AnglersChannel

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

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

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

October 12, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

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

October 12, 2023

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S. 

October 11, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit Anderson is hosting the event.

by AnglersChannel

Lake Norman Readies to Host Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament

Lake Norman to Host 200 Boaters and Co-anglers from Four BFL Divisions Competing for Spot in 2024 BFL All-American, Top Prize of $60,000

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 11, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Bulldog, Mountain, Shenandoah and South Carolina divisions will wrap up their 2023 season in Huntersville, N.C. next week, Oct. 19-21, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Lake Norman.

Hosted by Visit Lake Norman, Visit Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, the three-day regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.

The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.

“Lake Norman is always good, but this time of year the tournament is really going to be dependent on the weather,” said pro Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, who won REDCREST 2023 – the Bass Pro Tour Championship – on Lake Norman earlier this year. “On a calm, slick day, I’d expect finesse presentations, more use of forward-facing sonar and obviously topwater baits will play a big part.

“We’re also in that transition period where some wind could stir up a really good reaction bait bite, so a jerkbait, Chatterbait or some kind of moving bait could also come into play,” Thrift continued. “This is really going to be an event where you can pick your poison, which is pretty typical for Lake Norman.”

In addition to being able to play the weather to their advantage this time of year, Thrift said with some decent wind, anglers can run a wind pattern that typically results in bigger weights.

“If they hit it when there’s a little bit of wind, or rainy, cloudy weather, I’d expect the weights to be a little higher than if it’s slick and sunny,” said Thrift. “I think anglers that can consistently pull in 14 to 15 pounds every day will have a chance at winning the event.

“The lake has typically turned over by now, so there should be bass scattered from 2 feet of water up to 50 feet of water,” Thrift continued. “I’d expect to see guys throwing drop-shot rigs and spoons in 40 to 50 feet of water, but you’ll also have anglers burning the bank, throwing topwater baits right up on the bank.

“I do think bigger weights will be caught up shallow. Historically on Lake Norman, the bigger fish typically live in 10 feet of water or less this time of year.”

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each morning from Blythe Landing, located at 15901 Highway 73, in Huntersville. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2024 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. reveals schedule for fifth season of Bassmaster Kayak Series

The 2024 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX season features five regular-season events around the country as anglers compete for the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title.

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

October 10, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Just days after wrapping their regular season, B.A.S.S. officials announced the schedule for the 2024 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX.

The fifth season of the ever-popular Kayak Series will include five stops in five states — and for the second year in a row will feature all two-day events.

Kayak Tournament Director Steve Owens says excitement has grown exponentially for the trail every year since its inception, and he expects that interest to rise even more next year with five choice destinations.

“Kayak fishing for bass is as popular as it’s ever been,” said Owens. “People buy kayaks for a lot of different reasons. Some don’t want the responsibility of tending to a bass boat. Others just love the freedom a kayak provides for entering places that are off-limits to many others.

“That’s why the technology for kayak bass fishing has improved so much — and why so many people are anxious to compete from one.”

The 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series schedule will kick off Feb. 24-25 at Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C. The 50,000-acre Palmetto State fishery ranked fourth overall on Bassmaster Magazine’s annual 100 Best Bass Lakes list and hosted one of the more exciting Bassmaster Elite Series events of the 2023 season, which was won by Florida pro Drew Benton with 87 pounds.

“Capital City/Lake Murray Country is excited to kick off the 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series on Lake Murray. We can’t wait to greet the anglers and showcase our region to all," said Miriam Atria, President/CEO of the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.

The second kayak event of the 2024 season will be held April 20-21 at Possum Kingdom Lake in Graford, Texas. Possum Kingdom has become known as one of the top competitive kayak destinations in the country and has been featured heavily in the Bassmaster Kayak Series’ short history. The inaugural 2021 Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship tournament was held on Possum Kingdom and featured a memorable performance by Mark Pendergraf, who won with what was, at the time, the highest two-day total in TourneyX history — a 10-bass total measuring 209.25 inches. The regular-season event held on Possum Kingdom this year was won by Texas angler Michael Cates with a two-day total of 210.25 inches (an average of more than 21 inches per bass).

Under B.A.S.S. rules, the five longest verified lengths each day will be totaled to determine the angler’s score. Ketch boards and other measuring devices must be brought to and approved at the registration and angler meeting before each event. Scores will be entered and shown, as always, in real time by TourneyX.

“Our relationship with TourneyX has been fantastic,” Owens said. “The system has been virtually flawless for the first four years of the Kayak Series, and we’re proud to have them handle scoring for us again.”

From Possum Kingdom Lake, the Kayak Series will make a return trip to Alabama’s Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala., May 18-19. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Greg DiPalma of Millville, N.J., made waves during the 2023 Bassmaster Kayak Series event on Guntersville, winning with a two-day total of 189.75 inches.

The fourth stop on the Kayak Series will be July 27-28 on the smallmouth paradise that is the Susquehanna River in Lewisburg, Pa. Those who follow the Kayak Series know that the Susquehanna just hosted a fabulous, season-ending event that was won by Indiana angler Josh Chrenko, who captured the victory with 194 inches of smallies.

Even with the tournament still fresh, officials from that region are excited about the prospect of hosting the Kayak Series again.

“We were thrilled to have Bassmaster consider and select our portion of the Susquehanna River to host their October 2023 Bassmaster Kayak Series (event),” said Andrew Miller, executive director of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau, the event’s official host. “To learn that a return in 2024 was a possibility was met with great excitement and anticipation.

“Signing the host agreement for next year’s event was the icing on the cake. Bassmaster has been a joy to work with, and together we will introduce the Susquehanna River Valley to fishing enthusiasts and Bassmaster fans all over the world.”

Tennessee’s Rus Snyders took second at the season-ending tournament in the Keystone State, which was more than enough to lock down the 2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title.

The 2024 season will culminate on Caddo Lake and Lake Bistineau in Shreveport, La., on Oct. 19-20. The 25,400-acre Caddo Lake is one of the first Louisiana fisheries stocked with Florida-strain largemouth, while Lake Bistineau covers 17,200 acres in Bienville, Bossier and Webster parishes.

The Top 5 anglers from each event, plus several dozen from the Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year standings, will be invited to compete in the championship, which will be held at a date and time to be announced later. Anglers will earn points in every regular-season tournament, with their lowest finish dropped to determine the final Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year standings.

