AnglersChannel

MLF Set to Wrap Toyota Series Plains Division at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Suzuki Marine

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 17, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Osage Beach, Missouri, next week, Sept. 26-28, for the last regular-season event of the 2024 season – the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Suzuki Marine.

The three-day tournament is the third and final event of the year for Plains Division anglers and is hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. The event will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King 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.

Local Tackle Warehouse Invitational pro Michael Harlin of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, has extensive history on the fishery and said he is looking forward to a great event.

“There are a lot of things in play in September on Lake of the Ozarks,” said Harlin. “It really opens up the tacklebox and lets guys fish to their strengths. I expect to see some guys out fishing deep and others up super shallow. They’ll be catching them on reaction baits and bottom baits the same – basically just fall fishing 101.”

Harlin said the entire lake will be in play next week during the tournament, but there’s no specific technique or pattern that’s currently dominating the fishery.

“Most likely there will be some big bags caught at least one or two days of the tournament, and I anticipate those big bags will be caught up shallow, whether it’s throwing topwater or flipping boat docks,” Harlin said. “I think it’s going to take anywhere between 45 to 47 pounds to win the event.

“That isn’t huge weight, but that’s typical here for this time of year,” Harlin continued. “I figure the winning guy will have to catch at least one 17- to 20-pound bag, or a couple 17-pound bags to take home the win.”

While it’s a bit too early to dial in the exact weather conditions anglers will be facing throughout the three-day tournament, Harlin said he expects that to make a big difference in angler’s game plans.

“With everything in play, the weather is probably going to be the deciding factor on how it all goes down,” said Harlin. “Depending on whether it’s sunny and hot, or we get a cold front with overcast, windy conditions – that’s going to really determine the winning pattern.”

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from Public Beach #2 located at 711 Public Beach Road in Osage Beach. Weigh-ins will also be held at that location and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at 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. Strike King 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. Strike King 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 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six 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 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Simms, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

NPFL Looking for a Few Quality Anglers

WILKESVILLE, Ohio, September 17, 2024 — The National Professional Fishing League will be accepting applications for the 2025 season beginning October 1, 2024. Anglers who wish to be part of the 130-angler field should visit www.thenationalprofessionalfishingleague.com and fill out the application form beginning on that date. Anglers currently on the NPFL roster do not need to reapply, but they must notify the NPFL in writing of their intention to participate in 2025. The application and notification periods end on October 31, 2024.

“The NPFL offers a platform for all anglers to prove their skill and dedication at the highest level, regardless of their background,” vows league president Brad Fuller. “We’re committed to providing a fair and competitive environment, and we look forward to assembling a diverse and talented field of 130 anglers."

The 2025 season will feature six regular season tournaments plus the 2025 NPFL Championship, spread across half a dozen states and covering spring, summer and fall. Each event will challenge and showcase the skills of every angler. The NPFL’s dedication to maintaining a level playing field ensures that all participants — from seasoned pros to emerging talents — have an equal opportunity to succeed.

The full 2025 schedule will be announced before the application period closes. The NPFL made news earlier this month when it became the first major tour to restrict the use of real-time imaging units (commonly referred to as “forward-facing sonar”).

Beginning with the 2025 season, such technology is prohibited in NPFL competition. This prohibition does not apply to the 2025 NPFL Championship, for which anglers are currently qualifying under previously established rules." We want to work with the anglers who are ready to test themselves under the very highest standards of tournament competition, tradition, and integrity,” Fuller adds.

“We’re looking forward to the return of many anglers who have fished with us and become like family, and we’re excited to add new anglers that will help us grow even better and stronger. Our sport is at a crossroads, and we’re going to show the angling community that the NPFL is on the right path."

Competition for a berth in the 130-angler field for 2025 will be fierce. Applicants must commit to a locked field and agree to participate in all six regular-season events. This ensures a committed group of anglers for the entire season. Choosing the right anglers for the field is critical to the NPFL’s mission.

“We take our selection process very seriously,” Fuller says. “We interview each angler before they’re selected. No one is automatically accepted into the league simply because they won a big tournament or have a lot of sponsors. We’re not just looking for excellent anglers. We also want excellent people who are passionate about the sport — people who share our commitment and vision.

“You can sign up tournament anglers at any boat ramp on any Saturday morning. We’re looking for partners who are ready to grow with us and improve the sport we all love.”

About the National Professional Fishing League

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

For more information, visit our website.

by AnglersChannel

Virginia’s Langford Posts Fourth Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at the Potomac River

Hampton Robinson of Bealeton, Virginia, tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Todd Langford of Great Falls, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces, Sunday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on the Potomac River . Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Northeast Division. Langford earned $7,232, including the lucrative $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

BFL Super Tournaments are typically two-day events, scheduled in early fall to conclude each BFL division season. In order to make up a previous tournament that was postponed due to unsafe boating divisions, the Northeast Division anglers squared off twice over the weekend at the Potomac River. First, they fished their fourth qualifying event on Saturday – a normal one-day tournament. They then squared off again on Sunday to conclude their season in a shortened one-day Super Tournament.

Langford finished second in Saturday’s Potomac River event with 16 pounds, 4 ounces. He fished more or less the same area and pattern in Sunday’s event. And even though he said the fishing was a little tougher (he caught about half as many fish on Sunday), he managed to get bigger bites, improving his weight and locking down the win.

“I was just fishing heavy matted grass,” he said. “You’ve really got to kind of pinpoint the best areas, and I just got fortunate. I found a couple little hundred-yard stretches that they were on.”

One of the keys, said Langford, was “waiting them out.” In other words: being patient. The fish repositioned within the mats based on the tides and were on the move throughout the tournament. To try to stay on them, Langford worked the mats thoroughly, fishing in the middle and the edges with a punch rig and a frog.

“You had to make them react,” he added. “You could get some bites on a frog, but you had to kind of call them up a little bit.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 18-15, $7,232 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:        Aaron Dixon, Bel Alton, Md., five bass, 18-9, $2,366
3rd: Tom Bateman, Welcome, Md., five bass, 16-14, $1,577
4th:         Michael Ortel, Stewartstown, Pa., five bass, 15-11, $1,229
5th:         Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 15-4, $946
6th:         Fred Aldridge, Brandy Station, Va., five bass, 13-14, $868
7th:         John Duarte, Middle River, Md., five bass, 13-14, $1,089
8th:         Jarrett Kuipers, Oakland, N.H., five bass, 13-14 , $710
9th:         Spencer Cookson, Sheffield, Mass., five bass, 13-7, $631
10th: Robert Grike, Dumfries, Va., five bass, 12-15, $552

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Jason Orecchio of Andover, New Jersey, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $555.

Hampton Robinson of Bealeton, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,366 Sunday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st: Hampton Robinson, Bealeton, Va., five bass, 11-9, $2,366
2nd:        Ryan Spivey, Fairfax, Va., five bass, 11-2, $1,183
3rd: Ricky Windsor III, Huntingtown, Md., five bass, 10-3, $790
4th:         Brent Kauffman, Marysville, Pa., five bass, 10-1, $552
5th:         Bonnie Lucas, Largo, Md., five bass, 9-14, $473
6th:         Logan Bloomfield, East Berlin, Pa., five bass, 9-12, $434
7th:         Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., five bass, 9-9, $394
8th:         Nathan Routzahn, Myersville, Md., five bass, 9-9, $355
9th:         Troy Mills, Lewistown, Pa., five bass, 9-8, $315
10th: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., five bass, 9-3, $276

Jeff Turner of Morris, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $277, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, was crowned the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,298 points to bring home the $1,000 award, while Lenny Baird of Stafford, Virginia, won the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,341 points to earn $500.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

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

by AnglersChannel

Claremore’s Montgomery Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Grand Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine

Stuart’s Mitchell Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

GROVE, Okla. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Vance Montgomery of Claremore, Oklahoma, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Grand Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine. Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau, the tournament concluded on Sunday. It was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Okie Division. Montgomery earned $6,586 for his victory.

According to Montgomery, fishing is typically pretty tough on Grand in September. The fish are in transition, which makes them difficult to pattern.

“I fished another team event last weekend there and had 20 pounds the first day and 8 pounds the next day,” he said. “So, it’s one of those deals where the fish are really moving a lot right now. But the main key that I found was finding the big gizzard shad. That was really the main key to this, as a pattern. I found about five different coves or pockets that had the big gizzard, and I’m talking 8-, 9-, 10-inch shad. That’s where those big fish were.”

Once he found the gizzard shad, Montgomery went to work with two techniques. He flipped an Elk River Jig around docks and threw a discontinued Excalibur Series Jimmy Houston Super Spook at schooling fish.

“That bait actually is pretty unique,” he said of the Super Spook topwater. “It actually has a different knocker in it than the new ones do. Everybody kept telling me you can’t get a topwater bite, but that bait was getting bites every day.”

While the bait was cool, it was actually the jig that did the heavy lifting because the better-quality fish were on the docks. Montgomery was actually fishing a worm in practice, but on day one, he tried the jig and immediately caught a keeper that weighed about 5 pounds. Then he caught a 4-pounder two casts later, followed by a 3-pounder. From then on, the jig was the deal.

Montgomery’s best areas were in 8 to 15 feet of water in the mid-lake area. He was fishing about midway back in the creeks, and he said he fished new docks both days.

“It’s kind of something I’ve done for a long time,” he said of the dock pattern. “I’ve won quite a bit of money on Grand Lake in late summer and fall time. I have a lot of confidence in it. Definitely, what I do is a power deal. It’s not something you’re going to get a lot of bites doing, but the bites that you get are going to be better-than-average fish. Today (Sunday), it was pretty easy. I had a limit in about two hours. Yesterday, it took me ’til almost 2 o’clock to get a bite. You kind of have to be willing to lose to win doing what I do because you’re not going to get a lot of bites.”

Montgomery also used live sonar to get dialed in. Yes, he used it to see some fish under the docks, but he also used it to scan for brush. Mostly, it was a tool for ruling out docks that likely wouldn’t be productive. Altogether, his approach was on the mark: Flip the jig on high-percentage docks in areas with big gizzard shad and keep the topwater handy in case any bass showed themselves. He caught 16 pounds, 5 ounces doing it on day one then followed up with an impressive limit of 18-13 on day two. It all equaled out to a winning margin of more than 5 pounds.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Vance Montgomery, Claremore, Okla., 10 bass, 35-2, $6,586
2nd:        Micah Littlejohn, Grove, Okla., 10 bass, 29-11, $3,293
3rd: Josh Greer, Carthage, Mo., 10 bass, 27-15, $2,695 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th:         Brad Cook, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 27-1, $1,537
5th:         Brett Brumnett, Wagoner, Okla., 10 bass, 26-15, $1,317
6th:         Nick Kincaid, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 26-13, $1,207
7th:         Brandon Ackerson, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 26-1, $1,398
8th:         Alex Torkleson, Coweta, Okla., 10 bass, 26-0, $988
9th:         Dale Andrews, Jay, Okla., 10 bass, 25-11, $878
10th: Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., 10 bass, 25-10, $768

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Robert Capps of Muskogee, Oklahoma, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $945.

Gene Mitchell of Stuart, Oklahoma, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,181 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of eight bass to the scale that totaled 18 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st: Gene Mitchell, Stuart, Okla., eight bass, 18-5, $3,181
2nd:        Kelsey Ray, Joplin, Mo., six bass, 17-0, $1,591
3rd: Nathan Christie, Claremore, Okla., seven bass, 15-15, $1,211
4th:         Brianna Batton , Norman, Okla., five bass, 14-11, $742
5th:         David Hamilton, Rogers, Ark., seven bass, 14-9, $636
6th:         Kaleb O'Brien, Wagoner, Okla., seven bass, 14-3, $583
7th:         Ken Coats, Tulsa, Okla., eight bass, 13-15, $530
8th:         Ken Hagar, Colcord, Okla., five bass, 13-9, $477
9th:         Keith Hays, Broken Arrow, Okla., four bass, 12-14, $424
10th: Michael Dillon, Wichita, Kan., six bass, 12-6, $371

Bryan Schuster of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $450, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Camden Kozikoski of Edmond, Oklahoma, was crowned the Fishing Clash Okie Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,282 points to take home the $1,000 prize, while Kaleb O’Brien of Wagoner, Oklahoma, won the Fishing Clash Okie Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,286 points and earned the $500 award.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Wright Patman Lake in Texarkana, Texas. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

St. Paris’ Nesbitt Gets Second Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Indian Lake

Valley City’s Saunders Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

LAKEVIEW, Ohio. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Michael Nesbitt of St. Paris, Ohio, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Indian Lake . The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Buckeye Division. Nesbitt earned $5,137 for his victory.

It was a tale of two days for Nesbitt.

“On day one, I think I had 45 spots on the main lake, and when I’m talking spots I’m talking just pulling up and making three or four casts to a ladder or a corner of a seawall,” he said. “I ran all that, and I caught fish. I just couldn’t get the big ones. And I lost a couple that were key fish in the 3-pound range in the (lily) pad areas.”

The main-lake bite was good enough for 9 pounds, 9 ounces and sixth place on day one. Nesbitt caught them using a mix of lures, including a ChatterBait, crankbait and Ned rig. However, those big pad bites that he missed, along with the need to make up a little ground on the second day, motivated Nesbitt to vacate the main lake on day two and instead spend his entire final tournament day fishing lily pads with a homemade creature bait and a frog.

“I’m a pad flipper. I knew I needed a big bag today (Sunday), so I just said forget the main lake and went and flipped pads. I lost a 2 1/2-pounder first thing in the morning I thought was really going to hurt me, and I was a little down. Turned out, I didn’t even need that fish.”

On day two, the pad bite started off quick, with Nesbitt putting a couple nice keepers in the box one right after the other. He managed another couple keepers after that but still didn’t have the big bag he was looking for.

“I had four fish at this point, and I made a move just because of wind direction,” he said. “I knew an area that the wind would be pushing in there. It had some duckweed pushed up there and a bunch of shad.”

It was the perfect mix, and Nesbitt capitalized quickly with a pair of quality keepers. Those fish jumped him from sixth place to first with a final-day limit of 13-8, earning him his second BFL win on Indian Lake in three seasons.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Michael Nesbitt, St. Paris, Ohio, 10 bass, 23-1, $5,137
2nd:        Nick Leonard, Amelia, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-14, $2,569
3rd: Chuck Willis, Dayton, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-3, $2,357
4th:         Clyde McNaron, Trenton, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-0, $1,199
5th:         Hunter Colwell, Sidney, Ohio, 10 bass, 19-12, $1,527 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th:         Rusty Kisor, Millfield, Ohio, 10 bass, 19-3, $1,367
7th:         Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 18-5, $856
8th:         Cody Seeger, Lewistown, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-14, $771
9th:         Josh Smith, Liberty, Ind., 10 bass, 17-10, $685
10th: Kevin Spears, New Boston, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-10, $599

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Chuck Willis of Dayton, Ohio, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces, to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $645.

Mark Saunders of Valley City, Ohio, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,569 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 2 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st: Mark Saunders, Valley City, Ohio, 10 bass, 16-2, $2,569
2nd:        Dakota Johnston, Uniontown, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-10, $1,284
3rd: Austin Herbst, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-6, $858
4th:         Dylan Phillips, Albany, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-4, $599
5th:         Matt Fisher, Glouster, Ohio, 10 bass, 14-9, $764
6th:         Kenneth Ritchie, Trenton, Ohio, eight bass, 14-1, $471
7th:         David Prater, Franklin, Ohio, eight bass, 13-8, $750
8th:         Bryan Hofstetter, Lewistown, Ohio, 10 bass, 12-14, $385
9th:         Jeff Moorman, Liberty Township, Ohio, 10 bass, 12-13, $342
10th: Jason Riley, Cleveland, Ohio, 10 bass, 11-7, $300

David Prater of Franklin, Ohio, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $322, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 7 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Sean Wieda of Alexandria, Kentucky, was crowned the Fishing Clash Buckeye Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,328 points to take home the $1,000 payout, while Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio, won the Fishing Clash Buckeye Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,274 points and earned $500.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Pools 13-17 of the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

Tennessee’s Nash Posts Second Win of the Season at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Lake Cumberland

Erlanger’s van Hoene Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

MONTICELLO, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Christian Nash of Allons, Tennessee, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Lake Cumberland. The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. Nash earned $11,465, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

For Nash, this makes BFL win No. 2 this season. He also won a Music City Division tournament on Dale Hollow in March. And like he did at Dale Hollow, Nash won the Lake Cumberland tournament using his Lowrance ActiveTarget live sonar. He also experienced an interesting bit of luck … but more on that later.

“I had no practice,” Nash said of the tournament. “I actually haven’t been on Cumberland since this past spring. I just went fishing.

“The first day, I ran down the lake and actually pulled in the holler and just sat down right on top of them. I started out catching a few keeper spots. Then once the sun got higher up, the bait would actually get tighter in the water column, and I could pick off single, individual smallmouth. They were 30 to 40 feet deep.”

When the bait balls tightened up, Nash was better able to spot and target the smallies on sonar. He said it was challenging fishing due to the wind, depth and the impressive speed of the fish, forcing him to lead them by as much as 40 yards to make an accurate presentation.

Nash stayed in that area most of the day. But with a decent limit of 14 pounds in the livewell, he vacated and did some bank fishing in search of a backup pattern. It never really panned out, so in the afternoon he returned to his primary area and caught a 3-pound, 9-ounce largemouth that culled out the only remaining spotted bass in his livewell. That cull put him at 16 pounds, 4 ounces with a healthy day-one lead.

On day two, Nash returned to his primary area and put about 11 pounds in the box by 11 a.m. That’s when things got interesting.

“I proceeded to lose four fish, four straight casts in a row, that were all pretty big,” he said. “And I thought I’d blown my chance to win. But, this is gonna sound funny, but my buddy Jacob Woods, he gave me some lucky arrowheads, he called ’em. He said if you need some luck, just take them out and rub them for good luck. After I lost those four fish, I told my co-angler, ‘You might think I’m a little crazy, but I’ve gotta give these things a try.’ Within an hour and a half after that, I had a little over 18 pounds.”

Whether it was skill, timing or a little something extra thanks to a fishing partner’s good-luck charms, the turnaround put Nash way ahead of the competition. His day-two limit of 18-9 was the biggest of the tournament, boosting his total to 34-13 and a winning margin of 7 1/2 pounds.

Nash caught all his key fish on a prototype swimbait he’s working on with Burtek Tackle, which he paired with a 1/2-ounce Zorro Baits Booza Sonar FFS jighead.

“It’s been a blessed year,” Nash added. “I have no complaints. God’s been good to me. He’s been good to my family, too.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-13, $11,465 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., 10 bass, 27-5, $2,743
3rd:       Andrew Napier , Fisherville, Ky., 10 bass, 24-14, $1,488
4th:        Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-11, $1,167
5th:        Evan Fields, Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 24-6, $893
6th:        Branden Grubb, Lily, Ky., 10 bass, 23-13, $819
7th:        Bailey Gay, Union, Ky., 10 bass, 23-6, $744
8th:        Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.Va., eight bass, 20-0, $970
9th:        Aaron Singleton, Lagrange, Ky., 10 bass, 19-10, $595
10th:     Jason Smith, Union, Ky., eight bass, 19-7, $521

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Lee Sinclair of Albany, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $510.

Joey von Hoene of Erlanger, Kentucky, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,167 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of four bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 3 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Joey von Hoene, Erlanger, Ky., four bass, 10-3, $2,167
2nd:       Grant Aumiller, Danville, Ky., five bass, 8-11, $1,083
3rd:       Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., four bass, 8-8, $724
4th:        Robbie Mattingly, Junction City, Ky., four bass, 6-10, $506
5th:        Jordan Garrett, Jamestown, Tenn., three bass, 6-8, $433
6th:        Richard Payne, Portland, Tenn., four bass, 6-3, $397
7th:        Caden Ayers, McKee, Ky., two bass, 5-12, $608
8th:        Adler Odle, Willow Springs, Mo., four bass, 4-15, $325
9th:        Chris Rushing, Gamaliel, Ky., two bass, 4-7, $289
10th:     Garrett Haggerty, Campbellsville, Ky., two bass, 3-13, $253

Caden Ayers of McKee, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $247, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Bailey Gay of Union, Kentucky, was crowned Fishing Clash Mountain Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,327 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the Fishing Clash Mountain Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,300 points to win $500.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

Southside’s Wesson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Alabama River

Jackson’s Graham Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater David Wesson of Southside, Alabama, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on the Alabama River. The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Wesson earned $4,334 for his victory.

Not having any practice for the tournament actually helped Wesson, in his opinion. That’s because fluctuating water levels changed the playing field from practice to the tournament, and even during the tournament. So, anything learned in practice could have been high and dry when it counted.

“From Friday night to the start of the tournament Saturday, they dropped the water about 2 1/2 feet,” Wesson said.

The water then jumped back up a foot or so overnight from Saturday to Sunday and continued to rise throughout Sunday’s tournament hours. Both changes forced the anglers to adapt.

“Day one, I caught most of my fish on a swimbait in lily pads,” Wesson said. “Day two, I had to make some changes because the water came back up, and those fish weren’t doing the same thing. So I went and hit some water willow with a frog.”

Wesson’s lily pad spot is one he’s fished in the past. Having some familiarity with the area was helpful, but he went in knowing he’d have to feel out the bite. He cycled through a few different baits before settling on the swimbait, which produced 12 pounds, 8 ounces the first day. It would’ve been more had he not lost a couple good fish.

On the second day, not surprisingly, Wesson ran back to the lily pads first thing. But he did it with an open mind and 15 rods on the front deck.

“I went back there thinking those fish should be set up the same but having it in the back of my mind I might have to change up a little since the water level changed,” he said. “I spent the first four hours giving it its due and trying to make it work. I caught one 3-pounder doing that and pulled the plug on it and went out and started running some water willow and got on them with the frog.”

The water willow bite is something Wesson is experienced with from his home waters of Neely Henry. He knows it can require some stubbornness to grind it out and get the right bites, which was the case on Sunday. Thankfully, it put Wesson around the right fish and he was able to bring home the win on the back of a SPRO Bronzeye Frog.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1^st:          David Wesson, Southside, Ala., 10 bass, 28-5, $4,334
2nd:       Donald Griffith, Robertsdale, Ala., 10 bass, 24-12, $2,167
3rd:       Robert Robinson, Mobile, Ala., 10 bass, 23-13, $1,444
4th:        Jason Nixon, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 23-10, $1,011
5th:        Morgan Brown, Spanish Fort, Ala., 10 bass, 22-8, $1,167
6th:        Stephen Perry, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 21-11, $795
7th:        Allan Glasgow, Ashville, Ala., 10 bass, 21-8, $1,222 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8th:        Tyler Malone, Chunchula, Ala., 10 bass, 21-0, $650
9th:        Michael M. Smith, Andalusia, Ala., 10 bass, 20-15, $578
10th:     Vernelle Quinnie, Duncanville, Ala., 10 bass, 20-10, $506

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

James Willoughby of Gulfport, Mississippi, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $495.

Brian Graham of Jackson, Alabama, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,167 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Brian Graham, Jackson, Ala., 10 bass, 16-9, $2,167
2nd:       Frank Mackin, State Line, Miss., 10 bass, 14-12, $1,083
3rd:       Brian Carroll, Glencoe, Ala., 10 bass, 14-7, $724
4th:        Daniel Arnberg, Auburn, Ala., 10 bass, 13-6, $506
5th:        Samuel Fish, Chelsea, Ala., eight bass, 12-8, $433
6th:        Caleb Gwaltney, Athens, Ala., eight bass, 12-4, $397
7th:        Danny Pinho, Bay Minette, Ala., five bass, 10-8, $608
8th:        Curtis Simmons, Chancellor, Ala., five bass, 9-15, $325
9th:        Mark Black, Selma, Ala., seven bass, 9-14, $289
10th:     Chandler Sheehan, Valley Grande, Ala., seven bass, 9-6, $253

Danny Pinho of Bay Minette, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $247, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Robert Robinson of Mobile, Alabama, was crowned Fishing Clash Bama Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,334 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Reid Hale of Jasper, Alabama, won the Fishing Clash Bama Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,287 points to win the $500 prize.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

New Jersey Angler Alex Johnson Wins Rescheduled Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Potomac River

Virginia’s Baird Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Alex Johnson of Milltown, New Jersey, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Potomac River . Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, the tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Northeast Division. Johnson earned $3,383 for his victory.

This tournament was originally scheduled for Lake Oneida earlier this season but was postponed due to unsafe boating conditions and later rescheduled for Saturday on the Potomac. Northeast Division anglers clashed again on Sunday in a one-day Super Tournament on the Potomac River to conclude their season.

To get the win in Saturday’s event, Johnson relied primarily on a homemade black-and-blue ball-head jig. Catching the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a 5 1/2-pounder that earned him $355 – along with a pair of 4-pounders boosted him to the top of the standings.

“It was not a total slugfest,” he said. “I caught 15 fish probably. I stayed in one area for most of the day, for probably four or five hours, but then the back half of the day I started running around a little bit and kind of chasing the tide. The water had totally stopped moving where I was. It was wind against tide today, so it kind of held the water up and slacked off a bit.”

Johnson’s primary area was a creek he located during practice on Friday. He targeted four key stretches, hitting each one twice and flipping a “little bit of a mix” of targets.

“I was trying to concentrate on hard cover,” he said. “But the hard cover needed to have grass around it. It couldn’t just be like a random bank of laydowns. It had to be hard cover within a grass bed.”

Johnson, who owns a commercial swimming pool business with his college roommate, caught that big kicker early in the morning. He said it was entirely unexpected – a nice surprise on tournament day – and helped him accumulate about 16 pounds in the first three hours of competition. When he left his starting creek in the afternoon, he ran around to areas where he could find some moving water. That changeup produced the key 4-pounder that sealed his victory.

“I just tried to keep the trolling motor moving and take as many casts as I could,” he added. “I was trying to pick everything apart. I was flipping every 5 feet.”

The top 11 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Alex Johnson, Milltown, N.J., five bass, 18-12, $3,383
2nd:       Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 16-4, $2,014 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd:       Stacey Craft, Dunkirk, Md., five bass, 14-4, $1,008
4th:        Fred Aldridge, Brandy Station, Va., five bass, 13-10, $707
5th:        Connor MacDougall, Cape Coral, Fla., five bass, 12-15, $606
6th:        Robert Grike, Dumfries, Va., five bass, 12-14, $555
7th:        Jeffrey Davis, Wendell, N.C., five bass, 12-13, $479
7th:        Logan Kaplon, Rural Valley, Pa., five bass, 12-13, $479
9th:        Joe Zombek II, Scranton, Pa., five bass, 12-12, $829
10th:     William Kronander, Brownsville, Pa., five bass, 12-10, $335
10th:     John Duarte, Middle River, Md., five bass, 12-10, $335

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Lenny Baird of Stafford, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,064 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., five bass, 14-13, $2,064
2nd:       Matt Hummel, Dillsburg, Pa., four bass, 12-15, $934
3rd:       Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., five bass, 12-7, $505
4th:        Clarence Dove, Linthicum Heights, Md., five bass, 12-5, $353
5th:        Hunter Navari, Colchester, Vt., five bass, 11-4, $303
6th:        Melvin Smitson, Baltimore, Md., five bass, 10-9, $278
7th:        Richard Jordan, Muncy Valley, Pa., five bass, 10-2, $252
8th:        Logan Bloomfield, East Berlin, Pa., five bass, 10-0, $227
9th:        Troy Mills, Lewistown, Pa., five bass, 9-14, $202
10th:     Andrew Hostler, Tyrone, Pa., five bass, 9-9, $177

Matt Hummel of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $177, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After Saturday’s tournament, Daniel Gray of Butler, Pennsylvania, held the lead in the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Angler of the Year race with 937 points, while Lenny Baird of Stafford, Virginia, led the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Co-angler of the Year race with 972 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

DeFoe/Montgomery and Ashley/Scroggins Advance After Elimination Round Match 2 at General Tire Team Series

Team REDCON1 (DeFoe/Montgomery) catches 30 scorable bass totaling 53 pounds, 13 ounces to win Elimination Round Match 2, top two teams move on to Knockout Rounds

NEENAH, Wis. (Sept. 16, 2024) – It was a fight to the finish as four new teams hit the water Monday with no practice, no information and no real game plan during the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops in Neenah, Wisconsin.

Two-man teams were driven to the boat ramp by Major League Fishing officials Monday morning, where they were given maps of Lakes Poygan and Winneconne before setting out to break down the fishery. But it didn’t take long for teams to get on the juice and start lighting up SCORETRACKER®. While boat docks were the preeminent player during Match 1 on Sunday, teams spent the majority of the day Monday flipping grass during Match 2 of the Elimination Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley .

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches – made up of Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina, and Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Florida – rose to the top of the leaderboard early in the day, holding the top spot all of Period 1 before falling back in Period 2 after going an hour and half with zero scorable bass. They regained and held the top spot for most of Period 3 but couldn’t hold off a hard charge by TEAM REDCON1 – Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, and Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, South Carolina – who took over the top spot with 45 minutes left in the third period. Both teams now move on to the Knockout Rounds, with Ashley/Scroggins competing on Wednesday and DeFoe/Montgomery competing on Thursday.

It was a slow start to the morning for Team REDCON1 who started their day bouncing around the north side of the lake without making much headway. At the end of Period 1, they were in third place with four bass weighing a mere 4-1 on SCORETRACKER®.

The tandem made a move to the southeast corner of the lake late in the morning, transitioning to pitching along cane grass lines, a move that proved fortuitous for the duo. They got all the way up into first place at the end of Period 2 before falling to second behind Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches.

That’s when Montgomery picked up a vibrating jig and the team went to work targeting boat docks, going on an afternoon flurry to rally in the final period, stacking up 13 scorable bass for 21-9 in the final 45 minutes of competition.

“What a day,” said Montgomery. “We had a whole lot of nothing for most of the day, but it ended up being a big day. We had that one stretch around the islands where Ott was just cremating them early on, but we struggled the majority of the day. Once we got on those docks though, everything changed.”

The duo worked seamlessly together, with Montgomery hooking up with most of their third period bass and DeFoe picking up the stragglers behind him.

“The key bait for me today was a Bass Pro Shops Wacky Stick-O Worm, black and blue laminate, on a VMC Redline Series Weedless Wacky Neko Hook,” said DeFoe. “I threw that on a J ohnny Morris Platinum Signature Spinning Rod with a Platinum Signature Spinning Reel and 10-lb Bass Pro Shops XPS Braid and a 12-pound XPS fluorocarbon leader.

“That was a really good back-up bait to Andy’s bladed jig skipping around these docks here at the end of the day,” DeFoe continued. “He went on a heck of a run, and we were able to catch a lot of fish and get the win.”

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches may have finished in second place, but they had the most consistent day from start to finish. The duo got into the cane grass early in the morning and stayed with it all day, catching them off the outside edges early, then moving into really thick grass as the day progressed.

“What a roller coaster of a day,” said Scroggins. “We went from being on top, to totally sucking in the second period, to turning out pretty good.

“We left an area that we shouldn’t have left looking for greener pastures and trying to find something new,” Scroggins continued. “We went back through a grass line that had produced earlier in the day, and it just wasn’t producing again, so we figured we needed to run new stuff.”

That move opened up the door for Team REDCON1.

“We were just about two minutes late getting into that area, but that allowed Ott and Andy to get the jump on us,” said Scroggins. “But we still caught them good and are looking forward to teaming up again for the Knockout Round.”

The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 2 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley that now advance to the Knockout Round are:

1st: Team REDCON1, 30 bass, 53-13
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 19 bass, 35-4
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 11 bass, 18-9
2nd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, 22 bass, 50-14
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C. nine bass, 21-10
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla. 13 bass, 29-4

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd: Team 7 Brew Coffee, 22 bass, 37-9
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 14 bass, 23-3
Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., eight bass, 14-6
4th: Team U.S. Air Force, seven bass, 17-12
Matt Lee, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 11-14
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., two bass, 5-14

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 81 bass weighing 160 pounds even caught by the four teams during Elimination Round Match 2 on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain. Teams U.S. Air Force and Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches tied for the Berkley Big Bass of the day with both Casey Ashley and Jesse Wiggins catching bass weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces.

The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.

Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning at 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature 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 compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.

The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.

Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.

Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.

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

by AnglersChannel

Dudley/Lefebre and Father-Son Jones Duo Advance After Match 1 of Elimination Round at General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley

Four teams compete on Fox River’s Lakes Poygan and Winneconne, Team WIX Filters (Dudley/Lefebre) boats 17 bass totaling 38 pounds, 14 ounces to earn Elimination Round victory

NEENAH, Wis. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Kicking off the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops from the Fox Cities in Wisconsin meant it was impossible for the first group of anglers to guess where there’d fish during Match 1 of the Elimination Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley . Lake Winnebago, Little Lake Butte des Morts, the Fox River, and Lake Michigan were all on the table as options that might be the day’s competition fishery.

Anglers learned this morning at the boat ramp that they would compete on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain, and it didn’t take long before the bass were biting as the teams found their honey holes and SCORETRACKER® lit up on Sunday morning.

The Team WIX Filters duo of David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Erie, Pennsylvania’s Dave Lefebre led the way, catching 17 bass totaling 38 pounds, 14 ounces, to win Match 1 of the Elimination round by a 10-pound, 7-ounce margin. Also advancing is the Team Builders FirstSource father-son duo of Alton Jones, Sr ., and Alton Jones, Jr ., who caught 16 bass weighing 28-7 to move on in competition.

