look for largemouth to play a bigger role than ever on Saginaw Bay and river.”

After the trip to the North, the anglers will head South to none only than the St. Johns River. The City of Deland, Florida plays host for stop five on the famed river in the early fall, September 26-28. The NPFL returns to Florida for the third time in four years for the 2024 season. In 2021, the league visited the Harris Chain of Lakes in June with John Soukup winning his second trophy of the season with a total weight of 61 pounds, 15 ounces. In 2022, Taylor Watkins took the victory on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in November with 69 pounds, 14 ounces.

Stop number six will bring the anglers to the Midwest in October with details TBD.   

2024 National Professional Fishing League Schedule

Stop 1 – Lake Logan Martin: Oxford, Alabama, February 1 – 3
2023 NPFL Championship – Lake Amistad: Del Rio, Texas, March 7-9
Stop 2 – Lake Hartwell: Anderson, South Carolina, May 16 – 18
Stop 3 – Pickwick Lake: Counce, Tennessee, July 11 – 13
Stop 4 – Saginaw Bay: Bay City, Michigan, August 29 – 31
Stop 5 – St. Johns River, Deland, Florida, September 26-28
Stop 6 – TBD: Midwest, October


WILL HARKINS GRABS DAY ONE LEAD AT LAKE LANIER

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

With a 6-pound, 12-ounce lunker to anchor his weight, Will Harkins brought a tournament-leading 20-pound, 6-ounce bag to the scales on day one at Lake Lanier. Despite a tie at Lake Eufaula which resulted in a second-place finish after tie-breakers, Harkins bounced back in a big way on a familiar body of water at the NPFL season finale.

“You have to have a short-term memory in these events and just roll into the next one,” said Harkins. “I have a lot of history here and it is fishing tough, the key is execution. We may have 10-pounds, or we may have 20-pounds.”

Harkins is fishing in his comfort zone this week and focusing on various schools of fish all over the lake. As he noted before, execution is key on a lake such as Lanier.

“I have a deck full of rods and you can get them to bite, but you have to get them in the boat,” he added. “I did lose two 5-pounder fish today but that is how it goes. I have two more days and have to execute.”

Patrick Walters

Getting off to a fast start, NPFL pro Patrick Waltersbrought a five-bass limit of 19-pounds, 13-ounces with a 5-pound, 4-ounce lunker to the scales to finish day one at Lake Lanier in second place.

After a tougher practice than he expected, Walters was thrilled to have a solid day one this week with two tournament days remaining.

“We will take it; it was a good day,” said Walters. “I got these two good ones, and another good largemouth, and after an iffy practice, it was good. I hit about ¼ of my water today so we got some more stuff for this week.”

Mike Corbishley

After a near miss at victory in Oklahoma the last event at Lake Eufaula, Mike Corbishley finished day one in third place with a limit weighing 17-pounds, 15-ounces.

“I have fished Lanier a few times with Trent, but overall have not been here much,” said Corbishley. “I have had some close calls this year and I really want to win one of these things; the best way I know how is to do what I do – I ran my Pheonix Boats/Mercury all over and looked at them on my Lowrance Active Target 2 and caught what I could.”

Trent Palmer

With 17-pounds, 10-ounces on day one, Sonar Pros Pro Trent Palmer goes into day two tied with Todd Goade in fourth place.

“This lake is about execution and I did not do that today,” said Palmer. “I had the opportunity this afternoon for a 20-pound bag but that’s how it goes. I didn’t have a fish until 11 AM this morning so I am looking forward to figuring them out a little sooner tomorrow and seeing what happens.”

Despite the lost fish, Palmer is happy the ‘house’ is doing well so far in the tournament but is looking to make up some ground on day two.

“I am happy to see the house do well; they begged me for info and it looks like the tips worked out well,” he laughed.

Todd Goade

As seen on live coverage, Progressive AOY leader Todd Goade finishes day one tied for fourth place with a 17-pound, 10-ounce bag. Starting the event with a 12-point lead over Jesse Wise, Goade “did his job” once again despite a day-one charge by Wise, and leader Will Harkins.

“Today started with a bang but got tough on me after lunch,” said Goade. “I know Fat Cat and Luke won’t like it, but I did my job today, and I have to do it two more days out here. I want to thank everyone who tuned in on the Live Coverage today and watched me fish; thanks for the support.”

Rest of the best:
Hunter Baughman 16-15
Quentin Cappo 16-4
John Cox 15-15
Richard Cooper 15-10
Jesse Wise 15-9


B.A.S.S. boosts Opens with new investment, including expanded live coverage

All nine 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series tournaments will feature live coverage, while anglers will compete for increased payouts and a new Angler of the Year purse. 

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 26, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As buzz continues around the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, B.A.S.S. officials announced increased payouts and widely expanded coverage for 2024. These enhancements not only reinforce the longstanding stability and popularity of the Opens format, but also highlight the organization's commitment to leadership in serving the bass fishing community.

Live coverage from all nine Bassmaster Opens will be streamed on Bassmaster.com, with expanded coverage for the 2024 season on FS1, FS2, Tubi and the Fox Sports digital platforms. The newly expanded live coverage on multiple platforms will allow fishing fans to follow the intense competition and see every hookset, battle and weigh-in as they get to know the sport’s rising stars.

“B.A.S.S. continues our commitment to fueling a passion for fishing by entertaining and educating fans as well as serving anglers, who pour their time and efforts into our events. We have been exploring opportunities to further support our Opens Series, and after listening to anglers, fans and industry partners, we are thrilled to announce these exciting changes,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Providing the best possible platform for anglers is a top priority for us, and showcasing all levels of Bassmaster tournament fishing only helps to strengthen the entire sport.”

With nearly 1 million fans tuning in to live, final-day broadcasts of three Opens tournaments on FS1 in 2023, it's clear the fierce competition and dramatic fight for Elite Series invitations resonated with viewers. In total, fishing fans eagerly devoured more than 38.8 million minutes of live Opens coverage across all platforms.

Also beginning in 2024, Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers Division anglers will be competing for a combined Angler of the Year purse of $110,000, which includes an increased first-place cash prize of $45,000. The prize payouts for every tournament will also increase, with the top 45 anglers — one in five competitors — in each event earning a check.

Based on a full field of 225 anglers in the pro division, the payout for each Opens event will total more than $332,500. Alongside the new AOY purse, that totals a prize purse of more than $3.1 million over the course of the season.

The EQ Division designation goes to those anglers who are competing in all nine St. Croix Bassmaster Opens and is the only path to earning an Elite Series invitation through the Opens.

“The EQ model is as close as you can get to competing at the Elite level in terms of the diverse skill set, travel, time and financial commitment needed to succeed,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “B.A.S.S. is not only bringing even more attention to the skills and incredible commitment made by Opens anglers, but I’m excited that the organization is also honoring and rewarding the anglers financially by backing an Angler of the Year purse with cash payouts to the Top 10 and increasing the overall field payouts.

“It’s impossible to overstate how well-received the new Opens EQ format was last season and the drama that built as anglers fought for coveted Classic berths and spots in the Elite Series field. Now, with an even bigger stage and greater financial awards — both backed by the stability and longevity of B.A.S.S. — I expect the Opens to be even more popular.”

Registration for B.A.S.S. Nation and Life members who want to compete in the Bassmaster Opens EQs opens November 7. For full registration information, visit Bassmaster.com.

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens

 

Division 1

Feb. 1-3, Lake Okeechobee, Clewiston, Fla.

March 7-9, Santee Cooper Lakes, Clarendon County, S.C.

Oct. 10-12, Lake Hartwell, Anderson, S.C.

 

Division 2

Feb. 15-17, Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs, Ark.

May 2-4, Logan Martin Lake, Lincoln, Ala.

June 20-22, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Okla.

 

Division 3

July 11-13, Lake St. Clair, Macomb County, Mich.

Aug. 22-24, Leech Lake, Walker, Minn.

Sept. 12-14, Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.


Humminbird Highlight - Breaking down a bluff bank with Side Imaging

AnglersChannel.com had the pleasure of covering the Humminbird/Minn Kota Owners Tournament this year.  Check out this Humminbird Highlight with AC Insider, Vance McCullough, and Humminbird Pro Staffer Bill Wilcox.  They were idling a bluff wall being fished by several anglers and Bill shows us what he looks for in identifying sweet spots using his Side Scan technology.


Branson Readies for Toyota Series Championship on Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms

More Than 400 Bass Anglers Set to Compete for Top Prize of Up to $235,000 + REDCREST Qualification in 2023 Toyota Series Finale

BRANSON, Mo. (Oct. 24, 2023) – The 2023 Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms will take place next week in Branson, Missouri, Nov. 2-4, where the nation’s best Toyota Series pros and international anglers will compete for a top award of up to $235,000 cash, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and an invitation to REDCREST 2024 – Major League Fishing’s most prestigious event. Hosted by ExploreBranson.com, the three-day, no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship is the culmination of the 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats season, a six-division circuit that offers a path to the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.

“I would like to welcome the championship field of anglers and their families to the Branson/Lakes Area,” said Jonas Arjes, Interim President and CEO of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau. “After a great day of fishing on Table Rock Lake, I hope anglers and fans will take time to enjoy some of our live music shows and family attractions. There’s family fun for everyone in Branson.”

In addition to the top award of up to $235,000, the signature fall championship hands out thousands in awards to top finishers in each division, while introducing international qualifiers to tournament bass-fishing stateside. The long-running championship also provides advancement opportunities for anglers across the globe, furthering their reach and amplifying their fishing platforms.

The reigning Toyota Series champion, pro Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, won the event on Lake Guntersville in 2022. A regular atop the leaderboard in his young career, Hall has an impressive career résumé with four top-10 finishes, a 2018 Toyota Series win at 1000 Islands, Rookie of the Year (ROY) honors in 2020, and a 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit win at Lake Champlain. Hall said the Toyota Series Championship, however, has been his most lucrative career win to date.

“I started fishing the Toyota Series events in 2018, mostly to figure out new bodies of water and to get a feel for tournament fishing away from home,” said Hall. “Going into that event, I didn’t really have much going for me – I had only caught a couple bass on one bait during practice – but I ended up winning the entire tournament on that one bait.

“That win wasn’t something I was expecting at all, but when it happened, it meant the world to me, especially because I was in the process of buying a house,” Hall continued. “Winning that event helped me to purchase the house and pay cash for it, so that was a big step for me and for the future of my fishing career.

“Since the pandemic, sponsors have definitely been pulling back more, but I was able to add a few important sponsors last year and I have a lot more in the works this year, all in direct correlation to that championship win,” said Hall. “I feel like this tournament provides ‘local anglers’ the opportunity to branch out and compete on new fisheries, while strengthening their personal brand and providing significant advancement opportunities to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.”

Pro Travis Harriman currently resides in Huntsville, Arkansas, but grew up on Table Rock Lake and said he’s spent more time on the fishery than anywhere else over the past five years. Harriman qualified for the championship after his recent win at the Toyota Series Plains Division finale on Lake of the Ozarks .

“The great thing about Table Rock Lake is that guys can really fish their strengths,” said Harriman. “I think we’ll see a mix of different techniques throughout this event, with guys running up the rivers, fishing both deep and shallow.

“I do expect the fishery to shift a bit before we get there next week,” Harriman continued. “They’re forecasting a cold front, which will really change things up and provide more opportunities for a lot of guys. I expect the shallow game will be strong, with guys throwing buzzbaits, ploppers and jigs. And of course forward-facing sonar is going to be in play as well – Table Rock Lake is a deep, clear lake that sets up well for that.”

Harriman said he expects to see daily weights around the mid- to upper-teens, and a winning weight up around 50 pounds, especially if the shallow bite kicks off.

“The spotted bass are big enough that you can get 16 or 17 pounds easily with just spots,” said Harriman. “I think the coolest part is that you can throw three casts in a row and catch three different species of bass.

“There are particular brush piles, points, cedar trees and other locations that hold fish year to year, and this event has the potential to be a junk fisherman’s paradise,” Harriman continued. “They could catch one on the bank with a plopper-style bait, hit a brush pile or a point with a different bait – that will definitely be the local advantage, knowing which locations hold fish and which baits to throw in each spot.

“There are so many bass in this place – any given creek could fire up at any moment, and you can really win anywhere on the lake,” said Harriman. “That’s what’s a little scary about this fishery. You might write an area off, but someone else might be able to get it firing. No one will be able to really let off the gas during this event.”

Anglers will take off daily at 7:30 a.m. CT from Table Rock State Park Marina, located at 380 State Park Marina Road, in Branson. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and also follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms will premiere on CBS Sports in 2024.

The full field of anglers will compete on Days 1 and 2 of the event, with the top 10 pros and top 10 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day. The 2023 Toyota Series champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

Pros and co-anglers can qualify for multiple contingency awards based on final standings in the championship, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for pros. The winning Strike King co-angler will earn a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consisted of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and the Wild Card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.

The 2023 Toyota Series Championship field features the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Canada, Central Europe, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

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


Terry Tucker and Jeremy Green win ABT Championship

By Jason Duran

Leesburg, AL Oct. 21—The Alabama Bass Trail concluded the 10th season with the Championship on Weiss Lake. This event was a no entry fee event consisting of two days of fishing by the top 75 teams from the north division, the top 75 teams from the south division, and qualifying couples, student and college teams. The event paid out over $100,000 through 25 places. The team of Terry Tucker and Jeremy Green took home $50,000 cash for their first-place finish.

 

 

After two days of fishing, Terry Tucker and Jeremy Green were crowned the 10th team champion of the Alabama Bass Trail making them part of a small group of anglers than can call themselves among the best of the best when it comes to team fishing. Their day one weight was 12.74-pounds, and on day two, they brough the biggest bag of the event to the scales with 19-pounds adding up to a two-day total of 31.74-pounds. In practice the key was “trying to figure out what areas had enough fish to get us through day one in order to really hammer down on day two. We don’t think we really figured it out; it just happened for us.”

“On day one, we went to an area where we knew we could get a limit hoping to get a big bite out of that area. We got a limit, but the big bite never developed. We then moved to other areas, and we lost one good fish which hurt us, but we hoped it wouldn’t kill us. We knew we needed at least 15 to 16-pounds a day to win it. Today, we regrouped, made a different round and changed up the timing of our areas, and it worked out good today. We caught fish today where we didn’t catch them yesterday.”

They said their pattern was to target isolated big fish and move around a lot. On day two, “we caught our first fish at 9:00, and we knew then what was going to happen from there. We didn’t catch a lot of fish, but it was because we weren’t targeting numbers. Instead, we were looking for the bigger fish. When we caught the last fish that moved us up to our final weight, we decided to head back an hour early to make sure we got back in time for weigh in. We caught everything we weighed in on a white spinner bait, but the key was for us to throw a different size- a 1/2 oz. and a 3/8 oz. Throwing different sizes allowed us to target the whole water column.”

 

 

The second-place team of CJ Knight and Anthony Goggins reported, “ on day one we had a primary area that was about three miles long in the mid-lake area. We felt like we had some decent fish in practice that would be pulling up shallow on tournament day, but we didn’t get a bite till 11:00, and within an hour, we caught all our day one wight of 14.10 pounds by just continuing to rotate that area. We spent the rest of the day practicing, and we lost one fish that would have moved us up to around 16-pounds. We continued to dial in our area a little more on day one with the hope of expanding it on day two. On day two, we knew the bite was going to be a little later, so we went to an area where we could just catch keepers and fill out our limit. That built our confidence to go to our main area with a limit and upgrade. The fish just bit better on day two. We targeted a lot of wood and docks that seemed to hold fish. One of our key baits was a Shad Rap that we fished really fast in areas that looked good to us. We covered lots of water, and because of the cold front, we noticed we got lots of short strikes where the fish missed the bait, but we didn’t give up. Another key bait for us was a 9/16 ADL Jig in brown made by Jason Howard at the Tackle Box in Oxford, AL. It is a flipping jig, and the key is a hand tied skirt. It doesn’t hang boat dock cross members, and it has a great hook. We also caught some on small crank baits. We knew we needed to catch a big fish each day. On the first day we caught a 5.50, and on the second day we caught a 4-pound fish off the same stump.” The key  “was a staying in the area we caught big fish in during practice and not giving up on the area.” They weighed in a total of 28.50 for a pay day of $10,000 and add to that winning a $2,500 Phoenix Boats Pay Day bonus and a $500 Garmin Bonus.

 

 

The Third-place team of Michael Wooley and Joe Wooley weighed in a total of 28.03 and collected $5,000. “We didn’t have a good practice, but on the last day late in practice, we found a spot way upriver that was holding fish around laydowns and stumps. We spent day one fishing any wood we could find, and we caught a lot of fish including one that weighed 4.30 pounds and another 4.20 that helped us cull up. We caught all our fish on a green pumpkin 1/8 oz Ned Rig. The boat traffic in our areas on day two seemed to affect the fish some. We worked it the best we could and caught six keepers off one lay down. We caught another big one 4.30 in another area. We made our final cull at 4:10 pm that moved us up to third place with 28.03. The team has qualified to fish the BASS Team Championship and have set the goal to make the Bassmaster Classic.

The Top 10 places are below for a complete list of standings visit:

Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.”  The podcast is released each week on Tuesday, and this week will feature the winners 2023 ABT Champs

The sponsors of the 2023 Alabama Bass Trail include: Phoenix Boats, Academy Sports, Alabama

Power, America’s First Federal Credit Union, American Trailer Rental Group, BAJIO, Big Bite

Baits, Bill Penney Automotive, Black Rifle Coffee Company, Anheuser – Bush, Inc., E3 Sports

Apparel, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Garmin, Jack’s, Lew’s, Mountain Dew, Alabama Mountain

Lakes Tourist Association, Power-Pole, Strike King, Sweet Home Alabama, T-H Marine,  Yamaha,

YETI Coolers


Ruler of Topwater Frogs – the Berkley Swamp Lord

A hollow belly topwater frog that elicits explosive bites from big bass in the nastiest of environments

COLUMBIA, SC. (OCT. 24, 2023) – Every angler knows just how much fun a topwater frog bite can be. But not all frogs are made the same. Designed by Berkley Labs in partnership with expert frog fisherman and 2022 Major League Fishing Redcrest Champion Bobby Lane, the Berkley Swamp Lord is the true frog king of fishing.

The Berkley Swamp Lord features optimally angled, sticky sharp Berkley Fusion19 hooks and a soft, yet extremely durable material that easily collapses – maximizing an angler’s hookup ratio. The sealed hook shank allows for a tighter fit with the body of the bait, reducing water intrusion for uninterrupted fishing. Available in both standard and popping models, the Swamp Lord conquers any environment to elicit only the most explosive of topwater blowups.

 

 

KEY FEATURES
• Optimized system to increase hook-up ratio
• Ultra soft body and design allows for quick collapse
• Sealed hook shank, body chamber reduces water intrusion
• Optimally angled sticky sharp Berkley Fusion19 hook
• Standard & popping models

Colors: Maverick • Honey Shad • Potomac • Copperhead • Green Pumpkin • Burnt Bone • Bone • Chartreuse Perch • MF Bluegill • Spring Frog • Bully • Voodoo Black

MSRP: $9.99
Available: September, 2023

 


Ranger Boats Under the Lid - A BOATLOAD of Storage with Bryan Thrift

We caught up with Ranger Boats / Sportsman's Warehouse Pro Bryan Thrift, the 2023 MLF Redcrest Champion.  In this Ranger Under the Lid Series, Bryan is going to walk us through his Ranger Z520 R and how he sets it up for domination out there on tour.  In this episode, he shows us a few tips and tricks on how he carries everything he can think of in the bow of his 20 foot Ranger.  If it works for a champion, it's sure to work for us!


Brumnett Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks

 


Micah Frazier retiring from Bassmaster Elite Series

October 23, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After fishing nine seasons on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Micah Frazierof Newnan, Ga., is stepping away from professional fishing. Over the course of his B.A.S.S. career, Frazier has earned one Elite win, nine Top 10 finishes and 34 Top 30 finishes.

Although Frazier has experienced consistent success in the Elite Series, he felt as if now was the right time to step away for his family and future endeavors.

“This has been a decision that has been two or three years in the making,” said Frazier. “My family has always been able to travel with me, but with my son (Huck) about to start kindergarten, I just can’t come to peace with leaving them so often when they start school.

“I keep reminding myself that if I fish for another 10 years how much time I would miss with my kids, and I truly think that if you gave me the chance at the end of those 10 years, I would absolutely buy that time back.”

The five-time Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic qualifier also feels as if some of the business opportunities he’s passionate about have forced him to step back from providing bass fishing the attention it demands to be successful.

“I’ve really had to come to grips with the fact that I simply can’t do everything I want to do,” he said. “I feel like I have to free up some space in my life and in my mind. I haven’t been giving fishing the attention it deserves.”

Frazier fished his first St. Croix Bassmaster Open in 2013 and has since given bass fishing everything he has. Over the course of time, he’s made relationships that will never be broken and experienced things that most anglers never get to experience.

One of those things is to mentor his brother Marc through his young Elite Series career.

“I’m really proud of my brother and all he’s been able to accomplish in a really short amount of time,” he said. “Not many people get the chance to share those kinds of memories with their siblings. Leaving Marc out there (on the Elite Series) is one of the main reasons this decision was so difficult to make.”

Like all Elite pros, Frazier knows how much of a sacrifice being a professional angler is, and doing it without the support of his wife Anna, parents, friends, sponsors and fans would make it impossible.

“I’ve really been blown away by all the comments and support that I’ve been given since I made the announcement,” he said. “I know I’m doing the right thing. It’s a bittersweet decision, and there are going to be times that I miss it, but it just doesn’t sit in my life the same way it used to.

“The filter in which I see things now and my reason for living is my family and my kids, and it just doesn’t suit them as much as it suits me, which is a big part of the reason I’ve made this decision.”


Pickwick 9-pounder anchors Bonus Bucks Owners victory

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Smallmouth tend to have the same mystical qualities at Pickwick as the many iconic hit songs recorded in the surrounding Shoals region, but on a gorgeous late October Sunday it was a 9-pound largemouth that became the top hit at the 12th annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event.

Jake Lawrence and Monty Williams, both of Northwest Tennessee, leveraged Lawrence’s supreme knowledge of forward-facing sonar to catch the green beast that highlighted their mighty impressive 26 pound 10 ounce limit, and seven pound margin of victory over second place.

“Our boat was in 15-feet of water, but our keepers were swimming in the top third of the water column about 5-feet below the surface,” says Lawrence, a full-time fishing guide who provides forward facing sonar tutorials to his clients.

“The fact this is a no entry fee event is awesome, but it’s the catered food, hanging out with all the top Toyota pros, and hundreds of people walking around smiling that make it so special. Toyota just does so much for people who love to fish, and that played a big role in buying a brand-new Highlander for my wife last week,” added Lawrence, who tows with a Tundra.  

Second and third place showed strong reflection of the unique family and fellowship aspect of the Toyota Bonus Bucks event, as husband and wife teams posted very impressive limits. Maddison and Triston Crowder finished second, and Keith and Penny Miller finished third, with 19-pound limits each.

However, you don’t have to be in the Top 3 to go home smiling from this annual event. The 15th place team scored a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card, and the first team outside the guaranteed paycheck line got $1,000 from Yamaha for their 31st place finish.

Simply said, it pays to tow with a Toyota and sign-up for Bonus Bucks. Not only can you win cash throughout the year, but this annual no-entry fee event provides all the good vibes of a #1 song as well.

To learn more, and get signed up, please visit https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/.


Davis makes history as first back-to-back winner of B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., has become the first angler in history to win back-to-back B.A.S.S. Nation Championships, winning the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with a three-day total of 45 pounds, 6 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 20, 2023

Davis makes history as first back-to-back winner of B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

ANDERSON, S.C. — Will Davis Jr. made history Friday when he won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship for the second consecutive year.

Not only did the 31-year-old Sylacauga, Ala., resident become the first angler to win the event in back-to-back seasons, but he started a chain reaction that helped two other anglers receive a bit of B.A.S.S. glory as well.

Davis weighed a five-bass limit of 15 pounds, 1 ounce on Day 3, giving him an overall weight of 15 bass for 45-6. That was nearly 4 pounds more than any other angler competing in this three-day derby on Lake Hartwell, and it guaranteed him a spot in the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Thing is, Davis had already qualified for next year’s Elite Series, so his double qualification opened the door for New Hampshire’s Tim Dube, who finished second at Hartwell, to earn a spot in the Elite Series in 2024.

Davis’ win also had a ripple effect on the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, which will be held March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla.

The Top 3 anglers in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship earn spots in the 2024 Classic. But with Davis already having punched his ticket to the sport’s biggest tournament through the 2023 Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, B.A.S.S. officials said his berth would go to the first Elite out in those rankings.

That lucky angler is Elite Series pro David Gaston, who ironically also hails from Sylacauga, Ala., and who now slides into the 2024 Bassmaster Classic courtesy of his 43rd-place finish in the AOY race and Davis’ victory at Hartwell.

“I had a feeling this week,” Davis said. “I did a lot of praying on it ... I even keep a Bible in the boat, and I’ll read a verse to calm me down.”

Unlike last year, when he had to mount a come-from-behind win on Pickwick Lake to hoist the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy, Davis had more than 3 pounds of cushion heading into the final day on Hartwell.

Davis ended Day 1 with a 16-1 limit, only 2 ounces behind Dube for the tournament lead, and he seized it on Day 2 with a 14-4 limit to take the lead. The weather changed overnight, and intermittent rain and steady winds moved through the area Friday morning.

But Davis didn’t blink. He had the big bag of the day and collected $20,000 for the win.

Despite having already secured his spot in the Classic and Elite Series, Davis said he fishes to win every tournament.

And at one point on Friday, Davis said he felt his nerves getting shaky. He switched to a Davis Bait Company spinnerbait (in the peacock color) early, anticipating it would work better in the windy weather. But he only had 9 pounds in his livewell as morning turned to afternoon.

“At that point, I went back to the (Davis) Wood Jig and headed to a hump that was in about 40 feet of water. I hadn’t fished it before, and I could see fish down there at about 35 feet. I dropped the Wood Jig right by them and prayed they’d hit it. I was able to get three big hits in a short amount of time and those few extra pounds made the difference.”

Davis rode last year’s Nation Championship to success in the Elite Series, winning a tournament on Lay Lake in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings. He wasn’t necessarily expecting to repeat as the B.A.S.S. Nation champ, but he’ll certainly take the victory.

“Last year was more emotional, but every win is sweet,” he said.

Dube, who finished second with a three-day total of 41-11, was amazed by his good fortune. He knew a Bassmaster Classic berth could be in the mix, but the chance to fish the 2024 Elite Series had the 29-year-old searching for words. A $15,000 check for finishing second in the tournament, plus $16,000 to cover Elite Series entry fees should he choose to compete, added to his amazement.

“This is all a dream,” Dube said. “I don’t know if you can say no to it. I’m just a rollercoaster of emotions.”

Dube caught a 14-8 limit on Friday, opting for spinnerbaits in choppy water.

“I’d pull up and bomb a 3/4-ounce spinner as far as I could,” he said. “It was shad color with silver blades. They’d come up and knock it out of the water.”

Wisconsin’s Josh Wiesner finished third with 37 pounds at Lake Hartwell. The performance secured him a Classic bid, as well as $10,000 for a podium finish on this storied fishery.

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “I thought I was maybe seventh place. To pull off a third? Unreal.”

Wiesner caught his best bass on a Hartwell Hammer Custom Rapala Jigging Rap and a 1/4-ounce shaky head with a Bass Assassin Tapout worm (peanut butter and jelly color).

A total of 113 anglers (58 boaters, 55 nonboaters) began the tournament on this 56,000-acre fishery straddling the South Carolina-Georgia border. They hailed from 48 states and eight foreign countries, earning their way into the field with their showings at one of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals held across the country this year.

Arizona's Hayden Spradling won the nonboater title on Thursday with 10 fish for 18 pounds. He earned $10,000 and was invited to fish in Friday’s final round, finishing with a three-day total of 29-4.

Georgia’s Chris Moody caught the Big Bass of the Tournament among boaters and earned a $1,000 prize. Kansas’ Kyle Klein had the Big Bass among nonboaters (4-8) and won a $500 prize.

Dube also won $500 for being the angler using Garmin electronics who finished highest in the overall boater standings.

The field split a total purse of $96,500.

Visit Anderson hosted the event.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           15  45-06    0  $20,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   14-04     Day 3: 5   15-01
2.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH              15  41-11    0  $15,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   11-00     Day 3: 5   14-08
3.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI          15  37-00    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   13-12     Day 3: 5   09-12
4.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID            15  36-14    0   $5,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   10-03
5.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI           15  36-00    0   $4,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-09     Day 3: 5   09-02
6.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape  15  35-10    0   $3,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-14     Day 3: 5   09-05
7.  Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL           15  35-05    0   $2,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   10-10
8.  Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO             15  33-13    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   08-07
9.  Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              15  32-12    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   15-08     Day 3: 5   06-11
10. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV           15  32-12    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-04     Day 3: 5   09-07
11. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        15  31-14    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   11-00     Day 3: 5   08-10
12. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            14  31-10    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   11-02     Day 3: 4   08-00
13. Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ             15  29-04    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-09     Day 3: 5   11-04
14. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL             10  23-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   10-11     Day 3: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Chris Moody              Brooks, GA          04-04          $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        48       268       541-09
2        46       264       504-14
3        12        64       131-00
----------------------------------
106       596      1177-07


Productive fall conditions await Redfish Cup Championship field at Winyah Bay

The 2022 defending champions Edward Adams and Sean O'Connell will be among the field when the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats takes on South Carolina's Winyah Bay Oct. 27-29.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
October 20, 2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — During the 18th century, pirates staked out hidden bays and coastal islands in hopes of capturing their cut of the wealth flowing in and out of Georgetown’s deep-water port.

For three autumn days, 20 anglers will be snooping around some of the same areas in hopes of capturing the winning weight for the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay.

Competition days will be Oct. 27-29 with daily takeoffs from East Bay Public Ramp at 7:15 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at Francis Marion Park at 3 p.m. Fans can catch Bassmaster Redfish LIVE coverage all three days of the tournament on Bassmaster.com. FS1 will broadcast live Oct. 28-29 beginning at 8 a.m. ET.

“It should be a great time of year to be out there,” said Ryan Rickard, the Tampa, Fla., angler who won the 2021 Championship alongside Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain. (The pair placed second in 2022.) “The water temperatures have probably cooled down enough to make fish a lot more active than their summer patterns.”

Boasting a history rich with rice and indigo production, Georgetown’s commerce attracted marauding types such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonney, Mary Read and Calico Jack Rackham. The tournament will host a far more congenial group with 10 two-angler teams — six top-tier redfish duos and four all-star teams comprising Bassmaster Elite pros and talented redfish anglers.

Leading the all-star lineup, Rickard is the only angler who has competed both of the past two years. He will pair with Elite pro Justin Atkins, a past Forrest Wood Cup and St. Croix Bassmaster Opens champion hailing from Florence, Ala.

Leading the pure redfish teams will be Louisiana pros Sean O’Connell and Edward Adams, the Redfish World Series champions that won last year’s Redfish Cup Championship in Port Aransas, Texas. Adams said he’s hoping his vast experience guiding the Mississippi Delta marsh will translate into South Carolina success.

Making his first fishing trip to the Palmetto State, Adams expects to gather critical practice recon during the lowest tidal periods. This is when the sea draws back its curtain to reveal key details like oyster bars, rocks and subtle marsh drains.

“I would think a lot of these fish will be in the creeks or little (backwater) pools,” Adams said. “It’s easy to target these spots during low tide, but when they’re covered with water, I’d think you’ll have to blind fish them with spinnerbaits or popping corks (a jig or shrimp suspended beneath a noisy rattling cork).”

The East Coast’s fourth-largest estuary, Winyah Bay marks the southern end of South Carolina’s famous beaches known as the Grand Strand. The bay is fed from the north by the confluence of the Black and the Great Pee Dee rivers and the Waccamaw River, while the Sampit River inflows from the west, through Georgetown.

As Rickard points out, tournament days will start with high tides that slowly drop throughout the competition hours. Outgoing to low tides are generally considered favorable for redfish, as they pull food sources out of hiding.

Falling water also drains shallow arteries and Rickard said this unyielding truth should not be taken lightly.

“This year will be very different, because we’re fishing a lot more tidal flow,” Rickard said. “We’re fishing 6- to 7-foot tidal swings (as opposed to approximately 1 1/2 feet in coastal Texas). A lot of that style fishing is creek fishing and fishing on the Intracoastal Waterway, so you have to be sure that you’re in and out of areas quickly so you don’t get stuck for the rest of the day.”

Notably, the Winyah Bay area also holds a tremendous largemouth bass fishery that has twice attracted Bassmaster Elite Series events (2016 and 2019). Scott Canterbury, the 2019 Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year who partners with veteran redfish angler and charter captain Krista Miller, will be seeking to leverage his Winyah Bay knowledge.

“I am hoping the redfish on the South Carolina coast act like the largemouth bass,” Canterbury said. “I finished second in the 2019 Elite out of there and hope that my knowledge of tides pays off. Being able to run the tide at the right times is definitely going to be key.”

The previous two Redfish Cup Championship events, both held in Port Aransas, Texas, saw a mix of tried-and-true redfish baits and tactics and several traditional bass strategies produce competitive catches. While this event may see a similar mixing of styles, there will be a noticeable departure from the larger, more aggressive presentations that tempt giant reds.

“We won’t be throwing a lot of the same things we were throwing in Texas,” Rickard said. “You’re not targeting the bigger fish. You’re targeting a 23-inch fish, so you’ll probably downsize your bait quite a bit.”

As Rickard alluded, tournament anglers will be targeting redfish in South Carolina’s 17- to 23-inch slot. Each angler can weigh up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team. These parameters contrast the previous two years’ events in which teams were allowed to weigh a total of two fish between 20 and 28 inches.

Although he and O’Connell clearly demonstrated their ability to put big redfish in the boat, Adams believes his background could provide a Winyah Bay advantage.

“In most of the tournaments I fish, we’re trying to catch 27- or 28-inch redfish (depending on state regulations), so trying to catch 23-inch redfish will be different,” Adams admits. “But that’s pretty much what I target every day when I’m guiding. When people are looking for fish to eat, that’s the size you want.

“Those smaller fish are usually in groups and they’re usually all the same size. There’s usually more of those little fish around than those big ones."

Given the South Carolina slot size, plus Atlantic water that’s relatively cooler than the warm Gulf brine, Rickard expects much of the field to use smaller jigs with soft-plastic jerkbaits, Ned-style rigs and artificial shrimp baits. Other likely baits include topwaters, bladed jigs and gold spoons, as well as those popping cork rigs and spinnerbaits Adams mentioned.

“If someone has the knowledge of that place, I think the entire area could be in play, but my gut tells me the majority of the field is going to run south (through the Intracoastal Waterway) to McClellanville and Isle of Palms,” Rickard said. “To me, it’s better habitat, plus, the Winyah Bay area gets a lot of guide pressure, so I think a lot of us will be trying to get away from that.

“I think, given how the fishery allows you to fish, it would shock me if a team won in one area. You may have one area with multiple spots, but I think you’re going to have to cover a lot of water.”


Fishin' Tip Friday - Greg Hackney on the Head Banger Buzzbait

We're dropping a preview of an upcoming Strike King Gear Review for this week's Fishin' TIp.  Greg breaks down his set up for the Hack Attack Select Head Banger Buzz Bait and gives us a few trailer tips that'll come in handy.  Catch this and many more tips and tricks on the upcoming Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show.  We're premiering on Discovery this fall!


Davis takes lead, eyes repeat at B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell

Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with a two-day total of 30 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 19, 2023

ANDERSON, S.C. — Will Davis Jr. hoisted the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy a year ago, and by all accounts, it looks like he wants to hold on to the hardware that is awarded annually to the winner of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

Davis, in second place after Day 1 with 16 pounds, 1 ounce, jumped into the pole position Thursday on Lake Hartwell with another five-bass limit, this one weighing 14-4. That gives the 31-year-old Sylacauga, Ala., resident a two-day total of 30-5 and a 3-pound cushion as the derby heads into the final day on this storied 56,000-acre fishery.

Davis is trying to defend the B.A.S.S. Nation title he won a year ago on Pickwick Lake in his home state. That win earned him a spot in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville and entry into the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series. Davis impressed there, winning on Lay Lake in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

He's continued his hot hand at Hartwell.

“I spent a lot of time after winning the championship last year getting used to forward-facing sonar,” Davis said. “You have to be able to do it in the Elite Series, and it’s definitely played a role this week.”

Davis only had eight bites on Day 2, catching six Hartwell spotted bass, but they were quality catches. All came on the same Davis Bait Company Wood Jig he used for his best bass a day earlier.

“That Wood Jig is my go-to for big bass,” he said. “I’m not catching a lot of fish, which is frustrating. But I’m getting the right bites.”

Friday’s weather is supposed to be rainy and windy, which Davis said might force him to change tactics.

“I’ll probably have to throw out a spinnerbait more tomorrow,” he said. “But I won’t change up too much. I think I’m on the right fish. I just have to get them to bite.”

The field of 58 boaters was whittled to 10 after the Day 2 weigh-in at Green Pond Landing.

Wisconsin’s Josh Wiesner jumped from ninth place to second in the boater division, courtesy of a 13-12 limit on Thursday, giving him 27-4 for the tournament.

“The bite was fairly steady throughout the day, but it really started getting active at the end of the day when the wind picked up,” Wiesner said. “I caught my biggest one with about a minute to go today. It was about 3 3/4 pounds and probably a 2-pound upgrade for me.”

Day 1 leader Tim Dube fell to third place in the angler division Thursday after catching an 11-pound limit to give him a two-day total of 27-3.

Unlike Wednesday, when hard-hitting spotted bass were gobbling Dube’s lures, Thursday was much more difficult for the 29-year-old New Hampshire resident.

“They weren’t committing to the bait today,” he said. “Every fish I hooked, it was in the corner of the mouth or barely in the lip. I lost more fish than I can count. But I’m getting past that. It’s good to know the fish are still there.

“I like the way tomorrow’s weather is looking for my bite. I want some cloud cover because they’ll school better.”

Rounding out the Top 10 boaters fishing Friday are Michigan’s Nic Rand, 26-14; fifth, Zach Taylor, who’s fishing for Wyoming, 26-11; sixth, South Africa’s Andrew Nienaber, 26-5; seventh, Brian La Clair, fishing for Delaware, 26-1; eighth, Missouri’s Cole Findley, 25-6; ninth, Alabama’s Zeke Gossett, 24-11; and 10th, Maine’s Jonathan Carter, 23-10.

Hayden Spradling of Gilbert, Ariz., won the nonboater title Thursday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 18 pounds. He collected the Louis “Pee Wee” Powers Memorial Trophy for being the top nonboater, as well as a $10,000 prize and a spot in Friday’s final round.

It’s the second time Spradling has competed in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, having qualified previously in 2020.

“That experience made me a lot more headstrong about getting to this point, to be able to win,” he said. “I had to throw a little bit of everything this week to win the nonboater (division) and give myself a chance to fish on the last day.”

Kyle Klein, of Kansas, won $500 for the Big Bass among nonboaters (a 4-8 he hooked Wednesday.)

Nevada’s Cody Steckel (12th overall, 23-5) and Colorado’s Nate Caldwell (13th, 23-4) also will fish on Friday, after leading their respective regionals in the Hartwell boater standings.

A total of 113 B.A.S.S. Nation anglers from 48 states and eight other countries are competing at Hartwell.