The kayak championship is held each year in conjunction with the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, with the anglers’ weights announced on the Classic stage.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth under Steve’s direction, and I look forward to working with him in 2024 as we continue to build and expand the Bassmaster Kayak Series,” said GL Compton, tournament manager for the B.A.S.S. Nation, who oversees the Kayak Series.
For more information on registration for Bassmaster Kayak Series events, visit Bassmaster.com/kayak.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Returns to Lake of the Ozarks for Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament

Osage Beach Set to Host 200 Boaters and Strike King Co-anglers from Four BFL Divisions Competing for Spot in 2024 BFL All-American, Top Prize of $60,000

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Oct. 10, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Great Lakes, Hoosier, LBL and Okie divisions will close out the 2023 season in Osage Beach, Missouri, next week, Oct. 19-21, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Lake of the Ozarks.

Hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association, the three-day regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.

The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.

The typical Lake of the Ozarks fall patterns were not really in play at the MLF Toyota Series event earlier this month, but cooler temperatures should have the fish transitioning into their traditional fall routine. Jigs, creature baits and plastic worms will all be popular options, for tournament competitors as will topwater and squarebill crankbaits. A 14- to 16-pound-a-day average over the three-day competition will likely be needed by boaters seeking to advance to the All-American, and the winner is projected to have right around 44 to 48 pounds.

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from Public Beach No. 2 at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, located at 711 Public Beach Road in Osage Beach. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2024 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee

The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing 2024 General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota Wraps Production in West Virginia

MLF Completes Week-Long Television Shoot in West Virginia with Nine Three-Man Teams Competing to Advance to Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship

ROANOKE, W. Va. (Oct. 6, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and 27 of the best pro anglers in the world officially wrapped production this week at the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series season – the Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota in West Virginia. Hosted by the West Virginia Department of Tourism, the competition was filmed entirely for television broadcast and shot over six days this week, featuring nine teams of three anglers competing to finish in the top three and advance to the Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship.

The General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota marked the first time that MLF, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, had visited West Virginia. The event that showcased MLF’s unique catch, weigh and immediate-release tournament format.

The event featured professional anglers visiting West Virginia to compete in select areas of Stonewall Jackson Lake and Summersville Lake. The competition waters for each day of the event were not disclosed until the anglers arrived at the launch ramp each morning, creating a reality-based television episode that showcases how the top anglers in the world work with their teammates to break down new and unfamiliar waters.

The nine teams that competed in the General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota in West Virginia were:

Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas

Team Builders FirstSource:
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala.
James Watson, Lampe, Mo.

Team Crockett Creek:
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.

Team Ferguson:
Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho
Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan

Team Knighten Industries:
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz.
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.

Team Kubota:
Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.

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

Team Sqwincher:
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark.

Team Star brite:
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
David Walker, Huntingdon, Tenn.
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas

The MLF General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota will air on Outdoor Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Feb. 17, 2024, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.

The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of three Qualifying Events, filmed for production in the fall of 2023, where teams compete for advancement to the Bass Pro Shops Teams Series Championship, set to film in early December 2023. Each of the three Team Series Qualifiers consist of nine teams, each comprising three anglers.

Nearly a half a million dollars will be paid out over the three no-entry fee Qualifiers, and the total season-long purse for the General Tire Team Series is more than $720,000.

Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Bubba, Builders FirstSource, Costa, Crockett Creek Beef Jerky, Ferguson, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury Marine, Mossy Oak, NITRO Boats, Onyx, Optima Batteries, Power-Pole, Quad Lock, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, Sqwincher, St. Croix Rods, Star brite, Toyota and YETI.

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

by AnglersChannel

Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Iaconelli extends his tourney season at Bassmaster Kayak event on Susquehanna

Legendary angler Mike Iaconelli will be among the field when the Susquehanna River hosts the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX October 7-8, 2023. 

Photo by B.A.S.S.

October 6, 2023

LEWISBURG, Pa. — Mike Iaconelli isn’t ready just yet for the annual “offseason” of the Bassmaster Elite Series. This weekend, Iaconelli will compete on what he claims to be home turf on the Susquehanna River at the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX just days after being inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

Joining Pittsgrove, New Jersey's Iaconelli in the tournament will be fellow Elite pro Greg DiPalma of Millville, N.J., who currently sits third in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year points race.

The playing field is the upper reaches of the massive river that concludes as a tidal fishery where it empties into the Upper Chesapeake Bay where Iaconelli won a 2021 Bassmaster Kayak Series event. Iaconelli is so passionate about kayak tournament fishing that his trophy sits beside his Bassmaster Classic trophy as a testimony to its value in his Hall of Fame fishing career.

“I got into kayak fishing about 12 years ago because it fills a lot of voids for me,” Iaconelli said. “It reminds me of how I grew up fishing small waters in canoes, and it enables me to stay competitive, which I need.”

Like anything else he does, Iaconelli got serious about his kayak fishing gear. Hobie even designed the Mirage Pro Angler 14 360 Mike Iaconelli Edition from which he competes. He competes with the same level of energy that he brings to the Elite Series, and not just because that defines his angling persona.

“I’ve had people ask me during practice why I’m going down a level, backwards in my level of competing,” Iaconelli said. “That’s not it at all, because these kayak anglers are as good and competitive in their craft as the Elite guys.

“These kayak dudes put in just as much work, are just as competitive, and when you beat them, you’ve accomplished something legitimate.”

Iaconelli grew up in the Philadelphia area and when he returned to his angling roots, annual pilgrimages to the Susquehanna were a summertime ritual.

“The upper river is a real gem; I’ve fished up here for about 15 years now,” he said. “What makes it so great is, in the stretch where we compete, it isn’t accessible to a fiberglass bass boat, which also deters tournament pressure.

“The tournament stretch is also catch-and-release only, and it’s not uncommon to catch over 50 smallmouth a day.”

Iaconelli described the tournament zone as relatively shallow, with moderate current, ultra-clear water and rocky habitat, making it ideal for river smallmouth. The section supports a healthy ecosystem of forage, including shad, redhorse sucker chubs and river shiner, adding to the viability of the smallmouth fishery.

On his first practice day, Iaconelli caught 50 smallmouth, and he identified two priorities in focus for completing his game plan.

“First, I’m looking for a stretch of river that has quality smallmouth, and by that, I mean 16- to 18-inchers, compared to the 12- and 14-inchers that are common,” he said. “Second, I’m looking for concentrations of bait that are beginning to form into schools for the fall period.”

Iaconelli planned to fish a different section of the river each of his allotted practice days to find that combination of needs. Current is a key ingredient to making those two come together in the same place.

“Smallmouth here will move 10, 15 miles to find bait, and that’s easy for them because they just swim and float downstream with the current, just like the baitfish do,” he said. “When they find the bait, they school up and feed in that same area.”

Find the bait, find the bass. That’s a textbook approach to fall fishing anywhere. On the upper Susquehanna, Iaconelli will also key in on current breaks that form the textbook ambush points for smallmouth as the bait comes downstream.

