Windshield Time with Jason Christie
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
Jason Christie’s drive home from the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway featured an extra passenger, his sixth blue Elite Series trophy. Christie, a now nine-time Bassmaster winner, showcased his power fishing prowess enroute to a victory at the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite on the Tenn-Tomm Waterway.
The east Oklahoma legend employed old school offerings of a swim jig and a spinnerbait to dissect what the river presented. Anyone who has followed his career knows those two techniques are practically synonymous with Jason Christie. But for all the miles he’s swam a jig or slow-rolled a spinnerbait, Christie suspects he’s driven double in his Toyota Tundra.
“That’s one thing a lot of people don’t think about or realize, professional bass anglers are pretty much part-time truck drivers,” Christie said.
Christie and his Elite Series peers typically drive anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 miles each tournament season. Almost every one of these miles comes with a boat in tow, traversing the country from fishery to fishery in search of the next bite.
That’s a lot of windshield time. A lot of morning cruises to the lake in the pre-dawn darkness, with excited anticipation. And a bunch of exhausted drives home in the dark of night. Christie’s first fishing mentors were his uncles, his dad, and other family members who helped set the tone for Jason’s fishing style and career.
He had their wisdom running through his head during the final day on the Tenn-Tomm Waterway. Phrases like, “you never leave fish to find fish”, or “you only need five”. These nuggets of insight have helped calm the Skeeter-Yamaha pro and keep him focused on the task at hand throughout his entire career. His fishing mentors also set the tone for Christie’s drives to and from the lake.
“When I jump into my Tundra in the morning, my mind turns to the business at hand,” Christie said. “Ever since I was a kid, the ride to the lake has been all about getting your mind right. I don’t listen to a lot of music or really anything on the way to the lake. I look at the forecast and run through my gameplan for the day. What’s plan B and C if plan A doesn’t work out?
“I learned that from my uncles growing up. We didn’t talk about sports or school or work… it was all about fishing. Even the drives home from the lake, whether it was a good day or not so good, we were quiet and would process what took place. What could I have done better or differently? What worked, and why? That’s where my head is during windshield time.”
Knowing your truck is reliable, powerful, and comfortable is imperative for those who compete at the highest levels of tournament fishing. Christie recently purchased a 2026 Toyota Tundra from the folks at Southwest Toyota in Lawton, OK, which helped him earn a $4,000 payout from Toyota Bonus Bucks.
This adds to Christie’s impressive winnings through the popular contingency program that rewards the highest finishing registered angler towing their boat with a 2022 or newer Toyota tow vehicle.
“This is the fourth or fifth Toyota I’ve purchased and there is a reason… reliability + Bonus Bucks,” Christie offered. “If you’re a fisherman, and you compete in tournaments, you should be towing your boat with a Toyota.”
To see a full list of supported tournaments, learn more or register for Bonus Bucks today, follow this link https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/. Don’t leave money on the table.
Parks and Gibson stay close to win Bassmaster High School Series at Santee Cooper
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Tripp Parks III and Russell Gibson only ran a mile to catch the winning bag of bass at the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Santee Cooper Lakes.
The Clarks Hill High School duo caught 26 pounds, 11 ounces to claim the title, narrowly edging out the second-place team of Hudson Logan and Weston Rigsby from the A1 Anglers Fishing Team. It is the biggest bag either of the high schoolers have landed in a tournament setting.
“We couldn’t be more blessed,” Gibson, a junior, said.
Gibson and Parks were aiming to qualify for the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship through their state series, where they sit second in points. With the win, they advance to Nationals, a sigh of relief and an instant release of pressure.
“These boys have been fishing really hard together for the last two years. We made Nationals through the state last year,” boat captain Woody Parks said. “When they put their heads down and fish, they are as good as anybody.
“We cranked the motor one time today.”
Parks, who is committed to Erskine College, had only visited Santee Cooper a couple times as an elementary schooler, and Gibson had never fished the mammoth fishery before this week.
Practice was a struggle for Parks and Gibson, but in one patch of grass in a pocket in Taw Caw Creek, they landed two keeper bites and decided that's where they were going to start.
“We got lucky,” Parks said. “We caught two fish back-to-back in practice, a 4-pounder and a 3-pounder. We weren’t on anything else, so that’s where we went this morning.”
That decision was rewarded almost immediately, as they caught two 6-pounders to start the morning. They stayed in the pocket the rest of the day, catching the majority of their bag before 10 a.m.
The duo threw Z-Man JackHammers and Speed Worms through the scattered hydrilla. Parks said most of the largemouth they caught were postspawn and they were using that grass as a staging point before moving out to summer holes.
“It was a big time bedding area, and they were starting to come off the beds. I feel like they were staging in the grass before going back out,” Parks said.
Logan and Rigsby earned second with 26-7 while Logan Parker and Hudson Howell of the Cherokee Bass Team finished third with 26-4. Ten bags weighing 20 pounds or better crossed the stage on Sunday.
Eli Ellege and Aaron Crawford caught the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 7-9 largemouth.
This event was hosted by Santee Cooper Country.
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama
2026 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Santee Cooper 4/12-4/12
Santee Cooper Lakes, Manning SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Tripp Parks III - Russell Gibson Clarks Hill HS Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 26-11 Total: 5 26-11
2. Hudson Logan - Weston Rigsby A1 Anglers Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 26-07 Total: 5 26-07
3. Logan Parker - Hudson Howell Cherokee Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 26-04 Total: 5 26-04
4. Eli Ellege - Aaron Crawford Warrior Hs Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 26-00 Total: 5 26-00
5. Owen Satterwhite - Wyatt Pinson LDHS Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 24-15 Total: 5 24-15
6. TJ Murray - Brack Robertson Meigs County High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 22-01 Total: 5 22-01
7. Ethan Rose - Grant Arnold Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 21-15 Total: 5 21-15
8. Carter Pjesky - Landon Gabby Southern IllinoisFuture Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 21-00 Total: 5 21-00
9. Aidan Cohan - Tristan Topa Oneida Lake Hs Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 20-13 Total: 5 20-13
10. Peyton McAndrew - Cutler Wooten SML Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 20-00 Total: 5 20-00
11. Owen Wiggins - Britton Alery Cartersville Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 19-08 Total: 5 19-08
12. Atticus Adams - Isaiah Adams North Augusta High School Fishin 0
Day 1: 5 19-06 Total: 5 19-06
12. Chamber Stockard - Sam Hayes Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 5 19-06 Total: 5 19-06
14. Reece Williams - Charlie Thompson Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 19-00 Total: 5 19-00
15. Nathan Holderness - Sawyer Adams Gilbert Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 18-11 Total: 5 18-11
16. Parker Jones - Brady Jones Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 18-06 Total: 5 18-06
17. Kenny Bochenek-Simonis - Kayler Christensen Michigan A1 Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 17-06 Total: 5 17-06
18. Pacey Coyle - Kieran Gowdown Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 17-04 Total: 5 17-04
19. Harrison Hobbs - Cade Speligene Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 5 17-02 Total: 5 17-02
19. Memphis Howard - Holt Harmon Central Lion Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 17-02 Total: 5 17-02
21. Porter Morrison - Harrison Kirkpatrick Catholic High School Fishing Bat 0
Day 1: 5 17-01 Total: 5 17-01
22. Nolan Savage - Jack Naas Mebass High School 0
Day 1: 5 17-00 Total: 5 17-00
23. Shade Snyder - Steven Murray Holly Hill Academy 0
Day 1: 5 16-13 Total: 5 16-13
24. Whitt Hickey - Nathan Hickey Trhs Devildog Anglers - Traveler 0
Day 1: 5 16-08 Total: 5 16-08
25. Tucker Larrance - Jaxson Pierce Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Total: 5 16-03
26. Jack Dowdy - Wyatt Galbraith Lowndes High School Lip Rippers 0
Day 1: 5 15-15 Total: 5 15-15
27. Ian Hendricks - Josiah Ennes 314 Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 4 15-00 Total: 4 15-00
28. Anderson Thrower - Wade Spooner Vestavia Hills Rebel Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 14-13 Total: 5 14-13
29. Caden Grose - Hunter Mcclung Southern West Virginia Jr. Bassm 0
Day 1: 5 14-10 Total: 5 14-10
30. Jack Story - Wick Medlin Clarks Hill Hs Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 14-10 Total: 4 14-10
31. Austin Miller - Gilbert Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
32. Jesse Lancaster - Fisher Lancaster Triangle Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 14-06 Total: 5 14-06
33. Maddox Kelly - Felix Bradshaw Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
33. Tucker Twelkemeier - Parker Fowler Corinth Holders High School Bass 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
35. Jake Paradis - JT Cross L/A Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
36. Bradford Vandemark II - Elias Hitson Eagleville Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 4 13-14 Total: 4 13-14
37. Ayden Rigsbee - Triangle Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
38. Caleb Godson - Jason Wood Jr. North Augusta High School Fishin 0
Day 1: 4 13-04 Total: 4 13-04
39. James Barkley - Lebanon High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
40. William Collins - Curren Malinchak Soddy Daisy High School 0
Day 1: 4 13-00 Total: 4 13-00
41. Walker Brogdon - Drake Walls Bainbridge High School Bass Cats 0
Day 1: 5 12-15 Total: 5 12-15
42. Brody Ensminger - Drew Mayers Central High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Total: 5 12-13
43. Gage Wright - Braxton Bogdansky Sc Upper State Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
44. Crews Mcferrin - Colin Bourne Karns Jr High School 0
Day 1: 4 12-10 Total: 4 12-10
45. Brenson Pulley - Noah Schoviak Rudolph Gordon 0
Day 1: 5 12-09 Total: 5 12-09
46. Paxton Wormsley - Grayson Dykes Campbell County High School 0
Day 1: 3 12-06 Total: 3 12-06
47. Kannon Wood - Gulf Port High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
48. Coy Cassady - Ryan Crane Wateree Anglers Club 0
Day 1: 4 12-02 Total: 4 12-02
49. Jonah Yates - Wyatt Harmon Central Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
50. MacLane Fritts - Cayden Wright Campbell County High School 0
Day 1: 2 11-13 Total: 2 11-13
51. Banks Stuart - Finn Stuart Pendleton High School Fishing Te 0
Day 1: 5 11-11 Total: 5 11-11
52. Jacob Hicks - Kinsley Wooten Sml Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
53. Corbin Bornstein - Logan Tolbert Lipscomb Academy 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Total: 5 11-07
54. Aiden Alcock - Garrett Brown Triangle Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
55. Dawson Barnett - Jackson Padgett Benjamin Russell Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
56. Brodie Gibson - Kolbie Gibson Knight Fishing Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 11-03 Total: 3 11-03
57. Conner Harris - Nathan Mccoy Riley's Catch 0
Day 1: 4 10-15 Total: 4 10-15
58. Connor Strachan - Wyatt Johnson Bryant High School 0
Day 1: 4 10-13 Total: 4 10-13
59. Kaden Tomblin - Jakob Fullerton Southern Garrett Bass Slayer 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
60. Ayden Parker - Hunter Wilkins Gaffney High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 10-06 Total: 4 10-06
61. Wallace Rampey - Gage West Lowndes High School Lip Rippers 0
Day 1: 4 10-04 Total: 4 10-04
62. Andrew Carr - Landon Tusing Lake Anna Elite Anglers Junior 0
Day 1: 3 10-04 Total: 3 10-04
63. Eben Bolding - Mason Carter Trhs Devildog Anglers Travelers 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
63. Allen Rabon - Luke Russell Florence One Schools 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
65. Tyler Shore - Tyler Morgan Davie High War Eagle Bass Fishin 0
Day 1: 3 09-07 Total: 3 09-07
66. Brody Brinson - Greer Gammon Mt Juliet Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 09-03 Total: 4 09-03
67. Brayden Rivest - Zach Stall Off The Hook High School Bassmas 0
Day 1: 3 09-01 Total: 3 09-01
68. Hunter Brakefield - Luke Childs Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 5 09-00 Total: 5 09-00
69. Caden Stevens - Riley Garner Franklin County High School 0
Day 1: 4 09-00 Total: 4 09-00
70. Aiden Roberson-Barber - Daniel Lowhorn Monterey Anglers 0
Day 1: 4 08-15 Total: 4 08-15
71. Jack Kennedy - Mid Florida Youth Anglers HS 0
Day 1: 3 08-15 Total: 3 08-15
72. Griffin Sheets - John Hicks SML Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 08-13 Total: 2 08-13
73. Sullivan Jones - Garrett Canada Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Total: 4 08-09
73. Gavin Nappier - Jimmy Capizzo Byrnes Rebels Jr Anglers 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Total: 4 08-09
73. Sawyer Taylor - Cooper Taylor Lowndes High School Lip Rippers 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Total: 4 08-09
76. Grant Perrone - Grayson Theberge York County Juniors 0
Day 1: 4 07-13 Total: 4 07-13
77. Gavin Ebert - Kale Webb Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 3 07-10 Total: 3 07-10
78. Caleb Gurley - Keegan Smith Palmetto High Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 2 07-10 Total: 2 07-10
79. Hunter Dickinson - Case Payton Central Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 07-06 Total: 4 07-06
80. Jack Sharpe - Patrick Givens Sumner County Bass Team - TN 0
Day 1: 3 07-06 Total: 3 07-06
81. Justin Gilpin - Dalton Todd Green Trhs Devildog Anglers Travelers 0
Day 1: 4 07-03 Total: 4 07-03
82. Parker Terrell - Dylan Terrell Port City Jr. Bassmasters - NY 0
Day 1: 2 07-02 Total: 2 07-02
83. William Gunner Willoughby - George Rogers Clark High School 0
Day 1: 1 06-12 Total: 1 06-12
84. Tucker Robertson - Meigs County High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 2 06-11 Total: 2 06-11
85. Jaiden Redd - Bentley Smith Bhp Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 06-06 Total: 2 06-06
86. Gavin Corker - Adam Monk Corinth Holders High School Bass 0
Day 1: 3 06-00 Total: 3 06-00
87. Jace Childers - Rhylen Watkins Bandys High School 0
Day 1: 2 05-08 Total: 2 05-08
88. Thomas Newman - Cayden Ryman Frederick County Bass 0
Day 1: 2 05-07 Total: 2 05-07
89. Levi Stanley - Landen Bean Triangle Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 05-06 Total: 5 05-06
90. Dylan Gregory - Owen Thigpen Riley's Catch 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Total: 5 05-02
91. Quinn Barbee - Andrew Miller Southeastern Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 05-00 Total: 2 05-00
92. Mason Clark - Jonathan Berlin Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 1 05-00 Total: 1 05-00
93. Gage Jones - Liam Taylor Bandys High School 0
Day 1: 2 04-15 Total: 2 04-15
94. Dawson Lytton - Collier Alderman 0
Day 1: 2 04-11 Total: 2 04-11
95. Mitchell Henderson Jr - Joseph Frierson Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 1 04-11 Total: 1 04-11
96. Brayden Tisdale - Straughn High School 0
Day 1: 2 04-07 Total: 2 04-07
97. Caleb Moore - Dean Austin Off The Hook IL Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 04-06 Total: 2 04-06
97. Taryn Underwood - Ryder Rowland Ldhs Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 04-06 Total: 2 04-06
99. Landon Hoopaugh - Tyler Harrison Gaffney Jr High School Fishing T 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
100. Tristan Stewart - Mt Pleasant High School Bass Tea 0
Day 1: 2 03-13 Total: 2 03-13
101. Ashton Feck - Allie Addison Boyle County High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-12 Total: 2 03-12
102. Kyle Wood - Bradley Merritt Central Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 03-11 Total: 2 03-11
103. Brady Wells - Zeke Brock Bath County Fishing 0
Day 1: 1 03-10 Total: 1 03-10
104. Jaxson Beard - Landon Vaughn Pendleton High School Fishing Te 0
Day 1: 1 03-05 Total: 1 03-05
105. Brayden Elliott - White Oak High School Bass Fishi 0
Day 1: 1 03-04 Total: 1 03-04
106. Conner Luft - Brennan Maljian Music City Bass 0
Day 1: 1 03-00 Total: 1 03-00
106. Ainsley Lynn - Tanner Howerton Karns High School 0
Day 1: 1 03-00 Total: 1 03-00
108. Noah Wright - Shane Williams South Greene High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-15 Total: 1 02-15
109. Branson Heisig - Knox Heisig Pac Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Total: 1 02-11
110. Brody Musser - Cooper Reynolds Swva Bassin 0
Day 1: 1 02-06 Total: 1 02-06
111. Tanner Sims - Tunstall Trojans Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
112. Shane Starnes - Eli Sims Kingston Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-01 Total: 1 02-01
113. Kohen Dulaney - Carter Lamb Mcdowell High School Bass Fishin 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Total: 1 02-00
114. Gavin Smith - Levi Wood Nicholas County High School Bass 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
114. Colton Stockdale - Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
114. Emmalyn Vice - Bailey Swartz Bath County Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
117. Caydan Waters - Cameron Waters 904 Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Total: 1 01-12
118. Gabe Holshouser - Gunner Edwards Roco Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-11 Total: 1 01-11
119. John Parker Deal - Vin Radetic Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Total: 1 01-08
119. Abe Sledge - Bryson Sutton Loudon Bass Club 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Total: 1 01-08
119. Carly Thomas - Tyler Dunn Dekalb Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Total: 1 01-08
122. Jasper Keogh - Xavier Keogh Riley's Catch 0
Day 1: 1 00-15 Total: 1 00-15
123. Evan Beard - Tyler Wilson Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Taylor Bogard - Wilkes County Bandits 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Logan Brown - Caleb Southerly Lake Anna Elite Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Jackson Brownlee - Tristian Gowdown Sc Lower State Hs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Landon Chenault - Nathan Hoskins George Rogers Clark High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Dalton Cribb - Holliston Manley Gilbert Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Wyatt Crow - Lipscomb Academy 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Landon Daves - Blake Mosteller Gaffney High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Cameron Gramling - Liam Hanna Gilbert Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Jake Gwin - Hayden Barnes York Co High School Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Caden Hacay - Jaxon Yaussy Lake Anna Elite Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Michael Harris - Danil Williams Mt Juliet Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Grayden Hovis - Fielding Faulkenberry York Co High School Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Gus Jennings - Noah Weed Pac Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Javin Laws - Jaxon Coates Mcdowell High School Bass Fishin 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Noah Mazzarisi - Wyatt Gill Oregon Panthers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Max McCorkle - Walker Thompson Vestavia Hills Bass Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Hudson Mynatt - Wilson Shepherd Karns High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Kayson Richards - Hagen Fowler Creekview Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Josiah Smith - Andrew Larsen Warrior Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Quentin Stayrook - Mason Noble Bandys High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Ellis Turner - Colby Senn Heard County Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Jackson Turpin - Alex Spakes Kingston Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Colson Webb - Levi Webb Sc Upper State Hs Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Ben Welch - Axel Geboy Edgewood Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
123. Gavin Williams - Channing Jordan Chatham Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Eli Ellege Leicester, NC 07-09 $0.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 52 426 1286-14
------------------------------
52 426 1286-14
Brown and Shook take home Junior title at Santee Cooper
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Getting away from the crowd on Santee Cooper proved to be the right move for Haywood Anglers duo of Kollin Brown and Cord Shook.
The duo caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce to claim the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series at Santee Cooper Lakes title, punching their ticket to the 2026 Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior National Championship at Kentucky Lake in the process.
“It feels pretty good. I’m thankful to be able to come out and fish,” Shook said.
Boat captain Dillon Brown said the duo work well together as a team, and that showed in the results.
“I sat back there and watched them catch those fish, and I was just thinking how good God is,” he said. “They worked really well as a team. When Kollin caught that 5-pounder, that got everyone’s blood pumping.”
Brown and Shook fish highland reservoirs like Fontana Lake and Chatuge most often, a much different setup than Santee Cooper. The duo has some experience on the Low Country fishery, which benefitted them in this tournament.
They spent most of their day in the upper region of Lake Marion where they targeted cypress trees in around 3 feet of water. While it took them 45 minutes to get to their starting spot, they had plenty of water to themselves.
The wind generated water movement around the trees, and the duo used that to their advantage. A wacky-rigged worm caught the majority of their bass.
When they reached their area, they caught two quality largemouth to start their day before landing a 5-pounder. They proceeded to fill out their limit, but when the wind settled down, the bite slowed as well.
Late in the day, Brown and Shook ran to a set of mid-lake docks and caught a 4-15, sealing the victory.
“That really saved us,” Brown said.
Jacob Murphy and Kaleb Everhart of the Roco Anglers club finished second with 15-3 while Liam Price and Kinsley Montgomery of the Gaffney Jr. High School Fishing Team finished third with 13-6.
Hunter Lawrence and Bam Kendrick caught the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 6-4.
This event was hosted by Santee Cooper Country.
2026 Bassmaster Junior Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series at Santee Cooper 4/12-4/12
Santee Cooper Lakes, Manning SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Kollin Brown - Cord Shook Haywood Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 16-01 Total: 5 16-01
2. Jacob Murphy - Kaleb Everhart Roco Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
3. Liam Price - Kinsley Montgomery Gaffney Jr High School Fishing T 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Total: 5 13-06
4. Luke Mcandrew - Brody Witmer Sml Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
5. John-Andrew Moss - Ethan Dover Pac Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 10-08 Total: 3 10-08
6. Jace Gilliam - Jett Gilliam Wayne Pioneers Junior Team 0
Day 1: 5 08-07 Total: 5 08-07
7. Blane Davenport - Ethan Rhinehart Palmetto Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 08-01 Total: 3 08-01
8. Hunter Lawrence - Bam Kendrick Jefferson Youth Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 1 06-04 Total: 1 06-04
9. Lincoln Snyder - Lake Murphy Soddy Daisy Jr High 0
Day 1: 3 05-15 Total: 3 05-15
10. Korben Burgess - Mack Josey Cleveland County Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 04-13 Total: 1 04-13
11. Jake Hundley - Connor King Forsyth County Bass Club 0
Day 1: 2 04-12 Total: 2 04-12
12. Colton Osteen - Reed Anderson Clarendon Hall 0
Day 1: 2 04-07 Total: 2 04-07
13. Casey Martin - Gauge Mosier Clarendon Hall 0
Day 1: 1 04-07 Total: 1 04-07
14. Troy Phillips IV - Baylor Rhodus Clarendon Hall 0
Day 1: 2 04-04 Total: 2 04-04
15. Wesley Osuna - Carson Stevens Franklin County Jr Bass Team - T 0
Day 1: 2 03-13 Total: 2 03-13
16. Graeme Shook - Micah Williams Bandys Fishing Team Juniors 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
17. Jake White - Chris Fortune Lake Anna Elite Anglers Junior 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
18. Gage Mckee - Franklin County Jr Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 02-01 Total: 1 02-01
19. Luke Sheppard III - Tillman Jeffcoat Pac Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-10 Total: 1 01-10
20. Marley Ashworth - Railynn Hutson Mt Pleasant Junior Bass Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
21. Kolton Morrow - Houston Garner Uchs Anglers - Union County 0
Day 1: 1 01-06 Total: 1 01-06
21. Griffin Sizemore - Bo Sizemore North Laurel High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-06 Total: 1 01-06
23. Cody Aliff - Jon Parker Pope Triangle Bass Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Evans Chaney - Jacob Ford Jacksonville Junior Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Lliam Crisman - Cole Puryear Buggs Island Elite Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Chase Ethridge - Huntley Taylor Heard County Juniors 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Reece Formosa - Nicholas Davis Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Dixon Heflin - Bedford County Youth Bass Club - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Liam Johnson - Drake Penrod Southern Illinois Future Jr Angl 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Jake Morgan - Eureka Youth Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Quaid Parker - Aidan Cutshall Kingston Fishing Team Junior 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Clara Grace Phillips - Kinley Ingram Clarendon Hall 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Kaysen Smith - Jonah Osment Crescent High School Jr. Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Carson Terrell - Cameron Terrell Port City Junior Bass Masters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
23. Avery Watkins - Bentley Mchenry Wilson Christian Academy Juniors 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Hunter Lawrence Avinger, TX 06-04 $0.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 5 52 133-13
------------------------------
5 52 133-13
Reagan’s massive Day 3 catch carries him to Nation Qualifier victory at Cherokee Lake
|
Turano Triumphs at Toyota Series at Kentucky Lake, Sets Sights on REDCREST 2026
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (April 12, 2026) – Matteo Turano waited around to sign up for the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division event on Kentucky Lake . Not because he wasn’t sure he could do well, or because the event was far from his Tennessee home, but because he has big plans coming up. As the winner of the 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American, he’s qualified for Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by Mercury & Lowrance, and practice at Table Rock Lake starts Monday.
Now, Turano will be starting practice with more momentum than anyone in the field (plus a significant check in the bank). Weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces on Day 3 at Kentucky Lake, Turano totaled 64-2 to earn the win. For the win, he locked in qualification for the Toyota Series Championship on Pickwick Lake, and pocketed $66,506.
Finishing second, Levi Kohl caught over 20 pounds every day for a 62-12 total. In third, Drew Gill tallied up 62-4, and the legendary Jake Lawrence finished fourth with 62-2.
Turano was scratching his head during the afternoon on Day 2, with his three hours of forward-facing-sonar in the rearview and a livewell full of smallmouth, trying to come up with a big bite. Then, he struck gold, wrangling a 6-12 largemouth on a Ned rig, which put his bag up to 24-1 and gave him a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Turano never got that bite again on the final day, but still did plenty to take home the title.
“It was a way tougher day today,” he said. “I kept trying to fish for fish that I’d been fishing the last two days, and they were extra smart today.”
Starting with his ‘Scope off, Turano couldn’t muster anything on the bank, which was not uncommon this week.
“I didn’t turn my ‘Scope on until around 10,” he said. “I had zero fish in the boat – I couldn’t figure out how to catch any fish in the morning. So, I was already a little stressed. I was hoping I’d get at least one bonus bite in the morning.”
But when the graphs lit up, Turano kicked it in gear.
“The first fish that I caught was a 4 ½-pounder,” he said. “That got me feeling pretty good. I fished around for a little longer, caught a couple little ones, and ended up catching another 4-pounder in that same area. Which made me stay for way too long, because all the other fish in that area were not eating.
“So, I switched up areas near the end of my ‘Scope period, I think I had 40 minutes left. I found a little area I hadn’t messed with yet, and they were pretty easy to catch. I caught about 10 off that spot, including two good ones, and culled twice with some 3-pounders.”
Coming in to weigh-in with nearly 19 pounds in the livewell, Turano knew that if he was going to win, Day 2 was the day that won it for him.
“I didn’t get another miracle largemouth like yesterday. That largemouth yesterday was really why I won the tournament – it was not today, it was yesterday,” he said. “I got that one lucky bite. There’s not that many big largemouth in here – there’s a lot of little ones. To catch one over 6 pounds is truly a rare fish. The fact that I did it with no ‘Scope, out fan casting in the middle of the lake – it’s just meant to be.”
This week on Kentucky Lake, it was all about the smallmouth spawn. Most of the top finishers relied on it almost exclusively, and a lot of the damage got done in the few hours pros had with forward-facing sonar at their disposal.
According to Turano, he thinks he cast at about 200 beds over three days, which is an astonishing number, considering he did it over only nine hours.
“There was one flat that I was fishing, and every little piece of wood had two or three beds on it,” he said. “I found a ton of fish in practice, I wasn’t sure they would stay the whole week, but I had just enough. I could tell today it was the worst day to do it, but I managed to just get enough.
“I think a big key to my week was moving on to another fish when I couldn’t get one to eat. Almost all the fish I caught this week were on the first or second cast. So, I had to keep that in mind, even if I saw a big one chase it, I knew I was better off just finding a new one.”
Another big key was that Turano didn’t get stuck on last year’s waypoints, and he quickly got dialed on the places that had fish spawning this week.
“At different water levels during the spawn, they spawn on different pieces. It might only be a foot or two difference,” he explained. “The areas I was catching them really good last year, weren’t the same this time. They were nearby, but in practice, I found they were spawning on the other side of the bar, the deeper side. We had really low water, we haven’t had big rains this year, and the water warmed up so quick that they started spawning when they typically wait a little longer, until the water comes up.”
Turano mostly went with the traditional jig and minnow to catch his fish, using a 1/8- or 3/16-ounce head with a 5-inch Yamamoto Hinge Minnow. He threw that on a 7-foot, 1-inch, medium Phenix Feather with 15-pound braid and a 15-pound fluorocarbon leader. He mixed in a drop-shot with a 6-inch Roboworm Straight Tail Worm in bold bluegill, and his largemouth Ned rig consisted of a 3-inch Roboworm Ned Worm and a Northland Tackle Tungsten Nedster.
Turano, and a few others, have perfected the spring smallmouth game on Kentucky Lake in recent years. This week, he and the rest of the locals showed why they’re so dangerous on their home turf, turning in consistency and high-level weights despite limited time with modern sonar. Now, after a good rest, he’ll be rolling west to Table Rock Lake and the biggest tournament he’s ever fished.
“I’m feeling amazing,” he said. “At the end of the day Saturday, I was super stressed out, it was a really close tournament. I’m super grateful I signed up this week and gave it a try. I wasn’t sure if I was going to sign up, because it was so close to REDCREST. I just wanted to make sure I was prepared for REDCREST, but I don’t know of a better way to prepare for a tournament than going out and winning one and getting some momentum.”
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Kentucky Lake finished:
1st: Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., 15 bass, 64-2, $66,506 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF bonus)
2nd: Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill, 15 bass, 62-12, $11,918
3rd: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill, 15 bass, 62-4, $9,227
4th: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 15 bass, 62-2, $7,689
5th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 61-14, $6,920
6th: Grant Meisenhelter, Decatur, Ill, 15 bass, 59-4, $6,151
7th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 15 bass, 59-4, $5,382
8th: Carter Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass, 58-12, $4,613
9th: Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., 15 bass, 57-3, $3,845
10th: Drew Morgan, Murray, Ky., 15 bass, 56-8, $3,076
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Banks Shaw of Harrison, Tennessee, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 5. pounds, 11 ounces, while Turano won Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass, weighing in a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass to earn the $500 award.
Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee, won the co-angler division Saturday at Kentucky Lake with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 37 pounds, 1 ounce. Catalin earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Kentucky Lake finished:
1st: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., eleven bass, 37-1, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Dustin Seick, Hixson, Tenn., 13 bass, 34-11, $3,933
3rd: John Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, 13 bass, 33-4, $3,146
4th: Dennis Young, Olathe, Kan., 11 bass, 33-3, $$2,853
5th: Chris McClellan, Desoto, Mo., 11 bass, 32-2, $2,360
6th: Chase Johnson, Quincy, Ill., 10 bass, 29-12, $1,966
7th: Matt Luken, Independence, Ky., 11 bass, 29-10, $1,573
8th: Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-11, $1,376
9th: Troy Karafa, Racine, Wis., eight bass, 25-2, $1,180
10th: Ben Mathis, Murray, Ky., eight bass, 25-0, $983
Co-angler Dakota Ball of Connersville, Indiana, earned the first Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of the week on Thursday with a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Matt Chumbler of Carbondale, Illinois, who weighed in a bass totaling 6 pounds, 2 ounces.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Kentucky Lake was hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Plains Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at Lake Seminole , April 30 – May 2, in Bainbridge, Georgia. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
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.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Consistent Loftus jumps into the lead on Day 2 of B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Cherokee Lake
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The catches weren’t fast and furious, but Iowa pro Chase Loftus weighed in his second consecutive limit of over 15 pounds to leapfrog a pair of Tennesseans into the Day 2 lead at the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance. Loftus caught 15 pounds 1 ounces of smallmouth today to go along with the 15-14 he boxed yesterday and is ahead of Day 1 leader Rex Reagan by 3 ounces.