The remaining 13 anglers will start the third and final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at 7:30 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The top three anglers will earn berths in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, which is scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla. The champion will also receive an invitation to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. The second- and third-place finishers and Spradling will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           10  30-05    0
Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   14-04
2.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI          10  27-04    0
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   13-12
3.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH              10  27-03    0
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   11-00
4.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI           10  26-14    0
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-09
5.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID            10  26-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   12-11
6.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape  10  26-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-14
7.  Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              10  26-01    0
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   15-08
8.  Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO             10  25-06    0
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   13-07
9.  Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL           10  24-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   13-07
10. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            10  23-10    0
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   11-02
11. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL             10  23-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   10-11
12. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV           10  23-05    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-04
13. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        10  23-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   11-00
14. Aaron Green            Everett, PA             10  22-08    0
Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   11-01
15. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD              10  22-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   07-14
16. Riley Nielsen          Murray, UT              10  21-12    0
Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   09-15
17. Austin Bonjour         Templeton, CA           10  21-01    0
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   10-07
18. Dave Frost             Mount Dora, FL          10  20-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   10-15
19. Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD         10  20-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   11-00
20. Chris Moody            Brooks, GA              10  20-10    0
Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   06-07
21. Jess Pottenger         Harrison, ID            10  20-10    0
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   09-13
22. BJ Baxter              Willshire, OH           10  20-09    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-08
23. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN           10  20-03    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-02
24. Tyler Darling          Rapid City, SD           9  19-15    0
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 4   06-03
25. Matthew Abeyta         Albuquerque, NM         10  19-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   10-10
26. Kevin Walton           Norfolk, VA             10  19-13    0
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   08-14
27. Tyler Ramsey           Sand Springs, OK        10  19-07    0
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   07-13
28. Blake Wilson           Benton, AR              10  19-02    0
Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   07-02
29. Gary Pope              Georgetown, SC          10  18-01    0
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-10
30. Marc Leech             Kings Mountian , NC     10  17-15    0
Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 5   10-00
31. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR           10  17-14    0
Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 5   07-12
32. Frankie Mueller        Kingman, AZ             10  17-11    0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   09-11
33. Jerry  Pape            Bella Vista, AR         10  16-15    0
Day 1: 5   05-10     Day 2: 5   11-05
34. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     9  16-13    0
Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 4   07-10
35. Dustin Hollen          Buckhannon, WV          10  16-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-13     Day 2: 5   09-13
36. Jay Swanson            Lakeville, MN           10  16-10    0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-00
37. Jurgen Geiger          Luxury Hill Windoek  NA 10  16-08    0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   08-03
38. Manuel Cruz            Clifton, NJ             10  16-07    0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   07-11
39. Luis Tavares Mendes    Cernache Do Bonjardim P 10  15-06    0
Day 1: 5   06-11     Day 2: 5   08-11
40. Byron Albrecht         Waco, TX                 9  15-03    0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 4   06-07
41. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI         10  15-02    0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   06-13
42. Matthew Nobile         Sorrento, LA            10  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   06-13
43. Sean Andrachick        Marion, MT               9  14-12    0
Day 1: 4   05-10     Day 2: 5   09-02
44. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA           10  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   07-07
45. Andrej Chowaniec       Beeton Ontario CANADA    8  12-05    0
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 3   02-15
46. Michael Mello Jr       Manville, RI             7  11-13    0
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 2   02-13
47. Lukas Matt             Syracuse, NY            10  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   05-02     Day 2: 5   06-09
48. Chad Warnol            Moss Point, MS           7  10-13    0
Day 1: 2   03-06     Day 2: 5   07-07
49. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           6  10-01    0
Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 5   08-12
50. Yoshi Komada           Nishinomiya JAPAN        6  09-14    0
Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 5   08-13
51. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT            7  09-10    0
Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 4   05-15
52. Andre Kondonis         Harare ZIMBABWE          6  09-07    0
Day 1: 4   06-10     Day 2: 2   02-13
53. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               7  08-06    0
Day 1: 5   05-11     Day 2: 2   02-11
54. Jorge Trapero Barraza  Culiac n Rosales TX MEX  5  07-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 3   05-00
55. Richard Young Jr       Melbourne, KY            6  06-12    0
Day 1: 4   03-15     Day 2: 2   02-13
56. Oscar Gonzalez         Barcelona SPAIN          4  06-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 2   03-11
57. Andy Gill              Wellsville, KS           4  04-15    0
Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 1   00-15
58. Jackie Barber          West, TX                 3  03-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-09     Day 2: 1   00-13
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        47       263       532-02
2        45       259       496-05
----------------------------------
92       522      1028-07

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ             10  18-00    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-09
2.  Richard White          Alexander City, AL      10  17-13    0   $7,500.00
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   07-09
3.  Tristan Garriga        Lucedale, MS            10  16-11    0   $5,000.00
Day 1: 5   06-15     Day 2: 5   09-12
4.  Cooper Haase           Duncannon, PA           10  16-07    0   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   09-07
5.  Larry Witt             Evington, VA             8  16-01    0   $2,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 3   04-06
6.  James D'Ambra          Hanover, MA             10  15-13    0   $1,500.00
Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   08-02
7.  Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS           8  15-08    0   $1,500.00
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 3   04-09
8.  Gary Belanger          Plainville, CT          10  14-15    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 5   08-13
9.  Cole Buser             Moscow, ID               7  14-08    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 2   01-08
10. Marshal Allen          Greeley, CO              7  14-07    0     $500.00
Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 3   06-08
11. Zachary Queeney        Atco, NJ                 9  14-01    0     $250.00
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 4   05-04
12. Edward Owens           Hemingway, SC            8  14-00    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 5   08-06
13. Ron Stierstorfer       Middle River, MD         9  13-14    0
Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 5   05-15
14. Keisuke Sakamoto       Shiga JAPAN              8  13-10    0
Day 1: 4   07-00     Day 2: 4   06-10
15. Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               8  12-14    0
Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 3   06-07
16. Joe Whelan             Ozark, MO                9  12-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 4   05-08
17. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             7  12-00    0
Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 5   10-03
18. Grant Aumiller         Danville, KY             6  11-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 1   01-10
19. Kin Pui Wong           Bakersfield, CA          9  11-15    0
Day 1: 4   05-07     Day 2: 5   06-08
20. Dez Ruffin             Tukwila, WA              7  11-11    0
Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 5   09-14
21. Hunter Frederickson    Redford, MI             10  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 5   05-01
22. James Seymour          Oglesby, TX              8  11-03    0
Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 5   06-14
23. Christian Hanson       Rathdrum, ID             5  11-02    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   11-02
24. Dave Roberts           Sisters, OR              8  11-02    0
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 3   02-12
25. Tristen Boyd           Monteagle, TN            8  11-01    0
Day 1: 4   06-08     Day 2: 4   04-09
26. Andrew Sayles          Middleton, ID            9  10-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 4   04-03
27. Matt Summers           Gassaway, WV             8  10-06    0
Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 5   06-09
28. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         7  09-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-09     Day 2: 3   03-01
29. Dean Yamagata          Las Vegas, NV            5  09-04    0
Day 1: 2   03-00     Day 2: 3   06-04
30. Jason Campbell         Berwick, LA              7  08-13    0
Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 4   05-05
31. Jesus Morales          Apodaca Nuevo Leon  MEX  6  08-13    0
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 3   04-02
32. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         5  08-06    0
Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 4   07-01
33. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             5  08-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   08-00
34. Fernando Henriques Henriques Cernache Do Bonjardim P  5  07-08    0
Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 4   06-09
35. Alex Ellerbrock        Sugar Grove, IL          5  07-04    0
Day 1: 2   02-06     Day 2: 3   04-14
36. Mike Bell              Ogdensburg, NY           4  07-02    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   07-02
37. Will Presley Jr        Grove City, OH           5  06-12    0
Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 3   04-10
38. Eric Moulton           Enfield, NH              5  06-12    0
Day 1: 2   02-10     Day 2: 3   04-02
39. Bryan Schumacher       Sparta, WI               4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
40. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               5  05-12    0
Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 4   04-03
41. Miles Lausch           Lakeville, MN            6  05-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 4   04-00
42. Tyler Guthmiller       Yankton, SD              5  04-13    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   04-13
43. Agustin  Pintado Salas El Burgo Del Ebro, Zara  3  04-07    0
Day 1: 3   04-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
44. Blake Macumber         Elkhorn, NE              2  04-06    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-06
45. Neels Beneke           Amanzimtoti SOUTH AFRIC  3  03-15    0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 2   02-01
46. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            3  03-09    0
Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 1   01-15
47. Roger Foraker          Magnolia, DE             2  02-15    0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 1   01-03
48. Carl Bowser            Indianapolis, IN         2  02-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-06     Day 2: 1   00-10
49. Leray Anderson  II     Crofton, NE              2  01-13    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   01-13
50. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     1  01-11    0
Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
51. Andrew Krauss          Seabright CANADA         1  01-03    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-03
52. Grant Harris           Maiden, NC               1  01-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
53. Gavin Fraser           Bulawayo ZIMBABWE        1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
54. Jerry Duncklee         Fayette, IA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
54. Claude Loftin          Jacksonville, FL         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        16       151       240-10
2        17       175       263-15
----------------------------------
33       326       504-09


PLANO EDGE 3700 SWIMBAIT BOX

The new EDGE Swimbait Box is the ultimate solution for organized and protected baits

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Oct. 19, 2023) —  Engineered with meticulous attention to detail and designed for the needs of serious swimbait anglers, the innovative Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait box sets a new standard for protecting and organizing swimbaits. Revolutionizing swimbait storage, the Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait box provides a reliable and secure environment for storing and protecting up to 24 swimbaits in the horizontal position and 10 in the vertical position. The box utilizes gravity to suspend swimbaits and glide baits, keeping them separated and shielded from tail deformation and preserving bait action during transit and storage.

Equipped with Plano's advanced Rustrictor corrosion and rust-preventive technology to deliver 360 degrees of rust and moisture preventative protection, the EDGE Swimbait box safeguards your baits against the elements to help extend their lifespan. The Dri-Loc O-ring watertight seal guarantees the box remains waterproof when closed, and moisture is no longer a concern, as the WaterWick divider with a moisture-wicking packet protects both wet and dry baits, maintaining their integrity and functionality.

Convenience is at the forefront of the design, with the EZ Label system facilitating effortless organization of your swimbaits. The DuraView crystal-clear transparent polycarbonate lid allows for quick identification of contents, saving you valuable time on the water.

Built to withstand the rigors of angling adventures, the Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait Box features durable components such as steel pin hinges and a one-hand latch for secure opening and closing. With the Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait Box, anglers can have peace of mind, knowing that their swimbaits are protected, organized, and always readily accessible when the water is calling.

Key Features
●  Dri-Loc O-Ring watertight seal
●  WaterWick divider with a moisture-wicking packet
●  EZ Label system for effortless organization
●  DuraView transparent polycarbonate lid
●  360 degrees of Rustrictor rust prevention technology

Dimensions: 14"L x 9"W x 2.63"H
MSRP: $49.99
Available: October 2023


MLF Announces Entry Dates for 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League, Abu Garcia College Fishing and High School Fishing Programs

BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the complete rules and entry dates for the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI and High School Fishing seasons.

Tackle Warehouse Invitationals:
With national television coverage on CBS Sports, daily MLFNOW! on-the-water livestreams, a top award of $115,000 (including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus), and advancement to REDCREST 2025 on the line at every stop, the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals are a lucrative proving ground for anglers looking to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour where they will fish as part of an exclusive field of 50 pros competing for the sport’s most lucrative payouts. Invitations will be distributed this week to qualified anglers from the 2023 Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and Bass Pro Tour.

The complete 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitational schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats:
Offering the biggest payouts for the lowest entry fees of any national tournament trail, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats gives anglers the opportunity to fish close to home for incredible awards and advancement to the nationally televised Toyota Series Championship where pros compete for up to $235,000, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and co-anglers compete for a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat powered by a 115hp outboard.

The winning pro at the Toyota Series Championship qualifies for REDCREST 2025 for the chance to win $300,000, and the highest-finishing pro from each division, including the Wild Card, at the Toyota Series Championship receives a $10,000 bonus.

The 2024 Toyota Series Championship, hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission and the Huntsville Sports Commission, is scheduled for Nov. 7-9, at Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama. The championship field will feature the top 25 pros and co-anglers from each of the six U.S. Toyota Series divisions and the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF from the All-American; the top three teams from the Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship; the High School Fishing National Champions; the TBF National Champions; and up to two pros from each MLF International country.

Every Toyota Series tournament features live weigh-in coverage and the Toyota Series Championship will be nationally televised on CBS Sports. New for 2024, the Toyota Series Championship will also include MLFNOW! on-the-water livestream during the final day of competition.

The top five pros from each U.S. division in Angler of the Year standings qualify for the MLF Invitationals. If a top-five pro declines his or her bid or earns qualification through the Invitationals or Bass Pro Tour, the next eligible pro qualifies. This process continues through the top 10 pros in each division.

The Anglers of the Year and Strike King Co-anglers of the Year will also be awarded $5,000 and $2,000, respectively, in each of the six U.S. divisions.

Entry fees are unchanged for 2024 at $1,700 per tournament for pros and $550 per tournament for co-anglers. Anglers can register for the 2024 Toyota Series season at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the dates listed below:

  • Entries from the top 25 pros and co-anglers and tournament winners from each division of the 2023 Toyota Series and the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League – plus the winner of each 2023 Bass Fishing League tournament (who paid an entry fee for all five tournaments in a division and fished at least two tournaments in the same division) and the top 10 anglers from the 2023 College Fishing National Championship – will be accepted beginning November 6. These anglers have until November 27 to secure their priority entry position.
  • Phoenix boat owners (Phoenix owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat order who will use their Phoenix boat in Toyota Series competition) may enter beginning November 28.
  • Anglers who fished a full division of the 2023 Toyota Series or a full division of the 2023 Bass Fishing League may enter beginning November 29.
  • TBF members may enter beginning November 30.
  • All other entries will be accepted beginning December 1.

The complete 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine:
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine is the premier grassroots tournament circuit for weekend anglers, maintaining the best payouts and advancement opportunities for the lowest entry fees available in the sport. The BFL is the only circuit offering weekend anglers the opportunity to advance to the prestigious All-American, Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST 2025 for a shot at winning top boater awards of $120,000, $235,000 and $300,000, respectively, including lucrative Phoenix MLF Bonuses.

The 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN on May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee. The top six boaters and co-anglers from each of six Regional tournaments and the Wild Card will qualify. The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each Regional and the Wild Card at the All-American advance to the Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 (including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus). Beat just five anglers from your regional and advance to a second no-entry-fee championship for a shot at one of the sport’s biggest paydays. The All-American boater champion will also advance to REDCREST 2025 for a shot at winning $300,000.

With every tournament featuring livestreamed weigh-in coverage, the Phoenix Bass Fishing League allows anglers to fish close to home – creating a clear path to the Toyota Series, the MLF Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour – while placing anglers in front of the sport’s largest fan base. This also provides grassroots anglers the opportunity to showcase their talents to more than 5 million visitors on MajorLeagueFishing.com and 2.3 million followers on MLF’s social media outlets, as well as coverage in Bass Fishing magazine and in dedicated public relations outreach that generates a potential reach of up to 5.5 billion impressions annually across all MLF circuits.

The Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency award will continue for the 2024 season, enhancing payouts from $500 to $7,000 for registered Phoenix boat owners in every qualifier, super-tournament and regional tournament, an additional $20,000 in the All-American, and $35,000 in the Toyota Series Championship.

Each qualifying tournament will continue to offer a top boater award of up to $13,000, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top Strike King co-angler award of $3,000. Top awards jump up to $16,000 for boaters, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and $4,500 for Strike King co-anglers in super tournaments.

The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers, plus the five tournament winners in each division, advance to a Regional. Boaters in each Regional compete for a $67,000 top award, including a Phoenix 819 Pro with 200hp outboard and $10,000 plus a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers. Co-anglers in each Regional compete for a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro with 200hp outboard. Additionally, the highest finishing boater from each division in each Regional receives a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division receives a $500 bonus – you only have to beat 49 anglers from your division to win big. Each Regional also features a $1,000 boater and $500 co-angler Berkley Big Bass award.

Entry fees will remain the same in 2024 – $220 per boater and $110 per co-angler for one-day qualifying tournaments, and $330 per boater and $165 per co-angler in two-day Super Tournaments and Regional events.
.
The Wild Card will maintain its $13,000 top boater award, including Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top co-angler award of $3,000. Enter all five events in a division, fish at least two and automatically advance to the Wild Card if you are not qualified for a Regional. The top six boaters and co-anglers from each Regional and the Wild Card advance to the All-American.

The 2024 All-American will be nationally televised on CBS Sports, offering Bass Fishing League anglers unmatched media exposure. New for 2024, the All-American will also include MLFNOW! on-the-water livestream during the final day of competition.

Anglers can register for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League season at MajorLeagueFishing.comor by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the dates listed below:

Dec. 4, 2023 – Bama, Choo Choo, Cowboy, Gator and Savannah River.
Dec. 5, 2023 – Arkie, Bulldog, North Carolina, South Carolina and Volunteer.
Dec. 6, 2023 – LBL, Mississippi, Okie, Ozark and Piedmont.
Dec. 7, 2023 – Great Lakes, Hoosier, Mountain, Music City and Shenandoah.
Dec. 8, 2023 – Buckeye, Illini, Michigan and Northeast.

Phoenix boat owners (Phoenix owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat on order who will use their Phoenix boat in Bass Fishing League competition) and TBF members may enter all divisions by phone starting Dec. 1, 2023.

The complete 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI:
The winning team at the 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship will receive $43,500, including a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard and $10,000. The winning team also advances to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot at winning as much as $235,000. The highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship advances to REDCREST 2025. The runner-up at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship will receive a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard. The team will also advance to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros. Third place at the 2024 National Championship will receive $4,000 and advance to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for the chance to win a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard. Fourth and fifth place will receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively, with sixth through 10th receiving $1,000 each.

Each angler finishing in the top 10 at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship will receive priority entry into the 2025 Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Invitationals and the Bass Pro Tour. Every tournament will feature live weigh-in coverage and the National Championship will receive national television coverage on CBS Sports. New for 2024, the College Fishing National Championship will also include MLFNOW! on-the-water livestream during the final day of competition.

MLF will recognize the top performing school with the Tackle Warehouse School of the Year Presented by QuikTrip title, which includes a $10,000 award. Each school receives the total points earned by its top two teams in each tournament. School of the Year is awarded to the school with the highest point total from its three best tournaments.

Abu Garcia College Fishing teams can compete in up to nine qualifying tournaments around the country. The top 12 percent of teams from each event will advance to the following year’s College Fishing National Championship.

Registration for the 2024 season opens at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 11, 2023. Fields are capped at 250 boats per tournament, so teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. The entry fee is unchanged at $100 per team.

The complete 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

MLF High School Fishing:
The 2024 MLF High School Fishing circuit will feature teams competing in seven open events held in conjunction with Abu Garcia College Fishing events so students and parents can network with prospective college teams and coaches during college weigh-ins. MLF High School Fishing Opens are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF)-affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of teams in each tournament advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2024 National Championship. Tournaments held after May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2025 National Championship.

Both members of the winning team at the 2024 High School Fishing National Championship, held simultaneously with the TBF High School Fishing World Finals, are guaranteed $5,000 scholarships to the school of their choice, plus the opportunity to compete for a share of more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes. The 2024 High School Fishing National Champions will also advance to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship as co-anglers to compete on national television for a Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard.

Registration for the 2024 MLF High School Fishing Opens will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 13, 2023. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. There is no entry fee for high school anglers to compete in any MLF or TBF High School Fishing tournament. Both anglers must, however, be a member of the Student Angler Federation (SAF). There is no limit to the number of teams accepted into a tournament from each school or club, but the maximum field size is 250 boats. Teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity.

The complete 2024 High School Fishing schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

MLF High School Fishing Camp:
The extremely popular MLF High School Fishing Camp for students and parents will be held July 10-12 at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. The three-day camp experience immerses passionate young anglers and coaches into the world of bass fishing. Students and coaches learn techniques from top MLF pros in small groups, and receive a glimpse into the inner workings of the fishing industry through interaction with MLF staff and special guests. Registration for the 2024 MLF High School Fishing Camp will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Nov. 30, 2023. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/camp for details.

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


2024 B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier schedule announced

The 2024 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series includes four national qualifying events in Alabama, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and New York.

Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S. 

October 19, 2023

Nation_TNT_4C.pngBIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2024 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series schedule features four national qualifiers on some of the country’s best bass fisheries along with a new format giving grass-roots anglers more opportunities to qualify for the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship and a shot at a berth in the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

Beginning in 2024, both individual B.A.S.S. Nation anglers and club members from each state will be able to enter national qualifier events, with the Top 20 finishers advancing to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Additionally, club anglers will be able to qualify directly from their state tournaments to the championship.

“Our goal is to give the everyday angler more chances to make it to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, whether they get in via a state-run event or a national qualifier,” said GL Compton, tournament director for the B.A.S.S. Nation. “We know that for many anglers — especially when you’re working or in college — joining a local club isn’t practical, so opening our regional qualifying events to unaffiliated individuals is a way to accommodate those competitors. But, if you’re a club angler, now you’ll have two paths to qualify for the Nation Championship. It really is an all-around win for grass-roots anglers.”

The schedule will kick off early next year on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala., February 7-9. Known as the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World” and the hometown of late fishing industry legend Tom Mann, the brushpile-laden Chattahoochee River fishery has hosted 18 major B.A.S.S. events since 1968.

After a stop in Muskogee, Okla., April 3-5, the schedule will swing to the upper region of the United States in May with a qualifier on the Mississippi River May 8-10 in La Crosse, Wis.

Just weeks before the Elite Series heads to New York, the final national qualifier event will take place July 24-26 on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y. One of the most picturesque fisheries the B.A.S.S. events visit, this 435-square-mile natural lake straddling the New York/Vermont border delights anglers with the bass fishing trifecta — diversity, quantity and quality.

“We're excited to roll out the welcome mat for the B.A.S.S. Nation Series on Lake Champlain in 2024,” said Alyssa Senecal, assistant director of tourism and marketing for the North Country Chamber of Commerce. “Our beautiful lake has been serving up big bass and good times for ages, making it a beloved hotspot for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Get ready for a 'reel' adventure as we proudly showcase our backyard to fellow lake-loving tournament participants who, like us, can't resist the lure of some seriously epic bass action!”

The B.A.S.S. Nation Championship tournament will feature qualifiers from the states and the national qualifier tournaments, as well as international anglers and the Paralyzed Veterans of America Angler of the Year.

Not only will the Top 3 anglers from the overall standings realize a dream of competing in the 2025 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, the winning angler will also be named the Nation’s Best, punch their ticket to the 2025 Elite Series and enjoy the use of a fully-rigged Nitro Boat and Toyota Tundra. The second- and third-place finishers and nonboater champion will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites.

“The B.A.S.S. Nation local clubs have been the foundation of our organization for more than five decades and mean so much to so many different people,” said GL Compton, tournament director for the B.A.S.S. Nation. “As someone who grew up fishing with the South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation, I know that these clubs add so much to the culture and growth of our sport through their conservation efforts and youth events and initiatives.”

For more information on registration, visit Bassmaster.com/b-a-s-s-nation.

2024 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Schedule

Southeast Qualifier: February 7-9, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Ala.
Central Qualifier: April 3-5, Arkansas River, Muskogee, Okla.
Northern Qualifier: May 8-10,
Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.
Northeast Qualifier:
 July 24-26, Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.


Costa Sunglasses pioneers first recorded billfish research tagging mission completed on fly

The ultimate culmination of community and conservation, Costa’s Marlin Fly Project benefits the Striped Marlin fishery in Magdalena Bay, Mexico and the people who depend on it

JUPITER, Fla. (Oct. 19, 2023) – Focused on conservation and driven by its community-based ethos, Costa Sunglasses is announcing the Marlin Fly Project, the first recorded billfish research mission solely using fly tackle. In partnership with the locals of San Carlos, Mexico, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the Marlin Fly Project team successfully deployed 15 satellite tags in two days to better understand and protect this understudied billfish species.

The project, which took place in Southwestern Baja, Mexico, December 2022, stands as the ultimate culmination of community and conservation. Led by Costa, it brought together Costa Pros (professional anglers and fishing guides), leading billfish scientists, conservation organizations, and community partners to pursue this mission in tandem with local captains, guides and the San Carlos community.

“The epic fishing tales coming out of Magdalena “Mag” Bay alone attracted us to the region in 2021, but what we found there was an authentic community, rich with culture, built alongside an untamed ecosystem,” said Jed Larkin, Brand Director for Costa Sunglasses. “That trip sparked a trailblazing idea – what if we brought our global community of scientists, partners and pros together with the local community of San Carlos to research and protect this special resource? And that’s how Marlin Fly was born. Rooted in both community and conservation, this project is everything we stand for as a brand.”

An eight minute documentary on the Marlin Fly Project can be seen HERE.

“There’s no place on earth with an ecosystem quite like Mag Bay. Every year anglers from around the world travel to this unique destination to experience one of the most incredible billfish fisheries on the planet,” said Dr. Bruce Pohlot, IGFA Conservation Director. “But the reality is, there has not been a lot of scientific research done on this population of Striped Marlin in the Eastern Pacific. That’s why the IGFA was happy to jump on board with our longtime partners at Costa when they started asking questions about what can be done to protect this magnificent resource.”

Of the 15 short and long term satellite tags that were deployed during the project, Costa resourced three tags to support IGFA’s Great Marlin Race, and seven were donated by TBF. The tags will track post release survivability, migrational patterns, swimming depth, and water temperature. An additional 20 spaghetti tags were deployed, which will provide important ongoing recapture data. The discoveries from Costa’s Marlin Fly Project will help fill crucial data gaps and aid in global and local efforts to conserve this highly migratory species (HMS).

Scientists from The Billfish Foundation, International Game Fish Association, and the University of Southern Mississippi Center for Fisheries Research & Development, vetted all landed fish to make sure they were viable candidates prior to tagging. All landed and tagged fish were healthy and swam off strong.

"Through this collaboration, Costa's Marlin Fly Project is set to collect unparalleled data about Striped Marlin that will help play a pivotal role in supporting conservation and enhancing fisheries management efforts,”  said Peter Chaibongsai, Director of Conservation Programs at The Billfish Foundation. “We’re honored to be a part of such a unique project that puts community at the forefront. The strong bond forged with the locals not only enables them, but also fosters a sense of advocacy. This ensures that the project's impact extends far beyond scientific research – it creates a network of passionate advocates dedicated to conserving this resource for years to come.”

Costa has spent the past four decades carrying out its ‘higher calling’ to protect the waters we love, connect those who come to life on the water, and to conserve the life within. The Marlin Fly Project is an extension of that commitment. In addition to the history-making, field-science study, the project served the local community through the following initiatives.

Community-first nonprofit and original Costa-born project, Indifly, joined the mission to meet with the community of San Carlos and assess a potential social impact project. Inspired by both the people and operation, Indifly plans to collaborate with San Carlos, the Marlin Fly Project, and Los Locos to innovate ways for this vital community to write their own future.

Costa partnered with Los Locos Mag Bay, a unique fly-fishing operation that employs and works directly with the locals of San Carlos, Mexico to support this one-of-a-kind community through angling tourism.

Building on Costa’s One Coast initiative for emergency preparedness, partner Finns West outfitted the Los Locos operation and guideboats with safety equipment and medical training.

Costa partnered with Travel Creel, who hosted cooking classes in the community, and sourced produce, meats and seafood from local fisherman and farmers to prepare dinners each night to feed the crew.

The Marlin Fly team participated in organized clean ups along San Carlos’ coastline, and on the final night hosted local guide families for a celebration, in gratitude for their hospitality and guidance.

The Marlin Fly Project will continue its mission to create advocates for the Striped Marlin fishery, both locally and globally, by fostering dynamic relationships and supporting this ecosystem and the people who depend on it.

In honor of its 40th Anniversary, Costa Sunglasses will release its Second Edition: Protect Purpose Report next month. Led by the success of the Marlin Fly Project, The Protect Report highlights Costa’s commitment to conservation, community and sustainability in 2021-2022.

For more information on Costa’s ongoing work to ‘protect what’s out there,’ as well as its complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle frames, visit Costasunglasses.com.

About Costa Sunglasses

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


Kyle Grover Wins 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open in Wire-to-Wire Fashion

Patrick Touey Rallies to Second Place, Anthony Hunt Wins AAA Division

Laughlin, Nev. – October 18, 2023 – Once again, the final day theme of the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commissionand Visit Laughlin turned out to be change.  While the weather remained warm as it had been the first two days of competition, the field was treated to stiff breezes that spun the speed gauges up to 25 miles per hour.

Wind can be an angler’s friend, or in the case of precision casting with Forward Facing Sonar and finesse tactics, it can be a massive frustration.  With many of the leaders using those type of tactics, the anxiety level of said anglers was elevated with concern of being able to present light lures to their prey.

As day three commenced, the anglers atop the leaderboard were separated by less than five pounds and day two leader Kyle Grover of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif, and second place pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark. had a scant .51 pounds as their margin as the day began.  With such a tight grouping atop the leaderboard, it really was possible for anyone in the top five to take the victory.

It almost happened.

When fifth place pro Patrick Touey of Santa Maria, Calif. weighed 19.93 pounds to take the lead with four anglers remaining, the story got really interesting.  Garrett Howard of Riverside, Calif. fell short with 13.18 pounds. Roseville, Calif. pro Bryant Smith just missed the mark with 17.98 pounds and Shuffield had an atypical off day with 11.98 pounds leaving only Grover to erase Touey’s Cinderella story.

Feeling he had fallen short himself, Grover needed 16.25 pounds to tie Touey, but when the scales bottomed out to 16.49 pounds, Grover erupted in celebration and Touey emotionally left the stage after the pair embraced.

 

Grover won the 2023 WON Bass U.S. Open in wire-to-wire fashion with a three-day total weight of 56.75 pounds, with a .24-pound winning margin over runner up Touey. Smith retained his third-place position with a total weight of 55.36 pounds.  Shuffield finished fourth with 51.73 pounds and Howard rounded out the top five with 50.01 pounds.

As he took the microphone from WON Bass tournament director Bill Egan, Grover exclaimed that he saw a fish move late in the day his AAA partner caught that made the difference.  “I saw a good smallmouth bolt under the bow of my Ranger Boat and head towards the back,” he said.  “I told him to drop behind the boat, he did and caught it.  It was a two pounder that culled us up a half of a pound, and that was the difference.”

Grover said that he spent his competition in the Upper Basin between Cottonwood and the power lines and had three areas that produced.  “I had a deep spot that had a school of smallmouth on it, and I caught a couple off of it each day,” he said.  “My other spots were guts and pockets that the fish were roaming in chasing shad, which was key, there had to be shad in those pockets.”

 

Grover used a pair of dropshot baits thrown on 7’3” medium-light St. Croix Legend Elite pinning rods matched with Daiwa Certate reels.  He spooled them with 10-pound-test Sunline braid and 6-pound-test Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon leader.  He alternated between a 4.5-inch Straight Tailed Roboworm in Morning Dawn color or a Berkley Flatnose Minnow in Brownback Color.  He rigged them both on size 1 Gamakatsu Split Shot / Dropshot Hooks and alternated between 1/4 to 3/8-ounce teardrop tungsten dropshot weights depending on depth. Lowrance Active Target 2 was also instrumental in his victory, reporting that he used the Forward Facing technology to catch the majority of his weight.

He said he could not believe he was a U.S. Open Champion.  “I remember fishing my first U.S. Open on Lake Mead thinking I was hot stuff, and blanking,” he said.  “I realized how tough this tournament was then and watched as guys like Aaron Martens – who has always been my favorite angler – won this trophy, and now I have one of my own; I am so happy, but stunned, it’s a dream come true.”

For his efforts, Grover earned the keys to a 2024 Bass Cat Cougar FTD, Mercury 250 ProXS combo from Bass Cat Boats’ president Rick Pierce, that when rigged with Lithium Pro batteries and charger, a Power-Pole Total Boat Control 8’ Blade, trolling motor and electronics will be valued at $82,000.  He also earned a cash prize of $74,000, bringing the Champion’s purse to $156,000.

Touey said that the tale of his tournament would come down to lost fish.  He reported having a good practice period but had to adjust with the pressure.  “I fished above Cottonwood in the Upper Basin and caught them on a crankbait, a tube and a dropshot,” he said.  “I lost 10 pounds of culls that would have closed this out easily, and you just can’t do that in tournaments and expect to win.”

He fished a Bill Norman Little N in Chartreuse Shad color early in the week. that he threw on an iRod Crank Jr Rd, with 10-pound-test Fluorocarbon, but had to turn to finesse tactics more as the event progressed.  He chose iRod 722 Air spinning rods with 10-pound-test braid and 6-pound-test leader and a pair of finesse baits, a green pumpkin tube on a tube jig and Berkley Maxscent Flatworm in Green Pumpkin rigged on a dropshot rig with a 3/8-ounce weight.

Anthony Hunt, of Clovis, Calif. earned the title of AAA Champion by moving from fourth place with a 10.39-pound limit to bring his three-day total weight to 41.29 on the final day to take the victory in the AAA Division. The AAA Champions said that he was stunned.  “I have fished my whole life, but had to stop for quite a while, and I’ve just gotten back into recently with my father-in-law,” he said.  “I love to fish and knew that this was the biggest tournament out here, I can’t believe I’ve won it.”

Hunt reported using a variety of baits to catch fish.  “I caught some on finesse baits and some on reaction baits this week, and had a great week with my pros, I’m absolutely in shock.”  Hunt earned $8,500 cash and an ATV worth an additional $8,000.

He was followed by Markos Avalos of Las Vegas, Nev. in second place with 40.05 pounds.  Third place AAA went to Quincy Lewis, of San Diego, Calif. with 39.98 pounds, fourth place went to Travis Hargis of Chula Vista, Calif. with 38.98 pounds and Bo McNeely of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. rounded out the top five in the AAA Division with 39.19 pounds.

That concludes the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commissionand Visit Laughlin. Takeoffs and weigh-ins of 183 pro and AAA anglers occurred daily at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

Complete Standings of both divisions can be found below:

For event news and results look to wonbassevents.comand WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms on https://www.facebook.com/WONBassTournaments and https://www.instagram.com/wonbass/ for event details, livestreams and updates of future events.

The 41st Anniversary 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Costa, Abu Garcia, Bridgford Foods, Daiwa, Gamakatsu, Phenix, Power-Pole Total Boat Control, Eagle Claw TroKar, Lithium Pros, Lowrance, Anderson Toyota, Loco’s Bar and Cocina, DD26, Top This, Johnon’s Bait and Tackle, LTC Laughlin Tourism Commission, Last Chance Performance Marine, Yamamoto Baits, Huntington Beach Honda, Peregrine 250, Livingston Lures, Roboworm, Trika Premium Fishing Gear, Liqui Moly Marine, Anglers Marine, Stealth Stix, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, KUIU, Signature Gate Systems and Welding, Sure Life, Visit Laughlin and Western Outdoor News.

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

Pro Final Results

Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Total

1

Kyle Grover

RCHO STA MARG CA

15-15

56.75

20.70

19.56

16.49

56.75

2

Patrick Touey

Santa Maria CA

15-15

56.51

17.74

18.84

19.93

56.51

3

Bryant Smith

Roseville CA

15-15

55.36

18.40

18.98

17.98

55.36

4

Spencer Shuffield

Hot Springs AR

15-15

51.73

20.17

19.58

11.98

51.73

5

Garrett Howard

Riverside CA

15-15

50.01

19.26

17.57

13.18

50.01

6

Chris Zaldain

Fort Worth TX

14-14

48.65

18.83

15.39

14.43

48.65

7

Roy Hawk

Lake Havasu City AZ

15-15

45.23

9.60

18.97

16.66

45.23

8

Zach VerBrugge

Lake Havasu AZ

13-13

43.71

18.94

16.03

8.74

43.71

9

Evan Barnes

Dardanelle AR

11-11

43.41

20.58

14.54

8.29

43.41

10

Jim Vretzos

El Dorodo Hills CA

12-12

41.52

20.23

11.77

9.52

41.52

11

Luke Johns

Folsom CA

14-14

40.54

12.56

9.66

18.32

40.54

12

Max Hernandez

Queen Creek AZ

13-13

40.30

18.30

6.31

15.69

40.30

13

Josh Bertrand

San Tan Valley AZ

14-14

39.73

10.74

14.71

14.28

39.73

14

Joe Uribe, Jr.

Surprise AZ

13-13

39.62

12.98

12.12

14.52

39.62

15

Scott Hellesen

Paso Robles CA

13-12

39.82

0.50

15.87

10.38

13.07

39.32

16

Ray Arbesu

Henderson NV

15-15

38.01

13.31

16.55

8.15

38.01

17

Jon Bell

Campo CA

13-13

37.96

4.33

15.09

18.54

37.96

18

Jonathan Schuyler

Las Vegas NV

11-11

37.66

6.45

14.00

17.21

37.66

19

Randy McAbee, Jr.

Bakersfield CA

11-11

37.07

15.68

17.33

4.06

37.07

20

Robert Nakatomi

Sacramento CA

15-15

36.63

10.83

13.80

12.00

36.63

21

Gary Clouse

Winchester TN

13-13

35.55

11.79

14.60

9.16

35.55

22

Kevin Short

Fairfield Bay AR

13-12

35.78

0.50

14.25

9.21

11.82

35.28

23

Matthew Becker

Finleyville PA

12-12

35.00

17.81

2.70

14.49

35.00

24

Clifford Pirch

Payson AZ

12-12

34.92

7.49

17.31

10.12

34.92

25

Chip Gilbert

Yuma AZ

14-14

34.73

14.93

6.97

12.83

34.73

26

Tai Au

Glendale AZ

11-11

34.71

16.59

12.38

5.74

34.71

27

Todd Kline

San Clemente CA

14-14

34.21

14.90

10.52

8.79

34.21

28

Jeff Baird

Washington UT

11-11

33.77

18.04

3.85

11.88

33.77

29

Justin Kerr

Lake Havasu City AZ

14-14

33.42

11.06

12.65

9.71

33.42

30

Shane Edgar

Glendale AZ

11-11

33.23

18.66

7.26

7.31

33.23

31

Bill Brown

Grand Junction CO

14-14

33.22

14.90

7.43

10.89

33.22

32

Jim Moynagh

Shakopee MN

14-14

33.02

6.81

11.99

14.22

33.02

33

Luke Clausen

Otis Orchards WA

11-10

33.26

0.50

16.95

11.55

4.26

32.76

34

Jason Bryan

Henderson NV

13-13

31.40

12.09

12.22

7.09

31.40

35

Cody Kurz

Oxnard CA

13-12

31.19

0.50

10.39

11.82

8.48

30.69

36

Shane Spinning

Canyon Lake CA

13-13

30.54

9.57

12.05

8.92

30.54

37

Justin Patti

Peoria AZ

15-15

30.35

11.98

10.60

7.77

30.35

38

Matt Shura

Gilbert AZ

12-12

30.19

12.25

14.05

3.89

30.19

39

Bill O'Shinn

Auburn CA

15-15

29.99

9.86

11.66

8.47

29.99

40

Daylon Smith

Frazier Park CA

15-15

29.93

11.12

8.24

10.57

29.93

41

Andrew Napoleon

Mesa AZ

11-11

29.57

15.25

10.82

3.50

29.57

42

Mike Luiere

Henderson NV

14-14

29.51

8.36

10.46

10.69

29.51

43

Brian Tressen

Corona CA

10-10

29.28

15.63

7.43

6.22

29.28

44

Brett Leber

Dixon CA

14-14

29.00

12.20

9.08

7.72

29.00

45

Chris Kinley

Lake Havasu City AZ

13-13

28.64

15.97

4.32

8.35

28.64

46

Jerry Ballesteros

Rancho Cucamonga CA

9-8

29.10

0.50

19.52

4.64

4.44

28.60

47

Dylan Maxon

Pioera AZ

12-12

28.52

16.11

4.90

7.51

28.52

48

Jeff Giffen

Phoenix AZ

11-10

28.98

0.50

14.81

3.93

9.74

28.48

49

Ryan Yamagata

Las Vegas NV

14-14

28.20

13.54

6.20

8.46

28.20

50

Steve Molinari

Waddell AZ

11-11

27.94

8.52

11.79

7.63

27.94

51

Connor Jacob

Auburn AL

12-12

27.94

7.05

11.24

9.65

27.94

52

Darius Arberry

Las Vegas NV

11-11

27.30

15.59

3.11

8.60

27.30

53

Mike Caruso

Peoria AZ

11-11

26.84

15.10

10.30

1.44

26.84

54

Anthony Salazar

Henderson NV

11-11

26.21

8.42

6.99

10.80

26.21

55

Tom White Jr.