He sees two emerging patterns in play, both with the overarching theme of a fall bite that is underway — power fishing for smallmouth on the move and a finesse approach for the ultra-clear water.

“The river is low and clear, and finesse fishing will be a dominant pattern for catching wary fish,” Iaconelli said.

The weather could be a factor in the event. A low-pressure system will move across the area over the weekend, bringing showers and a significant change in temperatures. Nighttime lows on Saturday night will drop to the mid-40s. A 10-degree temperature drop is forecasted for the Sunday finale, with highs in the mid-50s.

Competition days are scheduled for October 7-8, with the final berths to the 2024 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX to be awarded and the 2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year to be decided. The live leaderboard can be found on Bassmaster.com throughout the tournament, with the awards ceremony streaming live on the Bassmaster YouTube channel October 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Opens season finale offers different look at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes

Anglers will have one more opportunity to qualify for the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota and earn their way onto the Elite Series at the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes Oct. 12-14. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

October 5, 2023

Bassmaster Opens season finale offers different look at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes

LEESBURG, Fla. — It’s a familiar venue in a less-familiar time frame, but anglers should find the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakesrich with opportunity.

Competition days will be Oct. 12-14 with daily takeoffs from Ski Beach at 7:30 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day back at the launch site at 3:30 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com with FS1 broadcasting live with the leaders on Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m.

Recent years have seen all levels of Bassmaster tournaments, from the High School and Junior series to the Elite Series, visit the Harris Chain. All, however, have been spring events, so this season-ending finale presents the field with an atypical shot at Florida fall fishing.

“Fall opens everything up,” said Lakeland, Florida’s Bobby Lane, who lives about an hour from Harris Chain. “I don’t see anyone winning it off of one spot. The beautiful thing about the Harris Chain of Lakes is you have shellbars, brushpiles, Kissimmee grass, buggy whips, docks, canals — you have everything.

“The local tournament weights have been OK for this time of the year. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nice stringers are coming in.”

Comprising eight lakes — Harris, Griffin, Eustis, Dora, Beauclair, Carlton, Apopka and Yale — the chain covers approximately 75,000 acres. All but Yale are linked by rivers and canals, so there’s plenty of room to spread out. While Lane believes much of this central Florida gem could contribute to the winning limit, he’s fairly certain no one lake will dominate the show.

“Normally, you can predict where it will go down. In the spring, we see Apopka become a huge player with the big fish up shallow,” Lane said. “There’s a huge group of fish in Apopka, but with the run from the takeoff site in Lake Harris, you only get three or four hours to fish.

“That creates a challenge in the fall because you need a little more time to fish. You might catch one or two big ones early, then you might catch one at noon, then you catch one at 1 or 2 o’clock, and somewhere in between you need a 2-plus-pounder to go with all of that.”

Basically, anyone investing the time to run down to Lake Apopka or north to Lake Griffin must calculate the idle time through the connecting waterways they’d have to traverse. Time management is critical, and if anything goes wrong, the trip could turn into a big goose egg.

“You’re cutting your time so short, if you’re really not on ’em or, for some reason, something isn’t the same as it was the day before, you’re putting yourself in jeopardy,” Lane said. “Even if you fish closer in Lake Dora, Lake Beauclair or Lake Eustis, all of those canals take time to idle.

“That opens everything up, and it’s going to make for a lot of fun. A lot of burning gas. No one’s going to roll up on a shellbar and win the tournament.”

Wherever anglers end up, Lane said the Harris Chain water bodies are in good shape, largely due to favorable vegetation levels. From non-native hydrilla to native eelgrass, the lakes benefit from water filtration, along with vast habitat for bass and the forage they seek.

“The Harris Chain of Lakes is in great condition. We’re starting to get some grass back in all the lakes,” Lane said. “This year, we’ve had more grass than we’ve had in a while. I attribute that to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) believing in bass fishing and doing a good job of managing the (invasive submersed aquatic vegetation).

“Aquatic vegetation can take over, but it can be maintained in certain areas. I think it makes for a healthy fishery and a good pleasure boat scenario.”

As Lane points out, the spring season puts an emphasis on shallow cover, but bass utilize Florida grass throughout the year. While shallow areas with scattered hard bottom attract a lot of fish during the spawn and prespawn, autumn brings another set of dynamics.

“In the fall, you deal with wind,” Lane said. “It blows bait from one end of the lake to the other. If you can find the grass with the bait in it, the bass will move to these areas.

“The wonderful thing about aquatic vegetation is that bass don’t need to leave, so you can have a great bass population there. The grass contributes to a great fishery and it leads to better weights across the board.”

Lane said the fall season definitely opens up tactical possibilities, as many of the fish will be scattered and disjointed. He’s looking for topwaters like the Berkley Cane Walker or Choppo to get a good workout, while flipping shallow cover always plays on Florida lakes.

Offshore, anglers will target deeper grass, shellbars and subtle contour changes with bladed jigs, big worms and drop shots. Lane suggests pairing a diverse arsenal with an open mind.

“There’s a lot of fish to catch, but it’s going to boil down to that 4-plus-pound fish,” Lane said. “In spring, we would talk about a 6- or 7-pound fish (when more large bass move shallow to spawn), but this time of year, a 4-pounder is a big fish.

“This time of year, they get off the bank, they roam around, they suspend, they just eat bait out in the middle of the lake. They swim around shellbars and brushpiles. They kind of have the whole lake to do whatever they want until it’s time to head to the bank and spawn.”

Given the lack of concentrated giants, Lane predicts 15 1/2 to 16 pounds a day will make the Top 10 cut and 18 a day will win. However it shakes out, this season finale will see dreams flourish and fizzle.

In addition to the top cash prize, the top pro will receive an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla.

Also, this tournament decides the final Elite Qualifiers (EQ) points totals for the season. Anglers who committed to all 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens events (three divisions with three events in each) will be eligible for one of nine Elite Series invitations based on the EQ standings.

JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Open Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,480 points. He is followed by John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., (1,461), Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., (1,417), Robert Gee of Knoxville, Tenn., (1,372) and Japanese pro Kenta Kimura (1,355).

The tournament is being hosted by Visit Lake, the City of Leesburg and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Classic takes 2023 SportsTravel award for Best Professional Event

The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota has been recognized as the Best Professional Event in the annual SportsTravel Awards. 

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

October 4, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota was honored as the “Best Professional Event” at the annual SportsTravel Awards. The awards recognize the best events, venue and host city in the sports-event industry. The NCAA Women’s Final Four and Salt Lake City, host of the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend, were among the event’s other honorees.

“There is just no way to overstate the significance of the Bassmaster Classic to the sport of bass fishing, fishing fans, host communities and the sportfishing industry as a whole, and we are thrilled to see this iconic tournament recognized as the best professional sports event in the country,” said Chase Anderson, CEO of B.A.S.S.