Everyone other than Loftus in the top eight is from either Tennessee or Kentucky, as are 15 of the top 20 overall, but the Iowa City resident doesn’t feel intimidated.
“I’ve learned a lot from the Iowa B.A.S.S. Nation boys,” he said. “They’ve taken a lot of my money over the years. I had to learn how to adapt up there and I guess what I learned works down here, too.”
He’s put together over 30 pounds of Tennessee bass by chasing spawners using his electronics, but he’s yet to be able to settle into a single area.
“My stuff from Day 1 was really bad today,” he said. “The day started off really slow, but then I went to a new spot I’ve never fished and caught a limit. Then I went to another new spot and caught a 4-pounder. I think I figured out a little pattern, but I’ve been consistent because I’ve been able to run new water. I still don’t know exactly what I’m going to do tomorrow, but I’m going to have three rods on the deck.”
Reagan had the big bag of the tournament so far yesterday with 16-15, but couldn’t quite back it up today. He added 13-13, still a decent amount, but lost the lead. He too said he was the victim of a tough morning bite.
“It was a slow start to say the least,” he reported. “But I did have one 2-pounder I was working on and a 4 1/2 pounder shot up and took it from him. It was slow from there, with just another 2.70. My fish are moving, they’re leaving the area I’ve fished.”
While he’d said yesterday that the vast majority of his fish were smallmouth, today he weighed in two largemouth. His cousin, also fishing nearby, had a lighter bag, but it included another 4-pounder. Combined, those factors gave him hope that he can push through to victory without having to chase new water. But if burning gas is required, he’ll be ready to get on the throttle.
“I’d like to have multiple backup patterns in case this doesn’t work out, but I haven’t found anything else,” he said. “If it doesn’t work out, I definitely won’t be sitting in my first area as long as I did today. Today I had some motor trouble. It kept cutting on and off, so I didn’t get to move around a lot. But I have a mechanic coming over to fix it. I’m a run and gun fisherman. I like to cover a lot of water.”
If Reagan were to qualify for the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour he would be in position to become the second straight Nation champ, and the youngest champ in the event’s history. He would not, however, become the youngest qualifier. He’ll turn 18 later this year, several months before the tournament. In 2024, Florida’s Aaron Yavorsky fished the Classic on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O' the Cherokees a week after his 18th birthday.
Virginia boater Jeff Salmon landed the Big Bass of the Day. It weighed 5 pounds even. Through two days, Kentucky boater Kevin True holds the mark for big bass of the event with yesterday’s 5 pound 6 ounce largemouth.
Clifford Chilson of New York leads the nonboater division with a two-day total weighing 16-9. He added a three-bass limit weighing 8-10 to his Day 1 catch of 7-15 to take the lead by nearly a pound and a half. KB Bridges of Tennessee is second with 15-2 and Ryan Baker of Tennessee is third with 13-3. Today’s big bass on the nonboater side was a 3-8 caught by Bob Zagrzebski of Wisconsin. Julie Price of West Virginia caught the largest nonboater bass of the tournament so far with a 3-11 on Day 1.
The Top 20 boaters and nonboaters will advance to Saturday’s final round.
The cut weight for the Top 20 on the boater side was 25-4, just 5-11 behind the leader, meaning that anyone still fishing on Saturday has a legitimate shot to win. Four anglers are within a pound of Loftus and two more are within 2 pounds. Gavin Clevenger was the only member of the current top five whose weight went up today. He added 15-5 to the 14-10 he weighed in yesterday and jumped up from 8th place to 3rd. Otherwise, the top of the leaderboard has largely contained the same names both days, albeit in different orders.
The Top 10% of boaters and nonboaters after the final-day weigh-in will advance to the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance, where boaters will compete for a spot on the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series as well as one of three spots in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN.
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Cherokee Lake presented by Lowrance 4/10-4/12
Cherokee Lake, Jefferson City TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chase Loftus Iowa City, IA 10 30-15 0
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 15-01
2. Rex Reagan Livingston, TN 10 30-12 0
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 13-13
3. Gavin Clevenger Knoxville, TN 10 29-15 0
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-05
4. Wyatt Pearman Hodgenville, KY 10 29-06 0
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 14-07
5. Hunter Price Morristown, TN 10 29-04 0
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 12-12
6. Josh Roark Bean Station, TN 10 28-10 0
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 13-11
7. Joe Vaulton Knoxville, TN 10 28-07 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 14-09
8. Andrew Turner Kalispell, MT 10 26-13 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 14-12
9. Hayden Seabolt Dawsonville, GA 10 26-10 0
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 12-04
10. Tanner Visco Antioch, IL 10 26-08 0
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 13-15
11. Landon Lawson Jonesborough, TN 10 26-07 0
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 14-04
12. Kevin True Frankfort, KY 10 26-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 10-08
13. Ethan Shaw Carmel, IN 10 25-13 0
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 13-14
14. Lucas Reagan Byrdstown, TN 9 25-12 0
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 4 10-14
15. Drake Hemby Farragut, TN 10 25-12 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-07
16. Donavan Carson Piney Flats, TN 10 25-11 0
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-08
17. Thy Dinh Charleston, WV 10 25-09 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 11-11
18. Nathan Sheehan Danville, KY 10 25-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 13-12
19. Josh Lee Clinton, TN 10 25-07 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 12-06
20. Hayden Gaddis Dandridge, TN 10 25-04 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 12-03
21. Matt Mosby Dryden, MI 10 25-02 0 $820.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 11-07
22. Mason Humann Talbott, TN 10 25-01 0 $820.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 11-00
23. Terry Ford Harriman, TN 10 24-15 0 $820.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 10-12
24. Peyton Sorrow Abbeville, SC 10 24-13 0 $820.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-07
25. Hunter Bouldin McMinnville, TN 10 24-03 0 $820.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 11-15
26. John Fuqua Payson, AZ 10 23-15 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 12-13
27. Bill Humbard Jr New Market, TN 10 23-14 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 11-07
28. Nathan Reynolds Nashville, TN 10 23-10 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 12-00
29. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 10 23-08 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 11-03
30. Casey Majni Knoxville, TN 10 23-08 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 11-04
31. Walker LaRue Alcoa, TN 10 23-07 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 12-14
32. Steven Griffith Schellsburg, PA 10 23-01 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 09-09
33. Justin Yenter Stevens Point, WI 10 23-01 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 11-11
34. Marcus Warren Jefferson City, TN 9 22-13 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 4 09-02
35. Jeff Salmon Mechanicsville, VA 10 22-10 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 13-03
36. Darryl Halbert Enoree, SC 10 22-08 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 10-08
37. Szymon Piton Orland Park, IL 8 22-06 0 $754.00
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 5 14-01
38. Ty Ball Rogersville, TN 9 22-00 0 $754.00
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 5 13-14
39. Owen Stamm Morristown, TN 10 21-15 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 09-09
40. Jake Lee Powell, TN 9 21-13 0 $754.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 4 09-12
41. Richard Cobb V Berea , KY 10 21-04 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 10-14
42. Jeremy Homeyer Franklin, TN 10 21-02 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 10-12
43. James Myers Lawrenceburg, KY 10 20-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 10-13
44. Kevin Newcomb Saint Albans, WV 8 20-05 0
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 5 12-14
45. Evan Newell Jefferson City, TN 9 20-04 0
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 10-02
46. Dave Turner Citrus Springs, FL 10 19-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 09-08
47. Gavin Cloutier Gray, TN 9 19-13 0
Day 1: 4 08-01 Day 2: 5 11-12
48. Tommy Parker Delano, MN 9 19-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 4 08-09
49. Jason Slagstad Cameron, WI 9 19-06 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 4 08-00
50. Joey Baldacchino Arrington, TN 9 19-02 0
Day 1: 4 07-13 Day 2: 5 11-05
51. Russell Hoyle Newton, NC 7 18-13 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 2 06-06
52. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 8 18-13 0
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 5 12-04
53. Brad Smith Collierville, TN 9 18-11 0
Day 1: 4 07-11 Day 2: 5 11-00
54. Carter Cunningham Dawsonville, GA 8 18-09 0
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 4 08-14
55. Bradley Day Anderson, SC 7 18-03 0
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 4 10-07
56. David Gorman Canton, GA 8 18-01 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 3 05-10
57. Brent Shores Savannah, TN 9 18-01 0
Day 1: 4 08-01 Day 2: 5 10-00
58. Cavin Young Sr Prince George, VA 7 17-14 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 2 04-06
59. Randy Huffman Charleston, WV 8 17-06 0
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 5 10-15
60. Brian Gunn Savannah, GA 8 17-02 0
Day 1: 4 07-11 Day 2: 4 09-07
61. Tom Spence Cleveland, TN 7 17-00 0
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 4 10-01
62. Brian Gibler Clarksville, TN 7 16-14 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 2 04-08
63. Dylan Wright Murfreesboro, TN 8 16-04 0
Day 1: 4 08-08 Day 2: 4 07-12
64. Daniel Keyes Knoxville, TN 8 16-03 0
Day 1: 4 08-01 Day 2: 4 08-02
65. Ryan West Hartsville, SC 7 15-11 0
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 5 11-02
66. Miles Howe Soddy Daisy, TN 6 15-10 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 2 07-01
67. Damon Phillips Anderson, SC 7 15-09 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 4 08-13
68. Jacob Berryhill Mooresburg, TN 7 15-07 0
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 4 09-02
69. Bryant Copley Altavista, VA 8 15-02 0
Day 1: 4 08-06 Day 2: 4 06-12
70. Cole Zagrzebski Portage, MI 6 15-00 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 5 13-04
71. William Elmore Culloden, WV 8 14-12 0
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 3 05-08
72. Kenji Yamada Chattanooga, TN 6 14-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 1 02-11
73. Marc Fields Dover, TN 7 14-02 0
Day 1: 4 08-12 Day 2: 3 05-06
74. Mike Toney Blacksburg, VA 7 14-02 0
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 4 08-06
75. John Conway Jr Henrico, VA 6 14-00 0
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 4 09-14
76. Jess Beihoffer Soddy Daisy, TN 6 13-15 0
Day 1: 4 09-06 Day 2: 2 04-09
77. Brady LeMarbe Milford, MI 6 13-03 0
Day 1: 3 07-03 Day 2: 3 06-00
78. Derrick Snavely Piney Flats, TN 6 12-12 0
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 5 11-02
79. Dylan Fogarty Mechanicsburg, PA 5 12-10 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
80. Jesse Dodson Greenville, KY 5 12-04 0
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 2 05-11
81. Lane Clark Anderson, SC 4 12-00 0
Day 1: 2 06-14 Day 2: 2 05-02
82. Dana Brown Buckhannon, WV 5 11-14 0
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 2 04-07
83. Joe Johnson Clarksville, TN 5 11-12 0
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 1 01-10
84. Shane Nelson Wadsworth, OH 6 11-12 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 5 10-00
85. Tom Sutton II Bidwell, OH 4 10-14 0
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 3 09-04
86. Eric Frazier Newport, VA 4 10-12 0
Day 1: 4 10-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
87. Justin Raines Easley, SC 5 10-08 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
88. Nico Urso Union, KY 5 10-07 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
89. Jacob Lee Lynchburg, VA 5 10-07 0
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 2 04-01
90. Hank Lowrie Coalmont, TN 5 10-06 0
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 2 05-01
91. Brandon Edel White House, TN 5 10-03 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Greg Vance Delhi, IA 5 10-03 0
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 3 06-10
93. Cole Willis Greenup, KY 4 10-01 0
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Drexal Hubbard Connersville, IN 5 09-13 0
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
95. Kyle Ricker Greenville, SC 4 09-13 0
Day 1: 4 09-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
96. Josh Long Fraziers Bottom, WV 4 09-11 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 3 07-00
97. Dylan May Brownsburg, IN 4 09-10 0
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 3 07-00
98. David Chase Las Cruces, NM 5 09-08 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 2 03-10
99. Brian Portlock West Columbia, SC 5 09-03 0
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
100. Grayson Brewster Anderson, SC 5 09-02 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-02
101. Xander Daniel Iron City, TN 4 09-02 0
Day 1: 4 09-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
102. Rick Hamer Charleston, WV 5 09-00 0
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Randall Christopher Danville, KY 5 08-15 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Ronald Guthrie Moneta, VA 5 08-15 0
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 3 05-07
105. Brett Rodefer Knoxville, TN 4 08-10 0
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
106. Mark Cox Hiwassee, VA 4 08-09 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
106. Adam Richardson Littleton, NC 4 08-09 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
106. Cal Rogers Kingsport, TN 4 08-09 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
106. Trevor Topken Hickory, NC 4 08-09 0
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
110. David McDaniel Dayton, OH 4 08-07 0
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
111. Evan Polley Elizabethtown, IN 4 08-02 0
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 2 04-10
112. Landon Morgan Murray, KY 3 08-02 0
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 1 03-13
113. Steve Hardy Staunton, VA 5 08-01 0
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 2 03-06
114. Pat Westbrook West Union, SC 3 08-00 0
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 2 05-07
115. Eric Boyd Monteagle, TN 3 07-12 0
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
116. Randy Gillespie Sanford, NC 4 07-08 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 07-08
117. Steve Wilson Union City, TN 4 07-07 0
Day 1: 4 07-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
118. Nathan Hentschel Hickory, NC 3 07-06 0
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
119. Wes Wilson Athens, GA 4 07-02 0
Day 1: 4 07-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
120. Jon Mitchell Wendell, NC 3 06-14 0
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 1 02-01
121. Michael Boggs II Wheelersburg, OH 3 06-12 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
122. Ben Cully Conroe, TX 3 06-04 0
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
123. Tyler Madden Auburn, AL 3 06-03 0
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
123. Mike Williams Lancaster, KY 3 06-03 0
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
125. Tucker Cory Amherst, WI 3 05-15 0
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
126. Ryan Michek Brooklyn, WI 3 05-14 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
127. Phil Curtis Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA 3 05-13 0
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
128. Justin Hrach Rostraver Township, PA 3 05-08 0
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
129. Kevin Postalwait Ripley, WV 3 05-07 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-07
130. Dalton Noble Hazard, KY 2 05-07 0
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
131. Matt Coughlin Dandridge, TN 2 05-06 0
Day 1: 2 05-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
132. Balyn Wolfe Sevierville, TN 2 04-12 0
Day 1: 1 03-00 Day 2: 1 01-12
133. Jacob Frazier Jefferson City, TN 2 04-10 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-10
133. Mark Ochkie California, PA 2 04-10 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-10
135. Greg Walker Manning, SC 2 04-09 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 1 02-05
136. Mike Caul South Prince George, VA 2 04-00 0
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
137. Justin Guck Winder, GA 2 03-15 0
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
138. Nathaniel Melgaard Elk Mound, WI 2 03-14 0
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
139. Mason Gillihan Manchester, IA 1 03-12 0
Day 1: 1 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
140. Parker Batts Dandridge, TN 2 03-11 0
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
141. Tom Hill Nicholasville, KY 2 03-10 0
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
142. Ron Taylor Chicago, IL 2 03-08 0
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
143. Michael Wooten Goodlettsville, TN 2 03-05 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
144. Chris Risley Clarkesville, GA 1 02-14 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-14
145. Sid Ryan Bracey, VA 1 02-13 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-13
146. Thom Abraham Winchester, TN 1 02-12 0
Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. Bojan Blazeski Cumming, GA 1 02-11 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
148. Tim Davis Mascot, TN 1 02-10 0
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
149. George Schurr Columbus, GA 1 02-06 0
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
150. Westin Moss Jasper, TN 1 02-04 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
151. Randall Carter Maplesville, AL 1 02-02 0
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
152. Johnny Bigger II Spring Hill, FL 1 02-01 0
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
153. Josh Giroldi Beachville Ontario CANA 1 02-00 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
154. Nathaniel Terbush Ann Arbor, MI 1 01-15 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
155. Allen Williford Paducah, KY 1 01-11 0
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
156. Larry Witt Evington, VA 1 01-08 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
157. Ben Green Jasper, TN 1 00-13 0
Day 1: 1 00-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Joe Anders Easley, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Lyle Atkins Culloden, WV 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Shaye Baker Auburn, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Mark Bell Fisherville, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. James Clements Sparta, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Mark Cooper Nicholasville, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Charles Crozier Monticello, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Gregg Fogner Conway, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Sean Gavan Midland, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Randy Gibson Jr Moncks Corner, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Donnie Hendrickson Sharpsburg, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Shane Hoelzle Peachtree City, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. JM Howard Lynchburg, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Hayden Lambe Scugog CANADA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Greg McDavid Blountville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Trey Nanney III Rocky Mount, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Gary Pope Jr Georgetown, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Colby Robertson Summerfield, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Charles Sim Wasaga Beach Ontario CA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 58 532 1239-07
2 54 408 966-11
------------------------------
112 940 2206-02
Teenager Rex Reagan sacks 16-15 to lead Day 1 of B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Cherokee Lake
|
The War on UV
|
From merino to bamboo, Whitewater® Fishing redefines on-water protection to keep anglers out of the heat and in the hunt |
|
By Glenn Walker |
|
MUSKEGON, Mich. (April 10, 2026) – If you’re a diehard angler or a tournament competitor, downtime isn’t in your vocabulary. But the reality is that overheating and UV overexposure will pull you off the water faster than a mechanical failure. We’ve all seen the long-term toll the sun takes on veteran captains, guides, professional anglers alike – for many of us, me included, those routine precautionary visits to the dermatologist are a sobering reminder that the water reflects as much energy as the sky delivers. When I’m grinding through long days of prefishing for a tournament, I’ve moved past the messy era of constant sunscreen reapplication. Sunscreen is oily, it adds unwanted odors to your hands that can spook fish, and it’s easy to miss a spot. My solution is simple: total coverage via technical UPF apparel. The Hoodie Advantage Most UPF shirts are offered in standard long-sleeve or hoodie silhouettes. My personal choice is always the hoodie. Your neck and ears are the highest points of exposure and the most prone to direct hits from UV rays. A technical hood eliminates the sunscreen reapplication cycle and provides a constant, breathable barrier that keeps you focused on the electronics, not the burn. |
|
|
Whitewater’s Technical Trio Whitewater Fishing has engineered three distinct UPF options that allow anglers to tailor their protection to the heat index. |
|
|
SPINDRIFT MERINO FISHING HOODIE – Gold Standard: In my opinion, this is the pinnacle of technical sunwear. Weighing in at a feather-light 120g, it delivers UPF 50+ protection. The real story here is the merino wool—it’s naturally moisture-wicking and antimicrobial. The material regulates your body temperature on humid days and kills the bacteria that cause end-of-day sweat odors. It’s the ultimate high-performance tool for extended sessions. |
|
|
SLIPSTREAM BAMBOO HOODIE – Breathable Alternative: New to the lineup, the Slipstream utilizes a 149g Bamboo/Poly blend. This fabric is incredibly breathable, promoting rapid evaporation to create a natural cooling effect. With natural UPF 15 protection, it’s a stellar choice for high-activity days where airflow is your primary concern. |
|
|
LIGHTWEIGHT TECH HOODIE – Everyday Essential: The Lightweight Tech Hoodie is the workhorse of the collection—a true everyday essential. With a UPF 50 rating, it offers maximum defense against harmful UV rays, shielding the angler through long days on the water. Built with a rugged construction that handles the relentless abuse of a tournament season, this hoodie combines technical protection with the durability required for elite-level performance. |
|
|
The Lightweight Tech Hoodie and Slipstream Bamboo Hoodie are also available in Vintage Duck Camo. |
|
Beyond the Gunwale One design feature that stands out across the Whitewater line—particularly with the Slipstream—is the clean, understated aesthetic. These aren't billboard shirts covered in gaudy logos. They are built with 4-way stretch for total mobility—whether you’re loading a bait net or casting a heavy swimbait—but they look sharp enough to wear straight from the boat to the dinner table. Ultimately, Whitewater isn't just making clothes – they are building gear that extends your time on the water. Stay covered, stay cool, and stay in the hunt. |
|
The Ten Protocols of Fish Handling
|
EGO® Fishing shares widely accepted standards for sustainable catch-and-release |
|
Caldwell, ID (April 8, 2026) – In the modern era of angling, a successful catch is no longer measured solely by the selfie or poundage in the cooler, but by the health of the fish upon release. As pressure on our waterways increases, the responsibility of the angler evolves from simple participation to active resource stewardship. EGO Fishing recognizes that the transition from the hook to the water is the most critical window in a fish’s life cycle—a high-stress period where technical gear and precise handling determine long-term survival. To bridge the gap between performance and conservation, we have established the following 10 protocols. These are not merely suggestions – they are the benchmarks required to ensure that every trophy caught today remains a viable part of the ecosystem tomorrow. Protocol I: Pre-Contact Hydration The fish’s primary defense against infection is the mucosal slime coat. Dry skin or abrasive boat surfaces act as a desiccant, stripping this layer. Protocol: Anglers should thoroughly wet their hands and any contact surfaces before touching the fish. If your hands aren't wet, do not make contact. |
|
|
Protocol II: Non-Abrasive Netting Selection Legacy nylon netting is a known cause of fin-splitting and scale loss. Protocol: Utilize specialized rubber or PVC-coated netting. The smooth surface of a rubber mesh hoop on an EGO S2 Slider cradles the fish while maintaining the integrity of the slime coat and preventing hook snags. |
|
|
Protocol III: Submerged Hook Extraction Air exposure is a primary stressor that leads to metabolic collapse. Protocol: Once the fish is secured in the hoop, keep the net submerged while preparing tools. Perform the unhooking while the fish is still in the water whenever the situation allows. |
|
|
Photo courtesy of DAIWA |
|
Protocol IV: Bilateral Weight Distribution Gravity is an unnatural force for aquatic species – vertical holds by the jaw can cause internal organ displacement or skeletal damage. Protocol: Always provide a horizontal cradle. Use one hand for a controlled jaw grip and the second hand to support the belly, distributing the fish’s mass evenly. |
|
|
Photo courtesy of DAIWA |
|
Protocol V: Linear Revival Dynamics Fish gills function as one-way valves designed for forward-moving water. Protocol: When reviving, hold the fish upright and move it in a slow, forward-only motion. Never pump a fish backward, as this causes the gill filaments to collapse and hinders oxygen exchange. Protocol VI: The Breathing Benchmark A simple metric for survival: If you can’t breathe, they can’t breathe. Protocol: Limit total out-of-water exposure to the duration you can comfortably hold your own breath. If the fight was grueling, the fish requires immediate and extended water immersion. |
|
|
Protocol VII: Geometric Interception The danger zone for both the angler and the fish is the final ten feet at the boat. Protocol: Use the extended reach of the S2 Slider to intercept the fish further from the gunwale. This minimizes the violent, high-stress thrashing that occurs when a fish is brought too close to the boat's vibration and shadows. |
|
|
EGO's new FIRESTEEL Tool Kit includes pliers, hook remover and fish gripper amongst other fishing gear. |
|
Protocol VIII: Tool Readiness & Staging Fumbling for gear while a fish is on the deck is the leading cause of avoidable mortality. Protocol: Pliers, grippers, hook remover, and camera must be staged and accessible before the first cast of the day is made. Protocol IX: Ocular and Branchial Avoidance The gills (branchial arches) and eyes are the most vulnerable anatomical points. Protocol: Keep fingers clear of the gill plates and eye sockets. Any damage to the vascular gill structure is typically fatal, regardless of how strong the fish swims away. |
|
|
Photo courtesy of DAIWA |
|
Protocol X: Autonomous Release Verification A successful release is a hand-off, not a toss. Protocol: Maintain a gentle grip on the fish in a swimming position until it regains full equilibrium. Do not release the fish until it demonstrates an active, autonomous kick to exit your grasp. |
|
|
The Future of the Catch By adhering to these 10 Protocols of Fish Handling, anglers transition from passive observers to active participants in the long-term health of our fisheries. The integration of advanced landing tools, such as the EGO S2 Slider, with scientifically-backed release techniques ensures that every encounter—from the initial strike to the final release—is managed with the highest level of precision. Ultimately, the survival of the resource depends on the critical window of time between the net and the water – these protocols serve as the definitive roadmap for the modern, conservation-minded angler to ensure that today’s trophy is tomorrow’s sustainable success. |
FROM CUT LINE TO CONTENTION: JUSTIN LUCAS TURNS SURVIVAL INTO $4,000 BONUS
By Walker Smith, Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships / Photos: MLF
There are some skills related to being a top-level tournament fisherman that only reveal themselves when things go wrong first. For Justin Lucas, that played out in full at the Bass Pro Tour’s Suzuki Marine Stage 4 on O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood.
What began as a grind with borderline survival to stay in contention ended with a runner-up finish, a surge of momentum and a well-earned $4,000 payout through Toyota’s Bonus Bucks program. But if you only looked at the final leaderboard, you’d miss the real story.
“Honestly, I struggled at O.H. Ivie,” Lucas said. “I was in 24th place to make the cut and they only take the top 25 finishers. So, I barely made it. I was thankful to even advance.”
That’s the thing about multi-stage events like this one. Survival is equally as important as dominance early on. O.H. Ivie, known for its big-bass potential, didn’t roll out the red carpet for Lucas. Instead, it forced him into a defensive posture, scrambling for just enough bites to squeak into the next round. And squeak, he did. By the time the field transitioned to Lake Brownwood, Lucas wasn’t close to the lead.
But he was still fishing, and that’s all he needed.
“It was a new tournament going into the weekend on Lake Brownwood,” Lucas explained. “I had been there a few times previously, so I felt pretty good. On Saturday, it was cloudy all day and I found a shad spawn with a white swim jig. While shad spawns normally only last for the first few hours of daylight, this one lasted all day long throughout the entire tournament. Sunday was sunny and the shad spawn shut down completely.”
Recognizing an all-day shad spawn when most anglers expect a fleeting morning bite was the turning point. Lucas capitalized in a big way. Fishing docks became his primary pattern but not just any docks. He honed in on specific structural elements that positioned fish perfectly for feeding activity tied to the spawn.
“I mostly targeted docks for the shad spawn,” he said. “I was looking for the deepest docks I could find. I think I was catching mostly post-spawn bass but there were definitely some prespawners mixed in. The water temperature was in the low 60s so it wasn’t too hot at all. It was like the perfect storm to catch bass coming and going.”
That perfect storm is something anglers chase constantly but rarely find. This time, it was a convergence of seasonal timing, water temperature and forage behavior that stacked fish predictably.
Lucas didn’t stumble into it but instead he recognized it, trusted it and exploited it. Saturday’s cloudy conditions extended the bite far beyond its normal window, allowing him to build a critical foundation. As quickly as patterns emerge in fishing, however, they often disappear and Sunday proved that.
“I think Saturday night got too cold,” Lucas said. “That’s when I switched to a dice-style bait to catch my fish on Sunday.”
The adjustment wasn’t optional but necessary. The sunny skies and dropping overnight temperatures shut down the shad spawn entirely, forcing Lucas to pivot from a horizontal, reaction-based presentation to something more methodical.
Many anglers would have tried to force the swim jig bite for too long. Lucas didn’t. He adjusted, executed and climbed. By the end of the event, Lucas had surged all the way to second place, a finish that felt worlds apart from his near elimination just days earlier. It was the kind of comeback that doesn’t just earn points, but reinforces confidence.
Through Toyota’s Bonus Bucks contingency program, Lucas added $4,000 to his winnings simply for running a qualifying tow vehicle. It’s a detail that’s becoming increasingly significant in the economics of professional fishing.
“Toyota is the only truck company that pays you to drive their trucks,” Lucas said. “I’m planning on running a Tundra for the foreseeable future. You can’t beat Bonus Bucks.”
In a sport where travel is relentless and margins can be thin; those bonuses matter. For Lucas, the reliability and comfort of his truck played a role long before the first cast was made.
“It was a 14-hour drive to these lakes, and this new Tundra is the most comfortable truck I’ve ever owned,” he said. “The gas mileage is solid, too. I’d say it’s the best I’ve ever gotten out of a gas truck.”
Lucas’ endorsement reflects the reality of life on tour. There are lots of long hauls, changing conditions and the need for consistency both on and off the water. Thankfully, Lucas found both this week. From barely making the cut at O.H. Ivie to unlocking a fleeting pattern on Lake Brownwood, his tournament was a study in persistence, awareness and execution under pressure.
Emanuel’s Edwards and Lintner claim close win In Bassmaster College Series at Santee-Cooper
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — A furious start and an afternoon kicker cemented a narrow win for Emmanuel College teammates Caleb Edwards and Jayden Lintner, who topped the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Santee Cooper Lakes presented by Bass Pro Shops with a 5-bass limit of 34-pounds, 9-ounces.
After severe weather prompted B.A.S.S. to cancel Day 1, the one-day event saw 20 bags over 25 pounds, with five over 30. Edwards and Lintner — a sophomore and freshman, respectively — edged University of Montevallo’s Brody Robison and Peyton Sorrow by 3 ounces.
“This means the world to me,” Edwards said. “It’s the biggest tournament win I’ve ever had.”
Lintner agreed and added: “I just want to thank The Lord and my family, friends, teammates and coaches for the support. This win is a good jumpstart to our careers.”
On this fishery where lakes Marion and Moultrie connect via the 6.5-mile Diversion Canal, Edwards and Lintner spent their day on Marion.
“We decided to stay on Lake Marion because, in practice, we found one little grass flat in Potato Creek that had good bit of fish in it and we caught a 4-pounder there on the first day of practice,” Edwards said. “We actually went and practiced on Lake Moultrie on Day 2 of practice, but we didn’t have any luck down there.
“We decided to go back to Marion on the Day 3 of practice and expand on what we found on Day 1. The led us to a school of fish that were staged on a hard spot in 6-12 feet in the milfoil.”
The main spot where the winners did most of their damage was about 100-150 yards long. As Lintner said, that was not their first choice, but fate had other plans.
“We started off with back-to-back 7-pounders (on the flat) and then, we moved to a point with milfoil across the creek,” Lintner said. “That point was going to be our main spot, but first thing in the morning, there were a lot of boats in that area, so we let the spot clear out and then we went to the point and we caught a 5-pounder.
“I believe all of our fish were prespawn. They were pretty fat and a little off the bank. This was the best day that we’ve hadn’t on Santee-Cooper.”
The winners caught their fish on the green pumpkin Coike Fullcast, a solid elastomer sphere with multiple tentacles, aka “spiky ball.” They rigged this bait with a No. 2 treble hook and a 3/32-ounce nail weight.
“In practice, it was hard to get a bite, but that bait produced most of our big bites,” Edwards said. “Our biggest one in practice was 6 1/2.”
Lintner said he and Edwards fished their baits over the grass with snappy retrieves. Most fish required several twitches to seal the deal, especially the 7-9 that Edwards caught at 12:30.
Summarizing his team’s game plan, Lintner said: “Our success was getting into our area and fishing it, and not getting spun out and running all over the lake.”