The majority of the teams spent the day fishing boat docks, with the lead interchanging multiple times at different points of the day in the close competition. Team WIX Filters got on the dock pattern in the beginning of the second period and never looked back. Lefebre fished from the front of the boat with a small jig, while Dudley cleaned up behind him with a Dudley’s Wacky rig.

“We started off on some deeper docks in the morning, then as the weather got hotter and the sun got higher, they started moving shallower and shallower and we started catching them in what we would call dirt – just inches of water up underneath those docks,” said Dudley, who caught nine scorables totaling 20-12. “That's why this wacky rig became dominant in the latter part of the day.

“The key today, for me, was definitely my setup. I caught them on a 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy Profishiency Krazy Spinning Combo, throwing a (Perfection Lures) Dudley Wacky Worm. I paired it up with 15-pound braided line attached to 8-pound fluorocarbon, and I used a 2/0 round bend hook. That was the key for me, today.”

As competition wrapped and Dudley and Lefebre began to prepare to return to the launch ramp, Dudley tried to goad Lefebre into a victory dance on the front deck of the boat. Lefebre, however, didn’t bite.

“David, my wife and kids watch these things,” Lefebre laughed. “However, I’ll make you a deal. If we win $20,000 this week, I will do something. I’ll get something happening and get jiggy with it.”

“Deal,” Dudley responded.

Team WIX Filters now moves on to Knockout Round competition on Wednesday.

It was a mad race to the second qualifying spot on Sunday. The Team B&W Trailer Hitches duo of Nick Hatfield and Justin Lucas held the No. 2 spot for most of the third period, but a key decision by Team Builders FirstSource late in the day turned out to be the difference maker.

As the final minutes ticked down in the third period, the Builders FirstSource duo threw a Hail Mary, running three miles to fish a lone boat dock that they had boated a couple of scorable bass on earlier in the day. With just 2 minutes remaining in competition, behind by 9 ounces, Lorena, Texas pro Alton Jones connected with a 1-pound, 2-ounce bass to overtake the Hatfield/Lucas duo and seize the final qualifying spot from Match 1.

“Man, we had to make a decision right there in the last little bit, and we decided to fish this one dock,” Jones Sr. said. “And there was nothing else back here for us to fish. It was either going to work or it wasn't. And it paid off. I almost missed that fish. I saw him spit it, then right back in he ate it again. It was a pretty lucky catch.”

Like most of the field, the Team Builders FirstSource father-son duo caught all of its fish throwing soft plastics around grass and boat docks.

“We had to play from behind all day, so we just kept our head down and kept working,” said Alton Jones Jr. of Waco, Texas. “We didn’t catch a lot of fish, but we ended up scrapping up enough.”

“I’m just glad we get to do this again for another day,” Jones Sr. went on to say. “I hope I performed well enough to make it where you might actually want to draw me again.”

“Maybe so,” Jones Jr. joked. “We’ll see how it goes in the Knockout Round on Thursday.”

The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 1 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley that now advance to the Knockout Round are:

1st: Team WIX Filters, 17 bass, 38-14
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., nine bass, 20-12
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., eight bass, 18-2
2nd: Team Builders FirstSource, 16 bass, 28-7
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, four bass, 5-15
Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas, 12 bass, 22-8

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd: Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 12 bass, 27-14
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., four bass, 10-7
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 17-7
4th: Team Kubota, 11 bass, 23-14
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 10-11
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., six bass, 13-3

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 56 bass weighing 119 pounds, 1 ounce caught by the four teams during Elimination Round Match 1 on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain. Team B&W Trailer Hitches pro Justin Lucas caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 1 ounce.

The Challenge Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature 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 compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.

by AnglersChannel

Georgetown’s Bennett Lawshe Battles Elements to Triumph at Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine

CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Were it not for blustery conditions and massive waves on the dual lakes of Santee Cooper on Saturday, Georgetown, South Carolina pro Bennett Lawshe may have turned a blowout into a beatdown. Instead, his trolling motor batteries died by lunchtime as he fought the conditions and came to the scales on the final day of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southern Division finale with 13 pounds, 8 ounces – good enough to best pro Reid Heard of Bainbridge, Georgia, by an ounce shy of 7 pounds.

Lawshe, 24, calls Santee his home lakes and rarely fishes anywhere else. For years, he’s been unlocking the secrets of Lakes Marion and Moultrie, which aided in his massive 25-7 bag on Day 2 and allowed him to fill out a limit on the final day despite gusting winds and a nonfunctional trolling motor.

“I wasn’t really stressed,” he said of losing trolling motor capabilities early in the day. “If it would have been two years ago, I would have probably spun out. It wasn’t that bad. I didn’t panic or anything.”

Part of the reason for his calmness was knowing it would have taken a big bag to overtake him, and considering the stingy late-summer bite that pushed weights down and made big bites few and far between, Lawshe knew he was still in good position to win. And that all came down to making some sound decisions on Days 1 and 2 after observing a key factor on the last day of practice.

“There was a mayfly hatch,” Lawshe explained. “You could drive by the trees and shake them and mayflies hit the water and bream would be popping all over the place. I found it the last day of practice and I probably shook off 30 pounds.

“I’ve caught them like that before, but never this time of year. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in the fall. I just know what happens when they do that. It’s like all the big fish in the area scoot into that one place. I didn’t have one small bite in that area.”

That area was near Pack’s Landing, where Lawshe took advantage of the mayfly hatch by popping a SPRO Bronzeye frog around trees. That pattern accounted for a 4- and a 5-pounder on Day 1 and a 7-pounder on Day 2. After catching those kickers, Lawshe ran back to his primary offshore area to utilize forward-facing sonar to fill out his limit and cull up.

“It’s just a big area and I’ve just spent a lot of time there,” he said of his primary offshore spot. “I’ve graphed the entire area and can tell you where everything is on the bottom.

“At some point in the day there was a big school of fish that would pull up on one of two brushpiles, and I had to be sitting on the right one at the right time.”

To fish those brushpiles situated in 20 and 15 feet of water, Lawshe relied on a pair of jerkbaits: a deep-diving Rapala model and a shallow-diving Megabass model. While he used forward-facing sonar to locate those brushpiles and fish and know where to cast, he says he’s not proficient enough with the technology to see his bait on the screen and watch the fish eat it.

The win was only Lawshe’s third tournament with Major League Fishing, having previously turned in a couple Top-25 finishes in Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine events at Santee in 2022 and 2023. Those tournaments took place in early spring, though – a time of year during which he’s not all that confident fishing.

“I’ve always been good this time of year,” he said. “It’s my favorite time of year to fish. I’m good at junk fishing. I’ve gotten good at knowing when to pick your trolling motor up and leave somewhere. I literally burned an entire tank of gas each day all three days.”

Though still a college student (he’ll graduate in December from Francis Marion University with a degree in environmental science), he’s not sweating the gas money. Winning $32,142 will have that effect.

“All the contingency money for the boat and truck, I always give it to my grandad,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with the winner check.”

The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:

1st:        Bennett Lawshe, Georgetown, S.C., 15 bass, 64-1, $32,142
2nd:       Reid Heard, Bainbridge, Ga., 14 bass, 63-6, $12,955
3rd:       Bryan Cook, .Vance, S.C., 15 bass, 63-1, $9,643
4th:        Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 61-13, $8,036
5th:        Ben Harris, Haines City, Fla., 14 bass, 61-3, $7,232
6th:        Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, 11 bass, 61-1, $6,428
7th:        Colbie Caigle, Edgewater, Fla., 13 bass, 61-0, $5,625
8th:        Casey Warren, Longs, S.C., 11 bass, 60-9, $4,821
9th:        Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-6, $4,018
10th:     Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 60-4, $5,214 (includes $1,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Brad Robinson of Hagerstown, Indiana, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Pro Reid Heard of Bainbridge, Georgia, earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass Award on Friday with a bass weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces.

Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 27 pounds, 4 ounces. Honeycutt earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:

1st:        Keith Honeycutt, Temple, Texas, 11 bass, 27-4, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd:       Dan Basham, Taylorsville, Ky., nine bass, 24-4, $4,141
3rd:       Grant McPeters, Marion, N.C., six bass, 23-13, $3,313
4th:        Billy Foster, Leesburg, Ga., 10 bass, 23-11, $2,899
5th:        Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., nine bass, 23-4, $2,485
6th:        David Underwood, Waco, Texas, eight bass, 21-9, $2,071
7th:        Wendell Grantham, Eatonton, Ga., eight bass, 20-11, $1,656
8th:        Patrick Brown, Swainsboro, Ga., eight bass, 20-0, $1,449
9th:        Clyde Cox, Silver Grove, Ky., six bass, 19-2, $1,542
10th:     Todd Mowery, Madison, Ala., eight bass, 18-12, $1,035

Strike King Co-angler Clyde Cox of Silver Grove, Kentucky, earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award with a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Josh Williams of Orange Park, Florida, who weighed in a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki was hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. It was the third and final regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Southern Division. The next event for the Toyota Series Southern Division will be the 2024 Toyota Series Championship, Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship on Wheeler Lake for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship on Wheeler Lake is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters, YETI.

by AnglersChannel

Stahl claims narrow win in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River

Sept. 14, 2024

Stahl claims narrow win in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. — At Thursday’s tournament commencement, Cody Stahl was one of 213 pros in the hunt. Two days prior, a completely different hunt gave him the clues he needed to amass a three-day total of 53 pounds, 1 ounce and win the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.

Placing 29th on Day 1 with 15-09, Stahl added a second-round limit of 18-0 and moved up to fifth. Day 3 saw the pro from Barnsville, Ga., weigh 19-8 — the event’s biggest bag — and edge Day 2 leader Chris Hellebuyck by 10 ounces.

Along with the top prize of $40,607, Stahl received an invitation to fish the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors March 21-23 on Lake Ray Roberts.

“I’m speechless,” a clearly emotional Stahl said. “To start the season out with a 187th place at Lake Okeechobee, I didn’t think I deserved to be here and compete with these guys. After all the years of hard work and time on the water, it feels good to finally bring one home. I feel like I belong here.

“It’s been a phenomenal week. I never would have thought this would happen.”

As Stahl explained, his tournament unfolded much differently than he had originally planned. Upon arriving, he decided he’d avoid the often-crowded Pool 8 and lock up to Pool 7.

“Coming into this, I knew there was going to be a pile of boats that fish Pool 8 and I really wanted to get away from the crowd, because I knew that shallow water doesn’t do well with a lot of pressure,” Stahl said. “The first day of practice, I put in at the upper end of Pool 8 and just looked around and caught one pretty good one.

“Day 2 of practice, my plan was to practice in Pool 7, but me and my buddy (fellow Opens EQ pro) Trevor McKinney talked coming up here about goose hunting one day. I was out of it in (EQ) points going into this event, so I was like, ‘I’m just going to have fun, and I’ll probably goose hunt one day.”

McKinney located some geese in Pool 8 and the pair set out for the backwater area. The morning went well, but Stahl’s post-hunt observations put him on course to victory.

“After we got done goose hunting, I went right behind where we were hunting and I ended up catching a 4-pounder,” Stahl said. “I said, ‘Okay, there’s quality around here. If there’s one 4-pounder here, there’s going to be some places where I can get one or two 4-pounders throughout the day.”

Stahl said that revelation had him leaning toward reworking his game plan for a Pool-8 focus, but the cementing factor came by way of a commercial shipping vessel.

“About 11:30, I watched a barge just come through the lock into Pool 8,” he said. “It had been in the lock all morning and I realized if that barge came through the lock on the lower end of Pool 8 (during the tournament), it’s gonna have to go up and I’m going to have to deal with it.”

Opting to avoid wasting time on tournament days, Stahl committed his event to Pool 8, where he fished shallow vegetation and focused on what he called the sweet spots — key fallback areas.

“I knew the dropping water level was going to change a few things,” Stahl said. “A sweet spot was a drain, a point or anything where the fish would pull back to when the water fell.

“They’re not obvious because of all the (vegetation) on these big, massive grass flats, but there are subtle little places inside the flats that are more high-percentage areas. I knew from the water level forecast it was going to continue dropping and I’d have to find secondary stuff where those fish were going to funnel out to.”

Anchoring his final limit with a 5-4, Stahl caught his fish on multiple frogs, including the SPRO Bronzeye 65, the SPRO Bronzeye King Daddy, and Stanford Baits Boom Boom Frog, a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Chatterbait JackHammer with a Big Bite Baits Kamikazi Swimon trailer and a Berkley CullShad swimbait.

Hellebuyck, who resides in White Lake, Mich., finished second with 52-07. Placing 19th on Day 1 with a limit of 16-3, he rose to the top spot with a second-round limit of 18-3. Hellebuyck closed it out with a limit of 18-1.

Working a large flat, Hellebuyck focused on a high spot where funneling water washed away sediment and exposed shell bottom. This hard spot was a fish magnet where he caught most of his Day 1 and Day 2 fish on a BOOYAH Boss Pop.

“I was fishing in current (all week) and it definitely seemed a little stronger today,” Hellebuyck said. “I don’t think I could have drawn up better topwater conditions (with the final day’s cloudy skies and intermittent rains), but it was a little tougher to get them going on a topwater.”

Hellebuyck ended up catching most of his Day 3 fish on a 3/8-ounce hand-tied brown jig with a Berkley MaxScent Chigger Craw.

“It seemed like every time I’d get the jig stuck on a stump, when I’d snap it off, I’d get a bite,” Hellebuyck said.

Chris Beaudrie of Princeton, Ky., finished third with 50-13. Beaudrie led Day 1 with 19 pounds, then added 15-4 and 16-9.

In his first visit to the upper Mississippi River, Beaudrie dialed in a couple of productive areas with the vast fields of vegetation and focused on deeper zones along the grass edges. Channeling his Kentucky Lake experience with fall drawdowns, he targeted bigger fish that were holding in these safe zones.

“I started on the same spot every day,” Beaudrie said. “I pulled up on the spot this morning and caught two really good ones really quick and missed a couple of good ones.

“I caught my fish on a frog and a Picasso Lures spinnerbait.”

Stahl won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-4.

Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., leads the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,422 points. Cody Meyer of Eagle, Idaho, is second with 1,395, followed by Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., with 1,350, Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., with 1,331, and Andrew Loberg of Grant, Ala., with 1,327.

ExploreLaCrosse.com hosted the event.

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

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

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

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

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

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14
Mississippi River, La Crosse  WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA          15  53-01  200  $48,607.00
  Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   18-00     Day 3: 5   19-08   
2.  Chris Hellebuyck       White Lake, MI          15  52-07  199  $19,143.00
  Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   18-03     Day 3: 5   18-01   
3.  Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY           15  50-13  198  $14,657.00
  Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   15-04     Day 3: 5   16-09   
4.  Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI              15  50-03  197  $13,400.00
  Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   17-01     Day 3: 5   17-10   
5.  Cody Meyer             Eagle, ID               15  49-04  196  $12,643.00
  Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   15-06     Day 3: 5   15-14   
6.  Josh Butler            Hayden, AL              15  48-11  195  $11,486.00
  Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   15-14     Day 3: 5   15-14   
7.  Matt Adams             Oxford, AL              15  47-12  194  $10,528.00
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   14-11   
8.  John Engler            Vinton, IA              15  47-10  193   $9,572.00
  Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   13-12   
9.  Danny McGarry          Newcastle CANADA        15  47-03  192   $9,572.00
  Day 1: 5   17-09     Day 2: 5   16-01     Day 3: 5   13-09   
10. Paul Marks             Cumming, GA             15  46-12  191   $9,572.00
  Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   14-01   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
     Cody Stahl               Barnsville, GA      05-04        $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       177       982      2557-07
 2       157       849      2198-09
 3        10        50       159-09
----------------------------------
         344      1881      4915-09

by AnglersChannel

Hellebuyck pops into Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Chris Hellebuyck knows what works, but he also knows what works a little better. Trusting his instincts, the White Lake, Mich., angler tallied 34 pounds, 6 ounces and leads Day 2 at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.

Hellebuyck placed 19th on Day 1 with 16-3 and took over the top spot by adding a second-round limit of 18-3.

With less than a pound between first and fifth places, Hellebuyck heads into Championship Saturday with a 2-ounce lead over Day 1 leader Chris Beaudrie.

“As much as I love coming here to frog and flip and do the Mississippi River stuff, I ended up doing something a little more similar to what I do back home,” Hellebuyck said. “My home lake is Lake St. Clair (Michigan) and I spend a lot of time in the St. Clair River, and the way I’m catching them here sets up very similar.

“I’m using a BOOYAH Boss Pop because I’m so comfortable doing that.”

Hellebuyck said he prefers a popper with a dressed rear treble, but he always uses No. 4 Gamakatsu hooks for their sharpness, reliability and holding power.

“Sometimes I’ll change hooks twice a day,” Hellebuyck said. “That is so important, and I have a really good landing ratio.”

Hellebuyck fished in Pool 8 and worked his bait around current. Throwing his popper along current lines, he surmised that the popper gave the fish a look they don’t often see.

“At home, I’ll get bit on a popper in 10 feet of water, but here I’m fishing 2 to 3 feet, so it’s easy for them to come up,” Hellebuyck said.

Catching most of his fish in the morning hours, Hellebuyck said presentation proved important to tempting pressured fish.

“It seemed like the slower I could get myself to chug that popper, the more bites I’d get,” he said. “It’s hard; sometimes you want to move that thing along, but it seems that the longer pause between each pop is what really gets bites.”

Hellebuyck said he also worked a jig and swimbait into his day, but the topwater was the clear favorite.

“The reason I use the popper is that it just seems to get bigger bites,” he said. “I don’t know why, but the bigger ones seem to like that.”

Beaudrie, who makes his home in Princeton, Ky., is in second place with 34-4. He started strong with 19 pounds on Day 1 and added 15-4.

Beaudrie returned to the same grass bed he fished on Day 1 but found two boats working the area. Fortunately, a first-round observation clued him in to something that helped get him back in the hunt.

“Yesterday afternoon when I went practicing, I stopped on an area that looked good for frogging and my co-angler caught a 4 1/2 there,” Beaudrie said. “I just left it alone as a backup, and that came in handy today. I caught about 15 keepers off that stretch.”

Same as Day 1, Beaudrie said the key to his success was targeting deeper zones along the grass edges. He caught his fish on a topwater walker, a frog and a Texas-rigged craw.

“I caught a lot of keepers today; I just didn’t find those lot bigger fish today,” Beaudrie said. “Hopefully, they’ll pull in for me tomorrow.”

John Engler of Vinton, Iowa, is in third with 33-14. After placing 18th on Day 1 with 16-05, Engler secured his final-round spot by adding 17-09.

Engler anchored his Day 1 limit with a 4-8 around 1 o’clock in Pool 8. He started his day in Pool 8 and locked down to Pool 9, but most of his weight came from the local pool.

“I actually caught the majority of my fish on Pool 8, so I didn’t need to lock, but it helps getting that solid limit in the boat because that takes a lot of pressure off,” Engler said. “There was a barge in the lock this morning, but I had a couple of fish in the boat when I went through, so that took some of the pressure off. I was able to start culling down there.”

A mix of baits including a topwater walker, a frog and a bladed jig produced Engler’s weight. The big fish bit the latter.

Bobby Bakewell of Orlando, Fla., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-2.

Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wis., won the co-angler division with 18-11. Day 1 found Conrad and Jimmy Brumfield of Madison, Miss., sharing the lead with 10-8 each. Adding a second-round limit of 8-3, Conrad surged across the finish line and collected the top prize of $15,300.

“It’s been a long road to get here,” Conrad said. “I fish a lot of big tournaments and I’ve been so close a few times.”

Conrad fished Pool 8 on Day 1 and locked down to Pool 9 for Day 2. His top bait was a 1/4-ounce Lethal Weapon swim jig with a twin-tail trailer.

“I just fished really hard, and it wasn’t easy,” Conrad said. “We didn’t get locked down until 9:30 and I was pretty nervous, but I got one key bite and that helped.

“I also did a little dragging with a craw and caught some fish on that, too. But that Lethal Weapon swim jig really paid off for me.”

Amanda Riley of Galesville, Wis., won the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award among co-anglers with a 4-7.

Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., leads the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,422 points. Cody Meyer of Eagle, Idaho, is second with 1,394, followed by Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., with 1,350, Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., with 1,331, and Andrew Loberg of Grant, Ala., with 1,327.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 2:30 p.m.

Coverage of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN will air on FS1 on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com.

ExploreLaCrosse.com is hosting the event.

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

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

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

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14
Mississippi River, La Crosse  WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Chris Hellebuyck       White Lake, MI          10  34-06  200
  Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   18-03   
2.  Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY           10  34-04  199
  Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   15-04   
3.  John Engler            Vinton, IA              10  33-14  198
  Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   17-09   
4.  Danny McGarry          Newcastle CANADA        10  33-10  197
  Day 1: 5   17-09     Day 2: 5   16-01   
5.  Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA          10  33-09  196
  Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   18-00   
6.  Cody Meyer             Eagle, ID               10  33-06  195
  Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   15-06   
7.  Matt Adams             Oxford, AL              10  33-01  194
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   18-06   
8.  Josh Butler            Hayden, AL              10  32-13  193
  Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   15-14   
9.  Paul Marks             Cumming, GA             10  32-11  192
  Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   17-09   
10. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI              10  32-09  191
  Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   17-01   
11. Emil Wagner            Marietta, GA            10  32-04  190   $8,614.00
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   16-10   
12. Easton Fothergill      Grand Rapids , MN       10  32-01  189   $6,700.00
  Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   15-08   
13. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL              10  32-01  188   $5,743.00
  Day 1: 5   15-12     Day 2: 5   16-05   
14. Ish Monroe             Oakdale, CA             10  32-00  187   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   14-02   
15. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  31-12  186   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   16-10   
16. Cade Laufenberg        Onalaska, WI            10  31-10  185   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 5   13-09   
17. Brock Belik            Orchard, NE             10  31-09  184   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   17-08   
18. Mike Brueggen          La Crosse, WI           10  31-09  183   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   16-10     Day 2: 5   14-15   
19. Tucker Smith           Birmingham, AL          10  31-08  182   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   13-04   
20. Beau Browning          Hot Springs National Pa 10  31-06  181   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   16-05   
21. Jeremiah Shaver        Holmen, WI              10  31-04  180   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   18-10   
22. Freddy  Palmer         Estill Springs, TN      10  31-03  179   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   17-11   
23. Blake Smith            Lakeland, FL            10  31-03  178   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   16-11   
24. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA    10  31-02  177   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   15-07   
25. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL              10  30-15  176   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   18-05   
26. Dan Mohn               Lansing, IA             10  30-09  175   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   14-15     Day 2: 5   15-10   
27. Bobby Bakewell         Orlando, FL             10  30-08  174   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   17-02   
28. Yui Aoki               Minamitsurugun JAPAN    10  30-07  173   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   15-13   
29. Kevin Ruh              Onalaska, WI            10  30-05  172   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   15-15     Day 2: 5   14-06   
30. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        10  30-05  171   $4,786.00
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   15-08   
31. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ             10  30-04  170   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   14-10   
32. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL            10  30-02  169   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   14-01   
33. Andy Newcomb           Camdenton, MO           10  30-01  168   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   16-01   
34. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY         10  29-15  167   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   17-01   
35. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN      10  29-14  166   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   16-06   
36. Nick Trim              Galesville, WI          10  29-14  165   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   14-07   
37. Tom Monsoor            La Crosse, WI           10  29-10  164   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   14-08   
38. Tai Au                 Glendale, AZ            10  29-06  163   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   14-13   
39. Garrett Warren         Scottsboro, AL          10  29-05  162   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 5   14-07   
40. Andrew Behnke          Fond Du Lac, WI         10  29-04  161   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   13-13   
41. Kyle Seubert           Chaseburg, WI           10  29-03  160   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   15-05   
42. Andrew Loberg          Grant, AL               10  29-03  159   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   14-15     Day 2: 5   14-04   
43. Lance Keene            Manistee, MI            10  29-02  158   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 5   13-05   
44. Dakota Ebare           Brookeland, TX          10  29-02  157   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   14-12   
45. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        10  29-01  156   $3,829.00
  Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   12-08   
46. Brian Post             Janesville, WI          10  28-15  155
  Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   12-14   
47. Kyle Minke             Lindsrom, MN            10  28-08  154
  Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   14-12   
48. Casey Goode            La Crosse, WI           10  28-07  153
  Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   14-13   
49. Trey Schroeder         Theodosia, MO           10  28-05  152
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   13-10   
50. Brady Vernon           Sterrett, AL             9  28-04  151
  Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 4   09-15   
51. Jason Elliott          Warsaw, IN              10  28-03  150
  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   14-02   
52. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            10  28-02  149
  Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   13-08   
53. Darold Gleason         Many, LA                10  28-01  148
  Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   12-03   
54. Brad Leuthner          Victoria, MN            10  28-00  147
  Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   10-11   
55. Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA           10  28-00  146
  Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   12-12   
56. Kollin Crawford        Broken Bow, OK          10  27-15  145
  Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   13-09   
57. Adam Crigger           Le Claire, IA           10  27-14  144
  Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   13-05   
58. Brandon Gann           Sparta, WI              10  27-12  143
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   14-05   
59. Bailey Bleser          Burlington, WI          10  27-11  142
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   13-13   
60. Nathan Thompson        Eagan, MN               10  27-10  141
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   12-03   
61. Clayton Weber          West Salem, WI          10  27-10  140
  Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   12-07   
62. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH          10  27-10  139
  Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   14-05   
62. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN          10  27-10  139
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   13-05   
64. Elijah Benson          Dahlonega, GA           10  27-09  137
  Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   12-05   
65. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV           10  27-08  136
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   15-07   
66. Satoshi Egawa          Fort Lee, NJ             9  27-06  135
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 4   10-04   
67. Cole Drummond          Effingham, SC           10  27-02  134
  Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   14-08   
68. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  27-01  133
  Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   10-04   
69. Kevin Dritschler       Prosper, TX             10  26-14  132
  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   15-04   
70. Andrew Julson          Stoughton, WI           10  26-14  131
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   14-15   
71. Tristan McCormick      Burns, TN               10  26-13  130
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   15-00   
72. Derek Lehtonen         Woodruff, SC            10  26-10  129
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   11-13   
73. Jack Tindel III        Orange, TX              10  26-10  128
  Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   13-00   
74. Mike McClelland        Blue Eye, MO            10  26-10  127
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   13-06   
75. Chris Aswegan          Tiffin, IA              10  26-06  126
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   12-07   
76. Jimmy Washam           Stantonville, TN        10  26-01  125
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   14-15   
77. Kyle Austin            Ridgeville, SC          10  26-01  124
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   12-10   
78. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL          10  26-00  123
  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   14-06   
79. Dave Parsons           Yantis, TX              10  26-00  122
  Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   11-14   
80. Aaron Jagdfeld         Rochester Hills, MI     10  25-14  121
  Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   12-12   
81. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                 10  25-11  120
  Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   14-04   
82. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO               10  25-10  119
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   11-12   
83. James Watson           Lampe, MO               10  25-10  118
  Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   13-05   
84. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI              10  25-10  117
  Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   12-10   
85. Zach Goutremout        Chaumont, NY            10  25-09  116
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   11-04   
86. Evan Kung              Pickering Ontario CANAD 10  25-09  115
  Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   12-11   
87. Richard Lowitzki       Fort Myers, FL          10  25-08  114
  Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   14-09   
88. Parker Kratochvill     Onalaska, WI             9  25-07  113
  Day 1: 5   16-10     Day 2: 4   08-13   
89. Christian Ostrander    Turlock, CA             10  25-07  112
  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   11-03   
90. Trey Swindle           Cleveland, AL           10  25-07  111
  Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   12-04   
91. Josh Douglas           Isle, MN                10  25-05  110
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   13-07   
91. Tommy Dunaway          Havana, FL              10  25-05  110
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   13-07   
93. Kyle Weisenburger      Columbus Grv, OH        10  25-04  108
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   14-06   
94. Steven Caldwell        Whitesboro, TX          10  25-04  107
  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   13-15   
95. Greg Bohannan          Bentonville, AR         10  25-04  106
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   11-06   
96. Allen Armour           Cumming, GA             10  25-03  105
  Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   11-07   
97. Glenn Walker           Savage, MN              10  25-02  104
  Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   13-06   
98. Chris Blanchette       Edisto Island, SC       10  25-01  103
  Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   11-08   
99. Rich Lindgren          Lakeville, MN           10  25-01  102
  Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   11-15   
100. Masayuki Matsushita    Porter TX JAPAN         10  25-01  101
  Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   12-14   
101. Caden Cowan            Stephenville, TX        10  25-00  100
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   11-12   
102. Tyler Lubbat           Wheeling, IL            10  24-14   99
  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   10-13   
103. Teb Jones              Yalaha, MS              10  24-14   98
  Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   12-11   
104. Doc Wootton            Collierville, TN        10  24-12   97
  Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   12-09   
105. Yukihiro Sawamura      Harker Heights, TX      10  24-11   96
  Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   11-10   
106. Fernando Lobato        Sparta, WI              10  24-11   95
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   12-07   
107. Dalton Smith           Taylorsville, KY        10  24-09   94
  Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   13-01   
108. Christopher Welch      Fall River, WI          10  24-09   93
  Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   12-06   
109. Adam Bartusek          Clearwater, MN          10  24-05   92
  Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   12-09   
109. Lafe Messer            Warfield, KY            10  24-05   92
  Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   11-12   
111. Jody Gardner           Tippecanoe, OH          10  24-03   90
  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   11-11   
112. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR         10  24-02   89
  Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 5   11-11   
113. Jeremy Radford         Huntly, VA              10  23-15   88
  Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   11-13   
114. Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI          10  23-13   87
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   11-01   
115. Trevor McKinney        Noble, IL               10  23-12   86
  Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   10-09   
116. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC        10  23-12   85
  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   12-08   
117. Brandon McMillan       Clewiston, FL           10  23-09   84
  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-08   
118. Cody Bird              Granbury, TX            10  23-08   83
  Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   11-12   
119. Matt Thompson          Stacy, MN               10  23-07   82
  Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   14-02   
120. Billy Gilbert          Hamburg, NY              8  23-07   81
  Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 3   09-10   
121. Alexander Welter       Onalaska, WI            10  23-07   80
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   11-06   
122. Cole Zagrzebski        Stevens Point, WI       10  23-05   79
  Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   11-14   
123. Andrew Smith           Chesterfield, MI        10  23-04   78
  Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   10-01   
124. Chase Clarke           Virginia Beach, VA      10  23-02   77
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   10-14   
125. Cody Detweiler         Guntersville, AL        10  23-00   76
  Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   12-09   
126. Brett Cannon           Kiln, MS                10  22-11   75
  Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   11-07   
127. Bryan Finch            Belton, TX              10  22-10   74
  Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   10-02   
128. Blake Schroeder        Whitehouse, TX          10  22-07   73
  Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   12-03   
129. Lucas Murphy           West Columbia, MI       10  22-05   72
  Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 5   12-10   
130. Randy Ramsey           Burlington, MI          10  22-04   71
  Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   09-11   
131. Laker Howell           Guntersville, AL        10  22-04   70
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   10-06   
132. Kevin Johnson          Sparta, WI              10  22-04   69
  Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   11-10   
133. Jackson Swisher        Lake City, FL           10  22-02   68
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   09-06   
134. Jim Moynagh            Remer, MN               10  22-01   67
  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   11-08   
135. Vue Thao               Madison, WI             10  22-00   66
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   10-14   
136. Jack York              Emory, TX                9  21-13   65
  Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 4   07-13   
137. Joe Wieberg            Freeburg, MO            10  21-12   64
  Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   11-03   
138. Jacob Bigelow          Cecil, WI               10  21-11   63
  Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 5   11-06   
139. Chris Kingree          Inverness, FL           10  21-07   62
  Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   11-10   
140. Phillip Kroll          Otego, NY               10  21-00   61
  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   11-09   
140. Matt Messer            Warfield, KY            10  21-00   61
  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   11-09   
142. Ethen Preston          Tower City, ND           8  20-13   59
  Day 1: 4   11-03     Day 2: 4   09-10   
143. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN         10  20-12   58
  Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   10-14   
144. Avery Williams         Murrells Inlt, SC       10  20-11   57
  Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 5   10-05   
145. Kyle Palmer            Winchester, TN           8  20-06   56
  Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 5   13-05   
146. Sam Hanggi             Knoxville, TN           10  19-11   55
  Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   09-13   
147. Dylan Mayo             Athens, TX              10  19-10   54
  Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   08-15   
148. Lance Crawford         Broken Bow, OK          10  19-10   53
  Day 1: 5   09-12     Day 2: 5   09-14   
149. Paul Browning          Monahans, TX            10  19-01   52
  Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   09-08   
150. Tripp Noojin           Bryant, AL              10  18-15   51
  Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   10-02   
151. Clint Leonard Jr       Saint Cloud, FL          8  18-13   50
  Day 1: 3   06-13     Day 2: 5   12-00   
152. Scott Isaacs           Ladonia, TX              8  18-11   49
  Day 1: 4   09-03     Day 2: 4   09-08   
153. Parker Knudsen         Minnetonka, MN           8  18-08   48
  Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 5   12-14   
154. Joey Punko             Broomfield, CO           9  17-14   47
  Day 1: 4   08-00     Day 2: 5   09-14   
155. Tadd Johnson           Lakeville, MN            8  17-11   46
  Day 1: 3   05-01     Day 2: 5   12-10   
156. Billy McDonald         Greenwood, IN            8  17-11   45
  Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 3   06-03   
157. Logan Johnson          Jasper, AL               9  17-11   44
  Day 1: 4   07-12     Day 2: 5   09-15   
158. Brayden Rakes          Winston Salem, NC        7  17-05   43
  Day 1: 2   06-11     Day 2: 5   10-10   
159. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL        10  17-03   42
  Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   00-00   
160. Brent Shores           Boise, ID                8  17-00   41
  Day 1: 3   06-00     Day 2: 5   11-00   
161. Bryan Partak           Marseilles, IL          10  16-15   40
  Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   04-13   
162. Mike Feldermann        Galena, IL               5  16-08   39
  Day 1: 5   16-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   
162. Jay Przekurat          Plover, WI               5  16-08   39
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   16-08   
164. Keith Brumfield        Vicksburg, MS            7  16-04   37
  Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 4   09-15   
165. Scout Echols           Monticello, AR           8  15-13   36
  Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 5   09-05   
166. Cliff Pace             Ovett, MS                5  15-02   35
  Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   
167. Brian Bengtson         Bloomington, MN          8  14-11   34
  Day 1: 5   07-13     Day 2: 3   06-14   
168. Mitch Van Ert          Okauchee, WI             5  14-08   33
  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   
169. David Boelkins         Waukesha, WI             5  14-07   32
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
170. Chancy Walters         West Des Moines, IA     10  14-05   31
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   00-00   
171. Jamie Bruce            Kenora Ontario CANADA    5  14-05   30
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
172. Clemente Gutierrez     Woodbridge, VA           7  13-11   29
  Day 1: 4   07-13     Day 2: 3   05-14   
173. Brady Hanna            Silvis, IL               5  13-08   28
  Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   
174. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC              5  13-07   27
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
174. John Voyles            Petersburg, IN           5  13-07   27
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
176. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL           5  13-05   25
  Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 3   09-09   
177. Dale Salzmann          Hazel Green, WI          6  13-04   24
  Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 5   11-06   
178. Daisuke Kita           Ostu Shiga JAPAN         6  13-04   23
  Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   06-08   
179. David Bromenshenkel    Sauk Centre, MN          6  13-01   22
  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 1   02-04   
180. Joey Hanna             Corsicana, TX            6  12-14   21
  Day 1: 2   04-14     Day 2: 4   08-00   
181. Manny Sciberras        Liberty Twp, OH          5  12-13   20
  Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   
182. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN            5  12-06   19
  Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
183. Brady Schran           Zumbrota, MN             5  12-02   18
  Day 1: 2   03-13     Day 2: 3   08-05   
184. Zack Williams          Shell Knob, MO           5  12-01   17
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
185. Fritz Lubinski         Rochester, MN            5  11-14   16
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   
186. Andrew Harp            Linden, TX               5  11-13   15
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   
187. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO       5  11-11   14
  Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
187. Cody Salzmann          Southgate, MI            5  11-11   14
  Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
189. Sean Clayton           Seneca, SC               6  11-07   12
  Day 1: 4   07-13     Day 2: 2   03-10   
190. Tim Frederick          Leesburg, FL             5  11-06   11
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
191. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI         5  11-03   10
  Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   
192. Kenny Mittelstaedt     Minnetonka, MN           5  11-01    9
  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
193. Brandyn Baum           La Crosse, WI            5  10-10    8
  Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
194. Andy Dassow            Medford, WI              5  10-06    7
  Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
194. Jordan Knutson         Saint Croix Falls, WI    5  10-06    7
  Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
196. Derrick Sadlowski      Monaca, PA               5  10-00    5
  Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
197. Kevin Ledoux           Choctaw, OK              5  09-13    4
  Day 1: 4   06-14     Day 2: 1   02-15   
198. Austin Cranford        Norman, OK               5  09-12    3
  Day 1: 4   08-01     Day 2: 1   01-11   
199. A.J. Menssen           Bloomington, IL          5  09-07    2
  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
200. Wayne Hall             Cottonwood, AZ           4  09-01    1
  Day 1: 4   09-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
201. Andrew Hargrove        Moody, TX                5  08-15    0
  Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 2   03-06   
202. Ryan Redmann           Brandon, WI              4  08-00    0
  Day 1: 4   08-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
203. Brian Bird             Eastland, TX             4  07-14    0
  Day 1: 4   07-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   
204. Mike Mayo              Athens, TX               4  07-08    0
  Day 1: 4   07-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   
205. Chris Miller           Spirit Lake, IA          3  06-15    0
  Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   
206. Tim Tyndell            Mineola, TX              3  06-07    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-07   
207. Frankie Arado          Eastman, WI              3  05-11    0
  Day 1: 3   05-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
208. Tony Dumitras          Winston, GA              2  04-12    0
  Day 1: 2   04-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   
209. Mark Tonjum            Spencer, IA              2  03-11    0
  Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
210. Lance Owen             Greer, SC                2  03-07    0
  Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
211. Austin Anderson        Ashley, IN               1  02-03    0
  Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   
212. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI          1  02-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   02-00   
213. Brian Fitzpatrick      La Crosse, WI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
213. Joseph Titus           Bemidji, MN              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
213. Kelvin Wilcox          Hazlehurst, GA           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       177       982      2557-07
 2       157       849      2198-09
----------------------------------
         334      1831      4756-00