“We’re thrilled to see the Bassmaster Classic mentioned alongside the Stanley Cup Finals, Super Bowl and World Cup, which have all won this same award previously. This is a true testament to the hard work of the B.A.S.S. team, talented professional anglers, dedicated sponsors and our partnership with Visit Knoxville. It also shows what our organization has known and proven for more than 50 years — fishing and the outdoor industry are a win for fans and local economies.”

The Bassmaster Classic not only welcomed a staggering crowd of 163,914 fans to Classic Week activities across Knoxville, Tenn., but also reached 4.5 million viewers across the two days of FOX and FS1 coverage. Bassmaster.com and the B.A.S.S. social media channels also broke records for engagement as fans devoured content on the web and social channels. During the 2023 Bassmaster Classic, records were set for social media impressions, engagement and video views as well as BassTrakk page views and streams of Bassmaster LIVE coverage — 1.2 million streams for more than 32.7 million minutes across Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms.

The Super Bowl of Bass Fishing has also proven itself as one of the best investments in sports.

According to numbers released by Visit Knoxville, the Bassmaster Classic generated an economic windfall of more than $35.5 million for the community. In addition to producing more than $2.85 million in state and local tax revenue, including taxes on sales, restaurant purchases and lodging, the 2023 Bassmaster Classic and associated activities supported a total of 12,698 jobs.

Fans traveling from across the nation and as far away as Australia and Japan also accounted for 31,525 room nights at hotels across Knox County.

“The SportsTravel Awards recognize the stars of the sports-event industry,” said Jason Gewirtz, vice president of the Sports Division of Northstar Travel Group, which publishes SportsTravel magazine, in a release by the organization. “As events began to come back in 2022, we were thrilled to see hundreds of worthy events nominated for this year’s awards. The winners in each category exemplify everything that we love about the sports-event industry and underscore the resiliency and power of the sports-related travel market.”

The SportsTravel Awards are nominated and voted on by the readers of SportsTravel magazine. Criteria included superior organization of and attendance at the event and competitor and/or spectator experience.

by AnglersChannel

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament Set for Alabama’s Lake Eufaula

“The Bass Capital of the World” Set to Host 200 Boaters and Strike King Co-anglers from Four BFL Divisions Competing for Spot in 2024 BFL All-American, Top Prize of $60,000

EUFAULA, Ala. (Oct. 4, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Choo Choo, Gator, Music City and Savannah River divisions will finish out the 2023 season in Eufaula, Alabama, Oct. 12-14, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Lake Eufaula.

Hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, the three-day regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.

The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.

“I think this tournament is likely going to be a feast- or famine-type event,” said MLF pro Braxton Setzer of Wetumpka, Alabama. “Fall fishing in Alabama is very fun, but it can be tough. I think we’ll see some guys really catch them, but I many guys in the field may not do so hot.

“The fish are scattered out, so we’ll probably see anglers doing a little bit of everything,” Setzer continued. “From offshore with the forward-facing sonar to way up shallow, it’s really a toss up between the two patterns. I think if a guy gets on the right deal up shallow, he could run away with it.”

Setzer said that he’d have a squarebill crankbait and topwater or walking bait tied on, like a 5-inch Yo-Zuri Pencil, to target the cypress trees and shallow cover. If he moved out offshore, he’d throw a Yo-Zuri 3+ or 4+ crankbait and a Rabid Baits shakey-head rig.

“Typically, if a guy can get into the upper teens – 17 or 18 pounds a day – he’ll be feeling pretty good about his week,” Setzer went on to say. “But that being said, there are plenty of very big fish in Lake Eufaula so it could definitely take even more.”

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each morning from Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive, in Eufaula, Alabama. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2024 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee

The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Two Michigan collegiate anglers win 2023 Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships

Central Michigan University's Alina Krasinski and Southwestern Michigan College's Delaney Platt have won the 2023 Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships presented by B.A.S.S. and Shimano.

Photos courtesy of Alina Krasinski and Delaney Platt 

October 4, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Shimano have partnered to award the second annual Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships to Central Michigan University angler Alina Krasinski of Mount Pleasant, Mich., and Southwestern Michigan College competitor Delaney Platt of Braceville, Ill. These scholarships not only honor Sevier’s leadership and long-term vision for the growth of sportfishing, but also recognize the efforts of young female anglers as they pursue fishing at the collegiate level.

“There is no better way to honor Helen Sevier’s legacy than by recognizing Alina and Delaney as they work to make their place in the fishing industry at the college level and beyond,” said Bassmaster Magazine Managing Editor Mandy Pascal, part of the scholarship review committee. “We appreciate Shimano’s ongoing partnership as B.A.S.S. works to ensure future ‘pioneers’ have support and recognition in their endeavors to compete at the college level. The next generation of female anglers is on a clear path to growing and promoting the sport.”

Krasinski grew up fishing the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and Saginaw Bay before making her way to Central Michigan University. A first-generation college student, she is a Dean’s List student majoring in entrepreneurship and advertising in addition to serving as the treasurer for the CMU Chippewas Bass Fishing Team. After graduation, Krasinski plans to pursue a career in the fishing industry, leveraging this passion into an analyst or marketing position.

“I am so honored and blessed to receive this scholarship,” said Krasinski. “It is a great stepping stone in the journey that is college. This scholarship has been helping with tuition and travel expenses related to the tournament season. Central Michigan fishing has been amazing to me. I can't thank my team members enough ... I owe them everything.”

Platt is a freshman studying biology at Southwestern Michigan College, where she is one of two women on the bass fishing team.

“Fishing in college has been a dream of mine since starting competitive fishing, and I am so proud to have met this goal,” said Platt. “I am extremely excited to finally be able to fish with another girl. One of my biggest goals is to be able to make it to the professional level, but as long as I inspire young girls to get into competitive fishing, am a role model to them and make a difference in the lives of others, I will be happy.”

In addition to three years on her high school fishing team, where she and her partner won multiple Illinois Coaches and Student State Tournament Trail (ICASSTT) and Illinois High School Association tournaments, Platt was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Youth Philanthropy, Trap Shooting Team, Math Team, Natural Helpers, Student Ambassadors, Prom Committee and the school's pep club. After finishing her biology and pre-med work at Southwestern Michigan, Platt hopes to continue her education with the ultimate goal of becoming a dermatologist.

Sevier, the second full-time member of B.A.S.S. hired by founder Ray Scott in 1970, was a pioneer at all levels of the organization. During her 31-year career at B.A.S.S., Sevier oversaw a boom in membership as well as the expansion of Bassmaster’s media operation to include seven magazines and two television shows. Sevier was also instrumental in recruiting young people to the sport through the innovative CastingKids program. In 2004, Sevier was inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, and her induction into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame came in 2018.