Robison and Sorrow finished in second place with 34-6. They, too, devoted their day to Lake Marion and stuck to the south end.
“Lake Marion set up more for our style of fishing,” Robison said. “It felt like the fish were more predictable.”
Noting that he and his partner caught about 10 fish, Robison said they started their day targeting an early shad spawn, mixed in some fry guarders (adult male bass watching over recent hatchlings), and finished their day by fishing stumps and brush piles offshore.
“We caught about 28 pounds early on the shad spawn and fry guarders and then went offshore and culled up a few times,” Robison said.
Robison and Sorrow caught their shallow fish and their offshore upgrades on Clutch Baby Boss and KGB glidebaits, along with Berkley Lab Series minnows in the reservoir shad color on 1/8-ounce jig heads.
Tucker McCoy and Connor Bell of University of Montevallo placed third with 32-7.
Philip Smyrl and Murray Deen of Georgia College won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with a 8-10.
This event was hosted by Santee Cooper County.
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Santee Cooper - Lunkers 4/9-4/10
Santee Cooper Lakes, Manning SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Caleb Edwards - Jayden Lintner Emmanuel University 250
Day 1: 5 34-09 Total: 5 34-09
2. Brody Robison - Peyton Sorrow University of Montevallo 249
Day 1: 5 34-06 Total: 5 34-06
3. Tucker McCoy - Connor Bell University of Montevallo 248
Day 1: 5 32-07 Total: 5 32-07
4. Storm Clark - Elisha Colley University of Montevallo 247
Day 1: 5 31-03 Total: 5 31-03
5. Michael Gammons - Colby Elliott Emmanuel University 246
Day 1: 5 30-06 Total: 5 30-06
6. Max Hondorp - Ridge Faircloth Troy University 245
Day 1: 5 29-08 Total: 5 29-08
7. Luke Wyle - Trey Richardson III Auburn University 244
Day 1: 5 29-06 Total: 5 29-06
8. Cassius Olson - Nolan Smith University of Montevallo 243
Day 1: 5 29-03 Total: 5 29-03
8. Dylan Sorrells - Thomas Turnbull University of Montevallo 243
Day 1: 5 29-03 Total: 5 29-03
10. Colton Trotter - Barrett Choquette Troy University 241
Day 1: 5 28-13 Total: 5 28-13
11. James Dubose - Daylon Milam University of Montevallo 240
Day 1: 5 28-03 Total: 5 28-03
12. Kaden Casey - Lane Parker Carson-Newman University 239
Day 1: 5 28-00 Total: 5 28-00
13. Lane Clark - Tallis Morrison Erskine College 238
Day 1: 5 27-10 Total: 5 27-10
14. Wesson Vint - Jose Alten Adrian College 237
Day 1: 5 27-08 Total: 5 27-08
15. Cody Domingos - Mason Thompson University of Tennessee 236
Day 1: 5 27-02 Total: 5 27-02
16. Nolan Gray - Riley Brown Carson-Newman University 235
Day 1: 5 26-12 Total: 5 26-12
17. Cole Martin - Griffin Ralph University of Montevallo 234
Day 1: 5 26-09 Total: 5 26-09
18. Scooter Ligon Jr - Logan Fisher Emmanuel College 233
Day 1: 5 26-07 Total: 5 26-07
19. Garrett Ring - Trace Antunes III University of Montevallo 232
Day 1: 5 26-06 Total: 5 26-06
20. Phillip Herring - Parker O'Bryan University of Montevallo 231
Day 1: 5 25-01 Total: 5 25-01
21. Michael Canonica - Matthew Dettling University of Tennessee 230
Day 1: 5 24-15 Total: 5 24-15
22. Evan Ainslie - Wills Urquhart Jr Lander University 229
Day 1: 5 24-13 Total: 5 24-13
23. Chase Wodzinski - Trenton Carey Lander University 228
Day 1: 5 24-08 Total: 5 24-08
24. Hayden Williams - Chase Rogers USC - Union 227
Day 1: 5 24-05 Total: 5 24-05
25. Wes Smith II - Caden Gettys Catawba Valley Community College 226
Day 1: 5 23-15 Total: 5 23-15
25. Michael Witherup - Connor Bower University of Montevallo 226
Day 1: 5 23-15 Total: 5 23-15
27. Matthew Gunn - Matthew Massey Erskine College 224
Day 1: 5 23-07 Total: 5 23-07
27. Will Kimbrough - Mac Nail Georgia Southern University 224
Day 1: 5 23-07 Total: 5 23-07
29. Andrew Turner - Evan Powell Carson-Newman University 222
Day 1: 5 23-04 Total: 5 23-04
30. Colby Carrier - Justin Frey Bethel University 221
Day 1: 5 23-02 Total: 5 23-02
31. Anderson Jones - Lander University 220
Day 1: 5 22-13 Total: 5 22-13
31. Zach Knight - James Sumrell Carson-Newman University 220
Day 1: 5 22-13 Total: 5 22-13
33. Nathan Baldwin - Will Smith University of Alabama 218
Day 1: 4 22-12 Total: 4 22-12
34. Fisher Carver - Cohen Cravey Brewton-Parker College 217
Day 1: 5 22-07 Total: 5 22-07
34. Hunter Slone - Tennessee Tech University 217
Day 1: 5 22-07 Total: 5 22-07
36. Andrew Blanton - Wyatt Gabehart Lander University 215
Day 1: 5 22-06 Total: 5 22-06
37. Peyton Harris - Dalton Head University of Montevallo 214
Day 1: 5 22-05 Total: 5 22-05
38. Easton Drennon - Chase McCarter Carson-Newman University 213
Day 1: 5 22-03 Total: 5 22-03
38. Thomas Smith - Kaleb Butts USC - Union 213
Day 1: 5 22-03 Total: 5 22-03
40. Austin Denmark - Matthew Bennett Faulkner University 211
Day 1: 5 22-02 Total: 5 22-02
41. Cole Moulton - Jared Hubbard Lander University 210
Day 1: 5 22-01 Total: 5 22-01
42. Fisher Heard - Hunter Brewer University of North Alabama 209
Day 1: 5 22-00 Total: 5 22-00
43. Trey Marco - Jake Rowlands Carson-Newman University 208
Day 1: 5 21-14 Total: 5 21-14
44. Graham Flaherty - Nathan Preston Auburn University 207
Day 1: 5 21-12 Total: 5 21-12
45. Jake Lovingood - Bryson Hatcher Bryan College 206
Day 1: 5 21-11 Total: 5 21-11
46. Lucas Washburn - Braylon Eggerding Adrian College 205
Day 1: 5 21-09 Total: 5 21-09
47. Zach Helton - Blake Wheat Carson-Newman University 204
Day 1: 5 21-05 Total: 5 21-05
48. Drake Sturgill - University of Montevallo 203
Day 1: 5 21-03 Total: 5 21-03
49. Alex Geroulis - William Brogan Indiana University 202
Day 1: 5 21-00 Total: 5 21-00
50. Colton Boelkes - Conner Lopez University of North Alabama 201
Day 1: 4 20-12 Total: 4 20-12
51. Avery Padgett - Fischer Barber Troy University 200
Day 1: 5 20-10 Total: 5 20-10
52. Brock Vogel - Carson Winn University of North Alabama 199
Day 1: 5 20-09 Total: 5 20-09
53. Zion Dunaway - Andrew Krintz Purdue University 198
Day 1: 5 20-08 Total: 5 20-08
54. Brycen Williamson - Reed Rooke Erskine College 197
Day 1: 5 20-04 Total: 5 20-04
55. Cole Russell - Ty Trentham University of Tennessee 196
Day 1: 5 20-01 Total: 5 20-01
56. Jon Luke Foster - Erskine College 195
Day 1: 5 20-00 Total: 5 20-00
56. Jackson Mitchell - Evan Polley Carson-Newman University 195
Day 1: 5 20-00 Total: 5 20-00
58. Peyton Dunn - Luke Mcguffin Emmanuel University 193
Day 1: 5 19-15 Total: 5 19-15
59. Hogan Benson - Jackson Pruett USC - Union 192
Day 1: 5 19-13 Total: 5 19-13
60. Brennan Berglund - Colton White University of Montevallo 191
Day 1: 5 19-12 Total: 5 19-12
60. Evan Conn - Collin Allison Auburn University 191
Day 1: 5 19-12 Total: 5 19-12
62. Joe Vaulton - Walker LaRue Carson-Newman University 189
Day 1: 5 19-10 Total: 5 19-10
63. Tanner Moulton - Roper Putnam Lander University 188
Day 1: 5 19-09 Total: 5 19-09
64. Fletcher Allen - Jackson Shore UNC - Charlotte 187
Day 1: 3 19-07 Total: 3 19-07
65. Jack Carroll - Cody Tiemann University of North Alabama 186
Day 1: 5 19-06 Total: 5 19-06
66. Jerry Brumbaugh Jr. - Quade Lobo Adrian College 185
Day 1: 5 19-05 Total: 5 19-05
67. Mattix Durst - Jack Kropp Adrian College 184
Day 1: 5 19-04 Total: 5 19-04
67. Landon Myers - Dakota Van Weelden Carson-Newman University 184
Day 1: 5 19-04 Total: 5 19-04
69. Michael John Teate - Southeastern University 182
Day 1: 5 19-02 Total: 5 19-02
70. Garrett Sullivan - Hayes Pate Faulkner University 181
Day 1: 5 19-01 Total: 5 19-01
71. Andrew Terry - Kole Weir Bryan College 180
Day 1: 4 19-01 Total: 4 19-01
72. Drew Kuhnle - Landon Rollison Lander University 179
Day 1: 5 19-00 Total: 5 19-00
73. Will Hammond - John Such Lander University 178
Day 1: 4 18-13 Total: 4 18-13
73. Owen Wheeler - Bethel University 178
Day 1: 4 18-13 Total: 4 18-13
75. Carty Shoen - Myles Vinyard Auburn University 176
Day 1: 5 18-12 Total: 5 18-12
76. Evan Newell - Dylan May Carson-Newman University 175
Day 1: 5 18-11 Total: 5 18-11
77. Hudson Choquette - Wyatt Wood University of Montevallo 174
Day 1: 5 18-06 Total: 5 18-06
77. Ryan Wiener - Mason Qualey Alexandria Technical And Communi 174
Day 1: 5 18-06 Total: 5 18-06
79. Ryder Krueger - Brayden Jordan Troy University 172
Day 1: 5 18-05 Total: 5 18-05
80. Jaxon Leverette - Austin Sawyer Troy University 171
Day 1: 5 18-04 Total: 5 18-04
81. Drew Pitts - Nicholas DellaPorta Carson-Newman University 170
Day 1: 5 18-02 Total: 5 18-02
81. Tucker Sutherland - Brier Hardy Faulkner University 170
Day 1: 5 18-02 Total: 5 18-02
83. Bryson Dotson - Victor Alford Tennessee Wesleyan University 168
Day 1: 5 18-00 Total: 5 18-00
84. Hank Sturm - Gavyn Rapp Adrian College 167
Day 1: 4 18-00 Total: 4 18-00
85. Aidan Ellege - Jacob Berryhill Carson-Newman University 166
Day 1: 5 17-14 Total: 5 17-14
86. Szymon Piton - Riley Faulkner Carson-Newman University 165
Day 1: 5 17-11 Total: 5 17-11
87. Ethan Hospedales - UNC - Charlotte 164
Day 1: 5 17-10 Total: 5 17-10
88. Anna Kay - Briley Mills Emmanuel University 163
Day 1: 5 17-01 Total: 5 17-01
89. Cambell Hall - Tyler Eggers NC State University 162
Day 1: 5 16-15 Total: 5 16-15
90. Skyler Stevens - Grant McCraney Faulkner University 161
Day 1: 5 16-12 Total: 5 16-12
91. Jacob Jerrell - Jarrett Centers-Elpers USC - Union 160
Day 1: 5 16-09 Total: 5 16-09
92. Rylan Green - Luke McGuffin Erskine College 159
Day 1: 5 16-07 Total: 5 16-07
92. Joe Lutz - Braden Stutts UNC - Charlotte 159
Day 1: 5 16-07 Total: 5 16-07
94. Cole Petroff - Noah Loxley Tennessee Tech University 157
Day 1: 4 16-03 Total: 4 16-03
95. Logan Hendrick - Lenoir Rhyne University 156
Day 1: 5 15-05 Total: 5 15-05
95. James Williams - Emory Jackson Georgia Southern University 156
Day 1: 5 15-05 Total: 5 15-05
97. Dane Leopold - Chris Veitch Coastal Carolina University 154
Day 1: 5 15-04 Total: 5 15-04
98. Matthew Mitchell - Fisher Rodgers University of South Carolina 153
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
99. Ryan Small - David Buccafuri Penn State University 152
Day 1: 5 15-02 Total: 5 15-02
100. Bennett Gapinski - Trey Visser Alexandria Technical And Communi 151
Day 1: 5 15-01 Total: 5 15-01
101. Colin Chavers - Preston Barnett Auburn University 150
Day 1: 5 15-00 Total: 5 15-00
102. Max Flatten - Kaden Dorman Erskine College 149
Day 1: 4 14-14 Total: 4 14-14
103. Brayden Ruckman - Zach Wolfe Carson-Newman University 148
Day 1: 5 14-13 Total: 5 14-13
104. Loren Oliver - Tyler Harmon University of South Carolina 147
Day 1: 5 14-12 Total: 5 14-12
105. Finn Maher - Jake Buzin University of South Carolina 146
Day 1: 5 14-11 Total: 5 14-11
106. Gavin Seewald - Drew Turnbull University of North Alabama 145
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
107. Ely Hagans - Cole Pennington Bethel University 144
Day 1: 4 14-05 Total: 4 14-05
108. John Kinard - Lincoln Kinard Clemson University 143
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
109. Hunter Owens - Jackie Hatfield Carson-Newman University 142
Day 1: 3 14-04 Total: 3 14-04
110. Tyler Mccormick - Branson James Alcoa Fishing Team - TN 141
Day 1: 5 14-03 Total: 5 14-03
111. Elijah Kelley - Kyle Smith Kentucky Christian University 140
Day 1: 5 14-02 Total: 5 14-02
112. Drew Moss - Reece Knight Auburn University 139
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
112. Wyatt Varney - Jase Mcadams Clemson University 139
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
114. Isaac Patrick - Grant Wells Catawba Valley Community College 137
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
115. Connor Westerman - Michael Mcnulty West Virginia University 136
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
116. Riley Lawson - Jacob Mathis Emmanuel University 135
Day 1: 5 13-08 Total: 5 13-08
117. Carson Peeters - Drew Wagner University of Wisconsin - Steven 134
Day 1: 3 13-03 Total: 3 13-03
118. Jamison Melton - Andrew Christopher Jr Clemson University 133
Day 1: 5 13-02 Total: 5 13-02
119. Philip Smyrl - Murray Deen Georgia College 132
Day 1: 2 13-02 Total: 2 13-02
120. Luca Palermo - Jake Palmieri Clemson University 131
Day 1: 5 13-01 Total: 5 13-01
121. Ryan Soles - Alexander Karp Georgia Southern University 130
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
122. Mason King - Isaac Jahn Purdue University 129
Day 1: 3 13-00 Total: 3 13-00
123. Brady Osborn - Connor Racine Adrian College 128
Day 1: 4 12-12 Total: 4 12-12
124. Cole Guck - Jonah Saad Emmanuel University 127
Day 1: 5 12-07 Total: 5 12-07
125. Cole Hunter - Joseph Bontrager USC - Union 126
Day 1: 5 12-05 Total: 5 12-05
126. Lane Evans - Tyler Gross Purdue University 125
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
126. James Lamberth - Carter Burdette Troy University 125
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
126. Tanner Wassilchalk - Andrew Cianflone West Virginia University 125
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
129. Brendan Ellis - Parker Mckee Faulkner University 122
Day 1: 3 12-02 Total: 3 12-02
130. Tate Turner - Judson Touchstone Auburn University 121
Day 1: 3 12-00 Total: 3 12-00
131. Anderson Keim - Adam Hyder Clemson University 120
Day 1: 3 11-14 Total: 3 11-14
132. Dylan Mclaughlin - Lawton Williams Erskine College 119
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
133. Quinn Williams - Emery Burnett Georgia Southern University 118
Day 1: 5 11-12 Total: 5 11-12
134. Dawson Woerner - Wyatt Cash Purdue University 117
Day 1: 5 11-10 Total: 5 11-10
135. Hunter Barrow - Kanton Trull Catawba Valley Community College 116
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
135. William Gully - Colton Odom Auburn University 116
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
137. Hampton Shull - Landon Surrett Lander University 114
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
138. Branton Champion - Michael Avery Emmanuel University 113
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
139. Brody Mitchell - Michael Markham University of Montevallo 112
Day 1: 3 11-04 Total: 3 11-04
140. Bryce Balentine - Will Boyd Jr Florida Gateway College 111
Day 1: 5 11-02 Total: 5 11-02
141. Luke Davis - Kaden Raichel University of Montevallo 110
Day 1: 3 11-00 Total: 3 11-00
142. Matthew Norton - Ian Schroeder UNC - Charlotte 109
Day 1: 4 10-15 Total: 4 10-15
143. Connor Green - Braden Bevington Faulkner University 108
Day 1: 4 10-13 Total: 4 10-13
144. Rylan Houk - Pete Shumaker East Tennessee State University 107
Day 1: 4 10-06 Total: 4 10-06
145. Noah Haas - Isaac Shafer Purdue University 106
Day 1: 5 10-00 Total: 5 10-00
146. Reece Kilian - Joey Cotromano III Lander University 105
Day 1: 3 10-00 Total: 3 10-00
147. Alex Gore - Collin French Carson-Newman University 104
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
148. Peyton Sargent - Joshua Mcguffin USC - Union 103
Day 1: 4 09-13 Total: 4 09-13
149. Robert Miller - Levi Bolton Emmanuel University 102
Day 1: 3 09-12 Total: 3 09-12
150. Jackson Dowdle - Shockley Hiatt UNC - Charlotte 101
Day 1: 4 09-11 Total: 4 09-11
151. Crew Morrone - Elliott Ward University of Tennessee 100
Day 1: 4 09-09 Total: 4 09-09
152. Nicholas Jones - Sampson Brown Indiana University 99
Day 1: 4 09-05 Total: 4 09-05
153. Paxton Giem - Nick Seitz Adrian College 98
Day 1: 3 09-05 Total: 3 09-05
154. Hayden Short - Mason Lyons Kentucky Christian University 97
Day 1: 2 09-03 Total: 2 09-03
155. Brendin Simich - Carter Stambelos Auburn University 96
Day 1: 4 08-12 Total: 4 08-12
155. Alan Ter Molen - Devin Paeschke Grace College 96
Day 1: 4 08-12 Total: 4 08-12
157. Luke Garofalo - Quentin Adams USC - Union 94
Day 1: 2 08-11 Total: 2 08-11
157. Charlie Moomau - Matthew Delaney West Virginia University 94
Day 1: 2 08-11 Total: 2 08-11
159. Konnor Sweet - Josiah Dillard Liberty University 92
Day 1: 3 08-10 Total: 3 08-10
160. Cameron Yates - Harrison McCall Lander University 91
Day 1: 2 08-09 Total: 2 08-09
161. Jack Myers - Zachary Oman Alexandria Technical And Communi 90
Day 1: 4 08-08 Total: 4 08-08
161. Jack Richardson - Georgia Southern University 90
Day 1: 4 08-08 Total: 4 08-08
163. Hunter Starling - William Vickery Georgia Southern University 88
Day 1: 3 08-08 Total: 3 08-08
164. Conner Nichols - Nathanael Eubank East Tennessee State University 87
Day 1: 2 08-02 Total: 2 08-02
165. Logan Greeno - Ty Kreis University of Nebraska - Lincoln 86
Day 1: 3 07-12 Total: 3 07-12
166. Cole Apeldorn - Brenden Leahy Penn State University 85
Day 1: 3 07-10 Total: 3 07-10
167. Bronson Jackson - Jebb Bryan Auburn University 84
Day 1: 3 07-05 Total: 3 07-05
168. GC Furr - Gray Davis Clemson University 83
Day 1: 3 07-04 Total: 3 07-04
169. Lucas Mantini - Jack Halliwill Michigan State University 82
Day 1: 3 07-03 Total: 3 07-03
170. Cole Kennemur - Texas A&M University 81
Day 1: 2 07-01 Total: 2 07-01
171. Palmer Parrish - Clemson University 80
Day 1: 3 07-00 Total: 3 07-00
172. Cole Carr - Rance Eddleblute Adrian College 79
Day 1: 3 06-15 Total: 3 06-15
173. Eli Cooke - Lucas Sheafer Erskine College 78
Day 1: 2 06-15 Total: 2 06-15
174. Tyler Michael - Isaac Greene USC - Union 77
Day 1: 3 06-14 Total: 3 06-14
175. Robert Montgomery - Grason Turnbull IV Auburn University 76
Day 1: 3 06-10 Total: 3 06-10
175. Leo Romano - David Robinson James Madison University 76
Day 1: 3 06-10 Total: 3 06-10
177. Devon Blevins - Lyndon Gaddy East Tennessee State University 74
Day 1: 3 06-04 Total: 3 06-04
177. Peyton Pitts - Lucca Gandolfo Clemson University 74
Day 1: 3 06-04 Total: 3 06-04
179. Bryson Gurley - Ethan Evatt USC - Union 72
Day 1: 3 05-09 Total: 3 05-09
180. Daniel Litwin - Haden James James Madison University 71
Day 1: 2 05-07 Total: 2 05-07
181. Dylan Reid - Jaxson Smoak Georgia Southern University 70
Day 1: 3 05-03 Total: 3 05-03
182. Logan Bozeman - Matt Wilson Auburn University 69
Day 1: 2 05-03 Total: 2 05-03
183. Diego Alea - Carter Teune Southeastern University 68
Day 1: 1 05-03 Total: 1 05-03
183. Colin Oldfield - Jack Miner Michigan State University 68
Day 1: 1 05-03 Total: 1 05-03
185. Dyson Lewis - Cameron Chapman Catawba Valley Community College 66
Day 1: 2 04-13 Total: 2 04-13
186. Kaden Sexton - Thomas Avery University of Alabama 65
Day 1: 1 03-14 Total: 1 03-14
187. Carson Aarup - UNC - Charlotte 64
Day 1: 2 03-12 Total: 2 03-12
188. Chan Barber II - Lee Gwyn NC State University 63
Day 1: 1 03-08 Total: 1 03-08
189. Dan Maciejczyk - John Meyer Penn State University 62
Day 1: 1 03-05 Total: 1 03-05
190. Nick Hawkins - Southeastern University 61
Day 1: 1 03-03 Total: 1 03-03
191. Mitch Straffon - Hoyt Nicely Adrian College 60
Day 1: 1 02-14 Total: 1 02-14
192. Myles Steward - Roslin Johns University of Wisconsin - Steven 59
Day 1: 1 02-13 Total: 1 02-13
193. Carson Volz - Drew Kristoff Franklin College 58
Day 1: 2 02-12 Total: 2 02-12
194. John Bagdasarian - Zachary Steinman High Point University 57
Day 1: 1 02-12 Total: 1 02-12
194. Mason Sills - Catawba Valley Community College 57
Day 1: 1 02-12 Total: 1 02-12
196. Dylan Mcgee - Elisha Toller Kentucky Christian University 55
Day 1: 1 02-10 Total: 1 02-10
196. Emerson Petty - Carson Falk Tennessee Wesleyan University 55
Day 1: 1 02-10 Total: 1 02-10
198. Kole Costello - Trey Horton High Point University 53
Day 1: 1 02-08 Total: 1 02-08
198. Cole Mitchell - Leo Goldman High Point University 53
Day 1: 1 02-08 Total: 1 02-08
200. Robert Shuford - Jacob Spence NC State University 51
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
201. Kyle Herrman - Nick Herrman Erskine College 50
Day 1: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
202. Cameron Seay - Nate Campbell USC - Union 49
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
203. Caleb Dugger - Easton Honaker King University 48
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
204. CJ Chavous Jr. - Landon Bannister USC - Union 47
Day 1: 1 01-10 Total: 1 01-10
205. Brady Biles - Cody Mullis St Johns River State College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Caden Cardoza - Seth Proctor University of Tennessee 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. John Cooper - Daxton Wammack University of North Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Ryan Dujmovits - Grant Anthony High Point University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Tyler Fink - Evan Francis Purdue University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Jackson Fuller - Grant Steinauer Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Tanner Herndon - Mason Taylor Bryan College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Carson Hinson - UNC - Charlotte 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Maxwell Johnson - Carter Steed Brewton-Parker College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Knox Jones - Rock Fulton IV Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Joe Mcnamara - Grady Mcclendon University of North Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Cole McNeely - Fisher Britt University of Montevallo 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Sellers Odom - Grayson Ball University of North Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Tanner Paumen - Logan Allen Bryan College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Grant Rice - Blake Marcum Morehead State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Zane Roberts - Elijah McDonalf University of North Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Benjamin Sapp - Braylin Lewis Faulkner University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Declan Schmidt - Carter Martin University of Tennessee 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Stewart Settle - Liberty University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Gavin Sheffer - Logan Birth Liberty University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Grant Stevison - John Comfort Anderson University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Nicholas Taborelli - Christopher Lassalle Penn State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Alex Thigpen - University of Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Benjamin Travis - Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Ethan Vue - Christian Vue UNC - Charlotte 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Peyton Walls - Aiden Futral Faulkner University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Reese Walters - Wes Kinard University of Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
205. Garrett Wessels - Tennessee Tech University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 123 828 3104-03
------------------------------
123 828 3104-03
Idaho angler Clark Harman wins MLF Road to REDCREST Sweepstakes, headed to Springfield for REDCREST 2026 championship event
| Fans invited to join the REDCREST excitement in Springfield with giveaways and prizes all weekend at Bass Pro Shops, April 17-19
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (April 9, 2026) – When Clark Harman opens his email each morning, he typically does the same thing – scroll, delete and move on with his day. It’s a routine the 64-year-old crop advisor from Burley, Idaho, has followed for years. But one recent morning, an email from Major League Fishing (MLF) caught his eye. “I thought, if I ever win one of these sweepstakes, I’ll probably just delete it,” Harman said. “And luckily, there was something in the subject line that made me stop. Even then, I still thought, ‘Yeah, right.’” This time, it turned out to be the real thing. Harman is the winner of the 2026 MLF Road to REDCREST Sweepstakes, earning a trip package to attend REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance and the Outdoor Sports Expo, April 17–19, in Springfield, Missouri, along with the opportunity to compete for additional prizes during championship weekend. |
|
|
| “At first, I thought it was a scam,” Harman said with a laugh. “Then MLF kept contacting me, and I thought, ‘Well, it must be real.’ And when the swag box full of merchandise showed up, I figured, ‘OK, now it’s definitely real.’”
For Harman, a lifelong outdoorsman, the trip offers a chance to experience in person what he’s followed closely from afar. A dedicated fan of MLF broadcasts, Harman regularly records and watches Bass Pro Tour events and is eager to see the action unfold live on Table Rock Lake and throughout the REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield. “I’m really hoping to meet anglers like Dustin Connell, Ott DeFoe and Jacob Wheeler,” Harman said. “I watch all the tournaments – the quality of the broadcast, the way it’s presented, it’s just really professional and enjoyable to watch.” Harman’s path to bass fishing came later in life. After decades spent trout fishing and fly tying, he discovered the smallmouth bass fishery near his home on Idaho’s Snake River and quickly became hooked. “I didn’t realize how good the bass fishing was,” Harman said. “I got a little boat and went out, and I was hooked right away. The bite’s harder, the fight’s harder – they’re just tough fish. It’s completely different, and I love it.” That passion led him to purchase a gently used Bass Tracker V16 Pro, a boat he credits with opening up new opportunities on the water. “I used to fish from the bank, and you’re really limited,” Harman said. “Now I’ve got the whole Snake River. It’s an older boat, but it floats, it doesn’t leak, and it’s been great.” Harman, who is married with four children and 10 grandchildren, will make the trip to Springfield with his son – although it means stepping away during one of the busiest times of year in his profession. “This is absolutely the worst week of the whole year for me with planting season,” Harman said. “But I told them, I’m 64 years old – I’ll move heaven and earth to get to Springfield for this.” His family needed some convincing. “They thought I was joking,” Harman said. “I had to send them a picture of the MLF swag they sent me before they believed it.” Harman and his son plan to take in the full REDCREST experience, including the competition, the Outdoor Sports Expo and even time on the water, fishing on Table Rock Lake during their stay. For Springfield-area fans, Harman’s story is just one example of what makes REDCREST more than a tournament weekend. The event brings thousands of fishing fans to the city and offers opportunities for attendees of all ages to get involved. Throughout the three-day Outdoor Sports Expo at Bass Pro Shops, fans can enjoy hourly giveaways featuring rods, reels, gift cards and prize packages from leading fishing brands, along with the popular Mercury and Lowrance Power Hour, where prizes are awarded live on stage in rapid-fire fashion. Each day also concludes with a $500 Bass Pro Shops shopping spree, giving local attendees multiple chances to walk away winners. The free, family-friendly event includes angler meet-and-greets, interactive exhibits and opportunities to see the biggest names in professional bass fishing up close, making it a can’t-miss weekend for outdoor enthusiasts across southwest Missouri and beyond. Harman knows firsthand that showing up, or simply taking a chance, can pay off. “I try to remember to enter these sweepstakes every day,” he said. “This time I actually entered less than I normally do, so I was really surprised when I won.” His advice for others is simple. “Just do it, because somebody’s got to win,” Harman said. “I never thought I would – I’m not that guy. But if you keep entering, maybe you’ll be the one!” REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance will take place next week, April 17–19, on Table Rock Lake in Springfield, Missouri, and will feature the top anglers in professional bass fishing competing for a top prize of $300,000. The Outdoor Sports Expo at Bass Pro Shops will run concurrently with the event and is free and open to the public. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and REDCREST 2026, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X , Instagram, Rumble and YouTube. About Major League Fishing |
SPRO named title sponsor of 2026 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. announced today that SPRO has been named the title sponsor of the 2026 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain, scheduled for Aug. 13-16. The event will bring the world’s best bass anglers to one of the most diverse and productive fisheries in the country for four days of competition.
Set along the border of New York and Vermont, Lake Champlain has long been a fan-favorite stop on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series. Known for its ability to produce both quality and quantity, the fishery offers anglers the rare opportunity to target both largemouth and smallmouth bass at a high level, often forcing competitors to decide between two completely different styles of fishing.
“Lake Champlain is one of the most diverse fisheries in the country, giving Elite Series anglers the opportunity to target both smallmouth and largemouth using a wide range of techniques. No matter the approach, SPRO offers a lineup of proven lures designed to excel for either species,” said Syd Rives, SPRO national sales manager.
“We’re proud to welcome SPRO as the title sponsor for this Elite Series event at Lake Champlain,” said Phillip Johnson, B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer. “SPRO has built a strong reputation for innovation and performance, and their products are trusted by many of the top anglers in our sport. Partnering with a brand that shares our passion for competitive fishing helps us continue to deliver high-quality events for both our anglers and fans at one of the best fisheries in the country.”