Tustin CA

8-8

25.76

17.63

1.26

6.87

25.76

56

Colby Pearson

Rogue River OR

10-10

25.67

4.45

8.80

12.42

25.67

57

Dick Watson

Boulder City NV

10-9

26.10

0.50

12.18

3.09

10.33

25.60

58

Tyler Ivie

West Haven UT

12-12

25.50

7.77

7.95

9.78

25.50

59

Ron Hammett

La Mesa CA

7-7

25.22

7.85

13.81

3.56

25.22

60

Matthew Luna

Santee CA

15-15

25.19

8.33

10.04

6.82

25.19

61

Robert Morales

Williams AZ

10-10

25.08

2.90

13.26

8.92

25.08

62

Adam Cacal

Las Vegas NV

10-10

24.37

13.43

5.80

5.14

24.37

63

Sean Coffey

Mesa AZ

7-7

23.58

5.20

6.34

12.04

23.58

64

John Murray

Spring City TN

12-12

22.98

5.47

9.41

8.10

22.98

65

Joe Cole

Coalville UT

13-13

22.92

7.80

11.96

3.16

22.92

66

Mark Lassagne

San Ramon CA

11-10

23.03

0.50

6.03

11.91

4.59

22.53

67

Tim Klinger

Boulder City NV

11-11

22.48

11.95

6.73

3.80

22.48

68

Greg Halliman

Littlerock CA

10-10

22.39

6.47

10.33

5.59

22.39

69

CJ Hinkle

Fort Mohave AZ

10-10

22.36

7.58

8.94

5.84

22.36

70

Rusty Salewske

Alpine CA

12-12

21.85

11.53

4.94

5.38

21.85

71

Johnny Johnson

Lakeside AZ

10-10

21.70

13.70

1.98

6.02

21.70

72

Jeff Rutt

Lake Havasu City AZ

9-9

21.58

12.42

3.64

5.52

21.58

73

Austin Melville

Gilbert AZ

11-11

21.34

11.00

4.73

5.61

21.34

74

Christopher Allen

Grand Junction CO

10-10

21.29

12.40

1.12

7.77

21.29

75

Pete Marino

Moreno Valley CA

12-12

21.20

7.12

5.10

8.98

21.20

76

Scooter Griffith

Mesa AZ

10-10

21.00

4.99

10.25

5.76

21.00

77

John Basmadjian

Canyon Lakw CA

11-11

20.76

6.14

8.49

6.13

20.76

78

Westly Gritts

Folsom CA

8-8

20.58

13.19

1.52

5.87

20.58

79

Travis Jewell

Tyler TX

9-9

20.35

13.03

2.87

4.45

20.35

80

David Kemper

Tempe AZ

7-7

20.28

9.70

10.58

20.28

81

James Salazar

Chandler AZ

10-10

20.20

11.37

8.83

20.20

82

Randy Pierson

Oakdale CA

8-8

20.11

6.55

11.79

1.77

20.11

83

Mark Dotterer

Phoenix AZ

9-9

19.91

12.78

2.98

4.15

19.91

84

Trace Myers

Santaquin UT

7-7

19.60

11.52

8.08

19.60

85

Tony Lain

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

19.59

9.27

8.00

2.32

19.59

86

Marvin Finley

Peoria AZ

6-6

19.49

1.94

4.74

12.81

19.49

87

Micah Jones

Kingman AZ

9-5

21.36

2.00

13.25

6.11

19.36

88

Shawn Herring

Las Vegas NV

9-9

19.33

3.35

8.11

7.87

19.33

89

Todd Woods

Long Beach CA

6-6

19.23

4.41

3.83

10.99

19.23

90

Dan Frazier

Paso Robles CA

11-11

18.72

6.43

5.83

6.46

18.72

91

Dave Davis

Mesa AZ

11-11

18.64

7.46

8.35

2.83

18.64

92

Jeff Hudson

Las Vegas NV

9-9

18.63

8.78

5.94

3.91

18.63

93

Chris Harvey

Idaho Falls ID

7-6

19.10

0.50

3.35

7.80

7.45

18.60

94

Levi Samz

Rock Springs WY

7-7

18.35

1.54

11.57

5.24

18.35

95

Chris Ricci

Ignacio CO

11-10

18.67

0.50

8.68

8.79

0.70

18.17

96

Douglas Jones

North Las vegas NV

10-10

18.05

7.66

10.39

18.05

97

Cameron Karber

Munds Park AZ

9-9

18.04

9.99

6.35

1.70

18.04

98

Victor Azevedo

Filer ID

9-9

17.85

9.33

4.86

3.66

17.85

99

Rodney Reed

Chelan WA

10-10

17.84

9.10

5.33

3.41

17.84

100

Tom Leedom

Escondido CA

11-11

16.91

1.29

8.24

7.38

16.91

101

Matt Thomas

Scottsdale AZ

6-6

16.87

8.25

4.16

4.46

16.87

102

Gary Klein

Mingus TX

9-9

16.75

4.77

10.46

1.52

16.75

103

Jordan Collom

Canyon Lake CA

8-8

16.52

9.38

7.14

16.52

104

Kazuki Kodama

Tokyo Japan

9-9

16.43

8.68

6.51

1.24

16.43

105

Mike Bird

Tonopah NV

9-9

15.97

5.99

3.32

6.66

15.97

106

Dung Van Vu

Paramount CA

8-7

16.41

0.50

9.69

2.99

3.23

15.91

107

Joshua Advocate

Fort Mohave AZ

6-6

15.78

1.52

12.73

1.53

15.78

108

Brandon Gaither

Oakdale CA

9-9

15.69

9.19

2.59

3.91

15.69

109

Jesse A. Marquez

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

15.54

1.66

7.86

6.02

15.54

110

Eric Inman

West Jordan UT

7-7

16.21

1.00

12.07

3.14

15.21

111

Shane Noel

California City CA

6-6

14.83

6.15

4.55

4.13

14.83

112

Christopher Owen

Poway CA

8-8

14.78

3.63

3.47

7.68

14.78

113

Phillip Emery

Oxnard CA

5-5

14.66

3.93

9.53

1.20

14.66

114

Darren Wilson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

14.45

2.39

12.06

14.45

115

Clayton Meyer

Henderson NV

6-6

14.41

6.45

3.61

4.35

14.41

116

Joe Ahrens

San Diego CA

8-8

14.35

3.20

6.43

4.72

14.35

117

Rick Correa

Wilsonville OR

4-4

14.19

6.58

3.21

4.40

14.19

118

Daymond Allen

Murrieta CA

6-6

13.99

11.03

2.96

13.99

119

Scott Davis

Preston ID

9-9

13.52

4.41

5.06

4.05

13.52

120

David Meza

Camarillo CA

4-4

13.44

5.85

7.59

13.44

121

Kevin Hugo

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

13.33

13.33

13.33

122

John Morrow

Kingman AZ

8-8

13.30

6.01

1.12

6.17

13.30

123

Nick Young

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

13.23

6.34

6.89

13.23

124

Brandon Morton

San Tan Valley AZ

6-6

12.83

3.72

9.11

12.83

125

Matty Wong

Collinsville TX

6-6

12.80

4.19

4.83

3.78

12.80

126

Brian Nunn

Bakersfield CA

6-6

12.75

5.69

1.76

5.30

12.75

127

David Gliebe

Manteca CA

6-6

12.62

2.17

10.45

12.62

128

Jesse Halstead

Bonney Lake WA

8-8

12.44

2.93

8.29

1.22

12.44

129

Russ Barger

Boise ID

6-6

12.39

4.13

4.66

3.60

12.39

130

Mason McAbee

Bakersfield CA

5-5

12.33

9.91

2.42

12.33

131

Allen Clark

Florence AZ

6-6

12.26

7.68

4.58

12.26

132

Jonathan Jackson

Las Vegas NV

7-7

12.18

6.89

2.96

2.33

12.18

133

Steven Bowlin

Atlanta TX

6-6

11.92

4.21

7.71

11.92

134

Craig Taylor

Oceanside CA

7-7

11.86

6.67

5.19

11.86

135

Ken Whalen

Lompoc CA

6-6

11.82

7.86

3.96

11.82

136

Tyson Christman

Glendale AZ

5-5

11.72

8.96

2.76

11.72

137

Keith Nighswonger

La Habra CA

6-6

11.55

9.86

1.69

11.55

138

Brad Szarkowski

Santa Clarita CA

4-3

11.93

0.50

7.70

3.73

11.43

139

Kevin Caruso

Glendale AZ

5-5

11.25

6.18

5.07

11.25

140

Matt Bradley

Henderson CA

6-6

11.06

3.76

2.70

4.60

11.06

141

James Wirts

Mesa AZ

4-4

10.87

1.55

3.86

5.46

10.87

142

Ricky Shabazz

La Mesa CA

4-4

10.76

6.73

4.03

10.76

143

Carl Limbrick, Jr.

Bonita CA

4-4

10.76

5.88

4.88

10.76

144

Josh Albee

Golden Valley AZ

5-5

10.60

9.12

1.48

10.60

145

James Wilcox

Reno CA

4-4

10.34

3.94

6.40

10.34

146

Andy Manahl

Mesa AZ

5-5

10.32

4.92

3.91

1.49

10.32

147

Guy Williams

Perris CA

7-7

10.21

1.43

1.16

7.62

10.21

148

Jeff Stuart

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.44

7.81

1.63

9.44

149

Kevin Wiggins

Winterheaven CA

5-5

9.10

9.10

9.10

150

Jimmy Reese

Ukiah CA

5-5

8.96

4.05

3.07

1.84

8.96

151

Kyle Richins

Washington UT

3-3

8.88

8.88

8.88

152

Dave Kiesgen

Peorea AZ

6-6

8.87

2.73

6.14

8.87

153

Lowell Mickelson

Anahiem CA

6-6

8.84

6.37

1.02

1.45

8.84

154

Kevin Finley

Phoenix AZ

4-4

8.55

5.92

2.63

8.55

155

David Baca

Humboldt AZ

4-4

8.22

6.98

1.24

8.22

156

Cory Kerber

Madera CA

4-4

7.80

3.35

3.14

1.31

7.80

157

Jeremy Mann

San Jose CA

4-4

6.84

3.10

3.74

6.84

158

Robert Yelland

Coeur d Alene ID

3-3

6.51

2.00

4.51

6.51

159

Philip Roesener

Choctaw OK

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

160

Jamie Shaw

Coolidge AZ

4-4

6.22

6.22

6.22

161

George Sholl

Washington UT

2-2

6.04

2.17

3.87

6.04

162

Byron Velvick

Boerne TX

2-2

5.94

5.94

5.94

163

Brett Hite

Phoenix AZ

2-2

5.78

5.78

5.78

164

Gary Martlage

Pheonix AZ

3-3

5.73

3.52

2.21

5.73

165

Paul Ojala

Glendale AZ

3-3

5.62

3.65

1.97

5.62

166

Conrad Demecs

New River AZ

2-2

5.05

5.05

5.05

167

Mark Poe

Coolidge AZ

2-2

4.92

2.67

2.25

4.92

168

Joe Patz

Surprise AZ

3-3

4.81

4.81

4.81

169

Dan Davis

Hurrican UT

2-2

4.52

4.52

4.52

170

Greg Garcia

Cibola AZ

3-3

4.37

1.34

3.03

4.37

171

Dan Merchant

Canyon Lake CA

2-2

4.02

4.02

4.02

172

John Martinez

Las Vegas NV

2-2

3.68

1.30

2.38

3.68

173

Billy Hines

Vacaville CA

3-3

3.56

2.46

1.10

3.56

174

Eslam Moursi

Torrance CA

1-1

3.39

3.39

3.39

175

Mike Huseman

Bullhead City AZ

2-2

3.27

3.27

3.27

176

James Weaver

Lehi UT

2-2

2.88

2.88

2.88

177

Melvin Williams

Chula Vista CA

1-1

1.97

1.97

1.97

178

Jeffery Klicka

Brawley CA

1-1

1.54

1.54

1.54

179

Rob Sanford

San Diego CA

1-1

1.23

1.23

1.23

180

Jerren Slaton

Afton TX

0-0

0.00

0.00

181

Jiggs Benn

Myrtle Creek OR

0-0

0.00

0.00

182

Rick Clunn

Ava MO

0-0

0.00

0.00

183

Rick Mason

Glendale AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

AAA Final Results

Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Total

1

Anthony Hunt

Clovis CA

15-15

41.28

17.63

13.26

10.39

41.28

2

Markus Avalos

Las Vegas NV

12-12

40.05

18.66

3.07

18.32

40.05

3

Quincy Lewis

San Diego CA

13-13

39.98

20.70

5.06

14.22

39.98

4

Travis Hargis

Chula Vista CA

12-12

38.98

20.23

10.46

8.29

38.98

5

Bo McNeely

Rancho Cucamunga CA

15-14

39.19

0.50

12.18

11.99

14.52

38.69

6

Brian Reaves

Bullhead City AZ

13-12

38.83

0.50

14.90

18.84

4.59

38.33

7

Tony Witt

Orange CA

15-15

37.72

11.79

17.33

8.60

37.72

8

Christopher Tobin

Lompoc CA

13-13

37.25

18.40

7.86

10.99

37.25

9

Steven Cook

Willow AK

11-11

36.35

18.83

16.03

1.49

36.35

10

Robert Murrin

Buelton CA

12-12

35.70

7.81

18.97

8.92

35.70

11

Garrett Ott

Huntington Beach CA

12-12

34.42

13.54

14.71

6.17

34.42

12

Donald Lugert

Needles CA

10-10

34.33

18.94

15.39

34.33

13

Joel Chin

Rosemead CA

13-13

34.18

13.03

10.82

10.33

34.18

14

Andrew Packard

Fresno CA

10-9

33.32

0.50

14.81

10.38

7.63

32.82

15

Ellison Hubbard

LAS VEGAS NV

12-12

32.82

11.00

17.31

4.51

32.82

16

Todd Tobiasson

Las Vegas NV

11-11

32.74

12.09

4.16

16.49

32.74

17

David Childress

Bakersfield CA

14-14

32.49

16.95

5.83

9.71

32.49

18

David Stanberry

Wasilla AK

12-12

32.41

6.01

12.12

14.28

32.41

19

Antonio Paniccia

Phoenix AZ

11-11

32.39

17.74

10.52

4.13

32.39

20

Tim Domingues

San Jose CA

11-11

32.02

6.73

8.08

17.21

32.02

21

John Bitting

Kingman AZ

12-12

31.78

10.83

11.79

9.16

31.78

22

Mike McMillan

Burbank CA

15-15

31.65

13.70

10.33

7.62

31.65

23

Kyle Gelles

Pingree ID

11-11

30.95

15.63

5.80

9.52

30.95

24

Joseph Johnson

Goodyear AZ

13-13

30.85

13.31

10.45

7.09

30.85

25

Makoto Otani

Japan

11-10

31.29

0.50

6.43

11.55

12.81

30.79

26

Brian Pappalardo

Corona CA

8-8

30.75

20.17

10.58

30.75

27

Tom Nokes

Riverton UT

13-13

30.57

13.19

13.33

4.05

30.57

28

Chris White

Clayton CA

10-10

30.54

9.27

2.73

18.54

30.54

29

Greg Wheeler

Atascadero CA

9-9

30.46

18.04

12.42

30.46

30

Tom Creasy

Covina CA

15-15

30.39

7.80

9.41

13.18

30.39

31

Tim Demecs

Pheonix AZ

10-10

30.28

15.68

14.60

30.28

32

Kevin A. Smith

Phoenix AZ

12-12

30.13

12.20

11.91

6.02

30.13

33

Coy Mott

Fruitland ID

8-8

30.11

20.58

9.53

30.11

34

Dylan Watson

Hayward CA

8-8

29.69

2.17

7.59

19.93

29.69

35

Dayne Mendes

Hilmar CA

12-11

30.09

0.50

10.39

12.06

7.14

29.59

36

Michael Croft

Alcoa TN

9-9

29.38

1.66

18.98

8.74

29.38

37

Sean Slonski

Buckeye AZ

8-7

29.64

0.50

19.52

3.86

5.76

29.14

38

Kyle Clark

Port Orchard WA

10-10

29.09

7.12

17.57

4.40

29.09

39

R. Stephen
Gustafson

Santa Monica CA

13-13

29.01

13.43

7.43

8.15

29.01

40

Steve Jenkins

Apache Junction AZ

12-12

28.88

6.58

12.65

9.65

28.88

41

Tyler Ford

Tucson AZ

15-15

28.63

11.37

10.60

6.66

28.63

42

Geoff Peterson

Huntington Beach CA

10-10

28.62

19.26

5.10

4.26

28.62

43

Shawn Carnahan

Gilbert AZ

10-10

28.34

18.30

10.04

28.34

44

Ronnie Orbaker

Madera CA

12-11

28.76

0.50

12.56

2.63

13.07

28.26

45

Shawn Wagner

Glendale AZ

12-12

28.26

15.87

3.93

8.46

28.26

46

Mandy Myers

Santaquin UT

12-12

28.10

12.40

4.90

10.80

28.10

47

Wyatt Hansen

Oakdale CA

13-13

27.99

12.78

4.32

10.89

27.99

48

Randy Bruno

Huntington Beach CA

10-10

27.96

3.63

6.35

17.98

27.96

49

David Shearrer

Trabuco Canyon CA

11-11

27.58

5.92

9.66

12.00

27.58

50

Mike Hawkins

Boulder City NV

9-9

27.35

19.58

7.77

27.35

51

Anthony Souza

Rio Vista CA

11-11

27.19

2.17

16.55

8.47

27.19

52

John D. Helm

Tempe AZ

10-10

27.11

14.90

8.80

3.41

27.11

53

Brett Robbins

Solvang CA

11-11

25.89

11.53

10.30

4.06

25.89

54

Daniel Martinez

Murrieta CA

9-9

25.89

9.70

13.81

2.38

25.89

55

Mike Kizis

Belle River ON

9-9

25.70

15.59

6.51

3.60

25.70

56

Noah Sanford

Boulder City NV

12-12

25.44

7.05

9.91

8.48

25.44

57

Randall Coyle

Eagle Mountain UT

9-9

25.40

16.59

4.66

4.15

25.40

58

James Clayton

Prescott AZ

11-11

25.23

6.98

15.09

3.16

25.23

59

Mike Rasso

Phoenix AZ

13-13

25.20

5.47

11.96

7.77

25.20

60

Damon Motley

Orange CA

11-11

24.79

11.03

8.24

5.52

24.79

61

Eric Hammer

Peoria AZ

10-9

24.91

0.50

14.25

8.94

1.22

24.41

62

Andrew Bell

San Tan Valley AZ

11-11

24.03

6.03

9.08

8.92

24.03

63

Bryan Davis

Goleta CA

8-8

23.97

4.41

19.56

23.97

64

Jonathan Emmons

Surprise AZ

9-9

23.81

4.21

12.73

6.87

23.81

65

Zack Hayes

Blythe CA

11-11

23.77

8.68

3.11

11.98

23.77

66

Bill Eastes

Boulder Creek CA

9-9

23.69

5.78

10.46

7.45

23.69

67

Vincent Alcantara

Phoenix AZ

10-10

23.52

6.14

4.55

12.83

23.52

68

Ray Kawabata

Bothel WA

13-13

23.42

7.46

12.05

3.91

23.42

69

Robbie Espinosa

Yorba Linda CA

9-9

23.28

8.88

3.83

10.57

23.28

70

Rick Mikla

Discovery Bay CA

11-11

23.27

9.86

7.95

5.46

23.27

71

Fred Buelna

Chandler AZ

10-10

22.74

11.06

3.21

8.47

22.74

72

Bobby Tidd

Mesa AZ

11-11

22.71

3.76

8.83

10.12

22.71

73

Ron Morrison

Lompoc CA

8-8

22.38

1.23

9.11

12.04

22.38

74

Greg Prather

Mesa AZ

7-7

22.03

6.34

15.69

22.03

75

Hayden Metz

Eastvalle CA

8-8

21.39

11.52

4.03

5.84

21.39

76

Greg Wood

Branson MO

9-9

21.39

14.93

6.46

21.39

77

Robert Gower

Lake Forest CA

8-8

21.34

7.77

1.69

11.88

21.34

78

Mike Gabrielson

Bullhead City AZ

10-10

21.12

9.33

11.79

21.12

79

Rocky Luiere

Henderson NV

11-11

20.97

8.78

4.81

7.38

20.97

80

Paul Gelles

Pingree ID

9-8

21.33

0.50

8.36

11.77

0.70

20.83

81

Jonathan Green

San Pablo CA

8-8

20.82

3.27

14.05

3.50

20.82

82

Gavin Hammer

Peoria AZ

9-9

21.79

1.00

3.65

14.00

3.14

20.79

83

Jacob Crawford

San Pedro CA

11-11

20.76

3.72

11.66

5.38

20.76

84

Todd Belzner

Cave Creek AZ

9-9

20.47

8.25

12.22

20.47

85

Jay Witecki

North Las Vegas NV

9-9

20.43

9.19

3.14

8.10

20.43

86

Donnie Scroggins

Kingman AZ

9-9

20.42

11.98

2.70

5.74

20.42

87

Mike Dailey

Reno NV

8-8

20.35

6.55

13.80

20.35

88

Kirk Marshall

Discovery Bay CA

8-4

22.24

2.00

13.25

6.99

20.24

89

David Sloane

Tousand Oaks CA

6-6

20.17

3.93

14.54

1.70

20.17

90

Daniel Lutz

Las Vegas NV

11-11

20.07

9.10

4.83

6.14

20.07

91

Kevin McBean

Shafter CA

8-8

20.04

15.10

4.94

20.04

92

Joe Aldridge

Escondido CA

5-5

19.67

7.85

11.82

19.67

93

William Duncan

Hollister CA

6-6

19.57

17.81

1.76

19.57

94

Mike Olsen

Bullhead AZ

7-7

19.55

16.11

1.12

2.32

19.55

95

David Hutto

Escondido CA

10-10

19.39

9.12

2.76

7.51

19.39

96

Joseph Lineberry

Ramseur NC

8-8

19.25

8.52

4.86

5.87

19.25

97

Brian Bullis Jr.

Anthem AZ

9-9

19.17

12.98

1.12

5.07

19.17

98

Robert Munoz

Hollister CA

7-7

18.95

15.97

2.98

18.95

99

Mike Crothers

Chandler AZ

7-7

18.78

12.07

3.32

3.39

18.78

100

Jade Larson

Pleasant Grove UT

9-9

18.74

3.35

10.25

5.14

18.74

101

James Darling

Glendale AZ

9-9

18.33

8.42

6.11

3.80

18.33

102

Alex Martinez

Menifee CA

11-11

18.24

5.20

6.22

6.82

18.24

103

Kenny Johnson

Eager AZ

7-7

18.12

15.25

2.87

18.12

104

Steve W. Clark

Fresno CA

6-6

18.02

6.45

11.57

18.02

105

Mike Gowey

Snowflake AZ

9-9

17.98

8.24

9.74

17.98

106

James Murphy

Gilbert AZ

10-10

17.92

9.57

8.35

17.92

107

Chris Beverly

Queen Creek AZ

8-8

17.75

8.96

1.48

7.31

17.75

108

John Carroll

Phoenix AZ

6-6

17.61

1.94

1.24

14.43

17.61

109

Landon Allen

Grand Junction CO

8-8

17.55

5.94

6.89

4.72

17.55

110

Michael McCarville

Lae Havasu City AZ

7-7

17.42

2.93

14.49

17.42

111

Tom Kruse

Cayucos CA

9-8

17.73

0.50

6.37

2.99

7.87

17.23

112

Scott Johnson

Vacaville CA

9-9

17.17

8.68

3.91

4.58

17.17

113

Chris Carpenter

Grants Pass OR

7-6

17.53

0.50

7.70

4.88

4.45

17.03

114

Ken Hromada

Gilbert AZ

8-8

16.79

7.58

9.21

16.79

115

Curtis Tara

Hayward CA

5-5

16.66

16.66

16.66

116

Ethan Hammer

Peoria AZ

7-7

16.55

11.95

4.60

16.55

117

Charlie Crawford

Peoria AZ

7-7

16.51

4.13

12.38

16.51

118

Ron Reed

Boulder City NV

8-8

16.33

12.42

3.91

16.33

119

Nathan Hill

Henderson NV

10-10

16.32

6.67

1.30

8.35

16.32

120

Mario Caporuscio

Las Vegas NZ

8-8

16.17

6.47

1.98

7.72

16.17

121

Fisher Griffith

Mesa AZ

9-9

16.17

6.15

8.49

1.53

16.17

122

Dylan Moore

Bakersfield CA

8-8

16.12

9.99

3.47

2.66

16.12

123

Dave Cole

Roy UT

9-9

16.11

9.38

6.73

16.11

124

Tom Warren

Maricopa AZ

9-9

16.04

4.92

8.79

2.33

16.04

125

Bryan Colby

Prescott AZ

10-10

15.77

8.33

6.20

1.24

15.77

126

Ryan Vilmur

Oakdale CA

7-7

15.75

4.05

7.26

4.44

15.75

127

Kevin Holmgreen

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

15.54

4.45

7.43

3.66

15.54

128

Thomas Hanes

Lemoore CA

7-7

15.36

1.52

7.71

6.13

15.36

129

William Penrod

Salome AZ

7-7

15.35

7.86

6.18

1.31

15.35

130

Tom White, Sr.

Fountain Valley CA

8-8

15.28

11.12

2.96

1.20

15.28

131

James Denny

Apache Junction AZ

8-8

15.17

1.55

4.64

8.98

15.17

132

David Thies

Lake Havasu City CA

8-8

14.94

4.99

8.11

1.84

14.94

133

Rick Melead

Yorba Linda CA

8-8

14.93

1.54

3.61

9.78

14.93

134

Craig Miller

Las Vegas NV

8-8

14.73

3.35

2.59

8.79

14.73

135

Randy Weber

Phelan CA

7-7

14.70

10.74

1.54

2.42

14.70

136

Christopher Irigoyen

Henderson NV

7-7

14.69

9.10

5.59

14.69

137

Mike Faherty

Lake Havasu City AZ

7-6

15.19

0.50

6.89

7.80

14.69

138

Rob Copple

Pahrump NV

4-4

14.22

8.00

6.22

14.22

139

Mike Peterson

Hemet CA

6-6

14.21

2.39

11.82

14.21

140

Travis Smith

Canyon Lake CA

6-6

14.03

6.45

1.97

5.61

14.03

141

Len Scinto

Santa Clarita CA

7-7

13.99

7.49

4.73

1.77

13.99

142

Ron Goldshine

Los Angeles CA

7-7

13.54

9.69

1.02

2.83

13.54

143

Benjamin Green

Jasper TN

8-8

13.47

1.29

7.66

4.52

13.47

144

Chance Gammon

Bakersfield CA

6-6

12.73

1.97

4.74

6.02

12.73

145

Joseph Riordan

Bullhead City AZ

7-7

12.68

9.60

1.63

1.45

12.68

146

Cole Daniel

Salinas CA

7-7

12.39

2.46

2.25

7.68

12.39

147

Chad Prochaska

Blythe CA

6-6

12.34

5.94

6.40

12.34

148

Jason Abernathy

Goodyear AZ

7-7

12.28

5.69

2.70

3.89

12.28

149

Jonathan Baker

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.25

12.25

12.25

150

Kevin Gross

Redding CA

6-6

12.21

1.52

10.69

12.21

151

Jordan Werner

Hurricane UT

7-7

12.07

8.29

3.78

12.07

152

Richard Craft

Puyallup WA

6-6

12.02

5.05

6.97

12.02

153

Dave Phillips

Nampa ID

5-5

11.60

3.94

3.64

4.02

11.60

154

Eric Stanley

Antioch CA

3-3

11.24

11.24

11.24

155

Ruben Sandoval

Blythe CA

4-4

11.24

5.85

3.87

1.52

11.24

156

Adam Spies

Costa Mesa CA

6-6

10.64

4.33

6.31

10.64

157

JP Brandvig

Chandler AZ

5-5

10.08

6.34

3.74

10.08

158

Brian P. Day

San Diego CA

4-4

9.99

6.43

3.56

9.99

159

Scott Holman

Orange CA

6-6

9.90

6.81

3.09

9.90

160

Brent Johnson

S. Lake Tahoe CA

5-5

9.89

7.68

2.21

9.89

161

Jay Cranney

Rockford TN

5-5

9.86

9.86

9.86

162

Ray Gauerke

Porterville CA

4-4

9.65

1.34

3.85

4.46

9.65

163

Patrick S. Donoho

Las Vegas NV

3-3

9.61

5.88

3.73

9.61

164

Darin Guglielmo

Santa Barbara CA

6-6

9.52

4.19

5.33

9.52

165

Jacob Yates

Flagstaff AZ

6-6

9.39

4.77

4.62

9.39

166

Justin Sperle

Queen Creek AZ

3-3

9.22

5.99

3.23

9.22

167

Ty Crofts

Cedar City UT

4-4

9.07

2.67

1.10

5.30

9.07

168

Gary Freeman

Las Vegas NV

5-5

8.97

4.62

4.35

8.97

169

Gary Volpe

Payson AZ

4-4

8.76

3.52

5.24

8.76

170

Brian Avila

Lenmoore CA

5-5

7.07

2.88

1.16

3.03

7.07

171

Joe Feola

Riverside CA

4-4

6.63

5.19

1.44

6.63

172

Ralph Wells

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

6.31

3.35

2.96

6.31

173

Chuck Turner

Golden Valley AZ

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

174

Kevin Burgess

Kingman AZ

2-2

4.41

4.41

4.41

175

Junior Barajas

Las Vegas NV

3-3

4.16

2.90

1.26

4.16

176

Kanin Fife

Mesa AZ

7-7

4.02

3.10

0.92

4.02

177

Scott Robertson

Norco CA

2-2

3.96

3.96

3.96

178

Rick Moore

Salinas CA

2-2

3.20

3.20

3.20

179

Chris Gritts

Folsom CA

1-1

2.00

2.00

2.00


Big limit of spotted bass lifts Dube to lead at B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell

Tim Dube of Nashua, N. H., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with 16 pounds, 3 ounces.

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 18, 2023

ANDERSON, S.C. — Tim Dube had never fished a competitive round on Lake Hartwell prior to Wednesday's start of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

But he went out and treated the place like home water.

Dube, a 29-year-old New Hampshire resident, caught a limit of five spotted bass for a total of 16 pounds, 3 ounces. That was enough to give him a 2-ounce lead over defending B.A.S.S. Nation Champion and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Will Davis Jr., who finished Day 1 with 16-1.

"It was tough to even get fish to bite in practice," Dube said. "But I got a tip from my co-angler from New Hampshire, and I ran some stuff I found in pre-practices. I just got the right ones to bite today. And I had room to grow, too. I had a 5-pounder break off at the boat."

Dube was tightlipped when it came to the lures he used to hook Day 1's big bag, but he indicated he's covering a lot of water and power fishing.

"I'm doing something different, and I don't have any boats around me," he said. "(The key) has been finding the right brushpiles and the canepiles. The fish need to be set up on them right and to be unpressured, if there is such a thing here."

Dube said he'll continue with the tactics that helped him climb into the pole position on Day 1.

"I could get 8 pounds and I could get 18 pounds," he said. "The good thing is the fish seem to reload every day. There are so many fish in this lake. It's just a matter of getting them to bite."

Davis, 31, already knows what it takes to win a B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, having won the 2022 title on Pickwick Lake. That got the Sylacauga, Ala., resident into the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville (he finished 40th of 55 anglers). It also earned him a spot on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series, and he impressed there, winning a derby on Lay Lake back in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

Davis said those experiences have given him plenty of confidence.

"It got my mind right to compete at another level,” he said. “Fishing is all about confidence. If you don’t have it, you might as well not even put a boat in the water.

“And Hartwell fits my style pretty well. I know the way the spotted bass behave some days. But they'll change up on you. I must've fished 50 spots today and I only caught fish on four of them."

Davis said three of his keepers came on a Davis Bait Company Wood Jig, and one each on a Davis 1/2-ounce spinnerbait (peacock color) and a Davis Shaky Head.

"That Wood Jig is a bad dude," he said. "It's a phenomenal bait when you power fish and want to cover a lot of water.”

Maryland’s Andrew Sams is third in the boater division with 14-8. South Africa’s Andrew Nienaber is fourth with 14-7 and Michigan’s Nic Rand is fifth with 14-5. Georgia’s Chris Moody, who’s in sixth place with 14-3, caught the heaviest bass in the boater field (4-4).

Cole Buser, who’s representing New Mexico, leads the nonboater field with a limit that weighed 13 pounds. Virginia’s Larry Witt is second with 11-11 and Kansas’ Kyle Klein is third with 10-15. Klein’s 4-8 spot was the heavy on Wednesday.

A total of 113 B.A.S.S. Nation anglers from 48 states and eight foreign countries are competing at Hartwell — the storied 56,000-acre reservoir straddling the South Carolina-Georgia border. Fifty-eight competitors are in the boater field and another 55 are nonboaters. Each finished atop their state standings at one of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals this year to qualify for the championship.

Davis is fishing alone, as is customary for the defending champion. So are Jurgen Geiger of Namibia and Texas’ Jack Barber, who is representing the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Besides the U.S. and Namibia, other countries represented this week include Canada, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Japan, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The field will be cut after the Day 2 weigh-in, with the Top 10 boaters advancing to the third and final day of competition. Anglers from each of the five B.A.S.S Nation regions that don’t have a Top 10 weight after Day 2 also will advance to the final round, as will any nonboater whose weight is equal to or greater than any boater in the Top 10.

The Top 10 in each field will split a cash purse of $96,500, including Big Bass awards ($1,000 to the boater and $500 to the nonboater), as well as a $500 award to the angler using Garmin Electronics who finishes highest in the boater field.

The top three boaters will earn a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla., scheduled for March 22-24. The winner will qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Day 2 of the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship will begin with a 7:30 a.m. ET takeoff from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Follow all the action on Bassmaster.com.

Visit Anderson is hosting the event.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH               5  16-03    0
Day 1: 5   16-03
2.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL            5  16-01    0
Day 1: 5   16-01
3.  Andrew Sams            Easton, MD               5  14-08    0
Day 1: 5   14-08
4.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape   5  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-07
5.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI            5  14-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-05
6.  Chris Moody            Brooks, GA               5  14-03    0
Day 1: 5   14-03
7.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID             5  14-00    0
Day 1: 5   14-00
8.  Tyler Darling          Rapid City, SD           5  13-12    0
Day 1: 5   13-12
9.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI           5  13-08    0
Day 1: 5   13-08
10. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL              5  12-13    0
Day 1: 5   12-13
11. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME             5  12-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-08
12. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO         5  12-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04
13. Blake Wilson           Benton, AR               5  12-00    0
Day 1: 5   12-00
14. Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO              5  11-15    0
Day 1: 5   11-15
15. Riley Nielsen          Murray, UT               5  11-13    0
Day 1: 5   11-13
16. Tyler Ramsey           Sand Springs, OK         5  11-10    0
Day 1: 5   11-10
17. Aaron Green            Everett, PA              5  11-07    0
Day 1: 5   11-07
18. Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL            5  11-04    0
Day 1: 5   11-04
19. BJ Baxter              Willshire, OH            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
19. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
19. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
22. Kevin Walton           Norfolk, VA              5  10-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-15
23. Jess Pottenger         Harrison, ID             5  10-13    0
Day 1: 5   10-13
24. Austin Bonjour         Templeton, CA            5  10-10    0
Day 1: 5   10-10
25. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD               5  10-09    0
Day 1: 5   10-09
26. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR            5  10-02    0
Day 1: 5   10-02
27. Dave Frost             Mount Dora, FL           5  10-00    0
Day 1: 5   10-00
28. Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD          5  09-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-14
29. Gary Pope              Georgetown, SC           5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
30. Andrej Chowaniec       Beeton Ontario CANADA    5  09-06    0
Day 1: 5   09-06
31. Matthew Abeyta         Albuquerque, NM          5  09-04    0
Day 1: 5   09-04
32. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     5  09-03    0
Day 1: 5   09-03
33. Michael Mello Jr       Manville, RI             5  09-00    0
Day 1: 5   09-00
34. Byron Albrecht         Waco, TX                 5  08-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-12
34. Manuel Cruz            Clifton, NJ              5  08-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-12
36. Jay Swanson            Lakeville, MN            5  08-10    0
Day 1: 5   08-10
37. Jurgen Geiger          Luxury Hill Windoek  NA  5  08-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05
37. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI          5  08-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05
39. Frankie Mueller        Kingman, AZ              5  08-00    0
Day 1: 5   08-00
39. Matthew Nobile         Sorrento, LA             5  08-00    0
Day 1: 5   08-00
41. Marc Leech             Kings Mountian , NC      5  07-15    0
Day 1: 5   07-15
42. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-00
43. Dustin Hollen          Buckhannon, WV           5  06-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-13
44. Luis Tavares Mendes    Cernache Do Bonjardim P  5  06-11    0
Day 1: 5   06-11
45. Andre Kondonis         Harare ZIMBABWE          4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10
46. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               5  05-11    0
Day 1: 5   05-11
47. Jerry  Pape            Bella Vista, AR          5  05-10    0
Day 1: 5   05-10
48. Sean Andrachick        Marion, MT               4  05-10    0
Day 1: 4   05-10
49. Lukas Matt             Syracuse, NY             5  05-02    0
Day 1: 5   05-02
50. Andy Gill              Wellsville, KS           3  04-00    0
Day 1: 3   04-00
51. Richard Young Jr       Melbourne, KY            4  03-15    0
Day 1: 4   03-15
52. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT            3  03-11    0
Day 1: 3   03-11
53. Chad Warnol            Moss Point, MS           2  03-06    0
Day 1: 2   03-06
54. Oscar Gonzalez         Barcelona SPAIN          2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
54. Jorge Trapero Barraza  Culiac n Rosales TX MEX  2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
56. Jackie Barber          West , TX                2  02-09    0
Day 1: 2   02-09
57. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           1  01-05    0
Day 1: 1   01-05
58. Yoshi Komada           Nishinomiya JAPAN        1  01-01    0
Day 1: 1   01-01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        47       263       532-02
----------------------------------
47       263       532-02
2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Cole Buser             Moscow, ID               5  13-00    0
Day 1: 5   13-00
2.  Larry Witt             Evington, VA             5  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-11
3.  Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS           5  10-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-15
4.  Grant Aumiller         Danville, KY             5  10-05    0
Day 1: 5   10-05
5.  Richard White          Alexander City, AL       5  10-04    0
Day 1: 5   10-04
6.  Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ              5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
7.  Zachary Queeney        Atco, NJ                 5  08-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-13
8.  Dave Roberts           Sisters, OR              5  08-06    0
Day 1: 5   08-06
9.  Marshal Allen          Greeley, CO              4  07-15    0
Day 1: 4   07-15
9.  Ron Stierstorfer       Middle River, MD         4  07-15    0
Day 1: 4   07-15
11. James D'Ambra          Hanover, MA              5  07-11    0
Day 1: 5   07-11
12. Cooper Haase           Duncannon, PA            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-00
13. Keisuke Sakamoto       Shiga JAPAN              4  07-00    0
Day 1: 4   07-00
14. Tristan Garriga        Lucedale, MS             5  06-15    0
Day 1: 5   06-15
15. Hunter Frederickson    Redford, MI              5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
15. Andrew Sayles          Middleton, ID            5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
15. Joe Whelan             Ozark, MO                5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
18. Bryan Schumacher       Sparta, WI               4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10
19. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         4  06-09    0
Day 1: 4   06-09
20. Tristen Boyd           Monteagle, TN            4  06-08    0
Day 1: 4   06-08
21. Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               5  06-07    0
Day 1: 5   06-07
22. Gary Belanger          Plainville, CT           5  06-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-02
23. Edward Owens           Hemingway, SC            3  05-10    0
Day 1: 3   05-10
24. Kin Pui Wong           Bakersfield, CA          4  05-07    0
Day 1: 4   05-07
25. Jesus Morales          Apodaca Nuevo Leon  MEX  3  04-11    0
Day 1: 3   04-11
26. Agustin  Pintado Salas El Burgo Del Ebro, Zara  3  04-07    0
Day 1: 3   04-07
27. James Seymour          Oglesby, TX              3  04-05    0
Day 1: 3   04-05
28. Matt Summers           Gassaway, WV             3  03-13    0
Day 1: 3   03-13
29. Jason Campbell         Berwick, LA              3  03-08    0
Day 1: 3   03-08
30. Dean Yamagata          Las Vegas, NV            2  03-00    0
Day 1: 2   03-00
31. Eric Moulton           Enfield, NH              2  02-10    0
Day 1: 2   02-10
32. Alex Ellerbrock        Sugar Grove, IL          2  02-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-06
33. Will Presley Jr        Grove City, OH           2  02-02    0
Day 1: 2   02-02
34. Neels Beneke           Amanzimtoti SOUTH AFRIC  1  01-14    0
Day 1: 1   01-14
35. Dez Ruffin             Tukwila, WA              2  01-13    0
Day 1: 2   01-13
35. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             2  01-13    0
Day 1: 2   01-13
37. Roger Foraker          Magnolia, DE             1  01-12    0
Day 1: 1   01-12
38. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     1  01-11    0
Day 1: 1   01-11
39. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            2  01-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10
39. Miles Lausch           Lakeville, MN            2  01-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10
41. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               1  01-09    0
Day 1: 1   01-09
42. Carl Bowser            Indianapolis, IN         1  01-06    0
Day 1: 1   01-06
43. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         1  01-05    0
Day 1: 1   01-05
44. Grant Harris           Maiden, NC               1  01-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-00
45. Fernando Henriques Henriques Cernache Do Bonjardim P  1  00-15    0
Day 1: 1   00-15
46. Gavin Fraser           Bulawayo ZIMBABWE        1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14
47. Leray Anderson  II     Crofton, NE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Mike Bell              Ogdensburg, NY           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Jerry Duncklee         Fayette, IA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Tyler Guthmiller       Yankton, SD              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Christian Hanson       Rathdrum, ID             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Andrew Krauss          Seabright CANADA         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Claude Loftin          Jacksonville, FL         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Blake Macumber         Elkhorn, NE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        16       151       240-10
----------------------------------
16       151       240-10


Flagship Quality and Features

DAIWA's new SOL AGS inshore saltwater spinning rods now available.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (October 18, 2023) – Providing its best in sensitivity and durability blank construction and featuring flagship series components, DAIWA offers the right spinning rod for avid inshore saltwater anglers with its new SOL AGS spinning rods. A six-rod lineup to target everything from redfish, sea trout, snook, permit and ever tarpon, the one-piece, fast action rods are offered in three 7’ models in medium-light and medium-heavy powers, and three 7’6” rods in medium-light, medium-heavy and heavy action powers.