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14
Mississippi River, La Crosse  WI.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Richard Conrad         Arcadia, WI              6  18-11  200  $15,300.00
  Day 1: 3   10-08     Day 2: 3   08-03   
2.  Ricardo Guzman         Farmington, MO           6  17-15  199   $3,600.00
  Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 3   09-14   
3.  Mack Traynor           Hanover, MN              6  16-12  198   $2,700.00
  Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   08-02   
4.  Niko Romero            Coldspring, TX           6  15-10  197   $2,025.00
  Day 1: 3   09-02     Day 2: 3   06-08   
5.  Chris Stelter          Chisago City, MN         6  15-10  196   $1,890.00
  Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 3   07-09   
6.  Jimmy Brumfield        Madison, MS              6  15-09  195   $1,800.00
  Day 1: 3   10-08     Day 2: 3   05-01   
7.  Leo Morris             Beaver Dam, WI           6  15-03  194   $1,710.00
  Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 3   08-01   
8.  Josh Hubbard           Citrus Springs, FL       6  14-15  193   $1,620.00
  Day 1: 3   07-04     Day 2: 3   07-11   
9.  Levi Warner            Hilbert, WI              6  14-14  192   $1,485.00
  Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 3   08-00   
10. Calvin Landsberg       Raleigh, NC              6  14-14  191   $1,350.00
  Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   07-13   
11. John Miller            Sunrise Beach, MO        6  14-14  190   $1,260.00
  Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 3   07-02   
12. Jason Barber           Gun Barrel City, TX      6  14-12  189   $1,170.00
  Day 1: 3   05-03     Day 2: 3   09-09   
13. Dan Mcadams            Reedsburg, WI            6  14-11  188     $990.00
  Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 3   06-13   
14. Roy Biwer              Shakopee, MN             6  14-11  187     $900.00
  Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 3   07-09   
15. Chad Stahl             Barnesville, GA          6  14-11  186     $810.00
  Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   07-08   
16. Tanner Visco           Chicago, IL              6  14-05  185     $720.00
  Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 3   06-00   
17. Shane Kuehn            Bennington, NE           6  14-05  184     $675.00
  Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 3   07-03   
17. Nic Rand               Paw Paw, MI              6  14-05  184     $675.00
  Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 3   07-03   
19. David Ondrla           Elmhurst, IL             6  14-02  182     $675.00
  Day 1: 3   07-09     Day 2: 3   06-09   
20. Larry Peterson         Hammond, WI              6  14-01  181     $675.00
  Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 3   07-06   
21. Andrew Brandstrom      Shoreview, MN            6  14-00  180     $630.00
  Day 1: 3   06-02     Day 2: 3   07-14   
22. JJ Patton              Eldridge, IA             6  14-00  179     $630.00
  Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 3   07-09   
23. Brian Forcier          Akron, IA                6  14-00  178     $630.00
  Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 3   07-06   
24. Anthony Kromke         La Crosse, WI            6  13-15  177     $630.00
  Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 3   05-12   
25. Erik Gaffron           Hanover, MN              6  13-12  176     $585.00
  Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 3   06-04   
25. Mark Ripp              Belmont, WI              6  13-12  176     $585.00
  Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 3   06-04   
27. Mitch Johnson          Dayton, OH               5  13-09  174     $540.00
  Day 1: 2   04-04     Day 2: 3   09-05   
28. Gary Haraguchi         Murfreesboro, TN         6  13-09  173     $540.00
  Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   08-01   
29. Dennis Duffy           Westmont, IL             6  13-08  172     $540.00
  Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 3   06-02   
30. Christopher Morgan     Greendale, WI            6  13-07  171     $540.00
  Day 1: 3   05-11     Day 2: 3   07-12   
31. Brandon Troupe         Chicago, IL              6  13-07  170     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 3   07-00   
32. Mike Steckel           Las Vegas, NV            6  13-05  169     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 3   06-00   
33. Jimmy Obrien           Southampton, NY          5  13-05  168     $495.00
  Day 1: 2   06-01     Day 2: 3   07-04   
34. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL              6  13-03  167     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   05-09   
35. Joshua Kantor          Tomah, WI                6  13-00  166     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   05-13   
36. Josh Mohn              Lansing, IA              6  13-00  165     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   06-00     Day 2: 3   07-00   
37. Eugene Kim             Lindenhurst, IL          6  12-12  164     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 3   06-01   
38. Tom Howland            Riceville, IA            5  12-09  163     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 2   04-10   
39. Donald Biggs           Murphysboro, IL          6  12-09  162     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 3   06-15   
40. Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ              6  12-07  161     $495.00
  Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 3   05-13   
41. Willie Meyer           North Mankato, MN        6  12-06  160
  Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   06-03   
42. Danny Knispel          Grimes, IA               4  12-05  159
  Day 1: 3   09-14     Day 2: 1   02-07   
43. Jacob Collins          Hillsboro, IL            6  12-04  158
  Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   06-12   
44. David Riggs            Highland, IL             4  12-03  157
  Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 1   02-00   
45. Gary Baranowski        Otsego, MN               6  12-03  156
  Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 3   05-01   
46. Richard Kiblinger      Kansas City, KS          4  12-02  155
  Day 1: 1   04-02     Day 2: 3   08-00   
47. Bob Zagrzebski         Stevens Point, WI        5  12-01  154
  Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 2   04-02   
48. Dawson Wisner          Palatka, FL              6  12-01  153
  Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 3   07-06   
49. Danny Mancini          Necedah, WI              6  12-01  152
  Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   06-09   
50. Jamie Gomez            Holmen, WI               5  11-14  151
  Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 2   04-04   
51. Ty Kenyon              Dodgeville, WI           4  11-11  150
  Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 3   09-10   
52. Andre Yee              Columbia, SC             5  11-10  149
  Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 2   03-07   
53. Patrick Andres         Long Grove, IL           4  11-05  148
  Day 1: 2   05-03     Day 2: 2   06-02   
54. Adam Omlid             Grand Forks, ND          4  11-04  147
  Day 1: 1   02-07     Day 2: 3   08-13   
55. Albert Jones  Jr       Covington, GA            5  11-01  146
  Day 1: 2   04-02     Day 2: 3   06-15   
56. Chase Traeger          Lino Lakes, MN           5  10-09  145
  Day 1: 2   04-01     Day 2: 3   06-08   
57. Makoto Maehira         Hiroshima JAPAN          5  10-08  144
  Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 2   03-15   
58. Matthew Cunningham     Independence, MN         3  10-03  143
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   10-03   
59. Shawn Overton          Coal Valley, IL          5  10-02  142
  Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 2   03-10   
60. Mark Cowart            Kearney, MO              5  09-15  141
  Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 3   07-03   
61. Greg Spaid             Brainerd, MN             4  09-14  140
  Day 1: 1   02-04     Day 2: 3   07-10   
62. Zachary Demler         Marinette, WI            4  09-14  139
  Day 1: 1   02-12     Day 2: 3   07-02   
63. Maggie Carsello        Stoughton, WI            4  09-12  138
  Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 3   07-15   
64. Mark Schill            Minneapolis, MN          4  09-12  137
  Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 1   03-15   
65. Amanda Riley           Galesville, WI           4  09-11  136     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 1   01-13   
66. Jimmy Fellegy          Mustang, OK              5  09-10  135
  Day 1: 2   03-04     Day 2: 3   06-06   
67. Sean Lofgren           Forest Lake, MN          3  09-09  134
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-09   
67. Joshua Sokol           Orland Park, IL          3  09-09  134
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-09   
69. Dave Van Ert           Watertown, WI            4  09-07  132
  Day 1: 1   02-13     Day 2: 3   06-10   
70. Kyle Dowdy             El Paso, IL              5  08-12  131
  Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 2   03-08   
71. Jerry Fullen           Clifton, TX              4  08-10  130
  Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 3   06-11   
72. Nick Veselka           Fishers, IN              4  08-08  129
  Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 3   06-03   
73. Kurt Chelminiak        Delafield, WI            5  08-07  128
  Day 1: 2   02-14     Day 2: 3   05-09   
74. Hunter Stanislawski    Lake Geneva, WI          5  08-06  127
  Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 3   04-11   
75. Todd Lee               Jasper, AL               3  08-03  126
  Day 1: 2   05-08     Day 2: 1   02-11   
76. Curt Blomquist         Wright, MN               4  08-02  125
  Day 1: 3   05-06     Day 2: 1   02-12   
77. Troy Jutting           Savage, MN               4  08-01  124
  Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 1   02-09   
78. Richard Simmons        Pewamo , MI              3  07-10  123
  Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
79. David Zimmermann       Eagan, MN                4  07-09  122
  Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 1   01-13   
80. William Salzmann       Galena, IL               4  07-09  121
  Day 1: 3   05-11     Day 2: 1   01-14   
81. Carson Knutson         St Croix Falls, WI       4  07-09  120
  Day 1: 2   04-03     Day 2: 2   03-06   
82. Aaron Konopacki        New Albin, IA            6  07-08  119
  Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 3   00-00   
83. Darrin Wood            Rochester, MN            3  07-07  118
  Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
84. Klaus Kuester          Forest Park, IL          4  07-06  117
  Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 3   05-07   
85. Landon Winton          Salado, TX               4  07-05  116
  Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 3   05-08   
86.  Matt Houman           Chisago City, MN         4  07-04  115
  Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 3   05-03   
87. Bradley Juen           La Crosse, WI            3  07-03  114
  Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 1   03-03   
88. Daniel Vasquez         Boynton Beach, FL        4  07-01  113
  Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 3   05-05   
89. Matt Commerford        Wendell, MN              4  07-00  112
  Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 1   01-12   
90. Scott Dunn             Morris, IL               3  06-13  111
  Day 1: 2   05-04     Day 2: 1   01-09   
91. Kevin Yeska            Madison, WI              2  06-11  110
  Day 1: 2   06-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
92. Adam Panoff            Waukesha, WI             3  06-10  109
  Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
93. Christopher Majerle    Trenton, MI              3  06-10  108
  Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 2   05-01   
94. Steven Lopez           Sparta, WI               3  06-08  107
  Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   
95. Devin Sulk             Marinette, WI            3  06-07  106
  Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 2   03-15   
96. Brian Brecka           Alma, WI                 3  06-06  105
  Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
96. Mark Dempsey           Dixon, IL                3  06-06  105
  Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
96. Art Gneuhs             Plainfield, IL           3  06-06  105
  Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
96. Jason Steger           Stanley, WI              3  06-06  105
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-06   
100. Stephen Martens        Milwaukee, WI            3  06-05  101
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-05   
101. David Waack            Cary, NC                 3  06-02  100
  Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 2   04-03   
102. Sean Ruegemer          Bloomington, MN          3  06-02   99
  Day 1: 2   03-10     Day 2: 1   02-08   
103. Tyler Jaskiewicz       Rogers, AR               3  06-01   98
  Day 1: 3   06-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
103. Gary Michalski         Naperville, IL           3  06-01   98
  Day 1: 3   06-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
105. Eric Breitkreutz       Sheboygan, WI            2  06-01   96
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   06-01   
106. Brad Thieman           Sioux City, IA           3  06-01   95
  Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 2   04-07   
107. Justin Oppegard        Eagan, MN                3  06-00   94
  Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 1   01-05   
108. Don Kimmel             Fishers, IN              3  05-15   93
  Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 2   03-10   
109. Scott Dondlinger       Scottsboro, AL           3  05-14   92
  Day 1: 1   02-04     Day 2: 2   03-10   
110. Kenny Stelter          Forest Lake, MN          2  05-10   91
  Day 1: 2   05-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
111. Brandon Welke          Lacrescent, MN           3  05-07   90
  Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 2   03-08   
112. Scott Hill             Sunrise Beach, MO        3  05-05   89
  Day 1: 3   05-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
113. Bob Harper             Lombard, IL              2  04-11   88
  Day 1: 1   02-12     Day 2: 1   01-15   
114. Troy Sippl             Sussex, WI               2  04-10   87
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-10   
115. Michael Zawicki        Muskego, WI              2  04-04   86
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-04   
116. Charles Johnson        Newberry, MI             2  03-12   85
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-12   
117. Ma Xiong               Menomonee Falls, WI      2  03-09   84
  Day 1: 2   03-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   
118. Martin Terveer         Otsego, MN               2  03-06   83
  Day 1: 2   03-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
119. Derrick Peterson       Brooklyn Park, MN        2  03-03   82
  Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   
120. Alex Grimbos           Innisfil CANADA          1  02-13   81
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   02-13   
121. Tom Lyskawka           Arlington Heights  , IL  1  02-07   80
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   02-07   
122. Nicholas Van Ert       Menomonee Falls, WI      1  02-06   79
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   02-06   
123. John Rawdin Jr         Foosland, IL             1  02-03   78
  Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   
124. Gary Dennis            Ravenswood, WV           1  02-01   77
  Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
125. Will Yelverton         Hazel Green, AL          1  02-00   76
  Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
126. Tim Krantz             Somonauk, IL             1  01-14   75
  Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   
127. Aric Wilber            Saint Paul, MN           1  01-09   74
  Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Patrick Bartley        Waconia, MN              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Tim Berg               Prior Lake, MN           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Thomas Berkowitz       Littleton, MA            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Tristian Dupuis        Shreveport, LA           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Brad Goetz             Waunakee, WI             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Carter Golat           Bruce, WI                0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Matt Kelley            Detroit, MI              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Larry Miller           Onalaska, WI             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        69       273       624-11
 2        69       265       606-09
----------------------------------
         138       538      1231-04

by AnglersChannel

MLF Announces Expanded 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Schedule

MLF’s grassroots weekend circuit expands to 12 Regional tournaments, allowing bass anglers to compete closer to home for lucrative prizes and qualify for the 43rd Annual BFL All-American Championship

BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 13, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the 2025 schedule for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine (BFL), highlighted by the expansion to 12 Regional tournaments. This expansion ensures that grassroots MLF anglers can fish closer to home on lakes they know and love for a chance to win a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard as a boater and a new $20,000 cash award as a co-angler, plus qualification into the BFL All-American Championship.

Increasing the number of Regional tournaments to 12 will allow 65 boaters and co-anglers to qualify from each division – up from 50 in 2024 – while simultaneously reducing the field size in each Regional from 200 to 130 boats.

With advancement opportunities to the All-American, Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for a shot at winning top awards of $120,000, $235,000 and $300,000, respectively, the BFL offers the best payouts and advancement opportunities for the lowest entry fee available anywhere.

“The Phoenix Bass Fishing League is the foundation of tournament bass fishing,” said MLF Executive Vice President & General Manager Kathy Fennel. “Our passionate BFL anglers represent the single largest group of bass tournament anglers in the world. They are the lifeblood of MLF that keeps the industry moving forward, and we are excited to provide them with the highest-quality, most rewarding, close-to-home weekend tournaments available anywhere.”

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, including five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments. There they’ll compete to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

The 2025 BFL All-American, for qualifiers from the 2024 season, will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Full program details, including payouts, rules and entry dates, will be announced later this fall. For the complete 2025 BFL schedule visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2025 MLF Phoenix BFL Regional Tournament Schedule:

Oct. 3-4 James River (Northeast & Shenandoah) Richmond, Va.
Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism

Oct. 3-4 Lake Erie (Buckeye & Michigan) Sandusky, Ohio
Hosted by Shore & Islands Ohio

Oct. 3-4 Lake Norman (Piedmont & South Carolina) Huntersville, N.C.
Hosted by Visit Lake Norman and Visit Charlotte & Mecklenburg

Oct. 3-4 Mississippi River (Great Lakes & Illini) Quad Cities, Ill.
Hosted by Visit Quad Cities

Oct. 10-11 Douglas Lake (Mountain & Music City) Dandridge, Tenn.
Hosted by Visit Jefferson County TN

Oct. 10-11 Grand Lake (Okie & Ozark) Grove, Okla.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau

Oct. 10-11 Kentucky Lake (Hoosier & Mississippi) Buchanan, Tenn.
Hosted by the Henry County – Tourism Authority

Oct. 10-11 Lake Murray (North Carolina & Savannah River) Columbia, S.C.
Hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board

Oct. 10-11 Logan Martin Lake (Bama & Choo Choo) Lincoln, Ala.
Hosted by the City of Lincoln

Oct. 17-18 Lake Seminole (Bulldog & Gator) Bainbridge, Ga.
Hosted by Visit Bainbridge

Oct. 24-25 Dale Hollow Reservoir (LBL & Volunteer) Byrdstown, Tenn.
Hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce

Oct. 24-25 Lake Eufaula (Arkie & Cowboy) Eufaula, Okla.

Hosted by Vision Eufaula

Proud sponsors of the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

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

by AnglersChannel

2024 Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship set for Florida’s Apalachicola Bay

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ten teams will compete for their share of a $100,000 purse when the 2024 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter travels to Apalachicola Bay in Apalachicola, Fla., Oct. 25-27. Tournament launches and weight reveal will be at Scipio Creek Marina located at 301 Market St. in Apalachicola, Fla.

“We are extremely excited to bring this Redfish Cup Championship to Florida for the first time,” said B.A.S.S. Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “Showcasing the waters of the northern Gulf live on both FS1 and Bassmaster.com will provide great entertainment for fishing fans.”

The fourth annual no-entry fee event will feature four Bassmaster All-Star teams made up of four Bassmaster Elite Series pros and four Skeeter/Yamaha saltwater pros. The four Bassmaster All-Star teams are:

Forrest Wood Cup and St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN champion Justin Atkins and charter captain Krista Miller, known in many circles as “Krista Redfish.”
Elite Series champion John Garrett and sixth-generation Floridian and charter captain and guide Chad Manning.
Five-time Elite Series champion Brandon Palaniuk and three-time Redfish Cup Championship qualifier Chris Cenci.
Six-time Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors qualifier Shane Lehew and Plant City, Fla., charter guide Mike Goodwine.

The Bassmaster All-Star teams will be joined by defending champions Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas as well as five additional teams — two from the Power-Pole National Redfish Tour Presented by Mercury: the team of Carter Myers and James Drysdale and the team of Ryan Rickard and Pat Marsonek, two from the Elite Solo Tour (TBD) and one from the Professional Redfish League (TBD).

The format for the Redfish Cup Championship will be a catch, weigh and release format. Teams will be able to weigh their two largest legal slot-limit (18 to 27 inches) fish per boat, per day.

Coverage of the Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship will air on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all three days.

The local sponsor of the 2024 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter is Florida’s Forgotten Coast.

2024 Redfish Cup Championship Title Sponsor: Yamaha
2024 Redfish Cup Championship Presenting Sponsor: Skeeter Boats

-30-

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]

by AnglersChannel

Beaudrie finds fallback spots for Day 1 lead in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River

Sept. 12, 2024

LA CROSSE, Wis. — It might sound intrusive, but Chris Beaudrie of Princeton, Ky., exploited safe spaces to sack up a 19-pound limit that leads Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.

In a tight race where only 1-14 separates first and 10th places, Beaudrie leads Brady Vernon by 11 ounces. Making his first visit to the upper Mississippi River, Beaudrie said his lack of local experience plus the minefield of shallow bars and obstructions proved daunting.

“It was really tough for me to navigate this place in low water because I’ve never been here,” he said. “I just tried to put myself in good places.”

Addressing the newness, Beaudrie drew upon his Tennessee River knowledge. Seasonally, the fall reservoir drawdowns that impact his home waters have taught him what bass prefer during falling-water periods like the upper Mississippi has recently experienced.

“It was just understanding the conditions and adjusting to that,” Beaudrie said. “They’ve had high water all year, and I’m sure that had fish positioned a little easier to catch. But I knew the falling water would pull them out and group them up.”

Beaudrie’s intuition was spot-on, as he found most of his fish in deeper troughs along the shallow grass beds.

“I’m looking for ditches and (deeper) edges that run up against these shallow grass beds,” Beaudrie said. “It’s just a safe haven for them to pull to. If you have 300 yards of a foot and a half of water and the water’s been falling for a week or more, they gotta get out of there.

“That’s what I struggled with in practice. Shallow wasn’t working and everywhere that looked good didn’t have hardly any water. I just did what instinct told me to do and I looked for their safe haven.”

Spending his day in Pool 8, Beaudrie said that after the cooler temperatures of practice week, he had been waiting for warmer weather. This week’s warming trend is working in his favor, as it seems to be stimulating his shallow fish.

Beaudrie said he caught his fish early on topwaters and once the day turned sunny and the water slicked off, the bite slowed significantly. During that tough period, he explored other areas and switched to slower presentations, which yielded a couple of key culls.

“On the way in, I culled out a 3 1/4 with a 4 maybe 2 miles from the weigh-in,” Beaudrie said. “I had over 18 pounds before that.”

Looking at his Day 2 plan, Beaudrie said: “I think I pushed those (early fish) to another area in the mat. Luckily, I was able to relocate them, so, hopefully, I can get back on them tomorrow.”

Hailing from Sterrett, Ala., Vernon is in second place with 18-5. Given the late-summer falling-water scenario, he said he’s happy with the day’s productivity.

“I was surprised to catch what I did; I was expecting 15 to 16 to be at the top,” he said. “I caught 16 and some change pretty early. I (locked) up to Pool 7 and had that by like 8:45.

“I fished around for about 2 hours and I wasn’t getting any bites, so I was like, ‘I’m probably going to go back down to Pool 8 before I get stuck up here.’”

Relying on a clue from practice, Vernon started his day by targeting vast duckweed mats with blown-in eelgrass. He caught those early fish on a frog.

“I found a key place in practice that I got three bites out of, and they were big ones,” Vernon said. “I went back there this morning, and I had no idea, but I caught them fast out of one mat.

“I found one little place that’s deeper than the rest of the bay. I think all the wind in practice pushed the dead eelgrass and matted it up. It kind of protected what I was fishing.”

After leaving Pool 7 around 11:30, Vernon flipped a big jig in hopes of finding another big bite. This strategy added two of his keepers, including a 4-pounder that culled out a 2.8-pounder.

Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., is in third place with 18-4. Entering the tournament fourth in the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifier (EQ) points, Smith opted to protect his standing by remaining in Pool 8 and minimizing the risk of lock delays.

“I did a few different things today,” Smith said of his diverse game plan. “This morning was tough. I caught a limit really quick, but it was only like 9 to 10 pounds.

“I fished hard all day and finally pulled up on a place and caught two 2 1/2s. Then I pulled up on another place and caught a smallmouth that was 4-12 and a 3 1/2. I fished a couple more places and caught some nice largemouth.”

Smith caught his fish on a mix of reaction baits and slow presentations. Maintaining his composure under pressure was essential to his productive day.

“It’s so hard to stay calm, especially when you’re in the points race, to keep a calm mind,” Smith said. “I was out there by myself today. I didn’t have a co-angler, so I really just thought to myself and tried to stay calm. I just ran around a bunch and eventually caught some.”

Satoshi Egawa of Fort Lee, N.J., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 4-14.

Jimmy Brumfield of Madison, Miss., and Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wis., share the lead in the co-angler division with 10-8.

Amanda Riley or Galesville, Wis., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 4-7.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 2:30 p.m.

Coverage of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN will air on FS1 on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com Friday and Saturday.

ExploreLaCrosse.com is hosting the event.