Lake Champlain spans more than 120 miles and covers approximately 435 square miles, featuring a wide range of habitats including expansive grass flats, shallow bays, rocky shorelines, offshore humps and deep, clear-water structure. This diversity allows anglers to employ a variety of techniques, from flipping and frogging in heavy vegetation for largemouth to finesse presentations like drop shots and Ned rigs for smallmouth.
In August, anglers can expect both species to be in strong summer patterns. Smallmouth bass are typically found relating to offshore structure, where forward-facing sonar and finesse tactics often play a key role. Meanwhile, largemouth bass can be targeted in grass beds and shallow cover throughout the lake’s numerous bays and backwaters. The ability to effectively manage time and capitalize on both fisheries has historically been a deciding factor in Elite Series events on Champlain.
SPRO, a globally recognized fishing tackle brand, has established itself as a leader in high-performance lures and terminal tackle. Known for its collaboration with top professional anglers, SPRO has developed a wide range of innovative products designed to meet the demands of tournament-level fishing. From hard baits and soft plastics to terminal tackle and accessories, SPRO’s lineup is engineered with precision and performance in mind.
The brand’s commitment to quality and angler-driven design has made it a trusted name across both freshwater and saltwater markets. Through partnerships with professional anglers and organizations like B.A.S.S., SPRO continues to expand its reach and showcase its products on some of the sport’s biggest stages.
The 2026 SPRO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain will feature daily takeoffs and weigh-ins, offering fans opportunities to attend in person and experience the excitement firsthand. Tournament coverage will also be available across Bassmaster digital platforms, including Bassmaster.com, live weigh-ins and streaming content.
With a world-class fishery, a stacked field of Elite Series anglers and the support of SPRO as title sponsor, the event is expected to deliver dramatic competition and showcase the versatility required to succeed at the highest level of bass fishing.
Additional details, including host site information and daily schedules, will be availabe on Bassmaster.com.
About SPRO
We are Sports Professionals. SPRO works with America's best anglers to design the world's finest fishing tackle. Using cutting edge technology and innovation, SPRO leads the way in developing premium fishing equipment. SPRO also serves as the North American distributor for leading Japanese brands including Nories, HIDEUP, DSTYLE, MEIHO, and INNO.
For more information, visit www.spro.com
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Rasmussen’s guide to finding bass quickly in unfamiliar waters
By Alan McGuckin, Courtesy of Vexus Boats
The question of how top pros find bass so well on waters they’re not familiar with may be the most often asked question by fans in the history of the sport we all love.
For insight to the answers, take a quick ride in the Vexus® VXs21 of Adam Rasmussen, an easy-going smallmouth master from Wisconsin who has proven he can win anywhere, including a B.A.S.S. Open and Nation event in Alabama.
Not to mention, he made a serious run at winning the Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake, Oklahoma in 2024, and currently sits near the top of the Opens points standings in 2026 after events in Texas, Florida, and Alabama.
We didn’t make it easy on Adam
The playing field was 10,000-acre reservoir north of Tulsa, OK he had never fished, with both largemouth and smallmouth – but it’s a good 14-hour drive from his home, and to make it tougher, we didn’t launch until high noon, on a bright sunny day with hardly any helpful winds.
Survey the situation and understand the basics of bass behavior
Top pros like Rasmussen don’t take a random approach to finding a ‘lucky spot’ or even a good looking spot, instead they study the topography, the habitat, the water clarity, water temperature, and know what phase of the spawn bass are likely to be in – and you should too.
“I can tell by looking at the map, that most of the smallmouth are probably on the deeper, clearer, rockier east end of the lake, and the largemouth are probably in the major creeks full of trees and shoreline bushes to the west. The water temp is 63, and that tells me smallmouth are probably spawning on shallow points, and largemouth are about to,” says Rasmussen, who once lived on a salmon boat for two years that he piloted on guide trips.
With all that data, where to look first?
Rasmussen’s fast assessment of the lake he’s never seen is highly accurate. So, where’s he going to make his first cast on these unfamiliar waters?
“Looking at my Humminbird mapping, I’m picking this big, but shallow point close to the main lake, because I know spawners want to be shallow, but experience has taught me that the larger spawning fish want to be near the main lake just as much or more than way back in the creek,” he says.
Make use of modern technology
You don’t have to have four or five sonar units on your boat to find and catch bass, but at least one that allows you to ‘split the screen’ to show modern day mapping, forward-facing sonar, and perhaps a 360-degree view of the bottom is a wise investment. A number of those single units exist, and Rasmussen makes full use of all of the ‘views’ they provide.
That didn’t take long
Less than 10-minutes after leaving the dock Rasmussen connected on two keeper sized smallmouth with a Rapala Mavrik jerkbait. It was not magic. It was not luck, or a result of insider information.
It was a classic case of using every bit of knowledge regarding water conditions, bass behavior, and phase of the spawn, to land on a make-sense location. And then he utilized all the available sonar advancements, along with a lure he has great confidence in, to find and catch bass quickly on a lake he had no previous knowledge of.
Kubota Named Title Sponsor of MLF Heavy Hitters
BENTON, Ky. (April 8, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Kubota Corporation has been named title sponsor of Heavy Hitters, the Bass Pro Tour’s premier all-star event that celebrates big-bass performance.
Hosted by the Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau, the 2026 Kubota Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops will take place May 16-21 on Florida’s Orange Lake in Ocala, and showcase 32 of the top Bass Pro Tour anglers competing for a top prize of $100,000 to the winner.
The Kubota Heavy Hitters event stands apart from traditional tournaments by also rewarding anglers for landing trophy-class bass, with daily big bass payouts of $10,000 during the Qualifying Round, a $30,000 Knockout Round bonus and a $100,000 prize for the single heaviest bass caught during the Championship Round.
“We’re excited to feature Kubota as the title sponsor of Heavy Hitters,” said Jim Wilburn, President of Sales for MLF. “Kubota has been a valued partner of Major League Fishing for many years, and this expansion of our relationship is a natural fit for one of the most exciting events on the Bass Pro Tour. Kubota is a trusted, hardworking brand that shares so many of the same values as our anglers and fans.”
“We’re proud to support an event that celebrates passion for the outdoors,” said Theresa Duncan, Associate Director for Marketing and Advertising, Kubota Tractor Corporation. “Kubota customers take pride in their land and rely on our durable, reliable equipment to get the job done, and Heavy Hitters unites a community that shares that same commitment to hard work and performance.”
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live each day of competition on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble. The event will also be filmed for television and premiere on Discovery, Saturday, July 4, with new episodes airing weekly through Aug. 15. The event will also be featured in a one-hour special that will debut on CBS in December.
Orange Lake has emerged as one of the nation’s top big-bass fisheries in recent years, regularly producing double-digit largemouth and providing the perfect stage for the sport’s most exciting big-fish showdown.
For more information about Kubota, visit KubotaUSA.com or follow Kubota on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com . For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram, Rumble and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
About Kubota
Kubota Tractor Corporation, Grapevine, Texas, is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 200 Gross hp, performance-matched implements, compact construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, hay tools, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact: Kubota Tractor Corporation, 1000 Kubota Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit KubotaUSA.com.
2026 Lew’s Catch Challenge
Lew’s and Fishing Chaos have joined forces to bring you something the fishing world has been missing: a tournament built entirely around the angler, not the other way around.
Introducing the Lew’s Catch Challenge, open to anyone, anywhere, fishing on their own schedule, all the way through December 31, 2026.
The rules are as simple as the concept is powerful. Register once. Fish all year. Submit your best catches. That’s it. No entry fees per fish. No complicated point systems. No tournament weekends that clash with real life. The contingency format means you compete on your terms, whether you’re hitting local lakes at dawn, chasing trophy bass on a Saturday, or sneaking in a quick evening session after work.
Each month, top catches across selected species are evaluated and winners are crowned. Then the leaderboard resets, giving every angler a fresh shot at taking home premium Lew’s gear the following month.
This partnership between Fishing Chaos and Lew’s reflects something both brands have always believed: competitive fishing shouldn’t be reserved for the tournament circuit regulars. Lew’s world-class reels have been in the hands of championship anglers for decades and now that same standard of excellence is coming to the angler who simply loves to fish.
Registration is fast, free, and only happens once. After that, just do what you already do. Go fishing. Snap a photo. Submit your catch. Let the leaderboard do the rest.
Register Here: Fishing Chaos
Register once. Fish all year. Win every month.
Major League Fishing Announces MLF Pro Catch Video Game, A Next-Generation Competitive Fishing Experience
BENTON, Ky. (April 7, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the upcoming launch of MLF Pro Catch, a new competitive fishing simulator video game designed to bring the strategy, intensity and decision-making of tournament angling to players around the world. The game launches first on Steam in June 2026, followed by releases for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox and Meta VR platforms in 2026/2027.
MLF Pro Catch blends realistic fishing mechanics with detailed, lifelike environments inspired by real-world fisheries. Players will fish a variety of waters – from expansive freshwater lakes to coastal settings – where conditions shift, weather moves in and adaptability separates success from frustration.
Just like on the water, no two days are the same. Light levels change. Wind direction matters. Fish reposition. Players must adjust their presentation, manage their equipment and make smart decisions to stay ahead.
“Major League Fishing has always been driven by innovation and competition,” said Michael Mulone, Vice President of Sponsorship & Business Development for Major League Fishing. “MLF Pro Catch carries that same mindset into the gaming space. It challenges players to think strategically, adapt to conditions and compete with purpose – just like the top professional anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour. Via this licensing partnership, the MLF branded game on these consoles and platforms exposes our league to a passionate worldwide gaming audience.”
“MLF Pro Catch sets a new bar for fishing games, as the first fishing game to feature live tournaments with real-world prizes. MLF Pro Catch delivers unmatched authenticity, competitive stakes, and the most realistic fishing experience ever created” said Joe McHale, Playworks Director of Development.
The game features more than 40 fish species, each designed with distinct behavior patterns that reflect how those species feed, move and fight. Whether targeting bass, trout or offshore gamefish, players will need to refine their approach based on conditions and species tendencies, creating a deeper and more skill-based experience. Each fish in MLF Pro Catch features realistic AI, ensuring no two battles are the same. Every catch is a test of patience, precision and skill.
MLF Pro Catch also incorporates licensed equipment from respected industry brands including Mossy Oak, YETI, Abu Garcia, Fenwick, Greys, Hardy, Pflueger, Zebco, Lowrance and Suzuki Marine. Players can customize rods, reels, tackle, electronics and boats as they progress through career-style modes and competitive events.
Visually, MLF Pro Catch delivers detailed graphics, responsive casting mechanics and a full day-night cycle designed to create immersion without sacrificing realism. Every bite must be earned. Every fish must be landed. Every decision carries weight.
In addition to solo play, the game includes online tournaments, global leaderboards and recurring in-game challenges that reward consistency and performance. Ongoing updates will introduce new locations and new species, allowing the competitive environment to continue evolving.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular MLF Pro Catch updates, photos, tournament news and more, visit MLFProCatch.com and Steam. Follow MLF Pro Catch on social media outlets at TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X , Discord, Reddit, Rumble and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
About Playworks Partners
Playworks Partners curates and publishes engaging games that bring fun, competition, and authenticity to players everywhere. Their portfolio spans immersive simulations, outdoor sports, and classic arcade experiences across Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Steam. From realistic sports sims to pick-up-and-play arcade fun, Playworks Partners is focused on delivering high-quality experiences that invite players to explore, compete and enjoy the power of play.
About Ultimate Games
Ultimate Games are the proud creators of the 'Ultimate Fishing Simulator', the #1 top-rated fishing game on Steam that sets a high bar for simulation experiences. Ultimate Games’ expansive game portfolio is a testament to their fearless approach to game development, ensuring that every release is not just a game, but an adventure.
The Tactical Tweener by Whitewater
|
Revisiting Whitewater® Fishing’s Tamer™ Jacket and Bib – high-density softshell technology delivers the perfect balance of windproof protection and athletic mobility for seasonal transitions |
|
MUSKEGON, Mich. (April 6, 2026) – In an era of digital specs and bloated online marketplaces, the Whitewater® Tamer™ Softshell Jacket and Bib remains a rare product that commands attention the moment it is in an angler’s hands. While its technical ratings are impressive on paper, the Tamer is defined by a physical hand-feel and material density that immediately separates it from the crunchy or restrictive outerwear often found in the fishing outerwear category. |
|
|
|
The Definitive "Tweener" Outer Layer The Tamer Softshell was purpose-built for the in-between days—those common spring and even summer stretches where a hoodie leaves you exposed to the elements, but full storm gear feels like overkill. When the wind picks up, spray starts flying, and the weather threatens without fully committing, the Tamer becomes the perfect outer layer. It allows you to stay protected and dry without sacrificing the mobility required for high-repetition casting or technical boat control. The Material Advantage: A High-Density Stretch Revolution The cornerstone of the Tamer system is a proprietary, high-density polyester stretch softshell. Upon first touch, the material reveals a distinct departure from traditional fabrics – it possesses a rugged, virtually bombproof exterior that remains remarkably supple and quiet. This fabric wasn't just chosen for its windproof and water-resistant properties—it was engineered to provide a physical sense of security. It offers the structural integrity of heavy-duty workwear but with the 4-way stretch and athletic recovery required for tournament-level movement. “The Tamer has become a definitive runaway hit at brick-and-mortar retail because it’s a suit that sells itself the moment an angler actually touches the fabric,” noted Whitewater Fishing Marketing Director, Steve Allie. “Online shoppers are discovering what those in the aisles already know: there is a substantiality and premium feel to this material that simply doesn't exist in other softshells. Once you feel the robust stretch, you understand the protection it offers.” |
|
|
Thermal Regulation: Precision Grid Fleece Architecture The sophistication of the Tamer continues on the interior with its Grid Fleece lining. This isn't a standard, high-loft fleece that feels bulky or traps stagnant heat. Instead, the grid pattern is a calculated geometric layout of fleece pillars and air channels. This architecture provides a tactile cushion of warmth while allowing for a streamlined, low-profile fit. It allows the Tamer to sit closer to the body, moving with the angler’s every reach and cast without the bunching or climbing common in inferior cold-weather suits. This second-skin feel is what allows pros like the father-and-son duo of Jay and Jason Przekurat to remain on the deck for 10-hour days in 40-degree winds without the fatigue caused by fighting their own clothing. |
|
|
Integrated Safety and Tactical Utility Whitewater’s design philosophy is rooted in the one-percenters—the small, physical details that become critical in the field. The Tamer features a 3-piece adjustable hood engineered to stay secure at 60-mph boat speeds and integrated reflective tape on the chest, back, and sleeves for lowlight safety during early launches. The suit also features sewn-in D-rings strategically placed for both safety kill-switch cords and trolling motor fobs. These are not merely loops, but reinforced attachment points that reflect the suit’s heavy-duty construction. |
|
|
Whitewater Tamer™ Softshell Jacket
MSRP: $219.99 (Sizes SM-3X). |
|
|
Whitewater Tamer™ Softshell Bib
MSRP $219.99 (Sizes SM-3X) |
PALANIUK’S BACK-TO-BASICS BATTLE ON THE TENNESSEE-TOMBIGBEE WATERWAY
By Walker Smith, Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships / Photos: Bassmaster
There’s a romance to river tournaments you just don’t find anywhere else in professional bass fishing. Current, color changes, backwaters and spawning pockets are all there, layered together in a way that rewards instinct just as much as execution. For Team Toyota pro Brandon Palaniuk, the recent Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was a welcome reminder of what makes this sport so addictive.
“I really enjoy the alternating format in regard to forward-facing sonar,” Palaniuk said. “It allows me to fish with two entirely different perspectives, and I love to learn as much as I can. For the Tombigbee, there was a real beauty in the simplicity, even on a very complex river system.”
That contrast is what defined the week.
The Tennessee-Tombigbee isn’t a place you can ever fully “solve.” It’s a system of locks, cuts, current seams and shallow backwaters that changes by the hour. Water levels fluctuate, fish reposition and what worked yesterday can burn you today.
Strip away some of the noise, however, and something interesting happens.
“If the technology were to be allowed here, there are so many other things that would go through your mind,” Palaniuk explained. “Should you be scoping deep holes? What about the deep timber? But this past week my approach was super simple and brought me back to my roots.”
That “roots” comment isn’t just lip service. Before the era of hyper-advanced electronics, success in tournaments like this came down to reading the moment and reacting accordingly. It’s less about chasing fish you can see on a screen and more about understanding fish you can’t. That understanding doesn’t always come easy.
“I find myself fishing more freely,” Palaniuk said. “I find myself running through the process of elimination even more than normal. For instance, on the first day of the tournament, I thought I had a gameplan and it didn’t work. Although I thought it was safe, my plan just kind of bombed. I had to scramble all day and only had about 9 1/2 pounds towards the end of the day.”
Anyone who has fished competitively knows that feeling. You spend time in practice building what you believe is a reliable pattern. You dial in locations, presentations and timing but when it matters most, it unravels. It happens to all of us. That’s where experience and maybe more importantly, intuition, steps in.
“That’s when my instinct and guts kicked in,” he said. “It was calm, hot and sunny so I got in a backwater to throw a frog and look for spawners. I figured even a two-pounder would be a good cull at that point. But the first bite I got was almost five pounds. 16-years of experience taught me how to make that adjustment on the fly. That fish had a fresh, bloody tail so I knew she was on a bed.”
It’s easy to gloss over moments like that but they’re everything. A less experienced angler might have committed to the original plan, hoping it would turn around. Palaniuk recognized the conditions and pivoted to something entirely different. That decision didn’t just salvage his day. It changed his entire tournament.
“I kept looking around and I barely could see a tail in the water in the same area,” he continued. “I made one pitch to it and she wouldn’t move. I slowly start dragging and shaking my bait, visualizing in my mind what was happening. Using intuition and experience. I felt the fish on my line for a second, but I could tell she didn’t bite yet. She spun on it.”
That level of awareness is hard to teach. It’s not just about what you feel but rather what you interpret. There’s a difference between a fish bumping a bait, inspecting it or fully committing. In shallow water, especially around spawning fish, those nuances matter.
“I stopped dragging and just started shaking it and right when I did that, she actually bit it,” Palaniuk said. “It was over five pounds, and I went from around nine pounds to over 16 pounds in a matter of minutes right before weigh-in.”
In tournament fishing, we often talk about momentum swings. That was one of them.
“I probably would have been in the 70s after the first day without that instinct and intuition,” he said. “But I ended up in fourth place after day one. That’s a huge difference in Angler of the Year points.”
Events like this magnify every decision. There’s no safety net. There’s no easy way to go find a school of fish you’ve been watching for days. You’re forced to adapt in real time and to trust what you know and commit to it fully.
That’s why anglers like Palaniuk thrive in these conditions. His style has always leaned toward versatility and decision-making rather than locking into a single technique. On a fishery like the Tombigbee, his mindset becomes a major advantage.
There’s a lesson there but it’s not just for pros. It’s easy to get caught up in doing things the “right” way, especially with so much information and technology available today. But sometimes, the best approach is the simplest one. Pay attention to the conditions, trust your instincts and make adjustments without hesitation.
“These kinds of events test your confidence to the core,” Palaniuk said. “And I absolutely love that.”
That love is what separates good anglers from great ones. Most can execute when things go according to plan, it’s what you do when they don’t that defines you. On the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Brandon Palaniuk didn’t just survive a tough tournament. He leaned into it, embraced the chaos, trusted his gut and let years of experience guide him through the kind of decision-making gauntlet for which river systems are known.
MKOT LAKE EUFAULA · EVENT PREVIEW
The pros just told you exactly how to fish Lake Eufaula. Are you listening?
Pake South just put on a clinic at the Bassmaster Open — 84 pounds in three days on the same lake, the same ramp, and the same exact fish that will be swimming when the Minn Kota & Humminbird Owners Tournament fires off April 10th. Here’s everything the pros just handed you for free.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED AT THE BASSMASTER OPEN
Pake South, a 21-year-old out of Winnsboro, Texas, walked into Lake Eufaula as a last-minute entry — barely knowing the lake — and walked out with back-to-back Bassmaster Opens titles and the third-heaviest winning total in Opens history. His Day 3 bag of 31 pounds, 7 ounces was the largest single-day haul ever recorded in a professional tournament on Lake Eufaula, according to Elite Series pro Kyle Welcher who finished third. He threw back what he estimated was another 24 pounds. Let that sink in for a second
THE PATTERN — AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
Here’s the insider breakdown of what the top three anglers found this week, and why it maps directly onto what Minn Kota & Humminbird Owners Tournament competitors will encounter April 10–12.
PATTERN 1 · THE POSTSPAWN STAGING BITE
South targeted flats and drains in 6 to 12 feet of water near Lakepoint — the same takeoff site as the Owners Tournament. The bass have been finishing up the spawn, and postspawn fish are aggressive, staged on the first significant piece of cover they find outside the spawning pockets. The key detail: bigger wood held bigger fish. Brushpiles with larger branches consistently outperformed smaller stuff.
“You just had to find something they wanted to sit on. If the brushpiles had bigger branches, it was a little bit better. The bigger the wood, the better usually.” — Pake South, 2026 Bassmaster Open winner at Lake Eufaula
PATTERN 2 · FALLING WATER IS YOUR FRIEND
The lake dropped a couple of inches each day during the tournament, and South specifically credited the falling water level for concentrating more fish on his spots. With Eufaula drawing down heading into the next event, expect the same dynamic — fish pushed tighter to the best remaining cover. The first anglers to identify those high-percentage brushpiles and stumps during their first few hours on the water will have a significant advantage.
PATTERN 3 · THE SHAD SPAWN WILDCARD
Second-place Chase Clarke stumbled onto a shad spawn at his very first stop on Day 3 and caught three quality fish in minutes, including a 5-5. Shad spawning activity on Lake Eufaula in mid-April can happen in an instant — rip-rap, dock posts, laydown logs near the bank at first light. One angler who finds active shad spawn during an hourly big bass event could win the hour right there.
THE BAIT BREAKDOWN
South’s two primary weapons are worth noting even if you can’t replicate them exactly — the principle matters more than the specific bait. A 23mm urchin-style lure fished with jerkbait-style twitches on slack line, and a finesse swimbait on an 1/8-ounce head. The common thread: reaction bites triggered by stop-and-go action on fish he could see with forward-facing sonar. Clarke also used an urchin-style bait near brush piles and a finesse worm on deeper ledges at 14–17 feet. Bassmaster Elite Series Pro, Kyle Welcher ran a jerkbait on shallow rocks and stumps close to spawning areas all three days.
WHY THE OWNERS TOURNAMENT IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHESS MATCH
Hourly Big Bass format — this changes everything
The Bassmaster Open was a three-day limit grind. The Owners Tournament is hourly big bass — meaning the game resets every period. The pros spent three days protecting their best spots and managing pressure. You get one shot per period. That means the decision-making calculus flips entirely: instead of running once to your best area at safe light, you are constantly weighing whether to commit to a proven big-fish spot versus staying mobile to maximize your shot count. ONE fish at the right moment wins you a period — and potentially the whole event.
Here’s the insider takeaway: what Pake South did — running close to takeoff at Lakepoint and grinding the same productive cover all day — translates perfectly to the hourly format. You don’t need to cover the lake. You need a concentration of big fish within range of a quick run, the confidence to keep going back to it, and the discipline to identify when that spot has gone cold and it’s time to move. The angler who wins this event will likely be fishing close to Lakepoint all weekend long. The pros just proved it can be done.
| 4th Annual Minn Kota & Humminbird Owners Tournament | |
| Dates | April 10–12, 2026 |
| Location | Lake Eufaula, AL · Lakepoint Resort State Park |
| Format | Hourly Big Bass |
| Guaranteed prizes | $230,000 |
| Grand prize | 2026 Nitro Z20 XL — fully rigged |
| Register | minnkotaowners.com |
MLF Announces Dates for 2026 Fishing Clash Team Series
Returning in 2026, the MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops will again feature four Cup events, each showcasing two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers competing from the same boat and working together for a share of a season purse of $560,000.
Every minute of competition in the 2026 MLF Fishing Clash Team Series will be livestreamed daily, delivering complete, real-time coverage of every cast and catch as teammates collaborate to break down a new fishery.
Each MLF Team Series Cup event will feature 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups for the one-day Elimination Rounds. The top two teams from each Elimination Round will advance to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 and 5. The top two teams from each Knockout Round will then advance to the Championship Round on Day 6, where the final four teams will compete for the Cup title.
In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, the host city will not be revealed to anglers until six weeks prior to each event. At that time, all fishable waters within a 60-mile radius will go off-limits, and competitors will learn the specific fishery only upon arrival at the boat ramp on the morning of competition. Fans watching MLFNOW! will discover the fishery alongside the anglers and follow the action live as teams work together to unlock each fishery in real time.
The dates for the 2026 MLF Fishing Clash Team Series are:
- Aug. 16-21, 2026
- Oct. 18-23, 2026
- Nov. 15-20, 2026
- Dec. 6-11, 2026
The first MLF Team Series draft of 2026 was held last week in conjunction with the Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood, where 24 team captains – determined by the 2026 Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the first three Bass Pro Tour events – selected their teammates. Those 24 teams will compete in the first two events.
The 12 teams that will compete Aug. 16-21 are:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
Team #2:
Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala.
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Team #3:
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas
Team #4:
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas
Team #5:
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Team #6:
Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala.
Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn.
Team #7:
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
Fletcher Shryock, Cleveland, Tenn.
Team #8:
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
Team #9:
Dustin Connell, Deatsville, Ala.
Mark Daniels Jr., Shorter, Ala.
Team #10:
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
Team #11:
Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
Colby Miller, Elmer, La.
Team #12:
Nick Hatfield, Afton, Tenn.
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark.
Team #2:
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Team #3:
Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C
Team #4:
Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Team #5:
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Team #6:
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
Team #7:
Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn.
Dustin Smith, Trussville, Ala.
Team #8:
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich.
Team #9:
Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn.
Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J.
Team #10:
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Team #11:
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Team #12:
Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kansas
Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
At Stage 7, 24 new team captains, based on AOY rankings from Stages 4-6, will draft a teammate for the final two Team Series events, Nov. 15-20 and Dec. 6-11.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition during the 2026 MLF Team Series. MLFNOW!® is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble.
Each MLF Team Series episode will air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting in Q1 of 2027. The complete television schedule will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Team Series include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Champion Teamwear, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Ferguson, Grizzly, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Toyota, YETI, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on the MLF Team Series visit MajorLeagueF
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Osage Beach’s Dauber Edges Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Table Rock Lake Presented by Precision Sonar
Missouri’s Keller Wins Co-Angler Division
KIMBERLING, Mo. (April 6, 2026) – Boater Kolton Dauber of Osage Beach, Missouri, caught a total of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Table Rock Lake Presented by Precision Sonar. The tournament was the second of five events of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Dauber earned $2,960 for his victory.
Dauber calls Lake of the Ozarks his home lake but said he is “really familiar” with Table Rock. He said he didn’t let rain on tournament day deter him from going about his business.
“It was raining so hard I didn’t even go two miles from the boat ramp,” the 19-year-old Dauber said. “I pulled into a little pocket and threw a (Z-Man Evergreen) Jack Hammer ChatterBait on a flat and caught a 5-pounder right off the bat.”
Dauber said he then relocated down the lake a couple more miles into the White River and threw the white ChatterBait in pockets that had started to get muddy. He also used a PB&J-colored ½-ounce jig to entice strikes.
“And that’s where it went down,” Dauber said. “I just started catching them; it was every tree in a little pocket.”
Dauber said he caught 12 keepers before noon, but he never thought he had enough weight to be in contention for a win.
“It had been taking more than 20 pounds to win in every tournament there every weekend,” Dauber said. “I thought I needed one more fish to make it happen. But I’m glad it all worked out.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Kolton Dauber, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 18-2, $2,960
2nd: Ryan Stagner, Robertsville, Mo., five bass, 17-11, $1,700
3rd: Cody Miller, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 17-8, $770
4th: Jacob Christeson, Theodosia, Mo., five bass, 17-4, $620
5th: Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., five bass, 16-11, $550
6th: Clint Williams, Fayetteville, Ark., five bass, 16-9, $480
7th: John Hammersmith, Branson, Mo., five bass, 16-5, $460
8th: Corbin Bailey, Camdenton, Mo., five bass, 16-3, $440
9th: Eric Olliverson, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 16-1, $920 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
10th: Jeffrey Barrickman, Forsyth, Mo., five bass, 15-15, $410
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Ryan Stagner of Robertsville, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $200.
Jake Keller of Springfield, Missouri, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,480 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Jake Keller, Springfield, Mo., three bass, 9-7, $1,480
2nd: Lincoln Cowell, Bondurant, Iowa, three bass, 9-5, $750
3rd: Gary Huber II, Saint Charles, Mo., three bass, 9-1, $385
4th: Rich Carpenter, Parkville, Mo., three bass, 8-8, $310
5th: Scott Stallings, Glencoe, Okla., three bass, 8-2, $275
6th: Eric Mahn, Herculaneum, Mo., three bass, 8-0, $240
7th: Troy Stumfoll, Fort Scott, Kan., three bass, 7-15, $230
8th: Thad Hewitt, Delaware, Okla., three bass, 7-14, $320
9th: Chuck Teegardin, Fenton, Mo, three bass, 7-13, $260
10th: Joe Dietz, Ofallon, Mo., three bass, 7-12, $205
Jarod Shelton of Centralia, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass worth $100.
After two events, Cody Miller of Shell Knob, Missouri, now leads the 7 Brew Ozark Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 498 points, while Gary Huber II of Saint Charles, Missouri, leads the Ozark Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 493 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.
The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
15 Teams Earn Automatic Qualification to 2026 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops
SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 4, 2026) – This past weekend, the Association of Collegiate Anglers contested its first event of 2026 on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. The CrushCity Hartwell Slam presented by Sufix was held at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC. More than 280 elite college fishing teams competed for more than $20,000 in prizes and contingencies, as well as double points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Along with the valuable prizes and contingencies, teams were also able to earn automatic qualification in the upcoming Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Here are the Top 15 teams that earned automatic qualification:
1) Emmanuel University – Xander Patton & Stephen Brooks
2) University of Montevallo – Garrett Ring & Trace Antunes
3) University of Montevallo – Peyton Harris & Dalton Head
4) University of Montevallo – Brody Mitchell & Michael Markham
5) Carson-Newman University – Zach Wolfe & Brayden Ruckman
6) University of Montevallo – Nolan Smith & Cassius Olson
7) University of Montevallo – Brody Robison & Peyton Sorrow
8) USC-Union – Austin McCall & Dawson Carden
9) USC-Union – Hogan Benson & Jackson Pruett
10)Lander University – Harrison McCall & Cameron Yates
11)Lander University – Anderson Jones & Cole Taylor
12)USC-Union – CJ Chavous & Landon Bannister
13)University of Tennessee – Makenzie Irwin & Hawkins Russell
14)Wabash Valley College – Lane Argo & Kyson Bradley
15)Carson-Newman University – Dakota Van Weelden & Collin French
View the complete Championship Qualification Criteria here.