Both Krasinski and Platt earned a $2,500 scholarship.

by AnglersChannel

Dale Hollow Lake Set to Host Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament

Byrdstown Set to Host 200 Boaters and Strike King Co-anglers from Four BFL Divisions Competing for Spot in 2024 BFL All-American, Top Prize of $60,000

BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Bama, Illini, Michigan and Volunteer divisions will finish out the 2023 season in Byrdstown, Tennessee, Oct. 12-14, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Dale Hollow Lake.

Hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce, the three-day regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.

The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.

“Dale Hollow is an awesome fishery, no doubt,” said pro Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tennessee, who has four career victories on Dale Hollow Lake in MLF competition. “This event is definitely going to be a forward-facing sonar tournament. If you’re not a LiveScoper, you’re in trouble. I think the entire top 6 will likely be LiveScoping.”

Wagner said Dale Hollow’s water levels were 12 to 15 feet low right now, and with not much grass to be found an angler may be able to catch a few bass fishing shallow, but certainly not enough to win.

“Everything is out right now, roaming with the shad,” Wagner continued. “I don’t think the smallmouth will be much of a factor, strictly due to the slot. If you get lucky and catch one over 21 inches, it’ll definitely help. But with so many largemouth there now, I don’t think the smallmouth will really play.”

Wagner said that an angler may be able to find an early morning topwater bite, but that most of the tactics employed by anglers would be offshore baits.

“There are definitely certain areas where you can find them schooling in the morning and you might be able to catch them on topwater, but that bite usually fizzles pretty quickly,” Wagner said. “I think Damiki rigs, swimbaits and spoons are all going to be strong in this event.

“It will take at least 19 pounds a day to get this one,” Wagner went on to say. “I predict the winner has 57 to 60 pounds over the three days of competition.”

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each morning from the Sunset Marina & Resort, located at 2040 Sunset Dock Road, in Monroe, Tennessee. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2024 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee

The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Andrews, Holt, Iaconelli inducted as Bass Fishing Hall of Fame caps off historic Celebrate Bass Fishing Week

SPRINGFIELD, MO – For Immediate Release – Oct. 2, 2023 – It was a banner night for the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. With more than 275 people gathered inside the White River Conference Center, including Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, the Hall of Fame on September 28th enshrined three new members — Glen Andrews, Bruce Holt and Michael Iaconelli.

Through donations and industry support as well as the popular online auction that featured fishing trips and other outdoor experiences, pro angler memorabilia and a vast array of fishing tackle, the 2023 version of Celebrate Bass Fishing week raised more than $200,000, exceeding all previous Celebrate Bass Fishing Week totals.

“The induction ceremony evening and the events and activities leading up to it really showed what the bass fishing world is all about,” said BFHOF Board President John Mazurkiewicz. “It didn’t matter whose tournament circuit you favor, whose boat you ride in or the brand of the tackle you use, we all were able to come together as one to support the Hall’s mission of celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport of bass fishing.”

With 20 Hall of Famers in attendance, all distinguishable by their royal blue blazers, and with new banners hanging from the ceiling to commemorate each induction class, it was an evening to remember for many reasons.

On a night when the Hall’s inductee roster grew to 95 and the fishing industry gathered to collectively celebrate the sport and its icons, Morris revealed during his remarks to start the evening that work will begin later this fall on new additions and features at the Wonders of Wildlife facility that should enhance visitor traffic through the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame space.
“We will be rerouting the traffic so that everyone that comes through Wonders of Wildlife and the aquarium, it’ll be an option for everybody to go through the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame,” Morris said. “As folks exit the Hall, it’ll lead them to some new aquariums and really celebrate bass as a species of fish.”

Andrews, 93, was seated in a wheelchair for much of the evening but he stood tall at the podium during his acceptance speech and displayed a sharp wit as he was celebrated for his pioneering efforts when tournament fishing was still in its infant stages in the 1960s.

“This has got to be one heck of a big extravaganza since it only comes around every 92 years,” Andrews said with a wry grin.

Andrews, from Lead Hill, Ark., is often referred to as the “best bass angler to have ever lived” by the likes of fellow Hall of Famers Bobby Murray and Bill Dance, both of whom counted Andrews as their mentor. He won multiple state bass fishing championships in the 1960s and was a key figure in developing rigging techniques such as the Andrews Slip Sinker Worm (now known as the Texas rig) and establishing the framework of rules that tournament anglers still abide by today.

“I’d give anything to stand up here and tell stories and swap lies with you for the next 30 minutes, but I can’t do that. I may not know as many good stories as Bill Dance, but some of mine are true,” Andrews quipped. “If you’ll forgive me for that, Bill, I’ll say thank you for that 30 minutes you spent on a Zoom call a few months ago to tell me that I was going to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. I thank you and I thank each and every one of you for coming. God bless you.”

Holt, who passed away in 2021, was represented by dozens of family members, former colleagues and industry friends. Bruce’s younger brother, Ryan, accepted his plaque and told the crowd that his older brother would have been in awe of being inducted.

“Bruce would be humbled, thrilled and mostly surprised to receive this honor. He gave his life to fishing and all it represents, but he would never in his wildest dreams believe he’d have been inducted here with all the people he idolized and admired,” Ryan Holt said.

Holt spent more than 30 years with G. Loomis in various positions and played a central role in helping grow the profile of the G. Loomis rod brand, especially in the bass category.

Following Holt’s induction, it was announced that Shimano (parent company of G. Loomis) will donate $5,000 to the Hall of Fame in Holt’s memory with the funds to be earmarked for the Hall’s conservation grants, scholarship programs, and youth fishing initiatives.

Iaconelli, still an active competitor on the Bassmaster Elite Series, concluded the evening by retracing the steps of what has been a transcendent career on and off the water.

“This is the most amazing feeling. I can’t even put it into words,” said Iaconelli, the only angler to win the B.A.S.S. Nation national championship, the Bassmaster Classic and the Bassmaster Angler of the Year award. “To look out at this sea of people who are my heroes from the fishing industry and not just the fishermen, but the writers, the retailers, my friends … it really feels like my life has come full circle.”

by AnglersChannel

Missile Baits Partners with Outdoor Brand Team

alem, Va. – October 2, 2023 – Missile Baits is partnering with the Outdoor Brand Team for assistance in growing sales and the Missile brand across theirterritory. After 11 years, Missile Baits continues to grow in the bass fishing tackle market for soft plastics, skirted jigs, and terminal tackle. The Outdoor Brand Team has extensive expertise and experience working with select brands in the fishing industry to grow sales.  OBT will represent the Missile line up of plastics and jigs across their territory in the Eastern half of the United States.