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

-30-

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

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

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14
Mississippi River, La Crosse  WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY            5  19-00  200
  Day 1: 5   19-00   
2.  Brady Vernon           Sterrett, AL             5  18-05  199
  Day 1: 5   18-05   
3.  Tucker Smith           Birmingham, AL           5  18-04  198
  Day 1: 5   18-04   
4.  Cade Laufenberg        Onalaska, WI             5  18-01  197
  Day 1: 5   18-01   
5.  Cody Meyer             Eagle, ID                5  18-00  196
  Day 1: 5   18-00   
6.  Ish Monroe             Oakdale, CA              5  17-14  195
  Day 1: 5   17-14   
7.  Danny McGarry          Newcastle CANADA         5  17-09  194
  Day 1: 5   17-09   
8.  Brad Leuthner          Victoria, MN             5  17-05  193
  Day 1: 5   17-05   
9.  Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL         5  17-03  192
  Day 1: 5   17-03   
10. Satoshi Egawa          Fort Lee, NJ             5  17-02  191
  Day 1: 5   17-02   
11. Josh Butler            Hayden, AL               5  16-15  190
  Day 1: 5   16-15   
12. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           5  16-13  189
  Day 1: 5   16-13   
13. Mike Brueggen          La Crosse, WI            5  16-10  188
  Day 1: 5   16-10   
13. Parker Kratochvill     Onalaska, WI             5  16-10  188
  Day 1: 5   16-10   
15. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL         5  16-09  186
  Day 1: 5   16-09   
16. Easton Fothergill      Grand Rapids , MN        5  16-09  185
  Day 1: 5   16-09   
17. Mike Feldermann        Galena, IL               5  16-08  184
  Day 1: 5   16-08   
18. John Engler            Vinton, IA               5  16-05  183
  Day 1: 5   16-05   
19. Chris Hellebuyck       White Lake, MI           5  16-03  182
  Day 1: 5   16-03   
20. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL             5  16-01  181
  Day 1: 5   16-01   
20. Brian Post             Janesville, WI           5  16-01  181
  Day 1: 5   16-01   
22. Kevin Ruh              Onalaska, WI             5  15-15  179
  Day 1: 5   15-15   
23. Darold Gleason         Many, LA                 5  15-14  178
  Day 1: 5   15-14   
24. Lance Keene            Manistee, MI             5  15-13  177
  Day 1: 5   15-13   
25. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL               5  15-12  176
  Day 1: 5   15-12   
26. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     5  15-11  175
  Day 1: 5   15-11   
27. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              5  15-10  174
  Day 1: 5   15-10   
27. Emil Wagner            Marietta, GA             5  15-10  174
  Day 1: 5   15-10   
29. Cody Stahl             Barnsville, GA           5  15-09  172
  Day 1: 5   15-09   
30. Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               5  15-08  171
  Day 1: 5   15-08   
31. Andrew Behnke          Fond Du Lac, WI          5  15-07  170
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
31. Nathan Thompson        Eagan, MN                5  15-07  170
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
31. Nick Trim              Galesville, WI           5  15-07  170
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
34. Elijah Benson          Dahlonega, GA            5  15-04  167
  Day 1: 5   15-04   
34. Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA            5  15-04  167
  Day 1: 5   15-04   
36. Clayton Weber          West Salem, WI           5  15-03  165
  Day 1: 5   15-03   
37. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  15-02  164
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
37. Paul Marks             Cumming, GA              5  15-02  164
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
37. Tom Monsoor            La Crosse, WI            5  15-02  164
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
37. Cliff Pace             Ovett, MS                5  15-02  164
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
41. Beau Browning          Hot Springs National Pa  5  15-01  160
  Day 1: 5   15-01   
42. Andrew Loberg          Grant, AL                5  14-15  159
  Day 1: 5   14-15   
42. Dan Mohn               Lansing, IA              5  14-15  159
  Day 1: 5   14-15   
44. Garrett Warren         Scottsboro, AL           5  14-14  157
  Day 1: 5   14-14   
45. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN         5  14-13  156
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
45. Derek Lehtonen         Woodruff, SC             5  14-13  156
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
47. Matt Adams             Oxford, AL               5  14-11  154
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
47. Trey Schroeder         Theodosia, MO            5  14-11  154
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
49. Yui Aoki               Minamitsurugun JAPAN     5  14-10  152
  Day 1: 5   14-10   
49. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH             5  14-10  152
  Day 1: 5   14-10   
51. Tai Au                 Glendale, AZ             5  14-09  150
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
51. Adam Crigger           Le Claire, IA            5  14-09  150
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
53. Blake Smith            Lakeland, FL             5  14-08  148
  Day 1: 5   14-08   
53. Mitch Van Ert          Okauchee, WI             5  14-08  148
  Day 1: 5   14-08   
55. David Boelkins         Waukesha, WI             5  14-07  146
  Day 1: 5   14-07   
56. Kollin Crawford        Broken Bow, OK           5  14-06  145
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
56. Dakota Ebare           Brookeland, TX           5  14-06  145
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
58. Jamie Bruce            Kenora Ontario CANADA    5  14-05  143
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
58. Zach Goutremout        Chaumont, NY             5  14-05  143
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
58. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN           5  14-05  143
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
58. Chancy Walters         West Des Moines, IA      5  14-05  143
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
62. Christian Ostrander    Turlock, CA              5  14-04  139
  Day 1: 5   14-04   
63. Dave Parsons           Yantis, TX               5  14-02  138
  Day 1: 5   14-02   
64. Brock Belik            Orchard, NE              5  14-01  137
  Day 1: 5   14-01   
64. Jason Elliott          Warsaw, IN               5  14-01  137
  Day 1: 5   14-01   
64. Tyler Lubbat           Wheeling, IL             5  14-01  137
  Day 1: 5   14-01   
67. Andy Newcomb           Camdenton, MO            5  14-00  134
  Day 1: 5   14-00   
67. Jack York              Emory, TX                5  14-00  134
  Day 1: 5   14-00   
69. Chris Aswegan          Tiffin, IA               5  13-15  132
  Day 1: 5   13-15   
70. Bailey Bleser          Burlington, WI           5  13-14  131
  Day 1: 5   13-14   
70. Greg Bohannan          Bentonville, AR          5  13-14  131
  Day 1: 5   13-14   
70. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO                5  13-14  131
  Day 1: 5   13-14   
70. Kyle Seubert           Chaseburg, WI            5  13-14  131
  Day 1: 5   13-14   
74. Billy Gilbert          Hamburg, NY              5  13-13  127
  Day 1: 5   13-13   
75. Allen Armour           Cumming, GA              5  13-12  126
  Day 1: 5   13-12   
75. Kyle Minke             Lindsrom, MN             5  13-12  126
  Day 1: 5   13-12   
77. Casey Goode            La Crosse, WI            5  13-10  124
  Day 1: 5   13-10   
77. Jack Tindel III        Orange, TX               5  13-10  124
  Day 1: 5   13-10   
79. Chris Blanchette       Edisto Island, SC        5  13-09  122
  Day 1: 5   13-09   
80. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN       5  13-08  121
  Day 1: 5   13-08   
80. Brady Hanna            Silvis, IL               5  13-08  121
  Day 1: 5   13-08   
80. Freddy  Palmer         Estill Springs, TN       5  13-08  121
  Day 1: 5   13-08   
83. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC              5  13-07  118
  Day 1: 5   13-07   
83. Kyle Austin            Ridgeville, SC           5  13-07  118
  Day 1: 5   13-07   
83. Brandon Gann           Sparta, WI               5  13-07  118
  Day 1: 5   13-07   
83. John Voyles            Petersburg, IN           5  13-07  118
  Day 1: 5   13-07   
87. Bobby Bakewell         Orlando, FL              5  13-06  114
  Day 1: 5   13-06   
88. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           5  13-05  113
  Day 1: 5   13-05   
89. Caden Cowan            Stephenville, TX         5  13-04  112
  Day 1: 5   13-04   
89. Mike McClelland        Blue Eye, MO             5  13-04  112
  Day 1: 5   13-04   
91. Trevor McKinney        Noble, IL                5  13-03  110
  Day 1: 5   13-03   
91. Andrew Smith           Chesterfield, MI         5  13-03  110
  Day 1: 5   13-03   
91. Trey Swindle           Cleveland, AL            5  13-03  110
  Day 1: 5   13-03   
94. Aaron Jagdfeld         Rochester Hills, MI      5  13-02  107
  Day 1: 5   13-02   
94. Rich Lindgren          Lakeville, MN            5  13-02  107
  Day 1: 5   13-02   
96. Yukihiro Sawamura      Harker Heights, TX       5  13-01  105
  Day 1: 5   13-01   
97. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI               5  13-00  104
  Day 1: 5   13-00   
98. Evan Kung              Pickering Ontario CANAD  5  12-14  103
  Day 1: 5   12-14   
98. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY          5  12-14  103
  Day 1: 5   12-14   
100. Manny Sciberras        Liberty Twp, OH          5  12-13  101
  Day 1: 5   12-13   
101. Jackson Swisher        Lake City, FL            5  12-12  100
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
101. Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI           5  12-12  100
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
103. Cole Drummond          Effingham, SC            5  12-10   98
  Day 1: 5   12-10   
103. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL               5  12-10   98
  Day 1: 5   12-10   
103. Jeremiah Shaver        Holmen, WI               5  12-10   98
  Day 1: 5   12-10   
106. Lafe Messer            Warfield, KY             5  12-09   95
  Day 1: 5   12-09   
106. Randy Ramsey           Burlington, MI           5  12-09   95
  Day 1: 5   12-09   
108. Bryan Finch            Belton, TX               5  12-08   93
  Day 1: 5   12-08   
108. Jody Gardner           Tippecanoe, OH           5  12-08   93
  Day 1: 5   12-08   
110. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR          5  12-07   91
  Day 1: 5   12-07   
111. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN            5  12-06   90
  Day 1: 5   12-06   
112. James Watson           Lampe, MO                5  12-05   89
  Day 1: 5   12-05   
113. Chase Clarke           Virginia Beach, VA       5  12-04   88
  Day 1: 5   12-04   
113. Fernando Lobato        Sparta, WI               5  12-04   88
  Day 1: 5   12-04   
115. Teb Jones              Yalaha, MS               5  12-03   86
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
115. Masayuki Matsushita    Porter TX JAPAN          5  12-03   86
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
115. Christopher Welch      Fall River, WI           5  12-03   86
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
115. Doc Wootton            Collierville, TN         5  12-03   86
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
119. Bryan Partak           Marseilles, IL           5  12-02   82
  Day 1: 5   12-02   
119. Jeremy Radford         Huntly, VA               5  12-02   82
  Day 1: 5   12-02   
121. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV            5  12-01   80
  Day 1: 5   12-01   
121. Alexander Welter       Onalaska, WI             5  12-01   80
  Day 1: 5   12-01   
121. Zack Williams          Shell Knob, MO           5  12-01   80
  Day 1: 5   12-01   
124. Andrew Julson          Stoughton, WI            5  11-15   77
  Day 1: 5   11-15   
125. Josh Douglas           Isle, MN                 5  11-14   76
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
125. Tommy Dunaway          Havana, FL               5  11-14   76
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
125. Laker Howell           Guntersville, AL         5  11-14   76
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
128. Fritz Lubinski         Rochester, MN            5  11-14   73
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
129. Andrew Harp            Linden, TX               5  11-13   72
  Day 1: 5   11-13   
129. Tristan McCormick      Burns, TN                5  11-13   72
  Day 1: 5   11-13   
131. Adam Bartusek          Clearwater, MN           5  11-12   70
  Day 1: 5   11-12   
131. Cody Bird              Granbury, TX             5  11-12   70
  Day 1: 5   11-12   
131. Glenn Walker           Savage, MN               5  11-12   70
  Day 1: 5   11-12   
134. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO       5  11-11   67
  Day 1: 5   11-11   
134. Cody Salzmann          Southgate, MI            5  11-11   67
  Day 1: 5   11-11   
136. Kevin Dritschler       Prosper, TX              5  11-10   65
  Day 1: 5   11-10   
136. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL           5  11-10   65
  Day 1: 5   11-10   
138. Billy McDonald         Greenwood, IN            5  11-08   63
  Day 1: 5   11-08   
138. Dalton Smith           Taylorsville, KY         5  11-08   63
  Day 1: 5   11-08   
140. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  5  11-07   61
  Day 1: 5   11-07   
140. Cole Zagrzebski        Stevens Point, WI        5  11-07   61
  Day 1: 5   11-07   
142. Tim Frederick          Leesburg, FL             5  11-06   59
  Day 1: 5   11-06   
143. Steven Caldwell        Whitesboro, TX           5  11-05   58
  Day 1: 5   11-05   
144. Brett Cannon           Kiln, MS                 5  11-04   57
  Day 1: 5   11-04   
144. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC         5  11-04   57
  Day 1: 5   11-04   
146. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI         5  11-03   55
  Day 1: 5   11-03   
147. Ethen Preston          Tower City, ND           4  11-03   54
  Day 1: 4   11-03   
148. Vue Thao               Madison, WI              5  11-02   53
  Day 1: 5   11-02   
148. Jimmy Washam           Stantonville, TN         5  11-02   53
  Day 1: 5   11-02   
150. Brandon McMillan       Clewiston, FL            5  11-01   51
  Day 1: 5   11-01   
150. Kenny Mittelstaedt     Minnetonka, MN           5  11-01   51
  Day 1: 5   11-01   
152. Richard Lowitzki       Fort Myers, FL           5  10-15   49
  Day 1: 5   10-15   
153. Kyle Weisenburger      Columbus Grv, OH         5  10-14   48
  Day 1: 5   10-14   
154. David Bromenshenkel    Sauk Centre, MN          5  10-13   47
  Day 1: 5   10-13   
155. Dylan Mayo             Athens, TX               5  10-11   46
  Day 1: 5   10-11   
156. Brandyn Baum           La Crosse, WI            5  10-10   45
  Day 1: 5   10-10   
156. Kevin Johnson          Sparta, WI               5  10-10   45
  Day 1: 5   10-10   
158. Jim Moynagh            Remer, MN                5  10-09   43
  Day 1: 5   10-09   
158. Joe Wieberg            Freeburg, MO             5  10-09   43
  Day 1: 5   10-09   
160. Cody Detweiler         Guntersville, AL         5  10-07   41
  Day 1: 5   10-07   
161. Andy Dassow            Medford, WI              5  10-06   40
  Day 1: 5   10-06   
161. Jordan Knutson         Saint Croix Falls, WI    5  10-06   40
  Day 1: 5   10-06   
161. Avery Williams         Murrells Inlt, SC        5  10-06   40
  Day 1: 5   10-06   
164. Jacob Bigelow          Cecil, WI                5  10-05   37
  Day 1: 5   10-05   
165. Blake Schroeder        Whitehouse, TX           5  10-04   36
  Day 1: 5   10-04   
166. Derrick Sadlowski      Monaca, PA               5  10-00   35
  Day 1: 5   10-00   
167. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN          5  09-14   34
  Day 1: 5   09-14   
167. Sam Hanggi             Knoxville, TN            5  09-14   34
  Day 1: 5   09-14   
169. Chris Kingree          Inverness, FL            5  09-13   32
  Day 1: 5   09-13   
170. Lance Crawford         Broken Bow, OK           5  09-12   31
  Day 1: 5   09-12   
171. Lucas Murphy           West Columbia, MI        5  09-11   30
  Day 1: 5   09-11   
172. Paul Browning          Monahans, TX             5  09-09   29
  Day 1: 5   09-09   
173. Phillip Kroll          Otego, NY                5  09-07   28
  Day 1: 5   09-07   
173. A.J. Menssen           Bloomington, IL          5  09-07   28
  Day 1: 5   09-07   
173. Matt Messer            Warfield, KY             5  09-07   28
  Day 1: 5   09-07   
176. Matt Thompson          Stacy, MN                5  09-05   25
  Day 1: 5   09-05   
177. Scott Isaacs           Ladonia, TX              4  09-03   24
  Day 1: 4   09-03   
178. Wayne Hall             Cottonwood, AZ           4  09-01   23
  Day 1: 4   09-01   
179. Tripp Noojin           Bryant, AL               5  08-13   22
  Day 1: 5   08-13   
180. Austin Cranford        Norman, OK               4  08-01   21
  Day 1: 4   08-01   
181. Joey Punko             Broomfield, CO           4  08-00   20
  Day 1: 4   08-00   
181. Ryan Redmann           Brandon, WI              4  08-00   20
  Day 1: 4   08-00   
183. Brian Bird             Eastland, TX             4  07-14   18
  Day 1: 4   07-14   
184. Brian Bengtson         Bloomington, MN          5  07-13   17
  Day 1: 5   07-13   
185. Sean Clayton           Seneca, SC               4  07-13   16
  Day 1: 4   07-13   
185. Clemente Gutierrez     Woodbridge, VA           4  07-13   16
  Day 1: 4   07-13   
187. Logan Johnson          Jasper, AL               4  07-12   14
  Day 1: 4   07-12   
188. Mike Mayo              Athens, TX               4  07-08   13
  Day 1: 4   07-08   
189. Kyle Palmer            Winchester, TN           3  07-01   12
  Day 1: 3   07-01   
190. Chris Miller           Spirit Lake, IA          3  06-15   11
  Day 1: 3   06-15   
191. Kevin Ledoux           Choctaw, OK              4  06-14   10
  Day 1: 4   06-14   
192. Clint Leonard Jr       Saint Cloud, FL          3  06-13    9
  Day 1: 3   06-13   
193. Daisuke Kita           Ostu Shiga JAPAN         3  06-12    8
  Day 1: 3   06-12   
194. Brayden Rakes          Winston Salem, NC        2  06-11    7
  Day 1: 2   06-11   
195. Scout Echols           Monticello, AR           3  06-08    6
  Day 1: 3   06-08   
196. Keith Brumfield        Vicksburg, MS            3  06-05    5
  Day 1: 3   06-05   
197. Brent Shores           Boise, ID                3  06-00    4
  Day 1: 3   06-00   
198. Frankie Arado          Eastman, WI              3  05-11    3
  Day 1: 3   05-11   
199. Parker Knudsen         Minnetonka, MN           3  05-10    2
  Day 1: 3   05-10   
200. Andrew Hargrove        Moody, TX                3  05-09    1
  Day 1: 3   05-09   
201. Tadd Johnson           Lakeville, MN            3  05-01    0
  Day 1: 3   05-01   
202. Joey Hanna             Corsicana, TX            2  04-14    0
  Day 1: 2   04-14   
203. Tony Dumitras          Winston, GA              2  04-12    0
  Day 1: 2   04-12   
204. Brady Schran           Zumbrota, MN             2  03-13    0
  Day 1: 2   03-13   
205. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL           2  03-12    0
  Day 1: 2   03-12   
206. Mark Tonjum            Spencer, IA              2  03-11    0
  Day 1: 2   03-11   
207. Lance Owen             Greer, SC                2  03-07    0
  Day 1: 2   03-07   
208. Austin Anderson        Ashley, IN               1  02-03    0
  Day 1: 1   02-03   
209. Dale Salzmann          Hazel Green, WI          1  01-14    0
  Day 1: 1   01-14   
210. Brian Fitzpatrick      La Crosse, WI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
210. Jay Przekurat          Plover, WI               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
210. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
210. Joseph Titus           Bemidji, MN              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
210. Tim Tyndell            Mineola, TX              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
210. Kelvin Wilcox          Hazlehurst, GA           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       177       982      2557-07
----------------------------------
         177       982      2557-07

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14
Mississippi River, La Crosse  WI.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Jimmy Brumfield        Madison, MS              3  10-08  200
  Day 1: 3   10-08   
1.  Richard Conrad         Arcadia, WI              3  10-08  200
  Day 1: 3   10-08   
3.  David Riggs            Highland, IL             3  10-03  198
  Day 1: 3   10-03   
4.  Danny Knispel          Grimes, IA               3  09-14  197
  Day 1: 3   09-14   
5.  Niko Romero            Coldspring, TX           3  09-02  196
  Day 1: 3   09-02   
6.  Mack Traynor           Hanover, MN              3  08-10  195
  Day 1: 3   08-10   
7.  Tanner Visco           Chicago, IL              3  08-05  194
  Day 1: 3   08-05   
8.  Anthony Kromke         La Crosse, WI            3  08-03  193
  Day 1: 3   08-03   
8.  Andre Yee              Columbia, SC             3  08-03  193
  Day 1: 3   08-03   
10. Ricardo Guzman         Farmington, MO           3  08-01  191
  Day 1: 3   08-01   
10. Chris Stelter          Chisago City, MN         3  08-01  191
  Day 1: 3   08-01   
12. Tom Howland            Riceville, IA            3  07-15  189
  Day 1: 3   07-15   
12. Bob Zagrzebski         Stevens Point, WI        3  07-15  189
  Day 1: 3   07-15   
14. Dan Mcadams            Reedsburg, WI            3  07-14  187
  Day 1: 3   07-14   
14. Amanda Riley           Galesville, WI           3  07-14  187
  Day 1: 3   07-14   
16. John Miller            Sunrise Beach, MO        3  07-12  185
  Day 1: 3   07-12   
17. Jamie Gomez            Holmen, WI               3  07-10  184
  Day 1: 3   07-10   
17. Richard Simmons        Pewamo , MI              3  07-10  184
  Day 1: 3   07-10   
17. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL              3  07-10  184
  Day 1: 3   07-10   
20. David Ondrla           Elmhurst, IL             3  07-09  181
  Day 1: 3   07-09   
21. Erik Gaffron           Hanover, MN              3  07-08  180
  Day 1: 3   07-08   
21. Aaron Konopacki        New Albin, IA            3  07-08  180
  Day 1: 3   07-08   
21. Mark Ripp              Belmont, WI              3  07-08  180
  Day 1: 3   07-08   
24. Darrin Wood            Rochester, MN            3  07-07  177
  Day 1: 3   07-07   
25. Dennis Duffy           Westmont, IL             3  07-06  176
  Day 1: 3   07-06   
26. Mike Steckel           Las Vegas, NV            3  07-05  175
  Day 1: 3   07-05   
27. Josh Hubbard           Citrus Springs, FL       3  07-04  174
  Day 1: 3   07-04   
28. Joshua Kantor          Tomah, WI                3  07-03  173
  Day 1: 3   07-03   
28. Chad Stahl             Barnesville, GA          3  07-03  173
  Day 1: 3   07-03   
30. Gary Baranowski        Otsego, MN               3  07-02  171
  Day 1: 3   07-02   
30. Roy Biwer              Shakopee, MN             3  07-02  171
  Day 1: 3   07-02   
30. Shane Kuehn            Bennington, NE           3  07-02  171
  Day 1: 3   07-02   
30. Leo Morris             Beaver Dam, WI           3  07-02  171
  Day 1: 3   07-02   
30. Nic Rand               Paw Paw, MI              3  07-02  171
  Day 1: 3   07-02   
35. Calvin Landsberg       Raleigh, NC              3  07-01  166
  Day 1: 3   07-01   
36. Levi Warner            Hilbert, WI              3  06-14  165
  Day 1: 3   06-14   
37. Larry Peterson         Hammond, WI              3  06-11  164
  Day 1: 3   06-11   
38. Eugene Kim             Lindenhurst, IL          3  06-11  163
  Day 1: 3   06-11   
39. Kevin Yeska            Madison, WI              2  06-11  162
  Day 1: 2   06-11   
40. Brian Forcier          Akron, IA                3  06-10  161
  Day 1: 3   06-10   
40. Adam Panoff            Waukesha, WI             3  06-10  161
  Day 1: 3   06-10   
40. Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ              3  06-10  161
  Day 1: 3   06-10   
43. Makoto Maehira         Hiroshima JAPAN          3  06-09  158
  Day 1: 3   06-09   
44. Steven Lopez           Sparta, WI               3  06-08  157
  Day 1: 3   06-08   
44. Shawn Overton          Coal Valley, IL          3  06-08  157
  Day 1: 3   06-08   
46. JJ Patton              Eldridge, IA             3  06-07  155
  Day 1: 3   06-07   
46. Brandon Troupe         Chicago, IL              3  06-07  155
  Day 1: 3   06-07   
48. Brian Brecka           Alma, WI                 3  06-06  153
  Day 1: 3   06-06   
48. Mark Dempsey           Dixon, IL                3  06-06  153
  Day 1: 3   06-06   
48. Art Gneuhs             Plainfield, IL           3  06-06  153
  Day 1: 3   06-06   
51. Willie Meyer           North Mankato, MN        3  06-03  150
  Day 1: 3   06-03   
52. Andrew Brandstrom      Shoreview, MN            3  06-02  149
  Day 1: 3   06-02   
53. Tyler Jaskiewicz       Rogers, AR               3  06-01  148
  Day 1: 3   06-01   
53. Gary Michalski         Naperville, IL           3  06-01  148
  Day 1: 3   06-01   
55. Jimmy Obrien           Southampton, NY          2  06-01  146
  Day 1: 2   06-01   
56. Josh Mohn              Lansing, IA              3  06-00  145
  Day 1: 3   06-00   
57. Mark Schill            Minneapolis, MN          3  05-13  144
  Day 1: 3   05-13   
58. David Zimmermann       Eagan, MN                3  05-12  143
  Day 1: 3   05-12   
59. Christopher Morgan     Greendale, WI            3  05-11  142
  Day 1: 3   05-11   
59. William Salzmann       Galena, IL               3  05-11  142
  Day 1: 3   05-11   
61. Donald Biggs           Murphysboro, IL          3  05-10  140
  Day 1: 3   05-10   
62. Kenny Stelter          Forest Lake, MN          2  05-10  139
  Day 1: 2   05-10   
63. Jacob Collins          Hillsboro, IL            3  05-08  138
  Day 1: 3   05-08   
63. Gary Haraguchi         Murfreesboro, TN         3  05-08  138
  Day 1: 3   05-08   
63. Danny Mancini          Necedah, WI              3  05-08  138
  Day 1: 3   05-08   
66. Troy Jutting           Savage, MN               3  05-08  135
  Day 1: 3   05-08   
67. Todd Lee               Jasper, AL               2  05-08  134
  Day 1: 2   05-08   
68. Curt Blomquist         Wright, MN               3  05-06  133
  Day 1: 3   05-06   
69. Scott Hill             Sunrise Beach, MO        3  05-05  132
  Day 1: 3   05-05   
70. Matt Commerford        Wendell, MN              3  05-04  131
  Day 1: 3   05-04   
70. Kyle Dowdy             El Paso, IL              3  05-04  131
  Day 1: 3   05-04   
72. Scott Dunn             Morris, IL               2  05-04  129
  Day 1: 2   05-04   
73. Jason Barber           Gun Barrel City, TX      3  05-03  128
  Day 1: 3   05-03   
74. Patrick Andres         Long Grove, IL           2  05-03  127
  Day 1: 2   05-03   
75. Dawson Wisner          Palatka, FL              3  04-11  126
  Day 1: 3   04-11   
76. Justin Oppegard        Eagan, MN                2  04-11  125
  Day 1: 2   04-11   
77. Mitch Johnson          Dayton, OH               2  04-04  124
  Day 1: 2   04-04   
78. Carson Knutson         St Croix Falls, WI       2  04-03  123
  Day 1: 2   04-03   
79. Albert Jones  Jr       Covington, GA            2  04-02  122
  Day 1: 2   04-02   
80. Richard Kiblinger      Kansas City, KS          1  04-02  121
  Day 1: 1   04-02   
81. Chase Traeger          Lino Lakes, MN           2  04-01  120
  Day 1: 2   04-01   
82. Bradley Juen           La Crosse, WI            2  04-00  119
  Day 1: 2   04-00   
83. Hunter Stanislawski    Lake Geneva, WI          2  03-11  118
  Day 1: 2   03-11   
84. Sean Ruegemer          Bloomington, MN          2  03-10  117
  Day 1: 2   03-10   
85. Ma Xiong               Menomonee Falls, WI      2  03-09  116
  Day 1: 2   03-09   
86. Martin Terveer         Otsego, MN               2  03-06  115
  Day 1: 2   03-06   
87. Jimmy Fellegy          Mustang, OK              2  03-04  114
  Day 1: 2   03-04   
88. Derrick Peterson       Brooklyn Park, MN        2  03-03  113
  Day 1: 2   03-03   
89. Kurt Chelminiak        Delafield, WI            2  02-14  112
  Day 1: 2   02-14   
90. Dave Van Ert           Watertown, WI            1  02-13  111
  Day 1: 1   02-13   
91. Mark Cowart            Kearney, MO              2  02-12  110
  Day 1: 2   02-12   
92. Zachary Demler         Marinette, WI            1  02-12  109
  Day 1: 1   02-12   
92. Bob Harper             Lombard, IL              1  02-12  109
  Day 1: 1   02-12   
94. Devin Sulk             Marinette, WI            1  02-08  107
  Day 1: 1   02-08   
95. Adam Omlid             Grand Forks, ND          1  02-07  106
  Day 1: 1   02-07   
96. Don Kimmel             Fishers, IN              1  02-05  105
  Day 1: 1   02-05   
96. Nick Veselka           Fishers, IN              1  02-05  105
  Day 1: 1   02-05   
98. Scott Dondlinger       Scottsboro, AL           1  02-04  103
  Day 1: 1   02-04   
98. Greg Spaid             Brainerd, MN             1  02-04  103
  Day 1: 1   02-04   
100. John Rawdin Jr         Foosland, IL             1  02-03  101
  Day 1: 1   02-03   
101. Gary Dennis            Ravenswood, WV           1  02-01  100
  Day 1: 1   02-01   
101.  Matt Houman           Chisago City, MN         1  02-01  100
  Day 1: 1   02-01   
101. Ty Kenyon              Dodgeville, WI           1  02-01  100
  Day 1: 1   02-01   
104. Will Yelverton         Hazel Green, AL          1  02-00   97
  Day 1: 1   02-00   
105. Jerry Fullen           Clifton, TX              1  01-15   96
  Day 1: 1   01-15   
105. Klaus Kuester          Forest Park, IL          1  01-15   96
  Day 1: 1   01-15   
105. David Waack            Cary, NC                 1  01-15   96
  Day 1: 1   01-15   
105. Brandon Welke          Lacrescent, MN           1  01-15   96
  Day 1: 1   01-15   
109. Tim Krantz             Somonauk, IL             1  01-14   92
  Day 1: 1   01-14   
110. Maggie Carsello        Stoughton, WI            1  01-13   91
  Day 1: 1   01-13   
110. Landon Winton          Salado, TX               1  01-13   91
  Day 1: 1   01-13   
112. Daniel Vasquez         Boynton Beach, FL        1  01-12   89
  Day 1: 1   01-12   
113. Brad Thieman           Sioux City, IA           1  01-10   88
  Day 1: 1   01-10   
114. Christopher Majerle    Trenton, MI              1  01-09   87
  Day 1: 1   01-09   
114. Aric Wilber            Saint Paul, MN           1  01-09   87
  Day 1: 1   01-09   
116. Patrick Bartley        Waconia, MN              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Tim Berg               Prior Lake, MN           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Thomas Berkowitz       Littleton, MA            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Eric Breitkreutz       Sheboygan, WI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Matthew Cunningham     Independence, MN         0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Tristian Dupuis        Shreveport, LA           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Brad Goetz             Waunakee, WI             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Carter Golat           Bruce, WI                0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Alex Grimbos           Innisfil CANADA          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Charles Johnson        Newberry, MI             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Matt Kelley            Detroit, MI              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Sean Lofgren           Forest Lake, MN          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Tom Lyskawka           Arlington Heights  , IL  0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Stephen Martens        Milwaukee, WI            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Larry Miller           Onalaska, WI             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Troy Sippl             Sussex, WI               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Joshua Sokol           Orland Park, IL          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Jason Steger           Stanley, WI              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Nicholas Van Ert       Menomonee Falls, WI      0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
116. Michael Zawicki        Muskego, WI              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        69       273       624-11
----------------------------------
          69       273       624-11

by AnglersChannel

Nominate An Angler For The ACA's All-Academic Team For The 2024-25 Season

This past summer, to kick off its historic 20th season, the Association of Collegiate Anglers announced the creation of an All-Academic Team for the 2024-25 season. The award and nomination process is designed to call attention to, and reward, student anglers for their success in the classroom.

The first event at which anglers will be rewarded for making the All-Academic Team is at the upcoming Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley. Each of the three selected anglers will be announced and honored at the official angler check-in and meeting on Friday, September 20th.

At each ACA tournament during the 2024-25 season, 3 nominees will be selected to the All-Academic Team for that event. Throughout the season, a total of 12 student anglers will be selected to the All-Academic Team. Each of the 12 selected nominees will be presented at that specific tournament, of which they’ll receive a valuable prize package, exposure on ACA social media platforms and television series, as well as have the opportunity to be named the Academic All-American at the end of the season.

Anglers can be nominated for the All-Academic Team at this link.

Nominees that are not named to the All-Academic Team at the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley will still be eligible for selection at the three remaining ACA events throughout the 2024-25 season.

The nomination submission form will require the following information:

Angler Name
School
Year/Classification
Degree field
Cumulative GPA
Semester GPA

Student anglers can be nominated by anyone, including themselves. The above information will be required on behalf of each nominee, to include official documentation confirming the student’s grades and academic standing.

All-Academic Team members and the overall award recipient will be selected based on their all-around performance in the classroom, to include overall GPA, as reviewed by ACA staff through a diligent process.

College fishing is a demanding and rewarding sport that requires anglers to balance their time spent on the water and in the classroom. Remaining dedicated in the classroom and showcasing academic success are great standards for an angler to achieve. It is because of this hard work and required dedication that the ACA has created the All-Academic Team. To find out more information about the program and nominate an angler, click here.

by AnglersChannel

Daiwa: Going Coastal

DAIWA’s new COASTAL SV TW 150 is the essential midsize baitcaster for control, long bombs, and elimination of seaside bird’s nests.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (September 10, 2024) – If your freshwater baitcasting reels are double-timing as saltwater stand-ins, this is your clarion call to specialize for the brine. DIAWA’s new saltwater-centric COASTAL SV TW 150 is a premium, oceanic grade baitcaster conceived for versatile inshore performance.

DAIWA’s existing COASTAL lineup is cornerstone amongst inshore saltwater anglers. The svelte COASTAL 80 is prized with finesse wade and kayak anglers flinging lighter jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and topwaters. The brawny COASTAL 200 caters to inshore and nearshore anglers who have an appetite for big lures and bigger fish. And, nestled perfectly in between – replacing the COASTAL SV TW 150 – is DIAWA’s new utilitarian workhorse, the COASTAL SV TW 150.

“It hits that sweet spot in the middle,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, about the COASTAL SV TW 150’s not too big, not too small stature. “The new ergonomic 100 size frame feels comfortable and secure in the hand, while the 150 capacity spool provides added line capacity.”

“DAIWA developed it for the Gulf Coast market, but the COASTAL series has been finding fans on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, too,” continued Martin. “Whether the angler is trying to pitch mangroves, place a precision cast for tailing reds, or sink a swimbait between dense lanes of kelp stringers, the reel’s T-Wing system helps accurately place those casts.”

“This is a true saltwater grade reel; the corrosion resistance ball bearings (CRBB) remain smooth trip after trip. Combine that with the high-strength brass gearing and all the angler needs to do at the end of the day is rinse it with freshwater and they’re good to go.”

Martin likes the COASTAL SV TW 150 for the popular class of midsized lures, which, truthfully, compose over half of what’s hanging on the pegs. “It’s an ace for swimbaits, jigs over ¼-ounce, hard jerkbaits, and topwaters.”

Whatmore, Martin says the reel’s SV TECHNOLOGY does what other baitcasters can’t: manage the Cirque du Soleil cartwheels when throwing popping cork rigs. “The SV Spool and magnetic braking combine to absorb the surge when casting a popping cork, and as a result, prevent the reel from backlashing. It’s awesome in action.”

Make DAIWA’s COASTAL SV TW 150 your new midweight baitcasting champ. And if you’re still repurposing freshwater reels for the salt, this is your opportunity to take the blue water plunge.

COASTAL SV TW 15O FEATURES:

SV TECHNOLOGY

The SV (Stress-Free, Versatile) A7075 aircraft grade spool was developed with one thing in mind: casting control. The design of the spool, as well as how the spool interacts with the braking system, gives maximum control on the cast while increasing casting distance. No backlashes. Longer casts.

HYPERDRIVE ARMED HOUSING

A distortion-proof aluminum frame steadfastly houses the gear unit within the reel body. The concept comprises a combination of different manufacturing techniques, which considerably improve the functioning and lifespan of the reel.

HYPERDRIVE DIGIGEAR

A technology that makes gear teeth more efficient at transferring power, resulting in a smoother, more powerful gear set that also reduces gear noise. The gears are also strengthened by larger teeth in the traction wheel. And, the gearing has three points of contact – most gearing has only two – which maintains interaction between the gear teeth, yielding smoothness and longer gear life.

HYPERDRIVE TOUGH CLUTCH

The clutch mechanics have been optimized to remain safely in position even on hard casts.

T-WING SYSTEM (TWS)

An innovative “T” shaped mechanical aperture that the line passes through when casting and retrieving baits, which allows the line to flow freely, reducing friction and sharp angles that slow line flow. TWS is unique to DAIWA baitcasting reels.

CRBB

Unlike ordinary, unprotected "corrosion resistant" bearings, DAIWA's CRBB ball bearings are shielded to seal out sand, fine grit, salt crystals, and other abrasives for a longer life. CRBB ball bearings are 12 times more corrosion resistant than standard ball bearings.

ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT DRAG (UTD)

The sophisticated drag system uses carbon washers, alloy, stainless steel drag plates, and special lubricant to provide smooth performance. UTD prevents sticking when dragging starts and stable drag for the duration of fighting a fish.

ZERO ADJUSTER

The spool tension knob comes ideally preset at the factory to match the model and reduce backlash when casting into the wind or with lighter lures. However, anglers can fine tune the spool tension to their personal preferences.

100mm SWEPT HANDLE

The increased torque turns the barrel with greater ease. The handle also utilizes comfortable Soft Touch Knobs.

MSRP $279.99

THE PERFECT PAIRING

Inshore anglers should consider DAIWA’s new Isla AGS series for general cast and retrieve style fishing for redfish, flounder, speckled trout, smaller snapper, and sheepshead. The COASTAL SV TW 150 also pairs with conventional models in the Saltist Light Action Surf series for Gulf redfish, speckled trout, and flounder, as well as west coast surf perch, croaker, halibut, and corbina. It also matches well with Harrier Super Light Jigging Rods for shallow reef fishing.

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us

by AnglersChannel

2024 Bassmaster High School Combine connects students and college fishing coaches

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — College coaches will have the chance to meet and evaluate the country’s next generation of young fishing talent when the fourth annual Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off on Sept. 13 on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. The Combine gives young anglers the opportunity to show off their skills and meet with coaches to discuss taking their fishing aspirations to the next level at colleges and universities around the country.