“Our main goal with the SOL AGS rods is to bring all the advancements DAIWA has made in rod development over the five years to the inshore saltwater market,” said DAIWA’s Marc Mills. “Anglers will quickly notice the advantages of our own AGS guides and micro pitch blank construction for inshore action that provides both sensitivity and the needed durability.”

DAIWA uses its HVF NANOPLUS carbon technology to reinforce the blank through a micro-level arrangement of material in the plastic resin, creating a smaller, lighter, and rigid yet powerful blank with impressive fish-stopping power. The Braiding X and X-45 Bias construction processes add better hoop strength for pulling on fish, plus prevents rod twisting and ovalization to contribute to longer, accurate casts.

DAIWA also includes its exclusive carbon framed Air Guide System (AGS) guides, considered some of the lightest and most sensitive on the market, on the SOL AGS rods. These lightweight carbon framed guides provide both more rigidity and sensitivity by intensifying vibrations during the cast to provide anglers with a quicker response and feel for increased lure action sensitivity.

Noted west coast Florida saltwater guide – and DAIWA pro staffer – Captain Geoff Page was involved in the early stages of the SOL AGS rod development. “These rods have an ideal slim and lightweight design, and yet are so powerful,” said Page. “Depending on the model, they are great for live bait situations, and perfect for casting a wide range of topwater plugs, jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.”

Page favors the SOL AGS 7’6” medium-heavy power rod paired with a DAIWA Certate LT 5000, along with the 7’6” medium power with a KAGE MQ 4000 spinning reel to target species on his home waters in around the greater Sarasota, Fla. area.

Mills notes the new 7’ and 7’6” SOL AGS rods also match up well with its 2500, 3000 and 4000 size Saltist MQ and BG MQ spinning reels, where the Monocoque (MQ) solid one-piece frame reduces flex and gear binding – a welcomed bonus when hooked up with big redfish or tarpon.

SOL AGS FEATURES:

  • DAIWA’s Exclusive Air Guide System (AGS)
  • X45® Bias Construction High
  • Volume Fiber (HVF) Construction
  • BRAIDING-X Carbon Fiber Braiding
  • Technology Daiwa’s Exclusive Air Sensor Reel Seats
  • Micro Pitch Blanks
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

MSRP $349.99


Kyle Grover Holds onto Lead on Day Two of 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open

Spencer Shuffield Moves into Second Place, Steven Cook Leads AAA Division

Laughlin, Nev. – October 17, 2023 – There is one constant that can be counted on in the world of professional bass fishing, and that is… change.  When the field for the 2023 WON Bass U.S. Open left Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina, they were greeted with warm, slick-calm environment that contrasted the breezy day one conditions.  How that would affect the fishing on the bathwater clear Lake Mohave fishery was at question.

While the 28,000 surface acres of Lake Mohave should provide plenty of real estate to target, the body of water tends to fish small, couple that with high skies, and flat winds, and the result was a high probability of change atop the leaderboard.  As the day two weigh-n began, it appeared that the day’s conditions may have an effect on the anglers, as several saw opposite results of their opening round performance.

For opening round leader Kyle Grover from Anaheim, Calif., that was not the case as he backed up his 20.70-pounds limit that gave him the day one lead with a 19.56-pound limit to bring his total weight to 40.26 pounds, enabling him to maintain his lead on day two.

Grover holds a slim .51-pound lead over Hot Springs, Ark. pro Spencer Shuffield who brought 19.58-pound limit of smallmouth to bring his total weight to 39.75 pounds.   Bryant Smith of Roseville, Calif. matched his day one 18-pound limit with 18.98 pounds to end the day in third place with 37.38 pounds, while Garrett Howard, from Riverside, Calif. added 17.57 to finish day two in fourth place with 36.83 pounds, and rounding out the top five is Patrick Touey, from Santa Maria, Calif. who brought 18.84 pounds to the scales for a total of 36.58 pounds.

Grover reported having the majority of his day’s weight at 11:00AM but made one key cull in the waning moments of the day that made the difference.  He had met the four and a half pounder the day before.  “I stopped on this point a couple of miles from takeoff yesterday and made a cast at her, she bit, and I broke her off on the hookset,” he said.  “I made the same stop today and she was sitting in the same spot, made the same cast, he bit, and this time I landed her; she culled a three pounder.”

He said he knows there are plenty of fish in his areas but is unsure how they will respond.  “I threw at around a hundred fish today and got eight or ten to bite,” he said.  “I know I need to back it up with a big bag, I’m just not sure that I’ll be able to; tomorrow is going to be interesting.  Winning the U.S. Open would mean so much to me, I’m going to go out and do everything I can to close it out tomorrow.”

 

Shuffield said he threw at more fish than the leader and managed to catch a few more but is also concerned about what the conditions will do to his ability to present to the fish.  “I’m fishing fairly deep, and my main areas are expected to be in heavy winds tomorrow,” he said.  “I know the fish are there and I hope I can make them eat, but we’ll have to see how tomorrow goes; I’d love to get this done tomorrow.”

In the AAA Division, Steven Cook of Willow, Alaska weighed 16.03 pounds to take the day one lead with 34.86 pounds.  Second place on the AAA side is held by Donald Lugert from Needles, Calif. added 15.39 to bring his total to 34.33 pounds. Bullhead City, Arizona’s Brian Reaves moved into third place in the AAA Division with 18.84 pounds to bring his total to 33.74 pounds. Anthony Hunt of Clovis, Calif. ended the day in fourth place with 30.89 pounds after adding 13.26 pounds on day two.  Travis Hargis of Chula Vista, Calif. added 10.46 pounds to bring his total to 30.69 pounds to round out the top five.

Complete Standings of both divisions can be found below:

Day three of the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin will commence tomorrow with a champion being crowned Wednesday at the conclusion of the final weigh-in. Takeoff with 183 pro and AAA anglers will commence at safe light and weigh-ins will occur at 3:00PM daily. Takeoff and weigh-ins will be held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

WON Bass has reserved Thursday October 19 and Friday October 20 in case any day of the event is postponed due to unsafe conditions by the National Parks Service.

Join us for an historic event and look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms on https://www.facebook.com/WONBassTournaments and https://www.instagram.com/wonbass/ for event details, livestreams and updates.

The 41st Anniversary 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Costa, Abu Garcia, Bridgford Foods, Daiwa, Gamakatsu, Phenix, Power-Pole Total Boat Control, Eagle Claw TroKar, Lithium Pros, Lowrance, Anderson Toyota, Loco’s Bar and Cocina, DD26, Top This, Johnon’s Bait and Tackle, LTC Laughlin Tourism Commission, Last Chance Performance Marine, Yamamoto Baits, Huntington Beach Honda, Peregrine 250, Livingston Lures, Roboworm, Trika Premium Fishing Gear, Liqui Moly Marine, Anglers Marine, Stealth Stix, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, KUIU, Signature Gate Systems and Welding, Sure Life, Visit Laughlinand Western Outdoor News.

2023 WON Bass U.S. Open

Day 2 Pro Standings

Pro Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

B/B

Day 1

Day 2

Total

1

Kyle Grover

RCHO STA MARG CA

10-10

40.26

4.74

20.70

19.56

40.26

2

Spencer Shuffield

Hot Springs AR

10-10

39.75

4.88

20.17

19.58

39.75

3

Bryant Smith

Roseville CA

10-10

37.38

18.40

18.98

37.38

4

Garrett Howard

Riverside CA

10-10

36.83

6.49

19.26

17.57

36.83

5

Patrick Touey

Santa Maria CA

10-10

36.58

4.82

17.74

18.84

36.58

6

Evan Barnes

Dardanelle AR

9-9

35.12

4.58

20.58

14.54

35.12

7

Zach VerBrugge

Lake Havasu AZ

10-10

34.97

4.74

18.94

16.03

34.97

8

Chris Zaldain

Fort Worth TX

10-10

34.22

4.88

18.83

15.39

34.22

9

Randy McAbee, Jr.

Bakersfield CA

10-10

33.01

15.68

17.33

33.01

10

Jim Vretzos

El Dorodo Hills CA

9-9

32.00

20.23

11.77

32.00

11

Ray Arbesu

Henderson NV

10-10

29.86

4.23

13.31

16.55

29.86

12

Tai Au

Glendale AZ

9-9

28.97

16.59

12.38

28.97

13

Roy Hawk

Lake Havasu City AZ

10-10

28.57

4.14

9.60

18.97

28.57

14

Luke Clausen

Otis Orchards WA

9-8

29.00

0.50

4.57

16.95

11.55

28.50

15

Gary Clouse

Winchester TN

10-10

26.39

11.79

14.60

26.39

16

Matt Shura

Gilbert AZ

10-10

26.30

4.52

12.25

14.05

26.30

17

Scott Hellesen

Paso Robles CA

8-8

26.25

15.87

10.38

26.25

18

Andrew Napoleon

Mesa AZ

10-10

26.07

5.70

15.25

10.82

26.07

19

Shane Edgar

Glendale AZ

8-8

25.92

4.59

18.66

7.26

25.92

20

Josh Bertrand

San Tan Valley AZ

9-9

25.45

10.74

14.71

25.45

21

Todd Kline

San Clemente CA

10-10

25.42

14.90

10.52

25.42

22

Mike Caruso

Peoria AZ

10-10

25.40

4.27

15.10

10.30

25.40

23

Joe Uribe, Jr.

Surprise AZ

8-8

25.10

4.40

12.98

12.12

25.10

24

Clifford Pirch

Payson AZ

8-8

24.80

4.75

7.49

17.31

24.80

25

Robert Nakatomi

Sacramento CA

10-10

24.63

3.93

10.83

13.80

24.63

26

Max Hernandez

Queen Creek AZ

8-8

24.61

4.63

18.30

6.31

24.61

27

Jason Bryan

Henderson NV

10-10

24.31

12.09

12.22

24.31

28

Jerry Ballesteros

Rancho Cucamonga CA

7-6

24.66

0.50

19.52

4.64

24.16

29

Justin Kerr

Lake Havasu City AZ

9-9

23.71

11.06

12.65

23.71

30

Kevin Short

Fairfield Bay AR

10-9

23.96

0.50

14.25

9.21

23.46

31

Brian Tressen

Corona CA

8-8

23.06

15.63

7.43

23.06

32

Justin Patti

Peoria AZ

10-10

22.58

11.98

10.60

22.58

33

Bill Brown

Grand Junction CO

9-9

22.33

4.77

14.90

7.43

22.33

34

Luke Johns

Folsom CA

9-9

22.22

12.56

9.66

22.22

35

Cody Kurz

Oxnard CA

9-8

22.71

0.50

4.70

10.39

11.82

22.21

36

Chip Gilbert

Yuma AZ

9-9

21.90

14.93

6.97

21.90

37

Jeff Baird

Washington UT

7-7

21.89

5.44

18.04

3.85

21.89

38

Ron Hammett

La Mesa CA

6-6

21.66

3.99

7.85

13.81

21.66

39

Shane Spinning

Canyon Lake CA

10-10

21.62

4.02

9.57

12.05

21.62

40

Bill O'Shinn

Auburn CA

10-10

21.52

3.86

9.86

11.66

21.52

41

Brett Leber

Dixon CA

10-10

21.28

12.20

9.08

21.28

42

Dylan Maxon

Pioera AZ

7-7

21.01

16.11

4.90

21.01

43

Matthew Becker

Finleyville PA

7-7

20.51

17.81

2.70

20.51

44

Jonathan Schuyler

Las Vegas NV

6-6

20.45

5.08

6.45

14.00

20.45

45

Steve Molinari

Waddell AZ

9-9

20.31

4.15

8.52

11.79

20.31

46

Chris Kinley

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

20.29

5.25

15.97

4.32

20.29

47

James Salazar

Chandler AZ

10-10

20.20

11.37

8.83

20.20

48

Joe Cole

Coalville UT

10-10

19.76

7.80

11.96

19.76

49

Ryan Yamagata

Las Vegas NV

9-9

19.74

5.31

13.54

6.20

19.74

50

Trace Myers

Santaquin UT

7-7

19.60

11.52

8.08

19.60

51

Jon Bell

Campo CA

8-8

19.42

4.09

4.33

15.09

19.42

52

Daylon Smith

Frazier Park CA

10-10

19.36

11.12

8.24

19.36

52

Micah Jones

Kingman AZ

9-5

21.36

2.00

13.25

6.11

19.36

54

Adam Cacal

Las Vegas NV

8-8

19.23

13.43

5.80

19.23

55

Tom White Jr.

Tustin CA

6-6

18.89

5.62

17.63

1.26

18.89

56

Mike Luiere

Henderson NV

9-9

18.82

8.36

10.46

18.82

57

Jim Moynagh

Shakopee MN

9-9

18.80

3.88

6.81

11.99

18.80

58

Jeff Giffen

Phoenix AZ

7-6

19.24

0.50

14.81

3.93

18.74

59

Darius Arberry

Las Vegas NV

6-6

18.70

15.59

3.11

18.70

60

Tim Klinger

Boulder City NV

9-9

18.68

5.57

11.95

6.73

18.68

61

Matthew Luna

Santee CA

10-10

18.37

8.33

10.04

18.37

62

Randy Pierson

Oakdale CA

7-7

18.34

6.55

11.79

18.34

63

Connor Jacob

Auburn AL

7-7

18.29

7.05

11.24

18.29

64

Mark Lassagne

San Ramon CA

8-8

17.94

6.03

11.91

17.94

65

Chris Ricci

Ignacio CO

10-10

17.47

8.68

8.79

17.47

66

Tony Lain

Lake Havasu City AZ

5-5

17.27

4.89

9.27

8.00

17.27

67

Greg Halliman

Littlerock CA

8-8

16.80

3.76

6.47

10.33

16.80

68

CJ Hinkle

Fort Mohave AZ

7-7

16.52

7.58

8.94

16.52

69

Rusty Salewske

Alpine CA

8-8

16.47

11.53

4.94

16.47

70

Cameron Karber

Munds Park AZ

8-8

16.34

9.99

6.35

16.34

71

Robert Morales

Williams AZ

7-7

16.16

2.90

13.26

16.16

72

Jeff Rutt

Lake Havasu City AZ

7-7

16.06

12.42

3.64

16.06

73

Travis Jewell

Tyler TX

7-7

15.90

13.03

2.87

15.90

74

Dave Davis

Mesa AZ

10-10

15.81

7.46

8.35

15.81

75

Mark Dotterer

Phoenix AZ

7-7

15.76

12.78

2.98

15.76

76

Austin Melville

Gilbert AZ

8-8

15.73

11.00

4.73

15.73

77

Tyler Ivie

West Haven UT

7-7

15.72

3.92

7.77

7.95

15.72

78

Johnny Johnson

Lakeside AZ

6-6

15.68

3.93

13.70

1.98

15.68

79

Anthony Salazar

Henderson NV

6-6

15.41

3.10

8.42

6.99

15.41

80

Dick Watson

Boulder City NV

7-6

15.77

0.50

12.18

3.09

15.27

81

Scooter Griffith

Mesa AZ

8-8

15.24

3.83

4.99

10.25

15.24

82

Gary Klein

Mingus TX

8-8

15.23

4.77

10.46

15.23

83

Kazuki Kodama

Tokyo Japan

8-8

15.19

8.68

6.51

15.19

84

John Murray

Spring City TN

8-8

14.88

5.47

9.41

14.88

85

Jeff Hudson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

14.72

8.78

5.94

14.72

86

Westly Gritts

Folsom CA

6-6

14.71

13.19

1.52

14.71

87

John Basmadjian

Canyon Lakw CA

8-8

14.63

6.14

8.49

14.63

88

Darren Wilson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

14.45

2.39

12.06

14.45

89

Rodney Reed

Chelan WA

9-9

14.43

9.10

5.33

14.43

90

Joshua Advocate

Fort Mohave AZ

5-5

14.25

4.25

1.52

12.73

14.25

91

Victor Azevedo

Filer ID

7-7

14.19

9.33

4.86

14.19

92

Daymond Allen

Murrieta CA

6-6

13.99

11.03

2.96

13.99

93

Christopher Allen

Grand Junction CO

6-6

13.52

12.40

1.12

13.52

94

Phillip Emery

Oxnard CA

4-4

13.46

3.93

9.53

13.46

95

David Meza

Camarillo CA

4-4

13.44

5.85

7.59

13.44

96

Kevin Hugo

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

13.33

13.33

13.33

97

Colby Pearson

Rogue River OR

6-6

13.25

4.75

4.45

8.80

13.25

98

Nick Young

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

13.23

6.34

6.89

13.23

99

Levi Samz

Rock Springs WY

5-5

13.11

4.32

1.54

11.57

13.11

100

Brandon Morton

San Tan Valley AZ

6-6

12.83

3.72

9.11

12.83

101

Dung Van Vu

Paramount CA

7-6

13.18

0.50

3.68

9.69

2.99

12.68

102

David Gliebe

Manteca CA

6-6

12.62

3.00

2.17

10.45

12.62

103

Matt Thomas

Scottsdale AZ

5-5

12.41

4.16

8.25

4.16

12.41

104

Dan Frazier

Paso Robles CA

7-7

12.26

6.43

5.83

12.26

105

Pete Marino

Moreno Valley CA

7-7

12.22

7.12

5.10

12.22

106

Eric Inman

West Jordan UT

4-4

12.07

12.07

12.07

107

Steven Bowlin

Atlanta TX

6-6

11.92

4.21

7.71

11.92

108

Craig Taylor

Oceanside CA

7-7

11.86

6.67

5.19

11.86

109

Ken Whalen

Lompoc CA

6-6

11.82

7.86

3.96

11.82

110

Brandon Gaither

Oakdale CA

6-6

11.78

9.19

2.59

11.78

111

Tyson Christman

Glendale AZ

5-5

11.72

8.96

2.76

11.72

112

Keith Nighswonger

La Habra CA

6-6

11.55

3.80

9.86

1.69

11.55

113

Sean Coffey

Mesa AZ

4-4

11.54

5.20

6.34

11.54

114

Shawn Herring

Las Vegas NV

6-6

11.46

3.35

8.11

11.46

115

Brad Szarkowski

Santa Clarita CA

4-3

11.93

0.50

7.70

3.73

11.43

116

Jesse Halstead

Bonney Lake WA

7-7

11.22

2.93

8.29

11.22

117

Chris Harvey

Idaho Falls ID

5-4

11.65

0.50

4.24

3.35

7.80

11.15

118

Ricky Shabazz

La Mesa CA

4-4

10.76

4.03

6.73

4.03

10.76

118

Carl Limbrick, Jr.

Bonita CA

4-4

10.76

5.88

4.88

10.76

120

Shane Noel

California City CA

5-5

10.70

6.15

4.55

10.70

121

Josh Albee

Golden Valley AZ

5-5

10.60

9.12

1.48

10.60

122

Clayton Meyer

Henderson NV

4-4

10.06

6.45

3.61

10.06

123

Mason McAbee

Bakersfield CA

4-4

9.91

9.91

9.91

124

Jonathan Jackson

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.85

6.89

2.96

9.85

125

Rick Correa

Wilsonville OR

3-3

9.79

6.58

3.21

9.79

126

David Kemper

Tempe AZ

4-4

9.70

4.10

9.70

9.70

127

Joe Ahrens

San Diego CA

5-5

9.63

3.20

6.43

9.63

128

Tom Leedom

Escondido CA

6-6

9.53

1.29

8.24

9.53

129

Jesse A. Marquez

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

9.52

1.66

7.86

9.52

130

Scott Davis

Preston ID

6-6

9.47

4.41

5.06

9.47

131

Jeff Stuart

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.44

7.81

1.63

9.44

132

Jordan Collom

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

9.38

9.38

9.38

133

Mike Bird

Tonopah NV

4-4

9.31

5.99

3.32

9.31

134

Kevin Wiggins

Winterheaven CA

5-5

9.10

9.10

9.10

135

Matty Wong

Collinsville TX

4-4

9.02

4.19

4.83

9.02

136

Kyle Richins

Washington UT

3-3

8.88

4.51

8.88

8.88

137

Andy Manahl

Mesa AZ

4-4

8.83

4.20

4.92

3.91

8.83

138

Russ Barger

Boise ID

5-5

8.79

3.46

4.13

4.66

8.79

139

Kevin Finley

Phoenix AZ

4-4

8.55

5.92

2.63

8.55

140

Todd Woods

Long Beach CA

3-3

8.24

4.41

3.83

8.24

141

David Baca

Humboldt AZ

4-4

8.22

6.98

1.24

8.22

142

Allen Clark

Florence AZ

4-4

7.68

7.68

7.68

143

Douglas Jones

North Las vegas NV

5-5

7.66

7.66

7.66

144

Brian Nunn

Bakersfield CA

4-4

7.45

5.69

1.76

7.45

145

Lowell Mickelson

Anahiem CA

5-5

7.39

6.37

1.02

7.39

146

John Morrow

Kingman AZ

5-5

7.13

6.01

1.12

7.13

147

Jimmy Reese

Ukiah CA

4-4

7.12

4.05

3.07

7.12

148

Christopher Owen

Poway CA

4-4

7.10

3.63

3.47

7.10

149

Marvin Finley

Peoria AZ

2-2

6.68

4.74

1.94

4.74

6.68

150

Cory Kerber

Madera CA

3-3

6.49

3.35

3.14

6.49

151

Matt Bradley

Henderson CA

4-4

6.46

3.76

2.70

6.46

152

Philip Roesener

Choctaw OK

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

153

Jamie Shaw

Coolidge AZ

4-4

6.22

6.22

6.22

154

Kevin Caruso

Glendale AZ

2-2

6.18

6.18

6.18

155

George Sholl

Washington UT

2-2

6.04

3.87

2.17

3.87

6.04

156

Byron Velvick

Boerne TX

2-2

5.94

5.94

5.94

157

Brett Hite

Phoenix AZ

2-2

5.78

4.68

5.78

5.78

158

Gary Martlage

Pheonix AZ

3-3

5.73

3.52

2.21

5.73

159

Paul Ojala

Glendale AZ

3-3

5.62

3.65

1.97

5.62

160

James Wirts

Mesa AZ

2-2

5.41

1.55

3.86

5.41

161

Conrad Demecs

New River AZ

2-2

5.05

5.05

5.05

162

Mark Poe

Coolidge AZ

2-2

4.92

2.67

2.25

4.92

163

Joe Patz

Surprise AZ

3-3

4.81

4.81

4.81

164

Gary Freeman

Las Vegas NV

3-3

4.62

4.62

4.62

165

James Wilcox

Reno CA

1-1

3.94

3.94

3.94

166

Billy Hines

Vacaville CA

3-3

3.56

2.46

1.10

3.56

167

Mike Huseman

Bullhead City AZ

2-2

3.27

3.27

3.27

168

Jeremy Mann

San Jose CA

2-2

3.10

3.10

3.10

169

James Weaver

Lehi UT

2-2

2.88

2.88

2.88

170

Dave Kiesgen

Peorea AZ

2-2

2.73

2.73

2.73

171

Guy Williams

Perris CA

2-2

2.59

1.43

1.16

2.59

172

Robert Yelland

Coeur d Alene ID

1-1

2.00

2.00

2.00

173

Melvin Williams

Chula Vista CA

1-1

1.97

1.97

1.97

174

Jeffery Klicka

Brawley CA

1-1

1.54

1.54

1.54

175

Greg Garcia

Cibola AZ

1-1

1.34

1.34

1.34

176

John Martinez

Las Vegas NV

1-1

1.30

1.30

1.30

177

Rob Sanford

San Diego CA

1-1

1.23

1.23

1.23

178

Dan Davis

Hurrican UT

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Dan Merchant

Canyon Lake CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Jerren Slaton

Afton TX

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Jiggs Benn

Myrtle Creek OR

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Rick Clunn

Ava MO

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Rick Mason

Glendale AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Eslam Moursi

Torrance CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

Day 2 AAA Standings

Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

B/B

Day 1

Day 2

Total

1

Steven Cook

Willow AK

10-10

34.86

18.83

16.03

34.86

2

Donald Lugert

Needles CA

10-10

34.33

4.48

18.94

15.39

34.33

3

Brian Reaves

Bullhead City AZ

10-10

33.74

4.11

14.90

18.84

33.74

4

Anthony Hunt

Clovis CA

10-10

30.89

4.16

17.63

13.26

30.89

5

Travis Hargis

Chula Vista CA

10-10

30.69

4.98

20.23

10.46

30.69

6

Tim Demecs

Pheonix AZ

10-10

30.28

4.89

15.68

14.60

30.28

7

Coy Mott

Fruitland ID

8-8

30.11

4.77

20.58

9.53

30.11

8

Tony Witt

Orange CA

10-10

29.12

3.06

11.79

17.33

29.12

9

Shawn Carnahan

Gilbert AZ

10-10

28.34

18.30

10.04

28.34

10

Ellison Hubbard

LAS VEGAS NV

10-10

28.31

2.89

11.00

17.31

28.31

11

Antonio Paniccia

Phoenix AZ

10-10

28.26

17.74

10.52

28.26

12

Garrett Ott

Huntington Beach CA

9-9

28.25

13.54

14.71

28.25

13

Robert Murrin

Buelton CA

9-9

26.78

4.45

7.81

18.97

26.78

14

Tom Nokes

Riverton UT

10-10

26.52

4.31

13.19

13.33

26.52

15

Christopher Tobin

Lompoc CA

10-10

26.26

18.40

7.86

26.26

16

Quincy Lewis

San Diego CA

8-8

25.76

20.70

5.06

25.76

17

Andrew Packard

Fresno CA

8-7

25.69

0.50

4.19

14.81

10.38

25.19

18

Kyle Clark

Port Orchard WA

9-9

24.69

7.12

17.57

24.69

19

Geoff Peterson

Huntington Beach CA

8-8

24.36

19.26

5.10

24.36

20

Bo McNeely

Rancho Cucamunga CA

10-9

24.67

0.50

12.18

11.99

24.17

21

Kevin A. Smith

Phoenix AZ

10-10

24.11

3.68

12.20

11.91

24.11

22

Mike McMillan

Burbank CA

10-10

24.03

13.70

10.33

24.03

23

Bryan Davis

Goleta CA

8-8

23.97

4.41

19.56

23.97

24

Joel Chin

Rosemead CA

10-10

23.85

5.05

13.03

10.82

23.85

25

Joseph Johnson

Goodyear AZ

10-10

23.76

2.99

13.31

10.45

23.76

26

John D. Helm

Tempe AZ

9-9

23.70

14.90

8.80

23.70

27

Daniel Martinez

Murrieta CA

8-8

23.51

5.86

9.70

13.81

23.51

28

Sean Slonski

Buckeye AZ

6-5

23.88

0.50

3.86

19.52

3.86

23.38

29

Eric Hammer

Peoria AZ

9-8

23.69

0.50

4.11

14.25

8.94

23.19

30

David Childress

Bakersfield CA

9-9

22.78

4.27

16.95

5.83

22.78

31

John Bitting

Kingman AZ

9-9

22.62

4.77

10.83

11.79

22.62

32

Dayne Mendes

Hilmar CA

9-8

22.95

0.50

10.39

12.06

22.45

33

Mike Kizis

Belle River ON

8-8

22.10

5.07

15.59

6.51

22.10

34

James Clayton

Prescott AZ

8-8

22.07

6.98

15.09

22.07

35

Tyler Ford

Tucson AZ

10-10

21.97

11.37

10.60

21.97

36

Brett Robbins

Solvang CA

10-10

21.83

11.53

10.30

21.83

37

Markus Avalos

Las Vegas NV

7-7

21.73

18.66

3.07

21.73

38

Kyle Gelles

Pingree ID

8-8

21.43

3.63

15.63

5.80

21.43

39

Randall Coyle

Eagle Mountain UT

7-7

21.25

16.59

4.66

21.25

40

Mike Gabrielson

Bullhead City AZ

10-10

21.12

9.33

11.79

21.12

41

R. Stephen
Gustafson

Santa Monica CA

8-8

20.86

13.43

7.43

20.86

42

Michael Croft

Alcoa TN

6-6

20.64

4.63

1.66

18.98

20.64

43

Todd Belzner

Cave Creek AZ

9-9

20.47

8.25

12.22

20.47

44

Mike Dailey

Reno NV

8-8

20.35

6.55

13.80

20.35

45

Kirk Marshall

Discovery Bay CA

8-4

22.24

2.00

13.25

6.99

20.24

46

Brian Pappalardo

Corona CA

5-5

20.17

20.17

20.17

47

Paul Gelles

Pingree ID

8-8

20.13

8.36

11.77

20.13

48

Kevin McBean

Shafter CA

8-8

20.04

15.10

4.94

20.04

49

Shawn Wagner

Glendale AZ

7-7

19.80

3.80

15.87

3.93

19.80

50

Mike Hawkins

Boulder City NV

5-5

19.58

19.58

19.58

51

William Duncan

Hollister CA

6-6

19.57

17.81

1.76

19.57

52

Ray Kawabata

Bothel WA

10-10

19.51

7.46

12.05

19.51

53

Damon Motley

Orange CA

9-9

19.27

3.76

11.03

8.24

19.27

54

Steve Jenkins

Apache Junction AZ

7-7

19.23

6.58

12.65

19.23

55

Robert Munoz

Hollister CA

7-7

18.95

15.97

2.98

18.95

56

Anthony Souza

Rio Vista CA

6-6

18.72

4.03

2.17

16.55

18.72

57

David Sloane

Tousand Oaks CA

5-5

18.47

4.70

3.93

14.54

18.47

58

David Stanberry

Wasilla AK

7-7

18.13

6.01

12.12

18.13

59

Kenny Johnson

Eager AZ

7-7

18.12

15.25

2.87

18.12

60

Greg Wheeler

Atascadero CA

5-5

18.04

18.04

18.04

61

Steve W. Clark

Fresno CA

6-6

18.02

4.94

6.45

11.57

18.02

62

Makoto Otani

Japan

7-6

18.48

0.50

6.43

11.55

17.98

63

James Murphy

Gilbert AZ

10-10

17.92

9.57

8.35

17.92

64

Rick Mikla

Discovery Bay CA

9-9

17.81

9.86

7.95

17.81

65

Gavin Hammer

Peoria AZ

6-6

17.65

3.65

14.00

17.65

66

Mike Rasso

Phoenix AZ

8-8

17.43

5.47

11.96

17.43

67

Jonathan Green

San Pablo CA

7-7

17.32

2.91

3.27

14.05

17.32

68

Mandy Myers

Santaquin UT

7-7

17.30

12.40

4.90

17.30

69

Mike Olsen

Bullhead AZ

6-6

17.23

16.11

1.12

17.23

70

Tom Creasy

Covina CA

10-10

17.21

7.80

9.41

17.21

71

Wyatt Hansen

Oakdale CA

8-8

17.10

4.28

12.78

4.32

17.10

72

Noah Sanford

Boulder City NV

8-8

16.96

7.05

9.91

16.96

73

Jonathan Emmons

Surprise AZ

7-7

16.94

4.21

12.73

16.94

74

Ken Hromada

Gilbert AZ

8-8

16.79

7.58

9.21

16.79

75

Charlie Crawford

Peoria AZ

7-7

16.51

3.93

4.13

12.38

16.51

76

Todd Tobiasson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

16.25

12.09

4.16

16.25

77

Bill Eastes

Boulder Creek CA

7-7

16.24

5.78

10.46

16.24

78

Dave Cole

Roy UT

9-9

16.11

9.38

6.73

16.11

79

David Shearrer

Trabuco Canyon CA

6-6

15.58

3.92

5.92

9.66

15.58

80

Hayden Metz

Eastvalle CA

5-5

15.55

4.62

11.52

4.03

15.55

81

Mike Crothers

Chandler AZ

6-6

15.39

12.07

3.32

15.39

82

Jacob Crawford

San Pedro CA

7-7

15.38

3.72

11.66

15.38

83

Ronnie Orbaker

Madera CA

7-7

15.19

12.56

2.63

15.19

84

Andrew Bell

San Tan Valley AZ

8-8

15.11

6.03

9.08

15.11

85

Greg Wood

Branson MO

5-5

14.93

4.67

14.93

14.93

86

Tim Domingues

San Jose CA

6-6

14.81

6.73

8.08

14.81

87

Mike Faherty

Lake Havasu City AZ

7-6

15.19

0.50

6.89

7.80

14.69

88

Donnie Scroggins

Kingman AZ

7-7

14.68

11.98

2.70

14.68

89

Fisher Griffith

Mesa AZ

8-8

14.64

6.15

8.49

14.64

90

James Darling

Glendale AZ

7-7

14.53

8.42

6.11

14.53

90

Bryan Colby

Prescott AZ

9-9

14.53

8.33

6.20

14.53

92

Fred Buelna

Chandler AZ

5-5

14.27

11.06

3.21

14.27

93

Mike Peterson

Hemet CA

6-6

14.21

2.39

11.82

14.21

94

Brian Bullis Jr.

Anthem AZ

6-6

14.10

12.98

1.12

14.10

95

Tom White, Sr.

Fountain Valley CA

7-7

14.08

11.12

2.96

14.08

96

William Penrod

Salome AZ

6-6

14.04

7.86

6.18

14.04

97

Daniel Lutz

Las Vegas NV

7-7

13.93

9.10

4.83

13.93

98

Tom Warren

Maricopa AZ

7-7

13.71

4.92

8.79

13.71

99

Jade Larson

Pleasant Grove UT

7-7

13.60

3.35

10.25

13.60

100

Rocky Luiere

Henderson NV

6-6

13.59

8.78

4.81

13.59

101

Dylan Moore

Bakersfield CA

7-7

13.46

9.99

3.47

13.46

102

Joseph Lineberry

Ramseur NC

6-6

13.38

8.52

4.86

13.38

103

David Thies

Lake Havasu City CA

7-7

13.10

4.99

8.11

13.10

104

Landon Allen

Grand Junction CO

5-5

12.83

4.29

5.94

6.89

12.83

105

Robbie Espinosa

Yorba Linda CA

4-4

12.71

3.83

8.88

3.83

12.71

106

Bobby Tidd

Mesa AZ

7-7

12.59

3.76

8.83

12.59

106

Scott Johnson

Vacaville CA

7-7

12.59

8.68

3.91

12.59

108

Chris Carpenter

Grants Pass OR

5-4

13.08

0.50

4.16

7.70

4.88

12.58

109

Ron Reed

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.42

12.42

12.42

110

Jay Witecki

North Las Vegas NV

5-5

12.33

9.19

3.14

12.33

111

Randy Weber

Phelan CA

6-6

12.28

10.74

1.54

12.28

112

Jonathan Baker

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.25

12.25

12.25

113

Len Scinto

Santa Clarita CA

6-6

12.22

7.49

4.73

12.22

114

Richard Craft

Puyallup WA

6-6

12.02

5.05

6.97

12.02

115

Chris White

Clayton CA

5-5

12.00

9.27

2.73

12.00

116

Ethan Hammer

Peoria AZ

5-5

11.95

11.95

11.95

117

David Hutto

Escondido CA

5-5

11.88

9.12

2.76

11.88

117

Kevin Holmgreen

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

11.88

4.45

7.43

11.88

119

Zack Hayes

Blythe CA

6-6

11.79

8.68

3.11

11.79

120

Alex Martinez

Menifee CA

6-6

11.42

5.20

6.22

11.42

121

Ryan Vilmur

Oakdale CA

5-5

11.31

3.90

4.05

7.26

11.31

122

Eric Stanley

Antioch CA

3-3

11.24

11.24

11.24

123

Joseph Riordan

Bullhead City AZ

6-6

11.23

9.60

1.63

11.23

124

Ron Goldshine

Los Angeles CA

6-6

10.71

9.69

1.02

10.71

125

Vincent Alcantara

Phoenix AZ

5-5

10.69

6.14

4.55

10.69

126

Adam Spies

Costa Mesa CA

6-6

10.64

4.33

6.31

10.64

127

Chris Beverly

Queen Creek AZ

5-5

10.44

8.96

1.48

10.44

128

Ron Morrison

Lompoc CA

5-5

10.34

1.23

9.11

10.34

129

Randy Bruno

Huntington Beach CA

5-5

9.98

3.63

6.35

9.98

130

Scott Holman

Orange CA

6-6

9.90

3.25

6.81

3.09

9.90

131

Brent Johnson

S. Lake Tahoe CA

5-5

9.89

7.68

2.21

9.89

132

Jay Cranney

Rockford TN

5-5

9.86

9.86

9.86

133

Dylan Watson

Hayward CA

3-3

9.76

4.83

2.17

7.59

9.76

134

Ruben Sandoval

Blythe CA

3-3

9.72

5.85

3.87

9.72

135

Patrick S. Donoho

Las Vegas NV

3-3

9.61

3.91

5.88

3.73

9.61

136

Darin Guglielmo

Santa Barbara CA

6-6

9.52

4.19

5.33

9.52

137

Robert Gower

Lake Forest CA

4-4

9.46

7.77

1.69

9.46

138

Jacob Yates

Flagstaff AZ

6-6

9.39

4.77

4.62

9.39

139

Tom Kruse

Cayucos CA

6-5

9.86

0.50

6.37

2.99

9.36

140

Thomas Hanes

Lemoore CA

4-4

9.23

1.52

7.71

9.23

141

Christopher Irigoyen

Henderson NV

5-5

9.10

9.10

9.10

142

Benjamin Green

Jasper TN

6-6

8.95

1.29

7.66

8.95

143

Mario Caporuscio

Las Vegas NZ

4-4

8.45

6.47

1.98

8.45

144

Travis Smith

Canyon Lake CA

3-3

8.42

6.45

1.97

8.42

145

Jason Abernathy

Goodyear AZ

5-5

8.39

5.69

2.70

8.39

146

Jordan Werner

Hurricane UT

5-5

8.29

8.29

8.29

147

Mike Gowey

Snowflake AZ

5-5

8.24

8.24

8.24

148

Rob Copple

Pahrump NV

2-2

8.00

8.00

8.00

149

Nathan Hill

Henderson NV

5-5

7.97

6.67

1.30

7.97

150

Joe Aldridge

Escondido CA

2-2

7.85

7.85

7.85

151

Dave Phillips

Nampa ID

3-3

7.58

3.94

3.64

7.58

152

Chance Gammon

Bakersfield CA

2-2

6.71

1.97

4.74

6.71

153

Brian P. Day

San Diego CA

3-3

6.43

6.43

6.43

154

JP Brandvig

Chandler AZ

3-3

6.34

6.34

6.34

154

Greg Prather

Mesa AZ

2-2

6.34

6.34

6.34

156

Ralph Wells

Lake Havasu City AZ

3-3

6.31

3.35

2.96

6.31

157

Chuck Turner

Golden Valley AZ

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

158

James Denny

Apache Junction AZ

3-3

6.19

1.55

4.64

6.19

159

Justin Sperle

Queen Creek AZ

2-2

5.99

5.99

5.99

160

Craig Miller

Las Vegas NV

4-4

5.94

3.35

2.59

5.94

160

Chad Prochaska

Blythe CA

3-3

5.94

5.94

5.94

162

Ray Gauerke

Porterville CA

3-3

5.19

1.34

3.85

5.19

162

Joe Feola

Riverside CA

3-3

5.19

5.19

5.19

164

Rick Melead

Yorba Linda CA

3-3

5.15

1.54

3.61

5.15

165

Cole Daniel

Salinas CA

3-3

4.71

2.46

2.25

4.71

166

Kevin Burgess

Kingman AZ

2-2

4.41

4.41

4.41

167

Junior Barajas

Las Vegas NV

3-3

4.16

2.90

1.26

4.16

168

Brian Avila

Lenmoore CA

3-3

4.04

2.88

1.16

4.04

169

Scott Robertson

Norco CA

2-2

3.96

3.96

3.96

170

Ty Crofts

Cedar City UT

2-2

3.77

2.67

1.10

3.77

171

Gary Volpe

Payson AZ

2-2

3.52

3.52

3.52

172

Rick Moore

Salinas CA

2-2

3.20

3.20

3.20

173

John Carroll

Phoenix AZ

2-2

3.18

1.94

1.24

3.18

174

Kanin Fife

Mesa AZ

2-2

3.10

3.10

3.10

175

Michael McCarville

Lae Havasu City AZ

2-2

2.93

2.93

2.93

176

Chris Gritts

Folsom CA

1-1

2.00

2.00

2.00

177

Kevin Gross

Redding CA

1-1

1.52

1.52

1.52

178

Don Dethloff

Rathdrum ID

1-1

1.43

1.43

1.43

179

Lawrence Bryan

Mohave Valley AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

Curtis Tara

Hayward CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

Jose Aguilera

Peoria AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

David King

Compton CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

Filler Pro

2-2

0.00

0.00

179

Filler AAA

2-2

0.00

0.00


MLF Announces Strategic Plan for 2024 Bass Pro Tour and Beyond

MLF Returns to Its Roots, Reinstates “Every Fish Counts” Format on the Bass Pro Tour, Announces Exclusive Field of 50 Anglers in 2025 to Showcase Top Performers

BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 17, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, today announced long-term plans for the Bass Pro Tour, including an investment in increased livestreaming of MLF competition, a return to the “every fish counts” scoring format, and an exclusive roster of 50 anglers for the Bass Pro Tour in 2025 to increase visibility and showcase top performers.