“I have personally worked with the whole OBT crew for over 10 years through other brands and they do an amazing job for the brands that they represent. Missile has never had the opportunity to partner with OBT but they recently had an opening, so I jumped on it. OBT will definitely help Missile Baits continue to grow and expand for many more years,” states Missile Baits owner, John Crews.

Matt Ledbetter, Sales Manager for OBT continued, “John and his team have built a great brand and we are excited to join the Missile team. The range of products and colors they have in their lineup is outstanding and I know our team can help them continue to grow the Missile brand.”

The official kick off date for the partnership between Missile Baits and OBT will begin October 2, 2023.

by AnglersChannel

Pickwick Lake Tapped for 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Wild Card Regional

FLORENCE, Ala. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, announced today that the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Wild Card Regional will take place on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama, Nov. 10-11.The two-day event, hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, will launch from McFarland Park Marina in Florence.

“The Wild Card event should be taking place at the perfect time of year for Pickwick Lake to really show out,” said Tyler Dolan, Sales Manager, Sport + Travel Trade at the Florence/Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are looking forward to having everyone in town to see what the Shoals has to offer in the fall.”

In order to be eligible to fish the Wild Card, anglers must have entered all five events within a Phoenix Bass Fishing League division during the 2023 season, fished at least two of them and not qualify for a regular Regional.

Anglers will take off from McFarland Park Marina, located at 1050 Clayborn Lyles Drive in Florence, at 6:30 a.m. CT each day of competition. Weigh-ins will be held at the marina both days beginning at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The full field competes both days at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Wild Card, with winners determined by the heaviest two-day catch. The top six boaters and top six Strike King co-anglers will advance to the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine All-American, held on Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee, May 29-31, hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN.

There will be no off-limits period prior to the pretournament meeting for the Wild Card. No contestant may be on tournament waters for the purpose of locating bass or potential fishing waters after the start of the pretournament meeting except during tournament hours.

Entry for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Wild Card is now open and runs through Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, at 5 p.m. CT. Anglers can enter by phone at 270.252.1000.

The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The top six finishers in each regional qualified for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Forecasted winds force cancellation of Bassmaster College Bracket seeding day

Bassmaster College Team of the Year anglers Easton Fothergill (right) and Nick Dumke (left) will take the top two seeds in the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's when competition starts September 30. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

September 29, 2023

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — With the forecast calling for periods of sustained 20 mph winds and gusts up to 30 mph on Friday, B.A.S.S. officials have opted to cancel seeding day at the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s. Milford Lake will not be put off-limits, so the eight college anglers competing will have the option to practice if they feel they may do so safely.

With the canceled day, Easton Fothergill and Nick Dumke from the University of Montevallo will claim the first two seeds respectively by virtue of winning the Bassmaster Team of the Year title. From there, the seeding is based on each team’s finish in the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The 2023 national champions Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from Auburn University will claim the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, followed by Bethel University’s Levi Mullins and Matthew Cummings in the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. University of Montevallo anglers Brody Robison and Jack Alexander will round out the field as the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds.

In the head-to-head, elimination-style event, anglers will compete as individuals and the winner will earn a berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for March 22-24 in Tulsa. Anglers will launch from Farnum Creek Boat Ramp at Acorns Resort starting at 7 a.m. CT for this catch, weigh, release tournament and end their day at 3 p.m.

FS1 kicks off a day of college sports with morning action from Day 2 of the tournament beginning at 7 a.m. Bassmaster College Classic Bracket LIVE will feature real-time coverage from every boat on Saturday and Sunday as anglers battle to advance. Continuing coverage of the tournament each afternoon and on Monday can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.  

Here are the matchups for Day 1:

(1) Easton Fothergill, University of Montevallo vs. (8) Jack Alexander, University of Montevallo

While he goes to school in the middle of Alabama, Fothergill is from Minnesota. Although he hasn’t fished Milford before, he knows how to fish in the Midwest which will only help in this event. With a fifth-place finish at Pickwick Lake, Fothergill and Dumke became the first Bassmaster College Team of the Year winners to also make the Top 10 at the College National Championship. Fothergill is still recovering from emergency brain surgery but is close to full strength. During his initial recovery, Fothergill was able to memorize Google Earth and has a good idea of how he wants to attack this lake.

Alexander will have a tall task facing off against his teammate in the first round. Alexander and partner Brody Robison finished 12th in the College Team of the Year standings and were the final team to qualify for the College Classic Bracket. Most of their damage was done with forward-facing sonar, but Alexander was able to drag a jig to add some bass as well. If a shallow bite materializes, Alexander could be a contender.

(2) Nick Dumke, University of Montevallo vs. (7) Brody Robison, University of Montevallo 

Dumke is the second half of the 2023 Bassmaster College Team of the Year and just like Fothergill, is from Minnesota and is plenty familiar with Midwest fishing. His prowess catching both smallmouth and largemouth will go a long way in this event. Both he and Fothergill have shown the ability to figure out any fishery in the country, notching Top 30 finishes at each of the four 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops events.

Robison utilized forward-facing sonar to help him and Alexander finish third at the National Championship. Depending on conditions, forward-facing sonar could play a major role in this event, which could help Robison pull off an upset over his teammate. Outside of the Red River event, he and Alexander finished 41st or better in the first three regular-season events spanning three vastly different fisheries.

(3) Tucker Smith, Auburn University vs (6) Matthew Cummings, Bethel University

Smith is the only angler in the College Classic Bracket that has competed in this event before. In 2021, Smith finished second to Tristan McCormick by just 3 ounces. Since then, Smith has only added to his accomplishments, including winning the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Whether on a team or individually, Smith has proven he is a skilled angler and will be a tough matchup for anyone.

Cummings, meanwhile, has been competing with Levi Mullins for the last couple of years and the duo has been very consistent. In two tough National Championships in 2022 and 2023, the Bethel anglers secured Top 10 finishes. Now Cummings will get to showcase his talents individually. He threw a Senko behind Mullins at Pickwick, which is the same bait Nick Ratliff used to win the 2018 Bracket at Milford Lake.

(4) Hayden Marbut, Auburn University vs (5) Levi Mullins, Bethel University

With Smith as his partner, Marbut has now won a Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and a Bassmaster College National Championship. The former member of the Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors will now embark on his first Bracket journey. With Milford being a relatively unknown reservoir for these anglers, Marbut will have a great opportunity to showcase his versatility and potentially utilize forward-facing sonar.

Mullins, meanwhile, will be competing in his first College Classic Bracket. Throwing a jig helped Mullins finish second to Smith and Marbut in this year's National Championship. With how versatile a jig is, the potential is there for Mullins to make a deep run. Kentucky Lake is also becoming a strong smallmouth and largemouth fishery, which should also help Mullins figure out Milford Lake.

by AnglersChannel

Gill North America Names Sportsco Marketing as its Sales Group

Gill North America, Inc. is pleased to announce a partnership with Sportco Marketing for sales and marketing in the Midwest and TALO regions.