More than $7 million in scholarships were offered over the course of the first three Combines, and now 97 anglers and representatives from 27 schools will be on hand in Decatur to discuss the potential for a future in competitive bass fishing.

“We look forward to the Bassmaster High School Combine each year,” said Angela Mayo, head coach for the Catawba Valley Community College Red Hawks fishing team. “As a community college, we don't have the resources that many of the other colleges and universities have at their disposal. The Combine gives us the opportunity to see so many talented anglers together in one place, in one weekend. We have signed five anglers in just the last two years because of the Combine.

“The Combine also gives us an avenue to let people know about all the great things we have going on at CVCC, especially our Marine Mechanical Technology program,” Mayo went on to say. “We have built the only two-year degree in the country in which a student can graduate as a fully certified Yamaha and Mercury Outboard technician. As a trade-focused school, we fill a need for those students that don't necessarily want to attend a four-year school but want to fish at the collegiate level. The Combine gives us an outlet to connect with those students.”

The High School Combine affords anglers the opportunity to demonstrate their on-the-water skills in three different disciplines — Casting Distance, Technical and Casting Accuracy. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. There are bonus points opportunities in addition to the skills challenges that include a safety quiz, a knot-tying test and a one-cast challenge.

After the first day of the Combine, schools may select anglers for a “second look” to further evaluate the potential fit for their fishing program.

“Attending the Bassmaster High School Combine is a great experience for the up-and-coming angler who is looking to fish at the next level,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior Series. “Being under one roof with 25 or more of the best colleges in the country and being able to meet with the coaches is an invaluable experience.”

“Decatur is honored to partner with B.A.S.S. to continue serving as host of the Bassmaster High School Combine,” said Don Dukemineer, director of sports development for the Decatur Morgan County Tourism. “Now in our fourth year, our joint efforts with B.A.S.S. continue to strengthen this prestigious event in providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these anglers to showcase their talents. Ingalls Harbor and Pavilion offer the perfect set-up for this unique event, and we are thrilled with this beneficial relationship that highlights Decatur and Morgan County as a fishing destination.”

The following colleges have committed to participating in the Bassmaster High School Combine:

Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.)
Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.)
Blue Mountain Christian University (Blue Mountain, Miss.)
Bryan College (Dayton, Tenn.)
Campbellsville University (Campbellsville, Ky.)
Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory, N.C.)
Dallas Baptist University (Dallas, Texas)
Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
East Texas Baptist University (Marshall, Texas)
Emmanuel University (Franklin Springs, Ga.)
Erskine College (Due West, S.C.)
Faulkner University (Montgomery, Ala.)
Kentucky Christian University (Grayson, Ky.)
Lander University (Greenwood, S.C.)
Louisiana State University Shreveport (Shreveport, La.)
Murray State College (Tishomingo, Okla.)
Murray State University (Murray, Ky.)
Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.)
Tennessee Wesleyan University (Athens, Tenn.)
University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.)
University of Montevallo (Montevallo, Ala.)
University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.)
University of Pikeville (Pikeville, Ky.)
University of South Carolina Union (Union, S.C.)
Wabash Valley College (Mt. Carmel, Ill.)
Webber International University (Babson Park, Fla.)

The 2024 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.

For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-school.

2024 Bassmaster High School Combine Title Sponsor: Skeeter2024 Bassmaster High School Combine Gear Partners: Lew's, Strike King2024 Bassmaster Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

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

About B.A.S.S.

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

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Media Contact: Chad Gay, B.A.S.S. Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]

by AnglersChannel

BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME TO HONOR CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES DURING ‘CELEBRATE BASS FISHING WEEK’ EVENTS

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— For Immediate Release — Sept. 12, 2024 — Bass fishing’s most celebrated week of the year will see five new members enshrined into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame as well as the unveiling of an expansion to bass fishing’s only dedicated museum and an annual auction that will generate funds for initiatives to preserve and promote bass fishing.

Those activities are part of Celebrate Bass Fishing Week, which culminates with the induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 26 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, and at the White River Conference Center in Springfield, Mo.

Formally inducted into the 2024 Hall of Fame class will be the late Fred Arbogast, inventor of such iconic lures as the Jitterbug and Hula Popper; Mike McKinnis, innovator of breakthrough live video and television coverage of tournament bass fishing as VP of media content for JM Associates; and noted pro angler, tackle designer and promoter Skeet Reese, whose career winnings exceed $4 million. Alfred Williams, a trailblazing angler from Mississippi who was the first African American angler to compete in a Bassmaster Classic, will also be inducted, while Mark Zona will be enshrined as one of the leading voices and personalities in bass fishing as a show host and TV analyst.

“We look forward to hosting this special night for those who enjoy the sport of bass fishing, where we celebrate the Hall’s newest inductees, promote how the industry and anglers come together for this one evening to support a common cause, and provides the Hall’s Board the opportunity to raise funds to help preserve the sport through our conservation efforts,” said John Mazurkiewicz, Hall of Fame board president. “Our induction celebration events have become a must-attend evening in the bass fishing world, and we are pacing toward having one of our biggest crowds ever. Those in the room include a who’s who list of past Hall of Fame inductees, leaders in the fishing and boating industries, current B.A.S.S. and MLF pro bass anglers, high school and college bass anglers featured on our new Champion’s Wall, and fans of the sport from across the country.”

Along with celebrating the 2024 inductees, another highlight of the induction event evening is the official public opening of the expanded exhibit space within the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame venue at Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium. New additions to the Hall of Fame include expanded displays, 5ft x 8ft LED monitor showcasing videos of Hall of Fame Moments, and an historical timeline of the sport of bass fishing. The five inductees will be honored at the venue with a special plaque unveiling sponsored by Phoenix Boats to start off the night’s activities.

Major League Fishing is sponsoring the Hall’s annual ‘Celebrate Bass Fishing’ online auction starting on Sept. 20, along with a live auction during the induction event evening. The online auction provides a once-a-year opportunity for bass anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada to bid on unique fishing trips, original artwork, an assortment of tackle and hunting items, plus unique bass fishing memorabilia and more. Visit https://one.bidpal.net/bfhof/welcome to view all the items up for bid.

Here is a small sampling:

Bucket list fishing trips with accomplished guides and pro anglers to lakes such as O.H. Ivie and Lake Fork; a day of bass fishing with Whiskey Myers lead singer Cody Cannon; targeting smallmouth on trips for two within the Snake River Canyon in Idaho and the Grand Traverse Bay area in Michigan.
Tournament jerseys from leading professional bass anglers from both MLF and B.A.S.S.Including Rick Clunn’s final season signed jersey after a 50-year career.
Original artwork from noted fishing/wildlife illustrator Doug Schermer, and one-of-a-kind handmade crankbaits from Angry Sturgeon Lures.
Rods, reels and lures from leading brands including Daiwa, Strike King, Lew’s, PRADCO brands, Rapala, Big Bite Baits, SPRO, Sunline, KastKing, St. Croix, Eagle Claw, TFO Rods, Northland Tackle, EGO and more.
Technical fishing clothing from AFTCO, Simms, HUK, Whitewater, and Marsh Wear.
Items any angler can put to good use from Dometic, Igloo, and Turtlebox Audio.

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame wishes to acknowledge the generous financial support provided by Presenting sponsors: B.A.S.S., MLF, Phoenix Boats; Gold sponsors: Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, PRADCO, Wired2Fish, Rather Outdoors; Silver sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Rapala, Yamaha; and Bronze sponsors: Simms, Costa, and Sunline.

Go to youtube.com/BassFishingHallofFame for live streaming of induction speeches on Sept. 26^th.

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About the BFHOF -- The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors and is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. Since 2017, the Hall’s inductees and memorabilia representing the history of bass fishing is showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, where it has rapidly become a popular destination. For more information about the Hall, its mission, and to become a supporting member, visit www.BassFishingHOF.com, or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing Unveils 2025 Toyota Series Schedule

BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 11, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) today announced the schedule for the 2025 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, which kicks off in early February at Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama, and concludes in early November with the Toyota Series Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma.

“We live and breathe fishing in Grove, Oklahoma, and to host a world-class championship of this caliber with international anglers from around the world is an honor,” said Brent Malone, Grove Convention and Tourism Director. “Our town is super excited for the 2025 Toyota Series Championship that will be held at Wolf Creek Park. We have hosted thousands of tournaments, but when MLF comes to town, we roll out the red carpet. We will be ready and prepared to make everyone feel at home in our wonderful community. “

Offering the biggest payouts for the lowest entry fees of any national tournament trail, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats provides anglers the opportunity to fish close to home for lucrative awards and advancement to the nationally televised Toyota Series Championship, where pros compete for a top prize of up to $235,000, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and Strike King c o-anglers compete for a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat powered by a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

In addition, the winning pro at the Toyota Series Championship earns an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2026 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win $300,000.

“We’re wrapping up a stellar season on the Toyota Series and are excited to announce our 2025 schedule,” said MLF Toyota Series Tournament Director Mark McWha. “Next year’s lineup promises to offer many exciting opportunities for anglers and a return to some of their favorite locations. We’re confident that the 2025 season will bring even more competitive and memorable experiences for both our participants and fans.”

As part of its ongoing efforts to focus on key growth areas, MLF will suspend the Toyota Series Western Division in 2025 and expand its Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) schedule with six additional Regionals serving its 24 BFL divisions. The 2025 Bass Fishing League will include 12 Regionals, up from six in 2024, to drastically reduce travel requirements for qualifying anglers. More information on the BFL expansion will be announced soon.

MLF is committed to providing compelling tournament options for all anglers and will evaluate opportunities to return to the West with something new in 2026.

2025 MLF Toyota Series Schedule:

Central Division

Feb. 5-7 Pickwick Lake Florence, Ala.
Hosted by Visit the Shoals

March 18-20 Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn.
Hosted by Fish Dayton – Rhea Economic & Tourism Council

May 14-16 Lake Guntersville Scottsboro, Ala.
Hosted by Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce

Northern Division

June 26-28 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Hosted by the City of Plattsburgh & the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau

Aug. 14-16 St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y.
Hosted by the Town of Massena

Sept. 11-13 Potomac River Marbury, Md.
Hosted by Charles County Recreation, Parks and Tourism

Plains Division

Feb. 27 – Mar. 1 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
Hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association

April 8-10 Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, Ky.
Hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

Sept. 25-27 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
Hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association

Southern Division

Feb. 13-15 Lake Okeechobee Clewiston, Fla.
Hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council

March 27-29 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
Hosted by Discover Lake County Florida

April 24-26 Lake Seminole Bainbridge, Ga.
Hosted by Visit Bainbridge

Southwestern Division

Jan. 23-25 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Hosted by the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce

March 6-8 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Hosted by the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce

May 1-3 Lake Eufaula Eufaula, Okla.
Hosted by Vision Eufaula

Toyota Series Championship

Nov. 6-8 Grand Lake Grove, Okla.
Hosted by the City of Grove & Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau

Full program rules and details for the 2025 MLF Toyota Series will be announced later this year.

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

by AnglersChannel

Unified Pros Announces Creation of Advisory Board and First Member, Bill Maas

Scottsboro, AL (September 9, 2024) – Unified Pros announced today the creation of its Athlete Advisory Board. The advisory board will consist of a representative from the NFL, MLB, NBA, PGA and the professional fishing world.

Bill Maas, the first member of the Unified Pros Athlete Advisory Board, is a retired defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1984 and selected for the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987. Maas considers himself an outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as he can hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing and golfing. “Most professional athletes have one thing in common,” says Maas, “We all love competition and when we aren’t competing in our sport, we’re outdoors finding other ways to compete. Unified Pros’ vision of combining competition with conservation is something I think every professional athlete can get behind.”

Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Unified Pros envisions an inclusive world where athletes collaborate and compete in the outdoor arena to create transformative experiences that make a lasting impact on individuals, communities, professional athletes, and the sport of bass fishing.

Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats. These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.

By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.

Contact: Susan Carothers

Director of Communications

Unified Pros, Inc.

[email protected]

www.theultimateangler.org

by AnglersChannel

Kingwood’s Parker Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

San Antonio’s Higgs Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

BROOKELAND, Texas. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Zane Parker of Kingwood, Texas, caught a two-day total of six bass weighing 28 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which concluded Sunday. Hosted by the Jasper County Development District, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Cowboy Division. Parker earned $6,175 for his victory.

At just 19 years old and a recent graduate, Parker is kicking off his fishing career in a big way. He finished fourth in the Toyota Series Southwestern Division Angler of the Year standings, earning a pair of top-10 finishes along the way. And now he’s added a BFL Super Tournament victory.

“Going into this, I was just hoping I could get me a top-10 finish,” he said. “I always like looking on the MLF app and seeing how many top 10s people have. I didn’t expect to get the win, but I definitely tried to go win it. Now I’m just gonna go back home and go work.”

BFL anglers were limited to just three keepers each day at Sam Rayburn to help protect the resource in the late-summer heat. Parker definitely had that regulation and the wind forecast in mind when he was preparing.

“You really don’t have to go search for a quick limit and then maybe catch a good one on the way,” he said of the three-fish limit. “You can search for big ones because you only need three bites. It makes you fish some different stuff as well as targeting bigger fish.

“I had a really good pattern on the other side of the lake, but it was really, really windy yesterday (Saturday) and today, and I had to stay on this side of the lake. So I was limited to what I could fish. I knew that going into practice, so I marked all the brush that wasn’t going to be in the wind.”

Parker spent the tournament covering water and fishing through about 40 brush piles in 15 to 20 feet of water. By staying in protected areas, he was able to fish the piles more easily using a 6th Sense Divine Shakey Worm and a 6th Sense Provoke 106DD jerkbait.

He opened the tournament in second place after Day 1, just 1 ounce behind day-one leader Zack Fogle, and was able to close it out thanks to a key big fish.

“Today (Sunday) I caught my big one, which was a 6 1/2-pounder, at 1:35 at the end of the day, and that was a real clutch fish. I caught that one on a jerkbait in a pile,” he added. “About 20 minutes before weigh-in I jumped off about a 4-pounder. I thought I just lost the tournament. I thought it was over. I’m not going to lie, I went in and I thought I dropped the ball.”

Turns out, it was meant to be for Parker, as he closed out a stellar post-graduate season with a W.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Zane Parker, Kingwood, Texas, six fish, 28-8, $6,175
2nd:       Zack Fogle, Longview, Texas, six fish, 27-2, $4,435 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd:       Jacob Keith, Jefferson, Texas, six bass, 25-0, $2,060
4th:        Justin Morton, Etoile, Texas, six bass, 23-6, $1,441
5th:        Brandon McDonald, Longview, Texas, six bass, 23-1, $1,235
6th:        Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, six bass, 22-9, $1,132
7th:        Wesley Baxley, Cypress, Texas, six bass, 22-1, $1,029
8th:        Bryan McDonough, Brookeland, Texas, six bass, 21-10, $926
9th:        Bobby Vice, Orange, Texas, six bass, 21-8, $823
10th:     Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, six bass, 20-6, $720

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Zack Fogle of Longview, Texas, caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $847.

Jeffrey Higgs of San Antonio, Texas, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,033 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of six bass to the scale that weighed 18 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Jeffrey Higgs, San Antonio, Texas, six bass, 18-5, $3,033
2nd:       Ray Welch, Benton, La., six bass, 18-0, $1,517
3rd:       William Easley, Pollok, Texas, six bass, 16-9, $1,010
4th:        John Hatton, Buna, Texas, six bass, 15-14, $708
5th:        Richard Garcia, Hemphill, Texas, six bass, 15-3, $607
6th:        Michael Glynn, Boerne, Texas, six bass, 14-15, $556
7th:        Grant Pursifull, Princeton, Texas, six bass, 14-12, $922
8th:        Nicholas England, Alexandria, La., six bass, 14-6, $455
9th:        Colton Caskey, Campti, La., five bass, 14-2, $404
10th:     Jay Ferguson, Houston, Texas, six bass, 13-15, $354

Grant Pursifull of Princeton, Texas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $416, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Tater Reynolds of Florien, Louisiana, was crowned the Fishing Clash Cowboy Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,312 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Allen Musser of Ada, Oklahoma, won the Fishing Clash Cowboy Division Co-angler of the Year race and the $500 payout with 1,327 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Wright Patman Lake in Texarkana, Texas. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

Eldon’s Fitzpatrick Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Table Rock Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine

Desoto’s McClellan Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, caught a two-day total of nine bass weighing 31 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Table Rock Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine . The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Fitzpatrick earned $6,121 for his victory.

This makes win No. 2 on the season for Fitzpatrick, who also won the Lake of the Ozarks BFL tournament back in March. Like then, Fitzpatrick took advantage of his recent transition into retirement to put in extra time on the lake. In fact, he made several trips over three weeks to Table Rock to put in the prep time.

“As soon as I got here I realized there were some good fish shallow,” he said of his practice. “The other thing I noticed was the water color had a slight stain to it for Table Rock. It had a Lake of the Ozarks color to it – nice and green.”

Right away, Fitzpatrick found a good practice bite throwing topwater and flipping a jig on shallow rock banks and around docks where bass were targeting spawning bluegills. Eventually, that pattern transitioned. As the bluegills wrapped up their spawn, gizzard shad moved into nearby areas. The bass shifted to targeting gizzard shad, and Fitzgerald followed them.

“Everything I was catching before was on a rocky bank,” he said. “Now it’s all gone to gravel – at least the good ones. I had a 6-2 today (Sunday), and it came real shallow on gravel.”

Fitzgerald caught most of his fish throwing a Berkley Choppo topwater and flipping a 1/2-ounce Omega jig in water 5 feet deep or shallower. He also worked in a glide bait.

“I fished from the mouth of the White River all the way to Indian Point, which is a pretty good area,” he said. “The water was the same color everywhere. The key for me was I had to be fishing around either the bluegills or the gizzard shad. If you weren’t around one of those two, you were just twiddling your thumbs. But when you found them, you had to be on your tiptoes because you were going to get a bite. A lot of the fish came around docks; any kind of shade. Had to have some shade.”

On day two, Fitzpatrick only weighed in four bass. He said the bite is really starting to slow down. Keeping his head down and knowing he was around the right quality of fish from his extensive practice helped him stay confident.

“It went from being you could just go down the bank three weeks ago and reel them in, to you had to know there were fish there to keep doing it, because anybody with any sanity would’ve given up doing it,” Fitzgerald added. “I just knew if I kept going, eventually a good one would grab it.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., nine bass, 31-01, $6,121
2nd:       Cole Findley, Forsyth, Mo., 10 bass, 29-10, $3,060
3rd:       Drew Tabor, Harrison, Ark., 10 bass, 28-03, $2,041
4th:        Eric Olliverson, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 27-09, $1,928 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:        Shane Long, Willard, Mo., 10 bass, 27-05, $1,224
6th:        Drew Sagely, Rogers, Ark., nine bass, 26-01, $1,122
7th:        Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 25-06, $1,020
8th:        Casey Martin, Ozark, Mo., 10 bass, 25-04, $918
9th:        Corey Cook, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 24-06, $816
10th:     Ronnie Dobbs, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 24-03, $714

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Ricky Crawford of Shell Knob, Missouri, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $840.

Chris McClellan of Desoto, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,060 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of six bass to the scale that weighed 11 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Chris McClellan, Desoto, Mo., six fish, 11-13, $3,060
2nd:       Geoff Blair, Nixa, Mo., six fish, 11-2, $1,530
3rd:       Kieth Rhymer, Mountain Home, Ark., five bass, 10-14, $1,020
4th:        David Blankenship, Galena, Mo., five bass, 10-9, $714
5th:        Brian Weaver, Lampe, Mo., five bass, 10-0, $762
6th:        James Welch, Bolivar, Mo., five bass, 9-13, $561
7th:        Jake Mantovani, Naperville, Ill., four bass, 9-10, $510
8th:        Kirk Short, St. Clair, Mo., four bass, 9-8, $459
9th:        Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., four bass, 8-6, $408
10th:     Kevin Witty, Rogersville, Mo., three bass, 7-10, $777

Kevin Witty of Rogersville, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $420, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 14 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Eric Olliverson of Shell Knob, Missouri, was crowned the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,320 points and took home the $1,000 payout, while Kirk Short of St. Clair, Missouri, won the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 payout with 1,348 points.

by AnglersChannel

Benton’s Bowlin Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Rend Lake

Carbondale’s Chumbler Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

SESSER, Ill. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Lonnie Bowlin of Benton, Illinois, caught a two-day total of nine bass weighing 23 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Rend Lake, which concluded Sunday. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Illini Division. Bowlin earned $4,579 for his victory.

For Bowlin, this is obviously a big win – his first in BFL competition – but he was hesitant to reveal the winning details because he’s hoping to keep the success rolling in another fall regional event scheduled for Rend Lake next weekend.

What he would reveal is that changing seasons and heavy fishing pressure are making it tough to pattern the fish.

“The fish are moving around, and some want to be halfway deep, some want to be shallow,” he said. “Yesterday (Saturday) we had the wind, so that’s what really helped me. I fished the windy banks yesterday. Then today it kind of got a little bit slicker.”

The difference maker for Bowlin was a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass that boosted his day-one total to 14-13. The kicker earned him the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $457. A fish like that is clutch anywhere, but especially on Rend Lake.

“Especially when it ain’t been taking much to win,” Bowlin said. “It was probably about 10:30 or 11
(when he caught it). I was thinking please give me two more bites because at that time I had only three fish.

“It was tough. I just got fortunate and got enough bites.”

Of note, the champ’s son, Jordan Bowlin, actually won the co-angler side of the 2023 Illini Division Super Tournament, which was held on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, making it two in a row for the Bowlin family.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Lonnie Bowlin, Benton, Ill., nine bass, 23-11, $4,579
2nd:       Riley Walk, Neoga, Ill., six bass, 20-13, $2,061
3rd:       Curtis Samo, Rochelle, Ill., seven bass, 17-13, $1,499
4th:        Toby Corn, Paducah, Ky., seven bass, 17-3, $962
5th:        Travis Boley, Weldon, Ill., eight bass, 16-11, $824
6th:        Joshua Tyner, Spencer, Ind., five bass, 15-10, $756
7th:        William Walker, Mulkeytown, Ill., six bass, 15-4, $987
8th:        Richard Skiff, Edwardsville, Ill., five bass, 14-5, $618
9th:        Cecil Downing, Mount Carmel, Ill., six bass, 14-4, $550
10th:     Andrew Harper, Shelbyville, Ill., five bass, 11-13, $481

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Matt Chumbler of Carbondale, Illinois, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,061 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of seven bass to the scale that weighed 17 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., seven bass, 17-14, $2,061
2nd:       Marion Cordes, Sullivan, Ill., five bass, 12-3, $1,031
3rd:       Myles Louthan, Mattoon, Ill., four bass, 12-2, $915
4th:        David Workman, Harrisburg, Ill., four bass, 10-13, $631
5th:        Jack Ryan, Salem, Ill., five bass, 10-7, $412
6th:        Eric Mahn, Herculaneum, Mo., four bass, 9-11, $378
7th:        Troy Boley, Mahomet, Ill., four bass, 9-7, $344
8th:        Roman Perun, St. Louis, Mo., two bass, 7-6, $309
9th:        Michael Kinkade, Benton, Ill., three bass, 6-9, $275
10th:     Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., one bass, 4-12, $240

Myles Louthan of Mattoon, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $229, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Adam Brookman of Bonnie, Illinois, was crowned the Fishing Clash Illini Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,311 points and earned the $1,000 payout, while Ryan Murphy of Paris, Illinois, won the Fishing Clash Illini Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,322 points.

by AnglersChannel

Spring Grove’s Estes Posts Third Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at the James River

Buena Vista’s Wilhelm Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

HENRICO, Va. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Virginia, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on the James River , which concluded Sunday. Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Shenandoah Division. Estes earned $6,066 for his victory.

“I was kind of running the outgoing tide as much as I could,” Estes said. “You couldn’t do that all day because eventually you’d ‘run out of tide’ (the tide would bottom out) after a while. I was covering as much water as possible and throwing moving baits. The fish were a little bit finicky because we’ve had some northeast winds and that kind of backed the water up a bit. I just had to keep getting reaction bites. That’s what my bigger fish came on.”

Estes started both days making a 45-mile run to the Chickahominy. The tide bottomed out at about 10:30 in that area on day one, and 45 minutes later on day two. He was able to fish the last two hours of outgoing tide around the Chickahominy, then worked his way back upstream to target waters where the tide was still falling.

In addition to the tides, he looked for high-percentage targets where he could avoid getting gunked up with annoying grass clumps.

“I grew up here, so I just know a lot of areas,” Estes said. “It kind of had to be hard cover, and this time of year the grass that’s in the river breaks up. I had to find hard cover that was clean.”

It was an intense two days of fishing for Estes. He pushed hard all day long, running and gunning to make the most of every last minute of outgoing tide.

One of his key fish during the tournament was a 5 1/2-pounder that came out of a tree. During practice for a previous BFL event, he caught what he believes is the same fish out of the same tree. It had a healed-over scar in the mouth and a distinct shape that makes him confident it was the same fish. That bass anchored a big 16-pound, 11-ounce limit on day one that set Estes on the trajectory to win the tournament.

Estes’ winning lures included a vibrating jig, a shallow-running crankbait and some soft plastics, but the jig and crankbait produced all of his key fish.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., 10 bass, 30-1, $6,066
2nd: Billy Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., 10 bass, 30-0, $3,333
3rd: Ben Dalton, Keeling, Va., 10 bass, 27-14, $2,024
4th:         Christopher Wingfield, Richmond, Va., 10 bass, 27-14, $1,415
5th:         James Cassaday, Wirtz, Va., 10 bass, 27-0, $1,213
6th:         Tommy Little, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 25-15, $1,612 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th:         Rodney French, Virginia Beach, Va., 10 bass, 25-8, $1,011
8th:         Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., 10 bass, 25-7, $1,035
9th:         Powell Kemp, Scotland Neck, N.C., 10 bass, 25-7, $809
10th: Chris Moore, Mechanicsville, Va., 10 bass, 25-5, $1,540

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Chris Moore of Mechanicsville, Virginia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $832.

Dustin Wilhelm of Buena Vista, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,033 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale that weighed 24 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:          Dustin Wilhelm, Buena Vista, Va., 10 bass, 24-5, $3,033
2nd: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 24-3, $1,517
3rd: Randall Given, Laurel, Del., 10 bass, 19-13, $1,010
4th:         Chad Boggs, Prince Frederick, Md., 10 bass, 19-12, $708
5th:         David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., 10 bass, 19-7, $857
6th:         Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., nine bass, 19-6, $556
7th:         Pat Kendrick, Bumpass, Va., nine bass, 19-5, $506
8th:         Rickey Wood, Smithfield, Va., nine bass, 17-7, $455
9th:         Nathan Sullivan, Fredericksburg, Va., eight bass, 17-4, $404
10th: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., nine bass, 16-14, $354

Bobby Overby of Virgilina, Virginia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $416, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Chris Brummett of Lynch Station, Virginia, was crowned the Fishing Clash Shenandoah Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,348 points and earned the $1,000 payout, while David Williams of Fredericksburg, Virginia, won the Fishing Clash Shenandoah Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,283 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

Kentucky’s Pearman Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Dale Hollow Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine

Boater Wyatt Pearman of Hodgenville, Kentucky, and Strike-King co-angler Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee.

Cookeville’s Catalin Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Wyatt Pearman of Hodgenville, Kentucky, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 9 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Dale Hollow Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine, which concluded Sunday. Hosted by Star Point Resort, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Music City Division. Pearman earned $4,040 for his victory.

Major tournaments on Dale Hollow have been dominated by forward-facing sonar all season. This tournament was no different. Pearman weighed in two limits of largemouth bass, all caught using a jighead minnow and live sonar.

“I didn’t get to practice any,” he said. “I spend a quite a bit of time down here. So, I knew what was going to go on. I was just targeting bait out a little bit deeper with groups of fish on it and a few single fish.”

Pearman focused on main-lake areas. He fished a handful of areas the first day, eventually spending part of his afternoon scouting for day two. That strategy uncovered what was eventually the winning spot – a completely new spot for Pearman. He scanned it the first afternoon and didn’t fish it. Then the next morning, he returned to some of his known areas. Fishing was pretty slow, which eventually led Pearman to go check that new spot.

“I went through a 10-minute flurry where I caught two over 4 (pounds) and one that was almost 4,” he said. “It just looked right on the map. I had never fished it, and there was nobody fishing it. I figured it was going to be right, looking at how it set up, and sure enough it was.”

After that, Pearman ran to another area where he’d not yet been able to fish due to the wind on day one. This time, he was able to get on it and caught a final keeper to seal the win.

Making accurate presentations and leading the fish precisely were keys to getting bit. But winning was about more than just casting. It was all about making the right moves.

“This week for me it was all about decisions and timing,” he said. “Decision making is what won the tournament, for sure.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Wyatt Pearman, Hodgenville, Ky., 10 bass, 37-9, $4,040
2nd: Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-4, $2,145
3rd: Jacob Woods, Loudon, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-15, $1,348
4th:         Chris Halfacre, Cookeville, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-3, $943
5th:         Nathan Reynolds, Nashville, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-3, $1,308 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th:         Tanner Rich, Byrdstown, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-7, $1,258
7th:         Michael Morrison, Stamping Ground, Ky., 10 bass, 32-15, $673
8th:         Garret Moon, Albany, Ky., 10 bass, 3-0, $606
9th:         Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., 10 bass, 31-13, $539
10th: Griffin Heffington, Watertown, Tenn., seven bass, 20-11, $471

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Alex Wright of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Tanner Rich of Byrdstown, Tennessee, tied for the Berkley Big Bass Boater award with bass that weighed 4 pounds, 10 ounces. They each earned $217 for those catches.

Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,020 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of three bass to the scale that weighed 10 pounds, 10 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:          Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 10-10, $2,020
2nd: Jordan Garrett, Jamestown, Tenn., three bass, 8-14, $1,010
3rd: Adam Radovic, Brecksville, Ohio, two bass, 7-0, $892
4th:         Brandon Crimmons, White House, Tenn., two bass, 6-8, $471
5th:         Shane Overly, Brentwood, Tenn., two bass, 5-11, $404
6th:         Bobby Hannah, Brandon, Miss., two bass, 5-4, $520
7th:         Eric Daniel Moore, Union, Ky., one bass, 3-11, $337
8th:         Dan Basham, Taylorsville, Ky., one bass, 3-10, $303
9th:         Larry Elliott, Enoree, S.C., one bass, 3-9, $269
10th: Timothy Donayre, Madison, Tenn., two bass, 3-8, $236

Adam Radovic of Brecksville, Ohio, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $217, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Jacob Woods of Loudon, Tennessee, was crowned Fishing Clash Music City Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,344 points and earned the $1,000 payout, while Radovic won the Fishing Clash Music City Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,286 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

Georgia’s Campbell Wins by Ounces at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Lake Murray

Greenwood’s Doolittle Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

PROSPERITY, S.C. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Tyler Campbell of Martin, Georgia, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Lake Murray , which concluded Sunday. Hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL South Carolina Division. Campbell earned $4,732 for his victory.

The winning pattern was probably not too surprising in this derby.

“Typical herring bite,” said Campbell. “I was catching them on topwater and swimbaits; mainly a topwater offshore.”

Campbell worked out off the deep end of shallow points where bass were suspending in cane piles. He figures he fished about 150 cane piles throughout the tournament – a rapid pace of covering water that burned about 50 gallons of gas each day.

“It was just about timing and pulling up when they were ready to bite, which is the key to burning so much gas,” he said. “You have to filter through so many places, and then eventually they’re going to fire for you. I will say, today (Sunday) the game changer was I was sitting on about 18 pounds all day. I got really unlucky and lost some big fish. I should’ve had a mega-bag today, but stuff happens. I was sitting on about 18 pounds at 2:30, and we had to be in at 2:45. I pulled into a spot I haven’t been able to get on all week. I made one cast and caught a 5-pounder and that sealed it for me.”

Campbell’s go-to lures included a Zoom Super Fluke in blue glimmer, a chrome Berkley Drift Walker topwater bait and a chrome Berkley Krej .

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Tyler Campbell, Martin, Ga., 10 bass, 42-13, $4,732
2nd: Bradley Day, Anderson, S.C., 10 bass, 42-1, $2,366
3rd: Wesley Sandifer, Chapin, S.C., 10 bass, 39-14, $1,577
4th:         Matt O'Connell, Brooks, Ga., 10 bass, 34-12, $1,729 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:         Aspen Martin, White, Ga., nine bass, 30-4, $946
6th:         Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 30-4, $868
7th:         Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., 10 bass, 30-3, $789
8th:         Rodney Bell, Salisbury, N.C., 10 bass, 28-6, $710
9th:         Roger Pope, Statesville, N.C., 10 bass, 28-5, $631
10th: Chad Sims, Lancaster, S.C., eight bass, 24-10, $552

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Jake Monti of Mooresville, North Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $555.