2025 Bass Pro Tour:
The 2025 Bass Pro Tour field will feature an all-star roster of 50 anglers comprised of the top 35 pros from the 2024 Bass Pro Tour lifetime Angler of the Year (AOY) standings, the top 10 anglers from the 2024 Bass Pro Tour single-year standings that did not qualify via the top 35 lifetime AOY standings, and the top five (5) anglers from the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.

Each regular-season 2025 Bass Pro Tour event will be four days with every angler competing the first two days. The top 20 anglers based on two-day cumulative weight will advance to the Knockout Round (Day 3).  Weights will reset in the Knockout Round, and the top 10 anglers will advance to the Championship Round (Day 4). Winners will be determined by heaviest cumulative weight from the Knockout and Championship rounds.

“The future of our sport is livestreaming, catch-weigh-immediate release and every fish counts,” said MLF President and CEO Boyd Duckett. “By focusing on 50 anglers in a more compact event that’s easy for both die-hard and casual fans alike to follow, we’ll do what other successful leagues have done to grow – focus on a small group of the highest performers and make them the most visible personalities in the sport. It also allows us to enhance what are already the sport’s best payouts.”

Each Stage on the 2025 Bass Pro Tour will pay $130,000 to the winner and $2,000 through 50th place. REDCREST will feature the sport’s top award of $300,000 with $10,000 through 20th place and $5,000 through last place. Heavy Hitters will feature $100,000 for a win with big bass awards in each round of $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000.

Not only does the Bass Pro Tour feature the sport’s best payouts and biggest media platform, its anglers graduate through the sport’s most lucrative qualifying circuits – the nationally-televised and livestreamed Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, and Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI.

Reinstating “Every Fish Counts” Scoring:
Scoring on the Bass Pro Tour will return to the “every fish counts” format in 2024. After scoring each anglers’ five biggest bass per day in 2023, the change will recapture the excitement and pressure of the Tour’s original format.

“We responded in 2023 to fans and anglers that wanted to see how five-fish scoring would work with our SCORETRACKER® live leaderboard,” said MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager Kathy Fennel. “Unfortunately, viewership growth was stagnant. The Bass Pro Tour thrives on intense competition, and the scoring change affected the Tour’s competitiveness in an unexpected way. By reinstating the every fish counts scoring structure and having fewer anglers in the Knockout Round, pros will no longer be able to let their guard down without the risk of being overtaken by someone climbing SCORETRACKER®.”

2024 Bass Pro Tour Tournament Format:
In addition to the scoring change, the format of each Bass Pro Tour event in 2024 will also be adjusted. Forty anglers in Group A will compete on Days 1 & 3 and 40 anglers in Group B will compete on Days 2 & 4. Only the top 10 anglers from each group – based on the two-day, heaviest cumulative weight – will advance to the Knockout Round (Day 5). Weights will be zeroed for the Knockout Round, and the top 10 anglers will advance to the Championship Round (Day 6). Weights from the Knockout Round will carry over into the Championship Round, and the winner of each event will be decided by the heaviest Knockout and Championship round two-day cumulative weight.

The complete 2024 Bass Pro Tour schedule is available at MajorLeagueFishing.com.


AFTCO Bass Boot Camp Is Back

SANTA ANA, Ca., October 19, 2023- AFTCO is on the hunt for the next B.A.S.S. Opens EQ angler to feature in their YouTube series Bass Boot Camp. This opportunity is open to all registered 2024 B.A.S.S. Opens EQ anglers. If selected, AFTCO will pay your B.A.S.S. Opens EQ entry fees and provide a full product sponsorship. Tournament bass fishing fans can follow your behind-the-scenes journey in a 9-episode vlog series on the AFTCO YouTube channel.

To be eligible for the 2024 AFTCO Bass Boot Camp, simply fill out the application form and produce a 5 minute video telling us why you should be the next Bass Boot Camp recruit. Be creative, unique, and yourself. Show us what sets you apart from the roster and why you should represent AFTCO throughout the 2024 B.A.S.S. Opens EQ tournament season.

The application period is open from Oct 15, 2023 to December 31, 2023. The winner will be selected January 17th, 2024. Applicants must be registered to fish the 2024 B.A.s.S. Opens EQ in their own boat and be able to film, edit, and create their own videos. Video and basic editing skills are a requirement.

Apply here: www.aftco.com/bootcamp

Also, any angler registered to fish the entire Bassmaster Opens in 2024 can sign up for the Best On Tour Buck$ContingencyProgram to gain eligibility for a contingency bonus check of $1,000 that will be paid to the top registered angler after each Opens EQ tournament. Even if you don't get selected as the 2024 AFTCO Bass Boot Camp recruit, you still have an opportunity to get an additional $1,000 payday from Best OnTour.

Best On Tour Buck$ Contingency Program: https://bestontour.net/contingency/


Thompkins takes Bassmaster Opens EQ points title, eight others punch Elite Series ticket

Nine new anglers have earned invitations to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series after competing in all nine St. Croix Bassmaster Opens tournaments as part of the new Elite Qualifiers Division. 

Photos by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

October 17, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The goal for JT Thompkins entering the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens season was simply to qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. But as the season unfolded and an Elite Series berth became more and more likely, Thompkins shifted his focus solely to winning the Opens Elite Qualifiers Division Angler of the Year title.

“Honestly, about two tournaments ago, I completely forgot about the Elite race. It was no longer a thought in my mind,” he explained. “It switched to the AOY race. That is why I have been shooting for the win in the last couple of events.”

Capping off an incredible season with his seventh Top 25 finish of the season, Thompkins clinched the Angler of the Year title in the inaugural season of the Elite Qualifiers Division format by accumulating 1,659 points. Along with the $10,000 cash prize, the Myrtle Beach, S.C., native will be heading to the Bassmaster Elite Series.

Union City, Tenn., pro John Garrett finished second, followed by Illinois’ Trey McKinney in third. Robert GeeTyler WilliamsWesley GoreLogan ParksBen Milliken and Kyle Patrick all earned Elite Series berths as well. Elite Series pro Kenta Kimura finished fifth in the EQ standings. Since Kimura double-qualified for the 2024 Elite Series, that allowed one additional angler to earn an Elite invitation.

“This has been one of the most stacked Opens fields of all time,” Thompkins said. “I have always thought about when I did make it to the Elites, I wanted to win Rookie of the Year. Just knowing I have done it once, I’ve beaten all the incoming rookies this year, it gives me confidence I can do it again next year.”

Eight of the nine anglers moving on to the Elite Series are under the age of 30, with Thompkins (21), Williams (21) and McKinney (18) being the three youngest of the group. While the 2022 Elite Series rookie class was heralded as one of the best ever, Thompkins believes this incoming group has a chance to be even better.

“When all us were standing there with our medallions, and me and John Garrett were in the front, that was when a lot of it set in,” he said. “When you talk to all the guys who qualified, none of them are scared. Everyone is saying, ‘We are going to go over there and dominate.’ They are all talking about winning.”

With a 19-point lead over Garrett going into the final tournament, Thompkins was as stressed as he has been this season knowing he needed to keep the momentum going for one more event.

“This week, I’ve been more stressed out than any other week of the year. I had cold sores, I couldn’t sleep, but when I saw that trophy at registration on Wednesday, everything came into focus,” Thompkins said during the cancellation day Thursday. “I have been pretty stressed about it, but usually the more stress I put on myself, the better I do. The more (stressed I am, the more) confident I feel about going out and catching them.”

With a strong performance on Day 1, Thompkins felt another limit on Day 2 would seal the deal. On the final day, Thompkins hooked up with a 4-pounder on a jerkbait, but his first couple turns of the reel collected his microphone cable and, for a moment, Thompkins was worried that bass would come off.

“I leaned into it, and the way I fish, my reel will hit my pocket, and when it did, the mic got wrapped up in it and I couldn’t reel,” he said. “Then all of sudden, the fish jumped in the air with complete slack in the line, and after losing two or three big ones already, I thought I was going to lose that one too. But the way he was hooked, I’m not sure he ever would have gotten off. It worked out. That fish was super-important.”

Once that bass entered the livewell, Thompkins felt he had put it out of reach, but another cull late in the day provided the biggest sigh of relief.

“I threw back a 1-pounder for a 2-pounder,” Thompkins said. “That put me up another pound and I knew for 100% that it was over. John would have needed a 30-pound bag to come back.”

The Angler of the Year title caps off an incredible year for Thompkins. Last September, he notched his first career victory at the Upper Chesapeake Bay, which led to a 24th-place finish at the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

Leaving Knoxville with a competitive finish gave Thompkins a ton of confidence heading into the bulk of the Opens season.

“A lot of fishing is confidence,” said Thompkins. “When you get back in the boat each morning with the confidence that you are doing it a lot better than a lot of people, it gives you confidence to stick with it knowing that, if you do, you’ll come out on top. That is what has helped me a lot this year ... being able to stick to a deal more and longer than everyone else around me because I have the confidence I’ll be able to catch them. It has worked out this year perfectly.”

Thompkins spends close to 300 days on the water a year. Other than travel and boat maintenance days, Thompkins said he will be on the water from daylight to dark, scanning and searching for winning spots and techniques. Practice makes perfect, and that’s the philosophy Thompkins has adopted throughout his journey to the Elite Series.

Now, Thompkins will look ahead to the Elite Series schedule. He is most looking forward to the Northern swing at the end of the season, but a return trip to the Harris Chain of Lakes has him intrigued as well. Remarkably, the event in his home state, Lake Murray, is a lake he has only visited a handful of times.

“I’m excited for a lot of tournaments,” he said. “Harris Chain is a big one I’m looking forward to if the grass is right and the water clarity is right. I’m also looking forward to Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence River. I’ve probably spent more time on Champlain than (the) St. Lawrence River. I’m pretty excited for Wheeler Lake and Smith Lake too.”

The Elite Series season kicks off Feb. 22-25 on Toledo Bend in Many, La.

Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers Division
Final Standings

Finish Name Hometown Total Points
1 JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 1,659
2 John Garrett Union City, TN 1,644
3 Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 1,594
4 Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 1,526
5 Kenta Kimura Hirakata, Japan 1,502
6 Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 1,463
7 Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 1,455
8 Logan Parks Auburn, AL 1,435
9 Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 1,430
10 Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 1,426
11 Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 1,403
12 Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 1,400
13 Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 1,396
14 Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 1,396
15 Jamie Bruce Kenora, Canada 1,367
16 Sam George Athens, AL 1,364
17 Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 1,343
18 Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 1,342
19 Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 1,341
20 Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 1,334
21 Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 1,334
22 Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 1,330
23 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 1,328
24 Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 1,326
25 Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 1,294
26 Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 1,274
27 Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 1,270
28 Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 1,254
29 Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 1,250
30 Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 1,242
31 Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 1,225
32 Jack York Emory, TX 1,221
33 Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 1,212
34 Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 1,198
35 Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 1,190
36 Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 1,182
37 Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 1,171
38 Austin Cranford Norman, OK 1,166
39 Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 1,163
40 Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 1,131
41 Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 1,124
42 Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 1,123
43 Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 1,116
44 Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 1,099
45 Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 1,096
46 Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 1,088
47 Scout Echols Monticello, AR 1,083
48 Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 1,070
49 Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 1,049
50 Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 1,045

 


BG Means Big Game

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (October 17, 2023) – Sometimes, choosing what reel size to buy is a headscratcher. Do you get something in the 2000 range for smaller catches and light-action battles? Up in that 6500 realm for serious lunkers? Or perhaps a do-it-all 3500 size?

DAIWA is giving you stab at winning the entire BG spinning reel collection, from the petite 1500-size to the 8000-size kraken.

Winner or not, anglers are encouraged to check out the affordably priced, feature laden DAIWA BG. With models ranging from ultralight freshwater to heavy big game saltwater options, DAIWA’s BG series is designed to handle every conceivable fishing scenario. The reel’s solid black anodized machined aluminum housing, coupled with a secure screw-in handle, guarantees exceptional rigidity and longevity. Lightweight and incredibly strong, aluminum yields the strength and feathery weight without the cost and corrosion issues of other metals.

The BG Series isn't just tough; it's technologically advanced. Featuring DIGIGEAR technology, BG reels come equipped with gears 20% to 40% larger than the competition. The gears’ larger tooth pattern significantly extends their lifespan, making BG’s one to three times more durable than rival reels.

AIR ROTOR

Lighter, stronger, and more balanced than any rotor system that’s come before, ‘Air Rotor’ delivers a great leap forward in rotor design and function and delivers the ultimate reel sensitivity and rotational balance.

ATD DRAG

DAIWA’s Automatic Tournament Drag uses an improved drag grease that exhibits low viscosity at rest yet becomes more viscous immediately after drag start up. This reduces initial drag start-up inertia, and combined with the structural changes of the ATD Drag System, results in a smoother drag from the initial hook up.

DIGIGEAR

Daiwa’s first generation of digitally engineered gear design ensures a perfect mesh between ultra-tough drive gear and pinion gears for optimized speed, power, durability, and smoothness.

MSRP starting at $129.99


Travel Tuesday - This is the Year You Should Go Bass Fishing in Mexico

By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast

After a dozen years of averaging two trips annually to Anglers Inn’s Lake El Salto and Lake Picachos properties, I’m all-in on the experience. Even in the supposedly “down” years, the fishing is almost always pretty darn good, and you’re never further away from the fish of a lifetime than just a few casts. Furthermore, some things, like the service, never change. Prepare to be spoiled from start to finish – you’ll never touch a bag, your drink won’t go empty, and if you don’t want to unhook your own fish, someone is there to do it for you.

While those things are constant, as noted above there are differences from year to year.  Because I intend to go every year until I’m physically unable to do so, those matter less to me than to someone who may be headed down on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Still, obviously, I like to hear that things are lining up to be great. Based on what I saw last year, and what I’ve heard from some of my favorite guides lately, I have a feeling that this is going to be one of those
years you really want to go.

First, I’ll tell you what I saw last year: Perfect and predictable water levels from start to finish, beginning high with water in the brush and then dropping slowly but steadily, allowing for a fantastic spawn. On top of that, I experienced a population of mid-to-upper-sized bass in the 3- to 6-pound range that was stocky, healthy and aggressive – a sign of good genetics and good conditions. That was both created and enhanced by the fact that the baitfish population had
exploded. Not just tilapia, but shad and others, too. Sometimes you’d cast a Chatterbait or jig to the trunk of a tree and the water would explode in a fleeing cloud of bait. That will keep these bass well-fed, and while at times they may have too many options, I’ve found that it keeps them on the hunt.

As for weather, while the typical August-September rains rolled through, there was just enough rain to fill the lake, but not so much as to push it over the spillway upsetting the apple cart. Big Florida strain bass love that predictability and a lack of major changes, and that’s what we’ll have.

From a creature comforts standpoint, Anglers Inn has upgraded some of their already best-in-class facilities. Perhaps more importantly, now that we’re hopefully past the worst of COVID world, the once-depleted flight schedule to Mazatlán is getting back to semi-normal. That should give you a few more options. That growth may in part be spurred by the fact that the city has taken off for American tourists and retirees. Accordingly, it’s a double-edged sword –
the flights tend to fill up quickly, so don’t delay when you find a favorable price, either. Don’t delay on booking, either. Most dates in January and February are full at both lakes. You may be able to squeeze in during a brief window, but now most options are limited to before the New Year and after March 1 st .

Email us at [email protected] if you’d like to learn about when you should go, which lake (or both) is best for you, and how to get prepared for what we are pretty certain will become an addiction like our own.


AC Insider Podcast - Drew Gill, Toyota Series AOY

Join the guys as they talk with up and coming young gun, Drew Gill.  Drew is fresh off a Toyota Series Plans Division Angler of the Year, a great season in the MLF Tacklewarehouse Invitationals, as well as his last season of college fishing.  Drew brings a fresh perspective on the incoming "freshman" class of anglers, as well as what it's been like competing against some of them the last few years.  Tune in for a great perspective from a very talented young angler...we're betting you're going to hear A LOT more about this fella in the years to come!

 


GREYS INTRODUCES THE CRUISE REEL AND CRUISE COMBO

For the Adventurous Angler On a Budget

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Oct. 17, 2023) – Greys Fly Fishing is proud to unveil our latest offering, the CRUISE reel and CRUISE combo, designed with the dynamic, modern fly angler in mind. For those whose adventures span beyond just fly fishing, this combo is the ideal companion, marrying impeccable performance with unmatched value. Performance fly gear at an exceptional price is the Greys promise, and we’re sticking to it.

For those who don a backpack, love to capture their adventures, and tread both fresh and light saltwater terrains, the CRUISE range stands out as the perfect blend of utility and sophistication. The new CRUISE reel boasts a robust large arbor, stunning, full cage design, durable aluminum construction, and an efficient disc drag mechanism, ensuring your reel is built to withstand the demands of both freshwater and saltwater encounters.

Beyond just the reel, the all-new CRUISE combo offers beginners and enthusiasts a comprehensive package featuring a medium-fast action 4 pc CRUISE fly rod matched with the Greys CRUISE large arbor fly reel and comes ready to fish with backing, WF line, and leader, all neatly packaged in a premium rod and reel case.


CRUISE REEL FEATURES:

  • High quality die-cast, machine-finished construction
  • Rulon disc drag system
  • Modern large arbor industrial design
  • Supplied with reel pouch
  • Available in sizes 5/6 and 7/8

CRUISE COMBO FEATURES:

  • 4 pc medium fast action Cruise fly rod
  • Aluminum reel seat with carbon spacer
  • High quality die-cast, machine finished Cruise reel
  • Modern large arbor industrial design
  • Rulon disc drag system
  • Supplied in a quality hard rod and reel tube
  • Matching backing, WF line, and leader
  • Available in a 9’ 5-wt, 9’ 8-wt and 10’ 7-wt

In a world teeming with options, we understand the need for simplicity. The CRUISE Combo is the perfect kit for those who value both quality and price. Take the guesswork out of your first fly fishing outfit and opt for this carefully curated combo that ensures both quality and affordability, and dive into a world of fly without breaking the bank. After all, it's not just about catching the fish; it's about cherishing every moment of the journey.

The CRUISE Reel & CRUISE Combo are now available.
Reel MSRP: Starting at $69.95
Combo MSRP: Starting at $189.95


Kyle Grover Leads Day One of 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open

Evan Barnes in Second, Quincy Lewis Leads AAA Division

Laughlin, Nev. – October 16, 2023 – As the 183 pro and AAA partners headed out onto the waters of Lake Mohave for the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin, they were greeted with light winds and sunny skies.  What wasn’t known was the kind of welcome they would receive from the bass that inhabit the lake.

The answer to that question was that while the top end of the leaderboard showed strong weights, most of the anglers reported having to grind for every bite as the boat traffic and fishing pressure started having an effect on the fishery.  However tough the bite became, the quality of the anglers in a field like this were bound to figure out how to boat the quality fish, and Anaheim, Calif. pro Kyle Grover and his AAA partner Quincy Lewis brought 20.70 pounds to the scales at Katherine Landing to take the day one lead.

A veteran of many U.S. Opens, Grover has proven himself to be a more than worthy competitor in Western tournament trails with many titles to his name, he used his desert fishing experience to catch his mixed bag of four smallmouth and one quality largemouth.  “I fished the mid-lake area and found an area that had a good population of fish, but even though I could see them on my Active Target, I was only able to make a few of those fish bite,” he said.  “I know there are enough fish there to bring in another limit, but I’m not sure that I’ll be able to duplicate what I did today; we’ll see how tomorrow goes.”

 

Evan Barnes, a Bassmaster Opens pro from Dardanelle, Ark., fishing his first U.S. Open, caught a full limit of smallmouth with his day one AAA partner Coy Mott that weighed 20.58 pounds to open the event in second place. “Barnes revealed that his experience with northern smallmouth fishing translated to Lake Mohave.  “I’ve spent a lot of time fishing the smallmouth up there and it helped me feel comfortable here,” he said. “I had a good day today, but had opportunities to have a better day, I’m hopeful about what I’ve found and there’s not a lot of traffic in the area, so should be able to put something together tomorrow.”

El Dorado Hills, Calif. pro Jim Vretzos and his AAA partner Travis Hargis weighed 20.23 pounds to finish the day in third place.  They were followed by last year’s runner up Spencer Shuffield from Hot Springs, Ark. and AAA Brian Pappalardo brought 20.17 pounds to the scales to finish the day in fourth place, and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. pro Jerry Ballesteros and his AAA Sean Slonski brought 19.58 pounds to the scales to round out the top five.

Complete Standings can be found below:

Day two of the three-day long Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin competition itself will begin Tuesday, October 17, with a champion being crowned on October 18 at the conclusion of the final weigh-in. Takeoff with 183 pro and AAA anglers will commence at safe light and weigh-ins will occur at 3:00PM daily. Takeoff and weigh-ins will be held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

WON Bass has reserved Thursday October 19 and Friday October 20 in case any day of the event is postponed due to unsafe conditions by the National Parks Service.

Join us for an historic event and look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms on https://www.facebook.com/WONBassTournaments and https://www.instagram.com/wonbass/ for event details, livestreams and updates.

The 41st Anniversary 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Costa, Abu Garcia, Bridgford Foods, Daiwa, Gamakatsu, Phenix, Power-Pole Total Boat Control, Eagle Claw TroKar, Lithium Pros, Lowrance, Anderson Toyota, Loco’s Bar and Cocina, DD26, Top This, Johnon’s Bait and Tackle, LTC Laughlin Tourism Commission, Last Chance Performance Marine, Yamamoto Baits, Huntington Beach Honda, Peregrine 250, Livingston Lures, Roboworm, Trika Premium Fishing Gear, Liqui Moly Marine, Anglers Marine, Stealth Stix, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, KUIU, Signature Gate Systems and Welding, Sure Life, Visit Laughlin and Western Outdoor News.

2023 WON Bass U.S. Open

Day 1 Pro Standings

Pro Angler

Hometown

Fish

Pnlty

B/B

Day 1

1

Kyle Grover

RCHO STA MARG CA

5-5

4.63

20.70

2

Evan Barnes

Dardanelle AR

5-5

4.58

20.58

3

Jim Vretzos

El Dorodo Hills CA

5-5

20.23

4

Spencer Shuffield

Hot Springs AR

5-5

4.88

20.17

5

Jerry Ballesteros

Rancho Cucamonga CA

5-4

0.50

19.52

6

Garrett Howard

Riverside CA

5-5

6.49

19.26

7

Zach VerBrugge

Lake Havasu AZ

5-5

4.30

18.94

8

Chris Zaldain

Fort Worth TX

5-5

4.88

18.83

9

Shane Edgar

Glendale AZ

5-5

4.59

18.66

10

Bryant Smith

Roseville CA

5-5

18.40

11

Max Hernandez

Queen Creek AZ

5-5

4.63

18.30

12

Jeff Baird

Washington UT

5-5

5.44

18.04

13

Matthew Becker

Finleyville PA

5-5

17.81

14

Patrick Touey

Santa Maria CA

5-5

4.82

17.74

15

Tom White Jr.

Tustin CA

5-5

5.62

17.63

16

Luke Clausen

Otis Orchards WA

5-5

16.95

17

Tai Au

Glendale AZ

5-5

16.59

18

Dylan Maxon

Pioera AZ

5-5

16.11

19

Chris Kinley

Lake Havasu City AZ

5-5

5.25

15.97

20

Scott Hellesen

Paso Robles CA

5-5

15.87

21

Randy McAbee, Jr.

Bakersfield CA

5-5

15.68

22

Brian Tressen

Corona CA

5-5

15.63

23

Darius Arberry

Las Vegas NV

5-5

15.59

24

Andrew Napoleon

Mesa AZ

5-5

5.70

15.25

25

Mike Caruso

Peoria AZ

5-5

4.27

15.10

26

Chip Gilbert

Yuma AZ

5-5

14.93

27

Todd Kline

San Clemente CA

5-5

14.90

27

Bill Brown

Grand Junction CO

5-5

4.77

14.90

29

Jeff Giffen

Phoenix AZ

5-4

0.50

14.81

30

Kevin Short

Fairfield Bay AR

5-4

0.50

14.25

31

Johnny Johnson

Lakeside AZ

5-5

3.93

13.70

32

Ryan Yamagata

Las Vegas NV

5-5

5.31

13.54

33

Adam Cacal

Las Vegas NV

5-5

13.43

34

Ray Arbesu

Henderson NV

5-5

4.23

13.31

35

Micah Jones

Kingman AZ

5-1

2.00

13.25

36

Westly Gritts

Folsom CA

5-5

13.19

37

Travis Jewell

Tyler TX

5-5

13.03

38

Joe Uribe, Jr.

Surprise AZ

5-5

4.33

12.98

39

Mark Dotterer

Phoenix AZ

5-5

12.78

40

Luke Johns

Folsom CA

5-5

12.56

41

Jeff Rutt

Lake Havasu City AZ

5-5

12.42

42

Christopher Allen

Grand Junction CO

5-5

12.40

43

Matt Shura

Gilbert AZ

5-5

12.25

44

Brett Leber

Dixon CA

5-5

12.20

45

Dick Watson

Boulder City NV

5-4

0.50

12.18

46

Jason Bryan

Henderson NV

5-5

12.09

47

Eric Inman

West Jordan UT

4-4

12.07

48

Justin Patti

Peoria AZ

5-5

11.98

49

Tim Klinger

Boulder City NV

5-5

5.57

11.95

50

Gary Clouse

Winchester TN

5-5

11.79

51

Rusty Salewske

Alpine CA

5-5

11.53

52

Trace Myers

Santaquin UT

4-4

11.52

53

James Salazar

Chandler AZ

5-5

11.37

54

Daylon Smith

Frazier Park CA

5-5

11.12

55

Justin Kerr

Lake Havasu City AZ

4-4

11.06

56

Daymond Allen

Murrieta CA

4-4

11.03

57

Austin Melville

Gilbert AZ

5-5

11.00

58

Robert Nakatomi

Sacramento CA

5-5

3.93

10.83

59

Josh Bertrand

San Tan Valley AZ

5-5

10.74

60

Cody Kurz

Oxnard CA

4-3

0.50

4.70

10.39

61

Cameron Karber

Munds Park AZ

5-5

9.99

62

Keith Nighswonger

La Habra CA

5-5

3.80

9.86

62

Bill O'Shinn

Auburn CA

5-5

9.86

64

David Kemper

Tempe AZ

4-4

4.10

9.70

65

Dung Van Vu

Paramount CA

5-5

3.68

9.69

66

Roy Hawk

Lake Havasu City AZ

5-5

9.60

67

Shane Spinning

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

9.57

68

Jordan Collom

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

9.38

69

Victor Azevedo

Filer ID

5-5

9.33

70

Tony Lain

Lake Havasu City AZ

3-3

4.13

9.27

71

Brandon Gaither

Oakdale CA

4-4

9.19

72

Josh Albee

Golden Valley AZ

4-4

9.12

73

Rodney Reed

Chelan WA

5-5

9.10

73

Kevin Wiggins

Winterheaven CA

5-5

9.10

75

Tyson Christman

Glendale AZ

4-4

8.96

76

Kyle Richins

Washington UT

3-3

4.51

8.88

77

Jeff Hudson

Las Vegas NV

3-3

8.78

78

Kazuki Kodama

Tokyo Japan

5-5

8.68

78

Chris Ricci

Ignacio CO

5-5

8.68

80

Steve Molinari

Waddell AZ

4-4

4.15

8.52

81

Anthony Salazar

Henderson NV

3-3

8.42

82

Mike Luiere

Henderson NV

4-4

8.36

83

Matthew Luna

Santee CA

5-5

8.33

84

Matt Thomas

Scottsdale AZ

4-4

8.25

85

Ken Whalen

Lompoc CA

4-4

7.86

86

Ron Hammett

La Mesa CA

2-2

7.85

87

Jeff Stuart

Las Vegas NV

4-4

7.81

88

Joe Cole

Coalville UT

5-5

7.80

89

Tyler Ivie

West Haven UT

3-3

7.77

90

Brad Szarkowski

Santa Clarita CA

3-2

0.50

7.70

91

Allen Clark

Florence AZ

4-4

7.68

92

CJ Hinkle

Fort Mohave AZ

3-3

7.58

93

Clifford Pirch

Payson AZ

3-3

7.49

94

Dave Davis

Mesa AZ

5-5

7.46

95

Pete Marino

Moreno Valley CA

4-4

7.12

96

Connor Jacob

Auburn AL

4-4

7.05

97

David Baca

Humboldt AZ

3-3

6.98

98

Jonathan Jackson

Las Vegas NV

4-4

6.89

99

Jim Moynagh

Shakopee MN

4-4

6.81

100

Ricky Shabazz

La Mesa CA

3-3

6.73

101

Craig Taylor

Oceanside CA

4-4

6.67

102

Rick Correa

Wilsonville OR

2-2

6.58

103

Randy Pierson

Oakdale CA

3-3

6.55

104

Greg Halliman

Littlerock CA

3-3

3.76

6.47

105

Jonathan Schuyler

Las Vegas NV

2-2

5.08

6.45

105

Clayton Meyer

Henderson NV

2-2

6.45

107

Dan Frazier

Paso Robles CA

3-3

6.43

108

Lowell Mickelson

Anahiem CA

4-4

6.37

109

Nick Young

Lake Havasu City AZ

3-3

6.34

110

Philip Roesener

Choctaw OK

3-3

6.27

111

Shane Noel

California City CA

3-3

6.15

112

John Basmadjian

Canyon Lakw CA

3-3

6.14

113

Mark Lassagne

San Ramon CA

3-3

6.03

114

Mike Bird

Tonopah NV

2-2

5.99

115

Byron Velvick

Boerne TX

2-2

5.94

116

Kevin Finley

Phoenix AZ

2-2

5.92

117

Carl Limbrick, Jr.

Bonita CA

2-2

5.88

118

David Meza

Camarillo CA

2-2

5.85

119

Brett Hite

Phoenix AZ

2-2

4.68

5.78

120

Brian Nunn

Bakersfield CA

3-3

5.69

121

John Murray

Spring City TN

3-3

5.47

122

Sean Coffey

Mesa AZ

2-2

5.20

123

Conrad Demecs

New River AZ

2-2

5.05

124

Scooter Griffith

Mesa AZ

3-3

4.99

125

Andy Manahl

Mesa AZ

2-2

4.20

4.92

126

Gary Klein

Mingus TX

3-3

4.77

127

Colby Pearson

Rogue River OR

2-2

4.45

128

Scott Davis

Preston ID

3-3

4.41

128

Todd Woods

Long Beach CA

2-2

4.41

130

Jon Bell

Campo CA

3-3

4.33

131

Steven Bowlin

Atlanta TX

3-3

4.21

132

Matty Wong

Collinsville TX

2-2

4.19

133

Russ Barger

Boise ID

3-3

4.13

134

Jimmy Reese

Ukiah CA

2-2

4.05

135

James Wilcox

Reno CA

1-1

3.94

136

Phillip Emery

Oxnard CA

1-1

3.93

137

Matt Bradley

Henderson CA

2-2

3.76

138

Brandon Morton

San Tan Valley AZ

2-2

3.72

139

Paul Ojala

Glendale AZ

2-2

3.65

140

Christopher Owen

Poway CA

2-2

3.63

141

Gary Martlage

Pheonix AZ

2-2

3.52

142

Chris Harvey

Idaho Falls ID

2-2

3.35

142

Cory Kerber

Madera CA

2-2

3.35

142

Shawn Herring

Las Vegas NV

2-2

3.35

145

Mike Huseman

Bullhead City AZ

2-2

3.27

146

Joe Ahrens

San Diego CA

2-2

3.20

147

Jeremy Mann

San Jose CA

2-2

3.10

148

Jesse Halstead

Bonney Lake WA

2-2

2.93

149

Robert Morales

Williams AZ

2-2

2.90

150

James Weaver

Lehi UT

2-2

2.88

151

Mark Poe

Coolidge AZ

1-1

2.67

152

Billy Hines

Vacaville CA

2-2

2.46

153

Darren Wilson

Las Vegas NV

1-1

2.39

154

David Gliebe

Manteca CA

1-1

2.17

154

George Sholl

Washington UT

1-1

2.17

156

Robert Yelland

Coeur d Alene ID

1-1

2.00

157

Melvin Williams

Chula Vista CA

1-1

1.97

158

Marvin Finley

Peoria AZ

1-1

1.94

160

Jesse A. Marquez

Lake Havasu City AZ

1-1

1.66

161

James Wirts

Mesa AZ

1-1

1.55

162

Levi Samz

Rock Springs WY

1-1

1.54

163

Joshua Advocate

Fort Mohave AZ

1-1

1.52

164

Guy Williams

Perris CA

1-1

1.43

165

Greg Garcia

Cibola AZ

1-1

1.34

166

Tom Leedom

Escondido CA

1-1

1.29

167

Rob Sanford

San Diego CA

1-1

1.23

168

Kevin Caruso

Glendale AZ

0-0

168

Dan Davis

Hurrican UT

0-0

168

John Martinez

Las Vegas NV

0-0

168

Dan Merchant

Canyon Lake CA

0-0

168

Jerren Slaton

Afton TX

0-0

168

Kevin Hugo

Canyon Lake CA

0-0

168

Jamie Shaw

Coolidge AZ

0-0

168

Douglas Jones

North Las vegas NV

0-0

168

Jeffery Klicka

Brawley CA

0-0

168

Jiggs Benn

Myrtle Creek OR

0-0

168

Rick Clunn

Ava MO

0-0

168

Mason McAbee

Bakersfield CA

0-0

168

John Morrow

Kingman AZ

4-4

168

Rick Mason

Glendale AZ

0-0

168

Joe Patz

Surprise AZ

0-0

168

Dave Kiesgen

Peorea AZ

0-0

168

Eslam Moursi

Torrance CA

0-0

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

Day 1 AAA Standings

AAA Angler

Hometown

Fish

Pnlty

B/B

Day 1

1

Quincy Lewis

San Diego CA

5-5

20.70

2

Coy Mott

Fruitland ID

5-5

4.77

20.58

3

Travis Hargis

Chula Vista CA

5-5

4.98

20.23

4

Brian Pappalardo

Corona CA

5-5

20.17

5

Sean Slonski

Buckeye AZ

5-4

0.50

19.52

6

Geoff Peterson

Huntington Beach CA

5-5

19.26

7

Donald Lugert

Needles CA

5-5

3.93

18.94

8

Steven Cook

Willow AK

5-5

18.83

9

Markus Avalos

Las Vegas NV

5-5

18.66

10

Christopher Tobin

Lompoc CA

5-5

18.40

11

Shawn Carnahan

Gilbert AZ

5-5

18.30

12

Greg Wheeler

Atascadero CA

5-5

18.04

13

William Duncan

Hollister CA

5-5

17.81

14

Antonio Paniccia

Phoenix AZ

5-5

17.74

15

Anthony Hunt

Clovis CA

5-5

17.63

16

David Childress

Bakersfield CA

5-5

4.27

16.95

17

Randall Coyle

Eagle Mountain UT

5-5

16.59

18

Mike Olsen

Bullhead AZ

5-5

16.11

19

Robert Munoz

Hollister CA

5-5

15.97

20

Shawn Wagner

Glendale AZ

5-5

3.80

15.87

21

Tim Demecs

Pheonix AZ

5-5

4.89

15.68

22

Kyle Gelles

Pingree ID

5-5

3.63

15.63

23

Mike Kizis

Belle River ON

5-5

5.07

15.59

24

Kenny Johnson

Eager AZ

5-5

15.25

25

Kevin McBean

Shafter CA

5-5

15.10

26

Greg Wood

Branson MO

5-5

4.67

14.93

27

Brian Reaves

Bullhead City AZ

5-5

3.82

14.90

27

John D. Helm

Tempe AZ

5-5

14.90

29

Andrew Packard

Fresno CA

5-4

0.50

4.19

14.81

30

Eric Hammer

Peoria AZ

5-4

0.50

4.11

14.25

31

Mike McMillan

Burbank CA

5-5

13.70

32

Garrett Ott

Huntington Beach CA

5-5

13.54

33

R. Stephen
Gustafson

Santa Monica CA

5-5

13.43

34

Joseph Johnson

Goodyear AZ

5-5

13.31

35

Kirk Marshall

Discovery Bay CA

5-1

2.00

13.25

36

Tom Nokes

Riverton UT

5-5

3.24

13.19

37

Joel Chin

Rosemead CA

5-5

5.05

13.03

38

Brian Bullis Jr.

Anthem AZ

5-5

12.98

39

Wyatt Hansen

Oakdale CA

5-5

4.28

12.78

40

Ronnie Orbaker

Madera CA

5-5

12.56

41

Ron Reed

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.42

42

Mandy Myers

Santaquin UT

5-5

12.40

43

Jonathan Baker

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.25

44

Kevin A. Smith

Phoenix AZ

5-5

3.68

12.20

45

Bo McNeely

Rancho Cucamunga CA

5-4

0.50

12.18

46

Todd Tobiasson

Las Vegas NV

5-5

12.09

47

Mike Crothers

Chandler AZ

4-4

12.07

48

Donnie Scroggins

Kingman AZ

5-5

11.98

49

Ethan Hammer

Peoria AZ

5-5

11.95

50

Tony Witt

Orange CA

5-5

3.06

11.79

51

Brett Robbins

Solvang CA

5-5

11.53

52

Hayden Metz

Eastvalle CA

4-4

4.62

11.52

53

Tyler Ford

Tucson AZ

5-5

11.37

54

Tom White, Sr.