Gill has established itself as the premier sailing clothing line in the United States, now branching into other aquatic activities such as fresh and saltwater fishing, paddle, and water adventure.

"We are very excited to partner with Gill," said Hughes Andry of Sportco. "They are committed to performance and comfort, as well as value for our consumers. It is an honor to work with them."

Sportco was founded in 1991 by hunting and fishing enthusiasts. Employing sales reps with a deep passion for the industry, Sportco believes that one of the most important jobs of a sales agency is assisting the dealer in selling through to the consumer. They work very closely with top dealers and the brands they represent.

Based in Ohio, Sportco (sportcomarketinginc.com) will be representing Gill products in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

 For more information, please email Fishing Marketing Manager, Michele Eichstead ([email protected])

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing’s 2023 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals to Premiere Saturday on CBS Sports

Major League Fishing’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Set to Premiere on CBS Sports, New Episodes Premiere Every Saturday from 9-11 a.m. ET

BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 28, 2023) –Major League Fishing’s (MLF) 2023 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals are set to premiere this weekend, Saturday, Sept. 30 at 9 a.m. ET with a two-hour episode on CBS Sports.

Each MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational featured a field of 150 anglers competing over three days in a five-fish, weigh-in format. In addition to the lucrative prize money, the winner of each of the six Invitationals receives an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2025, Major League Fishing’s most prestigious tournament. Top pros in Tackle Warehouse Invitational AOY standings at the end of the season will receive an invitation to compete in the 2025 Bass Pro Tour.

The first two-hour episode of Major League Fishing’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals premiering Saturday will showcase the first event of the season – the Power-Pole Stop 1 at Lake Okeechobee Presented by Phoenix Boats. Each week a new episode will premiere on CBS Sports, through mid-November.

The complete air schedule for the 2023 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on CBS Sports is:

-  Sept. 30    Power-Pole Stop 1 at Lake Okeechobee Presented by Phoenix Boats
-  Oct. 7        Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance
-  Oct. 14      Epic Baits Stop 3 at Lake Eufaula Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches
-  Oct. 21      Phoenix Boats Stop 4 at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Mystik Lubricants
-  Oct. 28      T-H Marine Stop 5 at the Potomac River
-  Nov. 4        Mercury Stop 6 at the Mississippi River
-  Nov. 11     (9 a.m. ET) Abu Garcia College Fishing 2023 National Championship at Lake Toho Presented by Lowrance
-  Nov. 11     (10 a.m. ET) Phoenix Bass Fishing League 2023 All-American at Lake Hartwell Presented by T-H Marine

The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

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

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. announces three-division schedule for 2024 Bassmaster Opens

The 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series will feature nine tournaments — three each in three divisions — covering eight states.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

September 28, 2023

B.A.S.S. announces three-division schedule for 2024 Bassmaster Opens

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials announced Thursday the schedule for the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, once again mixing frequent destinations with some that have barely been touched by the organization during its 55-year history.

The Opens circuit, which has become one of the most competitive and most followed in the sport, will again feature three divisions with three events in each. Winners of all events will be eligible for a berth in the 2025 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, but only the anglers who fish the Elite Qualifiers Division (all nine events) will be eligible to earn invitations to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Opens Tournament Director Hank Weldon said he’s looking forward to another hotly contested journey across the country with some of the finest anglers in the world.

“We’re still wrapping up our 2023 season, and it’s been an amazing ride visiting such a variety of fisheries over a seventh-month stretch,” Weldon said. “It’s exciting to think it’s only going to get better with a 2024 schedule that we’re really proud of.”

The schedule will kick off with a trip to the world-famous largemouth factory of Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla., Feb. 1-3. The “Big O,” which ranked 10th overall on Bassmaster Magazine's annual 100 Best Bass Lakes list, has hosted 23 major B.A.S.S. events, including the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series season-opener that was won by Louisiana pro Tyler Rivet with 86 pounds, 15 ounces.

The remainder of the Division 1 slate will play out over the following eight months with a pair of trips to South Carolina.

The first Palmetto State stop will be March 7-9 at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, S.C., where Georgia pro Drew Cook won an Elite in 2022 with a whopping 105-5 and Oklahoma pro Luke Palmer followed by winning an Elite event held there this year with 96-14. The Division 1 slate will wrap up on Oct. 10-12 in Anderson, S.C., with a visit to Lake Hartwell — the site of four previous Bassmaster Classics.

Officials from the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, host for the Santee Cooper Lakes event, said they are thrilled to have B.A.S.S. visiting the venue again.

“Clarendon County is beyond excited to welcome B.A.S.S. to the Santee Cooper Lakes,” said Jesse Surette, director of tourism, Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. “This historic fishery has been a staple in the top level of the sport for decades, and this event will be a great opportunity for Bassmaster Opens anglers to earn their way onto the Bassmaster Elite Series and fish for a chance to compete on the biggest stage in bass fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.”

The schedule for Division 2 will get its start Feb. 15-17 on a fishery that hasn’t been nearly as familiar to B.A.S.S. — Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark. It’ll be the organization’s first trip to Ouachita in more than two decades and only its fourth stop for a major event on the 40,000-acre fishery since Tennessee legend Bill Dance won the first B.A.S.S. event held there in 1969.

“Hot Springs is eagerly looking forward to being the host city for the first Bassmaster Opens Series (Division 2) Tournament of 2024 on Lake Ouachita in February,” said Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs. “Our city knows fishing, and we can’t wait to show the Bassmaster competitors a great venue for their tournament, as well as the wide array of attractions and activities that ‘America’s Spa’ has to offer. We guarantee everyone is going to have a great time both on and off the water.”

From Arkansas, the Division 2 lineup will move to Alabama’s Logan Martin Lake, May 2-4. Unlike previous events at Logan Martin, which have been held more toward the lower end of the 17,000-acre Coosa River fishery, this tournament will be held in Lincoln, Ala. — more toward the upper end of the lake — at the new 38-acre Lincoln’s Landing facility.

Then it’ll be back to Lake Eufaula, Okla., for the conclusion of the Division 2 slate June 20-22. B.A.S.S. made just its fourth trip to the super-fertile 102,000-acre fishery in Eufaula, Okla., this year for a wildly entertaining Open that was won by Alabama pro Joey Nania with a three-day total of 52-8.