At the CrushCity Hartwell Slam presented by Sufix, a total of seven different schools earned automatic qualifications into the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Four of those seven earned multiple qualifications. Top ranked Montevallo led the way by placing five teams in the Top 15. USC-Union had the second most qualifications of any school, by earning three spots. 2nd ranked Carson-Newman and 5th ranked Lander University each earned two qualifications at Lake Hartwell.
Three Anglers Named to ACA’s Collegiate All-Academic Team presented by Yamaha at Lake Hartwell
SAN ANTONIO, TX (April 3, 2026) – The CrushCity Hartwell Slam presented by Sufix was the Association of Collegiate Anglers’ final regular-season event before the season-ending Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops coming up in Florence, AL.
The recent no-entry-fee, nationally televised event at Lake Hartwell was also the second to last opportunity for anglers to be named to the 2025-26 ACA’s collegiate All-Academic Team presented by Yamaha. Three anglers were named to the team at the angler meeting last Friday night, taking the season total to nine anglers awarded this title.
Here are the three anglers recognized at Lake Hartwell:
Chase Rogers: USC-Union
Carter Lanclos: LSU-Shreveport
Anna Kay: Emmanuel University
On behalf of the ACA and Yamaha, each angler will receive a scholarship for being recognized as a member of the All-Academic Team presented by Yamaha. Each angler will also be eligible to receive the title of Academic All-American presented by Yamaha. That honor will be announced at the ACA’s annual Angler & Sponsor Banquet during Championship Week next month.
Chase Rogers
USC-Union
Year: Senior
Major: Business/Organizational Leadership
The first angler we will highlight in this article is Chase Rogers with USC-Union. He is a senior majoring in Business/Organizational Leadership. Chase is said to consistently demonstrate an elite level of commitment both on the water and in the classroom. Over his four-year collegiate career, he has maintained his grades and earned placement on the President’s List and Dean’s List every academic year—an achievement that speaks to his discipline, focus, and work ethic.
Carter Lanclos
LSU-Shreveport
Year: Freshman
Major: General Business
Next is Carter Lanclos with Top 25 ranked LSU-Shreveport. Carter is a freshman, and is studying General Business. Carter is said to be an exceptional example of a student angler, successfully managing his time and efforts among multiple priorities. Outside of the classroom, he works as a sales intern. No matter what he is doing, whether it be in the classroom, on the water, or as an intern…Carter completes the task at hand with a great attitude and smile.
Anna Kay
Emmanuel University
Year: Junior
Major: Elementary Education
Lastly, we highlight Anna Kay. She is a junior at Top 25 ranked Emmanuel University, and is majoring in Elementary Education. Anna is dedicated to her field of study, Elementary Education. While balancing her course work and fishing, she serves her community through teaching youth at her church,works in community functions that serve meals to needy families, works at a daycare, and dedicates herself to young people.
To nominate a deserving student angler, click here.
15th Annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament Set for Lake Guntersville
Guntersville, AL (April 6, 2026) – The Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament is headed back to legendary Lake Guntersville this fall for the 15th annual celebration of all things Toyota and bass fishing. This year’s competition will be held out of Goose Pond Colony Resort October 17-18, 2026.
With this being the 15th annual tournament, Toyota is upping the ante with a $15,000 guaranteed first-place prize and cash prizes awarded to the top 31 teams. Also new for 2026 and even more exciting, every registered angler will be entered into a random drawing to win a 2026 Toyota Tundra!
Whether you find yourself atop the leaderboard or grind through tough conditions, every angler has a shot at leaving Lake Guntersville as the owner of a brand-new Toyota Tundra.
This remains a no-entry fee, amateur-only team tournament. Each registered team will receive gift bags full of Toyota swag, meet & greets with Team Toyota pro anglers, entry into prize drawings, complimentary meals, and more.
“The Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament is a highlight on Toyota’s calendar each year,” said Katherine Helffrich, Sr. Manager for Sports and Lifestyle Sponsorships, Toyota Motor North America. “We value the chance to connect with people who rely on Toyota vehicles to pursue their passion for fishing and the outdoors. We’re excited to return to Lake Guntersville with even bigger rewards and new opportunities to celebrate the loyalty and support these anglers have shown Toyota.”
Located in northeast Alabama, in the heart of bass fishing country, Lake Guntersville has been home to bass fishing’s biggest events, like the Bassmaster Classic and Major League Fishing REDCREST. With its spectacular views, proximity for so many Bonus Bucks members, and fertile fish-filled waters, Lake Guntersville serves as an excellent location for the 15th anniversary of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament.
“We had so much fun last year we had to run it back,” said Gerald Swindle, Guntersville local and Team Toyota pro. “Toyota tow vehicles and Guntersville are both synonymous with tournament bass fishing. Guntersville is going to give up big bass and Toyota is rolling out the red carpet with a Tundra giveaway plus $15,000 for first place. You do not want to miss this.”
The weekend begins Saturday afternoon with a registration meeting at the City of Scottsboro Civic Center located within Goose Pond property. Team Toyota pro anglers will be on hand to greet guests and load you up with Toyota Fishing Team gear.
B.A.S.S. tournament staff will conduct the tournament and be onsite Saturday afternoon for a brief rules meeting during angler registration.
Tournament eligibility is contingent on meeting two requirements: at least one of the two team members must be currently registered in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and the eligible team must use the Bonus Bucks team member’s Toyota truck as the primary tow vehicle during the event.
The deadline to register is October 9th, 2026. To get signed up or for more details, please visit https://ownersevent.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/. If you have questions, or need assistance, contact the Toyota Bonus Bucks Headquarters via email: [email protected].
Visit toyotafishing.com for more program details. Bassmaster Elite Series, MLF Bass Pro Tour, MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, and NPFL anglers are not eligible to participate in the Toyota Owners Tournament. Participants are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. Registration is limited to 300 teams.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.
Media Contacts:
Sam Mahoney
980-900-8573
Expect spawning bass to dominate Nation Qualifier at Cherokee Lake
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Spawning largemouth and smallmouth will play an important factor at Cherokee Lake in east Tennessee in the first Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier presented by Lowrance event of 2026 according to Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Sam Hanggi.
“It is a super-diverse time to fish Cherokee,” said Hanggi, who lives in nearby Knoxville. “You can do a lot of different things. You can go shallow and do the spawning largemouth and smallmouth deal; you can get a little farther offshore and target bait balls with forward-facing sonar; and you can go farther up the lake and target channel swings with dirtier water.”
Tournament days are scheduled for April 10-12, with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins set for the TVA Cherokee Dam Launch at 7:10 a.m. and 3:10 p.m., respectively. The Top 10% of boaters and nonboaters after the final-day weigh-in will advance to the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance, where boaters will compete for a spot on the 2027 Bassmaster Elite Series as well as one of three spots in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Cherokee Lake has been a popular stop on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail for several years. Most recently, Lander University’s Andrew Blanton and Garrett Smith won the 2025 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops there in the middle of July.
Unlike last year’s summer event, where collegiate anglers could only keep one 18-inch smallmouth a day, Nation anglers will be able to target smallmouth with less restrictive limits. Boaters can keep five black bass of any species per day as long as they measure 15 inches, while nonboaters can keep three.
Comfortable spring air will likely be moving into the region, and generally it is the time of the year when most bass in the lake have spawning on their minds. Barring a significant rain event, water levels should still be below summer pool.
With the water low, several cover options — such as shallow laydowns, shoreline bushes and water willows — will be unfishable, leaving lots of rock structure to target, as well as docks. While anglers will be able to find quality fish on the northern end of the lake, there likely won’t be enough water to make it to the Sevier Dam tailrace.
For the bass moving up to or already spawning, several techniques will come into play. Shallow-diving crankbaits and swimbaits like a 6-inch Megabass Magdraft are proven bite-getters during the spring, while shaky heads and other traditional bed-fishing baits will also see plenty of use.
“I think you will see a lot of people have success targeting spawning smallmouth on boulders in 3 to 12 feet of water,” Hanggi said. “They usually spawn a little earlier than largemouth.”
Hanggi also anticipates anglers trying to unlock a forward-facing sonar bite on the main lake for prespawn and postspawn bass. Jighead minnows will be key to getting those bass to bite.
“You will have a population of smallmouth that are a little farther out chasing bait, so that is going to play,” he added.
While catching a limit shouldn’t be overly difficult, Hanggi said there isn’t a lot of size variation on Cherokee Lake right now, making one or two kicker bites even more important.
“There are fish all over the lake, but there is a prominent average size,” he said. “The majority of bass are 2 or 2 1/2 pounds. Someone will need to have a limit of solid ones and then one or two big bites every day. Those bigger bites will probably be from largemouth.”
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN.
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 B.A.S.S. Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
South continues Opens onslaught with win at Lake Eufaula
|
O’Barr Earns Victory at MLF Toyota Series Event at Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine
COUNCE, Tenn. (April 2, 2026) – The king of second-place finishes, pro Hayden O'Barr of Scottsboro, Alabama, finished runner-up four times in MLF events in 2025 and stacked up eight top-10 finishes in the process – great stats and good paydays, but missing the finishing touch. This week, in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division event on Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine, the young Alabama pro took the lead on Day 2 with nearly 27 pounds and closed it out in style with 25-10 on Day 3 for a 76-10 three-day winning total. For the win, O’Barr earned a check worth $70,081, including the Phoenix MLF Bonus, and he locked in his qualification for the Toyota Series Championship (which happens to be right back on Pickwick).
Finishing second, Killen, Alabama, pro Jonny Beck weighed mostly smallmouth and totaled up 67-10. Pro Jade Keeton of Florence, Alabama, weighed 64-3 for third and Harrison, Tennessee’s Banks Shaw failed to limit on Day 3 and finished fourth with an even 63 pounds.
Something of a sleeper lake, running out of Pickwick and down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway gives anglers access to Bay Springs Reservoir. There, several anglers did well this week, and O’Barr absolutely crushed, knocking out bags in the mid-20s every day. Funnily enough, he didn’t go there because he wanted to – practice in Pickwick was bad enough that he knew he’d be in the mix for a bottom-tier finish if he stayed there.
“I didn’t have a chance to catch them in Pickwick; I knew I had to go to Bay,” O’Barr said. “In my head, I thought I was going to Bay to lay up, just cut a check, get by, go to the next one. Somehow it turned into winning.”
Despite never having fished there before, the lake was right up his alley.
“It really sets up like a place I fished all winter, just a county pond,” he said. “It sets up like it, and the fish act just like it. I think that’s partially why I did so well, because I was comfortable all week. I had terrible mapping for the place, so I would drive around and find stuff that I didn’t even know existed.”
Excellent with the screens on, O’Barr made full use of his three hours of forward-facing sonar every day. On Day 1, he caught a 6-pounder and a 4-pounder on a ChatterBait with sonar off, but he put all his weight in the boat during his ‘Scope periods on Days 2 and 3.
“I caught a lot of my fish pretty shallow. I was sticking to the shallow bite and not seeing many,” O’Barr explained. “I would see occasional big ones and they were kind of dumb. They didn’t really swerve. They all were just dumb. I don’t feel like they had really been fished for, and I luckily had a three-mile stretch all to myself and no one messed with me, which was amazing. I knew a lot of people knew where I was catching them because they would see me, but, luckily, I had it all to myself.”
O’Barr returned to one fish specifically on Day 3: a big bass he thought was spawning that he found at the end of his forward-facing sonar period on Day 2. That fish turned out to be a 7-5 kicker – obviously key to the win. But, for the most part, specifically pre-found fish or objects were not the gameplan for the University of Alabama graduate.
“I had a stretch and I dropped my trolling motor every day and would go down it,” O’Barr explained. “It wasn’t like I was fishing structure or cover. Every now and then, I would catch one and Power-Pole or Spot-Lock, and then see some coming behind me that I had never seen. It was just a constant flow of fish through that area. You could miss them very easily when they would suck to the bottom and they would disappear – there were so many big ones I lost and could never find again.”
For his baits, O’Barr used a 1/2-ounce Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait JackHammer in dirty shad and a 5-inch minnow on a 1/8-ounce head. He used a 6-foot, 10-inch, medium-light model from TigeRodz for his minnow and a 7-3, medium-heavy TigeRodz stick for his ChatterBait.
On Day 1, a pretty big portion of O’Barr’s weight came with the ‘Scope off, and he did it fishing instinctually, putting himself in the wind and obviously around fish.
“Going off how I have practiced all year for the Pro Circuit, I just go out and try to find the very best ‘Scope bite I can find that will get me through the week,” O’Barr said. “In all honesty, I just winged it for the no-‘Scope. The first day, I threw a ChatterBait on a bank I knew that had shallow grass, and then I went and threw the ChatterBait in places I had never seen before. I caught a 6-pounder on the ChatterBait and I hadn’t even tied one on in practice. I knew they were up there; I’d seen them up shallow in practice. I thought that was my best strategy to trick one – just fish the same areas you’re seeing fish, and throw different stuff.”
As O’Barr plopped his winning bag on the scale, the young pro didn’t even try to hide his smile. After a week of mechanical difficulties (both self-inflicted and out of his control) and a year of close calls, everyone at Pickwick Landing State Park could see how much he valued the win.
“I’m on top of the world,” he said. “I definitely never expected this at the start of the week. It was absolutely brutal off the water. I had something go wrong every day. Thankfully, it was really good on the water.
“There was nothing I could do wrong out there,” he continued. “I made a bad decision about when to turn my ‘Scope on today – it was rolling 1-footers out there with pollen everywhere – I couldn’t even see anything. I somehow still caught three giants – my 7-4 ate at the trolling motor, I watched her eat it.”
Tallying up more than a 25-pound average, O’Barr beat everyone in the field by a wide margin, even others like Beck, who fished nearly perfect events of their own, or Shaw, who is the hottest thing going on the Tennessee River.
“I told Banks I thought 66 to 68 pounds [would win],” O’Barr said. “The biggest fish I caught all practice was a 5-pounder. I caught three of those and that was it. I would have never imagined catching big bags three days in a row – it was just meant to be.”
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:
1st: Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., 15 bass, 76-10, $70,081 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
2nd: Donny Beck, Killen, Ala., 15 bass, 67-10, $13,303
3rd: Jade Keeton, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 64-3, $10,299
4th: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 63-0, $8,583
5th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 61-0, $7,725
6th: Dylan Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass, 58-15, $6,866
7th: Lake Johnson, Trinity, Ala., 15 bass, 58-0, $6,008
8th: Trent Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 15 bass, 57-5, $5,150
9th: Benjamin Travis, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 55-12, $4,291
10th: Hunter Brewer, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 15 bass, 54-14, $3,433
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Tallis Morrison of Royston, Georgia, earned Tuesday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces, while O’Barr also won Wednesday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass, with a bass weighing 7 pounds even to earn the $500 award.
Jakob Labelle of Hinesburg, Vermont, won the co-angler division Thursday at Pickwick Lake with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 40 pounds, 13 ounces. Labelle earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,650, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:
1st: Jakob Labelle, Hinesburg, Vt., 11 bass, 40-13, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Nathan Brewer, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 12 bass, 36-9, $4,359
3rd: Jonathan Poole, Trinity, Ala., 13 bass, 33-8, $3,487
4th: Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., 11 bass, 31-9, $3,151
5th: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-12, $2,615
6th: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., eight bass, 28-8, $2,180
7th: James Cobbs, Vinemont, Ala., 11 bass, 28-4, $1,744
8th: Chuck Willis, Dayton, Ohio, nine bass, 27-10, $1,526
9th: Chris Harcrow, Dawson, Ala., eight bass, 27-3, $1,308
10th: Frank Haysley, Louisville, Ky., nine bass, 26-0, $1,190
Co-angler Red Calvert of Perdido Key, Florida, earned the first Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of the week on Tuesday with a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Wednesday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Vance Hines of Addison, Alabama, who weighed in a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.
The three-day Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine was hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake/Hardin County Tourism. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Central Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Kentucky Lake, April 9-11 in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
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 on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Postspawn approach lifts South to Day 2 lead at Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. — Pake South is on a remarkable heater in Bassmaster Opens competition, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon.
The Winnsboro, Texas native claimed the lead at the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender with a two-day total weighing 52 pounds, 10 ounces, adding 24-10 on Friday to his 28-0 limit from Day 1. He holds a 1-14 advantage over second-place Chase Clarke.
South has already won an Open in 2026, the Division II opener at Sam Rayburn. If he were to win this event, South would become only the fourth angler to win multiple Opens in a single season, joining Terry Scroggins, Randall Tharp and Easton Fothergill in that exclusive club.
“It would be pretty awesome to win two, especially back-to-back Opens. We’ll see if we can seal the deal tomorrow,” the Elite Series rookie said.
In eight Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender and Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops events, including this week's tournament, South has seven Top 25 finishes and six Top 10s.
Staying primarily on the northern side of Lake Eufaula, South is targeting postspawn largemouth staging in 6 to 12 feet of water. Brushpiles and stumps have been the abundant cover options in the region, but South has also found rockpiles and even some grass patches that have produced key bites.
“The bass are further along in the spawn in this region,” South explained. “The further south you go, the more scattered they get. So rather than trying to fish for bass in all stages, I wanted to only target postspawners. I feel like I have them coming to me, so I’m targeting those bass where they are pulling out to.”
Several brushpiles have held groups of eight or nine bass, but more often than not, South is targeting individual bass or wolfpacks of two or three. If he gets one to bite, he added, it’s almost impossible to get the rest of the group to bite.
A 23 mm dice-style bait with a light weight and a Berkley Lab Series Minnow have been South’s best presentations, with the dice bait being the most productive on Day 2.
“They have been sitting right off the edge of the brushpiles, and some of them are hovering a foot above them. They are pretty much touching the stumps,” he said. “When they are going to bite it, there is no doubt about it. There haven’t been many that I have had to mess with to get them to bite.”
Similarly to Day 1, South opened the day by catching his biggest bass, in this case a 5-pounder. That 5-pounder came off the same stump as another 5-pounder he caught on Day 1. He quickly filled out a limit close to 19 pounds before bouncing around and making key culls as the day progressed.
“It was really about the same as yesterday, except all my bass today were about a half-pound smaller than the ones yesterday,” South said. “They were all about the same size. Once I had about 20 pounds, I made small upgrades. I ran some new water and found some more new stuff.”
Clarke had one of his best days of fishing ever on Friday, landing 27-3 to move into second-place with a two-day total of 50-12. That limit was anchored by an 8-15 largemouth, the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day and the second-biggest bass Clarke has ever landed.
“That is the biggest bag I’ve ever weighed in. Today was just a blessing,” the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour qualifier said. “Lake Eufaula feels like home to me.”
The Virginia Beach native who now calls Auburn, Ala., home has been running two patterns this week. Clarke has been throwing a rotation of baits on river ledges in 14 to 17 feet of water as well as brushpiles between 4 and 8 feet of water. The majority of the largemouth he’s caught have been prespawn.
“They are still in prespawn in my area. I saw quite a few bass in my area,” he said. “With that being said, they are hard to catch.”
Early in the day, Clarke pulled up to a brushpile where he felt he could land several keeper spotted bass, but when he panned his forward-facing sonar to the pile, he didn’t see any bass at all. He decided to make a cast anyway and was rewarded.
“I saw her swim out. When I set the hook, I thought it was a giant catfish. It was a pretty special catch. It is the biggest bass I’ve ever weighed in at a tournament, and to do it at Lake Eufaula makes it that much more special.”
After landing that fish, Clarke filled out a limit quickly before making a couple key culls in the afternoon. Late in the day, he added a 4-pounder to his limit to reach his final tally for the day.
Alabama’s Fisher Anaya, meanwhile, added 23-7 to his Day 1 limit of 19-9 to jump into third place with a total of 43 pounds. The Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series rookie has been fishing Lake Eufaula for several years now, and the fishery has become one of his favorite places to fish.
Three hard spots in 8 to 10 feet of water have produced the bulk of his bites throughout the tournament. Both postspawn and prespawn largemouth are utilizing those hard spots, and most of those fish have been sitting on the bottom.
A Rapala Mavrick 100 jerkbait was his best bait on Friday while a dice-style bait and a jighead minnow have also produced key bites.
While he is nearly 10 pounds behind his roommate, Anaya also knows a 30-pound bag is possible on any given day at Lake Eufaula.
“We have some weight to make up, but it is doable. 30 pounds is swimming in this place,” he said.
Georgia’s Cody Stahl leads the Division I points race with 378 points followed by fellow Georgia angler Buddy Benson in second with 378 points. Florida’s Bryson Osteen is third with 369 points, Alabama’s Connor Jacob is fourth with 361 points and Texas’s Niko Romero is fifth with 361 points. Dillon Falardeau (359), Bo Thomas (354), Clarke (351), David Williams (350) and Jonathan Kelley (348) round out the Top 10.
The Top 10 anglers will launch from Lakepoint State Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. The winner will earn a spot in the 2027 Bassmaster Classic, given they fish each of the four Division I events.
Bassmaster LIVE will be available on Bassmaster.com and the ROKU Sports Channel beginning at 8 a.m. ET and continue until 3 p.m. ET.
The event is being hosted by the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender 4/1-4/3
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 10 52-10 0
Day 1: 5 28-00 Day 2: 5 24-10
2. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 10 50-12 200
Day 1: 5 23-09 Day 2: 5 27-03
3. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 10 43-00 0
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 23-07
4. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 10 41-04 0
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 22-06
5. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 10 39-02 199
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 17-09
6. Bryson Osteen Live Oak, FL 10 37-07 198
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 16-05
7. Derek Rodriguez Jr. Okemos, MI 10 37-04 197
Day 1: 5 21-07 Day 2: 5 15-13
8. Parker Guy Ocilla, GA 10 37-03 196
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 16-07
9. Willie Mcmullen Covington, GA 10 37-02 195
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 19-04
10. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 10 36-07 0
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 16-03
11. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 10 36-06 0 $7,172.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 22-04
12. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 10 36-03 194 $5,578.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 16-00
13. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 35-14 0 $4,781.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 18-01
14. Jamie Fountain East Dublin, GA 10 35-12 193 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 18-11
15. Buddy Benson Dahlonega, GA 10 35-08 192 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 18-09
16. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 10 35-06 191 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 21-12
17. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 10 35-04 190 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 15-00
18. Jake Maddux Alpharetta, GA 10 35-02 189 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 20-02
19. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 10 35-00 188 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 19-00
20. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 34-14 0 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 20-01
21. Ryan Barnes Ellaville, GA 10 34-08 0 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 19-04
22. Ryan Broughman Corapeake, NC 10 34-03 187 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 14-04
23. Fred Roumbanis Russellville, AR 8 33-15 186 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 28-05 Day 2: 3 05-10
24. David Williams Maiden, NC 10 33-15 185 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 15-05
25. Hayden Seabolt Dawsonville, GA 10 33-13 0 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 12-10
26. Cole McAusland Tuscaloosa, AL 10 33-10 184 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 18-09
27. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 10 32-12 183 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 16-06
28. Jack Daniel Williams Kingsport, TN 10 32-06 182 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 14-08
29. Colden Baker Ridgeway, SC 10 32-05 181 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 16-02
30. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 10 32-02 180 $3,984.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 17-06
31. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 32-00 0 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 12-06
32. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 31-11 179 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 15-14
33. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 31-08 178 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 16-09
34. Wyatt Burkhalter Coker, AL 10 31-08 177 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 15-01
35. Kaden Buchmann Troutman, NC 10 31-05 176 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 15-03
36. John Pollard Eclectic, AL 10 31-02 175 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 21-04
37. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 10 31-01 174 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 12-02
38. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 31-00 173 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 11-11
39. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 10 31-00 172 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 16-02
40. Brock Bila Republic, MO 10 30-13 171 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 16-01
41. Trent Palmer Cumming, GA 10 30-09 170 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 15-12
42. Colt Blanton Piketon, OH 10 30-08 169 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 13-05
43. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 10 30-08 168 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 14-02
44. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 10 30-06 167 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 13-15
45. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 10 30-02 166 $3,187.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 13-02
46. Colton Trotter Dothan, AL 8 30-00 165
Day 1: 3 14-13 Day 2: 5 15-03
47. Cody Ross Livingston, TX 10 29-13 164
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 18-07
48. Blake Milligan Nashville, TN 10 29-09 163
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 13-12
49. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 10 29-07 162
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-11
50. Darold Gleason Leesville, LA 10 29-07 161
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 14-04
51. Michael Smith Laurel Hill, AL 10 28-15 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 18-08
52. Evan White Roanoke Rapids, NC 10 28-14 160
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 13-00
53. Lucas Toliver Paw Paw, MI 10 28-14 159
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 14-04
54. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 10 28-13 158
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 15-15
55. Garrett Smith Mount Holly, NC 10 28-09 157
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 17-11
56. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 10 28-09 156
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 11-09
57. Timmy Sheridan Troy, VA 10 28-06 155
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 15-00
58. Pete Pisello Phillipsburg, NJ 10 28-04 154
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 11-10
59. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 27-08 153
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 12-06
60. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 27-07 152
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 10-03
61. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 10 27-07 151
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-04
62. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 10 27-07 150
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 12-13
63. Easton Lindus Woodville, WI 10 27-06 149
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 13-10
64. Noah Winslow Naugatuck, CT 10 27-06 148
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 13-11
65. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 27-04 147
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-15
66. Guy Eaker Sr Cherryville, NC 10 27-02 146
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 15-11
67. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 10 27-02 145
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 11-14
68. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 10 27-02 144
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 12-06
69. Lucas Lindsay Auburn , AL 10 26-15 143
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 14-12
70. Jeremy Radford Huntly, VA 10 26-14 142
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 14-11
71. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 10 26-11 141
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 13-01
72. Ryan Lachniet Gum Spring, VA 10 26-10 140
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 14-09
73. Grant Neubauer Medford, WI 10 26-10 139
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 13-02
74. Brooks Anderson Marietta, GA 10 26-09 138
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 13-13
75. Bryden Mugleston Lebanon, TN 10 26-06 137
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 10-03
76. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 10 26-04 136
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 12-10
77. Hayden Gaddis Dandridge, TN 10 26-02 135
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-13
78. Michael Corbishley Raleigh, NC 10 26-01 134
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 12-10
79. Wes Wilson Athens, GA 10 25-13 0
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 10-06
80. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 10 25-13 133
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 14-07
81. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 10 25-12 132
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 11-02
82. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 10 25-10 131
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 14-15
83. Matthew Dettling El Macero, CA 10 25-08 130
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 13-14
84. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 25-04 129
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 14-08
85. Jonathon VanDam Gobles, MI 10 25-02 128
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 14-05
86. Tyler Conde Chepachet, RI 10 25-01 127
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 09-06
87. Avery Padgett Elba, AL 10 25-01 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 12-10
88. Johnathan Crossland Chapin, SC 10 24-15 126
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 13-07
89. Ty Austin Rush, NY 10 24-12 125
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 12-04
90. Casey Smith Victor, NY 10 24-09 124
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 10-02
91. Cody Abbott Woodruff, SC 10 24-06 123
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 14-04
92. Alex Johnson Milltown, NJ 10 24-03 122
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 10-01
93. Zac Ridenhour Salisbury, NC 10 24-00 121
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 12-05
94. Byron Kenney Jr Monticello, GA 10 23-13 120
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 12-12
95. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 10 23-09 119
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 11-07
96. Nathan Quince Imperial, PA 10 23-02 118
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 13-02
97. Joshua Weaver Macon, GA 10 22-15 117
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 11-14
98. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 10 22-14 116
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 09-09
99. Damian Szlachta Dawsonville, GA 8 22-12 115
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 3 06-01
100. Robert Hoyt Union Hall, VA 10 22-09 114
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 11-11
101. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 10 22-06 113
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 09-05
102. Tyler Lubbat Naples, FL 10 22-03 112
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 11-06
103. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 21-13 111
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 10-10
104. Matt Mosby Dryden, MI 8 21-07 110
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 3 05-01
105. Ron Farrow Rock Hill, SC 10 21-05 109
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 09-04
106. Doug Chapin Tigerton, WI 9 21-03 108
Day 1: 4 09-15 Day 2: 5 11-04
107. Timothy Reams Morgantown, WV 9 21-02 107
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 4 07-09
108. Shayne Berlo Mclean, VA 10 20-12 106
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 08-01
109. Shane Powell Dothan, AL 10 20-07 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 12-03
110. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 9 20-06 105
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 4 04-06
111. Michael Webster Gastonia, NC 10 20-01 104
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 07-15
112. Chase Carey Hoschton, GA 10 20-01 103
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 09-14
113. Michael Spaulding Jr. Dundee, MI 9 19-14 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 4 08-05
114. Brian Hatfield Spring City, TN 9 19-11 102
Day 1: 4 10-11 Day 2: 5 09-00
115. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 10 19-11 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 09-09
116. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 7 18-15 101
Day 1: 2 05-02 Day 2: 5 13-13
117. Donald Tripoli Webster, NY 10 18-15 100
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 09-07
118. Whitney Stephens Waverly, OH 8 18-14 99
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 5 13-10
119. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 10 18-13 98
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 08-15
120. Canon Murphy Thomaston, GA 9 18-11 0
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 4 06-12
121. Ed Powell Sandyville, WV 6 18-11 97
Day 1: 4 11-07 Day 2: 2 07-04
122. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 9 18-11 96
Day 1: 4 08-15 Day 2: 5 09-12
123. Clayton Batts Warner Robins, GA 8 18-10 95
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 3 06-02
124. Steve Dimatteo Lancaster, PA 8 18-10 0
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 5 10-09
125. Kristian Johnson Belvidere, NJ 10 18-06 94
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 08-00
126. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 10 17-14 93
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 07-09
127. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 9 17-10 92
Day 1: 4 07-02 Day 2: 5 10-08
128. Lee Harper Abbeville, AL 7 17-04 0
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 2 02-12
129. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 8 17-04 91
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 3 04-13
130. Dylan Fogarty Mechanicsburg, PA 10 17-04 90
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 08-01
131. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 7 17-03 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 2 03-03
132. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 8 17-01 89
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 3 05-09
133. Kevin Jones Valley, AL 8 16-08 88
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 3 06-03
134. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 7 16-03 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 2 03-13
135. Logan Johnson Nauvoo, AL 7 16-02 87
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 5 12-03
136. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 6 15-13 86
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 5 13-06
137. Nick Mandes North Stonington, CT 10 15-13 85
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 07-09
138. Josh Hubbard Citrus Springs, FL 8 15-11 84
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 3 04-13
139. CJ Maddux Birmingham, AL 5 14-05 83
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 14-05
140. Troy Coney Owego, NY 6 13-15 82
Day 1: 1 02-15 Day 2: 5 11-00
141. Robert Davenport Brooksville, FL 5 13-12 81
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 2 06-14
142. Phil Kroll Otego, NY 5 13-11 80
Day 1: 4 10-14 Day 2: 1 02-13
143. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 7 13-07 79
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 2 03-11
144. Jeremy Sadowski Voluntown, CT 7 12-15 78
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 5 09-10
145. Lance Owen Greer, SC 5 12-11 77
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 2 04-15
146. Darrell Ivey Lebanon, MO 5 12-09 76
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
147. John Branch Magnolia, KY 6 12-09 75
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 4 08-14
148. Tripp Berlinsky Florence, AL 5 12-02 74
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
149. Seiji Kato Forney TX JAPAN 6 11-15 73
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 3 05-11
150. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 5 11-11 72
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 11-11
151. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 3 11-07 0
Day 1: 2 09-07 Day 2: 1 02-00
152. David Parsons Dothan, AL 4 10-10 0
Day 1: 4 10-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
153. Gunnar Brown Swainsboro, GA 3 10-10 0
Day 1: 3 10-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
154. Cory Mcglamery Madisonville, TN 5 10-10 71
Day 1: 1 03-04 Day 2: 4 07-06
155. Paul Tabisz Livonia, MI 3 10-06 70
Day 1: 3 10-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
156. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 5 10-03 69
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 2 03-14
157. Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 5 10-00 68
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 2 03-00
158. Brandon Parson Erwin, NC 4 09-08 67
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 1 01-04
159. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 09-08 66
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 3 05-05
160. Ben Quisno Oakwood, OH 5 09-01 65
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
161. Dave Miller Stratford, CT 4 09-01 64
Day 1: 2 05-06 Day 2: 2 03-11
162. Mike Blevins Burnsville, NC 4 09-00 63
Day 1: 4 09-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
163. Stu Martel Northbrook, IL 5 08-13 62
Day 1: 4 07-05 Day 2: 1 01-08
164. Matt Keezer Kirkland Quebec CANADA 4 08-11 61
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
165. Bubba Baker Ridgeway, SC 5 08-01 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 08-01
166. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 4 07-12 60
Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
167. Blake Thompson Conway, SC 3 06-05 59
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
168. Neal Gilmore Magnolia, TX 3 05-05 58
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
169. Mikey Weems Hull, TX 3 04-13 57
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
170. Rick Greene Ocala, FL 2 04-06 56
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 1 02-13
171. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 2 04-00 55
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 01-13
172. Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI 2 03-12 54
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Trey Thompson Sanford, NC 2 03-07 53
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-07
174. Matthew Mcbee Concord, NC 1 02-04 52
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
174. Charles Sim Wasaga Beach Ontario CA 1 02-04 52
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
176. Michael Johns Waynesville, GA 1 01-12 50
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
177. Ken Chadwick Harvard, MA 1 01-08 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
177. Gene Grinstead Cairo, GA 1 01-08 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Stephen Burlington Jupiter, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Jaron Burr Bowling Green, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. George Hirapetian Lancaster, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Bryan Hoffman Andrews, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. River Lee Diboll, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Neil Vandebiezen Otsego, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Brien Vaughn Lampe, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Emory Walden Jr Newnan, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 131 767 2158-02
2 127 717 1928-11
------------------------------
258 1484 4086-13
MLF’s Fishing Clash Team Series Patriot Cup Filmed in Oxford to Premiere Saturday on Outdoor Channel
WHAT:
The first episode of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Fishing Clash Team Series Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches from Oxford, Alabama, will premiere this Saturday, April 4, on Outdoor Channel.