Ross Doolittle of Greenwood, South Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,366 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of four bass to the scale that weighed 13 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:          Ross Doolittle, Greenwood, S.C., four bass, 13-7, $2,366
2nd:        Arthur Harris, York, S.C., four bass, 13-6, $1,183
3rd: Scott McKay, New London, N.C., three bass, 10-10, $790
4th:         Dillon Reid, Piedmont, S.C., four bass, 10-0, $552
5th:         Lonnie Drusch, Sumter, S.C., four bass, 9-15, $473
6th:         Rodney Tapp, Inman, S.C., three bass, 8-4, $534
7th:         Travis Ruff, Connelly Springs, N.C., two bass, 8-2, $394
8th:         Trent Killian, Bostic, N.C., four bass, 7-6, $355
9th:         Brian Nappier, Huntersville, N.C., four bass, 7-1, $315
10th: Sam Fish, Alexander City, Ala., two bass, 5-13, $276

Preston Catoe of Lugoff, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $277, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Joe Anders of Easley, South Carolina, was crowned the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,324 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Trent Killian of Bostic, North Carolina, won the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Co-angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,320 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Announces Forward-Facing Sonar Rules for 2025

New MLF rules embrace forward-facing and 360-degree sonar while protecting traditional tournament fishing

BENTON, Ky. (Sept 6, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced Friday updates to its 2025 rules that will allow tournament anglers to utilize the powerful fish-catching tools of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar technology while preserving traditional fishing techniques enjoyed by millions of anglers and fans.

Starting in 2025, all boats, across all MLF circuits, will be limited to two forward-facing or 360-degree sonar transducers in any combination. Additionally, no bow-mounted screen may extend vertically more than 18 inches off the surface of the front deck at its highest point when the boat is on plane, and no screen mounted at the console may extend vertically more than 16 inches off the top of the steering column where it protrudes from the console.

Pros competing on the 2025 Bass Pro Tour will be allowed to use forward-facing and 360-degree sonar for only one of three periods each day. Anglers will declare their use of the technologies before the start of the period of their choice, and fans watching on MLFNOW! will see an indicator on SCORETRACKER^®next to each angler’s name showing who is actively using the technologies, has used them or still has them available. This rule applies to all seven regular-season Bass Pro Tour stages and REDCREST 2025. There will be no restrictions in the General Tire Heavy Hitters or General Tire Team Series, where anglers compete out of similarly equipped, league-provided boats that level the playing field. Use of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar will be permitted during practice.

In the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, qualifying days will be evenly split with forward-facing and 360-degree sonar allowed on Day 1 and prohibited on Day 2. Anglers who advance to the Championship Round will be allowed to use the technologies on Day 3. Forward-facing and 360-degree transducers must be covered with a high-visibility cap provided by MLF that prohibits sonar transmission during times when use is not allowed. No restrictions will apply to practice.

Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) and Abu Garcia College Fishing anglers will be allowed to use forward-facing and 360-degree sonar during practice and all competition days.

In order to create a more level playing field for up-and-coming student anglers and reinforce the learning of traditional bass-fishing techniques, use of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar will not be allowed in Abu Garcia High School Fishing competition. Its use will not, however, be restricted during practice.

“Forward-facing sonar is the most effective bass-fishing technology that I’ve seen introduced in my lifetime,” said Boyd Duckett, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “It’s a powerful tool that provides an opportunity to access and catch fish that we’ve never been able to efficiently target before. However, its effectiveness is leading to a more uniform approach in tournaments. For the sport to remain engaging to fans, participants or sponsors, it’s important that anglers can still compete using a diverse range of techniques.”

MLF research shows that television and livestream viewers prefer watching tournaments where a variety of techniques are in play. Additionally, surveys of Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League anglers, both those who fished in 2024 and those who fished in 2023 but did not fish in 2024, show that a substantial majority, across all levels and divisions, support limiting screen size and transducers to rein in the technology. Anglers were evenly split, however, when asked if the technology should be banned or allowed to continue unrestricted. A slight majority of boaters preferred unrestricted use while co-anglers preferred an outright ban.

“We have numerous audiences that we’re trying to please, and while we realize that not everyone is going to agree with our rule changes, we believe the solutions we have created will satisfy the majority of our stakeholders,” Duckett said. “We did our due diligence from analyzing viewership trends and consulting with sponsors to surveying our anglers, who account for the sport’s largest participation base, and we believe we’ve reached the best possible solution to a polarizing issue – a compromise that merges this powerful technology with traditional bass fishing. Going forward, it will add to our game, not materially change it.”

MLF is uniquely situated to govern intra-day usage of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar at the sport’s highest level with its period structure and an official in every Bass Pro Tour boat. The league is also positioned to enforce day-by-day usage at the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals through POV cameras and a new, easy to install transducer cover under development that will temporarily prohibit sonar transmission. Covers will be provided to participating anglers at no charge.

“We’re setting a path, just like every other professional sports league, that allows us to manage and appropriately incorporate technological advancements as they’re created,” Duckett said. “We want to ensure that our sport remains multi-dimensional so that we can continue delivering the best possible product for our fans, anglers and sponsors.”

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

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. announces diverse 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule with nine events in seven states

Sept. 6, 2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today announced the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule with a slate of nine events across seven states, delivering diverse bodies of water to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the trail.

“There is no better way to celebrate 20 years of Elite competition than to roll out a schedule that includes some of the best bass fisheries on the planet. This year’s events will challenge and inspire our anglers with a range of venues that highlight the rich variety of bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “This is going to be fun to watch.”

The opener visits St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., Feb. 20-23. In 2024, a four-day total of 93 pounds, 6 ounces gave Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, a winning margin of 21-2 over Texan Brad Whatley. Of note, Johnston’s Day 3 total — 73-13 — would have edged Whatley’s tournament total of 72-4 by 1-9.

The Elites will travel south to Okeechobee, Fla., Feb. 27-March 2 to return to Lake Okeechobee, which covers 730 square miles and has an average depth of only 9 feet. Louisiana pro Tyler Rivet called his win in 2023 on Day 1 of the competition. Rivet coaxed a four-day total of 86 pounds, 15 ounces from the largest freshwater lake in Florida by throwing a jerkbait and punching mats and grass.

From Okeechobee, Elite anglers will take a break from the Elite trail for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas, March 21-23.

The Elite Series resumes at Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound in Elizabeth City, N.C., April 10-13. The event marks the first time B.A.S.S. has visited the area since 1981 for the North Carolina Invitational, where Basil Bacon won with 46-12. This tidal fishery is a power fisherman’s dream, where traditional, old-school tactics should prevail. Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound is located between Camden and Pasquotank counties, and the waters’ striped bass population heads 125 miles upriver to spawn in April, leaving the largemouth the keys to the kingdom. The largemouth should congregate in canals and small tributaries that enter the sound, which warm significantly faster than the main-river channel to create a perfect place to kick off the spawn.

Next on the schedule is Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C., April 24-27. Lake Hartwell hosted the Bassmaster Classic in 2022, where Oklahoma pro Jason Christie won with 54 pounds even, just 5 ounces over Alabama’s Kyle Welcher after they shared the lead going into the final day of competition. A Classic-record 154,932 fans watched Christie, a five-time Elite Series champion, use live sonar to catch fish the first two days, then switch to a jig in 1 to 3 feet of water to seal the deal. When the Elites visit, they likely will find the spawn in full swing, setting the stage for a shallow-water battle.

A Texas swing kicks off May 8-11 when the Elite pros head to Lake Fork, Texas, to visit a fishery that made the Top 10 in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list. Illinois Elite angler and eventual 2024 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Trey McKinney became the youngest angler to win an Elite Series event when he took the blue trophy at Lake Fork at the age of 19. It was also only McKinney’s second Elite Series event.

McKinney managed a massive four-day total of 130 pounds, 15 ounces, just 1 pound, 9 ounces shy of the all-time record for total weight in a four-day B.A.S.S. event — set by Paul Elias on Falcon Lake in Texas in 2008. McKinney started the event fishing in 20 to 30 feet of water and ended up fishing in 4 feet when they moved off of timber to the bank.

Next up for Elites is the Sabine River in Orange, Texas, May 15-18. Veteran Elite angler Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., won the 2023 event here with an overall weight of 44-3, outpacing runner-up Clark Wendlandt by almost 3 pounds. A bladed jig and topwater popper, supported by a Texas-rigged Senko, was Mosley’s power-fishing trio to capture the title.

After the Texas swing, Lake Tenkiller hosts the Elite anglers June 12-15 for the first time since 2019, when Australian pro Carl Jocumsen notched a victory by fishing offshore for a four-day total of 54-15. Second-place finisher Chris Zaldain ran shallow points with a wobblehead jig as well as a swimbait. Third-place finisher Cory Johnston found early limits around covered boat docks using a jigging spoon and a Neko rig and ended up cranking rock banks with squarebill crankbaits.

With the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year races coming down the home stretch, the Elites will head to another Top 10 finisher in the 2024 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list when they stop at Michigan’s Lake St. Clair Aug. 7-10. In 2023, the last time the Elites visited, Arkansas pro Joey Cifuentes III showed why this lake is ranked as one of the best in the country when he landed 91 pounds, 8 ounces over four days. Pundits speculate the winning weight may be even higher this time around.

The final stop of the year for the 2025 Elite Series will be Aug. 21-24 at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. In 2022, Maryland’s Bryan Schmitt squeaked out the win against Canada’s Chris Johnston by a mere 4 ounces for his second Elite Series title. Schmitt fished current for his bass, while Johnston focused on throwing a frog around shallow eelgrass mats. This fishery is known for its amazing topwater bite, and that pattern should be on full display during the final event of the Elite Series season.

New for this year, the no-information rule for tournament waters will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m.

“I am excited about the diverse and captivating schedule we have lined up for 2025,” said Elite Series Tournament Director Lisa Talmadge. “We can’t wait to see the passion and skill our competitors will bring to each tournament. I believe this season will be truly unforgettable.”

Once again, fans in 2025 can catch live television coverage of all nine Bassmaster Elite Series events as well as Bassmaster Classic coverage on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports platforms.

For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.

2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Schedule
Feb. 20-23, Palatka, Fla., St. Johns River

Feb. 27-March 2, Okeechobee, Fla., Lake Okeechobee

March 21-23, Bassmaster Classic, Fort Worth, Texas, Lake Ray Roberts

April 10-13, Elizabeth City, N.C., Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound

April 24-27, Anderson, S.C., Lake Hartwell

May 8-11, Yantis, Texas, Lake Fork

May 15-18, Orange, Texas, Sabine River

June 12-15, Cookson, Okla., Lake Tenkiller

Aug. 7-10, Macomb County, Mich., Lake St. Clair

Aug. 21-24, La Crosse, Wis., Mississippi River

2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

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

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-315-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

by AnglersChannel

Fox Cities Ready to Host General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley

Two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers to compete on unknown fisheries in second event of season, all six days of competition livestreamed on MLFNOW! and filmed for broadcast on Outdoor Channel

NEENAH, Wis. (Aug. 5, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to visit the Fox Cities and Neenah, Wisconsin, next week, Sept. 15-20, for the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops – the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.

Hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will feature 12 two-man teams of professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour competing at fisheries in the region that are unknown to the competitors until they arrive to the launch ramp each morning.

"We are truly honored to welcome Major League Fishing and some of the best anglers in the world next week to the Fox Cities of Wisconsin,” said Matt Ten Haken, Director of Sports Marketing for the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are excited to see the competitors take their talents to our diverse fisheries and experience the incredible fall beauty of Wisconsin."

The General Tire Team Series is livestreamed daily, meaning every cast and every catch is covered live and fans can watch teammates work together to break down a new body of water in real time. The MLFNOW! broadcast is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble. The broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live all six days of competition at the Heritage Cup from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT.

In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, Neenah, Wisconsin, was not revealed to Team Series anglers until 30 days prior to the start of the tournament. All fishable waters within 60 miles of Neenah then went off limits to anglers. Fans watching the MLFNOW! livestream will find out the day’s competition waters right along with the anglers each morning, and then watch all the action unfold live as teams work together and share their knowledge as they compete for the Heritage Cup and to claim a part of a season-long purse of more than $720,000.

“This is going to be a fun event to watch,” said Junction City, Wisconsin, pro Matthew Stefan, who competed as a part of Team Coign in the first Team Series event held in late August. “Off of the top of my head, within 60 miles of Neenah, there are probably 100 bodies of water where these guys could be going. And most of them are pretty good.

“Another x-factor is that fall fishing in Wisconsin is so fishery-dependent,” Stefan continued. “The deep, clear water lakes fish very differently than the local rivers and pop-up lakes that they could be competing on. So it’s going to be cool to see where these guys end up going, and how they decide to approach things.”

Stefan said that he enjoyed competing in the General Tire Team Series and it offers fans a great opportunity to watch exactly how these anglers break down the unknown fisheries.

“Nobody has any knowledge of the fisheries that you’re going to, so it creates this very unique environment. And then when you have two anglers in the same boat, working together and talking through their thought processes, as a viewer you get to hear what these guys are saying,” Stefan said. “That’s something that you don’t get when you watch a traditional, individual tournament. The Team Series is a really great format and a lot of fun for both the viewers and the anglers.”

The 12 teams that will compete in the General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley in Neenah, Wisconsin are:

Team 7 Brew Coffee:
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Ryan Salzman, Guntersville, Ala.

Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.

Team Builders FirstSource:
Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas

Team Coign:
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.

Team Ferguson:
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.

Team Knighten Industries:
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.

Team Kubota:
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.

Team REDCON1:
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.

Team Star Tron:
Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa.
Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va.

Team U.S. Air Force:
Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.

Team WIX Filters:
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.

The MLF General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will also air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Feb. 15, 2025, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The complete television schedule for the 2024 General Tire Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Cooler weather, high water should bode well for Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River

Sept. 5, 2024

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Cool times could lead to hot action. So says Bassmaster Elite Series angler Seth Feider, as the Minnesota standout eyes the upcoming St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.

Competition days will be Sept. 12-14 with daily takeoffs from Veterans Freedom Park located at 120 Clinton St. in La Crosse at 6:30 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 2:30 p.m.

With nature signaling summer’s impending conclusion, a few nights of significantly cooler temperatures and daytime highs briefly dropping into the mid-to upper 60s will prompt fish to prepare for seasonal shifting. That cooldown, about a week before competition starts, will quickly yield to a tournament week warming trend — basically, the fireworks formula for this final Division 3 event.

“Those cold nights should actually make fishing quite a bit better by triggering the fall feed bag,” Feider said. “You get out of the dog days of summer and get the fall transition going.

“We’ll still have some lingering summer patterns. We’ll still have some fish where they’ve been the past few months, and some new things will start developing throughout practice and the tournament.”

Feider said the smallmouth will pull out of smaller creeks or up from deep-water haunts and start positioning on shallow main-river spots like sand breaks, wing dams and anything creating current seams. Largemouth that have spent the warmer months tucked under mats in the backwaters and side chutes will be moving to main-river wood and weeds.

As Feider notes, the cooler weather will also take a common summertime vexation off the table — tiny baitfish. The warmer months often find the fish fixating on small minnows and ignoring most lures.

“Those cold nights are going to get those fish off those little minnows and on the bigger baits,” Feider said. “The fish focus on those minnows because that’s what’s shallow during the summertime, but once it gets cold, it makes the bigger bait move shallow and that makes the fish easier to catch.”

Another factor likely to positively impact the tournament is water level. As Feider pointed out, tournament waters (pools 7, 8 and 9) are not facing flood conditions, but the water’s higher than it’s been at this time in recent years.

“This year, it’s been relatively high all year and it should stay at that level (through the tournament),” Feider said. “I think the river’s in a lot better state than it’s been the last couple of summers and falls. That will make the bite a lot better than it typically is this time of year, because there’ll be more water, more current, and the fish will be more active.”

Taking all of this into consideration, Feider said he can see smallmouth or largemouth winning the event, but mixed bags are the likely route to victory.

“If it gets a lot colder than (what has been forecasted), smallmouth could dominate, but everything starts biting when it gets cold,” Feider said. “The largemouth will show up really good too; maybe not numbers, but size will get really good.

“It’s the same deal will smallmouth. You can go out in the summer and catch a pile of smallmouth; they’re just not the right ones. For some reason, when it gets cold the big ones start showing up.”

Feider believes the entirety of tournament waters could be in play, but if there is a wild card for this event, it’s going to be the Black River. A Mississippi River tributary entering near La Crosse, the Black River feeds Lake Onalaska, a nearly 4-mile-wide reservoir within Pool 8.

As Feider points out, this area hosts a lot of local tournaments, so it receives regular stockings via release fish. Moreover, Feider said the Black River actually fishes more like a lake and that could bring the live sonar strategy into play.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the tournament is won there, or if some people made Top 10s 'Scoping in the Black River,” Feider said. “That’s got to be the biggest X factor. I could see someone shaking a minnow in the Black River and winning the tournament.

“Other than that, it’s going to be your typical frogging and flipping for largemouth, and maybe a swim jig and a stickworm around wood and weeds. The smallmouth will be (caught on) topwaters, jerkbaits or maybe a Carolina rig or a tube.”

Without question, locking from Pool 8, where the field takes off, and fishing Pool 7 or Pool 9 presents the most important calculation anglers will need to make. Feider believes the expanded playing field justifies sacrificing some fishing time with the locking schedule.

“I think it’s worth it, but you definitely need to have something in Pool 8, whether you’re locking or not,” Feider said. “If you do lock, you have to be aware of the barge traffic and allow yourself plenty of time to get back for weigh-ins.

“If I lock into another pool and catch my goal weight, I’ll go ahead and lock back through,” Feider said. “I generally give myself a couple hours until I have to check, but if I catch 20 pounds at 9 o’clock, I’ll go ahead and lock back through.”

Referencing what he considers stout local tournament results, Feider said the higher water and cooler weather has him expecting heavy weights.

“Local events have been catching big bags all summer, and most have needed over 20 pounds to win,” he said. “I think it could potentially take over 60 pounds to win and, realistically, 17 to 18 a day to make the Top 10 cut.”

ExploreLaCrosse.com is hosting the event.

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

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

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

by AnglersChannel

DAIWA: XBRAID Successfully Sinks

XBRAID’s new Sinking SS112 braid reduces live bait fatigue, keeps rigs on the bottom, cranks with authority, advances FFS techniques, and lets you explore the entire water column with authority.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (September 4, 2024) – The influence line selection has on performance is substantial. A perfectly paired rod and reel spooled with the wrong line massively affects the state of play. For example, if you fish 25-lb. monofilament on a rod rated for 8- to 12-lb., casts will be short and clunky and there’s but a scarce chance of feeling a bite.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, spooling with a premium specialty line that matches your exact techniques and or conditions, and the results are splendid. This is the baseline thinking behind XBRAID’s new Sinking SS112 fishing line – the SS standing for “slow sinking”.

Before delving into the specific merits of Sinking SS112, it’s prudent to showcase Japan’s XBRAID family and what makes these lines so groundbreaking.

Let’s begin at the beginning. For years, braided lines woven with Dyneema^® were considered the most progressive, but that’s changing as IZANAS^® takes the lead. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material has the highest strength and modulus of any manmade fiber. How strong? Try nearly 8 times stronger than piano wire of the same weight.

“Beyond IZANAS being an unrivaled base material, it’s how individual weights of the entire XBRAID family are manufactured that makes it far superior to the competition,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin. “Other companies take a single base material and stretch it to achieve the desired diameter and weight. This creates inconsistencies, which can lead to weak spots.”

Uniquely, each diameter and weight of XBRAID is produced from a dedicated spool. So, for example, if 10-pound XBRAID is the desired final weight, the base material fiber is 10-pound. No stretching. No irregularities.

Martin goes on to underscore the weaving process employed for all XBRAID lines. “The actual weaving machines are proprietary and built in-house to create the WX Weave. In traditional weaving processes used by other brands the line comes off multiple bobbins. That means an in an 8 strand weave there are 8 bobbins spitting out line. That results in line twist and inconsistencies.”

With XBRAID’s “top secret” WX Weave, the strands come together uniformly to yield exceptional consistency. Moreover, the XBRAID process produces a denser weave – 1.5 X the competition – with more material in the finished product. That tighter weave results in a smoother, more abrasion resistant, and exceptionally sensitive fishing line. The meticulous process also takes twice as long as the competition, and anglers are the beneficiaries of the patient production.

The WX Weave also generates a rounder and slightly stiffer line. This modest amount of stiffness makes it much easier to handle and tie, nearer how monofilament feels. This manageability translates into fewer bird’s nests on the cast, too. But if you happen to snarl, the micro stiffness makes it much easier to untangle the knot.

MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS FOR XBRAID SINKING SS112

A higher sink rate clearly improves efficacy for certain fishing techniques. For starters, XBRAID Sinking SS112 offers a massive advantage in saltwater environs. We’ve all seen live bait exhaust while struggling against buoyant line – and most braids float. But spool up with XBRAID Sinking SS112, and your bait is driven down, reducing fatigue on mullet, sardine, pilcher, or whatever your baitfish of choice.

“XBRAID Sinking SS112 also keeps your bait pinned to the bottom,” said Martin. “That’s crucial for so many bass fishing applications, like dropshotting, Ned rigging, Neko rigging, and Wacky Rigging, as well as jigging a vertical spoon or keeping a shaky head on the bottom.”

Sinking line is beneficial, too, when exploring a sizable section of the water column, say with a spybait, lipless crankbait, or hair jig. Add to that crankbait fishing, as sinking line reduces line bow and maximizes a bait’s running depth.

Forward-facing sonar (FFS) enthusiasts also have a friend in XBRAID Sinking SS112. Getting a lure down rapidly to detected fish is crucial, as they mightn’t be there long. Sinking line accelerates the operation.

Spool up with XBRAID Sinking SS-112, and your bait is driven down, reducing fatigue on mullet, sardine, pilcher, or whatever your baitfish of choice.

How does XBRAID Sinking SS112 achieve such depths? It’s all in the materials and manufacturing. Martin talked about the materials: “It’s an 8-strand carrier like the other XBRAID models, but what makes Sinking SS112 different is the equal parts blend of IZANAS® and ester (polyester). Ester has less stretch than monofilament and fluorocarbon – which is used by other brands – and is higher density than water, so it sinks.

It’s in the weaving, too. “The IZANAS and ester are interwoven for greater density and consistency,” said Martin.” Other brands typically wrap braid material around fluorocarbon, which promotes bunching and irregularities.”

XBRAID Sinking SS112 comes in a high visibility yellow for maximum management. To that, the line is UV activated for lowlight fishing conditions.

XBRAID Sinking SS112 FEATURES:

Balanced blend of IZANAS^® polyethylene and ester to strands to promote sinking
8-carrier braid
Proprietary WX Weave process
High visibility yellow with UV activation
Perfectly round
High breaking strength
Abrasion resistant
165-yard spoon
Available in 8-lb to 30-lb weights

MSRP $25.99

by AnglersChannel

Stand-Up and Be Counted - Northland Fishing Tackle

Northland^® Fishing Tackle’s new Tungsten Stand-Up and Short Shank Stand-Up Jigs increase your count of walleyes, smallmouth bass, and more.

BEMIDJI, Minn. (September 5, 2024) – Northland’s tungsten tsunami continues to swell with the introduction of the new Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig, adding to numbers of tungsten models created over the past few seasons. Following in the footsteps of the original Fire-Ball Stand-Up series, these new tungsten offerings further improve upon finesse bottom jigging techniques.

“They stand right up and create a natural presentation,” said Northland ambassador and walleye tournament ace Tom Huynh, who we caught up with live-on-the-water jigging walleyes. Be it tank testing or studying in the clear shallows, Huynh is a student of lure behavior and a master at replicating prey species. And he says the new Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig set the baseline for authenticity.

“With a buoyant plastic, like Northland Eye-Candy, the combination perfectly replicates a baitfish feeding on the bottom,” said Huynh. He credits the 45-degree hook angle for causing the plastic to replicate reality. Baitfish don’t feed vertically – they approach the bottom at an angle.

Huynh is literally hung-up on accuracy, choosing the most natural Eye-Candy shapes and colors. He most often fishes the Eye-Candy Minnow, in both 3- and 4-inch versions depending on the situation. Huynh’s second choice for walleyes is the Eye-Candy Grub followed by the Jig Crawler. But he expects the new Eye-Candy Leech to quickly move up his depth chart.

The realness continues with how the buoyant Eye-Candy plastics behave when paired with the new tungsten stand-ups. “It’s so natural,” he said. “The tails constantly move when you’re jigging, even just quivering the bait on the bottom. Because of natural lake currents, you can actually hold your rod perfectly still and the Eye-Candy plastic keeps moving just a little.” Now that’s seductive.

Here’s a stunner. Huynh says the mere approach of fish creates momentum in the water and moves the bait. And that extra flicker of action often triggers an attack.

GLO MOONLIGHT

GLO WATERMELON

OLIVE

BLACK

Not surprisingly, Huynh’s quest for perfection doesn’t end there. He thoughtfully matches the color of his Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig to its Eye-Candy counterpart. His top two combinations are a black tungsten stand-up with black Eye-Candy and olive jig (color he co-created with Northland) with pumpkin. Huynh’s other two winners are a black head with Eye-Candy in Fathead or Smelt colors. Notice, the theme never changes. It’s all about emulation.

More on color selection… Huynh says black is effective in all situations, all water color conditions, as it offers a natural silhouette that fish are used to encountering. Olive, he says, blends in perfectly with weeds, centering attention on the Eye-Candy or live bait, not the jig head. Huynh also says a recent study determined that walleyes are keenly attracted to green.

Which tungsten jig he selects is dependent on the length of his Eye-Candy pairing. Huynh fishes the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig on 4-inch plastics and the Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig on 3-inch Eye-Candy offerings.

Huynh also contends that bigger, smarter fish are more apt to inhale the tungsten stand-up and Eye-Candy. “They’re curious, and the tungsten jig and Eye-Candy combination is something they likely haven’t seen before.”

Now Huynh does admit that a lively minnow pinned to the bottom on a tungsten stand-up jig is also effective, the bait angled upwards at 45-degrees with its tail pumping.

Huynh also uses very specific gear to fish the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig. All spinning, he works a 6’ 3” DAIWA TD EYE rod for what he calls “target shooting” - precision casting to fish revealed with his forward-facing sonar Garmin unit. He will extend out to a 7’ version of the same rod when long bombs are required.

Huynh’s reel selection is interesting, too. Where the average angler might select a typical 2500 size reel, he prefers the control of the smaller 1000 size, operating a DAIWA KAGE LT, and looking forward to fishing the improved version, which hits the market soon.

For line, Huynh spools 10-lb. DAIWA J-BRAID x8 Grand to which he ties an 8-lb. DAIWA J-FLUORO Leader.

GLO MOONLIGHT

GLO WATERMELON

OLIVE

BLACK

Another multispecies wizard, Northland pro Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, chimed in. “The new Tungsten Stand-Up and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jigs fall so fast you can get away with a smaller size.” For reference, if you’re accustomed to fishing a ¼-ounce lead jig, you can fish a 1/8-ounce tungsten jig, and still reap the rewards of improved sensitivity.

“The hooks are incredibly sharp, too, and the jigs match up perfectly with Eye-Candy plastics,” Bro continued. “The buoyancy holds the jig upright. It looks real and sits at the perfect angle for a solid hookset.” Bro’s live bait options for the tungsten stand-ups are leeches, nose hooked minnows, and leeches. His preferred terrain for tungsten stand-up jigs are short weeds, gravel, and rocks.

ABOUT the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig

Molded from Tungsten that is 70% more dense than lead, this jig provides exceptional sensitivity. The Stand-Up head design yields better bottom contact for keeping live bait and soft plastics up off the bottom for the perfect presentation. Features a dual bait keeper and stout wide gap custom Mustad^® hook.

MSRP $7.99 (2 Pack)

ABOUT the Tungsten Stand-Up Short Shank Jig

The Tungsten Stand-Up Short Shank Jig has all the benefits of the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig in a compact profile. Molded from sensitive tungsten, which is 70% more dense than lead, the jig positions baits upright on the bottom to mimic feeding baitfish. It sports a stout custom short shank wide gap Mustad^® hook perfect for live bait and small plastics.

MSRP $7.99 (2 Pack)

by AnglersChannel

Finally, A Better Way To Rig Your Fishing Kayak!

Besides taking “Best in Category” at ICAST 2024 with the YAK-EASE™ Power Pak Pro, Connect-Ease offers other kayak rigging systems to meet every angler’s unique needs

PRIOR LAKE, MN (September 4, 2024) - Connect-Ease^® has been providing the quickest, easiest, and cleanest power boat rigging possible for over a decade. Now—with the recent introduction of YAK-EASE^®—the company has extended their expertise into the realms of kayak angling with numerous new, problem-solving rigging and power distribution products for all anglers.

Like the YAK-EASE™ Power Pak Pro, a self-contained, portable, plug & play power system that provides the quickest, easiest, and cleanest power kayak rigging possible—while saving hours and hours of sketchy rigging in the process. Whether you’re setting up a basic fishing kayak to a deluxe, tournament-ready fishing kayak—YAK-EASE™ Power Pak Pro is the best solution available today. It not only includes a premium Pelican^® waterproof case with all the bells and whistles for use with your favorite lithium battery, but YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER^® and a YAK-EASE™ LIGHTNIN’ Harness, too – both which are also available to kayak anglers who may want to install permanent, clean and preconfigured YAK-EASE for their electronics, lighting, and accessories without need for a portable power supply.

YAK-EASE POWER PAK PRO: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

*Includes (4) Independent, Positive/Negative Lighting Leads; and YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER for multiple graphs/FF Sonar transducers/black boxes
Premium Pelican^® Waterproof Case (16.5” x 13” x 7”) – MADE IN THE U.S.A.
IP65 Water-Resistant Panel
Lock Point 12V Cigarette-style Female Plug Receptacle
Illuminated Voltage Meter/Battery Runtime Indicator
2-Port USB receptacle for GoPro/POV cameras/cell phones/powered speakers
Lighted Power Switch (blue illumination)
Includes (4) B Mini Connector pigtail for YAK-EASE™ LIGHTNIN’ Harness – (2) each (+/-) leads for four independent lighting kayak lighting systems: (1) Navigation Lighting (port and bow); (1) Anchor Lighting; (2) Interior/Exterior Lighting
Female Quick-Connect SB50-R Receptacle for included YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER®
Accommodates any 12V Lithium Battery (50-60Ah, typically), with maximum battery dimensions of (8” x 7.5” x 5.5”); includes foam inserts and battery strap

YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER^® (DIY)

YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER^® is a permanent power solution for up to four powered kayak fishing accessories, all with a convenient and easy pack-in/pack-out battery connection. YAK-EASE GRAPH POWER was designed to solve the connections and power issues associated with running today’s sophisticated fishing electronics common on modern kayaks, providing clear, clean power and direct connections. Now that extends into the realms of kayak angling with numerous new, problem-solving rigging and power distribution products.

YAK-EASE GRAPH POWER is designed to work with all manufacturers of fresh- and saltwater marine electronics. YAK-EASE GRAPH POWER features marine-grade sheathed wire with multiple fused connections for your electronics. Works with Humminbird, Lowrance, Garmin, all forward-facing, side-, and down-imaging systems. Power multiple electronics, GoPRO cameras, cell phones, powered speakers, and other accessories with four fused connections.

YAK-EASE™ LIGHTNIN’ HARNESS (DIY)

To our knowledge, the YAK-EASE LIGHTNIN’ HARNESS is the only plug & play, self-contained, complete kayak lighting system on the market. It is designed for all fishing/recreational kayaks up to 13.5 feet, and features 14 gauge sheathed, marine-grade wire with heat-shrinkable connections to power (4) navigational, interior, exterior, and accessory lighting rigging.

YAK-EASE™ QUIK 3 DEVICE CONNECTION (DIY)

The YAK-EASE YAK QUIK 3 represents our most simple, yet quick and easy way to send power to all of your kayak fishing devices/accessories, as a power solution for up to three powered kayak fishing accessories, all with a convenient and easy pack-in/pack-out battery connection.

If you’re rigging a fishing kayak with today’s sophisticated fishing electronics, lighting, GoPro cameras, and various accessories, skip having to source and run your own wire and fuses, scratching your head over leads, where to position batteries, etc. That can take days – and we’d all rather be on the water catching fish, right!

YAK-EASE™ YAK MAX PRO 3 SINGLE BATTERY TROLLING MOTOR & ELECTRONICS SYSTEM (DIY)

“Amp” up your fishing kayak with YAK MAX PRO 3, rigging designed to network multiple graphs, live imaging and/or forward-facing sonar transducers and black boxes, as well as a trolling motor all from an easy, self-contained pack-in/pack-out power rigging solution. Works with any Minn-Kota, Motor Guide, Humminbird, Garmin, Lowrance trolling motors and electronics.

Designed for the serious kayak angler using multiple electronics—including FF sonar—YAK MAX Pro 3 features all fused connections to protect your valuable electronics and heat-shrinkable connections to provide a lifetime of corrosion-free connections. Leave your wiring and rigging intact and remove your electronics and battery with ease. Includes 10 feet of nylon-sheathed positive and negative rigging with 3 fused connections and a Qu Quick-Snap battery connection—greatly reducing the amount of time you spend preparing to fish.

YAK-EASE™ SPADE-A-NATOR™ SPADE-STYLE BATTERY CONNECTION FOR (3) ELECTRONICS (DIY)

The YAK-EASE SPADE-A-NATOR is the perfect solution for adding extra power for long days on the water—or for simple recharging at the end of the day without the hassle of removing your chosen battery from your kayak, fish-finder, graph shuttle, or case. The YAK EASE SPADE-A-NATOR is a solution for up to three powered kayak or ice fishing accessories, all with a convenient and easy pack-in/pack-out battery connection for easy removal charging and swapping of multiple batteries to power your fishing day.