Division 3 will represent the Northern swing for the Opens, beginning with an event on the smallmouth paradise of Lake St. Clair (ranked seventh overall on Bassmaster Magazine’s 2023 100 Best Bass Lakes list) in Macomb County, Mich., July 11-13. The lake has hosted nine major B.A.S.S. events, including a 2023 Elite that was won by the 2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Joey Cifuentes with 91-8 — the highest winning weight ever in a B.A.S.S. tournament on St. Clair.

Following St. Clair, Division 3 will feature perhaps the most intriguing stop on the 2024 schedule with an event on Leech Lake in Walker, Minn., Aug. 22-24. If the venue sounds unfamiliar to fishing fans, it’s because B.A.S.S. has never held a major event on the 102,947-acre fishery in north-central Minnesota.

The lake, which lies mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and completely within the Chippewa National Forest, is the third-largest body of water in Minnesota and is home to both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Bassmaster Open to Leech Lake in 2024,” said Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Cindy Wannarka. “This caliber of tournament will offer many positive outcomes, and we are looking forward to partnering with B.A.S.S. and planning for the tournament. We are certain that the Bassmaster Open will not only have a tremendous impact on our local economy, but will also give the Leech Lake area exposure to attract future visitors. We are excited to begin working with the staff and participants as we introduce them to one of the finest fisheries in Minnesota. We are positive that once they visit, they will want to return to our community.”

The conclusion for Division 3 will take place Sept. 12-14 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. The fishery has hosted 11 previous major B.A.S.S. events, with Maryland's Bryan Schmitt winning a recent 2022 Elite there with 63-4.

“When we say this schedule has a little bit of everything, we mean it,” Weldon said. “From Okeechobee largemouth to a mixed bag in Minnesota, anglers who fish all nine events will have their knowledge and abilities tested to the extreme.”

The final event in each division will feature live television coverage on FS1. Through two divisional finals in 2023, more than 780,000 viewers have enjoyed exciting Opens LIVE broadcast coverage from Tennessee's Watts Bar Reservoir and the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

Registration will open November 7, beginning with B.A.S.S. Life and Nation anglers who want to participate in the Opens EQ Division.

For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/Opens.

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens

Division 1

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

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

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

Division 2

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

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

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

Division 3

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Boat gets sucked into Tennessee dam spillway, killing angler onboard, officials say

As reported by Makiya Seminera - Charlotte Observer

Two men were pulled into a Tennessee dam spillway while they were fishing, officials say. One of the men was killed. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Two anglers fishing below a Tennessee dam were thrown from their boat after being pulled into the spillway, killing one, officials say. The two men were fishing near Fort Loudoun Dam on Tuesday, Sept. 26, when their boat was sucked into the dam’s spillway and capsized, “sending both men into the water,” the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency told McClatchy News in an email.

One of the men was “quickly rescued by another angler” in another boat, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said, but the other man was found later by the dam’s workers and died. Both men were wearing life jackets when they were thrown from the boat, the agency said. The boat was later recovered and “has been taken by wildlife officers for an analysis,” the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said.

The agency said it will not release the identity of the man who was killed in the incident until Wednesday, Sept. 27. An investigation is ongoing. A similar incident occurred in 2020 when two fishermen were pulled into the Fort Loudoun dam spillway after their boat’s engine failed, as reported by WBIR. One man was killed, but bystanders rescued the other man.

Multiple deaths have been reported onFort Loudoun Lake within the past few years. In August, two bodies were found in the water within two days, WBIR reports. The dam is a “hydroelectric facility” that stretches across the Tennessee River and is about 30 miles southwest of Knoxville. The Fort Loudoun reservoir is a popular fishing and boating spot, and the “tailwater area immediately below the dam is an excellent site for viewing a variety of waterbirds,” the Tennessee Valley Authority said.

Safety issues on the lake caused the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission to create a “no wake” zone in the area, WATE reports. No wake zones are areas where boats must go at a wake speed that is “not sufficient to cause possible injury or damage to other persons, boats, or property,” according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

by AnglersChannel

Kayak anglers visit smallmouth paradise on Susquehanna to wrap Bassmaster season

Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River will host the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX October 7-8, 2023. 

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

September 27, 2023

LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX will end with a bang as anglers from across the country head to the mighty Susquehanna River at arguably the best time of year, according to West Virginia kayak pro Jody Queen.

“In October, this place is wide open,” Queen said. “It is just a good time to be here.”

Competition days are scheduled for October 7-8, with the final berths to the 2024 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX to be awarded and the 2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year to be decided. The live leaderboard can be found on Bassmaster.com throughout the tournament, with the awards ceremony streaming live on the Bassmaster YouTube channel October 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

Snaking through the state of Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna River is a relatively shallow river with a healthy smallmouth population. In this section of river, largemouth are not a prominent player. The boundaries for this event present a large playing field where anglers will be able to spread out.

“A lot of it will depend on water levels, but usually in October, the water levels are pretty good with a normal flow. Usually low and clear is normal,” Queen said.

The fall feed will likely be underway when anglers arrive, which could make for exciting topwater and power fishing opportunities. The main river will be the most productive water, while some of the creek mouths will also hold bass.

Several different types of shad, including redhorse sucker chubs and river shiners, along with crawfish, will be the most prominent forage types. These smallies will also school up, which can provide some of the best opportunities to catch a quick limit.

“If you find those fish, it is an all-out smashfest. It is so fun to find them when they are schooling like that,” Queen said.

Current, and the cover that breaks that current, are important factors on the Susquehanna. For Queen, grassbeds play an important role, while rocks and laydowns serve as current breaks. River ledges will also allow smallmouth to ambush baitfish.

“Topwater is usually really good,” Queen said. “Moving baits like crankbaits, spinnerbaits and JackHammers are really good, as well as any type of crawfish imitators. Just about anything goes up here. It will be a good bite.”

Baits like shaky heads, Ned rigs and Fluke-style baits like a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ will also catch smallies.

While many of the smallmouth fisheries B.A.S.S. visits present opportunities to fish with light line, Queen says the Susquehanna is the opposite. If anglers use line that’s too light, it is almost guaranteed they will get their feelings hurt.

In this catch, measure, release-style tournament, anglers will be allowed to launch from any public launch in eligible boundaries beginning at 7 a.m. ETand will make their first cast at 7:30 a.m. on both days. Lines out is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

The top finishers will meet at the Best Western Country Cupboard Inn in Lewisburg for an awards ceremony following competition hours on Day 2.

Going into the final tournament of the season, Rus Snyders, who won March’s Kayak Series Championship on Chickamauga Lake and has finished no lower than 15th this season, is leading the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year standings with 733 points. Snyders holds a narrow lead over Nick Dyer (727), Elite Series pro Greg DiPalma (726), who won the season’s first tournament, and Marty Hughes Jr. (723).

Competitors can register for the Susquehanna event through September 29 at Bassmaster.com.

by AnglersChannel