Fountain Valley CA

5-5

11.12

55

Fred Buelna

Chandler AZ

4-4

11.06

56

Damon Motley

Orange CA

4-4

3.76

11.03

57

Ellison Hubbard

LAS VEGAS NV

5-5

2.89

11.00

58

John Bitting

Kingman AZ

5-5

10.83

59

Randy Weber

Phelan CA

5-5

10.74

60

Dayne Mendes

Hilmar CA

4-3

0.50

10.39

61

Dylan Moore

Bakersfield CA

5-5

9.99

62

Rick Mikla

Discovery Bay CA

5-5

9.86

62

Jay Cranney

Rockford TN

5-5

9.86

64

Daniel Martinez

Murrieta CA

4-4

9.70

65

Ron Goldshine

Los Angeles CA

5-5

9.69

66

Joseph Riordan

Bullhead City AZ

5-5

9.60

67

James Murphy

Gilbert AZ

5-5

9.57

68

Dave Cole

Roy UT

5-5

9.38

69

Mike Gabrielson

Bullhead City AZ

5-5

9.33

70

Chris White

Clayton CA

3-3

9.27

71

Jay Witecki

North Las Vegas NV

4-4

9.19

72

David Hutto

Escondido CA

4-4

9.12

73

Christopher Irigoyen

Henderson NV

5-5

9.10

73

Daniel Lutz

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.10

75

Chris Beverly

Queen Creek AZ

4-4

8.96

76

Robbie Espinosa

Yorba Linda CA

3-3

8.88

77

Rocky Luiere

Henderson NV

3-3

8.78

78

Scott Johnson

Vacaville CA

5-5

8.68

78

Zack Hayes

Blythe CA

5-5

8.68

80

Joseph Lineberry

Ramseur NC

4-4

8.52

81

James Darling

Glendale AZ

3-3

8.42

82

Paul Gelles

Pingree ID

4-4

8.36

83

Bryan Colby

Prescott AZ

5-5

8.33

84

Todd Belzner

Cave Creek AZ

4-4

8.25

85

William Penrod

Salome AZ

4-4

7.86

86

Joe Aldridge

Escondido CA

2-2

7.85

87

Robert Murrin

Buelton CA

4-4

7.81

88

Tom Creasy

Covina CA

5-5

7.80

89

Robert Gower

Lake Forest CA

3-3

7.77

90

Chris Carpenter

Grants Pass OR

3-2

0.50

4.16

7.70

91

Brent Johnson

S. Lake Tahoe CA

4-4

7.68

92

Ken Hromada

Gilbert AZ

3-3

7.58

93

Len Scinto

Santa Clarita CA

3-3

7.49

94

Ray Kawabata

Bothel WA

5-5

7.46

95

Kyle Clark

Port Orchard WA

4-4

7.12

96

Noah Sanford

Boulder City NV

4-4

7.05

97

James Clayton

Prescott AZ

3-3

6.98

98

Mike Faherty

Lake Havasu City AZ

4-4

6.89

99

Scott Holman

Orange CA

4-4

3.25

6.81

100

Tim Domingues

San Jose CA

3-3

6.73

101

Nathan Hill

Henderson NV

4-4

6.67

102

Steve Jenkins

Apache Junction AZ

2-2

6.58

103

Mike Dailey

Reno NV

3-3

6.55

104

Mario Caporuscio

Las Vegas NZ

3-3

6.47

105

Steve W. Clark

Fresno CA

2-2

4.94

6.45

105

Travis Smith

Canyon Lake CA

2-2

6.45

107

Makoto Otani

Japan

3-3

6.43

108

Tom Kruse

Cayucos CA

4-4

6.37

109

JP Brandvig

Chandler AZ

3-3

6.34

110

Chuck Turner

Golden Valley AZ

3-3

6.27

111

Fisher Griffith

Mesa AZ

3-3

6.15

112

Vincent Alcantara

Phoenix AZ

3-3

6.14

113

Andrew Bell

San Tan Valley AZ

3-3

6.03

114

Justin Sperle

Queen Creek AZ

2-2

5.99

115

Landon Allen

Grand Junction CO

2-2

4.29

5.94

116

David Shearrer

Trabuco Canyon CA

2-2

3.92

5.92

117

Patrick S. Donoho

Las Vegas NV

2-2

3.91

5.88

118

Ruben Sandoval

Blythe CA

2-2

5.85

119

Bill Eastes

Boulder Creek CA

2-2

5.78

120

Jason Abernathy

Goodyear AZ

3-3

5.69

121

Mike Rasso

Phoenix AZ

3-3

5.47

122

Alex Martinez

Menifee CA

2-2

5.20

123

Richard Craft

Puyallup WA

2-2

5.05

124

David Thies

Lake Havasu City CA

3-3

4.99

125

Tom Warren

Maricopa AZ

2-2

4.92

126

Jacob Yates

Flagstaff AZ

3-3

4.77

127

Kevin Holmgreen

Lake Havasu City AZ

2-2

4.45

128

Bryan Davis

Goleta CA

3-3

4.41

128

Kevin Burgess

Kingman AZ

2-2

4.41

130

Adam Spies

Costa Mesa CA

3-3

4.33

131

Jonathan Emmons

Surprise AZ

3-3

4.21

132

Darin Guglielmo

Santa Barbara CA

2-2

4.19

133

Charlie Crawford

Peoria AZ

3-3

4.13

134

Ryan Vilmur

Oakdale CA

2-2

4.05

135

Dave Phillips

Nampa ID

1-1

3.94

136

David Sloane

Tousand Oaks CA

1-1

3.93

137

Bobby Tidd

Mesa AZ

2-2

3.76

138

Jacob Crawford

San Pedro CA

2-2

3.72

139

Gavin Hammer

Peoria AZ

2-2

3.65

140

Randy Bruno

Huntington Beach CA

2-2

3.63

141

Gary Volpe

Payson AZ

2-2

3.52

142

Ralph Wells

Lake Havasu City AZ

2-2

3.35

142

Craig Miller

Las Vegas NV

2-2

3.35

142

Jade Larson

Pleasant Grove UT

2-2

3.35

145

Jonathan Green

San Pablo CA

2-2

3.27

146

Rick Moore

Salinas CA

2-2

3.20

147

Kanin Fife

Mesa AZ

2-2

3.10

148

Michael McCarville

Lae Havasu City AZ

2-2

2.93

149

Junior Barajas

Las Vegas NV

2-2

2.90

150

Brian Avila

Lenmoore CA

2-2

2.88

151

Ty Crofts

Cedar City UT

1-1

2.67

152

Cole Daniel

Salinas CA

2-2

2.46

153

Mike Peterson

Hemet CA

1-1

2.39

154

Dylan Watson

Hayward CA

1-1

2.17

154

Anthony Souza

Rio Vista CA

1-1

2.17

156

Chris Gritts

Folsom CA

1-1

2.00

157

Chance Gammon

Bakersfield CA

1-1

1.97

158

John Carroll

Phoenix AZ

1-1

1.94

160

Michael Croft

Alcoa TN

1-1

1.66

161

James Denny

Apache Junction AZ

1-1

1.55

162

Rick Melead

Yorba Linda CA

1-1

1.54

163

Thomas Hanes

Lemoore CA

1-1

1.52

164

Don Dethloff

Rathdrum ID

1-1

1.43

165

Ray Gauerke

Porterville CA

1-1

1.34

166

Benjamin Green

Jasper TN

1-1

1.29

167

Ron Morrison

Lompoc CA

1-1

1.23

168

Kevin Gross

Redding CA

0-0

168

Eric Stanley

Antioch CA

0-0

168

Mike Hawkins

Boulder City NV

0-0

168

Lawrence Bryan

Mohave Valley AZ

0-0

168

Curtis Tara

Hayward CA

0-0

168

David Stanberry

Wasilla AK

4-4

6.01

168

Joe Feola

Riverside CA

0-0

168

Mike Gowey

Snowflake AZ

0-0

168

Gary Freeman

Las Vegas NV

0-0

168

Scott Robertson

Norco CA

0-0

168

Jordan Werner

Hurricane UT

0-0

168

Brian P. Day

San Diego CA

0-0

168

Greg Prather

Mesa AZ

0-0

168

Rob Copple

Pahrump NV

0-0

168

Chad Prochaska

Blythe CA

0-0

168

Jose Aguilera

Peoria AZ

0-0

168

David King

Compton CA

0-0


Marks Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament on Lake Eufaula

Strike King Co-angler Victory Goes to Georgia’s Cowart

EUFAULA, Ala. (Oct. 16, 2023) – Boater Paul Marks of Cumming, Georgia, brought a three-day total of 15 bass to the scale weighing 54 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama . For his victory, Marks earned $67,992, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF contingency bonus. Marks also received automatic entry into the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship, May 29-31, at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

Marks said he roamed from Lakepoint State Park to the dam searching for bass during the event, and his first two days produced solid weights. However, he lost a 5-pounder at the end of Day 1 on Thursday and a 6-pounder late on Friday which would have boosted his weight dramatically.

“Then Saturday was tough for me,” said Marks, who noted he had fished Lake Eufaula only once prior to the regional event. “I had to really beat on them to catch what I caught.”

Marks said he spent most of his time dragging a Picasso Fantasy Football Jig with a Zoom Z Craw trailer, as well as a Texas-rigged worm for his bass. He said he targeted points, ledges, and brush in 8 to 25 feet of water that were holding fish.

“At the end of the day on Friday I thought I had a pretty good chance for a win,” Marks said. “I really wrecked them, and I thought I might catch 20 pounds on Saturday.

“I just don’t have words to describe this experience,” Marks added about his win. “It’s very surreal.”

The top six boaters that qualified for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st:        Paul Marks, Cumming, Ga., 15 bass, 54-11, $67,992 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MFL Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Aaron Yavorsky, Palm Harbor, Fla., 15 bass, 50-9, $10,992
3rd:       Bradley Enfinger, Donalsonville, Ga., 15 bass, 49-9, $4,991
4th:        Cody Mackie, McMinnville, Tenn., 14 bass, 45-14, $4,198
5th:        Jason Burroughs, Hodges, S.C., 15 bass, 45-14, $3,328
6th:        Brandon Medlock, Lake Placid, Fla., 15 bass, 44-4, $1,799

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

7th:        Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 15 bass, 44-2, $1,899
8th:        Bobby Padgett, Lagrange, Ga., 15 bass, 43-10, $2,399
9th:        Ben McCann, Bradenton, Fla., 15 bass, 42-9, $1,199
10th:     Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., 15 bass, 42-3, $1,099

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The top four boaters from each division that earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event were:

Choo Choo:        Bobby Padgett, LaGrange, Ga., 8th Place, $1,000
Gator:                   Aaron Yavorsky, Palm Harbor, Fla. 2nd Place, $1,000
Music City:         Cody Mackie, McMinnville, Tenn., 4th Place, $1,000
Savannah River: Jason Burroughs, Hodges, S.C., 5th Place $1,000

Marks took home an extra $7,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Tommy Cowart of Danielsville, Georgia, weighed in 10 bass over three days totaling 34 pounds, 5 ounces to win the top Strike King co-angler prize package of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six Strike King co-anglers that qualified for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st:          Tommy Cowart, Danielsville, Ga., 10 bass, 34-5, $50,000
2nd:         Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., 11 bass, 25-15, $5,502
3rd:         Brian Carroll, Glencoe, Ala., 10 bass, 22-0, $3,006
4th:         Tyler Nekolny, Coral Springs, Fla., 12 bass, 21-13, $2,001
5th:         Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla., 12 bass, 21-12, $1,000
6th:         Lamar Oxford, Dale, Ind., 12 bass, 21-2, $900

Rounding out the top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

7th:         Justin Stephenson, Jasper, Ala., 10 bass, 20-6, $800
8th:         Timothy Jones, Honea Path, S.C., 10 bass, 20-6, $1,200
9th:         Chad Bleiler, Old Hickory, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-5, $600
10th:       Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 11 bass, 18-8, $550

The top four Strike King Co-anglers from each division that earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event were:

Choo Choo:        Brian Carroll, Glencoe, Ala., 3rd Place, $500
Gator:                   Tyler Nekolny, Coral Springs, Fla., 4th Place, $500
Music City:         Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., 2nd Place, $500
Savannah River: Timothy Jones, Honea Path, S.C., 8th Place $500

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regional Tournament on Lake Eufaula was hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce. It featured the top pros and Strike King co-anglers from the Choo Choo, Gator, Music City and Savannah River divisions.

The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL 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 top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

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


Eldred Earns Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament on Dale Hollow Lake

Strike King Co-angler Victory Goes to Kentucky’s Shrader

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Oct. 16, 2023) – Boater Evan Eldred of Gaines, Michigan, brought a three-day total of 15 bass to the scale weighing 59 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event on Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee . For his victory, Eldred earned $64,330, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000. Eldred also received automatic entry into the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship, May 29-31, at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

“Practice was super tough for me,” Eldred said. “I was running all over and trying different things. I’d never been here before. I was trying shallow and deep. I was Damiki rigging a lot because I had heard it worked well on Dale Hollow.

“Finally, out of frustration, I told myself I was going to drive to the farthest point of the lake that I could,” Eldred continued. “I got to the dam and found a creek and saw some shad blowing up. I graphed over them, saw the bait balls, and the fish below them. I figured they were smallmouth.”

Eldred cast to the bait balls in 30 feet of water and caught two largemouth – a 4-pounder and a 4½-pounder – on back-to-back casts.

Eldred said once the tournament began, he repeated that pattern in every creek he came across. He targeted the bait balls with a 1/8-ounce Megabass Okashira Jig Head tipped with a Strike King 3X ElazTech Baby Z Too Soft Jerkbait in Grey Glimmer Pearl Belly.

“The 1/8-ounce head was the key, and within an hour I had a 20-pound bag,” Eldred said.

Eldred said he landed around 30 keeper largemouth during the tournament, but said he had to work really hard for his bites.

“They would bite in bite windows, I noticed,” Eldred said. “There was only an hour or two every day they would bite.

“After the first day, I thought to myself, ‘Man, I’m leading this thing. I’d better not blow it,’” Eldred went on to say. “I had a target on my back.”

Eldred said a slow Day 2 on Friday almost dashed his hopes of victory, as he didn’t have a fish in the livewell at 11 a.m.

“None of the fish on my spots would bite,” Eldred said. “I had to relocate, and as soon as I did, I got three in the boat. Then it took me until 2 o’clock to catch my fifth fish.”

Eldred said he went into the final day of competition not knowing what to expect.

“I wanted to catch 25 pounds, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if I’d zeroed,” Eldred said. “Those fish were that tough to get to bite.”

Eldred caught his limit Saturday by 10 a.m., then upgraded his final day’s weight seven times during the day to secure the win.

The top six boaters that qualified for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st: Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., 15 bass, 59-10, $64,330 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MFL Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Josh Lee, Powell, Tenn., 15 bass, 58-12, $11,000
3rd: Jacob Woods, Loudon, Tenn., 15 bass, 57-7, $5,500
4th: Dillon Falardeau, Hixson, Tenn., 15 bass, 55-6, $3,000
5th: Donavan Carson, Bluff City, Tenn., 15 bass, 53-14, $2,000
6th: Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 15 bass, 53-12, $1,800

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

7th: Griffin Heffington, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 15 bass, 53-3, $1,600
8th: Justin Latham, Reelsville, Ind., 15 bass, 51-11, $1,900
9th: Joshua Short, Bean Station, Tenn., 15 bass, 48-4, $1,200
10th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 45-9, $2,600

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The top four boaters from each division that earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event were:

Bama: Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., 11th Place, $1,000
Illini: Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., 17th Place, $1,000
Michigan: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 10th Place, $1,000
Volunteer: Josh Lee, Powell, Tenn., 2nd Place $1,000

Eldred took home an extra $2,500 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

 

Luke Shrader of Monticello, Kentucky, weighed in eight bass over three days totaling 17 pounds, 15 ounces to win the top Strike King co-angler prize package of $50,150, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six Strike King co-anglers that qualified for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American were:

1st: Luke Shrader, Monticello, Ky., eight bass, 17-15, $50,150
2nd: Stephen Vick, Dandridge, Tenn., four bass, 12-8, $6,000
3rd: Gary Huber II, St. Charles, Mo., six bass, 11-4, $3,000
4th: Cody Stokes, Ooltewah, Tenn., five bass, 11-2, $1,500
5th: Ryan Legg, Parma, Ohio, three bass, 10-2, $1,500
6th: Darren Kelly, Wartburg, Tenn., four bass, 8-8, $1,300

Rounding out the top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

7th: Jeffery McCoy, Montgomery, Ala., three bass, 8-6, $1,300
8th: Stuart Vitollo, Alabaster, Ala., three bass, 6-11, $700
9th: Rob Miller, Albion, Mich., three bass, 6-11, $600
10th: Corey Smith, Hazard, Ky., three bass, 6-10, $550

The top four Strike King Co-anglers from each division that earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event were:

Bama: Jeffery McCoy, Montgomery, Ala., 7th Place, $500
Illini: Gary Huber, II, St. Charles, Mo., 3rd Place, $500
Michigan: Ryan Legg, Parma, Ohio, 5th Place, $500
Volunteer: Stephen Vick, Dandridge, Tenn., 2nd Place $500

The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regional Tournament on Dale Hollow Lake was hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce. It featured the top pros and Strike King co-anglers from the Bama, Illini, Michigan and Volunteer divisions.

The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL 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 top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

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


2024 TXTT Registration Announcement & WRMG Owner SPECIAL INCENTIVE!

SPRINGFIELD, MO. (October 16, 2023) – As most bass anglers in the state of Texas are putting down the rods for the off-season and picking up the hunting gear, the leadership at Outdoor TeamWorks is still working each day toward the 2024 season.

Today, Texas Team Trail officials are proud to announce registration will be opening January 3rd at 9am for the 2024 season! Along with opening registration, Texas Team Trail has an exciting new reduced entry fee incentive opportunity for ALL Nitro, Ranger, and Triton boat owners. No matter what year model of White River Marine Group boat brand a team owns and is fishing out of in the 2024 season, if a team’s captain and their partner register during the first week of registration and pays for all of the regular season events (4 events), teams will be able to pay a special rate of $200 per event to enter for the full season. This is a $200 savings for the entire year. This incentive will only be available to Nitro, Ranger, and Triton owners from January 3rd to January 10th, 2024! This incentive is only eligible to teams where the team captain is an owner of a White River Marine Group boat brand.

“2023 was a season for the record books”, says tournament director Mike Hastings. “With Russel Cecil & Todd Castledine winning their third Progressive Team of the Year title, to seeing several bags breaking the 30lb mark; this was truly a remarkable year that saw the TXTT award six fully rigged bass boats and over $480,000 in prizes. However, 2024 is destined to be even better with each tournament winning team taking home a brand-new bass boat package, the Progressive Team of the Year winning a new bass boat package, and a chance at over $500,000 in cash and prizes to teams competing in 2024. We are looking forward to the new year and hopefully will see many new anglers, as well as existing team anglers fishing the 2024 season of the TXTT”.

To register for the 2024 Texas Team Trail tournaments, please read the updated 2024 RULES and then follow this link to get registered: https://www.texasteamtrail.com/register/

2024 Texas Team Trail Schedule:
· February 17th - Brookeland, TX | Sam Rayburn Reservoir
· March 23rd - Brookeland, TX | Sam Rayburn Reservoir
· April 13th - Yantis, TX | Lake Fork
· May 4th - Belton, TX | Belton Lake
· June 8-9th - Many, LA | Toledo Bend Reservoir - CHAMPIONSHIP

For more information on the Texas Team Trail, including photos and official tournament results from the past, visit texasteamtrail.com. Be sure to also check out the tournament schedule for the 2024 Texas Team Trail and subscribe to the e-newsletter list for all the up-to-date information, registration announcements, sponsor incentives, and Outdoor TeamWorks news.


Sloan & Jackson top 250 teams at Texoma

1 DREW SLOAN
SCURRY , TX
NOLAN JACKSON
ROYSE CITY , TX
10 5.56 39.41
SKEETER FXR20 YAMAHA SHO+$500 Garmin + Surelife
2 DEAN ALEXANDER
CEDAR PARK , TX
THOMAS MARTENS
CEDAR PARK , TX
10 5.21 32.06
SKEETER ZXR19 YAMAHA SHO+$2500 Skeeter+$500 Garmin
3 DON MCFARLIN
GORDONVILLE , TX
JAMES FENNELL
GORDONVILLE , TX
10 5.19 28.48
$6000.00
4 TREVOR ROMANS
CELINA , TX
MATT MCMILLAN
FORT WORTH , TX
10 0 25.82
$5000+$5000 Classic Arlington Cash+$1000 Skeeter
5 MATT HILL
JONESTOWN , TX
BARRY MOTT
GEORGETOWN , TX
10 4.06 25.78
$4000.00
6 PAKE SOUTH
WINNSBORO , TX
KYLE EVANS
EMORY , TX
10 0 24.75
$3000.00
7 ADAM DUNN
HOUSTON , TX
JOSHUA WARE
SPLENDORA , TX
9 0 24.42
$2000.00
8 STERLING MARTIN
COMFORT , TX
JUSTIN MADDING
JARRELL , TX
9 5.28 23.97
$1800.00+$500 Skeeter
9 MICHAEL GROSSMAN
DALLAS , TX
JAY KENDRICK
FORT WORTH , TX
9 0 22.74
$1700.00
10 CHARLIE GANTENBEIN
TEMPLE , TX
JAY STIDHAM
CHINA SPRING , TX
10 0 22.59
$1600.00
11 MIKE BURNS
LUCAS , TX
ROB BURNS
PLANO , TX
9 0 21.97
$1500.00
12 KEITH HONEYCUTT
TEMPLE , TX
SAM JONES
ROGERS , TX
10 0 21.61
$1500.00
13 TIM CLINE
SHERMAN , TX
JAXON CLINE
SHERMAN , TX
9 4.53 20.85
$1500.00
14 WILLIAM BLAINE
SAN ANGELO , TX
BEN BLAINE
GOLDWAITE , TX
10 0 20.53
$1500.00
15 MIKE RICHARDSON
THORNDALE , TX
ZACH BROWN
GEORGETOWN , TX
8 0 19.38
$1500.00
16 CHRIS STUDINGER
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX
JOSHUA RHODES
SAN ANTONIO , TX
7 5.84 19.06
$1500.00 + $750.00 Big Bass
17 DEVIN GIBSON
GONZALES , TX
ROBERT PRESCOTT
MOORE , OK
7 4.75 18.95
$1500.00
17 KEVIN DRITSCHLER
PROSPER , TX
MIKE WITHROW
CORSICANA , TX
9 0 18.95
$1500.00
19 WILL CARSTENS
ALEXANDRIA , LA
ROSS BRYANT
ALEXANDRIA , LA
10 0 18.71
$1500.00
20 GEORGE GLASS
DERRIDER , LA
TRENT MANUEL
IOWA , LA
7 0 18.48
$1500.00
21 DANIEL RODRIGUEZ
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX
KENDALL DAVIS
ABILENE , TX
8 0 18.11
$1500.00
22 CADE WILSON
EARLY , TX
BRANDON DAY
BROWNWOOD , TX
9 0 17.61
$1500.00
23 CHRIS BAKER
POWDERLY , TX
BRANDON BEERS
PARIS , TX
9 0 17.60
$1500.00
24 JUSTYN PARRISH
LAGO VISTA , TX
JJ LARSON
LEANDER , TX
7 0 17.29
$1500.00
25 BRIAN HALL
BRONTE , TX
STEVE ELDRED JR
YANTIS , TX
7 0 17.18
$1500.00
26 BRANDEN HOLLINGSHEAD
AZLE , TX
JEREMY LAMBERT
DECATUR , TX
9 0 16.91
$1200.00
27 TERRY KIRCUS
BURNET , TX
JASON BUCHANAN
BURNET , TX
9 0 16.75
$1200.00
28 JON DESPINO
COLFAX , LA
KEVIN LASYONE
DRY PRONG , LA
7 0 16.49
$1200.00
29 LARRY BENCH
DENISON , TX
HI HILLBURN
COLBERT , OK
4 6.48 16.37
$1200.00 + $750.00 Big Bass
30 LANCE DILLARD
LLANO , TX
BLAKE DILLARD
LLANO , TX
7 4.22 16.30
$1200.00
31 RON SAUCEMAN
COLLINSVILLE , TX
ALEX PISARSKI
COLLINSVILLE , TX
8 0 16.15
$1200.00
32 MARK SPURGIN
MCKINNEY , TX
TYLER HOLMES
RICHARDSON , TX
6 0 15.97
$1200.00
33 TRENT MENEES
NORTHLAKE , TX
TERRY BOLLOM
FRISCO , TX
9 0 15.90
$1200.00
34 COREY SCHNAUTZ
MARION , TX
JASON SCHNAUTZ
ELMENDORF , TX
7 0 15.84
$1200.00
35 GIB COATS
FORT WORTH , TX
JOHN HARRIS
FORT WORTH , TX
7 0 15.58
$1200.00
36 JODY HOLUBEK
FORT WORTH , TX
DANIEL HERRING
WATUAGA , TX
8 0 15.57
$1000.00
37 DAVE DOBRONSKI
SAN ANTONIO , TX
CHASE HUX
FLORESVILLE , TX
6 0 15.19
$1000.00
38 LAMARCUS MCCRAY
HOUSTON , TX
JAMES ROZELL
PORTER , TX
8 0 15.11
$1000.00
39 DOUG POSEY
ORANGE , TX
DAKOTA POSEY
ORANGE , TX
8 0 15.05
$1000.00
40 RONNY MAYNARD
GEORGETOWN , TX
ERIC CRUMLEY
LEANDER , TX
7 0 15.01
$1000.00
41 JOEY RICHARDSON
GRANBURY , TX
LOWELL RICHARDSON
KELLER , TX
8 0 14.96
$1000.00
42 JONATHAN LANCASTER
QUITMAN , TX
JOSH PRIEST
QUITMAN , TX
7 0 14.94
$1000.00
43 ROGER RITCHIE
WICHITA FALLS , TX
RICHARD RITCHIE
BENTON , AR
5 0 14.75
44 RANDY TURNER
GREENVILLE , TX
TREY TURNER
ROYSE CITY , TX
6 0 14.66
45 DUANE PITTMAN
GONZALES , LA
LUCAS RAGUSA
GONZALES , LA
6 5.26 14.64
46 BLAIR COBBLE
LAGO VISTA , TX
TERRY COBBLE
ROUND ROCK , TX
6 0 14.59
47 JEREMY WRIGHT
SAN ANTONIO , TX
JASON WILLIAMS
NEW BRAUNFELS , TX
6 0 14.50
48 ROBERT CASE JR
PITTSBURG , TX
MORRIS MCCUTCHEON
WINNSBORO , TX
7 0 14.43
49 NICK BROWN
LINDALE , TX
BYRON CHAVES
MINEOLA , TX
7 0 14.37
50 STEVE TRIMBLE
ATHENS , TX
TREVER DYKEMA
YANTS , TX
8 0 14.27

Topwaters may win Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event at Pickwick

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

The goosebump-raising explosion of a bass smashing a topwater surface lure remains the sport’s most magical moment for just about any angler who has ever picked up a baitcasting reel, and this coming weekend’s 12th annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event at Pickwick may very well be won on a frog or Super Spook Jr. according to respected veteran guide, Jimmy Mason.

While the Super Spook Jr. will be a great tool for taming surface schooling smallmouth on shallow gravel bars, the frog will be the perfect snag-free utensil to pull weighty largemouth from miles of milfoil and hydrilla patches that are the most abundant they’ve been in at least five years, and certainly thicker than previous Bonus Bucks events held at Pickwick in 2019 and 2020.

“Not only will the frog bite around the hundreds of acres of grass we’ve got this year get stronger and stronger going into this Bonus Bucks event, but the abundant grass mats will also serve to erase some of the local advantages out-of-state guests face when there’s less grass, and specific local-known ledges or deeper water places play a bigger factor,” says Mason.

He also warns visiting tournament participants that river levels are quite low, and flow is minimal in the famous tailraces not far from tournament headquarters below the Wilson Dam. Mason says not only will the tailraces be far less of a player this year,but recommends extreme caution to anybody who chooses to take a left turn out of McFarland Park toward the tailraces, stating he’s seen rocks and boulders exposed this season that he hasn’t seen in years.

However, they’ll be no issues finding a patch of hydrilla or milfoil to fish. In fact, Mason says once particular grass mat spans roughly 8-miles in length from Seven Mile Island to Natchez Trace Bridge, and that the winning five bites could come from an area the size of an average front lawn if a team lands on the magical spot. He says the average water depth beneath most of the matted vegetation is 3 to 6 feet deep.

Mason’s favorite frog is a Booyah Pad Crasher in the color ole smokey, which offers hints of a shad color, and the time proven bone silver flash is his favorite shade of Super Spook Jr.

No major rains are expected in the days leading up to the event, so fishing conditions should remain stable and productive for Toyota Bonus Bucks guests. But they can expect a strong chance of topwater strike induced goosebumps that may very well result in a winning stringer of around 22-pounds and a guaranteed first place check of $5,000 at this no entry fee fellowship filled event.


41st Anniversary WON BASS U.S. Open starts Tomorrow

Josh Bertrand, Gary Klein and Bryant Smith Preview event

San Clemente, Calif. October 15, 2023 The 41st Anniversary Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin kicks off tomorrow on Lake Mohave out of Katerine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina. This event runs through Wednesday October 18. 2023 and marks the second year that the premier bass fishing event in the Western United States will be held on Lake Mohave following consecutive years of lower water conditions at Lake Mead that forced the move.

The 2023 event looks to be as competitive as last years event as 182 pro and co anglers will head out onto the 28,000 surface acres of Lake Mohave in search of the kind of quality bass that will take home the 2024 Bass Cat Cougar and Mercury 250 ProXS as well as the cash prize package the eventual champion will receive.  As with any bass fishing tournament, the plans the anglers made during practice will need to be adjusted as the Laughlin area has seen significant swings in weather conditions.

In the pre-practice period, the air temperatures saw cooler temperatures with fall type conditions and some windy conditions. During those days,anglers reported seeing the surface temperatures on Lake Mohave dip as much as 10 degrees.  While it appears that change may have triggered some type of fall migration, those conditions will change as the event begins as the mercury will reach as high as 100 degrees and the winds will taper to a typical 10 to 15 mph.  What effect that has on the fishery remains to be seen.

2022 U.S. Open Champion and MLF Bass Pro Tour pro Josh Bertrand said that he left the areas he won on last year alone and searched new water for this during practice. Mohave is fishing differently than it did last a year ago, said Bertrand.  We fished it like a summer event in 2022, and this is more into the fall conditions this year, so its going to influence how we do things.  I searched for new water and found some things that Ill rely on but saved the areas I used to win last year in hopes that theyll still be good.  Its a different year and I hope to be in position to contend again, but well just have to wait and see.

Fishing his third WON Bass U.S. Open, is Roseville, Calif. pro Bryant Smith who just completed his rookie season on The Bassmaster Elite Series.  Smith said that he realized how much the event meant to him as a Western angler after he fished his first U.S. Open and made it a priority.  This is the marquee event and after I fished it for the first time, it becamean event I wanted to win, he said.  That wont be an easy task this week, whoever wins is going to have to do several things and make adjustments along the way between the reaction bite, finesse tactics and fishing Active Target Forward Facing Sonar; were going to have to earn it this week.

A former U.S. Open Champion and veteran of more than half of the 41 holdings of the event is Major League Fishing co-founder Gary Klein. AWestern Original, who now makes his home in Texas said he had an urging to return to his roots.  I entered the event because I really started getting an itch to fish out West again, and this event is one that means something to me and a lot of others, said Klein.  Ive been out here for a week doing a lot of looking and a little fishing and like how its shaping up.  Its not going to be an easy tournament to win, but I feel like Ive found something I can build on and give it a run; I would really like to give myself a chance to be in the conversation on day three that would give me a shot at winning my second U.S. Open title.

Bertrand won the 2022 WON Bass U.S. Open title with a three-day winning weight of 67.78 pounds and it would be reasonable to expect similar weight ranges to be in play this year.  Historical averages for winning weights in events on the lake typically exceeds 20 pounds a day,and even with a field this large, that should hold steady.  Fishing pressure is likely to play a role as anglers may find themselves competing for areas as the event grinds on.

The 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open Sponsor Expo will be held October 15from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the E-Center Convention Center, adjacent to the host hotel, the Edgewater Hotel, Casino & Resort located at 2020 S. Casino Drive | Laughlin, NV 89029 and will feature dozens of vendor booths showcasing their wares. That sponsors fair will be followed by the induction of the 2023 class of the WON BASS Hall of Fame starting at 5:00PM Both events are open to the general public.

The 2023 WON BASS Hall of Fame induction ceremony will occur immediately following the conclusion of Sponsors Expo. The WON BASS Hall of Fame has been established to recognize the efforts of competitors and individuals instrumental in the industry who have left indelible marks on the organization and professional bass fishing in theWestern United States through WON BASS.  

Individuals being inducted in this inaugural class are three-time U.S. Open Champion Aaron Martens, two-time U.S. Open Champions John Murray and Byron Velvick and past U.S. Open Champion Pat Donoho and Fred Ward.

The three-day long Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin competition itselfwill begin Monday, October 16, with a champion being crowned on October 18 at the conclusion of the final weigh-in. Takeoff with 182 pro and AAA anglers will commence at safe light and weigh-ins will occur at 3:00PM each day. Takeoff and weigh-ins will be held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

WON Bass has reserved Thursday October 19 and Friday October 20 in case any day of the event is postponed due to unsafe conditions by the National Parks Service.

Join us for an historic event and look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms on https://www.facebook.com/WONBassTournamentsand https://www.instagram.com/wonbass/ for event details, livestreamsand updates.


Late bonus pushes Messer to Bassmaster Open victory at Harris Chain of Lakes

Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day total of 39 pounds, 13 ounces. 

Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

October 14, 2023

LEESBURG, Fla. — Two weeks ago, Matt Messer wondered how he would pay for his 2024 tournament entry fees.

But winning the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes completely changed that outlook.

After leading Day 1 with 24 pounds, 6 ounces, the Warfield, Ky., angler added a second-round total of 15-7 and tallied 39-13. Edging Blake Sylvester of Plaquemine, La., by 1-12, Messer won $42,467 and an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic scheduled for March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla.

“I’ve been dreaming of the Classic since I was 5 and now I get a shot at it,” Messer said. “I can hardly talk. I’m torn all to pieces.”

Messer, who won the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Harris Chain presented by Bass Pro Shops with his brother and Kentucky Christian University teammate Lafe Messer, caught both day's limits in Lake Griffin. While Day 1 yielded a 7-14 and a 7-2, the second round saw his lone shot at a kicker fizzle.

“I did not think I was going to catch ‘em,” Messer admits. “I was grinding and I got one big bite, but I didn’t get it in the boat. It was like a 7-pounder.

“I was (discouraged), but I told myself, ‘If it’s the Lord’s plan, it’s going to happen.’”

Messer would end up catching his fish on a Texas-rigged Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Creature Hawg and a 1/4-ounce Boogerman buzzbait. The latter would deliver the day-making fish right before Messer’s trip back to the weigh-in.

“I came back (from Lake Griffin) and there were boats lined up at the lock,” he said. “I asked (the anglers) if I could fish in front of them while they waited. I trolled by them, threw a buzzbait against the wall and at 3:45, I caught a 3 1/2-pounder.”

Calling the Harris Chain his favorite fishery, Messer said a key Day 1 decision likely determined his fate.

“Yesterday, I was going through the Dead River,” he said. “I was going to go to Lake Dora to catch a limit. I knew I could go and catch enough to get a check. But I started thinking that I really didn’t care about getting a check on this place — I wanted to win.

“I went to Griffin about 11 o’clock with two bass in my livewell. I caught those two 7s, and it just worked out.”

Sylvester finished second with 38-1. Making the long run to Lake Apopka, he caught a limit of 15-14 on Day 1 and then added 22-3 on the final day.

Returning to Apopka for Day 2, Sylvester anchored his big limit with an 8-pounder. He caught his bass by throwing a Prototype Lures Smasher Frog and a Delta Lures Thunder Jig and flipping a Missile Baits D Bomb.

“I was around some big ones,” he said. “I caught a 7-8 (on Friday), and I saw a couple of big ones that missed my frog. I left a lot out there yesterday. I weighed in three 2-pounders and you can’t do that on a place like this.”

Sylvester started his day in Lake Harris. Once he reached Apopka, he caught all of his bass between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

Ben Milliken of New Caney, Texas, finished third with 32-3. After placing second on Day 1 with 20-13, he endured a day of frustration but managed to catch a final round limit of 11-6.

“A lot of things went wrong today, and I really had to work hard to overcome a lot of challenges,” Milliken said. “I got to my first spot and there was an angler parked on top of it. I never caught any fish there, so I drove all the way down to Lake Apopka. I got to the lock and there were 20 boats lined up — they can only take three at a time.

“I finally got down to Apopka around 11:30 or noon and got to the brushpile where I caught my whole Day 1 limit. I broke off the first four fish that bit on a drop shot with a 7-inch 6th Sense Divine Shakey Worm.”

Milliken ended up catching two fish out of the brushpile and filled his limit elsewhere.

Lafe Messer of Warfield, Ky., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 8-12.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Sylvester took home a $2,000 bonus. He also earned an additional $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards bonus.

Pic Dieffenbauch Jr. of Hundred, W.Va., won the nonboater division with 21-5. Dieffenbauch led Day 1 with a limit of 13-14, which he anchored with a 6-15. Adding a limit of 7-7 on Day 2 pushed him past Mike Spears of Jasper, Ala., by 2 pounds.

“Getting a big bag on Day 1 was the key,” he said. “Today was a struggle. It was 10 o’clock before I had my first fish.”

Dieffenbauch caught all of his fish on a Zoom Speed Worm in the junebug color. He rigged the bait with a 3/16-ounce weight and fished it around submerged vegetation.

Rick Adams of Lake Wales, Fla., won the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award among nonboaters with his 8-1.

The tournament was shortened to just two days due to inclement weather on Thursday — and in addition to deciding one of the final Classic berths of the season, it determined the final standings for the Opens Elite Qualifiers division. Only anglers who fished all nine Opens were eligible for the EQs, and the top nine finishers in the season standings will receive invitations to the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., won the EQ Division Angler of the Year title with 1,659 points. The other eight EQ anglers earning an Elite invitation were John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., Robert Gee of Knoxville, Tenn., Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine., Wesley Gore of Clanton, Ala., Logan Parks of Auburn, Ala., Milliken and Kyle Patrick of Cooperstown, N.Y. Since Kenta Kimura, who finished fifth in the EQ point standings, is already an Elite Series angler, that allowed one additional angler to earn an Elite invitation.

“You look back at the year I had and I don’t think I’ll be able to duplicate a string of tournaments like that again,” Thompkins said of his four Top 10 finishes. “To be able to do that with the kind of people around me was a blessing.

“Big shout out to everyone who made the Elite Series. Those guys really made the race what it was and they made the (EQ Angler of the Year) trophy mean that much more.”