WHEN:
Saturdays, April 4 – May 9, 2-4 p.m. ET
April 4 Elimination Match 1 (Lake Wedowee)
April 11 Elimination Match 2 (Lake Wedowee)
April 18 Elimination Match 3 (Lake Wedowee)
April 25 Knockout Match 1 (Weiss Lake)
May 2 Knockout Match 2 (Weiss Lake)
May 9 Championship Round (Logan Martin Lake)
WHERE:
Outdoor Channel – New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel, with re-airings available on the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
NOTES:
The Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches was hosted by the City of Oxford and took place over six days last fall in Oxford, Alabama. The competition waters for each day of competition were top-secret and only revealed to the anglers when they arrived at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers were driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials.
“After hosting the Patriot Cup, the city of Oxford saw a tremendous influx of anglers traveling to the area and visiting the surrounding bodies of water showcased during the event,” said Thomas “Alfa-Man” Shelton, Oxford Business Leader and Marketing Consultant. We’ve also welcomed an increase in tournament trails choosing to stay in Oxford, and the overall impact has been incredibly positive. It was a very successful event all the way around, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Major League Fishing.”
The Patriot Cup featured 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams competed each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In the Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
The MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops featured four Cup events in 2025 – the Challenge, Heritage, Patriot, and Summit Cups – with 12 two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers competing for a share of $560,000 in prize money. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams competed throughout the fall of 2025.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Fishing Clash Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sport Apparel, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, NITRO Boats, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Smokey Mountain Caffeinated Pouches, Star brite, Toyota, YETI and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on the MLF Fishing Clash Team Series, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
The Ozarks Ready to Host Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance at Table Rock Lake
MLF’s world championship to feature massive Outdoor Sports Expo at Springfield’s Bass Pro Shops along with top 35 pro anglers competing on Table Rock Lake for $300,000 grand prize
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (April 2, 2026) – The top 35 professional bass fishing anglers from Major League Fishing (MLF), including the top 30 pros from the Bass Pro Tour, will compete for the top prize of $300,000 and to crown bass fishing’s newest world champion at Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance on Table Rock Lake near Springfield, Missouri, April 17-19. In conjunction with the event, the FREE, family-friendly MLF Outdoor Sports Expo will also take place throughout the weekend, April 17-19 at the Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters campus in Springfield.
The three-day event will showcase the top 35 MLF anglers from 2025 competing for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and a total prize pool of more than $700,000.
Springfield is home to the “Grandaddy of All Outdoor Stores” – the Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters – and Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium, voted “America’s Best Aquarium” an unprecedented seven times and “America’s Best New Attraction.” This one-of-a-kind destination is home to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame and draws millions of visitors each year to experience immersive wildlife galleries, hands-on adventures and the world’s largest wildlife collection.
Bass Pro Shops founder and noted conservationist Johnny Morris has spent decades building experiences that connect people to nature, championing conservation and celebrating the heritage of fishing and the outdoors. His commitment to inspiring new generations to enjoy and protect the resources we share is the perfect complement to MLF’s mission, making the Ozarks the ideal home for REDCREST 2026 and the Outdoor Sports Expo.
Across his unparalleled pro career, Kevin VanDam has fished just about every waterway in the country that regularly hosts tournaments. He estimates he’s spent more time on Table Rock than any other lake, and he believes it’s overdue to host its first tour championship.
“With my relationship with Bass Pro Shops and Nitro, I’ve spent, for sure, more days on the water at Table Rock Lake than any other tournament body of water in the country,” VanDam said. “It’s a really awesome lake, especially this time of the year.”
VanDam identified a few factors that make Table Rock unique. For one, it’s one of the only fisheries in the country where anglers can expect to catch all three black bass species – largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass – on a given day. Add in the fact that Table Rock is a sprawling playing field comprised of three different river arms with a myriad of habitat options, and VanDam thinks it will make for a dynamic event.
“It won’t be the top 10 guys all doing the same thing,” he said. “You’re going to see a really big mix of techniques, locations and patterns.”
Shane Bush, a fisheries biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation who manages Table Rock Lake, echoed VanDam’s prediction that all three species of bass should be well represented on SCORETRACKER® during REDCREST. He said the fishery’s spotted bass population “is at an all-time high right now.” Meanwhile, the number of quality largemouth has been steadily trending upward.
“We had some high-water events, most recently in 2020 and 2021, which has equated to some really big year classes of largemouth bass being in the system right now,” Bush said. “They should be in that 17- to 18-inch range now. So, I would foresee there being good numbers of 2- to 4-pound bass.”
Both Bush and VanDam noted that Table Rock is ideally suited for the Bass Pro Tour’s every-fish-counts format. While the lake has been known to yield the occasional lunker, it’s typically a fishery where weights in the teens win five-fish events for much of the year. However, on a good day, pros might catch 50-plus bass over 2 pounds.
“Especially with the format, with every fish counts, and having the diversity that the lake has and having all three species and a really great population of all three, there’s going to be a ton of strategy to put up a game plan that’s going to put you there in contention on the Championship Day,” VanDam said.
Anglers will launch each morning from Long Creek Marina, located at 1368 Long Creek Road in Ridgedale, Missouri, at 7:15 a.m. Fans are invited to attend all launch events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The free, family-friendly MLF Outdoor Sports Expo will also take place April 17–19 at Bass Pro Shops, located at 1 Bass Pro Drive in Springfield, offering something for fans of all ages. Attendees can shop the latest in fishing, boating and outdoor gear, enjoy live seminars, meet Bass Pro Tour anglers and Bass Fishing Hall of Famers like Kevin VanDam, Gary Klein and Jimmy Houston, and snap photos with special guests Skye and Marshall from Paw Patrol. Kids 14 and under can score a free Shakespeare rod and reel presented by KY3 (first 200 each day, Saturday and Sunday), while MLF members can access exclusive giveaways, including autograph cards and free lures for the first 50 members daily. With hourly prizes and daily $500 Bass Pro Shops shopping sprees presented by KTTS, the Expo delivers nonstop action all weekend long.
The tournament will showcase the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance at Table Rock Lake will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable.
The 2025 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to finish in the top 30 and qualify for Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance. The field also features the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Champion, 2025 Toyota Series Pro Division Champion and International Division Champion, 2025 All-American Boater Champion and the highest finishing member of the 2025 College Fishing National Championship team from the Toyota Series Championship.
The full field of 35 anglers will compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Friday and Saturday. After the Qualifying Round is complete the top 10 pros, based on two-day cumulative weight, advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $300,000.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
Television coverage of MLF’s Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 Presented by Mercury and Lowrance at Table Rock Lake will premiere as a one-hour episode in December on CBS, immediately following an NFL game.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour and REDCREST 2026 include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X , Instagram , Rumble and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Gill’s Meridian Pro X 2.0 Spotlight
Jacksonville, FL — 4/2/26 — Gill continues to showcase its Meridian-X 2.0 Rain Suit, a proven solution for anglers fishing in cold, wet, and demanding conditions across all environments.
When the weather turns, the Meridian-X 2.0 is built to keep anglers comfortable and protected—helping them stay on the water longer. Constructed with XPLORE+® 3-layer waterproof, breathable fabric and a SHIELD® PFAS-free water-repellent finish, it delivers dependable protection from wind and rain while allowing heat and moisture to escape during active use.
The jacket features a high-cut thermal collar, a lined Vortex hood for stability in the wind, angled double cuffs, and a YKK® anti-corrosion zipper with storm flaps to seal out water. Multiple secure pockets keep essential gear close at hand, while an adjustable fit enhances comfort in changing conditions.
The bib completes the system with insulated coverage, an ergonomic stretch bracer system, reinforced panels in high-wear areas, and thigh-length side zips for easy layering. Additional features—including adjustable ankle closures, ample storage, and a relief zipper—add convenience for long days on the water.
Rainsuits, re-engineered. Ready when the weather turns.
The Meridian-X 2.0 Rain Suit is available now through authorized retailers and online at gillmarine.com/fishing-
About Gill
Founded in 1975, Gill is a global leader in technical marine apparel engineered for life on the water. Established by lifelong sailor Nick Gill, the brand was built on a no-compromise approach—premium fabrics, purpose-driven features, and uncompromising quality. Today, Gill is trusted by anglers, sailors, and adventurers worldwide, with every product designed, engineered, and tested beyond standards in the Gill Lab and on the water.
More than a clothing company, Gill is an engineering company, creating wearable technology that delivers maximum protection from the elements. For over 50 years, the focus has remained the same: Engineered for the Elements—providing anglers with performance-driven gear that works when conditions turn and it matters most.
Gamakatsu named title sponsor of 2026 Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. announced today that Gamakatsu will serve as the title sponsor of the 2026 Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River, scheduled for April 16-19 out of Muskogee, Okla.
The event marks a new stop on the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series schedule and will bring the sport’s top professional anglers to the Arkansas River for four days of competition. Launching from Muskogee, the tournament is expected to showcase both the fishery and the local community while highlighting one of the most challenging and dynamic river systems in the country.
“We’re excited to welcome Gamakatsu as the title sponsor for this Elite Series event,” said Phillip Johnson, B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer. “Gamakatsu has built a reputation for quality and innovation across the fishing industry, and their continued investment in the Bassmaster platform speaks to their commitment to the sport. This partnership helps us elevate the Elite Series while introducing a new venue that will challenge our anglers and create exciting opportunities for our fans.”
Stretching through Oklahoma, the Arkansas River system offers a unique mix of current, navigation pools, backwaters and shallow cover that will test anglers’ versatility. Seasonal conditions in mid-April could create a wide range of patterns, with prespawn and spawning bass both potentially playing a role. Competitors will need to manage fluctuating water levels, current flow and changing weather conditions as they pursue a blue trophy and valuable Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points.
Gamakatsu, a globally recognized leader in fishing tackle, has long been known for manufacturing some of the sharpest and strongest hooks in the world. Founded in Japan in 1955, the company has built its reputation on precision engineering, high-carbon steel construction and a commitment to innovation. Over the years, Gamakatsu has expanded its product lineup well beyond hooks to include rods, terminal tackle and a wide range of fishing accessories designed to meet the needs of anglers at every level.
Today, Gamakatsu USA continues to grow its presence in both freshwater and saltwater markets, supporting anglers through product development, sponsorships and partnerships with major tournament organizations like B.A.S.S. The company’s involvement in the Bassmaster Elite Series provides a platform to showcase its expanding lineup while connecting directly with dedicated bass fishing fans.
“The Bassmater Elite Series has been a great platform to showcase the Gamakatsu brand. The range of our products continues to grow beyond hooks and we are excited to be the title sponsor for this new stop on the Elite Series,” said Ted Thibault, sales manager for Gamakatsu USA.
The 2026 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River will feature daily takeoffs and weigh-ins in Muskogee, giving fans an opportunity to watch the action unfold in person as Elite Series anglers navigate the river system. Spectators can also follow the tournament through comprehensive coverage on Bassmaster.com, including live weigh-ins, standings and on-the-water updates.
As a first-time Elite Series stop, the Arkansas River out of Muskogee is expected to produce unpredictable and highly competitive fishing, rewarding anglers who can adjust to changing conditions and make strategic decisions throughout the four-day event.
With the addition of Gamakatsu as title sponsor, a new and challenging fishery and a field of the world’s best anglers, the 2026 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Arkansas River is poised to be one of the most compelling events of the season.
Full event details, including specific launch and weigh-in locations, will be available on Bassmaster.com.
About Gamakatsu
From humble beginnings as Japan’s smallest fishing hook manufacturer in 1955, Gamakatsu has evolved into the world’s preeminent hook manufacturer. Continuous manufacturing upgrades and cutting-edge innovation have fueled Gamakatsu’s growth as a leading producer of fishing hooks, apparel, and performance gear. When anglers purchase Gamakatsu products, they are investing in original designs manufactured exclusively by the company. Gamakatsu remains committed to testing new materials and advancing technology that continues to set the industry standard. For more information, please visit www.gamakatsu.com.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
2026 Minn Kota & Humminbird Owners Tournament - NEXT WEEK!
Racine, WI – Minn Kota and Humminbird are excited to kick off the 4th Annual Owners Tournament. The tournament is returning to Lake Eufaula, Alabama, the home of Humminbird and one of the most historically rich bass fisheries in the country. This event has quickly become a signature event for Minn Kota and Humminbird customers, bringing together anglers from across the nation for a weekend of competition, community, and shared passion for time on the water.
This year’s event will take place April 10–12, 2026, at Lakepoint State Park, featuring three days of big-bass excitement, exclusive on-site experiences, and opportunities to connect with the brands and products anglers rely on every day. Go to minnkotaowners.com for all event details and to get registered.
Event Details
Guaranteed Prizes & Payouts: $230,000
Grand Prize: 2026 Nitro Z20 XL fully rigged with Minn Kota & Humminbird product
Format: Hourly Big Bass
Dates: April 10–12, 2026
Location: Lake Eufaula, Alabama
Weigh-In Site: Lakepoint State Park, 104 Lakepoint Dr., Eufaula, AL 36027
Lodging Information
For lodging options, visit the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce Lodging page for a list of nearby accommodations.
About Minn Kota and Humminbird
JOHNSON OUTDOORS is comprised of the Humminbird®, Minn Kota® and Cannon® brands. Humminbird is a leading global innovator and manufacturer of marine electronics products including fish finders, multifunction displays, autopilots, ice flashers, and premium cartography products. Minn Kota is the world’s leading manufacturer of electric trolling motors, as well as a complete line of shallow water anchors, battery chargers and marine accessories. Cannon is the leader in controlled-depth fishing and includes a full line of downrigger products and accessories.
Visit Humminbird at www.humminbird.com
Visit Minn Kota at www.minnkotamotors.com
Visit Cannon at www.cannondownriggers.com
JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global outdoor recreation company that inspires more people to experience the awe of the great outdoors with innovative, top-quality products. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft, Fishing, Diving and Camping.
Visit Johnson Outdoors at www.johnsonoutdoors.com
Shallow nuances lead Roumbanis to Day 1 lead at Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. — Had you told Fred Roumbanis he’d catch over 28 pounds of largemouth on Day 1 of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender, he wouldn’t have believed you. But that’s exactly what happened.
The Russellville, Ark., pro nicknamed “Boom Boom” claimed the Day 1 lead with a limit weighing 28 pounds, 5 ounces, anchoring his total with a 7-1 and a 6-14. Roumbanis holds a 5-ounce lead over second-place Pake South heading into Day 2 while the gap between him and third place Chase Clarke is almost 5 pounds.
“It is so enjoyable to be back fishing Bassmaster tournaments. I just had a smile on my face all day,” he explained. “I ran (around) all day and fished little staging areas where I felt there could be a couple of big ones, and I was doing what I like to do.
“It was a special day.”
This week has been an emotional week for many in the bass fishing industry as they mourn the loss of long-time Humminbird service crew member Joby Smith. Roumbanis attended Smith’s funeral on Tuesday and dedicated his Day 1 performance to his memory.
“I wanted to catch them for Joby, and it happened,” Roumbanis said. “I couldn’t tell you I was going to catch them like that, it just did. It was pretty magical.”
Roumbanis and South were in a class of their own to start this tournament on the Chattahoochee River impoundment, but the weights throughout the field were impressive despite a drop in water levels. Of the 186 anglers, 50 caught limits weighing 15 pounds or better, with 11 of those bags weighing 20 pounds or more.
During his three days of practice, Roumbanis saw almost the entirety of Lake Eufaula, but one bite gave him the clue he needed to find success during the opening round of this event.
“I shook off a big bite in practice, and I made a crazy run to this one bite today,” the two-tome B.A.S.S. winner said. “I knew it was going to happen right there, and that was that 7-1.”
The four-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier is running a very specific shallow water pattern, with one bait producing the entirety of his Day 1 limit. Roumbanis hit as many of those spots as he could find, running until he found what he liked.
He only caught nine keepers during the day, but they were the right size.
“There is one key thing I am looking for when I’m running, and when I see that, that’s when I stop,” he said.
Summer-like air temperatures and a full moon, Roumbanis said he was expecting more bass to be guarding nests. The water has dropped over a foot since the start of practice, however, making some spawning habitat unreachable.
“If the water was up, it would be wide open for everyone. Because it's not, I spent my time trying to find the little nuances where the big ones might be,” Roumbanis said. “They want to come in. The water is so shallow, and the cleaner area I saw some in, none of them were sitting on a bed. It is a really weird deal.”
With an earlier boat draw tomorrow, Roumbanis hopes to capitalize on a shad spawn bite before moving to his run-and-gun pattern later in the morning.
“I feel like I have a lot of water to myself, which is a really good feeling,” he said. “Did I catch them all? I’m not sure. I’m still kind of in practice mode.”
South, who won the Division II opener at Sam Rayburn, only had a day-and-a-half of practice after making the Day 3 cut at the Elite Series event at the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, but made the most of his limited practice.
The Texan finished Day 1 with 28-0 and feels right at home in southeastern Alabama.
“I’m fishing free, taking some risks and doing what my gut tells me,” he said. “This is the most similar thing I’ve seen to east Texas so far.”
Staying between 6 and 12 feet of water, South is targeting flats and drains that lead into spawning areas. These areas have a mix of cover, including brushpiles, stumps and rockpiles. All the bass he caught were postspawners.
Several of the same baits he used to win at Sam Rayburn are playing this week at Lake Eufaula, including a dice-style bait and the 6.5-inch Berkley Lab Series Minnow.
After landing his two biggest bites in a flurry first thing in the morning, South bounced around the rest of the day looking for new areas, essentially using Day 1 as another practice day.
Despite early morning struggles, Clarke rebounded nicely to finish the day in third with 23-0. The 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour qualifier learned the nuances of Lake Eufaula as an Auburn University angler, which helped him make the needed adjustments on Day 1 of this tournament.
Clarke’s first three spots didn’t produce a bite. As he was trolling around in his fourth spot, he noticed a bass on a brushpile but was moving too fast and ran over the pile before he could make a cast. An hour later, he returned and landed a 5-pounder, his first keeper of the day.
From there, he landed several more quality bass with a rotation of five baits before using the last three hours of the day as a practice period. The bass he caught had similar builds, which has Clarke hopeful for the next two days.
“That (5-pounder) got the ball rolling,” he said. “That fish was really fat. The next couple I caught were really fat too. I hadn’t seen that in practice, which leads me to believe there is a new wave of bass pulling up where I’m fishing.”
Piketon, Ohio’s Colt Blanton caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 7-4 largemouth.
The full field of anglers will launch from Lakepoint State Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in starting at 2:30 p.m. The Top 10 anglers after Day 2 will compete on Championship Friday and the winner will earn a spot in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Full coverage, including select live angler cameras, will be available on Bassmaster.com all day long.
The event is being hosted by the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender 4/1-4/3
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Fred Roumbanis Russellville, AR 5 28-05 200
Day 1: 5 28-05
2. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 5 28-00 0
Day 1: 5 28-00
3. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 23-09 199
Day 1: 5 23-09
4. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 5 21-09 198
Day 1: 5 21-09
5. Derek Rodriguez Jr. Okemos, MI 5 21-07 197
Day 1: 5 21-07
6. Hayden Seabolt Dawsonville, GA 5 21-03 0
Day 1: 5 21-03
7. Bryson Osteen Live Oak, FL 5 21-02 196
Day 1: 5 21-02
8. Parker Guy Ocilla, GA 5 20-12 195
Day 1: 5 20-12
9. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 5 20-04 0
Day 1: 5 20-04
9. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 5 20-04 194
Day 1: 5 20-04
11. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 5 20-03 193
Day 1: 5 20-03
12. Ryan Broughman Corapeake, NC 5 19-15 192
Day 1: 5 19-15
13. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 19-10 0
Day 1: 5 19-10
14. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 5 19-09 0
Day 1: 5 19-09
15. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 19-05 191
Day 1: 5 19-05
16. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 5 18-15 190
Day 1: 5 18-15
17. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 5 18-14 0
Day 1: 5 18-14
18. David Williams Maiden, NC 5 18-10 189
Day 1: 5 18-10
19. Willie Mcmullen Covington, GA 5 17-14 188
Day 1: 5 17-14
19. Jack Daniel Williams Kingsport, TN 5 17-14 188
Day 1: 5 17-14
21. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 17-13 0
Day 1: 5 17-13
22. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 17-04 186
Day 1: 5 17-04
23. Colt Blanton Piketon, OH 5 17-03 185
Day 1: 5 17-03
24. Jamie Fountain East Dublin, GA 5 17-01 184
Day 1: 5 17-01
25. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 5 17-00 183
Day 1: 5 17-00
26. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 17-00 182
Day 1: 5 17-00
27. Buddy Benson Dahlonega, GA 5 16-15 181
Day 1: 5 16-15
28. Damian Szlachta Dawsonville, GA 5 16-11 180
Day 1: 5 16-11
29. Pete Pisello Phillipsburg, NJ 5 16-10 179
Day 1: 5 16-10
30. Wyatt Burkhalter Coker, AL 5 16-07 178
Day 1: 5 16-07
30. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 16-07 178
Day 1: 5 16-07
32. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 5 16-06 176
Day 1: 5 16-06
32. Matt Mosby Dryden, MI 5 16-06 176
Day 1: 5 16-06
32. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 5 16-06 176
Day 1: 5 16-06
35. Bryden Mugleston Lebanon, TN 5 16-03 173
Day 1: 5 16-03
36. Colden Baker Ridgeway, SC 5 16-03 172
Day 1: 5 16-03
37. Kaden Buchmann Troutman, NC 5 16-02 171
Day 1: 5 16-02
38. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 5 16-00 170
Day 1: 5 16-00
38. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 16-00 170
Day 1: 5 16-00
40. Evan White Roanoke Rapids, NC 5 15-14 168
Day 1: 5 15-14
41. Blake Milligan Nashville, TN 5 15-13 167
Day 1: 5 15-13
41. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 15-13 167
Day 1: 5 15-13
43. Tyler Conde Chepachet, RI 5 15-11 165
Day 1: 5 15-11
44. Wes Wilson Athens, GA 5 15-07 0
Day 1: 5 15-07
45. Ryan Barnes Ellaville, GA 5 15-04 0
Day 1: 5 15-04
45. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 5 15-04 164
Day 1: 5 15-04
47. Darold Gleason Leesville, LA 5 15-03 163
Day 1: 5 15-03
48. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 15-02 162
Day 1: 5 15-02
49. Cole McAusland Tuscaloosa, AL 5 15-01 161
Day 1: 5 15-01
50. Jake Maddux Alpharetta, GA 5 15-00 160
Day 1: 5 15-00
51. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 14-15 159
Day 1: 5 14-15
52. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 5 14-14 158
Day 1: 5 14-14
53. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 14-13 0
Day 1: 5 14-13
53. Trent Palmer Cumming, GA 5 14-13 157
Day 1: 5 14-13
55. Colton Trotter Dothan, AL 3 14-13 156
Day 1: 3 14-13
56. Brock Bila Republic, MO 5 14-12 155
Day 1: 5 14-12
56. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 14-12 155
Day 1: 5 14-12
56. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 14-12 155
Day 1: 5 14-12
59. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 5 14-10 152
Day 1: 5 14-10
59. Lucas Toliver Paw Paw, MI 5 14-10 152
Day 1: 5 14-10
59. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 14-10 152
Day 1: 5 14-10
62. Lee Harper Abbeville, AL 5 14-08 0
Day 1: 5 14-08
63. Casey Smith Victor, NY 5 14-07 149
Day 1: 5 14-07
64. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 5 14-02 0
Day 1: 5 14-02
64. Alex Johnson Milltown, NJ 5 14-02 148
Day 1: 5 14-02
66. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 5 14-00 0
Day 1: 5 14-00
67. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 5 13-12 147
Day 1: 5 13-12
67. Easton Lindus Woodville, WI 5 13-12 147
Day 1: 5 13-12
69. Noah Winslow Naugatuck, CT 5 13-11 145
Day 1: 5 13-11
70. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 5 13-10 144
Day 1: 5 13-10
70. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 5 13-10 144
Day 1: 5 13-10
72. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 5 13-10 142
Day 1: 5 13-10
73. Timothy Reams Morgantown, WV 5 13-09 141
Day 1: 5 13-09
74. Grant Neubauer Medford, WI 5 13-08 140
Day 1: 5 13-08
75. Michael Corbishley Raleigh, NC 5 13-07 139
Day 1: 5 13-07
76. Timmy Sheridan Troy, VA 5 13-06 138
Day 1: 5 13-06
77. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 5 13-05 137
Day 1: 5 13-05
78. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 5 13-01 136
Day 1: 5 13-01
79. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 12-14 135
Day 1: 5 12-14
80. Brooks Anderson Marietta, GA 5 12-12 134
Day 1: 5 12-12
81. Shayne Berlo Mclean, VA 5 12-11 133
Day 1: 5 12-11
82. Darrell Ivey Lebanon, MO 5 12-09 132
Day 1: 5 12-09
83. Ty Austin Rush, NY 5 12-08 131
Day 1: 5 12-08
83. Clayton Batts Warner Robins, GA 5 12-08 131
Day 1: 5 12-08
85. Avery Padgett Elba, AL 5 12-07 0
Day 1: 5 12-07
85. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 5 12-07 129
Day 1: 5 12-07
87. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 12-06 0
Day 1: 5 12-06
88. Hayden Gaddis Dandridge, TN 5 12-05 128
Day 1: 5 12-05
88. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 12-05 128
Day 1: 5 12-05
90. Lucas Lindsay Auburn , AL 5 12-03 126
Day 1: 5 12-03
90. Jeremy Radford Huntly, VA 5 12-03 126
Day 1: 5 12-03
92. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 5 12-03 124
Day 1: 5 12-03
93. Tripp Berlinsky Florence, AL 5 12-02 123
Day 1: 5 12-02
93. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 5 12-02 123
Day 1: 5 12-02
93. Michael Webster Gastonia, NC 5 12-02 123
Day 1: 5 12-02
96. Ron Farrow Rock Hill, SC 5 12-01 120
Day 1: 5 12-01
96. Ryan Lachniet Gum Spring, VA 5 12-01 120
Day 1: 5 12-01
98. Canon Murphy Thomaston, GA 5 11-15 0
Day 1: 5 11-15
99. Zac Ridenhour Salisbury, NC 5 11-11 118
Day 1: 5 11-11
100. Matthew Dettling El Macero, CA 5 11-10 117
Day 1: 5 11-10
101. Michael Spaulding Jr. Dundee, MI 5 11-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-09
102. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 11-08 116
Day 1: 5 11-08
102. Johnathan Crossland Chapin, SC 5 11-08 116
Day 1: 5 11-08
104. Guy Eaker Sr Cherryville, NC 5 11-07 114
Day 1: 5 11-07
105. Ed Powell Sandyville, WV 4 11-07 113
Day 1: 4 11-07
106. Cody Ross Livingston, TX 5 11-06 112
Day 1: 5 11-06
106. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 5 11-06 112
Day 1: 5 11-06
108. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 11-03 110
Day 1: 5 11-03
109. Byron Kenney Jr Monticello, GA 5 11-01 109
Day 1: 5 11-01
109. Joshua Weaver Macon, GA 5 11-01 109
Day 1: 5 11-01
111. Robert Hoyt Union Hall, VA 5 10-14 107
Day 1: 5 10-14
111. Josh Hubbard Citrus Springs, FL 5 10-14 107
Day 1: 5 10-14
111. Garrett Smith Mount Holly, NC 5 10-14 107
Day 1: 5 10-14
114. Phil Kroll Otego, NY 4 10-14 104
Day 1: 4 10-14
115. Tyler Lubbat Naples, FL 5 10-13 103
Day 1: 5 10-13
115. Jonathon VanDam Gobles, MI 5 10-13 103
Day 1: 5 10-13
117. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 10-12 101
Day 1: 5 10-12
118. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 5 10-11 100
Day 1: 5 10-11
119. Brian Hatfield Spring City, TN 4 10-11 99
Day 1: 4 10-11
120. David Parsons Dothan, AL 4 10-10 0
Day 1: 4 10-10
121. Gunnar Brown Swainsboro, GA 3 10-10 0
Day 1: 3 10-10
122. Michael Smith Laurel Hill, AL 5 10-07 0
Day 1: 5 10-07
123. Kristian Johnson Belvidere, NJ 5 10-06 98
Day 1: 5 10-06
124. Paul Tabisz Livonia, MI 3 10-06 97
Day 1: 3 10-06
125. Kevin Jones Valley, AL 5 10-05 96
Day 1: 5 10-05
125. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 5 10-05 96
Day 1: 5 10-05
127. Chase Carey Hoschton, GA 5 10-03 94
Day 1: 5 10-03
128. Cody Abbott Woodruff, SC 5 10-02 93
Day 1: 5 10-02
128. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 5 10-02 0
Day 1: 5 10-02
130. Nathan Quince Imperial, PA 5 10-00 92
Day 1: 5 10-00
131. Doug Chapin Tigerton, WI 4 09-15 91
Day 1: 4 09-15
132. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 09-14 90
Day 1: 5 09-14
132. John Pollard Eclectic, AL 5 09-14 90
Day 1: 5 09-14
134. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 5 09-12 88
Day 1: 5 09-12
135. Donald Tripoli Webster, NY 5 09-08 87
Day 1: 5 09-08
136. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 2 09-07 0
Day 1: 2 09-07
137. Dylan Fogarty Mechanicsburg, PA 5 09-03 86
Day 1: 5 09-03
138. Ben Quisno Oakwood, OH 5 09-01 85
Day 1: 5 09-01
139. Mike Blevins Burnsville, NC 4 09-00 84
Day 1: 4 09-00
140. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 4 08-15 83
Day 1: 4 08-15
141. Matt Keezer Kirkland Quebec CANADA 4 08-11 82
Day 1: 4 08-11
142. Nick Mandes North Stonington, CT 5 08-04 81
Day 1: 5 08-04
142. Shane Powell Dothan, AL 5 08-04 0
Day 1: 5 08-04
144. Brandon Parson Erwin, NC 3 08-04 80
Day 1: 3 08-04
145. Steve Dimatteo Lancaster, PA 3 08-01 0
Day 1: 3 08-01
146. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 4 07-12 79
Day 1: 4 07-12
147. Lance Owen Greer, SC 3 07-12 78
Day 1: 3 07-12
148. Stu Martel Northbrook, IL 4 07-05 77
Day 1: 4 07-05
149. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 4 07-02 76
Day 1: 4 07-02
150. Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 3 07-00 75
Day 1: 3 07-00
151. Robert Davenport Brooksville, FL 3 06-14 74
Day 1: 3 06-14
152. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 3 06-05 73
Day 1: 3 06-05
152. Blake Thompson Conway, SC 3 06-05 73
Day 1: 3 06-05
154. Seiji Kato Forney TX JAPAN 3 06-04 71
Day 1: 3 06-04
155. Dave Miller Stratford, CT 2 05-06 70
Day 1: 2 05-06
156. Neal Gilmore Magnolia, TX 3 05-05 69
Day 1: 3 05-05
157. Whitney Stephens Waverly, OH 3 05-04 68
Day 1: 3 05-04
158. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 2 05-02 67
Day 1: 2 05-02
159. Mikey Weems Hull, TX 3 04-13 66
Day 1: 3 04-13
160. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 2 04-03 65
Day 1: 2 04-03
161. Logan Johnson Nauvoo, AL 2 03-15 64
Day 1: 2 03-15
162. Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI 2 03-12 63
Day 1: 2 03-12
163. John Branch Magnolia, KY 2 03-11 62
Day 1: 2 03-11
164. Jeremy Sadowski Voluntown, CT 2 03-05 61
Day 1: 2 03-05
165. Cory Mcglamery Madisonville, TN 1 03-04 60
Day 1: 1 03-04
166. Troy Coney Owego, NY 1 02-15 59
Day 1: 1 02-15
167. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 1 02-07 58
Day 1: 1 02-07
168. Matthew Mcbee Concord, NC 1 02-04 57
Day 1: 1 02-04
168. Charles Sim Wasaga Beach Ontario CA 1 02-04 57
Day 1: 1 02-04
170. Anastasia Patterson Sumter, SC 1 02-03 55
Day 1: 1 02-03
171. Michael Johns Waynesville, GA 1 01-12 54
Day 1: 1 01-12
172. Rick Greene Ocala, FL 1 01-09 53
Day 1: 1 01-09
173. Ken Chadwick Harvard, MA 1 01-08 0
Day 1: 1 01-08
173. Gene Grinstead Cairo, GA 1 01-08 0
Day 1: 1 01-08
175. Bubba Baker Ridgeway, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Stephen Burlington Jupiter, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Jaron Burr Bowling Green, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. George Hirapetian Lancaster, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Bryan Hoffman Andrews, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. River Lee Diboll, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. CJ Maddux Birmingham, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Ryan Michl Newton, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Trey Thompson Sanford, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Neil Vandebiezen Otsego, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Brien Vaughn Lampe, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
175. Emory Walden Jr Newnan, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 131 767 2158-02
------------------------------
131 767 2158-02
Gilbertsville, Kentucky Readies for MLF Toyota Series at Kentucky Lake
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (April 1, 2026) –The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Gilbertsville, Kentucky, next week, April 9-11, for the second event of the Plains division – the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Kentucky Lake.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
Shelbyville, Kentucky pro John Hunter said he expects Kentucky Lake to showcase a mix of traditional springtime patterns and evolving strategies as anglers adjust to the 2026 forward-facing sonar limitations during the upcoming Toyota Series event.