YAK-EASE™ products (by Connect-Ease^®) eliminate all of the above with portable or permanently-riggable, plug & play rigging systems for the quickest, easiest, and cleanest power, electronics, and lighting, kayak rigging possible—while saving you hours and hours in the garage, getting you onto fish faster!

DEALER INQUIRIES:

Cal Munkvold at [email protected]

(612) 770-9680

by AnglersChannel

MLF Set to Wrap Toyota Series Southern Division with Tournament at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine

CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Sept. 4, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to close out the Southern Division next week in Summerton, South Carolina, Sept. 12-14, with the third and final event of the season – the Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine.

The three-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King 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.

“I have been looking forward to this one. For the first time that I can recollect, we’re having a Toyota Series event here in late summer,” said pro Wade Grooms of Bonneau, South Carolina, who has five top-10 finishes on Santee Cooper in MLF competition. “Typically, the majority of tournaments here are held in the early spring, so fishing is always the same. The event being held this time of the year makes things extremely different. We’re going to see totally different patterns and strategies.”

With water levels high, and water temperatures still hovering in the upper 80s, the fish are still being found in their summertime patterns.

“There is a lot of grass right now, which is really going to help some people and really going to hurt some people,” Grooms said. “It spreads the fish out and makes them pretty hard to find. But if you can find the right area, it can definitely create a lot of opportunities.”

Grooms said that he expects he will be fishing a mix of grass and stumps.

“It’s going to be a lot like Florida fishing,” Grooms said. “An early morning topwater fish is going to be extremely important in this tournament. Everyone will have limits, but if you can have four keeper fish and one larger than average fish, that will really shoot you up the leaderboard.”

Even though Grooms lives on the south end of the fishery he struggled to make a weight prediction for this tournament.

“I live here, and normally I’m pretty good and can predict within a pound or two of the winning weight, but I’m struggling with this one because there are so many unknown variables,” Grooms said. “There is a cool front coming, water levels could be dropping at any time, there is so much grass – and we don’t know if it will help the fishing or make it tougher. I think we’ll see a few limits in the low 20s the first day, but that’s hard to maintain. I think 18 pounds a day, over three days, will be extremely strong in this event.”

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. announces technology standardization for Elite Series, Classic

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Bassmaster Elite Series and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors are the pinnacles of competitive bass fishing. B.A.S.S. has created unwavering standards of excellence and expectations for the anglers who fish under these banners. Today, the organization announces the creation of equipment standards related to new technologies that will impact anglers competing on the biggest stage in bass fishing.

It is important to understand that these new standardization practices are the result of the B.A.S.S. technology committee’s year-long collection of data, review of tournament results, consultations with conservation partners, discussions with industry leaders and communications with every Elite Series pro multiple times throughout the 2024 season. Voices from every corner of the fishing industry were heard and considered. After extensive debate and consideration, the committee made its final recommendation to B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. Once the 2025 Elite Series schedule was finalized earlier this week, Anderson approved the following standardization practices.

First, the number of live sonar transducers will be regulated to one and it must be mounted to the trolling motor at the bow of the boat. Until now, Elite Series and Classic competitors could have an unlimited number of live transducers mounted on their boats in any location. B.A.S.S. will also provide a list of acceptable live transducers from all major electronics manufacturers. Equipment not on this list is banned from usage in Elite Series and Classic competition. This equipment list will be vetted and updated annually.

Secondly, Elite Series and Classic competitors will be limited to a total of 55 inches of screen, including bow and dash head units. The trend to add more and bigger head units to boats is becoming a safety concern, as the bigger screens may create blind spots impacting the safe piloting of boats.

Thirdly, Elite Series and Classic competitors may now have only one electric motor mounted to their boats. There has been a rise in the use of electric motors mounted to shallow water anchors, which makes the enforcement of current rules (like long-lining and trolling) very difficult.

Lastly, B.A.S.S. will focus on a more diverse Elite Series schedule, creating a wide variety of fishing styles demanded for success. While live sonar technology will remain a consistent tool used at the very highest level of competitive bass fishing, experience and a deep-seeded understanding of fish behavior, movement and patterns will also be needed for success moving forward on the fisheries scheduled.

“The use of live sonar at the Elite level has sparked tremendous debate,” said Chase Anderson. “Our technology committee spent a tremendous amount of time reviewing post-event surveys, comparing equipment on Elite boats to success rates and considering both fan engagement and bass community feedback related to the use of new technology. As the leading tournament organization in sportfishing, our goal was to ensure a level playing field that both embraces the value of hard work and experience on the water as well as new technologies that will continue to improve angler success. B.A.S.S. has always been, and will continue to be, dedicated to teaching our members, fans and the bass fishing community how to catch more and bigger bass. Educating anglers on both the fundamentals of fishing as well as new technology aligns with this principle. B.A.S.S. is, and always has been, the keeper of the culture of our sport. We believe these new standards will ensure that both the present and future competitive landscape of the Elite Series will remain above reproach. We remain committed to being the leaders in our industry and making decisions that we believe are in the best interest of our sport.”

These new standardization practices will go into effect with the start of the 2025 Elite Series season. The B.A.S.S. technology committee will continue to monitor the impacts of new technology on bass fishing’s biggest stage.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Rasmussen’s Top Plays for Football Season Smallies

Vexus® Pro Adam Rasmussen admits he ditched playing left tackle after his sophomore year of high school so he could instead practice catching Wisconsin River smallies after the dismissal bell rang.

The Rasmussen’s connection to Wisconsin football runs deep. Adam’s wife, Allie, is a great niece to Mary Jane Van Duyse. Mary Jane was once engaged to Packers Founder Curly Lambeau and invented the iconic Packers cheer “Go Pack Go!” as a Green Bay Golden Girls cheerleader.

Twenty years later, Rasmussen, who fell three pounds short of winning the 2024 Bassmaster Classic, has no choice but to saturate himself in America’s pigskin culture once again.

Weekends in Adam’s impressive mancave the Rasmussens call “The Warehouse” are dominated by Packer watch parties. But just out of shouting range, you’ll find the down-to-earth pro prepping tackle on the deck of his Vexus® VX21, getting ready to blitz Green Bay area smallmouth throughout the football season.

“Of course, September brings a hint of cooler nights, but it’s a tricky month because you’ve still got some smallies shallow enough to cast at visually, while a few are moving to deeper breaklines in 20’ of water. It seems like nearly every day in September is a little bit different,” says Rasmussen.

Ultimately, September sees an ongoing migration of smallmouth from their summer hangouts to where they will spend the cold winter months.

“By late September or early October, they’re moving along travel routes on breaklines in 15-25’ of water, where a 2.5” soft plastic tube on a 3/8 to 1/2-ounce VMC head can be deadly. A 3” Rapala CrushCity Mayor swimbait on a 1/2-ounce jighead is another solid producer this time of year,” says the Stevens Point native.

Rasmussen says the late-season run between Halloween and early December is his favorite. “When water temps get down to around 54 degrees, it’s time to load an Alabama Rig up with 3” CrushCity Mayor minnows and throw around rocky bluff walls with 40’ of water nearby. That’s my hands-down favorite way to catch late-season smallies, and sometimes you even catch two at a time!” smiles Rasmussen.

Curly Lambeau died nearly 60 years ago while mowing a lawn not far from Rasmussen’s home, but his heritage lives on forever in the hearts and souls of Packer fans everywhere—including those that will pack into “The Warehouse” throughout the weeks ahead.

“Oh, you can bet I’ll be there watching the games with all our family and friends. But I promise ya, if we get a mild sunny day in late November or early December, I’ll be loading my A-Rigs into the Vexus and heading to a bluffy shoreline in Green Bay,” smiles Rasmussen.

To learn more about the Vexus® VX21 Rasmussen counts on to always deliver a smooth ride, even during a blustery Wisconsin autumn, please visit vexusboats.com.

by AnglersChannel

BREAKING NEWS: The Future of Forward-Facing Sonar in the NPFL

Story by Brad Fuller | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

After many sleepless nights and countless hours of discussions that touched every corner of the fishing industry, we at the National Professional Fishing League have come to realize several important things about live forward-facing fishing technology.

First, the issue is complex and compounded by the fact that it elicits an emotional response from many.

Second, for rational discussion and decision-making, it’s helpful to remove as much emotion from the process as possible.

Third, there are serious policy and business ramifications associated with taking any position on this technology.

Finally, there is no way to make every stakeholder happy where a technology policy is concerned.

For what it’s worth, I enjoy using forward-facing sonar in my personal fishing, and I’m grateful for what’s it’s taught us about bass behavior. It’s an incredible tool, and no matter your attitude toward the technology, it’s undeniable that it’s impactful for bass catching. Our concern at the NPFL is whether it’s a proper tool for competitive bass fishing.

Every sport has equipment rules to protect the players and the integrity of the game. As examples, Major League Baseball does not allow aluminum bats so as to protect certain players on defense and to preserve the game’s legacy. Auto racing has restrictions on engines and other equipment to protect drivers and ensure competitiveness. The Professional Golfers’ Association prohibits balls that use technology to overcome shortcomings of skill.

Tournament bass fishing is not different from these other sports in its need to protect the integrity and appeal of the game.

At NPFL, we do not want competitive bass fishing to become a technology arms race where anglers stare at a screen, targeting pixels and losing their connection to the fish we love so much. Forward-facing sonar is changing the ways that anglers approach competition and the ways that fans consume content. It’s also reducing the methods and baits that anglers use to compete.

Our sport is too important and too diverse to allow technology to shrink it to a handful of methods and tackle. Robust competition requires variety, experience, and broad skills. It must be more than an expensive video game.

The early sonar units of the 1950s were revolutionary. Since that time, most of the advancements have been changes of degree. With the introduction of forward-facing sonar in 2018, the change was qualitative — a change in kind that threatens to alter the very nature of our sport. It’s a technology we can appreciate and admire without allowing it to undermine our ultimate goals — to deliver the highest level of competition in the fishing world, to raise the sport to greater heights, and to share our passion.

Starting with the 2025 season, the NPFL will prohibit the use of real-time imaging units—commonly referred to as “live forward-facing sonar”—during official practice and competition. Other sonar (e.g., 2D, side imaging, 360, et al.) will continue to be permitted. The use of future technology will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The 2025 NPFL Championship will be conducted using 2024 rules. It’s only fair that the anglers who qualified for the Championship be allowed to compete under the same rules under which they qualified.

We considered intermediate measures that fell short of a complete restriction but believe they would be insufficient to protect the sport. Limiting transducers or screens or only allowing the technology on certain days or hours are half measures that may quiet some opponents of the technology, but they are unlikely to reduce its impact.

Our decision was neither easy nor made quickly. It is ultimately a business decision made after much due diligence and unclouded by conflicting business relationships.

We are committed to upholding the tradition and integrity of competitive bass fishing.

This decision will be met with some approval and some criticism, but we’re confident that this is the right decision at the right time for the sport and for the NPFL.

by AnglersChannel

Adkins Clinches Second NPFL Win at Saginaw Bay

Wisconsin pro Gary Adkins claimed his second NPFL victory at Saginaw Bay with a three-day total weight of 56 pounds, 12 ounces. He started strong with 23 pounds, 3 ounces on day one, struggled on day two with high winds, bringing in 16 pounds, 2 ounces, but came back strong on the final day with 17 pounds, 7 ounces to secure the win with just a 1-ounce margin of victory.

Since his victory in 2022, where he went on to win the Progressive Angler of the Year award, Adkins has been in a “slump.” His 28th-place AOY finish in 2023 may not seem bad to most, but Adkins was disappointed.

“Last year was different for me; I was not focused on fishing like I should have been,” he said. “I had a busy year with work and was not in tune with my gear, and it showed. I would go to an event, fish, and then drop the boat and not see it until the next event; that was tough. To be able to have my family’s support and get back in the right mindset this year was huge.”

Starting the event in 30th place in AOY, this victory will certainly move him up in the standings. With the win-and-you’re-in format, Adkins can relax and focus on the next few events without worrying about points.

Throughout practice, Adkins noticed that the bigger fish were setting up in deeper areas, while many of the “medium-sized" smallmouth were shallower. On day one, he saw things change and made an adjustment that put him on track for the event.

“I caught my two biggest fish on day one shallow,” he added. “I saw they vanished from the deeper spots and went to the shallow points and shoals and found them. I caught my biggest fish this morning on the same bait, a spinnerbait, and knew I needed to spend the rest of the day looking at shallow areas.”

By noon, he only had one 5-pounder and a small keeper to show for it. A quick move to some shallow humps he located in practice, and it was game on.

“I pulled up and saw some fish, but not as many as I was hoping,” he said. “They were sitting on top in about 5 feet, and I could make a cast right on top of them with that dropshot. I knew there were enough fish there to get a decent limit, and it worked out for me today, just barely.”

Adkins only had six keeper bites all day, but he remained focused on his plan to commit to the smallmouth bite and try for the win. Heavy winds affected many other anglers from fishing for smallmouth, but Adkins, growing up on Lake Michigan, was not going to fold.

“Fishing for smallmouth is my favorite thing to do, and the big water does not bother me one bit,” he said. “In practice, it was calm, and there were boats everywhere. When the wind blew, I think a lot of guys started running out and then turned around; I hardly saw anyone around, and today, I only saw one boat. I took my time and got out there, and it paid off – I was going to live or die fishing for smallmouth. I had a phenomenal week and cannot wait to celebrate this one with my family.”

Zack Birge

With a three-day total weight of 56 pounds, 11 ounces, Oklahoma pro Zack Birge finished in 2nd place at the NPFL Saginaw Bay. He began the tournament strong, bringing in 22 pounds, 12 ounces on day one, followed up with 18 pounds, 1 ounce on day two, and despite a tougher day three, he managed to catch 15 pounds, 15 ounces, ultimately falling just one ounce short of first place.

Aside from a couple of small culls while fishing for largemouth late in the day, Birge concentrated on smallmouth and focused on a small shoal at the mouth of Saginaw Bay.

“That spot is only about 3 miles out into the lake, but it’s over 50 miles from take-off,” said Birge. “All three days I did the same thing, and I simply ran out of fish.”

Using Lowrance ActiveTarget2, Birge relied on a dropshot, making pinpoint casts to fish he could see roaming the reef. Despite the close finish, Birge is focused on earning points to compensate for missing the first event of the season. This finish will unofficially move him up from 53rd place where he began the event.

“I have to focus on points in these last events to secure a spot in the Championship for next year,” he added. “I’ve never been to the St. Johns River and have limited experience on the Ozarks, but if I have another opportunity to win like I did this week, I’ll go for it. It was a great week; Saginaw Bay is brutal, but awesome.”

Jason Williamson

Jason Williamson claimed third place at the NPFL Saginaw Bay with a solid three-day total of 56 pounds, 11 ounces. He started the tournament with 21 pounds, 1 ounce on day one, slowed down on day two with 16 pounds, 14 ounces, and finished strong on Showdown Saturday with 18 pounds, 12 ounces, including a 6-pound kicker smallmouth.

Like the other top anglers, the South Carolina pro targeted offshore shell bars with a strong concentration of baitfish—goby and alewife—focusing on fish he could see on his electronics. Using the new Zoom Tiny Speed Craw, he targeted fish as they moved in to feed.

“It was pretty straightforward for me,” he said. “I found an active bar that had a ton of life. It wasn’t even that far from the bank but had 18 to 20 feet of water and was the perfect spot for those smallmouth to hang as they transitioned from shallow to deep.”

Williamson began the event in 24th place in the Progressive AOY standings, and with this finish, he should move up, helping to secure his Championship berth.

Other Awards

The NPFL Big Fish award goes to Kevin Martin for his day one lunker weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Martin finished the event in sixth place, capping off a stellar performance.

With his ninth-place finish at Saginaw Bay, BaitWrx pro Brock Bila earns the NPFL Bass Cat Boats incentive and takes home an additional $5,000 for his three-day total weight of 51 pounds, 6 ounces.

Top Ten Anglers

Gary Adkins 56-12

Zack Birge 56-11

Jason Williamson 56-11

Trent Palmer 56-8

Kevin Martin 55-13

John Cox 55-5

Jesse Wise 54-6

Barron Adams 52-9

Brock Bila 51-6

Louis Fernandes 51-5

by AnglersChannel

Kevin Martin Surges to the Top at Saginaw Bay

Ohio Pro Kevin Martin jumps from second to first in Bay City.

Starting the day in second place, Ohio pro Kevin Martin surged to the top on day two, taking the lead into Showdown Saturday with a total weight of 42 pounds. After weighing in 23 pounds, 5 ounces on day one with only a handful of bites, he added 18 pounds, 11 ounces on day two with only six bites.

“It was basically the pressure on the area and the wind,” he said. “I can fish my spots in almost any wind condition, but the last two days were the worst. I had to cover more water today than I anticipated, and I expected to get more bites than I ended up getting.”

Casting at over 50 bass throughout the day, Martin rotated between shallow, deep, and mid-depth areas, relying primarily on a dropshot rig with a Berkley MaxScent Flatworm. Despite putting his bait in front of several bass, they weren’t reacting as expected.

“Usually, you can get it near them, and they follow it to the bottom and eat it,” he added. “Today was way different; they wouldn’t even react. Tomorrow, the wind should be more west, which will help me. I did have to burn some water today, but I think I can run it all again tomorrow and catch as many as I can.”

Zack Birge

With a two-day total weight of 40 pounds, 12 ounces, Oklahoma pro Zack Birge has moved into second place at stop number four of the NPFL season on Saginaw Bay. Birge started strong on day one with 22 pounds, 12 ounces, and added 18 pounds, 1 ounce on day two.

His smallmouth approach, focusing on mid-range depths, has proven effective, putting him in strong contention as he heads into Showdown Saturday, just 1 pound, 4 ounces back. Despite the challenging conditions, Birge is prepared for the forecasted wind tomorrow and remains focused on making a final push for his first NPFL victory.

“It was definitely tougher today for me, and not easy by any means,” said Birge. “I was able to get there this morning, but I didn’t see many bites or fish. The key was getting lucky and catching a few better fish; coming back this afternoon was rough.”

While his main area is over 50 miles away, Birge did spend some time in practice looking for largemouth, and a late largemouth cull this afternoon back near the takeoff gave him another 5 ounces. If things don’t go well tomorrow, Birge plans to pull the plug and head to the bank to salvage the day.

“I caught a ton of largemouth in practice, but I don’t think I can catch 17 or 18 pounds doing it,” he added. “Tomorrow morning will be the best chance to get out offshore where I’m fishing, and I’ll see how it goes. If needed, I’ll scratch it and go catch some largemouth.”

While not wanting to give up too many specifics, Birge, like the others, is fishing “typical smallmouth things,” keying in on the “right stuff” within his 8- to 20-foot-deep area.

“If I can see the fish or the structure, and get one to show itself, I’ve been able to get a bite if I can get the lure in there, but that hasn’t been easy,” he concluded.

The big move of the day was made by Dustin Smith, who jumped into 15th place with the day’s largest bag of 18 pounds, 14 ounces. The NPFL Bass Cat Boats award is set to be decided in the final moments, with Brock Bila in fifth place with 37 pounds, 2 ounces, and Matt Looney in eighth place with 35 pounds, 2 ounces.

Top Ten Anglers

Kevin Martin 42-1

Zack Birge 40-12

Gary Adkins 39-5

Jason Williamson 37-15

Brock Bila 37-2

Trent Palmer 35-11

Josh Hooks 35-4

Matt Looney 35-2

Jesse Wise 35-0

John Cox 34-14

by AnglersChannel

Becker and Shuffield Win General Tire Team Series B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota

Team B&W Trailer Hitches catch 64 bass totaling 113-5 in Championship Round to win first event of season and earn Challenge Cup

ERIE, Pa. (Aug. 30, 2024) – Championship Friday started off with a bang as teams wrapped up the first event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, with all four teams posting bass to SCORETRACKER® within the first 15 minutes.

The final four teams at the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota headed back to Erie’s Presque Isle Bay on Friday to finish out the season-opening event. While the teams had some experience on the fishery earlier in the week, conditions changed, forcing the teams to hunt for new fish throughout the day.

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches – made up of Luke Clausen of Spokane, Washington, and John Hunter of Shelbyville, Kentucky – put together a strong opening flurry early during Friday’s Championship Round, stacking 22 bass totaling 35-3 onto SCORETRACKER® within the first period alone.

But that wasn’t enough to hold off Team U.S. Air Force – Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, South Carolina – who took over the top spot at the beginning of Period 2. They held the lead for 28 mins before being overtaken by Team B&W Trailer Hitches – Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, and Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas – who grabbed the top spot and never looked back.

Team B&W Trailer Hitches finished the day with 64 bass totaling 113 pounds, 5 ounces, a solid 34-10 ahead of Team U.S. Air Force. They started the morning in an area they’d fished during the Qualifying Round but found it a bit lacking.

“When we found out we were going back to Presque Isle Bay today it was pretty exciting because we’d had a really good Qualifying Round there and felt like we could have done even more so we were excited to get back out there,” said Shuffield. “I’d caught a lot of our fish in the Qualifying Round on a ChatterBait, but it just wasn’t really working for us this morning. They just weren’t really committing to it.”

The duo decided to switch to their secondary plan and flip grass out deeper.

“Once we made that move, Matt ended up catching several scorable bass quickly,” Shuffield said. “We knew that we would be able to keep pace with the other teams doing that but weren’t sure if we’d be able to put up much weight.”

“Really the second period is when we found the area where we ended up winning,” said Becker. “We made a move, and it’s so crazy to think about the little details that happened – one fish busted the surface of the water on baitfish, and that readjusted our game plan.

“Spencer threw over there and got a bite and that one fish changed our minds on what was happening there and what we needed to do the rest of the day,” Becker continued. “If we hadn’t noticed that fish, it may be a different story here today.”

The B&W Trailer Hitches team spent the second period running new water and locating a few new schools of bass before cycling through some of their prior sweet spots. The duo fished in roughly five different areas throughout the bay, all basically presenting the same characteristics – offshore milfoil grass beds in 7 to 8 feet of water with plenty of baitfish.

“We didn’t get off to the fastest of starts this morning,” said Becker. “It was just slow and steady, and I knew we just needed to survive that morning bite. Just keep the pace. The key for us today was fishing fresh water and hitting places we didn’t fish the first day we were on Presque Isle Bay.

“We found a fresh school of fish that looked like it hadn’t been touched by anyone this week and put some weight up in a hurry,” Becker continued. “We got that flurry and that really is what set us up for the day.”

Becker credits a two-pronged approach to his success at the Challenge Cup – flipping a tube and throwing a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait – but said the difference-maker was a small trailer attached to the back of the ChatterBait.

“The bass were feeding on real small baitfish, so putting that little 3-inch trailer on the back really allowed the bait to dance and dart very well and made it a little smaller profile for the fish to eat,” said Becker. “I threw that on 17-pound Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line on a 7-foot, 5-inch medium-heavy rod.”

While Becker’s experience on the fishery gave the B&W Trailer Hitches team a distinct advantage, the duo agreed that the team as a whole made the right decisions at the right times throughout the day to get the job done.

“The right things ended up happening for us to win and it feels great,” said Shuffield. “To win the first buddy team tournament of the year – and the first two-man team ever – that’s something no one will ever be able to take away from us and something we’ll cherish forever.”

The duo will reunite to fish another General Tire Team Series event later this fall at the Summit Cup, November 17-22.

The top four teams at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota Knockout Round finished:

1st:          Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 64 bass, 113-5
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 35 bass, 60-12
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 29 bass, 52-9
2nd:        Team U.S. Air Force, 47 bass, 78-11
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 22 bass, 32-11
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, N.C., 25 bass, 46-0
3rd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, 41 bass, 66-0
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 21 bass, 32-14
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 20 bass, 33-2
4th:         Team Star Tron, 27 bass, 42-11
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 11 bass, 15-14
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 16 bass, 26-13

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 179 bass weighing 300 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the four teams during the Championship Round on Presque Isle Bay. Team U.S. Air Force pro Anthony Gagliardi caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota was hosted by VisitErie and took place over six days in Erie, Pennsylvania. The competition water for each day was top secret and was only revealed to the anglers after they arrived at the host hotel each morning.

The Challenge Cup featured 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Rounds. Each of the three Elimination Rounds featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each of the Elimination Rounds advancing to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams competed each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams competed in a one-day shootout to determine which team was the winner of the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota featured the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers caught as much weight as they could each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. With no practice and anglers only getting a few hours to break down brand-new water, the tournament featured anglers competing with a 1-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable.

The next General Tire Team Series event will take place Sept. 15-20 in Wisconsin – the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley – and is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes starting in January 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.

by AnglersChannel

Palmer Secures Day One Lead at Saginaw Bay

With 25 pounds, 4 ounces, Georgia pro Trent Palmer takes the Day One lead at stop number four of the NPFL season on Saginaw Bay. Building on his success over the past two seasons, including his 2023 victory, Palmer picked up right where he left off this morning as he eyes back-to-back wins.

“Today was special. I knew in practice what I wanted to do and pretty much ignored my areas from the past, figuring the fish would still be around there,” Palmer said. “One day, I sampled it quick and caught a big one, but overall, I found four or five more areas that I didn’t even touch today.”

Palmer, who owns and operates Sonar Pros in Georgia, remains confident in his plan, and with the weather forecasted to cooperate, he’s optimistic about continuing to target and catch quality bass over the next two days.

“I caught my weight—over 25 pounds—pretty quickly this morning, which allowed me to relax and do some more scouting,” he added. “I wasn’t fishing hard, but I did fish some throughout the day and ended up catching another 23.5 pounds or so of fish that wouldn’t help. I wandered around my area and tried to learn more about it.”

While more anglers are focusing on smallmouth, Palmer was able to fish away from the crowd on Day One. He’s working through a variety of depth ranges and feels that, despite some fish being caught shallow, the types of areas he’s targeting don’t really align with a specific depth.

“Where I am, I’m able to catch them at whatever depth, and it’s definitely more about the area than anything,” said Palmer. Today, I had my spot to myself today, and I’m not sure about the other spots as I didn’t have to move much. The wind the next few days looks fine; I’m not concerned. Today was the worst wind day, so I should be fine to get out there and fish—I’m looking forward to it.”

Kevin Martin

With a total of 23 pounds, 5 ounces, and a lunker 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth, Kevin Martin has positioned himself in the second-place spot on Day One at Saginaw Bay. After finishing 3rd in 2022 and 13th in 2023, Martin is off to a solid start as he aims for another strong performance in Bay City.

Martin has targeted both smallmouth and largemouth over the past couple of years at Saginaw Bay, but this time around, it was all about the brown ones. Out of all three days of practice, aside from two hours, he focused his efforts offshore.

“The first year (2022), I had a good finish with largemouth. Last year, I fished a bit of both, but knew in order to win, I would need to target smallmouth, so that’s what I did,” Martin said. “Going into this morning, I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I knew I was around some good fish.”

The Ohio angler admits he was fishing among some other anglers but slipped off throughout the day to a different area, where he managed to hook the big bass of the day, a 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth, by making a small bait adjustment.

“Overall, I have some different depth ranges I’m fishing, and the majority of my fish came from one, but the big fish was a little different,” he added. “I’m not getting a lot of bites, but like the others, I’m looking for them on FFS.”

Looking ahead to the final two days, Martin is optimistic about his chances but understands the bite will get tougher with added pressure, and hopes some of his other areas will pay off.

“I have some other spots, but I have one that’s really good, and I didn’t need to go there today,” he said. “I had a good bag, so there was no reason to burn fish. With the wind expected to blow south tomorrow, I know some spots may be blown out, but some won’t—I’ll be okay.”

Brock Bila sits in eighth place with a Day One weight of 20 pounds, 8 ounces, and is the highest-finishing NPFL Bass Cats Boats angler. With his 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth, Kevin Martin holds the big bass of the event, hosted by Bay City, Michigan.

Top Ten Anglers:

Trent Palmer 25-4

Kevin Martin 23-5

Gary Adkins 23-3

Jesse Wise 22-14

Zach Birge 22-11

Kyle Welcher 22-10

Jason Williamson 21-1

Brock Bila 20-8

Matt Looney 19-14

Drew Cook 19-9

by AnglersChannel

Becker/Shuffield and Clausen/Hunter Advance at General Tire Team Series B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota

Friday’s Championship Round field set, Team B&W Trailer Hitches (Becker/Shuffield), Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff (Clausen/Hunter), Team Star Tron (Lane/Wall) and Team U.S. Air Force (Browning/Gagliardi) to compete for Challenge Cup

ERIE, Pa. (Aug. 29, 2024) – It was a runaway second match of the Knockout Round on Chautauqua Lake, Thursday at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota. Two teams – the B&W Trailer Hitches duo of Matt Becker and Spencer Shuffield , and the Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches pair of Luke Clausen and John Hunter – had great days on the water, catching more than double the amount of fish that teams competing in the first Knockout Round match caught on Wednesday, while the Team Coign duo of Drew Gill and Matt Stefan struggled and never really found the quality of bass that they were looking for.

Although it was an anticlimactic finale to the Knockout Round, it was still an exciting day of fishing on the MLFNOW! live stream in the first event of the 2024 MLF General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops. Team B&W Trailer Hitches caught 44 bass weighing 99 pounds, 6 ounces to advance in the top spot, while Team Smokey Mountain weighed in 32 scorable bass totaling 74-11 to finish the round in second.

Chautauqua Lake was the big X-factor on the day, as the lake seemed to turn on Thursday after a tough day of fishing on Wednesday. The three teams boated 86 bass weighing 191-5 today – a stark contrast to the 36 bass weighing 70-9 caught on Wednesday.

“We wacked them today - that was such a fun day of fishing,” said Becker, who caught 17 bass for 35-14. “We got to go on a tour of Lake Chautauqua. We fished the north end, the south end and everywhere in between. We caught some on topwater, caught some under boat docks, caught some flipping – it was a hodge podge. Crackin’ 5-pound smallmouth on topwater… Man, what an awesome day.”

“Anytime you can catch smallmouth on topwater, it’s incredible. And we had an absolute blast today,” said Shuffield, who led the team with 27 bass weighing 63-8. “I didn’t expect to catch as many 3½- to 4-pounders, and I was really impressed with the caliber of fish here. I’d definitely take what we had today tomorrow and feel pretty good about it.”

Becker was one of the only anglers in the field with experience on Chautauqua Lake, and that experience paid off in a big way. The team did the majority of its damage fishing a single grass flat on the north end of the lake.

“We caught a lot of fish in the morning – nearly half of our weight came off of that one flat,” Shuffield said. “We caught three or four smallmouth over 4 pounds, and that got us off to a really good start.”

Shuffield’s topwater of choice was a Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil in sexy shad color, thrown on an Ark 7-foot, 3-inch medium-heavy Reinforcer rod with an Ark Gravity G8 7:1 gear ratio reel, spooled with 40-pound Yo-Zuri Super Braid line.

“I feel like the clouds really helped us out with the smallmouth in the morning,” Becker added.

“We’ve got some momentum rolling, and I like our chances heading into the Championship Round, tomorrow,” Becker went on to say. “I don’t know where we’re going – probably somewhere completely new – but we are excited and looking forward to hopefully breaking down a new fishery.

A 48-pound second period propelled the Team Smokey Mountain duo of Luke Clausen and John Hunter into the Championship Round. They caught a few scorable bass on a topwater bait and on bladed jigs, but most of their bass came on stick worms. Hunter threw a weedless Texas rig with no weight, while Clausen threw his worm on a wacky rig. At one point during the second period, they Power-Poled down and caught more than 30 pounds off of one area with their soft plastics.

The top two teams advancing from Knockout Round Match 2 to the Championship Round at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota are:

1st: Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 44 bass, 99-6
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 17 bass, 35-14
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 27 bass, 63-8
2nd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, 32 bass, 74-11
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., seven bass, 34-1
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., four bass, 40-10

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd: Team Coign, 10 bass, 17-4
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., six bass, 11-11
Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., four bass, 5-9

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 86 bass weighing 191 pounds, 5 ounces caught by the three teams Thursday in Match 2 of the Knockout Round on Chautauqua Lake. In addition to the most weight and most fish caught, Shuffield also caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a chunky 4-pound, 15-ounce smallmouth that crushed a walking topwater bait in the first period.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota is hosted by VisitErie and takes place over six days in Erie, Pennsylvania. The competition water for each day is top secret and is only revealed to the anglers after they arrive at the host hotel each morning.

The final day Championship Round will take place Friday featuring Team B&W Trailer Hitches (Matt Becker/Spencer Shuffield), Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches (Luke Clausen/John Hunter), Team Star Tron (Bobby Lane/Jacob Wall) and Team U.S. Air Force (Stephen Browning/Anthony Gagliardi). Anglers will depart the host hotel in Erie at 4:30 a.m. ET on Friday. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 7:45 a.m.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

The Challenge Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Rounds. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Rounds advancing to the Knockout Rounds 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 Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota.

by AnglersChannel

Lane/Wall and Browning/Gagliardi Move on to Championship Round at General Tire Team Series

Three teams compete at tough Chautauqua Lake in first match of Knockout Round, Team Star Tron (Lane/Wall) boats 15 scorable largemouth to advance in first place

ERIE, Pa. (Aug. 28, 2024) – Professional anglers competing in the Major League Fishing (MLF) General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops this week in Erie, Pennsylvania, were thrown a curve-ball Wednesday.