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain 10/13-10/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Matt Messer            Warfield, KY            10  39-13  200   $42,467.00
Day 1: 5   24-06     Day 2: 5   15-07
2.  Blake Sylvester        Plaquemine, LA          10  38-01  199   $21,127.00
Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   22-03
3.  Ben Milliken           New Caney, TX           10  32-03  198   $14,560.00
Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   11-06
4.  Tyler Lubbat           Wheeling, IL            10  32-03  197   $12,133.00
Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   14-01
5.  Andrew Hargrove        Moody, TX               10  31-06  196   $10,556.00
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   18-04
6.  Mike Mayo              Athens, TX              10  30-05  195   $9,707.00
Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   13-08
7.  John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK              9  30-01  194   $9,100.00
Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 4   10-07
8.  Wesley Gore            Clanton, AL             10  29-15  193   $8,493.00
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   11-00
9.  Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME            10  29-08  192   $6,673.00
Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   14-05
10. Jack York              Emory, TX               10  29-05  191   $5,460.00
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   16-08
11. Lafe Messer            Warfield, KY            10  29-04  190   $4,853.00
Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 5   19-02
12. Billy Charland         Lakeland, FL            10  28-13  189   $4,247.00
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   15-08
13. Shaine Campbell        Brookeland, TX          10  28-08  188   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   15-14
14. Allen Brooks           Canton, GA              10  28-02  187   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   19-04
15. Chad Prough            Chipley, FL             10  28-00  186   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   10-11
16. Keith Tuma             Brainerd, MN            10  27-09  185   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   14-00
17. Griffin Phillips       Mount Olive, AL         10  27-07  184   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   13-08
18. John Garrett           Union City, TN          10  26-15  183   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   15-11
19. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT          10  26-10  182   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   10-12
20. Chase Clarke           Virginia Beach, VA      10  26-10  181   $3,337.00
Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   15-02
21. Trevor McKinney        Benton, IL              10  26-09  180   $3,033.00
Day 1: 5   16-12     Day 2: 5   09-13
22. JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC        10  26-07  179   $3,033.00
Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   10-12
23. Ish Monroe             Oakdale, CA             10  26-02  178   $3,033.00
Day 1: 5   16-11     Day 2: 5   09-07
24. Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL          10  26-01  177   $3,033.00
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   13-14
25. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ             10  26-00  176   $3,033.00
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   10-12
26. Brett Cannon           Kiln, MS                10  25-13  175   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   13-13
27. Kurt Mitchell          Milford, DE             10  25-05  174   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   12-09
28. Takayuki Koike         Otsu-City JAPAN         10  25-03  173   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   08-06
29. Miles Burghoff         Dayton, TN              10  25-01  172   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   11-05
30. Keith Nemcek           St Charles, IL          10  25-01  171   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 5   13-08
31. Alex Murray            Lake Charles, LA        10  25-01  170   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   11-15
32. Trey Swindle           Cleveland, AL           10  24-13  169   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   14-15
33. Dave Turner            Citrus Springs, FL      10  24-13  168   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   11-06
34. Bryan New              Saluda, SC              10  24-10  167   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   11-00
35. Parker Mott            Winter Garden, FL       10  24-09  166   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   12-08
36. Allen Johnson          Trinity, AL             10  24-07  165   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   11-13
37. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  24-02  164   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   11-06
38. Craig Chambers         Midland, NC             10  23-15  163   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   10-03
39. Daniel Valois Gomez    Caracas FL VENEZUELA    10  23-14  162   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   10-12
40. Clayton Wiggins        Sorrento, FL            10  23-12  161   $2,791.00
Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 5   17-05
41. Tim Arnold             Crane Hill, AL          10  23-11  160
Day 1: 5   09-08     Day 2: 5   14-03
42. Ron Ryals Jr           Live Oak, FL            10  23-11  159
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   10-13
43. Danny Ramsey           Trinidad, TX            10  23-10  158
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-09
44. Scout Echols           Monticello, AR          10  23-10  157
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   12-08
45. B.J. Usie              Bourg, LA               10  23-05  156
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   15-01
46. Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL            10  23-04  155
Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   11-08
47. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN           10  22-13  154
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   10-12
48. Chad Warren            Sand Springs, OK        10  22-11  153
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   09-15
49. Zack Smith             Starke, FL              10  22-07  152
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   08-05
50. Blake Smith            Lakeland, FL            10  22-03  151
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   12-15
51. Jason Lambert          Savannah, TN            10  22-00  150
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   13-06
52. David Wootton          Collierville, TN        10  21-15  149
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   09-12
53. Mike Surman            Boca Raton, FL          10  21-13  148
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   10-02
54. Kenta Kimura           Osaka JAPAN             10  21-13  147
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   10-07
55. Caleb Gibson           Locust Grove, OK        10  21-07  146
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   12-01
56. Josh Hubbard           Dunnellon, FL           10  21-06  145
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   10-13
57. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK            10  21-04  144
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   08-02
58. Keith Bardolf          Abbeville, AL           10  21-02  143
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   07-11
59. Chris Blanchette       Edisto Island, SC       10  21-00  142
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   08-03
60. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL              10  21-00  141
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   11-11
61. Jimmy Washam           Stantonville, TN        10  20-15  140
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   09-04
62. Tim Frederick          Leesburg, FL            10  20-12  139
Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   09-04
63. Brian Post             Janesville, WI          10  20-10  138
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   08-09
64. Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY            9  20-09  137
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 4   11-05
65. Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA          10  20-09  136
Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 5   10-01
66. Joey Bloom             Winter Springs, FL      10  20-06  135
Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   11-14
67. Jason Meninger         Yulee, FL               10  20-06  134
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   10-09
68. Josh Bragg             Fayetteville, GA         9  20-05  133
Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 4   10-00
69. Brady Vernon           Sterrett, AL             9  20-04  132
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 4   05-13
70. Jonathan Dietz         Corry, PA               10  20-01  131
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 5   11-11
71. Cody Bertrand          Dyer, IN                10  20-01  130
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   10-13
72. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL          10  20-01  129
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   09-07
73. Justin Kimmel          Athens, GA              10  20-00  128
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   07-13
74. Chris Kingree          Inverness, FL           10  20-00  127
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   09-05
75. Jack Tindel III        Orange, TX              10  19-12  126
Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   07-10
76. Justin Barnes          Ellaville, GA           10  19-12  125
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   10-06
77. Teb Jones              Yalaha, MS               8  19-11  124
Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 3   03-14
78. David Kilgore          Jasper, AL              10  19-09  123
Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   08-06
79. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY         10  19-07  122
Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   08-04
80. Darrell Davis          Dover, FL                9  19-05  121
Day 1: 4   06-02     Day 2: 5   13-03
81. Andrew Harp            Linden, TX              10  19-03  120
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   10-08
82. Dustin Neat            Dunnville, KY           10  19-02  119
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   10-13
83. Tony Dumitras          Winston, GA              7  18-14  118
Day 1: 2   04-01     Day 2: 5   14-13
84. Ryan Clark             Whitby Ontario CANADA   10  18-13  117
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   10-00
85. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX              10  18-12  116
Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 5   10-13
86. Brayden Rakes          Winston Salem, NC       10  18-11  115
Day 1: 5   07-12     Day 2: 5   10-15
87. Kyle Austin            Ridgeville, SC           9  18-09  114
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 4   06-08
88. Joey Hanna             Corsicana, TX           10  18-09  113
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   10-04
89. Matt Henry             Milledgeville, GA        9  18-08  112
Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 4   06-15
90. Wil Dieffenbauch III   Hundred, WV             10  18-08  111
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   07-03
91. Cody Detweiler         Guntersville, AL        10  18-06  110
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   07-08
92. Keith Brumfield        Vicksburg, MS           10  18-05  109
Day 1: 5   08-01     Day 2: 5   10-04
93. Sam George             Athens, AL              10  18-04  108
Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   10-13
94. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI         10  18-03  107
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   06-00
95. Colby Robertson        Summerfield, FL         10  18-02  106
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   06-03
96. Tripp Noojin           Bryant, AL              10  17-15  105
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   06-13
97. Jamie Bruce            Kenora Ontario CANADA   10  17-15  104
Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 5   09-08
98. Austin Cranford        Norman, OK              10  17-14  103
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-07
99. JT Russell             Mc Calla, AL             7  17-11  102
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 2   03-11
100. Hunter Bland           Williston, FL            9  17-10  101
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 4   06-00
101. Jacob Bigelow          Cecil, WI               10  17-10  100
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   07-13
102. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          9  17-10   99
Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 4   07-15
103. Daisuke Kita           Ostu Shiga JAPAN        10  17-07   98
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   07-08
104. Clark Reehm            Elm Grove, LA           10  17-07   97
Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   08-15
105. Billy McDonald         Greenwood, IN            8  17-05   96
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 3   03-00
106. Derek Lehtonen         Woodruff, SC            10  17-05   95
Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 5   07-10
107. Hunter Sales           Blaine, TN              10  17-05   94
Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   07-11
108. Greg Bohannan          Bentonville, AR         10  17-04   93
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   06-06
109. Scott Gibbs            Rome, GA                10  17-02   92
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   06-05
110. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL            10  17-02   91
Day 1: 5   06-13     Day 2: 5   10-05
111. Lance Owen             Greer, SC               10  17-02   90
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   07-03
112. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           9  17-01   89
Day 1: 5   09-12     Day 2: 4   07-05
113. Warren Gensel          Brooksville, FL          8  16-15   88
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 5   09-05
114. Guy Eaker              Cherryville, NC         10  16-14   87
Day 1: 5   05-09     Day 2: 5   11-05
115. Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA           10  16-14   86
Day 1: 5   09-08     Day 2: 5   07-06
116. Briana Tucker          Trinity, AL              9  16-11   85
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 4   05-13
117. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO                8  16-10   84
Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 3   06-09
118. Chancy Walters         West Des Moines, IA      9  16-08   83
Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 4   07-15
119. Christian Shoda        Homosassa, FL            8  16-08   82
Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 5   08-06
120. Evan Kung              Pickering Ontario CANAD 10  16-06   81
Day 1: 5   08-02     Day 2: 5   08-04
121. Brandon McMillan       Clewiston, FL           10  16-05   80
Day 1: 5   07-04     Day 2: 5   09-01
122. Kyle Goltz             Cornell, WI             10  16-04   79
Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   07-06
123. Scott Isaacs           Ladonia, TX              9  16-00   78
Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 4   06-07
124. Daniel Rogers          Morriston, FL           10  15-12   77
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   08-12
125. Erik Brztowski         Lemont, IL              10  15-12   76
Day 1: 5   07-04     Day 2: 5   08-08
126. Logan Johnson          Jasper, AL               9  15-04   75
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 4   04-06
127. Destin DeMarion        Harborcreek, PA          7  15-02   74
Day 1: 4   11-07     Day 2: 3   03-11
128. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI         9  14-12   73
Day 1: 4   06-11     Day 2: 5   08-01
129. Bobby Lanham           Eddyville, KY           10  14-10   72
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   06-10
130. Cole Thompson          Saint Cloud, FL         10  14-08   71
Day 1: 5   07-14     Day 2: 5   06-10
131. Jake Maddux            Birmingham, AL           9  14-08   70
Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 4   07-01
132. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO       7  14-06   69
Day 1: 4   05-11     Day 2: 3   08-11
133. Paul Bouvier           Kingston CANADA         10  14-06   68
Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 5   08-04
134. Michael Wooten         White House, TN          7  13-15   67
Day 1: 4   09-00     Day 2: 3   04-15
135. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  9  13-12   66
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 4   00-00
136. D.J. Ellis             Leesburg, FL             5  13-12   65
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 0   00-00
137. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           9  13-05   64
Day 1: 4   05-09     Day 2: 5   07-12
138. Brad Leuthner          Victoria, MN             7  13-04   63
Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 5   08-13
139. Julius Mazy            Phoenix, AZ             10  13-04   62
Day 1: 5   05-07     Day 2: 5   07-13
140. Mike Greenwell         Alva, FL                 8  13-01   61
Day 1: 3   04-02     Day 2: 5   08-15
141. Terry Segraves         Kissimmee, FL            5  12-14   60
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
142. David Perdue           Wirtz, VA                6  12-12   59
Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 3   06-15
143. Mike Oncale            Port Allen, LA           9  12-11   58
Day 1: 4   06-07     Day 2: 5   06-04
144. Jason Carpenter        Castle Pines, CO         8  12-09   57
Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 3   03-00
145. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA                5  12-07   56
Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
146. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               5  12-05   55
Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 0   00-00
147. Gary Caruso            Baton Rouge, LA          8  12-01   54
Day 1: 3   04-07     Day 2: 5   07-10
148. Frank Williams         Mountain Home, AR        9  11-10   53
Day 1: 4   05-01     Day 2: 5   06-09
149. Jess Beihoffer         Soddy Daisy, TN          8  11-05   52
Day 1: 5   08-03     Day 2: 3   03-02
150. Cole Drummond          Effingham, SC            5  11-04   51
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
150. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  11-04   51
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
152. Harry Peyton           Guntersville, AL         9  10-11   49
Day 1: 5   06-01     Day 2: 4   04-10
153. Destry Ford            Tuscaloosa, AL           8  10-01   48
Day 1: 3   03-03     Day 2: 5   06-14
154. Paul Browning          Pecos, TX                6  10-01   47
Day 1: 2   04-03     Day 2: 4   05-14
155. Jeffrey Fosdyck        Umatilla, FL             5  09-15   46
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
155. Brandon Tallhamer      Parkersburg, WV          5  09-15   46
Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
157. Bryan Jones            Zephyrhills, FL          5  09-13   44
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 0   00-00
158. Scott Allgood          Fair Play, SC            7  09-09   43
Day 1: 2   04-13     Day 2: 5   04-12
159. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN          5  09-04   42
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
160. Allan Nail             Sand Springs, OK         5  09-02   41
Day 1: 5   09-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
160. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC         5  09-02   41
Day 1: 5   09-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
162. Christian Greico       Tampa, FL                5  09-01   39
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 0   00-00
163. Gary Ogden             Sumrall, MS              3  09-00   38
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 2   07-04
164. Danny Hardy            Cantonment, FL           5  08-14   37
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   08-14
165. Clayton Batts          Butler, GA               5  08-12   36
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 0   00-00
165. Randall Carter         Maplesville, AL          5  08-12   36
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 0   00-00
167. Jason Tibbetts         Centreville, VA          5  08-04   34
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
168. Jerry Riddle Jr        Summit, MS               6  07-13   33
Day 1: 4   05-14     Day 2: 2   01-15
169. Denny Fiedler          Wabasha, MN              6  07-10   32
Day 1: 4   05-15     Day 2: 2   01-11
170. Kenji Yamada           Hixson, TN               6  07-09   31
Day 1: 2   02-09     Day 2: 4   05-00
171. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           4  07-07   30
Day 1: 4   07-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
172. Frank Ramsey           Spring Grove, IL         4  07-02   29
Day 1: 4   07-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
173. Tommy Young            Orlando, FL              4  06-11   28
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 1   02-02
174. Clay Dyer              Fayetteville, TN         4  06-01   27
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   06-01
175. Taylor Watkins         Clinton, TN              4  05-06   26
Day 1: 4   05-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
176. Roland Stevens         Prairieville, LA         4  05-00   25
Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 1   01-00
177. A.J. Menssen           Bloomington, IL          5  04-12   24
Day 1: 3   02-07     Day 2: 2   02-05
178. Dalton Dowdy           Newberry, SC             4  04-06   23
Day 1: 4   04-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
179. Phil Killian           Solomon, AZ              2  03-15   22
Day 1: 2   03-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
180. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               2  03-05   21
Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 1   01-04
181. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
181. Harry Moore            Valley, AL               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       147       832      1818-02
2       123       731      1493-15
----------------------------------
270      1563      3312-01

 

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain 10/13-10/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Pic Dieffenbauch Jr    Hundred, WV              6  21-05  200  $17,000.00
Day 1: 3   13-14     Day 2: 3   07-07
2.  Mike Spears            Jasper, AL               6  19-05  199   $4,000.00
Day 1: 3   06-02     Day 2: 3   13-03
3.  Riku Hayashi           Ritto Shiga JAPAN        6  16-13  198   $3,000.00
Day 1: 3   10-08     Day 2: 3   06-05
4.  Frank Lauria           Wesley Chapel, FL        6  16-04  197   $2,250.00
Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 3   07-15
5.  Phillip Easterling     Clanton, AL              5  15-08  196   $2,100.00
Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 3   12-11
6.  Clyde Roberts          Marshall, NC             6  14-09  195   $2,000.00
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   07-08
7.  Yukinori Kusabuka      Ibaraki JAPAN            6  14-06  194   $1,900.00
Day 1: 3   10-08     Day 2: 3   03-14
8.  Dusty Wood             Belton, SC               6  13-12  193   $1,800.00
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 3   09-03
9.  Eric Camarote          The Villages, FL         6  13-12  192   $1,650.00
Day 1: 3   05-03     Day 2: 3   08-09
10. Dawson Wisner          Palatka, FL              6  13-11  191   $1,500.00
Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 3   08-12
11. Kyle Graham            Flagler Beach, FL        6  13-11  190   $1,400.00
Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 3   07-14
12. Chad Stahl             Barnesville, GA          6  13-08  189   $1,300.00
Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 3   09-08
13. Nathan Bloom           Winter Springs, FL       6  13-08  188   $1,100.00
Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 3   06-01
14. Dylan Mayo             Athens, TX               5  13-06  187   $1,000.00
Day 1: 2   04-14     Day 2: 3   08-08
15. Larry Mullikin         Jacksonville, FL         6  13-04  186     $900.00
Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 3   04-12
16. Shane Davis            Jacksonville, FL         5  12-11  185     $800.00
Day 1: 2   03-08     Day 2: 3   09-03
17. Sakae Ushio            Tonawanda, NY            6  12-07  184     $750.00
Day 1: 3   04-12     Day 2: 3   07-11
18. Satoshi Egawa          Fort Lee, NJ             6  12-06  183     $750.00
Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 3   06-10
19. Avery Williams         Murrells Inlt, SC        6  11-15  182     $750.00
Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 3   03-07
20. Landon Parrish         Trenton, FL              5  11-15  181     $750.00
Day 1: 3   07-13     Day 2: 2   04-02
21. Clayton Ellis          Saltillo, MS             6  11-15  180     $700.00
Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 3   04-08
22. Marrell Deering        Rome, GA                 6  11-14  179     $700.00
Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 3   03-06
23. Troy Mims              Suwanee, GA              6  11-09  178     $700.00
Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 3   07-12
24. David Dimauro          Longwood, FL             6  11-09  177     $700.00
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   03-15
25. Bobby Williams         Salisbury, NC            6  11-07  176     $700.00
Day 1: 3   08-00     Day 2: 3   03-07
26. John Higginbotham      Slaughter, LA            6  11-07  175     $600.00
Day 1: 3   04-06     Day 2: 3   07-01
27. Kevin Edwards          Ruskin, FL               6  11-07  174     $600.00
Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 3   04-12
28. Dylan Johnson          Longwood, FL             6  11-07  173     $600.00
Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   05-15
29. Chandler Howell        Guntown, MS              4  11-05  172     $600.00
Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 1   02-10
30. Blake Campbell         Bremen, AL               6  11-05  171     $600.00
Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 3   05-01
31. Michael Hill           Daytona Beach Shores, F  6  11-05  170     $550.00
Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 3   05-11
32. Thomas Crosswhite      Hartwell, GA             5  11-02  169     $550.00
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 2   03-08
33. Ronnie Davidson        Leesburg, FL             6  10-15  168     $550.00
Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 3   04-11
34. Ronald Miller          Attalla, AL              6  10-14  167     $550.00
Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 3   01-10
35. Mark Moore             Freeport, FL             6  10-13  166     $550.00
Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 3   03-08
36. Wil Flack              Smithers BC CANADA       5  10-08  165     $550.00
Day 1: 2   02-03     Day 2: 3   08-05
37. Ralph Gibson           Locust Grove, OK         4  10-05  164     $550.00
Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 1   01-06
38. Sho Egawa              Osaka JAPAN              6  10-04  163     $550.00
Day 1: 3   03-05     Day 2: 3   06-15
39. Austin Nelson          Apopka, FL               6  10-01  162     $550.00
Day 1: 3   03-12     Day 2: 3   06-05
40. Keir Sexton            Clermont, FL             6  10-01  161     $550.00
Day 1: 3   06-00     Day 2: 3   04-01
41. Brian Strickland       Yantis, TX               4  10-00  160
Day 1: 1   01-00     Day 2: 3   09-00
42. David Petrisko         Jacksonville, FL         5  10-00  159
Day 1: 3   04-08     Day 2: 2   05-08
43. Ashton Smith           Lake Helen, FL           6  09-14  158
Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 3   04-01
44. Jimmy Brumfield        Madison, MS              6  09-14  157
Day 1: 3   04-02     Day 2: 3   05-12
45. Ron Causey             Spring Hill, FL          4  09-12  156
Day 1: 3   07-13     Day 2: 1   01-15
46. Rick Adams             Lake Wales, FL           2  09-11  155     $250.00
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 1   08-01
47. Ronald Young           New Braunfels, TX        5  09-11  154
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 2   02-01
48. Byong Lee              Stedman, NC              5  09-09  153
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 2   02-08
49. Jerry Gonzalez Rivero  Torreon Coah MEXICO      6  09-09  152
Day 1: 3   04-01     Day 2: 3   05-08
50. AJ Jones               Lutz, FL                 6  09-08  151
Day 1: 3   03-02     Day 2: 3   06-06
51. Matthew Rogers         Chiefland, FL            4  09-07  150
Day 1: 3   04-06     Day 2: 1   05-01
52. John Lewis             Centreville, VA          4  09-00  149
Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 1   00-13
53. Chris Timmons          Apopka, FL               6  08-15  148
Day 1: 3   05-02     Day 2: 3   03-13
54. Jordan McDonald        Jackson, GA              5  08-15  147
Day 1: 3   04-07     Day 2: 2   04-08
55. Perry See              Rochester, MN            5  08-14  146
Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 2   02-10
56. Tim Rasmussen          Orlando, FL              6  08-13  145
Day 1: 3   04-12     Day 2: 3   04-01
57. Jon Jezierski          Troy, MI                 5  08-11  144
Day 1: 3   04-14     Day 2: 2   03-13
58. Gary Haraguchi         Murfreesboro, TN         4  08-10  143
Day 1: 3   06-01     Day 2: 1   02-09
59. Corey Yaden            Grovetown, GA            5  08-10  142
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 2   04-01
60. Noah Reville           Orlando, FL              6  08-09  141
Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 3   02-11
61. John Haynes            Gainesville, FL          3  08-06  140
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   08-06
62. Mark Wethington        Liberty, KY              4  08-06  139
Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 1   01-03
63. Jacob Altman           Edgewood, TX             6  08-03  138
Day 1: 3   03-09     Day 2: 3   04-10
64. Michael Ryan           Mount Dora , FL          6  08-02  137
Day 1: 3   03-01     Day 2: 3   05-01
65. Skyler Anderson        Harlem, GA               5  08-01  136
Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 2   02-04
66. Michael Murphy         Umatilla, FL             6  08-01  135
Day 1: 3   04-14     Day 2: 3   03-03
67. Jeff Fellows           Orlando, FL              5  08-00  134
Day 1: 2   03-14     Day 2: 3   04-02
68. Cal Teneyck            Shakopee, MN             5  07-14  133
Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 3   03-07
69. Kyle Mckinney          Cedartown, GA            3  07-13  132
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-13
70. Jack Taft              Winter Garden, FL        5  07-13  131
Day 1: 3   03-14     Day 2: 2   03-15
71. Bailey Rothrock        Milan, MI                5  07-12  130
Day 1: 2   03-14     Day 2: 3   03-14
72. Satoshi Yaguchi        Ibaraki JAPAN            4  07-11  129
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 3   05-06
73. Adam Sangster          Sanford, FL              6  07-10  128
Day 1: 3   04-03     Day 2: 3   03-07
74. Buddy Rohn             Jacksonville, FL         5  07-09  127
Day 1: 3   04-06     Day 2: 2   03-03
75. Michael Leach          Shenandoah, TX           6  07-09  126
Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 3   03-14
76. Cody Richardson        Gautier, MS              5  07-07  125
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 2   02-14
77. Jeffery Davis          Palm Bay, FL             5  07-07  124
Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 2   03-10
78. Steve Deyton           Forest City, NC          3  07-04  123
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-04
79. Jon Brown              Brandon, FL              4  07-03  122
Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 1   01-05
80. Jay  Kamensky          Plantation, FL           4  07-03  121
Day 1: 2   03-05     Day 2: 2   03-14
81. Rick Ivy               Ponder, TX               5  06-14  120
Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 3   03-11
82. Rick Cheatham          Carterville, IL          4  06-12  119
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 1   02-01
83. Ray Larson             Springfield, IL          4  06-11  118
Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 1   00-15
84. Mike Tenda             Casselberry, FL          3  06-11  117
Day 1: 2   04-14     Day 2: 1   01-13
85. Stephen Mcpherson      Minneola, FL             6  06-11  116
Day 1: 3   02-14     Day 2: 3   03-13
86. Larry Davis            Gladewater, TX           2  06-09  115
Day 1: 2   06-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
87. Greg Fernandez         Palm Harbor, FL          5  06-09  114
Day 1: 2   01-14     Day 2: 3   04-11
88. Frankie Spicer         Brandon, FL              5  06-09  113
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 2   02-00
89. Jimmy Bass             Ocala, FL                5  06-08  112
Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 3   04-11
90. George Malcolm         Gainesville, FL          3  06-06  111
Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
91. David Booth            Erin, TN                 3  06-06  110
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 2   04-01
92. Ray Hill               Lake City, FL            6  06-05  109
Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 3   00-00
93. Tristan Bramblett      Tiger, GA                4  06-04  108
Day 1: 1   01-02     Day 2: 3   05-02
94. Steven Obester         Palatka, FL              4  06-04  107
Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 1   02-07
95. Jeff Baffa             Estero, FL               3  06-01  106
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 2   04-03
96. Jim Bland              Ocala, FL                6  06-01  105
Day 1: 3   03-00     Day 2: 3   03-01
97. Robbie Anderson        Crystal River, FL        3  05-14  104
Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
98. Scott Waters           Saint Cloud, FL          3  05-09  103
Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
99. Chris Westhelle        Sanford, FL              3  05-02  102
Day 1: 3   05-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
100. Jackie Flack           Cullman, AL              3  05-00  101
Day 1: 3   05-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
101. Alvin Jenkins          Savannah, GA             4  05-00  100
Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 1   01-05
102. Zach Burell            Gainesville, FL          4  04-14   99
Day 1: 1   00-11     Day 2: 3   04-03
103. Allen Heston           Pittsburg, TX            3  04-12   98
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   04-12
104. Nick Richey            Aledo, TX                3  04-10   97
Day 1: 3   04-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
105. Craig Cavanna          Spring Hill, FL          3  04-09   96
Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
106. John Searles Jr.       Townville, SC            4  04-09   95
Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 1   01-01
107. Chris Earles           Lady Lake, FL            4  04-09   94
Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 2   02-07
108. Antoni Bicy            Ocklawaha, FL            2  04-05   93
Day 1: 1   02-15     Day 2: 1   01-06
109. James Cornell          Longwood, FL             3  04-04   92
Day 1: 3   04-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
110. Fred Rigdon            Belleview, FL            3  04-03   91
Day 1: 3   04-03     Day 2: 0   00-00
111. Michael Robel          Bradenton, FL            2  04-02   90
Day 1: 1   01-00     Day 2: 1   03-02
112. Emiliano Zucchi        Port Orange, FL          2  04-01   89
Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 1   02-02
113. James Cottingham       Panama City, FL          2  03-15   88
Day 1: 2   03-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
114. Philip Morris Jr       Raleigh, NC              3  03-14   87
Day 1: 3   03-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
115. Todd Boyd              Lynn Haven, FL           2  03-14   86
Day 1: 2   03-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
116. Johnnie Garrett        Union City, TN           3  03-13   85
Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 1   01-01
117. Eddie Kidd             Fort Benning, GA         3  03-08   84
Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 2   02-01
118. Dehn Ganey             Bonneau, SC              2  03-07   83
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-07
119. Stephen Toth           Alachua, FL              2  03-05   82
Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 1   02-07
120. Carl Hunter            Snellville, GA           3  03-04   81
Day 1: 3   03-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
120. Randy Tallhamer        Brandenton, FL           3  03-04   81
Day 1: 3   03-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
122. Bill Hutchison Jr.     Bessemer, AL             2  03-03   79
Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 0   00-00
123. Thomas Abraham         Winchester, TN           3  03-03   78
Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 2   02-02
124. Johnny Ward Jr         Ludowici, GA             3  03-02   77
Day 1: 3   03-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
125. Randy Lawrence         Pensacola, FL            3  03-01   76
Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 2   02-02
126. Jonathan Barnette      Jasper, AL               3  02-15   75
Day 1: 3   02-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
127. Brian Rothrock         Monticello, IN           2  02-13   74
Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 0   00-00
128. Cody Koehler           Acworth, GA              2  02-13   73
Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 1   01-00
129. Gary Saxarra           Tavares, FL              2  02-11   72
Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 1   01-10
130. Alonzo Evans Jr        Topeka, KS               2  02-09   71
Day 1: 1   00-11     Day 2: 1   01-14
131. Josh Roberts           Ocala, FL                1  02-08   70
Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Glenn Bailey           Temple Terrace, FL       2  02-04   69
Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 1   01-03
133. Zachery Kuhn           Summerfield, FL          2  02-03   68
Day 1: 2   02-03     Day 2: 0   00-00
134. Zach Pringle           Newton, NC               1  02-02   67
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
135. Steven Smith           Logan, OH                1  01-11   66
Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
136. Akeem Marsh            Wildwood, FL             2  01-11   65
Day 1: 1   00-12     Day 2: 1   00-15
137. Matthew Ball           Groveland, FL            1  01-10   64
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
137. JW Battle Jr.          Orlando, FL              1  01-10   64
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
139. Ben Shuler             Nokomis, FL              1  01-09   62
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-09
140. William Carrasquillo   Clermont, FL             1  01-07   61
Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
141. Brian Jones            Meridianville, AL        1  01-03   60
Day 1: 1   01-03     Day 2: 0   00-00
142. Jim Williams           Winter Springs, GA       1  00-12   59
Day 1: 1   00-12     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. Daniel Hart            Orlando, FL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. Darrell Hille          Springfield, TN          0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. Kevin Mallow           Kansas, OK               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. Bob Morin              Seymour, TN              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. John Mortimer          Mount Pleasant, SC       0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. David Patterson        Flowood, MS              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. Greg Sloan             Chipley, FL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
143. Jeffery Strong         Sharpsburg, GA           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        89       334       609-12
2        65       267       499-07
----------------------------------
154       601      1109-03


Messer adjusts and takes Bassmaster Open lead at Harris Chain of Lakes

Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes with 24 pounds, 6 ounces. 

Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

October 13, 2023

LEESBURG, Fla. — Most folks love it when a plan comes together.

But Matt Messer is actually pretty stoked that his did not initially work.

As much as it pained Messer to shift gears from his starting area and technique, doing so delivered a limit of 24 pounds, 6 ounces, which leads Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes.

Hailing from Warfield, Ky., Messer heads into Championship Saturday — the event was shortened to two days due to inclement weather on Thursday — with a lead of 3-9 over Ben Milliken of New Caney, Texas.

“I had something I was going to run, but I only had two keepers at almost 11 o’clock. I had to completely switch everything,” Messer said. “I have a way that I can catch a limit pretty easily, but I knew I wasn’t going to win doing it, so I completely scrapped that.

“I’ve fished this place a bunch. I love this place and it ended up working out. I got a couple of the right bites.”

Anchoring his bag with a 7-14 largemouth, Messer also had a 7-2.

No stranger to these waters, Messer and his brother, Kentucky Christian University teammate Lafe Messer, won the Bassmaster College Series event at Harris Chain in 2022 with a two-day total of 61 pounds, 13 ounces that included monster bags of 25-6 and 36-7, a College Series single-day record.

After severe weather prompted the postponement of Day 1, the full field is now fishing both Friday and Saturday instead of the traditional format of trimming the field to the Top 10 for the third and final day.

With the heavy rains and strong winds roiling the Harris Chain, Messer found much of his success flipping a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Creature Hawg. While many chose to flip hydrilla and Kissimmee grass, Messer opted to target pads, eelgrass and shellbars.

“This is the dirtiest I’ve seen this water,” Messer said. “I think I could have caught ‘em on some of the stuff I started on this morning. I’m glad I didn’t because I ended up finding good ones elsewhere.”

In addition to his creature bait, Messer caught keepers on a Zoom Speed Worm and a buzzbait.

“I started catching them early, and I junk fished my way to a limit,” he said. “The two big ones came between noon and 1. Both of them were pretty close.

“I fished Lake Harris, Eustis and Griffin. I have a lot of history on this place, so I was just running around checking stuff. I wasn’t really on anything (solid).”

Milliken, who won the Bassmaster Open at Toledo Bend in mid-April, is in second place with 20-13. Stating that he was committed to his areas regardless of weather, Milliken said he was pleasantly surprised with the quality he encountered.

“I was just fortunate to find a spot with a big group of fish on Day 2 of practice,” Milliken said. “I never went back there in practice, so I had no idea what it was going to be like when I got there this morning.

“I fished multiple lakes today, but I’m going to narrow it down tomorrow because I know what I’m doing. One lake had all of them — one spot.”

Fishing in what he described as a mid-depth range, Milliken said he caught his bass on a mixture of dragging baits, cranking and a big glidebait.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro John Soukup of Sapulpa, Okla., is in third place with 19-10. Parking in one lake all day, Soukup put his faith in an offshore grass area he had located during practice.

“It was a whole day of figuring out what the bass were going to do — was (Thursday’s weather) going to pack them into their areas really tight, or was it going to loosen them up because the weather started getting good and they started feeling good,” Soukup pondered. “It was a little bit of both.

“I think the weather drew more fish into the cover, and they started biting early and kept going and going and going.”

Noting he threw mostly reaction baits, Soukup said he had several other boats in close proximity, but none seemed to fare as well as he did. The key, he said, was stepping on the gas.

“It was speed, weight, bait,” Soukup said. “I was being way more aggressive than everyone else.

“When other guys came through my area, I could see they were struggling. When people are struggling, they usually think they have to slow down. But sometimes to trigger fish in Florida, you need a heavier weight and a faster presentation.”

Messer is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-14.

Pic Dieffenbauch Jr. of Hundred, W.Va., leads the co-angler division with 13-4. With a 6-15 anchoring his limit, Dieffenbauch established a margin of 3-6 over Yukinori Kusabuka of Ibaraki, Japan.

“I threw some moving baits and I did some flipping,” Dieffenbauch said. “I caught the big one on a flipping bait in the afternoon.

“It kind of surprised me because it was later in the day. It wasn’t even in the cover. It was just out in the open water.”

Dieffenbauch holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with his 6-15.

JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers standings with 1667 points. The EQ season standings will be decided after Saturday’s rounds, with the top nine finishers earning invitations to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. ET at Ski Beach and the weigh-in will be held back at the launch site at 3:15 p.m. FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders beginning at 8 a.m. with continuing coverage on Bassmaster.com.