“Everything I’m hearing is that the lake has been fishing really well all spring,” said Hunter. “It should be getting right around that spawning window, which always makes things interesting.”
With spawning smallmouth historically dominating April events on Kentucky Lake, Hunter believes this year’s format adjustments could open the door for a more balanced approach.
“In the past, smallmouth have really carried events this time of year,” Hunter said. “But with limited forward-facing sonar, I think you’re going to see more patterns come into play. Smallmouth will still be the key player, but I really think largemouth could show up strong and play a bigger role than they have in recent years.”
Hunter noted that Kentucky Lake continues to rebound as a fishery, with strong showings in recent seasons reinforcing its upward trend.
“The fish are really healthy right now, and the lake has been on the comeback for a few years,” Hunter said. “We saw that last year when we were there for Bass Pro Tour Stage 5, and it shows every spring. It’s definitely exciting to think about the kind of weights we could see.”
While conditions will ultimately dictate how the event unfolds, Hunter expects a wide range of techniques to be in play – from offshore finesse approaches to power fishing along the bank.
“You’re going to see a little bit of everything,” Hunter said. “Some guys will still utilize forward-facing sonar when they can, and others will be winding down the bank targeting largemouth. It really just depends on how the fish set up with water levels and temperatures.”
Hunter said he expects to see a mix of classic springtime baits and typical forward-facing sonar baits, and he anticipates strong weights over the three-day event.
“I think it’s going to take around 20 pounds a day to be competitive,” Hunter said. “You’re probably looking at 60 pounds or more to have a shot at the win.”
Anglers will begin each day at 6:30 a.m. CT, launching from Moors Resort & Marina at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville. Weigh-ins will take place at the marina, starting at 2:30 p.m. daily. Fans are invited to attend in person and can also stay connected by following the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily updates on MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
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.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Shallow-water paradise awaits College Series at Santee Cooper
Shallow-water paradise awaits College Series at Santee Cooper
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Deciphering the spawning stages will be key to finding success during the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Santee Cooper Lakes presented by Bass Pro Shops.
“The lakes are really healthy,” said Lucas Murphy, a Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender pro from West Columbia, S.C. “There is a lot of grass right now. April and May were lights-out last year during the postspawn. It is good old-fashioned fishing.”
Tournament days are scheduled for April 8-9, with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins taking place at John C. Land III Boating & Sports Fishing Facility in Summerton, S.C. The Top 10% of the field will punch a ticket to the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops later this year.
One-day Strike King Bassmaster High School and Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series events will follow on Santee Cooper Lakes on April 12.
Consistently near the top of Bassmaster Magazine’s yearly 100 Best Bass Lakes, the Santee Cooper lakes are full of pristine scenery and lunker largemouth. Two lakes make up the fishery — Lake Marion to the northwest and Lake Moultrie to the southeast — with a diversion canal connecting them.
Over the past five seasons, the Bassmaster Tournament Trails have made several trips to Santee Cooper, most recently during the 2024 season, when Kyle Austin won an early March Bassmaster Open with 83 pounds, 7 ounces.
What will happen during the College Series event hinges on the weather trends. In a normal year, many of the bass in the system would be in a postspawn phase, with a few late spawners hitting the beds, Murphy said. There is also the possibility of a shad spawn starting up, which could provide the opportunity to catch an early limit. Of course, timelines can shift depending on the severity of late-season cold snaps.
“The biggest thing will be dialing in which portion of the spawn the bass will be in,” said Murphy, a former Grand Valley State University angler. “I think there will be some stragglers that are spawning, but for the most part I think they will be postspawn. It fishes kind of like Florida. You want nice, warm weather. These bass can be a little temperamental.”
Thousands of cypress trees fill the shallows of both lakes, providing plenty of cover. Over the past few years, the aquatic vegetation has increased significantly, especially on Lake Moultrie.
“Moultrie is loaded with grass and has been one of the most consistent sections of the lake. Marion is typically where a lot of tournaments get won,” Murphy said. “There’s a lot of grass, so it is about taking the time to find the sweet spots.”
Murphy predicts several baits could come into play, including a wacky-rigged Strike King Ocho and a Strike King Rage Cut-R-Worm. Jerkbaits and some topwater action could work for anglers targeting the grass. And around cypress trees, on the northern end of Marion especially, anglers can catch fish with buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and Texas-rigged creature baits.
For more information on the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Santee Cooper Lakes presented by Bass Pro Shops, the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Santee Cooper Lakes and the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series at Santee Cooper Lakes visit Bassmaster.com.
These events are being hosted by Santee Cooper County.
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
2026 Bassmaster College Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
LEBRUN’S GROWTH AND THE POWER OF YAMAHA POWER PAY
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorship / Photo Credit MLF
There’s a certain sort of thing that trickles into a man when he’s raised along the red clay and river bottoms of Louisiana. It doesn’t wash off easy. The kind that smells like outboard exhaust at daylight and tastes like river spray before a weigh-in. For Nick LeBrun, that grit started in Bossier City. It’s carried him all the way to the bright lights and big stages of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. But don’t let the polished fiberglass and wrapped rigs fool you. LeBrun’s rise wasn’t silver spooned. It was sanded down, knuckle by knuckle.
“I’m from Bossier City, Louisiana and I fought like crazy to get to this point in my career,” LeBrun said. “I made the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour after I won two MLF Pro Circuits back-to-back. I won Guntersville and the James River which qualified me for the Bass Pro Tour.”
Back-to-back wins on storied waters like Lake Guntersville and the James River don’t happen by accident. They’re born from long drives, longer practice days and a belief that refuses to buckle when the bite gets tough. Those victories punched his ticket to the big dance and LeBrun hasn’t stopped moving since. There’s also something to be said about a man who chooses to evolve when he could’ve stayed comfortable.
LeBrun will tell you that he’s an old-school power fisherman. Someone who’d rather feel a crankbait ricochet off a stump than stare at a screen all day. But the sport has changed and so has he. Forward-facing sonar has rewritten the script of modern bass fishing and LeBrun’s been studying. He’s not abandoning who he is - he’s evolving.
“This year on the Bass Pro Tour, I’ve had a pretty solid year. I finished 13th at Hartwell recently and I think I’m sitting in 12th-place in AOY right now.”
Sitting 12th in Angler of the Year standings on the Bass Pro Tour means you’re not just surviving, you’re competing. For a man who once punched a clock and fished tournaments on borrowed time, that standing hits different. There was a time when LeBrun’s fishing dreams rode shotgun to a blue-collar job. Tournament entry fees came from sweat equity, gas money mattered, and every cast carried weight. Through it all, one thing stayed constant.
“I’ve run a Yamaha Outboard since 2015,” LeBrun said proudly. “Back then, I was a blue-collared worker fishing tournaments on the side. Since I made it to the point of fishing professionally, that’s all I’ve ever had on my boat.”
He’s talking about the quiet power pushing his rig across big water mornings. Reliability isn’t a luxury when you’re chasing a living on the water, it’s survival.
“The reliability and confidence I have in my Yamaha is a huge deal to me,” LeBrun explained. “And the Yamaha Power Pay program is such an enormous bonus. It’s another reminder that the folks at Yamaha really do care about anglers running their products.”
The Yamaha Power Pay contingency program has padded more than a few tournament checks over the years for LeBrun. It’s one thing to win. It’s another to know your engine brand is cutting you a bonus for doing it. Over time, those payouts stack up and turn solid seasons into lucrative ones. In a sport where margins are razor thin, programs like Power Pay reward loyalty and performance. For LeBrun, it’s been both a financial boost and a vote of confidence from a brand that believed in him before the spotlight.
“Our next MLF BPT stop is at Lake Whitney and Lake Waco in Texas. Most, if not all, of us have never been there before. It’s going to be an adventure, for sure. Here at home in Louisiana, water temperatures are getting close to 59 degrees which means it’s time for pre-spawn fishing. I love this time of year.”
Lake Whitney and Lake Waco will level the playing field. No decades of local knowledge. No honey holes passed down from dock talk. Just instincts, adjustments and execution. Water temperatures creeping towards 60 degrees means it’s pre-spawn time, and a power fisherman’s answered prayer. While LeBrun is embracing the sonar revolution, don’t be surprised if instinct and gut feeling carry him when Texas bass start sliding up.
If you spend enough time around touring pros, you realize the wins and checks are only part of the story. Reinvention doesn’t just happen on the water. It happens in how a man carries himself, how he handles setbacks and how he measures success. LeBrun fought like crazy to get here. Now he’s fighting smarter.
From scraping for entry fees to cashing contingency checks. The engines fire the same at blast-off. The sun still burns hot on southern reservoirs. These days, when Nick LeBrun drops the trolling motor, he does it with something more than ambition, he does it with perspective. That might just be the most dangerous upgrade of all.
Sunline Congratulates Jason Christie on Elite Series Win at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
Torrance, CA- Sunline proudly congratulates pro angler Jason Christie on his outstanding victory at the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, marking the ninth Elite Series win of his remarkable career.
Battling constantly changing water conditions, shifting current, and bass in multiple stages of the spring transition, Christie demonstrated the adaptability and execution that have defined his success. After making key adjustments early in the event, he focused on productive shallow backwaters featuring grass and wood cover, areas that consistently produced quality bites. His ability to capitalize on critical late day opportunities, especially on Championship Sunday, secured the victory with a four-day total of 58 pounds, 2 ounces.
Throughout the event, Christie relied on a mix of power-fishing techniques to match the dynamic conditions of the Tenn-Tom system, including a spinnerbait, swim jig, and flipping presentation. Equally important was his confidence in Sunline to deliver the strength, sensitivity, and reliability needed to land key fish under pressure.
Christie’s line setup included:
- Spinnerbait: 20lb Sunline Shooter Fluorocarbon
- Swim Jig: 50lb Sunline SX1 Braid
- Wooly Bug: 25lb Sunline Shooter Fluorocarbon
From making precise casts in tight cover to wrestling fish out of heavy vegetation, Sunline’s premium lines provided the performance Christie needed to stay dialed in throughout the event.
“Jason’s ability to adjust and perform at the highest level is what makes him one of the best in the world,” said Sunline President Noboyuki Kajio. “We’re proud to see him trust Sunline products in critical moments on his way to another Elite Series victory.”
Christie’s win reinforces Sunline’s commitment to providing anglers with top tier line technology designed for strength, sensitivity, and confidence when it matters most.
Sunline maintains a top share in the line market in Japan, where it was founded, and exports its line to more than 40 countries worldwide. Sunline America is a subsidiary of Sunline Japan and is responsible for distribution and marketing in North American markets. For more information please visit http://www.sunlineamerica.comTop of Form
Black Buffalo Named Official Dip of Major League Fishing
BENTON, Ky. (March 31, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today a new partnership with Black Buffalo Inc., naming the tobacco alternative brand the Official Dip of Major League Fishing.
The agreement designates Black Buffalo as the “Official Dip of Major League Fishing” across the Bass Pro Tour, Fishing Clash Team Series, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Toyota Series and the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. The partnership will feature a comprehensive, yearlong marketing integration across MLF’s digital and broadcast platforms.
Through MLF’s 360-degree media plan, Black Buffalo will be featured across MLF’s social media channels, television broadcasts, e-blast newsletters and livestream programming. The brand will also receive prominent exposure through logo placement on the 2026 MLF Team Series boat wraps.
Black Buffalo will have a strong presence at Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2026 and the Outdoor Sports Expo, Major League Fishing’s championship event, scheduled for April 17-19 at Table Rock Lake near Springfield, Missouri.
“Fishing and the outdoors have always shared a strong connection with brands that reflect the lifestyle and traditions of our fans,” said Drew Kuebler, Sponsorship and Advertising Sales Executive at Major League Fishing. “Black Buffalo has built a brand that resonates with outdoor enthusiasts, and we’re excited to welcome them as the Official Dip of Major League Fishing. Their commitment to engaging fans through innovative marketing and storytelling aligns well with the passionate fanbase that follows our sport.”
“We are excited to partner with such an exceptional organization like Major League Fishing,” said Matthew Hanson, Chief Growth Officer of Black Buffalo, “MLF represents the best of the American outdoors, and our adult consumers have always deeply resonated with the traditions, heritage and excitement of American sportsmanship.”
Black Buffalo produces a tobacco alternative dip made from barn-cured leafy greens using a proprietary farm-to-can process developed over the course of years of research and development. The company offers a variety of products designed to provide an experience similar to traditional dip, including pouches, long cut and Black Buffalo ZERO, a zero-nicotine dip alternative.
Black Buffalo products are available in multiple flavors and are distributed in more than 15,000 retail locations nationwide, including major convenience store retailers, travel centers and smoke shops across the United States.
Black Buffalo products are intended for adults aged 21 and older who are consumers of nicotine or tobacco products.
For more information about Black Buffalo, visit BlackBuffalo.com. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
About Black Buffalo
Founded in 2015, Black Buffalo has created America's leading smokeless tobacco alternative products. The Company is a 4-time recipient of the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America award (most recently in 2025), and Black Buffalo has won major Best New Product awards from the convenience trade.
Black Buffalo smokeless tobacco alternative products are sold in-store and online. To learn more about Black Buffalo, visit the Company's website or use the Company's store locator to find Black Buffalo products at a local retailer near you. Interested retailers may contact [email protected] to learn more about Black Buffalo. Interested advertising, brand, and marketing partners may contact [email protected] to explore opportunities.
Certain Black Buffalo smokeless tobacco alternative products contain pharmaceutical-grade, tobacco-derived nicotine, which is an addictive chemical, and all of Black Buffalo's products are intended for adults aged 21 and older who are consumers of nicotine or tobacco.
Black Buffalo's Forward-Looking Statements
Any projections or other estimates herein are forward-looking statements and are based upon certain assumptions that Black Buffalo Inc. ("Black Buffalo," the "Company," "we," "us," "our," "ours," et. al as noted in context herein) has deemed reasonable. Financial, market, economic or legal conditions, the performance of the Company, regulatory developments, and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements herein. The business and prospects of the Company may have changed materially since the date hereof. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein include, without limitation: (i) the contraction or lack of growth of markets in which we compete and in which our products are sold, (ii) unexpected increases in our expenses, including manufacturing expenses, (iii) delays or cancellations in spending by our suppliers or customers, (iv) delayed action on or issuance of marketing denial orders in response to our Premarket Tobacco Product Applications, or other negative actions taken by, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and (v) the impact of pandemics or natural disasters on our sourcing operations and supply chain. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Iaconelli Talks and Teaches Tombigbee
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships / Photos: Bassmaster
Few anglers in the history of fishing have the ability break down their rational and explain their thoughts as effectively, articulately, or as entertainingly as Mike Iaconelli. This fact, coupled with his performances on the water and persona off it, has helped Iaconelli reach fans and build an incredible following throughout his iconic career.
The longtime Team Toyota pro and tournament veteran’s communication skills were on full display last weekend in his 8th place effort at the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Iaconelli had a live camera in his boat on the second and final day of competition, which broadcasted Ike’s time on the water for the entire world to see.
As usual, Iaconelli makes for great TV whether he is catching them or struggling. Iaconelli added to his greatest hits catalog with highlights about driftwood, general Ike excitement, custom songs for his grade school teacher, or classic ‘Never Give up’ moments.
The high-volume passion and wild antics make for great viral clips, but if you spent even a few minutes watching Iaconelli this weekend you likely learned a great deal. Not only about the Tombigbee waterway and how he caught his fish there, but about how you could use his experiences to help you catch more fish in your area, too.
Simply stated, Iaconelli is among the very best teachers in the history of bass fishing. He can communicate what he’s seeing and thinking on the water in a way that few can.
“I guess I’ve always been as passionate about passing the sport on as I have been about fishing itself,” Iaconelli said. “From my early days, I joined a club called the Top Rod Bassmasters, and once a month we would hold a meeting where we’d talk about what happened at the last tournament.
“That’s one of the biggest reasons I joined the club. I wanted to learn. Eventually, I wanted to teach! Whether I am talking to thousands through a camera or eight dudes in a club meeting, I’ve always been excited for the sport and wanting to pass it on to more people.”
Iaconelli and his team at Professional Edge Fishing have always leaned into the education component of Mike’s calling. Creating The Bass University, Ike’s In The Shop YouTube series, and always weaving a level of instruction into TV shows Ike has featured in over the years.
The Tombigbee Elite was Iaconelli’s 292nd B.A.S.S. tournament and it turned out to be a genuine grinder, which had Ike feeling right at home. Iaconelli related the Tenn-Tom to the Delaware River near his home in New Jersey. The Yamaha Outboards pro grew up fishing visible targets like aquatic vegetation, docks, rocks, and other manmade structure on the Delaware just like he found success doing on the Tombigbee.
“With forward-facing-sonar (FFS) not being allowed the Tombigbee was 100% a grinders tournament,” Iaconelli explained. “Meaning I left the dock each morning knowing I would get five to ten bites, tops, all day. That can be intimidating to some, but for me it was freeing. Not all tournaments are catch-fests but grinders, or tough tournaments, are often the most exciting tournaments for fans. Every cast is critical.”
Bassmaster’s rule set for the 2026 Elite Series season regarding FFS has been discussed ad nauseum but according to Iaconelli, he thinks the hybrid approach has been fantastic. While Ike’s fishing style may be old school, the 53-year-old Bass Fishing Hall of Famer believes that variation is key to keeping fans engaged in tournament fishing.
We’re a few weeks removed from an incredible and dramatic Bassmaster Classic, where 22-year-old Dylan Nutt displayed his mastery of FFS and the Tennessee River enroute to victory. A simple change of venue plus one tweak to the rules and viewers were witness to a completely different experience at the Tombigbee Elite.
Both events compelling, impressive, and representative of the best angler(s) rising to the top over the course of competition. Throughout his career that’s spanned over three decades, Iaconelli has excelled in fickle conditions like the Tenn-Tom presented.
“Fishing with your instincts, fishing the moment, and running a pattern… that’s the tournament fishing I fell in love with,” Iaconelli said. “I don’t say this to slight FFS. I have the technology and have learned so much using ActiveTarget, but I have really enjoyed the format for the Elite Series this year. I think B.A.S.S. hit a homerun with the split schedule.”
Iaconelli’s top ten finish on the Tombigbee served as a reminder to why he’s remained one of the sport’s most magnetic figures for more than 30 years. Ike proved again that instinct, adaptability, and the ability to teach will never go out of style.
Whether he’s screaming after a fish catch, yelling at dogs, or turning a tough tournament into a masterclass for fans at home, Iaconelli continues to compete at the highest level while making everyone watching a better angler for it.
It could be any angler’s ballgame at Lake Eufaula Open
EUFAULA, Ala. — Cody Stahl has been looking forward to the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender for several months. With balmy and stable conditions expected across southeastern Alabama, the Georgia pro is expecting this event to be a heavyweight title fight, one that could be won in several different ways.
“It is lining up to be a really good tournament. Everything is going to be right,” the 2026 Kissimmee Chain Open champion said. “The weather is going to be stable. The moon is right. The water clarity is right. You will be able to do just about anything under the sun and catch a bag.
“I think it will take 72 or 73 pounds to win. I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if it took closer to 75.”
Tournament days are scheduled for April 1-3. Anglers will launch from Lakepoint State Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. The full field will compete Days 1 and 2 before the Top 10 compete on the final day. The winner will earn a spot in the 2027 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour if they fish each of the four tournaments in Division I.
Forward-facing sonar is permitted in this event.
Nicknamed the “Big Bass Capital of the World”, Lake Eufaula has certainly produced impressive numbers of quality largemouth over the last several years. The last time the Bassmaster Opens visited the Chattahoochee River impoundment, local angler Justin Barnes picked up the victory in the weather-shortened event with a two-day total weighing 48 pounds, 9 ounces.
That tournament was during the peak prespawn period. This go-round, Stahl is anticipating the bass being in all stages of the spawn and multiple different patterns coming into play. Any region of the lake could produce a competitive limit of bass.
“You can be so versatile on this lake this time of year,” he said. “You can catch them out to 30 feet of water all the way up to 4 inches of water and be a contender in this tournament. This time of year, anywhere from Columbus (Georgia) all the way to the (Eufaula) dam can be really good.”
Lake Eufaula has just about everything a bass fisherman could want. Up shallow, lily pads, shoreline grasses, cypress trees and hard clay banks all provide habitat for quality largemouth, all of which will likely come into play in this tournament for spawners and fry guarders.
“The spawn pretty early down there, but there will definitely be some spawning,” Stahl said. “Eufaula is one of the most diverse fisheries in the southeast. It has all types of cover. The only thing that is really lacking is the submergent vegetation.”
As anglers move further up the river, the water becomes more stained but can still be just as good this time of year. Stahl anticipates topwater frogs like a Berkley Swamp Lord to be popular bait choices as well as a Texas-rigged flipping bait.
“There are going to be some guys who catch them in the dirt who will be contenders and have a chance to win,” Stahl said.
Not only will the bass spawn be underway, but warm temperatures may also convince the shad and the bluegill to start their spawning process as well, giving competitors opportunities to fill out a quick limit.
There is also the chance for pollen to settle in certain areas, which will mess up the bite.
Anglers who prefer to fish offshore should also be able to find success around several structure elements, including ledges, standing timber, hard spots and shell beds. Brushpiles are also key pieces of cover for offshore savants. How productive these offshore spots will be depended on the current flow on the lake.
Deeper diving crankbaits, jigs and a jighead minnow all have been historically productive options on Lake Eufaula.
“They do tend to float there,” Stahl added.
After his win at the season-opener at the Kissimmee Chain, Stahl leads the Division I points race with 200 points. Arkansas veteran Stephen Browning is second with 199 points followed by Michigan’s Bo Thomas and Jonathan VanDam with 198 points and 197 points respectively and Pennsylvania's Jonathan Kelley in fifth with 196 points. Freddy Palmer (195), Terry Scroggins (194), Niko Romero (193), Cliff Prince (192) and Noah Winslow (191) round out the Top 10.
At the conclusion of the four events in Division I, the Top 50 in points will advance to the Nitro Boats Elite Qualifier Division presented by Bass Pro Shops, which will determine the 10 anglers moving on to the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series roster.
Full coverage of the 2026 Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula presented by Battery Tender will be available on Bassmaster.com. Live weigh-ins will begin at 2:30 p.m. CT each day while Bassmaster LIVE will carry final day coverage.
The event is being hosted by the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce.
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series P
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
2026 Bassmaster Opens Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Indiana’s Lubbehusen Holds Off Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes
Kentucky’s Mann Wins Co-Angler Division
BUCHANAN, Tenn. (March 30, 2026) – Boater Eli Lubbehusen of Evansville, Indiana, caught five bass totaling 22 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lake. The tournament, hosted by Henry County Tourism Authority, was the second of five events of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Lubbehusen earned $3,150 for his victory.
“We have a period of three hours to use (Garmin) LiveScope, and I wanted to use that period based on the wind,” Lubbehusen said. “The wind was supposed to lay over in the afternoon, so I fished around for the first couple of hours on some stuff I had caught them on in practice.
“At about 10 a.m. I felt like the wind was going to be as good as I was going to get, so I turned it on, and my day just went from there,” Lubbehusen went on to say. “I did all of my catching during that period.”
Lubbehusen said he fished near the Danville area and the first two pieces of cover he cast to produced keepers, and the rest of his electronics period was very productive for him. A Rapala Crush City Freeloader was his bait of choice, and it produced seven keepers for him.
I was at 21 pounds and had a 2.80 pounder in my bag,” Lubbehusen said. “There were a lot of fish staring me in the face that I just couldn’t get to eat. But with about six minutes left to go in my LiveScope period I caught one that weighed a little over 5 (pounds) and culled out that 2.80, and I knew I would be tough to beat. Whoever was going to win definitely deserved it.
“I tried to cull up after that, but it was going to take quite a bit for me to get rid of one of my fish because I had a pretty good bag,” Lubbehusen went on to say. “I never caught another one to cull out. I did all of my damage in that three-hour period.”
Lubbehusen said he was grateful for the win, especially considering the skill level of his fellow BFL competitors he was fishing against.
“Those BFL trophies are hard to come by,” Lubbehusen said. “The local knowledge of the guys fishing on their home lakes … it’s so hard to win against that. It felt really good to get one under my belt.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Eli Lubbehusen, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 22-14, $3,150
2nd: Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., five bass, 21-14, $1,590
3rd: Justin Berger, Murray, Ky., five bass, 20-15, $810
4th: Noah Morgan, Russellville, Ky., five bass, 19-3, $850
5th: Stephen Barga, Benton, Ky., five bass, 16-10, $580
6th: Ramie Colson Jr., Cadiz, Ky., five bass, 15-14, $500
7th: Will Gordon, Athens, Ill., five bass, 15-12, $1,080 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
8th: Jason Reed, Murray, Ky., five bass, 15-9, $460
9th: Harbor Lovin, New Concord, Ky., five bass, 14-2, $440
10th: Bruce McDivitt, Brighton, Tenn., five bass, 13-15, $420
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Noah Morgan of Russellville, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass worth $200.
Marcus Mann of Benton, Kentucky, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,825 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Marcus Mann, Benton, Ky., three bass, 12-7, $1,825
2nd: Peyton Nolen, Lexington, Tenn., three bass, 10-1, $600
2nd: Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., three bass, 10-1, $650
4th: Gage Elder, Decatur, Ill., three bass, 9-9, $307
4th: Sam McReynolds, Kevil, Ky., three bass, 9-9, $407
6th: Scott Gill, Greenwood, Ind., three bass, 9-8, $250
7th: Joshua Smith, Benton, Ky., three bass, 8-8, $240
8th: Dean Hesse, Brandenburg, Ky., three bass, 7-14, $230
9th: Tim Rampaul, Dickson, Tenn., three bass, 7-9, $220
10th: Anthony Bell Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, three bass, 7-1, $210
Sam McReynolds of Kevil, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a bass weighing 5 pounds even, worth $100.