After the first three matches of the Elimination Round took place on Erie’s Presque Isle Bay, Wednesday featured a new venue for anglers competing in the first match of the Knockout Round at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota – Chautauqua Lake in Chautauqua County, New York. Three teams – Team REDCON1 (Cole Floyd/Andy Morgan), Team Star Tron (Bobby Lane/Jacob Wall), and Team U.S. Air Force (Stephen Browning/Anthony Gagliardi) took to the waters to compete, with only the top two teams advancing to Friday’s final-day Championship Round.

As time expired at the end of the third period and the final bass had been tallied, Team Star Tron showed that they will be a force to reckon with in Friday’s Championship Round. Pros Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Florida, and Jacob Wall of New Hope, Alabama, caught 15 bass weighing 26 pounds, 14 ounces to lead the way in Match 1 of the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition. Also advancing to the Championship Round is the Team U.S. Air Force duo of Hot Springs, Arkansas’ Stephen Browning and Prosperity, South Carolina’s Anthony Gagliardi, who finished second with 11 bass weighing 23-12.

“It was a grinder of a day, but it was so much fun,” Wall said in his post-match interview. “It was a challenging fishery, and these are the type of days that really show who can put their head down and work the hardest. Confidence is so key on days like today, and I felt really good and confident all day. Bobby and I were vibing.”

“We’ve done it twice now. Yesterday (Tuesday) we had the lead for awhile and then lost it, and we had to fight just to get into the Knockout Round,” said Lane. “Then we had to scramble again today. The decisions we made as a team to come back today … wow.”

Team Star Tron used a two-pronged approach in the morning. They started on a shallow rocky shoal, with Lane throwing a topwater popper and a Berkley Choppo, while Wall threw various soft plastic worms. Lane caught four scorable keepers over the first two periods, then they made a move to a marina-style area with a lot of boat docks, lots of shade, surrounded with grass. They started skipping under boat docks, and Wall boated five keepers while Lane added another scorable to earn the win by a 3-pound, 2-ounce margin.

Wall ended up weighing the most bass and catching the most total weight of the day.

“The 5-inch stickbait was the key today,” Wall said. “It was green pumpkin (colored). Nothing fancy by any means, but the weedless hook that I was throwing really helped me keep away from hanging up on those docks and those cables. I used 10-pound fluorocarbon, and we had a few mishaps - we broke some fish off. There were a lot of mussels around the docks. But I was able to pull most of them out of there with my Wheeler Select Series Duckett rod.”

“In the third, Jacob just put it on ‘em, and it was unbelievable,” Lane added. “With the pressure from SCORETRACKER® and this format, to beat those guys today and the guys we beat yesterday, this has just been an incredible week. We’re ready to go again for the Championship Round on Friday.”

Also advancing to the Championship Round via third period rally was Team U.S. Air Force. After boating only two scorable bass as a team through the first two periods of competition, Browning and Gagliardi caught fire in the third period, adding nine scorable bass weighing 21-7 to advance in the second spot.

The duo targeted the outside edge of grass lines in 8 to 10 feet on the extreme north end of the lake. They used finesse tactics and found a wad of fish in the third period – catching bass every 3 to 4 casts at one point – that they stayed on for the remainder of the day.

The top two teams now advancing to the Championship Round at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota are:

1st: Team Star Tron, 15 bass, 26-14
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., seven bass, 10-9
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., eight bass, 16-5
2nd: Team U.S. Air Force, 11 bass, 23-12
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 13-11
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., four bass, 10-1

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd: Team REDCON1, 10 bass, 19-15
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, two bass, 3-12
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., eight bass, 16-3

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 36 bass weighing 70 pounds, 9 ounces caught by the three teams Wednesday during the first match of the Knockout Round on Chautauqua Lake. Team U.S. Air Force pro Anthony Gagliardi caught a 3-pound, 7-ounce largemouth in Period 3 that was the Berkley Big Bass of the day.

The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota is hosted by VisitErie and takes place over six days in Erie, Pennsylvania. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers after they arrive at the host hotel each morning.

The second match of the Knockout Round will take place Thursday, featuring Team B&W Trailer Hitches (Matt Becker/Spencer Shuffield), Team Coign (Drew Gill/Matt Stefan), and Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches (Luke Clausen/John Hunter). Anglers depart the host hotel in Erie each morning at 4:30 a.m. ET. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 7:45 a.m.

The Challenge Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Rounds. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Rounds advancing to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams will compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota.

by AnglersChannel

Clausen/Hunter and Lane/Wall Advance after Elimination Round Match 3 at General Tire Team Series

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches (Clausen/Hunter) catches 36 largemouth weighing 62 pounds, 1 ounce to pace field, winning teams head to Knockout Round on Wednesday and Thursday

ERIE, Pa. (Aug. 27, 2024) – The third group of two-man teams took to the water Tuesday on Erie’s Presque Isle Bay for the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Similar to the two days prior at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota, most of the teams started out Tuesday morning along the Erie waterfront, fishing the riprap banks and targeting seawalls with grass blown up around them. However, after two days of fierce competition, the fish in those areas had been depleted, making for a tough bite and forcing anglers to move around to try to find fish.

The match was the tightest of the event so far, with several teams battling for the top spot throughout the day and nearly every team in close contention to make the cut to the Knockout Round.

But it was Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, made up of pros Luke Clausen of Spokane, Washington, and John Hunter of Shelbyville, Kentucky , who finished atop the leaderboard when the time ran out, catching 36 largemouth bass weighing 62 pounds, 1 ounce, to earn the win after the Elimination Round Match 3. Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches will now advance to the Knockout Round, along with the second-place finishing Team Star Tron – pros Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Florida, and Jacob Wall of New Hope, Alabama – who caught 35 bass weighing 57-6 to finish the day in second.

The top six teams from the last three Elimination Round matches now advance to the Knockout Rounds on Wednesday and Thursday. Team Star Tron (Bobby Lane/Jacob Wall) will join Team REDCON1 (Cole Floyd/Andy Morgan) and Team U.S. Air Force (Stephen Browning/Anthony Gagliardi) in the Knockout Round on Wednesday, while Team Smokey Mountain (Luke Clausen/John Hunter) will join Team Coign (Drew Gill/Matthew Stefan) and Team B&W Trailer Hitches (Matt Becker/Spencer Shuffield) in the Knockout Round on Thursday.

After the Knockout Rounds are complete, the top four teams from the two days of competition will advance to Friday’s Championship Round.

The Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches team started the morning on the Erie waterfront, pitching bait around some of the seawalls, break walls and riprap shorelines. They caught a few fish early on, but really keyed in on the bite after Hunter threw a vibrating jig in the offshore grass beds. They dialed that in the rest of the day, catching most of their fish on vibrating jigs, and a few on stick worms.

“That was fun, especially there at the end,” said Clausen. “It started off rocky though. We figured some stuff out through the day that just made the whole day line out right. If we’d missed a key bite here or there, it could have gone downhill quick.

“We fished there this morning and caught a couple, but left because the other teams were catching quite a few and we thought we could find something better,” Clausen continued. “We scrambled around thinking we were going to find glory and ironically we just ran away from a really good place, we just didn’t know it this morning.”

The duo rose to the top of the leaderboard at the end of the second period and held onto the top spot for most of the afternoon.

“I’m pretty proud of how we figured them out today, just settling in on these clumps of milfoil grass with little openings in them,” said Clausen. “We were able to identify that there were multiple fish – pretty much every time we caught one we could pick up a piece of plastic and throw it and catch another one.”

Hunter said the main focus today was trying to manage the little sweet spots that they found.

“Every time we circled back to one of those spots, we’d get another bite or two, but you don’t want to go back to them too quick,” said Hunter. “So, we basically just went through the spots, then worked the outside edge of them, trying to find a new spot or two, then came back through once they’ve had some time to rest.”

Clausen said the Z-Man Tungsten ChatterBait Elite Evo accounted for a lot of their fish.

“I scored 23 bass and probably 20 of them were caught on that bait,” said Clausen. “It falls quick, coming out of this grass, and it reacts quicker, so you get a lot more movement out of your bait.”

Clausen said he threw the ChatterBait on a Phenix M1 7-foot, 4-inch medium-heavy rod with a 7.3:1 gear ratio.

“The ChatterBait was definitely the star of the day,” said Clausen. “We probably both could have guessed that before we got out here this morning, but we had a ton of rods on the deck and pretty much tried them all in the first period. That didn’t go very well. The ‘keep it simple strategy’ is pretty dang good for fishing.

“We’d basically stop getting bites every time we’d put the ChatterBait down,” Hunter said, laughing. “We’re excited to move on to the Knockout Round in a couple days. Not sure where we’re going, but I’m hoping for some smallmouth. The largemouth are fun, but I’m ready for some brown fish.”

Team Star Tron pros Bobby Lane and Jacob Wall finished the day in second place despite a hard-charge from Team Kubota (Connell/Wheeler) that threatened to knock them out in the last few minutes of the competition day.

“As a team, we spent the day fishing our high percentage areas,” said Lane. “We fished all over today, and just tried to stay where the fish were biting, and fish slower. When we were around the fish, we just tried to mix it up – flipping, throwing a dropshot rig, spinnerbait, crankbait, bladed jig – you name it, we were doing it today.”

Lane said the duo had found four areas as they moved through the day, and just agreed that they would keep hitting those areas.

“All day long we got bit when we made moves, changed baits, and everything just felt very fluid today,” said Wall. “I felt like we made good, fluid decisions.

Lane said the changing conditions throughout the day dictated a lot of those decisions.

“It started off a little windy and cloudy, but then it got slick calm, and hot,” Lane said. “Once that happened, we went back through and dropped a big weight on some of these mats where the shade is on the walls. We weren’t just throwing at the walls, we were throwing out to the little corner of the walls, where the shade was, and that really paid off for us.

“We had such a fun day,” Lane continued. “We’d never been in the boat together, but Jacob and I worked so well together. We can't wait to get back out on the water for the Knockout Round.”

The results from the Elimination Round Match 3 at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota are:

1st: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, 36 bass, 62-1
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 23 bass, 38-8
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 13 bass, 23-9
2nd: Team Star Tron, 35 bass, 57-6
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 23 bass, 37-9
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 12 bass, 19-13
3rd: Team Kubota, 28 bass, 51-14
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 14 bass, 29-5
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 14 bass, 22-9
4th: Team Knighten, 32 bass, 50-2
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 16 bass, 27-10
Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 16 bass, 22-8

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 131 bass weighing 221 pounds, 7 ounces caught by the four teams during the Elimination Round Match 3 on Presque Isle Bay. Team Kubota pro Dustin Connell caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces.

Anglers depart the host hotel in Erie at 4:30 a.m. ET each morning and are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 7:45 a.m.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

The Challenge Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Rounds. Each of the three Elimination Rounds will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each of the Elimination Rounds advancing to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams will compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota.

by AnglersChannel

Travel Tuesday - The VIP Treatment in Panama

By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast

On our trips to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge, we’ve purchased a package deal that includes “VIP” treatment. Specifically, it offers expedited passage through customs (with a Panamanian rep who just about “holds your hand” through the process), drinks in a private lounge while you wait for your luggage, and transportation to and from the hotel in Panama City. Everything they can control runs like a Swiss watch, with no hiccups.

Many of you reading this who are experienced international travelers might not think you need those bonus touches added to your trip. You’d rather scale things down, do it yourself, and potentially save a few bucks. If you’re intrepid, enterprising and tolerant of slight inconveniences, that might work most of the time, but what happens when there’s a royal screwup that’s beyond your control?

What happens when you arrive in a country where you don’t know the language and your expected ride isn’t waiting for you?
What happens when your luggage doesn’t show and you need to get on a float plane the next morning?
What happens if there’s a snafu at immigration and your passport or COVID test are questioned?

That’s when you need an in-country “fixer.” As we found out on one trip to Panama, when unexpected shit goes down they’re worth their weight in gold. Specifically, we were scheduled to fly out of David to Panama City on Copa Airlines at 9:41am on November 12th. That would put us at Panama’s Tocumen Airport with plenty of time to catch all of our mid-afternoon flights back to the US on various airlines. Unfortunately, Copa ran into some mechanical problems and the flight was delayed for nearly six hours. That left Hanna and I enough time to catch our 6:30 Copa flight back to Washington-Dulles. It seemingly left our fellow travelers, going on American and Delta, out of luck.

To Copa’s credit, they arranged hotel rooms for the guests who would miss their flights, and provided lunch for all of us (the eating options in David’s Enrique Malek International Airport were limited to one small coffee stand that day), but that couldn’t get them on flights to the US.

That’s when SFPIL’s on-call travel agent sprung into action. Hanna reached out to our contact Luz via WhatsApp and without missing a beat she started taking care of things – specifically rescheduling flight itineraries. When we arrived at the in-country luggage claim in Panama City, Luz had two representatives waiting there for us. One grabbed me and Hanna and our luggage and got us checked in on our Copa flight, to the lounge for a quick sandwich and drink (and to catch our breath), and then through expedited security to our gate.

The other rep took our less fortunate group members to deal with their rescheduled trips. She got Derek Geddings, flying on American to Miami (he had already planned to overnight in Miami) on a later Copa flight to Miami, which meant he’d be home at the appointed time. As for the other four, all flying on Delta through Atlanta and onto various points around the country, she got them on the same flight the next day. It might’ve been a slight hassle, and a little bit of extra expense to pay for meals in the city, but it’s something that might’ve cost much more in terms of cash and aggravation if they’d had to do it on their own.

Lesson learned – while it may be tempting and possible to DIY every aspect of an exotic trip, the more help you have, and the better your support system, the less likely you are to suffer a complete catastrophe.

It’s why we will continue to utilize SFPIL’s VIP package;
It’s why we travel with Anglers Inn International, where they monitor your flights for delays and pick you up (at no extra charge) no matter what hour you arrive or the size of the group;
It’s why we fish with Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala, where they have their own boatyard and mechanic to make sure all equipment is in perfect working order;
It’s why we treasured the expertise of Steve Yatomi in Africa, where his team got us through four separate customs locations in a single day; and
It’s why we strongly support the use of no-fee-added fishing travel specialists, whether that be us or another professional outfit.

It pays to engage a true expert if you want to minimize the hassles, speed bumps and road blocks that invariably ensue if you travel enough. As a side note, it pays to travel with friends who don’t get overly stressed and understand that the mark of a good traveler is not necessarily avoidance of problems, but rather how you deal with the ones that arise. We had an amazing group of friends on this trip.

Email us if you’d like some more info on taking a VIP trip to Panama.

by AnglersChannel

Pipkens Knows Positivity… But Forgot Who His Mechanic Is

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Everyone in this world has special talents. Some folks are great mathematicians, authors, engineers or something of the sort. If you’re reading this, you’re really good at something. Elite Series pro Chad Pipkens has been blessed with the knowledge and talent of catching smallmouth bass. Everyone in the fishing world knows he is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to capturing these creatures and historically, he’s done well when Bassmaster Elite or Open events land on a smallmouth fishery.

While he’s coming off a disappointing finish to the 2024 Elite Series season at the St. Lawrence River, you wouldn’t know it. Pipkens is a consummate pro and understands and accepts the ups and downs of this difficult sport.

“Just like any other profession, you can’t let work affect your life,” Pipkens said. “I have two beautiful kids and a wife so when I get home, I don’t have time to dwell on a bad tournament. My kids want to play and see me happy and I’m truly as happy as I’ve ever been. In situations like this, people see who you really are. I’m still going strong and I’m going to enjoy life and be my optimistic self.”

In the world of tournament bass fishing, you’re going to lose a lot more than you win; that’s a fact that all professional anglers must accept before taking the proverbial plunge. But when it comes to these smallmouth tournaments, Pipkens believes in his ability to locate and catch quality fish. “It’s what I grew up doing and it fits my personality. I’ve struggled before when I have to sit and really make them bite. I’m more of a move-and-groove type guy; if they’re there, they’ll bite. I grew up on Lake Eerie fishing lots of rocks, boulder and gravel for big smallies and I know what looks ‘right’ to make an area a prime smallmouth habitat.”

When asked about the challenging schedule and nature of the Bassmaster Elite Series, he spoke on the long drives and being away from his family. Not only is he a believer in his smallmouth-fishing abilities; he’s also a big-time believer in his Toyota Tundra that gets him from coast to coast throughout the country.

“I have a good many miles on my Tundra,” Pipkens said. “I think I’m around 92,000 and I average around 30,000 miles per year. I have another Tundra at home for my other business that has 180,000 miles on it. Man, I’m being totally honest here. I don’t know my mechanic anymore. I had other tow vehicles before and they were always in the shop. I was on a first-name basis with my local mechanic. I have done absolutely nothing but change the tires and oil on both of my Tundras. “My family and I have been so impressed that we bought my wife a Highlander that now has about 80,000 miles. Again, no problems at all. Routine maintenance is all it takes with these vehicles. It’s a great peace of mind.”

As he pointed his Tundra towards home after his twelfth season on the Bassmaster Elite Series, he reflected on some important life and career lessons he has learned this year. Above everything, he focused on attitude.

“Attitude is everything,” Pipkens said. “Never let anyone tell you different. I take this very seriously but I have a great family at home. That’s always what matters most. I can’t wait to get started at the Bassmaster Open on Leech Lake and then onto the Mississippi River.”

Through the bug-covered windshield of his Tundra and throughout all the miles and long nights away from home, Pipkens positivity and enthusiasm is inspiring. Combining his unique and refreshing sense of positivity, his uncanny knowledge of the tricky smallmouth bass and his confidence in his equipment, Pipkens is riding on good vibes going into the final Bassmaster Open events of his 2024 season.

by AnglersChannel

Browning/Gagliardi and Becker/Shuffield Advance after Day 2 Elimination Round at General Tire Team Series

Four new teams compete in Erie’s Presque Isle Bay, Team U.S. Air Force (Browning/Gagliardi) catches 76 largemouth weighing 110 pounds, 11 ounces to finish atop the leaderboard

ERIE, Pa. (Aug. 26, 2024) – Although anglers had to contend with rainy, overcast conditions for the first half of the competition day, even water from the sky couldn’t dampen the second day of competition at the season-opening event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Teams took off and began their 30 minute ride-around under sunny conditions, with no rain in the forecast. However, a storm rolled in right after takeoff, lingering over the fishery most of the morning as four new teams launched at Erie’s Presque Isle Bay for the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota.

Team U.S. Air Force, made up of pros Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, South Carolina, quickly rose to the top of the leaderboard Monday, catching 76 largemouth bass weighing 110 pounds, 11 ounces, to earn the win after the Day 2 Elimination Round. The duo will now advance to the Knockout Round along with second-place finishing Team B&W Trailer Hitches – pros Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, and Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas – who caught 50 bass weighing 88 pounds even to finish in second.

The entire field spent the day trying to duplicate what Team U.S. Air Force accomplished in the opening period alone. With only 23 scorable bass caught by the entire field during the opening period on the first day of competition, Team U.S. Air Force blew that out of the water, catching 27 scorable bass weighing 40 pounds, 6 ounces, in the opening period on Monday, often weighing them in two at a time throughout the day.

Although Browning and Gagliardi each caught more than 20 pounds in the first period, the duo said they fished a quarter of a mile after Lines In before catching their first fish.

“We had a few bites, and caught one scorable bass, but we were still looking for them” said Browning. “Then we got to an area and caught two back-to-back, so we settled in there. We started off throwing the little Z-Man Chatterbait MiniMax. We had some clouds, some rain and a little bit of wind this morning, and that bait really showed out in those conditions. We pretty much just let the ChatterBait and the weather conditions dictate the first period.

“I think with the clouds and everything this morning, the fish were probably a little bit more active on moving baits,” Browning continued. “We were able to catch quite a few during the rain, and that got us clued in on an area, which was really key for us.”

Gagliardi said when they caught the third bass in the same spot, he knew they were on to something.

“I knew if they were biting that ChatterBait, they’d bite a worm,” said Gagliardi. “So I picked up a worm and started throwing it, hoping I could get bites on the worm while Browning was throwing the ChatterBait, and we’d have two different things going on.”

And it worked, for a bit. As the day went on, the ChatterBait bite died out, so Browning ditched the moving bait and picked up a worm as well.

“We threw that worm every which way – wacky worm, put it on a jighead, shaky style – it really didn’t matter how we rigged it, it was just a matter of getting it around them today,” said Browning. “There are a couple thousand acres out there to try to cover, and thankfully we guessed right in the beginning and got in an area that we felt like might have some water moving through it.”

That area was a big grass mat in about 8 to 12 foot of water, right in the middle of Presque Isle Bay.

“What we found was a giant grass clump, but the water’s deep on either side of it,” Browning said. “It’s got some cover and a little bit of current – evidently it has a ton of bait – and if you can get all three of those in one area, that’s a good indicator that there’s going to be some good fish there.”

And there were. Around 60 scorable largemouth, to be exact.

“We were really just fishing slow around the edges of a big grass mat, not really covering much water,” said Gagliardi. “But it seemed like every 50 to 100 yards, we’d run into another fresh group of fish and get some bites. Those fresh fish helped us maintain the lead that we had over second all day long.”

It's no secret there’s a lot of grass in Presque Isle Bay, and although there have been fish caught in eel grass over the past two days, the teams that are punching their ticket to the next round seem to have dialed in on the big schools of largemouth camped out in the milfoil.

“The trick for us was to just keep the bait clean,” said Browning. “There’s a lot of milfoil and eel grass in here, so whatever we could throw in this dense grass, and keep it clean, seemed to be the deal. The grass is really the ticket out there right now.

“The rock walls with grass lines are definitely holding some bass, but they must have been hit hard yesterday. Out on these big, expansive areas of grass, there’s a lot of real estate – not only for the bass, but for the bluegill and gobies and other baitfish that these bass are feeding on.”

The U.S. Air force team said they spent the day fishing along those grass lines until they caught one, then hunkered down in that area and waited for more.

“That was the key,” Browning said. “They really came in flurries throughout the day, so once you caught one, you could almost count on catching at least three or four more with it. Sometimes we’d catch seven or eight with it. I found a few with the [Lowrance] Active Target, but the majority of the ones we caught were pretty much just from casting blind.

“The fish seemed like they were high in the water column and aggressive this morning, but once the sun poked out later on in the day, the brighter conditions moved them down to the bottom and that’s where the worm really shone,” Browning continued. “It was just kind of a one-two punch and it worked out for us.”

Team B&W Trailer Hitches pros Matt Becker and Spencer Shuffield settled into the second place spot early Monday morning and were able to maintain that position throughout the competition day. Becker is no stranger to Lake Erie – he grew up fishing on the famed bass factory and is one of the only anglers with extensive experience on the fishery. That experience paid off for him and his teammate.

“We had a lot of bites, a lot of catches and only lost one fish each, so we can’t complain,” said Becker. “We’re moving on to the Knockout Round, so it will be a new day, with possibly a new body of water, and we’re ready.”

Becker spent most of the day pitching a tube around the rock walls and grass, while Shuffield threw a vibrating jig.

“Man, today was fun,” said Shuffield. “Jacking on them with a big line, flipping a tube, flipping a jig, throwing a ChatterBait. We even caught a couple on a dropshot rig. It was a great day of fishing and we’re really looking forward to the Knockout Round.”

The results from the Day 2 Elimination Round at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota are:

1st:          Team U.S. Air Force, 76 bass, 110-11
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 40 bass, 60-3
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, N.C., 36 bass, 50-8
2nd:        Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 50 bass, 88-0
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 27 bass, 48-10
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 23 bass, 39-6
3rd:        Team Builders FirstSource, 38 bass, 58-1
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 21 bass, 30-4
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 17 bass, 27-13
4th:         Team 7 Brew Coffee, 27 bass, 42-6
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 12 bass, 18-10
Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 15 bass, 23-12

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 191 bass weighing 299 pounds, 2 ounces caught by the four teams during the Day 2 Elimination Round on Presque Isle Bay. Team B&W Trailer Hitches pro Matt Becker caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 3 pounds, 11 ounces.

Anglers depart the host hotel in Erie each morning at 4:30 a.m. ET. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 7:45 a.m.

by AnglersChannel

University of Alabama Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on St. Lawrence River Presented by Simms

MASSENA, N.Y. (Aug. 26, 2024) – The University of Alabama duo of Cooper Gilroy of Middlebury, Connecticut, and Hayden O’Barr of Scottsboro, Alabama, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the St. Lawrence River Presented by Simms Sunday with a five-bass limit weighing 25 pounds, 1 ounce. The victory earned the Crimson Tide bass club qualification into the 2025 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“We made a real long run, about a 140-mile round trip, just looking for suspended bass over schools of bait,” said O’Barr.

The run took the anglers to an area not far from Lake Ontario.

“We were looking for shoals that top out around 30 and drop off into real deep water on the river channel,” O’Barr added. “Sometimes they were big bait balls, but mostly smaller bait balls and real big schools of bass. Our first school was maybe over 300 fish. A lot of them were small. We only got one big one off that spot. Then we ran down to our next shoal that was also suspended bass and caught the rest of our weight and a 6-pound smallmouth, all using a jighead minnow.”

The Crimson Tide anglers caught all their fish using forward-facing sonar and a Deps Sakamata Shad. And it all went down pretty quickly. In the first hour alone, they caught a little over 50 keepers then reversed course to ensure they had plenty of time to get back to weigh-in and they could keep their fish alive.

“It was crazy,” O’Barr said. “It was an unreal day.”

For Gilroy, a junior business major, and O’Barr, a recent graduate who’s going to be guiding on Lake Guntersville while pursuing a professional tournament fishing career, catching fish on the St. Lawrence was not the biggest challenge. The fish were “very cooperative.” This win was all about strategy and execution.

“(The key was) just keeping a positive mental attitude and knowing that, you know, if we do our job in practice, that it’ll happen tournament day,” O’Barr said. “It’s unreal. I mean, we had a really rough year this year. A lot of stuff went wrong for us – a bunch of boat troubles – but we finally pulled one off.”

The top four teams that qualified to compete at the 2025 College Fishing National Championship are:

1st:        University of Alabama – Cooper Gilroy, Middlebury, Conn., and Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., five bass, 25-1
2nd:      Mansfield University – Myken Barnes, Williamsport, Pa., and Beaux Rohrbaugh, Mansfield, Pa., five bass, 21-15
3rd:       Lamar State College – Orange – Holden Hatcher and JD Sewell, both of Beaumont, Texas, five bass, 21-10
4th:        University of Vermont – Colin Griesser and Hunter Whitman, both of Shelburne, Vt., five bass, 20-3

Rounding out the top 10 are:

5th:        Clarkson University – Tyler Combes, Martville, N.Y., and James Gillis, Milford, N.H., five bass, 19-6
6th:        Northwestern State University – Ross Miller, Rayne, La., and Cole Pickett, Robeline, La., five bass, 19-1
7th:        University of Georgia – Marcus Prince, Athens, Ga., and Samuel Shoemaker, Oakwood, Ga., 18-9
8th:        Paul Smith’s College – Brenden Lucia, Jefferson, Mass., and Collin Trapiss, Macedon, N.Y., 18-4
9th:        Clarkson University – Carter Jackson, Hogansburg, N.Y., and Aleksander Smietana, Chenango Forks, N.Y., five bass, 18-1
10th:     Lawrence Technological University – Teh Cornelius, Battle Creek, Mich., and William Finn, Ypsilanti, Mich., five bass, 17-14

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the St. Lawrence River Presented by Simms was hosted by the Town of Massena. The next tournament for MLF College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Sept. 27 in Brookeland, Texas.

The 2024 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season features college teams from across the country competing in nine regular-season tournaments. The top 12 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2025 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship. The 2025 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship will take place on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Alabama, April 9-11, and is hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.

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

by AnglersChannel

Buchanan’s Lawrence Wins at Home at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

Eric Law, of Primm Springs, Tenn., Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

BUCHANAN, Tenn. (Aug. 26, 2024) – Boater Jake Lawrence of Buchanan, Tennessee, weighed a two-day total of six fish for 27 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes , which wrapped up on Sunday. Boaters competing in the tournament were limited to three bass per day due to the summer heat. Hosted by the Henry County Tourism Authority, the tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the BFL LBL Division. Lawrence earned $12,517, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

It’s been one heck of a run for Lawrence. In the last two seasons, he’s won two Toyota Series tournaments on the Kentucky-Barkley system, he’s won three BFL Super Tournaments – including two in a row in the LBL Division – and he won the Tackle Warehouse Invitational on Lake Eufaula back in May. He also finished second in the AOY race in his first season fishing the Invitationals and is currently in first in the Toyota Series Plains Division AOY standings, with a first- and second-place finish on the season. Lawrence is an absolute powerhouse on the western reservoirs of the Tennessee River and is expanding his game around the country.

So, it comes as no surprise to see him atop the standings in a stacked LBL Division Super Tournament field. For Lawrence, however, the approach needed to win on Kentucky-Barkley this time was a bit non-typical. For starters, he was able to stay close to the launch in Paris, Tennessee.

“It just seems like every tournament, I always seem to find them on the total opposite end of the lake,” he said. “It was really nice (this time). I think I only burned about 25 gallons of gas in two days, which I never do that.”

The other change is that Lawrence wasn’t as dialed as he likes to be in late summer. This is a tough time of year anywhere in the Mid-South region, but he’s usually able to use practice to pattern a depth and a couple presentations to do well in end-of-season tournaments. This event had the bass roaming and at multiple depths, so it was all about adapting and figuring things out during competition hours.

“Things were changing it seemed like every day in practice,” he said. “I fished Wednesday, Thursday and half a day on Friday, and it seemed like every day the fish were in different places and they would act different as far as the baits they’d react to. It was kind of a unique deal. We just put the boat in and went fishing and made it happen.”

Lawrence began each morning throwing a topwater lure, using Garmin LiveScope to scan shallow bars for carp so he could avoid areas where they were congregating. On day one, the topwater put about 12 pounds in the livewell. On day two, it wasn’t nearly as productive, landing just one 3-pounder.

The rest of each day, he went hunting bass with LiveScope and mixed it up with a variety of lures, including a 5-inch Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm and a prototype spinnerbait from Buckeye Lures. The spinnerbait wound up being his primary bait on Sunday, and even though he dialed in on that lure, the fish didn’t come easy. He had to make constant adjustments.

“It was primarily shallow bars,” Lawrence added. “If you could find some brush, it was good. But honestly, I found a ton of fish just kind of roaming around on the bars, which is kind of unique. We don’t do a tremendous amount of that here.”

The best areas were mostly on the main lake and ranged from 3 to 10 feet deep. Avoiding carp and relocating roaming bass throughout the day were the biggest challenges. Lawrence said he looked at 75 to 100 spots during the tournament. Once he had a decent limit in the boat, he’d head for the drops in the mouth of the Big Sandy. He said this area is renowned for being home to big largemouths, so he went there to upgrade.

“I was going literally as fast as I can go,” said Lawrence, who landed a 6-pounder on Sunday to seal the win. “It’s a numbers game. Again, you don’t know where the next one’s going to come. So, it was really, really important to keep the trolling motor on 10 and roll around the lake.”

Reflecting on his recent success, Lawrence was proud of the support he’s received from Phoenix Boats. Just this season, he’s won more than $78,000 in Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus money. That’s money that he and his wife put toward a down payment on a new home.

There’s nowhere else that you can get that,” he said. “I just can’t imagine any other opportunity like that. I certainly cannot thank Phoenix enough for what they’re doing and how aggressive they are with their tournament fishermen. And why not? They make the greatest tournament boat on Earth, and the company is full of the greatest people on Earth.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., six fish, 27-3, $12,517 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn., six fish, 24-0, $2,759
3rd:       Harbor Lovin, New Concord, Ky., six fish, 22-12, $2,559
4th:        Eli Lubbehusen, Huntingburg, Ind., six fish, 21-8, $1,287
5th:        David Hames, Trezevant, Tenn., six fish, 20-10, $1,103
6th:        Harlan Thomas, Paducah, Ky., six fish, 19-12, $1,012
7th:        Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., six fish, 19-11, $920
8th:        Ryan Kirkpatrick, Benton, Ky., six fish, 19-11, $828
9th:        Curt McGuire, Buchanan, Tenn., six fish, 19-7, $736
10th:     Keith Claridge, Oakland City, Ind., six fish, 19-6, $644

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Harbor Lovin of New Concord, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $720.

Eric Law of Primm Springs, Tennessee, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,759 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of five bass to the scale for 15 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Eric Law, Primm Springs, Tenn., five bass, 15-15, $2,759
2nd:       Ed Daniell, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 15-10, $1,529
3rd:       Ethan Wheeler, Water Valley, Ky., five bass, 13-15, $1,019
4th:        Gabe Montgomery, Jackson, Mo., four bass, 13-8, $644
5th:        Zach Falder, Sedalia, Ky., five bass, 13-6, $552
6th:        Brant Gish, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 12-12, $506
7th:        Hunter Holguin, Knoxville, Tenn., four bass, 11-8, $460
8th:        Daniel Nolen, Lexington, Tenn., four bass, 11-0, $414
9th:        Cory York, Benton, Ky., three bass, 10-12, $368
10th:     Adam Lucas, Cape Girardeau, Mo., four bass, 10-6, $322

Danny Robinson of Fairland, Indiana, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $360, catching a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds even – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

At the conclusion of the event, Levi Kohl of Edinburg, Illinois, was crowned 2024 Fishing Clash LBL Division Angler of the Year (AOY) after finishing the season with 1,319 points and earned the $1,000 prize. John Lovin of Fayetteville, Ohio, won the Fishing Clash LBL Division Co-angler of the Year title with 1,312 points to earn the $500 award.

Up next for LBL Division anglers, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will compete in the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

by AnglersChannel

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