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain 10/13-10/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Matt Messer            Warfield, KY             5  24-06  200
Day 1: 5   24-06
2.  Ben Milliken           New Caney, TX            5  20-13  199
Day 1: 5   20-13
3.  John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK              5  19-10  198
Day 1: 5   19-10
4.  Wesley Gore            Clanton, AL              5  18-15  197
Day 1: 5   18-15
5.  Tyler Lubbat           Wheeling, IL             5  18-02  196
Day 1: 5   18-02
6.  Chad Prough            Chipley, FL              5  17-05  195
Day 1: 5   17-05
7.  Takayuki Koike         Otsu-City JAPAN          5  16-13  194
Day 1: 5   16-13
7.  Mike Mayo              Athens, TX               5  16-13  194
Day 1: 5   16-13
9.  Trevor McKinney        Benton, IL               5  16-12  192
Day 1: 5   16-12
10. Ish Monroe             Oakdale, CA              5  16-11  191
Day 1: 5   16-11
11. Blake Sylvester        Plaquemine, LA           5  15-14  190
Day 1: 5   15-14
11. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT           5  15-14  190
Day 1: 5   15-14
13. Teb Jones              Yalaha, MS               5  15-13  188
Day 1: 5   15-13
14. JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC         5  15-11  187
Day 1: 5   15-11
15. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ              5  15-04  186
Day 1: 5   15-04
16. Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME             5  15-03  185
Day 1: 5   15-03
17. Brady Vernon           Sterrett, AL             5  14-07  184
Day 1: 5   14-07
18. Billy McDonald         Greenwood, IN            5  14-05  183
Day 1: 5   14-05
19. Zack Smith             Starke, FL               5  14-02  182
Day 1: 5   14-02
20. JT Russell             Mc Calla, AL             5  14-00  181
Day 1: 5   14-00
21. Griffin Phillips       Mount Olive, AL          5  13-15  180
Day 1: 5   13-15
22. Miles Burghoff         Dayton, TN               5  13-12  179
Day 1: 5   13-12
22. Craig Chambers         Midland, NC              5  13-12  179
Day 1: 5   13-12
22. D.J. Ellis             Leesburg, FL             5  13-12  179
Day 1: 5   13-12
22. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  5  13-12  179
Day 1: 5   13-12
26. Bryan New              Saluda, SC               5  13-10  175
Day 1: 5   13-10
27. Keith Tuma             Brainerd, MN             5  13-09  174
Day 1: 5   13-09
28. Keith Bardolf          Abbeville, AL            5  13-07  173
Day 1: 5   13-07
29. Dave Turner            Citrus Springs, FL       5  13-07  172
Day 1: 5   13-07
30. Billy Charland         Lakeland, FL             5  13-05  171
Day 1: 5   13-05
31. Andrew Hargrove        Moody, TX                5  13-02  170
Day 1: 5   13-02
31. Dale Hightower         Mannford, OK             5  13-02  170
Day 1: 5   13-02
31. Alex Murray            Lake Charles, LA         5  13-02  170
Day 1: 5   13-02
31. Daniel Valois Gomez    Caracas FL VENEZUELA     5  13-02  170
Day 1: 5   13-02
35. Ron Ryals Jr           Live Oak, FL             5  12-14  166
Day 1: 5   12-14
35. Terry Segraves         Kissimmee, FL            5  12-14  166
Day 1: 5   12-14
37. Chris Blanchette       Edisto Island, SC        5  12-13  164
Day 1: 5   12-13
37. Jack York              Emory, TX                5  12-13  164
Day 1: 5   12-13
39. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  12-12  162
Day 1: 5   12-12
39. Kurt Mitchell          Milford, DE              5  12-12  162
Day 1: 5   12-12
39. Chad Warren            Sand Springs, OK         5  12-12  162
Day 1: 5   12-12
42. Shaine Campbell        Brookeland, TX           5  12-10  159
Day 1: 5   12-10
42. Allen Johnson          Trinity, AL              5  12-10  159
Day 1: 5   12-10
44. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA                5  12-07  157
Day 1: 5   12-07
45. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               5  12-05  156
Day 1: 5   12-05
46. Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL           5  12-03  155
Day 1: 5   12-03
46. David Wootton          Collierville, TN         5  12-03  155
Day 1: 5   12-03
48. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI          5  12-03  153
Day 1: 5   12-03
49. Justin Kimmel          Athens, GA               5  12-03  152
Day 1: 5   12-03
50. Jack Tindel III        Orange, TX               5  12-02  151
Day 1: 5   12-02
51. Kyle Austin            Ridgeville, SC           5  12-01  150
Day 1: 5   12-01
51. Brian Post             Janesville, WI           5  12-01  150
Day 1: 5   12-01
53. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN            5  12-01  148
Day 1: 5   12-01
53. Parker Mott            Winter Garden, FL        5  12-01  148
Day 1: 5   12-01
55. Brett Cannon           Kiln, MS                 5  12-00  146
Day 1: 5   12-00
56. Colby Robertson        Summerfield, FL          5  11-15  145
Day 1: 5   11-15
57. Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL             5  11-12  144
Day 1: 5   11-12
58. Mike Surman            Boca Raton, FL           5  11-11  143
Day 1: 5   11-11
58. Jimmy Washam           Stantonville, TN         5  11-11  143
Day 1: 5   11-11
60. Hunter Bland           Williston, FL            5  11-10  141
Day 1: 5   11-10
61. Matt Henry             Milledgeville, GA        5  11-09  140
Day 1: 5   11-09
61. Keith Nemcek           St Charles, IL           5  11-09  140
Day 1: 5   11-09
63. Chase Clarke           Virginia Beach, VA       5  11-08  138
Day 1: 5   11-08
63. Tim Frederick          Leesburg, FL             5  11-08  138
Day 1: 5   11-08
65. Destin DeMarion        Harborcreek, PA          4  11-07  136
Day 1: 4   11-07
66. Kenta Kimura           Osaka JAPAN              5  11-06  135
Day 1: 5   11-06
67. Wil Dieffenbauch III   Hundred, WV              5  11-05  134
Day 1: 5   11-05
68. Cole Drummond          Effingham, SC            5  11-04  133
Day 1: 5   11-04
68. John Garrett           Union City, TN           5  11-04  133
Day 1: 5   11-04
68. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  11-04  133
Day 1: 5   11-04
71. David Kilgore          Jasper, AL               5  11-03  130
Day 1: 5   11-03
71. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY          5  11-03  130
Day 1: 5   11-03
73. Scout Echols           Monticello, AR           5  11-02  128
Day 1: 5   11-02
73. Tripp Noojin           Bryant, AL               5  11-02  128
Day 1: 5   11-02
75. Danny Ramsey           Trinidad, TX             5  11-01  126
Day 1: 5   11-01
76. Cody Detweiler         Guntersville, AL         5  10-14  125
Day 1: 5   10-14
76. Logan Johnson          Jasper, AL               5  10-14  125
Day 1: 5   10-14
76. Briana Tucker          Trinity, AL              5  10-14  125
Day 1: 5   10-14
79. Greg Bohannan          Bentonville, AR          5  10-14  122
Day 1: 5   10-14
80. Scott Gibbs            Rome, GA                 5  10-13  121
Day 1: 5   10-13
81. Chris Kingree          Inverness, FL            5  10-11  120
Day 1: 5   10-11
82. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL           5  10-10  119
Day 1: 5   10-10
83. Josh Hubbard           Dunnellon, FL            5  10-09  118
Day 1: 5   10-09
84. Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA           5  10-08  117
Day 1: 5   10-08
85. Josh Bragg             Fayetteville, GA         5  10-05  116
Day 1: 5   10-05
86. Lafe Messer            Warfield, KY             5  10-02  115
Day 1: 5   10-02
87. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO                5  10-01  114
Day 1: 5   10-01
88. Jeffrey Fosdyck        Umatilla, FL             5  09-15  113
Day 1: 5   09-15
88. Daisuke Kita           Ostu Shiga JAPAN         5  09-15  113
Day 1: 5   09-15
88. Lance Owen             Greer, SC                5  09-15  113
Day 1: 5   09-15
88. Brandon Tallhamer      Parkersburg, WV          5  09-15  113
Day 1: 5   09-15
92. Trey Swindle           Cleveland, AL            5  09-14  109
Day 1: 5   09-14
93. Jason Meninger         Yulee, FL                5  09-13  108
Day 1: 5   09-13
94. Jacob Bigelow          Cecil, WI                5  09-13  107
Day 1: 5   09-13
94. Bryan Jones            Zephyrhills, FL          5  09-13  107
Day 1: 5   09-13
96. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           5  09-12  105
Day 1: 5   09-12
97. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          5  09-11  104
Day 1: 5   09-11
97. Derek Lehtonen         Woodruff, SC             5  09-11  104
Day 1: 5   09-11
99. Hunter Sales           Blaine, TN               5  09-10  102
Day 1: 5   09-10
100. Jason Carpenter        Castle Pines, CO         5  09-09  101
Day 1: 5   09-09
100. Scott Isaacs           Ladonia, TX              5  09-09  101
Day 1: 5   09-09
102. Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA            5  09-08   99
Day 1: 5   09-08
103. Tim Arnold             Crane Hill, AL           5  09-08   98
Day 1: 5   09-08
104. Austin Cranford        Norman, OK               5  09-07   97
Day 1: 5   09-07
105. Justin Barnes          Ellaville, GA            5  09-06   96
Day 1: 5   09-06
105. Caleb Gibson           Locust Grove, OK         5  09-06   96
Day 1: 5   09-06
107. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL               5  09-05   94
Day 1: 5   09-05
108. Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY            5  09-04   93
Day 1: 5   09-04
108. Cody Bertrand          Dyer, IN                 5  09-04   93
Day 1: 5   09-04
108. Blake Smith            Lakeland, FL             5  09-04   93
Day 1: 5   09-04
111. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN          5  09-04   90
Day 1: 5   09-04
112. Allan Nail             Sand Springs, OK         5  09-02   89
Day 1: 5   09-02
112. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC         5  09-02   89
Day 1: 5   09-02
114. Christian Greico       Tampa, FL                5  09-01   87
Day 1: 5   09-01
115. Michael Wooten         White House, TN          4  09-00   86
Day 1: 4   09-00
116. Allen Brooks           Canton, GA               5  08-14   85
Day 1: 5   08-14
116. Kyle Goltz             Cornell, WI              5  08-14   85
Day 1: 5   08-14
118. Ryan Clark             Whitby Ontario CANADA    5  08-13   83
Day 1: 5   08-13
119. Clayton Batts          Butler, GA               5  08-12   82
Day 1: 5   08-12
119. Randall Carter         Maplesville, AL          5  08-12   82
Day 1: 5   08-12
121. Andrew Harp            Linden, TX               5  08-11   80
Day 1: 5   08-11
122. Jason Lambert          Savannah, TN             5  08-10   79
Day 1: 5   08-10
123. Chancy Walters         West Des Moines, IA      5  08-09   78
Day 1: 5   08-09
124. Joey Bloom             Winter Springs, FL       5  08-08   77
Day 1: 5   08-08
124. Clark Reehm            Elm Grove, LA            5  08-08   77
Day 1: 5   08-08
126. Jamie Bruce            Kenora Ontario CANADA    5  08-07   75
Day 1: 5   08-07
127. Jonathan Dietz         Corry, PA                5  08-06   74
Day 1: 5   08-06
128. Dustin Neat            Dunnville, KY            5  08-05   73
Day 1: 5   08-05
129. Joey Hanna             Corsicana, TX            5  08-05   72
Day 1: 5   08-05
130. Jason Tibbetts         Centreville, VA          5  08-04   71
Day 1: 5   08-04
130. B.J. Usie              Bourg, LA                5  08-04   71
Day 1: 5   08-04
132. Jess Beihoffer         Soddy Daisy, TN          5  08-03   69
Day 1: 5   08-03
133. Evan Kung              Pickering Ontario CANAD  5  08-02   68
Day 1: 5   08-02
134. Christian Shoda        Homosassa, FL            3  08-02   67
Day 1: 3   08-02
135. Keith Brumfield        Vicksburg, MS            5  08-01   66
Day 1: 5   08-01
136. Bobby Lanham           Eddyville, KY            5  08-00   65
Day 1: 5   08-00
137. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               5  07-15   64
Day 1: 5   07-15
138. Cole Thompson          Saint Cloud, FL          5  07-14   63
Day 1: 5   07-14
139. Brayden Rakes          Winston Salem, NC        5  07-12   62
Day 1: 5   07-12
140. Warren Gensel          Brooksville, FL          3  07-10   61
Day 1: 3   07-10
141. Sam George             Athens, AL               5  07-07   60
Day 1: 5   07-07
141. Jake Maddux            Birmingham, AL           5  07-07   60
Day 1: 5   07-07
143. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           4  07-07   58
Day 1: 4   07-07
144. Erik Brztowski         Lemont, IL               5  07-04   57
Day 1: 5   07-04
144. Brandon McMillan       Clewiston, FL            5  07-04   57
Day 1: 5   07-04
146. Frank Ramsey           Spring Grove, IL         4  07-02   55
Day 1: 4   07-02
147. Daniel Rogers          Morriston, FL            5  07-00   54
Day 1: 5   07-00
148. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL             5  06-13   53
Day 1: 5   06-13
149. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI         4  06-11   52
Day 1: 4   06-11
150. Clayton Wiggins        Sorrento, FL             5  06-07   51
Day 1: 5   06-07
151. Mike Oncale            Port Allen, LA           4  06-07   50
Day 1: 4   06-07
152. Paul Bouvier           Kingston CANADA          5  06-02   49
Day 1: 5   06-02
153. Darrell Davis          Dover, FL                4  06-02   48
Day 1: 4   06-02
154. Harry Peyton           Guntersville, AL         5  06-01   47
Day 1: 5   06-01
155. Denny Fiedler          Wabasha, MN              4  05-15   46
Day 1: 4   05-15
156. Jerry Riddle Jr        Summit, MS               4  05-14   45
Day 1: 4   05-14
157. David Perdue           Wirtz, VA                3  05-13   44
Day 1: 3   05-13
158. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO       4  05-11   43
Day 1: 4   05-11
159. Guy Eaker              Cherryville, NC          5  05-09   42
Day 1: 5   05-09
160. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           4  05-09   41
Day 1: 4   05-09
161. Julius Mazy            Phoenix, AZ              5  05-07   40
Day 1: 5   05-07
162. Taylor Watkins         Clinton, TN              4  05-06   39
Day 1: 4   05-06
163. Frank Williams         Mountain Home, AR        4  05-01   38
Day 1: 4   05-01
164. Scott Allgood          Fair Play, SC            2  04-13   37
Day 1: 2   04-13
165. Lee Young              Orlando, FL              3  04-09   36
Day 1: 3   04-09
166. Gary Caruso            Baton Rouge, LA          3  04-07   35
Day 1: 3   04-07
167. Brad Leuthner          Victoria, MN             2  04-07   34
Day 1: 2   04-07
168. Dalton Dowdy           Newberry, SC             4  04-06   33
Day 1: 4   04-06
169. Paul Browning          Pecos, TX                2  04-03   32
Day 1: 2   04-03
170. Mike Greenwell         Alva, FL                 3  04-02   31
Day 1: 3   04-02
171. Tony Dumitras          Winston, GA              2  04-01   30
Day 1: 2   04-01
172. Roland Stevens         Prairieville, LA         3  04-00   29
Day 1: 3   04-00
173. Phil Killian           Solomon, AZ              2  03-15   28
Day 1: 2   03-15
174. Destry Ford            Tuscaloosa, AL           3  03-03   27
Day 1: 3   03-03
175. Kenji Yamada           Hixson, TN               2  02-09   26
Day 1: 2   02-09
176. A.J. Menssen           Bloomington, IL          3  02-07   25
Day 1: 3   02-07
177. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               1  02-01   24
Day 1: 1   02-01
178. Gary Ogden             Sumrall, MS              1  01-12   23
Day 1: 1   01-12
179. Clay Dyer              Fayetteville, TN         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
179. Danny Hardy            Cantonment, FL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
179. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
179. Harry Moore            Valley, AL               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       147       832      1818-02
----------------------------------
147       832      1818-02
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain 10/13-10/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Pic Dieffenbauch Jr    Hundred, WV              3  13-14  200
Day 1: 3   13-14
2.  Yukinori Kusabuka      Ibaraki JAPAN            3  10-08  199
Day 1: 3   10-08
3.  Riku Hayashi           Ritto Shiga JAPAN        3  10-08  198
Day 1: 3   10-08
4.  Ronald Miller          Attalla, AL              3  09-04  197
Day 1: 3   09-04
5.  Ralph Gibson           Locust Grove, OK         3  08-15  196
Day 1: 3   08-15
6.  Chandler Howell        Guntown, MS              3  08-11  195
Day 1: 3   08-11
7.  Marrell Deering        Rome, GA                 3  08-08  194
Day 1: 3   08-08
7.  Larry Mullikin         Jacksonville, FL         3  08-08  194
Day 1: 3   08-08
7.  Avery Williams         Murrells Inlt, SC        3  08-08  194
Day 1: 3   08-08
10. Frank Lauria           Wesley Chapel, FL        3  08-05  191
Day 1: 3   08-05
11. John Lewis             Centreville, VA          3  08-03  190
Day 1: 3   08-03
12. Bobby Williams         Salisbury, NC            3  08-00  189
Day 1: 3   08-00
13. Ron Causey             Spring Hill, FL          3  07-13  188
Day 1: 3   07-13
13. Landon Parrish         Trenton, FL              3  07-13  188
Day 1: 3   07-13
15. Thomas Crosswhite      Hartwell, GA             3  07-10  186
Day 1: 3   07-10
15. David Dimauro          Longwood, FL             3  07-10  186
Day 1: 3   07-10
15. Ronald Young           New Braunfels, TX        3  07-10  186
Day 1: 3   07-10
18. Nathan Bloom           Winter Springs, FL       3  07-07  183
Day 1: 3   07-07
18. Clayton Ellis          Saltillo, MS             3  07-07  183
Day 1: 3   07-07
20. Mark Moore             Freeport, FL             3  07-05  181
Day 1: 3   07-05
21. Mark Wethington        Liberty, KY              3  07-03  180
Day 1: 3   07-03
22. Byong Lee              Stedman, NC              3  07-01  179
Day 1: 3   07-01
22. Clyde Roberts          Marshall, NC             3  07-01  179
Day 1: 3   07-01
24. Kevin Edwards          Ruskin, FL               3  06-11  177
Day 1: 3   06-11
25. Larry Davis            Gladewater, TX           2  06-09  176
Day 1: 2   06-09
26. George Malcolm         Gainesville, FL          3  06-06  175
Day 1: 3   06-06
27. Ray Hill               Lake City, FL            3  06-05  174
Day 1: 3   06-05
28. Blake Campbell         Bremen, AL               3  06-04  173
Day 1: 3   06-04
28. Ronnie Davidson        Leesburg, FL             3  06-04  173
Day 1: 3   06-04
28. Perry See              Rochester, MN            3  06-04  173
Day 1: 3   06-04
31. Mike Spears            Jasper, AL               3  06-02  170
Day 1: 3   06-02
32. Gary Haraguchi         Murfreesboro, TN         3  06-01  169
Day 1: 3   06-01
33. Keir Sexton            Clermont, FL             3  06-00  168
Day 1: 3   06-00
34. Robbie Anderson        Crystal River, FL        3  05-14  167
Day 1: 3   05-14
34. Jon Brown              Brandon, FL              3  05-14  167
Day 1: 3   05-14
34. Noah Reville           Orlando, FL              3  05-14  167
Day 1: 3   05-14
37. Skyler Anderson        Harlem, GA               3  05-13  164
Day 1: 3   05-13
37. Kyle Graham            Flagler Beach, FL        3  05-13  164
Day 1: 3   05-13
37. Ashton Smith           Lake Helen, FL           3  05-13  164
Day 1: 3   05-13
40. Satoshi Egawa          Fort Lee, NJ             3  05-12  161
Day 1: 3   05-12
40. Ray Larson             Springfield, IL          3  05-12  161
Day 1: 3   05-12
42. Michael Hill           Daytona Beach Shores, F  3  05-10  159
Day 1: 3   05-10
43. Scott Waters           Saint Cloud, FL          3  05-09  158
Day 1: 3   05-09
44. Dylan Johnson          Longwood, FL             3  05-08  157
Day 1: 3   05-08
45. Eric Camarote          The Villages, FL         3  05-03  156
Day 1: 3   05-03
46. Chris Timmons          Apopka, FL               3  05-02  155
Day 1: 3   05-02
46. Chris Westhelle        Sanford, FL              3  05-02  155
Day 1: 3   05-02
48. Jackie Flack           Cullman, AL              3  05-00  153
Day 1: 3   05-00
49. Dawson Wisner          Palatka, FL              3  04-15  152
Day 1: 3   04-15
50. Jon Jezierski          Troy, MI                 3  04-14  151
Day 1: 3   04-14
50. Michael Murphy         Umatilla, FL             3  04-14  151
Day 1: 3   04-14
52. Dylan Mayo             Athens, TX               2  04-14  149
Day 1: 2   04-14
52. Mike Tenda             Casselberry, FL          2  04-14  149
Day 1: 2   04-14
54. Tim Rasmussen          Orlando, FL              3  04-12  147
Day 1: 3   04-12
54. Sakae Ushio            Tonawanda, NY            3  04-12  147
Day 1: 3   04-12
56. Rick Cheatham          Carterville, IL          3  04-11  145
Day 1: 3   04-11
57. Nick Richey            Aledo, TX                3  04-10  144
Day 1: 3   04-10
58. Craig Cavanna          Spring Hill, FL          3  04-09  143
Day 1: 3   04-09
58. Cody Richardson        Gautier, MS              3  04-09  143
Day 1: 3   04-09
58. Frankie Spicer         Brandon, FL              3  04-09  143
Day 1: 3   04-09
58. Dusty Wood             Belton, SC               3  04-09  143
Day 1: 3   04-09
58. Corey Yaden            Grovetown, GA            3  04-09  143
Day 1: 3   04-09
63. David Petrisko         Jacksonville, FL         3  04-08  138
Day 1: 3   04-08
64. Jordan McDonald        Jackson, GA              3  04-07  137
Day 1: 3   04-07
65. Cal Teneyck            Shakopee, MN             2  04-07  136
Day 1: 2   04-07
66. John Higginbotham      Slaughter, LA            3  04-06  135
Day 1: 3   04-06
66. Matthew Rogers         Chiefland, FL            3  04-06  135
Day 1: 3   04-06
66. Buddy Rohn             Jacksonville, FL         3  04-06  135
Day 1: 3   04-06
69. James Cornell          Longwood, FL             3  04-04  132
Day 1: 3   04-04
70. Fred Rigdon            Belleview, FL            3  04-03  131
Day 1: 3   04-03
70. Adam Sangster          Sanford, FL              3  04-03  131
Day 1: 3   04-03
72. Jimmy Brumfield        Madison, MS              3  04-02  129
Day 1: 3   04-02
73. Jerry Gonzalez Rivero  Torreon Coah MEXICO      3  04-01  128
Day 1: 3   04-01
74. Chad Stahl             Barnesville, GA          3  04-00  127
Day 1: 3   04-00
75. James Cottingham       Panama City, FL          2  03-15  126
Day 1: 2   03-15
76. Philip Morris Jr       Raleigh, NC              3  03-14  125
Day 1: 3   03-14
76. Jack Taft              Winter Garden, FL        3  03-14  125
Day 1: 3   03-14
78. Todd Boyd              Lynn Haven, FL           2  03-14  123
Day 1: 2   03-14
78. Jeff Fellows           Orlando, FL              2  03-14  123
Day 1: 2   03-14
80. Bailey Rothrock        Milan, MI                2  03-14  121
Day 1: 2   03-14
81. Troy Mims              Suwanee, GA              3  03-13  120
Day 1: 3   03-13
81. Steven Obester         Palatka, FL              3  03-13  120
Day 1: 3   03-13
83. Jeffery Davis          Palm Bay, FL             3  03-13  118
Day 1: 3   03-13
84. Austin Nelson          Apopka, FL               3  03-12  117
Day 1: 3   03-12
85. Alvin Jenkins          Savannah, GA             3  03-11  116
Day 1: 3   03-11
85. Michael Leach          Shenandoah, TX           3  03-11  116
Day 1: 3   03-11
87. Jacob Altman           Edgewood, TX             3  03-09  114
Day 1: 3   03-09
88. John Searles Jr.       Townville, SC            3  03-08  113
Day 1: 3   03-08
89. Shane Davis            Jacksonville, FL         2  03-08  112
Day 1: 2   03-08
90. Sho Egawa              Osaka JAPAN              3  03-05  111
Day 1: 3   03-05
91. Jay  Kamensky          Plantation, FL           2  03-05  110
Day 1: 2   03-05
92. Carl Hunter            Snellville, GA           3  03-04  109
Day 1: 3   03-04
92. Randy Tallhamer        Brandenton, FL           3  03-04  109
Day 1: 3   03-04
94. Bill Hutchison Jr.     Bessemer, AL             2  03-03  107
Day 1: 2   03-03
94. Rick Ivy               Ponder, TX               2  03-03  107
Day 1: 2   03-03
96. AJ Jones               Lutz, FL                 3  03-02  105
Day 1: 3   03-02
96. Johnny Ward Jr         Ludowici, GA             3  03-02  105
Day 1: 3   03-02
98. Michael Ryan           Mount Dora , FL          3  03-01  103
Day 1: 3   03-01
99. Jim Bland              Ocala, FL                3  03-00  102
Day 1: 3   03-00
100. Jonathan Barnette      Jasper, AL               3  02-15  101
Day 1: 3   02-15
101. Antoni Bicy            Ocklawaha, FL            1  02-15  100
Day 1: 1   02-15
102. Stephen Mcpherson      Minneola, FL             3  02-14   99
Day 1: 3   02-14
103. Phillip Easterling     Clanton, AL              2  02-13   98
Day 1: 2   02-13
103. Brian Rothrock         Monticello, IN           2  02-13   98
Day 1: 2   02-13
105. Johnnie Garrett        Union City, TN           2  02-12   96
Day 1: 2   02-12
106. Josh Roberts           Ocala, FL                1  02-08   95
Day 1: 1   02-08
107. David Booth            Erin, TN                 1  02-05   94
Day 1: 1   02-05
107. Satoshi Yaguchi        Ibaraki JAPAN            1  02-05   94
Day 1: 1   02-05
109. Wil Flack              Smithers BC CANADA       2  02-03   92
Day 1: 2   02-03
109. Zachery Kuhn           Summerfield, FL          2  02-03   92
Day 1: 2   02-03
111. Chris Earles           Lady Lake, FL            2  02-02   90
Day 1: 2   02-02
112. Zach Pringle           Newton, NC               1  02-02   89
Day 1: 1   02-02
113. Emiliano Zucchi        Port Orange, FL          1  01-15   88
Day 1: 1   01-15
114. Greg Fernandez         Palm Harbor, FL          2  01-14   87
Day 1: 2   01-14
115. Jeff Baffa             Estero, FL               1  01-14   86
Day 1: 1   01-14
116. Jimmy Bass             Ocala, FL                2  01-13   85
Day 1: 2   01-13
117. Cody Koehler           Acworth, GA              1  01-13   84
Day 1: 1   01-13
118. Steven Smith           Logan, OH                1  01-11   83
Day 1: 1   01-11
119. Rick Adams             Lake Wales, FL           1  01-10   82
Day 1: 1   01-10
119. Matthew Ball           Groveland, FL            1  01-10   82
Day 1: 1   01-10
119. JW Battle Jr.          Orlando, FL              1  01-10   82
Day 1: 1   01-10
122. William Carrasquillo   Clermont, FL             1  01-07   79
Day 1: 1   01-07
122. Eddie Kidd             Fort Benning, GA         1  01-07   79
Day 1: 1   01-07
124. Brian Jones            Meridianville, AL        1  01-03   77
Day 1: 1   01-03
125. Tristan Bramblett      Tiger, GA                1  01-02   76
Day 1: 1   01-02
126. Thomas Abraham         Winchester, TN           1  01-01   75
Day 1: 1   01-01
126. Glenn Bailey           Temple Terrace, FL       1  01-01   75
Day 1: 1   01-01
126. Gary Saxarra           Tavares, FL              1  01-01   75
Day 1: 1   01-01
129. Michael Robel          Bradenton, FL            1  01-00   72
Day 1: 1   01-00
129. Brian Strickland       Yantis, TX               1  01-00   72
Day 1: 1   01-00
131. Randy Lawrence         Pensacola, FL            1  00-15   70
Day 1: 1   00-15
132. Stephen Toth           Alachua, FL              1  00-14   69
Day 1: 1   00-14
133. Akeem Marsh            Wildwood, FL             1  00-12   68
Day 1: 1   00-12
133. Jim Williams           Winter Springs, GA       1  00-12   68
Day 1: 1   00-12
135. Zach Burell            Gainesville, FL          1  00-11   66
Day 1: 1   00-11
135. Alonzo Evans Jr        Topeka, KS               1  00-11   66
Day 1: 1   00-11
137. Steve Deyton           Forest City, NC          0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Dehn Ganey             Bonneau, SC              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Daniel Hart            Orlando, FL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. John Haynes            Gainesville, FL          0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Allen Heston           Pittsburg, TX            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Darrell Hille          Springfield, TN          0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Kevin Mallow           Kansas, OK               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Kyle Mckinney          Cedartown, GA            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Bob Morin              Seymour, TN              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. John Mortimer          Mount Pleasant, SC       0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. David Patterson        Flowood, MS              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Ben Shuler             Nokomis, FL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Greg Sloan             Chipley, FL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
137. Jeffery Strong         Sharpsburg, GA           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        89       334       609-12
----------------------------------
89       334       609-12


B.A.S.S. creates committee and institutes technology reviews for 2024 Elite Series season

October 13, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials announced today that, while they will continue allowing the use of forward-facing and live sonar during the 2024 Elite Series season, the organization is creating a committee of representatives from across the company to continuously monitor the use of live sonar, listen to angler feedback and gauge the technology’s impact on competition, fan experience and bass populations.

As part of the monitoring, the committee will review data gathered internally to evaluate live sonar’s impact throughout the coming season. A review of onboard technology being used by each Elite Series angler will be conducted by tournament staff and the committee at the beginning of the 2024 season. Subsequent surveys of the Top 10 following each Elite event will also cover the time spent using live sonar and the positioning of transducers.

That data will be reported to the committee alongside information such as catch rates and tournament weights to paint a more accurate picture of the technology’s significance to competitive bass fishing.

B.A.S.S. has emphasized that the organization is committed to listening to anglers, fans and industry insiders while monitoring and evaluating the use of these tools and studying how they impact both competition and fan experience.

For more information on how the committee and B.A.S.S. will evaluate forward-facing technology during the 2024 Elite Series season, visit Bassmaster.com.


Bradley Roy’s 11th Annual High School Open, presented by Covercraft 200 Teams Competed on Lake Cumberland and Cedar Creek Lake

The 2023 Bradley Roy High School Open, presented by Covercraft, was one of the most closely contested chapters in the tournament’s eleven-year history. The winning team on Sunday was Blake Marcum and Reese Hughes of Louisa Bass Club HS. Marcrum, a senior, had qualified for the Top 5 Sunday Fish Off as a freshman four years earlier.

155 high school teams and 45 junior teams (6-8th grade) competed on October 7th at Lake Cumberland and the top five fished the following day at Cedar Creek Lake in Stanford, Kentucky.

The tournament is an officially sanctioned high school event by the Kentucky Bass Nation. Two spots in the 2024 Bassmaster High School National Championship were awarded to Saturday’s top finishers: Andrew Worrall and Will Melching of Central KY Bassmasters (1 st ) and Cole Richerson and Kayden Bickett of Taylor County HS (2 nd ).

The winning team weighed a bag of five fish totaling 9.75 pounds. The runners-up weighed in five fish for 9.31 pounds.

3rd place – Bryce McDonald/Ethan Elliott – Paintsville HS: 8.01
4th place – Landon Pierce/Korbin Neat – Casey County HS: 7.85
5th place – Blake Marcum/Reece Hughes – Louisa Bass Club HS: 7.51

Worrall and Melching caught the Railblaza Big Bass, a largemouth weighing 4.38 pounds.  Following the Saturday weigh-in, Roy gathered the top five teams and prepared them for a fish-off on Sunday at a mystery destination.

The Bass Pro Tour angler convened the group at the Riverside Inn in Jamestown at 4:00 CDT on Sunday morning and led a convoy east on the Cumberland Parkway. The teams didn’t know their destination until they arrived at Cedar Creek Lake.  “I picked Cedar Creek Lake again this year as our mystery lake; it’s a lake I grew up fishing and thinks it’s one of the best lakes in Kentucky,” said Roy. “It was fun watching these high school anglers approach this body of water because it has so much cover, structure, and fish to target.”

Each team was assigned boat officials trained by Roy and provided two sets of MLF-supplied scales. Teams were given fifteen minutes to ride around on the designated section of the 784-acre fishery.

Roy streamed commentary on his social media pages as he covered the action. The teams fished two 2.5-hour sessions, with a thirty-minute break in between.  The conditions on Cedar Creek were cold to begin the morning, with temperatures in the high 30s warming up as the day progressed. Roy noted during the live stream that the weather conditions played a significant factor in the difficulty of the fishing and would make every catch even more crucial to the outcome. As temperatures warmed, the frequency of catches from the teams increased.  Marcum and Hughes landed a solid two-pound fish with 12 minutes to go to take the victory over the Casey County HS team of Pierce and Neat.

On Sunday, both team members from the top two teams were offered four-year scholarships to attend Campbellsville University. Kentucky Christian also offered four-year scholarships to teams in the Top Five. In all, potential scholarships were over $400,000. In addition, Drury University will award scholarships to the Kentucky Bass Nation Angler of the Year team.

On Sunday, Marcum/Hughes and Pierce/Neat earned berths in the 2024 Major League Fishing High School National Championship.  Significant general scholarships and prizes for all teams were made possible by Covercraft, First
Southern National Bank, The Cain Pole, A Few Good Men Fishing Tournament, City of Jamestown, State Dock, Angler’s Outpost & Marine, BC Lures, Land Big Fish, Lexington Ice Center, Gumm Concrete, Whitaker Bank, Neat Companies, Ark Fishing, Bass Pro Shops, Railblaza, Grundens, Solar Bat, Triton, Mercury, and D&L Tackle.

“I want to thank everyone who helped us pull this tournament off for the eleventh consecutive year. If you have ever run a tournament, you know the work involved; I have an awesome staff, family, and sponsors. Even though this tournament has my name on it, I am just a small part, and none of this happens without them.”

For a video of the event, visit -- https://youtu.be/bPF5U5ATzEg

Media contact: J.D. Blackburn | [email protected] | (615) 479-7991

For complete tournament results, visit www.kybassnation.org.

For more information on Bradley Roy, visit www.BradleyRoy.com.


Fishin' Tip Friday - JVD on breaking down new water

Happy Fishin' Tip Friday!  We're bringing you a fresh video edition just in time for the weekend.  Are you headed to a new body of water this weekend?  Check out how Jonathon VanDam goes about locating a pattern on unfamiliar waters.


Shallow-water consistency lifts Snyders to Bassmaster Kayak Series AOY title

Rus Snyders of Pegram, Tenn., has won the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title.

Photos by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.

October 12, 2023

Snyders.pngBIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Rus Snyders entered the 2023 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX season with one goal in mind: win the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Angler of the Year title.

With a total of 746 points accumulated across four events, Snyders accomplished his goal and claimed the AOY title, earning the $5,000 top prize. He capped off his incredible season with a second-place finish at the Susquehanna River last weekend.

“It means a lot to win this,” he said. “It is always the goal of any tournament series that I enter. The AOY is the first thing on my mind as far as my goals to accomplish. Even more so than winning a championship event. It is a reflection of the entire year as a whole and not just one tournament. I cashed a check in every tournament, and I’m happy anytime I can get a check.”

The California native turned Tennessean outlasted Alabama’s Nick Dyer, who finished second with 727 points, and Elite Series pro Greg DiPalma, who finished third with 726 points.

Throughout the year, Snyders continually picked apart shallow-water cover and structure. While the season spanned across vastly different fisheries, his understanding of how water moves around these shallow areas contributed greatly to his success.

“When you are fishing shallow, it is important to recognize ambush points, feeding areas and to be as efficient as possible in mechanics,” he explained. “Efficiency is everything, and the better you can recognize those areas they will use to feed, the more you can eliminate the areas that aren’t going to be as effective.”

Of the four Bassmaster Kayak Series tournaments he fished in 2023, Snyders finished in the Top 15 or better in all four. He opened the season with a third-place finish at Lake Guntersville before traveling to Lake Hartwell and finishing in 15th place.

Between those two events, Snyders also won the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship at Chickamauga Lake and hoisted that trophy on the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic stage.

“It is gratifying when you accomplish such a large goal,” he said.

With one drop to give for AOY eligibility, Snyders did not participate in the Possum Kingdom Lake event but came back strong in La Crosse, Wis., with a second-place finish on the Upper Mississippi River before his runner-up showing at the Susquehanna River.

“That was my fourth tournament in La Crosse, and I fished in the same area I fished in the last three events. It paid off,” he said. “I had to take it tournament by tournament, I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself. But as soon as the La Crosse tournament ended, my main focus at that point was working really hard for the last tournament.”

While he is more comfortable fishing shallow-water situations in a kayak, lakes tend to cater to Snyders’ strengths. So although the Susquehanna River is a shallow fishery, Snyders wasn’t super-confident about his prospects when he arrived in Pennsylvania.

Although calm conditions prevailed most of practice, producing some of the best smallmouth fishing many anglers had ever experienced, a major cold front also moved through the area the last practice day. That made Snyders even more unsure if he could finish where he needed to in order to wrap up AOY.

“When I got into bass fishing, it was in a bass boat,” Snyders explained. “Coming from that world, we go to a lot of the lakes that are similar to what I grew up fishing out of a boat. Drew Gregory, Jody Queen and some of those people, that’s not what they specialize in. But when we go to a place like the Susquehanna River, you can take all of the top guys and they won’t be the favorite because you are competing against guys who have fished rivers like that their whole lives. When we go to these rivers, it is so difficult to do well.

“So I didn’t have a ton of confidence going into that event, even though it is something I really like doing and spend a lot of time doing.”

Snyders combated that by working harder than he has for any other tournament, and when the weather changed on the final day of practice, he marked over 100 waypoints in his primary area to ensure he had enough to fish.

“In order for me to lock it up, I knew I needed a sixth-place finish or better,” he said. “I just tried to keep an open mind. Knowing the weather conditions were playing out that way, I had a strategy to really find as many targets as I could. The bass were really living in places where they could tuck under something. I zigzagged back and forth and between the cuts of every island. I left no stone unturned.”

That hard work paid off, and while he couldn’t see the majority of the targets he marked because of the rising water, he was able to cast to them with a Megabass Magdraft swimbait and a Neko-rigged Z-Man Bang StickZ. His Torqeedo motor was also imperative to proper boat positioning. Snyders made just a few casts at every target before moving to the next waypoint.

That tournament will go down as his favorite of the season.

“When you look at the amount of fish caught, it was the best week of smallmouth fishing I have had in my entire life,” Snyders said. “I’m glad my hard work paid off.”

Snyders will now look ahead to next season and attempt to become the first back-to-back Bassmaster Kayak Series AOY champion in the short history of the kayak series. The 2024 season will kick off at Lake Murray in late February.


Introducing the Upgraded PENN Prevail III Rods

Quality saltwater rods with models for most general fishing applications

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Oct. 10, 2023) PENN’s Prevail line of rods is undergoing significant changes to their composition and performance with the addition of strengthened rod features for surf, inshore, and general boating needs, bringing this already reliable rod to the next level. Saltwater anglers can look to the Prevail III Rod Series for the sensitivity and strength needed to match a variety of fishing situations.

Incorporating the same qualities and features found in high-end saltwater rods, the new PENN Prevail III rod features significant upgrades and comes at an affordable price while offering anglers the quality they demand for harsh saltwater conditions. The rod provides models that span surf, inshore, and general boat needs, with the power to stand up to formidable fish.

The PENN Prevail III rod features 100% 24-ton graphite composition in its inshore-specific models. This enhancement gives anglers the sensitivity to detect a fish strike and the strength required to land the catch successfully. The rods come with premium cork grips, providing a comfortable and secure hold for long fishing days.

A graphite composite blank combines strength, versatility, and outstanding performance for the jig, surf, and heavier boat models. They feature rubber shrink tube handles, delivering all-day comfort and reliable grip for various fishing situations.

All Prevail III rods are equipped with one-piece stainless-steel PENN Dura-Guides, ensuring exceptional durability and flawless performance with all types of fishing lines.

For more information about the Prevail III rods or PENN fishing products, click here.

AVAILABLE: Now
MSRP: $99.95 - $139.95

PREVAIL III INSHORE MODELS

  • 100% 24 Ton Carbon Blank
  • PENN Dura-Guides
  • Premium Cork Handles
  • Comfortable Graphite Reel Seats
  • Rubber Gimbals (select models)

MODELS: PREINIII612S70 • PREINIII815S70 • PREINIII1017S70 • PREINIII1220S70 • PREINIII1530S70 • PREINIII1017C70 • PREINIII1220C70 • PREINIII1530C70

MSRP: $99.95 - 109.95

PREVAIL III SURF MODELS

  • Graphite Composite Blank
  • PENN Dura-Guides
  • Comfortable Graphite Reel Seats
  • Rubber Shrink Tube Handles

MODELS: PRESFIII1220S80 • PRESFIII815S90 • PRESFIII1220S90 • PRESFIII1530S10 • PRESFIII1530S11 • PRESFIII2040S12 • PRESFIII1220C10 • PRESFIII1530C10 • PRESFIII1530C11 • PRESFIII2040C12

MSRP: $99.95 - 129.95

PREVAIL III BOAT MODELS

  • Graphite Composite Blank
  • PENN Dura-Guides
  • High Density EVA Handles
  • Rubber Shrink Tube Rear Grips (select models)
  • Comfortable Graphite Reel Seats
  • Rubber Gimbals
  • Nylon Gimbals (select models)

MODELS: PREBWIII1530S70 • PREBWIII2040S70 • PREBWIII3050S66 • PREBWIII3050S70 • PREBWIII4080S70 • PREBWIII50100S60 • PREBWIII2040C70 • PREBWIII3050C66 • PREBWIII3050C70 • PREBWIII4080C60 • PREBWIII4080C66 • PREBWIII4080C70 • PREBWIII50100C60 • PREBWIII50100C66 • PREBWIII50100C70

MSRP: $129.95 - $139.95

PREVAIL III JIG MODELS

  • Graphite Composite Blank
  • PENN Dura-Guides
  • Comfortable Graphite Reel Seats
  • Rubber Shrink Tube Handles
  • Rubber Gimbals

MODELS: PREJGIII3080S66 • PREJGIII50130S64 • PREJGIII80200S60 • PREJGIII3080C66 • PREJGIII50130C62 • PREJGIII80200C58

MSRP: $109.95


B.A.S.S. postpones Day 1 of Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes

October 12, 2023

LEESBURG, Fla. — B.A.S.S. officials are postponing Day 1 competition at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes due to forecasted severe weather, which includes lightning and winds gusting to 35 mph. The National Weather Service has also issued a Tornado Watch for the area.

The full field of anglers will now compete on Friday and Saturday.

Daily takeoffs will be held from Ski Beach at 7:15 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day back at the launch site at 3:15 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com with FS1 broadcasting live with the leaders on Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m.


Challenging dynamics at play for B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Qualifiers

Top grass-roots anglers from around the world will compete for a berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic and an invitation to fish the Elite Series at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell Oct. 18-20.

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S. 

October 11, 2023

ANDERSON, S.C. — Several dynamic scenarios will be at play when anglers take on Lake Hartwell for the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Cobb believes everything will depend on the lake turnover.

“This time of year is kind of a strange time,” the Greenwood, S.C., native said. “On Hartwell the fish act similarly during the late summer until winter. How you catch them, however, changes.”

Competition days are scheduled for Oct. 18-20, with the 7:30 a.m. ET daily takeoffs and 3:30 p.m. weigh-ins being held at the legendary Green Pond Landing. Anglers from across the U.S. and seven other countries — Canada, Japan, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa and Spain — qualified for this event. The Paralyzed Veterans of America Tour will also send its Angler of the Year winner to compete. Complete coverage will be available at Bassmaster.com.

Not only will the Top 3 anglers from the overall standings realize a dream of competing in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Okla., the winning angler will also be named the Nation’s Best, punch their ticket to the 2024 Elite Series and enjoy the use of a fully-rigged Nitro Boat and Toyota Tundra. The second- and third-place finishers and nonboater champion will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites.

To win this event, Cobb believes an angler will have to decipher what stage the lake is in, and the tactics they use will be determined by the lake turnover.

“The third week of October is usually within a week of the lake turnover, either way,” he explained. “It will be within a three-week transition period.”

Two scenarios could play out. The first would be the ideal scenario for Cobb — that would be that the main lake is getting close to turning over but hasn’t yet. If that is the case, the two-time Elite Series champion said the topwater bite will be phenomenal and a walking bait like a Yo-Zuri 3DB will be the only thing anglers need on their deck.

“The peak topwater bite is always the week before it turns over,” Cobb said. “Essentially, a turnover is when the deeper water rises to the top. It isn’t an instant process, and the herring get on top during that process. That is when the topwater bite is ridiculous. They will school across the whole lake. Three- and 4-pounders will be on top schooling.

“You will catch 25% largemouth and 75% spotted bass, but your five-bass limit will be mostly largemouth.”

The second, more likely scenario, is that the lake will be in the process of turning over or has already turned over. That will mean the topwater action, at least on the main lake, will likely be nonexistent and anglers will need to utilize forward-facing sonar to target main-lake bass.

“The topwater bite essentially ends. That, call-them-up-out-of-cane piles, cool offshore topwater bite pretty much ends when the lake turns over,” he said. “They aren’t as easy to catch. You have to go to the finesse-type baits like a drop shot, a little bitty swimbait and a spybait. You tend to catch 95% spotted bass.”

Anglers will also have the option to run up the Tugaloo or Seneca rivers in search of shallow wolf packs. While a great way to catch a big bag, Cobb said this can be inconsistent at times.

“There will be a shallow, junk fishing-type bite, even on the main lake,” Cobb said. “You will also have a normal fall creek bite up the rivers in some of the stained water. The problem with both of those bites is, if the topwater bite is really good, you will be wasting your time. But if it is past the turnover, then the bank plays again.”

Over the summer months, water levels on Hartwell were below full pool. But one tropical system could bring water levels back up and also dirty up the creeks and rivers, adding yet another potential wrinkle to this event.

Visit Anderson is hosting the event.


Costa Sunglasses continues to grow its lifestyle offering with two additions to the Del Mar Collection

Inspired by coastal cultures across the globe, Catherine & Kailano feature an eco-friendly design and 580 glass lens technology - so you can take in every detail while soaking up the sun.

 

JUPITER, Fla. (Sep. 26, 2023) Costa Sunglasses, manufacturer of the first color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lens, welcomes two new lifestyle frames to its Del Mar Collection, Catherine and Kailano.  Bearing inspiration from marine habitats, the two new frames elevate the Del Mar Collection with sophisticated style, eco-friendly materials and 580 glass (580G) lens technology.

For the first time since the Del Mar Collection debuted, Costa is growing the lifestyle collection with a new men’s and women’s frame. The Del Mar Collection is designed around the colors, patterns and textures of the sea and with Costa’s higher calling in mind - craft sunglasses with the highest quality lenses and protect the waters we love. Catherine and Kailano add to the collections offering of Bio-Acetate frames, marking one more step forward in Costa’s journey to reduce its impact on the watery world. Bio-Acetate is made from 67% natural and renewable materials (vegetable-based plasticizers and responsibly sourced wood pulp from FSC forests). 

 

A sister frame to the best-selling Sullivan, Catherine features a soft cat-eye design and is named after St. Catherine Island, home to protected salt marshes that keep the island pristine. The refined frame possesses effortless elegance and modern detailing, including a core-wire temple design pulling straight from the waves. The more masculine Kailano derives its name from a Hawaiian word for the sea. The timeless square-shaped design, water-inspired temple and keyhole bridge are at home exploring coastlines or simply taking a load off. Ready for any adventure, both Catherine and Kailano are a six-base frame with medium wrap and west-coast vibes.  

 

 

“As we continue to make waves in the lifestyle category, Catherine and Kailano bring a high level of sophistication to the Del Mar Collection, but still stay true to our roots,” says Jed Larkin, Brand Marketing Director at Costa Sunglasses. “These frames are your ideal companion for life on and off the water - whether you’re enjoying a seaside sunset, sailing the coastline or grabbing happy hour at the end of the day.” 

 

Catherine and Kailano come with Costa’s polarized, color-enhancing 580G® lens technology for superior clarity and definition. These scratch-resistant glass lenses effectively reduce haze and blur, while boosting essential colors for superior definition. In addition, the lightweight and durable Bio-Acetate frame reduces the carbon footprint of each new pair by 54% when compared with industry standard acetate.

 


Starting at $242, Catherine and Kailano are now available at local dealers or Costasunglasses.com. For more information about Costa’s complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle frames, visit Costasunglasses.com.