After two events, Noah Morgan of Russellville, Kentucky, now leads the 7 Brew LBL Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 496 points, while Marcus Mann of Benton, Kentucky, leads the LBL Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 497 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.
The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Appling’s Burnett Gets Second Win of BFL Season at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Sinclair
Danville’s Payne Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division
EATONTON, Ga. (March 30, 2026) – Boater Emery Burnett of Appling, Georgia, caught a total of five bass weighing 22 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Sinclair. The tournament was the second of five events of the season for the BFL Bulldog Division. Burnett earned $4,480 for his victory.
Burnett said he wanted to focus on fishing Sinclair’s shad spawn, and he sought out clear water midlake, away from the tournament takeoff site.
“I pulled up to my first spot and in 15 minutes caught a 5½ to get my day going,” Burnett said. “I fished around some more and went to my second area that I had caught one or two in during practice. It was a spot where I’d fish it for about 15 minutes, catch one, then leave it and come back and I could catch another one. I did that, and by 11 o’clock I had 18 pounds. Then around noon I caught a 6-pounder that got me to 22 pounds.”
Burnett said he targeted bass in two to three feet of water with a Megabass Magdraft swimbait as well as a Greenfish Bad Little Blade spinnerbait with a Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Caffeine Shad trailer dipped in Spike It Dip-N-Glo chartreuse dye.
“Going into the tournament I told my co-angler, ‘If I can catch 18 to 20 (pounds) I’ll have a good chance,’” Burnett said. “Lo and behold I came up with 22.”
Burnett’s Sinclair win comes on the heels of a Valentine’s Day BFL win on the Savannah River Division’s event on Clarks Hill Lake.
“This win feels really good since it’s not my home lake,” Burnett said.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Emery Burnett, Appling, Ga., five bass, 22-11, $4,480
2nd: Brayden Batchelor, Greensboro, Ga., five bass, 22-8, $2,220
3rd: Tom Rubbo, Ridgeway, S.C., five bass, 20-6, $1,090
4th: John Duvall, Madison, Ga., five bass, 20-5, $860
5th: Jeff Hendricks, Hull, Ga., five bass, 20-3, $950
6th: Kip Carter, Covington, Ga., five bass, 19-4, $640
7th: Scott Hayes, Wedowee, Ala., five bass, 18-14, $1,110 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
8th: David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 18-7, $580
9th: Nolan Holloway, Madison, Ga., five bass, 18-3, $550
10th: Ryan Thomas, Madison, Ga., five bass, 17-15, $520
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Jeff Hendricks of Hull, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $200.
Jeffrey Payne of Danville, Georgia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $2,240 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Jeffrey Payne, Danville, Ga., three bass, 13-5, $2,240
2nd: Albert McNair, Watkinsville, Ga., three bass, 11-15, $1,210
3rd: Winston Codling, Boston, Ga., three bass, 10-14, $545
4th: Dennis McGouirk, Carrollton, Ga., three bass, 10-0, $430
5th: Jaquas Dobbs, Conyers, Ga., three bass, 9-11, $375
6th: Jeff Stone, Jackson, Ga., three bass, 9-8, $320
7th: Stephen Waldon, Ellenwood, Ga., three bass, 9-6, $310
8th: Mark Carlson, Peachtree City, Ga., three bass, 9-5, $340
9th: Conery Williams, Macon, Ga., three bass, 8-14, $280
10th: Chris Highland, Gainesville, Ga., three bass, 8-12, $260
Albert McNair of Watkinsville, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass worth $100.
After two events, John Duvall of Madison, Georgia, now leads the 7 Brew Bulldog Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 486 points, while Jaquas Dobbs of Conyers, Georgia, leads the Bulldog Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 491 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.
The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Smithville’s Taylor Edges Field to Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Center Hill
Cookeville’s Catalin Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division
SPARTA, Tenn. (March 30, 2026) – Boater Casey Taylor of Smithville, Tennessee, caught a total of five bass weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Center Hill. The tournament was the second of five events of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. Taylor earned $3,340 for his victory.
“It was a cold day compared to what we had had the previous couple of days,” Taylor said. “I caught them on clean gravel beds on a Carolina rig, and it was just a real fun day of fishing. I was blessed to land every fish that bit. I didn’t get many bites, but the ones that bit were good ones.
Taylor’s Carolina rig was tipped with a Gene Larew Biffle Bug that accounted for a total of seven keepers during the course of the day. He said smaller males were available anywhere on the bank, but the larger females were holding in deeper water from seven to 15 feet.
“I think they were on the beds where you couldn’t see them, and you just had to drag around and feel for them,” Taylor said.
Taylor said his catches were spread out during the day with his last cull coming after 2 o’clock, but he still didn’t think he had enough weight to be in contention for a win.
“I figured everybody had blistered them,” Taylor said. “I figured if I caught what I caught it was going to be a hard tournament to win. I figured there would be bags around 20 pounds people had caught with forward-facing sonar. And I never used it all day. I was just old-school fishing.
“I’ve fished 46 MLF tournaments at different levels over the years, so it feels really nice to actually win one,” Taylor went on to say.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Casey Taylor, Smithville, Tenn., five bass, 20-3, $3,340
2nd: Brandon Young, Kingston, Tenn., five bass, 19-13, $1,880
3rd: Timothy Wacker, Clinton, Tenn., five bass, 19-2, $850
4th: Adam Wagner, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 18-14, $680
5th: Cody Mackie, McMinnville, Tenn., five bass, 18-10, $600
6th: Tim Staley, Dowelltown, Tenn., five bass, 18-6, $520
7th: Brad Adkins, West Liberty, Ky., five bass, 18-4, $500
8th: Greg Perry, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 17-14, $980 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
9th: Bryan Drury, Harrodsburg, Ky., five bass, 17-13, $460
10th: Keith Monson, Harrodsburg, Ky., five bass, 17-0, $430
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Brandon Young of Kingston, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass worth $200.
Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,670 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 9-3, $1,670
2nd: Jimmy Rhodus, Versailles, Ky., three bass, 9-0, $682
2nd: Brent Jones, Ashland, Ky., three bass, 9-0, $632
4th: Kendall Parnell, Monticello, Ky., three bass, 8-13, $320
4th: Michael League, Sparta, Tenn., three bass, 8-13, $320
6th: Randy Wilson, Murfreesboro, Tenn., three bass, 8-10, $255
6th: Kevin Jones, Somerset, Ky., three bass, 8-10, $355
8th: Tim Underwood, Danville, Ky., three bass, 8-9, $240
9th: Dewayne Drummonds, Gray, Ky., three bass, 8-0, $230
10th: Jeanelle Smith, Byrdstown, Tenn., three bass, 7-13, $215
Jeremy Nash of Cookeville, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $100.
After two events, Timothy Wacker of Clinton, Tennessee, now leads the 7 Brew Mountain Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 487 points, while Kendall Parnell of Monticello, Kentucky, leads the Mountain Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 495 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.
The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Burlington’s Woody Cranks Out Convincing Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kerr Lake
Virginia’s Williams Tops Co-Angler Division
HENDERSON, N.C. (March 30, 2026) – Boater Austin Woody of Burlington, North Carolina, caught a total of five bass weighing 20 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake. The tournament, hosted by Vance County Tourism Development Authority, was the first of five events of the season for the BFL Shenandoah Division. Woody earned $2,880 for his victory.
“I took off to my starting hole and wanted to throw a crankbait and focus on some prespawn areas,” Woody said. “I caught three on the crankbait but lost two first thing.
“The wind picked up more and more throughout the day,” Woody added. “Any spot on the main lake that was a prespawn area that I wanted to hit was getting absolutely crushed by 4-foot waves.”
Woody said he abandoned that approach and looked for creeks with warmer water to focus on additional prespawn areas out of the wind. He continued to throw a Berkley Frittside crankbait and a Z-Man Evergreen Chatterbait Jack Hammer and caught his first big fish, a 5½-pounder, at 11 o’clock.
“That keyed me in and I knew if I fished those same type of areas, I would get five good bites during the day,” Woody said. “I caught my last two – a 3-6 and a 3-3 – in the last 10 minutes of the tournament on back-to-back casts.”
Those two fish culled out a 1-7 and a 2-pounder and gave Woody a shot at a win.
“I caught those two and thought, ‘Alright. Now I’ve given myself a chance,’” Woody said. “I knew I was around 20 pounds, and I figured it would take somewhere around 20 to win.
“This win is a relief, because I knew I had to fish to win,” Woody said. “I didn’t give up. I just kept going and going. And it felt good, especially after getting only three bites from 11 to 3 o’clock. When it’s your time, it’s your time.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Austin Woody, Burlington, N.C., five bass, 20-4, $2,880
2nd: Travis Garrett, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 17-7, $1,520
3rd: Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 16-11, $890
4th: Adam Haithcock, Butner, N.C., five bass, 15-6, $665
4th: Louis Martinez, Warrenton, Va., five bass, 15-6, $665
6th: Billy Bledsoe, Fayetteville, N.C., five bass, 15-2, $460
7th: Rodney Swope, Harrisonville, Pa., five bass, 15-0, $450
8th: Aaron Falwell, Rustburg, Va., five bass, 14-15, $430
9th: Mark Blankenship, Christiansburg, Va., five bass, 14-14, $410
10th: Eric Johnson, Partlow, Va., five bass, 14-10, $400
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Woody and second-place finisher Travis Garrett of Charlottesville, Virginia, split the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $200 after each landed a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass.
Richard Williams of Sutherland, Virginia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,440 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., three bass, 9-5, $1,440
2nd: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., three bass, 8-8, $710
3rd: Johnnie Hopkins, Greensboro, N.C., three bass, 8-4, $335
3rd: Michael Garrett, Buena Vista, Va., three bass, 8-4, $335
5th: Keith Allen, Midland, Va., three bass, 8-1, $265
6th: Phillip Ragland Jr., Rustburg, Va., three bass, 8-0, $330
7th: Mark Leatherman, New Market, Va., three bass, 7-13, $222
7th: Joey Deluke, Glen Allen, Va., three bass, 7-13, $222
9th: Chris Moore, Mechanicsville, Va., three bass, 7-11, $210
10th: Shaquille Freeman, Farmville, Va., three bass, 7-5, $200
Kevin Garrett of Charlottesville, Virginia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 3-pound, 15-ounce bass worth $100.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.
The 2026 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 co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular BFL updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Patton & Brooks from 4th Ranked Emmanuel University Win CrushCity Hartwell Slam presented by Sufix
Two Montevallo teams round out Top 3 as Ring & Antunes take 2nd and Harris & Head finish in 3rd
|
|
T.J. Martin Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win Toyota Series Southwestern Division at Grand Lake
GROVE, Okla. (March 29, 2026) – How do you overcome 30-mph winds that switch directions by the day, dropping air temperatures, bipolar sun and clouds, and ever-changing water conditions and clarity?
“Experience,” T.J. Martin said. “When you spend as much time on Grand Lake as I have, you learn when to zig and when to zag.
“If I had to attribute my success this week to any one thing, it’s that.”
Considering he just overcame some of the most turbulent conditions in memory for a wire-to-wire win at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division event on Grand Lake, it’s safe to believe him.
With conditions changing drastically by the day, Martin managed to adapt in real time throughout. His main area that produced the biggest bag of the event on Day 1 (24 pounds, 14 ounces) was rendered useless by the final day thanks to the water clearing up. And yet, he managed to not just survive but thrive, fishing history and following his gut.
The final day, his main area produced one lone keeper, but he was able to run around to places he hadn’t fished all week to put together an 18-7 bag to take home the title by nearly 10 pounds with 59-11 total. For the win, Martin earned $68,022, and punched his ticket to the Toyota Series Championship this fall.
“I have to keep opening my eyes to make sure I’m not dreaming,” Martin said. “I’ve been wanting to win a major tournament really bad for so long, and it’s even sweeter to do it here at Grand.”
Owning Martin Outdoors and Tackle in Owasso, Oklahoma, the local said he fishes the lake as much as anyone. And that time on the water is really what propelled him when everything changed around him.
His original pattern was bouncing around between Patricia Island and Horse Creek looking for creeks with a key combination of docks, dirty water and bait. He had one particular creek that produced 7- and 5-pounders in practice, and then his 8-1 kicker on Day 1.
All of those fish, and the majority of his fish the first two days, were caught on a ¾-ounce white War Eagle Spinnerbait with double willow blades (gold kicker and silver main). He had a 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact Fat as a trailer.
However, the spinnerbait only produced one fish the final morning, prompting him to abandon it.
“I just started running history and what felt right,” Martin said.
Stop one was some rock piles where he filled his limit – including a 5-pounder – with a Gene Larew Biffle Bug (green pumpkin) on a 7/16-ounce Gene Larew Biffle Hardhead. After that, it was moving to spawning pockets, where he upgraded multiple times tossing a 5/16-ounce Jewel Finesse Jig with a Zoom UltraVibe Speed Craw (green pumpkin) to fish he felt were spawning but couldn’t see.
It was that last move that solidified his win and gave him a moment he’ll never forget.
“Around 1 p.m., I caught a 4-pounder and a 3 1/4 in about 10 minutes,” Martin said. “I had some buddies following me today, and when I caught that last fish to get over 18 pounds, I told them everyone else was going to have to catch them. I’d done my job. And that was pretty cool, having them following me around and being there to support me.
“It’s been a bucket-list thing for me for so long, I’ve been so close before. It feels good to finally get it done.”
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Grand Lake finished:
1st: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., 15 bass, 59-11, $68,022 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF bonus)
2nd: Chris Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., 15 bass, 50-4, $12,602
3rd: Steven Graeber, Omaha, Neb., 15 bass, 49-12, $9,757
4th: Cody Ross, Jefferson, Texas, 15 bass, 49-7, $8,130
5th: Rodney Copeland, Sallisaw, Okla., 15 bass, 48-8, $7,317
6th: Andrew Rickman, Canton, Texas, 15 bass, 48-8, $6,504
7th: Denton Cooper, Smithville, Texas, 15 bass, 47-2, $5,691
8th: Charlie Apperson, Jay, Okla., 15 bass, 46-15, $4,878
9th: Larry Puckett, Decatur, Texas, 15 bass, 46-6, $4,065
10th: Dustn Overton, Oklahoma City, Okla., 15 bass, 46-2, $3,252
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Martin also earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce, while pro Troy O’Rourke of Bentonville, Arkansas, won Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass, weighing in a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass to earn the $500 award.
Bill Ramsey of Huntsville, Arkansas, won the co-angler division Saturday at Grand Lake with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 42 pounds, 10 ounces. Ramsey earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Grand Lake finished:
1st: Bill Ramsey, Huntsville, Ark., 15 bass, 42-10, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Fred Fielder, Afton, Okla., 15 bass, 37-11, $4,150
3rd: Alan Bernicky, Dardanelle, Ark., 13 bass, 37-2, $3,520
4th: James Edmonds, Hot Springs Village, Ark., 13 bass, 33-9, $2,905
5th: Scott Parsons, Rogers, Ark., 15 bass, 33-2, $2,490
6th: Joe Lee, Midlothian, Texas, 14 bass, 32-8, $2,075
7th: Ken Coats, Tulsa, Okla., 12 bass, 32-1, $1,660
8th: Billy Gordon, Catoosa, Okla., 15 bass, 32-1, $1,453
9th: Robert Chavers, Knoxville, Ark., 12 bass, 32-0, $ 1,245
10th: Jason Sandidge, Centerton, Ark., 15 bass, 31-3, $1,038
Co-angler Kevin Younger of Derby, Kansas, earned the first Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of the week on Thursday with a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Lawrence Tidwell of Frisco, Texas, who weighed in a bass totaling 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Grand Lake was hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine, March 31 – April 2, in Counce, Tennessee. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.
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.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Jacob Wheeler Earns 11th Bass Pro Tour Win at Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano
Reigning Angler of the Year catches 12 bass weighing 42-13 in final-day Championship Round on Lake Brownwood to earn top prize of $125,000
EARLY, Texas (March 29, 2026) – Throughout the first two days of Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano , Jacob Wheeler worried that every scorable bass he caught hampered his chances of winning his 11th Bass Pro Tour event. The Tennessee pro spent almost all the Qualifying Round on Lake O.H. Ivie atop SCORETRACKER®, yet he waffled about whether it would behoove him to win the round and earn an automatic trip to Sunday’s Championship Round. He wound up doing so, but that meant he didn’t get a feel for Lake Brownwood, which hosted both the Knockout Round on Saturday and Championship Round on Sunday.
Wheeler’s concerns were well-founded. At each of the 10 prior BPT events that took place across multiple fisheries, no Qualifying Round winner had ever gone on to win the event.
Score another Bass Pro Tour first for Wheeler.
Wheeler completed his wire-to-wire win by stacking up 42 pounds, 13 ounces on 12 Lake Brownwood bass, Sunday. With the lake fishing far tougher than it had a day prior, that was enough to top runner-up Justin Lucas by more than 10 pounds.
Wheeler earned $125,000 for the victory. He also took over the lead in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race, which he’s seeking to win for the fifth time in the past six years. Wheeler leads Zack Birge by 3 points, and the two of them have created a bit of separation from the rest of the field. Drew Gill moved into third, 14 points back of Birge.
Wheeler has long preached that winning results from making the right decisions. His first call that set the foundation for win No. 11 came almost a week ago, on the first day of official practice.
Events like Stage 4 that take place on multiple fisheries always present a conundrum for pros in terms of how they allocate their practice time. Anglers got a third day of practice for this event. Still, most used all that time on O.H. Ivie, their reasoning being that practicing on Brownwood wouldn’t matter if you don’t make the Knockout Round, and figuring out the bass roaming the flooded forest that is O.H. Ivie wasn’t easy.
Wheeler, on the other hand, started his practice on Brownwood. He spent the first half of the first day there. Then, after he got a feel for O.H. Ivie, he spent three more hours on Brownwood Wednesday afternoon.
“I figured it was a gamble,” Wheeler said. “I was able to get an idea of what was changing and what was happening (on Brownwood), which was super important.”
Wheeler found the fish he caught during the second period on Sunday during his practice on Brownwood. And even though he spent less time practicing O.H. Ivie than many of his competitors, Wheeler still figured out the fishery best. He led after the opening period on Day 1. He held the top spot at the end of the opening day with 44 pounds on 13 scorable bass. And he maintained his lead for all of Day 2. His two-day total of 78-12 on O.H. Ivie topped the next-best angler by more than 12 pounds.
Throughout that second day of qualifying, MLFNOW! viewers heard Wheeler wrestling with whether he should win the round. Ultimately, he decided to take the guaranteed place in the Top 10 over what he thought would be a better chance at winning the event.
“I really had my doubts in this scenario – new lake, not being out here on the water yesterday,” Wheeler said. “I was worried about it, and it just worked out.”
In hindsight, Wheeler thinks this was a rare example where entering the final day with less to go on may have helped him. Sunday’s conditions represented a complete 180 from Saturday. Whereas the Knockout Round field fished in chilly, cloudy conditions, Sunday brought a high in the 80s, sunny skies and a stiff south wind that made precise presentations around the lake’s many boat docks difficult.
“I think giving myself that fresh start – not being around a whole bunch of other boats, not seeing what went down yesterday and just going out here and fishing my game – ended up being the best thing,” Wheeler said.
Based on his start to Championship Sunday, you wouldn’t have known that Wheeler hadn’t been on Brownwood in four days. He quickly found a stretch of docks where shad were spawning in the morning and used a bladed jig paired with a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader to boat six scorable bass for 23-11, including a pair of 4-14s.
Wheeler was far from the only angler targeting docks with a reaction bait, but he made the pattern work better than anyone else in the Top 10. The key was making repeated casts to the best spots and getting his bait as far under the docks as possible.
“I caught three or four of my fish that I made multiple casts of the exact same cast,” he said. “Like, they didn’t bite it my first cast; they bit it on my third cast. So, that was super important.”
Just about every time Wheeler caught one, it seemed like Lucas – who won the Knockout Round on Brownwood in dominant fashion – did, too. Lucas led Wheeler by 5-14 at the end of Period 1, setting up what looked to be a prize fight between two of the most accomplished Bass Pro Tour anglers down the stretch.
Wheeler noted that he and Lucas came up through the tournament ranks at the same time, and they’ve long had a rivalry of sorts. It’s gotten more friendly over the years, but Wheeler said they’re still competitive – especially since Lucas edged Wheeler by 1 ounce to win the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament on Lake Erie in 2020.
“We both sort of came up about the same time,” Wheeler said. “So, two young guys battling it out all the time, talking smack. We used to have like an arch-nemesis thing between him and I back in the day. It’s nothing even close to that now. If I couldn’t have won, I would have loved to see Lucas win.”
Then, the bite suddenly shut off. The same lake that had produced 11 bass over 6 pounds and saw Lucas stack up 60 pounds in two periods just a day prior went dormant. At one point in the second period, the entire 10-angler field went about an hour without boating a scorable bass. Lucas caught just one more, a 2-14, the rest of the day.
Wheeler didn’t find the sledding much easier. He did start Period 2 strong, turning on his forward-facing sonar and catching a pair of scorable bass in the first 15 minutes. He added a 4-13 about 30 minutes later that gave him the lead. Then he went the rest of the period without another fish.
When the third period started and Wheeler had to turn off his forward-facing sonar, he returned to the boat docks and promptly caught a 3-4 followed by a 2-9. More than 90 minutes later, after fishing a literal mile-long stretch of boat docks without a bite, he caught a 3-4 to effectively seal the victory.
Wheeler said he “has no freaking clue” why the bite got so tough. He toyed with the idea of making a long run to a new area in the third period. But seeing via SCORETRACKER® how slow the action was for everyone, he decided to stay the course. That decision paid off. The whole field mustered just 11 scorable bass in the third period, and Wheeler caught three of them.
“I had another place that I felt pretty confident I could catch them,” he said. “If I ran to that place, I was going to be locked in, and I wasn’t going to have the accessibility to run around. I just felt like locking in and staying the course felt like the better decision.”
Winning has become the expectation for Wheeler. He has now won at least one event in four straight Bass Pro Tour seasons and six of seven years since the inception of the league. Including his two Fishing Clash Team Series triumphs last fall, he’s ended five of his past nine MLF events with a trophy in hand.
So, what makes this win special? For one, it showcased Wheeler’s elite versatility. He caught most of his weight three different ways across his three days on the water. On Day 1 at O.H. Ivie, he leaned on a flipping stick and a CrushCity Bronco Bug to pick apart standing timber. Day 2, he targeted schooling fish with a frog and a swim jig. Skipping docks with the aforementioned bladed jig did most of his damage on Sunday.
“I always pride myself on being a versatile angler, for sure,” Wheeler said. “I just try to look at the water and try to read it and go with what I felt like is the best-case scenario. So, it feels good to be able to lock that up and do something a little bit different every day.”
More important, the victory validated all the hard work Wheeler has put in to climb to the pinnacle of the sport and stay there. Believe it or not, even the No. 1-ranked angler in the world can let doubt creep in. His first win of 2026 gave Wheeler “a jolt of confidence” that what he’s doing is still working.
“Every single event you have a win, it’s special,” Wheeler said. “Every good thing comes to an end at some point in time. The top athletes in their respective sports, they’re not always dropping 30 every night or hitting home runs all the time. There’s a point in time in my career – and I know that – that it won’t happen like this. You don’t know when that is, and you sure as heck want to work hard and not get in a downward spiral. Top 10s are great, but when you get a win, you just get a jolt of confidence.”
The top 10 pros at Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood Presented by Plano finished:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn., 12 bass, 42-13, $125,000
2nd: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 32-7, $45,000
3rd: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., seven bass, 21-5, $35,000
4th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., seven bass, 18-0, $30,000
5th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., five bass, 16-4, $25,000
6th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 11-14, $23,000
7th: Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, three bass, 7-8, $22,000
8th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., three bass, 6-12, $21,000
9th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., two bass, 4-11, $20,500
10th: Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., one bass, 2-7, $20,000
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 55 bass weighing 164 pounds, 1 ounce, caught by the 10 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Sunday.
Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was earned by Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, who caught a 5-pound, 1-ounce largemouth in the first period. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.
Hosted by Visit Early, t he four-day tournament featured 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event.
The next event for Bass Pro Tour anglers will be REDCREST 2026 at Table Rock Lake, April 17-19 in Springfield, Missouri.
The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood Presented by Plano will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 12, on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com . For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Christie claims ninth Bassmaster win with Tenn-Tom Elite nail-biter
COLUMBUS, Miss. — Despite his 30-plus years of tournament fishing, Jason Christie was delighted to admit he was wrong about the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
Nevertheless, the decorated pro from Dry Creek, Okla., pulled off a nail-biting win to claim his ninth Bassmaster title with a four-day total of 58 pounds, 2 ounces.
“I thought there was zero chance I’d win,” Christie said. “When I was idling in, I figured somebody had caught ’em.
“It’s funny, in the previous Elite tournament (Lake Martin), I finished dead last and I win this one. Last year, I finished dead last (in another trail) and then I won.”
Tackling a tough, riverine fishery known as the Tenn-Tom, Christie started Day 1 by running north, locking twice and catching a limit of 12-5 that left him tied with Brandon Cobb for 37th place. The second round saw Christie change strategies and fish closer waters where he’d catch a limit of 16-10 and rise to fifth.
On Semifinal Saturday, Christie returned to his Day 2 spot and moved into the lead with another bag of 16-10. A painfully slow Championship Sunday saw Christie holding a small limit into the early afternoon, but two key bites — a 2-pounder at 1 o’clock and a 3-12 at 1:30 — lifted his final limit to 12-9 and pushed him across the finish line.
Edging second-place Dakota Ebare by 2-5, Christie took home the $100,000 top prize and his sixth blue trophy.
“It was a crazy week; on the first day, I thought I’d messed up,” Christie said of his early effort. “The difference was I caught two big ones yesterday and one today off stuff you couldn’t see.
“Garmin just released a new 360-degree sonar unit and I went into (his local spot) and marked those stumps, because I figured that’s where those big ones would hang out.”
After burning a big chunk of his first day running and locking, Christie committed the next three days to a shallow backwater right across from the tournament site on Columbus Lake. There, he diligently picked apart the shallow grass and wood cover for the better part of three days.
Christie left his main area around noon on Day 4 with hopes of finding a big bite. It took less than an hour for him to realize he’d be better off where he’d started.
“I wasn’t out there 45 minutes and I was like, ‘If I’m gonna lose this, I’m gonna lose it in my home,’” Christie said. “I went back in there and caught that big one.”
Christie, the 2022 Bassmaster Classic champion, did most of his damage on a 1/2-ounce white/blue/chartreuse Booyah Covert Spinnerbait with a single gold Colorado blade and a white YUM Covert Spinnerbait Trailer, both of which he designed. He also caught keepers on a 1/2-ounce Booyah Mobster swim jig with a YUM Craw Chunk trailer and a Texas-rigged YUM Wooly Booger.
“It’s getting harder every year to do this; these guys are just really good,” said the 52-year-old pro. “It gets in my head, ‘Am I getting too old for this?’
“It feels good to win because I fish to win every single time I go out. Getting older makes it sweeter — especially on a spinnerbait.”
Hailing from Brookeland, Texas, Ebare placed second with 55-13. Two weeks after a Top 10 performance at the Bassmaster Classic at the Tennessee River and a week after the birth of his first child, Bowen Cade, Ebare turned in daily weights of 13-10, 18-6, 10-8 and 13-5.
Spending all four days in the next pool below Columbus, Ebare experienced a tough final round and ended up locking back for the final weigh-ins with a light bag. Fortunately, a round of last-minute heroics pulled him higher in the standings.
“I had two minutes to fish down there (before locking back up) and put my trolling motor down, made one cast and caught my fourth keeper,” Ebare said. “I locked through, went to the first bank I saw and, on my second cast, I caught my fifth keeper.
“On my fifth cast, I caught another keeper and that (Journey) song Don’t Stop Believin’ was playing nearby. I told my cameraman, ‘That’s a fitting song right about now.’ I can’t sing, but I started singing and I hooked one. It was my second biggest one and I kept singing all the way in!”
Ebare caught his fish on a black/blue Strike King Rage Bug Texas rigged on a 4/0 Owner Jungle hook with a 3/16-ounce weight, a chartreuse black back Strike King KVD 1.5 squarebill and a 1/2-ounce chartreuse/white spinnerbait.
John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., finished third with 54-15. Spending his entire tournament within a couple miles of takeoff, Garrett caught limits of 12-6, 17-0, 10-13 and 14-12.
“This was a junk-fishing tournament,” said Garrett, who anchored his bag with a 4-3. “This place is just good enough where you think you might get a bite every now and then. That’s what keeps you in it.
“If you keep your head screwed on straight here and just keep going and keep going and fish as many trees or as much grass as you can, the bites will eventually come.”
Garrett caught his fish on a Strike King KVD 1.5 squarebill, a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Bug and a Strike King Tour Grade swim jig.
Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., won the $2,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with a 6-4.
Ebare won the $2,000 Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag with his Day 2 bag weighing 18-6.
Ebare also the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency prize for the angler whose BassTrakk estimates are closest to their official weight.
Christie won the $3,000 Toyota Bonus Bucks contingency award for the highest-placing eligible angler. Ebare took home an additional $3,000 for being the second highest-placing eligible angler.
Christie also won the $4,000 Yamaha Power Pay contingency award for the highest-placing eligible angler. Garrett won $1,500 for being the second highest-placing eligible angler.
Garrett of Union City, Tenn., leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 267 points. Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., is second with 262, followed by Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada with 258, Ebare of Brookeland, Texas with 253, and Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., with 244.
Caleb Hudson of Lincolnton, Ga., leads the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 223 points.
Visit Columbus hosted this event.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway 3/26-3/29
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Columbus MS.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 20 58-02 101 $100,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 16-10 Day 4: 5 12-09
2. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 20 55-13 100 $24,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 10-08 Day 4: 5 13-05
3. John Garrett Union City, TN 20 54-15 99 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 10-13 Day 4: 5 14-12
4. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 20 54-11 98 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 13-15 Day 4: 5 11-13
5. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 19 52-03 97 $11,750.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 5 09-14 Day 4: 4 07-14
6. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 19 52-01 96 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 4 09-11 Day 3: 5 14-05 Day 4: 5 12-04
7. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 20 50-02 95 $11,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 12-14 Day 4: 5 09-15
8. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 20 49-11 94 $10,300.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 11-01 Day 4: 5 09-14
9. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 19 46-02 93 $10,200.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 14-12 Day 4: 4 06-07
10. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 16 42-04 92 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-01 Day 3: 5 14-12 Day 4: 1 01-13
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Justin Atkins Florence, AL 06-04 $1,000.00
2 Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 05-09 $1,000.00
3 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 06-00 $1,000.00
4 Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 04-09 $1,000.00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Justin Atkins Florence, AL 06-04 $2,000.00
RAPALA CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG
Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 18-06 $2,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 87 476 1138-10
2 80 462 1097-06
3 32 218 518-02
4 7 44 100-10
------------------------------
206 1200 2854-12
Ring & Antunes from Top Ranked Montevallo Surge to Day 1 Lead at CrushCity Hartwell Slam presented by Sufix
Lopez & Boelkes from 3rd ranked UNA in 2nd, and Harris & Head with Montevallo in 3rd
|
|
|
|
